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FoodNavigator-USA.comOnline grocery shopping still small, but growing rapidly, says NielsenFoodNavigator-USA.comIt found that while online grocery shopping may not have entered the mainstream, consumers are flocking to the internet for food information,...
Why Startups Are The New Super Heroes Of Cyber Security Forbes Taking the approach of crowd sourced intelligence, Synack assembles a global community of security researchers on one unified, subscription-based platform, which it playfully calls...
The burgeoning digital healthcare market is where the money's at. In fact, in just three year's time, industry analysts project the sector will nearly double, thanks to evolving consumer expectations and a serious influx of start-up cash. That's according to a new report, put out by Accenture, which forecast an expansion of the U.S. market, from its current $3.5 billion value to a more robust $6.5 billion come end of 2017. [See also: Digital health sees record cash flow.] Often considered among the last industries to innovate, healthcare has seen start-ups and entrepreneurs flocking to the space in recent years, bringing their best ideas forward and getting the cash flow they need to move forward. This growth, Accenture analysts project, will be sustained even past 2017. "A digital disruption is playing out in healthcare that will change social interactions, alter consumer expectations and, ultimately, improve health outcomes," said Dipak Patel, managing director of Accenture's patient access initiatives, in a press statement announcing the report.
"This momentum," he added, "will be sustained if digital healthcare start-ups apply capabilities that create a seamless patient experience and result in both medical cost savings and improved outcomes." [See also: Consumers wild about wearables.] That disruption, Accenture points out, has been facilitated by some serious venture capital so far. Just this past year, for instance, digital health startups received $2.8 billion in capital funding – a 31 percent growth rate since 2008. VC for these startups is expected to increase to $4.3 billion next year. According to Rock Health's 2014 digital health funding midyear report, capital funding for digital health startups grew a whopping 176 percent in the first half of 2014 compared to first half of 2013. This while the software segment grew only 123 percent, and the biotech segment a seemingly low 28 percent. Accenture's data highlights that, since 2008, the digital health segment that has received the lion's share, or $2.9 billion, of capital is the infrastructure capabilities segment, which includes interoperability initiatives and data analytics. Engagement solutions – such as wearable technology like Google Glass and FitBit – was pegged at $2.6 billion in startup funding since 2008. [See also: Google Glass links to EHR.]
"Healthcare leaders will need to embrace digital capabilities, not only to stay relevant to consumers, but to influence behavioral change, improve access to care channels and reduce per patient costs," said Patel.
10 Reasons Visual Content will Dominate 2014 What marketing strategies will we focus on in 2014? What will we leave behind? This article takes a look at the rise of visual content - and why 2014 will dominate in 2014:
1. 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual. Visuals are processed 60,000X faster in the brain than text.
2. Videos on landing pages increase average page conversion rates by 86%.
3. Visual content is social-media-ready and social-media-friendly. It’s easily sharable and easily palatable.
4. Businesses who market with infographics grow in traffic an average of 12% more than those who don’t.
5. Posts with visuals receive 94% more page visits and engagement than those without.
6. 60% of consumers are more likely to click on a business whose images appear in search results.
7. Clear, detailed images carry more weight than product information or customer ratings say 67% of consumers.
8. Visuals show your products without telling people about them. This allows viewers to make their own decisions without feeling pressure from your business.
9. Visuals express ideas quickly - in a snapshot. This breaks through the overwhelming clutter of online content.
10. Visuals are becoming easier and easier to create as photo editing tools become more accessible
To help explain the importance of content marketing, Neil Patel has put together an infographic to show you how content marketing impacts search engine rankings and how you can use it to help grow your business.
In an online class of 80,000 students, breaking up into small groups is no easy task — as we saw from a suspended Coursera class earlier this year (that tried to use a Google doc to create groups), it can lead to confusion and technical glitches.
But a new startup called NovoEd wants to build on the massive open online course (MOOC) phenomenon with a service that puts collaboration and team learning at the center of the student experience.
Starting Monday it will open up to the general public with seven courses and, going forward, it said it plans to partner with other universities. For the past year, the startup, which is backed by investors including Costanoa Ventures, Foundation Capital, Kapor Capital, Learn Capital, Maveron, and Ulu Ventures, has been used at Stanford University.
Like Coursera and Udacity – two of the startups leading the MOOC movement – NovoEd was also launched by Stanford professors. Co-founder and CEO Amin Saberi, an associate professor of management science and engineering, said he started creating the service last year, after a colleague said she wanted to put an entrepreneurship class online but couldn’t find a service that supported her pedagogical style.
While existing MOOC services may work for classes that focus on mastery learning, like computer science, Saberi said, many teachers want a better way to teach subjects like entrepreneurship and creativity online.
In those classes, it’s not just about watching a video of professor and then doing the work alone, he said, “It’s about peer learning, social learning – it’s collaborative and experiential. In the transition from brick and mortar to online, you shouldn’t strip away these aspects, you can use the social web to amplify them.”
Sharing your scoops to your social media accounts is a must to distribute your curated content. Not only will it drive traffic and leads through your content, but it will help show your expertise with your followers.
How to integrate my topics' content to my website?
Integrating your curated content to your website or blog will allow you to increase your website visitors’ engagement, boost SEO and acquire new visitors. By redirecting your social media traffic to your website, Scoop.it will also help you generate more qualified traffic and leads from your curation work.
Distributing your curated content through a newsletter is a great way to nurture and engage your email subscribers will developing your traffic and visibility.
Creating engaging newsletters with your curated content is really easy.


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Marvel’s Avengers, Crystal Dynamics’ live service take on the comic-book superhero squad, is being pulled from sale at the end of the month. With just under two weeks left before it’s delisted, the game’s devs have knocked its price down to less than the price of a coffee.
Marvel’s Avengers launched back in September 2020 to middling reviews, complaints of widespread bugs – which were patched – and a flagging player base, with the number of online players rapidly dropping within a few months of its launch. That translated into sales that failed to meet Square Enix’s expectations (although, what does?), with reports that sales were almost half of what was hoped.
Crystal Dynamics continued to support the game over the next two-and-a-bit years with new characters – including Kate Bishop’s Hawkeye, Black Panther and the Winter Soldier – missions, challenges and more, before announcing at the start of this year that they wouldn’t be releasing any further content ahead of the game’s removal from sale on September 30th.
The game’s final 2.8 update made almost all of its cosmetics free for every player, while turning any leftover in-game currency into resources and handing out various other rewards to those still playing.
While September 30th will see Marvel’s Avengers pulled from sale, the game will still be possible to download for those who already own it. Single-player content will be fully available, with Crystal Dynamics saying that multiplayer should remain playable for as long as possible – while adding that “we can’t guarantee that we will be able to address issues that occur due to unforeseen circumstances”. Time-limited events such as the Red Room Takeover will run on a two-week rotation, while operations and the War for Wakanda expansion will also remain accessible.
To see Marvel’s Avengers off into the sunset, the game’s Definitive Edition has been slashed by 90% on Steam until its delisting, bringing it down to £2.99/$3.99 from now until September 30th. Again, you’ll still be able to download and play it if you own it after that date, so if you’re interested, now’s your best – and last – time to give it a look.

