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Sony unveiled new 2013 TVs at CES 2013. The new 9 series, W900, and the Ultra HD models, reintroduce Sonyâ€™s Triluminos brand. FlatpanelsHD had a chat with Sony about the new technology that uses so-called Quantum Dots to improve color reproduction.
Triluminos has Quantom Dots
Rewind to 2007. Sony launched the X3000 series of TVs with Triluminos technology. Back then Sony used LED backlight based on three LEDs; red, green and blue (RGB), to optimize color reproduction. In 2009, the Triluminos technology was dropped and Sony was quoted as saying that it was too expensive compared to the improvements.
Sony W900 with Triluminos technology
5 years later, in 2013, Sony is ready to reintroduce the Triluminos technology. The name is unchanged and the technology still has something to do with backlighting in TVs. However, in 2013 Triluminos uses Quantum Dots to improve color reproduction via the backlight unit.
It works like this: The LED backlight in Sonyâ€™s 2013 Triluminos TVs uses LEDs emitting a â€śpure blueâ€ť light – and not RGB leds – instead of white LED used in conventional LED based TVs today. Between the backlight unit and the LCD panel Sony has placed a filter of â€śQuantum Dotsâ€ť that are able to reproduce â€śpure greenâ€ť and â€śpure redâ€ť light from the blue backlight. Sony argues that conventional LED model sometimes let non-pure light trough which can cause washed-out colors. But with Triluminos, Sony can create more intense, accurate and lifelike colors.
Triluminos in action
Sony says that Triluminos can reproduce 50 % more of the color gamut visible to the human eye, compared to conventional LED models. However, in practice this has not effect as movies and TV shows are not created for the more complete color palette – yet.
Sony exhibited Triluminos (to the left) next to a former high-end Sony TV (to the right)
FlatpanelsHD saw Sonyâ€™s Triluminos technology in action at CES and the colors definitely appeared more intense. However, Sony had also made some colors appear too intense, reducing for example shadow detailing. The Triluminos technology is certainly very exciting but we hope for a more balanced outcome when the final products arrive in a few months.
The Triluminos technology has been integrated in the W900 series that will be available in spring 2013 and the Ultra HD X9000 models that will be available this summer.


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U.S. based publisher and developer Conspiracy Entertainment has announced a new agreement with German game publisher and developer RTL Games, allowing Conspiracy to distribute RTL Games' new game releases in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Launched on August 1, RTL Games designs and publishes mass market and casual style video games for a variety of game publishers, including the Nintendo Wii.
While no specific titles were named in the announcement, Conspiracy's executive vice president Marco Husges noted that “in RTL Games, we found a partner with extensive know-how and an impressive track record of video games, especially in the very popular sports genre.”
RTL Games' general manager Holger Strecker added: "I am thrilled we were able to engage Conspiracy Entertainment to spearhead our exciting product launch in the U.S. Their Santa Monica team has collaborated with major worldwide operating media companies, and has the established distribution channels to maximize our retail success. This alliance represents another important step in the worldwide distribution of our products."

domain: news


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News - BMW
Frankfurt show: BMW says EV rollout unstoppable
More electrified BMWs headed to Aus, regardless of federal government assistance
20 Sep 2017
By TIM NICHOLSON in FRANKFURT
BMW Australia chief executive officer Marc Werner says the car-maker’s rollout of electrified vehicles will continue unaffected by the federal government’s lack of action in supporting infrastructure or incentives.
Mr Werner has in the past been vocal in pushing the federal government to at least look into the viability of partially backing an electric vehicle (EV) charging network and providing financial incentives for buyers of environmentally friendly cars.
Discussing the dominant e-mobility theme of last week’s Frankfurt motor show, Mr Werner said the there was a clear trend globally towards electric vehicles that was likely to gain further momentum in the coming years.
“I think if you see what is happening here in Frankfurt, the big theme is really electrification,” he said on the BMW stand last week. “Not only BMW, the entire industry. I think you know it is not only a trend, it is happening. If the industry and the government can work hand in hand to make this happen for the customers, that is certainly something that we want moving forward.
“That’s why we recently joined the EV Council for example which we believe is the right next step in order to create even more awareness, not only for this technology but in general for this movement. Additionally it is also about creating further awareness and probably also shaking the tree a bit which you have to do every now and then.”
Left: BMW Group Australia chief executive officer Marc Werner
Mr Werner said he thought there had been some progress on the part of the government and reiterated the company’s plans to expand its EV line-up in Australia.
“If you look at what has happened over the last 12 months, there is certainly more momentum. And I am very pleased to see that. We will not give up. As you have seen today we are inventing this technology and we are very serious about it.
“We want to continue to bring these excellent cars to the Australian market so it is definitely worth lobbying and we will continue to push in that direction, certainly.”
BMW offers a number of electrified models in Australia, including the iPerformance 3 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series and X5, as well as the pure ‘i’ models, the i8 sportscar and i3 hatch.
More are set to hit Australia in coming years with BMW announcing earlier this month that it will increase its global ‘i’ and iPerformance line-up to 25 models by 2025, with 12 of them being full battery electric vehicles.
Some of those models will likely be the X3 EV that was recently announced by the German car-maker, an expected plug-in version of the upcoming X7 seven-seat SUV and the as yet unseen i8 Roadster, while the facelifted i3 that made its public debut at the Frankfurt show is locked in for Australia.
While other premium brands such as Tesla, Mercedes-Benz and Audi offer a range of electrified offerings here, Mr Werner said BMW was the market leader when it comes to eco models.
“Arguably we are already the leader. We launched the BMW i brand in 2014. And if you look at the broad spectrum of the BMW i and BMW iPerformance vehicles, it is the broadest product range in the market.
“We are at the very forefront of this technology, and we are also at the forefront of the product offering. We now have more than 21 dealers that offer these kinds of products in their showrooms, so from a customer perspective that is as good as it can get.”
The Road to Recovery podcast series
19th of September 2017
Frankfurt show: BMW charges towards better EV range
Greater driving range and faster charging the priorities for BMW’s EV development
18th of September 2017
Frankfurt show: EVs shape BMW design
Next-gen BMW design language previewed by X7 and i Vision Dynamics concepts
13th of September 2017
Frankfurt show: BMW’s future ‘Vision’ uncovered
Third model in BMW ‘i’ line-up revealed in concept form with 600km EV range
Click to share
Motor industry news


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A Hokkaido man is under suspicion of some Mobile Suit Gundam thievery in a case that saw two high-end Gundam models being stolen and then resold around the city. According to a report from Hokkaido Television Broadcasting, the 22-year-old office worker allegedly stole the pair of Gundam plastic models, worth a combined ¥47,520 (about US$350), from a bookstore on May 1.
After that, the man was spotted via CCTV footage attempting to resell those same figures at various second hand stores. Thanks to the footage he was arrested on May 4, and has since admitted to the charges of theft. “I stole them for the purpose of reselling because I wanted money to play,” the man told police.
As for which models he stole, that information has not been disclosed.
Via Crunchyroll News


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Simon Herrick, who had held the role for two years, was already under fire after reportedly asking suppliers for a discount and a one-off contribution in the days running up to the key festive period.
The company said in a stock exchange announcement that a search to find a replacement was under way.
City retailing analysts, wrong-footed by the latest development, said that the new CFO would face the tough task of rebuilding confidence among investors after the second profit warning from Debenhams in under a year.
Herrick will receive a “golden goodbye” of nearly £500,000, comprising his annual salary of £410,000, a flexible benefits payment of £18,375 per annum and an annual pension contribution of £61,500.
The group said this will be paid in 12 monthly instalments, reduced by an equivalent amount should he find other employment in the period.
Michael Sharp, Debenhams’ chief executive, said: “On behalf of the board,
I would like to thank Simon for his hard work and contribution over the past two years. We wish him well in the future.”
Shares in the retailer have slumped almost 40 per cent in the last 12 months, with its trading woes thrown into sharp relief by a strong performance from rival department store group John Lewis over the Christmas period.
In a statement on Tuesday, Debenhams cut its first-half profit forecast by 25 per cent to about £85 million from £114.7m the previous year, after a last-minute Christmas shopping surge it had pinned its hopes on failed to materialise.
The group, Britain’s second biggest department store business, blamed the latest profit warning on highly competitive price-cutting on the high street. It resulted in its same-floorspace sales edging up a dismal 0.1 per cent in the
17 weeks to 28 December.
Sharp said this week that the chain was battling against an “extremely difficult” trading environment. He also cited bad weather hitting clothing sales.
Numis Securities said in a note: “While there is undoubtedly some truth in this, we believe that Debenhams’s major issues are more company‑specific.”
Other analysts said the retailer had already been struggling as it failed to keep up with rivals including John Lewis, House of Fraser and fashion retailer Next. The latter is due to report on the Christmas period.
On New Year’s Day, John Lewis, the employee-owned department store group, reported like-for-like sales up a shade under 7 per cent in the five weeks to 28 December. House of Fraser has said its sales climbed 7.3 per cent in the past three weeks.
One analyst commented: “There is no quick fix at Debenhams. All retailers are operating in a difficult environment, but some are making a better fist of it than Debenhams currently.
“The share price doesn’t lie over the past year and more.”
The stock, which has steadily fallen over the past three months, closed today up 2.2p at 75.2p.
Debenhams said it would have to offer more discounts in January and February to clear stock. Poor trading at the start of 2013 saw its profits fall 2.7 per cent to £154m in the 12 months to end August.
Neil Kennedy, director of finance, will become acting chief financial officer on an interim basis while the external search for a new CFO goes on.


