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There are no ways around it: prices are going up. As anyone who has bought groceries, paid the bill at a restaurant, or filled a tank of gas knows, U.S. inflation trends are on the rise and are expected to remain high throughout 2022.
While the current high rate of inflation is largely fueled by COVID-related disruptions in production and the ongoing supply chain crisis, labor shortages and soaring consumer demand has only exacerbated the problem.
But in the face of U.S. inflation trends not seen since the early 1980s, one important area has defied the upward curve: the internet.
Broadband prices buck U.S. inflation trends
According to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of “wired telecommunications carriers” – or, in layman’s terms, internet service providers – rose just 2.6% in 2021, a fraction of the 7% rate of inflation seen that year.
What is causing this lack of high inflation? The Progressive Policy Institute (PPI), a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, had the same question, calling it a “stunning phenomenon that deserves a lot more attention than it’s getting.”
One of the reasons likely causing the dampening effect on inflation in the sector, PPI concludes, is their decades-long commitment to innovation and investment. According to NCTA – The Internet & Television Association, broadband providers have invested some $300 billion in infrastructure and networks over the last 20 years. And per this latest analysis, the long-term investment is paying off in more ways than one: bringing faster internet service to more customers while also helping to keep inflation at bay.
A critical boost at a critical time
The commitment of broadband providers to keep prices under control has been a bright spot to consumers at a time when prices for other necessities – such as groceries, gasoline, and housing – are eating up larger and larger portions of their budgets.
Still, even with broadband providers working to defy high inflation, some low-income households struggle to pay for an internet connection. Here, too, cable providers have stepped in to help fill this digital gap by offering low-cost internet service programs for qualifying households – such as Comcast’s Internet Essentials, Cox Communication’s ConnectAssist, and Mediacom’s Connect2Compete. They have also partnered with school districts and community groups across the country to identify those in need and get them connected fast.
Broadband providers’ efforts to get more consumers connected have been further bolstered by government programs. For instance, the passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act resulted in billions of dollars in funding to finance increased internet access and tackle the digital divide. The law also has brought more than ten million households the internet by making a broadband affordability program permanent.
A renewed commitment
While the pandemic slowly recedes, the recent rise in U.S. inflation trends looks set to remain—at least for the time being. And in the face of this uncertainty, internet service providers are maintaining their commitment to contain costs, invest in infrastructure and networks, and provide low-cost options to help close the digital divide.
To find out more about how we can work together to close the gap and bring high-speed internet to all of America, click here.


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One of the most unique things about being a Disney fan is that you get to be part of an extensive and rich history of one of the most significant entertainment companies of the last 100 years. The Walt Disney Company was founded in 1923 when famous founder Walt Disney signed a contract with M.J. Winkler to produce a series of Alice Comedies; this contract marked the beginning, and it’s only grown from there. It needs no mentioning that to be a part of, and own a piece of, Disney history is special; that’s exactly what this upcoming auction lets you do!
The world’s largest collectibles auctioneers, Heritage Auctions, will be hosting a Disney auction this month, from March 25-26, entitled “The Art of Disneyland: From Stagecoaches to Monorails… and More!” These are the same folks behind the 2022 immensely successful auction wherein $2.2 million worth of original Disney art and artifacts were sold.
On the subject of the upcoming auction, Jim Lentz, the director of Animation Art, shared, “With historic lots such as these, this Disney auction truly covers everything — from stagecoaches to Monorails.”
Related: Fans are Selling Water from Splash Mountain for Hundreds of Dollars!
The auction’s catalog consists of 857 items, including original artwork, other Disney memorabilia, and Disneyland memorabilia. Disney fans will have the chance to get their hands on some incredibly rare items, including, a cabin from Disney World’s beloved monorail, authentic blueprints of the Cinderella castle, a bench from Disneyland’s Main Street, and much more.
Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Southern California and Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando, Central Florida
This isn’t all! One lucky Disney Fanatic might have the chance to get their hands on an original Skyway gondola from Tomorrowland or even a frontier-era stagecoach that belonged to Walt Disney himself, and recently found long-lost footage of Walt Disney and the Mouseketeers dating back to 1955 from the christening of the Disneyland Express “Snow White” bus line.
It’s all about nostalgia and the “Disney of our childhoods,” according to long-time Disney artist Kevin Kidney, and that’s what this auction delivers in spades. You can find more details here.

domain: news


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A hepatitis A outbreak in California and four other Western states may be linked to a brand of berries sold at Costco stores, officials said last week. At least six of 30 cases of the liver disease were in California — including a 62-year-old woman in East Contra Costa County. She has since recovered. Bob Redell reports.
Hepatitis A Outbreak May Be Linked to Fruit Mix Sold at Costco


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Researchers say that it could take two or three years to develop the device and get it ready for use at border crossing or at airports."
Washington, Aug 18 - In a breakthrough that might aid security forces detect smuggled money, US researchers have designed a technology that is capable of sniffing out hidden money.
The portable device known as Bulk Currency Detection System (BCDS) copies the way trained dogs sniff out and trace chemicals emitted from money.
The device works by extracting gas samples from a traveller, a bag or a vehicle and then analyses the sample for the signature chemicals that make up that money-smell.
We are developing a device that mimics the function of trained dogs sniffing out concealed money without the drawbacks such as expensive training, sophisticated operators, down time and communication limitations, said Suiqiong Li from KWJ Engineering, California.
A security officer would simply wave the probe over clothing or inside a piece of luggage and if the chemicals were detected, an indicator light would come on, Discovery News reported.
The technique works effectively within the seconds or few minutes it takes for border inspections.
Researchers say that it could take two or three years to develop the device and get it ready for use at border crossing or at airports.
The study appeared in the journal American Chemical Society.


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Chinese consumers are renown around the world as heavy consumers of high-end luxury goods. Now one Chinese textile manufacturer is buying into the world of haute couture.
Shandong Ruyi Technology Group has acquired a controlling stake in French fashion conglomerate SMCP, owner of fashion brands Sandro, Maje and Claudie Pierlot.
The Chinese company has signed an exclusive agreement along with global investment firm KKR. SMCP’s founders and management would reinvest alongside Shandong Ruyi Group as minority shareholders, while KKR would retain a minority interest in the group.
After the acquisition, SMCP would retain its current strategy and organisational structure and its design and creative teams will continue to operate from its headquarters in Paris.
Yafu Qiu, chairman of Shandong Ruyi Group, said the investment aims to drive the group’s further growth and support its global development, as well as supporting SMCP in achieving its long-term objective of becoming a global leader in accessible luxury.
“This would be a significant step for Shandong Ruyi Group in our continued endeavour to become a leader in the fully-integrated textiles and fashion business both in China and globally,” said Qiu.
“By taking on board the expertise of SMCP, a group well-rooted with strong Parisian heritage, we would combine their merits with our existing strength in Asia, in particular China.”
SMCP, with its brands Claudie Pierlot, Maje and Sandro, has more than 1,000 stores in 33 countries, including China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Macau, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.
Image source: Shutterstock


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ReutersJun 25, 2020 11:19:22 IST
Europe's biggest technology conference, the Web Summit, is in talks with the Portuguese government to organise its annual event in Lisbon in December, a month after originally planned, its founder Paddy Cosgrave said on Wednesday.
"Every government anywhere in the world would hope the situation improves and normality might be able to return to their city and country," Cosgrave told an online news conference.
The format of the summit is likely to be decided in early October, adhering to Portugal's health protocols, and will be reviewed weekly until the opening day on 2 December.
Should it take place it could be one of the first big international events to be staged since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, which has forced the cancellation of events from music festivals to the Olympic Games.
The online version of the summit will host up to 100,000 founders, partners, and speakers on its conference platform, the company said in a statement.
Tickets for the event in Lisbon will go on sale in early October, provided Portugal's health protocols permit events at that time.
Events or gatherings of 10 or more people are currently banned in Lisbon due to localised outbreaks in and around the city.
It is not yet clear what measures will be required of this year's Web Summit to reduce risk of contagion and how many people will be able to physically attend it.
"Whatever the limitations are I want to ensure we do something spread all over Portugal and share a little more with the world than just Lisbon," Cosgrave said. "There is a lot more to discover and there are great things happening all over Portugal."
The Web Summit, which moved from Dublin to the Portuguese capital in 2016, attracted around 70,000 participants last year, drawing speakers from leading global tech companies and startups, as well as politicians.
The company also has plans to open up its online conference platform to customers who organise large, bespoke events.
Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on Tech2 Gadgets. Get technology news, gadgets reviews & ratings. Popular gadgets including laptop, tablet and mobile specifications, features, prices, comparison.


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Eastman Kodak says its loss narrowed to $168 million in the second quarter thanks to strong inkjet printer sales, but adjusted earnings fell short of Wall Street expectations as overall sales slid 11 percent.
The photography and printing company said Wednesday it lost the equivalent of 63 cents a share in the April-June period. That compared with a loss of $189 million, or 70 cents per share, a year earlier.
Sales dropped to $1.57 billion from $1.77 billion.
Excluding one-items items, Kodak says it lost $136 million, or 51 cents per share.
Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters, whose estimates typically exclude one-time items, expected Kodak to lose 31 cents per share on sales of $1.69 billion.


