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Posts for August, 2010
The annual retail industry list of hot companies came out today. No surprise, the fastest-growing chains are mostly off-pricers and discounters.
The highest-ranking chain that has stores here is O'Reilly Automotive, which specializes in aftermarket auto parts. In first and second place on the list, from the National Retail Federation, are SYMS, a New Jersey chain that sells off-price men's clothing; and Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, a division of international grocer Tesco that is opening stores in California.
In 4th through 10th places are: Rue21, Verizon Wireless, Amazon.com, Netflix, Aeropostale, The Buckle and Citi Trends.
With one month to go until the end of Kohl's Corp.'s $10 million school giveaway, there is just one Wisconsin school on the top twenty leaderboard: Mitchell Middle School in Racine.
The Menomonee Falls-based department store chain will give $10 million to 20 schools this fall, $500,000 to each. The contest is based on votes on Kohl's Facebook page.
Pius XI High School in Milwaukee was in 23rd place this morning.
Each of the top twenty schools at the end of the contest will need to provide a plan to Kohl's for how the award money will be used. (3)
About 12,000 square feet of street front retail space downtown is up for grabs for free for the holiday season, thanks to a new program from the Milwaukee Downtown Business Improvement District.
Retailers can get free rent from October 15 through January 15 at three locations downtown: the Colby Abbot building on the northwest corner of E. Mason and N. Milwaukee Sts.; the Wisconsin building on the north side of E. Wisconsin Ave. between N. Broadway and Milwaukee St.; and at the Railway Exchange building on the southwest corner of E. Wisconsin Ave. and N. Broadway.
All of the space is vacant, some of it for quite a while, according to Deanna Inniss, retail recruiter for the Downtown BID. Inniss came up with the idea and sold it to the property owners. She expects more owners may participate. »Read Full Blog Post(11)
Kohl's will host a re-grand opening Wednesday, Aug. 11 at its store on Highway 100 and W. Cleveland Ave. to show off the renovation of the inside of the store.
The update includes moving the service desk to the front of the store and updates around the store and in the rest rooms. The company had hoped to also do an exterior facelift, as I reported this spring. That plan didn't work out, because of a disagreement with the city over the sign, according to a report in our sister publication, West Allis Now. (5)
There's a new candy store in town, and it's edging out Buddy Squirrel from a couple of locations at local malls.
Maroon Bells, a Colorado-based sweet shop operated by two former Quality Candy/Buddy Squirrel executives will open this fall at Brookfield Square and Bayshore Town Center, in space that has been occupied by Quality. The St. Francis chocolate company has new owners who bought it as part of a bankruptcy proceeding. It is now known simply as Buddy Squirrel.
Maroon Bells adds coffee and ice cream to the menu, along with chocolate. It is owned by John Crayne and Dave Reynolds, who have two locations in Colorado. They opened the stores after losing out on a bid to buy Quality Candy in the bankruptcy case. »Read Full Blog Post(2)
Michael Prokop, a jeweler at Fred Meyer for 20 years, has opened his own store in the former Whitehall Jeweler space at Southridge Mall. Prokop's is on the second floor, center court.
Other recent openings at Southridge include a Best Buy cell phone store on the first floor, near center court, and a Toys R Us Express store on the second level in the south wing of the center. (1)
V&J Holdings Companies, the Milwaukee operator of Burger King restaurants, opened the area's first Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream Shop and Coffee Beanery today in the Bradley Village strip mall in Brown Deer.
The shop is at the southwest corner of N. Sherman Blvd. and W. Bradley Rd. V&J opened five Haagen-Dazs locations in the central and northern areas of the state in 2008, and expects to open more in the Milwaukee area in the near future. (16)
Allen-Edmonds Shoe Corp., the Port Washington-based manufacturer of high-end men's shoes, will open a retail store in downtown Minneapolis in early September.
The store will be on the Skyway level of the Minneapolis City Center. Allen-Edmonds' owner, the private equity firm of Goldner Hawn Johnson & Morrison, is in Minneapolis. The store will be designed by James Dayton of Minneapolis, to resemble an updated classic estate library. (1)
A retail real estate industry trade publication reports Wednesday that landlords are nervous about the possible sale of bookseller Barnes & Noble.
The chain announced last week that it is considering "strategic alternatives," including the sale of the company. Now Retail Traffic reports that a sale is likely to involve closings of some Barnes & Noble stores.
The book chain occupies some prominent locations in local malls, including Bayshore Town Center, Brookfield Square and Mayfair, and has a standalone store on S. 76th St. in Greenfield, just north of Southridge Mall. (4)
Computer kiosks, which allow customers to order items they can't find in the store, are now in all Kohl's stores across the country, Kohl's Chief Executive Officer Kevin Mansell said Thursday.
The kiosks were tested first in the Kohl's department store in Grafton. Mansell said shoppers have responded positively to the kiosks. Shipping is free on merchandise ordered from an in-store kiosk.
The company plans to start including the kiosks in Kohl's ads soon, Mansell said. (12)
The Benelux Grand Cafe and Market will open around the end of the year in the building kitty-corner from the Milwaukee Public Market that formerly held the Good Harvest natural food store.
Diablos Rojos, operator of Trocadero, Cafe Hollander and Cafe Centraal, is the owner of the new cafe. Benelux likely will have rooftop and outdoor dining, according to Ron SanFelippo, chairman of the Business Improvement District #2, which owns and operates the Public Market.
The Public Market owns the building where Benelux will be located. Diablos Rojos will undertake substantial remodeling for the new cafe and market, San Felippo said. The Benelux will offer dining in the western part of the building, on N. Broadway, with a food market in the eastern half. (30)
David Bodamer, editor of Retail Traffic, a trade publication, has an interesting blog this week on a California court ruling on free speech at the mall.
The case involves a pastor who was tossed out of a Westfield mall in California for speaking to a few women about religion. He sued in Federal Court on the basis of free speech, and won. Westfield, a national mall landlord that also owns Old Orchard in Skokie, has a rule against conversations among strangers that don't involve the mall.
This is an interesting issue, since malls are private property and in general have the right to toss people out for any number of reasons. Malls here and elsewhere have rules focusing on bad behavior, and curfews banning teens at certain hours.
Reporters often get tossed out of malls for speaking to strangers without permission from management. The Shops of Grand Avenue is even stricter than that: I was kicked out last year for taking notes. I was shown the door after a guard asked what I was writing, and I expIained that I was counting the vacancies. (6)
The City of Greenfield expects to have a plan submitted soon for a new Wal-Mart with a full grocery department, near the site of the existing store on S. 108th St. and W. Layton Ave.
The city expects to have the plan in time for the Sept. 14 Plan Commission meeting, according to Mayor Michael Neitzke.
Chuck Erickson, community development manager for the city, said he's been in discussions with the Bentonville, Ark. chain for the past two years on ways to replace the old store with a larger one. The challenge, Erickson said, is the elevation of the land. Wal-Mart wants to build the new 140,000-square-foot store east of the existing one, on land now used for a driving range. That would require raising the elevation to even out the site. »Read Full Blog Post(46)
Nearly one-third of Midwestern families, 32%, hadn't started their back-to-school shopping as of last week, according to a new survey from the National Retail Federation.
On the flip side, almost 10% said they had completely finished their annual trek to the stores to buy school supplies and new clothes for the kids.
For the majority who still need to complete their shopping, discount stores are the most popular destination, with 62% of Midwesterners listing them as the top choice. Walmart ranks first, with 48% saying they will spend most of their back-to-school budgets with the world's largest retailer. Target is second, taking about 15% of school budgets from those surveyed.
Consumers said advertising inserts were the biggest influence on their buying decision, with 45% of Midwesterners using them. In-store promotions ranked second, and coupons third, in affecting shopping choices. (28)
J-Shore, a storefront operated by the Jewish Community Center, will open Wednesday, Aug. 25, in the interior of Bayshore Town Center. J-Shore will run educational programs and entertainment for children and adults.
The grand opening event, from 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, includes a magic show, arts and crafts and fitness demonstrations for adults. I first wrote about J-Shore earlier this summer.
The Detour shop on Brady St. will close at the end of the month, as the business goes online only.
"Ninety percent of our business is online," said co-owner Jesse Meyer, who has operated the Detour business with his brother since 1997. The men launched their web site, www.shopdetour.com, in the early 2000s, on the advice of a friend who owned ShopBop, a successful online retailer based in Madison.
Detour focuses on designs often seen in New York and Los Angeles, Meyer said. Brands include A.P.C., LVC, KMW, Gitman Vintage WWM, Band of Outsiders and many more.
Shoppers in Milwaukee want the best things, but at cheaper prices, Meyer said. He closed the Detour location in Brookfield a few years ago, when the lease expired. (8)
The Historic Turner Restaurant at Turner Hall, across from the Bradley Center, will serve its last fish fry next week, the operator announced Wednesday.
The last day of business will be Saturday, Sept. 4, ending a 15-year run for the current restaurant. Milwaukee restaurant operator R.C Schmidt has run the operation at Turner Hall since 1995. Schmidt's lease with Turner Hall will expire at the end of September.
Schmidt has not returned a call seeking comment on the closing, and the announcement didn't list a reason. Schmidt's other restaurants include the Water Street Brewery, Rudy's, The Harp, Trinity and Louise's. »Read Full Blog Post(25)
Frugal Milwaukee maintains that reputation by ranking first in coupon use in the U.S., according to a new survey from Scarborough Research.
About 45% of households in the ten-county area clip or download coupons for groceries; 20% use them for non-grocery purchases. Nationally, 32% use grocery coupons every week; 13% use non-grocery coupons at least once a week.
Philadelphia ranks second in grocery coupon use, with 41% of households redeeming them at least once a week; Rochester is third with 40%, followed by Hartford/New Haven in Connecticut and the Harrisburg/Lancaster/Lebanon/York area in Pennsylvania.
Nationally and locally, coupon use has risen during this recession. (31)
The new owners of Flanner's Home Entertainment have reopened the store on W. Blue Mound Rd. across from Brookfield Square.
Colder's, the local appliance/furniture/electronics chain, bought Flanner's assets out of a bankruptcy proceeding in Waukesha County.
Colder's re-opened Flanner's Wednesday and is running a tent sale, offering the merchandise that was purchased in the bankruptcy. The sale runs through Sept. 8, when a grand opening is planned. (40)
A new Pick 'n Save store will open at 6 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28 at N77-W14435 Appleton Ave. in Menomonee Falls. It will replace an older store next door, which will close at 5 p.m. today.
Grand opening festivities at the new store, including music and food samples, are planned for 4:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 30. The new store is about 103,000 square feet, more than twice as big as the old one. It will include a section of value-priced merchandise, and a self-service cafe with hot foods, a salad bar,
This new store will be similar to another large Pick 'n Save that Roundy's opened recently on W. Good Hope Rd. in an old Home Depot building. The megastores are poised to compete with the new Woodman's that will open nearby in Menonomee Falls this fall.
Turner Hall is in advance negotiations with a local restaurant operator who will replace R.C. Schmidt's current operation, which closes Sept. 4.
Art Heitzer, president of the Milwaukee Turners, the organization that owns the building, said he expects to have a deal with the new tenant soon. Once the deal is signed, it will take a few months before the new restaurant opens. The Turners will make structural repairs to the building after the Schmidt restaurant closes, Heitzer said.
Meanwhile, all existing entertainment and athletic programs continue in the historic building, on N. 4th St. across from the Bradley Center.
The Boston Store has launched a Facebook page, following the lead of lots of other retailers who use the social networking site to communicate with customers.
The retailers post news about products and special deals on the site. Some of the larger chains have more than a million fans, who use Facebook to make comments on what they like and don't like about the stores.
A recent survey of Boston Store customers showed they tended to spend more time listening to radio and watching TV, and not a lot of time using social media.. (2)