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Despite a little lift the company received from the weak yen for its third quarter results in December, Panasonic continues to wrestle with company-wide restructuring efforts under the leadership of Kazuhiro Tsuga, who took the company’s helm a year ago.
Panasonic remains one of the best recognized consumer electronics brands in the world.
Yet, Tsuga has told employees and to the world that the dwindling TV business isn’t going to save Panasonic. He believes Panasonic’s much broader business--ranging from solar power to automotive, avionics and home appliances--will eventually lift the company from its rut in the low-margin mass consumer market.
Indeed, unbeknownst to the West, Panasonic has sprawling businesses that encompass many different markets. It’s almost too easy to criticize the company for “having a lack of focus” in its business. But Tsuga sees opportunity in threading those non-traditional, non-consumer products and technologies together with an “eco-related” business focus.
“One thing different about Panasonic from other Japanese CE companies, and this may not be well known outside Japan, is that Panasonic has consistently reached out to tackle, solve and deliver social and business solutions,” explained Richard Doherty, research director at the Envisioneering Group. With multiple research labs around the world, “Panasonic has commercial solutions and strong IP in green energy generation, its efficient use (solar cell to batteries and fuel cells) and health care,” he added.
During his keynote speech earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show, Tsuga pitched Panasonic's green tech strategy that will be broadly applied across the company’s different product divisions.
But it’s hard to ignore Panasonic’s contributions to consumer entertainment. Because there are many, including DVD, Blu-ray, wearable stereo headsets and high-efficiency H.264 silicon, according to Doherty. In particular, “manufacturing process efficiency remains Panasonic’s strength,” he noted. “From 150-inch Plasma displays to radical 4K UHD displays, Panasonic has repeatedly tamed the materials sciences needed to produce products in large volumes along with the resources efficiencies green-conscious consumers increasingly demand,” added Doherty.
The following slideshow illustrates Panasonic’s wide-ranging arsenal of products and technologies critical to its makeover. The company hopes some of them will become major contributors to its bottom line, sooner than later.
Panasonic CEO Kazuhiro Tsuga at his keynote speech at the Internatoinal Consumer Electronics Show in 2013


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Editor's note: Below is a list from Tim Swanson, a Bitcoin consultant based in San Francisco who blogs at the site Of Numbers, on the top 10 firms built on or incorporating a blockchain.
Blockchains work like giant digital spreadsheets shared by everyone in a decentralized network, and are used to do things like confirm Bitcoin payments. We recently discussed why many are saying the advent of blockchain technology could be as important the development of the Internet. Swanson chose companies no longer operating in "stealth mode," and which he believes already provide real value. References to "the" blockchain refer to Bitcoin's blockchain.
He owns no equity in any of the companies.
— Coinometrics is attempting to do what few people or organizations in this space have tried to do: empirically quantify and qualify the actual behavior what is happening on the blockchain. While forum-based armchair philosophers are nearly a dime a dozen, data speaks much louder than words. And in this case, co-founder Jonathan Levin has provided both clear analytics and corresponding interpretations of data sets that are valuable to both layman and industrialist alike. As the industry matures, actual data as opposed to hopes and dreams will be provide much needed metrics for outside investors, developers and entrepreneurs to focus their future endeavors toward.
— Helloblock is Bitcoin infrastructure built specifically for developers. After creating a number of Bitcoin projects, the team led by Sidney Zhang – based in San Francisco – found the developer infrastructure to be raw and primitive; the ecosystem in their view is still at the “TCP/IP” level. And testing is both tedious and time-consuming. Developers in general want to explore the Bitcoin protocol because it offers entirely new possibilities with money. Their API reduces these complexities into a JSON interface, so developers can simply focus on their idea, not infrastructure – and the API is just the first step.
— Kraken is a fully compliant digital asset trading platform that goes beyond simple market or limit orders, allowing up to 9 additional advanced order types and in the future, the potential of margin trading (if pre-approved). They have positioned themselves to be a FOREX platform for digital currencies. Based in San Francisco, the team is managed by a group of talented early adopters including Jesse Powell who has stuck with the community through thick and thin.
— BTCJam is a San Francisco-based P2P lending platform that has provided over $5 million in bitcoin-based loans over the past year. Founded in 2013, it is led by Celso Pitta, a Brazilian with industry experience building statistical models at Citi and who had first-hand experience with living in a country with high interest rates (200% for credit cards).
— BlockCypher is one of the first Platform-as-a-service (PaaS) infrastructure companies in Bitcoin. The team rebuilt the Bitcoin platform from the ground-up and optimized it for the cloud, exposing web APIs and callbacks for developers to easily build and scale applications on. This team is led by Catheryne Nicholson, who brings a different way of thinking in a largely male-dominated segment. She and her co-founder Matthieu Riou have a long history of building large-scale platforms together. Both want to grow the Bitcoin developer ecosystem and encourage more women to participate.
— DigitalTangibleTrust aims to be a liquidity provider and marketing partner for hard assets that are difficult to monetize, but can be easily digitized into cryptocurrencies and then traded on any centralized or peer-to-peer exchange. Whether you are buying digital gold bullion from the United Kingdom or digital mineral rights in Texas, led by a cryptofinance and experienced marketing team in San Francisco, they are trying to push the edge of blockchain innovation building an investment portfolio that will consist of coins it has issued as ownership rights to these unique assets. Since its humble beginnings in early 2014, in a short month they have thousands of hard assets in custody and appear determined to digitize all things.
— Ripple Labs is a San Francisco-based company that is building commercial applications and infrastructure around the Ripple protocol. Founded in September 2012, Ripple Labs has built a distributed trustless exchange system around a consensus ledger as opposed to a blockchain. While there are many similarities between the two technologies and even some of the company employees (both David Schwartz and Stefan Thomas, were early Bitcoin adopters and developers), Ripple Labs is attempting to bridge the digital world with the traditional financial sector, connecting isolated payment systems into one rail.
— Bifubao is not just another wallet provider. Known as Bitfoo internationally, this Beijing-based international team comprised of Americans and Chinese developers became the first commercial developer to implement proof-of-reserves. Proof-of-reserves is a Merkle tree-based technique developed by Greg Maxwell in February 2014, to enable exchanges and hosted wallet companies to cryptographically proof to the public that they have the assets they claim to have, yet not exposing the privacy of their customers.
— Coinbase grew from a small hosted wallet company in mid-2012 to become one of the largest companies in the ecosystem. Based in San Francisco, it began 2013 with a mere 13,000 wallets, growing to 1 million in under 14 months (3 months quicker than its competitor, Blockchain.info). Its services have since expanded to include merchant support for companies such as Overstock.com.
— BitPay is an Atlanta-based payment gateway, one of the first 3rd party merchant support payment systems. Their system enables merchants to accept bitcoins, locking them into fiat conversion rates that helps protect merchants from currency fluctuations and TigerDirect is one of its tens of thousands of supported companies.
— BitPagos is also in the merchant solution space however instead of simply converting bitcoins into fiat, they are trying to help merchants move in the opposite direction: accumulating bitcoins. Led by Argentinian Sebastian Serrano, who experienced first-hand the rampant inflation of the early 2000s in Argentina, this San Francisco-based team is focused globally but especially with respect to emerging economies such as those in Latin America.


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To win back fliers, United Airlines will upgrade first class food options and replace snacks with full meals on some of its shortest flights.» Read More
Many hotels are offering trendier happy hours that build on the popularity of specialty beers, while others have their own exclusive crafts made from local ingredients.
Hotels are expanding their loyalty programs and making it easier to use points not only for rooms, but also on a wide array of experiences, merchandise and entertainment. Fighter jet ride, anyone?
The Transportation Security Administration's "PreCheck" expedited security screening program expanded to more airports and airlines this week.
Alaska Airlines quietly introduced new checked bag fees for some first class passengers, a first for any U.S. airline.
Many international airlines have started auctioning off upgrades in an attempt to fill empty business and first class seats. But some elite frequent flyers who normally get first dibs on those seats fear their benefits will be diluted.
As costs to offer free Wi-Fi increase and demand for bandwidth surges, more hotels are considering adding charges to satisfy guest expectations.
High-tech, faster airport security designed to identify travelers via fingerprints and iris scans may not be far off, the airline industry says. Obstacles, though, remain.
Many Kimpton Hotels offer a soothing and colorful pet companion when checking in. Guests can request a live goldfish to accompany them in their hotel room throughout their stay.
Young travelers are making up more of the business travel market. Their companies and the airlines, hotels and other travel-related businesses serving them are finding it necessary to adjust policies and communication practices.
The summer solstice hits tomorrow and you'll be treated to a free pair of Aviator sunglasses if you're checking in to one hotel brand on Wednesday.
More airlines are adding lie-flat seats in premium cabins, extra legroom seats in coach and enhancing Wi-Fi to attract higher spending road warriors.
Frontier Airlines announced more programming with variable pricing for its DirecTV service beginning July 1.
Westin is reinventing the traditional hotel business center to include more features for the tech savvy and mobile traveler.
Add-on fees for checking bags, priority boarding, roomier seats and onboard snacks are here to stay. Airlines need the money to cover rising costs and one study claims the fees are good for consumer choice.
The nation's largest carriers are getting passengers to destinations at a record clip, according to new data from the US Transportation Department. Here's the best — and the worst.
Major airlines appear to have selectively matched sale fares that Southwest and subsidiary AirTran unveiled on Tuesday, USA Today reports.
Airports and some airlines understand the needs of digital travelers and are making more electrical outlets available.
Recent data shows that corporate rental car rates are going down, even while airfares and hotel room rates are on the rise.
Elite status in an airline loyalty program used to be an exclusive club. But benefits have slowly eroded as more people gain status or purchase the same level of priority access.
Everyday spending can bring you closer to an award trip using frequent flyer miles. Here are my tips on how to quickly rack up the most miles in a short amount of time.
China aims to double domestic spending on tourism by 2020 by offering financial and other support, as it seeks to spur economic growth.
United Airlines will upgrade first class food options and replace snacks with meals on some of its shortest flights.
More people will get away this Labor Day weekend than have in the past six years, reports USA Today.
A Boston judge rejected a hospital chain's bid to force The Boston Globe to disclose medical records that a patient shared for an upcoming story.
The Vietnamese developer behind the viral hit has a new hit game in stores—and it might be even more addictive than his first.
Fir Tree Partners stepped up its calls to replace Hertz's chief, saying CEO Mark Frissora "has completely lost credibility."