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In the next few weeks, thousands of freshly-minted MBA grads from the nation’s top business schools will be heading off for six-figure salaries at investment banks and tech start-ups. Then there are the handful of students from the MIT Sloan School of Management who will be heading to the slums of Nairobi… to build toilets.
“This is no different than working in a start-up in Silicon Valley,” said Ani Vallabhaneni, a member of a multi-disciplinary team from MIT that is heading to Kenya and launching the company “Sanergy” – a contraction of sanitation and energy. “Initially, yes, the salaries aren’t market rate. But you take what you need to live, right? So, in terms of student loans, rent, food and beer.”
Vallabhaneni and his team developed a business plan for turning a public health crisis into an economic opportunity. Some 2.6 billion people in the world lack basic sanitation, according to the World Health Organization, and the MIT students think they can help change that.
Some pretty important people agree: The team won the MIT 100k Entrepreneurship Business Plan Contest, a highly prestigious annual competition that brings together students from business, engineering, and architecture.
Vallabhaneni said the idea for a company was hatched when he and fellow MIT students studied sanitation conditions in places like Kenya. In parts of Nairobi, for instance, many people defecate in plastic bags, then throw the bags on the street. Others pay 6 cents to use makeshift bathrooms.
“Typically they’re just holes in the ground with plastic sheeting around,” Vallabhaneni said. “What that shows you in terms of the fact that they’re paying to use unhygienic pit toilets is that there’s a big value for privacy and dignity.”
The Sanergy team thinks people will pay that same 6 cents to use Sanergy toilets, essentially modified porta potties. They’re far from glamorous, but a huge step up from current conditions.
It will cost Sanergy about $200 to build each toilet. They’ll then turn around and sell it to a Nairobi resident for $400. At 6 cents a visit, Sanergy projects the new small business owner – essentially a franchisee – can make back his or her investment in about four months.
“You build a toilet and then what? It fills up, and then what? Right? There’s no way to actually treat and dispose of the waste,” said Vallabhaneni “You actually need to build out the entire sanitation value chain to effectively tackle this problem.”
It’s that phrase—“the sanitation value chain”—that perhaps sums up the inspiration behind the new company. Where others see a problem, the students behind Sanergy see a resource.
“The Sanergy employees each day would collect the waste from each toilet and bring it to a central location,” explained Linsday Stradley, another member of the Sanergy Team and a recent graduate from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
The company will charge the franchisee, $6.25 a month to take the waste to a processing facility.
“Which then leads to the third part, which is conversion,” said Stradley. “So converting that waste into electricity and fertilizer that we can sell and generate the revenue for the business as a whole.”
And this is where the company believes there’s real money to be made.
Part of the waste can be converted into biogas – essentially methane – which can then be burned to generate electricity, a practice that’s currently done in parts of Europe. Some of the waste can also be converted into fertilizer. Both are badly needed resources in this part of the world.
There’s no great technological breakthrough in any of this. Instead, it was the combination of a solid business plan with solutions to numerous development problems at once that impressed the MIT judges, people who know a thing or two about what makes for a successful start-up. The contest has helped launch more than 150 companies, since the competition began in 1989, now worth some $16 billion dollars collectively.
But this is only the second time a company with a true social mission was chosen as the winner.
“We didn’t give the prize because these guys are doing something great for the world, or better for the world, than the other guys,” said Tim Rowe, a judge this year. He founded the Cambridge Innovation Center, a business incubator, across the street from MIT.
“That wasn’t our challenge as judges. Our challenge was to look at each of these as a stand-alone business and say: ‘What has the biggest chance of significant success?’ The fact that they are making money at this is what makes it likely to succeed,” said Rowe.
Rule number one in business: make money.
Conquering a problem that governments and charities have failed to solve won’t be easy. But Rowe believes that the market can stand up where other solutions have failed.
“It’s not like the old-fashioned, ‘Hey we’re going to try and give wheat to starving people in Africa.’ That works this year, but then what about next year? It doesn’t make the system work,” said Rowe.
The MIT students get this.
“One of the key things about doing development through a market-based solution vs. an aid-based solution is that we respond to the market. So if the consumers are not purchasing our product, they’re not using our product, we change. Because at the end of the day, if we don’t have profits, we don’t have a business,” said Vallabhaneni
And the students have already conquered business rule number two: Get money to make money. They have $100,000, courtesy of MIT, to get their project going.
Vallabhaneni and Stradley say they hope the innovation prize will prime the pump for other investor funding for their start-up.
For now, their plan is to work on building up their sanitation business in Kenya for the next 12 to 18 months. If it works, they hope to expand Sanergy throughout sub-Saharan Africa and India.
Every week, more than 2 million listeners tune into our broadcast and follow our digital coverage like this story, which is available to read for free thanks to charitable contributions from listeners like you. But less than 1% of our audience supports our program directly. From now through the end of the year, every gift will be matched dollar for dollar by a generous donor, which means your gift will help us unlock a $67,000 challenge match.
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Author Archives: Dave Cook
Fri, Dec 13, 2013 | 09:26 GMT
YouTubers across the world are reporting a torrent of YouTube Content ID warnings landing in their inboxes in what is the start of a crackdown on monetised video game content. Get up-to-date reports on the matter here.
Fri, Dec 13, 2013 | 09:20 GMT
Mega Man isn’t getting a video game from Capcom any time soon it seems, so Jasco Games has taken matters into its own hands to produce a board game adaptation. The project is on Kickstarter now and is already funded.
Fri, Dec 13, 2013 | 09:05 GMT
Lego: The Last of Us isn’t official, but it has been realised in a superb mock trailer. Ever wanted to see a tiny plastic Joel shanking cute infected on the abandoned, bricky streets? Step inside.
Fri, Dec 13, 2013 | 08:51 GMT
Until Dawn developer Supermassive Games has reportedly cancelled or shifted development of its survival horror game. Amazon has been contacting customers to say that the game has ceased production and will not hit the store.
Fri, Dec 13, 2013 | 08:39 GMT
League of Legends developer Riot Games has released patch notes for its 3.15 update, which is rolling out today from 7:30 am PST. It adds new champion Yasuo and the usual barrage of gameplay tweaks and balancing.
Fri, Dec 13, 2013 | 08:17 GMT
Payday 2 was a resounding success for Overkill Software, turning a profit before it even launched. VG247′s Dave Cook continues his chat with director David Goldfarb about the development process and plans for 2014.
Thu, Dec 12, 2013 | 12:48 GMT
Thu, Dec 12, 2013 | 12:32 GMT
No Man’s Sky bowled many gamers over when Hello Games released its space-faring rogue-like at the VGX awards last weekend. ID@Xbox boss Chris Charla was one of those people it seems, as he really hopes the studio will bring its game to Xbox One.
Thu, Dec 12, 2013 | 12:17 GMT
Blockbuster has confirmed it will close its remaining 91 stores across the UK by next week, putting 808 people out of work.
Thu, Dec 12, 2013 | 12:00 GMT
Bayonetta 2 developer Platinum Games is bringing its hack-and-slash sequel to Wii U via Nintendo, yet gamers are still asking the studio for a PS3 and Xbox 360 edition. Creative Producer JP Kellams has said on Twitter that he’s tired of “pedantic port-begging.”
Thu, Dec 12, 2013 | 11:49 GMT
The Division’s David Polfeldt, managing director at Ubisoft Massive has stated that the new generation isn’t really about the PS4 and Xbox One consoles themselves, but the freedom they allow creators.
Thu, Dec 12, 2013 | 23:50 GMT
Walking Dead: Survival Instinct and Bloodrayne developer Terminal Reality has reportedly been shut down .
Thu, Dec 12, 2013 | 10:56 GMT
GameHorizon 2014 organisers Games Industry International has announced the event’s first speakers, and tickets are now on sale.
Thu, Dec 12, 2013 | 10:41 GMT
Soul Sacrifice Delta has received a free PS Vita demo in Japan, that lets you clobber ten shades out of Little Red Riding Hood and other fabled characters.
Thu, Dec 12, 2013 | 23:50 GMT
Tales of Zestiria has been revealed for PS3 by Namco Bandai, following a string of teasers on the RPG’s official site.
Thu, Dec 12, 2013 | 13:04 GMT
Amazon UK has opened its own PSN store offering a wealth of games, DLC and season passes as an alternative to Sony’s own marketplace.
Thu, Dec 12, 2013 | 09:51 GMT
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has reflected on his career at the company in a new interview. In it, he explains that getting the Microsoft brand into the living room via the original Xbox was his idea.
Thu, Dec 12, 2013 | 09:28 GMT
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z has a bonus mode called ‘Ninja Gaiden Z.’ It pays tribute to the NES original and sees you hacking up zombies in a 2D scrolling beat-em-up fashion. Tecmo Koei’s released a video of it online. Watch it here.
Thu, Dec 12, 2013 | 12:34 GMT
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was originally intended to include extra levels like Wood Zone and Hidden Palace Zone. The latter has been restored in a new official remaster of Sega’s 1992 platformer.
Thu, Dec 12, 2013 | 09:11 GMT
Battlefield 4 was due to get a bug-fixing patch on December 2, but DICE has confirmed that the patch has been delayed into the next title update.


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Gabby Jones / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Scientists still do not know much about the long-term effects of "vape juice", the liquid used in electronic cigarettes and vaporizers. But researchers analyzing the liquid and vapor produced when heated say some types of e-liquids respond to irritating chemicals called acetals as they sit on shelves.
More than 3 million young people, as well as some adults, use e-cigarettes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many of them could inhale these compounds regularly. And that could be annoying or even damage their lungs, according to Yale and Duke University researchers.
The study, published on Tuesday, looked specifically eight flavors of Juul e-liquids containing a different mixture of solvents than many others. brands e-liquid. These new findings are based on similar work by a research group published in October 2018 for other brands of e-liquids.
Acetals are formed from alcohol and aldehydes, chemicals used for flavoring and perfuming foods and other commercial products. Although some are considered harmful, many are generally accepted as safe to eat and touch, says Hano Eritropel, lead author and research associate at the Yale Chemical and Environmental Engineering Division. Little is known about the effects of aldehydes and acetals when inhaled in this way, Erythropel added, although some studies indicate that acetals can irritate the airways more than the aldehydes from which they were formed. And this irritation can trigger an inflammatory reaction in the respiratory system.
Unlike the small amounts of acetals you get through food, Erythropel says with a wapping: "you inhale that. We never imagined that people would inhale fragrant compounds. to the level they are now. We have very little information. "
At this point, the FDA does not require electronic fluid manufacturers to present or list all the ingredients in their products. Thus, Yale chemists should" reverse engineer "E-liquids by separating and quantifying their chemical constituents.
Through this process, researchers found the presence of acetals in one of the eight Juul flavors they tested: Crème brûlée. This fragrance, which uses vanillin for a vanilla-like odor "It contains relatively high levels of vanillin acetals, scientists say. Other flavors may also contain acetals and aldehydes, they say, but they have not tested in this study for all possible aldehydes."
Julie Zimmerman, Principal Investigator of the study and Professor at the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at Yale, stresses that much more research needs to be done before conclusions can be drawn about the safety of electronic liquids. Such studies should consider the possibility of chemical reactions between different chemical constituents of e-liquids, she says, which can lead to altered products.
Dr. Robert Jackler, a professor of forthorhinolaryngology at Stanford who has studied the rapid rise of e-cigarettes among young people, says the document "contributes to the multiplicity of evidence documenting the toxicological effects of e-cigarette vapor by specifically testing the sweet and fruity aromas of e-cigarettes." JUUL that are so popular with teens. "Erythropel, however, is careful to note that any flavored product may contain aldehydes – even generic" tobacco flavored. "
This finding and the like suggest that it may have a long term health implications for young people, says Dr. Christina Sadreamelli, a pediatric assistant at Johns Hopkins University and a pediatric pulmonologist, said that e-cigarette makers have long positioned vaping as a far safer alternative to cigarettes, with little effect on cigarettes.
But "this notion [that] 'it's just water vapor and nicotine and flavorings' is very wrong," she says, "Electronic cigarette money contains a lot of harmful chemicals, heavy metals. [and] ultra fine particles.
The discovery of acetals in e-liquids, according to her, "raises another reason to worry about what's in the vape aerosol and how it can harm the developing lung."
Asked for the findings of the study, Lindsay Andrews, a spokesman for Julie, says that the acetate levels that researchers consider harmful exceed the "real world" exposures of Juul pods. Perhaps one would need to consume seven or more e-liquid pods per day to meet a threshold that researchers find harmful, says Andrews.
Although little is known about the long-term effects of vaping, some health fears have begun to surface. Last week, Wisconsin Children's Hospital announced that eight teens were hospitalized with "severely damaged lungs" in July.
Symptoms that led to their hospitalization include "shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, cough and weight loss," according to the hospital. Although all teenagers have improved with treatment and the exact cause of their symptoms remains unknown, everyone reported having been vaping weeks and months before being hospitalized.
Zimmerman, Erythropel and their colleagues hope to do more research on the health effects of inhaling acetals. But it will probably take many years for health experts to understand the full effects of acetal inhalation and vaping more broadly, says Jackler.
"Teens who become accustomed to the daily use of e-cigarettes driven by nicotine addiction can have adverse health effects over time," the doctor says. "That means we won't know the full impact of the e-cigarette epidemic on teenagers for decades."
Susie Neilson is an intern at NPR's science bureau. Follow her on Twitter here: @susieneilson.


