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British clothing retailer Roman Originals Ltd. is selling the infamous dress on its website, even using the hashtag #TheDress to promote it.
A noted Williams College psychologist argues standardized tests are useful, if they measure the abilities students really need.
Kevin Conner, executive chef of Community Servings, produces over 1,000 meals for critically ill people and their families.
The Peabody Essex Museum turned into hipster central for an early celebration of “Audacious.”
Critic’s pics for upcoming events.
A Karate Kid Thermos lunchbox is propped on a shelf in the dining room of The Breakfast Club, sitting among other pop culture curiosities.
JC Tetreault and his wife, Esther, have signed a lease for Trillium Brewing Co. on a 16,000-square-foot space in Canton.
COOKING WITH GORDON HAMERSLEY
Every New Englander has a snow story. Here is Gordon Hamersley’s, which includes Moroccan-born truck guys and a yearning for tagine.
All About That Look
Style is in the details for Christopher Chaun Bennett, and his wardrobe is full of them.
Pollo a la brasa is a meal eaten almost exclusively in restaurants in Peru and in Boston, where four eateries now offer it.
The owners of the restaurant that was heavily damaged in the Marathon bombings said the building’s landlord was nearly tripling rent.
Globe critics offer their take on great places to grab a quick bite, or a sumptuous meal.
The newest gear, hottest peaks, and coolest places to warm up after a long day of chasing snowy thrills.
The dish is made with unsweetened coconut, a chile pepper, yogurt, and cilantro.
The home was built in 1864 and restored by current owners to make one feel like it still is the 19th Century.
As parents get older, attempts to hold on to independence can be at odds with well-intentioned suggestions from their adult children.
Contrary to the experiences of weather-weary Bostonians this last month, Sunday night’s Oscar Awards made a strong case for the snowy shade.
Like most companies, airlines are increasingly monitoring social media to respond to questions and complaints.
From emoji diversity to bionic eyes, a review of the week in things.
A Kentucky organization claims that more than one million children and teenagers now hire a personal trainer each year.
Imaginations and innovation are harnessed to turn a crawl space into a tiny jewel of a bathroom.
As a Randolph woman prepares to go home for the final time, a young couple experiences the other end of the life cycle.


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Although it’s Mylan’s policy to not comment on rumors or speculation, given the egregious inaccuracy of reports issued this morning, the company is compelled to confirm that the Reuters article is untrue.
Management details progress on complex scientific programs and commercial diversification; reaffirms 2018 guidance Company is built to last and positioned for growth HERTFORDSHIRE, England and PITTSBURGH , April 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global pharmaceutical company Mylan N.V.
Mylan acquires global development and marketing rights from Prayog Labs Once approved, the product could potentially offer a fast-acting, non-addictive treatment for acute pain HERTFORDSHIRE, England and PITTSBURGH , April 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global pharmaceutical company Mylan N.V.
Mylan acquires exclusive license to commercialize in Europe HERTFORDSHIRE, England and PITTSBURGH , April 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global pharmaceutical company Mylan N.V. (NASDAQ: MYL) today announced it is partnering with Fujifilm Kyowa Kirin Biologics Co., Ltd.
Once approved, this product could represent a significant milestone for patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis Mapi Pharma has completed an open-label Phase II clinical trial and is preparing to commence a pivotal Phase III clinical trial to support marketing applications
HERTFORDSHIRE, England and PITTSBURGH , April 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global pharmaceutical company Mylan N.V. (NASDAQ: MYL) today announced the pricing of a private offering of $1.5 billion aggregate principal amount of senior notes on March 28, 2018 , comprised of: $750 million aggregate
Mylan Announcement of Redemption of Notes HERTFORDSHIRE, England and PITTSBURGH – Mar. 29, 2018 – Today Mylan N.V. and Mylan Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Mylan N.V., delivered notices to The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the “Trustee”), notifying the Trustee of their
- Approval complements growing portfolio of cost-saving antiretroviral medications available to patients in the U.S., including recently announced Symfi Lo™ and Cimduo™ - All ARV regimens are being offered at a significant discount to the price of competing products to bring cost savings to the $20
HERTFORDSHIRE, England and PITTSBURGH and BENGALURU, India , March 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mylan N.V. (NASDAQ: MYL), one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, and Biocon Ltd. (BSE code: 532523, NSE: BIOCON ), Asia's premier biopharmaceutical company, today announced that their
HERTFORDSHIRE, England and PITTSBURGH , March 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mylan N.V. (NASDAQ: MYL) today announced that it will host an Investor Day on April 11, 2018 , in New York City . Mylan CEO Heather Bresch and the company's senior leadership team will showcase how Mylan is Built to Last

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Amid rising competition, economic uncertainty, and soaring customer expectations for speed and convenience, digital payments capabilities have emerged as more than just a better way for P&C insurers to collect premiums, disburse claims, and reconcile transactions. They’re quickly becoming a competitive opportunity for carriers seeking to boost customer satisfaction and retention, cut costs, and enable next-gen operating models.
As the world has grown steadily more digital over the past decade, the ability to make and receive payments through mobile and online channels has become an essential element of modern-day business. According to McKinsey, nearly nine in ten US consumers now routinely use one or more digital payment methods, with penetration for digital payments hitting 89% in 2022. Worldwide, digital payment transactions are projected to reach $9.68 trillion this year—and could top $20 trillion by 2026.
Today, these payments can be made through online card-not-present (CNP) or contactless transactions, brand and retailer mobile apps, wallets like Apple Pay and PayPal, peer-to-peer payment apps like Zelle or Venmo, embedded Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) financing offerings, automated clearing house (ACH) transactions, and more. As much as 57% of all consumers now choose to do business with companies based in part on the digital payment options offered.
Yet while most industries have made the technological investments needed to meet this demand, paper checks continue to comprise a significant portion of transactions in the P&C sector. In my view, this is a massive opportunity. Here’s why.
From Basic Transaction to Strategic Differentiator
In an industry that is quite literally built around financial transactions, payments are no longer incidental to the customer experience. They’re intrinsic to it.
Today, 85% of consumers prefer digital payment options when transacting, and 95% rate speed of settlement as the top factor for satisfaction. Meanwhile, the consumer segments most familiar with paper checks aren’t growing any younger. According to a recent survey from NerdWallet, many Millennial (ages 28-43) and Gen Z (ages 12-27) consumers don’t use checks. So far at least, half of all Gen Zers have never written one—and may never do so.
This is no small matter. Longer claim cycle times and complicated digital experiences are leading to lower customer satisfaction scores, according to J.D. Power’s latest auto and property claims surveys. What’s more, industry reports indicate average churn per customer jumped 5%—costing carriers $540 million in lost revenue—in the two years before the mass consumer shift to digital channels during the pandemic.
Modern digital payments capabilities can create an opportunity to transform the claims experience while generating whole new efficiencies—and competitive advantages—for carriers in a number of ways, including the following:
Simplified Premium Payments
Premium payments represent the single most frequent interaction policyholders have with insurers. For all the reasons I’ve mentioned, being able to easily make payments could increasingly become a must-have for digitally savvy consumers. In response, a growing number of other insurers are beginning to offer options for CNP transactions, mobile wallet payments, pay-by-text and more. This flexibility and convenience can help insurers attract and retain more customers.
Instant Claims Disbursement
According to a recent survey from Mastercard and VPay, 60% of consumers report receiving their last claim payment by check, with 50% having to wait three or more days to access the money. So it’s no surprise that more than half say they’d be willing to switch insurers to get access to instant digital claims payments deposited to their bank accounts or through “push-to-debit” transactions directly to card or payment apps.
Streamlined Operations Cost Savings
Today, payments processing accounts for up to 28.5% of operating costs for P&C insurers. But processing and mailing checks can cost 70x more than a digital payment. Whether inbound or outbound, digital payments can help carriers reduce administrative costs, including check processing, mailing, and storage. And because payments are instant, they can improve cash flow by receiving premiums and making claims payouts faster while improving reconciliation, reporting, and compliance operations.
Accelerated Product Innovation
Major industry trends such as the growing importance of embedded insurance and other alternative forms of distribution are predicated on digital payments. As technologies like blockchain, AI, and machine learning improve the accuracy, speed, and security of digital payments, insurers will be able to offer more personalized payment options and services. They’ll also be able to integrate digital payments with other technologies, such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices and chatbots, creating seamless—and even “invisible“—payment experiences.
Mastering the Digital Payments Future, Today
The possibilities enabled by digital payments are as compelling as they are urgent. As a growing number of P&C insurers replace legacy systems with flexible, cloud-based platforms, it’s reasonable to expect that by 2030, those fastest to capitalize on digital payments will gain significant share over rivals. So how can carriers position themselves for success?
First, you must embrace a customer-centric mindset across the payments value chain and align technology and strategy accordingly.
The ability to quickly meet growing demand for new and existing digital payment models requires an enterprise-class payment solution that’s fully integrated to the insurer’s cloud platform across billing and premium and claims payments operations. Without that, you risk replacing one disjointed system with another.
To this end, Guidewire teamed up with longtime payments processing partner One, Inc., to develop the Guidewire Digital Payments Solution. This prebuilt, standardized integration enables carriers to quickly and cost-effectively launch new payments capabilities throughout the policy, claims, and billing lifecycle.
As a payments processing provider, One, Inc., is uniquely focused on the insurance industry and is a Premier Guidewire Partner with over 65 joint deployments. The Guidewire Digital Payments Solution is designed to maximize our combined industry expertise to enable rapid deployment of digital payments for both InsuranceSuite Cloud and InsuranceNow.
Understand that digital payment strategies aren’t just about receiving and disbursing funds.
Digital transaction capabilities must include flexible forms of inbound premium payments. This includes down payments as well as installment-, recurring-, and refund-based payments across ACH, CNP, digital wallets, and other payment mechanisms.
With the Guidewire Digital Payments Solution, for instance, One Inc., is integrated with PolicyCenter to enable agents to seamlessly capture payment plan information …
… along with payment details while speaking with the applicant or via text or email message during policy submission, and then save this information to a secure digital wallet.
Meanwhile, BillingCenter integrates with One, Inc., to process premium refunds, along with seamless options for collecting premium payments—including pay-by-link or virtual terminal—thereby expanding PCI-compliant payment optionality.
ClaimCenter also integrates with One, Inc., allowing adjusters to initiate identity verification for the claimant …
… and facilitate a real-time claims disbursement either digitally, through ACH, push-to-debit, peer-to-peer via Venmo or PayPal, or through a paper check if the claimant so chooses. These payment capabilities extend to lienholder, mortgagee, and vendor payments as well.
Prioritize enterprise-class delivery and availability.
The ability to support fast, predictable payments is important, but so is system availability. Consumers will quickly abandon transactions after even just 10 seconds of unnecessary friction, and quickly grow frustrated during outages.
That’s even more true when it comes to claims payments. Outages during a large-scale claims event can cause reputational and financial damage to the carrier. Insurers should source options with high levels of performance, backed by a cost-effective annual services agreement.
With the right solutions in place, insurers can see immediate return on investment. Real-world deployments of the Guidewire Digital Payments Solution developed by Guidewire and One, Inc., for example, have helped insurers reduce operational processing expenses by as much as 70%.
Just as we pioneered the industry-leading digital insurance platform, we now have the digital payments technology to help insurers quickly and cost-effectively launch digital payments. We don’t just embrace the digital payments revolution in P&C insurance. We’re leading it.


