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TOKYO, April 5 (Reuters) – Inflows into Japanese retail investment trust funds fell for the first time in three months in March as purchases by investors slowed after a run of heavy investment, although appetite remained robust.
Japanese individuals, who hold $15 trillion in personal assets still largely in low-yielding bank deposits, have over the last few months been investing heavily in equity funds, including those that put money into the U.S. financial sector and Asian corporations in emerging markets.
Cash-rich retail investors have been keen to invest in investment trust funds, similar to mutual funds and known as toushin, due to improving prospects for the global economy and the recent downward trend in the yen.
The value of initial launches of publicly placed toushin fell 28 percent to 260.3 billion yen ($2.76 billion) in March from the previous month, after posting strong month-on-month gains of 59 percent in February and 30 percent in January, data from Thomson Reuters fund research company Lipper showed.
A toushin from Nomura Asset Management, Japan’s top asset manager, that invested in financial shares in Europe and North America garnered the biggest amount of funds on its first day of launch in March, attracting 83.6 billion yen.
The second largest inflow was into the toushin launched by Societe Generale Asset Management that invested into shares in China, India and Indonesia, generating 49.2 billion yen.
Japanese retail investors started investing heavily in funds related to Brazil in January last year, but such appetite could be slowing with many already exposed to the area. (Reporting by Michiko Iwasaki and Chikafumi Hodo; Editing by Joseph Radford)


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While waiting for Apple’s autumn conference, there will always be a lot of exposure information to be released. Based on past experience, this information has a very high credibility. Today, we’re talking about accessories for the upcoming new phones.
Last month, the manufacturer of CaseMe mobile phone protection case announced the new iPhone protection shell, even now the mobile phone launch has not been held, the new mobile phone has not been released, but accessories manufacturers have already konw the phone design, began to design the protection case. They want to make money in the first place, so they have to work on this, not wait until the new product is released, and then start to research and make the phone case.
According to the release of the phone case. We know that there is a convenient switch on the left side of the iphone, which can make the phone mute quickly even without a bright screen. However, this design has also improved the thickness design of the phone.
From the picture of the mobile phone case, we can also see that this phone uses 3 cameras exposed before. For the new exposure information, we have lost one expectation for Apple’s autumn conference.
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domain: news


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Heinz Canada is closing its Leamington plant, casting 740 workers adrift and delivering a big blow to Southwestern Ontario.
“It’s like losing a family member,” Chatham-Kent-Essex MP Dave Van Kesteren said Thursday. “This company has been here for more than a century and their mark is everywhere.”
The closing of the 104-year-old tomato and vegetable-processing plant comes as U.S.-based Heinz consolidates production after being sold in June to Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and 3G Capital.
The company, whose iconic ketchup is found in fridges worldwide, earlier eliminated 600 jobs across its operations and will close a two-year-old plant in South Carolina and another in Idaho as it adds workers to remaining sites — a net loss of 1,480 jobs.
The setback to the regional economy, still mired in the fallout of the 2008 recession, comes only a week after another food giant, cereal maker Kellogg, announced it’s axing 121 jobs in London amid falling sales of the breakfast cereals it makes there.
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, who doubles as agriculture minister, was pointedly missing as the grim news filtered out Thursday,
The Leamington plant’s closing sent politicians scrambling, some accusing the Ontario government of not doing enough to keep the world’s second-largest tomato processing plant.
But a less partisan observer says the factory was a casualty of world market forces.
The plant grew up in an early-20th century world, largely immune to global pressures, said Ken McEwan, a professor of economics and agribusiness who directs the Ridgetown campus of the University of Guelph.
Now, all Ontario food processors are struggling to keep pace with international competition.
“That challenge is not likely to go away,” McEwan said.
The Heinz closing is one in a string that claimed a corn- and pea-canning factory in Exeter and a fruit-canning plant near Niagara-on-the-Lake.
But in sheer size, the Heinz plant was king — processing about 40% of Ontario’s field tomatoes with well-paying contracts that, for many farmers, dated back decades. Essex County and Chatham-Kent have depended on the plant for years.
“They have been the real mortgage-lifter,” McEwan said. “To lose that is a significant impact to the (entire) region.”
His observation was echoed by politicians and farmers.
“Today is a dark day and my heart is very heavy for the families affected,” said Chatham-Kent-Essex MPP Rick Nicholls.
Phil Richards of Dresden, past-president of the Ontario Processing Vegetable Association, said he’s “surprised” and “disappointed.”
The closing will hurt greenhouses that produce plants, truckers, seasonal farm workers and businesses that supply the industry.
“It’s going to have a domino effect on the entire economy,” he said.
Oxford Conservative MPP Ernie Hardeman, the Tory agriculture critic at Queen’s Park, called the news “devastating.”
“This is not a sign of jobs increasing — it’s a sign of we can’t seem to get people to invest in this climate and this economy,” said Hardeman, a former provincial agriculture minister.
The Heinz plant looms large — physically and economically — in Leamington, pop. 28,000, where the company is the largest employer and even the arena is named after it. Roadsides leading to Leamington are littered each fall with tomatoes blown from the massive shipments to the plant.
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WHAT OTHERS SAID
Sandra Pupatello, former Windsor Liberal MPP:
“It’s very difficult to imagine a Leamington without a Heinz,” said Pupatello, who now heads the WindsorEssex Economic Development Corp.
Kim Cooper, Chatham-Kent agriculture specialist:
More than 7,000 acres of tomatoes are grown in Chatham-Kent (worth $25 million), with roughly half that acreage grown for Heinz, he said.
“(Farmers) can go to other tomato processors to try and obtain contracts with them. Some will find innovative ways to use their specialized tomato equipment.”
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BY THE NUMBERS
1909: H.J. Heinz Co. opened Leamington plant
1,200: Plant’s peak employment
40%: Ontario field tomatoes processed there
2013: Heinz sold to Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital
740: Plant employees losing their jobs


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By Chito Chavez
Environmental activist groups urged the Quezon City council to immediately approve an ordinance that will protect consumers from mercury-laced skin lightening products sold in the market because they are hazardous to health.
The call was made on the heels of a public hearing where toxic watchdog EcoWaste Coalition, the Piglas Kababaihan and the Citizen Organization Concerned with Advocating Philippine Environmental Sustainability (COCAP), as well as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), expressed support for the enactment of Proposed Ordinance 20CC-439 co-introduced by Councilor Elizabeth Delarmente.
If approved, the ordinance would ensure strict public compliance by Quezon City’s business and commercial establishments of the nationwide ban on skin whitening creams, lotions and soaps containing mercury above the 1 part per million (ppm) limit set by the FDA in line with the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive.
Elsie Brandes de Veyra, COCAP representative and former commissioner of the Philippine Commission on Women pointed out that “mercury-laden skin lightening products are hazardous to health.”
To illustrate the harmful effects of using the skin whitening products, student interns at the EcoWaste Coalition showed the councilors enlarged photos of the victims afflicted with skin blotchiness, discoloration and scarring due to the use of mercury-laced skin lightening cosmetics.
Aside from serious skin problems, “direct and prolonged mercury exposure through the skin during repeated applications can cause damage to the brain, nervous systems and the kidneys,” the EcoWaste Coalition emphasized, citing information from the UN Environment Programme.
According to community leader Mercy Donor of Piglas Kababaihan, there is a need for raising public awareness about the hazards of using mercury-laden skin whitening products.
“Many ordinary consumers like us are not aware of the dangers posed by mercury-containing cosmetics that are supposed to give us flawless and whiter skin complexion. The passage of the ordinance, we hope, will inform public about these products that should be avoided to protect women and even babies in the womb against the harmful effects of mercury exposure,” she said.
Thony Dizon, chemical safety campaigner of EcoWaste Coalition, noted the paramount importance of local government’s support in putting a stop to the illegal trade of skin whitening cosmetics with high mercury content.
“The support from local government units (LGUs) in public information and law enforcement will greatly reinforce the efforts of national government agencies such as the DOH and FDA to rid the market of cosmetics with banned ingredients like mercury,” Dizon said.
“Enacting PO20CC-439 will demonstrate Quezon City government’s resolve to safeguard its citizens against health-damaging products, as well as provide other LGUs with a model ordinance that could make the sale of mercury-contaminated skin cosmetics a thing of the past,” he added.


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By Quandary Peak Research
Kenneth Weiss, the former CTO and Chairman of the Board at RSA Security, sued Apple Inc. and Visa in May 2017. Mr. Weiss is the founder of Universal Secure Registry (USR) and the inventor of RSA’s SecurID technology, and he is alleging that Apple Pay violates various patents he owns related to encryption technology. Below, we’ll examine the history surrounding the case and its implications.
Mr. Weiss, who founded Secure Dynamics in 1984 and was its chairman until 1996 (when the company acquired RSA Data Security), holds 13 patents for various authentication systems he invented. Most of these patents are in security and encryption, specifically relating to smartphones, fingerprint identification, and token systems for secure financial transactions. He founded USR with the mission “to be the enabling technology of the cashless society by licensing its proprietary authentication and identification software technology, entering into strategic alliances and cooperatively supporting third parties implementing USR technology”.
Starting in mid-2010, Mr. Weiss states he had multiple meetings with Visa higher-ups to discuss a commercial implementation for his technology, culminating with Visa signing a 10-year nondisclosure agreement for access while also assigning engineers to understand its ins-and-outs. Mr. Weiss says he wrote to Apple multiple times beginning in July 2010, offering the opportunity to license the technology for their use. He alleges that both companies then ceased to communicate with him – Apple never responded to his query, and Visa never secured a license for commercial use. Three years later, Visa, Apple, and other major credit card companies worked together to create the Apple Pay technology, which was released to the public in 2014.
The lawsuit argues that Apple Pay violates four specific patents (all of which are foundational to the platform) relating to technology invented by Mr. Weiss and held by USR – US Patent Nos. 8,577,813, 8,856,539, entitled “Universal secure registry,” and Nos. 9,100,826, and 9,530,137, relating to “Method and apparatus for secure access payment and identification”. The suit asserts that the defendants “have made extensive use” of these technologies, partnering “with each other and with other payment networks and banks to incorporate” it, but never entering an agreement with USR itself. The suit maintains that, after Weiss’ meetings with Visa officials in mid-2010, Apple and Visa began working together in earnest, beginning “at least as early” as January 2013, devoting significant resources “upon information and belief” to developing Apple Pay, with Visa assigning approximately 1,000 people to the project.
There is a possibility that all parties concerned will reach a resolution before going to court. While neither Apple nor Visa has publicly commented on the lawsuit, Weiss has stated his intention to “get in a conference room and resolve” the disagreements. Whether Apple is willing to sit down and negotiate remains to be seen – the New York Times’ Vindu Goel noted that the company has been especially aggressive in recent patent-related royalty cases, battling with Nokia and Qualcomm over what it deems as unfairly high royalties for use of their technology. The law firm that filed the case on Weiss’ behalf, patent specialists Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, have prior experience with Apple, having represented Samsung Electronics in several lengthy disputes with the company.
USR continues to evolve in the interim. Weiss made clear in a 2011 interview with the Boston Globe that “…he [was] not planning…to actually build [a] system,” but that appears to have changed in light of unsuccessful attempts to license their technology – they did not have an existing product when the lawsuit was filed, but a beta version is now available.