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Israel is likely to feel some blowback from Intel’s Wednesday announcement that the company would lay off 12,000 workers, or about 11% of its workforce.
But on the hopeful side, the man reputed to be behind the restructuring, Venkata “Murthy” Renduchintala, has been to Israel and was “very impressed” with Intel’s operation here, according to Shlomo Gradman, chairman of the Israeli High Tech CEO Forum and one of the top Israeli experts on the chip and semiconductor industry.
“Most media reports have pointed to the slowdown in PC sales as the motivation for the reboot, but the story is more complicated than that,” said Gradman. “Of course, no one can make predictions, as the decisions are going to be made by the company, but it’s hard to imagine Intel shutting down too much in Israel, considering the benefits to the company.”
Based on a statement issued by the company announcing the layoffs – or rather, “restructuring” – Israelis might well think they have cause to worry. In the statement, Intel says that it seeks to “accelerate its evolution from a PC company to one that powers the cloud and billions of smart, connected computing devices. Intel will intensify its focus in high-growth areas where it is positioned for long-term leadership, customer value and growth, while making the company more efficient and profitable.”
Those “billions of smart connected devices” are likely mobile devices – smartphones, tablets, and the like – as well as Internet of Things devices. Israel is a world center for Intel’s processor development – with processors generally going into PCs and laptops, the exact devices Intel is “accelerating away” from. On the other hand, Skylake – the new processor developed largely at Intel Israel and the building block of the next generation of its range of devices – comes in various sizes, with iterations for laptops, tablets, mobile devices, and even for Internet of Things devices.
Indeed, the company, like so many others, is looking for IoT to greatly expand chip business, which is Intel’s core activity; 50 billion IoT devices will be coming online in the next decade, experts say, and the company that builds the slimmest, most powerful, and best-connected chips with the most capabilities and features is likely to dominate the industry. Intel sees Israel as a place for that advanced IoT chip development; last year, the company opened an IoT lab in Haifa.
“Although others may have gotten a head start, we believe Intel has the resources to dominate this burgeoning industry,” said Louise Summerton, who heads Intel’s IoT labs in Europe and the Middle East. “Haifa is our fifth IoT lab, and the areas we see the lab leading development in include smart cities/homes, agriculture, and transportation. “These are areas in which Israel has a strong tech presence, as it does in other related areas, such as security.”
Behind the Intel realignment is Renduchintala, an executive who was hired away from Qualcomm and brought in to help the company in its bid to redirect, said Gradman. “Several top level executives in charge of the PC and other divisions,” including Kirk Skaugen, Doug Davis, and Aicha Evans – have either already left the company or are planning to soon. “Those resignations preceded Wednesday’s announcement, which is a continuation of the shakeup at the company.”
One big plus for Intel Israel workers, believes Gradman, is the presence of another Qualcomm alum, Amir Faintuch – a close associate of “Murthy’s” when they were both at their former employer. Faintuch, himself Israeli – and presumably more aware of the past and potential future tech achievements of the start-up nation – is co-manager of Intel’s Platform Engineering Group, which designs the systems on a chip for the company’s next-generation IoT devices and mobile platforms. The relationship between the two may be a plus for the Israel operation, Gradman believes.
A memo by Renduchintala, apparently leaked and published in The Oregonian, has the new Intel president lambasting the company for a lack of focus, among other things. “Over the last three months I have conducted numerous project reviews with our execution teams, and there is a clear trend that has emerged in these reviews – a lack of product/customer focus in execution that is creating schedule and competitiveness gaps in our products.”
Intel Israel is the country’s largest single employer in the tech sphere, with over 10,000 employees and tens of thousands more in companies that supply it with products and services. The company won’t say who or which divisions or locations will be affected by the layoffs.
“No, we are not making changes indiscriminately,” the company said. “In fact, we will increase our investments in the areas of highest growth and return. We plan to increase investments in its data center, IoT, memory and connectivity businesses, as well as growing client segments such as 2-in-1s, gaming and home gateways. We are not providing site-specific information at this time, and we are still evaluating our plans for Europe (Israel).”
Speaking to The Times of Israel, an Intel Israel spokesperson expressed hope that Gradman’s assessment was accurate but would not comment on the speculation regarding Renduchintala’s role in the shakeup. “The final decisions on these matters will be made by Intel CEO Brian Krzanich,” the spokesperson said.

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» Yel Yel Pramuka Yang Berjudul Cinta Tanah Air
Yel Yel Pramuka Yang Berjudul Cinta Tanah Air
Yel Yel Pramuka Yang Berjudul Cinta Tanah Air on Technology News and Updates AdmaTechnology.com at Friday, April 25, 2014
The workings of the technology they have is to change the content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere the air and make it as synthesis gas.
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If you had to choose between Galaxy S4 or the iPhone 5, which one is your favorite?
This question may arise when someone wants to buy the iPhone 5, but curious to see what the Galaxy S4 and decided to wait for him to be compared directly.
For that, AdmaTechnology tried [...]
Jakarta – Samsung Galaxy S4 comes with its smartphone technological innovation is likely to soon be your handheld.
Because, Samsung Electronics has started pre-orders or reservations for the Galaxy S4 in Indonesia.
Pre-order Samsung Galaxy S4 already [...]
PT. Samsung Electronics will soon bring the Samsung Galaxy S4 in the Indonesian market.
And starting Thursday, pre-orders already open. Read Samsung Galaxy S4 Can Ordered Today.
Yesterday (18/04), in Publico, Senopati, Jakarta, the features found on [...]
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In a report released CNA news agency on Saturday (10/22), [...]
Team University of Bangor, Wales, successfully developed a system of internet at speeds up to 20 Gbps, and can be increased up to 40 Gbps.
Some time ago, Google released a statement that surprised many observers and internet users around the world today [...]
Good news came over the user’s smartphone Sony Xperia J. That is because, the smart phone made by Sony’s got a release update 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.
Through the release of this time, the Xperia J users can now be able to enjoy the advantages [...]
Laptop and computer hardware manufacturers, Gigabyte, has just launched its newest product U2442 Extreme Ultrabook.
In an event held in Taiwan, Gigabyte explained that U2442 Extreme Ultrabook features graphics Nvidia GeForce GT 650M or GT 730M.
In addition, [...]
Increasingly sophisticated technology. Now charger technology created without cable. Wireless Charger technology names.
Another name Wireless Charger is Inductive Charging. This technology utilizes magnetic force to deliver power between the two objects.
Researchers from IBM managed to break the record by making the world’s smallest movie.
The film uses atoms as an actor in a movie called “A Boy And His Atomic” lasted 1 minute 35 seconds.
The film is made using stop-motion technique, [...]


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A demo for Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin has been spotted on the PlayStation Network.
Twitter account PlayStation Game Size spotted the addition to the service, noting its download size of 35.730 GB.
It's possible the demo may be formally announced at tonight's PlayStation State of Play.
The State of Play will focus on Japanese publishers, so it's a safe bet that Square Enix will feature - especially as Stranger of Paradise is their next big release.
The Final Fantasy action game is due for release on 18th March across PlayStation and Xbox consoles, and PC (Epic).


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Made in Telangana apparel is likely to be on the market for export all through the globe all through the following six months. Youngone, a Korean producer of garments, is establishing factories in Kakatiya Mega Textile Park (KMTP) which is likely to be operational in six months. Youngone Chairman and Chief Authorities Ki-Hak Sung, in a video conference with Industries Minister KT Rama Rao and Rural Enchancment Minister E Dayakar Rao these days, reiterated their plans to make 5 of their factories sensible in six months and take up three further today in phase-2 of the Kakatiya textile park.
“Made in Telangana textiles is likely to be rolled out from Warangal’s Kakatiya Mega Textile Park after six months,” Ki-hak Sung educated Rama Rao. Though Youngone factories have been alleged to be ready in early 2021, there was some delay on account of Covid-19 pandemic. Warangal could be the underside for Youngone’s operations throughout the nation, Sung instructed the Minister. Rama Rao acknowledged that Youngone Corp working from Warangal must be seen as a milestone for the Indian textile commerce.