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Generation Z, the generational name given to people born after the mid-1990s, is coming of age. The oldest members of the cohort are graduating college and entering the workforce, and, just like their millennial counterparts, are doing so in the midst of an economic crisis.
And on top of that, the economic destruction and massive unemployment created by the COVID-19 pandemic has generated a perfect storm for scammers. Coronavirus scams have proliferated over the past few months, including fake remedies, fake charitable causes, and financial scams.
It’s that last category that has some within the financial services industry especially concerned, as younger consumers are actually uniquely vulnerable to being scammed. A survey from TransUnion released in May found that the telecoms, e-commerce, and financial services industries are seeing the greatest influx of online COVID-19-related fraud activity, and that young people in particular were being targeted.
More Exposure To Scammers
It might seem counterintuitive that a group who grew up on the internet would be more predisposed to falling for online financial scams, but according to regulators, that’s exactly the case.
An analysis by Vice found that although American millennials are less likely than older generations to fall for scams over the phone, they are actually more likely to fall for online scams. This is true in Australia as well, as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission found last year.
Part of this comes from the fact that, according to the FTC, young people are more likely to report being scammed, which partly skews the data.
But young people are also far more active online and on social media, and therefore more likely to be exposed to a scam. The added familiarity with the internet may also contribute to a false sense of security, an emotional vulnerability that scammers can exploit.
Younger consumers are more likely to use non-traditional tools, like a payment app, over options that come with more federal protections, such as credit cards or checks. Young people—Gen Z in particular—also have far less experience with how financial systems work, and may not know what red flags to look for in a financial transaction.
All of these factors can contribute to common payments scams, such as phishing attempts and pyramid schemes. One of the most common of financial schemes targeting young consumers is the “Buy now, pay later” scam, in which high-interest loans or payment plans are disguised as convenient payment options.
Greater Margin For Error
The fact that young people in Generation Z have a longer time horizon for wealth-building than older segments of the population is generally seen as an advantage. After all, it gives them more time to recover from financial missteps.
But that longer horizon can also magnify the potential long-term damage of a major mistake, such as unknowingly accruing credit card debt or locking yourself into a purchase with an alarmingly high interest rate.
A different TransUnion report found that Gen Zers are racking up more credit card debt than their millennial predecessors. It’s impossible to know exactly why this is the case, but some experts suggest it’s a result of consumers getting access to credit at a younger age and the proliferation of e-commerce that relies on credit over cash payments.
Getting access to credit is an important part of one’s financial foundation, but credit is a double-edged sword. Having high credit card debt can lower your credit score, which can make it more difficult to be approved for loans in the future.
The bottom line is that it’s easier than ever to send and receive money online, and COVID-19 has only accelerated the shift away from cash and in-person banking. But consumers, especially young people, need to be aware that this also increases the opportunity for online scammers.
“With so many apps and services available, the market is saturated with easy ways to get funds quickly—but they’re not all safe or appropriate for the financial health of consumers,” said Phillip Rosen, Founder and CEO of Even Financial, a fintech company that facilitates online financial services. “It’s important for younger consumers, especially Gen Zers, to utilize their technological literacy in combination with proper financial literacy to make smart decisions regarding financial products.”
Young consumers need to understand the impact that high interest rates or APRs can have on their financial health or, in the worst case scenario, their credit score.
Payday loans and other predatory financial products—despite how attractive they look at checkout—can be extremely dangerous for the financial health of most consumers, especially for Gen Zers who have young and fresh credit scores.
See more from Benzinga
© 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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text: Consumer demand has been a driving force in the canola market. Customers are increasingly demanding oils with no trans fat and low levels of saturated fat. The company is also offering a deal to growers under its Specialty Canola Oils Program, which allows growers to establish a "risk free price hedge" on the first 10 bushels an acre of production. They also have the opportunity to establish an attractive prime basis that can provide more than $11 a bushel to many growers and a significantly higher per acre return above commodity canola, Cargill said. Already in response to demand, the company has added two new products to its Clear Valley line canola - a doughnut shortening and an icing shortening. It has also changed the brand name of its TransEnd all-purpose shortening to include this product under the Clear Valley umbrella. Although canola oil has not yet penetrated the food processing segment in the same way as partially hydrogenated soy oil, which has tended to be the preferred option to slash trans fats, there are clear signs that the oil is starting to attract more attention and demand. High stability canola oil does not require hydrogenation and can be used successfully as a repeat use frying oil. Indeed, the oil's potential to penetrate the food processing sector prompted Canada's Canola Council earlier this year to predict the production of the crop to more than double by 2015, from 9.1 million tons to 15million. Additionally, in August this year Cargill announced it will build a second canola processing plant in Canada in a move to meet growing demand. The new plant will be located adjacent to Cargill's existing operation in Clavet, Saskatchewan, and is expected to double the firm's oilseed processing capacity to 1.5m tons annually. Cargill said the added crush capacity is supported by strong demand for hi oleic canola oil in addition to growing demand for generic canola oils. Cargill's canola program offers "exceptional agronomic advantage, excellent yield, effective weed control, superior per acre returns, and grower selected delivery periods." Cargill Oil Seed Processing facility processes 2,400 tons per day of canola out of Clavet, Saskatchewan. The facility is the largest soft-seed plant in North America. The processing facility produces canola oil and specialty canola oils as well as canola meal for the domestic North American and world markets.


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Cambodia exported more than $300 million worth of bicycles to international markets in the first four months of 2022, an increase of 54 per cent year-on-year, according to latest figures from the Ministry of Commerce.
Data shows that from January to April 2022, Cambodia’s bicycle exports amounted to $306.47 million. The US was the biggest buyer, accounting for $129.34 million, followed by Germany at $47.99 million.
Bicycle imports to Cambodia, on the other hand, continue to be a small market, totalling $5.03 million during the four month period, a decrease of 14 per cent year-on-year.
Commerce ministry secretary of state and spokesman Seang Thay told The Post that a senior ministry official recently met with Vietnamese counterparts to ensure that the Kingdom’s neighbour continues to sustainably supply raw materials for bicycle production for export to the US and EU.
Thay said that the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which took effect on August 1, 2020, obliges Vietnam’s supply of raw materials to Cambodia and other countries to meet certain conditions and adhere to the terms of the pact.
“Cambodia and Vietnam must comply with these terms of agreement to ensure the sustainability of each other’s supply … if there is no clear negotiation on this issue to avoid violating the principles of the agreement in the future, both sides will try to look at other conditions that we need to meet in order for European recognition,” he said.
According to the spokesman, the raw materials or semi-finished products for the production of Cambodian bicycles were imported from Vietnam in “reasonable” quantities, and could not be imported in large quantities due to fears that doing so may deviate from the conditions set by the agreement.
For full article, please read here
Author: Hom Phanet
Source: The Phnom Penh Post
Publication date: 17 May 2022


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Zombies are all the rage these days, so it’s only fitting that new research shows that two-thirds of programs in Apple’s App Store are undead beings that were once alive but now roam aimlessly, groaning through the cyber market. That goes against the company’s claim that 90% of all its apps in the marketplace are downloaded at least once a month.
The BBC points to figures from tracking service Adeven that seem to show that big chunk of apps are barely ever installed by consumers.
Of the 888,856 apps, the analytics firm says 579,001 in its database are “zombies.”
So what’s an app zombie, if it’s not a shambling, moaning bit of deceased manflesh? The company defines zombie apps as those that never make an appearance in any of the thousands of charts published by Apple which are tracked on a daily basis. The charts track things like categories, price and criteria for various countries’ stores.
“We call the apps that hold no position anywhere in the world zombies because they do not generate a significant amount of downloads to sustain their further development,” explained Paul Muller from Adeven. “We can’t say exactly how many downloads they have – Apple doesn’t reveal this – but it is very small.”
Even if they get a few downloads every day, or up to 100, it’s not enough for a developer to make much of his or her product, or provide any impetus for the app to stay alive.
This could be due to the app user’s version of an impulse buy — especially when there are so many free apps. You might think, “Ooh, I really need to get the app that makes me look like a zombie,” use it once and then get bored with it.
There are also plenty of promotional apps that are only intended to be popular for a certain amount of time, say, during a TV show’s season, leaving them to languish in undead limbo forevermore once the program is no longer running.


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Players must try yourself to get the additional level.
Good news for lovers of the game Angry Birds. Rovio, the company behind games angry bird, the re-launch 24 new levels for Angry Birds Rio.
Angry Birds Rio was first launched in March 2011 and never [...]
Facing the war in the “second front”
The Israeli government on Sunday (11/18), admits millions have been subjected to attacks in cyberspace since the country launched an offensive on the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run Palestinian territory last [...]
ASUS recently launched the newest whiz graphics card designed for small form factor PCs.
GeForce GTX 670 DirectCU Mini Series can be used for mini-ITX motherboards.
GTX 670 DirectCU Mini has a dual-slot with a length of only 17cm with NVIDIA GTX 670 [...]
Offered at a price of about $0.9 per download on the Apple App Store.
Game featuring one of the founders of Apple, Steve Wozniak, entitled “Danny Trejo’s Vengeance : Woz with a Coz ‘officially began circulating on the Apple App Store [...]
After going through various rumors and long waits, BlackBerry 10 platform was officially launched at an event in New York, U.S., on Wednesday (01/30) local time.
Quoted from Techradar, Thursday (01/31), BlackBerry 10 straight comes with two new smartphones, [...]
BBC Weather Twitter account today hijacked by a hacker group called the Syrian Electronic Army.
This hacker group is a group that supports the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, as reported by cnet.com (21/03).
Through Reuters, BBC ensure that their [...]
Two more top-tier titles that are ready to enliven the new Microsoft console, Xbox One, namely Battlefield 4 and Watch Dogs.
Quoted from IGN, Wednesday (22/5), specifically for Battlefield 4, DICE as a developer of the game will use the Frostbite 3.
Easy to find because it is positioned right next to the “Like”
Facebook are testing the “Reply” button at the comments posted on the Timeline each user, say a Facebook spokesperson told Mashable last weekend.
Hewlett Packard (HP) as one of the printer manufacturers claim the new printer, the HP Officejet Pro X Series X476 and X451 Color MFP, the fastest printer in the world.
Recorded in the Guinness World Records, the printer is capable of printing 70 pages [...]
According to research from GameStop, as many as 60 percent of gamers not interested in buying the PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720.
This is related to the possibility of a second next-generation gaming consoles can not play the game used or resale.
There is exciting news about the Galaxy S4. Samsung touted is preparing another version of this smartphone with a more advanced camera.
Quoted from Sammobile, Thursday (9/5), the predicted product named Galaxy S4 Zoom.
Camera changes quite noticeably, [...]


