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The partnership was announced and formalised at a signing ceremony held at Villa Zamara in Kuala Lumpur. The collaboration enables both parties to provide better awareness and to drive adoption of Islamic economy products and services for Muslims.
As direct consumer platforms, this partnership also expands the consumer base for both parties in providing ethical and Islamic financial options to the consumers.
This partnership enables Ethis and TheNoor to not only provide consumers with convenient access to a host of Islamic products and services but enables both parties to uplift humanity through fintech.
Various charity programmes have been rolled out through GlobalSadaqah – a corporate social responsibility (CSR), zakat and waqf management arm of Ethis Group – through this partnership which offers consumers access to various charity (sadaqah) programmes.
“From the perspective of Global Sadaqah, the overall aim of the partnership is to leverage on fintech to make giving charity easy for users of TheNoor and enable them to create an impact across the globe via the TheNoor application.” said, country manager (Malaysia) of Global Sadaqah, Irfan Tarmizi.
“Our partnership with TheNoor has enabled us to help our charity partners, the non-government organisations (NGOs), in expanding their reach to new supporters. This also helps us grow our presence and create brand awareness for GlobalSadaqah especially within the local Malaysian market,” he added.
According to the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2019/20, investments in Islamic economy companies have seen tremendous growth of 399 per cent in 2018/19 valued at USD1.2 billion across Islamic economy transactions in halal products, Islamic lifestyle and Islamic fintech.
Umar Munshi, co-founder of Ethis Group, said that as part of their expansion strategy, the partnership with TheNoor is also an important step for creating awareness on the investment opportunities that they have on their platform.
“This awareness will lead to greater access to retail investors who are looking to take advantage of growth in the shariah-compliant investment space – a growth opportunity that can best be unlocked through our Ethis platform.
“We remain confident in our investment management process, which our team has become experts of, and this ensures the sustainability and ethical nature of the investments we promote. We will be rolling out more investment options through our partnership, so watch this space,” he shared.
Ahmad Tajuddin Idris, co-founder and chairman of TheNoor, said that they are happy to be associated and to work with Ethis to allow their users to contribute to global charity through Ethis’ GlobalSadaqah platform.
“We also look forward to working with Ethis on Islamic investments in the near future. We hope this would also drive the uptake of Islamic-centric products and services in Malaysia and globally through the awareness created through this partnership.”
Currently, Ethis provides users of TheNoor with access to a variety of local and international verified charity campaigns. For users of TheNoor who are residing outside of Malaysia, Ethis helps facilitate their donation process by allowing transactions in international currencies such as in USD, EUR, GBP, and AUD amongst others,” he explained.
Taking it a step further, TheNoor users who are involved in cryptocurrency investments can also give donations directly using their cryptocurrency on all GlobalSadaqah’s campaigns featured on the application.


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Canamex Gold Corp (CSE:CSQ) updated on its security token offering (STO) and said its new subsidiary ChainDelivery Royalties Corp was incorporated in British Columbia on June 1 as a 100% owned subsidiary.
In May this year, the firm launched a non-brokered private placement to accredited investors, of GOLDUSA Ethereum ERC20 crypto tokens via what's called a security token offering.
Due to significant demand at lower subscription amounts, the firm has decreased the STO minimum subscription amount from 25,000 GOLDUSA tokens to 2,500 GOLDUSA tokens, for valid subscriptions received from 0900 PST on June 11.
The firm will maintain the STO subscription offer price at US$4.25 per GOLDUSA token until further notice.
This is 35% discount to US$ 6.50 value per token, based on a US$1,300 per ounce gold price.
Canamex also said it had assigned all its intellectual property rights (IPR) to CHAIN, in relation to security tokenisation of metal royalty streams, and associated financing models.
It said it may spin out CHAIN into a separate crypto-royalties trading company, via an equity STO
The market will be kept informed, when a final decision is made, it said.
The company owns all the rights, via its agreements with Harmonychain AS, to the trademark ChainDelivery(TM), which was approved as a registered trade mark in Norway on April 26, 2018.
Canamex shares added 4.17% to C$0.125 on Monday.

domain: news


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The company had 180 stores as of the end of 2016.
Bebe said Friday it has entered into a consulting agreement with Great American Group, LLC, an affiliate of B. Riley & Co., and Tiger Capital Group, LLC to sell all merchandise and inventory in its existing retail stores, certain furnishings, trade fixtures, equipment and improvements to real property with respect to the stores. Bebe had 180 locations as of January 2, according to a separate SEC filing.
Find a list of all Bebe stores here.
The retailer said it will close its more than 160 retail locations, becoming the latest retailer to suffer from the slings and arrows of online competition and changing consumer tastes.
Bebe has plenty of company in the struggling brick-and-mortar retail industry.More news: Government needs to transform itself from regulator to enabler: Narendra Modi
Bankruptcy filings of other retailers within the last several weeks have included Payless ShoeSource, Gander Mountain and HHGregg. CNBC reports Bebe was trying to re-organize and considering a move to online-only sales.
Its products included active wear, tops, dresses and accessories.
Earlier in the month, the chain had filed paperwork noting it planned to close only 21 stores, which represented roughly 12 percent of its total outlets. It closed one store in the second quarter and made plans to close as many 25 bebe and outlet stores in fiscal 2017; Those plans have now expanded to include all stores.
Bebe had said in March that it would explore "strategic alternatives for the company", which often includes a sale. Q2 net sales were $101.9 million, a decrease of 16.8% from $122.4 million in the same period past year.


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When my Nana was alive, she had to shop in the basement of the local shoe store because she wore a size 11 double-narrow and that’s where a limited, decidedly unglamorous supply of untraditional sizes was kept. Such as it is for women today that wear above a size 12, who are routinely left to settle for options much less scintillating than their straight-sized counterparts. Plus-sized women are relegated to a metaphorical “basement,” and with the average woman today wearing a size 16, there is hardly anything rare or untraditional about it (unlike my Grandmother’s flipper feet).
But thankfully, this is starting to shift because if there’s one thing 2016 has been good for, it’s body positivity. In the past year alone this powerful movement has accelerated with Ashley Graham’s Sports Illustrated Swim Issue cover; various barrier-breaking projects such as Refinery29’s 67 Percent Project, the All Woman Project, and Project HEAL’s #WhatMakesMeBeautiful campaign, and, several under-the-radar brands’ inclusive sizing expansions. One such brand making waves is Phylyda, a super-smart swimwear brand for women of all sizes.
Launched in early 2016 by designer Lydia Maurer, who previously worked for Yves Saint Laurent, Rue de Mail, Givenchy, and most recently as the creative director for Paco Rabanne, Phylyda crafts fashion-forward swimwear separates up to a size 18 and 42F bra size.
As a woman designing for women, it no longer felt acceptable to make clothing that set unattainable body image goals
“During my career, I started to yearn for a more honest and kind approach toward women,” Maurer told me. “As a woman designing for women, it no longer felt acceptable to make clothing that set unattainable body image goals and which make women blame their bodies for not fitting in the limited size offer of luxury fashion,” she said, adding that, “It seems ludicrous that women beyond a size 12 have almost no choice in this matter.”
This was the impetus for Phylyda, which she hopes will chip away at dated standards for women and make shopping for swimwear less of a dreadful experience. “I wanted to start changing that on my own terms—making size-inclusive products that are also produced fairly with the best fabrics and techniques,” she said. All of Phylyda’s separates are made using exclusive Italian fabrics, SPF 50 protection, and caffeine micro-encapsulated Italian lining meant to make every woman look–and more importantly–feel her best.
With Phylyda, I want to create a brand that doesn’t divide women because of their size.
“Fashion is such an integral part to our culture and more often than not it has such a destructive effect on women. With Phylyda, I want to create a brand that doesn’t divide women because of their size. Rather, I would like to unite them, and to offer them access to the spirit that fashion can be inclusive and create a space of kindness, where self-love and personal charisma trump body anxiety.”
The response so far, she says, has been overwhelmingly positive, and Maurer has high hopes that more designers will follow suit in offering responsibly-made garments for all women–not just plus or straight size. “It has been a great year for body positivity; so many brilliant and brave women are speaking out and I find this to be so liberating. Along with more awareness, I hope that high-end department stores and multi-brand shops will finally open up to the body positive reality and offer women of all sizes beautifully (and responsibly) made products.”


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Exceptional 3D To Exhibit At Digital Signage Expo 2014
Exceptional 3D, the world's leading 3D digital signage solutions provider, today announced that their auto-stereoscopic 3D display technology will be demonstrated at this year's Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas, NV. The Exceptional 3D digital signage ...
oOh! Media to Accelerate Digital Place-based Advertising Investment In Education and Retail Venues
AUSTRALIA — oOh! Media, one of the largest digital place-based advertising providers in Australia and New Zealand, will be increasing their presence across New Zealand’s retail and university sectors.
oOh! Media has a significant retail and university footprint across New Zealand with digital place-based networks in Westfield, KIPT (Kiwi Income Property Trust), AMP and other retail holding groups. Shopping centers, such as Sylvia Park and Riccarton; and universities campuses that include the University of Auckland and Victoria University are already in the company’s network portfolio.
“New Zealand is an important market for the oOh! Media and our unmatched retail and university campus advertising solutions place us in a strong position, particularly as marketers look for innovative ways to engage with their audiences,” says Brendon Cook, Chief Executive, oOh! Media.
oOh! Media is focusing on building out its digital place-based infrastructure across New Zealand’s retail and university sectors following Auckland Airport’s decision to give advertising rights to its business to APN Outdoor after 2014.
“We have aggressive growth plans for the New Zealand business, and in addition to continuing selling our Auckland Airport offering through to the end of the 2014, we will be leading the market in innovative and audience led solutions,” added Mr. Cook. “We put in an offer that was commensurate with the opportunity at Auckland Airport and obviously it did not meet their expectation. We wish the winner of the tender well, but welcome the opportunity to invest money, that would otherwise have been needed for the delivery of our Auckland Airport proposal, into aggressively expanding and improving our retail and study offerings.”
Cameron Taylor, oOh! Media’s New Zealand General Manager said the ability to shift the capex from the airport into the other parts of the business would enable it to fast-track delivery of new retail and campus innovations.
“Over the past 18 months, oOh! has invested heavily in our retail and study offerings in the New Zealand market and we will be further expanding these valuable products that give brands the opportunity to target audiences in key away from home environments,” said Mr. Taylor. “We will be accelerating our digital investment over the next 3 years to make these two product offerings even more valuable for advertisers. This will enable New Zealand marketers to drive innovative campaigns such as those we executed in Australia recently such as Google Play, which saw consumers take control of digital panels via a smartphone, Unilever which saw advertising appearances determined by temperature and the successful Virgin Mobile Game of Phones campaign.”


