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Manchester, UK (PRWEB UK) 13 June 2013
A new survey carried out by Parcel2Go has suggested that consumers are becoming increasingly confident about buying products and services using mobile phones and tablets.
More than 100 people responded to the snap poll run through the Bolton-based parcel delivery specialist's Twitter account, with 68 per cent saying they had used a mobile device such as a smartphone or an iPad to make a purchase over the internet. Perhaps unsurprisingly, major online marketplaces including eBay and Amazon were cited by a significant number of people.
Just under a third of respondents said they had not made online purchases using a mobile. The main reasons given were concerns relating to security and giving out payment details over a mobile connection.
Businesses across the world are taking steps to make the process of buying through mobile devices easier and more secure than ever before. Parcel2Go launched its own mobile site in 2011 in response to demand from individuals and business customers who wanted a simple, fast and effective way to organise deliveries with Parcel2Go.com couriers while on the move. The site is located at m.parcel2go.com and allows customers to get a quick quote, place an order or use Parcel2Go's tracking feature to discover where in the world their parcel currently is.
Richard Mercer, marketing director at Parcel2Go, said: "These stats show just how important mobile sites and apps have become to consumers. The launch of our dedicated mobile site almost two years ago has proved to be a huge success and a tool that many of our customers have come to rely on, whether they're tracking a package or ordering a Parcel2Go international courier service.
"Further growth in this area is inevitable as mobile internet connection speeds improve and we'll be working to make our customers' mobile experience quicker and smoother than ever before."
- ENDS -
Parcel2Go Ltd has been helping its customers to organise domestic and international delivery orders for the past 21 years. A FedEx parcel delivery from Parcel2Go can be ordered within seconds, while services are also available from the likes of Parcelforce, UPS and CityLink – renowned companies with international reputations. Visit the website to discover more and to book a range of services including Parcel2Go same day delivery options.


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Now you can share your files hrough a drag and drop interface with more options like phone and faxing on Facebook.Recently Facebook bought Drop.io a Simple File sharing service….
Simple file-sharing service Drop.io has been acquired by Facebook.Drop.io was led by Sam Lessin, a former consultant for Bain & Company. He attended Harvard University (2001-2005) and even knew Mark Zuckerberg during the early days of Facebook. Now he will take up a new role at the world’s largest social network.
As a result of the acquisition, drop.io will be shutting down; paid accounts will be discontinued on December 15. This is yet another talent acquisition for Facebook; the data on drop.io will be deleted by the end of the year.Other drop.io services like Presslift, our Yahoo! Mail Application, and our APIs will stay online for a longer period before the company winds down. We’ll announce more details on that soon. However, starting immediately, we’ll no longer be selling new premium accounts for those services.

domain: news


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Photo shows the exhibition center of China Chic products in southeast China's Quanzhou City.
BEIJING, Sep. 12 (Xinhua) -- Quanzhou, located in East China's Fujian Province, has been fully availing of its unique advantages in city culture, history and industrial strength to promote guochao products to the global arena.
Guochao, also known as Chinese trends or "China Chic", features fancy designs mixed with elements from traditional culture. With the popularity of China Chic, a growing number of Quanzhou enterprises have joined the trend, creating a wave of China Chic in the city.
Based on this trend, Quanzhou held an event featuring China Chic brands in 2022 and the city has been deemed as "Capital of China Chic brands" since then. Quanzhou is home to many global renowned enterprises including Anta Sports, Dali Food, Jomoo and Xtep, which are among the 16 Quanzhou-based enterprises selected in the list of first batch China Chic brands.
During the first "Maritime Silk Road" Overseas Chinese Investment and Trade Conference which kicked off in Quanzhou this June, the city launched an exhibition center for its China Chic products. Spanning an area of 15,000 square meters, the center displays over 1,500 products from more than 200 local enterprises, attracting an array of businessmen from all over the world every day.
One of the visitors, Wang Wei, Permanent Honorary Chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC), said that Quanzhou boasts the most complete industrial chain of shoes he has ever seen, which is very important to global industries.
Besides, Quanzhou enterprises also actively explore global market by jointly attending international expos and setting up overseas exhibition and sales centers in other countries, such as Thailand, the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
(Edited by Li Shimeng with Xinhua Silk Road, firstname.lastname@example.org)


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Inspirational speakers, motivational talks, a marketplace and a day of networking with other entrepreneurial business women are what’s in store at L4N UK’s first ever conference on Friday 23rd September, 2016 at the Moorlands Inn, Halifax. “When you’re a woman, balancing just comes naturally. From organising the household, the children, the social life to running a business, women just do it and this is what inspired us to call our very first conference, Just Balance.” says Judith Wright, who has been director of L4N UK (formerly Ladies 4 Networking) since 2015.
L4N UK is dedicated to providing opportunities for women in business to network, be inspired, gain confidence, learn new skills and get support. There are now 9 groups which meet for brunch or lunch across the North West region, bringing women together in a friendly and supportive manner. Out of these friendships come ideas, partnerships and fresh perspectives on business issues which can help solve problems and drive growth.
The conference, on the 23rd September, will provide the perfect opportunity for business women to come together for inspiration and motivation and a fresh perspective on business issues.
The keynote speaker is Debra Searle MVO, MBE who, incredibly, rowed across the Atlantic in a small wooden boat. Debra speaks from the heart and with great humour about the strategies she used to keep going and now uses, in her business life, to help illustrate, in a very human way, what we are all capable of.
Also speaking at the conference will be the inspiring Deborah Ogden, a nationally respected speaker on Positive Impact and Presence. Her approach centres around increasing personal impact and making a positive, first impression.
Sharing the stage in what will be a truly inspirational day is Nicki Pattinson, a legendary sales and motivation speaker who is known for her indisputable and unmatched results with companies in the UK.
Judith Wright, a creative thinker and a practical, hands-on marketing expert will also address the conference. Judith, the author of ‘Proven Strategies for Success’, has helped 1000’s of businesses to grow and achieve their dreams and will be sharing her wealth of knowledge on the subject of work/life balance.
L4N UK have partnered with the charity MNDA (Motor Neuron Disease Association) to raise both money and awareness. A representative from the charity will provide details of the amazing work they do, and how people can get involved.
Motor neurone disease (MND) is a fatal rapidly progressing disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, attacking the nerves that control movement so muscles no longer work. It kills a third of people within a year and more than half within two years of diagnosis.
It’s a devastating disease that affects up to 5,000 adults in the UK at any one time and kills six people every day. There is no cure.
The MND Association is the only national charity in England, Wales and Northern Ireland focused on MND care, research and campaigning.
Denise Davies, Head of Community Fundraising at the MND Association, said: “Without the amazing support of people like L4N UK, the MND Association simply would not be able to provide its vital support services, fund research to find a cure and campaign and raise awareness of MND. Together we are making a real difference for people affected by this devastating disease.”
L4N UK have also forged partnerships with Yorkshire Enterprise Network, Lambert Print & Design, Wright Angle Marketing and many more companies that provide support and services to entrepreneurs across the region.
The conference will feature a marketplace to give the opportunity for enterprising ladies to showcase their products and services and allow the L4N UK ladies to do one of the things they do best – shopping!


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Today in restaurant and grocery tech news, PYMNTS research reveals that quick-service restaurants (QSRs) are not in tune with the expectations of their consumers and that foodservice businesses could benefit from adopting subscription models. Plus, Paul Macaluso, CEO of full-service chain Another Broken Egg Cafe, discusses how dine-in restaurants can learn from the digital gains made by QSRs.
The Restaurant Readiness Index, a PYMNTS and Paytronix collaboration, talked with 514 managers of QSRs and full-service restaurants in the U.S. to reveal a significant difference of opinion among customers and restaurant managers regarding the ordering features they believe are key to success in the digital-first restaurant ecosystem.
On Thursday (Oct. 14), United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) became the first wholesaler to partner with DoorDash, integrating the service into its existing suite of eCommerce solutions. Through the partnership, independent grocers can offer grocery delivery through the food ordering and delivery platform and can appear on the DoorDash marketplace.
This week in restaurant news, Chick-fil-A gets sued over alleged delivery price hikes, and Del Taco brings in new loyalty users with a rewards program refresh.
This Deep Dive examines the most recent developments in food and restaurant subscriptions. It also explores how the model’s various forms — including meal kit, direct-to-consumer (D2C) and restaurant subscriptions — are poised to help sustain the sector long into the future.
As consumers’ digital ordering habits have remained even as mobility has returned, FSRs are forced to rethink what role they will play in the post-pandemic future. Paul Macaluso, CEO of Orlando, Florida-based breakfast, brunch and lunch FSR chain Another Broken Egg Café, which has with 75 locations in 14 states and dozens more on the way, spoke with PYMNTS about the decisions facing table-service restaurants in this year of change.


