text:
Ali Young's NFT single signals the arrival of new music and new platforms—but there's more to unpack here
Technology, money and music are coming together to form the unique love triangle that is NFT music. And with the release of Ali Young’s single, Craving, the Philippines officially has its hat in the ring.
If that statement was confusing at all, I get you. Let me explain.
Chances are you’ve heard of NFTs by now, but here’s a little rundown. NFTs (non-fungible tokens) are basically a form of cryptocurrency. The only difference: they don't hold money—they represent assets. Through a process called minting, an artwork, a video, an iconic tweet or gif can be blockchained, making it tamper-proof.
We do a deeper dive into non-fungible tokens in this article. But put simply, owning an NFT is like owning a contract. It is proof that you have legal claim to the file the NFT represents.
That said, NFTs are rare, unique and therefore, pricey. When sold, they can give you a pretty handsome sum—which is where the idea of monetizing music comes in.
Depending on the terms decided by the creator, they can continue to make money off of the NFT every time it’s sold. If the creator decides to put in this clause, their monetization scheme is not unlike the way royalties work.
But, see, NFTs are more than just a money-making vehicle for creators and musicians.
As far as demand goes, the market for NFTs is promising. While ownership enough to get some to invest a pretty penny in an NFT (imagine owning the original copy of your K-pop faves’ music video), bragging rights aren’t the only reason people are excited. NFTs have potential to create communities, acting as an access pass to special perks for superfans.
Take Kings of Leon, for instance. Earlier this year, the American rock outfit made headlines for being the first band to release an NFT album. While the music itself is available on all major streaming platforms, the token version of the album was available for purchase for just two weeks. The NFT came with a collection of perks for fans: a moving cover, a digital download and a limited edition vinyl.
There’s a whole world of untapped potential where NFTs are concerned. Seeding exclusive media, creating custom experiences and giving gifts exclusive to NFT owners—it’s like a modern-day fanclub membership that could blow K-pop’s Weverse and Lysn out of the water.
Now, let’s dial back to the beginning of the article. Local musicians are starting to venture into the digital scene with a fresh face, Ali Young, leading the pack.
In a now-deleted viral video, Ali Young gained widespread recognition for effortlessly covering Yeng Constantino’s Ikaw—high notes, emotion and all. The 25-year-old talent landed a contract with a label called Alibatta this year. A new indie label and entertainment tech company, Alibatta is pioneering the distribution of music NFTs in the Philippines.
Their first big move took shape in Ali Young’s debut single, Craving.
The song is an obvious departure from the genres Ali Young was known to gravitate towards prior to her first official single. Graduating from the innocent, acoustic love songs she sang throughout her teenage years, Craving’s mature R&B sound cracks open a new chapter for the artist.
Craving’s music video is slated for release on July 15th, while the track has been available on all major streaming platforms since late June. Playing into Alibatta’s vision, an NFT version of Craving is available on crypto marketplaces, making it the first NFT record in Asia. At present, the single is selling for up to 1 million pesos on Binance.
And while all of this is revolutionary, we can’t discuss an NFT breakthrough without addressing the elephant in the room. Like all cryptocurrency transactions, trading non-fungible tokens doesn’t just come at a hefty price financially—it poses a grave environmental cost, too.
Most NFT creators use Ethereum, a form of cryptocurrency, and mining it takes a large amount of energy. Let me put it into perspective. The amount of energy used by Ethereum in a year is roughly equivalent to what the entire Nigeria uses. Through the lens of NFTs, a single transaction is estimated to have a carbon footprint of 48 kg CO2, according to programmer and artist Memo Atken.
On one hand, NFTs come hand-in-hand with expedited environmental decay. But on the other, even without NFTs in the picture, crypto mining will persist. As the global tech landscape runs at full speed ahead, where do we place ourselves?
For Alibatta Records, it’s all about leveling the playing field. “Our vision is to make sure music is adaptive to both the needs of the artist and their fans who are the foundation of the industry,” shares Geoff Mabasa, the company’s president and CEO.
But we're curious: what are your thoughts on NFTs and NFT-minted records? Sound off in the comments below.
Art Alexandra Lara


text:
Within the next four years cloud computing will be as ubiquitous among businesses as internet access is today, Gartner has suggested. The analyst has issued a press statement claiming that "by 2020,...
Security firm's EMEA channel chief attacks AV competition
UK-based AV and print distributor strikes €11m deal with Barcelonan firm
Hollywood star set to play technology executive

domain: news


text:
The Panthers Group businesses have closely associated the brand successfully with the elite team to create a strong business, which has resulted in the high valuation. Its brand is estimated to be worth $46.2 million.
There are 6 NRL teams in the Top 20 Most Valuable Australian Sports Brands, valued at $151 million, while the AFL accounts for the other 14 teams with a total brand value of $334 million.
Here is the list:
1.Penrith Panthers (NRL)
2.Collingwood Magpies (AFL )
3.Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (NRL)
4.West Coast Eagles (AFL)
5.Hawthorn Hawks (AFL)
6.Geelong Cats (AFL )
7.Carlton Blues (AFL)
8.Fremantle Dockers (AFL)
9.Essendon Bombers (AFL)
10.Sydney Swans (AFL)
11.Parrammatta Eagles (NRL)
12.Richmond Tigers (AFL)
13.Adelaide Crows (AFL)
14.Brisbane Lions (AFL)
15.Brisbane Broncos (NRL)
16.Port Adelaide Power (AFL)
17.St Kilda Saints (AFL)
18.Canberra Raiders (NRL)
19.Melbourne FC (AFL)
20.Sydney Roosters (NRL)
The key finding from the brand equity research is that the AFL teams, in general, have greater brand equity. The study also showed that 27% of respondents interact with AFL more than once a week compared to only 21% for NRL.
The Kangaroos dominance in Saturdays World Cup Final showcased the talent that the NRL has been capable of producing thanks to the strong brands in the League. The combined brand value of NRL Clubs in the Top 20 exceeds $150 million in 2013.
The Penrith Panthers top Brand Finance League Table with a brand valuation of $46.2 million, as the Panthers Group successfully leverage the Panthers association across a wide variety of operations.
The Collingwood Magpies possess the most valuable AFL brand (2nd overall) with a brand value of $39.1 million after a financially successful year. The Magpies also received a AAA brand rating, the highest rating in the table thanks to a loyal fan base and strong performances on the field.
The Sydney office of Landor Associates commissioned an online study to determine the Brand Strength of sports teams as part of the Top 20 study, with the Brisbane Broncos topping the ranking across all codes. The Australian public ranked each team across four pillars of Knowledge, Relevance, Differentiation and Esteem.
The Essendon Bombers brand rating has suffered this year dropping from potentially a AAA- to a AA+ since the investigation by ASADA. The fall caused overall brand value to drop around 5% to $24.0million. The impact could have been more severe but sponsors and fans have remained loyal. Moving into a new state of the art training facility could see Essendon bounce back for the 2014 season.
Although other teams from Rugby Union, A-League and Big Bash were included in the research, only AFL and NRL teams were valuable enough to be featured in the Top 20 Most Valuable Australian Sports Brands.


text:
Brazilian Chicken Exports to Middle East Down in January27 February 2013
BRAZIL - Brazilian exports of chicken to the Middle East dropped 3.8 per cent in January this year as against the same month last year.
In the first month of 2013, Brazil shipped 106,000 tonnes of chicken to the region, which remained as the main destination for the product. The information was disclosed by the Brazilian Poultry Union (Ubabef).
Brazil-Arab News Agency reports that for chicken exports as a whole, Brazil sold 290,400 tonnes in January this year, 11.7 per cent less than in the first month of 2012. In revenues, there was 6.7 per cent reduction in the period, at US$592 million.
All other regions to which Brazil sells chicken presented reductions in imports of the Brazilian product in January this year as against January 2012. Last month, exports to Asia totalled 82,300 tonnes (-5.8 per cent), Africa bought 40,400 tonnes (-24 per cent) and the European Union 34,700 tonnes (-21 per cent).
"The level of exports in January this year was greater than the historic average for the period, only behind the first month in 2012, with a result considered atypical and above the average established last year. Anyway, it is interesting to notice that there are still reflexes of the crisis faced in the second half of last year, with lower levels of production,” commented Ubabef president, Francisco Turra.ThePoultrySite News Desk


text:
Mobile Device Share Of Online Conversions, August 2013 [CHART]
A study of 100 million “conversion events” across 4 major verticals (telecom, retail, auto, and travel) and multiple devices – including mobile phones, desktop computers, and tablets – reveals that 31% of said conversions took place on a mobile device. The study, conducted by AOL in conjunction with the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), also finds that 65% of mobile conversions took place on a tablet.
While Android and iOS devices each accounted for roughly 50% share of smartphone conversions, the iPad was the dominant tablet device, at 85% of conversions.
The proportion of conversions taking place on a mobile device has grown by 28% over the past year, according to the researchers. Read the rest at MarketingCharts.