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SpaceX's Starlink has no licence to operate in India and the public should steer clear until it does, say lawmakers
Indian officials said: "Given the fact that Starlink is not a licensee, the public is advised not to subscribe to Starlink services being advertised."
A $100 million loan on Trump Tower in Manhattan has been placed on a bank watch list, due to a slump in occupancy, reports say
"Lower average occupancy," led to the decision to move a Trump Tower loan onto a watch list, Bloomberg reported.
A Texas mother with a vulnerable daughter is suing education officials and Gov. Greg Abbott over a ban on school mask mandates
A group of Texan parents whose children have compromised immune systems are taking joint legal action over mask-mandate bans.
Chicken chain Bojangles will close restaurants for 2 days to give workers a break — but won't pay them during their time off, reports say
Bojangles will close its Southern-fried chicken restaurants on August 30 and September 13. It says staff can use the time off to "rest and recharge."
A California airport was partially locked down after a man took a joyride in an airfield and then hid in a ceiling, police said
An unidentified man drove around a secured area at John Wayne Airport and then hid in a ceiling, the Sheriff's Dept said. He was later arrested.
It's unclear what started a violent confrontation between a group of girls at Shake Shack in Detroit but no charges were filed, according to Fox 2.
A woman reportedly told Walgreens staff she had COVID-19, coughed over them and then fled the store with products worth $90.
Papa John's is giving away 10,000 slices of pizza to celebrate Bitcoin Pizza Day. The fast-food chain explained the reason behind the giveaway.
Bitcoin Pizza Day's origins trace back to a purchase of Papa John's pizza made by Laszlo Hanyecz. The chain wanted to celebrate its connection to the story.
Clubhouse appears to have permanently suspended Laura Loomer, a right-wing activist and self-proclaimed 'proud Islamophobe'
The right-wing activist had already been banned from other social platforms and ride-hailing firms for incendiary comments she routinely posted on social media.
The Biden Administration continues the White House's long history of personalizing everything, from pens to cookies to shovels
Leadership in Washington flips from red to blue every so often, but one thing always seems to remain the same: a dedication to personalization.
Mars Rover, SpaceX launches, and the Hope Probe — these are some of 2021's biggest space stories so far
Following NASA's Mars Rover daring landing, the red planet is also in the sights of Elon Musk's SpaceX, the UAE, and China.
Bitcoin whales have been under scrutiny in recent weeks as a result of bitcoin's price fluctuations. Here are the key things you need to know.
Virtual reality is offering timely narratives on race, diversity and culture by centering the perspectives of people of color
Immersive tech such as virtual reality is not only teaching about racism, but allowing stories about diversity and culture to be told new in new ways
Mark Zuckerberg reportedly told Facebook staff 'we need to inflict pain' on Apple, in response to criticism over data collection practices
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made angry comments about Apple in 2018, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Bitcoin owner whose story went viral after he lost his wallet password says he has 'made peace' with potential $220 million loss
Stefan Thomas made headlines after losing a password that rendered his bitcoin stash inaccessible. He now says "time heals all wounds."
Tony Hsieh, the visionary entrepreneur who formerly led the shoe and clothing retailer Zappos, died Friday three months after announcing retirement.
How investors who want to support Black-owned businesses should spend their money, according to 3 founders in Europe
Black Lives Matter protests boosted investor support for Black-owned businesses. Here's how VCs must spend their money next, according to 3 founders.


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Congress Seeks Answers on Delay in GM Recall
Congress is demanding answers from the new CEO of General Motors and the head of the nation's auto safety watchdog about why it took at least a decade to recall cars with a defective part that is now linked to 13 deaths.
Diana DeGette, D-Colorado, held up an ignition switch for one of the cars and said a small spring inside of it failed to provide enough force, causing the car engines to turn off when they went over a bump. DeGette showed how easy it was for a light set of keys to move the ignition out of the "run" position. That can cause the engine to stall, and the driver loses power steering and power brakes.
DeGette said documents provided by GM show that what GM termed an "unacceptable cost increase" was only 57 cents. She asked that document be put into record.
"We know that GM made a series of terrible decisions, and we know that this tragedy has exposed significant gaps in federal law that allowed them to do so," DeGette said.
GM CEO Mary Barra sat silently at a table in front of the committee. David Friedman, the current head of the the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, was also testifying before the committee.
GM has recalled 2.6 million cars for the faulty switch. The company says new switches should be available starting April 7. Concerned owners can ask dealers for a loaner car while waiting for the replacement part.
Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Michigan, said GM and government regulators got complaints about the ignition switches 10 years ago, and GM submitted reports to the agency. Upton questioned why it took so long to recall the cars.
Some current GM car owners and relatives of those who died in crashes are also in Washington seeking answers to that question. The group is attending the hearing and earlier held a press conference where they demanded action against GM and stiffer legislation to prevent serious auto vehicle problems.
(Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


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Heart care product offerings in India are strengthening their range in an effort to help consumers live happier and healthier lives by helping them... ...http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/care-for-your-heart-with-these-new-product-offerings-117112000558_1.html
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When your profits come from a high volume model business, that depends on very expensive tools, it is usual to discard niche products. This is why we have never seen a Chevrolet Corvette Shooting Brake until now, for example. But this is the moment you thank for the existence of specialist constructors such as Callaway and the fact that there are gearheads out there willing to have an exclusive and gorgeous car. Such as the Callaway Corvette AeroWagen.
The Package, as Callaway has named it, was announced in 2013, but took all this time to appear. And the explanation shows how busy Callaway has been these years. “We needed to gage the market, and frankly fit the project into our workload. We are a project oriented company and the work for the OEs must come first. So our time consuming internal projects get pushed to the right as the pressures of commerce accumulate. Our shops are now completely full of Z06 work, and it behooves us to build these cars with power and AeroWagens at the same time, so we have pushed the production to accommodate. The project has not been stuck in development. Simply there have been more urgent priorities”, Reeves Callaway, the company’s founder, told MotorChase. The Callaway GT3 program has been one of the projects that postponed the AeroWagen. And we perfectly understand why!
Any C7 Corvette Coupé can be converted into an AeroWagen. The donor car receives a carbon fiber composite structure that operates as a liftable hatch. It is produced as a one piece element and it grants access to the trunk like the original Corvette does. The advantage of the AeroWagen package is that it is a perfectly reversible installation. Check our video below with all angles of the AeroWagen.
There is no word on pricing yet. It would cost US$ 23,000 in 2013, but Reeves Callaway promises a much lower target price. “Pricing is expected to be less than US$ 15,000. We are happy to predict this lower price, still there are details to work out on paint and trim costs”, he told MotorChase.
The use of carbon fiber will allow the AeroWagen to weigh much less that such a package would imply. “We intend to begin production later this year and based on the level of interest, the AeroWagon will certainly fill a niche”, Chris Chessnoe, Callaway Program Manager, told MotorChase. We believe Callaway can count on a high level of demand. At least from MotorChase’s readers, always fond of station wagons and especially shooting brakes!


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From Moneyweb/Wall Street Journal:
Canned meat recall is expanded
WASHINGTON — Federal regulators, citing an unusually high risk of potentially fatal botulism contamination, are warning consumers about certain canned human food and dog food. A Georgia company is recalling more than 720,000 pounds of products.
The products, by Bumble Bee Foods, LLC’s Castleberry’s Food Co. in Augusta, Ga., include Hot Dog Chili Sauce for humans and Irish Stew with Beef for dogs