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Is your supply chain at risk from $7.3 trillion natural capital costs?
Our research for the TEEB for Business Coalition Natural Capital at Risk The Top 100 Externalities of Business finds that resource intensive suppliers in many regions do not make sufficient profit to cover the environmental costs of their products and services. For example, your suppliers may be using water from unsustainable sources, causing damage to business critical ecosystem services or generating health hazards from air pollution.
In the absence of regulation, natural capital costs usually remain external to corporate accounts until an event such as drought causes rapid internalization. Just last year, the US drought impacted corn and soybean production, causing commodity prices to rise steeply. Impacts through the supply chain on agricultural products and food prices are expected to be felt throughout 2013. And last month Weetabix announced that last year’s disastrous summer forced it to halt production of its most popular lines after the company exhausted its supply of high quality British wheat, following what it described as the worst harvest in decades.
The webinar explains why companies should identify natural capital costs concealed within global supply chains and how natural capital accounting can be used to get ahead of the trend towards external costs being internalized through pricing, shortages and ultimately regulations.


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CARSON CITY, Nev. — The Nevada Commission on Tourism has expanded its representation worldwide and now is marketing the state and its array of shopping, dining, skiing, golf and outdoor adventures to 42 countries and millions of potential travelers, Lt. Gov. Brian K. Krolicki announced today.
The state tourism agency signed marketing and sales contracts with five new representatives, signed a new contract with its existing representative in Japan and continues to work with a representative in China. These representatives reach 42 countries, a dramatic increase in exposure for Nevada, which previously had representation in only four countries. Favorable exchange rates and an increased desire to travel to America are only two reasons many American destinations are targeting international travelers, so much so that the Travel Industry Association (TIA) has deemed Saturday, Sept. 27, World Tourism Day.
“International tourism is critical to Nevada as we expand our economic base,” Krolicki, tourism commission chair, said. “The rest of the world isn’t necessarily affected by our economic ups and downs, and this is proving to be a very lucrative time to travel to America. TIA’s designation of World Tourism Day reinforces what many U.S. destinations already know: We must work together to attract visitors to explore America and boost our economy.”
The Nevada Commission on Tourism has renewed its contract with Japanese agency Okada Associates and NCOT China in Beijing. The new representatives include VoX International Inc. in Canada, Connect-Worldwide in South Korea, Hills Balfour Synergy in the United Kingdom, AVIAREPS in Europe and Ad Nova, Comunicacion Estrategica, in Mexico. Together these seven representative companies will reach 42 countries around the world.
The Nevada Commission on Tourism is charged with marketing a state whose No. 1 industry is tourism. With such a heavy focus on tourism, Nevada has been a leader in promoting travel worldwide, and the commission was the first U.S. destination licensed by the Chinese government to advertise to outbound travelers in China. The commission has signed eight friendship agreements with Chinese destinations and continues to support national efforts to make travel to the United States easier through Visa Waiver initiatives and proactive marketing around the world. The commission just welcomed its first group of Chinese leisure tourists under a new agreement between the U.S. and Chinese governments that allows tour operators to market and book tours to Chinese Consumers, and this month hosted German and Italian journalists producing travel features about the Silver State.
“Nevada has the benefit of the name recognition of Las Vegas and Reno-Lake Tahoe, but our state is much larger than just those two areas, and we work tirelessly to tell the world about all the exciting and intriguing things to do around the state,” Krolicki said. “The tourism commission participates in international trade shows and will embark on a sales mission to Brazil next month. I will be traveling to the China International Travel Mart in November, and the commission will send sales representatives to World Travel Market in London in November.”
The international representatives are responsible for public relations, sales and advertising in their respective countries, as well as maintaining a Web site in the language of their markets. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) also uses several of these agencies for its international marketing and sales, which works to the benefit of both the LVCVA and the Nevada Commission on Tourism. For more information on the commission or its efforts worldwide, visit www.TravelNevada.com.


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NEW YORK -- Avon Products says it will cut about 1,500 jobs and exit two Asian markets as the struggling beauty products seller takes some initial steps toward its cost-cutting goal.
The New York company will leave South Korea and Vietnam to focus on high priority markets as part of a push to save $400 million by 2015. The initial steps are expected to be largely completed by the end of next year.
Avon will take a charge of between $50 million and $60 million in the fourth quarter tied to the cost cutting. It says initial steps will account for about 20 percent of its savings goal.
Avon Products Inc. makes Skin So Soft lotion and Mark makeup. It has struggled for years to turn around results at home and in emerging markets.


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Missed out on your chance to purchase one of Olive Garden’s Never Ending Pasta Passes? You can still get one — for a few thousand dollars extra.
A Never Ending Pasta Pass, priced to sell at $100 each, entitles a diner to seven weeks of uninterrupted access to the brand’s Never Ending Pasta Bowl, which will sell for $9.99 to those without a pass. Customers choose a pasta from a list that includes spaghetti and fettucine, a sauce from options that include Asiago garlic Alfredo and marinara, and a topping such as meatballs or shrimp.
Pass holders can take advantage of the bottomless-bowl perk between Oct. 3 and Nov. 20.
Soon after the passes sold out on Olive Garden’s designated site, they started popping up on eBay
Last year, Olive Garden, a Darden Restaurants Inc.
This year, they were sold in less than a second, an Olive Garden representative told MarketWatch, with 21,000 purchased as soon as the clock struck the 2 p.m. Eastern sale start time.
Olive Garden is also auctioning passes on eBay, with all of the proceeds going to Feeding America. A minimum donation of $21,000 is guaranteed. As of Thursday afternoon, bids were exceeding $700.
In Darden’s fourth-quarter earnings release, Olive Garden same-restaurant sales were reported to have risen 1.6%, exceeding such fellow Darden brands as Longhorn Steakhouse and Capital Grille. Seasons 52, a wine bar and grill, and Bahama Breeze, a Caribbean restaurant, reported 3.7% and 5.4% same-restaurant sales growth, respectively.
Olive Garden tallied $981.8 million in revenue for the quarter, the highest of the company’s business segments yet down from a year-earlier $1.04 billion. Darden’s total sales were $1.79 billion.
One of the drivers of Olive Garden’s performance, highlighted on its earnings conference call, was the company’s to-go platform, whose sales were up 19% from a year before, said Chief Executive Eugene Lee. (Pasta passes can’t be used for to-go orders, according to the Olive Garden website.)
Darden shares closed down 0.9% on Monday and are down 3.5% so far this calendar year. The S&P 500 Index


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Iraqi refugee girls put on a fashion show in the capital of Jordan, Amman, on Wednesday featuring clothes that they sewed themselves.
The girls belong to a clothing label called “Rafedin — Made by Iraqi girls,” which was founded in 2016.
In collaboration with Italian designers and tailors, an Italian priest based in Jordan, Mario Cornioli, started the project. Together, they taught the girls to sew, helping them to make a living.
“Life in Jordan is not easy for refugees," Cornioli told the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. "They are not allowed to work, and cannot easily access health and educational services. A project like this is a good way to come out of idleness which withholds you while away from home, living under hard conditions.”
Hadeel Lacour, one refugee whose home was destroyed by extremist groups in Mosul, and a member of Rafedin, said she hopes to be an interior designer or jewellery designer with the help of the experience.
“Actually this project brings to me, first of all, patience, because when we make a piece of clothes, we have to be patient, and also, add to my life new skills,” she said.
According to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, nearly 1000 volunteers help with the organisation.