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By Patrick Avenell
Philips ramped up its Christmas marketing program this weekend last, with catalogues distributed to newspaper customers in Australia’s two biggest cities.
The 12-page catalogue, featuring over 60 Philips products, was an insert in the Sydney Morning Herald and Melbourne’s The Age and Sunday Age on 15 and 16 November.
This marketing initiative is aimed at reaching over 1 million Australians before Christmas, and the scheme will continue next month, with an insert in Sydney’s Sun Herald on 7 December.
“The Christmas Gift Ideas catalogue is designed to communicate the wide range of products that fit under the Philips umbrella,” said Philips Consumer Lifestyle business development manager, Peter Bosscher. “Our offering covers everyone in the family and gives loved-ones suggestion for even the hardest to buy for.”
Among the products featured are Philips iconic shaving range, its garment care range, the new male and female grooming portfolios, Avent childcare products, and kitchen appliances.


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As inflation expectations have risen in Germany, as well as across the entire currency bloc, interest rates increased, pushing the euro higher. The German currency is represented by CurrencyShares Euro Trust (NYSEARCA:FXE).
In May, the inflation figure came in at an annual pace of 0.7%, above the previous month's reading of 0.5%, while in line with estimates for 0.7%. While inflation has drastically declined the past few years, it has put together a solid rebound higher in recent months, seen below. Rising food and energy costs are responsible for the growth.
"According to preliminary estimates, energy prices are likely to fall 5.0 percent, compared to a 5.9 percent drop in April. Food cost is estimated to rise 1.4 percent after a 1.2 percent increase in April.
In addition, prices of services are expected to accelerate slightly to 1.5 percent from 1.4 percent in April," according to Trading Economics.
Moreover, analysts believe that European Central Bank stimulus measures are also improving sentiment around the economy. In June, the consumer confidence figure came in at 10.2, above the previous month's reading of 10.1, while also exceeding estimates for 10. A reading above zero signals optimism. Since the start of the year, when stimulus measures were announced, sentiment has risen significantly, seen below. Stimulus measures look to be both reflating the underlying economy, as well as aiding sentiment.
"The inflation data supports the fundamental argument that ECB QE [quantitative easing] has perhaps had more success in terms of engendering reflation than many had anticipated," according to Reuters.
Finally, government bond yields have risen as both the economy and inflation measures improved. The German 10-year bund price fell close to 2% after the inflation announcement on Tuesday. Additionally, it has fallen nearly 5% this year as economic data improved. With investors' pricing in higher interest rate expectations, government bonds across the euro area could continue to sell off.
"This is an ongoing repositioning post the May rout. The yield moves are exacerbated by limited liquidity pointing to the fact that there may be additional investors that have yet to exit bullish positions," according to Reuters.
As the German economy improves, alongside its euro area peers, interest rate expectations will continue to rise. Most recently, the pace of inflation has put together a strong recovery. Moreover, consumer sentiment has risen as stimulus measures look to be having a tangible effect on the economy. As government bond yields across the euro area continue to rise, the euro should strengthen further.
Data provided by Trading View
Disclosure: The author has no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.
The author wrote this article themselves, and it expresses their own opinions. The author is not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). The author has no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


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June 1, 2018
I am very excited to announce the release of the first entry in the Polaris Collection, Polaris Colo...
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I am pleased to announce the release of Nature Materials: Ice!
A beautiful customizable ice shader p...
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November 14, 2016
I'm excited to announce that Modular SciFi: Command Center is now available for purchase!
September 18, 2016
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July 13, 2016
I am excited to announce the first ever bundle for the Modular SciFi Series! Fo...