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Ciena is hitting new highs yet again today, adding to the 15% one day pop on Friday, which comes on top the the 100% eight week rally before that. Ciena's businesses are booming as the company sells equipment that alleviates congestion on the Internet for the big service providers. And margins expanding as they integrate their Nortel optical acquisition in a growing market place.
I've been jumping up and down and screaming buy Ciena for you dear blog readers in several articles, see Connecting to the iMess, How Ciena wins the smartphone wars, and Ciena's headed to $50. Here's why. I also featured it prominently in my recent report, 50 Stocks for the App Revolution, which includes a handful of names I think could go triple in the next few years. And it's also one of the long picks I featured in my recent report, 14 Stocks that Could Double in 2011 and 6 That Could Collapse.
Ciena's latest pops are catalyzed by the first-in-a-loooong-time blow quarter over at JDSU, which makes optical components that companies like Ciena buy to put in the equipment they sell to carriers to make the Netflix, YouTube and Yahoo and the whole Internet run. The thinking goes that if JDSU is seeing huge demand, then that must come because its customers are seeing huge demand. It's much like in the computer industry with JDSU being the Intel to Ciena's Dell, if you follow what I'm saying.
I continue to think we're still very, very early in the App Revolution that is driving the spending on so much in tech. And more to the point, I continue to think that Ciena's very well positioned to benefit and return nice gains to shareholders in the next few quarters and years.
I would caution against blindly chasing the name right now, and would suggest using a nice, patient scaling into weakness approach in the name. For much more details on how I'd be trading Ciena and to find out what other stocks I think could be the next Ciena, please be sure to check out my my Marketwatch Revolution Investing newsletter. Sign up for the newsletter now and get a free copy of my $39 eBook, 14 Stocks That Should Double in 2011 (and 6 That Should Collapse). And if you want to know how to invest in apps, be sure to check out my eBook, 50 Stocks for the App Revolution, which includes a handful of stocks I think can go up 500-1000%, by visiting http://AppRevolutionStocks.com. We also just published my brand new eBook, Ten More Undiscovered App Stocks, available at http://UndiscoveredAppStocks.com.


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China, home to the world’s biggest car market, is seeing a steep increase in recalls in recent years.
On Friday, China’s quality watchdog stated, one of General Motors Co’s China ventures will be recalling almost 1 million vehicles due to issues with their fuel tanks.
This is the latest in a spate of major auto recalls in China in the last few months.
General Motors Co entered into a three way joint venture with SAIC Motor Corp Ltd and Guangxi Automobile Group, formerly known as Wuling Motors.
The recall involves 938,686 motor vehicles, including two models of the popular Baojun cars, a high volume brand for the Chinese market which sold more than 2 million vehicles in 2016. Their sales figures have however dropped in 2017.
GM did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In September, the Chinese watchdog stated GM and its China ventures would be recalling more than 2.5 million vehicles over airbag issues. Over a similar issue, 4.86 million vehicles were recalled by Volkswagen AG and its Chinese joint ventures.


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MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — October 4, 2018 — Axonom, a global provider of visual and virtual configure, price, quote (CPQ) software, today announces customer Gerber Technology is unveiling a virtual reality exhibit of a modern micro-factory at the ideation conference in Miami Beach, Fla. The exhibit combines immersive virtual reality with 3D animation to give fashion, retail, and apparel leaders the most realistic experience to learn the benefits of a digitally-connected micro-factory.
The Gerber Technology VR exhibit transports attendees into a virtual micro-factory environment where they can see animated machines moving fabric from design to production. It gives attendees an immersive, first-person viewpoint of the hand-off process from product design to digital printing to automated cutting to robotic sewing.
“Virtual Reality is a first-class demonstration tool,” said Bill Grindle, chief marketing officer at Gerber Technology. “It’s an effective way to show each stage of the apparel design process – from concept in software to fabric to completed garment. In fact, virtual reality with 3D animation helps us build trust with the customer. We can share detailed information and answer questions in real-time while they experience fabric being digitally printed, cut, and sewn into a complete product.”
The VR exhibit demonstrates the interaction between Gerber Technology’s digitally-connected machines and 3rd party printers. It shows how data is passed seamlessly from system-to-system, automating the workflow, and minimizing human interaction. Attendees will learn how digitally-connected micro-factories improve product quality, reduce costs, and speed time to market.
“Transporting attendees into a virtual environment eliminates the need to ship large machines to the conference,” said Mike Belongie, COO at Axonom. “Gerber Technology’s investment in Powertrak VRoom is saving the company on added drayage, labor, and floor space expenses.”
The VR exhibit is powered by Axonom’s Powertrak VRoom and Powertrak 3D Product Configurator, and viewed with the HTC VIVE PRO, a professional-grade VR headset. “With VIVE Pro, businesses can experience the best quality display in addition to built-in high-performance headphones, creating a heightened sense of presence and immersion,” said Daniel O’Brien, HTC VIVE General Manager, Americas. “In the product design and retail space, VR is playing a large role to showcase how impactful products can be.”
All attendees are invited to the virtual reality experience exhibit located in the Embracing Digitalization Interactive Studio in Salon A at the Eden Roc/Nobu Hotel. The three-day conference features interactive sessions, workshops, demonstrations, and keynote speaker and fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff.
Posted October 4, 2018
Source: Axonom Inc


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Chennai based IT firm, Sify Technologies has recently announced that the company will be looking to invest in or partner with technology startups focusing on Cloud, Security and Managed services.
Sify had gathered INR 30 crore last month from Sify’s promoter group as initial capital for such investments and will keep aside further INR 120 crore for such investments in startups.
The company had stated that these investments or partnerships will be directed at companies that have synergies with Sify’s current business lines and is aimed strengthening and differentiating Sify’s current service and product offerings for domestic and international markets.
“Sify will also seek to leverage the Company’s intellectual property in India, create new revenue streams and increase brand awareness,” said the company.
There are various IT majors who had been working on similar plans of offering help to the startups such as the Cognizant’s business accelerator that has incubated 20 ideas over the past 18 months and Infosys Limited launched innovation fund of about USD 100 million.
A report by ET do states that top IT majors like Infosys, Wipro, TCS, Mindtree has been looking to invest in the startups. But in comparison to Silicon Valley where giants like Cisco, Google, Microsoft, etc have been actively involved in acquiring and funding the young startups, in India such culture is still in passive mode.
Nasdaq listed Sify Technologies was launched in 1998 as a Indian broadband internet provider. Last month it had revealed plans to offer net telephony by acquiring the new Unified Licence for telecom services.
To contact the author, email email@example.com


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ABERDEEN, SD—My Place Hotels of America, LLC has named President/COO Ryan Rivett as president/CEO, succeeding his grandfather and company founder Ron Rivett in the chief executive role.
Out of the gate, the new CEO told Hotel Business, “There’s a lot of strategic talk, both about franchise development and growth of the chain, as well as about brand-management growth and structuring the company to stay ahead of the growth.”
Toward this, Rivett indicated the company is working on “some new things that will come up in late 2017 and 2018 with respect to diversified products within the My Place parent company as well…potentially a second brand.”
The CEO would not go into detail other than to say it would be “diversified from the current My Place extended-stay concept.”
Ron Rivett will remain as chairman of the franchise company, which focuses on economy extended-stay hotels.
“It’s fantastic to have Ron here almost on a daily basis,” said Ryan Rivett. “He’s able to provide a lot of character and color to the things us young people are beginning to experience. He says very commonly: ‘There isn’t anything that you’re telling me here that I haven’t already done.”
The CEO said his elevation to the post isn’t really changing his day-to-day. What will change, however, is the focus on structuring the executive level of the company “and making room for us to scale the company up as we’re doing right now.”
Rivett said one shift is moving members of its core management team into different positions and elevating some positions throughout the company. “We are making room for new people to come in as well as making room for my time to shift and be a little less task oriented and more strategic-partnership focused.”
Franchise relations and development also are on his agenda.
Rivett expects to fill his former COO role by the first of next year and make some shifts in EVP roles as well.
—Stefani C. O’Connor
(For more on the new CEO’s plans for My Place Hotels of America, catch the May 21 issue of Hotel Business.)