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Stony Hill features orchids, wine, cheese
CHESTER — The 25th Orchid Open House will be held at Stony Hill Gardens, 8 Route 24 in Chester, Feb. 15-17 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., each day.
The event features hundreds of varieties and thousands of orchid blooms, along with Jersey Fresh wines and cheeses to sample and purchase. Ventimiglia Vineyards of Wantage and Springhouse Dairy of Fredon are also participating, and will offer free tastings of their products.
For more information, visit www.StonyHillNJ.com or call 908-879-2696.


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Research analyst blogs
The wireless industry has a decision to make: Go down the route of MIMO 2x2 802.11n or skip ahead to MIMO 1x1 802.11ac.
Market revenues are projected to nearly triple by 2016 for the AC induction motor market in China, growing at an average rate of more than 17% per year.
Bluetooth technology has been included with the iPhone 4S and is emblematic of the technology's reach. It is expected that 370 million cellular handsets will have dual-mode Bluetooth by the end of...
LTE, for mission-critical communications, as well as other solutions, is the best overall solution for the future because of its wide use in the U.S. and because of its wide projected use.
In spite of recent troubles in the PV industry, many suppliers see the potential growth as very strong, which will help the industry long-term.
Microsoft's new OS, Windows 8, will allow users a greater freedom of wireless connectivity compared to past Windows programs, but will other companies follow their lead?
The PLC market is expected to surpass 2008 levels by the end of 2011, indicating a strong turnaround after the global recession in 2008 and 2009.
While microinverters have the potential to change the market, it is too early to tell what kind of impact they will have in the long run.
While prices are declining for modules, the industry is expected to level off with increased demand in the fourth quarter of 2011.
With the global economy slowing down, machine production is likely to follow suit.
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC and proprietary devices are expected to show the highest adoption among RF technologies.
Wireless combination IC shipments are expected to grow 24% in 2011 thanks to smartphones and tablet PC's.
Mobile broadband networks are something mission critical users would like to have, according to a survey, but less than a fifth of those polled view it as an essential feature.
Bill Morelli discusses Apple's future in the smartphone market along with competition from Google and Nokia.
The new safety standards offer machine builders a chance to be more efficient and more cost-effective as well as safe as the new standards become effective in 2012.


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SANTA FE, N.M., May 30, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Santa Fe Fashion Week today announced the 2017 schedule of events, which includes three nights of fashion, food, drinks and networking. Santa Fe Fashion Week will be bigger than ever in 2017 with a new summer show from June 8-10. This year, the show kicks off June 7 with a VIP reception from 6 to 9 p.m. and at the Sorrell Sky Gallery, and continues Thursday, June 8, Friday, June 9, and Saturday, June 10, with a special Garden Show and runway shows at the Drury Plaza Hotel in Santa Fe. “Project Runway” alumnus, Richard Hallmarq, will be returning to Santa Fe Fashion Week for the fourth year. Melissa Fleis, another “Project Runway” alumnus will show her designs at SFFW for the first time. “I’m hoping to showcase my new work and I’m just excited to be going to Santa Fe,” Fleis…
By Angela Groom, Intern Staff Writer. Walking into a men’s clothing store is a unique experience unlike many others. This is due in large part to the fact that there are so few men’s clothing boutiques. In Albuquerque there is only a handful. Women’s clothing boutiques are significantly more common.
By Angela Groom, Intern Staff Writer. There is a void of good, quality natural fabric fibers in Albuquerque. Nob Hill Fabrics owner, Liz Frank, tries to carry what the big box stores do not. Frank opened Nob Hill Fabrics in March of 2011. On Thursday, June 2nd, Sephen Cuomo (Executive Producer and Founder of SFFW) conducted a vlog interview with Frank.


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Tradewest Games head Martin Spiess recently added Howard to the growing roster of ex-Midway Europe employees now employed by his newly formed outfit. "Nick has been a key contributor to our business over the years and we are confident that his appointment will accelerate Tradewest's growth strategy," Spiess told MCV.
Howard will act as managing director for the nascent company, specifically looking over UK sales and marketing. We've still yet to hear what Tradewest Games is up to in terms of, well, games, but hopefully this new hire is bringing the company closer to revealing some details.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.


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According to the CEO of Netradyne, a startup tech company, the firm has created a driver-facing camera that can be outfitted with artificial intelligence that monitors a truck driver for common signs of fatigue, including head nodding and eyelids closing. When the camera detects signs of drowsiness, it’s equipped with alarms designed to wake a truck driver up. Alarms include beeps, whistles, and even seat rumbles that alert the trucker that he or she is in danger of falling asleep.
The camera would also be linked to a computer that automatically reports “fatigue incidents” to the driver’s company. Carriers would also have the capability to run reports to get an idea of how often their drivers are falling asleep at the wheel, when these incidents occur, and under what conditions drowsy driving tends to happen.
The company has already started testing its cameras in Australia, where semi-trucks are using the cameras to gather preliminary data about the system’s effectiveness.


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Sending lambs to market that are “fit not fat" is the best way for producers to maximise returns as sheep prices fall, according to EBLEX.
Concerns have been growing in the industry about the apparent steep fall in the sheep price over the last month.
But EBLEX sector director Nick Allen says a variety of factors have come together to influence the price and the reality is it is following an annual trend but simply running a few weeks earlier than normal.
And he has urged producers to concentrate on selling stock as they reach the target specification for weight and fatness to maximise returns and benefit from the higher end prices hidden within the SQQ average.
“There is growing concern about the direction the sheep price has gone set against the backdrop of such strong performance of the last few years, but especially in the previous 12 months,” said Nick.
“However, historically we do see a dip in price this time of year. We are slightly ahead of ourselves this year with lambs finishing two to three weeks early as a result of the favourable weather conditions. Bearing that in mind, in week ending 15 June 2011, the SQQ liveweight dropped more than 15p to 211p/kg. In 2010, week ending June 16, the SQQ dropped 20p to 175p/kg. Comparing that to the latest week here, ending 30 May, we saw the SQQ fall 19p, reaching 186p/kg. Remember as well that prices this time last year were exceptionally high so may make the gap between then and now look artificially big. The price trend is actually in kilter with 2009 and 2010 early season, which in hindsight were seen by producers as good years.
“There are, of course, many other factors affecting the market and it is important to view it in context. Internationally, there has been a fall in lamb prices across the board, including in New Zealand, Australia, France and Ireland.
“Strengthening Sterling does have an impact on the price, though this does not ultimately affect volumes we export so there is no collapse in trade, just the money we get for the product sold is lower.
“There is also evidence of farmers holding on to their lambs too long waiting for the price to go up, which can create a sudden spike in supply which of course affects the prices. Last week we saw around 35 per cent more lambs coming on to the market than the week before, this week about 20 per cent. The problem is compounded when a lot of those animals are overweight so we have a glut of sub-prime quality lambs, which drives the price down further.
“It is apparent though that for those producers who are selling lambs to specification, they are still getting good returns. The SQQ is an average so if you look within that at the high end, those animals hitting the hypothetical export spec weight band of 25.5kg to 43kg – the top 25 per cent of animals coming onto market are export quality lambs – the average price there was 227.6p/kg in the week ending 26 May, showing a 25p/kg premium over the average. Looking at the top 50%, there was an average premium of almost 12p/kg over the SQQ average so it is hiding some good prices which are holding up well.
“Our message to producers is to ensure you are selling lambs that are fit not fat in order to capitalise on the higher end prices.”
He added that the seasonal price fall would recover later in the year, perhaps even starting earlier than normal.
A full analysis of the sheep market and recent trends is included in this week’s UK Market Survey, published on June 1, and available to download from the markets section of the EBLEX website.
You can check out latest prices in the market prices section at www.eblex.org.uk/markets.


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London was calling to four Ryerson students, whose Canadian-inspired fashion designs caught the eye of Hudson’s Bay Co. executives and British retailer Topshop.
The team created a 10-piece fashion line and business plan for Topshop to enter the Canadian market, and won a trip across the pond to present it.
“It was a really great experience … it makes you so much more engaged with school, and so motivated. You realize what university can offer,” said retail management student Julia Hart.
Their challenge: appeal to the hearts and minds of Canadian consumers, while staying true to the British brand.
The winning team — retail management students including Hart, Michaela Atkinson, Mary Jinny Kim, and fashion design student Elizabeth Chung — presented a collection they called Memento. Atkinson says each piece was inspired by a specific place in Canada.
“We wanted it to really embody the whole country, and not just be so urban-centric,” she said. “A lot of the time people only think of Toronto or they only think of Montreal when they think of Canada, but there’s so much more to it,” said Atkinson.
The final collection sectioned off into six regions: the North, the East and West Coasts, the Prairies, central Canada, and French Canada. The results are pieces like a warm, northern Canada-themed jacket with a colour scheme that evokes Auyuittuq National Park in Nunavut, or a strapless dress with a print of the Gatineau Lakes area in Quebec.
The project started in the classroom of Donna Smith’s special sectors class for retail management students, which has them studying fashion. The third- and fourth-year students split into groups of three and, with funds from Topshop, “hired” one fashion design student to help develop their line.
The groups showcased the results: a research book that included brand development information, sketches for the line, financial and marketing plans, and a press kit, to a team from the Hudson’s Bay Co., who decided which team was London-bound.
With the Topshop executives, the line was a hit. “They really liked that our marketing plan (tied) in consumers with an emotional connection,” Kim said. She added that the executives were “so supportive and welcoming, (and) as young people in the industry it was really encouraging.”
The Memento line is not going into production, but the team says they learned a lot from the experience. “Having the opportunity to put something together from start to finish was a really big part of it,” Hart said.
This story was first published in The Ryersonian, a weekly newspaper produced by the Ryerson School of Journalism, on September 18, 2013.