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January 9th, 2013 — Software
The year is starting out with what may turn out to be significant changes in the mobile operating system market, with open source software playing a significant role just as it has in enterprise software, virtualization and cloud computing.
With fading heavyweights and interesting new challengers, there are changes afoot in the mobile OS market, but we must first acknowledge the market today is still mainly a duopoly of Apple with iOS and Samsung with Android.
However, if we look back five years, we see how dramatically the mobile OS landscape has changed. Given the pace of today’s device and application development and support, as well as users from consumers to the enterprise, we can expect similarly dramatic changes in the coming months and years.
Read the full article at LinuxInsider.
September 11th, 2012 — Software
The general public knows little about the true technology fundamentals of cloud computing, suggests a recent survey commissioned by IT vendor Citrix. Almost a third of the roughly 1,000 U.S. adults polled thought cloud computing was related to weather.
However, the ascendance of Linux and open source software 10 years ago demonstrated that everyday people do not have to understand, appreciate or knowingly participate in a technology in order to leverage it in their lives.
Read the full article at LinuxInsider.
December 13th, 2011 — Software
There has been no shortage of reaction to HP’s move to make the Linux-based WebOS open source software. Below, I offer some of my thoughts on the meaning for the different players affected.
*What’s it mean for WebOS?
Moving WebOS to open source was best option for HP. It retains some value in the software depending on its involvement. It is also the best fate for the code, rather then being sold or simmered to its IP and patent value or even used as another weapon in the ongoing mobile software patent wars. Still, the move comes amid huge developer and consumer uncertainty for WebOS. Nevertheless, at least WebOS was already in the market with a compelling products, the Palm the Pre, in the modern smartphone market. WebOS will hopefully have a faster path to open source than Symbian since the former is based on Linux. I still think the greatest opportunity for WebOS may be in serving as an open alternative in the market, particularly after Android has proven to handset makers, wireless carriers, OEMs and others that a Linux-based, open source mobile OS can succeed in the market and provide profit for multiple parties. Furthering this opportunity, WebOS may be even more attractive to these key vendors, channel players and other stakeholders who are tired of the IP and patent stress and expense around Android. Of course, Android was not under patent or IP attack until it was successful in the market and the same may be the case for WebOS, though we think its IP roots and history in touch and smartphone technology are less complex in terms of origin and ownership.
*What’s it mean for competitors?
For Apple, an open source WebOS means more market pressure and open pressure, more competition for developers and a real danger WebOS hooks into the Android ecosystem. WebOS may also be harder to attack from a patent and IP standpoint since it is older and more singular in ownership (Palm and now HP). Other factors include HP’s own formidable patent portfolio and the perception of Apple as a patent aggressor, which would be reinforced if it attacked WebOS the way it has gone after Android.
For Android, it may finally get a dose of its own open medicine, feeling the pressure of another Linux-based, open source mobile OS that is familiar to many developers, compatible with newer smartphone technologies and appealing to handset makers and other key OEMs. However, WebOS is also a validation of Android, which paved the path for mobile Linux and open source to finally break through beyond geeks to reach a mass consumer audience.
As for other proprietary players such as Microsoft and RIM, another open source rival is bad news. It presents another open source option and potentially serious competition on developers, applications, devices, carriers and consumers. An open source WebOS may also make Android, in effect, more open with faster, easier access to code for both Android and WebOS compete. This could make it even harder for these older, proprietary players to get developer or consumer mind share that is already slipping.
*What’s it mean for open source? Really, there is no downside for open source except that it will be viewed as a form of software cemetery if WebOS is not developed or delivered to market. HP’s WebOS move does give open source greater prominence in mobile software. Again, it is a validation of Android, which is Linux-based and open source, and shows that we haven’t seen the last of mobile Linux and open source software in Android.
October 25th, 2011 — Software
There’s been a lot of attention on the amount of money Microsoft is making from Android, including Microsoft’s own proclamations. Maybe it’s just that I’m more of a fan of Linux and open source software, or maybe I’m overly focused on the lawsuits and threats against Android, but I see serious downsides to all of those dollars for Microsoft from Android.
I believe Microsoft’s strategy to pursue patent licensing deals rather than sue, as we’ve seen from Apple, may prove to be a more effective strategy. Rather than limit or destroy Android, Microsoft is actually supporting its growth, meaning more Android devices and users in the market. Since it’s making so much money from Android, Microsoft may be less interested in limiting or attacking it, so that’s a benefit to Android. However, I do see some significant drawbacks to Microsoft’s Android strategy, all of which serve to limit Microsoft’s opportunity in the future.
First, Microsoft’s Android licensing is a validation of Android. Many if not most of the companies using Android that are also Microsoft licensees all seem to be doing well enough and making enough money to go ahead and pay Microsoft’s licensing fees. This highlights Android’s growth and spread, which is tied to significant market gains for companies such as HTC, Samsung and Verizon. One might argue that Microsoft’s Android licensing revenue will similarly rise with the Linux-based mobile operating system’s growth, but I don’t see that happening, and the second drawback I discuss next is the reason.
Second, we’ve already seen Samsung working to sidestep technology and patents in question that have caused courtroom fights or market bans around the world. I expect all of Microsoft’s Android licensees are working to similarly work around technology in question, so there is a shelf life on Microsoft’s IP licensing business. The details of these patent deals are not public to us, but the companies that agree to them have a much better handle on which technology is problematic since they’re the ones signing. I expect we will see these deals peak at some point and over time, they will become less relevant to Android backers and less lucrative to Microsoft. In addition, for all of the criticisms regarding its openness, Android has a global, open source development community behind it. That means it will be able to compete, innovate and work around things quickly. Those workarounds will likely make their way into the greater Android community so that supposed patent infringements will decline and eventually disappear.
The third drawback is a matter of pride. At the same time Samsung officials signaled an effort to sidestep IP-sensitive technologies and issues, a Samsung executive expressed concern that these patent suits and fights may come at the expense of pride in brand and company. I couldn’t agree more. It really does say something if Microsoft is making more money from IP licensing of non-Microsoft technology than from its own work in smartphones — perhaps the hottest technology market on the planet right now. Consumers may not be aware of or care about lawsuits, license deals or pride, but developers do.
Given some new indications there may be a change at Apple and a bridge to Samsung whereby settlement, progress and choice take priority over market bans and destruction of an ecosystem, these drawbacks for Microsoft may be even more significant going forward.
September 22nd, 2011 — Software
I wrote recently about how Microsoft is now among the broadest supporters of enterprise Linux server, but when it comes to desktop PCs and laptops, mobile and converged devices and end users, Microsoft’s Linux support is a time warp back to 1998 when computers and their software were fused by proprietary sodder.
Though probably not intended as one of the new Windows 8 features to be highlighted, recent reports indicate a boot requirement in Microsoft’s latest Windows 8 OS prevents booting of Linux.
As a Linux user who has installed several different distributions on several different failed Windows machines, I’m concerned for a few reasons. One, it can be difficult to impossible to avoid the so-called ‘Microsoft tax,’ whereby Windows machines are purchased with the intention of installing Linux. Two, this is a serious limitation to the growing segment of users that like a dual-boot option with Linux. Three, what will happen to all of those PCs, laptops, netbooks and other devices after the Microsoft software becomes buggy, broken or outdated?
In the past, I’ve written about how Linux, in its admitted geekiness and difficulty, can actually be easier and empowering. I learned this largely from installing Linux on a Windows machine for the first time more than five years ago. I’ve since slapped Linux on as many as a dozen other machines, including netbooks. For the record, I now run Linux software released a few months ago on my netbook, which is almost three years old.
Over time, I have encountered some significant stumbling blocks and hurdles in putting Linux on Windows machines, some of them suspiciously unnecessary. Given that, I’m not too surprised to see this secure boot business (link to SJVN)
We also see Microsoft taking an approach toward Android that is reminiscent of the Microsoft of old given its contribution to concern and doubt in the market over the competing mobile OS. We’ve also covered some of the Microsoft machinations that occurred over netbooks.
What’s even more surprising is that this boot limitation from Microsoft comes amid some amazing potential in dual-boot and auxiliary boot systems, such as instant on or media player boot options. Ironically, there are among the best ways for PCs to stay alive and running in the market. Unfortunately, Microsoft seems to be more interested in making sure the only OS you use is the one from them.
July 26th, 2011 — Software
I wrote last year about the way Google’s Android mobile operating system was serving as a more open alternative to Apple’s iOS, but not so open that it didn’t leave opportunity for an even more open alternative.
Given that we continue to see software patent-based attacks on Android, as well as swirling FUD around coverage of the attacks and never ending suits and settlements and courtroom developments, it is clear it will be a long time before any of this legal business is ever close to settled, unless ended by settlements first, which is likely.
However, I’m more interested in the technology in the meantime. I also think it’s interesting to see, if not a ‘more open’ alternative emerging, at least another, ‘somewhat open’ option in the tablet market, this being HP’s WebOS. It’s interesting that WebOS evolved from Palm, which HP acquired in March 2010 for $1.4 billion. Though Apple’s iPad is still the clear leader in tablets, it is interesting to see continuing signs that what happened in smartphones (where iPhone led and Android quickly caught up and then passed iOS) may be happening in tablets. There is also still the possibility that tablets may play out like netbooks, with wild popularity followed by a fade in favor of more traditional PCs for traditional PC needs. It is interesting to note that Google’s Eric Schmidt recently commented on the continued utility of PCs, which will remain key to professionals, consumers, and also developers, largely because of the tactical keyboard. What is most likely is continued convergence, and it will be interesting to see what ties emerge between WebOS and PCs as computer hardware giant HP rolls out the OS in tablets and smartphones.
We also see other signs that new, open entrants may be mixing things up in the mobile and converged device market, such as word of a possible Android and iOS competitor from Mozilla. There is yet another project that is already a factor in netbooks, other mobile devices and the burgeoning IT market of automobile information and entertainment systems, MeeGo, which is also open source. Even Research in Motion’s Playbook is based on the QNX operating system, for which source code was made available by its previous owner to make it more like the open source Linux OS, which was attracting developers and interesting customers.
We believed there was a fairly prominent place for open source software, open source operating systems and general openness in mobile software when we wrote our report, Mobility Matters three years ago, but we would have never guessed that the openness of this software would be so significant in two respects: defense from patent and other intellectual property attacks; the market power of open source, which draws in not only developers, but manufacturers and other third-parties. We’ve seen the speed and strength at which a project and community such as Android can grow. Will we now begin to see other alternatives that are even more open emerge as top choices among developers, hardware companies, wireless players and consumers? Never before have those alternatives really existed in the mobile software world, so it’s good at least to see the possibility is there.
March 30th, 2011 — Software
Time is flying by so fast, it sure doesn’t seem like it was last year I was blogging about how Android is for real. Well, let me reiterate … Android is for real. The reason I say that and stress that is despite its success, we see a variety of legal threats, accusations and actual lawsuits flying at Android as fast as it is growing in the market.
Still, we seem to be able to fairly easily find agreement among vendors, developers and users that Android development is not slowing down, that legal maneuvering will not pave a path to success or that any ruling or action will take Android-based phones out of consumers’ hands. This is not to say Android doesn’t face significant challenges: real fragmentation and version overload; a software development pace that may be too fast for handset makers or consumers; innovation from rivals such as Apple, HP, Research In Motion, Microsoft and others, including ones we may not yet be considering a threat, but which may find an improvement or refinement. This could be as simple as serving as the more open alternative.
I’ve seen some criticisms of Android and Google indicating it is clear or should be clear what is open source and what is not. I would argue, however, that is has become quite unclear what is open source and what is not in all circumstances and particularly in smartphones, as we covered in our special report Mobility Matters two-and-a-half long years ago. There’s no denying the constant pressure for Android and Google and others in the ecosystem to be true to the spirit and letter of open source and its licenses, however painful, serves to strengthen its open source aspects. However, the statements and signals crying foul against Android are quite similar to the complaints, threats and, yes, FUD we saw swirling around Linux a decade ago. And let’s not forget the lesson of open enough, which becomes even more significant given cloud computing and the capabilities it is extending to smartphones and other mobile devices.
Bottom line, developers, handset manufacturers and consumers are heavily more focused on new releases every six months than who is suing whom in the IP infringement claim game and software patent ‘system.’ To predict where Android is headed and what is likely to happen as a result of the FUD, we can look at Linux, which emerged stronger, more competitive and more enterprise-ready after the infamous SCO threats and lawsuits.
I have no fear that Android development and innovation will slow down as a result of legal claims, suits or threats. I have no uncertainty that new features, functionality, applications and development will be the drivers in the market and I have no doubt that the companies, cash and consumers on the line will keep things incredibly interesting over the next several years. No FUD here. Nothing to see, move on.