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Homewares retailer dusk has unveiled a dramatic shift towards a digital-first marketing strategy as part of its brand refresh.
Cost prohibitive infrastructure and processes are inhibiting suppliers from providing the necessary breadth of imagery to retail clients. GS1 SmartMedia makes it simple.
Brent D Payne, SEO Director for Tribune Technology shares the key highlights from his recent presentation at the Search Marketing Expo in Melbourne.


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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been on a recent tear: hitting a small-dollar lender for illegal debt collection practices; warning colleges to improve disclosure of school-sponsored credit card agreements; and an upcoming proposal to regulate payday-type loans with more severity.
While demand for funding by SME’s (small mid-sized enterprises) is down, new research reveals an increase in access from alternative business financing options. Bank loan financing currently has only a 35% financing success rate and is driving alternative sources.
U.S. Purchase Dollar Volume (PDV) for Visa and MasterCard (credit + debit) in the third quarter (3Q/15) grew at an annual rate (YOY) of 9.2%. Visa U.S. payment card (credit + debit) PDV for 3Q/15 was up 9.7%. MasterCard U.S. payment card (credit + debit) PDV for 3Q/15 was up 7.8%.
Bank credit card rates will begin to trickle upward next month in the wake of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMA) decision to raise short-term rates by 25 basis points (bps). It is likely credit card rates in the first quarter will return to 2010 levels.
Verifone has added another gizmo to its mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) portfolio. The new Verifone e265 offers independent and micro merchants the flexibility to accept all major payment types and integrate with smart devices for value-added commerce capabilities.


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Your smartphone camera might soon be getting a big upgrade thanks to the power of artificial intelligence.
“By rethinking the optical system from the ground up to be tailor-made for smartphones, we managed to fit huge CMOS sensors that collect around 9x more light than traditional designs,” Ziv Attar, the company’s CEO, said in a news release. “Our state-of-the-art A.I. algorithms seamlessly correct all the distortions and aberrations, and as a result, smartphone image quality is radically increased, up 10x.”
Attar explained in an interview with TechCrunch that up until recently, smartphone companies tried to improve image quality by using larger sensors and wider lenses. However, even with noise-reduction algorithms, the resulting imagery using this method ends up looking “weird and fake.”
To solve the image quality problem, Glass plans to put a larger lens inside a smartphone, but today’s ultraslim phones don’t have enough room to fit in the bigger optics. So, Glass instead intends to change the aspect ratio of the
Mario Pérez, a professional photographer, said in an interview that anamorphic lenses had been used for years mainly for cinematic productions. But today. photography and videography enthusiasts have access to a wide array of anamorphic lenses.
“The main benefit these lenses bring is the ability to fit a wider angle of view than regular lenses, all within a small, average camera sensor, without any visible distortion (provided the video is duly processed later on),” he added.
Pérez said that it’s become relatively easy to get a phone with a regular lens and then attach a third-party anamorphic lens to it, which will get you many of the typical features a cinematic anamorphic lens offers: Wider angle of view, intense “bokeh” effect, and flares on light sources, among other benefits.
“Smartphone industry is evolving at an incredibly rapid pace,” Pérez said. “Videographers and photographers are shifting towards working with
When it comes to smartphone camera innovations, Pérez said that variable focal length is another bold feature that will make a huge difference when it becomes a reality. Currently, the only way
“The day a smartphone brand will offer us, photographers and videographers, the ability to shoot with our
Glass isn’t the only company trying to use new techniques to make better smartphone cameras. Researchers at Stanford University have created a new approach that allows standard image sensors to see light in three dimensions. These common cameras could soon be used to measure the distance to objects.
Measuring distance between objects with light is now possible only with specialized and expensive lidar – short for “light detection and ranging” – systems. But the Stanford scientists wrote in a recent paper that they came up with a solution that relies on a phenomenon known as acoustic resonance. The team built a simple acoustic modulator using a thin wafer of lithium niobate – a transparent crystal that is highly desirable for its electrical, acoustic, and optical properties – coated with two transparent electrodes.
“Existing lidar systems are big and bulky, but someday, if you want lidar capabilities in millions of autonomous drones or in lightweight robotic vehicles, you’re going to want them to be very small, very energy efficient, and offering high performance,” Okan Atalar, the first author on the new paper. said in a news release.
- I tried to replace my GoPro with this new phone and its clever camera
- iOS 16.3.1 fixes major bugs for your iPhone — and introduces a new one
- I used an app to create 3D models with my iPhone, and it’s shockingly great
- Apple’s A17 chip could have a huge 3nm upgrade, but only for some iPhones
- Can the Nothing Phone 1’s new cameras beat a 2-year-old iPhone?


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Google Inc.'s $900 million bid for patents owned by Nortel Networks Corp. reportedly passed muster with federal antitrust regulators.
The Wall Street Journal cited unnamed sources on Wednesday who said the Justice Department concluded that the purchase by the Mountain View search giant (NASDAQ:GOOG) doesn't present significant competitive concerns.
The paper said that bids by Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Research in Motion Ltd. (NASDAQ:RIMM) are also being reviewed.
Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT), AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and Verizon Communications Corp. (NYSE:VZ), Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE:HPQ) and Nokia Corp. have all filed objections to the sale, saying it would give the winner an unfair advantage and disrupt essential technologies.
Among the 6,000 patents being sold are key ones used in Wi-Fi, social networking and the wireless technology called LTE.
The patents are scheduled to be sold at an auction on Monday that is part of Nortel's bankruptcy proceedings in Delaware and Canada.


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In no one is this passion, this affliction more apparent than in Huff Post Executive Business Editor Peter Goodman.Peter has latched on to the Android operating system with the zeal that college football fans in the South attach themselves to their alma maters.Looking over the jam-packed timeline of Android smartphone releases this year, you realize the competitive nature of the landscape, the speed at which manufacturers updated and improved their smartphones, and the difficult choices shoppers faced to obtain a smartphone that would remain the best for any meaningful period of time. February of this year saw the introduction of Samsung's first Galaxy Note phablet as well the One X, HTC's flagship phone.Call it Android Anxiety: It is a predicament marked by alternating bouts of ecstasy and remorse, supreme confidence and nervousness, as well as cycles of excitement, regret, acceptance and hope. All of this was followed closely by announcements of three other premium HTC phones (the One S, the EVO 4G and the Droid Incredible).Update Oct 11, 2016: Refer to the new post PMI Certification Renewal Changes and Talent Triangle After I passed my PMP exam, I experienced a sense of relief and satisfaction.Three months of rigorous preparation had turned into sweet success. That’s when it struck me that PMP Certification is not forever.But while it may be frustrating, this is business as usual for regulations like this, and concerned advocates should conserve their outrage for when it’s really needed.The “Restoring Internet Freedom” rule voted on last month was based on a final draft circulated several weeks before the meeting at which it would be adopted.
violence in teen dating relationships
not fixing typos) were still going into the draft the day before the FCC voted.However, the Chairman has determined that, in the interest of promoting the public’s ability to understand the nature and scope of issues under consideration, the public interest would be served by making this document publicly available.And indeed, it makes perfect sense that work should continue as long as it can in order to better bolster the chances of an order like this surviving.Watching him agonize over the Android buying process, trading in smartphone after smartphone for the latest-and-greatest, raving over a certain smartphone one week while fiending for a different one the next, has been dizzying and enthralling.
Considering the bewildering timeline of Android smartphones and the steady improvements that manufacturers have indeed made this year, Peter's mental anguish and fierce, almost-paroxysmal deliberations over which phone to buy, and when, seem justified.
Windows Phone has thus far sequestered its new smartphone releases to the fall, with Nokia, HTC and Samsung all-but-simultaneously announcing their best phones at once. ) are waiting patiently for 2013 and the launch of the Black Berry 10 operating system for their new flagship smartphones.


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Having scored early success with Instagram Stories — copied from a similarly-named Snapchat feature — Facebook is currently testing the same option in its core Facebook app for iOS, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The test is limited to Ireland at the moment, but should come to other countries in the next few months, Business Insider learned. As on Instagram, Facebook Stories let users add photos and videos to a montage that vanishes within 24 hours.
The Facebook version of the feature is essentially identical, with filters, the exclusion of content from News Feeds and profiles, and the ability to reply via a direct message. It's even situated at the top of the app interface, drawing more attention.
Facebook is presumably concerned about fending off Snapchat, which while still smaller is already competing with Twitter for daily user numbers. A recent lawsuit by an ex-employee accused Snap of deliberately inflating figures to improve prospects for an initial public offering.
Regardless, Facebook has also been trying to encourage more original content submissions, specifically using photos and video. Over the years, News Feeds have frequently become populated more by links from news and clickbait sites.
Recently the company began testing full-screen video ads in Instagram Stories, something it will presumably bring over to the Facebook app if users don't speak up.