text:
Hours before WWDC kicks off, rumors are beginning to circulate claiming that iCloud will actually be based in users’ homes rather than on Apple’s servers. SOURCE: MacRumors It’s no secret that Apple’s Airport (routers) and Time Capsule (router/NAS) devices having suddenly become harder to find in Apple’s retail stores over the past week or so. […]Read More Apple’s iCloud to be Time Capsule-based?
SOURCE: Engadget Monday, June 6th, Apple is set to announce what is likely to a host of groundbreaking new things at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference. While they’re not known to pre-announce the release of a new product or service ahead of time, Apple uncannily confirmed the release of their new brainchild, iCloud. And as expected, […]Read More WWDC 2011: Lion, iOS & iCloud
After all the iPod banter including new cameras and touchscreens and retina displays, Apple reminded us that there’s more to life than just handhelds. Even though their new addition to the lineup is holdable, and practically portable; it is indeed a set-top box. It’s their new Apple TV. What Apple has pitched us is their […]Read More Thoughts on Apple’s new TV companion
Today, Steve Jobs headed a press conference initiated by Apple earlier this week to deliver a much-needed response to the controversy surrounding the iPhone 4’s hardware. In short, Jobs stated that everyone who has bought or buys an iPhone 4 through September of this year is entitled to a free Bumper case from Apple. Those […]Read More Apple’s iPhone 4 Band-Aid


text:
In what could be one of the most significant shifts of clout in the auto industry, Ford Motor f will hand over the keys to its high-class Jaguar and Land Rover brands to a relatively unknown Indian conglomerate that wants to be a high-end player.
The sale is expected to be announced Wednesday, according to a source briefed on the negotiations who did not want to be named because the deal had not yet been made public. Tata is to pay about $2 billion for the two brands, which cost Ford $5.3 billion, and continue building the British vehicles in the U.K.
Though not surprising — the transaction's been the buzz since July — it remains stunning to think of Ford selling its premium British brands to Tata Motors, a specialist in inexpensive, small cars. The industry has until now been focused on China as the next big world player.
"This represents a first, with an Indian company really stepping outside as an investor with a significant couple of brands," says David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research. "And it enables Ford to convert what has been a pretty extensive part of the company into some needed cash. This is really a pretty big step."
Mike O'Driscoll, managing director of Jaguar Cars under Ford, says he met with Tata's top executives as the deal was being hammered out and is encouraged that the new owners will let the Jaguar staff run the company with little interference.
Tata "will give us some space. They want us to run our business, be a premium British car company," he says.
For struggling Ford, the move sheds two European luxury brands that had become a drag on cash. Particularly draining was Jaguar, in which Ford sank nearly $10 billion trying to revive the brand after spending $2.5 billion to buy it in a deal that closed in 1990.
The deal catapults Tata Motors into a high-profile position in the global auto industry.
The automaker is controlled by Tata Group, a privately held Indian conglomerate with 98 operating companies in industries such as heavy trucks, energy, chemicals, communications and engineering, but the Tata Motors brand is not well-known worldwide.
It made a splash in January, though, when it announced plans for a $2,500 car to replace the motor scooters commonly used in developing countries to cart around entire families.
Tata earned $420 million in fiscal 2007, according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and sold 588,000 trucks and small cars that year.
"They are very serious, very well funded and not inexperienced in cars," says Tom Purves, CEO of BMW North America. "They are probably the best possible owner for Jaguar and Land Rover. Actually, they are probably the only company that could come in and do this."
"I didn't know anything about Tata, but I do now, and I'm very excited about it," says Blair Sharpe, owner of a Jaguar dealership in Grand Rapids, Mich. "It's a new chapter for Jaguar and Land Rover. (Tata) is a big company. They have lots of resources and the money to invest in new products."
Bert Boeckmann, owner of Galpin Jaguar in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley, says he's encouraged by the sale. Tata Chairman Ratan Tata has shown enthusiasm for the product.
"I think they see this as a unique opportunity to gain some real recognition in the auto industry," Boeckmann says.
The sale to Tata is central to Ford CEO Alan Mulally's strategy to turn the company around by refocusing the automaker on its core brands, which are Ford, Mercury and Lincoln.
Ford also needs cash. The automaker lost $2.7 billion in 2007 and posted a $12.7 billion loss for 2006. Mulally is aiming to reach profitability in 2009, which could be tough in a time of declining sales and tight credit.
Once Tata takes over Jaguar and Land Rover, only Volvo remains from Ford's decade-long European buying spree. Mulally has said he intends to hang on to Volvo, at least for now.
Ford said in March 2007 that it would sell about 92% of its British superpremium brand Aston Martin for $848 million to a consortium made up of David Richards, founder and chairman of motorsport and auto technology company Prodrive; John Sinders, an Aston Martin collector and backer of Aston racing; and two investment companies based in Kuwait. Ford had bought 75% of Aston Martin in 1987 and the rest in 1994.
Ford spent a fortune acquiring Jaguar and, a decade later, Land Rover. The U.S. automaker paid $2.5 billion for Jaguar in 1990 after a bidding war of sorts with General Motors.
Industry experts at the time estimated that was about $1.2 billion more than Jaguar was worth. Ford has since said the deal was worse than that.
Land Rover cost $2.8 billion in March 2000, when Ford bought the brand from BMW.
Land Rover was the better deal. Since 1999, its U.S. sales have gone from 29,000 to a projected 46,000 by the end of 2008, according to Rebecca Lindland, an analyst at Global Insight.
Jaguar's U.S. sales fell from 35,000 to a forecast 17,000 by the end of the year, she says.
Despite current sales figures, Lindland says, both brands have strong images with consumers.
"It's the brands that make it worth the money," she says. "They're iconic brands with really storied histories."
Still, she says, "It's a little bit like Wal-Mart buying Prada."
Lindland says, "Jaguar and Land Rover need a buyer that appreciates their heritage and can restore their glory, especially to Jaguar. … It's hard to say whether Tata is that company."
Ford might be lucky to have found any buyer.
"Ford is quite fortunate that it found a strategic buyer in this very difficult market environment, because the credit crisis and general pessimistic outlook on the auto industry make it very difficult for another auto company to close the deal," says John Casesa, managing partner of Casesa Shapiro Group.
The acquisition of Jaguar came during a Detroit spending spree that followed profitable years in the mid-'80s.
Years after the acquisition, Ford executives were able to joke — if a bit tight-jawed — that they spent $2 billion for Jaguar's sizzle and $500,000 for steak.
Ford was successful at improving Jaguar. A running joke at Jaguar's expense had been that drivers needed two Jags: one to drive when the other was in the shop. Ford installed William Hayden, longtime Ford of Europe vice president, as chairman to oversee the quality overhaul.
After his first tour through a Jaguar plant, he told British magazine Car: "Apart from some Russian factories in Gorky, Jaguar's factory was the worst I had ever seen."
Ford CEO Jacques Nasser, who oversaw the Land Rover purchase, was enthusiastic about the fit of the two premium British brands, saying, "Internally, we've always called (Land Rover) the Jaguar of off-road vehicles. Now, we can say that publicly." At the time, the luxury SUV market was the most profitable in the USA and among the fastest-growing.
Nasser, a 33-year Ford veteran, was forced out in October 2001, after a series of hot-potato issues, culminating in $3 billion spent for two recalls involving potentially faulty Firestone tires on Ford Explorers. That, atop the cost of the British acquisitions and $6.5 billion for Sweden's Volvo in 1999, put Ford into a financial pinch from which it has yet to get loose.
Other foreign alliances
Ford's rough patch with acquisitions is not unusual among Detroit automakers.
Chrysler, for instance, bought Italian supercarmaker Lamborghini in 1987 for what was estimated at the time as $25 million, hoping to draw on its high-performance heritage and expertise to jazz up Chrysler vehicles. But the automaker sold it in 1993 to a Bermuda holding company.
GM has embedded itself in foreign alliances so long and so often that one of its GPS navigation systems might be required to plot a course through them.
Most disastrous was agreeing to buy 20% of Italy's Fiat Auto Holdings for $2.4 billion in 2000. The agreement gave Fiat Auto the right to require GM to buy the remaining 80% of Fiat Auto at fair market value by 2009, an option GM gm quickly realized it didn't want the financially struggling Fiat to exercise. GM bought its way out of the option in 2005 by paying Fiat $2 billion.
Gerald Meyers, a consultant who was once chairman of American Motors, says he thought Ford never should have purchased Jaguar. But he's equally puzzled by Tata's acquisition.
"It's one of the most illogical buys I could imagine," Meyers says. "If they've got lots of patience and lots of money, and they're willing to hire some very good people, over time they probably could make a thing out of it. … But I don't expect it anytime soon."
Meyers says he's not sure Tata knows what it's gotten itself into. He estimates it could take $10 billion to straighten out the product lineup and a few billion more to expand the distribution network globally.
Dennis Eynon, president of the 6,000-member Jaguar Clubs of North America, says American drivers just want a company that will do right by the Jaguar brand: "I hope they have the dollars to support a luxury automobile."
Contributing: James R. Healey in McLean, Va., Chris Woodyard in Los Angeles.