December 9th, 2008 — Software
In other words, if you’re offering or giving a Linux-based computer this holiday season — whether you’re a big box retailer, online distributor, or Linux fanatic who wants to spread FOSS to family or friends — make sure you tell them it’s Linux. I know, I know. Why offer advice about Linux computers when no one is using them, right? Well, given that Linux represents roughly 30% of the millions of netbooks being sold, Linux is actually being used by consumers like never before. As we see in recent ads in newspapers, online and elsewhere, the word ‘Linux’ is actually appearing a lot more in public. This is a good thing, but there is a danger.
I hope that vendors selling consumer PCs and netbooks running Linux will prominently display and detail that: ‘This is a Linux-based computer, and this is an alternative operating system to Windows XP or Vista.’ When I page through the newspaper, once I slap myself in the face after seeing the ‘Linux Laptop’ EeePC on sale at Toys’R’Us, I am glad to see the word ‘Linux’ (also the same 8G storage as the Windows Laptop side-by-side for $30 less). However, I’m somewhat disappointed that a separate Dell newspaper insert does not mention Linux. The cool, little Inspiron Mini 9 is advertised with its features, but lists the operating system as: ‘Mini OS Powered by Ubuntu 8.04.’ No mention of Linux. Now of course most Linux folks know that Ubuntu is Linux, but most folks reading the Sunday paper don’t know what Ubuntu or Mini OS is. I, in fact, am not sure what Mini OS is? The point is, Dell should follow the lead from Toys’R’Us and go ahead and label the computer with Linux.
Many attribute reported high return rates for Linux netbooks — which have been refuted and likened to the rate for Windows-based machines — to the fact that people just assume they’re getting Windows and are surprised when they don’t. This is probably a sad truth and the lingering effect of Microsoft’s monopoly and good old fashioned user inertia. However, I think the netbook — which represents a different form factor and cost threshold for mobile computing — lends some advantages to Linux, which is constantly being pushed for greater performance, power savings and support. The competition, at least for now, is limited mostly to Windows XP, which is no longer being developed and will be increasingly less supported.
I’m not the only one who thinks sellers and distributors need to be open about the open source OS. Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth says it is critical to let users know they are getting Linux. Perhaps he and Canonical need to reach out and convey this to Dell as the two seek success for Ubuntu in the Mini. Andy Typaldos, CEO of Xandros, which is used in the popular Eee PC, says he thinks the biggest issue is average users assuming and expecting they get Windows with any computer they buy. This will change as a new generation of users — many of whom will be netbook buyers and recipients — enter the picture, but for now I think it is the reality.
However, Linux has enough advantages to stand on its own, whether it is the added memory, storage or other functionality manufacturers are able to add when they avoid OS licensing and use Linux, lower price or forward-looking support. If consumers are simply told this is a bit different, but it is part of this different device and experience, I think they’ll fare better with their new netbooks. If they think they are getting Windows, like a Linux user who goes back to Windows, they will be disappointed.
July 3rd, 2008 — Software
Score one for open source software in the history and record books. Mozilla announced its Firefox open source Web browser set a Guinness World Record for number of downloads in a day, notching more than eight million downloads in 24 hours June 17-18, 2008. The day also marked the release of Firefox 3, the latest version of the browser that has steadily built its user base up from a fraction of the browser market to a solid, near 20% share today.
There were a few hiccups during Firefox’s so-called Download Day, a PR stunt that could have easily been dubbed Delay Day by those undable to obtain the latest version. I think it’s interesting that even in this day and age, even when you are geared up for spikes and infrastructure is far more flexible and agile, there’s still downtime with the rush. Nevertheless, it successfully drew attention to Firefox and more importantly, the browser has been praised for its security and appeal to many users.
However, Mozilla has also been questioned for not focusing more on the enterprise opportunities for Firefox. Given its security, flexibility and customization advantages, I see Firefox as a perfect fit for enterprises, and I’m aware of several vendors and companies in tech and other industries that encourage or enforce use of Firefox. However, Mozilla seems content to allow consumer and home use to seep into the enterprise.
I believe it is wise for Mozilla to focus on user features and innovations, to look to advertising for its revenue and to refrain from enterprise sales departments and staff. However, the company should be doing all it can to provide the features and functionality that will ease Firefox use in the enteprise. This is a matter of both perception (‘That browser isn’t made for use in our business, is it?) and reality (I can’t push proxy settings across numerous installs), but they are issues that can be addresssed by the involvement, speed and variety of open source software development.
June 12th, 2008 — Business strategies, Software
Mobile open source player Funambol is certainly giving us plenty to watch these days with its Affero GPL licensing, its use of ad-supported mobile phone access to email and general bet on mobile open source software. Like an audience watching the tightrope act, we’re observing intently (Funambol translates from the Latin words funis (rope) and ambulare (walking) to give us the company name and tightrope walker logo). I recently met with the company’s VP of marketing, Hal Steger, who demonstrated perfect balance drinking a cup of coffee and talking at the same time.
For me, one of the more important and serious questions about Funambol centers on its licensing choice. Will AGPLv3 licensing, viewed as both a positive and a penalty by different parties, prove to fuel a larger, more effective developer community? Or will it mire the vendor and its SaaS model down in sharing requirements? Steger says the move appears to be paying off given Funambol was among the first to adopt the AGPLv3 and adoption of the license is now growing.
Another big thing to watch with Funambol is its use of advertisements to support its push email offering, primarily intended for mobile operators and service providers. Steger reports the ads are not yet producing revenue, but instead are intended to compliment the company’s use of open source and make push email free. This is a recognition, as Steger explains it, that consumers’ interest in email on their mobile phones comes with an expectation of low or no cost.
In terms of mobile Linux and mobile open source software, Funambol sees, as we do, issues of fragmentation and an overwhelming number of mobile Linux flavors that are far less open than server-side Linux. Still, Steger sees this as Funambol’s challenge and opportunity, that is, to enable mobile phones of all kinds to handle push email from a variety of email clients.
As the company balances commercial and community growth, including a recently launched forge site, the results will give us some insight into the impacts of open source licensing and business model decisions.
June 9th, 2008 — Software
I’ve written quite a bit recently about netbooks, MIDs, UMPCs and the general category of sub-notebook/greater-than smartphone, and while I had planned on taking a break from the subject, it keeps coming up. The latest splash in this new form factor pond, where Linux enjoys greater deployment and significant cost and technical advantages, comes from none other than Linux desktop leader Ubuntu and Canonical CEO Mark Shuttleworth. Despite the development of an Ubuntu version for netbooks, I had held off on including Ubuntu in most previous blogs on the topic. However, based on Shuttleworth’s disclosure of the Ubuntu ‘netbook remix’ in response to OEM interest, it’s clearly time to talk about how Canonical and Ubuntu fit into the netbook screen.
We have joined others in wondering about Ubuntu on the server. Canonical highlighted broad OEM support with its release of 8.04 Hardy Heron, but has failed to translate its desktop deal with Dell into a server-side arrangement and has yet to announce any major OEM server deal. However, Ubuntu continues to dominate Linux desktop use, positioning it with the kind of popularity required in broader, consumer markets. The Linux server market is still growing, and Canonical will no-doubt look to leverage corporate and consumer desktop use to continue its push into servers. However, it may have an even greater opportunity at present to with its OS and custom development and services for this hot market.
One of the best things about Ubuntu Remix is that it is clearly following the same successful recipe that has fueled Ubuntu on the desktop: open, transparent development, GPL licensing (GPLv3 for a new netbook launcher and other software) and inclusive of feedback from developers as well as users. Shuttleworth would not give names of OEMs, some of which are working on ‘more radical user interface innovation,’ or dates for when we can expect certified Ubuntu netbooks. However, based on the comments and consumer reaction to these devices, it seems clear this is a big opportunity for Linux and Canonical will be among the players involved.
June 6th, 2008 — Software
Mobile Internet devices (MIDs) have been the focus of much work and talk from chip giant Intel, which says its Atom processor will fit nicely into these smaller devices. In a recent interview with the AP, Intel chief Paul Otellini says MIDs favor Linux. I’ve written previously about the opportunities for Linux in the growing device category ranging from these MIDs to ‘subnotebooks,’ ‘UMPCs’ ‘netbooks’ or whatever other name we analysts come up with next week. No one can be sure what form factor (or name) would best carry Linux to a significant portion of the mainstream PC market, but I agree whole-heartedly with Otellini’s view that the driver here is cost. Linux is serving not only as the OS for end users, but it is increasingly the choice and focus of OEMs and ISVs. Consider Linux player Wind River’s recent partnership with Intel to produce a Moblin-based Linux specifically for Intel’s Atom and MIDs.
Our ongoing research here at 451 continues to indicate that cost is the main driver for free and open source software in the enterprise. Otellini points out that much of the attraction of the MID and netbook categories is, similarly, cost. The Intel CEO describes a zest among consumers of these new devices that he has not seen in a long time. With devices such as the Asus EeePC, Everex CloudBook, new Acer Apire One available for $400-$500, it’s clear that cost is a big motivator for consumers, too. Some see this market limited to niche, pointing out these manufacturers and limited features will not win out over larger PC vendors and greater functionality. However, we see others getting into the game, including Dell, which already supports Linux on some notebook PCs, and HP, which recently rolled out a Linux-based 2133 Mini Note UMPC for education. The use of these netbooks in a thin-client desktop deployment — increasingly the case in educational and enterprise settings — also highlights how the limited functionality may be mitigated by new desktop paradigms, particularly considering virtualization.
Sure, mainstream cusomers will still have a choice of WindowsXP, and perhaps it will be offered to consumers at the same or lower cost to the more-established Linux. However, since manufacturers are able to spend more elsewhere, such as greater memory in the Linux version, it has a technical and economic edge in the development and end user aspects of these devices. The benefits of Linux apply not only to the end users, but also to manufacturers, as Intel’s Otellini attests. Given its continued momentum, you can see how the open source OS would play a prominent role in what Otellini describes as ‘the evolution of the handset,’ which he sees centered on Linux.
April 24th, 2008 — Linux
I’m starting to see some big potential for symbiosis between two Linux and open source leaders: Red Hat and Ubuntu. Red Hat’s departure from the consumer desktop Linux market comes at the same time Ubuntu continues rolling in the same market with the release of Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron this week. The latest Ubuntu also comes in a server version that continues distributor Canonical’s aspirations for enterprise servers. While it has been a struggle to sign OEMs for pre-installation, Canonical appears to be on the right track with regard to certification from the biggies. Still, Ubuntu’s server challenge is a big one, and it comes in a Linux market where Red Hat rules the roost.
All of this is happening at a time when the use and management of server and desktop computers is coming together through virtualization and continued mixing of operating systems and server/desktop deployment. This makes me wonder if Red Hat could help Ubuntu on the server with greater support and integration of the ‘other’ Linux. Why would Red Hat do such a thing? We already see the company, wisely, offering deeper integration and support for Windows — why would they do that? The answer is reality. Enterprise datacenters and even divisions rarely run one OS, let alone Linux. There are typically Windows and others in play and there is also much greater acceptance and use of Linux, which has become less exotic and more like any other OS in the datacenter. Let’s remember too that choice and flexibility are no longer customer requests, they are expectations, and every major server vendor supports at least some OS variety.
Red Hat could also benefit from greater integration with and support for Ubuntu desktops. While Ubuntu leads among Linux consumers, it is also gaining more significance for the enterprise desktop. I believe Red Hat may be underestimating the impact of consumer desktop choices when it says it wants to leave that market alone. Ubuntu is thriving there, and it is also leveraging its desktop popularity and prowess to push further into enterprise desktops. By partnering with Canonical and building ties between Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Ubuntu desktops, Red Hat could harness Ubuntu’s popularity among technical fans (admins anyone?), consumers and enterprise users. This would only help Ubuntu’s uptake in the enterprise desktop market, and I believe there is potential for enterprise and consumer desktop success to feed off each other. I also believe this would bolster Ubuntu’s server efforts, paricularly as desktop management moves from the help desk to the datacenter.
These factors — plus the fact that a Red Hat-Ubuntu relationship is far more palatable to the larger FOSS community than say, a similar arrangement with Microsoft — lead me to believe the two Linux organizations have opportunity in banding together. Sure, they’ve differed in the past and even more recently, but I would argue Red Hat and Canonical are similar enough to produce some synergy and round out their respective open source offerings.
Red Hat and Ubuntu also have a striking similarity that could be integral to any kind of relationship, whether focused on the server, the desktop, management, virtualization or all of the above. That similarity is community. The community development of Red Hat’s Linux is often cited by those inside open source as a key to the company’s success. It has kept the community relatively happy with direction and development, and has kept them busy producing features and functionality in enterprise demand. It is Ubuntu’s community development that is often credited not only with the Linux flavor’s technical and feature advancement, but also its popularity among FOSS fans. The combination of these two communities is perhaps the most compelling argument for collaboration between them.
Maybe it’s just that I wrote a couple of reports back-to-back on the two companies and their opportunities and challenges, but I do believe Red Hat and Ubuntu could help one another and, in doing so, strengthen one another, Linux and open source in the enterprise.