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In a new article for ZDNet.com, Ntirety CEO Emil Sayegh joins other industry leaders as they share their views on the anticipated impact of blockchain. Sayegh shares his insights on the potential destiny of blockchain and AI in the article, titled “CIO Jury: 92% say blockchain will positively impact their industry in the next five years.”
“AI has proven its worth in real-world scenarios, and it’s the perfect complement to blockchain, which is known for its limitation on scaling and somewhat less-than-real-time nature,” explains Sayegh.
Read the full article for more of Sayegh’s perspective and the insights of the other panelists »
Image credit: Launchpresso


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Starbucks recently unveiled one of their limited edition, over-the-top, crazy concoctions that usually have enough food coloring to cause a chemical imbalance. With this latest attempt, the worldwide coffee giant was probably hoping that the sheer outlandishness of the idea would do their marketing for them, and for the most part that’s true. Customers have been posting pictures and commenting on the drink as soon as they tried it upon release. Unfortunately, the reason customers were trying it was mostly out of curiosity and feedback has been mixed at best and abysmal at worst.
Fortunately, though, Starbucks has a veritable army of employees to support the company’s crazy products and show public support for the pink drink.
Ha, just kidding! If customer feedback been iffy, barista opinion of the drink is a downright catastrophe. In fact, many baristas are outright asking people not to order the Unicorn Frappucino — whether it be through outrageous videos posted online or an entire Reddit thread devoted to the goal of customers not ordering it. That’s not even mentioning the obscene photos or Twitter responses from baristas everywhere.


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Binance is the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume. The company is already rapidly expanding its presence across Europe and the rest of the world. In its latest move, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with Digital Jersey. Another major step in the right direction toward global expansion of cryptocurrency.
Binance is on a Roll
Over the past few months the Binance exchange has made several headlines. The company has set up a headquarter in Malta due to the country’s favorable cryptocurrency and blockchain regulation. Compared to Asian countries, European nations are almost welcoming companies like Binance with open arms. Harsh regulation will drive companies away, and they will take their multi-billion dollar business with them.
Malta isn’t the only European country which shows a keen interest in cryptocurrency. The island of Jersey, while relatively unknown to most, is looking to make a splash as well. This effort is spearheaded by the Digital Jersey organization. The economic development association wants to put Jersey at the forefront of digital excellence.
Additionally, the country’s infrastructure lends itself to cryptocurrrency activity. With its working spaces, training courses, events, and fiber broadband internet access, Jersey is evolving quite quickly. This new collaborationwith Binance will be beneficial to Digital Jersey as well. The association wants to build a blockchain infrastructure which can transform the island into a global hub for financial activity.
Another License on the Horizon
As part of this expansion, Binance will seek to obtain a license and a banking permit. Especially this latter part is of great interest. Opening up more fiat currency gateways for cryptocurrency enthusiasts can only be considered to be a good thing. This venture will also benefit Digital Jersey, as CEO Tony Moretta explains:
“Jersey was one of the first countries in the world to clarify the legal position of cryptocurrency exchanges back in 2015. We can provide a permissive sandbox for innovative crypto businesses to thrive without moving away from the general high standards of regulation that apply in our jurisdiction. We look forward to collaborating with Binance to develop their exchange and compliance function in Jersey, deliver blockchain training as part of our digital skills programme and support the growth of new start-ups in this area.”
For Binance, supporting GBP transactions is a major part of its global expansion plans. Jersey is also close to the UK and Western Europe, which helps the company solidify its market position. The exchange also plans to create around 40 additional jobs to boost the local economy in Jersey. All of this will help bring cryptocurrency to people around the world in the coming years. It is another example of how cryptocurrency is evolving as an industry.
Binance liquidity on the rise as BitMEX’s grip on market loosens
According to data made available by crypto-derivatives analytics firm Skew, the $10 million daily average bid-ask spread on cryptocurrency exchange Binance has been falling steadily over the last week. This spread represents the difference in price between assets available for immediate purchase and immediate sale. Reporting a 0.71% spread on 19 February, Binance saw a dip to 0.55% over the week, marking a drop of around 16 basis points.
Skew had also reported a 50 basis point drop between 6 January 6 and 4 February. This implies that liquidity on Binance is rising, as more buyers are matching with sellers on the cryptocurrency exchange across a larger range of prices. BitMEX, on the other hand, might be seeing liquidity that’s falling slightly, despite a drop of 5 basis points since last week.
19 February saw a bid-ask spread of 0.25% on the BitMEX exchange, which dropped to 0.20% over the next four days. 24 February, however, saw a rise to the 0.22% level, something that could imply that fewer users are choosing to trade on BitMEX.
As AMBCrypto had previously reported, BitMEX users have continued to trust the exchange with their funds, despite multiple scandals and accusations over the past year.
In July 2019, the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) had launched a probe into the derivatives exchange, accusing them of deliberately allowing American citizens to trade on the unregulated exchange. Later that year, the exchange accidentally leaked sensitive user data through an error applying a blind carbon copy protocol to its mass email servers.
Though Binance is still quite a way from reigning supreme against BitMEX, they are most definitely on the way. On the day of writing, Binance Futures saw a 24-hour volume of $1.24 billion, less than half of BitMEX’s $2.7 billion over the same period. However, considering the former’s rate of growth over the last few months, it might not be long before Binance takes the throne.
Binance Now Supports Deposits and Withdrawals in Hong-Kong Dollars
Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has opened a fiat gateway for Hong Kong dollars.
Launched thanks to its partnership with Epay, Binance said on Monday that users can deposit and withdraw Hong Kong dollars from today for trading against supported cryptocurrencies.
Binance already supports euros and pounds sterling through Epay, a payments provider founded in Hong Kong in 2014.
The latest addition is something of a coup for the exchange, as banks in the jurisdiction are notoriously averse to offering accounts to cryptocurrency companies.
The local Gatecoin exchange closed last spring pointing the finger at a funds freeze by a payments processor after having difficulties finding banking for some time. While the firm attempted to survive using other payments services from outside of Hong Kong, it put down its eventual closing to not having ever got the frozen funds back.
Binance has been rapidly rolling out new fiat gateways in a push to serve local markets globally, having been a purely crypto-to-crypto trading platform until last autumn.
It most recently added 15 fiat currencies through a partnership with Israeli payments provider Simplex, and has previously added the national currencies of nations such as Russia, Ukraine, Nigeria and India.
Binance Not Green Lit To Operate In Malta
- There has never been a major crypto platform that has been given the green light by The Malta Financial Services Authority.
- This includes one of the biggest platforms in the world, Binance.
There has never been a major cryptocurrency platform that has been given the green light by The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA). This recent announcement was mainly aimed at one of the biggest platforms in the world, Binance.
Last week, a public statement was issued by MFSA which highlighted that the platform “is not authorized by the MFSA to operate in the cryptocurrency sphere.”. It was also noted that despite live media reports, Binance isn’t actually based in Malta.
Big publications in the country have been referring to the platform as a Malta-regulated crypto business and even the MFSA itself has made similar statements before as it has previously highlighted:
“Following a report in a section of the media referring to Binance as a ‘Malta-based cryptocurrency’ company, the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) reiterates that Binance is not authorized by the MFSA to operate in the cryptocurrency sphere and is therefore not subject to regulatory oversight by the MFSA.”
It was further emphasised that operating a crypto related business in the nation requires a license by the MFSA under the Virtual Financial Assets Act.
It is well known that Binance is officially located in China. A police raid was supposedly done on the alleged offices for the platform which sent the cryptocurrency markets into extreme volatility however, the exchange has denied tonight reports as they stated at the time:
“The Binance team is a global movement consisting of people working in a decentralized manner wherever they are in the world. Binance has no fixed offices in Shanghai or China, so it makes no sense that police raided on any offices and shut them down.”


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The Big Play Day live toy playtesting and feedback event went down a storm last week.
Organiser and industry veteran Steeve Reece - who is also a ToyNews contributor - said the feedback was "overwhelmingly positive".
Around 50 children played with arond 15 products from companies including Vivid, Esdevium and Imagination Games at the first Big Play Day.
"Feedback from last week has been overwhelmingly positive," said Reece.
"I've conducted more playtesting sessions than I care to remember, and never had a single one which failed to deliver really good consumer insight. Last week seems to have worked just as well for the companies who attended."
One of the companies in attendance said: "It was a really worthwhile experience and the kids were brilliant."
Want to receive up to the minute toy industry news straight to your inbox? Click here to sign up for the free ToyNews Daily Digest and Newsflash services. You can also follow ToyNews on Twitter and Facebook.