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Once a month or so Mr. Leslie Miller, Minister of Trade and Industry, climbs on his soapbox to persuade the Bahamian public that government should be involved in supplying the local market with gasoline. To save money he intends to purchase gasoline from Venezuela to sell to Bahamians.
There are at least two reasons why this is a bad idea.
1. President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela has recently accused President Bush of plotting to assassinate him, made suggestive comments about Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, visited Fidel Castro in Cuba, bashed the United States on the al-Jazeera television network and travelled to Libya to receive an award from Moammar Gaddafi.1 There are not many Bahamians who would approve of a foreign policy that would alienate our major market for tourism, the United States by cozying up with countries like this.
2. Historically, government has yet to prove it can supply a market for products or services at prices lower than suppliers in the competitive market.
Prices and Inflation
Not long after Mr. Miller's recent outburst about gasoline prices, an e-mail was circulated locally as a reminder of price inflation. It was titled "Comments made in the year 1957."
1. "I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it's going to be impossible to buy a week's groceries for $20."
2. "If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going to quit. A quarter for a pack is ridiculous."
3. "If they think I'll pay 50 cents for a hair cut, forget it."
While this historical perspective is good for a laugh, focusing on price alone without considering the effects of inflation is misleading.
John Stossel, author of "Give Me a Break" comments on the media frenzy over gas prices in the US. He says, "If you don't account for inflation, lots of prices keep going up…"
According to Mr. Stossel, "…the federal Department of Energy accounts for inflation in its annual report of gas prices. It says gas is actually cheaper now than it was throughout most of the 20th century. Yes it's 65 cents more than it was six years ago, but it's nearly a dollar cheaper than it was for much of the 1920's and '30's – and more than a dollar cheaper than in 1980."
Customers in a gas station were asked which cost more gasoline or bottled water. Believe it or not, almost everyone responded to him that gasoline was more expensive. They were wrong.
A local comparison.
Comparing water with gasoline prices in The Bahamas we found the following:
As at March 21, 2005 gasoline at a local gas station was $3.36 per gallon. A 20-ounce container of imported bottled water (Aquafina) cost $1.25 or .0625 cents per ounce or $8 per gallon. Assuming some savings if the water was imported in gallon bottles, it would still be double the price of a gallon of gasoline.
The clincher in Mr. Stossel's piece that Mr. Miller seems to missing is this:
"We should marvel at how cheap gasoline is — what a bargain we're getting from oil companies. After all, it's easy to bottle water, but think about what it takes to produce gasoline and deliver it. Oil has to be sucked out of the ground, sometimes from deep beneath an ocean, a desert, or ice. To get to the oil, the drills often have to bend and dig sideways through as much as five miles of earth. What they find then has to be delivered through long pipelines or shipped in monstrously expensive ships, then converted into three or more different formulas of gasoline and transported in trucks that cost more than $100,000 each. Then your local gas station must spend a fortune on safety devices to satisfy government regulators and make sure you don't blow yourself up. At nearly $2 a gallon (an average of 44 cents of which goes to taxes), gas isn't expensive — it's miraculously cheap!"2
Interestingly enough, the Bahamian Government receives $1.06 per gallon in duties plus 7% Stamp Tax. That works out to approximately one third (1/3) of the price at the gas pump. In other words, that's more than the total gross margins received by the oil companies and the service station owners combined.
Is Mr. Miller reading too much into the price of fuel? It sure seems he is making a mountain out of a barrel of oil. Not only that, he is leading us into a closer and possibly dependent relationship with a country we should keep at arms length.
1. Washington Post


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California's new digital privacy law essentially requires a warrant before any business turns over any of its clients' metadata or digital communications to the government.
Miami swimwear entrepreneur Mel Valenzuela (right) explains online strategies to Cuban business owners Victor Rodriguez (middle) and Caridad Limonta (left) in Wynwood this month. Miami boutique owner Monica Minagorri (rear) watches.
Genevieve Bell, an anthropologist and vice president at Intel Corp., with teammate David Weinberger, senior researcher at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University.
Samuel LaHoz/Intelligence Squared U.S.
The Havana studio of prominent artist Kcho is ringed by Cubans with their heads buried in screens. Users say the only other free Internet connection in Havana is at the U.S. Interests Section.
Jonathan Zittrain, co-founder of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society, says the right to be forgotten online is "a very bad solution to a real problem."
Samuel Lahoz/Intelligence Squared U.S.
Since Google Fiber rolled out gigabit broadband in Kansas City four years ago, residents have enjoyed fast Internet connections, including what locals call "the world's fastest Starbucks."
T-Mobile CEO John Legere pitches a plan that allows unlimited music streaming without additional data charges. Some net neutrality proponents want the FCC to limit plans like these; the commission says it will review them on a case-by-case basis.
Ted S. Warren/AP


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Dale J. Venturini
President/CEO, RI Hospitality Association
As we enter 2021, it’s almost unbelievable to think that it’s only been a year since COVID-19 first hit our nation. 2020 is a year that most of us would like to forget, especially within the hospitality industry. Just six months into the pandemic, in September of 2020, the National Restaurant Association (NRA) had announced that nearly 100,000 restaurants, representing about one in six restaurants across the country, had closed for business either long-term or permanently. In December, the NRA announced that an additional 10,000 restaurants during the preceding three months. This brings the total number of restaurants out of business to more than 110,000, representing about 17% of all dining establishments in America.
In September, we published the results of a Rhode Island-focused economic impact survey which showed that 18% of respondents reported a 51-60% loss of revenue year-over-year. At that point, only 40% of respondents believed their restaurant would still be in business in March of 2021 without additional relief packages from the federal government.
Further complicating things for our industry, on November 19th, 2020, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo announced that the state would be entering a two-week pause from November 30th through December 13th. “The Pause”, as it has come to be known,” enacted new restrictions on our industry, including: limiting indoor dining capacity to 33% and prohibiting bar seating; limiting indoor dining parties to one household per table (maximum of five people); limiting outdoor dining to two households per table; and the prohibition of private and catered events without written exemption.
In response, we created a survey of our members to see how their businesses were impacted as this period began, spanning November 30th through December 3rd. A majority of respondents reported more than a 70% loss of revenue when comparing October and November of 2020 to the same period in 2019. Many businesses saw the financial impact of “The Pause” before it even started, with over 90% of respondents indicating a decrease in business and reservations during the week of November 23rd as “The Pause” was first announced. As a result, nearly 37% of respondents planned to reduce staff hours, while another 24% planned to reduce their hours of operation.
Throughout the pandemic, our industry has had to pivot, adapt and change in order to survive…in many cases on a week-to-week basis. From implementing stringent disinfectant measures, to accommodating fewer diners to create more open space, to installing Plexiglas partitions and creating new or expanded outdoor dining environments, our industry has been called upon time and again to change the way we operate, not only to provide a safe dining experience for our patrons now, but so that our employees can earn a living when our doors are able to open fully, without restrictions, once it’s safe to do so. We’ve done our part as required; now, we’re calling upon our congressional delegation to do theirs and help us.
The National Restaurant Association has been vocal in its support of a compromise federal support package, which would provide restaurants with immediate relief to help keep the doors open. In its Blueprint for Restaurant Revival, the Association highlights the steps Congress needs to take, from establishing a long-term loan program beyond the Payroll Protection Program (PPP), to providing customer and employee wellness tax credits and more.
While our industry isn’t the only one suffering, our businesses have been the target of increased Covid restrictions with little evidence that is a vector for COVID-19 spread. Relief cannot wait any longer – RIHA stands with the National Restaurant Association (NRA) and American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) and asks our legislature to step up and do their part.


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In an era of globalization, no country is immune when the United States falls onto hard times. Here’s a look at how economies elsewhere will fare.
Mexico and Canada: Living next door to world’s biggest economy has its advantages, but it has big drawbacks, too. Exports to the United States represent about a quarter of each country’s GDP, so direct trade links will bear the brunt of a slowdown. Expect the manufacturing sectors of both countries to feel the pinch.
China: The world’s fastest-growing economy can’t help but be affected when the world’s largest economy slows down, since China relies on exports to the United States as one of its main sources of growth. In recent years, China has boasted double-digit growth. Officially, Chinese economists expect growth to slow down to 9 percent in the wake of a U.S. recession, but only if such a recession is mild, lasting two quarters. If the U.S. recession is severe—four quarters or more—and is centered on a faltering U.S. consumer who buys fewer Chinese goods, then China’s growth is likely to slow to 6 or 7 percent, a hard landing, indeed.Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, and South Korea: China gets raw materials such as timber and rubber from Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and Malaysia. Other East Asian countries, like Taiwan and South Korea, send component parts to the mainland, which are then assembled into finished products that are shipped to the United States. Both groups of exporters are likely to fall—and fall hard—if a drop in Chinese exports to the United States leads to less Chinese demand for these goods and raw materials throughout Asia. Keep an eye on metals, coal, and food products in particular.
Latin America: Chile’s got copper; Brazil’s got minerals; Argentina’s got livestock and feed....MORE