text:
Popularity grows for on-demand and multi-screen entertainment experiences; responses highlight gaps in device compatibility and content access
CABSAT 2014 – DUBAI – 10 March 2014 – Consumer demand is increasing for over-the-top (OTT) offerings and Internet TV services like icflix and Netflix in the GCC countries according to new research from Irdeto, a world leader in Multiscreen, Revenue Assurance and Media Protection solutions. The research revealed that 23% of GCC consumers surveyed would prefer to watch TV, movies or sports content through Internet TV services as these services would allow them to watch content on a wider variety of devices (40% in total would prefer to use Internet TV services in the future). As operators and broadcasters in the Middle East continue to evolve quickly to meet consumer demand for modern experiences, the new research underscores significant growth potential for multi-screen and OTT services in the region.
Released today ahead of CABSAT 2014, the research was commissioned by Irdeto and conducted by YouGov among a representative sample of 2,700 adults in the GCC countries (KSA, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman). It tackled important questions on current viewing habits, device preferences, future demands and interest in services like Internet TV in the region, as well as examining the barriers to viewing more content.
- The more devices, the better: Multi-screen services are clearly in high demand in the GCC countries. The research revealed that 29% of respondents don’t have a preference for satellite TV or Internet TV in the future, they just want a service that gives them access to their content on any device. This is despite almost three quarters (74%) of consumers saying that they currently watch most content live on a television – this high proportion shows a demand for live content accessibility, highlighting huge opportunities for OTT adoption in the region.
- Make it easy and offer live sports: 29% of respondents said that live sports streaming was the most important feature of a multi-screen service, with markets like Qatar showing the highest demand for live sports streaming (37%). Irdeto’s research also revealed that almost one in five respondents (19%) state a desire for a single account which allows them to access to TV, movies and sport content across multiple devices.
- STBs still dominate, but there is room for new devices: When it comes to the devices on which consumers prefer to watch TV, sports and movies, the research revealed that satellite set-top boxes remain the most popular in the region, for now. Although 45% prefer STBs (rising to 52% in Oman), 25% want to use smart TVs (although this increases to 30% in the UAE) and 11% have stated a desire to view premium content on tablets. There is also a clear gender split when it comes to devices, with satellite set-top boxes much more popular among men (49%) than women (37%), but tablets much more popular among women (17%) than men (8%).The research also shows that dongles which plug into TVs are yet to take off in the region with only 2% wanting to watch content through these devices. This highlights a potential opportunity for operators to deploy this technology to stay ahead of the competition and to rival other companies such as Google – especially as it can be an easy transition from the traditional set-top box.
- Barriers to content consumption: There are a number of barriers in the GCC countries that are stopping consumers from watching more TV, movie and sport content through their chosen content providers. The main barrier is poor connectivity with 31% saying this is stopping them from watching more content. This is followed by cost (17%) and the lack of availability of the desired content (13%). A lack of availability of content through legitimate channels is an issue, as it increases the risk that pirate sources will be used to acquire the desired content.
“The GCC research we have conducted ahead of CABSAT really underlines the growth of linear pay TV and the huge untapped market potential in the region for OTT services,” said John Illingworth, Sales Director, Middle East, Irdeto. “Broadcasters and operators should continue to focus on compelling multi-screen services and potentially at consolidation of different platforms at competitive prices – early entrants into the OTT market clearly have a receptive audience and it is essential for operators to capitalize on this.”
As the world leader in Multiscreen, Media Protection and Revenue Assurance solutions, Irdeto is committed to delivering best in breed solutions to its customers. In line with this mission, the company is committing resources to the MENA region to help broadcasters and pay TV operators meet demand for OTT services. At CABSAT 2014, Irdeto will be hosting a roundtable in partnership with Media Group International (MGI) discussing the OTT state of play in the MENA region. This will also be followed by news on Irdeto’s momentum in the MENA region, including new customers, hires and partnerships.
The research was commissioned by Irdeto and conducted by YouGov among a representative sample of 2,700 adults, in the GCC countries (KSA, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman) in February 2014. The sample breakdown was as follows:
- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: 1,006
- United Arab Emirates: 1,003
- Kuwait: 240
- Qatar: 151
- Bahrain: 150
- Oman: 150
Irdeto. Building a Secure Future.™
Irdeto is the world leader in digital platform security, protecting platforms and applications for media & entertainment, gaming, connected transport and IoT connected industries. Our solutions and services enable customers to protect their revenue, create new offerings and fight cybercrime. With nearly 50 years of expertise in security, Irdeto’s software security technology and cyber services protect over 5 billion devices and applications for some of the world’s best-known brands. Our unique heritage as a subsidiary of multinational media group Naspers (JSE: NPN) means that we are a well-established and reliable partner to help build a more secure future. Please visit Irdeto at www.irdeto.com.
For further information, please contact:
Irdeto Media Team


text:
Sole distributor of Mitsubishi Motors in Nigeria, Massilia Motors Limited, unveiled in Lagos the third generation of Pajero Sport with an expectation to capture sales that have been halved by economic downturn.
Though, this is the first time the Sport Utility Vehicle is formally being launched in Nigeria, the distributor was optimistic that the car, which is seeing its first full redesign in seven years, boasts of features that would appeal to Nigerians and lead the mid-size SUV segment in the country.
The company’s Deputy Managing Director, Kunle Jaiyesimi, said the vehicle, expected to sell for N25 million inherited the best of the Mitsubishi DNA with a unique style and comfortable off-road SUV concept.
Paired to an 8-speed Automatic transmission (first for a Mitsubishi model), the 3L Pajero Sport GLS has a power train that returns 17 percent improvement in fuel economy over its predecessor and lower CO2 emission.
A rival to the pickup-based Chevrolet Trailblazer, Ford Everest, Toyota Fortuner SUVs, the Pajero Sport may owe its underpinnings to the latest iteration of the L200 / Triton pickup truck.
While Mitsubishi said ground clearance increased by 13mm to 218mm, the car rides on a 2,800mm wheelbase retaining the same width of 1,815mm as its predecessor, but it is 90mm longer at 4,785mm and 35mm shorter in height at 1,805mm for the AWD model.


text:
Tech titans Atlassian will head up Sydney’s bid to become Australia’s answer to Silicon Valley, as Premier Gladys Berejiklian today announced an additional $48.2 million would be put towards switching on Sydney’s Tech Central precinct.
The new tech centre will become the hub of Australia’s technological advances, with 250,000 sqm of office space stretching from Central Station to Camperdown.
Local technology giants Atlassian will centre their headquarters in the precinct with a 40-storey hybrid timber building becoming the largest of its kind in the world.
Atlassian co-founder and co-CEO Scott Farquhar believes technology can turbo-charge Australia’s recovery post-COVID-19.
“That’s why we’re building this precinct. We want to create jobs, ideas and innovation. This will be home to thousands of workers and the best new ideas. If you want to work in tech – this is the place you will want to be,” Mr Farquhar said.
Sydney has the potential to be one of the world’s leading technology cities and the creation of a tech precinct sends a loud signal that we’re in the race to take a slice of the world’s most valuable market. That’s an exciting place to be.Scott Farquhar, Atlassian co-founder and co-CEO
Tech Central is set to become the home of tech start-ups, scale-ups and innovation ecosystem partners – aiming to put NSW at the forefront of tech development.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said Tech Central will rival Silicon Valley as the place to be, establishing NSW as a global leader in innovation and technology.
“Technology and innovation are key planks of the government’s strategy to attract investment and create the jobs of the future for the people of NSW,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We have some brilliant tech innovators and entrepreneurs in our state and Tech Central will help us retain local talent and attract some of the brightest minds in the world. This will be more important than ever as we recover from the pandemic.”
Atlassian’s new Australian headquarters Central site will be built above YHA Central Railway Square and will be home to 4000 tech jobs focused on product development once construction is complete in 2025.


text:
Eco-friendly store closes in Weston town centre
- Credit: Archant
An eco-friendly store is taking ‘an indefinite break’ from Weston’s Orchard Meadows shopping area.
Replenish Weston shut its doors on Tuesday.
Holly Law, who ran the store, said: “We have been working hard over the past six months to form a community cooperative to take over on April 26, when the three-year tenancy I signed ends.
“My commitment to Replenish Weston has always been set at three years, and what a joy it has been to spend that time meeting members of our local community.
“We were so close to reaching our goal and great momentum and a strong, growing volunteer team.
“We couldn’t predict the impact of Covid-19 but it has unfortunately kicked us at a critical time, rendering us unable to complete our planned transition.
“I cannot thank everyone individually. There are simply too many people in the volunteer and customer community who have contributed to something important – exploring and enacting attempts at low-impact living.”


text:
MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – A dealership is offering a reward and Horry County police are working to learn more after someone took multiple sets of tires and rims from the Hyatt Buick GMC dealership.
The report from police says the larceny happened sometime between Monday night and Tuesday morning. In addition to taking the tires and rims, multiple vehicles reportedly had damaged windows in the inventory parking lot.
The caller told officers the suspect or suspects cut an opening in the chain link fence that separates the dealership and Butler Lighting and got away with seven sets of rims and tires, busted out a few passenger side rear windows and stole the factory jacks to eight vehicles. The caller also reported tire tracks on the Butler Lighting store property near the hole cut in the fence.
The manager of Butler Lighting also told police a license plate was taken off one of the company vehicles.
According to Horry County police spokesperson Krystal Dotson, Hyatt Buick GMC is offering a reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.


text:
AutoRaise Rally secures new sponsorship
- Posted by: Alan Feldberg
- Categories: Featured, News
AutoRaise has announced that U-Pol has been announced as headline sponsor for the AutoRaise Rally 2022.
U-Pol is a world leader in automotive refinishing products specialising in fillers, coatings, aerosols, adhesives and paint related products.
U-Pol’s group CEO Guy Williams said: “U-Pol is delighted to be the headline sponsor of the AutoRaise Rally. The work the AutoRaise charity does is critically important in supporting getting our young people into work to learn the skills to develop the next generation of repair industry specialists. At U-Pol we are committed to building the capabilities of our people, and this is why we view AutoRaise as the perfect partnership for us. We look forward to seeing all of our industry colleagues at the rally, and raising a lot of money, to continue this important work.”
Steve Thompson, vice chair of AutoRaise said: “It is fantastic to have the support of a key industry supplier supporting the 2022 AutoRaise Rally. U-Pol have been involved in our industry for a long time and are highly regarded by the repair industry. The fact that they have become our headline sponsor for the 2022 AutoRaise Rally is a great testament to their commitment to this industry, and recognition of the significant challenges we have with staff shortages and the absolute need to bring younger people from all backgrounds into vehicle repair.
“The 2022 AutoRaise Rally now has just a few remaining sponsorship opportunities, this is a great way to support the AutoRaise charity, assist in addressing market challenges and positively raising profile of your business in the largest AutoRaise Rally to date.”
The event takes place from 21-23 September, following a 370-mile route through The Midlands and Wales.


text:
Wednesday, 26 July 2017
Spill Shop is one of the most successful Australian based environmental protection products suppliers. The company is family-owned and operated, which source their products from Australia, Europe, North America and Asia.
Since they want to expand their business efficiently, Spill Shop decided that they need to do it…
Sunday, 23 July 2017
TWMG has completed successfully another big project, the official website for Australian furniture industry leader, SitSpot.
Thursday, 20 July 2017
TWMG has proudly announced the launch of another successful…
Friday, 29 July 2016
Check out our showcase of the new Gainsborough website that features a beautiful responsive design that works great on all devices. Click here to see more!
Monday, 25 July 2016
TWMG has launched a major new website for ACARA – the Australian Curriculum, Assessment, and Reporting Authority. With an updated look and feel, the new ASP.NET platform gives the site new functionality, better accessibility and an easier search function making life easier for website users and ACARA staff.
Monday, 14 September 2015
TWMG was recently awarded a website development contract for Nancy Ganz, the number one shapewear brand in Australia.
The development project will mostly be focusing on the backend – a job that requires specialist skills and advanced technical expertise in areas including digital strategy, user experience, information architecture, content management, mobile conversion and more.
Friday, 11 September 2015
TWMG Group recently built a digital asset management (DAM) system for Amber Tiles as a key content marketing solution for the tiling industry leader. The DAM system was designed to arm Amber Tiles with the ability to manage their website content, product information and marketing assets via the easiest, most efficient and most cost-effective workflow possible.
Friday, 11 September 2015
TWMG recently completed the major redesign of the official website for Australian tiling industry leader Amber Tiles. Since the new Amber Tiles website was launched, it has been receiving great response from visitors, customers, and market insiders and observers who were impressed with the visuals, features and content of the site.
Wednesday, 9 September 2015
SYDNEY — Web development and digital marketing agency TWMG was recently awarded an Intranet redesign contract for the Sydney Children's Hospitals Network. The project will include design revisions and full device testing and implementation of the user interface.
Tuesday, 18 August 2015
TWMG was recently appointed to redevelop the official website for the National Assessment Program, (NAP), the government program that provides the system for governments, education authorities and schools to measure and determine educational standards in Australia.
Complete the details below and we'll happily call to discuss your project needs.