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Xiaomi, Huawei and Wiko power Android growth
When it comes to the US, it is still all about the big players. Samsung's latest flagship device, the Samsung Galaxy S5, drew level with the Apple iPhone 5s in the race to be the top selling handset over the past quarter. It performed particularly well on Sprint and T-Mobile. The Galaxy S5's large screen was a draw for 67% of its US consumers, as well as its 4G/LTE capability (57%) and strong battery life (54%).
In the USA, Samsung's marketing power continues to play a key part in driving sales of the S5. Some 61% of Galaxy S5 buyers recall seeing TV ads relating to the handset while 40% remember seeing online advertisementsIts brand resonance, coupled with Samsung's strength in stores are coming together to help it challenge Apple's dominance. Some 64% of consumers that were recommended a brand in-store were recommended Samsung.
In urban China, Xiaomi continues to go from strength to strength, securing a 27% share of smartphone sales in the second quarter of 2014, compared with 21.1% for Samsung. Its budget Xiaomi RedMi model continues to attract customers to the brand. ■


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In their ongoing effort to boost tourism in the county, Habersham Chamber is launching another photo/video shoot and you could be a part of it! The Chamber is looking for volunteers and companies to serve as sets and “extras” during the week of shooting from Wednesday 28th September to Friday 30th September.
A film crew will visit locations throughout Habersham County to capture scenes of downtown people and lifestyle shots. You will also do some drone footage.
“As the crew moves from store to store, they take photos of ‘Extras’ in the background or take close-up photos of ‘Extras’ while shopping or having lunch with their group,” the chamber said in a press release.
My mountain moment
The filming will be carried out by the h2O Creative Group as part of the My mountain moment/visit Habersham tourism video. The Visit Habersham campaign highlights the community’s wealth of local businesses, beautiful sights, adventure, relaxation and charming attractions to promote the whole of Habersham County to visitors wishing to travel to the area. Chamber President Mary Beth Horton says the upcoming photoshoot will build on the success of the marketing campaign.
“This is a sequel to the award-winning hype video ‘My Mountain Moment’ produced last year,” says Horton. “Following its success and social media reach, this photoshoot will showcase more of our small businesses, people and lifestyle.”
The photos and videos will be used in marketing materials including the chamber’s website, advertisements, social media and magazines to name a few. Those willing to participate may meet at the general locations listed below at the designated times to serve as extras. Crews move quickly in and out of various shops and attractions, so keep an eye out for the film crews.
“We encourage you to look around, hang out, eat, and enjoy yourself while they take photos,” says Horton.
When? Where? As?
You do not have to register to attend, but the Chamber would appreciate it if you did. Contact [email protected] and let Horton know where and when you would like to volunteer. In the event of rain or inclement weather, she will notify those she has heard from and update the Habersham Chamber Facebook page if filming is postponed.
The tentative shooting schedule is below. Contact the Chamber for specific times and places:
- Wednesday, Sept. 28: 2-6pm Downtown Clarkesville (various locations)
- Thursday, September 29: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Downtown Cornelia (various locations)
- Friday, September 30: 8:00am – 12:00pm at various locations throughout the county


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Demand for smartphones in Australia has declined marginally due to the economic toll of the COVID-19 pandemic and handset supply delays, with a 5% drop in sales of the phones in the first half of this year.
Many Australians want to see less reliance on imported products and a lift in locally produced products following the COVID-19 pandemic, as a way of boosting jobs and supporting local businesses and industry, according to new research.
Employment demands for Australian executives are at historically low levels despite a rise of 14% in demand for August, as advertising for executive positions continues to rise post lockdown and “cracks appear” in the working from home alternative, according to a new report from the chief of executive search firm EL Consult, Grant Montgomery.
Time for the US gov't to BAN these a***holes at Fecebook, Twatter, Instagrub and elsewhere. PUT THEM IN JAIL FOR[…]
Quite frankly passwords are a pain in the posterior.Why can't I have one secure password that I use on all[…]
Seems that the NBN Co is continuing to rip off consumers.The NBN was supposed to be available to all with[…]
Well u might be of self admitted low intelligence, which u've claimed many times, but u are a good writer[…]
They've come to get their rightful share of the 15,400 Cartier watches handed out as bonuses to NBNCo executives!! House[…]


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While West Coast ports' labor strikes wreaked economic havoc, East Coast ports have emerged as the clear winner.» Read More
The CEO of Citigroup Latin America, Francisco Aristeguieta, said the company was interested in restarting operations in Cuba.
On its centennial, cruisers are still flocking to make the 8–10 hour trip between oceans.
East Coast cities are upgrading their ports to attract larger ships going through an expanded Panama Canal. But there's some doubt it will pay off.
Nicaragua's congress has passed bill granting a little-known Chinese tycoon the exclusive right to develop a multibillion-dollar rival to the Panama Canal.


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Tesla held its annual shareholder meeting, which the company is now calling the Cyber Roundup, on Thursday at the Tesla Gigafactory Texas.
Cyber Roundup takes place just a couple of weeks after Tesla reports second quarter earningswhich showed a quarterly decline in revenue caused by production problems, even as the company grew year-over-year.
On the agenda 13 shareholder proposalsincluding one for a three-for-one stock split that apparently helped lift Tesla stock 0.40%.
There were also several proposals aimed at increasing Tesla’s ethical responsibility, especially after series of lawsuits who accused the company of sexual, racial and gender harassment in the workplace.
Here are five key takeaways from this event.
Sharing is allowed
Tesla shareholders have approved a three-for-one stock split that will bring the company’s share price down to the $300 range. However, it is not clear when this will take effect.
Tesla, always well versed in how it uses Twitter to influence its stock price, initially On March 28, he tweeted the news about the shareholder proposal. Meanwhile and now, Tesla shares are up 20% from their June lows. when the drama surrounding Musk’s proposed Twitter purchase was in full swing. Shares rose on Thursday after the close of trading to $928.55.
Ethical improvements are unlikely to pass
Shareholders called for better reporting and transparency regarding reports of sexual, racial and gender-based harassment, as well as Tesla’s lobbying activities and the use of child labor to mine battery materials. They also asked for more diversity on the board to reflect Tesla’s workforce.
Although the votes have not yet been tallied, preliminary results show that Tesla shareholders have voted against all such proposals.
trolling in real life
The 2022 shareholders meeting, the first in a couple of years to bring together hundreds of people, took on a stormy tone from the start.
Investors in attendance shouted support and asked Musk questions. They also took their role as Tesla boosters to the next level. At one point, the crowd laughed at Laura Campos, director of corporate and political reporting at the Nathan Cummings Foundation, when she talked about her proposal to improve disclosure of Tesla’s lobbying, and applauded Tesla’s head of investor relations, Martin Viecha, when he interrupted her. how her time is up. Sister Dorothy of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd suffered the same kind of ridicule – the audience laughed and applauded when she ran out of time when she asked the company to improve child labor reporting in its cobalt supply chain.
Musk was greeted with cheers, applause and standing ovations as he played along with his biggest supporters, the retail investors. He worked with the crowd as usual, telling the public that he loved them and that they were “the best crowd”, exclaiming greatness and making jokes about his bad buy on twitter.
Musk teased the idea of another site being chosen for the gigafactory later this year. He also noted that Tesla will probably build “at least 10 or 12 gigafactories.” Back in 2017, Musk said the company would build 10 to 20 gigafactories over the long term.
Demand for Tesla is still strong, so it’s no surprise that Musk wants to expand the automaker’s factory footprint. Tesla has rolled out its 3 millionth vehicle over the past few weeks, Musk said, reaffirming the company’s goal of reaching 2 million vehicle miles by the end of 2022.
“We’ve driven over 40 million miles now, and I suspect we’ll have over 100 million miles by this year,” Musk said. “And we’re still looking very closely to roll out FSD beta widely in North America this year.”
Musk also promised some “cool things” on the Supercharger front as Tesla prepares to start allowing third-party electric vehicles to use its charging network.
In addition, Musk hinted that the specifications and price of the Cybertruck will differ from what was first announced back in 2019 due to inflation, but did not give any details.
Credit: techcrunch.com /


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Behavioural Insight Team and DECC to run a series of trials to identify best ways of boosting energy efficiency uptake
The government is set to launch a series of trials designed to "nudge" households and businesses towards implementing energy efficiency measures using incentives or strategies that let people know how...
It has been a week of turmoil in Westminster, but where do recent events leave a UK clean energy policy landscape that was already in flux?
Long-term partnership aims to respond to customer demand and slash the environmental impact of average Brit's shopping basket
BusinessGreen brings you this week's green business news from around the world
Environment Secretary decides to stay on in current job after reportedly turning down role of Brexit Secretary