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Several other brokerages have also issued reports on SUM. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Summit Materials from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 4th. BidaskClub lowered shares of Summit Materials from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Thursday, July 20th. SunTrust Banks, Inc. set a $38.00 target price on shares of Summit Materials and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 24th. TheStreet raised shares of Summit Materials from a c+ rating to a b rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 2nd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus reissued a buy rating and set a $35.00 price objective on shares of Summit Materials in a research note on Thursday, August 3rd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $31.42.
Shares of Summit Materials (SUM) traded up $0.25 during trading on Thursday, hitting $29.80. 938,058 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,473,350. The firm has a market cap of $3,230.00 and a PE ratio of 32.04. The company has a quick ratio of 2.01, a current ratio of 2.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.48. Summit Materials has a 1-year low of $22.19 and a 1-year high of $32.69.
Summit Materials (NYSE:SUM) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, October 30th. The construction company reported $0.73 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.83 by ($0.10). Summit Materials had a return on equity of 27.56% and a net margin of 12.94%. The company had revenue of $634.18 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $558.93 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.73 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 19.8% compared to the same quarter last year. equities analysts predict that Summit Materials will post 1.02 EPS for the current year.
In related news, insider Thomas W. Hill sold 12,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.20, for a total value of $352,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 170,610 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,811,202. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Damian John Murphy sold 100,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, September 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.66, for a total transaction of $3,066,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 104,398 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,200,842.68. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 271,610 shares of company stock worth $8,301,282 over the last quarter. 1.97% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank boosted its position in Summit Materials by 11.3% during the second quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 5,013 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $145,000 after purchasing an additional 510 shares during the period. First Manhattan Co. bought a new position in Summit Materials during the third quarter worth $160,000. SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its position in Summit Materials by 27.8% during the first quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 7,300 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $180,000 after purchasing an additional 1,589 shares during the period. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC bought a new position in Summit Materials during the third quarter worth $180,000. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group Inc. bought a new position in Summit Materials during the third quarter worth $202,000.
About Summit Materials
Summit Materials, Inc is a construction materials company. The Company operates through three segments: West, East and Cement. As of December 31, 2016, the Company had operations in 21 states in the United States and in British Columbia, Canada. The Company’s materials include aggregates, which it supplies across the United States, and in British Columbia, Canada, and cement, which it supplies along the Mississippi River from Minneapolis to New Orleans.
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User supporters have traditionally cautioned you to definitely pay-day lenders deliberately try to attract consumers to your a pricey and you can unbearable stage from financial obligation. Now, the nation’s individual economic watchdog states it’s got evidence.
The consumer Monetary Defense Agency accused a number one payday lender, Ace Dollars Show, of utilizing multiple illegal methods to stress users which have delinquent money so you’re able to borrow a great deal more to expend them out of.
The accusations up against Expert designated the first time you to bureau officials accused a pay day financial out of intentionally pushing some one towards a loans cycle.
Expert, that have 1,five hundred store places within the California and you may thirty five other says, wanted to pay $10 billion to settle the truth, rather than admitting or denying wrongdoing.
The fresh new Irving, Colorado, company granted a statement detailing it cooperated into the bureau’s analysis for a couple of ages and therefore a lot of its employees’ phone calls so you’re able to people complied which have range legislation.
New bureau’s analysis showed up a graphic regarding an expert knowledge guide proving the fresh new rounded mortgage techniques – just how users was are contacted to get the newest funds after not paying from old of these.
“Expert used not true risks, bullying and you may harassing phone calls to help you bully pay-day consumers to the a period out-of debt,” bureau Manager Richard Cordray told you. “So it culture from coercion drained vast amounts off cash-secured users that has partners choices to fight.”
The new bureau, created by brand new 2010 financial reform legislation, have made an effort to crack upon pay-day financing violations which will be considering whether the newest federal rules are expected.
If they create you need currency, they have to very first look to relatives, family unit members otherwise its chapel – “one thing lacking a pay-day financial,” she said
Payday loans, enough time an installation working-classification and you can lower-income communities, turned into more popular in Higher Recession and its particular aftermath due to the fact cash-strapped people tried a quick fix in order to wave them more up until their next paycheck.
5 mil such loans from year to year, with regards to the People Financial Attributes Assn. out of The usa, an industry exchange class.
The new brief-identity funds, generally speaking $350, is actually payday loans into an income. The new fund generally speaking try for two weeks with a condo fifteen% commission otherwise mortgage loan that will not voice also crappy.
Throughout the 20,600 pay day metropolises all over the country make blog link $38
But will cost you is multiply quickly in the event the loan isn’t paid off away from plus the debtor must take out another financing so you’re able to pay-off the original one.
The fresh new Adept circumstances provides stark proof this new industry’s enterprize model that can bring about difficult guidelines from the individual bureau, told you Nick Bourke, movie director of Short Buck Financing Investment at the Pew Charity Trusts.
“An instant payday loan is actually offered since the a preliminary-term temporary augment,” Bourke told you. “Nevertheless reality is most people you would like half the entire year so you can pay the loan straight back.”
“This new payday loan enterprize model do fall apart in the event the customers merely tried it for 2 or three months immediately,” Bourke said.
Brand new Expert training manual graphic offered “an explicit picture of the debt trap,” said Mike Calhoun, president of Cardiovascular system to possess Responsible Lending.
Inside March, an individual agency told you its study of your globe located 4 out of 5 people that took aside a quick payday loan often rolled they more for the yet another mortgage or took away other one to within two weeks.
The new accusations facing Ace showed up just after an investigation triggered by a beneficial routine examination of their operations within the bureau’s supervision.
New agency said their analysis learned that Ace’s in the-family and you may 3rd-group collectors utilized illegal ideas, for example bothering phone calls and you can not the case threats so you can statement consumers in order to credit rating people, to attempt to push these to take-out brand new finance in order to repay the old ones.
Within the an announcement, Expert said it hired another pro who found 96% of your own business’s calls in order to users “met associated range standards.” The organization also requested the notion which attracted people on a cycle out of personal debt.
The organization told you a diagnosis of the analysis out of discovered 99.5% away from people which have financing inside range for over 90 days did not remove brand new loans having Expert in this two days of repaying their current of those. And you may 99.1% regarding customers don’t remove an alternate financing within this 14 times of paying off existing financing, it told you.
Still, Adept said, it has pulled procedures just like the 2011 to avoid violations, and expanding their tabs on collection phone calls and you can end the utilization regarding an enthusiastic unnamed third-party range company your agency got concerns about.
Within the payment, Ace have a tendency to hire a firm to get hold of eligible users and you will situation refunds, the fresh new agency told you.
User supporters promise the brand new bureau will generate government guidelines requiring pay check loan providers to decide a customer’s power to pay before giving financing.
“Certainly discover a period of time inside everybody’s lifetime once they ela Banking companies, elder rules guidance getting Consumers Union. “But i suggest users to think enough time and hard throughout the whether or not they need the loan.”


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Sony Corp. is taking over the Sony Ericsson mobile phone joint venture for 1.05 billion euros ($1.45 billion), as it seeks to catch up with smartphone and tablet makers Apple and Samsung, Reuters reported Thursday. The deal gives Sony ownership of certain handset patents held by Ericsson and will enable it to integrate the joint venture’s output with its own range of products and content. Until now Sony’s tablets, games and other consumer electronics devices have been kept separate from the phones sold and created by Sony Ericsson, Reuters wrote.
(Reuters) – Sony Corp is to take over the Sony Ericsson mobile phone joint venture for 1.05 billion euros ($1.45 billion), as it seeks to catch up with smartphone and tablet makers Apple and Samsung.
The deal to buy out its Swedish partner gives Sony ownership of certain handset patents held by Ericsson (ERICb.ST) and will enable it to integrate the joint venture’s output with its own range of products and content.
“Its the beginning of something which I think is quite magical,” said Sony’s chairman and chief Executive Sir Howard Stringer.
“We can more rapidly and more widely offer consumers smartphones, laptops, tablets and televisions that seamlessly connect with one another and open up new worlds of online entertainment”.
Until now Sony’s tablets, games and other consumer electronics devices have been kept separate from the phones sold and created by Sony Ericsson.
“Sony is looking to do the same as Apple and meet user’s demands through linking various devices with similar interfaces and operating systems,” said analyst Nobuo Kurahashi of Mizuho Investors’ Securities in Tokyo.
“Since television sales are set to fall smartphones look to become more important products for Sony since their sales are rising globally and they will probably become the main device people use to connect to the Internet.”
Smartphone sales have been surging since Apple launched its first iPhone in 2007 and despite a slowdown in the overall consumer electronics market the strong demand for smartphones is expected to continue.
The takeover of Sony Ericsson by the Japanese group had long been talked of, and a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters this month that a deal was in the offing. .
“Sony now has all the components to compete with Samsung and Apple. The big question now is … can it execute ?,” said Pete Cunningham of industry consultancy Canalys.
“Based on history I am sceptical but I would not say it cannot be done,” he added.
Founded in 2001, Sony Ericsson last year took around 2 percent of the global cellphone market with sales of 6.3 billion euros and employs some 7,500 people. Initially it thrived with an array of camera and music phones but then lost out in the smartphone race.
“Sony had to make this deal as it had run out of options, but integration challenges could prove to be a major hurdle,” said Ben Wood, head of research at London-based mobile consultancy CCS Insight.
“As a major consumer electronics player lack of mobile assets had become a liability for Sony, particularly when compared with Samsung, whose telecommunication business creates nearly half of its profits,” he said.
Ericsson said the deal provides Sony with a broad intellectual property cross-licensing agreement covering all the Japanese company’s products and services as well as ownership of “five essential patent families relating to wireless handset technology”.
“The only value Ericsson added to the venture was patents,” said Cunningham.
However, in comparison Nokia , the world’s largest cellphone vendor by volume, controls some 10,000 patent families.
Shares in Ericsson, whose main strength lies in its wireless network equipment business, were up 5 percent at 70 crowns by 1024 GMT. ($1=0.724 euros) (Additional reporting by Veronica Ek, Olaf Swahnberg and Patrick Lannin in Stockholm, James Topham in Tokyo; Editing by Greg Mahlich)


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Debenhams had its best ever December performance, the department store has announced.
Like-for-like sales in the five weeks to January 5 rose 5%, helping comparable sales in the first 18 weeks of its financial year lift 2.9%.
The group, which has 155 UK stores and 73 overseas outlets, cut prices by up to 50% in one-day promotions on some products in what chief executive Michael Sharp said was the most competitive Christmas in his 37-year career in retail.
He said shoppers were more "canny" and left shopping until much later this year in the hope of picking up bargains ahead of Christmas as well as during the traditional sale period.
More top news
The 75-year-old man was helping a second man rescue two teenage girls, who had got into difficulties in the water.
Americans celebrated 239 years of independence yesterday. Here are some of the best pictures.
England beat Germany 1-0 after extra-time to finish third in the Women's World Cup.