text:
African Tribes mourn theft of burial statues for Western collectors
Statues sacred to secretive Kenyan tribes are no longer being erected to mark the deaths of revered elders because corrupt middlemen contracted by Western art dealers are stealing them as soon as they are installed.
Hundreds of "vigango" totems have been looted from rural homesteads near Kenya's coast, home to the Mijikenda tribes about which little is known.
The 4ft wooden statues, carved with triangular etchings and believed to incarnate the spirits of dead elders, are shipped via dealers living in luxury beachside villas to private collectors in the United States and Europe.
"Moving these objects goes against every cultural and spiritual belief of these people, and they are too afraid to put them up now because they are sure they will be stolen," said Monica Udvardy, anthropology professor at the University of Kentucky and a specialist in east African tribal customs.
"It would be like us stealing our grandfather's tombstone or our grandmother's ashes, and selling them."
comments powered by Disqus
- Nelson Mandela Dead: Icon of Anti-Apartheid Movement Dies at 95
- George H.W. Bush Given Lyndon B. Johnson Foundation Award
- Bruce Springsteen's 'Born To Run' manuscript could fetch $100,000 at NY auction
- Hospital Donates Records of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to JFK Library
- Australia’s Eureka Flag Finds a New Patch


text:
Philippine-based consumer finance startup BillEase announced that it has partnered with digital education company BrightCHAMPS to offer study now, pay later option.
Customers can now use the BillEase app to choose from the world’s first Comprehensive Curriculum for Kids being offered at BrightCHAMPS and pay only 1/3 upfront, then split the payments in 3 months at 0% interest.
For instance, parents or guardians with Grades 1-3 enrollees in Group Learning Accelerator (30 classes) – priced at PHP 12,589 – will only have to pay PHP 4,197 upfront and split the rest in easy installments.
Launched in 2020, BrightCHAMPS has left its mark in over 30 countries, including the US, Canada, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and many others.
The company bridges the educational gap left by K12 schools through its STEM-accredited courses in coding, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and financial literacy. BrightCHAMPS also takes pride in having unmatched faculty to help unleash the genius in every learner.
“The split-payment convenience offered by BillEase will go a long way in helping parents in the Philippines securing world-class learning services for their kids. Partners like BillEase are invaluable in helping us realize our vision of leveling the playing field for kids around the world by making next-gen skills accessible to them,” said Ravi Bhushan, BrightCHAMPS Founder & CEO.
BillEase is an on-demand consumer credit app that shoppers can use online and offline in paying for day-to-day needs from food and grocery to similarly vital purchases like electronics, furniture, wellness, and now, education.
The startup recently scored an up to $20 million debt facility arranged by Singapore-based finch company Helicap Securities.
Earlier this year, BillEase raised $11 million in a Series B round led by BurdaPrincipal Investments, the growth capital arm of German media and tech company Hubert Burda Media. Centauri – a joint investment vehicle of MDI Ventures and KB Investment, 33 Capital, and Raisin DS CEO Tamaz Georgadze also joined the round.
In March, BillEase also raised $20 million in secured debt from the UK-based Lendable, an emerging market credit provider, to further accelerate the growth of its lending products.


text:
Wear Your Voice, a digital publication redefining the way women are represented in the media, launches its latest campaign #BeyondBeauty to challenge high profile brands to be more inclusive in their campaigns that promote body positivity.
"As a media publication, we understand the responsibility media plays in our lives. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders 47% of girls in 5th-12th grade reported wanting to lose weight because of magazine pictures while 69% of girls in 5th-12th grade reported that magazine pictures influenced their idea of a perfect body shape. As a mother of two young children, I want to make sure that the next generation of young people don't inherit our insecurities." -WYV Founder, Editor-in-Chief Ravneet Vohra
At the forefront of body positive campaigns over the past decade, personal care brand Dove, owned by multinational consumer goods giant Unilever, has reinvented itself through strategic and highly successful campaigns whose mission “is to help girls raise their self esteem and realize their full potential”
Despite the fact that the actual title of the Dove campaign leads one to believe it is a celebration of all women’s real beauty and bodies, the campaign itself was leveraged to sell products such as skin firming lotion, with sales growth reaching a staggering 1.5 billion since the inception of the Real Beauty Campaign. Furthermore, there is nothing radical about a campaign that doesn’t speak to all women, as the majority of women casted for Dove’s campaigns are slim able bodied cis-gendered white women.
In Dove’s own major global study, The Real Truth About Beauty: A Global Report, commissioned in 2004, and the driving force behind the Campaign for Real Beauty, ‘The great majority of women want broader definitions of how women’s physical beauty is visually represented. Seventy five percent of women in the study would like to see considerably more diversity in the images of beauty.’
We want to take our vision from the studio to social media-- Wear Your Voice invites you to become part of the revolution. We encourage all women to join in and participate in disrupting the status quo by simply being yourself, proclaiming your own personal truth with the accompaniment of the hashtag #BeyondBeauty - Share a selfie, send a story, shift the paradigm #BeyondBeauty.


text:
In an interview, Google’s Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen say the connectivity of the digital age will empower individuals as never before. This will make revolutionary movements against autocratic regimes such as China easier to start – but harder to finish.
Some three-quarters of the world now has access to mobile networks. What does this mean for those in the developing world?
Contrary to conventional wisdom, Martin Luther King Jr. isn't the only non-president to have a memorial on the National Mall. Here are three other individuals who got prime space.
Patents held by the bankrupt Canadian company, Nortel, have been snatched up by a consortium for $4.5 billion in cash. The consortium bid five times more than Google for the patents.
Stocks and commodities fall sharply, after Goldman warns of substantial pullback in oil prices. Dow loses 117 points.
PlayStation phone: Sony Ericsson unveiled the long-awaited PlayStation phone on Sunday. The PlayStation phone will be available through Verizon when it comes to the US.
Motorola Inc., which has played a central role in developing the US electronics industry over the past 82 years, will sell its wireless division to Nokia Siemens Networks, a Finnish-German joint venture. The company will then be poised to split its cell phone manufacturing operations from its police radio business.


text:
Pickup trucks in North America have been the most popular vehicles for decades. The release of the electric Ford F150 Lightning put GM and RAM in a very awkward position. GM is currently preparing to unveil its Chevrolet Silverado EV electric truck at the January 5 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The novelty will be presented by the head of GM Mary Barra. RAM is even more complicated. All brands that are part of Stellantis have announced olans for electrification, however, no specifics have yet been heard from RAM about the electrification of their trucks.
Ford recently stopped accepting orders for its F150 Lightning, stopping at around 200,000. Moreover, the “blue oval” has a clear head start. the novelty will begin mass production in the spring of 2022. Prices will range from $ 40,000 to $ 90,000. Ford expects roughly 80% of pre-orders will translate into actual sales. However, in the current situation and the manufacture of even this number of pickups may take a couple of years. The chipo shortage is still here.
Chevrolet’s electric pickup will be built on the Ultium platform, on which the GMC Hummer EV is based. With a fully steerable chassis, a range of up to 640 km and 24-inch wheels, as well as a panoramic roof and many more interesting options, all this awaits the Silverado EV, whose production may begin in 2023. While the Silverado EV has yet to be officially unveiled, Mary Barra, GM’s CEO, believes it simply has no equal. Barra also expressed confidence that General Motors is a leader in electric vehicles and autonomous driving technologies.


text:
Brexit: UK retail sales fall more than expected in May as inflation bites
Retail sale volumes fell 1.2pc in May, worse than the 0.8pc decline City economists had expected, according to the Office for National Statistics.
This followed a 2.5pc jump in the index in April, mainly owing to the timing of Easter and the month's unusually warm weather.
The annual rate of growth in May slipped to 0.9 per cent, the weakest since April 2013, and well below the City consensus expectation of a 1.7pc expansion.
Consumers have been feeling the impact of sharply higher inflation and weak wage growth, curtailing the household expenditure growth that has sustained the economy in the wake of last month's Brexit vote.
"Clearly, the impact of the fall in the pound on prices is weighing heavily on spending volumes growth. And this week’s inflation and labour market figures showed that the squeeze on real earnings growth is intensifying," said Scott Bowman, economist at Capital Economics.
Inflation jumped to 2.9pc in May and average real wages fell by 0.6pc in the three months to April.
Retail sales, which make up around 20pc of GDP, are considered a crucial barometer for the health of the overall economy.
GDP growth slowed to 0.2pc in the first quarter of 2017, down from a 0.7pc expansion in the final quarter of 2016.
However, analysts said it was likely that given April's 2.5pc jump in sales (revised up from the previous 2.3pc estimate), it was likely that retail sales would make a positive contribution to GDP in the second quarter after dragging in Q1.
The three month on three month trend in volumes growth strengthened from 0.3pc to 0.6pc.
"Even if sales fell by a further 1pc in June, they would rise by 0.9pc in Q2 as a whole – compared to a 1.6pc fall in Q1," said Mr Bowman.
Yet most economists said the prospects for retail sales growth beyond this quarter were bleak.
"The squeeze on household spending power because of slowing wage growth and rising prices of goods and services is clearly the main story here," said James Knightley of ING.
"So far, household spending has been supported by increases in unsecured borrowing, but this looks unsustainable and so we expect to see worse numbers for retail sales in coming months. There will be more downside risk should the labour market weaken further given the economic uncertainty caused by Brexit."
The ONS said that the main contributors to the retail sales fall in May were non-food stores, where the annual volume of sales fell 1.2pc.
Annual volume growth in food stores was just 0.1pc, the weakest since July 2013.
Independent News Service