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Lenovo has today launched a budget phone in China, and it’s called the Lemon 3. Notably, this is different than the phone that leaked last year that also had a citrus-y name. While the Lemon X (which launched in Chinese markets a couple of months ago under the name Vibe X3) is aimed at the mid-range, the Lemon 3 is aimed at the lower end of the market…
redmi Stories January 13, 2016
redmi Stories December 28, 2015
Deal: Get Pixelbook at 25% off: $750!
redmi Stories October 28, 2015
Xiaomi has reiterated what feels like a half dozen times that the United States is in its long-term view, so that shouldn’t come as much surprise to those who have payed close attention to the words of VP of International Hugo Barra, and more recently, reports from The Wall Street Journal. But interestingly, we now have tangible evidence that the company might be doing just a bit more than just “thinking” about coming to the US. If new documents (via Lilliputing) are to be believed, the company is already seeking FCC approval to bring one of its phones, the Xiaomi Redmi 2 Pro, to the United States… expand full story


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IAG Cargo to transport museum objects to London for Assyrian Empire exhibition
June 28, 2018: IAG Cargo’s ‘Secure’ service will be used to transport a number of important loan objects from museums across Europe. The cargo division of International Airlines Group (IAG) is the logistics partner for the BP exhibition I am Ashurbanipal: king of the world, king of Assyria at the British Museum.
British Museum has partnered with IAG Cargo for the third time to deliver high value objects.
The exhibition will be open to the public from November 8 this year to February 24, 2019. The exhibition will immerse visitors in the ancient world of Assyria through the life and legacy of its last great ruler, King Ashurbanipal. It will tell Ashurbanipal’s remarkable story through the narratives recorded on his palace sculptures, the texts that survive from his library, and from the wealth of objects discovered by archaeologists working in the region.
Over 200 objects from all corners of King Ashurbanipal’s empire will be brought together, offering visitors the chance to see objects that have never travelled to the UK before or been on display anywhere for the last 20 years.
Lynne Embleton, CEO of IAG Cargo said: “This landmark exhibition builds on the work we have completed previously with the British Museum, marking three successful years of partnership. The extraordinary Assyrian collection dates as far back as 7th century BC and it’s the responsibility of our ‘Secure’ product team to ensure these important objects and artworks arrive safely in London.”
Hartwig Fischer, director of the British Museum said: “I am delighted to announce this new exhibition and bring visitors face to face with a king whose reign shaped the history of the ancient world. Each of our exhibitions take a number of years to plan so having a logistics partner to provide secure transportation is absolutely critical.”
The British Museum’s collection of Assyrian treasures will be complemented by loans from around the world, including objects and artworks from; the Museo Gregoriano Etrusco, Musei Vaticani, Vatican City; and the Cyprus Museum, Nicosia.


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In times of recession and challenge, consumers have often sought stability and flocked to products like insurance. During the unprecedented times of the past year, that was no different. Franklin Madison wanted to know more about these behaviors, so we took a deep dive into the effects of the pandemic on the purchase of life insurance.
Insurance for Financial Health
At Franklin Madison, we’ve long supported our bank and credit union clients in their efforts to positively impact consumers. In fact, one of our core company values of providing financial well-being underscores how critical insurance is to their overall financial health. It adds the protection piece of their financial plan that ensures that in times of need, they have the additional funds to help guard their assets and pay key expenses without depleting their savings.
Over the last year, we’ve seen consumer behavior validate this premise with purchasing and researching life insurance policies happening at an all-time high rate. For example, Individual U.S life insurance application activity increased by 3.4% in 2021, following a record-breaking year-over-year growth of 3.9% in 2020.
Franklin Madison saw increased purchases of life insurance but also another key interesting piece of data: our current consumers displayed historically high retention rates, meaning consumers were paying for and keeping their policies at higher rates than ever before.
In February, we conducted a consumer research study surveying over 4,500 consumers across the country on their thoughts on life insurance and why they were or were not purchasing it from their financial institution.
The results were fascinating:
- The first substantial result was that the data confirmed the industry trends stated above, such as high retention and purchase rates.
- The second shocking discovery was that while traditionally boomers and Gen X had gone to their employers and insurance companies to purchase life insurance, the case for younger generations, the results revealed that millennials and Gen X groups were Google searching life insurance at an all-time high rate and were more educated on life insurance than many of their older family members.
- The third result was that most consumers did not know their bank or credit union offered life insurance, but they said they would go to them if they were aware and educated. This resulted in many bank and credit union clients asking to how to better educate consumers on insurance options and more specifically use data to target the segments of consumers that need or are searching for life insurance.
Industry Trends and Consumer Demand
So, the next big question is now that the industry trends and consumer demand are aligned – what can we do about it?
We are working with a credit union partner to add insurance elements to their overall Financial Health Score. And it is very exciting that we are seeing early results that consumers with insurance do have a stronger overall financial health profile. With this type of data, insurance becomes a key piece of the entire consumer financial health picture.
It is evident that using the power of data in very simple and effective ways can help develop consumer segments and opportunities to build high level education and product programs for those consumers based on their segmentation profile. Through social media and online channels, we can use data to organize awareness campaigns to help consumers gain insightful knowledge about insurance and work towards the overall goal of improving financial well-being.


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Interview with Mr Peter McLean, Senior Vice President, Kalmar APAC
It is no secret that the outlook for Asia Pacific is expected to remain largely positive in the next two years. According to the World Bank, the economies of developing East Asia and Pacific are projected to expand at 6.2 per cent in 2017 and 6.1 per cent in 2018. For the rest of the region, including the large economies in Southeast Asia, growth is expected to pick up to five per cent in 2017 and 5.1 per cent in 2018, up from 4.9 per cent in 2016. In addition to a strong consumer demand in its traditional Western markets, the region is also benefitting from a steep rise in middle class.
It is no surprise then that Western companies here are keen to invest in and capitalise on Asia Pacific’s success.
“We may be a European company, and the heart of our business lies in Europe. But Europe does not offer the growth that Asia Pacific or South Africa does in terms of new opportunities. This is why we are very excited to be here, and to watch Asia’s level of technology automation and innovation rising to Europe’s standard. In fact, I believe Australia is one of the most automated countries in the world today,” says Mr Peter McLean, Senior Vice President, Kalmar APAC.
In this issue of Supply Chain Asia magazine, Mr McLean will share his views on the high level of automation in Australia, the change in profile of a typical port worker, and the future of industrial automation in the region.
Automation is infectious
According to a 2015 report by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia, more than five million jobs, almost 40 per cent of Australian jobs, have a moderate to high likelihood of disappearing in the next 10 to 15 years due to technological advancements.
“Australia kickstarted its automation drive as a necessity to combat the country’s high cost of living and low volumes. Its supply chain and logistics infrastructure needs to be efficient in serving customers. So when one port started to upgrade itself and provide its customers with efficient services, the competition spikes and competing ports rush to upgrade themselves as well and offer the same level of services so they will miss out on the business. It is an infectious process that molds Australia to what it has become today,“ explains the Australian-born senior vice president, who is now based in Singapore.
For example, in 2012, the competitive environment at the Port of Brisbane became tougher with the arrival of a third operator. The port’s other two operators had already implemented automated systems and equipment. DPW Brisbane realised that it would have to make more efficient use of its terminal space while delivering excellent customer service. This leads to them working with Kalmar to provide shuttle carriers that operate between the ship-to-shore cranes and ASCs to transfer containers between vessels and the land. The automation project eventually increased the terminal’s capacity to become one of the most highly automated ports in the world.
“I believe a similar trend will occur to the rest of Asia as automation becomes increasingly critical in China. We are already witnessing the investment in Singapore, and with that investment will come reliability to the shipping companies and boost the standard of reliable services. In order to compete, parties will need to provide the same reliability and efficiency,” adds Mr McLean, who has been with Kalmar for over seven years.
OBOR for the win
With the establishment of OBOR, a massive infrastructure programme linking China with Africa, Asia and Europe through a network of ports, railways, roads and industrial parks, Mr McLean believes that the future only looks brighter in Asia Pacific. “There are a lot of opportunities for logistics being born out of OBOR. Because of the extensive scale of the project, you do not feel the competition. There are opportunities for everyone due to OBOR, and I see every sector of the industry benefitting from this, even air and ocean freight,” explains the senior executive.
OBOR encompasses over 60 countries representing 60 per cent of the global population and about one-third of the world’s gross domestic product. The China Development Bank alone has earmarked US$890bn (S$1.24tr) for some 900 projects. One particular country that reiterates the benefits of OBOR is Malaysia, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak saying that through this initiative, transportation and movement of goods would be much easier and cheaper and would also enable local entrepreneurs to penetrate a larger market. In addition, Malaysia has also recently signed nine Business-to-Business Memoranda of Understanding with China amounting to US$22.7bn (RM31.26bn).
“Malaysia is just one of the countries that is set to greatly benefit from OBOR. Perhaps when things settle down and the project has been fulfilled, it may be a different playing field. But for now, during the construction and conceptual phases, there are opportunities for everyone in the logistics industry. We see this as a positive step for Asia Pacific and China,” elaborates Mr McLean.
A safer port environment
Kalmar has released a renewed vision for cargo handling in 2060. According to the company, “terminals will be complete logistic ecosystems that act as global interchange points for an on-demand society”. In addition, “artificial intelligence, combined with human experience and knowledge, will help us solve highly complex problems”.
“By 2060, port workers will likely be working in the background in a very safe environment, such as in an office with a remote control desk. There will be very few risks to their safety, unlike today,” explains the senior vice president. “The other benefit of port automation is that it is consistent. What this mean is that with automation, every move it takes to handle the container can now be consistently managed and it actually reduces the damage between the container and the port equipment. So, at the end of the day, human interaction with machines is now safer and this applies to machine interaction with each other too.” he adds.
Port workers of the future
While no one can argue the benefits of automation adoption and providing safe roles for workers, the issue remains that many of today’s port jobs will be replaced by robots or automation, just like in Australia.
“Change is hard for most of us. But I believe that if all parties, such as companies, employers, respective government bodies and institutions work together, we can produce the talent of the next generation. Granted, automation has escalated beyond our expectations for the past decade or so ago. This resulted in some discrepancies between the available talent today and the type of talent the industry actually needs. This is how we know we should have started working with universities much earlier and we have now built strong partnerships with universities. It is everyone’s responsibilities to develop the industry with the given opportunities,” says Mr McLean.
Mr McLean is very much an avid supporter of re-training and believes in not being complacent at work, which is how he got to work at Kalmar. “I look for opportunities every day. That’s how I keep myself on the move and ensure my team stays relevant and updated in this industry. The opportunities in logistics are endless. This keeps my job exciting and I cannot wait to learn more each day,” says the Australian.