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Big Beverly Hills Hotel Deal Could Be Sign of More to Come in 2020
London’s Maybourne Buys California Property for Price Topping $2 Million per Room
By Lou Hirsh
More big trophy hotel deals could be ahead in 2020, after London-based Maybourne Hotel Group acquired Montage Beverly Hills near Los Angeles for $415 million. It’s the highest price per room ever paid for a hotel in California at more than $2 million, according to brokerage Atlas Hospitality Group.
The 201-key Montage, located at 225 N. Canon Drive in a part of Beverly Hills best known for the nearby Rodeo Drive luxury retail corridor, is Maybourne’s first U.S. acquisition.
The seller was Redwood City, California-based Ohana Real Estate Investors, led by Principal Pierre Omidyar, the billionaire founder of auction site eBay.
Atlas President Alan Reay, whose brokerage and research firm was not directly involved in the transaction, said the deal is a very good indicator of how trophy assets are valued, especially by overseas investors, for their location, revenue generation and overall luxury quality.
“It says a lot about how international investors view the U.S. in terms of safety and for investment returns over the long term,” Reay told CoStar News. “Secondly, it is also a strong endorsement of the U.S. dollar, especially with the weakening euro.”
“Owners of other trophy hotels will be looking at this price on the Montage and seriously consider cashing out, so we estimate more of these sales in 2020,” Reay added.
Atlas set the per-room price for the 11-year-old Montage Beverly Hills at $2,064,676 — the highest on record since it’s been tracking California hotel deals. The per-room price topped the $1.7 million per room, and nearly $80 million total price, that Mani Brothers Real Estate Group of West Hollywood paid for the 47-room Malibu Beach Inn in February 2015.
Maybourne Hotel Group owns and operates several historic luxury hotels that attract an international clientele, including London’s Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Berkeley.
In a statement, Maybourne officials said the company in 2020 will announce further plans for a repositioning and renovation of Montage Beverly Hills, to bring it “more in line with the three London properties.” Montage Hotels & Resorts will continue to operate the Beverly Hills property for the foreseeable future.
Maybourne executives said the acquisition is part of a global expansion strategy bringing Maybourne’s European luxury concept to new markets across the globe, and other transactions “will be announced in due course.”
“We are excited to have our first property outside of London, and where better than the city of Beverly Hills?” said Maybourne co-owner Paddy McKillen.
Brokerage CBRE Group recently projected that steady international travel, regional tourism and tech industry business trips would fuel sustained and strong hotel demand and development in the LA area in 2020. Strong post-recession demand growth is being driven across all hotel price levels, boosting occupancy and room rates.
The hotel data firm STR, a CoStar Group company, reported that overall hotel revenue in Los Angeles rose 1% from a year ago in the first 10 months of 2019, reaching nearly $4.7 billion.


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Local experts say the passionate debate in Europe over the safety of genetically altered foods hasn’t affected San Diego’s burgeoning ag-biotech development.
Yet most observers would say it’s still too early to tell whether growing opposition in Europe and other countries to genetically modified food will have an impact on the ag-biotechnology industry.
San Diego is home to several ag-biotechs, including DowAgroSciences LLC’s Mycogen Corp. unit, Rancho Bernardo-based chemical maker Eco Soil Systems Inc., and Del Mar-based Akkadix Corp.
San Diego is also home to the Novartis Agricultural Discovery Institution, backed by Swiss giant Novartis AG, which is poised to deliver cutting-edge development in ag-biotech.
While ag-biotechs themselves may not have been affected yet, European consumers’ resistance to buying genetically modified foods is already affecting the thinking of American politicians, farmers, researchers and firms that manufacture prepared foods.
“If Europeans decide not to import genetically modified American farm products, if farmers decide it’s too iffy to plant genetically engineered crops , then we will see a dramatic decline in ag-biotech research,” said Maarten Chrispeels, director of the center for molecular agriculture at UCSD.
Until now, American consumers have shown little concern for genetically altered products , derived from genetically modified plants containing two or three additional genes spliced into the plant’s DNA and a corresponding number of additional proteins, explained Chrispeels.
About one-third of America’s corn is genetically spliced. Gene-altered soy and corn, which are converted into oils, flours and protein supplements, are used in numerous products, from cookies and salad dressings to snack foods, according to published reports.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesn’t require the labeling of genetically modified products because there is no scientific evidence they cause any harm.
Supporters such as Chrispeels and Keith Walker, who said he directed the first gene-spliced corn project at Mycogen, claim genetic alteration helps cut down the use of harmful pesticides, can make foods like rice richer in vitamins, and increase plants’ resistance to cold and salt.
Skeptics, however, argue that once the genetic coding of a plant is altered, it changes the state of its microorganisms, creating a potentially hazardous organism.
Rebecca Goldburg of the Environmental Defense Fund in New York City testified
that federal regulators need to study potential side-effects, such as food allergies, the evolution of resistant pests and the harm to non-target species, such as butterflies, according to the Gannett News Service.
The governments of both the European Union and Japan are preparing to demand labeling of genetically altered foods, said Tassos Haniotis, agricultural counselor of the Delegation of the European Commission in Washington, D.C.
“European consumers are concerned. The benefits may go to the producer, but the consumers don’t see what they get out of it (genetically modified products),” Haniotis said.
Poor Communicating Job
Walker said the industry has done a poor job in communicating the positive aspects genetically modified foods, and responding to consumers’ concerns about them.
European resistance has already taken its toll on the market performance of modified food producers, said Ned Olivier, general partner at the venture capital firm Oxford Bioscience Partners in Orange County.
“I believe that some of the initial suppliers of genetically modified agricultural products behaved in a rather high-handed way and this led to a backlash, which has spread,” Olivier said.
Chrispeels and Walker argue the debate isn’t about science, but politics.
Larry Smith, a financial analyst at Sutro & Co. in New York City, said European environmental groups are stirring up heated emotions.
“In Europe, the strong environmental movement was given a boost by mad cow disease,” Smith said, referring to the recent controversry over the safety of English-raised beef.
Will Be Rewarded
Olivier predicts ag-biotechs will be rewarded in one to three years, once financial and political pressures begin to subside.
For now, however, farmers in the United States appear no longer willing to plant genetically modified foods in good faith.
“Research showed we were going to see a 20 percent to 25 percent increase in genetically modified crops planted next year,” said Gary Goldberg, chief executive officer of the American Corn Growers Association. “Now we’re forecasting a 20 to 25 percent decrease in genetically modified acres because of the consumer resistance overseas.”
Last year, when the European Union stopped the import of American-grown corn, the United States lost $200 million, said Haniotis.
The U.S. also exports about 40 percent of its soybean production every year to Europe, which is worth some $2.5 billion.
“We have not taken a pro or con on GMO’s (genetically modified organisms),” Goldberg said, adding that American farmers just want to make a living.


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It has emerged that a piece of Chinese malware was able to bypass Apple’s notoriously tough App Store safeguards.
TechSpot reports that the creators of the malicious XcodeGhost code embedded it in a fake version of Apple’s Xcode developer software. This was then posted online where a number of developers accidentally downloaded it, having mistaken it for the genuine version.
Any apps that were subsequently uploaded to Apple’s portal played host to the malicious code.
It is estimated that some 300 aps were infected in total, including Angry Birds 2, Chinese messaging app WeChat and card scanner CamCard.
XcodeGhost is able to bring up fake alert prompts and read or write data to a user’s clipboard.
Apple says that all of the offending apps have now been removed from its store. One of Apple’s ongoing advantages over Android is the relative security offered by the apps on its App Store.


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Mumbai, July 5 (IANS) Raising concerns over the draft e-commerce rules circulated by the government, the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) has said that the norms may impact the business operations of e-commerce companies and the growth of the sector.
The chamber, in a letter to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, said the proposed amendments to the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, may compound the burden of multiple regulations on the e-commerce sector by increasing compliance liabilities, which may lead to impairing of the growth of the sector.
It was of the view that such a measure will affect investor sentiment globally, especially with respect to “ease of doing business” in the country.
“There are multiple provisions within the proposed amendments, and there is a concern that they may impinge on the business operations of e-commerce companies,” IACC said in its letter. “Some provisions may also be read as pertaining to trade activities rather than overall consumer interest, which are covered as stated in other regulatory formats.”
It noted that having a principle-based light-touch regulatory framework, in place of a stringent definition as the amendments have proposed, is a better approach to take.
Further, according to the chamber, ambiguous definitions of what constitutes a flash sale, or what is fraudulently intercepting the ordinary course of business operations in a flash sale, may lead to an inconsistent application of the rules and open the door to discretionary action.
“The proposed provision is also defeating the premise of a level playing field between offline and online retail by creating an additional layer of complexities for online retail,” the IACC said.
Protecting the interests of consumers is of paramount importance, the IACC pointed out, but at the same time regulatory action should nor stifle the growth of the sector, which would ultimately hurt the interest of the consumer, as well as small sellers, retailers, logistics providers and other stakeholders who depend on the sector for their livelihood.
Last month the government circulated draft regulations that stop e-commerce entities from allowing any display or promotion of misleading advertisements, whether in the course of business on their platforms, or otherwise. The draft regulations also prohibit flash sales.
Further, if the norms come into effect, each e-commerce company would have to establish an adequate grievance redressal mechanism to address the number of grievances ordinarily received by such entities.
Amazon and Flipkart, among others, would have to appoint a Chief Compliance Officer, a Resident Grievance Officer and a nodal contact person in India.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which has been at the forefront of the fight for a “level playing field” for offline traders, has hailed the proposed norms and urged the Centre against any dilution in these regulations.
The draft norms, if put into effect, are likely to hit Amazon, which is based out of the US, and the Walmart-owned Flipkart the most, sector experts suggest.


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“…Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 4,581 home sales through TRREB’s MLS® System in January 2020 – up by 15.4 per cent compared to January 2019. On a preliminary seasonally adjusted basis, sales were up by 4.8 per cent compared to December 2019.”
According to recent market data, it seems that the domination enjoyed by condos has started to ease and detached homes have once again begun to rally not in terms of sales, but also in terms of rising prices.
Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 7,825 sales through TREB’s MLS® System in September 2019. This result represented strong year-over-year sales growth of 22 per cent compared to 6,414 sales reported in September 2018.
Just north of Sorauren Avenue Park, this two-bedroom unit at Robert Watson Lofts had about one showing for every day it was on the market in November.
“There were a few other [units in the building] on the market at the same time, but this one had good activity and sold quite quickly,” agent Elli Davis said.