text:
It is considered a sanctuary for the surrounding community, which is predominantly African-American.
The building has quite the history.
The redevelopment agency who bought the building in 2008 said it was built during times of segregation to give African-Americans a place for entertainment, grocery shopping, a barber shop and other stores.
The city hopes the project will add local jobs and closer retail services for a community that is in need.
The city is spending big bucks to get the building back up and running.
The State of Florida Division of Historical Resources has already spent half a million dollars just to restore the outside. It will take another $2.5 million to reopen.
The Fort Myers Redevelopment Agency will hold a celebration Thursday at 9 a.m. for reaching the first milestone.
3719 Central Avenue Fort Myers, FL 33901
Main Phone: (239) 939-2020 Newsroom Phone: (239) 939-6223


text:
(Filed Under wholesale Lingerie News). Leading Lady, an intimate apparel brand specializing in maternity, nursing and full-figure lingerie, is celebrating its 70th birthday this year. Frank G. Farino founded the Cleveland, Ohio-based company in 1939. Today Farino’s son, Al Corrado, serves as CEO of the company, and his grandson, Mark Corrado, serves as president of the family-owned business.
When the bra manufacturer who employed Farino went out of business, he accepted two sewing machines in lieu of vacation pay and purchased the businesses existing inventory, thus establishing Leading Lady. He branched into maternity intimate apparel during World War II because since maternity/nursing bras were considered medical items, they were not affected by the fabric rationing that affected the majority of intimate apparel, leading to a shortage in raw material.
According to the company, over the years they have adjusted to changing times by implementing best practices and sustainable initiatives, as well producing quality products with competitive pricing in fashion-forward styles. “We specialize in niche product lines and we feel we do them well,” Al Corrado said. “But we wouldn’t have been able to do this without our loyal customers, long term relationships with our vendors and especially our dedicated employees.”
“I think my grandfather would be proud of the fact that we have adapted over the years,” Mark Corrado commented. “We had only just begun to sell to the mass merchants when he was still alive. Since then we have gone from servicing the maternity boutiques to department stores, mass merchants and the growing online market.”
Leading Lady’s products are distributed nationally under the Leading Lady brand and under private label through department stores, mass merchants, specialty boutiques, mail order and online catalogs. Macy’s, JCPenney and JMS.com are among those who carry products under the Leading Lady brand name.
For further information, call (216) 464-5490.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in comments published on bodymagazine.us are those of the comment writers alone. They do not represent the views or opinions of Bodymagazine or its staff.
NOTE: Your Email will not be displayed.


text:
Clipper Logistics was a major beneficiary of the shift to e-commerce during lockdown and the Covid-19 pandemic, as its first half revenues increased 20% year-on-year.
In the six months to 31 October turnover rose 19.8% to £305.2 million year-on-year (compared to £254.8 million in the same period in 2019) with growth of 37.7% in e-fulfilment and returns management services. Group EBIT increased 21.7% to £20.2 million (H1 FY20: £16.6 million).Clipper said it benefited from the structural shift to e-commerce that had been accelerated during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Clipper said it had increased its distribution centre portfolio during the first half of its financial year to accommodate this increased activity and now had 52 sites throughout the UK and mainland Europe with over 14.5 million square feet of warehouse space under its management.
Yesterday Clipper Logistics took Logicor’s Sherburn 667 – a 666,898 sq ft warehouse near Leeds – on a long-term lease in the largest letting of an existing UK warehouse in 2020.
Clipper said the period also saw it process over 7.4 billion items of PPE and issue 3.9 billion items on an NHS contract. The period also saw it commence operations with N Brown, Gordon Bros, H&M, Joules, Linenbundle, Lussostone, Revolution Beauty, T M Lewin and Unipart.
It also revealed that it was currently exploring a shared user facility utilising autonomous mobile robots with Geek+.
Steve Parkin, Executive Chairman of Clipper, said: “The Group has successfully chartered the uncertainty and disruption caused by the pandemic to deliver impressive revenue growth of 19.8% and underlying EBIT growth of 54.3%.
“The Group benefited directly from the structural shift and acceleration of online retail such that our e-fulfilment and returns management division saw underlying EBIT growth of 63.3% which included a positive contribution from our Clicklink joint venture.”
To discover more about Clipper, register to watch Day Two of the Logistics Manager Top 50 week, which took place yesterday and includes an exclusive interview with Chief Executive Tony Mannix.
Top 50 Day 2, Sponsored by Clipper Logistics & Logicor


text:
- Subscribe NowLimited Time Offer
Sign Up for the Atlanta Business Chronicle Afternoon Edition Newsletter
Send this story to a friend
Demand slowed within city's skyline towers
Demand for space within the best-known office towers dotting Atlanta’s skyline slowed last year, according to a new report from commercial real estate brokerage Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.
Demand fell by half, from about 1 million square feet of absorption in 2011 to almost 500,000 square feet in 2012, according to the brokerage giant’s Atlanta Urban Skyline Review. Absorption within the overall Atlanta market, including suburban buildings, outpaced the skyline towers.
“This was quite the opposite of the previous year in which skyline demand was nearly double that of metro Atlanta,” the report said.
Atlanta’s Urban Skyline Review includes speculative office buildings that meet at least one of the following criteria: they are larger than 400,000 square feet; they were developed or renovated since 1985; they occupy a high-profile location; or possess a well-known tenant or landmark design.
Buildings include the city’s tallest tower, the 55-story Bank of America Plaza in Midtown; and some of its newest such as Two Alliance Center and 3344 Peachtree in Buckhead.
Demand increased enough to improve the skyline vacancy rate from 25 percent to 23.1 percent by the end of last year, but the gains came at “only a glacial pace,” Jones Lang LaSalle said.
Midtown office towers, home to many of the city’s professional service firms, saw the biggest gains.
“After several years in which skyline demand was focused primarily on the Buckhead towers, positive absorption spread to Midtown as well in 2012,” according to the report.
Downtown saw some office tenants relocate farther north within the urban market. This isn’t the first time downtown building owners have faced concerns about losing tenants to Midtown and Buckhead. The exodus of the city’s biggest law firms to Midtown more than a decade ago comes to mind.
Douglas Sams covers Commercial Real Estate
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.
- Most popular
- Westin completes $70 million renovation (SLIDESHOW)
- Best in Atlanta Real Estate Awards (SLIDESHOW)
- Atlanta's coolest offices: Venadar (SLIDESHOW)
- New list of 10 Best Atlanta foodie restaurants
- Lunch spot Ocean Market opening downtown (SLIDESHOW)
- Arthur Blank and MLS commissioner welcome Atlanta’s appetite for soccer
- Flatiron redevelopment could turn Downtown Atlanta into startup hub
- Imperial Hotel is reborn (SLIDESHOW)
- Home Depot CFO sells outsized stock after retail head named
- Griffin tax preparer guilty in tax fraud case
Email Newsletter Signup
Afternoon Edition: The latest local business news delivered to you each afternoon.
NCR Corp. just filed to patent a technology that tracks shoppers' movements when they're in stores (http://bizj.us/uiubh). Would you shop in a store if your movements were being tracked?
- Digital Analyst American City Business Journals | Charlotte, NC
- Renovation Consultant Renewal Design Build | Decatur, GA
- Insurance Agency Owner Nationwide Insurance and Financial Services | Atlanta, GA
- Director of Development Cooperative Baptist Fellowship | Decatur, GA
- Process Engineer Renmatix | Kennesaw, GA


text:
What do you usually look for when you want a new restaurant to try? Maybe somewhere close to you, with a good menu, a nice ambience, affordable prices, and in the COVID-19 era, plenty of outdoor space? For years, Yelp has been the go-to directory for details on which of your local businesses might have these amenities. When you visit a Yelp page, you can usually find photos, ratings and reviews, operating hours, what measures a business may be taking to stop the spread of COVID-19, and a variety of other information depending on business type — but now, you’ll also be alerted if the business is racist.
In an announcement today, Yelp revealed that it would place a new kind of consumer alert on business pages when there’s “resounding evidence of egregious, racist actions from a business owner or employee,” according to the announcement post on Yelp’s official blog. It will apply to situations where there’s been considerable media attention on the business that’s led to a flood of reviews regarding the alleged racism. At this point, Yelp will first issue a Public Attention Alert informing consumers of these allegations and why there’s been recent attention on the business.
Once it discovers evidence that the accusations of racism have merit, it will escalate to a Business Accused of Racist Behavior Alert. New reviews will temporarily be disabled. According to Yelp, it “already places alerts on business pages when we notice an unusual uptick in reviews that are based on what someone may have seen in the news or on social media, rather than on a first-hand experience with the business.”
In general, Yelp’s consumer alerts are used to let people know when there’s unusual activity on the business page’s — not just a sudden increase in reviews due to media attention, but several reviews coming from one IP address, or evidence of reviews being purchased. Now, there’s simply a new alert category specific to accusations of racism.
“Maintaining the trust consumers have in Yelp is a top priority,” a Yelp spokesperson told Refinery29 over email. “To that end, we take measures to protect the integrity of the content on our platform, and level the playing field for hard working business owners who rightfully earn their great reputation.”
Racism has remained at the forefront of the national conversation this year, and there are many people who understandably wouldn’t want their money going to a business with ties to white supremacy. This new alert type was created in response to “a rise in social activism surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement,” according to Yelp’s blog post. Yelp notes that between May 26th and September 30th, more than 450 business pages received a consumer alert either because they were accused of racism or were the target of racism due to the Black Lives Matter protests. In June, Yelp also rolled out a new search tool to find Black-owned businesses, in collaboration with MyBlackReceipt.
“We unequivocally reject racism, whether it’s happening on or off the platform,” the Yelp spokesperson said. They clarified that racist behavior could include “use of racist language, symbols or sentiment that clearly discredits the Black Lives Matter movement.” The spokesperson also noted, “This alert will always include a news article associated with public allegations so our users can learn more."
So far, the online reaction to the new racism alert has been heated — many are praising the move, and many are claiming it’s somehow an example of authoritarian policing that will be weaponized to smear innocent people. It’s important to emphasize that Yelp itself is not making accusations of racism. The alert simply lets people know that there’s been recent attention surrounding the business, and that the controversy is due to claims of racist behavior. It isn’t an automated process, either. Yelp’s User Operations team investigates each case of unusual activity before determining which kind of consumer alert most accurately describes the recent flux of activity. The more you know!