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Douglas the Butterman’s strong hold on UK consumers continues. In a major Lurpak promotion campaign, the legendary figure has now enticed Britons to buy 800,000 campaign packs comprising two packs of Lurpak and a "Douglas the Butterman" china toast rack. One in 20 British households has now acquired a toast rack which matches the Douglas butter dish which was a runaway success last year.
The current drive is UK’s largest within butter/spreadables in 2000. A significant number of UK consumers with little previous knowledge of Lurpak are now believed to be familiar with the Danish world championship butter.


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Shop CJ launched new 24X7 Home Shop satellite channel for south India viewers "Shop CJ Telugu". The joint venture of CJ O Shopping Co Ltd and Providence Equity Partners Group also plans to launch “Shop CJ Tamil".
Shop CJ Telugu now started at Insat 4A satellite at 83 degree east. It has replaced Rose TV test card.
Cable operators can view satellite technical information from here.


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CoreEL, a Customer Application Specific Products and Solutions company and a channel partner of Stratasys India, subsidiary of Stratasys ( SSYS), opened its new 3D printing experience centre in Bangalore, India.
The NextManufacturing Center at Carnegie Mellon University is one of the world’s leading research centers for additive manufacturing (AM).
Nano Dimension Ltd.(NNDM), a 3D printed electronics has announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Nano Dimension Technologies Ltd., has supplied, in return for payment, its flagship DragonFly 2020 3D Printer to Syqe Medical Ltd.
Sciaky, Inc., a subsidiary of Phillips Service Industries, Inc. (PSI), and provider of metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) solutions, has announced that a Japanese supplier has purchased an industry-leading Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing (EBAM™) 110 System.
FIT AG, an additive manufacturing company, and Caterpillar Inc. announced that they have entered into a strategic alliance agreement.
Hydrogels, due to their high water content are attractive biomaterials for 3D printing as efficient ‘surrogates’ for the extracellular matrix, onto which cells can be cultured.
For centuries, cellulose has formed the basis of the world’s most abundantly printed-on material: paper.
Digital Alloys, Inc., has announced a USD 5M Series A financing led by Khosla Ventures that funds the launch of its first products.
Samuel, Son & Co., Limited has recently signed an agreement to purchase Burloak Technologies based in Dundas, Ontario.
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) is home to the largest 3D-printer in Africa. The five-metre tall printer with an ability to print enormous structures across a wide array of transdisciplinary applications is the result of the efforts of a team of student engineers and their lecturers.
Sliperiet at Umeå Arts Campus is in the process of making a 3D printed Tower of Babel using a novel hanging printer.
GROUPE GORGE plans to launch the PRODWAYS GROUP Initial Public Offering (IPO) in 2017 on Euronext Paris.
Ford Motor Company is exploring how large-scale one-piece auto parts, like spoilers, could be printed for prototyping and future production vehicles, as the first automaker to pilot the Stratasys Infinite Build 3D printer.
Daimler has adopted Ricoh’s first branded Additive Manufacturing (AM) printer - RICOH AM S5500P. This polymer sintering production machine will help advance its rapid prototyping by using innovative advanced materials.
Sigma Labs, Inc. has received a contract from Aerojet Rocketdyne, a subsidiary of Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. , for a non-exclusive license of the Company's PrintRite3D® software applications.


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Do you have a bicycle you’d like to get rid of? You can help the Ann Arbor Huron High School Band go to France by contributing your old bicycles to their used bike sale! Bikes can be donated or dropped off for sale or consignment for a 30% donation.
Drop off used bikes on Monday April 29 3-5pm, Monday May 6 5-7pm or Wednesday May 8 12-2 at the Huron High School Music Department (east side of the school, 2727 Fuller Rd).
Shop the sale Saturday May 11! For more details, visit the band trip website.
We’re also excited to announce a new Common Cycle Bike Labs! A Bike Lab is a community space with bicycle tools, out of which a series workshops where young folks can learn, teach and share their bike fixing skills. We’re piloting the program at the University Townhouse Co-op this year. Read more about it here!


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Wed Dec 11 2013 13:36:32 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Honda will use Accord Plug-in for vehicle-to-grid demonstration project.
Honda is joining a pre-existing vehicle-to-grid (V2G) demonstration project involving the University of Delaware and NRG Energy. Honda will use one of its Accord Plug-in Hybrid models as a back-up grid-power source when conventional power supply drops and demand surges. NRG Energy started funding its testing system with the university earlier this year.
In order to participate, Honda is installing a bi-directional on-board charger in the Accord PHEV. The test is part of a broader effort by automakers and other entities to explore how plug-in vehicles can help regulate the grid something that will become more common as renewable energy sources become more common.
Nissan has been running similar demonstration with its all-electric Leaf. Recently, Nissan tested its "Vehicle-To-Building" system in Japan, which involved a half-dozen Leaf vehicles powering an office building during peak demand, then having the cars re-juiced when electricity costs go down. In 2011, Nissan also started getting results from its "Leaf-to-Home" system, which uses the EV to power a house during blackouts.
Wed Dec 11 2013 13:38:05 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Six Nissan Leaf EVs power an office in Japan.
At least now we know the answer to that age-old joke, "How many Nissan Leafs does it take to power an office building?" The answer is a tidy half-dozen.
The Japanese automaker has been testing its "Vehicle-To-Building" system, in which the building pulls juice from the cars during the peak-use hours when power is most expensive, and then shoots back some power when the grid prices drop. Nissan says the system is set up to ensure the cars are fully charged by the end of the workday. If you leave work early? That may be a different situation.
The company started testing the system at its Nissan Advanced Technology Center in Atsugi City, Japan, in July, and found that the cars allow the building to cut peak-hour electricity use by 2.5 percent. Annualized, that means savings of about a half-million yen (about $4,800 US) in electricity costs.
Nissan is also working on a "Leaf-to-Home" power-backup system, in which the car can be used as a residential-power backup source in order to reduce peak hour use and provide power in a blackout. That system was first unveiled in the summer of 2011 at a house built in front of Nissan's global headquarters.
Thu Oct 31 2013 20:35:18 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Panasonic Will Expand Battery Cell Supply For Tesla's Rising Production.
Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] and technology company Panasonic have been working together for several years now, and that relationship is set to expand as Tesla seeks to meet its future battery needs.
The two companies have reached an agreement for future automotive-grade lithium-ion battery supply, Panasonic now set to supply nearly 2 billion cells to Tesla over a four-year period.
Panasonic has been supplying cells since the days of the Tesla Roadster, but the electric car company's increasing sales and wider product plan mean battery supply has to meet their increasing demand.
The new agreement ensures both the Tesla Model S, and upcoming models like the Model X crossover, will receive a steady supply of cells for years to come. Tesla's press release reveals that customers have driven over 130 million miles so far, with thousands of vehicles now on the roads.
The benefits are reciprocal of course--back in 2009, Panasonic bought a $30 million stake in Tesla. That's an important cash injection in the early years of a business, and has helped Tesla Motors to get to the position it's in today--selling cars and making headlines.
Both companies will continue to work together to develop the next-generation of lithium-ion cells, improving the potential of electric vehicles and expanding the market. Tesla and Panasonic's cells already boast the highest energy density of any cells on the market, contributing to the class-leading 265-mile EPA-rated range of the 85 kWh Model S.
"We look forward to strengthening our relationship with Panasonic," said Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk of the new deal, adding, "I’m confident that this partnership will continue to be an integral part of Tesla’s success for years to come."
Tue Oct 15 2013 17:01:23 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
The Tesla Model S Is So Safe It Broke the Crash-Testing Gear.
The Tesla Model S may be the safest vehicle ever tested by the feds. So safe, in fact, that according to the automaker, the all-electric sedan broke the testing equipment at an independent commercial facility.
Most cars get five stars in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s frontal crash protection test and four stars for side impact protection. But the Model S aced them all: front, side, pole, and rollover. And Tesla adds in its announcement that during a previous roof crush test used during validation, the machine failed while applying more than 4 G’s of pressure — the same as stacking four of the electric sedans on top of the car without the roof breaking.
When NHTSA added up all the scores, it totaled a combined five stars across the board — one of the highest ever recorded for a production vehicle.
The reason for the insanely high marks isn’t just the stiff structure, but the electric drivetrain. With no engine up front taking up valuable crumple zone space, Tesla’s engineers were able to maximize the amount of sacrificial space, and with the battery mounted oh-so-low in the floor, that increases rigidity around the occupants. The rear crash test — particularly important given the rear-facing child jump seats — was another high score, with no “permanently disabling injury to the third row occupants” thanks in part to what Tesla calls a “double bumper” to absorb additional impact.
And before you ask, the lithium-ion battery handled it all with aplomb, with no leakage or fire.
Wed Mar 27 2013 19:42:20 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
The Volkswagen XL1 just debuted in Geneva and claims a range of 261 mpg, with a curb weight of about 1,750 pounds. Its coefficient of drag is extremely low at 0.189. It's powered by a 47-hp, two-cylinder turbodiesel paired with a 27-hp electric motor. VW says it will make 250 examples with a price near $100,000.
Follow us: @AutoweekUSA on Twitter | AutoweekUSA on Facebook
Wed Mar 20 2013 16:09:03 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Obama calls for spending $2 billion in oil lease revenues on clean vehicles
President Obama wants to know how many clean cars $2 billion can buy. In an announcement expected later today, the President is expected to ask Congress to use $2 billion that the government has raised from allowing oil and gas exploration in the Outer Continental Shelf to fund clean energy transportation. That means plug-in vehicles, better batteries, biofuels and compressed natural gas vehicles.
Obama will reportedly make the announcement at Argonne National Laboratory, a site already known for automotive innovation, including the development of an omnivorous engine and, with General Motors, improved batteries. The President previously mentioned taking oil and gas money and putting it into an "Energy Security Trust" fund in his State of the Union speech last month. The money would come from offshore oil drilling leases and would be spread out over 10 years. There would not be any expansion of offshore drilling (or a change in the administration's position on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) to raise the money. The end goal, as we've heard so many times before, is to "protect American families from spikes in gas prices and allow us to run our cars and trucks on electricity or homegrown fuels," according to White House documents.
Of course, just because the President asks for something doesn't mean Congress will go along. As the The Detroit News notes, the President asked for $650 million for battery and vehicle research last year but Congress only approved $330 million. Also, there are still many billions of Department of Energy loan money left over from the $25 billion Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan (ATVMP).
Wed Mar 20 2013 16:12:54 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
EPA finds 2012 fuel economy was highest ever, 23.8 mpg
The average fuel economy for a new car in the US made a record single-year jump, according to new data from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Fleetwide fuel economy rose a record 1.4 miles per gallon to an all-time high of 23.8 mpg, the EPA says. During the past five years, average new-vehicle fuel economy went up 16 percent while emissions decreased 13 percent. Check out the EPA's press release below and find further information here.
The numbers reflect the fact that the number of US hybrid and diesel models has doubled in the last five years, thanks to automakers expanding their line-ups. Last year, alt-fuel vehicle sales jumped 63 percent to more than 540,000 vehicles, while plug-in vehicle sales roughly tripled to about 50,000 vehicles.
The EPA report echoes similar findings from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), which earlier this year said fleetwide fuel-economy advanced 1.3 miles per gallon to a record 23.8 MPG. And UMTRI said in a separate report early last month that January's average new-vehicle fuel economy continued to increase to a monthly record of 24.5 miles per gallon.
David Friedman, the senior engineer and deputy director of the Union of Concerned Scientists' Clean Vehicles program, said in a statement that the progress is good, but more needs to be done. "With high gas prices the new norm, the average model year 2011 vehicle will cost its owners almost as much to fill up over its lifetime as it did to purchase it," he said. "Consumers need more options to shield themselves from the high cost of gasoline."
Wed Mar 20 2013 16:16:50 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg laid out a big goal for NYC during his 12th and final State of City address – add 10,000 public parking spots reserved for electric vehicles with 2,000 of them offering charging stations. Today, the city only has 100 public charging stations in place, and 120 stations for the city's fleet of EVs. Only 30 more government stations would be added under the mayor's proposal.
Wed Mar 20 2013 16:22:11 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
The 2014 Chevy Spark EV, to be unveiled at the LA Auto Show, is shaping up to be a very fast electric car, that will be the first to support the SAE DC Fast Charging system, which will give it a 20 minute recharge time.
Fri Mar 08 2013 21:25:11 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
On this episode of Wide Open Throttle, Jessi Lang reports from the Tesla facility on the day of the long-awaited rollout of the Model S, the world's first premium all-electric sedan and the car on which the company's future now depends. Then, Motor Trend Technical Director Frank Markus gets exclusive one-on-one time with Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Chief Designer Franz Von Holzhausen as he tours the Tesla factory and finally gets behind the wheel of the car that Tesla is hoping will galvanize the world's transition from internal combustion engines to electric mobility.
Wide Open Throttle appears every Thursday on the new Motor Trend channel.
Fri Mar 01 2013 19:14:47 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
On this episode of Head 2 Head, it's the battle of the hybrids as Jonny Lieberman pits the 2012 Toyota Prius V against Ford's 2013 C-MAX Hybrid SEL. There is a lot going on with these cars so to help break down the technical information, so Jonny also talks with Motor Trend's hybrid guru Kim Reynolds about the Ford / Toyota rivalry & the controversy surrounding their hybrid technologies.
Head 2 Head appears every other Wednesday on the new Motor Trend channel.
Fri Feb 22 2013 19:38:24 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
For anybody who hasn't already heard of them, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) is a bold and innovative think tank based in Aspen CO who lay out innovative strategies and technologies for reducing our dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels. Great reading on what is possible if we all start thinking about saving the environment!