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GLI adopts new brand look, logo
Greater Louisville Inc. has adopted a new brand look and logo that were unveiled at the chamber of commerce agency's annual meeting.
Kent Oyler, GLI president and CEO, told nearly 1,000 business and community leaders at the Galt House event Tuesday evening that the group is renewing its mission "to drive quality job creation and business growth in the region."
Oyler said, "The fleur-de-lis logo developed 18 years ago by Price Webber will always have a place in GLI's history, and now we have a bold new representation of the GLI of the future."
Oyler said the new branding elements are "far more than just graphics and marketing."
The new tagline "In the Business of Business" is intended to identify the core mission as the only regional business-leadership organization that is entirely focused on helping businesses succeed.
The clean look, bold font and addition of brackets surrounding the GLI mark symbolize the organization's key values – inclusion, clarity, transparency, relevance. The intent is to communicate the idea of bringing together business and civic leaders to improve the region's economic prospects, officials said.
In partnership with members of a committee, GLI board members Sandra Frazier of Tandem Public Relations and Todd Spencer of Doe-Anderson, "In The Business of Business" tagline and brand messaging were developed pro-bono.
The new brand look and logo will be integrated into GLI's web site, printed materials and signage.
Greater Louisville Inc. is the region's largest business leadership organization. For information, visit www.GreaterLouisville.com.


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LONDON (UK) – Aston Martin said on Friday it would issue new shares worth up to 20% of its existing equity capital as the luxury carmaker seeks additional funds to tide over the coronavirus crisis.
New owner Yew Tree will pick up 25% of the offering, with Prestige Motors, which has steadily reduced its holding in the company having previously been the main shareholder, planning to buy about 8%, the company said.
Aston Martin, which in May posted a deep first-quarter loss after sales plunged by nearly a third, also said its retail sales and wholesales are expected to fall further in the second quarter.
The carmaker has been slashing jobs and streamlining its operations as it seeks to bring its cost base in line with its move to reduce sports car production levels.
“We are making very good progress on my first priority, the rebalancing of supply and demand and reducing dealer stock as we reset the business and restore exclusivity,” said Chairman Lawrence Stroll, the Canadian billionaire who took over the role earlier this year after taking a 20% stake.
The company has been plagued with the coronavirus crisis, much like other carmakers, with lockdown leading to a 97% annual plunge in British new car sales in April to the lowest level of any month since February 1946.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field


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Professional crypto traders appear to be taking the recent plunge in the price of Bitcoin in their stride as they look ahead to an upswing in the cryptocurrency’s fortunes.
In a paper released today by a Senate committee, the Australian government announced it is seeking help in establishing a crypto regulatory framework.
Fan Long, a co-founder of Chinese public blockchain network Conflux, says China’s latest broadside against the use of cryptocurrencies in the financial sector should not be interpreted as a sign that Beijing is intent on shutting down digital currencies.
China has slapped a ban on finance sector businesses, including payment firms, from offering cryptocurrency services.
In a new court filing, SEC tries to keep out 6 representatives of 17,100 XRP holders from joining as 3rd party defendants in the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple.
Ripple rebuts SEC’s attempt to obtain Ripple’s confidential communications with lawyers over XRP’s legal status and seeks to bolster ‘fair notice’ defense.
To improve public trust, South Korea is barring police officers from buying cryptocurrency. Could this presage a broader clampdown on crypto in the country?
FTX crypto derivatives exchange pioneered TRUMP crypto futures and now dwarfs Coinbase in trading volume. Is going public in FTX’s near future?
Chutian Dragon and IDEX Biometrics offer DCEP digital currency wallets with fingerprint recognition. The companies say the feature enhances security.
As retail interest in crypto grows, countries around the world are grappling with consumer protection. Asia offers a window into the array of policy responses.
In the latest volley in SEC v. Ripple Labs, the SEC contends that Ripple has waived its attorney-client privilege over legal advice on XRP’s status.
Ripple scores another in legal wrangling over SEC lawsuit as SEC now must disclose its confidential internal communications over XRP, Bitcoin and Ethereum.
In new court filings, the SEC says allowing XRP holders’ to join SEC v. Ripple lawsuit as third-party defendant would cause delays and ‘sow chaos.’
Fast-growing DeFi — still a largely unregulated industry — gives FATF an earful over its proposed ‘travel rule’ and expanded anti-money laundering rules.
Thailand has issued fresh orders to tighten regulations on new cryptocurrency accounts, requiring customers to appear in person.
XRP is up 600% since the start of the year and its holding steady as Ripple released one billion XRP over the weekend.
The RegTech grant, although not directed towards cryptocurrency, could have a profound impact on the industry.
Are Binance stock tokens in Tesla, Coinbase and Apple mere tokens or company shares by a different name? Securities regulators are taking a close look.
Turkish authorities arrested six individuals in connection with the Thodex exchange fraud case.
Ripple asks court to stop SEC from using MOU requests to get info on XRP from overseas regulators and pushes for access to SEC’s internal communications.
Binance announces its upcoming launch of an NFT marketplace while South Korean regulator asks staff to disclose personal crypto investments.
SEC says info on Ripple and XRP transactions overseas is important to lawsuit. But of the nine foreign regulators the SEC asked, two refused to help.
Taiwan has enacted anti-money laundering regulations for cryptocurrency exchanges effective July 1. What will this mean for Taiwan’s growing crypto scene?
Crypto investors in South Korea stir petitions to unseat the nation’s financial watchdog chief for his anti-crypto remarks.
In a new legal filing, the SEC asks court to dismiss Ripple’s ‘lack of due process and fair notice’ defense that the XRP token could be deemed a security.
Angered by cryptocurrency tax laws and a government official’s remarks on crypto investing, over 51,000 South Koreans are trying to push back via petitions.
Are digital assets securities or commodities? Outdated laws offer no clarity, but US is now poised to reform blockchain regulations and lead world by example.
The former MIT blockchain professor and CFTC chair now sits atop a key regulator over crypto. How might his leadership affect SEC v. Ripple, or Bitcoin ETFs?
What is Coinbase really worth? XRP rallies with Ripple’s wins over SEC. HSBC bans MicroStrategy over Bitcoin embrace.
Other top blockchain and crypto news: HSBC bans MicroStrategy over Bitcoin affair. Tokenized TSLA and Coinbase COIN now on several crypto exchanges.
Shares are up 75% since the beauty selfie app company began investing in Bitcoin and Ether to try to boost its flagging fortunes.
As Bitcoin and crypto market swells beyond $2 trillion, even crypto-friendly Singapore is warning the public about risks. Are more regulations coming?
After surging to 21%, the higher prices that South Koreans pay for Bitcoin are now plunging. What role did Korean regulators and overseas traders play?
Are South Korea’s new cryptocurrency exchange regulations skewing its crypto market? Meanwhile, Upbit’s parent Dunamu surges on NYSE listing rumors.
Rising Bitcoin prices have inspired a wave of crypto-related Ponzi schemes, fraudulent giveaways and other scams around the world — especially in China.
Insurance policies for DeFi can cover losses from theft to smart contract issues. But do read the fine print — and know the industry is ‘self-regulated.’
XRP prices soar after Ripple and the SEC agree to partially redact some of Ripple’s email exchanges — but not the CEO’s financial information
How do cryptocurrency investors know whom to trust, avoid scams and not buy coins with a shady history? Gunnar Jaerv of First Digital Trust explains.
HashKey Group’s Angelina Kwan, a former regulator who helped write laws relevant to the crypto industry, also explains why Hong Kong leads the world in fintech regulations.
New KPMG report outlines opportunities for investors as well as traditional banks with the rise of VASPs like cryptocurrency exchanges and custody services.
Will DeFi replace centralized finance, and how might regulators respond? An all-star panel with leaders from SEC, WEF, ConsenSys and USDC explains.
OKEx will soon follow Binance in leaving South Korea’s cryptocurrency exchange market. Is this what FATF and Korean regulators intended?
Industry insiders warn that proposed rule to allow only ‘professional investors’ to buy and sell crypto could drive companies to crypto-friendlier shores.
BNY Mellon, Jay-Z join bitcoin conga line. Will NFTs take over real world? Roadmap for Biden to take blockchain leadership.
Other top blockchain and crypto news: DeFi under Fed study. Andrew Yang, Wyoming vie for crypto attention. Hong Kong and India edge toward crypto bans.
Modern financial markets still rely on slow and inefficient plumbing from a bygone era, writes Oi Yee Choo of iSTOX. Here is how blockchain offers a system upgrade.
Ripple co-founder Jed McCaleb has resumed selling his XRP holdings, dumping 130 million tokens over the last week, according to data from XRPscan.
The Blockchain Research Institute-led report for Biden’s administration also outlines recommendations for crypto regulations and a national blockchain strategy.
The SEC Commissioner doesn’t want the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry to obsess over regulations, but ‘think about how the technology can be used.’
In written testimony, the US Treasury Secretary-nominee calls digital assets ‘fintech innovations’ and pledges to ‘encourage their use for legitimate activities.’
Biden’s American Rescue Plan. Crypto’s regulatory outlook in 2021. How not to lose your bitcoin password (don’t ask Stefan Thomas).
Other top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Twitter’s blue sky initiative. In China, Conflux Network wins another government deal.
OKEx CEO speaks candidly on how 2020 was difficult for his crypto exchange, and offers his predictions for DeFi, regulations and CBDCs in year to come.
When it comes to issues over crypto regulations and compliance, answers could be found in blockchain technology, writes Rachid Ajaja of AllianceBlock.
In an exclusive interview, the SEC Commissioner shares her thinking on digital assets, DeFi and wanting her agency to ‘do better’ in the crypto space.
The founder of LUKSO and former Ethereum developer offers his views on decentralization as a tool and the ERC-725 standard for blockchain-based identity.
In her first public remarks since the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple and exclusive interview with Forkast.News Editor-in-Chief Angie Lau, SEC commissioner and “Crypto Mom” Hester Peirce says the SEC can do better on clarity and that enforcement isn’t always the best way to provide guidance
New US government rules and guidance aim to boost cryptocurrency taxes, clarify legal liability related to STABLE Act and require more KYC reporting.
Urszula McCormack of King & Wood Mallesons: data regulation will be a challenge for the virtual asset sector
In this edition of Forkast Forecasts, the financial regulatory lawyer and partner at King & Wood Mallesons offers her views on digital assets regulation, CBDCs and Asia’s digital transformation.
What will be hot in blockchain next year, and what will be the curveballs? Forkast.News consults top industry leaders and thinkers to bring you a crystal ball.
In this edition of Forkast Forecasts, the co-founder and CEO of CoinDCX offers his views on the growth of crypto in India, regulation and CBDCs.
World Economic Forum’s Sheila Warren expects ‘tremendous activity’ on China’s digital currency in 2021
In this edition of Forkast Forecasts, the head of Blockchain, Data and Digital Assets and member of the Executive Committee of the World Economic Forum shares her views on sovereign digital currencies, and the global regulatory landscape.
What can bitcoin and other cryptocurrency investors expect in 2021? Here are three emerging trends that could reshape the crypto world.
In this edition of Forkast Forecasts, the bestselling author offers his views on crypto regulations, DeFi’s rise and digital assets becoming mainstream.
Despite anti-money laundering (AML) laws, many DeFi sites have weak know-your-customer practices. Experts point to BitMEX as a cautionary tale.
Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin and blockchain investor Alex Tapscott tell Forkast.News that the stablecoin bill aimed at Libra/Diem and Tether could have broader repercussions on the blockchain industry.
Are American lawmakers going after Facebook’s Libra, now called Diem? Controversial Tether may be the real target of new stablecoin-restraining bill.
India’s cryptocurrency ban rumor mill will surely rev up again when lawmakers meet for winter session. The CEO of Unocoin explains the worries.
An all-star panel of top cryptocurrency policymakers and other blockchain experts explain the US regulatory system for digital assets and what lies ahead.
CFTC cracked down hard on BitMEX. Forkast.News investigates what other cryptocurrency exchanges, if any, might be next in its line of enforcement fire.
As nations grapple with fitting cryptocurrency into existing tax regimes, OECD examines the crypto tax gaps and issues at its blockchain forum this week.
Diginex CEO Richard Byworth reveals that world’s largest cryptocurrency companies are now seeking his advice on going public. How did Diginex do it?
After regulators intervened, Chinese fintech giant Ant Group will now return billions to investors over its withdrawn IPO. Did Jack Ma say something wrong?