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Facebook owns Instagram and wants to destroy Snapchat
Instagram is owned by Facebook, which purchased it for $1bn in 2011 in what already looks like one of the best internet acquisitions ever. With annual revenue of over $27bn, a market cap exceeding $475bn and over 17,000 employees, Facebook has considerable resources it can and is using to thwart competitors.
Snapchat is arguably the competitor Facebook has demonstrated the most interest in defeating and in the past year and a half the company has been focused on making that happen.
But while Facebook’s desire to destroy Snapchat is obviously important, that’s just the beginning of the story.
Instagram has a much bigger audience, and it’s growing faster
Instagram now has upwards of 700m monthly active users (MAUs) and 400m daily active users (DAUs) compared to Snapchat’s 166m DAUs. Snapchat does not provide MAUs.
And Instagram has a lot more users engaging with one of its most important features. Instagram Stories, which effectively launched as a clone of Snapchat Stories, now has 250m DAUs – a number greater than Snapchat’s entire DAU figure.
Perhaps just as important as the MAU and DAU figures is the rate at which they have been growing. While Instagram is still growing like a weed thanks in large part to its increasing popularity around the globe, Snapchat’s growth rate has slowed in recent quarters and was far below investor expectations in Q1, raising questions about just how big Snapchat will ultimately grow.
Instagram has broader demographic coverage
While Snapchat’s audience has gotten older in recent years, it’s still most popular among users under the age of 25. In fact, more than 50% of the app’s users are reportedly in the under-25 group.
Instagram, on the other hand, offers brands greater access to consumers across age groups. Roughly a quarter of Instagram’s users are between the ages of 25-34, and equal percentages (20%) are between the ages of 18-24 and 35-44. And a little more than a third of users are now aged 45 or older.
Beyond age, Instagram also has a larger geographic footprint. 80% of Instagram’s users are outside of the US. But according to regulatory filings Snapchat made in connection with its IPO, its biggest user base is North America (US and Canada).
Instagram’s ad platform is far more robust
One of the biggest reasons Instagram is winning over brands is that it has ad savvy and ad technology. A lot of that comes from parent company Facebook, which operates one of the largest digital advertising businesses in the world.
Instagram hasn’t hesitated to launch new ad offerings, most tailored specifically to the characteristics of its service. Increasingly, these offerings are tightly integrated with Facebook, making them potentially more appealing to brands already advertising on the world’s largest social network.
For instance, advertisers can now buy Instagram Story ads through Facebook’s self-serve ad-buying platform and API and use many of Facebook’s targeting options.
Snapchat, of course, has its own ad offerings, but they’re arguably not as robust as Instagram’s, have until recently been harder to purchase – it only added an API last year – and aren’t always priced to perfection, at least as far as advertisers are concerned.
To help it bolster its ad offerings, Snapchat has been on a shopping spree. In June, it purchased location measurement and offline attribution provider Placed for a price said to exceed $200m. And according to Business Insider, Snapchat has held acquisition talks with AdRoll, a performance marketing platform that claims more than 30,000 clients. One of Business Insider’s sources suggested that “Snapchat buying AdRoll would be somewhat analogous to Google buying DoubleClick.”
But there’s no guarantee that Snapchat will be able to acquire a major ad tech company – and the right one. Furthermore, integrating a major acquisition to create a well-oiled advertising machine would no doubt take Snapchat time, meaning Facebook-owned Instagram will almost certainly retain a sizeable ad tech advantage for the foreseeable future.
Instagram has catered to brands far more than Snapchat has
As the growth of Instagram’s ad business suggests, Instagram has no hang-ups over advertising.
Snapchat’s relationship with brands, on the other hand, has been somewhat tepid. While it obviously has ambitions of building a billion-dollar advertising business, especially now that it is a publicly-traded company and has shareholders to answer to, Snapchat historically hasn’t been nearly as brand-friendly as Instagram.
One of the big reasons for this is that co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel apparently has mixed feelings about advertising. A rare 2015 interview with Bloomberg revealed that he “ruled out ads on Snapchat that accompany private one-to-one messages between users, judging it too invasive.”
And although Snapchat has since rolled out the ability to target users a la Facebook Custom Audiences, he’s apparently not much of a fan of targeting. “It’s definitely weird when a vacuum follows you around the Internet,” he told Bloomberg’s Brad Stone and Sarah Frier.
While Spiegel’s skepticism towards traditional social ads could theoretically help Snapchat, the reality is that Instagram appears to be giving both users and brands what they want, so Snapchat’s stance towards brands apparently didn’t earn it a competitive advantage. In hindsight, it only gave Instagram time to catch up.


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If you live on the Internet, you may have heard of Ello, a nascent, invite-only social network that threw the Twitterverse into a tizzy in September. There are a few notable things about the site. It was created by visual artists, meaning the design is both minimal and closely considered. Much of its user base consists of graphic designers, photographers and fashion students, although it's a mixed bag. According to co-founder Paul Budnitz, the goth community of Boston is really into Ello.
The network is also ad-free, and staunchly so. Which puts brands — and particularly businesses like fashion labels, which share interests with creative types but doggedly chase sales growth — in an interesting position. To Ello or not to Ello, and if so, how to Ello?
At least one clothing company has already taken notice of the network's potential. On Tuesday, Ello and Threadless announced that they have paired up to create limited edition t-shirts branded with Ello's minimalist smiley face logo and designed by different artists. While that's one very specific way to market through the site — and as Budnitz points out, the two teams were already good friends before coming up with the concept for the collaboration — it does beg the question of how other brands might try to capitalize on the site's buzz.
Despite its anti-ad stance, Ello isn't blocking companies from joining its platform; if you ask Budnitz, brands are "totally welcome." The site just doesn't permit paid advertising or promoted posts, and its users only see content from accounts that they've opted to follow.
Greg Foley, the creative director and designer for V, VMan, VFiles and Visionaire, joined Ello about two months ago at Budnitz's suggestion. He's been using the platform to show his color studies, something he says he felt would "be beautiful on the platform." To Foley, Ello is a place to post personal work and have fun. None of the publications he works for have active accounts.
“It's so personal that I've got to wonder, if I were a brand and I wanted to engage on this, it'd have to be in a really unique and personal and ultimately fun way, and not selling at all," Foley says. "If they're not doing something that's a really nice creative expression, I don't think anyone's going to be interested in engaging with that account."
Budnitz takes a similar view. He says he would recommend that brands eschew posts featuring their names writ large and instead make use of the site's full-screen images by posting photography, video or writing. His theory is that people genuinely want to get a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process, and they'll engage in the comments accordingly.
"A friend of mine who's really deep into social media says the worst way to use it is to play for ads," Budnitz says. "You're paying for people to see things they wouldn't organically want to see, so their interest level is fairly low... If you put up stuff that people are really interested in, you can gain a relatively large following fairly fast."
So with that creative caveat in mind, is it even worthwhile for a brand to join Ello right now?
Rachel Tipograph, the CEO of TIPO Entertainment and the former global director of digital and social media at Gap, believes that at scale the platform could occupy a position similar to Tumblr. Ello won't release numbers on how many active users it has, but it's safe to say it's significantly smaller than most well-known social networks. So with the site's current reach, the question brands face is whether engaging this specific community is a good investment. It might be if they find that the platform serves potential customers they're not reaching, Tipograph says, or if existing customers are using it.
The obvious reason to get on a buzzy social network like Ello is to make a PR play. The electronics company Sonos got press for joining early and promptly failing to create a single post. But as Tipograph points out, it could also be a good way to connect with creatives, hear their ideas and put new products in their hands.
Lest we forget that there are some in the industry who care more about design than they do the pursuit of sales figures, Ello could very well be a space for fashion creatives to meet potential collaborators, even across disciplines. Foley's experience on the site would suggest that it can be a fruitful outlet for artists. The trouble is that when you get to the corporate side of things, Ello's policy of not selling ads or consumer data makes measuring return on investment difficult. And that's something companies need to see.
"Brands and community managers have jumped around to the places where their fans are, but beyond a loose gauge of impressions and any sort of tracking you'd be able to bring to the table via tools like Omniture or Google Analytics, I don't think there's much on Ello that gives brand managers a way to calculate ROI to justify spending time on the platform, or tools to assess whether or not its audience is there," says Ben Breier, a social media consultant who recently authored a popular Medium post on Ello's relationship to brands.
According to Danielle Bailey, a researcher at L2 Inc focusing on luxury labels' use of social media, brands are engaged on an average of 7.5 social platforms. But thanks to fixed resources and diminishing returns, they may have to winnow their selections of social outlets in the near future.
"Brands are no longer interested in social as spaces for community building and engagement. The shakeout in social is happening, brands and investors are starting to demand real returns," Bailey wrote in an email to Fashionista.
So while some brands will of course chase marketing on Ello — and remember, even the least overtly promotional post is an advertisement — perhaps many of them will elect not to push too hard onto Ello. We'll be waiting to see. The platform is, after all, still in beta.
Homepage photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images


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No more farmed salmon, Target shoppers. The retail giant's getting on board with what anyone who's been toting around one of those dorky but useful wallet-sized "Seafood Selectors" has known for at least a decade now and is replacing the PCB-laden fish with the healthier, wild variety. Better late than never. It is the first U.S. major retailer to do so according to the Financial Times.
The paper says that the likely increase in pressure on wild salmon populations will be tempered by the development of sustainable fisheries as well as by increasing prices that will drive down consumer demand.
Farmed and Atlantic salmon are cited as "eco-worst" by the Environmental Defense Fund's "Seafood Selector" as a result of the polluted, contained environment they are raised in. Wild-caught Alaskan salmon are "eco-best" because they come from a less-polluted environment. Wild salmon from Washington is considered "eco-ok."


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General Motors Co. Chevrolet Traverse Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) sit on the assembly line at the company’s assembly plant in Lansing Delta Township in Lansing, Michigan on Friday, February 21, 2020.
Jeff Kowalsky | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Vehicle sales and production at General Motors will be more severely affected by the global chip shortage in the second half of the year than previously expected.
The shortage will reduce GM’s wholesale shipments by about 200,000 vehicles in North America in the second half of the year, compared to the 1.1 million shipped in the first half, said GM chief financial officer Paul Jacobson on Friday during an RBC capital markets conference. That reduction is double the 100,000 units expected when GM reported its second quarter results in August.
Despite the increase, Jacobson said the company is maintaining its latest guidance for 2021.
“We’re still going to deliver a year higher than what we originally expected in January,” said Jacobson.
The automaker last month raised its adjusted annual forecast to $ 11.5 billion to $ 13.5 billion, or $ 5.40 to $ 6.40 per share, from $ 10 billion to $ 11 billion, or 4 $ 50 to $ 5.25 per share.
The increase comes after GM announced or extended downtime for almost every one of its plants in North America for different periods of time last week.