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Fintech industry body Innovate Finance has called on regulators to extend open banking to support the deployment of budgeting and affordability algorithms as a way to help Brits with the cost-of-living crisis.
In a report written with EY, Innovate Finance offers a plan for how industry, regulators and government can better work together to tackle cost-of-living pressures.Download the document now 1.3 mb (Chrome HTML Document)
Fintechs, says the report, have already helped millions of customers manage finances better, shop around for better deals, manage sudden drops in income, spread the cost of essential purchases and get cheaper access to credit.
However, they could do more if regulators took action by extending open banking rules to a wider range of services, with priority areas including all savings accounts, credit and mortgages so consumers can get a complete picture of their finances.
The report also calls for a cap on fees charged to release consumers’ financial data for open banking e-commerce payments, enabling broader adoption of lower cost payment methods among merchants.
Innovate Finance also wants new rules on debt advice to enable more robo advice so that more people can receive easily accessible free financial advice.
Janine Hirt, CEO, Innovate Finance, says: “There is more fintech companies can be doing to help people - especially with open banking, but this can only be made possible by regulatory change.
"We are at a critical juncture, with consumers facing increasing pressures on their personal finances, and it’s essential there is a swift change in regulatory policy."
Read the report:


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It’s been two months since MK Anand took charge as CEO at UTV Broadcast, which currently includes UTV Movies, UTV World Movies, Bindass Movies and UTV Bindass and the recently-launched UTV Action. Anand’s agenda at UTV begins with looking at all UTV business standalone. Hence, the decision to launch UTV Action, a channel that will showcase action movies and will eventually replace Bindass Movies.
One reason for discontinuing with Bindass Movies is that both Bindass and Bindass Movies had become twin brands. Thus, the deal now is just to focus on Bindass as an entertainment channel. Anand explained, “Bindass cannot be about delivery, it has to be about the brand.”
To achieve this, there has been an internal restructuring, wherein Heather Gupta, who was earlier the Business Head of Bindass and Bindass Movies, will now only focus on Brand Bindass and work towards realising the new ambition of the brand. Similarly, Sameer Ganapathy will head UTV Movies, UTV Action and UTV World Movies. As per industry reports, Deepak Lamba is also all set to join BloombergUTV as Business Head in January 2010. The news channel is also looking for someone to spearhead the sales function.
As per the new structure, all the channels will have a dedicated sales head, who would report to the business heads and to Group Sales Head Nikhil Gandhi.
Anand also plans to prioritise the sales function of the company. He said, “UTV was already on the growth path and this was perhaps one company for whom recession was over as early as January 2009. The steps that UTV had taken to ramp up its presence were robust, but my belief is that there was a need to revisit the focus on the sales function.”
Anand is confident that in December, Bindass will produce the highest ever ad sales figure ever done by the channel. He asserted that there would be a 40 per cent increase in sales this year.
Bindass also aims to have a 25-50 per cent reach as other youth channels enjoy that kind of reach as well.
Anand shared that the whole restructuring exercise was done to break even. As of now, only UTV Movies is breaking even, while UTV World Movies will break even soon. Anand is hopeful of UTV Action achieving break even within 6-9 months of its launch.
UTV to bring in some adrenaline rush with UTV Action from January 1, 2010
MK Anand joins UTV Broadcast as CEO; eyes breakeven in 18 months


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Tech Biz Cheat Sheet: iPhone 4S Pre-Orders Exceed 1M, Alibaba Looks to Buy Out Yahoo’s Share
Groupon is modifying the presentation of sales data on its site, making it harder for people to use the data to track its performance.
Hot Feature: Netflix Will Not Split DVD And Streaming Services
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows chief Steve Sinofsky says Windows 8 will require less memory (NASDAQ:DRAM) than Windows 7, making it easier for Windows 8 to run on CPUs featuring ARM (NASDAQ:ARMH) cores.
First day pre-orders for the new iPhone 4S exceeded 1 million on Friday, beating the previous record of 600,000 held by the iPhone 4, reported Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) today. The device will be available in stores in the U.S. on October 14,and will be rolled out in 22 more countries within the month.
Plato Learning has upped its buyout offer for Renaissance Learning (NASDAQ:RLRN) to $496 million, a $25 million premium on their prior offer. Renaissance has already agreed to a $455 million deal with Permira Funds, but says it will give Plato’s offer “proper consideration in due course.”
Alibaba is interested in buying the 40% of the company held by Yahoo (NASDAQ:YHOO), and is in talks with investment company Temasek about providing financing. Yahoo’s holding in Alibaba is worth an estimated $13 billion.
Don’t Miss: iPhone 4S Sales Make Tim Cook a Genius for Now
Yahoo (NASDAQ:YHOO) has withdrawn its offer to buy Hulu (NASDAQ:CMCSA) in order to focus on its own problems. Dish Network (NASDAQ:DISH), Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), and Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) remain in the running for the streaming-video site, with the latter offering over $2 billion. However, Hulu’s owners — Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA), News Corp. (NASDAQ:NWSA), and Disney (NYSE:DIS) — may still decide not to sell.


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Universal Robots will showcase at MODEX (March 9-12 in Atlanta) how its collaborative robot arms can be used for supply chain applications. The UR booth (1007) will be the first public display of the Quick Deployment Kit (QDK), a collaborative and scalable solution for parcel induction, case packing, and goods-to-person tasks. The system was developed by MDCI Automation, a UR-certified integrator, and Plus One Robotics.
Using a vision engine powered by PlusOne’s PickOne Software and the UR10e cobot arm, the QDK identifies the pick points for items in a pick zone and sends the points to the UR cobot that picks and places each item onto a place zone/conveyor. The QDK can keep up with fast-moving conveyor speed and is able to “learn” to pick targets via human assistance through a remote alerting technology.
“Universal Robots’ collaborative robot platform delivers proven hardware, ease of programming, and a large ecosystem of UR+ partners providing industry-leading products that are tested and approved to work with UR cobots,” said Kurt Scheffler, VP of Engineering at MDCI Automation.
MODEX will also be the launch pad for Cross Company’s Cross Palletron, a solution that uses the UR10e cobot to create a fully collaborative and mobile palletizer and de-palletizer. Cross’ software eliminates the need for complex robotic programming and makes redeploying the palletizer for a different production line or package size quicker.
“We are excited to bring this solution to market as we hear from many of our customers that keeping these mundane tasks staffed is an ongoing challenge,” said Lynn Crump, President of the Cross Company Automation Group. “In fact, our customers have reported to us that this system has an ROI of less than two years for single shift operations and even sooner for those with multiple shifts.”
UR cobots will be showcased in other MODEX booths, too, including by RightHand Robotics in booth 9826. The company’s RightPick2 picking system uses an intelligent gripper, a vision system, control software and a UR5e cobot. The RightPick platform has successfully completed many millions of picks autonomously across numerous industries, including e-commerce, retail, pharmaceuticals, grocery, and more.
“With e-Series cobots from Universal Robots we’re able to provide customers with the predictability they need to fulfill orders quickly and accurately,” said Vince Martinelli, Head of Product and Marketing at RightHand Robotics. “Universal’s cobots are easy to work with and so is the team at UR. They’ve been a reliable and responsive supplier and partner to us at RightHand, giving us the confidence to incorporate their advanced technology into our platform.”
“Numerous factors propel the emergence of collaborative robots in the supply chain industry,” said Joe Campbell, Senior Manager of Applications Development with Universal Robots. “This is a quickly evolving industry where fulfillment centers now have a need for robotic piece-picking processes that support a wide range of products and high throughput for the growing number of small-sized orders.”


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Listen to our 2021 Predictions Show:
COMING JANUARY 2021!
Tim and Kyle’s Predictions for 2021
Tim and Kyle are constantly making predictions about the Podcast Industry. Here are the predictions Tim and Kyle came up with before 2021:
- #20 – (Tim) Amazon will be a big player and will be the next one to set up a paywall — (Kyle) Amazon enters the content war by challenging Spotify and Apple with “music, podcast, and audiobook” killer apps.
- #19 – (Kyle) Apple will start hosting podcast content and threaten indy podcast hosting companies. This will cause indy podcast companies to start buying out their competitors to form bigger hosting monsters and see the rise of New Podcast hosting companies appearing to support podcasts that have been kicked off of bigger platforms.
- #18 – (Tim) Disney will set up a paywall for all of their content (including podcast content).
- #17 – (Kyle) Localization and Local Podcast hubs will finally become a real thing.
- #16 – (Tim) Virtual conferences will increase in attendance outpacing in-person events historically (Podfest Global will beat last year’s record)
- #15 – (Kyle) Video podcasts will become synonymous with Audio podcasts. Meanwhile, Audio podcasters will have to adapt to the influx of new “video podcasters” but become pretentious “old guard” elitists.
- #14 – (Tim) Clubhouse will be the next big thing (Like Anchor) when it opens up to Android but will fizzle out quickly unless it is bought out by a big player. (Kyle) Clubhouse will die a quick, unceremonious death this Summer when everyone stops caring.
- #13 – (Kyle) This arrival of a new standards organization will flip IAB certification upon its ear because it will not be “good enough” for some. The result will create a few NEW standards that will renew the statistics war in podcasting.
- #12 – (Tim) Samson Q9U microphone will come out this year.
- #11 – (Kyle) Adapt or die – The push for an “improved RSS feed” protocol will gain momentum and force the old RSS feed to finally be phased out.
- #10 – (Kyle) The number of Spanish-speaking podcasts will overtake English-speaking podcasts in a total number of active shows.
- #9 – (Tim) Apple Podcasts will hit 2-million total podcasts by November, (Kyle) forcing Apple to FINALLY fix their horrible search engine.
- #8 – (Kyle) Tons of active podcasts will DIE and the number of ACTIVE podcasts on Apple Podcasts will fall BELOW 100,000 as the Content Wars put more and more active podcasts behind paywalls.
- #7 – (Kyle) Education-based podcasting will finally formalize to create new and better “podcast universities” where you can actually get a certification or even a degree just from listening to podcasts.
- #6 – (Tim) President-elect Joe Biden will have a podcast similar to Roosevelt’s Fire Side Chats (that Tim will produce) as (Kyle) every politician in 2021 running in 2022 (or not) starts a podcast — ALL OF THEM!
- #5 – (Kyle) Hollywood will use podcasting to continue to prototype new TV and Movie content creating a whole cadre of podcasters who become showrunners, writers, and producers for REAL production companies. Additionally, these podcasts will feature a tidal wave of known A/B/C level actors.
- #4 – (Tim) The first space podcast based in outer space will be started by Space X.
- #3 – (Kyle) The Content Wars heat up as media companies start buying up podcasters, podcast networks, podcast content, or any audio content not nailed down or copyrighted.
- #2 – (Kyle) Content gets EVEN SHORTER to support smart speaker content exclusively and most big podcasters will have a Shorty version of their shows to adapt to this trend.
- #1 – (Tim) Podwrecked will reach 75 episodes.
Listen to our Post-2021 Predictions Show – How Did We Do?
COMING JANUARY 2022!