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Alex Blumberg became an entrepreneur and was listened to by tens of thousands of people. In his podcast StartUp The radio journalist documented how he established his podcast Gimlet Media. How his enthusiasm for podcasting went into profit driven demand from venture capitalists. As his wife laughed at him for the crazy name tips to the company. How he had to rows later, on the one hand to release workers on the verge of burning out and on the other hand, to start new successful shows constantly. This was often nice human, approachable and exciting. StartUp Gimlet Media has made all the ingredients successful over the years.
At the beginning of February, Blumberg has Gimlet Media the music streaming platform Spotify To sell, for about 230 million dollars, it is said. There is no word about it StartUp to hear. But others speak so much more about the deal: from the "first acquisition" of the podcast scene there are millions more speech of investments and occupation in the industry. "The capitalists are coming," heading the online culture magazine vulture,
Especially in the US, it is discussed whether podcasts are going through all the commercialization of the Internet. Either one exchanges there is openness, listener loyalty, transparency and the love for the niche for money.
100 million for unique shows
The podcast scene seemed like a place where the internet was still right. Hate arguments in social media, podcasts spent quiet hours discussing the state of the world. As a few large technology companies grow more hunger for data, podcast populations grew, creating an ecosystem of small and medium-sized labels, advertising marketers and other service providers. You could hear podcasts without having to pay and be traced. Everyone could record and publish podcasts with little effort.
But now many media describe a new mood in the industry. Suddenly it's all about money. That's what sparked a Spotify Gimlet deal, but also launched Luminary, starting a podcast launched last week. With a $ 100 million investment in his pocket, Luminary wants to be "Netflix for Podcasts". But the makers have stars like comedian Trevor Noah Girls-The artist Lena Dunham and author Malcolm Gladwell are shopping for unique shows. You can only hear users when they pay $ 7.99 a month.
At the same time, other podcasting platforms also invest millions in investments, publishing podcasts behind payment barriers or expanding the unique offerings on their platforms. Spotify continues to invest. As well as Gimlet, he bought the Anchor platform and stage truly–Crime–storiesParcast Producers. In general, they want to invest up to $ 500 million in podcast purchases in 2019, Spotify told its investors. The streaming service with more than 200 million active users wants to build a second foot next to music, and has to pay high royalties with exclusive word content. The amount of economic potential that Spotify sees in it is evident from a blog post by Daniel Ek, founder. In it we compare the market for audio content with that for video – "billion dollar market".
Many podcast lovers worry about that. Traditionally, the shows were distributed via an RSS feed, so earlier it didn't matter what app we received a listener podcatcher of their podcasts – that's what formed an open character, free podcasts for many, Closing Luminary podcasts, Spotify and others that are now behind pay walls and signing barriers are changing the chaotic, but open culture of this, so the fear.


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Entries in 'apb' (17)
In the first week since it officially relaunched, GamersFirst MMO title APB Reloaded has attracted 3m users.
Dave Jones has been appointed as an advisor of the All Points Bulletin remake, months after his studio collapsed from the failure of the original.
More than 100,000 people have registered to take part in the beta of APB Reloaded.
One of the most destructive and unequivocal commercial failures of the modern games industry is being given a second chance.
Anyone seeking a refund on the now-defunct PC MMO title APB should speak to the retailer from whom they purchased the game, the administrator handling the closure of developer Realtime ...
The slow, sorry saga of Realtime Worlds' collapse has found another twist.
Realtime Worlds’ administrator will scale back efforts to rescue the collapsed studio, Develop can reveal, and MMO APB will be closed.
Just days after Realtime Worlds’ ambitious open-world MMO APB finally hit UK retail, the developer has stated that it’s intending to revisit several core elements of the game.
In what will either be seen as an innovative piece of in-game monetization or a cynical cash cow that will inconvenience gamers, it has emerged that upcoming PC MMO shooter ...
Lead designer at Realtime Worlds EJ Moreland has told Develop it is “clear that Realtime Worlds wants a console version of APB”, but said the Dundee studio would want to ...
British developer Realtime Worlds has revealed the details for its blockbuster MMO, All Points Bulletin.
Realtime World's MMO APB will hit retailers across Europe on July 2nd, the studio has announced.
Realtime Worlds has confirmed there will be no subscription fees for APB.


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Samsung is poised to make significant strides in the health technology sector with its upcoming Galaxy Ring, potentially surpassing Apple in integrating groundbreaking features like continuous blood pressure monitoring and noninvasive blood glucose readings into wearable devices.
The Galaxy Ring, expected to launch in 2024, represents Samsung’s commitment to advancing health tracking technology. In a Bloomberg interview, Samsung health executive Hon Pak revealed the company’s ambitious goals to incorporate continuous blood pressure and glucose monitoring into its devices. These features, currently beyond the capabilities of consumer-level smartwatches and fitness trackers, could revolutionize how individuals manage their health.
According to Pak, achieving noninvasive glucose monitoring is a significant focus for Samsung, with the technology expected to materialize in some form within the next five years. The challenge lies in developing a method that allows continuous, accurate monitoring without the need for invasive procedures like the traditional finger-prick test used by diabetics. Current non-invasive glucose monitors, which adhere to the skin, require frequent replacement, making them unsuitable for integration into a smartwatch.
The Galaxy Ring, apart from its activity and sleep tracking capabilities, is anticipated to bring more advanced health features in the future. Pak emphasized the device’s design, catering to users seeking health tracking in a more comfortable and less obtrusive form. This innovation aligns with a growing demand for wearable health technologies that are both effective and unobtrusive.
Beyond the Galaxy Ring, Samsung is exploring the integration of health sensors into future versions of the Samsung Galaxy Buds. These enhancements could include features focusing on meditation and mental health, potentially in conjunction with virtual reality headsets. This expansion indicates Samsung’s holistic approach to health and wellness technology.
While Samsung forges ahead, Apple is not far behind in the race to integrate blood glucose monitoring technology into its Apple Watches. However, Apple’s progress may be hampered by ongoing patent disputes, potentially delaying the release of these advanced health features.