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OKExChain mainnet enters ‘Genesis’ stage, 10 million OKT tokens issued
January 5, 2021
The major spot exchange platform has launched its mainnet trading chain OKExChain.
The biggest winner of Bitcoin’s rally? Dogecoin. DOGE price soars 105% in one week
Bitcoin could hit $146K long-term by ‘crowding out gold,’ says JPMorgan


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Peanut allergies can be a real scare for many families, but new research may be easing the worry of deadly reaction, for some.
Researchers in Pittsburgh are looking at the effects of a new peanut patch worn by those with peanut allergies, and are finding some positive results.
Jacob Halasowski tells his story to cbslocal.com:
“One of my older sisters had peanut butter ice cream and that side of my face, she was sitting right next to me, it started to swell up. I was very young and the doctor said, ‘Well, we’ll test you, but we’re pretty sure you have an allergy.’”
As part of the new study, he was eager to take part and find out what can be done to help.
How does it work? The study has participants wear a patch on their skin that continually exposes them to the peanut allergen for a year. Before starting, the participants are asked to eat as much as they can tolerate of a peanut butter pudding-the scary part for participants and researchers alike.
After a year, participants return and see if they can tolerate eating more of the pudding. The patch study has been going for three years now and results are looking good.
If everything goes as planned, the patch could be approved by the American Food and Drug Administration. It won’t allow individuals with severe allergies to eat a peanut butter sandwich, but it can add more protection if they are accidentally exposed to peanuts, giving allergy sufferers a higher chance of obtaining increased medical help in time.
Peanut allergies are the most prevalent form of food allergy in children, with around 8% of children suffering from a food allergy, and almost 40% of these experiencing severe reactions, when exposed to the allergen.


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The brewmaster behind one of Jacksonville’s top craft breweries is bringing his expertise to Clay County, with plans to open a combination brewery and pizzeria.
Barley and Pie Brewing Co., a tenant of Sleiman Enterprises, will be located in Fleming Plaza. Founded by Philip Maple, the 6,000-square-foot eatery will seat 150 occupants inside and 40 more under a covered patio.
Maple, a Clay County resident, is the former brewmaster of Wicked Barley Brewing Co in Baymeadows, where he remains a silent partner. The Wisconsin native has called Florida home for most of his adult life, and his Italian ancestry inspired the focus of his new business.
The eatery will showcase 20 beers brewed on-site as well as a menu feature pizzas with “crazy” toppings.
“Growing up, one thing my dad always did was brew craft beer and made pizza dough,” Maple said. “I’ve had a burning desire to do pizza recipes for 20 years and look forward to offering a pie baked in a Neapolitan oven.”
Barley and Pie will offer an array of craft beers including multiple IPAs, sour ales, stouts and lagers.
Pizza toppings will include Buffalo chicken marinated with in-house sauce, cheese ravioli topped with asiago and vodka sauce and a bacon mac and cheese pie.
Maple started working with sour dough five years ago to achieve a product with less gluten, making it easier to digest and pairing well with beer, the brewer and baker said.
“We don’t use manufactured dough,” Maple said. “There are dozens of pizza bars out there, but none are offering sour dough.”
Barley and Pie Brewing Co will hire about 20 to 25 staff, Maple said.
Through an SBA-backed loan,121 Financial Credit Union provided Maple funding for the $1.3 million build-out of the location, which will include a $300,000 seven-barrel brewing system that Maple worked on with Bielman Brewery Services.
Work on the project — which is in the former V Pizza space at 1605 County Rd. 220 — should begin within the next two months.”It’s going to take about six to nine months to complete the build,” Maple told the Business Journal. “We hope to open January 2024 but will be happy with a St. Patrick’s Day grand opening.”
Once Barley and Pie is up and running, Maple is looking for success that rivals that seen by Wicked Barley, which sells the most beer in its taproom of any local craft brewery, according to state records.
Getting there might take some time, but Maple is already looking to the future.
“I have three silent partners, and told them to not expect dividends before year two,” said Maple. “I can’t quit my day job as an IT consultant yet, but when this business proves successful … we’re ready to expand to second and third locations.”


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The court approval of Volkswagen’s $14.7 billion diesel emissions settlement Tuesday was an important milestone, bringing the scandal one step closer to completion for hundreds of thousands of beleaguered diesel owners.
How Does CR Get Its Reliability Information? Where is the data from? Consumer Reports obtains its reliability data from an Annual Questionnaire that is sent to subscribers to ConsumerReports.org and Consumer Reports magazine.
It’s still undersized by the standards of the small SUV class, but the all-new 2017 Mini Countryman is the company’s largest model to date.
When the temperature drops, it's normal for your hands and feet to feel chillier than, say, your legs, arms, or midsection.
Almost exactly a year after pharmaceutical maker Sanofi recalled nearly 500,000 epinephrine injectors after finding they might not provide the correct dosage to patients, the product is gearing up for a comeback, potentially creating a less expensive competitor to the highly scrutinized EpiPen.
No matter what your child wants to dress up as for Halloween, a few costume tricks can lead to a safe and fun night of treats.
A fresh coat of paint is the easiest way to bring new color to your home. But if you’re planning a major remodel, you have an opportunity to retool the entire palette, and that can have a dramatic impact on the look and feel of your home.
One of the last things you might expect when driving your vehicle is for it to catch on fire. But that’s apparently a concern for more than 100,000 Subaru vehicles now under recall. Subaru will recall 100,127 model year 2007 to 2009 Legacy, 2008 to 2014 Impreza, and 2009 to 2013 Forester vehicles equipped with turbo-charged engines.
Tiny houses, smart cars, and other scaled-down versions of the objects we depend on may be the current rage, but large-screen smartphones, a.k.a.
Flickering lights. A slamming door. The scent of perfume wafting through the air. Those could be signs of paranormal activity in your home.
Do you know what your internet service provider (ISP) is doing with all the information it collects on the online videos you watch and the websites you visit?
Raise a frostbitten hand if you like clearing snow. We thought not. Fortunately, the newest breed of snow blower tackles that woeful winter chore up to 30 percent faster.
With summer but a fading memory, it’s now time to start thinking about getting your car ready for the colder months ahead.
For a teenager, owning that first car brings fabulous freedom but also tremendous responsibility. So be ready for significant expenses beyond the purchase price.
An industry-led task force plans to meet later today to discuss solutions to the problem of annoying and potentially harmful robocalls.
DirecTV Now, AT&T's online streaming service that will offer a lot of DirecTV's content without the need for a satellite dish, will cost only $35 a month when it launches at the end of November.
For hundreds of thousands of Volkswagen diesel owners who’ve been waiting to get rid of their smoggy cars, the day has finally arrived.
There’s been chatter in the air for years about phone records and metadata, ever since civil rights advocates sued the NSA over its massive record-retention program back in 2013.
It’s not just Halloween ghouls and goblins that are scary. It’s the hideous messes they leave behind after fright night.
Nissan has rolled out its first sequel to the Armada since the large, three-row SUV was introduced 13 years ago.


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NEW YORK — “Mobility is critical” to all parts of our lives today and it’s become important to the success of companies as well, but using an effective mobile management solution that balances security and user productivity is crucial, according to Mike Paiko, Okta director of product marketing-mobility.
Citing the findings of a recent Google research report, he told the Okta Forum in New York City May 4 that 68% of us check our phones within 15 minutes of waking up each day. “For millennials, it’s even worse,” he said, noting the same report found that 87% of people in that demographic “cannot see themselves going the whole day” without their phones being accessible all day and night. Also, he said, “we check our phones 150 times a day,” spending an average of 70 seconds for each mobile session, usually to complete some sort of work task. A whopping 90% of smartphone users, meanwhile, use those devices to work towards goals while they’re out and about during the course of the day, he said.
Mobile, therefore, is changing the way that employees work, he said, adding it might, therefore, make sense for companies to “take advantage of all this untapped productivity throughout the day.”
Citing the findings of a Gartner report, he said more than 50% of the customer-facing and employee-facing investments that companies are making are mobile-focused. That’s because there’s been more than a 23% increase in worker productivity and 100% increase in employee satisfaction as a result of mobility, he said, adding: “It’s even higher when you look at the millennial workforce.”
But he said: “There’s a lot of negative consequences to mobile-enabling your workforce.” That’s because “when you start giving corporate data and apps access via mobile device there’s a lot of things that can happen that are not necessarily good,” he said.
For one thing, he said: “A lost or a stolen device can have corporate data that’s personally identifying cached on the device.” There can also be increased support costs as a result of companies enacting bring-your-own-device policies that require stepped-up support and security initiatives, he said, noting employees at a company may have five different versions of Android on devices made by five different manufacturers, along with iOS, Macintosh OS and Windows devices as well.
As a result, “you’ve created a lot of complexity” for a company, he said. This can also overwhelm a company’s IT staff because employees will increasingly need help configuring corporate email and other programs on new devices, he said.
There’s also the added problem of what happens when an employee leaves a company, he said, noting that a company’s data may still be on his or her personal device and it can be difficult to make sure that it’s removed.
IT departments have tried many ways to meet all these challenges, he said, noting companies “need a very strong balance between security and user productivity.” And “this is where Okta is squarely focused,” he said, noting that when his company started to “build a mobility service and take advantage of the fact that we control the identity, apps and the devices,” it studied why such initiatives hadn’t been successful in the past.
There’s been poor adoption of mobile management solutions for personal devices by employees in the past, he noted. That’s because the IT department has typically taken control of their entire personal devices as part of those solutions, leaving employees in fear of what those IT people would do with their photos and other personal information, he said. “As a result, the abandonment rate is off the charts” for such solutions, he told attendees. Okta, on the other hand, has “taken a very privacy-sensitive approach” with its mobile management solution, in which it’s clearly communicated what IT employees can and can’t do with the devices, he said.
There’s also been little incentive for employees to sign up for typical mobile management solutions, he said, noting that there usually isn’t any seamless access provided. Okta, however, takes advantage of seamless mobile single sign-on (SSO), providing users of the mobile devices with “one-touch access to all the apps” and the log-in credentials that are on their desktops, he said.
In addition, many mobile management solutions have forced employees to use proprietary email services and other mobile apps on their personal devices, he said. Okta, on the other hand, allows employees to use native mobile OS capabilities, he said.
Another problem has been the on-premises proxies and app gateways that companies often force employees to deal with on their personal devices on premises, which creates latency and other issues, he said. Okta, however, opted for a 100% cloud-based system without such drawbacks, he said. Another advantage of Okta’s solution is that it provides a single solution for identity, apps and devices, he said.
Also at the Forum, Rafael Kabesa, Okta senior product marketing manager-lifecycle management, said his company had been able to decrease the risk of a data breach by 75% among clients using its automated management solution.