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Published on : Thursday, October 15, 2020
Travel Leaders Group recently conducted a survey of nearly 3,000 frequent travellers and reported that an overwhelming majority of 99% U.S. and Canadian travellers are eager to travel again. The same report also states that around 70% travellers are planning to take a holiday in 2021. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) joined hands with Travel Leaders Group to conduct the survey.
Results have also indicated that 45% of respondents have already made plans or are starting to make finite plans for their next holiday, while 54% are currently thinking when they can travel again. The survey also showcased that 23% of respondents said that they plan to travel by the end of 2020, while 70% looks forward to travelling in 2021 and only 18% says that they will resume travelling in 2022.
More than half of travellers surveyed said that they are concerned about the risk of being infected when travelling on a plane or cruise ship, getting stuck and stranded away from home or being quarantined on a cruise ship or at a hotel. A lesser number named concerns about them or a family member contracting the COVID-19 virus while travelling, and worried about getting a refund if a particular trip is cancelled. More concerns have been witnessed about family members with higher risk health conditions.
A majority of survey respondents said the following health and safety initiatives at airports, aboard aircraft and at resorts will make a big difference in their decision to travel in the future alongside other safety measures and protocols like mandatory masks, social distancing, enhanced cleaning, temperature checks and access to sanitizing gel. Respondents also cited contact-free services and customizable room cleaning of resorts and hotels.
Nearly 60% of respondents said the requirement of a negative PCR test prior to arrival in a destination would make no difference or would be viewed as a positive, while about 40% said such a requirement would be a deterrent. Around 47% surveyed respondents said that they will prefer flying to their next holiday destination, around 21% mentioned they will drive, and 17% said they plan to take an ocean cruise, with only 5% opting for a river cruise.
For US travellers, less-crowded, outdoor and beach experiences topped the list of desired domestic destinations, with National Parks, Florida, Hawaii, Alaska, California high on the list while traditionally popular sites, such as New York and Nevada, scored lower. For Canadians, British Columbia, Atlantic Canada, Alberta, Ontario, and any other less-crowded place alongside National Parks led the list. Meanwhile, 38% preferred Europe, 34% preferred the Caribbean and 15% preferred Mexico for their next holiday, making them the top-ranked international destinations of interest, followed by Canada (for US travellers), Central and South America, Australia, Africa and Asia.
John Lovell, President, Travel Leaders Group said in a statement that the fact that 99% of travellers surveyed said they are planning a trip or looking forward to the time they can travel again indicates that as concerns about COVID-19 are addressed, leisure travellers will lead the recovery. He also mentioned concerns about tests can be addressed with rapid testing as authorities believe that the widespread availability of rapid testing will result in greater acceptance of pre-trip testing and encourage more people to travel.


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Physical retail, the largest private sector employer in the UK, was under huge pressure before the pandemic, with many prominent business failures. The enforced closure of specialist retailers for months on end has exacerbated the crisis greatly, with tens of thousands of retail jobs lost – including an estimated 16,000 in January alone.
Meanwhile online retailers, including the online operations of the largest retailers, have been among the big winners of the last 12 months. That should not surprise anyone: online shopping had been growing before the pandemic and this shift in consumer behaviour has greatly accelerated at a time when many shops are closed, and people are cautious about visiting those that are allowed to open. The online operations of Waterstones have been amongst those to have benefited and we believe the shift to be a permanent one. Even when shops reopen, the share of sales taken by our online side will remain higher than before Covid-19.
This said, high street retail will remain the preferred place to shop for the majority of people. This will be for many reasons, not least the sense of community and recreation offered by shops, cafés and restaurants. Those who are tied to the home – for the most part by reason of age, the old and the young as well as those who care for them – are especially reliant on the high street. In short, shops are social spaces in addition to commercial ones.
The jobs offered by shops are also essential to many communities. They are local and flexible, open to the young and the old who otherwise could not find employment, and with a unique mix of part-time and full-time staff. A Saturday job working in a shop is the first job for many teenagers, and shops equally provide jobs to many in the twilight of their working years. Shops are run by a core of permanent professionals with good quality, well-paid jobs. Especially in the more economically challenged parts of the UK, these are jobs that will not be replaced easily.
We should all, therefore, want high streets to survive and flourish, supporting the vibrancy of their communities by providing jobs and social hubs. The present experience of mass closures of shops should be deeply concerning.
This is the context for examining the disproportionate burden that business rates impose on shops, and questioning the contribution of this tax to the destruction of tens of thousands of livelihoods and the attendant degradation of communities. Business rates in the UK are the highest in Europe and as a proportion of economic contribution, retailers pay more in business rates than any comparable sector.
Even as the high street has lost ground to online, the tax has been increasing, with the slow ratcheting of the multiplier from 35% in 1990 to over 50% today. Beyond this, the manner in which the tax is levied is perverse. Infrequent revaluations have severed the relationship to current rental levels, a fact exacerbated by limiting the decline in rates payable for valuations over £100,000 to between 4% and 5% per annum. When a tax has become so incoherent, it is perhaps no surprise that the corresponding rate of increase is set to between 40% and 50% per annum.
The Government has provided extraordinary support to businesses impacted by the pandemic, including the business rates holiday for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors. This has not been sufficient to save all, but it has undoubtedly saved a great many retailers. Those companies, however, now contemplate the double whammy of a return to business rates and the substantial shift in consumer behaviour to online retail.
High street shops will have lower sales as a result when they reopen, and they will have fewer neighbours. The forthcoming closure of all 124 Debenhams stores and hundreds of shops in the Arcadia Group have made the headlines, but many others will not reopen. There is the real risk of a vicious cycle developing, with the closures of shops hurting footfall already under pressure, prompting more closures which in turn undermines the viability of further shops. The more vulnerable the community, the more likely this is to happen.
One means to avert this acceleration of shop closures is to rebalance the tax burden, recognising that the retail landscape has changed fundamentally. Physical retailers should no longer shoulder such a disproportionate amount of the overall tax paid by the sector. Rather, the tax should be balanced, with a reduction – or better still, the elimination – of business rates on retail premises, compensated by a new tax on online sales, something the Government consulted on as part of the Business Rates Review last year. A sensible threshold, as exists with VAT, should exclude small retailers and entrepreneurs in online retail, and thereby also ensure the fast and easily executed adoption of an online tax.
For a large retailer such as Waterstones, with both a substantial number of physical shops and an increasingly successful online operation, the overall burden of taxation would probably not change significantly. What would change is the present incentive to close physical shops, especially in more deprived locations in favour of a further concentration on online growth. The taxation system would align itself to support the most socially advantageous business strategy, rather than the perverse current situation where it does the opposite.
This would also recognise that dedicated online retailers will pay more tax and small retailers, especially independent shops, will pay less. The advantages to the high streets of smaller towns and the more disadvantaged retail locations will be substantial. Jobs in these communities, and the social fabric supported by shops, will be protected. It will also result in a small increase in prices for online shoppers, and a corresponding decline in physical shops. Again, the most disadvantaged in society will be the beneficiaries. Ofcom’s annual report on adults’ media use and attitudes notes that 13% of adults do not use the internet, with those aged over 55 or in the DE socio-economic group least likely to go online.
It is for these urgent reasons that I added my name to an open letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak, signed by 18 major businesses and organisations in the retail sector representing large and small retailers, landlords and staff, calling for a cut in business rates and a levelling of the playing field between bricks-and-mortar and online retail businesses. Such a shift could be revenue-neutral, and it would recognise how retail has changed. By making this change in his forthcoming Budget, the Chancellor could transform the prospects of high streets, helping to level-up communities across the country.
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The it mattress from Sleep Number uses sensors to track your biometrics while you sleep. The product's API can connect to other apps to gain a more holistic view of what's keep you up at night.
Night lights, a sleep tracker, and even a monster detector. Sleep Number's SleepIQ Kids Bed makes its case for a connected bedtime.
The broadcast will use a record number of cameras to capture angles that put viewers in the middle of the action.
The tech giant was the target of a patent troll, a company that makes money by suing other companies.
Bose has always taken great pride in its technical innovations and the quality of its products. But new CEO Bob Maresca is betting on a new approach to get Bose to the next level: telling people what this secretive company is all about.
The new it mattress from Sleep Number is packed with sensors that track your patterns in hopes of giving you a better night's sleep.
Scion, Toyota's so-called "youth brand" is being shuttered, but many of its models will live to sell another day, albeit with Toyota badging. Here's why that's probably great for sales.
This free app is perfect for freelancers, small-business owners and others who want two lines but only one phone.
A new highest known prime number has been calculated, clocking in at nearly 5 million digits more than the previous record holder.
Two FCA dealerships have filed a federal suit claiming, among other things, conspiratorial behavior. Naturally, the automaker disagrees.


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[RUMOR] Diablo IV is Being Worked on Under the Title "Fenris"
According to the latest rumors, Diablo IV is currently in the works under the code name "Fenris." The rumors have sprung up thanks to Kotaku's lengthy report on the history and future of the Diablo series at Blizzard. Amid all the information about cancelled Diablo projects, Kotaku divulged information on Blizzard's current project, Fenris. Sources in Blizzard told Kotaku that Fenris is the current incarnation of Diablo IV.
According to Kotaku:
Fenris is, all of our sources have confirmed, the current incarnation of Diablo IV. Blizzard's Team 3 has been working on this version of the game since 2016, and some who have seen it say they're optimistic about the direction. "[Design director] Luis [Barriga] has a very strong vision for that game," said a former employee, "one that a lot of people are excited about at Blizzard."
One key part of that vision is the art direction. During development of a game, many studios use what they call "pillars"—mantras that help define the game's goals so that everyone on the team is on the same page. For Fenris, one of those pillars is simple: Embrace the darkness.
Other focuses for Fenris include ways to make the game more social, reportedly taking queues from games like Destiny to add "light MMO elements," and returning to the classic Diablo art style and spell effects.
A source told Kotaku, "they want to make this gross, make it dark, [get rid of] anything that was considered cartony in Diablo III… Make what people were afraid of in Diablo II, but modern."
While a lot of these plans for Diablo IV may not make it to the final version of the game, they at least reflect two things:
- Diablo IV is in active development
- Blizzard is listening to fan feedback on what they want Diablo IV to be
And sure, this is still just a rumor, its a pretty well substantiated one. Which is fantastic news for anyone who was upset about the Diablo Immortal announcement from BlizzCon.
Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!