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This post is also available in: עברית (Hebrew)
A fake version Signal, a private messaging app, infiltrated Google Play and Samsung’s Galaxy Store and seems to be linked to a Chinese spy operation, and the aim of the fake app (called Signal Plus Messenger) is to spy on communications of the real app, according to ESET researcher Lukas Stefanko.
This scheme not only shows that Chinese-linked hackers managed to get through security checks by two of the world’s biggest tech companies but a successful spying campaign on a messaging app.
Stefanko told Forbes that the malicious Signal Plus Messenger abused a feature of the legitimate app that allows users to link the mobile app to their desktop or Apple iPad. The fake version automatically connected the compromised device to the attacker’s Signal in the background, so all messages were passed onto their account, which happened “without the user noticing anything or accepting any notification.”
Stefanko claims this might be a repeating offense since the same code seen in Signal Plus Messenger was used to target Uyghurs in the past. He found evidence that the same hacking crew also created a malicious Telegram app called Flygram that was available on Google Play and the Samsung Galaxy Store, with download links also shared in a Telegram group for Uyghurs.
While there were fewer than 500 downloads of the fake Signal on Google Play, Stefanko believes the attacks were likely targeted, with the attackers pursuing specific individuals rather than a broad set of users.
Nevertheless, the fake Telegram may have had a wider impact, since FlyGram was able to access Telegram backups if the user enabled a specific feature in the malware, and it was activated by at least 13,953 user accounts.
While Google removed both apps after ESET warned the tech giant, Samsung has not yet taken any action despite being notified back in May, and none of the two companies provided a response to the occurrence.
This information was provided by Forbes.


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Tyson Foods on Thursday held its 59th annual shareholders meeting in a virtual format online after reporting strong first-quarter results earlier this week.
A majority of shareholders approved proposals that reduced the number of directors on the board from 15 to 13 for fiscal 2022 and ratified the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for Tyson.
A proposal that would have required Tyson to report on its plastic packaging use was rejected, under guidance from the board of directors.
Tyson started the year off strong, generating solid sales and doubling profits compared with the first quarter of 2021. Tyson leadership is optimistic about the rest of the year, forecasting annual sales between $49 billion and $51 billion.
Chairman John H. Tyson was reelected to the board of directors, as well as Les R. Baledge, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe, Maria Claudia Borras, David J. Bronczek, Mikel A. Durham, Jonathan D. Mariner, Kevin M. McNamara, Cheryl S. Miller, Jeffrey K. Schomburger, Barbara A. Tyson and Noel White. Donnie King, Tyson president and chief executive officer, was also elected to the board.
Gaurdie E. Banister and Robert Thurber, who have been members of the board for more than 10 years, exited the company.
The meeting was conducted at a Holiday Inn in Springdale at 10 a.m. and broadcast online for shareholders.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, founded in 2002, provides accounting services for Walt Disney, Goldman Sachs, Ford Motor Corp. and IBM, to name a few. It charged Tyson Foods more than $7 million in audit, tax and other fees in fiscal 2021, according to a proxy filing.
The final proposal, filed by Green Century Capital Management Inc., asked Tyson to improve its sustainability goals by reducing the amount of plastic packaging is uses.
It is estimated that less than one-tenth of all plastic is recycled, with most of it going to a landfill or out into the environment where it can endanger animals, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. The production and pollution of plastic also contribute to climate change.
In the proposal, Green Century Capital said Tyson uses a significant amount of problematic plastic packaging, such as films used to wrap meats and polystyrene foam in trays.
In Tyson's opposition statement, the company said it shares the same sentiment as Green Century Capital and is working toward innovations in sustainable packaging. In the past two years, it has increased the amount of post-consumer recycled content in plastic packaging across the business and is developing replacements for polystyrene foam trays and sustainable alternatives to polyvinyl chloride film.
The company recognized there are limitations to recycling, for example, plastics that have been in contact with raw meat and blood are not acceptable for recycling. Despite certain challenges, Tyson said it is committed to developing sustainability efforts.
"Given our current practices and disclosures, the board believes that the proposal's requested report would not provide material benefits or additional disclosure not already available to shareholders, and therefore, this proposal is not in the best interests of the company or its shareholders," Tyson said in a proxy filing.
Shares of Tyson fell less than 1%, or 84 cents, to close Thursday at $97.88 on the New York Stock Exchange.


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Have you ever wondered what photographs are worth at auction?
Here are three photos that won the highest bids to date.
Andreas Gurky’s 99 cent II, Diptych, the first photograph to sell for more than $3 million, sold for $3,340,456 at a Sotheby’s auction in London, February 2007.
Edward Steichen’s “The Pond – Moonlight”, once the world’s highest selling photograph, was sold for $2,928,000 at Sotheby’s in New York in February, 2006.
Richard Prince’s “Anonymous (Cowboy)”, the first photograph to reach $1 million, sold for $1,248,000 at Christie’s in New York in November 2005.
See what’s at auction at Sotheby’s.
See what’s at auction at Christie’s.
The live auction benefit for Maine Media Workshops is happening now on eBay Live Auctions.
Tell us what you think about the prices of photographs today. Comment!


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Ondot Systems Launches Consumer-Focused, Smartphone-based Account Controls and Management as Financial Institutions get ready for open banking
LONDON--November 13, 2017--Ondot Systems announced that it is making its Consumer Services Platform available to U.K. and European banks and financial institutions. The platform sets the stage for banks to cost-effectively embrace Open Banking, CMA, GDPR, and PSD2 directives to deliver innovative consumer facing digital services.
The platform is built using Ondot's high performance and scalable technology. It is already deployed across the world's largest transaction payments, processing centers and by 3000 financial institutions globally. The purpose-built platform enables banks to put the consumer at the center by giving them total control over when, where and how their payment instruments are used. This is done by digitally engaging consumers in real-time with their banks, receiving analytics based advice actionable for all their accounts including savings, current, loan and credit cards.
Ondot's Consumer Services Platform is at the convergence of three major streams: real-time payment processing, real-time consumer communication, and real-time data analytics - across all account types. Operating over a micro-services architecture, the platform allows issuers to rapidly deploy services to give consumers the control they want combined with the convenience they need.
Services supported by the company's platform include:
All of these services can be delivered to the consumer over a white-labeled mobile application on a smartphone, as well via chatbots, virtual assistants and traditional channels such as IVR.
In an era of increasing numbers of data breaches and the rising popularity of digital payments, the Ondot platform offers consumers control, visibility, and actionable insights on-the-go, with demonstrable benefits for both consumers and issuers across international markets. Quantifiable advantages include increased customer retention, over 23% increased top-of-wallet usage, 40% reduction in fraud, false declines by 16% and lower service costs by 26%. Most importantly, banks and card issuers can become more agile and responsive to evolving market conditions in both banking and payment ecosystems, and in user engagement behaviors.
"Open Banking initiatives in Europe will have a transformative effect on consumer engagement in banking and payments. Service providers that deliver holistic consumer experience are the ones that will own the customer relationship" said Vaduvur Bharghavan, CEO of Ondot Systems. "In this new world, banks and payment service providers must comply with new standards, deal with complex legacy systems, compete with digital-first consumer-centric companies for customer mindshare and innovate to maintain their competitive edge or risk getting disintermediated ---that's a tall order. To succeed in this new environment, banks must have platforms that deliver on two counts: empowering the consumer and rapidly deploy new services, Ondot's Consumer Services Platform is designed for exactly this purpose."