text:
More women reach for bottle in boozy UK
Last updated at 10:38 05 September 2005
Consumption in Britain rose by about 5 per cent between 1999 and 2004, fuelled by a big increase in the number of women drinking wine.
But it fell 6 per cent in France and 8 per cent in Germany, say market research analysts Mintel.
Mintel's Hanna Kivimaki said: "In France and Germany the zeitgeist seems to be moving towards healthier lifestyles.
"Many adults, particularly the younger generation, are becoming health-conscious and switching to non-alcoholic drinks."
She believed high unemployment in Germany contributed to the fall in alcohol sales.
"Wine is an integral part of the French heritage, but the industry has lost its way," she said. "Wine is losing its traditional role as a meal accompaniment. For many, water has become a more common drink at meal times."
The survey found that total wine sales in Britain rose by 23 per cent in the last five years.
Miss Kivimaki said: "In the UK, there is a new cosmopolitanism that has helped drive rising wine consumption. The market has been driven by rising incomes, more 'aspirational' drinking habits, a trend towards home entertaining and by a massive promotional push from suppliers and retailers.
"The popularity of wine among women has also helped drive this impressive market growth."
While sales of wine soared in Britain, beer did not do so well.
In France and Germany, sales of beer fell 10 per cent. Beer still accounts for 80 per cent of alcohol consumption in Germany.
The survey found that 88 per cent of Britons have had an alcoholic drink in the past 12 months, compared with 86 per cent of French people and 70 per cent of Germans.
In Germany, the biggest drinkers are aged 20 to 24. In France, people of this age are the least likely to drink. The over-55s are most likely in indulge.
In the UK, the rate of alcohol consumption is evenly spread across adults aged 24 to 65.
Most watched News videos
- GRAPHIC: Cop ISIS-supporting terrorist charging at him with knife
- Indigenous All Stars refuse to sing Australian national anthem
- Shocking moment security guard shoots YouTuber at synagogue
- Heroic neighbour uses Range Rover to block burglars from escaping
- Shocking moment woman throws chair off Toronto high rise
- Rachel Johnson strips off on Sky News to ensure her 'voice is heard'
- Aftermath of extreme turbulence on Delta flight to Seattle
- Rude New Jersey Transit passenger refuses to move purse from seat
- Trump seems to 'impersonate' President Xi during speech
- MPs vote against Government motion to lock down their Brexit deal
- CCTV captures moment man dies in revenge attack in Ilford
- Hero Grizzly saves mother and cub from a charging 'Bully' bear


text:
Alec Saunders, VP Developer Relations at RIM, has taken the time to write a blog post over at the BlackBerry Developer Blog explaining the process with the Built For BlackBerry programme. This is a timely article for BlackBerry developers who are hoping to have their apps put into the 10k Developer Commitment.
Although the programme criteria is made clear, it appears that it's just far too easy for developers to hit the 'Apply' link when their app has been approved:
There have also been some comments made in the developer support forums regarding the feedback that app vendors receiving (read: very little). Alec also states that this is being dealt with so that vendors can go and carry out the adjustments to the apps that they need to make.
The good news is that the first round of developers have started to hear back if their apps have been approved or not for Built for BlackBerry - so we're starting to see quality BlackBerry apps get recognised.
I'm sure that the Built for BlackBerry initiative is just starting to get it's feet, but as always seems to be the case of late, RIM is listening to it's developers and responding.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the Built for BlackBerry apps stand apart from regular apps, and hope to see lots of them in the future!


text:
Fort Capital is pleased to announce that Freshlocal Solutions Inc. (TSX:LOCL) (“Freshlocal” or “the Company“) has secured an $8.8 million credit facility agreement with Export Development Canada (“EDC”) to support Freshlocal’s international expansion efforts related to its FoodX SaaS-based eGrocery Management Solution (“eGMS”).
Freshlocal introduced its FoodX end-to-end, SaaS-based eGMS to bring optimized, efficient, and sustainable online grocery fulfillment capabilities to the global grocery marketplace. The FoodX platform draws on Freshlocal’s deep expertise in providing award-winning, multi-channel retail grocery services to its customers. Market leading grocers can now achieve best in class eGrocery economics while at the same time accessing Freshlocal’s FoodX platform and capabilities to reduce food waste – one of the most pressing challenges that must be addressed in the global food business. The FoodX eGMS is ideally positioned to provide a proven eGrocery solution to a global base of potential grocers and retailers.
“Over the course of 2021, we are excited to have built a new relationship with EDC and to have secured access to an important new source of capital for our FoodX eGrocery solution. This new partnership with EDC demonstrates their strong support for the use of leading-edge Canadian technologies to address the needs of global markets,” stated Simon Cairns, Chief Executive Officer of Freshlocal.
Fort Capital Partners acted as an advisor to Freshlocal on the EDC financing agreement.


text:
The Matco Tools family is full of strong women distributors, technicians, employees and wives, many of whom are battling or have survived breast cancer. In honor of these women, Matco Tools is launching its Tools for the Cause campaign to raise money and support for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Starting in the month of October, the company will raise money and promote awareness through breast cancer focused initiatives.
Starting on Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2013, for each product purchased from a list of selected items, Matco will donate 15% of the sale, with a guaranteed minimum donation of $100,000 USD to Susan G. Komen. Matco will also show its support by turning the outside of its headquarters and marketing materials pink for the month. In addition, through the end of the year, Antron Brown, Matco’s top fuel pilot and crew, will join the fight with a specially designed pink Matco car, and distributors across the country will have the opportunity to show their support with promotional signage, limited edition gear and more.
According to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, in 2012, it is estimated that among U.S. women there will be 226,870 new cases of invasive breast cancer, and 39,510 women will lose the fight. Komen is the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world and has invested more than $2 billion in fulfilling its promise to find the cures and end breast cancer forever. Matco’s Tools for the Cause campaign will provide additional funds towards the search for finding the cures.
“Matco Tools has many personal ties to breast cancer at every level of the organization. We are proud that our company can give back and donate profits to such an important organization,” said Tim Gilmore, president of Matco Tools. “Komen is a great partner that’s doing remarkable things in the community to raise awareness, provide treatment and support survivors.”
“We are delighted to partner with Matco for this campaign. Employees at Matco know firsthand the effect breast cancer can have on an individual or a familyeven on their own company! The Tools for the Cause campaign takes the passion of Matco and its employees and turns it into a way for people across the country to make an impact in the fight against breast cancer,” said Dorothy Jones, vice president of marketing at Komen.
For more information on the Tools for the Cause campaign, including a full list of available products, visit www.toolsforthecause.matcotools.com.
About Matco Tools
Matco Tools manufactures, distributes and services premium quality automotive equipment, tools and tool storage for the professional technician. The company has more than 60 years of national brand experience in the automotive equipment industry and a vast product line of more than 13,000 of the highest quality, innovative tools and accessories. The company’s franchise offering has no initial franchise fee, monthly royalties or advertising fees. Initial corporate and ongoing local training create and build outstanding value for the franchisee’s business. For more information on Matco Tools products or franchise opportunities, visit www.matcotools.com.
About Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer. Today, Susan G. Komen for the Cure works to end breast cancer in the U.S. and throughout the world through ground-breaking research, community health outreach, advocacy and programs in more than 50 countries. Visit komen.org. Connect with Komen on Facebook and Twitter.


text:
Dollar General will open a new store inside the former Gray’s Foods location at 3214 Auburn St. in Rockford.
The 10,000-square-foot store is expected to open in July, company spokeswoman Emily Weiss said. Gray’s closed its doors last fall at the space after more than 31 years in business there.
Weiss said the store will include food, health and beauty products, cleaning supplies, paper products, basic clothing, baby items and pet supplies.
Dollar General has five stores in Rockford, and Weiss said the location is "a perfect it for us." The company looks at demographic trends, traffic patterns, customer needs and more when deciding on new spots for stores.
"At Dollar General, we strive to make shopping simple and affordable," Weiss said, in an email. "We offer customers the brands and products they use most in a small, easy-to-shop format. In addition, our stores are in neighborhoods and communities so customers don’t have to travel far to shop."
Dollar General won't take up the entire former Gray's space, so there is more tenant space available.