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Threezero has released a new image of its upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures designed by TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman. For Clutter readers, we had an in-depth look at these toys in our January issue when we interviewed Eastman, but does this mean we’ll soon be getting more details on the highly detailed 1/6th scale toys?
Friday, November 4, 2016 - 1:26pmDespite Hollywood's best efforts, the TMNT franchise is still standing. And the designer toy world is definitely getting their fill. Kidrobot, The Loyal Subjects, and now Unbox Industry have all put their own twists on the iconic reptiles.
Friday, October 14, 2016 - 2:01pmI don't often venture outside of The Block. But when I do, I make my way to Bandai's booth.
Thursday, October 13, 2016 - 1:46pmWhile Toy Tokyo mostly clogged The Block with lines for the latest cookie cutter Fuko Pop! figure, they did at least bring four amazing pieces to NYCC.


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11 January, 2013The second part of the Lennart Nilsson documentary was aired recently and made available online for streaming at svtplay. I recommend seeing it this weekend if you haven't already since it is only available until Sunday the 13th.
05 January, 2013During the 90s, Umeå had a big hardcore scene and one of the most known bands were Refused. They split up in 1998 and despite that, they are bigger than ever.
01 January, 2013Swedish television recently aired the first part of a documentary about the photographer Lennart Nilsson. It is possible to see online for a five more days online at svtplay. Well worth watching! I'm waiting for part 2.
01 January, 2013I'll sum up the last year with one image: I lost my brother. I got a daughter. That toy was my brothers when he was a kid and now it has been passed on to my daughter. She loves that toy - just as much as it was loved before.


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Someone Is Suing Bass Pro Shops for Not Honoring a Lifetime Warranty on Socks
Photo by Jake Ingle on Unsplash
This is how all those class-action lawsuits get started. One stubborn person finds a hill to die on and won’t budge . . .
A guy in Springfield, Missouri named Kent Slaughter is suing Bass Pro Shops for not honoring a lifetime warranty on some SOCKS he bought.
He filed the lawsuit this month. He says the company used to replace the socks when they got worn out, but they stopped last year.
Starting in 2014, he bought around 12 pairs of wool socks called “Red Head All-Purpose” socks. Bass Pro Shops owns the Red Head brand, and he says the “lifetime guarantee” was a major reason he bought the socks.
He must have worn them a LOT, because by 2015 he’d worn through his first pair. And when he brought them in at that point, they DID replace them.
They continued to honor the guarantee after that too, until last year when he tried to return four more pairs and got rejected.
They still gave him new socks, but they were a slightly different version. And they told him the new ones only came with a 60-day warranty.
He ended up finding the old ones online last month, and it still said “lifetime guarantee” on their website. So he bought another pair.
But when they came in the mail, the packaging had been changed, so it didn’t mention the guarantee anywhere.
It also apparently didn’t include a line about how they’d be “the last socks you’ll ever need to buy.” So that was enough for him to sue Bass Pro Shops and accuse them of false advertising.
Now it looks like it could become a class-action thing, where anyone who ever bought the socks might be able to cash in. So if that’s you, stay tuned.
SOURCES: ClassAction.org / USA Today


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Wal-Mart launches emerging tech incubator
Wal-Mart Stores is creating what it's calling a technology incubator in Silicon Valley that's focused on technologies that will change how people shop. Dubbed Store No. 8, named for an Arkansas location where Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton tested new store features, the new venture will try out and possibly invest in technologies like virtual reality, drone delivery and autonomous vehicles. Don't get your hopes up about shopping in the world's coolest Wal-Mart. This will not be an actual store.


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At LED/OLED EXPO 2015 (23 – 26 June), HaeChan Design revealed that through OLED lighting specializing brand O’CLESS they are expanding into international market as well as within the domestic market in Korea.
HaeChan Design was established in July, 2013, and launched OLED lighting brand O’CLESS. O’CLESS is producing using the combination of LG Chem.’s OLED lighting panel, and their own designs and ideas.
In this exhibition, O’CLESS presented diverse lighting such as night light, portable light, stand light, mirror light, and rail connection down light. Particularly, smart system that can control down light using smartphone drew much attention from the visitors.
Seungchul Oh, the President of HaeChan Design, reported that they “began exporting to Japan and China following the domestic release in Korea”, and they are planning to “expand the market as a global OLED lighting specializing business once the new business establishment in Innovation City Chungbuk is completed”. Regarding the price issue, which is OLED lighting market’s biggest obstacle, Oh viewed future of OLED lighting market in a positive light: “P company’s night light is being sold for 200,000-300,000 KRW (200-300 USD) but even with application of OLED and Retinispora wood, O’CLESS’ product has competitive edge with approx. 100,000 KRW (100 USD). Although panel’s price is essential as design and practicality are more important in the lighting industry, application creation appropriate for the high cost of OLED is more important. OLED panel price has already fell considerably and will continue to do so and therefore can compete against LED or other lightings in terms of price.”
In February this year, HaeChan Design installed approximately 1,000 OLED desk lamps with LG Chem.’s OLED lighting panels in Seoul National University’s library. They also set up booths in 2014 LED/OLED Application & Technology Show and 2015 Kyunghyang Housing Fair, focusing on O’CLESS marketing.


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British police have stated that they a man who stabbed three people after lunging at them with a large knife in a shopping mall in Manchester has been arrested on suspicion of an act of terrorism.
"He was initially arrested for serious assault and taken to police custody," Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson told reporters. "He's now been arrested on suspicion, preparation and instigation of an act of terrorism."
Earlier in the day, Manchester Police said on twitter that they were responding to a knife incident at the shopping mall.
Incident In Arndale Shopping Centre. pic.twitter.com/siOkmWZFgC— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) October 11, 2019
According to media reports, armed police officers are patrolling inside the shopping mall.
Footage from outside the shopping centre, shared on social media, shows police vehicles arriving at the scene.
Another video on social media shows a man on the ground with a police officer pointing a taser at him.
The UK ambulance service said that it was treating four people after the incident at the Arndale shopping centre in Manchester.
It is not known whether there are any fatalities.
According to recent data from the Bureau of National Statistics, the number of knife crimes in England and Wales is growing steadily. For the year from March 2018 to March 2019, the police registered more than 43,500 crimes with the use of knives and other piercing and cutting objects, which is 8% higher than the previous year.


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Today's NYT quotes David Geffen:
“It’s a major change for the industry,” said David Geffen, the entertainment mogul who more than a decade ago sold the record label that bears his name to Universal. “Each of these devices is used to store unpaid-for material. This way, on top of the material people do pay for, the record companies are getting paid on the devices storing the copied music.”
He added: “It certainly changes the paradigm.”
What are they talking about? Zune, Microsoft's new MP3 player, is providing Vivendi Universal with a cut of the sales. My fervent hope in this is that MSFT plays the same royalty shell game that Unversal plays with its artists.
It doesn't seem that way. Apparently, Universal gets a buck for every Zune sold.
This is monsterously bad.
Previous attempts by companies like Universal from trying to own culture and the devices upon which culture may reside have been struck down by courts. Microsoft has just handed them a precedent. "Well, Microsoft gives us a buck for their player..."
The entertainment industry's argument is that people can easily copy music onto these devices and not pay for them. But this is not the fault of the device.
Suppose that every record label out there decided that they should also get a buck from every Zune? Vivendi's power here is its size. It makes it a bully.
Their desire to stop plummeting sales is to ensure consistent returns that are not proportional to their popularity. If the RIAA tracked music sharing and ran some algorithm that declared "to each label according to popularity", I would be more inclined to like this.
The Microsoft deal is two giants with an interest in DRM creating mechanisms to seal that deal.


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Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $148.25 and last traded at $148.24, with a volume of 1252521 shares. The stock had previously closed at $147.01.
Several research analysts have commented on JNJ shares. Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded shares of Johnson & Johnson from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $155.00 price target for the company in a report on Friday, October 11th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Johnson & Johnson from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $158.00 price target for the company in a report on Wednesday, December 18th. Barclays upgraded shares of Johnson & Johnson from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $140.00 to $173.00 in a report on Thursday, December 19th. Wells Fargo & Co boosted their price target on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $155.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 9th. Finally, Atlantic Securities upgraded shares of Johnson & Johnson from an “underweight” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Johnson & Johnson presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $159.33.
The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $143.07 and its 200-day moving average price is $134.77. The company has a current ratio of 1.26, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46. The firm has a market cap of $385.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.11, a PEG ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 0.71.
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 25th will be issued a $0.95 dividend. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.57%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 24th. Johnson & Johnson’s payout ratio is 46.45%.
In related news, Director Hubert Joly bought 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 13th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $141.28 per share, for a total transaction of $706,400.00. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 5,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $706,400. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Kathryn E. Wengel sold 2,017 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $141.07, for a total transaction of $284,538.19. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 51,736 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,298,397.52. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.23% of the company’s stock.
Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Financial Advantage Inc. acquired a new stake in Johnson & Johnson during the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. Kessler Investment Group LLC acquired a new stake in Johnson & Johnson during the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Eii Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Johnson & Johnson during the 3rd quarter worth $39,000. Permanens Capital L.P. boosted its stake in Johnson & Johnson by 33.3% during the 3rd quarter. Permanens Capital L.P. now owns 400 shares of the company’s stock worth $52,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the period. Finally, Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. boosted its stake in Johnson & Johnson by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. now owns 416,526 shares of the company’s stock worth $58,000 after purchasing an additional 3,994 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.28% of the company’s stock.
About Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ)
Johnson & Johnson, together with its subsidiaries, researches and develops, manufactures, and sells various products in the health care field worldwide. It operates in three segments: Consumer, Pharmaceutical, and Medical Devices. The Consumer segment offers baby care products under the JOHNSON'S brand; oral care products under the LISTERINE brand; beauty products under the AVEENO, CLEAN & CLEAR, DABAO, JOHNSON'S Adult, LE PETITE MARSEILLAIS, NEUTROGENA, and OGX brands; over-the-counter medicines, including acetaminophen products under the TYLENOL brand; cold, flu, and allergy products under the SUDAFED brand; allergy products under the BENADRYL and ZYRTEC brands; ibuprofen products under the MOTRIN IB brand; and acid reflux products under the PEPCID brand.
Recommended Story: What is the S&P/TSX Index?
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New Delhi: The Union Finance
Minister Nirmala Sitaraman
recommends a voluntary scrapping policy
based on fitness tests in the period of 20 years for personal vehicles and 15 years for commercial vehicles.
While the details are awaited, and will be available soon, this is a welcome move for the automobile industry that has been waiting for a ‘Scrappage Policy’ for the past decade.
It will not only help replace the old and polluting vehicles and generate incremental demand but also lead to huge change in the commercial vehicle market where there are large numbers of old vehicles.
The industry has been lobbying hard to develop a scrapping procedure that would help rejuvenate the industry to replace older vehicles and also create residual industry out of these scrapped-older vehicles.
Many of the automotive players like Maruti Suzuki
, Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra are already probing scrappage opportunities in the Indian market and are developing it as a full-fledged sector across India, currently dominated by the unorganised sector.