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Changes in spending during the COVID-19 pandemic
Melbourne Institute Research Insight No. 20/20
Date: July 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown measures have widely affected consumer spending a key indicator of material wellbeing and a major component of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This Research Insight examines how COVID-19 is affecting spending in Australia now and in the future, using data from the Melbourne Institute's Taking the Pulse of the Nation survey. The author, Professor Dr Federico Zilio suggests that it is important for the Government to learn which groups of Australians need more support to help enact measures that put household spending on track to recover pre COVID-19 levels.


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Google, Microsoft and Others on China
I was thinking about the little flap with Google censoring its search results last night, and I wanted to clarify things.
I don't know that it's "evil" of Google to block searches for "democracy." It's not ideal, but the net result of having a good search tool is still probably positive. There's something of a moral issue at stake, but it's hardly black and white. If the choice is Google minus "democracy" searches or no Google at all, you can make a case that the compromise is a net positive.
However, I think there's a harder moral line for this sort of thing:
Reporters Without Borders said Yahoo's Hong Kong arm helped China link Shi Tao's e-mail account and computer to a message containing the information.
The media watchdog accused Yahoo of becoming a "police informant" in order to further its business ambitions.
A Yahoo spokeswoman said it had to operate within each country's laws.
When you sell out someone for sending an email and that person goes to prison for 10 years, you've crossed the line from trying to provide as good a service to the Oppressed as the Oppressor will let you, and become a part of the Oppressor's system itself. Pretty simple really.


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Superbrands, the independent arbiter and authority of branding, recently announced that it will formally recognize the best and strongest brands in the United Arab Emirates at Superbrands’ annual tribute event at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai Festival City Monday.
As part of the event, Superbrands will unveil the highly anticipated Brand of the Year award as well as the 11th edition of the Superbrands book, which has a two-page profile of each Superbrands.
“This year we are excited to see more local brands making it onto the Superbrands list including some new entrants in the market, in addition to internationally recognized brands,” Mike English, director of Superbrands Middle East, said. “Participation in the Superbrands book is by invitation only and acknowledges the inherent strength of the organization and its brand value. This event is a true celebration of many of the country’s highest profile brands.
“Getting onto the Superbrands list is both a prestigious accolade and an arduous task, where brands have to be voted for by our distinguished brand council members as well as by marketing professionals, who have voted through an online poll,” English said. “The brand which scores the highest points will be adjourned the top honor of ‘Brand of the Year,’ which we will announce at the tribute event.”


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UK-based Young’s Seafood is to reduce its workforce by 50 at a processing facility in Scotland.
Employees at the Macrae seafood factory in Livingston, near Edinburgh, which is owned by Young’s, have been told that the downsizing is to happen due to a change in shift patterns after the company made investments in automation.
However Young’s, based in Grimsby on England’s east coast, has said it is committed to the long-term security of the factory which, it is understood, supplies UK retailer Waitrose.
In a statement, Bill Showalter, chief executive of Young’s, said: “Over the past two years, Macrae has made significant investment in automation and process improvement at its Livingston facility to drive productivity and create capacity. This investment has underpinned our competitiveness and, ultimately, contributes to the long-term security of the site.
“The delivery of these improvements in productivity now require the company to review its present manpower needs and the company is now proposing to restructure its shift patterns and reduce its headcount at the site by approximately 50 roles.
“We are proposing a move from the current two-shift structure to one shift and will now begin a consultation process with our employees.
“We remain committed to the long-term success of our Livingston site and this announcement does not in any way reflect on the hard work of our skilled teams who consistently deliver excellent service for our customers.”
Last June Young’s announced the closure of another Scottish plant – its Pinneys salmon site at Annan – with the loss of 450 jobs. It has switched production from there to its Grimsby base.
Young’s was formally put up for sale last April by its consortium of owners, which includes Lion Capital and Bain Capital, but a new owner has yet to emerge.


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Following last week’s announcement that the rhythmic rail shooter Cosmophony was on its way to the Wii U eShop thanks to the assistance of partner Bento Studio, Moving Player has now revealed that’s not the only game it has in the works for fans of the Big N.
Wizdom will be released on the 3DS eShop in “a few months,” according to the publisher. The self-described ambitious project will put a spin on the classic Match 3 game by mixing it with time management elements in the form of potion making.
Outside of the gameplay basics, players will take on the role of a ‘potionist’ while they are transported across four realms, and attempt to find a cure for his master. Wizdom aims to deliver both a colourful and brand new gameplay experience.
Let us know in the comments if you'll be keeping tabs on this upcoming 3DS eShop title.


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Martinez said he began using Billinero several months ago specifically to start a savings account for his 5-year-old son, Giovanni. He said it’s been exciting to see how small deposits quickly add up in his Billinero account, and he’s going to use the prize money to build on the savings he’s already grown.
“I figured it was a really easy way to get ahead of the game and get saving for his future,” Martinez said. “I like the app because the money that goes into the account is out of sight, out of mind.”
Chris Campbell, Executive Vice President of Billinero, said parents who aren’t sure they can start a college fund can easily use Billinero as a spare account to save for their children’s future.
“As a parent, I know the importance of teaching good savings habits early on,” Campbell explained. “Managing finances and saving isn’t really something kids are learning about in school, so it’s up to us as parents to get the message across. A lot of parents have been using Billinero as savings accounts for their children, and I think it’s great!”


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From the Newsroom
São Paulo – Morocco’s fertilizer manufacturing conglomerate the OCP Group saw its sales to Brazil go up this year. The information was made public in the company’s Q1 financial report, according to which total revenue climbed 20% year-on-year.
OCP grossed MAD 12.5 billion – or USD 2.8 billion – in Q1 2019, up from MAD 10.4 billion (USD 1.13 billion) in Q1 2018, Morocco’s official news outlet Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP).
The OCP Group said market conditions were in line with its expectations, with prices higher than in Q1 2018, but lower than towards the end of the year, coupled with high inventory levels and lower raw material prices.
“Demand from India remained somewhat stronger than anticipated despite high inventory levels; European demand recovered from last year’s lows, and there was a modest up-tick in imports to Brazil,” OCP said in its report. The company also said adverse weather conditions in North America took a toll during the spring planting season, thereby keeping inventories high.
OCP reported that its Q1 revenue growth was broad-based, driven by a combination of higher volumes and improved pricing compared to last year’s first quarter, although prices trended significantly lower on a sequential basis.
The conglomerate reported EBITDA at MAD 4.3 billion (USD 456 million) in Q1, up 72% from MAD 2.5 billion (USD 273 million) in Q1 2018. Operating profit was MAD 2.5 million (USD 265 million), up more than 100% from MAD 1.15 billion (USD 126 million) in Q1 2018.
OCP informs that it is the world’s leading phosphate producer and one of the major players in the industry. It has access to the biggest phosphate rock reserves in the world. Established in 1920, it currently employs 21,000 people.
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum


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ZeniMax Online Studios has gotten “a great, great year” for The Elder Scrolls Online. This is a multiplayer online role-playing game with quests, random events, and open-ended exploration.
Game Director Matt Firor said that they have accomplished building on the success of the console launch of the game back in 2015 through the introduction of content and improvements on the system. Millions of players have been familiarized and engaged in the game throughout 2016. They indeed had a huge success this year. He himself expects the new year to be even more successful for the game. He has high hopes that this will lead them to many more years of success and growth.
The game would not be successful without its fans, according to Firor. He expressed appreciation and gratefulness over the fans’ contributions for playing the game, live streaming, leading guilds, giving the game feedback and sharing it to friends.
What to Expect in 2017
Since The Elder Scrolls Online got really good feedback in 2016, Zenimax Online Studios, as represented by Matt Firor, promise greater and even better content for 2017. The company will be banking on this previous year’s success. Firor teased that the company will be introducing “amazing new things” for the game.
“We’ll talk a lot more about the amazing new things that are coming to ESO as early as we can in the new year,” Firor added.
In addition, the recently announced Homestead expansion on the game will be having player houses all across the land of Tamriel on February early next year. This will be giving the players the ability to craft and sell furniture. Firor hinted that this shall be expected on the Public Test Realm (PTR) very early in the new year.
Matt Firor promised that they will be working on the game as long as there are people who want to play it. But fans will have to patiently wait for the new enhancements that will be embedded in the game for next year’s release.
The Elder Scrolls Online is now available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.