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Westrock Coffee Company, a portfolio company of The Stephens Group, has agreed to acquire S&D Coffee & Tea (S&D) from publicly traded Cott Corporation for $405 million in cash.
S&D Coffee & Tea is the largest coffee and tea manufacturer and supplier to restaurants and convenience stores in America; and also produces liquid coffee, tea, and botanical extracts. The company’s products are sold to more than 110,000 customers through national distribution and direct store delivery. S&D, led by CEO Ron Hinson, was founded in 1927 and is headquartered in Concord, North Carolina.
Cott Corporation acquired S&D in 2016 for $355 million which, at that time, was a 6x post synergy adjusted EBITDA multiple.
Little Rock, Arkansas-based Westrock Coffee, acquired by Stephens in 2017, is a vertically integrated branded and private label coffee company that sources, roasts, packages, sells and distributes to companies operating in the retail and hospitality markets. Westrock has offices in seven countries and is led by Scott Ford, co-founder and chief executive officer.
According to Westrock Coffee, the buy of S&D will create the leading integrated coffee company serving the needs of the retail, restaurant, convenience store, and hospitality industries. Once combined, the two companies will be led by Mr. Ford with Mr. Hinson continuing as chairman emeritus and it will have more than 1,700 employees and the capacity to roast, grind, and package more than 220 million pounds of coffee annually. Westrock will remain headquartered in Little Rock and S&D’s facilities in Concord will continue as a major center of operations with plans to continue the expansion of these facilities.
“This strategic combination will create the nation’s premier coffee, tea, and extract supplier that is capable of serving the most complex and demanding customers across the country and around the world,” said Mr. Ford. “We intend to use the scale of the new company to offer the most innovative beverage solutions with competitive pricing to our global clients while simultaneously providing a premium price to our farmer partners at origin.”
As part of this transaction, BBH Capital Partners will provide acquisition capital alongside The Stephens Group and other Westrock Coffee investors.
Boston-based BBH Capital Partners makes control and non-control investments of $50 million to $150 million in North American-based companies with enterprise valuations between $10 million to $500 million. Sectors of interest include healthcare, technology, media and telecommunications, and business products and services. The group’s investments are structured as a combination of equity and subordinated debt.
Little Rock, Arkansas-based The Stephens Group is a family-office that makes both minority and control investments in public and privately held companies. Sectors of interest include industrial and commercial products and services, specialty distribution, technology infrastructure and tech-enabled services, B2B food and beverage, and consumer products.
Cott Corporation (NYSE: COT; TSX: BCB) is a provider of water, coffee, coffee extracts, tea and filtration services in both North America and Europe, to more than 2.5 million customers including residences, businesses, restaurant chains, hotels and motels, retailers, and healthcare facilities. The company is led by CEO Tom Harrington and is headquartered in Tampa.
Cott has been actively moving towards becoming a pure-play water company. Earlier this month it agreed to acquire Primo Water, a provider of water dispensers, bottled water, and self-service refill drinking water, for $775 million.
“The combination of the sale of S&D, along with the recent announcement of Cott’s acquisition of Primo Water, positions Cott to be a pure-play water solutions provider with financial metrics more in line with our water peers,” said Mr. Harrington. When the buy of Primo is completed, Cott will change its corporate name to Primo Water.
© 2020 Private Equity Professional | February 3, 2020


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After successful runs in Paris, London and Shanghai, the Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition touches down in New York this September, bringing over 200 haute couture garments to the Brooklyn Museum.
For his latest collection for Christian Dior, creative director of menswear Kim Jones has channelled multiple ideas by the brand’s former creative director, Marc Bohan, the longest-reigning designer at the couture house.
New Look has won a crucial court fight, defeating a landlord challenge to its company voluntary arrangement with the landlords feeling they were unfairly treated by last year's CVA process for the retailer.
Fast-growing sports label Castore has expanded its McLaren deal to the car marque's Forumula One team. The brand is adding the important new element to its link-up after the launch of their first collection last year.
As the drive to make e-commerce greener and more convenient continues, new delivery ideas are being embraced and InPost said on Thursday that it has signed up two more big names to its new Instant Returns service.
There hasn’t been much in the way of news from struggling retailer New Look since securing essential financial support last November. But the retailer announced Tuesday a new appointment, and it’s big one.
“Everyone reacts to sincere things. When you do something that you really believe in it, and not just for commercial reasons, people react... people understand,” argues Roger Vivier's artistic director, Gherardo Felloni.
Fashion retailer New Look is set to come face to face with its major landlords in a High Court battle over its rent restructuring plans. Observers say the outcome could have major implications for high street retail.


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Render from Turbo Squid
Foldable devices are the one product category that many companies are looking into. OnePlus is one of them, with a rumour of it releasing a rebranded OPPO Find N back in April. We can't confirm if that's the case, but the company's CEO recently hinted at an upcoming foldable phone.
This Friday, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau took to Twitter to reveal what seems to be the hinge of a foldable device. From what we can tell, it's likely a hinge for a device with a horizontal fold. As mentioned previously, some believe that the foldable device from OnePlus could be a rebranded OPPO Find N. But it could also be a new model, as it's rumoured that OPPO will reveal two new foldable devices soon.
What do you think this is? pic.twitter.com/vrT2pzQ7jX— Pete Lau (@PeteLau) August 12, 2022
If that's the case, the OnePlus foldable phone could come with features and tech specs that are more recent. For instance, we can expect the device to pack the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. It could also have the popular 50MP Sony IMX766 image sensor for its rear camera, plus an LTPO 2.0 AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
Since the OnePlus CEO has started posting about what's likely a new foldable phone, we can expect to hear more from him soon. Let us know if you're excited about this, and stay tuned to TechNave for more updates about it.