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Smartwatch sales are forecast to grow by 18% in 2017 to over $10 billion according a new report from Canalys. This growth will partly be at the expense of the traditional watch industry as smartwatch manufacturers release more luxury models. By the end of this year, the value of the smartwatch market will hit about two thirds that of the traditional watch market.
The Swiss watch industry has been facing challenging conditions since 2015. Exports of mechanical watches fell in 2016 to their lowest level in five years. For a long time, the industry, which typically generates more than $20 billion in annual exports, enjoyed an air of exclusivity and ignored the internet. Now traditional watchmakers are queuing to grab a share of this fast-growing market via technology partnerships and investments.
Hybrid or Connected watches, in particular have seen strong growth. These are classic looking timepieces that combine the look and functionality of a traditional timepiece with abilities that are evident in today’s smartwatches. Discreetly housed in the casing of these devices is technology that keeps tabs on your daily activity and sleep metrics. Some even display smartphone notifications.
Canalys, however, sees this as a short term trend, and intermediate solution for watchmakers as they find ways to stabilize the decline in the traditional watch market.
“Connected watches appeal to buyers who want a watch first and a basic band second. With fewer people wanting to buy traditional watches, connected watches with limited functionality risk ending up like basic bands: being taken over by smartwatches by 2018,” said Canalys Analyst Jason Low.
“Watchmakers yet to take action need to switch their focus to smartwatches for long-term growth.”
So far, Swiss brands have not played a very important role in the smartwatch market in terms of sales. Nevertheless, if it is to survive, the industry cannot afford to ignore the potential opportunities posed by this new market segment. A series of Android Wear smartwatches is expected to be unveiled by high-profile traditional watchmakers at Baselworld later this month.
“Watchmakers’ survival will depend on creating competitive smartwatches,” said Canalysis analyst Jason Low in a statement with the report.
“Forming partnerships with technology companies will be the first step. A well-formulated strategy to sell a watch will play a larger role as watchmakers have to appeal not only to watch fans, but consumers who are yet to buy a wearable.”
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July 24, 2001 |
French media company Vivendi Universal, citing better results at its telecom, television and film units, reported strong gains in revenue and pretax profit in a preliminary earnings report, putting it on track to meet financial forecasts. Vivendi reported a 57% rise in earnings, before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization, to $1.14 billion. Profit at its film and TV unit nearly tripled, thanks to the success of "The Mummy Returns."
July 14, 2001 |
To help build its image and identity in the U.S. market, French media giant Vivendi Universal is turning to a storybook character: Curious George. The mischievous primate of children's books has been making prominent appearances in full-page newspaper ads across the country in the last two weeks. The ads tout Vivendi Universal's acquisition of book publisher Houghton Mifflin, which publishes the Curious George books.
July 10, 2001 |
Vivendi Universal, Europe's biggest media company, said it owns about 90% of Houghton Mifflin Co. following its offer of $1.7 million in cash and assumed debt of $500,000 for the U.S. educational publisher. The French company said on June 1 it would offer $60 a share, and take on assumed debt from the Boston-based textbook publisher.
June 29, 2001 |
Vivendi Universal offered to buy the shares it doesn't own of StudioCanal, valuing its film production unit at $1.3 billion. Vivendi, which already owns about 86% of StudioCanal, offered $12.25 for each StudioCanal share, or 26% more than Wednesday's closing price.
June 7, 2001 |
Vivendi Universal, Europe's largest advertising company, said it sold its 9.9% stake in Havas Advertising to institutional investors for 453 million euros ($384 million). The company said the sale would generate a one-time profit of 113 million euros. Vivendi Universal sold its stake in the No. 5 advertising company to help fund its $2.2-billion acquisition of Houghton Mifflin Co.
June 2, 2001 |
Strengthening its presence in the U.S., Vivendi Universal, Europe's largest media company, agreed Friday to acquire Houghton Mifflin Co., one of the nation's last major independent book publishers, for $1.7 billion. The purchase of the world's fourth-largest educational publisher catapults Vivendi, which ranks fifth in the world in publishing, into the No. 2 spot after Pearson. The purchase is the latest U.S.


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The highly secretive Five Eyes alliance has disrupted a China-backed hacker group – in an unusually public manner
Picture this: green hydrogen plants next to green steelworks to boost efficiency and kickstart both industries
Samsung Unveils Windows-Powered Smart Kiosk in South Korea: Revolutionizing Retail and Dining Experiences
Surface Duo 2 specs, availability: Dual-display device to ship in more countries next month
The anticipated Surface Duo 2 is now available for pre-order with a confirmed retail launch next month. However, like its predecessor, the new dual-display device will be shipped in select markets only.
Surface Duo 2 release date, pricing, availability
Microsoft is now accepting pre-orders for the Surface Duo 2, which will be available in two colors, namely Obsidian (black) and Glacier (white). The former comes in three storage configurations -- 128GB for $1,500, 256GB for $1,600, and 512GB for $1,800.
Surface Duo 2’s standard RAM capacity is 8GB, while all configurations also use SSD. Note that the Glacier model does not have a 512GB variant.
Like its predecessor, though, Surface Duo 2 will be released in some markets, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Japan. The device will be available in these countries starting Oct. 21.
While the list is not that long, the device is still launching in more countries than the first Surface Duo did last year. It is unknown if Microsoft plans on adding more regions where the Surface Duo 2 will be available. In 2020, the first Surface Duo was only made available in the U.S. It then shipped to Canada and some countries in Europe in early 2021.
Surface Duo 2 confirmed specs
Most of the rumored and leaked details about the Surface Duo 2 have been confirmed in Microsoft’s launch event on Wednesday. Along with the bigger RAM, the device is powered with Snapdragon 888. It also has more cameras, including a triple-lens array on the back with 12MP wide, 12MP telephoto, and 16MP ultra-wide sensors. There is still a front-facing camera with 12MP resolution.
Surface Duo 2 sports a dual display that works with Microsoft’s PixelSense Fusion tech with a combined diagonal screen size of 8.3 inches, AMOLED panel, and 2688 x 1892 resolution. When using a single display, the device offers a 5.8-inch screen space with 1344 x 1892 resolution. It also uses Corning Gorilla Glass Victus material and has a 90Hz adaptive refresh rate.
The device packs a 4449mAh battery. One rumored feature that did not pan out is wireless charging, but the Surface Duo 2 supports wired 23W fast charging. It will ship with Android 11.


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OCBC, one of Singapore’s top commercial banks, announced a partnership with Metaverse Green Exchange (MVGX), a local crypto exchange, to issue crypto tokens connected to investments in environmentally friendly technology.
Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will issue carbon credit tokens that businesses may buy to offset their carbon footprint. The token sale revenues will be used to fund green initiatives such as reforestation and renewable energy.
MGVX’s distributed ledger will be used to generate the tokens. They plan to begin later this year and will utilize blockchain technology to keep track of purchases and investments in green initiatives.
The effort is primarily aimed at high-carbon industries like energy, shipping, and steelmaking, which are struggling to reduce their environmental effect. Instead, such businesses can buy green tokens to offset their carbon footprint.
OCBC and crypto
While the bank has previously expressed interest in blockchain technology, Monday’s statement is one of its first official forays into the field.
OCBC announced plans to create its own crypto exchange last year, citing rising crypto use in Singapore. However, it has yet to provide an update on its plans. However, early this year, it was reported that the bank was recruiting crypto and blockchain experts.
In the face of increasing competition from digital lenders, the bank has also laid out a three-year plan to expand its internet footprint.
Singapore has some of the friendliest cryptocurrency rules, making it a popular destination for crypto companies.
The issuing of green tokens is an example of crypto’s ecologically friendly applications. The high energy cost of mining is drawing increasing criticism from lawmakers and investors.
However, pro-crypto advocates believe that the industry is moving toward renewable energy and that proof-of-stake blockchains use very little energy.


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Madonna may snub Stella McCartney launch after feud with Gwyneth Paltrow
The guests to Stella McCartney's launch reads like a roll call of A-listers
Stella McCartney faces a dramatic conflict of loyalties when she launches her 2012 Resort Collection in New York on Monday.
The guest list reads like a roll call of A-listers.
But there’s uncertainty over whether Stella’s friend Madonna will attend the 39-year-old designer’s party in the garden of the Church of Saint Luke, in New York’s trendy West Village.
Sources say the singer has fallen out with Stella’s pals Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson, who are also invited.
‘There was a frosty exchange between Madonna and Kate Hudson at the Met Ball,’ says my source.
‘Madonna still hasn’t got over Kate dating her ex, Alex Rodriguez, and her friendship with Gwyneth is strained largely because Gwyneth has founded a very lucrative business with Tracy Anderson, who was Madonna’s fitness expert.
‘Stella is worried that there could be a bit too much drama at her fashion launch. It’s all very awkward.’
Meanwhile, slender supermodel Natalia Vodianova is launching a new charity with Stella.
Let’s hope Her Madgesty can get along with her.
Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow were once close friends but their friendship is now strained
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It’s the end of an era. Toys R Us announced late Monday (September 18th) that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but said that its operations will continue as normal and that all of its approximately 1,600 locations will remain open. The big-box toy store chain said that court-supervised proceedings will help it restructure its outstanding debt and reorganize.
Dang, online shopping and kids wanting tablets instead of toys has killed another once high-flying retailer. You remember the Toy ‘R Us commercial?
We’ll miss you, Jeffery the Giraffe.