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CAROLE PARK, AUSTRALIA — An investment of A$65,000 (US$60,000)in fire-fighting equipment is credited with saving a A$30 million plastics factory.
A fire broke out at Viscount Plastics Pty. Ltd.'s Carole Park factory, 12 miles south-west of Brisbane's CBD, on Sunday, October 6. It sent thick, black smoke billowing skywards as firefighters battled to extinguish the blaze.
The company lost storage buildings several forklifts and trucks, but the main factory was saved.
Site manager Phil Malone credited the company's investment two years ago in pumps to boost water pressure. He said tests showed the municipal water mains could not provide sufficient flow rates to protect the factory if it caught fire, so Viscount bought booster pumps as a form of risk management.
“It could have been worse, had we not installed the fire-fighting gear. [The pumps] paid for themselves a million times over,” Malone told Plastics News.
The injection molding factory manufactures a range of industrial products, including materials handling crates.
Malone said the 30-year-old factory, which operates 24 hours a day, lost one eight-hour shift, but no customer orders were affected. He would not be specific on the damaged property nor the cost involved. The factory employs 40 people.
He said the fire had “a big impact” on the business, but had “recovered from it.”
Investigators believe the fire was deliberately lit but Viscount was not a specific target as there have been other fires in the industrial suburb of Carole Park.
Viscount has eight manufacturing sites in Australia, two in New Zealand, three in China and one each in Thailand and Malaysia.
Viscount is owned by the Melbourne-based packaging entity Pact Group Pty. Ltd., which bought it in 2012, after its third takeover attempt was finally approved by the competition regulator, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Viscount was previously a division of the global packaging and materials handling company U.K.-based Linpac Group Ltd.


text:
SCA has appointed Georg Schmundt-Thomas as its president of its Global Hygiene Category.
He will have global responsibility for SCA’s customer and consumer brands and innovation in the hygiene area.
He will take up his position on 1 August 2016 and will report to president and chief executive Magnus Groth.
Schmundt-Thomas has extensive experience from working in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods industry.
He has worked for Procter & Gamble since 1992 where he held a number of senior positions in a variety of markets, categories and strategic functions, most recently as Duracell chief marketing officer and previously vice president and general manager Baby Care Latin America.


text:
» Telefon Sony Xperia Z1
Telefon Sony Xperia Z1
Telefon Sony Xperia Z1 on Technology News and Updates AdmaTechnology.com at Wednesday, April 23, 2014
This product is a breakthrough which brings the Go Green campaign. What are these phones? Read short reviews below.
Samsung Blue Earth
Blue Earth phone is a touchscreen mobile phone made by Samsung’s first solar-powered, which first appeared [...]
Not only are the latter PS4 started leaking in the virtual world. Candidate key rival, the Xbox 720, recently much talked specifically about the specification.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Thursday (2/7), the successor to the triumph of the Xbox 360 is reportedly [...]
In 2013, the latest developments about the PlayStation 4 console more and more revealed. This time, a successful hardware specs leaked.
Quoted from IGN, Wednesday (01/30), the source from Kotaku say that the PS4 will use 4 pieces of AMD64 dual-core Bulldozer.
Three of the four phones sold in the world-system Android
Every day the number and types of smartphones is increasing. Choose the one that suits the needs of each person, require adequate information about the technology, features, and operating system. [...]
After the release of the game Grand Theft Auto III in the mobile version, Rockstar Games is back doing the same thing for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
Quoted from Slashgear, Saturday (27/10), the presence of iOS and Android version marks the 10th anniversary [...]
According to research from GameStop, as many as 60 percent of gamers not interested in buying the PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720.
This is related to the possibility of a second next-generation gaming consoles can not play the game used or resale.
Many Japanese game lovers prefer to search for information about the price of PlayStation 4 (PS4), rather than the design of the console and software support.
The poll Famitsu, Japan’s leading game magazine, mentions 1064 respondents finding out [...]
The latest report from future games console from Microsoft, Xbox 720, likely will have features similar to Siri.
Yes, this means that the Xbox 720 can be controlled via voice commands.
Excerpted from The Verge, Friday (2/8), this information comes from [...]
WhatsApp application certainly already be familiar to your ears.
This free application brief message seems to be trying to compete with the popularity of the BlackBerry Messenger application.
BlackBerry Messenger BBM-voice that presents, WhatsApp seems [...]
Mars or also called the Red Planet is predicted to be hit by a comet around the year 2014.
Quoted from Slashgear, Friday (29/3), is the Australian Observatory astronomer who discovered the comet on January 3.
Australian Observatory comet called C/2013 [...]
An average of 377 of every 1000 people who live to age 15 years will die before reaching the age of 60 years
Man who live in the tropics tend to die sooner, 7.7 years younger than other humans different hemisphere, according to a study initiated by the [...]


text:
Sony invests $250 million in Fortnite maker Epic Games
Sony is investing $250 million in Fortnite maker Epic Games, giving the Japanese company a minority stake in Epic.
Sony just invested $250 million in the company behind 'Fortnite'
With just a few months to go until the PlayStation 5 launches, Sony just announced a $250 million investment in Epic Games.
Sony’s $250 Million Investment In Epic Shows ‘Fortnite’ Is Just A Sign Of What’s To Come
If Fortnite hasn’t convinced you that Epic Games is going to be a major player in the video game industry for the lengthy, indefinite future, perhaps this will. Sony is now an investor.
Sony Invests $250 Million Into Fortnite Dev Epic Games, But Not For PS5 Exclusives
Sony and Fortnite developer Epic Games have announced a new kind of partnership, with Sony investing $250 million for a minority stake in Epic, according to a GamesBeat report. It's unclear what ...
Fortnite: Season 3 Coral Buddies Secret Challenge Guide
The challenge is called Coral Buddies Wood Age Quest and is pretty simple if you know what to look for on the Season 3 map. The Coral Buddies, weird little blue creatures, are situated on a small ...
‘Fortnite’ Camera Location: Where To Dance For 10 Seconds On Camera At Sweaty Sands
You’ll need to dance for 10 seconds on camera at Sweaty Sands. This takes me way, way back to Chapter 1, Season 4. That season was partly superhero-themed but also really centered around the idea that ...
OnePlus owners can claim an exclusive 'Fortnite' dance emote
Fortnite players who have a OnePlus phone are in for a treat. Starting today and for a limited time, you can snag a free, exclusive Bhangra Boogie dance emote if you have a OnePlus 3 or newer. You’ll ...
Ninja has started streaming Fortnite on YouTube
In what was his first ever YouTube livestream, Ninja played Fortnite alongside other players Dr Lupo, TimTheTatman, and Courage. Ninja, real name Richard Tyler Blevins, was a huge ...
Sony Invests $250 Million in Fortnite Creator Epic Games
Sony Corp. invested $250 million in Epic Games Inc., owner of the popular video game Fortnite and the mobile app Houseparty.
Sony Buys $250 Million Stake in Fortnite Creator Epic Games
Get Report has made a $250 million investment in Epic Games, which operates the online videogame Fortnite, the two companies said Thursday. Sony American depositary receipts at last check were up 2.6% ...
'Fortnite' creator Epic Games gets $250 million investment from Sony
Epic Games, the creator of the popular video game "Fortnite", said on Thursday it had received a $250 million investment from Japan's Sony Corp for a minority stake in the company.
Sony invests $250 million in ‘Fortnite’ developer Epic Games
Sony is making a significant investment into Fortnite developer Epic Games. The $250 million deal will give the PlayStation maker a minority stake in the company, which is also makes the Unreal Engine ...


text:
News tagged ‘test’
Japanese reporters from Macotakara believe the next-generation iPhone has reached the DVT (Design Validation Test) stage ahead of start of mass production later this year. According to the latest report, the phone features a stainless steel frame that is placed in between the front and back glass panels. The design of the handset is a bit similar to the design of the iPhone 4, even though the iPhone 8 is larger, thinner and has an OLED display along with other notable improvements.
According to the latest report from Andy Hargreaves, equity research analyst at Pacific Crest Securities, the iPhone 8 may lack the Touch ID fingerprint scanner. Apple has troubles with integrating the sensor under iPhone’s display, and this may lead either to a complete switch to 3D sensing technology that will be capable of recognizing the user with his face, or a delay in the OLED iPhone 8 production.
Apple may soon start testing self-driving cars in California. According to the latest report from Business Insider, on Friday, California authorities officially issued the Cupertino giant the Autonomous Vehicle Testing Permit. Apple was added to the list of companies that have permission to test self-driving cars in the state. Aside from Apple, Google and Tesla have similar permissions.
Design drawing showing something similar to the OLED iPhone 8 has been shared on Chinese social network Weibo. The image shows the device with a large display, no Home button, and, most importantly, the Touch ID fingerprint scanner on the back panel.
All three iPhones scheduled to be released this year will get 3GB of RAM and fast charging capabilities. The report comes from Cowen and Company analyst Timothy Arcuri.
Apple is facing problems with the production of new iPhone 8 Touch ID fingerprint scanner that is supposed to be integrated into the display. According to the latest report from Cowen and Company analyst Timothy Arcuri, “the biggest bottleneck” for Apple is placing the sensor under the front glass on the phone. In fact, the problem is so serious that the manufacturer even considers several options that may replace the new Touch ID integrated into the display.
According to the latest report from a research firm IDC, global PC shipments grew in the first quarter of 2017 for the first time in 5 years. The 0.6% growth is an indication that people still use computers and that computer manufacturers still have something to offer. Apple’s Mac shipments grew 4.1% to 4.2 million units compared to the first quarter of 2016 and allowed the Cupertino company to get the fourth spot in the top computer vendors ranking.
Apple has stopped signing iOS 10.2.1 and iOS 10.3, which means restores and downgrades to these versions are no longer possible. Be careful if you want to stay on one of these firmware builds. If you update your device accidentally, you won’t be able to restore it to anything apart from iOS 10.3.1 or iOS 10.3.2 beta if you’re a developer or public beta tester.
Apple has released second betas of iOS 10.3.2 and macOS Sierra 10.12.5 to developers for testing. The release took place about two weeks after the release of the very first betas of the software. According to Apple, both updates contain a number of fixes aimed at making iOS 10.3.2 and macOS 10.12.5 more stable and efficient.
According to the latest rumor shared by a developer Steven Troughton-Smith, Apple will stop supporting 32-bit apps with the release of iOS 11. What this means is that old applications may stop function and not only lack updates and important bug fixes. The developer didn’t specify the source he got the information from, but this is not the first time iOS 11 we hear that Apple may drop support for legacy apps.
It is Sunday today, so let’s take a look at the list of the most interesting posts of the last couple of days. Let’s not waste time and discuss the posts worth your attention right now.
According to the latest report from Drexel Hamilton analyst Brian White, the release of the 5.8-inch OLED iPhone 8 may be delayed due to issues connected with the new 3D sensor added to the phone. Still, the analyst believes that the phone will be launched in time for December holiday quarter. The customers will get a chance to pre-order the new iPhone in September.
According to the latest report from
According to the latest report from Pike's Universum, the next-generation iMac will be released in October. The desktop will get updated hardware components, but the price is still unknown. Assuming that new processor, RAM, and SSDs are expected, the device won’t be cheap at all.
A well-known YouTuber TechRax has released a new video testing the durability of the newly-released Galaxy S8 and the red iPhone 7. The blogger performed a series of drop tests that revealed that both devices can be cracked quite easily when accidentally dropped on concrete.