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Eataly, the chain of luxury grocery and restaurant complexes devoted to Italian cuisine, is expected to open its first Canadian location this fall after years of planning and construction.
The 50,000-square-foot Toronto flagship — which will have three levels and include a grocery store, a fresh market, four restaurants and half a dozen bars, counters and coffee shops — is the first step in what Eataly’s executive president, Andrea Guerra, sees as a legitimate expansion into Canada, one that could eventually see locations added in Montreal and/or Vancouver.
Long before online shopping turned the retail world on its head, there was tele-shopping.
With the e-commerce giant gobbling up industrial sites in key cities, competition for scarce space is growing
The Liberals basically took the same approach Harper intended to take back in 2015 when trade deals were signed and almost the same amount. We now know the terms of dairy farmers’ compensation: each Canadian will give $46 dollars each to dairy farmers over the next eight years while paying exorbitant retail prices for many dairy products.
Eggs and poultry are coming next. And don’t hold your breath because more money given to dairy farmers won’t change much of anything at the grocery stores. We’ll have more variety due to more foreign products coming in, but prices won’t drop anytime soon.
But the announcement last week by the Minister of Agriculture, Marie-Claude Bibeau was expected. A total of $1.75 billion will be given for losses after trade pacts were struck with the European Union and Pacific nations. The announcement does not include the looming trade deal with the Americans and Mexico. Losses are assumed, but no one knows exactly how much each farmer will lose.
TransUnion says a spike in borrowing over the past year has led millennials to overtake boomers in total debt holdings as part of a generational shift.
Whether categorized by cultivar or suggested effects, Canadian retailers are getting creative when it comes to guiding customers to cannabis products.
Private cannabis stores tend to be closer to primary and secondary schools than government-run stores are, according to a new study that compares legally operating recreational cannabis outlets across Canada.


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It's been less than a year since the NCAA said college athletes could profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL) -- and college basketball stars have been signing deals left and right ever since. That includes several athletes in the Sweet 16 of the men's and women's NCAA tournaments.
According to data from Opendorse, women's basketball players have earned the second-most compensation of all NIL deals (19%), only behind college football players (51%) and ahead of men's college basketball players (15%).
And it makes sense. The 2021 women's NCAA title game between Stanford and Arizona drew 4.1 million viewers -- the most since 2014. This year, the women's tournament finally has the same branding as the men's. Viewership is up 15 percent through the first two rounds, and the second round jumped 25 percent over 2021, according to ESPN PR.
The Sweet Sixteen has its share of significant endorsements on both the women's and men's side.
Bueckers, a star point guard for UConn, signed her first endorsement deal with footwear and apparel marketplace platform StockX in November 2021. According to a company spokesperson, the multi-year deal means she will become "the centerpiece" of StockX's upcoming focus on women's sports and basketball.
A few weeks later, she became the first college athlete to sign an endorsement deal with Gatorade.
Bueckers, who also has a deal with CashApp, filed a trademark for "PAIGE BUCKETS" last year through the Wasserman agency, which represents her.
The Purdue Boilermaker seniors both have sponsorship deals with VIDSIG and Cameo, apps that allow for the purchase of personalized video messages.
Stefanovic also has paid partnerships with Napleton Italian Car Imports in Indianapolis and Dutch Farms, a Chicago-based dairy and deli company.
Williams, a guard at UConn, is sponsored by two of the most typical college student brands.
In addition to posting sponsored content by Maruchan Ramen, Williams also has posted content in collaboration with Wings Over -- a favorite for lovers of chicken wings and tenders -- and vitamin maker Goli Nutrition.
The Gonzaga star is infamous for his mustache -- so it's no surprise that he has a sponsorship deal with Dollar Shave Club.
Another UConn star, Fudd is looking to follow in Stephen Curry's shoes. Fudd signed to be part of his SC30 Inc. brand, the athlete-run organization which handles Curry's off-court business.
"As I continue to focus on becoming the best player and student I can be while in college, I also look forward to broadening my understanding of business and life beyond basketball," Fudd said in December. "This partnership with Steph and his SC30 team will help me do that. I'm really excited about everything we'll do together in the future."
A projected top-three NBA Draft pick (ESPN+), Banchero recently signed a deal with Yahoo Sports to support their March Madness fantasy tournament. Banchero, Duke's leading scorer, also has sponsorship deals with nBA2K, Panini Trading Cards and JD Sports, a British sportswear company.
The South Carolina All-American confirmed her first endorsement deal with Bojangles, a fast-food chain based in Charlotte, NC and popular in the Carolinas, in August.