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Apple's (AAPL -0.28%) making a big push into advertising, and it might reach its long-term goal in just a couple of years.
Earlier this year, VP of Advertising Todd Teresi said he wants to get the ad business generating double-digit billions of revenue for the tech giant. That's a big step up from the roughly $4 billion it was estimated to have generated in fiscal 2021. A new estimate from Insider Intelligence, though, puts the company's global annual ad sales at $10.7 billion by the end of 2024.
Here's what's driving the rapid advertising growth, and what it means for investors.
A billboard in your pocket
Apple has made several changes over the last year or so that have fueled significant growth in the advertising business.
Last summer it instituted App Tracking Transparency in iOS 14.5. After iPhone owners upgraded their devices, they were continuously asked if they'd like for their various apps to be able to gather data from all of their activity on their iPhone. Unsurprisingly, the vast majority said they would not like that.
As a result, it became a lot more difficult for companies like Meta Platforms to track how well their ads convert and gather important targeting data for their advertisements. That made it hard to justify the top dollar marketers were paying for ads on Facebook and Instagram or other social media companies.
Ad dollars flowed out of social media, and some of those ad dollars flowed into Apple's pockets. Apple's App Store search ads presented much better value after it became impossible to track how well app-install ads converted on other platforms.
As those ads became more valuable, Apple also moved to expand its ad inventory. It started showing ads on more surfaces within the App Store app like "today" and third-party app pages. It also shows ads in the stocks and news apps. Apple has mulled several more places it could stick advertising products, including maps, podcasts, and Apple TV+, specifically around MLS content.
Finding or developing new inventory for advertisements is likely a key part of Apple's advertising strategy going forward as it's seen a spike in demand for its ads. It's also reportedly developing a demand-side platform for ad buyers, enabling it to scale the business and make it easier for marketers to automate and manage ad campaigns across multiple types of ads Apple may offer. The growing importance of advertising for Apple
Advertising falls under Apple's services segment, which has quickly become, by far, Apple's second-biggest business after the iPhone.
To be sure, advertising is still a tiny sliver of Apple's total revenue, which came to $394 billion last year. It's even just a small part of the services segment, which generated $78 billion last year.
But there's another piece included in advertising in Apple's accounting besides ad sales to marketers. Apple also includes Traffic Acquisition Costs (TAC) paid by Alphabet's (GOOG 1.76%) (GOOGL 1.68%) Google for placement in Safari and Siri as the default search engine. Those payments have been estimated to be as much as $15 billion. Total TAC for Google was up nearly $4 billion or 12% through the first nine months of the year, with growth driven primarily by payments to distribution partners (like Apple).
But Google's payments bump might not be as big next year or the year after that. Advertisers are pulling back on spending amid economic uncertainty, and while the search ads business is a reliable source of sales, those sales may not be as plentiful.
Apple probably doesn't want to rely on the whims of a third party to generate a significant source of revenue for its services business. It could face a situation where it needs or wants to cut ties with Google -- it would certainly fit with its focus on data privacy -- at any point in the future, and it doesn't want to sacrifice billions to do so. It may also want to build its own search engine, a move Insider analyst Andrew Lipsman estimates could gross it $15 billion per year in revenue.
As Apple charts a path toward $10 billion in ad revenue in short order, investors should look for ways the company is expanding the high-margin business to grow profits for shareholders.
Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Adam Levy has positions in Alphabet, Apple, and Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Apple, and Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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When interior design student Melissa Cohen decided the time was right to have a child, she acted fast. Cohen, who lives in New York City, was already 38, and statistically her fertility was decreasing at a rate of 2 percent each year. One day, as she was searching for design information on the Web and watching TV, an advertisement for iVillage, the woman's network, came on the tube. Cohen left her research project behind for the moment, and typed in the iVillage URL. She navigated through the site until she found a page on fertility offering tons of information on ways to increase her likelihood to conceive. "It was great information that I really needed," says Cohen. "And even though I'd heard of iVillage before, I don't think I would have clicked on the site if the ad hadn't come on."
"Convergence" not only describes Cohen's multitasking, TV-watching, Web-surfing behavior, but defines a high-tech concept that almost every media company is obsessing about these days. One of those is Oxygen Media, which rolled out a Web site in May and plans to launch a television network next year. "Women live converged lives already," says C.J. Kettler, the president of sales and marketing for Oxygen Media. "We go from a meeting to a cell phone call, from the school nurse to checking our e-mails." That's why the minds at Oxygen believe the time is right for their ambitious millennial plan to deliver the undertapped women's market to advertisers. "We'll drive women from our television network to the Web, and back again," says Kettler. And once set-top boxes roll out, making it possible to watch television and surf the Web through one screen, Oxygen will have all the pieces in place to be what Kettler calls a converged brand.
In February 2000, the Oxygen cable network expects to launch with an initial presence in 8 million homes. By 2001, the company says it will reach 20 million homes, putting the new channel in position to go after a share of cable advertising revenues, including the $340 million that Lifetime netted last year. And as with all convergence ventures, Oxygen is betting on a chunk of the profits from the forthcoming e-commerce bonanza to be a large part of the mix.
"We're looking to create deep relationships with only a few partners -to take advertising to the next step with true comarketing relationships," says Kettler. These relationships, she says, will encompass television, online, and grassroots marketing efforts, and depend upon research generated from Oxygen's "convergence lab." When true convergence arrives, advertisers will be armed with research from the lab to help them turn the television sets of Oxygen's audience into virtual buying machines.
Sounds great, but there would have to be some pretty powerful minds behind a project like this to make it float. Of course, that's exactly what Oxygen has. Foremost is Geraldine Laybourne, who grabbed the attention of kids and delivered the tykes to advertisers when she transformed Nickelodeon into the ratings powerhouse it is, and who was voted one of Fortune magazine's 50 most powerful businesswomen. Partnering with Laybourne are Oprah Winfrey, who has signed on to show reruns of her talk shows, and Marcy Carsey, whose television production company has been responsible for such hits as The Cosby Show and Roseanne.
Still, Oxygen faces more than a few hurdles. Its success depends on paying a hefty price for space in the crowded cable landscape. While Laybourne has said she'll be able to pay cable providers between $1 and $4 per household, according to Jason Helfstein, an equity researcher at investment bank Schroder & Co., Oxygen may have to shell out as much as $10 a subscriber-13 times more than Lifetime currently pays. But with Disney and America Online holding equity stakes in the company, and plans to invest $400 million raised by Morgan Stanley over the next four years, the high price for access to people's homes may not be a concern.
Oxygen's success will also depend on how soon the female romance with the Web heats up, and on whether Laybourne's media mix is the right one to light the fire. After all, she is a Web newbie. In fact, early reaction to the Web site's launch has been lukewarm: "I'm a little underwhelmed," says Lisa Allen, a senior analyst at Forrester Research, who says the site offers little to distinguish itself from competitor iVillage, which boasts the largest number of unique visitors to a women's network -4.1 million a month, according to Media Metrix. Other competition includes women.com, with 3.8 million unique visitors a month. So far, Lifetime's Web site doesn't present much of a threat: The site only hosts 275,000 visitors monthly, though the cable network reaches 72 million homes. In April, Oxygen says its sites attracted 3.5 million unique visitors. Still, some observers say that Laybourne has some catching up to do. "Oxygen has an uphill battle. And we don't have a taste of their programming, yet, either," says Diana Holman, president of WomanTrend, a Washington, D.C.-based market research company.
But the battle is clearly worth it: Women make up slightly more than half the population and control the majority of household spending. "Women are shoppers, and I'm not just talking flats and pumps," says Forrester's Allen.
Women control 85 percent of all personal and household spending decisions, and make 75 percent of their family's financial decisions, according to the Women's Consumer Network. And they are the principal drivers of 49 percent of all new cars bought, according to J.D. Power and Associates, a Chicago-based automotive research company. Forty-six percent of women are decision-makers in terms of technology purchases, and 42 percent influence such purchases, according to Forrester. "They are also a growing audience of influential online consumers," says Allen. "The percentage of women online will go from 29 percent today to almost 49 percent in 2003."
That's something advertisers like Procter & Gamble have taken note of. "A lot of P&G products are targeted at women and the Web offers a way to have two-way communications with them," says spokesperson Gretchen Briscoe. While P&G's 1998 Web spending amounted to a paltry $4.4 million, compared to the $1.3 billion the packaged goods mammoth spent on television, its online dollars are growing fast-doubling in the last year. "I think that fact speaks to how important we feel the medium is," says Briscoe. "But, we still have a lot to learn about how and where to reach women."
Of course, where the Web is concerned, everyone's on a learning curve. While various research shows that more men are online than women -34 percent versus 29 percent-the good news, according to Forrester, is that women are embracing the Internet at a faster rate. But Forrester also finds that 56 percent of women- versus 40 percent of men -are "technology pessimists," meaning they are less likely to adopt new technology. This isn't necessarily a detriment, according to Ekaterina Walsh, a Forrester analyst. But some women will need more coaxing to get online. "Women's sites need to tout their ease of use to attract users," she says.
Women online are not only less likely to buy, but they also spend less: 40 percent of online women make purchases, compared to 60 percent of men, and the average amount women spent in 1998 was $313, or 24 percent less than the average spent by men, according to Jupiter Communications. Concerns about security may be one reason why women are less likely to pull out the virtual plastic and charge: A slightly higher percentage of women than men believe that the Web is not secure (53 percent versus 49 percent), according to Forrester. So, says Walsh, security should be emphasized when pitching women.
But before marketers gain women's trust, Web sites need to lure them in. Television is clearly a boon, if not the ticket. "Having a powerful traditional media presence is very important," says Cindy Dale, vice president of interactive at BBDO New York.
In addition, says Allen, "Cable will be increasingly important in the future because it will have an all important back channel for e-commerce." In other words, women will be able to send messages back to advertisers through cable-attached set-top boxes-messages containing their orders and credit card numbers.
If that happens, Lifetime appears to be well positioned-not only for the new world of convergence, but for good old-fashioned television. And catching up will be tough. "Channel capacity is so tight on cable systems that it's extremely difficult to launch a new service," says Derek Baine, a senior analyst at Paul Kagan & Associates. "Advertisers aren't usually interested in placing ads on a cable station until there are 20 million subscribers." Baine is not convinced that Oxygen can lure advertisers by dangling a Web site in front of them. After all, most television networks already have Web sites.
Still, the industry perception is that Lifetime is a little tired-the average age of its viewers is smack in the middle of the baby boom: 43.5. The network dubs its programming inspirational and aspirational, and its schedule is filled with shows about women overcoming terrible odds and afflictions.
Oxygen's programming will target women "who feel good about themselves," says Kettler. While Laybourne bristles at comparisons between her fledgling media venture and Lifetime, she has said that Oxygen's viewer/user will be more active. The implication, of course, is that Oxygen's audience will be younger and more desirable, and more likely to log on to the Web.
Lifetime has yet to do much more with its Web site than use it as a kind of glorified program guide. Oxygen has other ideas. "Unlike other media companies, from the get go we're developing a converged brand," says Kettler. "We won't have to retrofit our cable brand to the Internet."
Of course, magazines can also drive traffic to Web sites. Women.com, which is partly owned by the new media division of Hearst Corporation and benefits from the link to its portfolio of magazines, boasts almost as many unique visitors as iVillage. Ultimately, when the set-top box arrives and all roads to the Web originate with the tube, the absence of a television partner may drain the purses of women's sites. "It's very expensive to go out and buy all those ads to drive people to your Web site," says Baine. "If you have unsold [television] inventory to drive people to your site, it's much cheaper."
Unsold inventory is something Oxygen may have plenty of when the network launches. But what else has it got going for it? Thus far, hype and promise-promise of enticing a younger, clickier, and more future-oriented demographic to the network. And then there's the vision thing. In an Oxygen manifesto, Laybourne invokes true believer digital and millennial language. And the predominant generation cited in her research package is X-no accident that X is the letter that resonates in the word Oxygen.
Still, with so little known about what Oxygen will really deliver, why has there been so much anticipation? As Forrester analyst Allen puts it, "Oxygen is living on the promise of more things to come."