text:
On Prince's Birthday which is on June 7th, an album will be released called "Originals."
It will be a 15 track album featuring 14 unreleased recordings by Prince.
"Originals" will feature many substantial hits along with deeper album cuts.
The only track that was released was on Prince's original 1984 version of "Nothing Compares 2 U."
Who else is excited to see what this album has in store for us?!


text:
After finding five potential prom dresses at thrift stores, Reality panelist India Franklin asked readers to decide which one she should wear to next year's Pennsbury senior prom.
The readers have spoken, and they think Reality panelist India Franklin should go blue for next year’s Pennsbury senior prom.
Last week, India wrote about finding five potential prom dresses at thrift stores, all for about $5 or less. She agreed to let readers decide which one she should wear.
We received 256 votes via an online poll and email, with half saying blue was their favorite.
The final results:
Blue: 50 percent
Peach: 38 percent
Red: 5 percent
Silver: 4 percent
Lilac: 3 percent


text:
More than 4,000 Volkswagen, Porsche, Audi, Lamborghini and Bentley models are aboard the Atlantic Ocean.
A huge car ship that regularly delivers Porsche, Audi, Bentley, Volkswagen from Europe to the US is on fire and is adrift in the Atlantic.
According to an internal e-mail from the Volkswagen Group, obtained by Bloomberg, there are 3,965 vehicles on board heading to the United States.
The ship is more than 1600 km off the coast of Portugal, and its crew of 22 people has been safely evacuated to other ships.
The boat left the German port of Emden on February 10 and was scheduled to arrive in Davisville, RI on February 23, according to a post on Marinetraffic.com. More than 100 of the vehicles on board were heading to the Port of Houston, Texas.
Felicity Ace, 200 meters long and 30 meters wide, was built in 2005 and sails under the Panamanian flag, according to the site.
The crew was not injured
A Volkswagen Group of America spokesman said the company was “aware of an incident involving a third-party cargo ship carrying Volkswagen Group vehicles across the Atlantic.” The ship was on its way to North America. We are in touch with the shipping company to get more information about the incident. “
In a statement sent to E-mail, Porsche said: “Although it is too early to confirm what happened and the next steps, we – together with our colleagues at Porsche AG – support our customers and dealers as best we can. to find solutions. Anyone concerned about this incident and the implications for the car they ordered should contact their Porsche dealer. ”
The incident could have long-term effects on stocks already depleted for US VW Group brands. With the exception of the Q5, Audi produces most of its vehicles to the US in Europe.
Lamborghini would also have on-board vehicles, as would the Volkswagen brand – although VW’s impact would be limited to the Golf R and GTI Arteon and ID4s.
This is not the first time the VW Group has lost goods at sea. When Grande America caught fire and sank in 2019, more than 2,000 luxury cars, including Audi and Porsche, sank with it.


text:
Part of London’s West End was cordoned off this morning after a man broke into the Accessorize store on Regent Street last night and threatened to blow himself up.
Witnesses, who work in the Regents Arcade House building where the store is situated, said the suspected bomber had scrawled ‘Nail Bomber’ across his front after breaking into the fashion accessories store around midnight.
After a five-hour stand-off the man was arrested.
However, certain exits from Oxford Circus tube station were shut this morning and parts of the area remained closed. Workers at Regents Arcade House were told they would not be able to enter the building until at least 11am.
It is understood the police were searching the rest of the building to rule out the possiblity of any bomb.
No comments yet


text:
TVS’ Ambitious Plans
TVS Tyres is set to increase its tyre exports. The Indian company, which has just launched seven new tyres into the market, expects exports to account for 40 per cent of its total turnover. It is also planning to increase its two wheeler tyre production by 15 per cent.
“At present our exports, of solid tyres only, contribute 15 percent to the total turnover. We have already established our presence in Europe, West Asia and Africa and are proceeding to the US and neighbouring countries,” said S Balasubramanian, VP, marketing of the company.
The company has installed further machinery in its factory to meet its production goals and says it expects a 60 per cent increase in the OEM segment and 25 per cent in the after sales market by the end of the financial year.
“We had 25 per cent turnover growth in the first quarter of this fiscal. We are targeting 20 per cent share in sales and after-sales market, which now stands at 12 per cent,” Balasubramanian said.


text:
Intelligent Living appoints new chief strategy officer
Sep 20, 2013 (MarketLine via COMTEX) --
Intelligent Living Inc., a developer of healthy aging software tracking systems and wellness centers, has appointed Josh Eikov to its management team as its chief strategy officer, or CSO.
Mr Eikov has served private and public companies in various executive capacities such as Chairman, CTO and CEO.
"We are very excited at the addition of Josh to our management team. He brings a fresh perspective and a creative approach to the products and services strategies within Intelligent Living. Mind360 will be greatly enhanced by the knowledge and vision that Josh has developed over the years. Our team looks forward to creating value for our customers and for our shareholders," Victoria Rudman, CEO of Intelligent Living said.
"When Victoria asked me to join the team at Intelligent Living I was excited at the opportunity of building products that can have a real benefit to the people that use them. Until recently, software developers have only targeted organizational and institutional users. Now they are marketing and selling products directly to consumers and this has become an important factor driving demand. With the science and technology that has gone into the MIND360 product we are looking toward converting that innovation into taking some market share in a billion dollar market and generating an ROI for our shareholders," said L. Josh Eikov newly hired CSO of Intelligent Living Inc.
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is expressly prohibited without prior written consent. Datamonitor shall
not be liable for errors or delays in the content, or for any actions
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text:
James Nicklin has joined Precision Technologies in the role of Finance Director, replacing John Sandland who is now retiring.
James is a qualified Certified Accountant and has several years post qualifying experience in international companies including Brightstar and JCB Excavators. He is a keen car enthusiast and is currently rebuilding a 1970’s Lancia Stratos Rally Car.
Kevin Parkin, Managing Director, thanked John for his long service with the company and welcomed James to the Board. Kevin added that James had joined the group at a time when it is facing a rapid growth in sales and has taken on new customers in the Autosport and Aerospace sectors.
James said that he was delighted to be joining a progressive company which has recently repositioned itself and is destined to grow rapidly during the next 3 years.


text:
Nokia Bets the Farm on Windows Phone 8, Plans to Cut Prices on Lumia Smartphones
September 3, 2012 9:12 AM
Nokia bets it all
Things haven't been going well for Nokia recently in the smartphone space. Oddly, the company is one of the world's biggest shippers of mobile phones but the vast majority of the phones it ships are low-profit “dumbphones”. The company wants to regain prominence smartphone market where profits are high, but so far has been unable to do so.
Nokia tied up with Microsoft
in hopes that Windows Phone would help turn around the smartphone market. So far, that simply hasn't happened with customers staying away from Microsoft's mobile phone operating system and Nokia smartphones in general. Nokia has effectively bet the farm on
Windows Phone 8
. Once the operating system for smartphones launches, the fate of the company -- and CEO Stephen Elop -- largely rests on the success of Nokia smartphones running the operating system.
Some analysts believe if Microsoft and Nokia see the success predicted with smartphones using the new Windows Phone 8 operating system, Nokia could overtake Apple for the second-place spot in the smartphone market (Android is currently number one).
“This is a make-or-break moment for Nokia,” said Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at the technology research firm Gartner in San Jose, California. “Everything is resting on Windows Phone 8. If that doesn’t work, it will cause an existential crisis for the company.”
Since Nokia shacked up with Microsoft, it has seen profits battered. The company has lost $4.9 billion reports
the New York Times
since announcing the switch to Windows Phone in February of 2011. By June of 2011, total sales at Nokia decreased by 19% from the year earlier.
While Nokia is betting big on Windows Phone 8, Nokia is expected to begin additional price cuts on existing Lumia smartphones in an effort to sustain sales through the transition to Windows Phone 8. Nokia already
slashed the price of its Lumia 900
back in July.
Canalys analyst Pete Cunningham said, "I don’t think we are going to ever see Nokia return to the dizzy heights it was once at. Can Nokia build a sustainable business in this space? We think it can. Windows 8 will help them do that. But the market dynamics and power have shifted."
New York Times
"I'd be pissed too, but you didn't have to go all Minority Report on his ass!" -- Jon Stewart on police raiding Gizmodo editor Jason Chen's home
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February 11, 2011, 6:01 AM
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