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|By PR Newswire||
|November 30, 2012 07:37 PM EST||
˗ A 428-Store Verizon Wireless U.S. Retailer
BURNABY, BC, Nov. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - GLENTEL Inc. (TSX: GLN) announced today that it has completed the 100% share purchase of Middletown, Connecticut-based Automotive Technologies, Inc. ("ATI") dba Wireless Zone®, a 428-store franchise system in the United States that sells Verizon Wireless products and services.
"I am pleased to announce the successful acquisition of ATI, and to welcome ATI's employees and Wireless Zone's franchisees to the GLENTEL family," stated Tom Skidmore, GLENTEL's President and Chief Executive Officer. "The acquisition of Wireless Zone increases our already-established US presence, and with limited geographic overlap will complement the corporate stores of Diamond Wireless, one of six exclusive Verizon National Premium Retailers. The addition of ATI brings the total number of locations operated by GLENTEL in Canada, Australia, and the United States to more than 1,180."
Wireless Zone is also one of the six exclusive Verizon Wireless National Premium Retailers, operating 409 franchised and 19 corporate stores in 28 US states. As part of the share purchase agreement, key members of senior management will be subject to employment agreements, and for certain consideration will be provided with share equivalent rights in ATI, which include put and call provisions for an aggregate total of 4.2% of ATI's distributed operating profit.
The total purchase price for 100% stock and other consideration was USD $83.3 million. GLENTEL funded the acquisition through USD$22.3 million of cash and a CDN$61.0 million 5-year syndicated senior credit facility. The final purchase price is subject to a final working capital adjustment.
Combined pro forma unaudited trailing twelve-month financial highlights of GLENTEL Inc. in millions of Canadian dollars, inclusive of the recently completed acquisitions of Australian-based AMT Group and ATI, dba Wireless Zone:
|Pro Forma 12-months Ended June 30, 2012|
Normalized net earnings
finance income and
items, and taxes
* Includes a wholesale business that sells mobile phones and other goods and services to its franchisees
The unaudited pro forma financial information reflects pro forma adjustments and expected synergies based on currently available information and assumptions that management of GLENTEL believes provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects of the completion of the share purchase transactions. Adjustments in place adjust results to account for GLENTEL's 83% ownership interest in AMT Group. The above unaudited pro forma consolidated financial information is for informational purposes only and is not necessarily indicative of what the financial position and results of operations would have been had the completion of the acquisitions occurred on or before June 30, 2011 with assumption of 12-month trailing earnings ending June 30, 2012, nor does it purport to be indicative of the financial position as of any future date or results of operations for any future period, nor the financial position as determined under GAAP. Actual figures may differ significantly from those presented above.
GLENTEL (TSX: GLN) is the largest independent multi-carrier mobile phone retailer in Canada and a leading provider of innovative and reliable telecommunications services and solutions in North America. Founded in 1963 and headquartered in Burnaby, BC, Canada, GLENTEL comprises four operating divisions - Retail Canada, Retail U.S., Retail Australia and Business - that service thousands of consumers and commercial communications customers. The company operates over 1,180 stores worldwide, with more than 330 locations in Canada located nationally in retail malls, Costco Wholesale stores, and business centers; more than 210 Diamond Wireless retail locations in the United States; 428 Wireless Zone retail locations in the United States; and more than 210 retail locations in Australia. In addition, Target Canada has licensed the operation of over 125 mobile communications sales and service kiosks within its stores to GLENTEL under the brand Target Mobile®, commencing in 2013. To its business and government customers, GLENTEL offers wireless service, rental equipment, satellite and terrestrial network systems and wireless asset monitoring. GLENTEL offers a choice of network carrier and wireless device or mobile phone to Canadian and Australian consumers and offers the family of wireless products and services of Verizon Wireless in the United States. GLENTEL operates its business under the trading names GLENTEL Wireless, WIRELESSWAVE, WAVE SANS FIL, Tbooth Wireless, La Cabine T Sans Fil, WIRELESS etc., SANS FIL etc., Mac Station, Diamond Wireless and Wireless Zone - Verizon Wireless National Premium Retailers, and Allphones in Australia.
Statements in this release relating to matters that are not historical fact are forward-looking statements based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions, changes in technology, reliance on third-party manufacturing, managing rapid growth, limited intellectual property protection, and other risks and uncertainties described in GLENTEL's public filings with securities regulatory authorities.
NO STOCK EXCHANGE, SECURITIES COMMISSION, OR OTHER REGULATORY AUTHORITY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN.
SOURCE Glentel Inc.
Things are changing so quickly in IoT that it would take a wizard to predict which ecosystem will gain the most traction. In order for IoT to reach its potential, smart devices must be able to work together. Today, there are a slew of interoperability standards being promoted by big names to make this happen: HomeKit, Brillo and Alljoyn. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Adam Justice, vice president and general manager of Grid Connect, will review what happens when smart devices don’t work togethe...
Mar. 29, 2017 06:30 PM EDT Reads: 2,719
SYS-CON Events announced today that SoftLayer, an IBM Company, has been named “Gold Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 18th Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York, New York. SoftLayer, an IBM Company, provides cloud infrastructure as a service from a growing number of data centers and network points of presence around the world. SoftLayer’s customers range from Web startups to global enterprises.
Mar. 29, 2017 03:15 PM EDT Reads: 2,241
SYS-CON Events announced today that CA Technologies has been named “Platinum Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY, and the 21st International Cloud Expo®, which will take place October 31-November 2, 2017, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. CA Technologies helps customers succeed in a future where every business – from apparel to energy – is being rewritten by software. From ...
Mar. 29, 2017 02:30 PM EDT Reads: 2,292
SYS-CON Events announced today that Technologic Systems Inc., an embedded systems solutions company, will exhibit at SYS-CON's @ThingsExpo, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Technologic Systems is an embedded systems company with headquarters in Fountain Hills, Arizona. They have been in business for 32 years, helping more than 8,000 OEM customers and building over a hundred COTS products that have never been discontinued. Technologic Systems’ pr...
Mar. 29, 2017 02:30 PM EDT Reads: 3,834
SYS-CON Events announced today that Auditwerx will exhibit at SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Auditwerx specializes in SOC 1, SOC 2, and SOC 3 attestation services throughout the U.S. and Canada. As a division of Carr, Riggs & Ingram (CRI), one of the top 20 largest CPA firms nationally, you can expect the resources, skills, and experience of a much larger firm combined with the accessibility and attent...
Mar. 29, 2017 02:30 PM EDT Reads: 722
SYS-CON Events announced today that HTBase will exhibit at SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. HTBase (Gartner 2016 Cool Vendor) delivers a Composable IT infrastructure solution architected for agility and increased efficiency. It turns compute, storage, and fabric into fluid pools of resources that are easily composed and re-composed to meet each application’s needs. With HTBase, companies can quickly prov...
Mar. 29, 2017 02:15 PM EDT Reads: 3,292
SYS-CON Events announced today that Loom Systems will exhibit at SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Founded in 2015, Loom Systems delivers an advanced AI solution to predict and prevent problems in the digital business. Loom stands alone in the industry as an AI analysis platform requiring no prior math knowledge from operators, leveraging the existing staff to succeed in the digital era. With offices in S...
Mar. 29, 2017 01:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,771
Buzzword alert: Microservices and IoT at a DevOps conference? What could possibly go wrong? In this Power Panel at DevOps Summit, moderated by Jason Bloomberg, the leading expert on architecting agility for the enterprise and president of Intellyx, panelists peeled away the buzz and discuss the important architectural principles behind implementing IoT solutions for the enterprise. As remote IoT devices and sensors become increasingly intelligent, they become part of our distributed cloud enviro...
Mar. 29, 2017 12:15 PM EDT Reads: 7,929
SYS-CON Events announced today that T-Mobile will exhibit at SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. As America's Un-carrier, T-Mobile US, Inc., is redefining the way consumers and businesses buy wireless services through leading product and service innovation. The Company's advanced nationwide 4G LTE network delivers outstanding wireless experiences to 67.4 million customers who are unwilling to compromise on ...
Mar. 29, 2017 11:45 AM EDT Reads: 2,598
SYS-CON Events announced today that Infranics will exhibit at SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Since 2000, Infranics has developed SysMaster Suite, which is required for the stable and efficient management of ICT infrastructure. The ICT management solution developed and provided by Infranics continues to add intelligence to the ICT infrastructure through the IMC (Infra Management Cycle) based on mathemat...
Mar. 29, 2017 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 3,465
SYS-CON Events announced today that Interoute, owner-operator of one of Europe's largest networks and a global cloud services platform, has been named “Bronze Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 20th Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017 at the Javits Center in New York, New York. Interoute is the owner-operator of one of Europe's largest networks and a global cloud services platform which encompasses 12 data centers, 14 virtual data centers and 31 colocation centers, with connections to 195 add...
Mar. 29, 2017 10:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,757
SYS-CON Events announced today that Cloudistics, an on-premises cloud computing company, has been named “Bronze Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Cloudistics delivers a complete public cloud experience with composable on-premises infrastructures to medium and large enterprises. Its software-defined technology natively converges network, storage, compute, virtualization, and management into a ...
Mar. 29, 2017 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,368
In his session at @ThingsExpo, Eric Lachapelle, CEO of the Professional Evaluation and Certification Board (PECB), will provide an overview of various initiatives to certifiy the security of connected devices and future trends in ensuring public trust of IoT. Eric Lachapelle is the Chief Executive Officer of the Professional Evaluation and Certification Board (PECB), an international certification body. His role is to help companies and individuals to achieve professional, accredited and worldw...
Mar. 29, 2017 08:45 AM EDT Reads: 963
In his General Session at 16th Cloud Expo, David Shacochis, host of The Hybrid IT Files podcast and Vice President at CenturyLink, investigated three key trends of the “gigabit economy" though the story of a Fortune 500 communications company in transformation. Narrating how multi-modal hybrid IT, service automation, and agile delivery all intersect, he will cover the role of storytelling and empathy in achieving strategic alignment between the enterprise and its information technology.
Mar. 29, 2017 08:00 AM EDT Reads: 7,576
Microservices are a very exciting architectural approach that many organizations are looking to as a way to accelerate innovation. Microservices promise to allow teams to move away from monolithic "ball of mud" systems, but the reality is that, in the vast majority of organizations, different projects and technologies will continue to be developed at different speeds. How to handle the dependencies between these disparate systems with different iteration cycles? Consider the "canoncial problem" ...
Mar. 29, 2017 06:00 AM EDT Reads: 9,095
The Internet of Things is clearly many things: data collection and analytics, wearables, Smart Grids and Smart Cities, the Industrial Internet, and more. Cool platforms like Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Intel's Galileo and Edison, and a diverse world of sensors are making the IoT a great toy box for developers in all these areas. In this Power Panel at @ThingsExpo, moderated by Conference Chair Roger Strukhoff, panelists discussed what things are the most important, which will have the most profound e...
Mar. 29, 2017 04:00 AM EDT Reads: 15,142
Keeping pace with advancements in software delivery processes and tooling is taxing even for the most proficient organizations. Point tools, platforms, open source and the increasing adoption of private and public cloud services requires strong engineering rigor - all in the face of developer demands to use the tools of choice. As Agile has settled in as a mainstream practice, now DevOps has emerged as the next wave to improve software delivery speed and output. To make DevOps work, organization...
Mar. 29, 2017 03:45 AM EDT Reads: 2,202
My team embarked on building a data lake for our sales and marketing data to better understand customer journeys. This required building a hybrid data pipeline to connect our cloud CRM with the new Hadoop Data Lake. One challenge is that IT was not in a position to provide support until we proved value and marketing did not have the experience, so we embarked on the journey ourselves within the product marketing team for our line of business within Progress. In his session at @BigDataExpo, Sum...
Mar. 29, 2017 03:30 AM EDT Reads: 3,281
Web Real-Time Communication APIs have quickly revolutionized what browsers are capable of. In addition to video and audio streams, we can now bi-directionally send arbitrary data over WebRTC's PeerConnection Data Channels. With the advent of Progressive Web Apps and new hardware APIs such as WebBluetooh and WebUSB, we can finally enable users to stitch together the Internet of Things directly from their browsers while communicating privately and securely in a decentralized way.
Mar. 29, 2017 03:00 AM EDT Reads: 6,120
DevOps is often described as a combination of technology and culture. Without both, DevOps isn't complete. However, applying the culture to outdated technology is a recipe for disaster; as response times grow and connections between teams are delayed by technology, the culture will die. A Nutanix Enterprise Cloud has many benefits that provide the needed base for a true DevOps paradigm.
Mar. 29, 2017 01:15 AM EDT Reads: 2,563


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Oppo confirmed a new product line under the name Reno yesterday and the first smartphone under series has been touted to launch on April 10. With a month left to go for the official launch, the OPPO Reno as we would like to call it now has been leaked through a couple of pictures at the same time as its specs got revealed.
As per a piece uploaded by SlashLeaks, the OPPO Reno looks to be designed in a dark teal green colour, possibly with a curved glass panel on the rear end. What we can grasp from the image is that the back panel comes with a triple camera setup with an LED flash. Judging by the lack of a fingerprint scanner, we can expect the Reno to feature an in-display fingerprint sensor on the front under its OLED display.
As for the optics, the triple camera setup on the Reno is expected to comprise of a 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 sensor, a 10X telephoto lens and an ultra-wide angle lens. The camera module will be enabled with dual OIS for stabilisation. The camera on the front is expected to be a single 16MP image sensor.
However, there’s a similar coloured device in the pictures as well with a dual-camera setup. So take this with a grain of salt if the real device turns out to be something else. As for the second picture, there’s a Bluetooth SIG certification which has leaked its camera specifications. The device comes with a 48MP + 5MP setup at the back and is powered by a Snapdragon 710 SoC, as reported by GizmoChina. This begs the question whether the OPPO Reno will be a flagship phone or a just another higher-end mid-ranger.
Previously, Oppo was found developing a Snapdragon 855-powered smartphone with Adreno 640 GPU, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. With a launch expected to happen on April 10, we’ll know more about what Oppo’s cooking and if Oppo is developing something other than the Reno smartphone.