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Jul 11, 2014, 8:39 pm CDT
The Hispanic population is growing, and knowing the best media options to properly execute your marketing campaign is key. Here are a few tips to make your direct-mail efforts far more effective.
Jul 11, 2014, 2:58 pm CDT
Construction is imminent on what would be the first sizable, top-grade office space built on Nashville's famed Music Row in years, if not more than a decade.
Jul 11, 2014, 2:02 pm CDT
How one Nashville resident is trying to stay at the forefront of the growing marijuana industry.
Jul 11, 2014, 1:16 pm CDT
John Seigenthaler, the notable Tennessee journalist and advocate for civil rights and the First Amendment, has died.
Jul 11, 2014, 12:29 pm CDT
The San Antonio Spurs just won the NBA Finals by using four distinct strategies that any business can learn and use to trounce the competition.
Jul 11, 2014, 12:15 pm CDT
If you told me I’d be the CEO of a company in a few years at age 27, I would look at the plastic crate serving as a coffee table in my apartment and tell you you’re crazy.
Jul 11, 2014, 12:13 pm CDT
A new property sale clears the way for developer Turnberry Associates to bring a 450-room hotel, 250 condos and upscale restaurants to a site across from Nashville's convention center.
Jul 11, 2014, 12:07 pm CDT
Airbnb, the poster child of the sharing economy, is planning a big brand announcement on July 16th. As this hotel disrupting business continues to grow, so are the number of homes people are willing to offer. Bloomberg RANX takes a look at five of the most bizarre listings currently available on Airbnb.
Jul 11, 2014, 11:48 am CDT
How the public perceives a company’s greenness is becoming increasingly important.
Jul 11, 2014, 11:44 am CDT
Clevertech CEO Kuty Shalev says he recruits talent worldwide and then gives his employees autonomy and purpose.
Jul 11, 2014, 11:28 am CDT
The House voted to let businesses write off 50 percent of the cost of capital investments in the first year, but making bonus depreciation permanent is opposed by the White House.
Jul 11, 2014, 10:23 am CDT
Whether you represent a Fortune 500 company or have a one-person shop, it is your human side that makes you most appealing to others.
Jul 11, 2014, 9:19 am CDT
The White House announced SupplierPay, a pledge signed by 26 businesses to either pay their suppliers faster or help them find working capital. Bold action, indeed.
Jul 11, 2014, 8:53 am CDT
It's a trait we rarely think about in a business setting, but Stacey Epstein argues that it's actually the most important leadership trait you can have.


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Malcolm Walker, ousted as chairman nearly four years ago in a dramatic boardroom coup, has joined forces with two former colleagues to buy a business distributing fish to hotels, pubs and restaurants.
They are buying Openshaws, a company based in Bolton, Lancashire, which processes and distributes more than 4,500 tonnes of fish each year. Financing for the deal comes from Lloyds TSB.
The deal was done using a company with the unremarkable name Netgroove. But unable to resist the temptation to have a dig at their former employer, the trio have now changed its name to Big Fish Group - BFG for short.
Meanwhile, the other BFG, Big Food Group, is expecting a takeover offer from its 22% shareholder, the Icelandic company Baugur
Baugur has signalled that it may bid 110p a share. BFG has three arms - the chain of 750 Iceland High Street shops, Booker cash-and-carry and catering supply business Woodwards.
Industry sources say Baugur is in talks to sell Woodwards to South African-controlled Bidvest, which already owns catering supplies operator 3663, if the BFG takeover goes through.
Bidvest has made no secret of its desire to buy other businesses to merge with 3663. Two years go, the group signalled that it wanted to buy catering industry food supplier Brake Brothers. It scrapped the idea after the Government said a deal would trigger a Competition Commission inquiry.
Woodwards lost £6.4 million last year on sales of nearly £120 million.
BFG had hoped to be able to announce a deal with Baugur by the time it unveils interim results, due this month. But Baugur has not yet finished scrutinising BFG's books.


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With the exhibition now less than three months away, Railtex 2019 is taking final reservations for the last remaining stand spaces, as the industry prepares to come together for three days of insight and networking.
Confirmed exhibitors will span every aspect of rolling stock and infrastructure services across three days of industry showcasing.
The 14th international exhibition of railway equipment, systems and services is UK rail’s premier event, where organisations meet, network and demonstrate products, innovations and expertise to the wider rail industry.
Over 370 exhibitors from 22 countries have now booked a stand at Railtex. Well-known names include Alstom Transport UK, British Steel, HS2, Hitachi Rail, PULSAR, Siemens, Stadler and many more.
Rolling stock suppliers including telecoms and networks provider ADComms, commercial toilet supplier Dan Dryer,hydraulic hose and connections supplier Flotec Industrial, component manufacturing and refurbishment firm Sabre Rail Services, and adhesives, sealant and coating provider Sikahave all confirmed their appearance at Railtex 2019, taking place between the 14th and 16th May at Birmingham’s NEC.
Covering the design, infrastructure, asset management and operations sectors, exhibitors including infrastructure specialists Adey Steel, switch gear supplier Craig & Derricott,track sensor manufacturer Frauscher, industrial doors supplier Jewers Doors, railway electrification specialist PFISTERER, and cable and pipe seal manufacturer Roxtecare all set to showcase their latest offerings to thousands of visiting key buyers, managers and decision makers.
Natalia Charman, exhibition manager for Railtex 2019, said: “As we are now less than three months away from the show, we have seen a large increase in the number of bookings being taken for stand spaces at Railtex.
Organisations in the rail industry know that the exhibition is the place to be seen this summer, and with all the major suppliers and decision makers set to be in attendance, we have the perfect platform for demonstrating products and services.
“If you are thinking about booking a stand there is still limited space, but we recommend you do so as soon as possible as they are disappearing quickly. We’re looking forward to welcoming visitors to the Midlands for a jam-packed three days of networking, insights and information.”
With visitor registration now also officially open, keynote speakers and details of the exhibition’s supporting programme are set to be announced in the coming weeks.A full supporting programme will take place, featuring the new Future Focus Conference organised by the Railway Industry Association alongside the show’s regular Knowledge Hub and Seminar Theatre both returning to the NEC, hosting a schedule of topical and educational keynotes, presentations and discussion forums, all accredited by the CPD Certification Service.
Visitors are being encouraged to register in advance to avoid paying a £20 on-the-door fee.Online registration is free until 13th May: http://www.railtex.co.uk/2019/english/visitors/registration/
For organisations looking to make stand bookings visit: http://www.railtex.co.uk/2019/english/exhibitors/stand-reservation/
More information including the latest list of exhibitors is available at www.railtex.co.uk