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When the Nintendo NX launches in March 2017, it will feature VR support in some fashion, likely with a Nintendo-branded smartphone-powered VR headset.
Nintendo's next-generation NX console was delayed to 2017 so that the Japanese console-maker could add in VR support, according to reports from DigiTimes. Sources from the console's "related upstream supply chain" told the publication that Nintendo plans to add in full VR functionality to the NX, further adding the NX will be a combination Wii U-like gamepad with mobile 3DS-like capabilities.
"The device features a 5- to 7-inch display, controller and joystick for users to play as a mobile gaming product, but it is also able to connect to a TV for users to play as a video game system," the sources told Digitimes. "Nintendo is now planning to add VR function to the device to satisfy the popular trend in the gaming market."
If the Nintendo NX does support VR at launch, it'll likely be mobile VR and not a dedicated Oculus Rift-like headset. We already know the NX will support mobile phones in some way. Nintendo will likely sell it's own branded mobile VR headsets akin to Samsung's Gear VR that users can slot smartphones in, and we'll see tight integration with Nintendo's new VR focus. The NX will be powered by NVIDIA's new Pascal-based Tegra chip instead of an AMD APU, but we're not sure if the Tegra will be powerful enough to push desktop-grade VR or not.
Given Microsoft plans on bringing VR to the next-gen 4K Xbox , and Sony has its PlayStation VR headset, Nintendo is the only member of the "Big Three" without a virtual reality solution, so these sources could be on the mark. I still think the NX will do mobile VR at launch, with the possibility of a dedicated VR HMD later on in the console's life cycle, possibly accompanied with an external GPU upgrade.
Furthermore, if the NX does support VR, I think that Nintendo will do unique features like VR spectating modes across the new My Nintendo network, or even the new MiiVerse. I think up to 4 users will be able to hook up mobile VR headsets to the NX to watch their friends play local games, or even watch remote VR feeds of friends across the globe.
Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima has already announced the reason behind the NX's 2017 delay, citing that Nintendo wanted to "make sure there were enough games to go along with the NX," and affirmed the NX would launch with a full software lineup.
Check below for everything we know about the NX so far:
- The NX is rumored to feature gaming at 900p 60FPS with 4K video support
- Devs claim the NX is incredibly easy to develop games for<
- The NX won't have a disc drive, games will be on cartridges
- The console will also have a portable Wii U-like controller that allows gaming on-the-go somewhat like a 3DS
- The NX will launch with a 'full software lineup'
- Nintendo NX represents a new way of thinking about console hardware
- The NX will support Frostbite, Unreal Engine 4 and Unity
- Nintendo's new console will also interact with smartphones and PCs as well as existing Nintendo hardware like the Wii U and 3DS handheld


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Pakistan’s present economic model, distinguished by its dependence on agriculture, textile-dominated manufacturing, and remittances, is progressively perceived as unable to address the demands of the contemporary global economy. In contrast, countries like India, Bangladesh, and China have adopted more adaptable and diverse economic models, leading to robust growth and progress.
Recently, Pakistan’s economy has grown more slowly than China’s, Bangladesh’s, and India’s. Pakistan’s economy, for example, is expected to expand by 4 percent by 2023, lower than India’s 7 percent, Bangladesh’s 6.5 percent and China’s 5.5 percent. These differences arise because these countries have different economic and industrial approaches. Pakistan was particularly active in its old industries, while India and China spent heavily on new technologies and improved factories. This allows for more creativity and new ideas. Bangladesh has also done well in textile manufacturing, attracting much foreign investment.
Another area where Pakistan’s economic policy exhibits limitations is in its energy sector. Pakistan relies heavily on imported energy, which strains foreign reserves and increases its trade deficit. China and India have significantly allocated resources to renewable energy, decreasing their reliance on imports and promoting sustainable development. Bangladesh has also been intensifying its emphasis on renewable energy sources.
Furthermore, Pakistan has a less varied export base than its neighbouring countries. Pakistan’s exports primarily focus on textiles and agricultural goods, which are sensitive to fluctuations in global prices and have low value-addition. On the other hand, China’s exports include everything from technology to machinery, making it the biggest exporter in the world. India has diversified its exports to encompass medicine, computer programmes, and high-value services. Bangladesh is progressively broadening its manufacturing sector by extending its operations beyond clothing production and entering the transportation and pharmaceutical sectors.
India has achieved substantial advancements in its economic transformation by implementing a mixed-economy policy. Following the economic reforms of 1991, India shifted from an agricultural economy to one emphasising service and industrialization. In particular, IT and services industries have emerged as a critical boom area, making India a global hub for IT services and software development. Moreover, India witnessed a boom in production under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, which aims to convert India into a global manufacturer.
On the other hand, China has adopted an export-led growth model, which is spectacularly successful. Since the economic reforms led by Deng Xiaoping in the 1970s, China has transformed itself into a “factory of the world”, focusing on manufacturing and exporting services, with massive investments in industry, education and technology to support this model. China’s model is characterized by high levels of banking, massive FDI, and integration into global markets, transforming it into the world’s second-largest economy.
In 2015, China began to focus on establishing an innovation-driven growth model. This restructuring aims to boost the economy in the value chain, reduce its dependence on cheap exports, and improve domestic consumption and other production. The main components of this model encompass the advancement of research and development (R&D), cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and biotechnology, as well as the promotion of employment opportunities. China’s strategic plan, “Made in China 2025,” is explicitly designed to elevate China to a prominent position in high-tech manufacturing despite already being one of the world’s top contenders. This method deviates from the old paradigm, primarily emphasising mass production and cost-effective transportation.
Pakistan may utilize global cooperation and external financial resources to harness its capital and experience to advance its technology and innovation industries. Pakistan should view Bangladesh’s achievement in attracting foreign investment in its textile industry and India’s success in its IT sector as feasible models.
Bangladesh’s growth model is characterized by its extraordinary achievements in the textile industry, making it different from other countries. It used cheap labour to become one of the world’s biggest cloth makers. This industry has contributed to economic growth and transformed society and the economy, such as infrastructure for women’s empowerment and poverty alleviation. Bangladesh has been trying to expand its economy in recent years through investment and has entered industries such as information technology, shipping and pharmaceuticals.
Progress made in neighbouring nations offers valuable perspectives for Pakistan. China’s progress towards an innovation-based growth model highlights the importance of high-value technology and services in modern economic growth. With its current focus on traditional agriculture and textiles, Pakistan may adopt an innovation-based growth model to achieve sustainable growth towards remaining competitive. This includes structural reform and capital investment in education, digital infrastructure, and a climate conducive to research and innovation.
Pakistan’s economic system is fundamentally different. Pakistan’s economic potential is constrained by its focus on traditional industries, making its economy more vulnerable to external disturbances and fluctuations in the global market. The main limitation of this model is a country with vital services, such as the addition of low-cost textiles, as well as promising areas for future expansion. Regarding the poor allocation of resources to energy technology, insufficient investment can be ascribed to the inadequate allocation of resources towards public education and research and development (R&D), which are crucial for fostering technological innovation and advancing knowledge.
Pakistan must significantly shift its strategy to implement a progressive development plan. First, there is an urgent need to dramatically expand education funding, focusing on STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). These changes will facilitate the workforce needed to drive technological progress and innovation. Additionally, structural change should be implemented to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. This includes simplifying labour laws, strengthening the protection of intellectual property rights and providing tax benefits for research and development,
Furthermore, Pakistan must build a robust digital and physical infrastructure to support a modern economy. Lessons can be drawn from China’s massive infrastructure investments, a cornerstone of its monetary growth. Similarly, fostering public-personal partnerships, as visible in India’s IT sector, can stimulate innovation and boost various industries.
Another critical aspect is diversifying the economic system to reduce dependence on traditional sectors. By exploring new growth areas, including renewable power, technology, and excessive-tech production, Pakistan can create new industries and activity possibilities. Bangladesh has efficaciously hired this diversification approach in expanding past its garment industry.
Finally, Pakistan may utilize global cooperation and external financial resources to harness its capital and experience to advance its technology and innovation industries. Pakistan should view Bangladesh’s achievement in attracting foreign investment in its textile industry and India’s success in its IT sector as feasible models.


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Our health and safety may be put at risk in a regulatory race-to-the-bottom.
The U.S. and the European Union are beginning trade negotiations on a major new treaty designed to strengthen the lagging economies on both sides of the pond. Unfortunately, if history is any guide, the negotiations threaten to wreak havoc on our public health and safety protections.
The possible result? More food recalls, unsafe medical devices, new hazardous chemicals, and a host of other potential dangers.
To reduce barriers to trade, the negotiators writing the proposed Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA) are being encouraged to "harmonize" American and EU regulations on products ranging from genetically modified foods to drugs and medical equipment. But the EU and U.S. have wildly different standards for many products, making it difficult to agree on solutions.
We can look to the past to see that free trade deals have often addressed this problem by seeking the lowest common denominator, not the highest. NAFTA resulted in weaker health protections for the U.S., including lower safety standards for foods imported from Canada and Mexico. Perhaps not coincidentally, in the past year alone the U.S. has suffered outbreaks of foodborne illness due to E. coli-contaminated beef from Canada and salmonella-contaminated papayas from Mexico.
For many special interests, the current TAFTA negotiations provide a new opportunity to weaken regulations on an unprecedented scale. Big businesses -- including the agricultural, pharmaceutical, automotive, and chemical industries -- are expected to pour millions of dollars into lobbying for standards that will do the most for their bottom line, but that could put the rest of us at risk.
One widely discussed threat is to Europe's food and chemical safety laws, which are generally stronger than those in the United States. Lobbyists from the agricultural industry, along with friends in Congress, are using TAFTA as an opportunity to force the European market to weaken their regulations on genetically modified foods in order to accept unlabeled imports from the U.S.
The U.S. pig industry is also pushing to open up the European market. Many U.S. farms use ractopamine hydrochloride to keep pigs lean and boost their growth. The drug is fed to pigs and other animals right up until slaughter, and minute traces have been found in meat. The EU banned its use because of concerns about its effect on human health. However, the trade harmonization process threatens to force our drug laden pork onto other countries.
Another possible European casualty of TAFTA is REACH, the EU's iconic safe chemicals law. REACH allows the European Chemical Agency to put restrictions on how chemicals are produced, sold, and used, in order to protect the public and the environment. By comparison, U.S. chemical rules are woefully outdated and give the EPA far less power to protect consumers. REACH is a model law that we have been trying to replicate in the U.S. and which the chemical industry sees as a direct threat to their profits. The chemical industry will be lobbying hard to weaken REACH, so that they can create a new market across the Atlantic for untested and potentially dangerous chemicals.
On the American side, consumers should be worried about the harmonization of medical regulations between the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency. The FDA is generally stricter than its EU counterpart, so any harmonization is likely to weaken American health protections. One glaring disparity: the EMA does not regulate medical devices such as pacemakers and insulin pumps. This has led to numerous fatalities in Europe, a problem the U.S has avoided thanks in part to the FDA's regulation of these devices. Now lobbying on TAFTA by the European medical industry could put vital FDA protections like this in jeopardy.
American consumers also need to be wary that the U.S. will lift its 16-year-old ban on EU beef imports. Originally put in place due to concerns over mad cow disease, the ban has also protected the U.S. from mislabeled European beef imports containing horse meat.
Fortunately TAFTA is still in the early stages of negotiations so there is time to make sure our decision makers find a better path. As negotiations continue, consumers need to keep a close eye on any proposals that compromise our public health and safety protections.
Economic growth is important for both the United States and the European Union, but it would be a tremendously shortsighted mistake to sacrifice our hard-fought consumer safeguards.


