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Three luxury leaders -Kering, Hermès and L’Oréal- took advantage of the launch of the new Ambition4Circularity platform, which tracks the commitments of private companies to the circular economy, to display more transparency.
Making the circular economy a major lever for reducing their environmental impact and improving their economic efficiency: this is the strong commitment made by the French Association of Private Enterprises (Afep). Founded in 1982, the association represents the vision of the 114 largest private groups operating in France to the French public authorities, European institutions and international organizations.
In 2017, Afep initiated the formalization of commitments by member companies to act in favor of greater resource efficiency. It has since published three annual reports (in 2018, 2019 and 2020) to monitor these commitments, based on precise data.
A new step
Today, the association is taking a further step towards transparency by setting up a new Ambition4Circularity information platform. Made public on January 18, this platform provides direct access to the formulation of commitments and their follow-up, direct contacts within companies and additional information.
It is also aimed at non-French speakers, with an English version, and is the “counterpart” of the Ambition4Climate platform. Launched by Afep in mid-2021, this platform brings together low-carbon projects currently being implemented by its member companies.
Ambition4Circularity already includes 143 commitments from 38 member companies, including 61 new commitments made since the publication of the previous Afep report. These commitments mobilize all the levers of the circular economy defined by ADEME, from eco-design to recycling.
Kering, Hermès and L’Oréal make a commitment
Among the member companies, three luxury groups – Kering, Hermès and L’Oréal – are already present on Ambition4Circularity.
Kering reminds us of its commitment to “zero destruction of unsold products by 2022 in a worldwide scope“. But it also projects itself by promising “zero single-use plastic” by 2025 for “Business to Consume” activities and by 2030 for “Business to Business” activities. It is also committed to “zero microfiber waste by 2030“. Finally, 100% of the raw materials used by the group should comply with “Kering Standards” by 2025.
Without referring to a specific timetable, Hermès has indicated that it intends to “recycle dormant materials and production waste within the framework of the Oïkos Lab as part of a continuous improvement process“.
Finally, L’Oréal was the most prolix. It announced that it wants to achieve, by 2025, carbon neutrality on all its L’Oréal sites, “through the improvement of energy efficiency and the use of 100% renewable energy”. The global cosmetics giant has also set many green goals by 2030: to recycle and reuse in a loop 100% of the water used in its industrial processes, to have 100% of its formula ingredients and biobased packaging materials that will be traceable and derived from sustainable sources and none contributing to deforestation, to have 95% of its formula ingredients biobased, derived from abundant minerals or circular processes and finally to reach 100% of L’Oréal’s plastic packaging of recycled or biobased origin. For this last point, the group announces that it will already reach 50% by 2025.
Lvmh, although a member of Afep, has not yet communicated on the platform. But this does not mean that it will not do so, says Afep. Although it created its own environmental department in 1992, Lvmh does not always join collective initiatives in terms of sustainable development. The world’s number one luxury company has not joined the Fashion Pact, led by François-Henri Pinault, the CEO of Kering. Launched in 2019, this coalition rallying some fifty major luxury Houses, brands and fashion chains (including entry-level), committed to curbing political warming, establishing biodiversity and protecting the oceans. Lvmh explained that it did not feel concerned by an initiative focused on fashion alone, and open to fast-fashion players such as H&M.
Read also >RE-Luxury rethinks the luxury of tomorrow


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NEW YORK -- Stocks jumped Thursday after Greece scrapped a referendum on unpopular budget cuts and the European Central Bank unexpectedly cut interest rates. It was the second straight day of big gains.
The central bank surprised markets by cutting its benchmark interest rate a quarter point, to 1.25 percent. The bank had increased its key rate twice this year, before Mario Draghi took over this week. The announcement sent stocks higher as investors hoped that lowering borrowing costs would help prevent a recession in Europe.
Buying intensified in the early afternoon after Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou abandoned his effort to put a package of austerity measures to a public vote. A "no" vote could have caused chaos in the European financial system by leading to a messy default on Greece's debt.
Marketing VP is named for newspaper's owner
Mark Mulholland has joined the Evening Post Publishing Co. as vice president of marketing for its newspaper division, it was announced Thursday.
Mulholland comes to Evening Post from the American Press Institute, where he has worked since 2005 as associate director and chief marketing executive.
In his new position, Mulholland will play a significant role in developing and promoting a portfolio of existing and prospective products across print and digital media.
Previously, he held advertising and marketing positions at newspapers including the Roanoke (Va.) Times, Greensboro (N.C.) News & Record, Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger, Chicago Sun-Times and Victoria (Texas) Advocate.
Charleston-based Evening Post owns 13 newspapers, including The Post and Courier. It also owns more than a dozen TV stations.
Robust sales lift Starbucks' net income by 29%
SEATTLE -- Starbucks' fiscal fourth-quarter profit jumped nearly 29 percent on stronger sales of its coffee in its cafes and at other retailers.
The company reported Thursday that it earned $358.5 million. Revenue rose 7 percent to $3 billion, with some benefit from foreign exchange rates.
Mortgage rates at 4%, flirt with all-time lows
WASHINGTON -- The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 4 percent this week, nearly matching the all-time low hit one month ago.
Freddie Mac said the rate on the 30-year loan dropped from 4.10 percent last week. Four weeks ago it dropped to 3.94 percent, the lowest rate ever, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. The average rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage fell to 3.31 percent from 3.38 percent.
Early holiday shipments boost port in Savannah
SAVANNAH -- The Georgia Ports Authority said early shipments of holiday goods helped spur first- quarter growth in cargo moving through its seaports.
Ports chief Curtis Foltz said Thursday the waterfront saw a 5 percent increase in overall tonnage of imports and exports in Savannah and Brunswick in the first quarter of the fiscal year that began July 1. The ports moved 6.5 million tons of cargo.
The Port of Savannah, the key rival to the Port of Charleston, reported a 3.7 percent increase in volume over the same period a year ago. It handled more than 770,000 containers.
Cars and machinery at Brunswick helped boost its breakbulk tonnage by nearly 25 percent.

domain: news


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This last week a classmate of mine wrote on article on the possible increase of prices for Netflix. It brought back memories of the great Netflix split in 2011. IN the split Netflix went from offering DVD and online streaming all in one package, too two separate packages. I remember the uproar and commotion it caused and according to Baylee cost them over a million customers. I think it will be fascinating to see how Netflix handles this price increase again. The first time wasn’t handled well. Although it is sometimes mandatory for companies to make hard decisions, however the damage can be minimized through effective campaigns and how they handle the situation. Netflix has a huge following, and a loyal fan base. It will be important to note how they will show their love to their customers in this time of change. Albeit a small change, it will still receive attention across the nation on social media.
Obviously how Netflix handled it’s first big change was disastrous. (Any company losing 1,000,000 customers would feel that in their pocket books). The problem was two fold in their first mistake. First, they had no strategy to prepare and help their customers make the transition. they were simply notified of the upcoming changes and forced to conform. More importantly they were cutting out half of the capability of their users. Second, they didn’t respond to the crisis. They didn’t release anything to their subscribers to calm their frustrations and by not saying anything, they communicated that they didn’t care.
How Netflix plans to thoughtfully engage and respond to the problem before the changes take place will fundamentally influence the the outcome Netflix will have from this event, especially if nothing changes but a price increase.
Here’s a link to Baylee’s article


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Sources claim that OnwardMobility’s BlackBerry license has been cancelled despite the company’s promise that a release was still on the cards.
Lawsuit seeks damages for discomfort created by the so-called “jelly scrolling” problem on iPad mini 6 tablets.
The newly confirmed GTA 6 might actually be called GTA Vice, in a double pun on its rumored Vice City setting and the roman numerals for six.
Extended use of virtual reality headsets like the Oculus Quest 2 could result in “Gorilla Arm," one researcher believes.
OnePlus Nord CE 2 “takes the best parts of Nord 2 and puts it into an even more affordable package,” company says.
Some are lamenting Nintendo’s decision to expand the eight-year-old Mario Kart 8 rather than releasing Mario Kart 9. Not me.
Apple’s upcoming AR/VR headset and smart glasses could have their own custom OS if source code references are correct.
Google says it has forced 150 million account holders to use 2FA, leading to a 50% decrease in account takeovers.
Even if you opted out of Siri recording, a now-fixed bug means that your iPhone could have been sending clips back to Apple.
A 40-second video goes some way to showing why tablet buyers may covet the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, regardless of its likely high price.
Report details that Stadia has been 'deprioritized,' but Google says there will be more than 100 games added in 2022.
2021 MacBook Pro’s mini-LED panel will drop its brightness if it gets too hot, new Apple support page explains.
Leaker claims that a 1TB Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra model is coming, but you may not be able to get it depending on where you live.
The upcoming iPhone SE 3 will apparently maintain support for wireless charging seen in the last generation, but will stop short of adding MagSafe.
Previously linked with an unlikely sounding buy out from Apple, Peloton is now being talked of as a possible target for Amazon.
New Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra benchmarks show a close match between the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Exynos 2200 chip, but that may not tell the full story.
Microsoft is changing the Windows Insider programme, letting people see experimental Windows 11 features that may never be released to the public.
Spotify understandably wants to protect its $100 million investment, but at some point the costs of inaction could spiral out of control.
Samsung may have figured out the secret to embedding an S Pen in a foldable, if a new patent application is ever realized.
Future AirPods could reject wearer’s Siri requests for information if the ear canal shape doesn’t match the owner.
Evidence suggests that Google might be plotting a return to Android tablets, but is it a software-only arrangement?
Google’s coloring book already mentioned the Pixel 6a, but the online version also hints at possible Pixel Watch shades too.


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And the Emmy goes to….. Netflix(s nflx)? Janko Roettgers discusses the possibility on our GigaOM Weekly WrapUp show while Derrick Harris shares the thoughts of Bill Gates, who spoke about the future of education at Microsoft’s Faculty Summit on Monday. Joining the boys this week is Signe Brewster to discuss the potentially folly, and promise, of Elon Musk’s Hyperloop transportation solution.
On this week’s Internet of Things podcast, Stacey Higginbotham chats with Hilmi Ozguc, CEO and co-founder of Swirl, about how retail customers can be tracked in stores with their smartphones. The idea may sound creepy but it can actually help customers get what they want. Sensors in stores can also be used; Ozguc explains how.
Chris Albrecht and Kevin Tofel have a lengthy discussion on this week’s GigaOM Chrome Show on the similarities and differences between Chromebooks of today and netbooks of yesterday. Will they share the same fate? A new Chrome extension for Android phone owners is uncovered: You can get the phone alerts of your choosing right in your browser!


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A ship docked at an aluminum plant near Reykjavik last month.
By SARAH LYALL
REYKJAVIK, Iceland — For a country that four years ago plunged into a financial abyss so deep it all but shut down overnight, Iceland seems to be doing surprisingly well.
Adalheidur Hedinsdottir, who runs the coffee chain Kaffitar, plans to open a new cafe and start a bakery business.
It has repaid, early, many of the international loans that kept it afloat. Unemployment is hovering around 6 percent, and falling. And while much of Europe is struggling to pull itself out of the recessionary swamp, Iceland’s economy is expected to grow by 2.8 percent this year.


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King Size Snickers are on their way out: Mars Inc., the company that makes chocolate candy bars like Twix and Milky Way, plans to halt production of any chocolate product with more than 250 calories per serving by the end of 2013.
Spokeswoman Marlene Machut said the plan to stop shipping any chocolate product that exceeded 250 calories per portion by the end of 2013 was part of Mars’ “broad-based commitment to health and nutrition.”
As part of a “broader push for responsible snacking,” the company has also vowed to reduce sodium by 25 percent in all its products by 2015.
Tell us: What do you think of the new calorie restrictions?
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- These Celebrities Have Some Seriously Healthy Food Riders
- Nutrition News: Nutritionists’ Breakfasts, Vitamin C Benefits, McDonald’s Cage-Free Eggs


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As footwear culture has evolved over the decades, G.H. Bass Originals, the maker of the iconic Weejun Penny Loafer, has evolved with it. The brand’s signature footwear style turns 85 this year, having been a mainstay in fashion by transcending its more formal roots to become a recognizable silhouette in streetwear, both in its classic form and through collaborations with the likes of Maharishi and Fred Perry. Continuing to celebrate this milestone, the brand has tapped artists Jason Naylor and David Flores to conceptualize its Fall/Winter 2021 campaign.
Highlighting the label’s place amongst pop culture and its contributions to the prep-centric corner of streetwear, the new campaign shows off a selection of G.H. Bass Original’s FW21 styles, accompanied by visuals from Naylor and Flores. The featured assortment ranges from classic pieces, like the OG Whitney Loafer, Shearling Slide and Shearling Super Lug, to new releases. Amongst the introductions is the Penny Charm and the Larson Super Lug Star, a new collaboration with photographer and director Joshua Kissi, exclusive to Nordstrom. Each of these silhouettes is enhanced by the work of Naylor and Flores, who used their distinct aesthetics and points of view to bring the spirit of the shoes and the footwear brand to life for this campaign.
Holistically, the FW21 campaign from G.H. Bass Originals is an emblem of its spot within the modern day fashion space, proudly taking its place amongst brands like NOAH and Aimé Leon Dore who have helped to usher in a new era of prep. The footwear brand continues to endure and influence thanks to an unwavering commitment to the Weejun’s 85 years of heritage.
Check out the new FW21 campaign from G.H. Bass Originals in the images above and head to the brand’s website to shop the collection, which is available now.


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Samsung Electronics said today that it won't be posting record quarterly earnings for the first time since 2011 when it announces profit for January to March this year. The Korean chaebol said that it estimates an operating profit of about 8.7 trillion won ($7.7bn) for the first quarter of 2013 on sales of around 52 trillion won …
And that in a quarter where they've blown a months top end sales.
Can't imagine many people have bought S3s in the last month.
Until they release the suitcase sized S5.........
Apple needn't worry
Its not as though South Korea is going to be around by the end of next quarter.
They can't stop copying Apple
Now they even miss the ANALysts expectations...
Re: They can't stop copying Apple
They outperformed the analysts' expectations to the tune of $700m.
The Wall Street Guys© their shares should go down in price, and everyone will say they lack innovation etc.
- Boffins attempt to prove the UNIVERSE IS JUST A HOLOGRAM
- China building SUPERSONIC SUBMARINE that travels in a BUBBLE
- Review Raspberry Pi B+: PHWOAR, get a load of those pins
- Experimental hypersonic SUPERMISSILE destroyed 4 SECONDS after US launched it
- That 8TB Seagate MONSTER? It's HERE... (You'll have to squint, 'cos there are no specs)


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#Strongwomen. "I write about the power of trying, because I want to be okay with failing. I write about generosity because I battle selfishness. I write about joy because I know sorrow. I write about faith because I almost lost mine, and I know what it is to be broken and in need of redemption. I write about gratitude because I am thankful – for all of it." Kristin Armstrong
Can you believe Woolworths said its 2014 first half profit was up 14.5 per cent to $1.32 billion, or up 6 per cent ( Read more ) yet they expect vegetable growers to help fund their fee for engaging James Oliver
Apparently Woolworths thinks everyone deserves a better deal EXCEPT farmers
Ausveg says growers have received requests from Woolworths to voluntarily pay a charge towards the costs of the new “Jamie’s Garden” promotion, equal to 40 cents a crate of produce sold to the supermarket.
While Woolworths says the request is voluntary, Ausveg national marketing manager Simon Coburn says growers are not in a position to say no.
“The growers feel like they are in a position that, if they were to say no, they are worried that their contracts would be reduced or terminated completely,” Mr Coburn said.
He said growers already paid a charge of 2.5 per cent to five per cent of their sales back to Woolworths to cover marketing costs, and the 40-cent charge was in addition to that.
The cost would range from a few thousand dollars to $250,000 for a grower, depending on the size of their contract, he said.
“Some are telling us they don’t have 40 cents left in their margins,” Mr Coburn said. Source AAP
I have sat in on many meetings since the Coles/ Murray Goulburn 10 year deal was announced and there are a lot of wise people in the dairy industry very concerned that Murray Goulburn has bitten of more than they chew by getting into bed with Coles. I hope they are wrong
Dairy Farmers Milk Supply Cooperative Chairman recently said in an open letter to farmer suppliers
The Coles media assault says that Coles want to look after Australian dairy farmers, that they want farmers to have security of tenure, that there will be an increase in milk prices and a premium over current regional milk pricing, and that they expect milk to be sourced locally for MG contracts.
Macquarie Equity analysts inform that there has been a reduction in wholesale price into Coles so there are real questions as to the transparency of it all; what will be the price set and the price premium. It is a question of what is the money and where will it come from. Let us not forget that Coles also said that $1 milk would not hurt farmers. Coles has the media story, will their new partners deliver? In truth it is a test for Coles to deliver.
Many are saying that the Australian dairy industry is entering the perfect storm. Milk’s heartland Victoria is under extreme pressure from dry conditions, and no real break in the weather is predicted before mid-June and the weather is turning cold, a dire combination that means there will be a shortage of grass to feed cows. On top of this 4% of Australia’s milk supply has rumoured to have gone into receivership
Milk supply in NSW is predicted to drop below 1 billion litres for the first time ever
Source Dairy Australia
Large processors supplying the domestic market are hurting
It is in this market that Lion has no return on capital in the milk division, low EBIT margins and has written off approximately two billion dollars.
Fonterra is realigning their Australian business, changing its consumer brands as the retail price war in milk begins to bite into its profits. EBIT from its Australian consumer brands fell 31 per cent.
Fonterra Chief Executive Theo Spierings said that “there’s a new reality in Australia,” and that Fonterra is facing “aggressive competition” in milk supply and, with a retail price war in Australia; it has to ensure its supply chain is cost-effective.
Fonterra currently has 21 brands in Australia, which has room for a maximum four or five, he said. It was too soon to say what plants or jobs losses may result, though Mr Spierings noted the company has a wide variety of yoghurt brands and also faces pressure in the milk market.
On a positive note the Global Trade Weighted Index for all dairy all around the world has gone sharply upward.
This is likely to mean that the tanker after tanker load of milk that is currently coming up from Victoria to fill the milk shortfall in NSW and Queensland will stay in Victoria for export
Seasonal conditions have been part of the perennial challenge and there is no doubt adverse climatic conditions are harder to handle in our dairy businesses that ever before. This goes for all of agriculture, there is simply less room for failure.
The fact that dairy is tougher than ever is evidenced by the tough climatic events causing farmers to exit the industry. We are running out of reserve, both in terms of cash but also equity, and the ability (and incentive) to borrow.
The national industry is not growing; the pincer of cost and revenue is tightening. When tough times such as floods and dry spells occur, low levels of farmer confidence result in some questioning why they would battle on again for this uncertain future. For this reason among others, the assurance of better terms for longer term is an imperative for farmer confidence and viability. said the DFMC Chairman
Tomorrow I am attending yet another review with a very large regional business that relies on our region prospering. What heartens me is there are many people big and small out there who care about our farmers and they are working side by side with us on the solutions
Yes indeed Coles you do appear to have trumped Woolworths with your latest media story, but no-one is forgetting you lied when you said that $1 milk would not hurt farmers. In fact its got to the point where it is hurting consumers and the country as a whole
The world and your customers are watching Coles. Will you deliver?
My story today comes from my heart to yours. The Australian dairy industry in crisis. It is not just the domestic milk supplying states of QLD, NSW and SA that are affected. The milk processing company Lion will endeavour to offload the 15c/litre* (see footnote) T2 milk it is paying its farmers into milk processing plants in Victoria and this will put severe downward pressure on farm gate milk prices in this state as well.
Victoria is known as the dairy state and currently 70% of milk production comes from south of the border. The current farm gate milk price in Victoria is already impacting on farm and this new pricing structure for Lion suppliers I can assure you will have serious ramifications right across Australia.
How did we get in this sorry mess you ask? Let me share what Dairy Australia has said in its In Focus publication.
“The two issues putting downward pressure on prices at present are – oversupply of milk in the Eastern states and the supermarket discounting of milk“
Now it should be as clear as the nose on your face that a milk processor like Lion could get smart and correct the oversupply issue by investing in a dryer for skim milk powder production for example which would allow it to take up the excess milk for export purposes.
On the other hand we could have another ten year drought. Don’t think anyone will be suggesting the latter option.
Just so you understand why we have an oversupply of milk in NSW, SA and QLD. Dairy farmers were given clear market signals through large incentives paid by Lion to grow their milk supply businesses. Sadly Lion’s milk sales business did not have the same growth spurt
Now to the supermarket price wars. The supermarket discounting will end when they have achieved their objective of growing the home brand share of the milk market to their targets and ultimately the target is to have only home brand milk on the shelf and the strategy is working.
Supermarket’s share of Australian drinking milk sales is now around 53% and growing. Home label brands now account for around 51% of total supermarket milk volumes, up from around 25% in 1999/2000. This result has been rapidly assisted by the current $1/litre milk discounting marketing strategy
To assist dairy farmers you can choose to purchase branded milk products not house brands. It doesn’t matter what brand as long as it is not Woolworths label or Coles label. This will support the margins of the processors and this offers the best opportunity for farmer margins.
You can also choose to purchase milk from venues other than Coles and Woolworths.
What can Coles Do?
It is absolutely critical that they stop using milk as a loss leader
So what solution will we chose?
What are we going to do Australia? Do we change our buying habits or do we lobby Coles?
I say let’s go both barrels. Love to hear what you think
Look at these beautiful creatures Surely their milk is worth more than 16c/litre
Footnote I am yet to find a farmer who has received the mooted 15c/litre most people are getting between 11 and 13c/litre. The variation is caused by the different milk fat and protein percentages on farms