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The tidal wave of artificial intelligence (AI) that has hit the payments, commerce and financial services industries has created the need for a new definition. Because AI is enabling and accelerating momentum from analog and manual processes to automated, digital processes, AI and digital transformation belong in the same sentence. And one of the industries that has been in the forefront of embracing this newest round of transformation is consumer packed goods (CPG).
As brands navigate this new terrain, the strategies that once defined the sector are being reshaped by the capabilities and insights provided by digital tools and platforms. This transformation has not only changed how products are marketed but has also redefined consumer engagement, data analytics, and the overall marketing mix for CPG brands. AI in the CPG business is part of — not all of — digital transformation.
“AI and ML [machine learning] are revolutionizing many aspects of our business, from supply chain management to personalized marketing,” said Kellanova chief digital and information officer Lesley Salmon.
“Machine learning algorithms help us analyze vast amounts of data to optimize inventory management, demand forecasting, and production planning. We are also using generative AI to enhance customer engagement through personalized recommendations based on consumer behavior and preferences.”
If the brand Kellanova sounds unfamiliar, it’s because it’s the recently spun-off global snack brand from Kellogg’s including Pringles, Cheez-Its and Nutri-Grain. In a recent interview, Salmon detailed the complete array of digital tools the brand is using for everything from employee collaboration to personalized offers driven by data analytics to improving eCommerce conversions.
She was careful to point out that AI has added new capabilities to data analytics and has provided a continuum for the brand as it develops research on eating habits and continues to look for direct-to-customer (D2C) opportunities. According to Harvard Business Review, 24% of brands in all categories added a D2C channel in 2023; 55% of those were in the CPG category.
Salmon is just one of several CPG executives who are looking to add some spice back to the D2C market. Mondelez, Coca-Cola and Colgate-Palmolive are among those joining her, all with the stated understanding that digital transformation and the data gleaned from digital marketing efforts continues to change strategies and tactics.
“The move to D2C, underpinned by data-driven insights, heralds a significant transformation,” says analytics firm Quantzig. “Liberated from the confines of traditional supply chains and intermediaries, CPG businesses now harness the power of data analytics and AI to establish direct connections with consumers. This transition is not just about adapting to digitalization; it’s about revolutionizing customer experiences, product offerings, and market strategies. In this age of transformed CPG digital, the company is charting a course through uncharted territory, redefining consumption, production, and customer relationships in profound ways.”
While digital transformation offers opportunities for CPG marketing, it also presents challenges. The digital landscape is highly competitive, with that competition shifting from pricing and product to algorithms, consumer preferences, and technological advancements. Brands must stay agile, continuously adapting their strategies to remain relevant and engaging.
For example, Mondelez’s use of AI is centered around enhancing data to inform consumer engagement, overall business decisioning and adding insights to promotions and loyalty programs.
“In the end, our approach to AI in marketing should deliver significantly higher marketing ROIs for a fraction of the cost of traditional creation,” said Gustavo Valle, Mondelez’s president for North America. “We are also building capabilities with AI models to act as brains and transform and adjust our marketing more broadly across various dimensions.”
Valle’s approach was echoed at several other brands. At Coca-Cola, CFO John Murphy says data is a “never ending optimization” to refresh marketing and marketplace intelligence.
Colgate-Palmolive Chief Analytics and Digital Officer Diana Schildhouse talks about building a “data culture” at the company. Unilever is using AI-driven data and digital processes to change everything from product design to marketing to the supply chain. It’s combining R&D and supply chain data with manufacturing simulations to respond to real-time trends and market changes more quickly, scaling innovations faster than the analog world would allow.
“I firmly believe that science and technology will play a central role in helping innovate for a better future,” says Alberto Prado, Unilever’s Head of R&D Digital & Partnerships. “The combination of digital and leading-edge science is empowering our teams to progress their fields not by years, but by decades.”


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January 29, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — More and more consumers are seeking green products, especially those that focus on energy and water efficiency, and there is every indication that trend will only get stronger, according to home building industry product suppliers who spoke at a press conference during the 2009 International Builders’ Show®.
Representatives from Kohler Co., Marvin Windows and Doors, and Whirlpool Corp. talked about innovations that can lower homeowners’ water and energy bills and also contribute to better indoor air quality.
“The industry is being transformed,” said National Association of Home Builders Research Center CEO Mike Luzier, who moderated the press conference. Even as green home builders find relative success in a struggling housing market, it won’t be long before sustainable building practices become the industry standard, he said.
The National Association of Home Builders is providing education and training as well as home certification services to help prepare home builders and remodelers to capitalize on this trend. NAHBGreen, the association’s green building program, is expanding every month.
Energy efficiency is still the biggest driver, manufacturers said, but demand is also growing for water-efficient fixtures and appliances, as well as windows and doors that contribute to improved indoor air quality, the speakers said.
Only one percent of the Earth’s water is available for drinking, washing and other uses — 97 percent is salt water and the remainder is part of the polar ice caps, pointed out Omer “Butch” Gaudette, director of trade relations for Whirlpool Corp. “In the near future, water efficiency will be just as important as energy efficiency is today.”
“Water efficiency is not just important in water-starved areas,” like the arid Southwest, agreed Shane Judd, senior product manager for water conservation at Kohler Co. Increasingly, metropolitan areas where water supplies can?t keep up with sharp population increases are also looking for solutions to manage water use.
Right now, there are 100 million toilets in use that each consume 3.5 gallons every time they are flushed. Switching to water-efficient models would have “a tremendous impact not only on water bills, but also for water conservation,” Judd said.
Advances in technology have now allowed Marvin Windows and Doors to increase the size of its casement windows while maintaining their energy-efficient qualities — thus allowing home designs that take advantage of “daylighting” — or natural lighting, so homeowners don’t need to turn on their electric lights as often, said Brett Boyum, director of marketing for the Minnesota-based company.
And for Marvin and other industry leaders at the forefront of green, building sustainably is “a solid business practice. A sustainable product is a quality product, so a green product is a product that will last,” Boyum said.
“Consumers and builders are starting to recognize the long-term benefit of green products. If you’re not building green, you’re not building,” especially in the current downturn, Gaudette said.
Learn more about green building with the Green EnergyKey® program, Alabama’s first statewide green building program, at www.greenenergykey.com.