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A new retail center, including a 7-Eleven gas station, Starbucks drive-thru and a grocery store will be coming to North Harlem Avenue in Norridge.
The Norridge Village Board of Trustees approved the plan 6-0 at its Wednesday, Aug. 26 meeting.
The $25 million development will replace the vacant Makray Manufacturing at 4400 North Harlem Avenue, which which went out of business, Village Engineer and Building Commissioner Brian Gaseor said.
The plan is for four single-story buildings, one for the 7-Eleven gas station and another for the grocery store, according to meeting minutes from the Aug. 3 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting.
Two of the buildings will be home to more than one tenant and will include the Starbucks and a dental office. Gaseor said a paint store may also be included in the development.
Two residents voiced their opposition to the plan at the board meeting Wednesday. Athanasia Froustis, who lives nearby, said she was concerned about the traffic. She said PNC Bank is nearby and the line for its drive-thru backs up traffic.
She also was concerned about the pollution from the gas station and the proximity of Ridgewood High School.
“I don’t like the idea of having a gas station right there in front of our homes,” Froustis told the trustees.
Another resident said she’s concerned about the headlights from cars and trucks shining right into her home at night when they use the gas station.
GW Properties developer Mitch Goltz responded to the two residents during the public comment section. He said the 7-Eleven isn’t a diesel station.
“As far as the lights, this goes through very careful review with Norridge and other agencies to ensure all light stays on the property and will have zero bleed-out to the neighboring properties,” Goltz said. He said this includes adding a three-foot wall and parkway trees.
The wall will be constructed along the Montrose Avenue property line, according to the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting notes.
Gaseor said an engineer from GW Properties suggested that Montrose Avenue, which has a parking lane and a through lane, is wide enough to be turned into two lanes, which would alleviate some of the traffic.
Goltz expects the property to generate $35 million in retail revenue annually, which he expects to turn into $875,000 in annual sales tax revenue, according to the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting minutes.
“With a grocery store, a Starbucks, a paint store, the gas station, that’s all sales tax money that we get,” Gaseor said. “That’s what we live on right now in Norridge, I think that’s 75% of our revenue.”
Gaseor said the village tentatively anticipates the development to open for business in late spring or early summer of 2021.


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Edibles are about to get a serious culinary world makeover. Up until recently, edibles have typically been sketchy cookies or brownies wrapped in saran wrap, or weed-spiked lollipops, relegated to the counters of medical marijuana clinics. That, however, is about to change in the next few months. According to a press release, James Beard Award-winning pastry chef Mindy Segal—who owns Mindy’s Hot Chocolate in Chicago—is working on a line of marijuana-infused foods.
Segal is partnering up with Cresco Labs, “Illinois largest cannabis cultivator,” to produce the line. Medical marijuana patients can expect items like a variety of brittle bars, infused granola bites, and “an infused chocolate drink that is intended to be warmed to enhance the soothing effects.” For people who love DIY activities, there will also be a cookie batter mix. All of the items are riffs on recipes from her cookbook Cookie Love.
The Chicago Tribune notes that medical marijuana became legalized in Illinois just last month and people must get a doctor’s recommendation to get their hands on Segal’s infused goods. The chef plans to start selling the line—which will use different strains and concentrations of marijuana—by late February of 2016 in licensed dispenseries across the state. Soon after, the items will be made available in five additional states. But Segal doesn’t plan on stopping there: She tells the paper that she hopes to take her line “nationwide” to other states where medical marijuana is legal.
(Will there be weed-infused rugelach in the near future?)
Segal says that she has “dabbled” in baking edibles—which require cooking with cannabis oil or butter—in the past for people she knew with chronic pain. Now she hopes that by turning out higher-end edibles “she’ll help people who’ve lost their appetite from illness or chemotherapy.” Segal hints that while she may be the first James Beard Award-winning chef to enter into the edibles world, other top-name chefs (who she wouldn’t name) may also soon be joining the business. No doubt chefs like David Chang and Danny Bowien could make some game-changing edibles. (Imagine a world with herbed out Fuku fingers and Mary Jane-Po Tofu.)
What a time to be alive and be a user of medical marijuana. Not only is a renowned pastry chef launching a line of edibles, bad gal RiRi is finally releasing her own line, too. The singer and pot evangelist will start selling a line of weed products—including a number of edibles—in early 2016. This is in addition to the launch of marijuana-infused coffee pods that have already hit the states this year.
[via Chicago Tribune]


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Sunday, December 27, 2009
Video of a Lorenz Attractor GPGPU object being calculated within an Open Cobalt virtual world. GPGPU (general-purpose computing on graphics processing units) techniques leverage a computer's graphics processor (GPU) to perform calculations that in most applications are traditionally handled by the computer's main processor (CPU). User interface elements within the Open Cobalt world can be used to dynamically color, rotate and translate the object. This is a continuation of Matthew Chadwick's explorations into GPU-computed chaotic attractors of dynamical systems in virtual worlds. The results are visually impressive. What's even more impressive is that you can navigate through these clouds in real-time. It's good to see this being worked on within the Open Cobalt code base. Thank you Matthew!
Friday, December 25, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
In a recent email to its subscribers, the web-based virtual world company Metaplace announced that it is closing down its virtual world service on January 1, 2010 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Here is an except from the email: "Over the last several years, we here at Metaplace have been working very hard to create an open platform allowing anyone to come to a Web site and create a virtual world of their own. Unfortunately, over the last few months it has become apparent that Metaplace as a consumer (user-generated content) service is not gaining enough traction to be a viable product, requiring a strategic shift for our company." I wonder who might be next...


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- New record for world's fastest car
- Bugatti eyes 450km/h benchmark with upcoming Chiron
- Driven: Bugatti Veyron
Wind-in-your-hair motoring just took on a new meaning.
American tuner Hennessey Performance has claimed a new world speed record for a convertible this week after hitting a top speed of 427.3km/h (265.6mph) in the Venom GT Spyder – unseating one of the world's largest car makers in doing so. In a feat verified by a Vbox measurement device, the drop-top surpassed the previous 408.8km/h mark set by the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse in Germany in 2013.
The new post positions the Venom GT just short of the 435.5km/h outright speed record held by its coupe sibling, the Venom GT, at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida earlier this year.
At the helm of the new attempt was Ford Performance Racing School director Brian Smith – the same driver who set the outright record.
The high speed run took place at the Naval Air Station in Lenmoore, California – a 4.7km runway usually designated for high-powered jets.
The convertible, which is based on the Lotus Exige, features a rear-mounted 7.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 producing 1082kW at 7200rpm and 1745Nm at 4200rpm. It sends drive to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission.
Transferring the surfeit of riches to the ground are Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres which enable a 0-100km/h time of about 2.5 seconds and 0-300km/h time of less than 13 seconds.
To commemorate its newest title, along with 25 years of operation, Hennessey plans to sell three Venom GT Spyder World Record Edition models. Each will be priced from $1.7 million before tax.
Don't expect either Hennessey or Bugatti to sit still for too long though: Bugatti claims that 450km/h isn't outside the realms of possibility for its upcoming Chiron supercar.


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The 6th Hamburg Cruise Days gets underway from September 8-10, 2017 with a record eleven cruise ships and hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world expected in Hamburg. Last year, new records were broken with 171 ship arrivals and over 710,000 passengers amid the rising popularity of cruise shipping.
Cruise Gate Hamburg is expecting around 200 ships with approximately 800,000 passengers to call during the 2017 season. Michael Otremba, Managing Director of Hamburg Marketing GmbH, noted: “With the Hamburg Cruise Days, we bring ships and people together in an emotionally deeply engaging event. Add the Elbphilharmonie, the new cultural centre in the port, to the equation, and pictures of the blue illuminated port will go around the world, highlighting the city’s inspiring contrasts.”
Parade of big ships
Nine magnificent cruise liners and two river cruise ships including AIDAprima (AIDA Cruises), Silver Wind (Silversea Cruises), Norwegian Jade (Norwegian Cruise Line), EUROPA and EUROPA 2 (both Hapag-Lloyd Cruises), MSC Preziosa (MSC Cruises), Mein Schiff 3 (TUI Cruises), Albatros and Amadea (both Phoenix Reisen), Sans Souci (Plantours Cruises) and Katharina von Bora (nicko cruises river vacations) are expected at this year’s event. Hundreds of thousands of spectators are expected to watch the parade of ships with a record six big ships and 24 accompanying vessels on the evening of September 9.
World of cruises on dry land
On land, visitors can look forward to an entertainment programme featuring 15 themed islands along the waterfront. AIDA Cruises, premium partner of the Hamburg Cruise Days, will be hosting the AIDA Holiday World with spectacular views of the Elbe River and visitors can relax and unwind in the AIDA Beach Lounge .
Guests at Dinner in the Sky by Hapag-Lloyd Cruises can enjoy an exquisite menu or a virtual cruise ship tour of TUI’s Mein Schiff World. Other themed islands will focus on art and culture, health and fitness outdoors while performances of music, shows, poetry slams, presentations and book readings will be held on numerous stages. A brand new highlight is the themed island Elbphilharmonie Cruise Classics, where visitors can enjoy broadcasts of concerts from the Elbphilharmonie concert hall onto an open-air screen.
Blue Port Hamburg
The Blue Port Hamburg light show by artist Michael Batz will again plunge the harbour into shades of blue against the backdrop of stunning landmarks, the Elbe Bridges, Övelgönne as well as buildings, terminals, vehicles, quays, cranes, pontoons and ships. The sensational Blue Port Hamburg, first held in 2008, Blue Port Hamburg starts on September 1, 2017 with an official “Light Up” ceremony.
Sources and further information:


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Shares of Bitcoin plummeted on Friday. The Verge News Writer Shannon Liao explains the factors driving the price down for this cryptocurrency.
On Friday Coinbase temporarily disabled its platform amid a price rout in the cryptocurrencies. Liao says one theory for the sell off is investors looking to cash out now before the bubble bursts.
Earlier this week Coinbase also halted transactions for Bitcoin Cash after accusations of insider trading surfaced on Twitter. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong published the company's employee trading policy on Medium in light of the accusations. "We have no indication of any wrongdoing at this time," said Armstrong.
Shares of Litecoin also plummted this week after the cryptocurrencies founder cashed out. This week shares of Litecoin are down more than 6 percent. Meanwhile, several companies are looking to capitalize on the cryptocurrency craze. This week beverage maker Long Island Iced Tea announced it changed its name to Long Blockchain Corp. Shares of the company jumped 200 percent after the announcement.