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NEW DELHI: Vodafone Idea
) and Zee Entertainment Enterprises
Limited (ZEEL) Monday entered into a strategic alliance for ZEE5
, an over-the-top (OTT) platform.
Under the partnership, the content portfolio of ZEE5 will be available to Vodafone Idea customers on Vodafone Play as well as Idea movies and TV app, the Mumbai-based telco in a statement said.
The telecom market leader said that its customers of Vodafone Idea can now enjoy the entire content catalogue of ZEE5 providing a seamless viewing experience via multiple devices.
The content of ZEE5 can be accessed by customers through Vodafone Play or idea movies and TV app. The ZEE5 content is available across 12 languages such as English, Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya, Bhojpuri, Gujarati and Punjabi.
“Our customers are constantly seeking rich and diverse content options and we aim to provide enriched entertainment to our customers by offering high-quality content on Vodafone Play and Idea movies and TV,” Avneesh Khosla, Operations Director - Marketing, Vodafone Idea Limited said.
In addition, Vodafone Idea subscribers will get access to ZEE5 premium subscription which includes original shows and films, premium movies, digital movie premieres of upcoming blockbuster films as an introductory offer.
“We have an ambitious growth plan charted out for us and through this partnership with Vodafone Idea, India’s largest telecom company, we will leverage synergies between the brands and further bolster our presence across the country,” Tarun Katial, CEO, ZEE5 India said.


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As part of a settlement of a class-action lawsuit accusing Monsanto of failing to warn customers that its Roundup weed and grass killer could potentially cause cancer or other adverse health effects, the agricultural giant has agreed to pay $45 million.
The payout is unrelated to the tens of thousands of personal injury claims filed against Monsanto and its parent company, Bayer, by people diagnosed with cancer after using Roundup. The claimants in this suit alleged Monsanto was negligent in not warning them of the danger.
Read on to find out what the Roundup case is about, who can file a claim and how much class members can expect to receive.
What does the class-action lawsuit accuse Monsanto of?
The suit, first filed in US District Court for the District of Oregon in 2019, claimed Monsanto promoted and sold various weed and grass killers without disclosing their potential cancer risks.
The products all included glyphosate, one of the most common herbicides in the world. While the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2015 classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans,” the US Environmental Protection Agency has determined there is “no evidence that glyphosate causes cancer in humans.”
Monsanto denies any wrongdoing but in 2021 agreed to pay between $23 million and $45 million to resolve the case. On June 21, 2022, US District Judge Vince Chhabria provisionally approved the maximum payout.
Which Monsanto weed killer brands are included in the settlement?
There are 19 Monsanto herbicide products containing glyphosate in the agreement, including Roundup Ready-to-Use Weed & Grass Killer, HDX Weed & Grass Killer Ready-to-Use and Ace Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate.
You can find a complete list of products here.
Who is eligible to file a claim in the Monsanto settlement?
Anyone in the US who purchased one of the varieties of Roundup, HDX or Ace weed and grass killer covered by the suit for any other reason than resale or distribution is eligible for a cash payment.
The class period depends on the state in which a product was bought. You can locate the specific time frame for your state here (PDF).
Do I need to have a Roundup receipt to file a claim?
According to the provisional settlement, no.
“Recognizing that many consumers will not have receipts or will not wish to go through the effort of locating them, proof of purchase will not be required to claim up to one Product for each year of the class period,” the settlement said.
The only exception is for the largest and highest-priced concentrated products, which will require valid proof of purchase.
How do I file a claim to be part of the Roundup class-action settlement?
To participate in the settlement, you need to file a claim that includes your contact information, proof of purchase or information about the product you purchased, the retail location of the purchase including city and state and the approximate date of purchase.
You can file a claim here.
How much money could I get in the Monsanto settlement?
The payment will be between 55 cents and $33 — or about 20% of the average retail price, depending on where the products were bought.
If the class member has proofs of purchase, there is no limit to the number of units they can claim.
Without proof of purchase, they can claim they bought between two and 11 units, depending on the state the items were bought in.
With the exception of the three largest concentrated products, though, claims without proof of purchase are limited to one item a year within the period covered by the settlement.
When is the deadline to file a claim?
The deadline to submit a claim or opt out of the settlement is Oct. 19, 2022. While the deadline to object to the settlement is Dec. 5, 2022.
When will class members receive their money?
A final hearing to determine the fairness of the settlement is slated for Jan. 12, 2023. If approved, payments would begin to be issued at some point after that.
Does accepting a settlement mean I can’t sue if I used Roundup and develop cancer later?
The settlement does not relate to personal injury — it only covers false advertising, consumer fraud, breach of warranty and other economic claims, according to the Top Class Actions website.
The settlement language “needs to scream from the mountaintops that if you participate in this settlement and later get sick from non-Hodgkin lymphoma your participation in this settlement does not preclude you from suing Monsanto,” Chhabria, the district court judge, said in an April hearing, Courthouse News Service reported.
How has Monsanto responded to the allegations?
Neither Monsanto nor Bayer responded to a request for comment. But Bayer has publicly repudiated the claims in the suit and reiterated that the EPA has found glyphosate is not carcinogenic.
“Therefore, a cancer warning label on Monsanto’s glyphosate-based products would be illegal misbranding,” a Bayer spokesman told Law360.
Bayer’s support for a settlement “is not due to any safety concerns,” it said, “as the weight of scientific evidence and the conclusions of all expert regulators worldwide continue to support the safety of glyphosate-based herbicides.”
There have been at least three high-profile civil suits involving the potential links between Monsanto’s weed killers and cancer: In 2018, a San Francisco jury awarded $289 million to a groundskeeper who used Roundup products and developed late-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
In March 2019, a federal jury awarded $80 million to another California man after determining Roundup was “a substantial factor” in causing his lymphoma. In May of that same year, another jury awarded more than $2 billion to a California couple in their 70s who had both been diagnosed with the same illness after using Roundup for decades.
Courts, including the Supreme Court, have rejected Bayer’s appeals and, in 2020, the company agreed to pay $10.9 billion to settle nearly 100,000 more lawsuits from individuals claiming glyphosate in Roundup and other Monsanto weed killers caused them to develop cancer.
Last year, Bayer announced it would remove glyphosate from its retail lawn care products by 2023, to “manage litigation risk in the U.S. and not because of safety concerns.”


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In a bold move that has the trucking industry buzzing, a group of influential truckers has come forward with an unconventional demand: they want trucking companies to allocate a dedicated budget for their TikTok ads as part of their comprehensive employee benefits package. These influencer truckers argue that harnessing the power of social media is vital for expanding their reach and creating engaging content that resonates with their audience.
Led by social media sensation and trucker extraordinaire Jake “The Hauler” Anderson, this group of influential drivers believes that TikTok offers a unique platform to connect with their followers and build a strong online presence. With millions of views on their TikTok videos, they have amassed a significant following and want to leverage this popularity to benefit both themselves and their employers.
“We’re not just truckers; we’re influencers on the road,” declared Jake Anderson, sporting his signature trucker hat. “By incorporating TikTok into our driver benefits, we can take our content creation to the next level and showcase the trucking lifestyle like never before. It’s a win-win situation for both us and the companies we represent.”
Their proposal includes a comprehensive plan for integrating TikTok into their daily routines, including dedicated time for content creation, access to professional editing tools, and a budget for promoting their videos to a wider audience. The influencer truckers firmly believe that by investing in their TikTok presence, they can bring positive attention to the trucking industry and attract new talent.
“We have the opportunity to humanize trucking, dispel stereotypes, and inspire a new generation of drivers through TikTok,” explained Emily “The Highway Maven” Roberts, another prominent influencer trucker known for her captivating storytelling and informative videos. “With the right support and resources, we can showcase the adventures, challenges, and triumphs of life on the road, all while representing our respective companies in a positive light.”
While the concept of allocating a budget specifically for TikTok ads from driver benefits is still a controversial topic within the industry, some forward-thinking trucking companies are open to exploring this innovative approach. They recognize the value of their influencer truckers’ online presence and understand the impact it can have on their brand reputation.
“We understand that social media plays a significant role in today’s digital landscape, and we want to support our influencer truckers in their endeavors,” said Mark Stevens, CEO of a leading trucking company. “We’re exploring ways to provide them with the necessary resources, training, and budget to create engaging TikTok content. It’s about embracing new avenues for communication and showcasing the diverse talents of our drivers.”
As the discussions between influencer truckers and trucking companies unfold, the industry eagerly awaits the potential integration of TikTok into driver benefits. If successful, this groundbreaking move could set a precedent for other industries and solidify the influencer truckers’ status as trailblazers in the world of social media marketing. Get ready for a new era of captivating TikTok content brought to you by the influencer truckers who are driving the industry forward, both on and off the road!
*All the posts on this website are pure imagination of writers, and they never happened. They are here for fun purposes only and not to give you advice. Keep your smile and stay healthy. Do not read while driving! Listen to our podcast instead 🙂