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October marks Black History Month; an observance honouring and celebrating the African diaspora around the UK and Ireland.
Part of that is putting our money where our mouths are to recognise the many economic, cultural and political contributions Black people have made to our society.
Black Pound Day is one initiative helping to diversify the retail space, and similarly-focused projects like The Black Pound Report and Black2Business UK further highlight the public demand for a more intentional way of shopping.
By choosing to buy from Black-owned businesses you’re (even if in a small way) helping to alleviate the economic inequalities faced by Black entrepreneurs. As the playing field isn’t level, it makes sense to target support.
Not only does this make for more inclusive boardrooms, a wider range of influences leads to more variety of products too – and that’s always a good thing, especially in creative industries like fashion, art, and literature.
Getting into the habit of buying consciously is worth getting into year-round, but for Black History Month we’re putting the spotlight on Black designers: accessories and jewellery designers this time specifically.
From statement bags to delicate necklaces and beyond, these buys showcase the wealth of talent across the fashion world.
God’s Gift London Roxy Sunglasses
Keeks by Kiki Bailey Bag
The Chalk House Nalla Earrings Aqua
Aaks Hana Mini Tan Cross Body Bag
Kemi Telford Shakara Hat
Trapstar Women’s Belly Chain
By Chari Pipeline Necklace
Daily Paper Nordja Bag
Maison Bent Apple Leather Card Holder
The Notable Muse Serena Ring
Terejay Prints Chinyere African Print Bag
This article contains affiliate links. We will earn a small commission on purchases made through one of these links but this never influences our experts’ opinions. Products are tested and reviewed independently of commercial initiatives.
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Though it’s a bold move for Vevo, it’s not unexpected considering the ongoing battle between YouTube and German copyright society GEMA, which began in 2009.
The purchase of videocaster Blip.tv by YouTube network Maker Studios – announced this morning – may signal another step in the evolution of Google’s online video giant. That’s because the Time Warner- and venture capital-backed Maker could offer YouTube real competition for some audiences.
Online video channels are hemorrhaging ad revenue due to fees. Content distributors like YouTube suck up cash in exchange for letting you reach a big audience. So, where’s a provider like Vevo to go? Back to TV.
Google’s latest YouTube updates for iOS and Android feel vaguely reminiscent of one of Samsung’s custom Android features.
Tastemade has raised $10 million to grow its online video food network. The company’s goal is to become a defining, global brand for food and lifestyle content.
VentureBeat has learned that under-the-radar video-based social network, which just hit 58 million users, is currently raising a massive $100 million round of financing.
Vine lets you take six-second videos and post them. Instagram gives you 15 seconds. But a new video app lets you take videos, edit them, combine them, and share them in chunks of any length — up to an hour.
Guest Post Simply put, if you want to really engage consumers, you’ve got to run a content-driven campaign and you’ve got to get that content to a large audience precisely when and where they want them the most.
YouTube has renewed its agreement with music video service Vevo and is making an estimated $50 million investment. This investment gives Google a 10 percent stake in the company and puts Vevo’s valuation at about $500 million.
Google serves up data on how widely used YouTube has become among gamers.
Epoch launched a mobile video application today that applies artificial intelligence and human curation to bring you ‘effortless entertainment.’
After years of false starts, 2013 has become the year of mobile advertising.
If you follow VentureBeat but don’t regularly check our GamesBeat site, here’s a list of the best video game stories we ran over the last seven days that you may have missed.
If you want to go big on YouTube, you don’t want do be a big corporate brand or repurpose content from the nightly news. You do want to be in the gaming, entertainment, or comedy industries. And you most definitely want to have something to say.
Social media management utility HootSuite added the most popular online survey tool, SurveyMonkey, to its app directory today, along with real-time visual traffic analysis tool Chartbeat.
And, almost as an aside, the company stated that it has now passed seven million users.
“The revelations about the National Security Agency’s surveillance apparatus, if true, represent a stunning abuse of our basic rights,” the organization’s open letter reads. “We demand the U.S. Congress reveal the full extent of the NSA’s spying programs.”
We’ve contacted all those companies to get a statement from them on why they are allegedly participating, what they are reportedly giving to the NSA, and how their customers and users can trust that anything they transmit or share through those services can ever be private.
“That’s the kind of word game they play,” ex-NSA chief Bill Binney said also at Def Con. “There’s absolutely no excuse for him even implying that he’s not collecting all this data.”
Tropes vs. Women takes on another common plot device aimed at female game characters.
If you’ve ever been annoyed by the speed of your user generated videos on YouTube, then fear not avid creator.
The first CNN BuzzFeed clip will feature a montage of CNN’s archival news footage of “the most amazing rescue moments,” such as the Chilean miners. It’s the news you loved in the BuzzFeed format you don’t so much trust as are addicted to.
It’s all sunshine and lollipops over in Windows Phone land today.
Google has asked Microsoft to remove its homebrew YouTube app from the Windows Store immediately, and requested that it delete the app from Windows Phone users who have already downloaded it.
YouTube will now let channel owners do it live… streaming, that is.
Well it’s official: YouTube is rolling out a new program that allows some of its premium channel partners to charge consumers a monthly subscription fee to gain access to its content.
While the subject of “viewer metrics” is typically pretty dull, you can’t really say that when it comes to YouTube.
In its quest to pull in premium content, Google is apparently ready to roll out its first set of paid YouTube channel subscriptions.
Guest Post Video is the most engaging form of online content. But it’s also a highly expensive and time-consuming proposition for startups. Here’s how to do it right.
Roxio Toast 11 Titanium is indeed the ultimate media toolkit for your Mac – completely redesigned. And VentureBeat has this powerful and versatile software solution for only $49.99 for a limited time – that’s a savings of 50%!
It’s difficult to connect with our members of congress, who have busy schedules traveling between their hometowns and Washington D.C., but YouTube is trying to make things a bit easier.
This VB Store offer gives you the opportunity to dive deep into the devices you know and love with a lifetime membership to iOS Centric for only $49!
Sponsored Post Whether you’re looking to eliminate duplicate files, go paperless, or turn your Mac into a Windows machine, this VentureBeat offer will take care of what you need.
As everyone connected to the Internet knows by now, Boston has been the scene of at least three bombings today at the Boston Marathon and the JFK Library. For coverage of that news, Boston.com has a liveblog that it is continuously updating, and CNN has more details and coverage.
Here’s what big technology companies are doing in response.
A lot more people, proportionally, dislike this video than Gangnam Style.
YouTube is known for doing quirky things, such as adding a rainbow loading bar to the original Nyan Cat video or making its website do the Harlem Shake. So its latest gimmick isn’t a huge surprise.
Forget the next-generation speculation. Gaming in 2013 is all about the Intellivision, Mattel Electronics’ 1979 home entertainment console.
Today, Y Combinator company Hipset introduced a multichannel YouTube network that helps musicians grow and monetize their online audience.
Google announced today that YouTube now has over a billion unique visitors every single month. Which means that Google and Facebook have something very rare in common: both have a billion-person social network.
Shockingly, Rebecca Black searches spike every week on the day after Thursday and before Saturday.
Back to the future? Everything old is new again?


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It’s time to take another look at PeopleImages.com
that Yuri Arcurs Productions launched 17 months ago. Yuri has long been the world’s most successful microstock photographer, and until June 2013 his work was represented on virtually all the world’s microstock distributors.
Getty Images has supplied selected investors with its third quarter revenue figures. Indications are that revenue continues to decline. For the year ending June 30, 2013 revenue was $897 million. For the 4 quarters ending September 30, 2013 indications are that the revenue is less than the $897 million, but we have been unable to determine exactly how much it has declined.
As of December 1, 2013 Universal Images Group Limited
(UIG) has opened a new Content Management facility for Asia based in Tokyo, Japan.
The formula for producing stock images that sell is simple. Produce what customers want. All they want are images of “better quality” that are “more creative,” “natural, not staged” and that clearly illustrate a “concept” the customer needs at the moment. Also, the “price” for usage must be lower than anything else available.
Design Pics Inc
. has announced the acquisition of AgStock Images, a California based photo agency specializing in agricultural photography. Founded in 1996 by Ed Young, AgstockImages.com
is a comprehensive library of worldwide agricultural photography, representing over 115 leading agriculture, produce, livestock, entomology, botany and plant pathology photographers, including photographers who are also professors and researchers across the United States, Canada, Europe and South America.
This story contains a list of the 99 Shutterstock contributors with the largest portfolios. All have more than 17,000 images on Shutterstock and the leading contributor, Africa Studio, has 346,683. Combined these 99 contributors have 4,433,257 or almost 14% of all the images on Shutterstock.There is a hot link to each contributor’s collection.
As happens every fall there is a whirlwind of photo conferences – PACA Annual Conference, Visual Connection and PhotoPlusExpo (all in New York), and this year Microstock Expo in Berlin. In light of everything I’ve seen and heard between October 20 and November 17, 2013 I’ve provided a few observations as to where I think the stock photo industry is headed.
, the world’s largest software maker and itself a massive consumer of image content for its products and services, has taken the bold step of promoting the theft of images online. Through its newly revamped Office product, Microsoft is replacing an image search functionality – one that routed the user to vetted sources for searching, transacting and integrating content into their online projects – with a general Bing
search. While Microsoft is certainly free to remove one piece of Office functionality and push users onto the Bing platform, the methods of how it is doing so underscores a blatant disregard of intellectual property.
Hundreds of thousands of images in major stock distributor collections are never viewed by any customer. If customers can’t see them they certainly can’t buy them. Tens of thousands of images are being added to stock photo databases every day. A very high percentage of them will quickly fall into an abyss never to be seen again. Is there a solution to this problem?
Does exclusive representation make sense in today’s stock photography world, or is it better to place your images with multiple distributors? Here are a few things to consider.
has reported a record 25.4 million downloads and $56.8 million in revenue in Q3 2013. The Shutterstock collection has grown to more than 30 million still images and over 1.3 million video clips. Revenue per download grew 4% year-over-year to $2.35. The growth in revenue per download was driven primarily by a growing portion of revenue that is derived from video footage downloads.
In business it often helps to try to walk in your customer’s shoes. The following is a situation that developed when a busy designer was trying to give his customer a quality product on a tight deadline (aren’t all deadlines tight these days), and keep the cost of the project reasonable and within the customer’s budget.
Alamy has decided to lower the payout threshold for contributors and make payments whenever a contributor has $75 on account. No fees will be charged at the Alamy end regardless of the method or currency the contributor chooses.
One of the surprising things that came out of this year’s Visual Connections
event in New York was the degree of confusion and misunderstandings graphic designers and art directors have about image rights. Many seem unsure as to what they can and cannot do with the images they license.
The stock visual media industry is seeing a pick-up after the longest downturn in living memory. Visual Connections New York, the world’s largest marketing event devoted to commercial licensing of visual media, drew more buyers and exhibitors this year than in 2012. Buyers could learn about 72 different stock agency brands from around the world, including 21 new to New York and 22 from outside the US (Canada, UK, Germany, Sweden and Argentina).
Stock photography is changing rapidly. The most serious issues facing stock photographers are:
they have no idea who their potential customers are;
they don’t know what their customers are looking for in the way of images; and
they don’t understand how their customer’s businesses are changing.
has done a deal with Pinterest
that will track the use of any of the 80 million photos and illustrations on Gettyimages.com whenever they are posted on the digital scrapbooking site. (A little over 7 million of those photos are on the Creative section of the site.)
Getty Images has been privately owned by Carlyle Group for a little over a year
, and before that by Hellman & Friedman for about 5 years. One of the results of going private is that much of the data that used to be shared about Getty’s operations is no longer available to the general public.
If you’re looking for an overview of the state of the stock photo industry as of October 2013 the stories listed below are a good place to start. Regular readers of Selling-Stock will have seen all this information before. For them, there is nothing new here although some of the stories were published in the last two weeks. If you’re looking for data and analysis – both current and historical – these stories are worth examining.
Does anyone other than photographers think that photographers should be compensated with more than a credit for the use of their images? The response photographer Kristen Pierson received from the publisher of the Warwick, RI Beacon displays a common attitude, not just of the average consumer, but of many professionals and commercial users who should be licensing rights to the images they use.
, a stock photography co-op that launched on March 28, 2013, is on track to become profitable by November. A photo collective and online market co-owned by more than 400 photographers, Stocksy has accomplished this feat while giving members a 50 percent royalty on each transaction and 90 percent of profits.
Patrick Lor, co-founder of iStockphoto and formerly leader of Fotolia North America, has founded a stock footage company called Dissolve
. Lor’s company makes a significant number of clips available for $5 although some clips are priced at $50, $150 and $500.
The latest edition of Alamy’s “Ask James” series of video chats where CEO James West responds to photographer questions is now live. West reports that the company licensed rights to about 360,000 images in 2012, up from under 200,000 in 2008.
In response to the new trends in Smartphone use, social media and mobile phone Fotolia is launching a new app and collection, uniquely designed for Smartphone photos. Created for iPhone 4 and up, Fotolia Instant
offers fresh, new “in-the-moment” images taken using the new app, which allows users to shoot and upload to Fotolia directly from their Smartphone.
Getty Images is finally declaring iStock a “Midstock” brand given how high they have pushed the prices of iStock’s exclusive imagery. I estimate that about 35% of the images on iStock are exclusive. Getty has told debt investors that 70% of iStock revenue is generated from exclusive images and that the gross revenue for the last 4 quarters was about $300 million. In Q2 2013 iStock revenue was down 9% compared to the revenue in Q2 2012.


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Economic Times |468 days ago |Posted By: rajiya sunaina
Erin Wurzel, 26, thought she had plenty to feel thankful about this Thanksgiving weekend: she is engaged to a great guy (and was spending the holiday with his family), working on a her first novel and taking French with an eye to moving to Paris someday. Then she checked her Instagram feed.
One friend had posted a Martha Stewart-worthy photo of her "mashed potato bar" featuring 15 spud-filled martini glasses artfully arranged in a pyramid, alongside a matching pyramid of bowls of homemade condiments.
Another friend had posted a close-up of a cranberry barrel, with a sieve scooping up a Technicolor explosion of the crimson fruit above the caption, "Last-minute grocery run."
A third posted her holiday table setting in Paris, complete with burning candles, rolled napkins with napkin rings, an open Champagne bottle, a huge centerpiece of fall flowers and the illuminated Eiffel Tower framed in a casement window.
"I let out an 'Oh, my God!,' like a little kid who wants something they cannot have," said Wurzel, a program analyst in Philadelphia who uses the Instagram handle likewantneed. "You're searching through your feed and a picture will hit you, like that Paris shot. It's just so perfect. You just think, 'I want that, I want that life.'"
It's called Instagram envy, and Wurzel had it bad.
For many urban creative professionals these days, it's not unusual to scroll through one's Instagram feed and feel suffocated by fabulousness: There's one friend paddling in the surf at Positano under a fiery Italian sunset. Another is snapping away at a sweaty Thom Yorke from the third row at an Atoms for Peace concert in Austin, Texas. Yet another is sipping Champagne in Lufthansa business class en route to Frankfurt, Germany, while a fourth is huddling with friends over omakase at Masa.
Members of the Facebook generation are no strangers to the sensation of feeling a little left out when their friends post from that book party they weren't invited to, or from someone's latest transporting trip to the white sands of Tulum, Mexico. Yet even for those familiar with the concept of social-media envy, Instagram - the highest achievement yet in social-media voyeurism - presents a new form of torture.
On Instagram, there is none of the familiar messiness of Facebook (which bought Instagram last year for about $1 billion) or Twitter, where the torrent of wish-you-were-here-but-not-really posts are lost in a clutter of birthday wishes to Aunt Candace, one-liners about airline food and links to the latest Onion headline or New Republic deconstruction of Obamacare.
Instagram, rather, is about unadulterated voyeurism. It is almost entirely a photo site, with a built-in ability (through the site's retro-style filters) to idealize every moment, encouraging users to create art-directed magazine layouts of their lives, as if everyone is suddenly Diana Vreeland.
Mayoli Weidelich, 24, an Internet marketing manager and blogger in Toronto, said she once spent 10 minutes with a friend composing a picture of a margarita glass over a plate of tacos at a Mexican restaurant. The intention was not to show off, Weidelich said. She was simply following an unspoken rule adopted by Instagram users to avoid populating feeds with unedited, mediocre images.
"My Facebook feed is full of mostly opinionated rants and articles links, neither of which cause any jealousy," Weidelich said. "My Instagram feed, in comparison, is one amazing photo after another."
Viewers, meanwhile, are expected to let the sumptuous photos wash over them and chip in with comments ("Gorgeous sunset!") and heart-shape "likes," which function as a form of social currency, reinforcing the idea that every shot is a performance worthy of applause. The result is an online culture where the ethic is impress, rather than confess.
It is as if every last image is designed to call to mind Norman Mailer's book title, "Advertisements for Myself."
Envy, of course, doesn't operate in a social vacuum. It needs an object of desire. And everyone, it seems, has that friend on Instagram: the one with the perfect clothes and the perfect hair and seemingly perfect life - which seem all the more perfect when rendered in the rich teals and vivid ambers of Instagram's filters. For Sara Benincasa, 33, a comedian and writer in Los Angeles, that friend is Heather Fink, whose work as a filmmaker and sound technician takes her to exotic locales, which she dutifully records on Instagram.
Benincasa recalled being at a CVS drugstore, waiting to pick up her refills of Prozac and Klonapin, when she began scrolling through Fink's feed, which is updated frequently, especially when Fink is jetting around the world.
"She's in Cannes, she's in New Mexico. She's in Abu Dhabi for a film shoot. She's going to Holland. She was just at Jared Harris' wedding on a yacht in Miami," Benincasa said. "I'm standing there in my stained sweatpants, I was thinking, 'I really need to up my game in life.'"
Instagram, which this year alone grew to 150 million users from 80 million users worldwide, became a social phenomenon in part because it allowed people to transform snapshots into magazine-worthy images and share them easily with friends. Thanks to the built-in filters, many of which imbue the photos with a kind of digital nostalgia by mimicking the look of old lenses and film stock, everyone looks a little younger, a bit prettier, more cover-worthy.
The stage-managing impulse seems particularly strong among young parents, who appear to conjure the spirit of Norman Rockwell every time they whip out their iPhones to snap a shot of their adorable, smiling children.
Jessica Faryar, 32, an at-home mother in Seattle, remembers seeing one such photo featuring a family that had "leaves shipped in from out of state, just so the kids could jump in them," said Faryar, who follows about 100 people, mostly friends and bloggers she likes. "Meanwhile, we're drowning in leaves, and my son just talks about how messy the sidewalk looks."
Robyn Mermelstein, 35, an executive for a natural foods company who lives in Long Island, often finds herself looking at such shots from one particular friend while breast-feeding her infant daughter at 3 a.m.
"I'll swear that a White House photographer follows them around," said Mermelstein, who follows 137 people on Instagram, mostly friends, and keeps her account private to prevent others from seeing her photos. (On Thursday, Instagram announced a new feature that will let users share photos with selected friends.) "The full family of four is in every photo. Whether it's the first day of school, apple picking, summer camp, the playground or on vacation, all four super-happy family members fill each and every frame."
Instagram envy may constitute the most first-world of problems, but it is starting to attract the attention of some lab-coat types like Andrew Przybylski, a psychologist and research fellow at the University of Oxford, who are going so far as to try to quantify FOMO (fear of missing out) and finding that Instagram is the biggest culprit among social networks.
That is hardly news to Anne Sage, 31, a freelance writer and blogger in Los Angeles, who follows 1,009 people on Instagram, and therefore has 1,009 opportunities to feel she's missing out on the party on any given weekend.
"It's incredibly hurtful to find out via social media that your friends or colleagues are gathering for something that you've been left out of," Sage said. "And of course these events always flood your feed simultaneously, with everyone sharing photos and hashtags at once, so it's like pouring salt on the wound."
Unless 150 million users decide to go off Instagram cold turkey en masse, Instagram envy may turn out to be an epidemic with no cure.
But at least there may be a salve. It helps when our fabulous friends declare a moratorium on friend-torture. Indeed, many golden children of Instagram are already learning to rein it in, adopting their own form of Instagram etiquette.
"I don't put in photos of myself, or even my shoes, for that matter," said David Coggins, a dapper Manhattan writer; granted, he has posted Instagram shots from the beach at Santa Barbara, Calif., the paneled clubs of London and the temples of Kyoto, Japan, on Instagram, all within the last two months.
"My feeling is that you should avoid trophies: no fancy bottles of Bordeaux, no epic trout, no French hotel suites, nothing from business class," added Coggins, 38. "If it's eccentric, then that's different. I'm for a private plane if it's a float plane that's going to drop you into a remote pond in northern Maine. That's a unique experience that's genuinely cool."
And then there's Heather Fink, the filmmaker friend of Benincasa's, whose seemingly magical adventures echo all the way to the aisles of a CVS in Southern California.
Fink, 32, said she is all too aware of the obnoxious people on Instagram, and she takes care not to be one of them.
"There are a lot of awful braggarts whose posts have a vibe of 'Hey, you're not invited to my awesome.'" She tries to leaven her dispatches from exotic places with offbeat humor, like posting shots of a man walking pigs at the Cannes International Film Festival, rather than just another shot of a movie star.
The overall intent, she said, is not to inspire envy, but simply, to inspire.
"If I knew any of the posts made someone feel bad," Fink said, "I'd remind them that the world is their oyster, too, and they need to start shucking."
In less than a decade Android has gone from an ecosystem consisting of only a couple of similar devices to one of unfathomable variety. Among the thousands of Android phones and tablets that have sprung into being over the years, there are some that stand out as particularly strange.Taking risks can good. Sometimes you come up with the Galaxy Note, which did seem crazy at first. Other times, you create a boondoggle like one of these ten devices....Read More
IT seems to be a lucrative career option offering of high-paying jobs. However, it's an ever-changing job market. One day a skill is hot and the next it's not.Job site Dice.com recently published its 2015 Salary Survey, which named the highest-paying tech skills. Of course, skills alone won't always lead to a high salary. Work experience counts, too.So, here are 30 high-paying tech skills as per the survey.No. 1: PaaS ($130,081)PaaS or "Platform as a Service" is a type of cloud computing technology. It hosts everything that a developer needs to write an app. These apps once written, would live on PaaS cloud....Read More
WASHINGTON: World's biggest software maker Microsoft has revealed that it plans to create a new brand for its upcoming browser for Windows 10 codenamed, Project Spartan. Microsoft on clarifying the role of Internet Explorer and Project Spartan in Windows 10, and has confirmed that the new Spartan browser will be the default browser for all Windows 10 customers. While Microsoft revealed in January that its new rendering engine would power Spartan and Internet Explorer in Windows 10, the company says it is no longer planning to bring this to Internet Explorer....Read More
Last week, the Ponemon Institute unveiled a new study commissioned by IBM that examines how more than 400 large organizations, including those we tend to inherently trust – Fortune 500 companies in the banking, retail, health and public sectors – develop mobile apps, and how secure they are before they reach the hands of consumers.The findings were troubling. 40 percent of companies do not scan their apps for cybersecurity vulnerabilities before making them available, creating huge windows of opportunity for data breaches. The average company tests less than half of the mobile apps they build, and 33 percent never test their apps....Read More
Job hunting is tough and getting rejected for a job you really felt right for can be devastating. There are many reasons you might not get the job and some of them are in your power to change. Consider carefully what could have caused a company to go a different route and look for a better experience next time.You’re too SmartIf you are too smart or too attractive, you might not get hired for the job. Employers often look for employees who make them look good, avoiding those who will outshine them. Look nice and act professional, but tone it down if you sense insecurities in the room....Read More
The field of big data, analytics and business intelligence is all the rage these days, and the number of certifications is ticking up accordingly. What's more, IT professionals with big data and related certs are growing in demand. Today's organizations are looking for more and better ways to wrangle the voluminous amounts of data available to them and pull out only the information they need. Big data is mainly about storing, managing and transferring very large sets of data and making it accessible for analysis. Although "very large" is an emphatic word that most editors cut from written content, it applies in this case....Read More
The demand for custom software has never been higher. There is an app for managing nearly every aspect of our lives, personally and professionally, and the enterprise is particularly hungry for more. Yet CIOs are painfully aware that the demand far exceeds their current ability to deliver. A recent CIO.com poll of more than 500 IT chiefs found that application development is among the top skill set shortages anticipated in 2015. Because of this, there is an urgent need for a new breed of “low-code developer” who isn’t a coder by trade, but can build apps quickly—before business opportunities pass. So what are the defining traits of low-code developers? Not traditional programming experience. In fact, as industry analyst firm Forrester Research notes, low-code developers, or rapid developers as they’re also known, “prefer not to code; coding takes too long....Read More
MUMBAI: E-commerce major Amazon is taking your neighbourhood kirana store online. The e-tailer is launching an express delivery platform in partnership with mom-and-pop stores, calling it Kirana Now.Starting first in Bengaluru on a pilot run, Amazon intends to scale this up nationally , a senior executive from the Seattle-headquartered company said.Talking exclusively to TOI, Amazon India's country head Amit Agarwal said Kirana Now is an India-specific innovation built particularly for the local market. This is a by-India, for-India service....Read More
WASHINGTON: A new app allows you to 'unsend' a text by deleting the message from the receiver's smartphone. Everyone has suffered from 'text regret' -- wishing they could unsend a text message -- at least once, the app developers said.The app, RakEM, eliminates 'text regret' by allowing users to delete the unwanted sent message, removing it from both devices. The app also claims to deliver high privacy for instant messaging, file, image and location sharing, voice and video calling....Read More
BENGALURU: Infosys has given an average salary increase of 6.5% to employees for the year starting April 1, like last year.The average increment for top performers is 9%. For onsite employees (those in customer locations such as the US), the increase is 2%."Compensation reviews are being rolled out in 55 countries across the globe, effective April 1, 2015. The average increase in India is 6.5% and can go up to 9% for high performers," the company announced on its intranet Sparsh. It said the increment letters would be sent to employees in India starting March 27, and to those onsite starting April 24....Read More
NEW DELHI: Apple chief executive Tim Cook is joining the roster of the very rich who are giving away their wealth.Fortune magazine cited the head of the world's largest technology corporation as saying he planned to donate his estimated $785 million fortune to charity — after paying for his 10-year-old nephew's college education."You want to be the pebble in the pond that creates the ripples for change," Cook told the magazine....Read More
Ruth Porat has at least 70 million reasons to leave her job on Wall Street.Google has agreed to pay Porat, its new CFO, about $70 million in total compensation by 2019, according to an SEC filing on Thursday. That includes a $5 million signing bonus, a $25 million new hire grant that begins vesting at the end of this year and a $40 million biennial grant beginning in 2016.Porat will also get a modest $7,500 to relocate to Google's Mountain View headquarters. Her base salary at Google is $650,000, according to the filing....Read More
In our latest Ask A Dev episode, iOS engineer Eric Miller brings some clarity to the growing debate over which development language up-and-coming software developers should learn first.According to Miller, the first thing you should consider is what and why you want to learn. From there, he outlines the ideal path for those who prefer a classroom setting, versus self-starters who want to forge their own curriculum.At the end of the day, there's no wrong answer, Miller says. It's all about the learning style and end goal for each budding developer....Read More
The company that loves to out vulnerabilities in others, can't seem to keep its own platform secure.It's no secret that Android remains one of the more tenuous platforms that IT has to deal with today. Android phones are cheap, making them a palatable offering for a lot of consumers that decide it's critical to connect their personal devices to the corporate network.According to Palo Alto Networks, a newly exposed flaw, called "Android Installer Hijacking," leaves devices with Android versions earlier than 4.4 exposed to a hacker's hijacking trick that causes an untrusted app to install with device rights of another app....Read More
Does your employer's benefits and perks package meet your needs? If not, learning about what these seven standout companies offer their staffs could fuel a bit of workplace envy. Check out some of the most generous perks.PinterestThe photo-sharing website offers one of the most au courant corporate perks – unlimited vacation days. "Employees can take the time they need to feel refreshed and balanced," says Pinterest spokeswoman Jamie Favazza. The San Francisco-based company also keeps its "Pinployees" outfitted with whatever Apple equipment they might need, as part of an initiative to help staff be as productive as possible....Read More
Object Oriented Design Principles are core of OOPS programming, but I have seen most of Java programmer chasing design patterns like Singleton pattern , Decorator pattern or Observer pattern , and not putting enough attention on learning Object oriented analysis and design. It's important to learn basics of Object oriented programming like Abstraction, Encapsulation, Polymorphism and Inheritance, but same time, it's equally important to know these design principles, to create clean and modular design.I have regularly seen Java programmers and developers of various experience level, who either doesn't heard about these OOPS and SOLID design principle, or simply doesn't know what benefits a particular design principle offers, or how to use these design principle in coding....Read More
NEW DELHI: Telecom regulator Trai today started the process to prepare regulatory framework for internet-based calling and messaging applications like Skype, Viber, WhatsApp and Google Talk, known as over-the-top (OTT) players. "Worldwide, there is an ongoing debate among governments, industry and consumers regarding regulations of OTT services and net-neutrality. In this background, Trai today released a consultation paper on regulatory framework for OTT services," Trai secretary Sudhir Gupta said in a statement....Read More
Nowadays, when it seems like every week brings news of a new security breach, it seems appropriate to modernize an old saw by saying: You can never be too rich, too thin -- or too secure.Most of these security breaches relate to stolen or illegally accessed databases, of course. But let's not overlook a more local problem: The security of your mobile devices and data. Your smartphone, your tablet and even your wallet all contain oodles of critical information -- business and personal alike -- that could be hacked, scanned, stolen or otherwise compromised....Read More
Successful entrepreneurs know that good habits don’t start on Monday and end on Friday. Entrepreneurs expect to work longer hours than anyone else, but they also know that they have to fuel that success.While researching to compare my weekend habits to those of other successful entrepreneurs, I found this LifeHack article that teaches many extremely valuable habits, some of which I already noticed in my own routine....Read More
Tech skills are the future of business, as each corner of the enterprise depends on technology in some fashion to meet goals and objectives. With those skills come the promise of more money and job security. But the question remains: Which skills are worth your investment in time and resources? Talk of DevOps, big data, cybersecurity and other IT skills fill the ether, but how do they stack up in the real world? We spoke with Dice.com to find the answer as well as look at the IT job market as a wholeOne of the best predictors of what's to come is to look at the past. So with the first quarter of 2015 almost behind us, we look back to see what's going on within the tech jobs market and which skills have grown in demand over the past year....Read More
Microsoft Office 2013 users know the suite is bundled with a wide range of productivity features that help them perform day-to-day activities efficiently. Yet, as often as we use Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other applications in our day-to-day lives, there are a large number of hidden or lesser-known features in Office 2013 that are extremely useful, but that many people aren't taking advantage of.Many of us are even using third-party applications to do functions that we could more quickly and efficiently do right within the Office suite. For example, did you know that you could instantly add screenshots, YouTube videos, or Facebook images to your documents, right from within Office?....Read More
You might not realize it, but there are now email-tracking tools that make it easy for people to see when you open an email, what you click, and where you're located. "Emails appear no different to your contacts, but you get data when, where, and how a contact interacts with your message," says a cheery video advertising Bananatag, an email-tracking service for Gmail designed for job seekers, advertisers, and those working in public relations....Read More
SEATTLE: Microsoft is serious about making its most lucrative business, Office, relevant for mobile users. What is less clear is how much money it will be able to make from them. On Monday, the company announced partnerships with nearly a dozen makers of tablets based on Android, Google's mobile operating system. The most prominent of those deals is with Samsung, which plans to ship Office including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, on some of its tablets %during the first half of this year. Just recently, Microsoft cut a similar deal %to load Office onto Samsung's new Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge phones....Read More
Facebook is holding its F8 developer conference at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco center today. Unfortunately for the social networking company, it has accidentally leaked most of its new announcements early.As TechCrunch's Josh Constine reports, the official F8 app appears to have sent out a notification to attendees ahead of time, detailing what they can expect at the conference. It reads:The Garage and Demo areas are now open! Just revealed: Parse for IoT, Messenger as a Platform, and the Teleportation Station....Read More
Phone encryption is one of the most important and significant things on any of todays smartphone. It protects the user data from anyone who doesn't have direct access to its password. But let's not get too bent out of shape. We're here to share how you can encrypt your Android devices running the Jelly Bean and KitKat systems. That's right. Privacy features are already built in. You just need to turn them on....Read More
Software code seems pretty ubiquitous these days, since software seemingly powers everything around us, from computers to cars to refrigerators. But not all code is created equally. Different software programs, even those that are meant to serve the same purpose, can differ greatly in the quality of their writing. What defines “good” software code? Developers will often have different answers to that question. However, a handful of qualities are often cited as being characteristic of well-written code. Here are 8 such characteristics and developer input, culled from various online discussion forums where the question “What makes good code?” was kicked around....Read More
A recent report from the Linux Foundation and Dice revealed that there is a high demand for Linux professionals, but organizations are finding it difficult to find qualified candidates. The 2015 Linux Jobs Report discovered that 92% of IT managers are planning to hire Linux professionals in the next six months, but 88% stated it is difficult to find the right candidates. “Competition for Linux talent is accelerating, as the software becomes more ubiquitous,” said Shravan Goli, president of Dice. “Hiring managers need to ensure they are offering the right set of incentives to attract talent, while professionals need to provide evidence of their knowledge and skills, especially in areas of growing demand such as the cloud....Read More


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While it wasn't a huge surprise, Hasbro CEO and Transformers producer Brian Goldner revealed a few days ago that the toy company was in talks with director Michael Bay, producer Steven Spielberg, and Paramount Pictures about Transformers 4 (working title). This summer's Transformers: Dark of the Moon grossed over a billion dollars worldwide, and now a few new reports show what might be in store for future installments.
Bay has already claimed that he wants to direct the low-budget, dark comedy Pain & Gain next, which, at the very least, means that Hasbro and Paramount have to wait for Bay's services to become available. Should Bay return to the director's chair, he could be directing not one, but two Transformers sequels back-to-back. no Transporting the Transformers >>


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Sony has informed us of almost all possible information about its next-generation video game console PlayStation 5. We are aware of its lineup of released games, including the highly anticipated superhero sequel “Spider-Man: Miles Morales.” We know that these devices have a futuristic vibe to them, and their curved sides can look like home next to the Star Trek starship. We even know that the controller has a special trigger button that can provide us with feedback so that the object we interact with in the game world feels like it is in the hand.
The only thing we don̵
Until now. Company announcedThe version without an optical drive, the version with an optical drive is $499.99. Sony said that both game consoles have the same chips and other hardware inside. The device will be launched in the United States, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea on November 12, and in other parts of the world on November 19. Pre-orders will begin on Thursday.
Sony began to discuss high-end gaming activitiesAnd “Final Fantasy 16”, these two versions will be exclusive on PlayStation. Spider-Man will be released with consoles during the 2020 holiday shopping season, and Sony did not disclose when “Final Fantasy 16” will be released.
The company also showcased the new work in the popular horror series “Resident Evil 8: Village” and launched a new sequel to its popular 2018 action adventure game “The God of War”.
Now, with the announcement of the release date and price, the upcoming game consoles from Sony and Microsoft both mark a critical moment in the video game industry and are transitioning to new devices.Make the game more complex or realistic appearance.
Somehow, Sony and Microsoft have been preparing the next generation of decisive game consoles for a long time, without telling us basic knowledge such as price and release date. At the beginning of this year, all we know is that these devices will be launched before the holiday shopping season.
Whenever I talk to the Sony and Microsoft teams, this missing information becomes an internal joke. I will deal with this problem as much as possible, reminding them that I have to ask-of course they will certainly ask me.with There are also problems.
The lack of information has caused widespread concern in the gaming industry. It is rumored that Microsoft and Sony are playing chicken games, seeing who blinks and announces the price, while others adjust the price to beat it. The two companies have repeatedly denied this.
However, after a series of leaks about Microsoft’s entry-level Xbox Series S, it will be released with the more powerful Xbox Series X.. They can also be used with payment plans of $25 per month and $35 per month, including access to the company’s bundled gaming social network and other subscription services.
In order to compete more directly with Microsoft, Sony also announced its PlayStation Plus series, which includes popular PS4 game libraries such as “God of War” and “Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End”. These games will provide subscribers with a monthly PlayStation Plus game service of $9.99.
Microsoft’sThis service is often referred to as “the best deal in the game” because it offers more than 100 games. Now, Sony clearly wants to take this responsibility. Sony does not provide a direct competitor to Microsoft with a $14.99 monthly Xbox Games Pass Ultimate subscription, which allows access to many games in its library on its console and PC, and can .
What Sony showed
Final Fantasy 16, No release date was announced.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Will be on holiday in 2020.
Hogwarts Legacy, By 2021.
Call of Duty: Cold War, Will be on holiday in 2020.
Resident Evil 8: Village, By 2021.
Death cycle, By 2021.
Devil May Cry 5: Special Version,
Fantasy World: Soul Storm, Will be on holiday in 2020.
Five Nights of Freddie: Security Breach, There is no start date.
Demon Soul, There is no start date.
Fort night, Available at the time of publication.
Correction: Jim Ryan is the head of Sony’s PlayStation division. Jack Ryan is a fictitious spy for the CIA. An early version of this story mixed the names of two men. We regret this error.


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Cruel conmen are convincing vulnerable Paisley pensioners to spend their savings on supermarket vouchers in a sickening scam.
At least one vulnerable OAP shelled out £1,200 on iTunes giftcards at Morrisons, in Falside Road, while another old woman was questioned at the same store as she attempted to buy £500 worth of credit.
On Wednesday morning, an 87-year-old Paisley woman was told to go to a nearby Tesco and buy hundreds of pounds worth of vouchers, but instead alerted the police.
It’s understood the OAPs are being targeted by organised crime gangs who call their victims claiming they owe money to the tax man.
The unsuspecting pensioners are warned that if they don’t cough up the cash, the cops will be called.
And as the callous scam is played out, the caller insists the quickest and easiest way to settle the bill is with codes from expensive supermarket vouchers.
Victims are told to head out to the nearest ASDA, Tesco or Morrisons branch to spend a fortune on the vouchers, before giving the codes to the crooks which can be cashed in online.
Paisley Inspector Tracy Harkins yesterday appealed to local pensioners to contact the police immediately if they are targeted by the scam artists.
She said: “This is a despicable crime aimed at targeting the most vulnerable people in our town.
“So far, we know of one successful fraud which led to a 68-year-old woman spending £1,200 on iTunes vouchers before giving the codes to a caller who claimed to be from HMRC.
“Afterwards she was told that there would be a further £2,000 required to cover legal fees.
“Thankfully she contacted the police at that point and we alerted staff at Morrisons to what had happened.
“Then, on Wednesday, we had two similar incidents.
“Just before 10.20am we received a call from an 87-year-old woman who had been told to buy £500 worth of Tesco vouchers to repay the debt she owed to the HMRC, but instead she called the police.
“When the bogus caller tried a second time, officers were at the woman’s house, so they quickly hung up the phone.
“Around an hour later, we received a call from the manager of the Falside Road branch of Morrisons to say a 77-year-old woman had attempted to buy £500 worth of iTunes vouchers.
“Due to the previous incident, staff were aware of what was happening and stopped the woman from losing her money.”
She added: “We have alerted the local supermarkets in the town, so staff question any OAPs trying to buy large amounts of vouchers and we are working with the Roar group, and its elderly members to highlight this problem.
“These are the cases we know about but there may well be others and even if people didn’t lose money, it is important that we know where these calls are being made so we can build a picture and investigate the problem.”
Roar general manager Nicola Hanssen, who is based in Paisley, said: “We are working closely with Police Scotland who have visited Roar clubs and groups to highlight the issue of bogus callers and scammers. A number of our members have reported receiving calls claiming to be from HMRC and demanding money.
“We really appreciate how persuasive and intimidating some of these scams can seem.
“Our message is about spreading the word about these scams and advising older people to never give money or details to anyone before getting it checked out with someone you trust.”
MORE LOCAL NEWS: Man appears in court charged with Paisley rape


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He doesn't have a recording contract, nor does he want one. He hasn't been inside a big-company studio in years. Instead, he has his very own digital recording system in his living-room just off Laurel Canyon in the Hollywood Hills, makes his own CDs, and sells and markets himself exclusively over the Internet.
"I can do everything that a big record label would do, for a tenth of the cost," says the 31-year-old musician, a veteran composer for British television documentaries and performer on Saturday morning shows like Tiswas. His self-titled debut album, a technically accomplished blend of trip hop, jazz and retro glam-rock sounds, has been available online for a couple of months, and is already attracting radio airplay and Internet chat traffic despite little or no marketing.
"The only thing I need money for is promotion, and I'm lining up a group of investors from the UK to do that for me," he says. "The big labels are completely constipated at this point. They are dinosaurs, moving way too slowly. We are getting to our fans directly in their living-rooms."
What makes Monc's ambitions possible - and those of dozens, if not hundreds, of aspiring recording artists like him - is the advent of several pieces of computer technology that, in one form or another, are almost certain to revolutionise almost every aspect of the way music is produced and consumed over the next few years.
His studio - a powerful computer with mixing software attached, a sound- proof box for laying down vocal tracks, an electronic keyboard and a drum kit - cost around pounds 20,000 to put together, a snip compared with the price of cutting just one album in a professional setting. His website, which features lots of cool graphics and gadgets including a "virtual" studio enabling websurfers to compile their own rudimentary remixes, is the brainchild of his partner, an arts school graduate called Dr Atomic, who has put hundreds of hours but little or no capital investment into the project.
From the consumer's point of view, the key developments are the advent of compression technology enabling the music to be transmitted over the Internet at a manageable speed, and the proliferation of playing devices to decode the compressed files and play them at CD-quality levels. The pioneering compression technology, known as MP3, has revolutionised music among the young. Since the technology is free and very flexible, there is nothing to stop individuals, websites or record companies from posting pieces of music online and letting the whole world download them - for money or, more commonly, free.
Over the past two years, MP3 files have been whizzing through cyberspace at ever-increasing speed. This has created new marketing opportunities, as record companies have released "bonus" tracks as free promotions online and started investigating ways of selling music over the Internet. David Bowie, for example, has already built up a whole online marketing strategy around his forthcoming release, hours.... The album will be released in its entirety over the Internet next week, two weeks ahead of its scheduled appearance in record stores.
But the MP3 craze has also got record companies panicked because unlimited quantities of music are being trafficked illegally. If hit records by big-name acts can be found free of charge online, and new bands are thinking of bypassing the established record industry altogether, the business may not just be facing a future in which computer downloads replace the CD, it may not be facing any recognisable future at all.
The "big five" record companies - the Universal Music Group, BMG, Sony, EMI and Warners - have clubbed together with a consortium of technology firms to produce the so-called Secure Digital Music Initiative in an effort to limit piracy. They have also thrown themselves into partnerships with high-profile computer companies such as Microsoft, AT&T and Matsushita to try to develop strategies for dealing with the new marketplace.
Part of the panic, according to musicians attracted to the new online possibilities, stems from a growing crisis within the industry. The music business has had much of the liveliness and diversity sucked out of it in recent years as big media conglomerates have bought up the main labels and grown increasingly conservative in their selection of bands and material.
Music consumption among 20- to 24-year-olds has dropped by a third in 10 years, says the Record Industry Association of America, as the music has become blander and controlled by fewer and fewer interests. For fans looking for something more challenging than the Backstreet Boys, the Internet represents more than just a chance to acquire music for free; it also enables them to find artists following their musical instincts in a way that has not been possible for years. "The music industry as it is today is a banking system, it's not about art. They'd sell a hubcap with cheese on it if they could," says Chuck D, leader of the rap group Public Enemy, which recently abandoned the traditional industry to release an album online. "It's like this: There's a fat guy on a street corner selling M&Ms to all the people waiting in line, he's making all the money, and they're not happy about it. Then the bottom of the bag rips, and the candy goes all over the sidewalk.
"What are the people going to do? They start grabbing it up, and he's standing there saying, `No, wait, that's my candy!'"
Bands which failed to find a label because their sound was not considered commercial enough, or which fell victim to one of the recent mega-mergers, can find a new lease of life. And if they start off giving their music away free, it probably does them nothing but good in the long run. A study by Forrester Research Inc shows the proliferation of pirated music on the Internet is actually boosting music sales because of its promotional effect. The punk band Offspring believes there have been 18 million illegal downloads of its songs, but it also sold eight million copies of its latest album. "If that ratio holds up," said the band's manager, Jim Guerinot, "I want 36 million downloads so we sell 16 million albums."
The proliferation of online music, legal and illegal, is only likely to intensify with new technological advances. Already, the old MP3 system is looking outdated, being replaced with systems called Liquid Audio and a2b Music. Monc uses a Canadian software package called Q Design that enables him to download a song in 15 seconds, compared with three or four minutes with an MP3 player.
The record industry remains divided on whether the Internet is a threat or an opportunity. Big record companies are well placed to take advantage of their marketing muscle and move at least some operations online. In other ways, they have grown too unwieldy to generate new talent with the speed and spontaneity of the Web. The CD, say the techno-wizards, has about 10 years of shelf-life left in it. And after that, it's anybody's guess.Reuse content


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Bob Bernstein is eager to see his business grow, so he let it go.
The chairman and CEO of advertising firm Bernstein-Rein parted ways with a majority stake in Beauty Brands Inc. for an undisclosed amount so that the Kansas City company could grow to new heights.
Although Bernstein has stepped down as chairman and CEO of the combined full-service salon and day spa superstores, he hyped the future of the company like an ad man should.
“The interesting part of this (sale) is that this company, which started in Kansas City, will now be able to grow to be a big national company,” he said.
The sale to Lyn Kirby and an unnamed private equity company should give the company the investment infusion it needs to get to the next level, Bernstein said.
Kirby, now chairwoman and CEO of Beauty Brands, was CEO of Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. for more than 10 years before being replaced in 2010.
Better known as Ulta Beauty, the company she oversaw is the biggest player in the space Beauty Brands inhabits.
Although Bernstein maintains a minority stake, his son, David, chose to leave the company where he had been president since 2009.
“There was a tremendous interest in our company in the private equity world,” David Bernstein said. “We have always, for the last 10 or 12 years, had unsolicited interest in the company. So we’ve always been listening to pitches, but we came to a crossroads over the last 12 to 18 months.”
David Bernstein said that although Beauty Brands could have grown organically, it was at the point where there was an opportunity to grow much faster than organic growth would allow.
Citing real estate agreements with himself and his business entities, Bob Bernstein said the new majority owners will keep the company in Kansas City. Bernstein said leases for the distribution center in Lenexa and some of the store locations, and the expansion of the company’s Kansas City headquarters (not owned by him), are signs that Beauty Brands will continue to build the business in Kansas City.
Bernstein-Rein, which has always had a close but separate relationship with the company, will continue as its agency of record.
Launched in 1995, Beauty Brands employs more than 1,800 salon professionals and sales associates at 55 locations in 11 states.
Currently, David Bernstein is focused on providing the best transition possible for Beauty Brands, which includes some people he’s worked with for more than 15 years.
He will continue to provide consulting to the management team as needed, but he’s not sure what the future holds for him.
“I don’t know yet what the next chapter is, but I would really like the opportunity to develop another concept in the retail space,” he said.
Andrew oversees online content.


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The Firing Line
Fox News Reporting:
Customer shoots, kills robber outside Atlanta shop while waiting to buy LeBron James sneakers
Police say an armed man trying to rob customers outside an Atlanta shoe store was fatally shot by one of the patrons waiting in line to buy sneakers.
WSB-TV reports the shooting...


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While Samsung may have trimmed some of the bloat from the Galaxy S 6 (and the S 6 Edge), it looks like it’s still going to come preloaded with things you may or may not want. Microsoft’s Skype, OneNote, and OneDrive applications will come standard on your GS6, although you’ll still get to snag that free 100 GB of free OneDrive storage space that Samsung is giving away, so it’s not all bad.
This isn’t the most subtle way to get Microsoft services into the hands of Android users, but it’s definitely going to be an effective one. Google may not like the move, but hey, that’s the beauty of Android being more open than other platforms.
Skype has announced an update to their messaging app for Android taking it up to version 5.2. The update includes several improvements and enhancements. Grabbing the headline as a new feature now available, users can send photos to their contacts whether the receiver is online or offline. When the recipient of one of your photos logs in to Skype, they will see any photos that have been shared with them inline in their chat history.
This is the sort of stuff that makes me want to hug programmers and engineers. Google and Microsoft are both hard at work rolling out updates to Hangouts and Skype, respectively, that will allow for real-time translation in a video call.
Skype has announced that they’re finally detangling the video chat service from its traditional Windows or OS X desktop program and offering it in beta through a web browser.
Skype for Web will let you quickly sign into the service on Skype’s web page and immediately begin making video calls without having to download any apps or programs. According to the Skype page, you can get the service started on any modern web browser, but it specifically mentions Chrome for Windows. That’s good news for Chrome users, but the wording of the support page makes it sound like Chromebooks are going to be excluded.
Do you remember video streaming service called Qik? Well Skype acquired them a few years ago and closed down the app, but it’s back in a new format. It’s called Skype Qik, and it’s all about video messaging. Basically, it’s just like texting, but with video instead.
You can set up a group of friends and quickly and easily send short videos. If you ever want to delete a video, you can, but the app will automatically delete content after two weeks.
Many Skype users prefer to stay logged out of the service on their phones and tablets while not video chatting because of a fear of drained battery. If you remember, Google admitted that the Nexus 5 battery is currently experiencing faster battery drain due to the camera communicating with apps such as Skype.
Skype just updated the Android app to version 4.7, which will hopefully alleviate the situation. Just one other change includes message notifications in group chats being turned off by default.
Battery life is precious these days, so anything Skype can do to improve the situation is good news.
When I updated my Skype app this morning on my Nexus 7 I didn’t think to look at the “What’s New” section of the app’s Google Play page. “Must be another regular bug-fix update,” I thought…
Very wrong, I was.
In one of the most useful updates that Skype has probably ever had for its Android app, the popular video-chatting program now offers picture-in-picture video-chatting so you can now multitask on your device while you communicate.
That’s right— you can now browse the web, check email, watch YouTube videos, etc. all while you video-chat on Skype. You can also drag the thumbnail PIP around the screen to place it wherever it’s convenient for you.
And that’s not all! The update also included pinch-to-zoom navigation for when you’re browsing contacts, and also upgraded video and instant messaging. All those regular bug fixes I had initially suspected are even included as well.
Overall, the update is very Windows 8-like, and I certainly can’t complain. As computing power on our mobile devices gets increasingly better and better, we’ll start to see updates like this from other applications as well. Multitasking will soon become as mundane as it now is on our PCs.
Hit the break for the link to the app in the Play Store.
Skype has just gotten updated to include the testing of video voicemail functionality for its users. As it stands now, the new feature formally allows users to create and record video voicemails of up to 3 minutes in length that can be sent to individuals around the world. There is a noteworthy catch to this awesome feature though friends— it’s reported that the video voicemails is seemingly a paid feature because while pricing hasn’t been announced, the Skype app all users are given 20 free video messages to begin, perhaps indicating that users of the premium Skype service will be able to send more video messages as opposed to a limited number.
As mentioned before, the new feature is currently in testing— but should be available for most, if not all users— so all you Skype folk be sure to grab the latest update today in order to try out the cool feature. You’ll be glad you did.
Skype for Android has been given a breathe of life today as a new update has officially brought portrait calling to tablet users. The majority of the application still doesn’t support portrait mode, though this is unquestionably a step in the right direction. Previously, users with top-mounted front facing cameras would be forced to use the tablet in landscape, inevitably creating a strange camera angle. Also included in the update is a slew of much-needed bug fixes, as well as a swath of languages including Norwegian, Portuguese and UK English. Be sure to hit the break to grab the new version from the Play Store.


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Products such as the Shamwow are thriving, thanks to infomercials, also known as direct-response television, or DRTV. Square One Entertainment has sold 48 million Shamwows since November 2007.
Sam Catanese, president and chief executive of Infomercial Monitoring Service Inc., estimates the number of businesses using infomercials has risen 10% in the past year. “Infomercials are 20- to 30-minutes; though shorter spots are lumped together by the viewing public,” he explained.
A main reason is the cost of television ad time has fallen as much as 50% from years past,” he explained. “More people are watching at prime viewing times.”
It’s easy to track the success of the ads because customers make their purchases either through a Web address or a toll-free phone number.
Infomercials are deemed successful when their sales make a profit of at least one dollar for every dollar spent on advertising. Roger Fredericks, founder of Fredericks Golf, uses 30-minute infomercials to sell a set of three instructional golf DVDs for $89.95. In a six month period, $2,700 is sales was made for every $1,000 spent. The DVDs have grossed more than $7 million since 2005.
The Video Professor saves on costs by having the complete marketing and video production departments along with television studio in-house. That is rare. But Catenese says an entrepreneur can film his or her own spot using technology available for half the cost it took 20 years ago.
The start-up cost of a 20-30 minute campaign can range from $150,000 to $500,000 depending on the production quality, time slots and channel. Shorter DRTV ads start at $50,000. Some small businesses that want to save on their advertising costs buy time through Google Inc., which currently allows advertisers to buy television ads on channels provided by Dish Network, NBC Universal and Bloomberg Television.


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Why a giant cargo crane could help save harbour freight from demolition
Haulage firm Harbour Freight Holdings is exploring the potential of using a giant crane to save a harbour freight facility from demolition.
The giant crane could be used to lift freight in an attempt to move it away from the site of the site where a $30m project to demolish the Port of Tipperary’s port, which was announced last month, is expected to be completed.
The firm is in talks with the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development (DIR) over the use of the massive crane to move freight.DIR is also considering using a new structure on the site, which could be erected to accommodate a cargo hub and the construction of a bridge to facilitate the movement of cargo.
The company said it was in discussions with the department and had no immediate plans to build a structure for the crane.
However, a spokesperson for Harbour Freights said that although the company had no plans to construct a crane to remove cargo, the company was “actively considering the possibility” of using it to lift the cargo.
“The company is in discussions to consider whether to use the giant crane on the existing site to assist with the removal of the cargo,” the spokesperson said.
“However, at this stage, no plans are in place to use a new facility at the site.”
The crane will be installed at the port site on the eastern edge of the port.
The move is expected for at least six months, and could take as long as 12 months, according to Harbour Freighters.