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I was in Shenzhen, China last week at the first CE China trade show, which was created by Inter-Island Ferry Authority, the German company that also produces the giant IFA CE trade show in Berlin each September. Shenzhen, which has a population of more than 10 million people, is about an hour’s generate from Hongkong. The city is best-known as the place where Foxconn and other factories assemble consumer products, such as the Apple iPhone and I-pad, and is often called the “Silicon Valley” of China.
I wanted to attend the IFA China CE Display to specifically to see the way the Chinese were heading to apply their fabricating magic to virtual reality (VR) head sets, and to see if they could bring costs down and get new VR headsets out that had more extensive appeal to mass customer audiences anytime soon. What I found is the Chinese have actually gone to town on creating better mobile headsets, designed to use a smartphone to power a rudimentary VR experience.
Most of the Chinese head sets are made of solid plastic and have simple optics, costing anywhere from $23.95 to $129.95 depending on the quality. It is possible to find many of them on Amazon today and have them sent to you immediately from Shenzhen.
While that is fine and it does permit people to use a better Google Cardboard theory as training wheels for VR, I was most interested to see if the Chinese manufacturing companies might help get the costs down on the more costly headsets like those from Face Book’s Oculus and HTC’s Vive. The Chinese manufacturing companies are infamous for aping what they believe will be big-selling goods and create similar models at more affordable prices when potential.
The Oculus now costs $599 and needs an expensive high-conclusion PC to boot. The HTC Vive is $899 and also needs a PC with a costly graphics card to manage the interpretation of the VR content.
As I anticipated, the Chinese makers are hard at work creating similar headsets at more economical prices. Behind the scenes I was created aware of at least three VR head sets just like the ones from Oculus and HTC that could be brought to market at least $200 to $300 more affordable. However, at the minute they too need a costly PC. I will be told that these lower-price headsets could be outside for this holiday season. Yet, it’s uncertain if they’ll have the capacity to run the existing Oculus- or HTC-appropriate content when they send.
Yet, the fact that the Chinese are currently being quite competitive in producing VR head sets that seem a lot more like conventional glasses needs to be looked at seriously. This style is the Ultimate Goal of VR eyeglasses. Ground-Breaking work by Dlodlo and other Chinese makers could shove all headset sellers in this direction. This can lead to less obnoxious and mo Re socially-acceptable VR head sets.
In discussions which have many Chinese manufacturers at the IFA China CE Present, it became clear that the Chinese desire to provide the technical breakthroughs needed to generate VR head sets that are more like eyeglasses and relatively cheap as soon as achievable. Although this may take some VR affiliate programs and couple more years to realize, the Chinese are in a spot to be an important influence on VR technology of the future.


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Story-driven action-adventure game Kena: Bridge of Spirits has been delayed to next year. Developer Ember Lab announced on Twitter that its debut video game won’t come until Q1 2021 due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The game was originally planned to arrive on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Epic Games Store for holiday 2020.
“We have not made this decision lightly, but feel it is best for the game and well-being of the team,” the statement read. “We will use this time to give the game the polish it deserves and deliver an experience that meets our vision and your expectations.” Ember Lab said it will share more on Kena: Bridge of Spirits in the coming months.
***An update to our Kena community*** pic.twitter.com/rKoy33YWKZ
— Kena: Bridge of Spirits (@emberlab) September 11, 2020
Kena: Bridge of Spirits was first announced to come to PlayStation 5 during Sony’s next-gen-focused June presentation, where the company also revealed the design of its new console, among other things. This initial reveal trailer promised fast-paced combat, impressive visuals, and, most importantly, adorable woodland creatures.
The magical third-person title is Ember Lab’s first full video game; the team previously worked on different non-game animations. However, you may have seen the studio’s impressive viral The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask fan film from 2016, which showcased an imaginative take on Nintendo’s classic title.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits comes to PC via the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 early next year. Until then, you can rewatch the game’s next-gen announcement trailer as a reminder of what’s to come.


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Direct mailings help businesses reach customers — especially in the digital age, Brand Marketing Director Betty Su told an online conference this month.
Forty-four percent of consumers who receive a direct mailpiece from a company visit its website, Su said, citing Direct Marketing Association data. Direct mailings can be especially helpful in reaching younger consumers, she said.
The Postal Service helps businesses reach potential customers through services such as Every Door Direct Mail, which allows users to target recipients through a variety of demographics.
USPS also helps businesses enliven their mailpieces with augmented reality features that allow recipients to experience digital graphics, sounds and more.
Su’s presentation, part of the Your Desk Virtual Conference and Expo, is available online until June 16.


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'Demand remains' for physical bank branches has been saved
'Demand remains' for physical bank branches
Demand for physical banking services is likely to rise in 56% of regions, Deloitte has indicated
Monday 13 January 2014
More than half of English and Welsh regions are likely to see a rise in demand for physical bank branches, according to new Deloitte research.
The business advisory firm reported that 56% of locations in the two countries are due to record growing levels of demand for these facilities.
The report follows the publication of separate research from the firm, which suggested that 72% of Britons still make regular use of the financial services offered by high street stores and shopping centres.
Deloitte’s latest study, entitled Bricks and Clicks: Mapping the Future of Branches, found that the remaining 44% of locations are more likely to see stronger demand for telephone and internet banking. Web users over the age of 65 are expected to fuel this demand.
‘Varying appetite’ for branch services
Louise Brett, lead financial services analytics partner at the group, said physical bank branches still have a future.
She said: “They are poised for a renaissance; just not in their current numbers or formats. Demand varies from one micro-market to the next. If banks are going to keep pace with consumers’ needs, careful consideration will need to be given to where, when and how products and services are provided.”
The Bricks and Clicks report reviewed 10,400 branches operated by almost 100 banks and building societies in a bid to assess how things like populations, demographics and local economies can shape banking requirements.
Looking to the future, Harvey Lewis, the Deloitte Analytics research director, said workers in some bank branches may be required to focus more on personalised services for new customers, rather than more routine over-the-counter transactions.
He continued: “For others, the branch may need to become a simple, convenient gateway so people can self-serve. This isn’t about closing branches; rather it’s about having the right people, products and services in the right place at the right time.”
Mr Lewis concluded: “Only those that build their branch proposition on the most appropriate balance between ‘bricks and clicks’ will be the winners with customers.”
According to Deloitte’s researchers, bank locations can now be placed into seven key micro-markets.
These are retirement areas, ‘booming’ towns and villages, declining rural communities, struggling ‘blue-collar’ areas, ‘super’ conurbations, commuter zones, and young urban centres.
Copyright Press Association 2014
Bricks and clicks
Based on analysis of over 10,000 branches of nearly 100 retail banks and building societies, Bricks and clicks explores how factors such as population, demographics and the local economy, both current and forecasted, affect customers’ banking needs.


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Dutch Parliament agrees with amendment of Medicines Prices Act
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On 2 July 2019, the Dutch Parliament voted in favour of a proposed amendment of the Medicines Prices Act. The amendment would result in Norway replacing Germany as one of the four reference countries for the maximum prices of medicines in the Netherlands. Belgium, France and the UK are the other three. The Medicines Prices Act holds that the price for a type of medicine in the Netherlands may not be higher than the average of the four reference countries.
According to the Minister for Healthcare, the German prices are very high. Therefore, he proposed using Norwegian prices instead. He explained that his proposal will result in a substantive cost reduction and guarantees that Dutch patients will keep their access to medicines. Several Members of Parliament appeared to agree, stating inter alia that the Minister found the right balance between affordability and availability. Other Members of Parliament welcomed the proposal by the Minister, but argued that he should do even more, for example by applying the Norwegian calculation method. The Minister holds the opinion that this could prevent medicine producers from selling their products in the Netherlands.
The Dutch Hospital Association supports the amendment, but has also expressed its concerns about the effect on purchase discounts and the availability of and access to new medicines. The Innovative Medicines Association holds the opinion that the amendment goes too far, arguing that it focuses too much on savings and too little on availability, which could affect access to medicines for Dutch patients.
The amendment is still subject to the vote of the Dutch Senate. If the Senate votes in favour, the amended Act is expected to be in force from 1 April 2020.
A prior version of this post was originally published by the same author in Practical Law – Life Sciences, July 2019 Issue (Thomson Reuters).


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LifeQ delivers high-value personalized health information, which would traditionally be inaccessible or only obtainable through costly, invasive and inaccessible means.
LifeQ works globally with industry leading partners and customers, enabling their products and working together to develop unique health focussed solutions.
1Life launches VeoSens
June 11th, 2020, SOUTH AFRICA. LifeQ is excited to announce the first commercial launch of VeoSens, the unique insurance focussed health management solution developed in partnership with Samsung and Hannover Re. VeoSens is the culmination of 2 years joint development, integrating Samsung’s leading wearable devices and consumer applications, Hannover Re’s innovative leadership in insurance products and LifeQ’s unique set of biometrics and health information. 1Life, one of South Africa’s leading direct to consumer life insurance companies, today announced 1Life Pulse, an integrated insurance and health management solution where all qualifying new 1Life policyholders that take out cover for R1 million or more, receive a Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2, and simply by downloading and activating the VeoSens App by Samsung and LifeQ, consumers can start growing their life insurance…