text:
Facebook is moving ahead with plans to test a new mobile feature to entice more people to buy products while shopping on smaller devices such as iPhones.
Moves does more than just measure your steps, distance, time, and calories burned. It creates a "storyline" showing exactly where you were all day, which can be all kinds of interesting. Best of all, it's now available on Android.
Pocket has rolled out a sizable update to its iOS app of the same name. The update includes some minor design changes, but it also adds several tools and options to make your mobile reading experience even better.
Android malware is following in the footsteps of Windows malware with attackers adopting some of the same distribution and monetization techniques despite the major differences between the platforms.
In its bid to boost its acceptance in physical retail stores, PayPal has introduced technology that will enable people running its app on smartphones to automatically check in at stores and restaurants.
Microsoft is expanding its Xbox Music service to iOS and Android devices, and also adding free streaming via the Web.
Facebook has laid out big plans in recent months to simplify the app development process by acquiring Parse. But the social network actually had its eye on the cloud service company for years, and at one point the two considered a different partnersh...
Facebook is seen as a website for connecting people. Now the company also wants to make it easier for outside developers to build their apps and connect them with users, by providing back-end hosting tools.
Samsung Knox smartphones will include mobile security software from Lookout to protect business users from mobile threats, the San Francisco company said Tuesday.
Silent Circle, a company specializing in encrypted communications, released a messaging application for Android devices on Wednesday that encrypts and securely erases messages and files.
Microsoft wants to build a better mobile phone through its acquisition of Nokia's mobile phone business. One way it hopes to do that? By improving its maps applications to better compete against Google's.
A smart watch from Samsung Electronics, an Acer smartphone that can shoot 4K video and a Sony one with a 20-megapixel sensor, plus a plethora of tablets and TVs are all expected at this year's IFA consumer electronics show.
Microsoft is to acquire Nokia's Devices & Services business, which includes the smartphone and mobile phones businesses, and license the Finnish company's patents for a total of €5.44 billion (US$7 billion) in cash, the companies said Monday.
Good Technology has integrated its Dynamics Secure Mobility Platform with Salesforce.com's Mobile SDK to help developers build mobile applications that are more secure and easily managed.
In a study on mobile applications and their level of security, RIIS, LLC, a firm that specializes in mobile app development, said that some of the nation's top brands, including airlines, retail outlets, entertainment companies, and insurance compani...
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Hisense Series 7 ULED 4K UHD TV review
- 2 Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review
- 3 Portable power: Venom Blackbook 13 Zero review
- 4 Alcatel Idol 4S review: King of the mid-range?
- 5 Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Review
Join the PC World newsletter!
Latest News Articles
- You can now use an iPhone to log into a Windows 10 PC, Microsoft says
- Android malware that can infiltrate corporate networks is spreading
- Firefox blocks websites with vulnerable encryption keys
- Ransomware spreads through weak remote desktop credentials
- Linksys EA9500 Max-Stream AC5400 MU-MIMO Gigabit router review
GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
- FTBusiness Development Manager | ICT intelligent systems integrationVIC
- CCE-Commerce - Senior Web DeveloperNSW
- CCSoftware TesterACT
- CCTest Manager (HP Quality Centre / Kronos)NSW
- CCPMO AnalystNSW
- FTMDM EngineerNSW
- FTOutbound TelesalesVIC
- CCSecurity Cleared IT Professionals - Expression of InterestSA
- CCNetwork and Security EngineerNSW
- FTCarrier/ Industrial Network ConsultantsWA
- CCSolution ArchitectQLD
- FTTeam Leader Full Stack, Python, FinanceNSW
- FTTest SpecialistSA
- CCContract Systems Analyst (IT Security) 160928/JP/653Asia
- CCSenior Business Analyst -Change and SAP ProcurementNSW
- CCContract Web Developer (160915/WD/vmp)Asia
- FTTechnical Support Engineer | Cloud | Automation techsNSW
- CCInformatica Developer (MDM)NSW
- CCSenior .NET DeveloperVIC
- CCeCommerce Project ManagerNSW
- CCAcquisition Marketing Executive - B2BNSW
- FTIT Pre-Sales EngineerSA
- CCSenior Change ManagerVIC
- FTScrum Master | High Profile FintechNSW
- FTPositive Vetted ICT positions - Defence intelligence and information securityACT


text:
Masthaven has plans to expand its sales and underwriting teams as well as looking at new areas of lending this year.
Speaking exclusively to Bridging & Commercial, James Bloom, managing director of development finance at Masthaven, revealed what the newly launched bank had in store for the new year.
“We will constantly be looking to improve and expand our offering”
Since the bank launch at the end of 2016, James explained that Masthaven has already seen a positive reaction from the broker market, which has resulted in a strong upturn in enquiries for both its bridging and development products.
However, James added that the bank had many more exciting projects to come in this year.
“Now that we have launched, we have the ability to not only innovate on the current product lines, but also to look at new areas of lending.
“These are exciting times at Masthaven and we will constantly be looking to improve and expand our offering to the market.”
Speaking about what was in store for Masthaven's bridging team, James added that it would continue to product innovate.
“With the projected increased volumes, we intend to expand the sales and underwriting teams.
“We are already looking for another business development manager and business development executive to join the team.”
What challenges does Masthaven face this year?
James also addressed the challenges that the bank could face over the course of the year and predicted that some larger players, such as challenger banks, could emerge in the property finance market.
“We are determined to continue the highest levels of customer service as we grow.
“Masthaven has grown from a small company to a bank and we are very proud we have managed to retain the customer- and staff-centric ethos and we are determined this will continue as we grow further.
“New entrants will need to have a genuinely unique USP to get market share in an already crowded space.”
“There have been a range of exciting projects”
James joined Masthaven to set up its development finance division after many years with specialist lender Regentsmead.
“After 29 years in the business, developers know that for me to move to Masthaven, it'd be because I have something far more competitive and flexible than I've ever been able to offer before.
“I am still excited by the move and scale of the opportunity, and it's been fantastic to have been at the helm of creating the new development finance division.
“There has been a very positive reaction to the division, which combines low-cost funding with a five-star service.”
James also said that since the development finance division's launch at the tail end of last year, it had already undertaken some projects.
“There have been a range of exciting projects, from three new builds in Bristol to a large detached house in Surrey.
“We pride ourselves in the service we provide, building a rapport with our clients so they keep coming back for repeat business.
“In terms of development it is always good to deal with repeat clients, some of which I have been working with for between 10-20 years.”
Speaking about how Masthaven intended to help developers access funding, James added: “We understand from the feedback we've received that our broker partners and borrowers appreciate the access they have to experienced underwriters and decision makers at all times.
“We will continue this first-class personal and flexible service.”
“The top end will continue to struggle”
Looking at what he expects to see in the property market this year, James stated: “I believe interest rates will continue to remain low and the property market will bump along the bottom.
“I believe the top end will continue to struggle and the lower/mid-market will continue to perform reasonably well, but with a slowdown in house price inflation.”
Where do you see Masthaven at the end of this year?
James concluded by predicting where he saw Masthaven at the end of the year as he hoped it would have a very strong savings brand and solid base of retail depositors.
“On the lending side, we expect solid and cautious growth resulting in a much larger share of the bridging and development markets.
“We will have launched further new products in both the short- and long-term space and we look forward to a very exciting year with growth across all areas of the business.”
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO RECEIVE MORE NEWS LIKE THIS STORY
Monese urges holidaymakers to shop around for their bank to save money abroad
Brits travelling abroad have been encouraged to save money by shopping around for bank accounts...
Tandem introduces healthy balance feature
Digital bank Tandem has announced the launch of a new healthy balance notification feature on its banking app...
The Access Bank UK joins Bacs
The Access Bank UK has been announced as the latest brand to join Bacs Payment Schemes Limited (Bacs)...
Nearly 75,000 SMEs supported through BBB programmes
The British Business Bank (BBB) has reported that the total stock of finance provided through its programmes in the last financial year rose by 33% to £12.25bn...
Close Brothers’ banking division reports 6.6% loan book growth
Close Brothers Group PLC has revealed that its banking division has seen a 6.6% growth in its loan book in the 11 months to 30th June 2018...
Leeds introduces two-year fixed rate BTL product
Leeds Building Society has launched a two-year fixed rate buy-to-let (BTL) mortgage product as part of a wider refresh of its 70% LTV BTL range...
Just 20% of Brits would opt for a challenger bank
Only 20% of UK residents would opt for a challenger bank if they were opening a new account today, according to research from Equifax...
Santander to form digital investment banking team
Banco Santander has announced that a new digital investment banking team will be formed within Santander Corporate & Investment Banking...
Metro Bank introduces developer portal
Metro Bank has launched a new developer portal for FCA-registered third parties wishing to build services on top of its APIs...
Wesleyan Bank appoints new head
Wesleyan Bank has appointed David Brownbill (pictured above) as its new head of indirect sales...
Arbuthnot announces profit surge
Arbuthnot Banking Group has reported a half-yearly profit before tax of £3.5m for the six months to 30th June 2018, up from the £2.5m recorded during the same period last year...


text:
Taco Bell has tested out a lot of items like Nacho Fries, Naked Chicken Chalupas and so much more!
Now, Taco Bell is making yet another wild and crazy new option!
Introducing: a Mexican Pizza Crunchwrap!
The Mexican Pizza Crunchwrap is exactly what it sounds like a full traditional Mexican Pizza with seasoned beef, refried beans, tomatoes, three cheese blend, and Mexican pizza sauce stuffed inside a grilled flour tortilla.
In other words, it's a handheld version of the regular Mexican Pizza!
This special Crunchwrap is currently in the testing phase and only available in select locations around Oklahoma City.
Of course, Taco Bell regularly tests new menu items like this before deciding whether to offer them nationwide.
Hopefully, everyone enjoys this so we can try it too!!


text:
Could Paypal be accepting Bitcoin as a form of payment? Word on the street is that PayPal may be accepting the anonymous currency Bitcoin in the near future. As Yahoo News discovered, Paypal announced that it was naming Wences Casares, founder of Bitcoin wallet companies Lemon and Xapo, to the PayPal board of directors on Wednesday. This could be a sign that Paypal is headed in a Bitcoin-friendly direction, and that they may want someone with Bitcoin experience at the helm.
One of the big advantages to using Paypal is that consumers’ financial information is kept private when buying or selling goods. This PayPal privacy feature is also something offered by Bitcoin, which keeps the names of users safe by using a series of numbers called a Bitcoin address to mask the identity of buyer and seller alike. Though Bitcoin users cannot be identified by name, their purchases and transactions can be traced using the Bitcoin address.
Perhaps an added hint that Paypal may be moving towards accepting Bitcoin is Wence’s tweet earlier today. The newly-appointed Director tweeted that the Bitcoin experiment is “not over,” just a few days after former Bitcoin developer Mike Hearn left the project and declared Bitcoin “a failure.” It seems PayPal doesn’t think of Bitcoin in quite the same way as Hearn does.
At the moment, Paypal offers users a way to securely store their funds and allows for transfer to or from a linked bank account. In the future, could we see PayPal support for transfers to and from Bitcoin wallets? Many websites such as TOR (The Onion Router) that wish to protect users’ privacy are already accepting donations in the form of Bitcoin, and this could make it easier for Paypal to work with such organizations.
Paypal’s official Twitter account announced Paypal’s excitement for what is to come, though Paypal didn’t delve into specifics about what that is. Since both Paypal and Bitcoin use digital records and have no paper trail, it might make sense if Paypal were to move towards embracing Bitcoin. If PayPal is looking to Wence to pave the way for a Bitcoin shift, they certainly chose the right man for the job; TechCrunch.com noted that Wence’s Bitcoin company Xapo has raised $40 million to date, while his other Bitcoin venture Lemon sold for a stunning $42.6 million to security company LifeLock.
One major change Paypal will have to adapt to if it wants to work well with Bitcoin is that only a limited number of Bitcoins can be generated each year by design, thus controlling the available supply. Bitcoin’s value is also very volatile and can be subject to drastic changes in a short period of time, so this will make it difficult for PayPal to ensure correct payment for goods and services initially.
Unlike the paper currency currently used by PayPal, Bitcoin cannot be obtained through normal means such as employment. Bitcoin has to be either “mined” using an extensive computing process, or obtained from sites that offer “Cryptocurrency” as a reward for completing tasks. Additionally, Bitcoin is sometimes used to purchase illegal services or products since the user is only identified by number, not name. All of these factors could make it difficult for Paypal to dabble in Bitcoin, even with an experienced Bitcoin entrepreneur at the helm of PayPal. However, if Bitcoin addresses were stolen from PayPal, they could be easier to trace seeing as each purchase made would be linked to the stolen address.
Let us know what you think of Paypal’s new direction. Will the move help ensure users’ privacy, or could it turn into a nightmare for all involved? Will your trust in Paypal be affected at all by the decision to embrace the experimental Bitcoin as a legitimate currency?
[Image Via Antana/Flickr/CC-BY-SA 2.0]