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If rumors hold true, just about every major electronics manufacturer is interested in releasing a watch capable of syncing with your smartphone. And while we're still waiting to hear confirmation on Apple's entry into the smartwatch market, Samsung may actually beat Cupertino to the punch, according to a report from Bloomberg.
Two people "familiar with the matter" claim Samsung will unveil the Galaxy Gear on September 4. The Android-based smartwatch will be capable of making phone calls, displaying emails, and browsing the internet. Samsung has already sent out invitations for its next "Unpacked" event on the same day to reveal the Galaxy Note 3.
The Galaxy Gear will reportedly not feature a bendable screen. Major players in the smartwatch market currently include Sony's SmartWatch 2 and the e-ink Pebble. Microsoft is also rumored to be developing a translucent device. Google's entry in the wearable computing space, Google Glass, has yet to receive a consumer release date or price.


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It boasts a twin-turbo engine, can fly from 0-100 km/h in under five seconds and is set to break the market with a base price of just $48,990 – but the most surprising thing about the GT Stinger sedan is that it's a Kia.
Kia Australia unveiled the specifications for the new range of soon-to-be-released vehicles, and the first thought that pops into most enthusiast's minds is that it's a legitimate answer to the Commodore, which is being built outside Australia for the first time.
The Stinger is said to come in three different grades: the entry level S model for $48,990, the mid-spec Si model at $55,990 and the fully-optioned GT model at $59,990.
Kia Australia is trying its best to reverse the carmaker's reputation in local markets.
(Image: Kia Australia)
Two years ago, Kia boss Damien Meredith famously said the carmaker was seen as "cheap and cheerful". The reported performance of the Stinger could be just the ticket.
Under the bonnet, the Stinger boasts a 3.3 litre, twin-turbo V6 engine capable of pumping out 272 kW of power.
Kia Australia says even the base S model can do the zero to 100km/h run in 4.9 seconds – compare that to the relatively ancient time of the new generation Commodore, which boasts a go-to-woah launch time of seven seconds.
While the Stinger lacks a V8 option (a sore point for Commodore aficionados), it is a rear wheel drive – the 2018 Commodores have been said to be front wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
(Image: Kia Australia)
All Stinger models will feature the same eight-speed automatic gearbox with sports paddles for manual shifting, and high performance Brembo brakes.
The flagship GT model will come with Nappa leather seats, a 360-degree car camera view, LED headlights, a sunroof and the option to charge your phone wirelessly.
Mr Meredith said that Kia was trying to break the idea in consumers heads that a base-model car represents a "no frills" driving experience.
"There is a belief that any entry-level model will be, for want of a better description, sparse," he said in a statement.
"And there is safety and comfort equipment in this car that you would not normally see in anything but the top of the model range, including satellite navigation."
While the reliability of the Stinger remains to be seen, on paper it looks a genuine competitor in a field that's long been a two-horse race between Holden's performance Commodores and Ford's equally-quick Falcon sedans.
(Image: Kia Australia)READ MORE: First factory-produced 1969 Holden Monaro up for sale


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Amazon Canada will be the largest corporate office tenant in downtown Vancouver once two towers are occupied above The Post development.
Sapperton Green will transform the area around Braid SkyTrain station in New Westminster into a transit-oriented, master-planned community.
The owners of Capilano Mall in North Vancouver are planning for redevelopment and have launched a public engagement effort.
Vancouver was once considered the neon capital of the north with an estimated 19,000 signs lighting up the night on streets like Hastings and Granville.
Development application outlines changes to mall entrance, new façades for existing buildings around Oakridge Centre.
Phase three of the Oakridge redevelopment by Westbank and QuadReal includes social housing and a five-storey community centre.
The Post mixed-use development on West Georgia Street will be home to Amazon’s Vancouver office, as well as 200,000 square feet of retail space including a grocery store and food hall.
A new report from Avison Young highlights the redevelopment of traditional shopping centres across the Lower Mainland into mixed-use communities.
QuadReal Property Group and Hungerford Properties are the development team behind the industrial/commercial project at 220 East 1st Avenue.
The iconic concrete tower at 1075 West Georgia — designed for forestry giant MacMillan Bloedel — has changed hands. KingSett Capital, Crestpoint Real Estate Investments, and Reliance Properties announced today they are completing the purchase of 1075 West Georgia.
QuadReal Property Group announced Saturday the first confirmed retail tenant at The Post development in downtown Vancouver: Loblaws CityMarket. The grocery store will offer best-in-class fresh meat, produce and bakery items, a large-scale grab-and-go section, as well as a café and cooking classes. There are currently two Loblaws CityMarket stores in the Lower Mainland: Park […]
The Vancouver Park Board is seeking public input for a new, nine-acre park at Oakridge Centre. The public park will be located partially on the mall’s rooftop, as well as at ground level. Access to the upper park levels will be by stairs, ramps, escalators and elevators. The vision for the park includes lush plantings […]
Amazon is set to massively expand its presence in downtown Vancouver, taking more than 400,000 square feet of office space in QuadReal’s redevelopment of the old post office, now known as The Post. Amazon says more than 3,000 new jobs will located at its future Development Centre at The Post, opening in 2022. The centre […]
Design work on the redevelopment of Oakridge Centre is well underway, showing sculpted towers across the 28.5-acre site. Owner QuadReal and developer Westbank are working on a new redevelopment scheme for the shopping centre. The shopping centre opened in 1959, and a rezoning of the site was approved in 2014 by Vancouver city council. However, […]
The Vancouver Park Board and the city are holding open houses for a new nine-acre park at Cambie Street and West 41st Avenue. The park will be created as part of the redevelopment of Oakridge Centre by QuadReal and Westbank, and will be located partially on the podium roofs of the new towers. There will be […]


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"we are taking steps to review the potential impacts of the Mirai worm"
TalkTalk and Post Office broadband customers were hit by a cyber-attack which took control of their broadband routers.
Over 350,000 TalkTalk and 100,000 Post Office broadband users were victims of malware called the Mirai worm. The computer virus takes control of operating systems like Linux and results in taking services offline.
Attacks started on 27th November 2016 affecting the Post Office broadband users and continued to 1st December impacting the TalkTalk services.
A spokesman for the Post office stated: ‘Post Office can confirm that on November 27 a third party disrupted the services of its broadband customers, which impacted certain types of routers.’ They assured that no personal data was at risk.
A statement from TalkTalk informed customers of the virus attack: ‘Along with other ISPs in the UK and abroad, we are taking steps to review the potential impacts of the Mirai worm.’ Highlighting actions taken it said: ‘A small number of customer routers have been affected, and we have deployed additional network-level controls to further protect our customers.’
The MailOnline was told by TalkTalk that up to 360,000 – could have been affected but there is no confirmation of the final numbers.
The Mirai worm virus was used for a major cyber-attack on German ISP Deutsche Telekom (DT) which knocked off over 900,000 of its customers earlier in November 2016. Customer Internet routers were infected by the worm using remote access features usually used by ISP’s to upgrade firmware on the devices.
It’s likely that the attack on DT was the result of a modified Mirai worm which gets through weaknesses in Internet of Thing devices. Using them collectively to form a botnet for DDoS attacks or crashing the devices.
It was Mirai which was used to attack the ISP Dyn in October 2016 which brought down Twitter, Paypal, Spotify and other sites. On November 15 the same virus was used to knock out a large portion of the country Liberia’s internet infrastructure.
Many TalkTalk customers are not happy at all for the outage caused by the attack.
One customer said: “Talk Talk are in my opinion, the worst company I’ve ever had a contract with.”
Another client said: “As the issue has been ongoing since Sunday at least – and it’s still not fixed – says there’s no priority in getting a fix.”
Security experts believe the attacks are just to cause disruption to services to prove that hackers can cause such havoc and are not related to money or other reasons.


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The newly signed China-U.S. phase-one trade deal will reduce the uncertainty that has impeded global economic growth, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said Friday.
"It is a welcoming sign that we now have the phase-one deal, sign in terms of reducing some of the uncertainty," Georgieva said at an event hosted by Peterson Institute for International Economics, a thinktank based in Washington D.C.
The IMF chief said her organization is making some projections around the impact of more certainty, which will be shared on Monday as part of the World Economic Outlook to be released at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The multilateral lender expects the trade deal to support the growth of China's gross domestic product (GDP), Georgieva said. "It brings China in the parameters around the 6-percent growth for 2020, rather than below," she said.
In October, Georgieva warned that trade tensions were "taking a toll" on global growth, at a time when the global economy was going through a "synchronized slowdown."
According to the IMF's earlier calculation, the cumulative effect of the U.S.-China trade conflict, provided no actions taken, could mean a loss of 0.8 percent of global GDP, or around 700 billion U.S. dollars by 2020.
"What we are seeing now is that we've some reduction of this uncertainty, but it's not eliminated," Georgieva said. "We would see shrinkage of this negative impact, but not the eradication of this impact."
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) confirmed Friday that it is in discussions with major electronics manufacturer Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd., regarding the potential creation of an equal joint venture.
The proposed joint venture is to develop and manufacture in China new generation electric vehicles and to engage in the IoV (Internet of Vehicles) business, FCA said in a statement.
"The proposed cooperation, initially focused on the Chinese market, would enable the parties to bring together the capabilities of two established global leaders across the spectrum of automobile design, engineering and manufacturing and mobile software technology to focus on the growing battery electric vehicle market," it added.
The parties are in the process of signing a preliminary agreement which will govern further discussions aimed at reaching final binding agreements in the next few months, FCA said.
The Italian-American carmaker said it closed 2019 with December sales in Europe up 13.8 percent year-over-year to more than 69,400 vehicles and a market share of 5.5 percent.
Founded in China's Taiwan Island in the 1970s, Foxconn has expertise in cloud computing, mobile devices, Internet of Things (IoT), big data, artificial intelligence (AI), smart networks and robotics, according to its corporate website.
Dutch agriculture exports rose 4.6% in 2019 from the previous year to a new record of 94.5 billion euros ($105.2 billion), the country's statistics office and a research organization said Friday.
In this country famous for its colorful fields of tulips, horticultural products such as fresh flowers, bulbs and plants were the highest-value agricultural sector, amounting to 9.5 billion euros.
Rising prices accounted for about two thirds of the increase, with growth in sales volumes making up the other third, the Central Bureau for Statistics and Wageningen Economic Research said.
Meat exports were second, weighing in at 8.8 billion euros, helped by soaring prices of pork sold to China. The rise was fueled by outbreaks of African swine fever in parts of Asia. Pig meat sales to China rose from 117 million euros in 2018 to an estimated 377 million euros in 2019, according to the research.
The Netherlands' eastern neighbor Germany remained the top market for exports, accounting for 25% of all sales, followed by Belgium and the United Kingdom.
German officials have agreed on a plan to shut down the nation's coal-fired power plants by the mid to late 2030s, the government said Thursday.
A year ago, a government-appointed panel recommended that Germany stop burning coal to generate electricity by 2038 at the latest, as part of efforts to curb climate change.
However, efforts to translate that into policy had stalled over recent months. Some areas, particularly in the less prosperous east, are heavily dependent on lignite coal mining.
Federal government officials and governors of affected states agreed on a "path to shut down" coal-powered plants at a meeting that ended in the early hours of Thursday, the government said in a statement.
It said that reviews will be carried out in 2026 and 2029 to determine whether Germany can exit coal-fired electricity generation in 2035, three years before the final deadline. Many other details weren't immediately available.
Germany gets more than a third of its electricity from burning coal, generating large amounts of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
The federal government already has approved a plan to spend up to 40 billion euros ($44.6 billion) by 2038 to cushion the impact on coal-mining regions of abandoning the fossil fuel. That money is supposed to start flowing once parliament has passed legislation setting out the dates and terms of Germany's exit from coal.
China and the United States formally signed their phase-one economic and trade agreement here on Wednesday, with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and U.S. President Donald Trump inking the papers in the White House.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chief of the Chinese side of the China-U.S. comprehensive economic dialogue, first conveyed a message of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Trump.
The conclusion of the phase-one economic and trade agreement is good for China, for the United States and for the whole world, Xi said in the message read out by the vice premier.
"It also shows that our two countries have the ability to act on the basis of equality and mutual respect, and work through dialogue and consultation to properly handle and effectively resolve relevant issues," read the message.
In the next step, the two sides need to implement the agreement in real earnest and optimize its positive impact, so as to make even greater progress in China-U.S. trade and economic cooperation, the Chinese president said.
To maintain healthy and steady growth of China-U.S. relations serves the interest of both countries and requires joint efforts from both sides, Xi said.
In that spirit, Xi voiced hope that the U.S. side will treat fairly Chinese companies and their regular economic, trade and investment activities, and give support to the collaboration between enterprises, research institutes, and schools and colleges of the two countries, as it will help enhance mutual trust and cooperation between the two sides.
"China is prepared to work with the United States in that direction. And I will stay in close touch with you personally," Xi said. "I believe that under our guidance, China-U.S. relations will deliver more results and bring greater benefits to our peoples in the year ahead."
The Chinese vice premier, in his remarks, called the agreement mutually beneficial and of win-win nature. "It will bring about stable economic growth, promote world peace and prosperity, and is in the interest of producers, consumers, and investors from both countries," he said.
Liu noted that the phase-one deal is in line with the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, and that it is neither directed at nor will affect the lawful rights and interests of any third party.
Liu expressed the hope that both sides will work together under the principle of equality and mutual respect, strictly honor the agreement, accommodate each other's core concerns, and ensure a good implementation of the phase-one trade agreement.
"It is the pressing need and will also play an important role in the growth of bilateral economic and trade relations in the future," he said.
Speaking of the Chinese economy, Liu pointed out that it is transitioning from high-speed growth to high-quality development while a massive domestic market is taking shape.
China welcomes investors from around the world, including those from the United States, and will expand the import of quality products and services from countries around the world, he said, adding that China will open further to the world.
For his part, Trump called the signing of the phase-one economic and trade agreement a milestone, and a boon to the United States, China and the whole world.
Describing China as a great nation, Trump also expressed his admiration for Xi's wisdom and leadership.
Relations between the United States and China are very important, said the U.S. president, stressing that the two sides are working together closely in economy and trade, along with a wide range of other areas, which will help promote world peace and prosperity.
Trump also said he looks forward to another visit to China in the foreseeable future.
Approximately 300 people, including U.S. officials, all members of the Chinese delegation and representatives from various U.S. sectors, attended the signing ceremony.


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The brazilian Gears of War 2 Standard Edition doesn’t have the Flashback Maps pack like the US version and it didn’t even have the Xbox Live Seal. The Xbox Live seal still appears at the Limited Edition of Gears of War 2.
South Africa and some other countries (Brazil included) also don’t so this is an widespread issue.
Samsung released a new mobile phone here in Brazil officially called Samsung E215L. It is currently advertised as an exclusive item by Submarino (a brazilian online retailer) and I didn’t find anywhere mentioning about this mobile phone so I decided to post some information.
Samsung released a press release saying that it could be found July 2008 but it was released August 2008.
This is what the sales package has:
- Samsung E215 phone
- Stereo earphone
- 512MB MicroSD card
- User guide
- Warranty certificate
It features 19MB of internal memory, a VGA (640×480 pixels) camera, bluetooth and a memory slot to use up to 2GB MicroSD card.
Measuring 91 x 45 x 18mm and weighting 85g can be considered a small phone
The Samsung E215 is a quadriband phone and has an estimated 180 minutes of talk time and 250 standby time and retails for R$349,00.
The Wall Street Journal declared that Brazil reached its tolerance to taxes. This article is very interesting because it paints the real status about taxes, government, corruption and reforms.
Notes to myself:
- Risk agencies will want reforms to declare that Brazil reached investment grade
- High taxes prevent higher economic growth
- Bureaucracy serves as a political tool
I questioned Claro Brazil, my mobile phone carrier, why I can’t send messages to Twitter – +44 7624801423.
They answered that Claro has international agreements for interoperability with Argentina, Canada, Singapore, Colombia, Chile, El Salvador, Ecuador, Spain, Estonia, Guam, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, New Zeland, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Spain, Uruguay, Venezuela and United States.
So, no Twitter for me 😦
I also don’t get SMS from Facebook, Google Agenda. I wonder why…


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According to a new study from RAISG, in just five years, the Amazon could lose almost half of what it lost in the past two decades.
From Bolivia to the Tapajós: mercury trafficking for wildcat mining operations on Munduruku Indigenous Territories
InfoAmazonia visited location where illegal mercury is sold along the border between Bolivia and Brazil, for illegal use by wildcat gold mining operations in Amazonia. After the Minamata Convention, Bolivia became the world’s largest mercury importer and it is estimated that half of the metal is sold as contraband to neighboring countries including Brazil, which has eliminated its legal mercury imports.
Activists slam Bolsonaro rule change seen as ending demarcation of Indigenous lands
Sem participação dos povos indígenas, governo estabelece novo estatuto para Funai. Entidades indigenistas denunciam que mudanças na estrutura impactam funcionamento do órgão e afetarão demarcação de terras indígenas.
New study: Amazon authorities can’t get a grip on mercury trade
A new report dives into the underworld of the mercury trade, as experienced across the Amazon region; in Bolivia, Guyana and Suriname.


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Hardbacon has launched comparison tools helping Canadians choose among 447 financial products, including credit cards, bank accounts and online brokers.
(PRUnderground) October 20th, 2020
Hardbacon, a Montreal-based financial technology company, has launched tools to compare no less than 447 financial products including credit cards, bank accounts and online brokers. In all, the Hardbacon website offers comparison tools in all 7 verticals: credit cards, savings accounts, checking accounts, online brokers, robo-advisors, life insurance, mortgages, and personal loans.
“Canadians spend almost $200 a year on bank fees and leave up to $500 a year on the table, because they chose the wrong credit card” said Julien Brault, CEO of Hardbacon. Using Hardbacon’s comparison tools, it is estimated that a middle-class Canadian can save between $300 and $1,000 per year by choosing the most beneficial financial products, depending on their circumstances”.
Hardbacon, who became famous through its personal finance app, is entering the financial comparison market, a market dominated by websites like Ratehub, rates.ca and Greedyrates. Unlike the latter, however, Hardbacon doesn’t just help people choose the best financial product. The company helps its users take back control of their finances through its planning, budgeting, and stock portfolio tracking capabilities.
The app, for which the number of downloads has exploded due to the economic downturn linked to Covid-19, now has as many as 20,000 users.
Bacon Financial Technologies, better known by its brand name Hardbacon, is dedicated to helping Canadians make better financial decisions, get wealthier and achieve their financial goals. The company, which has secured $1.1 million in funding, markets a mobile app that links to its users’ accounts and helps them plan, budget and invest. Hardbacon also enables its users to compare different financial services such as credit cards, bank accounts, online brokers and robo-advisers. The company also markets its technology to financial institutions to help them accelerate their digital transformation.
The post Hardbacon Launches Financial Product Comparison Tools to Help Canadians Save Money first appeared on PRUnderground.Press Contact
Original Press Release.


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Membership Hack: Virtual Expos
A virtual expo can be a great way to remotely engage people
Not all of your members will be able to attend the annual meeting. For those who miss it, a virtual expo can be a great way to remotely engage people in professional development.
How to hack it? Every year, the School Nutrition Association (SNA) hosts about 3,500 attendees at its Annual National Conference. But for SNA members who can’t be at ANC in person, there’s also a virtual expo, which is held earlier in the year. It’s a time for vendors to demonstrate new equipment and technologies—and for members to engage in online learning.
“Those who can’t get to ANC for their own professional development can go online to the learning center and view sessions and earn continuing-education units,” says Sherry A. Carrigan, CAE, vice president of business development and meetings.
Please select this link to read the complete article from Associations Now.


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With summer travel in full swing, many are reminded of the uncomfortable conditions most airlines provide on their planes. Leg room, seat width and recline have decreased to pack more people into less space.
In the last 30 years, seat widths on major airlines have shrunk around two inches. New seat patents circulating the internet don’t give much hope. One example turns the middle seat backwards — ideally bringing more shoulder room for all passengers, but also creating uncomfortable eye-contact with strangers.
Refreshingly, a new invention by the Denver startup Molon Labe Seating provides a realistic solution for the middle seat. It is newly approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and is ready to be installed in at least one airline.
The design alters seat layout slightly to give every passenger the illusion of more room. There are three elements that customers and airlines alike will find enticing about this invention: staggered and wider middle seats, wider aisles during takeoff and landing and for an airline's bottom line, overall lighter seats.
Molon Labe’s seats look familiar, expect that the middle seat is slightly lower and behind the window and aisle seats. The armrests also have two levels — leaving the back for the middle seat and the higher front for the aisle and window.
But the biggest selling point for customers might be the seat width — the middle seat is 21 inches, while the others are a standard 18 inches. For comparison, some airlines have decreased seat widths to 16 inches.
While the staggered design adds comfort for passengers, it will not decrease seating capacity. Flying the same number of people means this improvement won’t increase an airline’s carbon footprint.
The design also widens the aisle during takeoff and landing — the aisle seat can shift over the middle seat to make the aisle over twice as roomy. The amount of space shifts from 19 inches to 41 inches with only the push of a button, thus accommodating two people side-by-side or even a wheelchair.
“When you stop in the aisle to take off your jacket and pull your iPad out, everyone else stops,” Hank Scott, the founder and CEO of Molon Labe told The Denver Post in 2015. “Now the line won’t stop. Just get out of the way and let people walk around you.”
It’s not only passengers who will be happy with quicker boarding and deplaning times. Shorter turnarounds, especially for short-haul flights, save airlines money. Simply slipping the seats aside could save airlines 6.7 minutes per trip. This translates to $670,000 a day or $245 million a year, according to calculations courtesy of the Denver Post.
This invention is the first major seat redesign that benefits economy passengers. Any airline that buys into this staggered seat will give the impression to its customers that it cares. Doing so speaks loudly in an industry where airlines often put profit over person with practices like overbooking flights.
While airlines have generally done well with customer satisfaction in recent years, the in-flight experience leaves much to be desired. Of course, food and entertainment could be better, but seat comfort beats them both out. With a score of 69 out of 100, seat comfort was the lowest scoring category in this past spring’s American Customer Satisfaction Index report.
Middle seats are an untapped opportunity for airlines. Only three percent of airplane passengers claim to prefer the middle seat — mostly after a travel companion has already selected their seat. Disdain for middle seats translates into lost revenue.
Molon Labe’s design gives the middle seat its own advantage — size — thus increasing the chances airplanes will fly full.
And of course, some airlines may capitalize on the improved design by adding a surcharge for middle seats. Although, that may not be the best way to keep customers satisfied.
The design has been finished for a few years, but it only got FAA approval last month. An undisclosed airline already has plans to install the seats on 50 of its planes by 2020.
These first seats won’t include the slide-slip technology.
Scott explains to Fast Company, “We decided two years ago to focus on getting the S1 flying as it is . . . then once an airline is flying and happy with our seats and support, we will offer to upsell some Side-Slip Seats. It’s such a risk-averse industry that it made more sense to offer a nonmoving seat to start with.”
The company has focused on getting its short-haul design into planes — after all, that’s where seating is the tightest — but it also has a design for longer flights with added comfort features including privacy barriers.
While Molon Labe’s seats don’t solve all the horrors passengers associate with flying, they are a good start for returning to a place of comfort. While the seats won’t be available for this year’s summer travel, it’s nice to finally have hope for the near future. And for airlines, these staggered seats offer an opportunity to revive their industry’s reputation - one that currently comes across as putting customers' comfort as lower than low priority.
Image credit: Molon Labe Seating
Roya Sabri is a writer and graphic designer based in Illinois. She writes about the circular economy, advancements in CSR, the environment and equity. As a freelancer, she has worked on communications for nonprofits and multinational organizations. Find her on LinkedIn.


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We've probably all experienced the pain of accidentally sharing a status update or photo with an entire contact list, instead of just friends. But a new Facebook privacy update is intended to cut down on incidents of unwanted sharing.
Moving forward, Facebook will set all new users' default audience to "Friends," instead of the previous "Public" option.
First-time posters will receive a pop-up reminder to choose an audience. If you leave it up to fate, the website will automatically set your preference to Friends.
For existing users, Facebook will start testing an expanded privacy checkup tool, "which will take people through a few steps to review things like who they're posting to, which apps they use, and the privacy of key pieces of information on their profile," Facebook said.
"We want to do all we can to put power and control in people's hands," the social network said. "This new tool is designed to help people make sure they are sharing with just the audience they want." Of course, you can change the individual settings of new or old posts at any time, so even if you've overshared, it's easy to pull back later.
Back in October, Facebook announced that its teens would have the option to make their posts public. However, to prevent them from accidentally making private information available for the world to see, the default setting for new accounts of those ages 13 to 17 is "friends."
Today's announcement, meanwhile, comes after CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced a more granular control center at April's F8 developer conference, which lets users decide what data, if any, users share when logging in to Facebook on a third-party site.
Users prompted with the familiar blue "Login with Facebook" button can now access a comprehensive list of data-sharing permissions, which they can choose to let the app share or not. Also, members will be able to log into applications anonymously, and other Facebook users will no longer be able to share your data.
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Support for a New Plastics Economy
Constantia Flexibles endorses report calling for strategies to dramatically increase recycling of plastic packaging at World Economic Forum
At the Davos World Economic Forum gathering a new report was launched on January 16, 2017 with the support of some large companies in the plastics industry. The report “The New Plastics Economy: Catalysing Action” from the World Economic Forum and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation is calling for strategies to dramatically increase recycling of plastic packaging. It argues for a major rethink of plastic packaging and bills itself as a “transition strategy for better package design and increased recycling rates.
The report is endorsed by over 40 industry leaders – among them the CEO of Constantia Flexibles.
“The report provides a global action plan to transition towards a plastics system that works, aligned with the principles of the circular economy. We certainly want to be a part of that. As an active member of NPEC and one of the world's leading manufacturers of flexible packaging and labels, Constantia Flexibles understands the importance of modern plastic packaging design,” our CEO said. “We are glad to see how the New Plastics Economy initiative is bringing together other major players in the plastic packaging value chain to improve design and thus create both economic and environmental benefits for all stakeholders.”
To read the full report, visit: newplasticseconomy.org


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This past weekend, an Internet hoax aimed at McDonald’s made the top of the trending list when a photo of a company letter appeared on Twitter.
Video after the jump.
As you can see in the video, the letter is an authentic looking message declaring that African-Americans will be required to pay an additional fee on every transaction.
Although many people, myself included, recognized this letter as a hoax, enough people passed it on that McDonald’s soon had a PR fiasco on their hands.
The photo gained the hashtag #seriouslymcdonalds and that hashtag topped worldwide trending.
McDonald’s responded in one of the best ways possible: in the same medium in which the hoax began.
McDonald’s released a statement on it’s official Twitter page, saying, “That pic is a senseless & ignorant hoax. McD’s values ALL our customers. Diversity runs deep in our culture on both sides of the counter.”
Timeliness is very important when it comes to responding to a PR crisis. Twitter was the perfect outlet in which to provide a response to the public. For one, it was where the hoax originated and two, people were already following the crisis on Twitter, enabling them to see the McDonald’s response to the matter immediately. If McDonald’s had waited to have a press conference on the nightly news instead, many of the angry people might have missed it.
Timeliness is important when responding to crisis. What other factors contribute to an effective response to crisis?
To read more about the hoax and how it began, check out this article from CBS.


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CBS News December 11, 2018, 11:38 AM Instagram influencers add beauty entrepreneur to their titles
Collectively, Sona Gasparian, Marianna Hewitt, Lauren Gores Ireland, Sazan Hendrix, Lilly Ghalichi, and Annie Lawless have more than 5 million people around the world following their every move on Instagram. Now these influencers are adding the title of entrepreneur to their profiles.
"We genuinely, like, are here to help each other and support each other and help our brands grow," Gasparian told CBS News correspondent Mireya Villarreal.
"We really think, like, collaboration over competition and we want to help our friends and our fellow influencers and just like kind of help lift everybody up," Hewitt said.
Influencers like beauty entrepreneurs Hewitt and Gores make money by sharing sponsored posts, collaborating with major brands or incorporating ads into YouTube videos.
"Sazan can post something and it will push more sales than an actress or someone on a TV show," Hewitt said.
Now these self-made celebrities are launching their own skincare, makeup, and subscription box services and creating competition for bigger, more traditional brands. Americans spend an estimated $445 billion every year on beauty products, according to Inkwood Research. That number is expected to hit $750 billion by 2024.
Asked what makes them qualified to launch a beauty brand, Hewitt said they are "educated consumers."
"Because we've tested and tried so many things out there, we knew exactly what we liked and what we didn't like in a product," Hewitt said. "We worked really closely with the lab and formulated a product from scratch and we didn't launch it until we were fully happy with it."
Cat Quinn, Refinery29's beauty director, said these women offer something many of the big beauty companies don't: direct interaction with customers.
"What they are experts in is they're experts as consumers, so they know what their followers like. They're talking to their followers in the comments… being able to kind of tap into this focus group that's like at your fingertips all day long," Quinn said.
Quinn said these influencers aren't just convincing people to buy products. They're forcing the industry to shift their strategy.
"We're the modern day Avon lady. We're the modern day Mary Kay lady. So it's like your friend that would come into your house and then put all the products on the table and hope that you bought something when you left. It's the same but it's online now," Hewitt said.
Hewitt and Gores already had a trusting, engaged following built when they launched their skincare line.
"How do you go from influencing to then creating your own product? Was it because there wasn't something specific in the market that you wanted for yourselves?" Villarreal asked.
"We had a relationship with our followers and they were telling us every day what they wanted. So we took what we wanted to create and we took what they were asking us for and then dreamed up the perfect product," Hewitt said.
"I mean we have not spent any marketing dollars and we were able to become a number one selling skincare brand," Gores said.
"It was all social media," Hewitt said. "And it's almost more convincing to them to buy a from a YouTuber they love than an ad in a magazine."
From Instagram to instant success, this group is proof that it's good to be liked.


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McDonald's to Cut Prices on Drinks as Fast-Food Industry Slumps
by Leslie Patton
February 22, 2017, 3:00 AM MST
Promotion will offer $1 sodas, McCafe beverages for $2
Rising food costs may be pushing chain toward latest strategy
McDonald’s Corp., reeling from an industrywide restaurant slump and slowing growth from its all-day breakfast push, is looking to beverages to help perk up the business.
The world’s biggest food-service company, which last year focused its advertising on cheeseburgers and chicken sandwiches, plans to offer $1 sodas and $2 McCafe specialty drinks across the U.S. It’s turning to higher-margin beverages at a time when cheap grocery prices are prodding more Americans to eat at home. The drink promotion may also help McDonald’s cope with the eventual rebound in food costs.
McDonald’s has been revamping its menu and marketing since Steve Easterbrook took the helm almost two years ago. Along with the introduction of all-day breakfast, Easterbrook has relied more on discounts and promotions across the country. Last year, the chain advertised two-for-$2 and two-for-$5 deals to bring back diners they’d lost after nixing its popular Dollar Menu.
McDonald’s leads a $228 billion U.S. fast-food industry that faces slackening growth. After increasing 2.4 percent last year, revenue gains will slow to 1.5 percent this year and 1.6 percent in 2018, data from researcher IBISWorld show.
“Demand has been a little weak,” said Jack Russo, analyst at Edward D. Jones & Co. “A lot of these guys think they’ve got to keep promoting to keep people coming in the door.”
The McDonald’s promotion, which starts in April, will include soft drinks of any size for $1. For a limited time, customers can also buy small McCafe beverages such as smoothies, frappes and espresso drinks for $2. At stores in Chicago on Tuesday, small McCafe frappes sold for between $2.69 and $3.09. The chain plans to support the rollout with national advertising.
The strategy aims to create “noticeable changes” for customers, said Adam Salgado, vice president of U.S. marketing at Oak Brook, Illinois-based McDonald’s. “It’s adding another layer of great value for customers with more choices.”
READ THE FULL STORY AT BLOOMBERG.COM.


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Razer, a manufacturer of gaming devices, suffered from a data leak after an insecure database of its online store was exposed. Razer represents a global Singaporean-American gaming console manufacturer known for its mouse equipment, keyboards and other advanced gaming devices, and its products target gamers in general.
On August 19, security researcher Bob Diachenko found an insecure database that revealed information from nearly 100,000 people who had purchased items from the Razer online store.
This exposed information included the customer’s name, email address, phone number, order numbers, order details, billing and shipping addresses, and public search engines can index this information.
For a few weeks, security researcher Bob Dyachenko tried to contact someone at Razer who could protect the exposed database to stop Razer’s data leaking. Dyachenko stated that Razer secured the database server on September 9, and thanked the researcher for his assistance.
The company said: Mr. Dyachenko told us that there was a server configuration error that would potentially put order details, customer and shipping information at risk, and no other sensitive data, such as credit card numbers or passwords, was revealed, and the server configuration error was fixed on September 9th, Before the information is made public.
“We would like to thank you and sincerely apologize for this interruption, and we have taken all necessary steps to fix the problem, in addition to conducting a comprehensive review of information technology security and systems, and we remain committed to ensuring the safety and digital security of all our customers,” he added.
What should affected Razer customers do:
If the attackers access this data, they can use the information in targeted phishing campaigns to gather sensitive information, such as passwords and credit card details.
While it is not known that any of the perpetrators gained access to the exposed data before it was secured, it is crucial for those affected to be wary of potential phishing campaigns.
And if you’ve bought anything from the (Razer) online store, be wary of any emails stating it’s from the gaming company.


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DETROIT – Con artists are posing as Amazon employees, calling people, and claiming to need information about their account, according to the Better Business Bureau.
The scammers have been spoofing the Better Business Bureau’s number while making this scam calls. Scammers use caller ID spoofing technology to impersonate phone numbers.
READ: Better Business Bureau warns consumers of ‘going out of business’ online shopping scam
How does the scam work?
The scammers call and when you answer you get a recorded message claiming to be from Amazon stating there is a problem with your Amazon account.
The message might say there’s a fraudulent charge on your Prime card, a package was lost or damaged or you have an unfulfilled order for an iPhone 10.
The scammers are trying to get your personal information. Don’t give it to them. The scammers might ask for your credit card or account login information.


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iLounge has had decent luck predicting new iOS devices recently, managing earlier this year to correctly prophesize most of the details about the new iPad (although consensus had pretty much agreed upon them already).
Now iLounge is doing the same for the iPhone 4S, and while they echo a lot of the current speculation about a thinner iPhone 5 with a longer 4-inch display, the professional renders iLounge has put together are absolutely top-notch. This would be an incredibly attractive iPhone.
According to iLounge, the new iPhone will have a longer iPhone display that will increase the length of the phone by about 10mm while keeping the width the same. Making the iPhone bigger in this fashion would allow Apple to fit an LTE chip and more battery into the device, while assuring that the new iPhone can still be used for one-handed texting. It would also be backwards compatible with current iPhone apps, since apps not updated for the new iPhone could simply be letterboxed.
Another advantage of a longer body is that Apple could make the device thinner. In fact, iLounge believes the new iPhone will be around 20% thinner than the iPhone 4S. They also foresee a sexy metal back, which I think looks absolutely lovely as they envision it in their mockups (and should cut down on back plate shattering). The rest of CoM’s editorial staff says I’m bonkers though, and it’s hideous, so what do I know?
Finally, iLounge claims — again, echoing earlier reports — that Apple’s finally going to change the Apple Dock Connector so that it’s smaller. The biggest advantage here is that Apple can regain all the space inside of the iPhone that is dedicated to the larger Dock Connector mechanism and cram it with more useful components, like battery.
I’ve been skeptical that I would want a larger iPhone, but barring the weird half-metal back, this device looks great. Sure, the iPhone becomes longer… but it also becomes thinner and gets LTE and better battery life. This is an iPhone I could properly swoon over.


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While reinforcing all of its national branded collections, Spring Air International and its licensees will offer a variety of bed designs at aggressive values as part of a major Summer Sales Event to be rolled out at the Las Vegas Market. According to company president Rick Robinson, some of the company’s licensees, such as Spring Air-California, will have its Summer Sales Event products on hand for presentation during the show.
“Our Las Vegas effort is both local and national in scope,” Robinson noted. “Our showroom becomes a stage for Spring Air licensees to offer their own show specials, while at the same time we’ll be promoting retailer awareness and commitments to our current line offerings both in our space and around the market center.” As part of Spring Air’s increased focus on marketing strategies, themes and materials, the company will have several new, customizable retail TV spots—including one carrying the Summer Sales Event theme—that licensees and their retail customers can use to attract local mattress shoppers.
Along with access to the commercials on the company’s new media center at springairtv.com, the company will also step up its production of other marketing media and materials tied to the new promotional themes.
“We’re very pleased with the performance of our current national lines,” Robinson continued, “and wanted to commit this market not only to emphasizing those products but also to spotlighting factory designs and special pricing aimed at driving local business throughout the summer months.”
For more information, please visit springair.com.


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Quintessential Capital Management of New York issued a very critical report on Bio-On on July 19. In the 18-page report, QCM officials said that “after meticulous collection and analysis of information, we came to the opinion that Bio-On is a ‘house of cards,’ a scheme conceived by management to enrich themselves on at the expense of shareholders.”
The report added that although Bio-On is “a seemingly successful company boasting growing revenue and profits,” the Bologna-based firm “is actually a massive bubble based on flawed technology and ‘fictitious’ sales thanks to a network of empty shell companies.”
Bio-On’s share price dropped 10.3 percent to 49.60 euros (US $55.27) in trading on the Borsa Italiana. The price had been above 68 euros in late 2018.
Back to Reality
The accusation of Quintessential Capital Management does not seem to reflect reality. Bio-On has been one of the most active and succesfull bioplastics company in the past 12 months.
In May, Bio-On reported a profit of 33.5 million euros on sales of 51 million euros for 2018. Both of those totals are up substantially from 2017.
In January, the firm announced a partnership with consumer products giant Unilever to use bioplastic micropowders in My Kai brand sunscreens. Bio-On’s micropowders won a Best Practices Award in 2018 from global consulting firm Frost & Sullivan.
Since late 2018, Bio-On has announced partnerships to build bioplastic production sites in Russia and Mexico, as well as the formation of Zeropack, a joint venture with agricultural firm Gruppo Rivoira to make packaging for fruits and vegetables.
A little more than 10 percent of Bio-On’s shares are publicly traded. Company executives Marco Astorri and Guido Cocagnani — who co-founded Bio-On in 2007 — each own stakes of almost 11 percent. The remaining shares — almost 68 percent of the total — are owned by Capsa srl, a lumber and woodworking equipment firm based in Milan.
Do you think Quintessential Capital Management is trying to influence the stock price? Do you think QCM took certain positions on the financial market to benefit from a drop in the stock price of Bio-On?
Funnily enough, Quintessential Capital Management wrote in their report that it “has an economic interest in the price movement of the securities mentioned in this report,” which typically means the firm has a short position in the stock.
Its not the first time that QCM does this type of shaming. In fact, they call them QCM Campaigns. Here’s a screenshot of their website.
Bio-On officials denied the report’s allegations and said they were considering legal action against the investment firm.
In a July 24 response, Bio-On officials said that the firm “totally denies the assertions that would attribute to Bio-On’s management incorrect behaviors and that the company is communicating false information to the market.
“What has been published is subject to the company’s and its lawyers’ evaluation for the purpose of its own protection against potential price manipulations by hedge funds,” they added. “The fund author of the report clearly declared an economic interest in the company stock price reduction, as reported in its disclaimer.”
In a separate response, Bio-On officials confirmed that its Bologna-area plant “is fully operative and active in PHA production.” In their report, QCM officials had questioned the status of that plant.
Bio-On officials added that the production plant “is central to the company’s business to create a new standard in PHA production, proved on industrial scale, and accelerating PHA spread in the biopolymers market.”
They added that the plant “has been visited over the last few months by multiple public, financial and industrial players, to whom the full operation…was shown.”
Read the follow up on this:
plasticsnews.com – Italian bioplastics maker denies allegations made by US investment firm


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More than half of small and midsized businesses (SMBs) are dealing with rent increases, according to the latest Small Business Rent report published by Alignable.
In a survey of 4,601 randomly selected SMB owners polled from July 2-27, 55% of respondents said coping with rent spikes, with 15% reporting they are paying over 20% more in rent costs compared to what was required six months ago.
For the fifth consecutive month, nearly 40% of SMBs said they cannot afford to pay this month’s rent, due to ongoing spikes and trouble ramping up revenue. During July 40% of small business owners said they were only earning half or less of the monthly revenue they generated prior to Covid.
Texas had the highest percentage (73%) of small business owners facing rent spikes, aligning with its position as the second-highest state for rent delinquency at 47%. Maryland had the highest SMB rent delinquency rate at 55%.
As for the landlords, 13% of the SMBs’ landlords who haven’t raised rents yet said they’ll need to do it soon to combat the effects of cumulative inflation. But as of July, 52% of independent landlords said they experienced a financial post-pandemic rebound, despite three years of putting some tenant payments on hold and/or discounting their rents to help renters cope with Covid and inflation.


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Amazon Deals Increase ahead of Countdown to Black Friday Deals Week Sale
01 Nov 2018
Today, Amazon offers a bunch of deals on Amazon devices.
Amazon kicked off the Black Friday sales on November 1 last year with the Countdown to Black Friday Deals Week sale. We expect Amazon to stick to the tradition and offer their first Black Friday 2018 deals on Thursday, Nov. 1.
Today we have spotted an increase in deals on Amazon’s own products. The Fire 7, Fire HD 8, and Fire HD 10 are all on sale with up to 25% in savings. Also on sale are the Kids Editions of the three Fire tablets. The savings are up to $40 on this special Amazon devices deals page.
Amazon added many more new products in 2018 to its own device line-up. During November you will be able to find deals on each one of them. Featured today are deals on Blink Security systems. Amazon bought that Blink early this year. The Blink Indoor security system starts at $76.49, representing a 15% discount. The outdoor version is on sale as well with 15% in savings starting at $110.49.
Find all of today’s deals on Amazon devices here. The early Black Friday 2018 sales will kick off in full on November 1 on Amazon and other major stores and we will guide you to the best Black Friday 2018 deals throughout all November.
Check out the available details so far about the Amazon Black Friday 2018 sale, the Best Buy Black Friday 2018 ad and the Walmart Black Friday 2018 ad and our preview of the Top 10 Black Friday 2018 ads. Smart moms, dads and of course resellers are already busy shopping Holiday 2018 toys on Amazon.com. They stack up on the upcoming season’s hottest toys now including our top 10 Holiday toys 2018 to buy now.
Find out how to buy the hottest and most popular electronics and toys online that are hard to find. There is an app for that. The free Tracker app notifies you on your smartphone when the hottest toys 2018 and the newest consumer electronics are in stock online. You can also receive all in stock and deals alert on Twitter @TheTrackerApp.


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Lagos - Clickatell, the United States-based mobile communications company, said it was positioning itself to becoming the biggest PIN-less provider in the local market.
The commendable uptake of its services, which have seen five of the top Nigerian banks opt for the company as their PIN-less airtime distributor, is buoying the South African-founded company’s prospects.
Officials said Clickatell would continue to strengthen its position as a leading mobile enablement provider in Nigeria and be the largest PINless airtime provider by the end of the fiscal year.
“GT Bank, First Bank, Ecobank, Sterling Bank, and United Bank of Africa are all switching their airtime strategies to a PINless future and have harnessed Clickatell’s technology, expertise and in-depth understanding of the African landscape to tap into the revenue potential of value added services (PINless Prepaid Airtime),” added Samson Isa, Clickatell Director for West Africa.
PINless Airtime enables real time top up of pre-paid mobile airtime at the point of sale without the need for PINs or printed vouchers.
The benefits to end-users and resellers are numerous, including reduced risks of fraud and theft as well as increased access and convenience for the end consumer and the ability to top-up any mobile number.
Clickatell was founded in 2000 in South Africa and headquartered in Redwood City, California. It has offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa and Lagos, Nigeria.
– CAJ News


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Computer products retailer CompUSA, Dallas, has incorporated new technologies into its call center that allow phone operators to view customers’ purchasing, servicing and billing histories while consulting with them on the phone.
The technology was adopted not only to help CompUSA to better serve customers on its Dial-A-Tech support line, but to help facilitate the third-party outsourcing business the company has begun.
“By employing all of the technology we have so far, we are getting better scores in customer satisfaction because we are able to take more calls,” said Harold Vance, director of information services for the call center. “We have the technology where we are shaving one to six seconds per call, sometimes more, which is enabling more calls to come through here so productivity has increased, call volume has increased, and we’ve been able to keep about the same head count.”
The technology is cutting up to a minute off some calls, the company said, although first-time callers, who must be interviewed and entered into the database, extend the average call time, which is between 10 and 14 minutes.
The system works by identifying the caller electronically, routing the call to the proper representative and then prompting the correct screen to appear on the representative’s computer. The center uses Genesys-brand middleware to provide skills-based routing so calls are directed to representatives who can handle the level of technical assistance required by the customer. The Siebel Call Center software then causes the correct screen to appear on an agent’s terminal.
If a customer already is in the database, the system recognizes the caller’s phone number and displays a history of calls, purchases, service contracts, current hardware and software and suggests appropriate upselling opportunities for agents.
The company’s 1,000-seat call center, located near its Dallas headquarters, primarily handles inbound calls from business and household consumers requesting technical assistance for products they purchased from one of the chain’s 210 retail outlets.
Callers to the Dial-A-Tech line enter a personal identification number, which the software uses to route the calls. Most of the calls the center handles are from the Dial-A-Tech service, which consumers pay for – either by the call or for unlimited service within specified time periods – to receive technical support that extends beyond what either manufacturers or CompUSA’s stores offer.
Increasingly, the center is taking on new business from third-party companies who outsource some or all of their call center operations. Most of that business involves inbound “help desk” calls, although the company also provides limited outbound calling for two clients totaling less than 3 percent of the center’s business. The facility handles 5,000 to 10,000 calls per week, according to Blake Wolff, senior director of the call center.
“One of the great things about Siebel is that it can be configured quickly and easily in support of new operations,” he said.
CompUSA hopes to capitalize on its reputation as a service provider and the trend for companies to outsource call center services.
“When we first started looking at outsourcing, we went to our corporate customers first,” said Clark Hausmann, director of sales and marketing for the call center. “Then we went to the vendor community, to those people who we are customers of, and we made them one of ours.”
One of the fastest-growing segments of the call center’s customer base is Internet service providers, he said.
“With thousands of people logging onto the Internet every day, the ISP market is just rocketing,” said Hausmann. “Many of those companies don’t want to invest the capital it takes to support those customers.”
The software also is being rolled out during the next several months to the company’s 1,500-member sales force, who operate from the chain’s retail outlets.
Ron Meyer, a partner in Inforte Corp., Chicago, which consulted with CompUSA on the technology implementation, said the company had outgrown its previous systems.
“The systems they had to handle customer service and inbound-outbound calling had been put in place when they were a much smaller company, and were, to some extent, bursting at the seams,” he said. “They had a number of systems that didn’t talk to each other, and didn’t talk to CompUSA, for that matter.”
Now, he said, the company has “the ability to get a full picture of you as a customer.”
The call center became one of the first to install Siebel Call Center ’98 software last year and also was one of the first to incorporate it with the Microsoft SQL Server 7.0. n