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CNET Top 5
Looking for phones? CNET's reviews of the best phones include photos, video, and user reviews.
How does the new Nexus 5 stack up against its closest rivals from Samsung and Apple?
Now that the Nexus 5 has finally arrived, we see how it compares with today's top smartphones and its predecessor.
We pit five flagship smartphones against each other to test out their photographic prowess.
For ages, the iPhone has been columnist Danny Sullivan's go-to gadget. But the Galaxy S4, with its large screen, has now become his "first reach" device.
There are now five smartphones bearing Samsung's Galaxy S4 name, but they're all a little different. Here's how to tell them apart.
Like the S5's internals, but think its design could use some pizzaz? Sprint's Sport is just the answer.
Can the Lumia 1020's 41-megapixel sensor and PureView processing make it the top smartphone camera? So far, so good.
Stretch your S4's battery life with a few built-in features and lesser-known tricks that keep your phone from draining quickly.
The iPhone 5 is the world's top-selling smartphone, according to Canaccord Genuity, but the Galaxy S4 has put pressure on Apple around the globe.
The iPhone 5 received nearly twice the rate of negative comments at launch compared with the Galaxy S4, but Apple clearly wins in the most important metric of all, according to social media analysts We Are Social.


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About a week ago, Broadcomm announced their latest concoction — the BCM2157. With this chip, manufacturers can add a shell, a screen, and some memory and have a pre-built Android phone. Goodbye steep engineering costs, hello dual-core, low power, turnkey solutions. The news is pretty exciting for geeky folks like we are (and be sure to check out the source links for the technical details), but what exactly does this mean for everyone else? If you think like Seth Weintraub at CNNMoney.com, you reach the logical conclusion — Android is poised to take the entire feature phone / low-end smartphone market away from Nokia with an army of sub-hundred dollar handsets. Not $100 after contract and rebates, but a hundred bucks out the door, with no strings attached. This is what Google VP of Engineering and Android head honcho Andy Rubin has referred to as “a perfect storm”.
The idea isn’t that far-fetched. You can already pick up a pretty feature-rich handset for $180.00 — the Virgin Mobile branded Samsung Intercept. Halve the cost of the internals, practically do away with the cost of designing a working system, and the magical $100 Android phone certainly sounds like it’s coming. And while some of us will turn up our nose at another round of entry level devices, one particular group surely won’t — Android application developers. When Android device sales creep up on the billion served mark, the Android Market will literally explode as software developers, both large and small, grab their slice of the pie. I, for one, can’t wait. [CNNMoney.com; Broadcomm]


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India breaks from Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership
INDIAN Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pulled India out of the 16-member trade deal known as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) while the nation suffers from a prolonged economic slowdown and unemployment hits its highest level in four decades
INDIAN Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pulled India out of the 16-member trade deal known as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) while the nation suffers from a prolonged economic slowdown and unemployment hits its highest level in four decades.
Like US President Donald Trump, who said he withdrew from the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal to protect American workers, Mr Modi and his ministers are now selling his refusal to join RCEP as a victory for India's poor, reported Bloomberg.
However, the move doesn't necessarily mean Mr Modi is giving up on big economic reforms. His past record with disruptive policies like demonetisation, a strengthened hand in India's upper house of parliament and four years left in his second term might mean he could still surprise investors with structural reforms such as a long-awaited loosening of restrictive land and labour rules.
'If you look at the macro situation, he has to create a better climate for investment,' said senior fellow Niranjan Sahoo at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi. 'And that will not happen unless you liberalise land and labour and other areas that have been untouched for several decades.'
For Mr Modi, the current domestic situation could not have been less conducive to signing an international trade pact designed to more closely integrate India's economy with the countries of RCEP, which include China, Japan, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
India's economic slowdown has worsened dramatically since Mr Modi won re-election. And although Indian politicians are averse to freer trade at the best of times, it would've been extremely risky to open India's markets to cheap goods from China, as well as agricultural imports from Southeast Asia, at a time of rising discontent.
The angst started to show up at the polls, with Mr Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party only narrowly winning elections in the states of Haryana and Maharashtra. Both states have substantial farmer populations that could have been hit by more competitive rice imports from Southeast Asia and concerns were mounting about India's manufacturing sector, which has seen auto-makers suffer a major decline in sales.
'The decision by Prime Minister Modi to pull India out of the RCEP negotiations reflects considerable concerns domestically about the potential impact of RCEP on Indian industry,' said IHS Markit Asia Pacific chief economist Rajiv Biswas. 'The Indian economy is experiencing a significant slowdown in growth momentum currently, with sectors like autos and capital goods experiencing a severe slump.'
India already has free trade agreements with some parties to RCEP, including Asean, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan. One Indian official, who asked not to be named, criticized these deals for dramatically increasing India's trade deficit and hurting domestic industry, and said the government couldn't go ahead with RCEP before renegotiating parts of these deals.


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Leica has announced the S3 medium-format camera – an S2 successor with a 64MP sensor capable of 4K video.
Allison has her father to thank for introducing her to photography at a young age. She's written professionally about cameras and consumer technology since 2008, including several years as Editor of DigitalCameraReview.com. She comes to DPReview from North Carolina where she wrote about smartphones, ate more biscuits than she'd care to admit to and spent several months accumulating bruises while training to become a roller girl. She's excited to be writing about photography again full-time and eager to explore Seattle with a camera at her side. Her Instagram account is shamelessly flooded with photos of her cat.
mobileSep 12, 2018 at 18:58
Apple has unveiled the next generation of its iPhone X in the form of three variants: the 5.8" iPhone XS and 6.5" iPhone XS Max with OLED screens, and the 6.1" iPhone XR with an LCD and single rear camera.
Aug 31, 2018 at 20:21
Over the past few days, rumor sites seem to have come to a consensus that Canon will launch a full-frame mirrorless camera in the very near future. Today, Nokishita published a list of lenses that will supposedly launch with the system.
Aug 23, 2018 at 08:29
Nikon will sell an optional Dot Sight accessory to help telephoto photographers better track moving subjects.
Aug 17, 2018 at 13:00
A veteran wildlife photographer and typically a Nikon shooter, Aaron Baggenstos took the Sony a9 on a recent trip to the Alaskan Wilderness. Find out his impressions of the camera and see some of the incredible images he was able to capture.
Aug 15, 2018 at 14:00
In a press release issued this morning, Sony announced it has sold more full-frame cameras than any other brand in the US over the past six months, measured both by units sold and by value.
mobileAug 9, 2018 at 21:27
We got some quick hands-on time with Samsung's newest, biggest Galaxy smartphone at the company's launch event. Here are the most noteworthy camera features we uncovered.
mobileAug 9, 2018 at 16:47
At a high-profile launch event in New York, Samsung took the wraps off its next Note device. The Galaxy Note 9 borrows the S9+'s 12MP dual-aperture dual-cam, with OIS in both cameras and an emphasis on AI-enhanced shooting modes.
mobileAug 6, 2018 at 20:32
Android 9, also known as 'Pie,' will add support for the HEIF image format and will allow third-party app developers to access multiple camera streams simultaneously.
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from Seven types of aircraft - lighter than air
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FIUK’s report disproves that a Samsung Galaxy S3 exploded in a user’s car.
A few weeks back PCR reported that a smartphone owner claimed that their Galaxy S3 exploded whilst mounted in their car.
After investigating the incident FIUK (Fire Investigations UK) stated that: "The only way it was possible to produce damage similar to the damage recorded within the owner’s damaged device was to place the devices or component parts within a domestic microwave."
The owner of the smartphone claim that they were driving along with the phone mounted in the car, when suddenly a white flame, sparks and a bang came out it.
After posting a series of pictures on an a forum under the username Dillo2k10 and drawing a lot of attention to the ‘explosion’, the phone owner was contacted directly by Samsung and given a replacement phone as well as other freebies.
Since the release of the report, Dillo2k10 has added the following post to their original thread: "I would like to retract my original statement. The damage to the phone was caused by another person, although they were attempting to recover the phone from water this later caused the damage shown on the phone.”
"It occurred due to a large amount of external energy and there was no fault with the phone. This was not a deliberate act but a stupid mistake."
Want to receive up-to-the-minute tech news straight to your inbox? Then click here to sign up for the completely free PCR Daily Digest and Newsflash email services. You can also follow PCR on Twitter and Facebook.