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Foxconn Technology Group, best known as the go-to maker of Apple’s iPads and iPhones, said Monday it had embraced Mozilla’s Firefox OS and would use the mobile platform on a raft of new devices, including a tablet it showed off at the Computex show now under way in Taiwan.
The company also demoed several smartphones running the Firefox OS and announced that it would make devices running the open software in eight categories, ranging from smartphones and tablets to laptops, TVs and outdoor signage.
“Currently, Foxconn is executing on a vision of ‘eight screens, one network and one cloud’ with all our strength,” said Young Liu, the general manager of Foxconn innovation Digital System Business Group.
“Besides the native advantages of hardware manufacturing, Foxconn is also developing a brand new integrated approach to providing hardware, software, content and services,” he added.
Foxconn is apparently working on five devices with Mozilla.
Coming This Summer
Based on Linux and the Gecko layout engine, the software’s roots lie in the Boot to Gecko project set up two years by a group of programmers at the Mozilla Foundation to create a standalone mobile operating system for the open Web. B2G used the Android kernel, drivers, the GNU C library and other technologies.
Developers built prototype APIs for exposing device and OS capabilities to content such as telephony, SMS, cameras, USB, Bluetooth and near field communication — the technology used in mobile wallets — among other things.
Any modifications made to the user interface and any applications created to run on Firefox OS are Web pages that have enhanced access to a mobile device’s hardware and services.
Firefox OS can be ported to most recent ARM-based mobile devices.
Mozilla claims the Firefox OS is getting support from numerous manufacturers and telecom service providers worldwide. The first Firefox OS devices will be released this summer, Mozilla said.
‘Promoting Interface Standards’
“This is interesting, but there are still more questions than answers at this point,” Jeff Orr, a senior practice director at ABI Research, told TechNewsWorld.
The Firefox OS and browser are creating “an ecosystem where you truly can have anybody and everybody chip in,” Orr said.
The value of HTML5 devices brought out by organizations such as the Mozilla Foundation and the Linux Foundation is “not to overthrow Apple or Google; it’s in promoting interface standards that the larger companies may be holding back,” he explained.
The larger question, however, is “the rate of innovation and the ability of the Mozilla and Linux Foundations to be the shepherds of innovation going forward which, in turn, forces mainstream providers to adopt it.”
A Question of Apps
Indeed, “the carriers are always complaining that they want another source and how it’s difficult to go up against iOS and Android,” Jim McGregor, principal analyst at Tirias Research, told TechNewsWorld.
Foxconn is going to offer devices running Firefox OS together with services, software and content, and that means it’s “basically setting up a new carrier in the market, similar to what Amazon’s doing for the Internet today,” McGregor pointed out. “I can see a bank offering Foxconn-branded phones or servers.”
However, devices running the Firefox OS will have to go up against the massive number of apps available on the iOS and Android platforms because “what’s important to consumers is the applications they can use on the phone,” McGregor said.
That means the devices “will be limited to people willing to take a chance, and typically they’ll be people on the lower end of the market spectrum who don’t expect too much, or are in lower-cost markets,” he added.
Asia and Africa are likely candidates, Orr speculated.
In any case, noted McGregor, there’s also the possibility that the move “is going to raise some concerns among Foxconn customers that it may be utilizing some of the technology it’s making for them and may be competing with them.”


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JACKSON, MI – Consumers Energy is warning its customers about a phone scam that demands they pay their bill over the phone using a Green Dot prepaid credit card.
Reports of the scam have come from customers in Genesee County and the Grand Rapids area from callers who claim to represent Consumers Energy.
A typical scenario involves a caller demanding for a Consumer Energy bill payment to be made within an hour and telling the customer to buy a Green Dot prepaid credit card from a drug or food store. Customers are then instructed to call a toll-free number to pay the bills with these cards.
“Consumers Energy never demands payment using only a Green Dot card,” Michael Williams, the utility’s director of corporate security, said in a statement. “Customers who are bullied into paying by these imposters will lose their money. We urge customers to be alert to this scam, and never pay over the phone using a Green Dot card. Customers should never give money or personal information over the phone to anyone they do not know.”
Those who believe they have been a victim of this scam or have concerns should call Consumers Energy at (800) 477-5050. Visit www.consumersenergy.com/waystopay to find ways to pay for customers’ utility bills.


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A TVN check of broadcasters and media analysts finds second-quarter core growth may exceed 3% over the same period last year. The auto category is expected to finish flat or up slightly in the first quarter. Prospects for the telecom sector, spot's No. 2 ad category, seem to be all over the map as battles between providers are waged on a local level, but are expected to land between flat and up 10%.
Despite Balky Auto, 2Q Spot Seen Growing
Broadcasters and industry analysts are relatively bullish on second-quarter core spot sales, even though TV stations aren’t getting the share of auto buys to which they are accustomed and despite continued uncertainty about how much the key telecommunications sector will bring.
Second-quarter core growth may exceed 3% over the same period last year, according to a TVNewsCheck barometer reading of nine TV station groups and three media analysts. If that percentage holds true, it will be an improvement over the 2% core growth that stations are expecting when the books close on the first quarter.
The first quarter 2015 core growth rate suffered because of the heavy spending on NBC stations during the Olympics last year, making for tough comps, but benefitted from relatively better weather this year.
“While we are experiencing some cold weather in the East, as a nation generally we’re not feeling the effects of the weather impact on the economy,” said Mark Fratrik, BIA/Kelsey SVP and chief economist.
Core spot excludes political advertising that comes in heavily in even-numbered election years and makes comparison of total spot from year to year difficult. On average, the experts say, total spot will be down perhaps 3% in the first quarter and 1% in the second.
In TVNewsCheck’s annual forecast last fall, station groups and analysts predicted that 2015 full-year total revenue will be down 6.3%. Full-year core will be up 2.4%, they said.
Few station executives contacted for this story would divulge their estimates on sales in the auto sector for the first quarter, but those who did suggest it will be about flat to up slightly. Part of the reason is the surge in auto spending last year around the Olympics.
That may sound worrisome, especially as the sector accounts for more than 30% of all spot sales. But it’s an improvement over the fourth quarter of 2014, when results were negative compared to same period in 2013.
LMC Automotive is projecting that auto unit sales will reach 17 million in 2015, up from 16.5 million last year, based on results for the first two months of the year.
But broadcasters can no longer expect a corresponding rise in auto revenue.
“Overall auto sales in the U.S. continue to be strong, but we can’t completely count on the direct relationship between auto sales and advertising as we once could,” said Wayne Freedman, VP of sales for Raycom Media.
“There’s no question that more auto ad spending — across all three tiers — is moving to digital, and we’re working hard to respond with more relevant and targeted digital solutions for our auto advertisers.”
Another exec agreed. “We’ve seen an increase in our digital, so I wouldn’t say auto is going to other places. It’s staying in the broadcast family. They’re trying different mediums.”
One source reported that revenue from the Nissan, General Motors, Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler brands were all up when averaged across all three automotive tiers — manufacturers (Tier 1), deal associations (Tier 2) and local dealers (Tier 3). However, he said that less spending by Ford and Honda have dampened the overall results.
Ford is spending about 20% less in spot than in the past, according to some estimates. And that’s due largely to greater emphasis on non-traditional media.
On the flip side, “Nissan is on a tear,” said one source. “It did a highly publicized 60-second spot during the Super Bowl; it was their first Super Bowl ad in 15 years.”
“We’re seeing kind of an interesting thing,” said a station exec. “In the first quarter, Tier 1 has led the way, followed in specific order by Tier 2 and Tier 3. Tier 1 is somewhere close to plus 10%, and that’s despite the Olympics last year. Tier 2 is just under flat, and Tier 3 is in the negative single digits.”
“But if I had to predict second quarter, I’d say a stronger Tier 2. Right now our order in second quarter is Tier 2, Tier 3 and Tier 1.”
Prospects for telecom, spot’s No. 2 ad category, seem to be all over the map, quite literally, as battles between providers are waged on a local level. Depending on the station group executive one talks to, the estimates for the first quarter are anywhere between flat and up 10%.
Stations in the right place can really hit the jackpot. “There’s just so much competition, with all the price wars and promotions between Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T. They seem to be spending more and more on TV advertising,” said Justin Nielson, a senior research analyst at SNL Kagan.
Other sales execs are also holding their breath as they wait for the Comcast and Time Warner Cable merger to be consummated, hoping it will pump up the category more broadly.
Among the ad categories showing gains in the first quarter are fast food/restaurants and retail.
However, McDonald’s pulled back spot spending in the first quarter. “I think they’ll get their act together in the second quarter,” ventured one TV sales exec. Not only has a new CEO taken the reins, but the weather is improving, and “they’ve launched a new product, mozzarella sticks.”
Darden was among the restaurant companies that spent strongly in spot in first quarter. Its brands include Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse and The Capital Grille.
In the retail category, furniture and home-improvement companies were particularly active in spot. “New homebuilding once again is growing, and consumers are looking at home remodeling as we continue to emerge from the economic downturn,” said Raycom’s Freedman.
Freedman sees another positive development: “One of the strongest performing categories we’re seeing is the ‘services’ category, which is mostly driven by accounts like attorneys, weight loss and fitness centers.
“It’s a powerful reminder that even with all the changes taking place in the media landscape, accounts like these — driven by traditional ROI and measures like qualified leads, ringing phones, and in-person appointments — continue to increase their investments in local television and our digital platforms.”


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Frog-Skin selected by Lionsbridge FC to treat their Professional Development League Players
Innovative product to treat soft-tissue injuries will be used by Lionsbridge FC and Riverside Sports Medicine Staff
(April 4, 2018) – Lionsbridge FC, the new PDL soccer team that kicks off next month at POMOCO Stadium, has partnered with Frog-Skin, the Peninsula-based startup that aims to help athletes of all ages and abilities to better treat soft-tissue injuries.
As part of the partnership, Frog-Skin will supply its innovative product, designed to immediately treat soft-tissue injuries, to the Riverside Health System Sports Medicine and Lionsbridge FC.
“It is exciting to join forces with a fellow Peninsula-based startup like Frog-Skin,” club co-founder Mike Vest said. “This partnership shows that entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well on the Peninsula.”
“We are proud to partner with Lionsbridge FC and to provide the Riverside Athletic Training staff with Frog-Skin products. We are committed to serving the Virginia Peninsula community,” Frog-Skin CEO Brian Stewart said.