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Maruti suzuki cars india - prices 2016 - reviews, Maruti suzuki cars india offers 16 models 155 variants. check latest model prices fy 2016, featured reviews, latest maruti suzuki news, images, top comparisons.


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Benedetto Vigna, CEO of Ferrari, shared they are looking at how new technologies such as NFTs and blockchain can help their brand. As such, the luxury sports car manufacturer set up a digital retail department that would focus on future projects.
While outlining the Q4 2021 results during the recent earnings call, Vigna asserted that Web 3.0 is an area that deserves their attention. He added, “We strengthen our relationship with leading-edge technological partners such as Amazon Web Services in Wales to be at the forefront of digital technologies and Web 3.0.”
The top executive cited Facebook’s move to change its name to Meta as a strong precedent that companies are bullish on Web 3.0 and the Metaverse. So there’s a massive opportunity for the brand in the digital space. 2022 is an important year for Ferrari because it will celebrate its 75th Anniversary. In addition, the foundations of a new business plan will be unveiled on June 16, 2022. With how things are going, NFT and Blockchain projects would be one of the highlights.
Ferrari’s 2022 NFT and Blockchain Efforts
Vigna also acknowledged that there’s a lot of movement in the NFT and blockchain space. In fact, their competitors are doubling down on NFTs. So “the Prancing Horse” should do the same to catch up with the competition. For example, Red Bull Racing teamed up with green blockchain Tezos to launch an exclusive NFT drop on sweet.io last December 2021. Meanwhile, McLaren Racing Collective launched 3D parts of its Formula 1 Car as NFTs.
On its part, Ferrari already took its first steps in the world of crypto at the end of 2021. The brand named Velas Network AG as its official NFT partner ahead of the 2022 racing season. The Swiss technology firm is an expert in creating digital products and services. So future Ferrari NFT drops are in good hands!
Ferrari is making a huge bet on NFTs because the multi-year contract extends across all its racing lines. Velas will be the Title Sponsor of the Ferrari Esports Series, the online mono-brand series of the Prancing Horse. The same arrangement applies to their Esports team.
The first digital collectibles will be available for purchase by March 2022 (when the next season of Formula 1 begins). Mattia Binotto, General Manager and Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari, is confident that Velas is the perfect partner for this project. He described the firm as an entity that “makes innovation and performance the hallmark of technologically advanced products and services.”
Meanwhile, Velas’ co-founder and chief executive officer, Farhad Shagulyamov, is excited to showcase their platform. “Having built a next-generation blockchain that puts the emphasis both on sustainability and performance, it was natural to partner with another icon of excellence.”
Buckle up Ferrari fans because more NFT drops are headed your way!


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Virginia’s agricultural exports reach another all-time high
Virginia’s agricultural and forestry products exports grew 14 percent last year, reaching an all-time high of $3.35 billion.
The export value now means Virginia is the second-largest agricultural exporter on the East Coast behind Georgia. Virginia’s 2014 figures eclipsed North Carolina’s exports.
This is the fourth consecutive year Virginia has set new records for agricultural exports, which have grown 49 percent since 2010 when Virginia launched a strategic plan to grow agricultural and forestry exports.
The top three export markets from Virginia were China ($691 million in agricultural purchases), Canada ($279 million) and Switzerland ($174 million). China and Canada increased their imports of Virginia agricultural goods 10 percent and 7 percent in 2014 respectively, while Switzerland’s decreased by 11 percent.
Virginia has trade representation in Mexico, Russia, Japan and the United Kingdom.
The top agricultural exports included soybeans, soybean meal and oil, lumber and logs, pork, unmanufactured leaf tobacco, poultry, processed foods and beverages (including wine), corn, wheat animal feed, wood pellets, seafood, raw peanuts, cotton and animal fats and oils.
The increase in Virginian exports came despite a drop in the value of U.S. commodity crops. For example, the price of soybeans fell 28 percent, while corn prices haves fallen to $4 per bushel, down from more than $8 per bushel in 2012.
The top importers of Virginia’s agricultural and forestry products include:
1. China ($691 million)
2. Canada ($279 million)
3. Switzerland ($174 million)
4. Mexico ($150 million)
5. Russia ($124 million)
6. Japan ($114 million)
7. United Kingdom ($110 million)
8. Venezuela ($103 million)
9. Morocco ($98 million)
10. Indonesia ($94 million)


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Alex Madrigal with Covilli Brand Organics
"First season of organic pineapple sales is off to a strong start"
Mexico is transitioning its supply regions for organic imported pineapples after wrapping up a longer than expected season.
“We’re receiving our last load of organic pineapples this week for the season. Our grower confirmed that the season rarely extends this far into July. Historically he’s sent his last load between June 25th-July 5th,” says Alex Madrigal of Covilli Brand Organics Inc. in Nogales, Ariz. This was Covilli’s first season carrying organic pineapples and while the company imported them from December through to mid-July, they are currently looking at a potential grower to fill the gap until December.
Supplies of pineapples have been coming from Oaxaca, Mexico while competing product has been arriving from Central America, Hawaii and also from the Yucatan, Mexico. “We hope to transition into our new region of Yucatan that will hopefully help carry us into December,” says Madrigal.
Demand meanwhile was solid for organic pineapples. “We’re seeing most of the interest in the Pacific Northwest,” says Madrigal. “However the Midwest and Southwest have also shown a strong interest.”
And as regions wind down and transition, prices are strengthening on pineapples. “It’s a slight strengthening--a dollar to two dollars and tenuous,” says Madrigal. “But again my grower tells me that he expected a bad market year.”
All told, Madrigal believes organic pineapple sales were off to a strong start for his company. “Despite selling pineapples in saturated markets, we feel our pineapples were well received,” he says. “We hope to strengthen our partnerships on the East Coast as well as consolidate in the Southwest when we open our new distribution center in Pharr, Texas this fall.”