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Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Los Angeles Times
EPA bans a pesticide often used on almonds and other California crops
Federal regulators said Tuesday they will ban a pesticide widely used on California crops such as almonds and alfalfa, saying it imperils aquatic insects that are the food source of fish.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday filed an intent to cancel registration of all products containing flubendiamide, most commonly used in Belt, manufactured by Bayer CropScience, based in Germany. The chemical is also used in products made by Nichino America.
Canceling the registration would prohibit any further sales of products that include the ingredient.
The EPA said it found that the compound breaks down into a more toxic chemical that is harmful to insects that are an important element of the aquatic food chain.
California growers have used the chemical since 2008, and they applied 42,495 pounds of it to 521,140 acres in 2013, the last year for which complete data were available, according to the state Department of Pesticide Regulation.
More than a third of that was applied to almonds: 14,693 pounds on 125,557 acres, according to the department. Growers applied 6,002 pounds of it to 91,828 acres of alfalfa, and 3,684 pounds to 78,348 acres of processing tomatoes, which are used in paste and other products.
Other top crops that used more than 1,000 pounds of the chemical included corn, walnuts, cotton, sunflowers, wine grapes, pistachios and table grapes, according to the department.
A spokesman for Bayer was not immediately available for comment Tuesday.
Last month, Bayer refused a request by the EPA to voluntarily cancel use of the product, saying it strongly disagreed with methods the agency used to study the chemical’s effects.
“Denying a product’s registration and ignoring its safe use history based on unrealistic theoretical calculations calls into question the EPA’s commitment to innovation and sustainable agriculture,” Dana Sargent, Bayer vice president of regulatory affairs, said at the time.
The California Almond Board said it hoped Bayer and EPA could find “a fair and science-based process” to assess the chemical’s safety.
Environmental groups praised the EPA’s decision even as they warned that many chemicals receive conditional approvals before their safety can be fully vetted.
“I’d love to see the EPA build on this decision and seriously consider halting the conditional registration of pesticides,” said Nathan Donley, a scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental advocacy group.
Peixoto puts up $2M to build organic ag learning center
By Tom Leyde
WATSONVILLE – A $2 million donation by a Watsonville organic farming company will plant the seeds for development of an organic and sustainable agriculture learning center in the Pajaro Valley.
The donation was made by Lakeside Organic Gardens, a family-owned organic grower-shipper operation that switched from conventional to organic farming in 1996.
An educational facility to showcase organic farming has been a dream of Dick Peixoto, owner and founder of Lakeside Organic Gardens for many years. It will be a resource for people interested in starting an organic farm, learning about organic farming and those who just want to know how organic produce is grown.
“I’m a really big supporter of small organic farms,” Peixoto said, “and there’s a definite need in the area. I’d like to inspire them (farmers and new farmers) to step up to the plate and be part of the (organic) farming community.”
It hasn’t been decided exactly where in the Watsonville area the education center will be built. But Peixoto said it will take about two years before it will be established.
The center will be associated with Agri-Culture, Inc., a wing of the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau. The award-winning education program serves growers and the public.
“I think it’s been a great program to give light to the agriculture industry,” Peixoto said.
His reasons for donating the $2 million are three-fold. The first is to educate the public about agriculture.
“A lot more people are getting away from agriculture and don’t know where their food comes from,” Peixoto said.
At the same time, he said, there are people who have a burning desire to know about their food, where it comes from, how it’s produced and food safety.
“I though it (the center) would give the public a way to pit the sustainable and organic movement against the standard (farming methods).”
Secondly, Peixoto said, he is frustrated that young people are turning away from careers in agriculture in favor of high-tech industry jobs. There are many opportunities for young people in agriculture and the center will highlight them and hopefully convince them to choose an ag career.
He is hopeful that universities with organic ag programs will become a part of the center as well.
The third reason for the center is to help new farmers get into the industry. It will educate them about ag tools, how to set up a farm, and about leases and financing.
“If we don’t start a next generation of farmers,” Peixoto said, “there will be just corporate farms.”
In a news release about the Lakeside Organic donation, Steve Bontadelli, president of Agri-Culture, Inc., said, “We are honored to be chosen to help Dick Peixoto and his family fulfill their dream of providing educational programs focused on organic and sutainable agriculture.
“Our area has been the leader in organic and sustainable agriculture. It’s wonderful that the program Dick Peixoto envisions will benefit the public, the industry and our local area.”
Other individuals, corporations and foundations that share Peixoto’s vision are encouraged to donate to the education center fund.
Lakeside Organic Gardens produces more than 45 varieties of 100 percent organic vegetables on more than 2,000 acres spread across about 50 farms in the Pajaro Valley. It also partners with growers in Ventura County and the Imperial Valley.
The company’s produce is sold nationwide and into western Canada to distributors, national chain grocers and processors. In addition, Peixoto and his daughter own and operate the California Grill restaurant in Watsonville.
Labels on genetically modified foods? Not so fast
By Mary Clare Jalonick
WASHINGTON – States could no longer require labeling of genetically modified foods under legislation approved by a Senate panel.
The Senate Agriculture Committee voted 14-6 Tuesday to prevent the labeling on packages of foods that include genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. Vermont is set to require such labels this summer, and other states are considering similar laws.
Senators have said they want to find a compromise on the labeling issue before Vermont’s law kicks in. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., chairman of the panel, said a patchwork of state laws would be a “wrecking ball” that could be costly for agriculture, food companies and ultimately consumers.
“Now is not the time for Congress to make food more expensive for anybody,” Roberts said.
The bill would block Vermont’s law and create new voluntary labels for companies that want to use them on food packages that contain genetically modified ingredients.
The legislation is similar to a bill the House passed last year. The food industry has strongly backed both bills, saying GMOs are safe and a patchwork of state laws isn’t practical. Labeling advocates have been fighting state-by-state to enact the labeling, with the eventual goal of a national standard.
Passage won’t be as easy in the Senate, where 60 votes will be needed to overcome a certain filibuster. Vermont Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders have both strongly opposed efforts to block their state’s law.
Roberts and Stabenow have worked to find a compromise that can pass the Senate. But those negotiations broke down before the committee vote, and Roberts said the panel needed to move quickly ahead of the Vermont law. Both said they are still negotiating and hope to find agreement.
Stabenow said that for the legislation to receive broad enough support to pass the Senate, “it must contain a pathway to a national system of mandatory disclosure that provides consumers the information they need and want to make informed choices.”
Three Democrats voted for Roberts’ bill: North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, Indiana Sen. Joe Donnelly and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
Genetically modified seeds are engineered in laboratories to have certain traits, like resistance to herbicides. The majority of the country’s corn and soybean crop is now genetically modified, with much of that going to animal feed. Corn and soybeans are also made into popular processed food ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, corn starch and soybean oil.
The food industry says about 75 percent to 80 percent of foods contain genetically modified ingredients.
While the Food and Drug Administration says they are safe and there is little scientific concern about the safety of those GMOs on the market, advocates for labeling say not enough is known about their risks. Among supporters of labeling are many organic companies that are barred by law from using modified ingredients in their foods.
Those groups said they are holding out hope for a compromise on the Senate floor.
“We remain hopeful that the Senate will craft a national, mandatory GMO labeling system that provides consumers with basic factual information about their food,” said Scott Faber of the Environmental Working Group.
San Francisco Chronicle
Snowpack falls to 83 percent of normal, but storms are heading in
By Peter Fimrite
The weather gods in California are about to pull back the beach blanket and unleash a soggy salvo — the kind of angry El Niño outpouring that the state’s water managers hope will make up for a confounding lack of rain and snow over the past month.
The storms forecast to start rolling in later this week are expected to boost the meager snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, which California Department of Water Resources surveyors warily measured Tuesday during their monthly tromp through the precious powder.
The statewide water content of the snow was found to be only 83 percent of the historical average for this time of year, a big drop from a month ago, when the “frozen water supply,” as it is called by hydrologists, was 114 percent of normal.
“Clearly a decline from last month’s really good start, but when you have basically only one storm in February, this is where you end up,” said Frank Gehrke, chief of cooperative snow surveys for the Department of Water Resources, after taking measurements under a gleaming blue sky at Phillips Station, off Highway 50 in El Dorado County.
The Phillips snow course is one of 250 locations where surveyors use hollow metal tubes to calculate the depth and water content of the Sierra snow. The measurements are taken during a 10-day window around the first of every month from January to May and are combined with electronic measurements from as many as 130 locations to gauge California’s drinking water supply for the year.
1 site above normal
Gehrke said the water content at Phillips was 27.1 inches, or 5 percent above normal, but added, “Unfortunately, that above average is not reflected virtually at any other location.”
He blamed “remarkably very clear, sunny weather” for melting the snowpack a month earlier than normal. It is, said Gehrke, an indication that the weather pattern known as El Niño cannot be counted on to lift the Golden State out of its four-year drought.
“Obviously El Niño is not living up to expectations,” Gehrke said. “One thing that’s unique or typical of El Niños is that the southern part of the state tends to be wetter than the north. That is not happening this year.”
Southern Sierra suffering
The southern Sierra, in fact, is suffering the most, with a snowpack that has shrunk to 73 percent of average.
But relief is on the way, said Bob Benjamin, a National Weather Service forecaster. He said a series of potent weather systems are expected to roll in starting Thursday and continue for seven to 10 days. The storms will pick up steam Friday with heavy rain in the Bay Area, significant snow in the Sierra and strong winds everywhere.
“People ask, ‘Where’s El Niño?’ Well, here he is,” Benjamin said. “There will be periods of heavy rain and wind, with three or four systems, and they will run into each other. If this comes to fruition it will put us well above normal for the year in rainfall and could put a dent in the drought.”
A healthy snowpack is crucial because snow makes up 60 percent of the water captured in California’s reservoirs when it melts in the spring — and one-third of the state’s overall water supply in a normal year.
April 1 is key day
The benchmark level is April 1, when the snowpack normally begins to melt and flow into reservoirs. State water officials estimate that the snowpack would have to be at least 150 percent of normal on April 1 for the drought to be considered over.
Last year’s measurement on April 1 was the lowest in the Sierra since records began almost a century ago — not a flake was found at Phillips Station.
“Any time we go through a January, or in this case a February, that is pretty much a dud, it is hard to recover from that,” said David Rizzardo, the chief of water supply forecasting for the hydrology branch of the Department of Water Resources. “We are still in that period where March could be a wet month. … I don’t think all hope is lost, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that you had one of your wetter months go by with barely any precipitation.”
Reservoirs all low
The problem is reflected in the levels of the state’s reservoirs, which are almost all significantly below normal for this time of year. The largest one, Shasta Lake, is at 83 percent, while Lake Oroville, the second largest, is carrying 76 percent of what it normally holds in March.
Shasta and Oroville carry 80 percent of the state’s reservoir supply, which is used to irrigate 8 million acres of farmland and provide water to close to 30 million people. Most of the other reservoirs, including ones that primarily serve farming communities, are doing worse.
Californians can expect more water rationing this year regardless of how much rain and snow falls in the coming storms. Gov. Jerry Brown extended statewide water restrictions last month through October, meaning cities and towns from the Oregon border to San Diego will face another summer of mandatory cutbacks.
“Obviously we’re better than last year,” Gehrke said, “but still way below adequate for what would be considered any reasonable level of recovery.”
Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: email@example.com Twitter: @pfimrite
Albertsons makes commitment to cage-free eggs in stores
By Mark Glover
Albertsons Cos. announced Tuesday that it will work with its suppliers to source only cage-free eggs for its stores by 2025, a move that will affect hundreds of stores in the Sacramento region and throughout California.
The company’s 18 store brands include Safeway, a major presence in Sacramento. The grocer also has Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme and Tom Thumb. Albertsons said it operates nearly 600 stores in California under the Albertsons, Safeway, Vons and Pavilions brands alone.
Albertsons said it was making the move “not only as part of its ongoing commitment to animal welfare but also in response to customer buying habits.”
The grocer also stressed that implementing the program will be based on available supply.
Overall, Boise-based Albertsons is the nation’s second-largest supermarket chain – behind Cincinnati-based Kroger – operating more than 2,200 stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Albertsons employs more than 250,000 chainwide.
“We take our commitment to providing responsibly sourced products seriously, and that responsibility extends naturally into ensuring our suppliers uphold humane animal welfare practices,” Shane Sampson, Albertsons’ chief marketing and merchandising officer, said in a statement. “The transition to cage-free eggs will help us continue to provide a great, humane product to our customers while ensuring that our suppliers have ample time to prepare their operations to meet increased demand from retailers.”
Albertsons’ move was applauded by Mercy For Animals, the Los Angeles-based animal-protection organization, which has organized protests, produced advertising campaigns and gathered signatures for petitions advocating widespread adoption of cage-free egg practices in the supermarket/food industries.
In a statement, MFA President Nathan Runkle said: “Albertsons has taken a significant step forward in improving the lives of farmed animals. Albertsons’ cage-free egg commitment will reduce the suffering of countless hens, and we’re hopeful it will inspire other food companies to do the same.”
Supermarket operators based in the Sacramento region said Monday that they currently offer cage-free eggs in their stores.
Chelsea Minor, spokeswoman for West Sacramento-based Raley’s, said in an email that the grocer offers “several varieties of both cage-free and organic eggs. It is our priority to provide options for our customers, so they can make a personal decision on both cost and quality.”
In another email, Kate Stille, marketing director for Woodland-based Nugget Markets, said: “We hope to be offering 100 percent cage-free eggs by 2017. At this point in time, supply for only cage-free is limited. Once the supply is sufficient enough to ensure that we can fully stock cage-free eggs, we will make the transition.”
MFA said that previous commitments to cage-free eggs have been made by Costco, Target, CVS, Trader Joe’s and BJ’s Wholesale Club. The organization said its pressing for commitments from other grocers, including Kroger.
MFA and other animal welfare groups contend that putting hens in small cages where they cannot walk or spread their wings is cruel. Many birds have been injured in cages over the years, advocates said.
Cage-free eggs and confinement of laying hens have been hot-button issues in California for years. In 2008, Golden State voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 2, which included language prohibiting farmers from putting laying hens in small cages.
However, debate rages on to this day, with animal welfare advocates saying farmers have sidestepped voter intent by investing in new cages or modifying old ones. Farmers counter that they have followed the language of Proposition 2, implementing changes at great expense to their operations.
Egg producers added that meeting Proposition 2 requirements in January last year resulted in a statewide reduction in the number of laying hens. They said that, along with drought, prompted a steep increase in egg prices in the spring of 2015.
Mark Glover: 916-321-1184, @markhglover, firstname.lastname@example.org
Snyder’s-Lance takes over Diamond Foods
Diamond Foods Inc., the publicly held snack foods company that grew out of the former Diamond Walnut growers’ cooperative, has been acquired by Snyder’s-Lance Inc., the nation’s second-largest salty snacks company.
Charlotte, N.C.-based Snyder’s acquired all outstanding shares of Diamond Foods in closing Monday. For each share, Diamond stockholders received 0.775 Snyder’s-Lance share and $12.50 in cash.
Snyder’s-Lance said it would continue to operate the walnut processing and related snack-foods production plant in Stockton.
“Snyder’s-Lance will continue to utilize existing manufacturing facilities and will begin to leverage capacity and geographical advantages to improve access and service to our customers and ultimately, consumers,” the company said in a statement.
The merger announced in October combines Snyder’s-Lance brands, including Snyder’s of Hanover, Cape Cod and Pretzel Crisps, with Diamond’s Kettle Brand potato chips, Pop Secret, Emerald snack nuts and Diamond of California culinary nuts.
Diamond has been delisted from the Nasdaq exchange. Snyder’s-Lance shares, which trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbiol LNCE, closed Tuesday at $33.60, down $2.11, for the day.