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The stage was set, the lights were on, and the aroma of Vietnamese coffee filled the air. The eye-catching orange theme ready to convey vibrancy and energy to the ballroom. As people in suits began to arrive, warm handshakes from familiar faces greeted them to signal the start of new connections with everyone else coming.
This year’s Vietnam Food & Beverage Conference is all set – Lý Gia Viên’s giving out fresh croissants, our friends from the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise brought in their best dairy products, Lacaph’s cold brew and hot drinks kept everyone engaged, and Andros Asia’s booth recharged the crowd serving refreshing mocktails.
But it wasn't just about the food (and drinks). Vietnam Food & Beverage Conference is a melting pot of ideas, perspectives, and experiences.
Thanks to Vietcetera and Mastercard, their collaboration to curate an unparalleled gathering, bringing together the brightest minds and industry leaders of Vietnam's food and beverage scene, has set the bar to a higher standard. Once again, on its fourth year, the celebration served as a dynamic platform for emerging names to join forces with established figures to explore this rapidly evolving industry’s past, present, and future of this rapidly changing industry.
The conference, which took place in both of Vietnam's largest cities, proved to be a resounding success. The first event was held on March 10th at the Novotel Hanoi Thai Ha in Hanoi, followed by another gathering of industry icons and experts at The Global City in Ho Chi Minh City on March 17th.
Despite being two separate events, the common goal of creating a knowledge-sharing platform for the food and beverage industry remained the same. Attendees left with a deeper appreciation of Vietnamese cuisine and newfound knowledge of the fast-changing F&B landscape.
The Vietnam Food & Beverage Conference ultimately highlighted some of the finest aspects of Vietnam's gastronomy scene, paving the way for further growth and success in the industry. Rather than offering a minute-by-minute account of the event, this article focuses on the sectors that have brought Vietnam into the spotlight and the leaders promoting them on a global scale.
Vietnamese coffee - beans and farmers
During the fireside chat, ‘Battle of the Beans - Exploring the Latest Coffee Trends in Search of the Perfect Cup,’ Lacaph founder and managing partner Timen Swijtink shared the potential Vietnam holds compared to other coffee-producing countries.
“Vietnam is one of the few countries with a distinct coffee culture. In comparison, other countries may have unique coffee cultures but don’t grow their coffee. In Vietnam, the entire supply chain exists within about a six-hour drive from each other.”
Timen also mentioned Vietnamese farmers as being key players in the coffee industry. They particularly support local coffee farmers and promote Vietnamese coffee internationally. However, they intend to change how they produce the beans. Since the country’s coffee production is 94% robusta, “we need to change the robusta farms from quantity-oriented to quality-oriented.” That way, they can produce high-quality robustas, eventually becoming high-quality coffee.
Despite the quality of Vietnamese coffee beans, the country is not yet proficient in marketing its product on the global stage, Timen said,“I recognize that Vietnam is an amazing product, but we’re not yet good at marketing them on a global stage. Not many great Vietnamese brands are super successful abroad, but they’re changing – we now have Mot Shoes and Marou. And Lacaph wants to be a part of that.”
With the robusta bean as its cornerstone, Vietnam's coffee industry has vast potential for expansion and achievement if it places greater attention on marketing and promotion.
Desserts - pastries, confectionaries, and whatnot
During the panel discussion entitled ‘The Future Looks Sweet: Finding harmony between local culture and international techniques,’ Le Tran Thien Hanh, head pastry chef at The Monkey Gallery Dining & Dessert Bar, said the future of the pastry and dessert industry in Vietnam is something she can’t foresee.
However, one thing she’s sure of is it’s going to be “totally different.” According to Hanh, chefs will become more open to expressing their personality through their dishes and creations. She said instead of applying what chefs learned from training, desserts in the future will “speak a lot about who you are.”
During the discussion in Hanoi, Hoả Quốc Anh, COO of C’est Si Bon and Olive Studio, said the demand in the “sweet” industry is booming. According to Anh, Vietnam is capable of supplying the increasing demand, and “because of that, the market is in good condition for growth in the next five years.”
Also in Hanoi, Ly Ngoc Thiep of Ly Gia Vien, a leading importer and distributor of kitchen equipment, discussed the changes and developments in the industry, including the shift in demand for equipment and the impact of technology on artisanal bakers.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a dessert discussion without chocolates. Vincent Marou of Marou Chocolate shared the distinctiveness of chocolate as a sweet product, the tendency to buy sweets as gifts in Vietnam, and how they incorporate local culture into their chocolate flavors.
Fine Dining - Michelin Guide vs. Street Food
In a fireside chat with Hoang Tung moderated by Hao Tran, titled “Asia 50 Best and Michelin Guide come to Vietnam - Pressure or Validation?” The chat explored the impact of these prestigious restaurant rankings on the Vietnamese culinary scene.
“To me, the Michelin is not the final destination; it is a recognition of what you have done and is going through. And it’s special for Vietnam.” Tung told Hao that even with the added pressure, they must operate the same way and remain consistent with their offer.
In another panel discussion titled “From Michelin to Munchies: Is it Possible to Bring Fine Dining to the Street,” Julien Perraudin, head chef of Quince, and Pedro Goizueta, executive chef and founder of Iberico, explored the challenges of bringing fine dining to the street. They discussed the efforts required to create an inviting atmosphere and the differences in standards between street food and Michelin-rated restaurants. The panel acknowledged that Michelin ratings might not be possible for street food, but they also explored how street food vendors can still provide exceptional dining experiences.
“The standards are quite different,” Pedro said. “I think street foods need another measurement, not Michelin Star.”
The discussions reflect the ongoing conversations within the culinary industry regarding the impact of awards and ratings on restaurants. They also highlight the efforts being made to create exceptional dining experiences, regardless of the setting or the level of recognition received.
Food & Beverage digital marketing strategies
Visuals are essential marketing strategies on social media. It is crucial to establish a goal based on the purpose and budget and create visually appealing content to capture the audience's attention and make them come to the restaurant.
Duc Bui and Khanh Ngoc, FPDB Creative's creative director and COO, respectively, are on a mission to promote Vietnamese cuisine and the food industry to the world. They emphasize the importance of capturing the audience's attention in the first two seconds and how visuals play a significant role in achieving that goal.
Duc and Khanh emphasized how social media has become one of the primary sources of information, and photos influence our emotions and perception of a brand. We often come across restaurants through word of mouth, great experiences, or sharing with friends and family. However, social media gives us suggestions on where to visit next and what to order based on visuals.
“Everything starts with a picture, and the first impression matters,” said Bui. It’s all about the hook, they added. The hook for any food and beverage brand is its photo. Visuals can create a feeling of surprise, uniqueness, straightforwardness, and curiosity, depending on the type of image. The power couple shared the three visuals we see online: single, editorial, and lifestyle.
Single photos of food can make us crave and feel attracted to it. Editorial images with arrangements, background color, and information can make us interested in knowing more about the restaurant. Lifestyle images can give us an authentic feel of the restaurant and the human touch and create a sense of familiarity.
They also shared collages that effectively combine editorial images with single photos to showcase the restaurant's unique selling point (USP) and attract potential customers. A consistent visual theme has become a trend in Vietnam, which helps establish a brand identity and differentiate it from competitors.
However, creating visually appealing content can take time and effort, especially for SMEs with limited budgets. That is why they instituted the FPDB Academy, offering SMEs an opportunity to learn how to take photos and create beautiful collections on a budget.
For Vu My Linh of NoFoodPhobia, who spoke at the Hanoi conference, social media used to be a platform for authentic reviews on food and restaurants. As a longtime influencer, she uses her social media accounts to express her honest opinions on the food venues she visits. Amidst the rise of social media marketing and using KOLs to promote specific establishments, she aims to deliver sincere and straightforward perspectives based on her personal experiences.
Two exciting culinary events are coming up: the Rising Chefs Challenge in April and the Vietnam Restaurant and Bar Week in May-June. The Vietnam Restaurant and Bar Week has been expanded to two weeks, extended to the beach city of Danang, and will feature more restaurants and bars than ever before.


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- Mobile malware making Australians trust mobile devices less over time
- Google project aims to preserve privacy when collecting software stats
- Privileged-account risk multiplies for Australia's cloud-hungry businesses: CyberArk
- Petition targets Apple over ‘spyware' in OS X Yosemite
- Vulnerabilities found in more command-line tools, wget and tnftp get patches
mPort - News, Features, and Slideshows
Startups are in an uproar over the killing of Commercialisation Australia and other cuts in the federal government’s 2014-15 budget.
Improving on the old coin-operated scale, a new Australian startup is placing walk-in 3D body scanners in malls to take people’s measurements.
- HP's move into 3D printing will radically change manufacturing
- Hungary ditches Internet tax plans after protests
- Sony's new mobile chief has hands full as handsets struggle
- IBM joins Tencent to target China's growing enterprise cloud market
- Samsung attacks Chinese rivals with new mid-range Galaxy phones


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“It is more affordable calling the other network from orange than calling within that network to orange.”
Now very familiar to most households, orange has in the recent past caught many people’s attention with its high note comparative advertising campaign against Kenya’s leading mobile subscriber Safaricom.
By use of its own corporate colours in the advert, Orange Kenya shows prices from simcards on orange to orange network and orange to a sim card that is definately assumed to be safaricom by many people since the green sim card represents safaricom’s corporate colour.
The advert emphasizes on orange’s low call rates unlike its rival telecommunications company which in the real sense Safaricom is quite expensive across networks.
Orange’s Tujuane tariff, charges ksh 2 for on-net calls and ksh 3 for-net calls compared to Safaricom’s ksh 4 for on-net and ksh 5 for off-net. It also favours calls from mobile to landline with the same call rates.
The move is definately in a quest to tap into Safaricom’s dominant market share for subscribers to opt for cheaper rates too.
The tariff that was announced the telco’s default option under its prepaid category of tariffs in the second quater of 2013 has also attracted a bigger percent in volume of traffic and revenue as well.
The unspoken comparison of the two telecommunication companies created in the viewers mind is without doubt a smart move.


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Tinder is testing a new feature called Tinder Boost that allows users to promote their profile for 30 minutes.
Tinder is a location-based social search service app that enables communication between like-minded people. The app is commonly known as a dating app, but it also offers other services.
Tinder users have to create their profile so that others can see them. With Tinder Boost, users will have to pay a fee so that their profile is featured as one of the top profiles in their respective areas, thus, increasing the chances of finding the right match.
"Tinder Boost gives you exactly that: a way to be one of the top profiles in your area for 30 minutes. Increase your chances for a match — you can get up to 10x more profile views while boosting," says Tinder. "Boost can only be activated while swiping in Tinder mode. If you have Tinder Plus, you get one free Boost every week. If you want more, or if you don't have Tinder Plus, you can buy a Boost any time you like."
Tinder has revealed that currently, Tinder Boost is being tested only in Australia, but hopefully the feature will be made available for other regions in the near term.
Reports suggest that customers who want to purchase one Tinder Boost will have to pay AU$7.99 ($6). A bundle of five Tinder Boosts costs AU$31 ($24), while a bundle of 10 will cost AU$47 ($36). Many Tinder users, who use the app frequently and want their profile as one of the top profiles in their area, may opt for the new service.
Tinder was launched in 2012 and the app has become one of the most popular hookup apps in the world. In 2015, Tinder introduced a subscription service that brought additional facilities to users. For a monthly fee of $20 for over 30 years and $10 for under 30 years users, the app allowed users to connect with those who are in other cities.
Reports suggest that Tinder Boost will become a permanent feature for subscribers of Tinder Plus. Subscribers of Tinder Plus will get one free Tinder Boost every week. However, they are free to buy more boosts any time.
Tinder is not the first company to offer profile boosting services. Match.com and Bumble are other dating apps that offer similar features like Tinder Boost.
It remains to be seen how swiftly the new Tinder Boost feature is made available to other parts of the world.


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Bloomberg reports that by the end of October, Amazon will no longer carry or allow its third-party sellers to sell Google's Chromecast or the Apple TV. The news went out in an email to third-party sellers yesterday. Amazon says it's making the move because the Chromecast and Apple TV don't "interact well" with Prime Video.
Other living room boxes are apparently safe. All three current-generation consoles—the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Wii—have apps for Prime Video. Blooomberg says Roku's streaming boxes will stay, too, since they also stream Amazon's service. The report doesn't mention Android TV, but Prime Video isn't available on that platform.
The lack of Prime Video on the Chromecast and Apple TV seems like a weak excuse to drop sales. The Chromecast is capable of displaying video from any Android device, and while Amazon doesn't have its video service available for download from Google Play, it's available to install on any phone or tablet on Amazon's own Android app store.
Likewise, the Apple TV can mirror iOS devices thanks to AirPlay, and the company has published an app for the service on Apple's iOS app store. At least one TR contributor has successfully mirrored Prime Video from an iPhone to the Apple TV. It seemed to work "just fine." The recently-announced version of the Apple TV will ship with its own app store, which seems like the sort of thing Amazon could use to publish a Prime Video tvOS app.
Some of the analysts that spoke with Bloomberg think Amazon's decision will cost it sales. "Fewer than 20 percent of Amazon customers are Prime members," Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter told Bloomberg. "I think that the excuse of avoiding customer confusion is a not-so-veiled attempt to favor Amazon first-party products over third-party products, and think it was a bad move." We agree.


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The next-generation P703 Ford Ranger was revealed to the world not too long ago, and with it came an exponential amount of information surrounding it. For example, the new Ranger will feature 600 accessories for customers to choose from at launch, three times more than even the Bronco. Ford also says that a significant amount are from ARB, bringing customers high-quality stuff right out of the gay.
With 600 accessories, the P703 Ford Ranger is exceptionally versatile, and Ford enables customers to personalize the vehicle to suit their needs like never before. So whether customers purchase a Ranger for work, play or family, new adventures are ready to be made. Recently, Ford has just released images showcasing just a few of the 600 accessories in action. In addition, we noticed that it looks like Ford will be offering a modular front bumper for the next-generation Ford Ranger that will be available with matching body color to the rest of the vehicle.
The Next-Generation Ranger In North America
The P703N Ford Ranger bound for the United States and Canada won’t be around until 2023, which is a little after markets like Australia and the EU. In the meantime, we will be getting special editions like the Ranger Splash for the current T6 model for the next two years before the next-generation Ranger will start rolling out of the Michigan Assembly Plant alongside the Ford Bronco. That being said, we will likely receive the hybrid trim upon its release in the North American market. We can expect it to be around for at least 10 years, with the product lifecycle reportedly scheduled to end in 2031.
For the time being, we have plenty of time to follow along with news about the P703 Ford Ranger and come up with ideas on how we might spec out the next-generation Ranger once it does finally arrive in North America.
Readers, just by going off the pictures, Ford has shown so far, what are some plans you might have for when the new Ranger arrives? Sound off in the comment section below.


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Retailers are instructing beverage companies to not supply tetra paks with plastic straws as these cannot be stocked starting July 1. That's when the ban on single-use plastic is set to come into effect across India.
NEW DELHI: Retailers are instructing beverage companies to not supply tetra paks with plastic straws as these cannot be stocked starting July 1. That's when the ban on single-use plastic is set to come into effect across India.
The development comes even as the domestic beverage industry led by Amul and Parle Agro has petitioned the government to delay the ban. Their reason: Paper straws are in short supply and imports are not sustainable due to the high cost involved. Several beverage companies told TOI they have received instructions from retailers to not supply packs with plastic straws. But, they added, they are sitting on a pile of inventory that has been produced with those.
"Ban on plastic straws on tetra paks will have a big impact on small businesses, as they largely depend on Indian suppliers," said Akhil Gupta, MD at Fresca Juices. "Paper straws have to be imported as their manufacturing here is almost nil at present."
Retailers, however, said that they are putting in place measures to implement the government's decision to ban single-use plastic, including plastic straws, cutlery, ear buds and candy sticks.
German wholesaler Metro Cash & Carry's FMCG team, for instance, has communicated to the company's suppliers that they need to be compliant with the ban. Similarly, Spencer's Retail said the retail chain will follow the guidelines laid down by the government on single-use plastic. Online grocery retailer Zepto, too, will evaluate packs to remove those that come with straws.
Amul, which needs 12 lakh plastic straws every day for its Rs 10 on-the-go packs, has even proposed setting up its own plants to for paper straws.
Bismi is a family-controlled venture owned by entrepreneur VA Ajmal who leads the business as its managing director. The company has revenue of around ₹800 crore. While the Ajmals are seeking a valuation of about ₹600 crore, Reliance Retail is currently negotiating on the valuation which could ultimately be lower, the executives said.
HUL on Sunday put advertisements for the appointment of new distributors for its brands in all major cities in Madhya Pradesh. The company, which owns brands such as Lux, Lifebuoy, Surf excel, Rin, Pond's and Dove, has invited people willing to invest up to Rs 1-3 crore and can arrange a godown with required infrastructure.


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The America Invents Act brought about specific changes to patent law in the United States in 2011. A previous blog post noted that the Act was effective in some ways, but it did not prevent companies from filing vague patents. These are patents that are not intended to be produced, but are filed only to create a cause for litigation when an inventor files for a similar but legitimate patent. This process, known as “patent trolling,” has inhibited innovation.
Creating policies and legislation that curbs the inhibitive behavior without stifling innovation is one problem that lawmakers face. According to the Michigan Telecommunications and Technology Law Review, not all companies that file patents without the intention of developing related products are interested in litigation. For example, many inventions are developed by researchers, and these may have legitimately filed patents on them.
The Atlantic notes that legal precedents have been set that may be reducing the number of these patent lawsuits. In some cases, the U.S. Supreme Court simply determined that the methods in question were too vague and therefore not able to be patented. In others, the judge ruled that the lawsuits were frivolous. Not only that, but in one case, the company that initiated the litigation was ordered to pay the legal fees the defendant acquired as a result.
Although some of the litigation over vague business method patents has been restricted, there are still many issues over software patents, which comprise a high number of these lawsuits. It is expected that current research about patent issues will inform future legislation so that the process is more effective for legitimate product development.


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June 7, 2013 |
Las Vegas will roll out the red carpet for dads on June 16, offering a variety of testosterone-infused challenges for Father's Day, from trying to stay atop a mechanical bull to taking flight for some barrel rolls. The PBR Rock Bar & Grill inside the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood will offer a special “BBQ, beer and bull rides” event. Dads who down a half-rack of pork ribs will receive a free 22-ounce draft (PBR, of course) and a complimentary ride on the mechanical bull for however long that may last.
December 23, 2013 |
Last-minute shoppers visited fewer stores and spent less money last week than they did the week before, putting a pinch on retailers who had hoped for strong sales during the final weekend before Christmas, according to ShopperTrak. The data firm found that from Dec. 16-22, revenue at bricks-and-mortar stores slid 3.1% from the same week last year. Foot traffic tanked 21.2%. Harsh weather kept many consumers from reaching malls, according to ShopperTrak. And many Americans now research their shopping lists online before buying products in person, which results in fewer stores visited per shopping trip.
June 1, 2012 |
Just ahead of Father's Day, new dads Neil Patrick Harris and partner David Burtka joined Oprah Winfrey to talk about the challenges and rewards of having children as a same-sex couple and of raising twins. “We really, really wanted kids,” Harris says in a clip from “Oprah's Next Chapter,” airing Sunday. “We really had thought it through financially, emotionally, relationship-wise. We didn't just accidentally get pregnant and decide that now we need to make this work.
June 12, 2013 |
San Lorenzo Bikinis has landed in North America, opening a flagship store at Fashion Island in Newport Beach. The company was born in Lima, Peru, in 1991 in a small sewing shop. Later it expanded production into Brazil and in 2005 ventured into Hawaii, where it now has six stores (five in Oahu and one in Maui). The company prides itself on offering a range of quality swimsuit choices, including custom made. The store is at 271 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. Events The “Teen Party Expo” -- a showcase of goods and services that are available for teen events including bar and bat mitzvahs, sweet 16 parties, quinceñeras, Filipino debuts and proms -- is coming to the Dome at the Queen Mary from noon to 5 p.m Saturday.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL
June 17, 2013 |
Bob Meistrell, who co-founded the pioneering surf and water sport supply company Body Glove, has died at the age of 84, family members said. Meistrell reportedly died from a heart attack Sunday while on his boat near Catalina Island. Meistrell was on his boat, Disappearance, helping mark the path for competitors in the “Rock 2 Rock” paddleboard race near Catalina when his boat engines malfunctioned, said Bill Meistrell, his nephew. When Bob Meistrell went to change the fuel filters behind the motors, he collapsed, his nephew said.
March 1, 2012 |
Help protect the ocean and get a free ticket to the Aquarium of the Pacific in return, at its 10 th annual street cleanup March 10, a Saturday. Participants will clean up streets in downtown Long Beach, and pick up trash before it can flow to the Pacific. In exchange for a full bag of trash, volunteers will receive a ticket to the aquarium, a $24.95 value. Participants will gather at 10 a.m. at Cesar Chavez Park, 401 Golden Ave., Long Beach. For info: (562) 590-3100 or click here . . . . A Tribute to the Music of Johnny Cash returns to the Ventura County Fairgrounds, June 16 . In addition to the music, get a rush of Father's Day weekend good feelings by checking out the personal collection of Johnny's daughter Cindy, who lives in Ventura.
June 8, 2012
--Ugg Australia, a division of Goleta, Calif.-ba sed Deckers Outdoor Corp., opened its first flagship men's store in New York on Wednesday. The 800-foot-square store is dedicated to outerwear, accessories and footwear for males, including the iconic leather boots that Ugg is known for. It's part of a growing trend of retailers opening shops dedicated to their male clientele. Last year, Hermes opened its first guy-only store in New York and Coach opened its first men's boutique.
June 17, 2011 |
It isn’t always easy being a dad. Sometimes a guy just wants to rip off his catcher’s mitt and hit the road – on a thundering two-wheeler. No motorcycle? No problem. You can rent one and get a deal too. The deal: EagleRider, which bills itself as the world’s largest motorcycle rental company, is offering what it calls a Father’s Day Special , which is actually good all this month and not just for dads. It gives renters an extra day of on-the-road freedom on the house when they book two or more days.
May 22, 2013 |
'The Adobo Road': Food-blogger-turned-cookbook-author Marvin Gapultos will be celebrating the launch of " The Adobo Road Cookbook ," a Filipino food journey, on Thursday at Max's of Manila in Industry. The event, which starts at 6 p.m., will include a book signing, a talk led by Gapultos and food featured in the book. www.burntlumpiablog.com . Suds & Shellfish: Catch restaurant in Santa Monica is hosting a one-day-only seafood fest called "Suds & Shellfish" on June 2 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The four-course menu will feature Maryland soft-shell crab rolls, Louisiana shrimp, Santa Barbara prawns and more.
June 13, 2012 |
WASHINGTON - President Obama unexpectedly ducked out of the White House for lunch on Wednesday, heading to a barbecue restaurant near Capitol Hill. The White House said the president was honoring Father's Day by dining with two active-duty military dads and two local barbers involved in a federal program to promote fatherhood. The men ate at Kenny's Smokehouse in northeast Washington, D.C., and chatted about parenting and haircuts as the president looked down at a plate of beef ribs, greens, black-eyed peas and a corn muffin.


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This week Kevin and I start off the show with a discussion about Google’s new Coral board that provides machine learning at the edge. We then jump to sensor company Centralite’s bankruptcy filing in Alabama. We also discuss the death of Jibo and how the end of Lighthouse meant new patents for Apple. After covering all of that sad news we jump to new Alexa skills, why I want an Alexa Auto, and a new video doorbell from August Home. From there Kevin and I spend the rest of the show discussing the challenges associated with smart home hubs, the best home hubs and why you should delete your devices from your home hubs. We end by answering a listener question about connected car devices for teens.
Our guest this week is Chrissy Meyer, a partner at Root Ventures and a former product manager at companies that include Square and Apple. She shares her experiences building connected devices, where companies tend to go wrong and what to look for in a manufacturing partner. She also explains why a device that costs $100 to make might end up costing $300 on the shelves at Best Buy. It’s a good conversation for anyone building or buying connected devices.
This week’s guest is Tyson Tuttle, the CEO of Silicon Labs (NASDAQ: SLAB), a semiconductor firm that is making a big bet on IoT. Tuttle talks about the role of various radios in the smart home and in industrial settings. He also explains why he’s not worried about the tech giants snapping up gadget-makers that are using his chips. We end with a discussion on how we need to rethink tech and innovation for the edge. It’s a good chat.
This week Kevin kicks off the show with his thoughts from the Google event, including a lot of information on the new Google Home Hub. Kevin talks about what it means for Google and the smart home race between Amazon, Apple and now Facebook. Yes, we discuss the Facebook Portal as well. Also the latest software updates from both Amazon and Google on the respective digital assistant apps. We finish the first segment of the show with GE’s new connected light bulbs designed for the Google ecosystem.
We had too much news to have a guest this week, so we continue the show with my tips from the Smart Kitchen Summit this week. I checked out an update from the June oven as well as a bunch of new screens on cooktops, range hoods and refrigerators. Plus, I tried out the Rotimatic flatbread-making robot and it’s expensive but good. We talk about cybersecurity, privacy and whether or not we are ready for the responsibilities associated with the internet of things. We close with an answer to a listener question about wireless doorbells and security cameras.
Our guest this week is Matt Van Horn, who is the CEO of June. This week June launched a second generation oven that is roughly a third of the price of the original. Van Horn shares how June made that possible, how the company is using data to improve the user experience and why he’s not going into meal delivery kits anytime soon. He also shares a recipe for S’mores. Enjoy the show.
Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel
Guest: Matt Van Horn of June
Sponsors: NETGEAR and Afero
We’re going to ditch screens for voices in our ears
This week’s guest is Chris Smith, vice president of service innovation at Otis Elevator Company. He talks about how Otis connects its elevators, the architecture, and most importantly what it learned in trying to use data to predict failures. In addition to his practical knowledge he also answers everyone’s big question: Does the door close button on an elevator actually work? Enjoy the show.
Our guest this week is Mark Allen, vice president of IT at Jacuzzi, who discusses why and how Jacuzzi connected its premium line of hot tubs. Jacuzzi has connected 1,000 hot tubs so far and since it starting selling them in April, it has 500 of the connected tubs in consumers’ homes. Allen explains the tools Jacuzzi has used to get the hot tubs online and connected to dealers’ service operations. He also shares his thoughts about privacy rules and how connected devices will change Jacuzzi’s business. Enjoy the show.
Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guest: Mark Allen of Jacuzzi Sponsors: Afero and Avnet
Why Microsoft and GE got a little closer
Lots of lock news from the home to the enterprise
Should you update your Echo?
Which platform did Jacuzzi choose to connect its tubs?
This week Kevin and I decided to do something a bit unusual, turning our segment where we answer listener’s questions into the entire show. You guys have been sending a lot of interesting questions to the Schlage IoT Podcast Listener Hotline, and we hated to leave so many unanswered, so we combined a slow holiday news week with some Q&A. Remember, if you have a question, give us a call at 512.623.7424.
We tackle issues such as insurance discounts for smart home gear, local hubs and the best skills for Alexa in a classroom setting. We failed to find a perfect USB cable for someone, but did locate a smoke detector that will work with SmartThings for a Canadian listener. We also dug into details on several home hubs for listeners debating Home Assistant, Home Bridge, Open HAB, SmartThings and Wink. We hope you enjoy the show and keep those questions coming. Next week, we’ll be back to the usual format.
For the guest segment, I visit with Cyrus Farivar, who is a reporter at Ars Technica and wrote a book on surveillance tech called “Habeas Data”. We discuss the current legal underpinnings of privacy law in the US and how it has evolved. Our conversation covers the recently decided Carpenter case, the 1967 case that established the concept of a “reasonable expectation of privacy,” and how the government could use our connected devices against us. You’ll learn a lot, but you may want to unplug your Echo.
Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guest: Cyrus Farivar author of “Habeas Data” Sponsor: Control4
How to reset connected devices and be a decent human being
Y’all had some great ideas on connected cameras
Alexa, ask Delta to turn on faucet
Where the expectation of privacy came from
What to ask device makers about government snooping
Our guest this week is Anya Trybala, a musician and creator of SynthBabes, a group that supports female electronic music artists. Trybala talks about how connectivity and technology could change the way artists perform and introduces a concept for VR called The Elevator. For a look at her work, check out this video. To hear her thoughts on how to use AR/VR and the blockchain for changing music, listen to the interview.
Like the rest of the tech media, Kevin and I kick off the show with a discussion about data collection and privacy in light of the allegations against Cambridge Analytica. It’s a stark reminder on what can be gleaned from your information as well as how much of your data is being gathered without your knowledge or real consent. We also talk about smart home lock in, Alexa’s new “brief” mode, shopping on Google Home and my IoT Spring Clean. IBM’s new crypto chip and Watson Assistant made the show as well as several industrial IoT news bits such as Foghorn’s industrial IoT integration with Google’s cloud and a new hardware platform for IIoT from Resin.io. We also answer a listener question about IoT for new parents.
I’ve heard that smart home tech is the new equivalent of granite countertops (basically it’s a big deal for buyers) for several years now, but I had never investigated what that tech experience would look like or how it would come to be. It’s pretty complicated, as you’ll learn from David Kaiserman, president with Lennar Ventures, the investment arm of Lennar Homebuilders. Kaiserman walked me through a Lennar home outfitted with a bunch of smarts last month, and shares his thoughts on what matters to buyers and the gear inside. He also sheds light on Amazon’s Alexa-focused geek squad and explains why Lennar backed out of its plans for a Apple HomeKit home and banked on Alexa instead. Enjoy.
Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guest: David Kaiserman of Lennar Ventures Sponsors: Samsung Artik and IoT World
Get ready for an IoT spring clean
Kevin thinks shopping with Google Assistant is “brilliant”
This board’s build for industrial use
How Amazon’s team of Alexa experts changes the smart home experience


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WASHINGTON (AP) — A news report says federal regulators are moving closer to suing Google over allegations that the company has abused its dominance of Internet search to stifle competition and drive up online advertising prices.
The New York Times reported Friday that staff members at the Federal Trade Commission are preparing to recommend that the agency file an antitrust lawsuit against the search giant.
The Times cited unnamed people briefed on the FTC's investigation.
The agency has been investigating Google's business practices. The probe was triggered by complaints that Google Inc. has been highlighting its peripheral services in its influential search results and relegating offerings from its rivals to the back pages.
In a statement Friday, Google said it is happy to answer any questions that regulators have about its business.