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The Xperia Z, set for a March launch, will run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box but Sony announced it will be updated to Android 4.2 “shortly after.” Unfortunately, that’s about as specific as we’ve come to expect from manufacturers regarding update ETAs. Looking back on the Android 4.2 announcement, it doesn’t look like the Xperia Z’s update will be too extreme. It’s doubtful Sony will scrap its camera and keyboard for their stock Android equivalent and the only other major 4.2 enhancement I can think of was to Android Beam. We’ll let you know if we learn of any specifics related to the update. In the meantime, feel free to go back and check out our hands on with the Xperia Z from CES.
A few days ago information about the Sony Xperia Tablet Z (SO-03E) leaked. Why they didn’t show it at CES is anyone’s guess. We were thinking that it would show up at Mobile World Congress at the end of February, but it looks like it NTT DoCoMo in Japan will announce it next week on January 22. They will also display it in the DoCoMo Smartphone Lounge from January 23 through January 27.
The leaked specs include a 10.1-inch 1080p display, a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU, a 6,000 mAh battery, NFC, and it’s supposed to be only 6.9mm thick. There will be an LTE version and like the Xperia Z and Xperia ZL, it’s water and dust proof.
If you’re lucky enough to have a PlayStation Certified device, you will want to check out the PlayStation Store because Sony is giving away one free game each week for the next six weeks. This week’s game is Samurai Beatdown, which is a rhythmic-action scroller. The service is only available in Japan, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Australia. Now you won’t find a lot of devices that have the PlayStation Certification. It’s mostly Sony branded with a few Sharp and HTC devices, but we have the complete list after the break as well as the trailer video for Samurai Beatdown.
There’s no doubt the Sony Xperia ZL smartphone was one of the big stars at last week’s CES and while this device probably will only arrive in a standard black or white color variation— we now have an idea of how it will look in an attractive, yet slightly outrageous color. Sony recently held an Xperia ZL launch event for the South East Asian markets and brought with it a special edition red color of the smartphone. As you can see, the device still features that sexy and sleek design with its glossy black display— but has an almost blood-red metallic backing. In addition, there are some slabs of black lines that hug the outside edges of the phone. Pretty attractive indeed, isn’t it?
While this special prototype was on display at the event, Sony is adamant with its claims that this color will not be available when the device will be launched later this year. We’ll have to take its word for it now— but don’t be surprised if we see this bad boy creep up in retailers’ shelves at some point in 2013.
source: Xperia Blog
If you’re the kind of person who has a short attention span, Android devices are your best friend. Even though Sony unveiled their high-end Xperia Z just last week at CES, we’ve already got a new device to watch for. Some specs have leaked about the tablet counterpart to the flagship device, appropriately titled the Xperia Tablet Z, and it’s pretty much identical to the phone, except for the 10.1 inch screen. It’s got the same 1080p resolution screen, quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor, and, surprisingly, the waterproof and dust proof specifications. It’s also packing LTE, NFC, Android 4.1, and a 6,000 mAh battery, all in a 6.9 mm shell. If those specs turn out to be more than just rumors, that’s a pretty impressive tablet.
I think this would be a smart move for Sony. They’re slipping up in sales lately, so bringing two high-end devices to market to grab up some market share is exactly the kind of strategy they need. And after seeing the awesome interconnected media they were showing off at CES, pairing a tablet with the Xperia Z could lead to some really cool stuff.
source: Unwired View
Before a phone comes out, we always have a bit of fun with accidental preorders and some leaked product pages. UK retailer Expansys kicked off this morning with an attractive price point of £399.99 ($643.70) for the newly unveiled Sony Xperia Z. This was quite a bit lower than the other preorders we’ve seen, but hey, you certainly wouldn’t complain about saving money, right? Unfortunately, that price was too good to be true, and Expansys has pulled the price back up in line with other retailers to £529.99, or $852.91. Unfortunately, they’re only listing the black color of the Experia Z, and there’s no official release date. Still, though, it’s good to see some preorders, because that means official availability can’t be too far off, and I’m sure I’m not the only one excited to get their hands on one of these monsters.
Last week at CES 2013, the Sony Xperia Z grabbed the attention of many people, including a spot on our Best of CES 2013 list. At their press conference announcing the new device, Sony did not reveal any information about pricing or a release schedule other than the vague first quarter of 2013. That status has not yet changed, but the smartphone did show up over the weekend on the web site of Slovakian retailer MP3.SK for pre-order. No fulfillment date is available on the site which lists the device for 605.99 Euro, or about $810 USD.
via: Android Central
With Sony’s first 4G phone being debuted at CES in the Xperia Z, they plan on releasing plenty more 4G this this upcoming year. John Featherstone, the head of Sony’s mobile business operations in Oceania reportedly said that “Around 8% of our phones for 2013 will be 4G…all of them around the mid- to top-tier devices.”
With the Sony Xperia Z expected to hit several US carriers, Sony certainly has some excitement brewing in their mobile department. Will you give Sony Android devices a shot this year?
Well— it certainly didn’t take very long for us to find out about when we have an idea of when that sexy new Sony Xperia Z would be available to order. UK retailer Phones4U has announced that residents in the UK will be able to order the phone from March 1st. In addition, Phones4U will be offering select customers the option to pre-order the device in order to ensure that they will be able to secure a device– just in case well you know— it sells out and all like other devices. There’s no word on how much the device will cost as of now, but we’re pretty sure it will more than likely cost a pretty penny…
It’s one thing for a manufacturer to make a flagship phone, but the content is the key. Everyone is fighting to make their own ecosystem. Sony already has Sony Unlimited and PlayStation Mobile, but they know everyone likes to use their phone or tablet while watching TV. That’s why they created the TV SideView app. It lets you control your TV as well as search for what’s playing. It will even make recommendations. If you want to push content, you can do it with compatible Sony TVs. Check out the hands on video after the break.


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Who doesn't love bacon?
- John Cook
Seattle may be known for software and jets. But it is also getting a reputation for bacon. That's right, bacon.
The Zino Society announced this week that J&D's Foods -- maker of Bacon Salt, Baconnaise and BaconPOP microwave popcorn -- won the top $50,000 prize at the investment group's Zino Marketplace Investment Forum.
J&D Foods, whose tagline is "everything should taste like bacon," was started by former Jobster employees Dave Lefkow and Justin Esch. Some of the company's products -- which have been hilariously featured on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart -- are now being rolled out at Kroger and Walmart stores.
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Bitcoin hits record high of $62,575
Bitcoin hit a record of $62,741 on Tuesday, extending its 2021 rally to new heights a day ahead of Coinbase’s initial public offering, Reuters reports.
The largest U.S. cryptocurrency exchange’s listing on the Nasdaq on Wednesday is considered a landmark victory for cryptocurrency advocates.
The world’s biggest cryptocurrency, which has growing mainstream acceptance as an investment and a means of payment, rose as much as 5% on Tuesday. Smaller rival Ethereum also reached a record high of $2,205.
Major firms including BNY Mellon, Mastercard Inc and Tesla Inc are among those to have embraced or invested in cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin topped $60,000 early last month, fuelled by Tesla’s move to buy $1.5 billion of the digital currency for its balance sheet. For the past two weeks, it had traded in a tight range.
“When bitcoin markets create new highs the price often range-trades and we witness a round of profit-taking,” said James Butterfill of digital asset manager CoinShares.
“During this most recent period have witnessed a similar profit-taking round, which now looks to have run its course.”
The multi-fold rise in cryptocurrencies is also driven by investors seeking high-yielding assets amid low interest rates.


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(I'm a passionate developer who geeks out on ALM (Application Lifecyle Management, TFS (Team Foundation Server, and C#). I love to build stuff and get feedback!)
The New York Times
– Jan 16, 6:05 PM
SEATTLE — Microsoft will invest $500 million to build affordable housing in the Seattle region, company officials said, in what would be the most ambitious effort by a tech company to directly address the inequality that has spread in areas…
The first Telerik and Kendo UI release of the year has arrived! Check out everything that's new, including new components, hundreds of improvements and the all-new Telerik UI for Blazor. At Progress, we pride ourselves on the day zero support our…
Written by: Harlan Brumm, Sasha Crotty, Ian Molloy, Pawel Piechnik The Revit product team is very excited to announce the release of Revit 2019.2 — the latest version of Revit — to current subscribers. Before we dive into Revit 2019.2…


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Bitcoin is the first decentralized digital currency, which was introduced in 2009. Since then, it has grown rapidly in popularity and has reached a record high of $11,000.
Bitcoin is gaining traction day by day. It’s not just being used by investors or traders but also being adopted by merchants to receive payments for goods and services.
It’s true that there are many other cryptocurrencies available today but Bitcoin is the most popular one because it has been around for longer than any other cryptocurrency and is considered to be the original cryptocurrency at this point.
Bitcoin hit a six-month high and was within striking distance of a record on Tuesday as traders bet an anticipated listing of a futures-based U.S. exchange-traded fund could herald investment flows into bitcoin and cryptocurrency assets.
Bitcoin, the world’s biggest cryptocurrency by market value, rose as far as 1.5% during the Asia session to $62,991, its strongest level since the record peak of $64,895 in April.
It is up some 40% in October on hopes that the advent of bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETF), of which several are in the works, will allow billions of dollars managed by pension funds and other institutional investors to flow into the sector.
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