text:
08/01/2016, 09:08 am
Apple is now offering Maps transit directions for the Czech capital of Prague, returning focus to the app's European users after a stretch of concentrating on the U.S.
07/29/2016, 03:07 pm
Microsoft-owned SwiftKey, a popular predictive keyboard available on Apple's iOS, has suspended part of its service after it was discovered the app was leaking user data to complete strangers.
07/29/2016, 11:07 am
The end-to-end encrypted WhatsApp service is leaving traces of previously deleted chats behind in device storage, making forensic retrieval possible through physical device access or a warrant served on Apple for an iCloud backup.
07/29/2016, 09:07 am
Streaming services CBS All Access and Showtime Anytime collectively have more than two million paid subscribers, CBS's chief executive boasted during his company's quarterly results conference call.
07/28/2016, 06:07 pm
Apple on Thursday launched a Spanish-language Twitter account for the App Store, looking to market iOS apps to a broader demographic.
07/28/2016, 06:07 pm
In an update to its iMovie consumer level video editing software for iOS released on Thursday, Apple introduced a method of quickly creating projects from batch selected photos and video, as well as a new suite of content sharing options.
07/28/2016, 05:07 pm
Apple is working on a new version of its Apple Store app for iOS that will provide customers with personalized product recommendations based on their purchase history, according to a report published Thursday.
07/28/2016, 04:07 pm
Apple's head of Security Engineering and Architecture will go into "unprecedented technical detail" on iOS security during a talk at this year's Black Hat USA conference in Las Vegas, including new technology coming with iOS 10.
07/27/2016, 05:07 pm
Upthere, a new cloud service designed by former Apple engineers including former Mac software engineering chief Bertrand Serlet, has exited a seven month long beta program on iOS and macOS, and is promising to change how users utilize and think about cloud storage.
07/27/2016, 04:07 pm
The new MoltenVK developer API aims to ease porting of games to Apple hardware, and its native support of Metal graphics, by by bringing the cross-platform Vulkan 3D graphics API to both iOS and macOS.
07/27/2016, 12:07 am
Three of Australia's major banks on Wednesday filed a joint application with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to force Apple into negotiations over the installation of third-party mobile payments software on iPhone.
07/26/2016, 10:07 am
Popular Apple Watch app Runkeeper was updated on Tuesday with a new feature called Running Groups, a cross-platform social element designed to help users achieve their fitness goals.
07/25/2016, 07:07 pm
In a bid to improve user experience, Apple's mobile Safari web browser in iOS 10 will autoplay silent videos and pause those with sound, a change that enables automatic playback of GIFs -- at least those converted to video -- while halting potentially disruptive content like ads.
07/20/2016, 10:07 pm
A new feature discovered in Apple's latest iOS 10 beta warns users when liquid is detected in an iPhone's Lightning port, a handy tool for saving compatible devices from irreversible water damage.
07/20/2016, 09:07 pm
Qualcomm reported strong quarterly earnings of $1.4 billion--an 18.6 percent increase over the year ago quarter--based on higher intellectual property licensing royalties, a jump in chip orders from China and guidance-exceeding MSM chip sales, indicating that the market for premium smartphones is continuing to grow faster than expected.
07/20/2016, 01:07 pm
Members of Apple's Beta Software Program can now download and try the second public beta releases of iOS 10 and macOS Sierra, which were seeded on Wednesday.
07/19/2016, 09:07 pm
Piling on to what has already been a big day for Apple Pay, Apple on Tuesday announced a U.S. expansion of payment services that includes support from 13 new banks and credit unions, bringing the total up to nearly 1,375 financial institutions.
07/19/2016, 04:07 pm
Deezer on Tuesday opened up its plans to the entire U.S., putting the on-demand music service in true competition with Spotify, Tidal, and Apple Music for the first time.
07/19/2016, 04:07 pm
A new report examining mobile app revenues shows strong growth for Apple in China and from music and video streaming titles, and another big jump in the revenue lead that its iOS App Store maintains over Android's Google Play.
07/19/2016, 03:07 pm
Apple is testing support for Google's WebP image format in the beta Safari code for iOS 10 and macOS Sierra, something that could potentially speed up page loads.


text:
The hunt for productivity and collaboration
The GCI Team had an opportunity to meet and talk to a record number of partners and customers at Convergence Summit South; with a three-fold increase in visitors to our stands. Now we’ve had a chance to catch our breath, let’s take a quick look back at the insights we gained from a stimulating two days.
We talked to partners of various sizes and specialisms but the consistent theme was one of searching out emerging market opportunities that will provide a deeper “stickier” relationship with clients and provide a source of competitive advantage for partner and customer alike.
For delegates looking to respond to the growing customer need to improve productivity and collaboration, we discussed Skype for Business. There seems to be a surprisingly small number of partners currently actively selling Microsoft’s leading unified communications solution in the channel. But we continue to be strong advocates of the opportunity it presents; given that we’ve already deployed over 120,000 seats and don’t expect this momentum to drop any time soon.
The Rise of Skype for Business
Microsoft can draw upon incredibly high brand awareness with over 100 million meetings per month using Skype services and 39% of long distance international calls are made through Skype. To add to that, research sources are now predicting that unified communications will have achieved 100% market penetration by 2020.
The ubiquity of WiFi
The always on generation expect to access full broadband connectivity wherever they may be. More WiFi hotspots, changing user expectations and the drive to capture deeper consumer insights make high quality and rapidly deployed public access WiFi a “must have” for many businesses, particularly in the retail and hospitality sectors.
The “burning platform” is reinforced by the knowledge that research shows that 27% of consumers think twice about returning to a business that does not live up to their WiFi expectations. A further opportunity lies in the growing “pop up” retail market that now has over 10,000 outlets with a market value of £2.1 million and growth of 2.5 times that of traditional retail.
So another great market opportunity for the fleet of foot channel partner with access to the optimum solution.
The Right Cloud
Similarly, delegates from forward-thinking partners were looking to define the right cloud solutions and migration strategies. We were consistently hearing a wish to take advantage of public cloud but also answering questions about how best to deploy hybrid cloud solutions.
Time and again, Microsoft Azure was the solution they were looking for with access to virtual machines hosted on Microsoft’s public cloud but with the option to effectively create a hybrid cloud platform across on premise, public and private cloud, tailored to the changing needs of the partners’ customers.
SMS blows other forms of marketing out of the water
SMS messaging has already established itself as one of the most effective marketing tools available today with up to 98% read-rates and up to 8x greater engagement than email. This isn’t an unknown channel, but one that hasn’t been capitalised on.
GCI has invested in optimising the cost and increasing the effectiveness of this highly effective marketing channel with our recent acquisition of Packet Media – and we’re pleased to see that word is spreading. As 76% of Britons now own a smartphone and 86% use SMS on a weekly basis, isn’t it about time that we evangelise about it to our customers and create another opportunity to offer true Omni-channel unified communications.
PCI is moving into the forefront of people’s minds
Payment card legislation is changing – and people are starting to take notice. From 25 May 2018, any organisation processing or storing credit card data will need to adhere to the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation.
This new directive will see credit card data become recognised as Personally Identifiable Information. Breaches can lead to fines of four per cent of global turnover and legal prosecution. This won’t be the first time you’ve heard this, and it likely won’t be the last. But having talked to delegates face-to-face, it’s encouraging to see companies are now taking notice.
The common misconception seems to be the size of businesses involved. But PCI compliance doesn’t just apply to large businesses, if you transmit or store sensitive cardholder data, you must be compliant. When the average cost of a data breach is £2.8m, ignoring PCI is no longer an option. This is another great and immediate opportunity for our channel partners.
It was fantastic for the whole GCI team to meet so many friends and partners both old and new, and have the chance to discuss the wealth of opportunities and learn as well as share.
If you attended the event but didn’t to speak to us or have now had a chance to reflect further on the emerging market opportunities then please do contact us via firstname.lastname@example.org
Director of Channel Sales