text:
In addition to providing previews of its upcoming iOS 13, macOS Catalina, watchOS 6, and other platforms, Apple announced the new ARKit 3 and RealityKit software frameworks for developers.
These frameworks are intended to help the programmers build great AR experiences. The business also unveiled a brand new app called Reality Composer for iOS, iPadOS, and Mac, which will allow developers produce and prototype AR encounters right on the apparatus where they’re going to appear. Additionally, Apple is bringing HomeKit to safety routers and cameras.
According to Apple, ARKit 3 puts people at the centre of AR using its new Motion Capture and Individuals Occlusion features. Together with Motion Capture, the developers will be able to incorporate people’s movements right in their apps. It will able to monitor people’s limbs, heads, and torsos in real-time. People Occlusion will be sure AR content shows up obviously in front or behind people.
Additionally, ARKit 3 adds help to monitor up to 3 people with front camera in addition to simultaneous access to both front and rear camera. Live collaborative sessions are also currently available, allowing people to use a shared AR world map.
RealityKit is your company’s new framework for producing photorealistic AR experiences. It will allow the developers readily combine virtual objects with real world environments.
“RealityKit was built from the ground up for AR,” Apple said in a statement. “It comes with a photorealistic rendering, in addition to incredible environment mapping and service for camera effects such as sound and motion blur, making virtual content nearly indistinguishable from reality.”
Developers are able to make use of RealityKit capabilities with the new RealityKit Swift API.
RealityKit Composer, on the other hand, is a program that lets developers build interactive scenes with full AR support.
“With a simple drag-and-drop interface plus a library of high quality 3D objects and animations, Reality Composer lets developers set, move and rotate AR objects to assemble an AR encounter, which is directly incorporated into an app in Xcode or exported to AR Quick Look,” Apple describes.
As part of Apple’s increased push for users’ privacy, HomeKit Secure Video enables security cameras to process and analyse video directly on user’s apparatus rather than sending it to cloud. It will then encrypt the video and save it on consumer’s iCloud account. Apple will keep 10 days’ worth of video about iCloud account and it won’t count towards storage limitations. Apple also revealed that the first cameras with HomeKit Secure Video will soon be coming from Logitech, Eufy, and Netatmo.
HomeKit can also be coming into routers, and it’ll produce a virtual firewall between your entire network and the devices on the network, thus maintaining the system as well as secure even when one of the devices is breached. LinkSys and Eero will launch the first HomeKit-enabled routers.


text:
UK-based mobile billing and analytics company Bango has signed an agreement to provide payment services to the world's biggest social network, Facebook. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
Bango's technology targets the growing market of internet-enabled smartphone users, who are increasingly using their devices to carry out transactions online. The company's white-label products collect payment from mobile users for online content and services, as well as providing analytics for mobile marketing campaigns.
BlackBerry maker Research in Motion already uses Bango to enable customers to pay for apps through their operator contracts, saving them the trouble of typing in their credit card details each time they buy an app. Bango also struck a deal with Amazon in December, although details of that agreement have not been revealed.
Other customers include EA Mobile, which uses Bango for targeted billing, Gameloft, for search marketing and mobile advertising, and O2 owner Telefnica UK, for real-time analysis.
It is thought that the Facebook deal could indicate a new push by the social network into mobile commerce - a market that is expected to be worth $37 billion (£23bn) by 2016, according to recent research published by Informa Telecoms & Media.
Meanwhile, social commerce is estimated to reach $50 billion (£31bn) by 2020,according to the Jack Myers Media Business Report, with sites such as Facebook expected to drive this growth.
Payment processing platform builder Ecwid, which offers a shopping cart widget that can be incorporated into a company's Facebook page, told Techworld that it saw a ten-fold increase in the number of customers placing Ecwid orders using Facebook in 2011.
Bango and Facebook have both remained tight-lipped on the details of the deal, with Bango's board claiming that it is "too early in the relationship to accurately forecast the level of business which it may generate."
However, Financial Times digital media correspondent Tim Bradshaw asserts that the deal could be critical in driving Facebook's Credits business in emerging markets. Credits is a payment system that enables users to buy virtual tokens that can be exchanged for digital goods in games and apps across Facebook.
Bango's anaytics capabilities could also help Facebook track how mobile content is used and consumed, in order to deliver targeted advertising. Facebook does not currently deliver advertisements on mobile platforms, but its IPO filing earlier this month revealed that the company will have to start monetising 425 million active mobile users, or the company's ad revenue will drop.
"Growth in the use of Facebook through our mobile products, where we do not currently display ads, as a substitute for use on personal computers may negatively affect our revenue and financial results," the company noted among its risk factors.
Rumours circulating this week suggest that Facebook is planning to start inserting "sponsored stories" into mobile users' feeds from next month. The company describes these as "posts from your friends or Pages on Facebook that a business, organisation or individual has paid to highlight so there's a better chance you'll see them".
This story, "Facebook Teams up With Bango for Mobile Payments" was originally published by Techworld.com.


text:
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Is business looking up? Are execs feeling optimistic? OfficeMax is banking that the answer to both questions is yes, and its enlisted Fast Company and BusinessWeek on its optimism crusade.
The office supplies retailer is launching a new brand campaign, its first since 2004, under the banner "Good News for Business." The comprehensive effort represents Office Max's biggest marketing investment in four years, said Bob Thacker, senior VP-marketing and advertising.
"It's substantial," said Mr. Thacker. "We feel it's time to start focusing on the 90% of the population that is working. That's not to minimize the 10% that aren't. But for business to thrive, we have to get beyond fear and focus on hope."
OfficeMax spent $25 million on measured media in 2008 and $18 million on measured media in the first three quarters of 2009, according to TNS Media Intelligence. The Escape Pod, Chicago, is OfficeMax's creative agency of record.
Marketers have been looking toward more optimistic campaigns for some time now. Pepsi and Coca-Cola launched dueling upbeat messages nearly a year ago. And Sears partnered with AOL to launch Good News Now, a site churning out positive stories, in June. While some of those efforts were criticized as premature or overly cheery, Mr. Thacker says OfficeMax isn't looking to be "Annie or Mary Poppins." And Fast Company and BusinessWeek say that businesses are ready to hear a bit of optimism.
Jessica Sibley, senior VP-worldwide publisher at Bloomberg BusinessWeek, said the publication has been seeing glimmers of optimism since last summer. In August, its cover featured the headline "The Case for Optimism."
"Our position has been moving forward and looking at where the opportunities are," she said. "It's not that things are great and euphoric now, but there are signs of progress. The outlook is more optimistic than what we were living through six or nine or 12 months ago, in terms of sentiment."
BusinessWeek is lending its Optimism Meter, launched last March, to the effort. OfficeMax is the official sponsor of the meter and will be using Twitter to promote deals, increasing the number of offers as the meter rises. (The Optimism Meter is now at 52, up from 49 in the closing days of 2009 and a low of 25 the week of March 9. It spiked at 67 the week of Sept. 22.)
Fast Company is creating custom content, in the form of a blog called "The Upswing" and infographics illustrating positive economic news. OfficeMax is sponsoring those pieces at fastcompany.com, as well as running digital ads.
Christine Osekoski, publisher at Fast Company, said it's the first time the publication has produced a blog or infographics for a marketing partner. She added that because Fast Company has long believed innovation and creativity will help the country out of the downturn, the partnership with OfficeMax has been embraced by the business and editorial teams.
"We're not a massive reach vehicle, but we're entrenched in their target. And it's exciting because [OfficeMax] is really investing in this," she said. "Truly sharing content assets and going after the same target. For us, those are the types of partners that will see us through."
The campaign includes TV, radio and print, as well as digital and social-media efforts. Depending on the traction it gets, it could last throughout this year, Mr. Thacker said. Plans for a dedicated site, goodnewsforbusiness.com, were put on hold on yesterday, however. Initially, the site was set to include Fast Company and BusinessWeek content, as well as the @goodnewsforbiz Twitter feed and deals from OfficeMax. Businesses were to be encouraged to publicize their good news through the site, as well.
"We decided that there was room for improvement in the way we were presenting the site content. We are evaluating the best way to bring the Good News content to professionals in a meaningful and more interactive manner," Mr. Thacker said in an e-mailed statement.


text:
The republican field keeps getting bigger and bigger as the election cycle continues to roll on. We’ll give you the update on Chris Christie and Mike Pence and what’s being said there. Then, we heard that new Apple VR product was going to be gamechanger, but we didn’t know it was going to be this expensive! We have the details on that. Also, what should we make of these corruption claims against Biden? Will anything actually come of this? It’s pretty intriguing. And we remember a major day in history today, the 79th anniversary of D-Day. We have some stories on that.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices