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Consumer Reports will not be recommending Apple’s latest MacBook Pro models due to inconsistent battery performance, the magazine said Thursday. After conducting a battery of tests, Consumer Reports discovered that battery life across all new Pros varied “dramatically” from one test to another.
On the other hand (as I note in this article), the battery woes might be caused by a software issue in Safari for Mac because Chrome (a notorious battery hog) fared far better in the tests.
Be that as it may, Apple’s latest notebooks received low rating and failed to earn Consumer Report’s recommendation “after battery life issues surfaced during testing”. As a result, the new MacBook Pro is the first Apple notebook that did not receive a Consumer Reports recommendation, said the magazine.
Each late-2016 MacBook Pro model underwent through a series of three consecutive tests. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar had a run time of 16 hours in the first trial, which dropped to 12.75 hours in the second and just 3.75 hours in the third.
As for the 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar, that model worked for 19.5 hours in one trial but only 4.5 hours in the next. The numbers for the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar ranged from 18.5 down to 8 hours.
“Those were just a few of the results,” said Consumer Reports, adding that they tested battery life on these laptops “repeatedly”. Apple declined to comment on these numbers beyond saying in an email statement that “any customer who has a question about their Mac or its operation should contact AppleCare.”
The battery tests involved loading ten different web pages sequentially in Safari from an office server over a Wi-Fi network set up specifically for this purpose until the machine ran out of juice. Each laptop’s screen remained on during the tests and brightness was set to 100 nits, “a typical level you might use indoors or out.”
Automatic brightness adjustment was turned off in System Preferences.
The magazine summed it up by saying:
With the widely disparate figures we found in the MacBook Pro tests, an average wouldn’t reflect anything a consumer would be likely to experience in the real world. For that reason, we are reporting the lowest battery life results, and using those numbers in calculating our final scores. It’s the only time frame we can confidently advise a consumer to rely on if he or she is planning use the product without access to an electrical outlet.
I’m only speculating here, but these battery woes might be caused by a software issue in Safari because Consumer Reports conducted the same tests using the Chrome browser only to find battery life was “consistently high on all six runs.”
That’s a major surprise—Chrome’s always been a battery hog on Mac because it doesn’t use a number of battery-related optimizations found in Safari. Chrome hasn’t affected the ratings because Consumer Reports only used the default Safari browser to calculate its final scores.
The Consumer Reports magazine is published since 1936 by Consumers Union, a nonprofit organization dedicated to unbiased product testing, so this is obviously a major blow to Apple and a signal that the company should perhaps take a closer look into complaints from consumers about inconsistent battery life.
“The laptops did very well in measures of display quality and performance,” said the magazine. As you know, Apple advertises the new Pros with a ten-hour battery life.
Complaints about inconsistent battery life have been popping up online since the machines first went on sale in November. Some people said on Twitter and Apple’s support forums that they were only able to use their brand spanking new Pros for three to four hours before the battery ran down.
Some of the reported battery issues can be chalked up to post-install process, like Spotlight indexing, iCloud data sync, iCloud Photo Library sync, the Memories feature and the new facial, object and scene algorithm in Photos.
After Apple removed the battery’s time remaining indicator from the menu bar in the latest macOS Sierra 10.12.2 software update, some but not all affected users did report better-than-before battery life when they deployed the software update.
For what it’s worth, Consumer Reports did repeat the battery tests using macOS Sierra 10.12.2 after it was released, but saw no difference in the results.
Apple specifically told ArsTechnica that it took no specific steps with macOS Sierra 10.12.2 to improve battery life on the new MacBook Pros.
That being said, any potential battery life improvements you might see could be contributed to the recently finished post-install processes (which may take a few days to complete), causing the notebook’s battery life to normalize.
The Cupertino company told The Loop’s Jim Dalrymple that “after a lot of testing” it continued to stand behind the Pro’s advertised ten-hour battery life when browsing the web or watching iTunes movies.
Source: Consumer Reports


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More than 50 million users of the daily deals site LivingSocial are being asked to reset their passwords after hackers attacked the company’s servers and potentially made off with personal data.
The cyberattack “resulted in authorized access to some customer data on our servers,” including names, email addresses, dates of birth and encrypted passwords, LivingSocial CEO Tim O’Shaughnessy said in an email to employees and in a separate email being sent to customers.
The database that stores customer credit card information was not affected, nor was the database that stores merchants’ financial and banking information, the Washington, D.C.-based company said.
Although decoding users’ passwords “would be difficult,” the site says it is taking “every precaution” by expiring its users’ passwords and asking them to create a new one. Emails are being sent this afternoon to the more than 50 million users whose data may have been compromised, a LivingSocial spokesman said.
LivingSocial says it has 70 million members worldwide. Customers in Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines aren’t being contacted because the company uses different computer systems in those countries, it said.
The group behind the attack has not been identified. “We are actively working with law enforcement to investigate this issue,” LivingSocial said on its website.
The hack may have resulted in users’ accounts on other sites being compromised. “We also encourage you, for your own personal data security, to consider changing password(s) on any other sites on which you use the same or similar password(s),” O’Shaughnessy said.
“We need to do the right thing for our customers who place their trust in us,” O’Shaughnessy said in the employee email, adding, “We’ll all need to work incredibly hard over the coming days and weeks to validate that faith and trust.”
The hack follows a slew of attacks on Twitter, Facebook, Microsoft, and other companies. LivingSocial said it is “redoubling” its efforts to prevent future breaches.

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Another day, another manufactured outrage that’s somehow all trans people’s fault.
Hasbro, owner of the Mr Potato Head toy, is bringing out a new version that will have both male-appearing and female-appearing pieces in the same box so that you can make an entire family. Because the resulting potato heads can be male, female or either or neither, this product isn’t going to be called Mr Potato Head or Mrs Potato Head. It’s just going to be called Potato Head.
Mr Potato Head will still be sold as Mr Potato Head, and Mrs Potato Head will still be Mrs Potato Head. But that’s not what people are being told.
Sky: Mr Potato Head is no more as classic toy goes gender neutral
The Guardian: “Mr Potato Head loses ‘mister” as Hasbro opts for gender-neutral brand name
BBC: Mr Potato Head to lose “Mr” title in gender neutral rebrand
The Scotsman: Potato Head: Toy company remove the Mister from toy’s name in move to update their classic brands.
This, you’re being told, is the latest example of the Snowflake Woke Gender Police threatening civilisation as we know it. According to Piers Morgan, this shows that “woke imbeciles are destroying the world.”
It shows nothing of the sort, of course: it’s a great example of how toys don’t necessarily have to be labelled THIS IS FOR BOYS ONLY and THIS IS FOR GIRLS ONLY. And it’s also a great example of how right-wing contrarians will knowingly spread bullshit to inflame their audiences. Morgan knows he’s talking shite, but he doesn’t care.
The problem with this nonsense is that it gets used as supposed evidence against, you’ve guessed it, the sinister trans lobby. The comments are full of it, so for example on the Metro version of the story: “Yet again the trendy, wokey, snowflake minority are dictating to the majority… soon they’ll be scrapping titles like Mr, Mrs, Miss or even Ms… you can’t even say you prefer one gender over the other… what next? Trans barbie that hides the last turkey in the shop window under its skirt”
I think that last one is supposed to mean Barbie with a penis. Because if there’s one thing trans people want, it’s children’s toys with large, visible genitals.
I mean, honestly. This is nothing to do with us. I spentÂ two hours in a Zoom meeting with over 50 trans people last night, and the topic of discussion wasn’t about the gender of toys or policing people’s language or any of the other things we’re supposedly about: it was about the completely broken trans healthcare system and the horrific delays facing trans people who require life-saving treatment. In a just world the trans healthcare crisis would be a national scandal, but in this one the media would rather just invent shit about us and spread it as widely as they can.
LikeÂ Baa Baa Green Sheep and “political correctness gone mad” in previous decades, these stories don’t care about reality: they exist to get people furious about the newspapers’ and broadcasters’ chosen enemies.
I saw an example of that today. Remember the story from the Times a few days ago that lied about inclusive language for pregnant people? (short version: guidance for NHS staff asked them not to be insensitive to trans men; The Times reported it as an NHS ban on the use of the word “mother”) It’s made its way across oceans with the US and Australian right-wing press reporting it as fact. Meanwhile in England, there really was a successful attempt to exclude people with language: theÂ UK government changed the wording of a law specifically to exclude trans men by swapping the gender-neutral word “people” for “women”.
As ever, the people the right wing are telling you to fear are the ones they are silencing, demonising and marginalising. They can take their potatoes and shove them where the sun doesn’t shine.


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Stride Ventures has provided $9 million (INR 75 crore) in debt capital to Indian fintech upstart slice, providing a substantial boost to its financial health. With a recent $9 million debt finance investment from Stride Ventures, fintech behemoth slice has reached yet another milestone in its path. This strategic step emphasises Slice’s continued development trajectory and represents a substantial increase in its financial status in the competitive fintech sector.
slice: A Rising Fintech Unicorn
Establishing a Foothold
Slice, a significant participant in the fintech space, has rapidly acquired reputation as a financial services disruptor. The firm has carved out a place for itself by catering to the special demands of young, technologically aware clients, providing innovative financial solutions that are adapted to their lives.
Unicorn Status and Steady Expansion
After achieving the coveted unicorn status, slice has steadily extended its operations, integrating a varied variety of financial goods and services. Stride Ventures’ new financing confirms its status as a forerunner in the fintech industry.
Details of the Funding
Stride Ventures’ Strategic Investment
Stride Ventures, recognised for making strategic investments in emerging startups, has extended a $9 million debt financing round to slice. The funding will help Slice improve its technology infrastructure, accelerate product innovation, and increase its market reach.
Utilization of Funds
The funds will be used to fund Slice’s ambitious expansion ambitions, which include expanding its operations, investing in R&D, and improving its technology capabilities to better serve its user base.
The Impact on Fintech Landscape
Implications for slice
Stride Ventures financing is expected to catalyse slice’s development trajectory, allowing it to cement its position as a trailblazer in the fintech industry. With more financial freedom, the firm will be able to develop and expand its product offers, perhaps attracting a larger consumer base.
Broader Industry Implications
Beyond slice, this strategic investment demonstrates investors’ sustained interest and trust in the fintech sector. Stride Ventures’ investment in slice demonstrates the exciting future of fintech firms and their ability to revolutionise traditional financial services.
The Road Ahead for slice
Innovation and Expansion
Slice is prepared to embark on an aggressive expansion plan with the infusion of $9 million in debt finance. The firm intends to use the financial infusion to accelerate technical innovation, improve user experience, and expand its market footprint, cementing its position as a top fintech operator.
Enhanced User Experience
The investment is intended to provide significant benefits to slice’s customers as the company focuses on providing more comprehensive and user-friendly financial products adapted to the changing demands of its target audience.
Stride Ventures’ new $9 million investment in slice marks a key milestone in the company’s path as a fintech disruptor. This strategic investment not only strengthens Slice’s financial position, but also demonstrates the company’s belief in its vision and potential in the competitive fintech industry. As the firm looks to expand and innovate, the larger ramifications of this financing reflect the fintech industry’s continuous vitality and development potential.


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In partnership with Italian rice producer Riseria Vignola Giovanni, Mondi and Fiorini International, an Italian packaging converter, say they have developed Italy’s first 100% recyclable paper rice bag.
The new rice bag will support Vignola’s aim of reducing its use of plastic packaging, as it is made of Mondi's Advantage Smooth White Strong 100 gsm, a speciality kraft paper. Mondi reports that the solution is 100% recyclable and suitable for waste paper recycling streams, even in countries with the highest recycling requirements.
Giovanni Vignola, managing director of Vignola, says: “Our fifth-generation family company has long been an innovator in Italy. In 1971, we were one of the first to pack rice in cardboard boxes, and in the 1980s we were among the first to adopt the vacuum packaging system.
“Now we are pleased to be leading the market once again with this fully recyclable paper rice bag for our 500g and one-kilo packages, giving consumers the sustainable, recyclable packaging they increasingly prefer.”
Pietro Fiorini, sales director of Fiorini International, adds: “The Rice Bag for Vignola is our second successful collaboration with Mondi in the past two years. Having partnered with Mondi to develop a fully recyclable paper bag with a window for an Italian pasta company last year, we did not hesitate to recommend Mondi to Vignola.
"Mondi has the expertise and capability to work with us on sustainable packaging solutions that meet food industry guidelines for freshness and shelf life and are also user-friendly.”
Italy is Europe’s top producer and exporter of rice, producing around 1.5 million tonnes per year, which represents more than 30% of total European rice production.


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Ninja Becomes 1st Multi-Platform Streamer, FaZe Clan Owns a Virtual World in The Sandbox, and More!
EWD: News for Week of 9/5/22-9/18/22
Topics: Partnerships, FaZe Clan, Ninja, Gen.G, XSET, Mercedes
FaZe Clan x The Sandbox
FaZe Clan announced a strategic partnership with Sandbox and makes their first foray into the metaverse. As a major part of the partnership, the 2 parties will work in tandem to create "FaZe World," a virtual land that encompasses the FaZe brand. This virtual world will open the door for a gamified FaZe World that allows users to experience and engage with FaZe Clan and FaZe talent. And, of course, this will be an additional revenue stream for them.
The Sandbox LANDs surrounding FaZe World will be available for individual digital real estate purchases by the public. The Sandbox will hold a LAND sale to be announced later this year with the immersive experiences of FaZe World are slated for 2023.
Sebastien Borget, Co-Founder and COO of The Sandbox.
We're thrilled to collaborate in bringing FaZe World to The Sandbox as we prepare to launch many exciting activations that put players and creators in control of the next phase of Internet culture comprising user-generated content, Web 3, metaverse, and gaming.
For context, The Sandbox is a virtual gaming world where players can build, own, and monetize their gaming experiences. The game fully embraces the idea of the metaverse as a continuous shared digital space where worlds and heroes collide to make magic. The Sandbox has over 400 existing partnerships with a wide range of influencers, musicians, apparel brands, game publishers, tech companies, etc.
Honestly surprised this is FaZe's first entrance into the metaverse to create experiences for their fans, and ultimately, an additional revenue stream for the company. One key mention within the press release is that the surrounding virtual real estate around FaZe World will be for sale, providing "a once in a lifetime opportunity to be neighbors with one of the world's largest gaming and media organizations." By promoting their virtual space to its fans to be a part of fun experiences, that creates more engagement onto the platform, their space, and potentially raise the value of the land surrounding them. That additionally land value surrounding them could theoretically bring in meaningful revenue for the now publicly traded company's own virtual land.
Gen.G x Crocs
Gen.G teams up with footwear brand Crocs to launch an experience inspired by the brand’s shoe design within the ZEPETO platform. As part of the collaboration, there will be a launch of an exclusive digital fashion range for users to obtain as well as virtual photo and video booths to showcase the new items.
Additionally, Gen.G content creators will be leveraged within the collaboration by styling their ZEPETO avatars with the collectables. Fans and users can participate in a giveaway competition where they can win the platform’s ZEM currency, Crocs shoes and an LG laptop.
Tim Malone, Vice President of Global Integrated Marketing at Crocs, spoke on the deal:
Our new partnership with ZEPETO and Gen. G is reflective of our commitment to digital innovation and consumer engagement through a digitally-led social-first lens. Gen.G shares our vision for delivering immersive experiences that reflect the unique DNA of our brand, which is rooted in authentic self-expression.
To date, this is the first metaverse-based platform collaboration for the organization. However, Gen.G has worked with Crocs over a year ago to create a Minecraft build competition to market Crocs new ‘All Family Tie-Dye’ collection to gamers. Crocs joins the likes of restaurant chain McDonald’s, electronics manufacturer LG, and gaming peripherals brand ROCCAT as a partner. In total, Gen.G has 13 within its portfolio.
Mercedes-Benz x Riot Games
Mercedes-Benz and publisher Riot Games to continue their League of Legends (LoL) Esports partnership for another three years. Since 2020, Mercedes has been the exclusive automotive partner of the global League of Legends Esports events. A key moment of this partnership surrounds the LoL World Championship, and the two parties will continue to work together to create a Championship Ring for the winning team as they did in 2021.
To further develop the Championship Ring, Mercedes-Benz is working with Aether Diamonds to use sustainable diamond in the center of the ring. The CO2 used to produce the diamond was taken directly from the atmosphere. Additionally, the game maker founded the "Riot Games Social Impact Fund,” a non-profit engine for Riot’s global social impact efforts that has distributed over $23M in grants to nonprofits worldwide and supports more than 400 organizations across 25 regions.
In addition to the Championship Ring, there are other joint experiences planned by Mercedes-Benz and Riot Games around Worlds this year for fans. There's no details as to what activations will be created at this time. Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, responsible for Marketing and Sales said this on the renewal:
Winning the hearts of gaming fans is an exciting challenge. Together with Riot Games we are in the best condition to inspire the community and to successfully shape the future of esports. We are therefore looking forward to continuing our cooperation – and to remaining an integral part of the global League of Legends family.
The partnership hits on a lot of key areas that brands within esports, especially one that is synonymous with excellence should achieve. They're able to be a part of the the ring ceremony for LoL Worlds, one of the top moments/highest achievements in all of esports. Additionally they found a partner to create a sustainable ring and work with Riot on their social impact fund. Environmental sustainability, social impact, exclusivity, and celebrating esports excellence are all relavnet objectives that Mercedes is hitting on here. I will note that the press release stated that their over-arching goal of this partnership is "to create added value for the further development of the global esports culture and thus strengthen the worldwide LoL community."
Campbell's Soup x EA Sports' MCS
Campbell’s expands beyond being the official soup brand of the NFL to become the title sponsor of EA Sports’ Madden Championship Series (MCS). As part of the deal, competitive matches will be played in a purpose-built Campbell’s Chunky Stadium, courtesy of the EA Tiburon team. Campbell’s marks/logos will be seen throughout the digital venue, which will also be part of Madden NFL 23 for fans/casual gamers.
Andrew Echanique told SBJ this about the partnership:
We worked closely with Campbell’s to create a custom, interactive experience that allows players to essentially play in the home of the MCS. Campbell’s is interested in using esports as a platform to broaden reach and engagement, and Madden has the ability to do that, in broadcasts and inside the game.
One takeaway you should get from this is that we'll continue to see sponsors of traditional sport leagues to begin expanding into the esports vertical of such leagues. NBA 2K League, eMLS, Madden, NHLGWC, and I'm sure more that work in tandem with the nascent leagues have had sponsors from the traditional sport leagues as well. Brands are realizing that reaching the 21-35 demo, along with having an ownable position across multiple touchpoints, will create further brand awareness for the respective league & esports league that they work with.
Ninja to Become A Multi-Platform Streamer
Tyler "Ninja" Blevins is now streaming across platforms including Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok as he decided to not sign an exclusive streaming deal. This news came after Ninja garnered lots of attention on September 1st when he suddenly rage-quit his game of Fortnite and stream altogether claiming that he intended on taking an impromptu hiatus from streaming. He then changed his social media profiles and left only an ominous tweet implying that he may switch platforms. In the end, he decided to not partner with any platform and take an unconventional route to be live simultaneously on every streaming platform.
With no other exclusive contracts with YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, or any other platform, Ninja is now free to co-stream across every available platform. In his 1st stream back on September 9th, he stated that he had over 60,000 combined viewers across all of the platforms. He also averaged 13,333 live viewers on TikTok. From a reach perspective, he's certainly made the right decision to go this route.
There's a couple drawbacks, however to this move from him. For one, trying to keep up with every chat feed simultaneously is nearly impossible. Having to do that, be entertaining, and showcasing high-tier gameplay is a LOT to juggle. Additionally, there's a lot of money left on the table that Tyler isn't getting by not choosing a platform to stream exclusively on. However, I'm sure this wasn't a priority for him since he already earned a lucrative amount of money in that Mixer deal a couple years ago.
TikTok is emerging as not only a necessary platform for creators to create content and branch into, but also a platform to simulcast on. With Twitch now letting partnered creators to stream on IG Live and TikTok simultaneously, it's really a no brainer to do that at the bare minimum.
Overall, Tyler's long-awaited grind to fame and success back in the golden age of Fortnite (2018-19) has given him the flexibility to experiment with this strategy, and I'm sure more will follow his footsteps.
Cxmmunity Launches Season 3 of HBCU Esports League
Aimed to increase participation of minorities within esports/gaming, Cxmmunity Media kicked off season three of the HBCU Esports League on Sep. 13th. The league invites students from 16 Historically Black Colleges and Universities to go head-to-head in a series of NBA 2K games. The top two teams will advance to the "Discover Bowl'' finals presented by Discover, for an opportunity to win a cash prize of $20,000.
Verizon, HBCU Esports League's first foundational brand partner, will be returning this year as a title sponsor of the upcoming season along with Nestlé HOT POCKETS®, an essential snack for all gamers, who is making its inaugural debut.
Cxmmunity Media CEO Ryan Johnson said this about their efforts and returning for another season:
We are honored to continue our service to the Black community by creating pathways for gamers of color to reach new heights of unprecedented access within the gaming industry. As we look ahead to the new season of the HBCU Esports League, we hope to continue building the table for the next generation of diverse gamers to take a seat.
This season's HBCU participation includes: Florida Memorial University, Howard University, North Carolina Central University, Claflin University, Oakwood University, Morris Brown College, Johnson C. Smith University, Wilberforce University, Tennessee State University, Southern University, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Fayetteville State University, Benedict College, Albany State University and Bowie State University.
The HBCU Esports League will air on Twitch.tv/cxmmunity starting Sept. 13, 2022, at 6:00PM EST and run for 22 weeks.
The HBCU Esports League is sadly one of the few Black-owned sports leagues that is actually providing a platform to allow Black colleges and students to gain exposure and resources to monetize in esports, an industry that is vastly underrepresented of black professionals (only 4%). However, according to Cxmmunity, 83% of Black teens identify as gamers.
There's been significant momentum going into this year as last year they garnered celebrity attention and participation from rapper T-Pain, actor Brett Gray, NFL Champion Mike Evans, and more. On top of that, marquee brands listed above are realizing the impact this league can have when given its shine and investment.
Roblox to launch "immersive" in-game ads
Roblox's new ad platform will allow brands to advertise in spaces made by developers. Previewed at its Roblox Developers Conference (RDC), Roblox previewed a new in-game advertising format that's expected to go live next year. include the ability to build 3D portals that transport players of the online game to custom virtual worlds. Roblox positioned the offering as a way to help advertisers foster deeper connections with its community of 58.5 million daily active users.
In Roblox RDC 2022 blog, they explained that "innovative 3D advertising experience" will be clearly labeled (per recent FTC complaint about deceptive marketing practices) and be native to the platform. Brands and developers will be able to build ad experiences that can seamlessly transport users back and forth between these in-game activations through a portal. This will create new opportunities for developers to generate revenue and enable brands to reach their communities more effectively than before.
Immersive Ads allow brands to promote their bespoke Roblox venues to an audience made up of hard-to-reach younger consumers in the Gen Z and Gen Alpha set. For creators, it’s a potential money-making opportunity, as advertisers can shell out to appear in popular worlds where people are already spending their time.
Via the Developer Exchange, developers have earned over $580 million in developer payouts. Additionally, 2.7 million people have earned Robux, Roblox's version of in-game currency from their own creations. Combining these 2 avenues of revenue for creators and developers, along with their new 'Immersive Ads and Marketplace', the game is fostering a wealth of economic opportunities. Roblox aims to better support individual business endeavors by letting creators on Marketplace control the scarcity of their online items and by allowing users to resell or trade items.
Roblox has become the leader for brands that are eager to experiment in the metaverse and this larger business push for more media dollars shows that they're here to stay. I will note that Fortnite has this identical kind of portal capability already established in their creative mode. However, brands can still create experiences that are already established within the Roblox game itself. For example, in a spring campaign surrounding inclusivity, American Eagle integrated a club into Livetopia, an existing role-playing game on Roblox that’s drawn over 1.5 billion visits.
XSET Organizational Leadership Changes
XSET recently named its co-owner Erin Ashley Simon as Chief Culture Officer while Chief Merchandising Officer, Steve Birkhold, will now be the COO.


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French telecoms corporation Orange said more than a million of its users' personal information was stolen last month in a phishing attack.
The attackers took control of a software platform Orange uses to send promotional emails and texts to subscribers in order to steal telephone numbers, dates of birth and email addresses, according to Reuters. This is the company's second breach this year.
Victims were informed of the attack and no payment information was accessed.
In the previous attack, thieves stole similar data, in addition to detailed account information, such as household composition and the number of subscriptions held. Following that breach, the company warned customers of possible phishing attacks.


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Doconomy, a FinTech startup that helps banks, brands, and consumers to better understand and reduce their environmental impact, has acquired Stockholm-based financial wellbeing fintech Dreams Technology. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Doconomy, based in Stockholm, Sweden, was founded in 2018. The company had 72 employees listed on LinkedIn as of February 2023. Doconomy develops Åland Index, a cloud-based enterprise service for climate impact calculations. The firm also develops the 2030 -- which helps customers to better understand the carbon footprint of the products and materials they produce. Doconomy's early customers include banks and financial services firms.
Dreams Technology, also based in Stockholm, was founded in 2014. The company had 104 employees on LinkedIn as of February 2023. Dreams Technology develops an engagement banking platform, which "helps the financial industry create strong customer relationships and attract the next generation while addressing financial wellbeing and sustainability," the company said.
Doconomy, armed with Dreams Technology, will further enable banks to address regulatory sustainability reporting and strengthen client and consumer engagement and retention, the buyer said.
In a prepared statement about the deal, Mathias Wikström, CEO & Co-Founder of Doconomy, said: “Doconomy and Dreams Technology are a perfect match! Both companies are built to motivate and shape behaviours in an innovative way that is key to sustainable and lasting change. The acquisition will allow us to embed the unique methodology Dreams Technology has built over the years together with their suite of proven products. This will expand our offering, merging our team of experts in climate impact with the behavioural economics talent of Dreams Technology, to achieve urgent and measurable results. We’re confident that our joint forces will accelerate climate literacy while giving a major boost to the financial industry’s transition to net zero - making every transaction count for both people and the planet.”
Concluded Henrik Rosvall, CEO & co-founder of Dreams Technology: “By joining forces with Doconomy, we see a substantial opportunity to promote financial wellbeing and climate action at scale with the first holistic offering in the market. At Dreams Technology, our solutions operationalise over 100 behavioural science insights and are designed to drive sustainable behavioural change in banking customers by closing the intention-action gap, creating positive and impactful financial behaviours, and making money more emotional, accessible, and effective for everyone. It’s a match made in heaven using innovation and behavioural expertise to empower banks in their journey from transaction engines to global change agents.”
Rosvall has joined the Doconomy leadership team -- though his title was not disclosed in the news announcement.


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See what the experts from an electronics design-and-testing think tank are placing their bets on in the near and longer term.
As the first month of 2022 fades out, DigiconAsia.net received a broad-based set of predictions and insights on industry trends that may help readers in specific industries to focus from a macro angle for work and personal edification amid pandemic uncertainty.
The following insights from Keysight executives will cover the following topics: Quantum Computing; supply chain challenges; virtual collaboration, digital transformation (DX) and IoT trends and sustainability/ESG.
Quantum computing trends
- Multiple 100-qubit quantum computers come to the Cloud
In 2022several companies will release quantum processor units (QPUs) to the Cloud with 100 or more qubits. These breakthroughs will create new challenges for device developers, including scaling (bigger quantum computers), deploying (more calibrations) and production repeatability (yield in device fabrication) of quantum devices.
- Breakthroughs in two qubit gate error rates
Two-qubit gate error rates are currently a major limiting factor in quantum algorithm performance in finance, pharmaceutical and logistics applications. With QPU technologies now demonstrating improvements in two qubit gate error rates, there will be record lows in system noise in 2022 helping improve the performance of quantum processers.
Supply chains challenges
Current supply chain disruptions (shortages of semiconductor chips and raw materials, coupled with logistics constraints like crowded ports and a shortage of truck drivers) have created bottlenecks that will continue to constrain output in 2022. Supply chain resilience is now key to an firm’s ability to navigate the ongoing volatility. Organizations will increasingly divert efforts to future-proof supply chains to gain a competitive advantage. In addition, sustainable supply chains will be prioritized to mitigate the environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) risk.
- Supply chains will become more agile and digitalized
Digital technologies will build new capabilities into the supply chain ecosystem. With greater automation and visibility, organizations will be more nimble and able to respond to fluctuations quickly.
- The self-driving supply chain will become a reality
As cognitive automation is widely embedded, supply chains will become more intelligent. This will lead to the automation making recommendations, predicting outcomes and eventually making decisions autonomously.
- Business continuity planning and risk mitigation
Rather than relying on one global provider, there will be a shift to multiple sourcing and regionalization to reduce disruption. This will be a vital determinant of supply chain resilience.
- Designing for resilience
Product design will incorporate easier-to-source standardized parts, allowing organizations to respond quickly to disruptions. Maintaining safety stocks for critical components will replace the established ‘just in time’ approach to inventory.
- Supply chain cyber risks will soar
With the increased reliance on technology, cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities will become a growing concern for supply chains as hackers have turned their attention to the IIoT and other critical infrastructure targets, including supply chains. Designing a resilient supply chain will require connecting the entire ecosystem and ensuring that unrelenting attacks from hackers are not successful.
Trends in virtual collaboration
In 2022, virtual collaboration will become more sophisticated, with organizations utilizing innovative technology to boost productivity. This new wave of remote collaboration will create a complex web of connected systems designed to ensure a seamless and secure experience.
- Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality/Mixed Reality technologies will support better visualization.
In product design, digital twins will create simulations of designs before building the physical product. These simulations allow remote teams to collaborate on the design, improve the overall process and reduce the time and cost required for product development.
- Remote monitoring with automated systems, including robots in warehouses and delivery drones for logistics, will capture and consolidate data that remote workers can share and monitor in real-time.
DX and IoT trends
By 2027, there will be five times as many citizen developers as traditional developers in organizations:
- The accelerating pace of DX with every workflow becoming automated, streamlined and interconnected is fueling the insatiable demand for more apps. The widespread deployment of AI and ML and natural language processing (NLP) in no-code and low-code platforms enables citizen developers to perform automation. As a result of this shift, CIOs will no longer be resource-constrained and can rapidly scale their digital transformation efforts.
- The pivot to citizen developers will add to the security burden as CIOs will need real-time visibility into the network to ensure that citizen developers and users are secure, via continuous intelligent test automation.
In enterprise systems, monolithic legacy architectures will be displaced by cloud-first composable architectures:
- IT organizations will accelerate the digitalization of their firms through API-based integration of cloud-based solutions from a variety of vendors to achieve unprecedented levels of adaptability, functionality, customer experience, scalability and robustness.
- Organizations will become increasingly dependent on the performance, reliability and security of the networks of their cloud service providers, solutions providers and business partners.
- Network visibility and network digital twin solutions will need to find new ways to promote the required levels of performance, reliability and most importantly, security, across the networks of multiple sets of firms.


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The 12-year-old international digital book service’s CEO Michael Tamblyn addressed the Abu Dhabi book fair’s conference.
This year’s FutureBook conference event in London will seat 350 delegates in live session at 155 Bishopsgate, while others view a live stream.
Rakuten Kobo discovered that its biggest hurdle was that most of its manufacturing was in China and Taiwan. And e-readers suddenly were selling fast.
Amid Europe’s largest coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, Italian citizens in lockdown are able to read free Mondadori ebooks in a program facilitated by Kobo.
This weekend marks Kobo’s first decade. CEO Michael Tamblyn looks at how his far-flung international retail success is a former startup ‘still standing.’
Touting 6 million ebooks and a $9.99 audiobook subscription, the new Walmart partnership with Rakuten Kobo gives the Canadian retailer what it hasn’t had in the US market: brand recognition.
Having once left the American ebook market largely to Seattle, Rakuten Kobo now is hitching a ride with Walmart back into Amazonian America, selling ebooks and audiobooks through the big-box leader.
Ebook sales are driven by people over 50, according to Kobo CEO Michael Tamblyn. Here he talks about designing better ebooks and e-readers to encourage sales.
Kobo CEO Michael Tamblyn, in the wake of reports of Rakuten’s write-down, talks of the ‘strongest content sales in our history.’
Michael Tamblyn (Vice President, Content, Sales and Merchandising at Kobo) talks with Ed Nawotka about the launch of the new Kobo eReader Touch Edition. The new e-reader was announced on Monday. It features an e-ink touch screen and can hold 1,000 e-books. The device also includes a social reading application called REading life, which tracks and shares your reading stats. …
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Growth figures add to rate fears
THE economy raced ahead at its fastest rate for two years in the spring and early summer as the World Cup triggered a spending boom.
Interest rate rises, already on the cards amid concerns about inflation, looked ever more likely as official data showed forecast-busting expansion of Britain's GDP in the second quarter of the year.
The services sector - by far the biggest driver of the economy - surged, thanks mainly to strong sales from shops. Earlier this week, data showed supermarkets in particular had benefited from beer and barbecue food.
Office for National Statistics data showed the economy grew 0.8% in April, May and June, pushing the annual rate up to 2.6%.
David Brown, economist at investment bank Bear Stearns, said the Bank of England would want to increase the cost of borrowing. 'The market should be on red alert for a rate hike from September onwards,' he said.
It is the 56th consecutive quarter of growth for Europe's second biggest economy. Chancellor Gordon Brown has forecast economic growth for the year at 2.5%, reaching as high as 3.25% in 2007, against last year's sluggish 1.9%.
The pound rose 0.45 cents against the dollar to $1.8545 on the news.
Economists pointed out that the service sector's strength came despite the turmoil in the financial markets during the May stock market mini-crash.
Takeover activity, hedge funds and venture capitalists continued to generate strong earnings, even as stock and equities markets were struggling. But it was the retail component that really fuelled the expansion.
While most economists predicted interest rate hikes will be on the cards from the late summer, an increasing number are starting to advise that the monetary policy committee may strike next month.
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Fintech - a combination of 'finance' and 'technology' - has transformed how customers interact with the financial industry.
In particular, challenger banking apps have made it easier and cheaper for customers to manage their finances and access funds and services.
As a result, we've seen digital banks, such as Starling and Monzo, become consumer favourites. For the last 5 years, the 'Best British Bank' award has gone to either Starling or Monzo.
But while banking has embraced fintech, insurance has been slower to get on board.
That's not to say the industry hasn't innovated in recent years. It has.
The pandemic caused a significant shift towards digital customer service. According to a survey by KPMG International, 46% of CEOs reported being months ahead of their pre-pandemic digitalisation plans, and 32% were years ahead.
Despite this, many key customer interactions in the insurance industry, such as making claims, are still analogue. For instance, many providers ask customers to call to report a claim, which increases the insurer's admin costs. The insurer often then passes these costs onto the customer.
So, what is fintech getting right? And what can insurers learn from them to become more customer-centric and reduce admin costs?
In this article, I consider:
- What is fintech getting right with banking?
- Why has the insurance industry been slower to adapt?
- What insurance could learn from fintech
- How Confused.com is helping insurtechs reach new customers
What is fintech getting right with banking?
According to the 2022 Fintech Effect Survey, 86% of UK consumers now use a fintech company to manage their money.
And data from Open Banking Ltd shows the number of payments made through Open Banking is increasing at a rate of 10% month-on-month.
But how were fintech challengers able to integrate with banking so well? And what does the fintech industry seem to be getting right?
There are 3 main reasons for their success:
1. Banks and fintechs are sharing data for the benefit of their customers
Banks have always had data on their customers' spending habits. For most of banking history, this was information that stayed with the bank.
But that all changed with the 2018 Open Banking Directive. This made it mandatory for banks to share customer data with approved banks, apps, or service providers, assuming customers consent to it.
These regulations have had far-reaching effects. For instance, open banking has allowed budgeting apps to access a customer's bank account directly instead of relying on exported data. This makes for a far better user experience (UX) for the customer, who can use innovative budgeting apps with just a few taps on their smartphone.
Similarly, sharing data has made it easier for lenders to assess affordability in real time. For example, customers don't have to fill out lengthy forms for each loan or finance application.
Data-sharing with fintechs has also made it easier for companies to use bank-to-bank transfers rather than relying on card payments. Because these bank-to-bank payments are cheaper than card payments, fintechs can pass those savings onto the customer. They enjoy lower fees and a smoother UX while feeling more in control of their money.
Today, almost all banks are part of Open Banking - and 4.2 million people use it. According to the Fintech Effect Survey, 91% of consumers think fintech has helped them, with half saying they feel more in control of their finances.
2. Customers can use more personalised and flexible financial apps
Fintech has shown not all customers benefit from the same tools and products.
The increase in competition from fintech start ups has enabled greater consumer choice. Customers have more freedom to select the services that suit them personally and can further customise their experiences with those services.
For instance, customers can use Wise to send money across borders at a much lower cost than ever before. Others are using budgeting apps like Emma, where they can set spending limits and manage their expenses. Others use Monzo, which allows them to save for holidays by using 'pots'.
A study from UserTesting found that consumers consistently rated the customer experience of fintechs as superior to that of traditional banks. Customers are choosing to use fintech services because of this flexibility and customer-centricity.
In light of this, traditional banks have started to launch their own fintech products, such as Natwest's platform Mettle.
We're likely to see more banks follow suit. A 2019 UK Government study found that 56% of banks put 'disruption' at the heart of their strategy by committing to more partnerships with fintech brands.
Fintech companies have fundamentally changed how customers interact with financial apps and raised their expectations of what to expect from their bank.
3. Banks and fintechs are collaborating more effectively
It's clear that the fintech and banking sectors have been working together more effectively.
For instance, almost all banks have developed APIs to allow easier integration with fintech partners. And they're continuing to improve the performance of those systems to improve customer experience.
Digital apps from traditional banks have been incorporating budgeting tools while leveraging technology like artificial intelligence for payment services such as AI chatbots.
This effective collaboration between fintech and banks has helped cultivate innovation, leading to savings for banks, more business for fintechs, and a better experience for customers.
Why has the insurance industry been slower to adapt?
Thanks in part to all these changes, the UK government hails the nation's fintech sector as one of the most impressive in the world - and rightly so. And as of 2023, the UK is home to 1,600 fintech firms, and the Financial Times reports that this is likely to double by 2030.
So why isn't the UK insurance industry engaging with fintechs like the banking industry has?
There are 3 reasons why:
1. There hasn't been as much regulatory pressure
So far, the insurance industry has had fewer incentives to do things differently. The equivalent of Open Banking, or PSD2, has yet to happen to force insurers to share their customers' data with competitors.
Regulatory changes - such as requiring insurers to have a similar 'open data' requirement that banks and fintechs have - could lead to more innovation in the industry.
Nothing is on the horizon at the time of writing. But there's clear evidence that the FCA is willing to put big changes into place to improve the customer experience and increase competition in the market.
For instance, the recent FCA General Insurance Pricing Practices (GIPP) regulation has greatly impacted the insurance industry by banning price-walking. So, it's possible that regulations could come into place that require insurers to share their data in order to offer a better experience for consumers.
You can read more about the impact of GIPP: GIPP and Insurance: How the industry is adapting
2. Data-sharing could lead to increased competition
Compared to banks, insurers know a lot more about their customers. Car insurance companies have access to driving conviction and claims histories. Travel or health insurers can see customer medical information. Home insurers know the value of a customer's property.
Because the insurer has so much information on the customer that no one else has, they can charge a higher premium. They can assure the customer they're 'risky' and that this is the best price they'll get - and hope that the customer doesn't take the time to compare pricing.
However, suppose customers can quickly share their data between insurers. They can then instantly check in with a competitor, who might have a different style of risk management, meaning they can offer the customer a lower premium.
Data-sharing would make for a far more competitive market for insurers, which can drive down premiums, and therefore profits.
3. Legacy tools are still mainstream
The databases that most insurers rely on - LexisNexis or the Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB) - are the same ones insurers have used for decades.
As of 2023, every insurer must update the MIB on who's insured and if/when they've claimed. Yet, it can take days for that information to be updated, and human error can lead to mistakes. Plus, only certain companies can access the MIB if they abide by specific rules.
This legacy technology makes it much harder for insurers to access the correct information and offer better customer solutions. It leaves customers waiting and increases the cost of admin for insurers.
Outdated databases that don't operate in real-time make it a lot harder for insurers to access and share data, as well as innovate.
What can insurance learn from fintech?
So what can insurers realistically do to emulate the success of the fintech industry?
I'd suggest a focus on 3 main areas:
1. Make data sharing a priority
Data has been at the heart of the transformation of fintech. And data - its management, quality, and ease of access - also needs to be improved in the insurance sector.
Parts of the insurance industry are already moving in the right direction.
For example, at Confused.com, we allow customers to save their data when comparing quotes, so they don't have to keep re-entering the same information. And, if the customer consents, we take information from the likes of Experian to auto-populate their application forms.
But imagine if, as a customer, all of your personal information was updated in real-time. For example, if your address changes on a new insurance product, your address history will port over, and this data will be available to all insurers.
Because they can get your data instantly, insurers would be able to provide a far more customer-centric experience.
With data-sharing prevalent throughout the industry, the customer could also be able to track their insurance history, including their claims and past deals. It could also solve claims a lot faster for customers, rather than them having to wait on insurers to check the MIB.
2. Offer more customer-centric app options
Customer surveys in the insurance industry show demand for greater digitalisation, personalisation, and improved UX.
For instance, a global survey by Accenture found that, even among older customers, over 7 in 10 wanted improved digital interactions with their insurers.
Another international survey found that most customers would like to use an app to manage their insurance coverage.
An app that embraced data sharing could let customers view all their insurance policies, claims and bonuses from all providers they've interacted with.
3.Use fintech to reduce customer's premiums
While experience is an important driver behind insurance choices, cost remains the primary concern for consumers.
Innovation in fintech has helped to cut down fees for the customer. Take Wise, for example, which made it clear to customers that they don't have to pay enormous fees to send money abroad or to change currency. More recently, some insurtechs - such as Veygo - are cutting admin fees that insurers can pass onto the customer.
By following in the footsteps of fintech, the insurance industry can find ways to cut costs and offer lower premiums for their customers.
How Confused.com is supporting innovation in insurance
As a price comparison website (PCW), Confused.com is committed to working with insurers who want to offer their customers new fintech products, services and experiences.
Here are some of the things we're doing to help move the industry forward:
- We help challenger brands gain market share by giving them distribution: 90% of UK customers use PCWs to compare deals on insurance. By adding challenger brands to our panels, we can help them gain valuable exposure.
- We feature alternative, innovative insurance offerings, such as short-term home insurance, pay-per-mile car insurance and telematics.
- We advise insurers on customer experience, conversion rates and UX: We'll tell insurers when customers are dropping off along their journey and offer consulting and implementation advice to improve the user experience.
However, as fintech has demonstrated, there are still a lot of untapped opportunities for the insurance industry.
Insurance can learn a lot from fintech about innovation
The biggest part of fintech's success has been in data. Data sharing among financial institutions and challengers has given customers greater power over their data.
As a result, customers can better choose the service and experience that suits them best. Some have chosen to use budgeting tools, while others have used foreign exchange apps.
With 86% of consumers now using some form of fintech, the industry's innovation has created something for everyone.
Fintech has laid a blueprint for how data sharing and a more customer-centric experience can transform the industry. Now, it's time for insurance to do the same.
If you want to learn more about Confused.com and our history as a consumer champion, read about our journey.


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The private lawsuits follow the state ones for one simple reason: Regulators have a distinct advantage when it comes to obtaining evidence. Federal and state investigators can collect internal documents and interview executives before filing a lawsuit. As a result, their complaints are filled with inside knowledge of the companies. Individuals cannot seek this type of evidence until they have filed lawsuits.
If the government cases against Google or Facebook are successful in the process, the win will likely strengthen the case for private lawsuits, experts said. Lawyers could point these victories as evidence the company has broken the law and quickly move on to their main goal: obtaining monetary damages.
The individuals bringing the cases against the tech giants include publishers, advertisers, and users.
Sweepstakes Today, the website operated by Mr. McDaniel brings together prize competitions from across the country. The revenue comes from advertising, some of which is sold by Google. This emerges from Mr. McDaniel’s lawsuit, which is seeking class action status.
The website had annual sales of around $ 150,000 for years and made a profit, according to the complaint. But revenue has been down since 2012, a drop due to Google’s dominance in online advertising.
Mr. McDaniel, who calls some of his public messages “Mr. Sweepy, ”he said on a GoFundMe page he set up to cover the cost of running the site, that his earnings were“ down like a rock ”and that he could go out of business. He said Google also hurt his revenue by listing his website as an online gambling venue, which resulted in lower quality ads.
“With Google literally taking over the Internet, it’s nearly impossible for companies to get into this space without using a Google service, which means they’ll submit to Google’s arbitrary rules and guidelines,” said John Herman, attorney at McDaniel, in a statement.
Other publishers that recently filed antitrust complaints against Google include the Lyrics website Genius, which sued Google in 2019, citing the use of Genius Lyrics data in search results to dismiss the case, and the progressive magazine The Nation. Both are among the plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed by Boies Schiller Flexner law firm seeking class action status. Another well-known law firm, Berger Montague, has also filed a complaint against Google on behalf of the publishers.


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AKRON, OHIO (Oct. 18, 10 a.m. ET) — Myers Industries Inc. has reported lower third-quarter earnings than a year earlier as it benefited in last year's third quarter from what it termed “favorable income tax adjustments.”
The diversified manufacturing and distribution company said its net income in the quarter declined 19 percent, to $5.8 million, or 17 cents a share, from $7.2 million, or 21 cents a share. Myers recorded an income tax expense of $2.8 million in the latest third quarter, but had an income tax benefit of $1.2 million in the year-earlier period.
Sales at Akron-based Myers rose 3.7 percent, to $197.3 million from $190.3 million.
“Despite current market challenges, we are encouraged by our financial performance for the third quarter of 2012,” Myers president and CEO John C. Orr said in a statement. “Our income before taxes improved 43.1 percent over last year's third quarter. This was due to a strong performance in Material Handling, including our Brazil-based Novel acquisition. We had improved results versus last year in Lawn & Garden as well.
“We expect that both our fourth-quarter and full-year performance will show improved results compared to last year,” Orr said. “On Oct. 2, we announced that we acquired Jamco Products Inc., a leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty industrial steel carts and safety cabinets. This acquisition further expands our Material Handling business, specifically in storage and safety products, which we have identified as a key growth platform."


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4Life announced it has received a patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its RioVida line of products. The composition patent protects its nutraceutical food products that have a solid matrix and a liquid combined into a gel.
4Life received the 2024 Product of the Year award for its 4Life Transfer Factor Tri-Factor Formula at the Product Innovation and Management Symposium in Mumbai, India.
4Life employees assembled 300 Santa Sacks filled with toys, books and games that will be distributed throughout the Granite School District to families who might otherwise not have many gifts during the holiday season.
In Mexico alone, the direct selling market is projected to surge to $19.48 billion by 2028. That staggering number doesn’t include the more than 60 million Latinos living and working within the US, or the fact that direct selling is already a staple for the Latin American population, where a quarter of beauty and personal care sales take place through a direct selling relationship (compared to eight percent globally).
Research and Development scientists at 4Life recently published their findings regarding the measurement of the immunomodulatory effects of 4Life Transfer Factor and 4Life Transfer Factor products.
4Life’s Transfer Factor Plus Tri-Factor Formula has been contents certified by the NSF, a product testing, inspection and third-party certification organization. This recognition symbolizes that the product has met strict standards for public health protection and that it has been impartially reviewed and contains verifiable label claims.
Bianca Lisonbee, co-founder of 4Life Research, passed away on October 3, 2023, surrounded by her husband, children, and loved ones, after bravely battling a rare and aggressive cancer.
4Life’s philanthropic organization, Foundation 4Life, participated in a National Day of Service and Remembrance project in honor of the horrific events that took place on September 11, 2001 and the Americans who showed courage and selflessness as they worked to rescue and help others that day.
One hundred percent of 4Life’s dairy farms are now certified by Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) or Validus, programs that hold farms to the highest standards for treating animals with dignity and complying with best sanitary and safety practices.
Together with the Asociación Ecuatoriana de Venta Directa (AEVD), Ecuador’s Direct Selling Association, AEVD and UTPL will launch a Digital Transformation Program to provide direct sellers with the skills, guidelines and best entrepreneurial business building practices necessary to be successful in the online world.
Many direct selling leaders have begun to consider integrating or launching an enhanced affiliate model as part of or in addition to their existing brands. In fact, in a recent Direct Selling News survey of 45 direct selling companies, more than two-thirds of participants (67 percent) said they were at least considering how they could adapt and incorporate an enhanced affiliate model into their existing structure.
4Life Europe, which joined the UPS Carbon Neutral Program in February 2020, has made significant progress toward the company’s environmental compensation and sustainability efforts by supporting projects focused on reforestation, eliminating greenhouse gases from landfills, wastewater treatment and reducing methane emissions.


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SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku have recently announced that they will release Judgment for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Stadia on April 23. Originally, this Yakuza spin-off was launched exclusively for the PlayStation 4 in June 2019 (December 2018 in Japan).
For western gamers, a physical edition for Judgement will be available for both next-gen consoles. In Japan and the rest of Asia, a physical game will be available for PlayStation 5. Of course, digital versions of Judgment will be available for both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S worldwide. According to Gematsu, there will be no save data transfer feature for owners of the PlayStation 4 version.
Judgment follows the story of a “disgraced attorney turned rugged private detective” Takayuki Yagami. Yagami, joined by ex-yakuza Masaharu Kaito, must solve the mysteries behind a series of gruesome murders.
Yagami is forced to confront Kamurocho’s yakuza underworld in order to find the truth.
Yakuza fans will be familiar with many of Judgement’s in-game features. In addition to the geographical setting, there will be thrilling street fights, funny side missions, and mini-games.
Judgment will also have new mechanics such as investigative gameplay. Players will be tracking suspects and gathering clues to help Yagami get closer to the truth. Be careful, though. Yagami walks a world filled with corruption and criminality. His journey will not be a walk in the park.
Regarding the improvements made on Judgement, SEGA states:
Judgment takes advantage of the new hardware with refined visuals in 60 frames per second along with improved load times and includes all previously released downloadable content on these three platforms. Praised as “the best crime drama not on TV” by the Hollywood Reporter, Judgment was originally released on PlayStation 4 in 2019. The remastered Judgment marks the gritty tale’s debut on Xbox and Stadia.”
Yakuza fans have walked Kamurocho’s streets as Kiryu many-a-times. How do you feel about the Yakuza spin-offs focusing on other characters? Are there existing characters that you want SEGA to give more attention to? Let me know in the comments below!


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Although the federal government is studying the legalization of marihuana, with the announced intention of introducing legislation sometime in 2017, the sale of cannabis products outside of the framework provided through the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations remains illegal under Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Even so, storefront cannabis dispensaries continue to pop up in communities across Canada, and the criminal justice system seems ill equipped to do much about it. As a result, some municipalities such as the City of Vancouver are taking the extraordinary step of actually regulating these illegal cannabis dispensaries.
Purporting to regulate what is in fact an illegal (criminal) activity is not the only option available to a local government that is concerned about a cannabis dispensary operating in its community. In a post on our website earlier this year, our associate Madelaine Campbell discussed the BC Supreme Court decision in Abbotsford (City) v. Weeds Glass & Gifts Ltd., in which the City of Abbotsford obtained an injunction against the operators of a retail storefront operation that sold marihuana and marihuana products.
In Delta (Corporation) v. WeeMedical Dispensary Society, a decision of the B.C. Supreme Court that was released in August, the court made a similar order. The defendant had applied for a business licence for a medical marihuana retail dispensary, after it had actually commenced operation. Delta refused the business licence, and then sought an injunction under section 274 of the Community Charter on the grounds that the defendant was violating the municipality’s business licensing and zoning bylaws.
The court concluded without hesitation that a violation of the municipality’s bylaws had been made out on a balance of probabilities. The defendant did not seriously contest the fact that it was violating both the current criminal law, and the municipality’s bylaws, and the court noted that nothing in Canada’s medical marihuana regulations allowed for the operation of retail medical marihuana dispensary.
It should be noted that the court’s decision was made before the new Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations were put in place, however the new regulations do not permit the operation of storefront dispensaries either.
Additionally, the court found that there were no extraordinary circumstances that would provide a basis for refusing the statutory injunction Delta sought. While not contesting that it was violating the law, the defendant provided the court with submissions about its background and governing philosophy, and its desire to “push the legislative agenda along” in relation to marihuana legalization in Canada. The court acknowledged that the federal government has indicated its intention to amend Canada’s marihuana laws, but noted that it was anyone’s guess when the government might actually move forward with legislation. Additionally, the court noted that it was unknown at this point what any new legal regime might look like. While acknowledging that at the end of the day, operations such as WeeMedical’s might not be off-side the criminal law, the chambers judge observed that the court could only address the situation in terms of what the law is now, and not what it might be in future. The court noted that until such time as democratic bodies such as the federal Parliament decide to change the law, the court is required to enforce the law that is currently in place.
Accordingly, the court concluded that a permanent statutory injunction was the appropriate remedy, a violation of the municipality’s bylaws having been made out on a balance of probabilities.
Of note, the court also found that this was an appropriate case for the award of special costs. On the basis that the defendant had flagrantly disobeyed the municipality’s zoning bylaw and business licensing bylaw, the court concluded that an award of special costs was appropriate, and that such and order would send a message to other operations that seek to operate outside of the limits of the law.
In the course of giving reasons, the court referred to the fact that some local governments in British Columbia have opted to adopt bylaws to regulate cannabis dispensaries, rather than prohibit them. Local governments that are considering regulating cannabis dispensaries should most definitely obtain legal advice before moving in that direction. In the meantime, the B.C. Supreme Court has made it clear in the Abbotsford and Delta decisions that merely because cannabis legalization is on the federal government’s radar does not provide any legal justification for openly flouting the law, and that injunctive relief is available where such operations violate local bylaws.


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SHANGHAI — Renewable energy companies around the world are awaiting a decision Thursday by the U.S. Commerce Department on whether to impose anti-dumping tariffs on solar panels imported from China, as a little-noticed policy shift by the department last year has made the outcome of the case unusually hard to predict.
Chinese companies grabbed nearly half the U.S. market for solar panels last year through aggressive price cuts that helped make solar energy considerably more affordable for U.S. families and electric utilities. But solar panel manufacturers in the United States have accused the Chinese companies of “dumping” panels: selling them below the cost of manufacturing and shipping them, so as to seize market share, drive competitors out of business and raise prices later.
Any anti-dumping tariffs would be in addition to anti-subsidy tariffs of 2.9 percent to 4.73 percent that the department imposed in March on solar panels from China. The Chinese companies have denied dumping or receiving export subsidies from the Chinese government.
U.S. imports of Chinese solar panels soared to $2.65 billion last year from $21.3 million in 2005.
Anti-dumping cases involving China are particularly complicated because the U.S., like the European Union, considers China to be a “nonmarket economy,” in which the government plays a huge role through state-controlled banks and other enterprises.
So the Commerce Department does not look at manufacturing costs in China. For many years, the Commerce Department has used production costs in India as a proxy for costs in China. It looks at the cost of labor, materials, factory rent, electricity and other expenses for similar companies in India and then assumes that companies in China face the same costs.
But in a memo dated May 25, 2011, in response to an obscure anti-dumping case involving a chemical imported from China, the department said that acceptable proxies for China were the Philippines, Indonesia, Ukraine, Thailand, Colombia and South Africa. The list conspicuously omitted India.
Trade lawyers viewed the decision a year ago as a setback for U.S. manufacturers with anti-dumping cases. Costs and prices are often higher in middle-income countries than in India.
Using a comparison with middle-income countries, the department could end up deciding that Chinese companies were not underpricing their shipments to the United States, resulting in smaller anti-dumping tariffs or none at all.


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Bringing up 5 theories that would explain why English language and hackers have a beef.
Nothing is sacred for cybercriminals, especially in times of mass confusion, hardship, and angst. Learn how criminals leverage email to accomplish their goals.
Let’s Encrypt discovered a bug in itss certificate authority authorization software, prompting subscribers to react.
In a classic case of Business Email Compromise (BEC), Barbara Corcoran loses close to $400,000. The scam came through because of a spoofed email address.
Phishing email coming from Amazon is not a surprising story, but the latest Sophos blog post describes a bizarre situation, where hackers failed in fashion.
A classic example of Business Email Compromise recently put a wedge between art dealer Simon C. Dickinson Limited and Rijksmuseum Twenthe.
The World Economic Forum in Davos takes place this week, and while most of us won’t participate, we can and should discuss the information unveiled in the “The Global Risks Report Survey 2020”.
TLSI is essentially a risky trade-off, where you get slightly more insight into what’s leaving and entering your network under the impression that it will protect you from critical data loss or compromise.
The 7th edition of Moldova CyberWeek starts today, and that marks the beginning of the Regional Cyber Resilience Forum held in Chișinău.
It was a summer to forget for Exim – it disclosed a second critical vulnerability in just three months.


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For your convenience, we've compiled all of the news and rumours about the iPhone 15 in one spot, but bear in mind that they are all still just rumours. Everything is provisional until Apple declares it to be so in a formal statement. It's awful if you enjoy surprises because many of the rumours still offer us a general notion of what to anticipate each year. Here is everything we currently know about the iPhone 15!
iPhone 15: models
The iPhone small was discontinued once the iPhone 14 was released, despite the fact that Apple introduced it with the iPhone 12 lineup and continued to use it with the iPhone 13 series. The normal iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro retained their former 6.1-inch sizes, while the bigger iPhone 14 Plus replaced it, increasing the screen size from 5.4 inches to a huge 6.7 inches (the same as the iPhone 14 Pro Max).
With the iPhone 15 series, which includes the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max, it is anticipated that Apple would maintain this practise. This time, instead of the iPhone 14's 6.1-inch display, the regular iPhone 15 is anticipated to have a 6.2-inch display. Other smartphones, such Apple the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Plus, and iPhone 15 Pro Max, are anticipated to maintain their previous screen sizes. For the iPhone 15 Pro, this translates to a 6.1-inch screen and 6.7 inches for the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max may have a different moniker, though. There are rumours that the name "Pro Max" may be changed to "Ultra" to be more in line with the Apple Watch Ultra.
iPhone 15: Design and Sizes
Apple enthusiasts hoping for a significant overhaul of the iPhone may be let down by the iPhone 15, which could largely resemble the iPhone 14. Though the display will stay flat, there is a rumour from a leaker going by the handle ShrimpApplePro that the iPhone 15 Pro design may be slightly different, with slimmer bezels and curved edges.
ShrimpApplePro confirmed the possibility of reduced bezels in early March by tweeting a little video clip dubbed "the real-life video of the front glass panel of the iPhone 15 series."
The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are most likely to have the middle panel and the leftmost panel, respectively. Both appear to feature bezels that are substantially smaller than those of the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max they succeeded. The display panel for the standard iPhone 15 is most likely on the rightmost panel, which has a somewhat thicker bezel. The video also demonstrates that the Dynamic Island will be available for all iPhone 15 models.
IceUniverse, a Twitter user, claims that the new, ultra-thin bezel on the iPhone 15 Pro Max will also set records. The iPhone 15 Pro may have a 1.55mm bezel, which would be substantially narrower than the iPhone 14 Pro Max's 2.17mm bezel, which holds the current record at 1.81mm. If this is accurate, the iPhone 15 Pro Max would feature one of the tiniest bezels on a smartphone to date. Even the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S23 have a 1.95mm bezel.
Previously only available on the iPhone 14 Pro models, Apple appears to be bringing the Dynamic Island pill-and-hole cutout to all iPhone 15 models. How the forthcoming iPhone 15 would seem with a Dynamic Island is depicted in a 9to5Mac render.
If so, the iPhone 15 will be the first iteration of the iPhone line to totally do away with the notch. As previously announced, the iPhone 15 will come in four different sizes: a 6.2-inch model, a 6.7-inch model, a 6.1-inch model, and a 6.7-inch model.
iPhone 15: colors
Making the choice of colour is an important step in the iPhone purchasing process, and with the iPhone 15 series, it appears like we'll have some gorgeous finishes to select from.
According to a February 23 leak from 9to5Mac, the iPhone 15 Pro's flagship colour will be a stunning dark crimson, and a mock-up of it can be seen in the render above. It would be the first time Apple offered a red colour for an iPhone Pro model, and if it resembles 9to5Mac's rendering in any way, it will be very amazing.
The most recent source from 9to5Mac states that the code for this specific shade of dark red will be 410D0D. Along with the customary White, Space Black, and Gold colour selections, it would be taking the place of Deep Purple as the newest colour.
According to rumours, the standard iPhone 15 will be offered in light pink and light blue hues.
iPhone 15: processor and specs
The current iPhone 14 Pro's A16 chip may be used in the basic iPhone 15, while the new A17 chip may only be available in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. This seems to be the new distinction Apple has made between the regular and Pro versions of the iPhone, starting with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models.
According to rumours, the A17 chips will be produced using a 3nm process by TSMC, a longtime provider of semiconductors for the iPhone. The A17's power consumption would increase as a result, and the amount of heat produced when using it would decrease. The 3nm A17 processor will also be 30% more power-efficient than the existing 5nm devices while having a 15% increase in speed and power.
According to another report, the iPhone 15 Pro's RAM may increase from 6GB to 8GB. The present 6GB RAM for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, albeit it might be the faster LPDDR5 RAM found in the iPhone 14 Pro models, may stay in place.
Although the base storage may vary depending on the features the iPhone 15 offers, storage capacity could be variable. The iPhone 14 Pro now has 1TB of top-tier storage, while the iPhone 15 Pro might have 2TB.
And although there were rumours that Apple would be developing its own internal modem processors, the work has not yet yielded any fruit. It's likely that Apple will continue to use Qualcomm modem chips in the iPhone 15.
9to5Mac render of the iPhone 15 Pro reveals minimal display bezels Wi-Fi chip schematics for the iPhone 15 have been leaked, confirming that Apple will be moving to Wi-Fi 6E. The normal iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will continue to use Wi-Fi 6, as this will only apply to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Unbeknownst to you, Wi-Fi 6E has more bandwidth, enabling quicker transmission speeds, lower latency, and greater capacity. The 6GHz band also offers a 1.2GHz spectrum, which would enable residential gigabit coverage for iPhone 15 Pro models.
According to a different rumour from The Elec, all iPhone 15 models will use the M12 material set, which is the most recent generation of materials for OLED panels.
iPhone 15: cameras
The only information we have on the camera is that Apple has been developing periscope lens technology, which might only be used on the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max variant. Additionally, the dual-camera setup is anticipated to continue on the standard iPhone 15, with lidar remaining a Pro-only feature.
You could acquire optical zoom with a periscope lens that is greater than what is currently available, like 5x or 10x optical zoom. A periscope lens would be a substantial increase over the 3x optical zoom offered by the existing iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Yet again, it appears that the periscope feature will only be available on the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max.
According to the most recent exclusive renderings from 9to5Mac, the iPhone 15 Pro will have a significant camera boost. Considering the larger camera sensors and even periscope lens on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, this is to be expected. It appears that the camera bump is almost as thick as the phone itself.
iPhone 15: release date and price
If Apple adheres to its customary iPhone launch timetable, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro should be unveiled sometime in September 2023. The price of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus is probably going to be about the same as the $799 and $899, respectively, that are now being charged for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus versions. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max's pricing may be going up by $200, according to a Forbes article. If accurate, this would represent the largest price increase in iPhone history.
According to previous rumours, the starting price of Apple's iPhone 15 Ultra, if it exists, may be approximately $1,300.
It's important to note that rumours about the iPhone 14 Pro getting a $100 price hike last year ultimately turned out to be untrue despite having a very convincing appearance. All of this is to imply that, while it's possible, you should take the rumour of an increase in the iPhone 15 lineup, notably the Pro models, with a grain of salt.


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Qantas has posted an interim net profit slide to A$445 million ($297.78 million), blaming the 3.9 percent drop on protests in Hong Kong, higher foreign exchange costs and slower global freight demand.
The coronavirus outbreak in the second half has added to Qantas’ woes and is expected to cut A$100 million to A$150 million ($66.92 Million to $100.38 million) off its bottom line.
The carrier has responded to the drop in demand by slashing flights to Asia by 15 percent until the end of May and bringing forward a Beijing exit.
With less demand from corporate and leisure, it is also will be reducing capacity by 2.3 percent.
The group says its first-half net profit of A$445 million ($297.78 million), compared with A$463 million ($309.83 million) at the same time last year, came after an A$119 million (79.63 million) impact.
That was from protests in Hong Kong, subdued demand in global freight markets and other increases in costs associated with foreign exchange rates on non-fuel costs.
Qantas also faced an extra A$55 million ($36.8 million) in operating costs after selling domestic airport terminals.
After all that, though, the underlying profit was A$771 million ($515.93 million), or just 0.5 percent down on A$775 million ($518.61) in the prior corresponding period.
However, chief executive Alan Joyce says Qantas fundamentals remain strong, with interim revenue 2.8 percent higher this financial at A$9.5 billion ($6.36 billion).
“In the domestic market, we dealt with some travel demand weakness and a structural change in our overheads from the sale of domestic terminals. Fundamentally, Qantas and Jetstar both did well,” Joyce said.
“Internationally, the growth in passenger revenue outweighed the impact of disruption in Hong Kong and a freight market affected by trade wars.”
He said the ultra-long-haul routes such as Perth to London continue to perform extremely well and the loyalty program achieved another record result.
The carrier announced an off-market share buyback of up to A$150 million ($100.38 million).
It will pay shareholders a fully franked interim dividend of 13.5 cents to the tune of A$201 million ($134.5 million).
Qantas Hit By Hong Kong Protests
* Net profit down 3.9 percent to A$445m ($297.78 million)
* Revenue up 2.8 percent to A$9.5b ($6.36 billion)
* Interim dividend 13.5 cents, fully franked, up 12.5 percent.
By Liza Kappelle


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Chinese manufacturers are decisively positioned to best global competitors due to their capacity to build high quality, extremely efficient, solar panels products at a low cost.
There is no guarantee that China will dominant the market, however, I quickly arrived at the conclusion that it will be in a leadership position after speaking with Dr. Ralph Romero, who leads the solar PV bankability practice at Black & Veatch.
The solar manufacturing industry is presently in a situation of turmoil, Romero said. “Large manufacturing capacity developed as early as 2006/2007. The rush for increased capability -- especially among crystalline manufacturers -- has led to market demand not yet catching up with supply.”
That supply glut has left many operations below full capacity with capital being tied up in inventories, thus placing a strong downward pressure on pricing, he explained. The natural progression is that there will be a reduction in manufacturers.
The survivors will possess common characteristics: brand awareness, the ability to manufacture at a low cost, high performance panels, high quality, and a strong balance sheet, Romero explained.
While Romero was hesitant to “pick a winner,” he acknowledged that many Chinese manufacturers met those criteria. Other important competitive pluses include manufacturing technology, equipment, and personnel training.
Romero explained that the primary advantage Chinese firms have is in securing materials at a lower cost; materials represent the bulk of the cost of a module. Labor only represents a small proportion of the overall cost of producing a panel.
The U.S. government is pursuing a trade complaint against China, which alleges that its supply chain didn’t evolve naturally. One of the charges is an illegal markdown on raw materials.
China fired back saying that foreign competitors have been selling below cost, forcing Chinese polysilicon factories to reduce production. It will also investigate U.S. subsidies. Regardless, China’s production acumen could feed foreign competition.
There is a silver lining for overseas competitors: Chinese component makers could also help foreign manufacturers lower materials cost. Components are things like solar cells, encapsulates, backsheets, and junction boxes.
“I think today there are Chinese based component manufacturers that are world class quality. As those materials become more widespread outside of China, they will help cost structure of non-Chinese manufacturers,” Romero said.
Future trends: Novel technology improvements and consolidation
The solar market has been fueled by incentives across the world, and that trend will likely continue in places such as Germany, Romero said. There will just be fewer suppliers to meet that demand.
There are over 500 solar manufactures to date. Over 250 of those produce thin-film solar products. That sheer number of suppliers is unsustainable, and will almost certainly fall over the next 3-5 years, Romero stated. Companies that are lesser known are at a disadvantage even if they make excellent products.
“As the market grows we’ll start seeing consolidation, and hopefully those consolidated survivors will be more stable,” he said. Survivors will be masters at achieving higher quality products efficiently after citing a litany of common failure points common in today’s products.
Some are already pursuing improvements that could be incorporated into existing technology, Romero explained. “There’s still a lot of room for improvement from technology standpoint,” noting that there is room for start-ups developing novel new technologies to improve technology of existing manufacturers.
“I don’t see game changing technologies in immediate future.”
Editor's note: I reached out to several investment bankers for some more input, but no analyst wanted to go on record. Here’s some more information about Dr. Romero:
Dr. Romero’s practice has performed over 30 bankability studies (an accounting of a product’s design, performance, reliability, management, and operations) for PV module makers. B&V also provides consulting services. Romero has 25 years experience in the design and manufacturing of photovoltaic modules. He would not disclose his client list.


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Updated on Monday, January 31, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented businesses with an almost unlimited number of challenges over the past two years, from overcoming supply chain disruptions to managing health and safety standards.
But within that churn and disruption, certain industries have seen a boom in demand for their services â€” and itâ€™s been hard to catch up. The latest MagnifyMoney study compares employment growth to wage growth to find the industries with the largest labor shortages.
The study finds that wages grew the fastest compared to employment in the accommodation industry. This means that hotel desk clerks, housekeeping cleaners, waitstaff, and others who have been recently hired or have managed to keep their jobs through the pandemic might have slightly more opportunities to boost their savings.
As more people have decided that itâ€™s once again safe enough for them to travel and stay in hotels or other types of lodging, the accommodation industry has started to recover from a challenging last two years.
Unfortunately, despite this recovery, many employees in the industry have been reluctant to return to work and have instead opted to head to industries with better pay and working conditions.
As a result, employers are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Theyâ€™re forced to hire from a smaller pool of employees at higher wages or risk losing so much business that they can never recover. Ultimately, the mismatch between the supply of and demand for workers in the industry, combined with the willingness of some employers to take somewhat desperate measures to stay afloat, has caused wages for accommodation workers to rise significantly.
Even with global supply chain issues making it harder for many dealers to get access to vehicles, millions of Americans have nonetheless been eager to purchase a car. In fact, revenues generated from both new and used car sales hit record highs in the first half of 2021.
Though dealers have tried to bring on more workers to deal with this influx of business, theyâ€™ve struggled to find enough people to satisfy their demands. As a result, some have likely had to increase wages to attract new workers and/or retain the workers they already have.
Itâ€™s also important to note that because salespeople who work for motor vehicle dealers are often paid on commission, their earnings are also likely rising, due to these increased car sales.
Being cooped up in their homes for months on end through much of the pandemic, many people turned to entertainment â€” in particular, reading books as a form of escape. This resulted in the physical publishing industry having a good last two years.
Despite this, the industry hasnâ€™t seemed to have had much luck boosting the number of people it employs. Though itâ€™s difficult to nail down why this is the case â€” one explanation could be that too many people with specialized skills are retiring â€” the industryâ€™s sub-2% employment growth in the face of increasing demand speaks for itself.
Based on how much their wages have grown, it seems that those who continue to work in the physical publishing industry have been able to leverage their increasingly unique and/or specialized skill sets to get more money from their employers.
As people began ordering more and more goods throughout the pandemic, the warehousing and storage industry has grown steadily and has hired more workers to keep up with increased consumer demand.
Unfortunately for workers, the industry provides a clear example of how higher profits donâ€™t necessarily equal higher wages. Driven by the incredible bargaining power of some major employers, as well as the potential for further increases in automation, wages throughout the industry have remained stagnant.
Ultimately, it appears as though warehousing and storage employees lack the bargaining power necessary to substantially increase their paychecks.
Though wages have risen slightly more than average in the courier and messengers industry, their growth hasnâ€™t been on par with the industryâ€™s rapid increase in employment.
However, there is some evidence to suggest that this trend might be changing. For example, owing to a truck-driver shortage, companies are finding it harder to deliver goods and are showing more willingness to turn to alternative sources of labor to make ends meet.
This trend, combined with increased revenue in the industry, suggests that employers could start boosting wages even further to find more employees and keep up with customer demand. Of course, they may instead opt to refuse to increase wages while conditioning consumers to accept worse service.
As was the case in many other industries, the pandemic resulted in the broader sports, hobby, musical instrument, and bookstore industry seeing a substantial increase in sales. While this increase prompted the industry to hire a large number of workers, it hasnâ€™t resulted in significantly higher wages for those workers.
There are many possible reasons why. For example, retail employers are typically easy to replace and plentiful, making it harder for them to negotiate higher wages. Beyond that, this industryâ€™s growth has been stagnant for well over a decade and even showed signs of decline before rebounding during the pandemic.
Because of this, employers might be attempting to keep wage growth to a minimum to save money and prepare for what could be perceived as an inevitable return to pre-pandemic norms.
Because many industries have shown a willingness to increase employee wages, now can be a good time to negotiate a higher salary. Here are three tips that can help you do that:
To find the industries with the largest labor shortages, analysts looked at data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Researchers used data from the first half of 2020 â€” January through June â€” and the same period in 2021.
Researchers ranked the nationâ€™s 50 largest industries in total employees by their percentage point difference between employment growth and wage growth. The industries where wages were growing fastest relative to employment were considered to have the largest labor shortages.


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The Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit (Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority) has published a plan of action to eliminate the persistent Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus at an infected cultivation site.
According to the latest official figures as of 1 June 2022, 41 growers in the Netherlands are infected. By far, the most infections are in the municipality of Westland. A total of 57 growers have faced infection since the first outbreak in mid-2019. Only 12 growers managed to eliminate the virus, of which another two had to deal with a new virus introduction regardless.
In Belgium, at least 15 growers have already faced an infection.