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SanTan Brewing Co., one of Arizona’s fastest growing breweries and a leader of the Arizona canned craft beer revolution, is launching an exciting new CanVenture: Arizona’s first ever seasonal canned beer series.
E-Book Special Report
Total Cost of Ownership
Sign up to receive timely updates from our editors and download this E-Book Special Report to learn how to calculate the true Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of your packaging machinery.
Two truckloads holding 105,600 cans of fresh purified spring water were sent to the Red Cross Distribution Center in Somerset, NJ, to help in that region’s disaster relief efforts in the wake of Sandy.


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The Apple rumor mill continues as we get closer and closer to the company's Sept. 9 event.
According to Re/code(Opens in a new window), Apple has finalized a deal with American Express a part of is rumored new mobile payments platform. The end goal is to allow iPhone 6 owners to pay for goods and services using their phones, eliminating the need for credit cards, debit cards, or cash at certain retailers.
Of course, that does depend on which payment services Apple has signed up. It's also unclear just which retailers have agreed to participate in Apple's planswe presume they would need some kind of technology to be able to extract the payment information from a smartphone.
Nevertheless, it' another major partnership for Apple. The Information previously reported(Opens in a new window) that Apple had successfully courted Visa as well. And it's widely rumored, though not confirmed, that Apple will indeed use NFC as the basis for its mobile payments. We can only presume that, somehow, Apple will also make use of a fingerprint verification system built into the phone itself for paymentsassuming Apple is continuing to employ Touch ID in the next iteration of iPhones.
It's certainly possible that Apple might scuttle the entire feature for its big Sept. 9 revealor perhaps postpone its announcement until more partners have signed up.
Still, it's been speculated that Apple has been very interested in somehow getting more use out of the millions of credit card records it currently has via iTunes. Allowing iPhone owners to make use of that data in new and interesting ways seems like a natural evolution.
More importantly, having Google and Apple finally playing in the same mobile payments space might bring some much-needed competition and attract the interest of even more retailers. For phone owners, that's a good thingespecially if you dream of a wallet-free future.
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The Latest News On The API Economy
Searching: No Search Term , Filtered By Category: "Localization", Category: "Business", Category: "Directories"
Developed app markets are increasingly saturated making it harder than ever to stand out. Localizing your app abroad - whether just a translation or a full app overhaul - could be the difference between its global success or failure. So what should you consider if you want to localize right now?
Handling API calls in the cloud with a service like AWS Lambda is one of the latest ways enterprises try to save on resources. In theory, you can save a ton of money. But be careful. Costs for API calls can mount up, sometimes leaving you with a cloud computing bill ten times the size you expected.
Whether you're leading your decades-old organization through a digital transformation or you're a developer plotting out your career path, you'd better get to know and understand the new breed of developer. She or he is not just a software engineer, s/he's a businessperson too (includes a podcast)
Although Igloo already promoted a number of automated integrations with popular apps like Dropbox, box, G Suite, and others; Igloo stopped short of completely opening its digital workplace framework to the entire developer community. That has now changed, along with full support.
When a business's various stakeholders consider the decisions to make as they execute an API strategy, the API's business model will prove to be key. But as Ziggeo learned, in the interests of seizing the biggest opportunities, you may have to go back on your initial business model decision.
Yelp continues its Fusion API-centric strategy with the announcement that Yelp Events data will be accessible via the Fusion API. Yelp Events allows users to create, share and discover events around the world, and developers will be able to pull data regarding such events through the Fusion API.
Microsoft continued its expansion of its Graph API portfolio with multiple API announcements at its latest Build developer conference. Specific API announcements include updates to SharePoint, OneNote, Planner, and translator APIs. Additionally, new Insights APIs were announced.
As traditional television looks to reach new audiences, the API provides a way to reuse and recycle content in a way that broadens the customer base. Broadcast companies such as ESPN are now leveraging next-generation APIs to fight back these challengers and raise bar on the competition.
Twilio introduced a new Fax API in Beta. The API allows connected apps to both send and receive faxes to and from legacy fax machines. While the API might seem counterintuitive, the business reality of today's marketplace continues to see many businesses across industries rely on fax communication.
AdStage built a platform that aggregates data gathered from advertising tools. As AdStage built infrastructure to accomplish this, the company decided to move beyond ad services and into more business tools. Now, other BI system data is included and is accessible via the new Universal Data API.
Sixteen APIs have been added to the ProgrammableWeb directory in categories including Banking, Big Data, Real Estate, Education, and Microservices. Featured today are APIs for Astronomer data pipeline services and EventUpon events calendars platform. Here's a look at what is new.
Google added location insights to its Google My Business API. The feature allows businesses to retrieve a number of searches, views and actions about a specific business location made from Google resources (e.g. Google Search, Google Maps). Developers can aggregate data for actionable insight.
This article is part of a 10-part series where we discuss interesting APIs that were added to our directory during 2016. Business and Productivity APIs are covered in this segment. The APIs were chosen by our researchers, by popularity according to website traffic, and by mentions on social media.
Today, BMC announced the general availability of its Innovation Suite for Developers. The Suite of tools is designed to enable businesses to offer services for the digital and cloud era. The APIs and SDKs that power the Suite can be leveraged by process owners and developers alike.
Webhooks offer a far more efficient way to monitor changes to an endpoint than traditional polling. In this recent article on InfoWorld, Mark Geene discusses the technology and highlights three commercial implementations that put it to good use to improve the customer experience.
To provide more options in searching for relevant contacts, Microsoft has decided to transition WorkingWith API users to its new People API. The People API not only provides more robust metadata than the WorkingWith API, the People API includes greater browse/search functionality and ranking system.
Snapchat recently announced an update to its advertising platform which includes the availability of a new Ads API. The API is a set of tools for allowing important business partners access to real-time bidding on advertising time, and a set of tools to develop the content that will stream.
Microsoft has expanded its business application platform, Flow, to support Custom APIs and three new apps. Microsoft made the announcements at its Ignite 2016 event. As Microsoft continues to build its business application platform, more supported apps and more API connectivity will be essential.
A few months after releasing the Google My Business API v3.0, Google has released v3.1. The release includes many new features including push notifications for new listings and reviews, easier navigation to Google Maps, and more. Additionally, Google mentioned a number of new features soon to come.
In Microsoft's journey to make Office an open developer platform, the company has taken the next step by making the Excel REST API generally available. Now developers can integrate the business productivity tool with third party services like accounting software, emails, surveys, etc.


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DWorld Nola announces Mr Nude Orleans!
From the creator of Mr. Nude York comes an all-nude, all-lewd, all-dude beauty pageant in New Orleans.
The 2nd MR NUDE ORLEANS Friday, January 17th 10pm-4am
Daniel Nardicio, the man responsible for bringing John Waters, Alan Cumming, Dina Martina, Sandra Bernhard and others to New Orleans announces his most titillating event in NOLA yet:
MR. NUDE ORLEANS
The deep-South’s only all-male nude beauty pageant.
“New Orleans has always been such a sexy city, and the Allways Lounge such a tantalizing venue, that I just couldn’t resist bringing Mr Nude Orleans, which is all-male, but not limited to gay guys. We’re very open to contestants”.
Contestants get a chance to show off their wares in a swimsuit competition, a strip-off, a hilarious Q and A portion, and the last part, the big reveal. “Let’s just say the competition is stiff”, says Nardicio.
The winner takes home $300 and the chance to reign as Mr. Nude Orleans. “They’ll be opening malls in Natchitoches” laughs Nardicio.
And yes there will be dancing, all to the tunes of legendary DJ Johnny Dynell, who is a New York City DJ, producer, songwriter, remixer and impresario who has been practicing his art and craft for over three decades.. Beginning at the seminal Mudd Club in 1980, he also went on to residencies at Area, Boy Bar, Susanne Bartsch's Copacabana parties, Elton John’s Oscar parties and more.
Contestants can join by emailing firstname.lastname@example.org
at Allways Lounge, 2240 St Claude Street, New Orleans


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Rising demand fuels rosy outlook
The outlook for the sheep industry is positive as a result of increasing demand for wool and sheepmeat.
In a presentation to the Department of Agriculture and Food's Agribusiness Sheep Updates in Perth this week, independent agricultural economist Peter Rowe said the longer-term outlook for sheep was positive despite a recent decline in prices.
"Wool stockpiles are very low, currently under 5 per cent of global use, and when European consumers return, prices will need to go up to ration demand," Mr Rowe said.
"The global sheep flock is not increasing, so supply is not going to increase rapidly."
He said sheep meat prices were expected to recover on the back of an export program initially to the US, where a particularly poor season last year had led to reduced numbers.
"ABARES estimates the United States will increase imports of Australian lamb by 12 per cent this year," he said.
Mr Rowe predicted the European economic malaise would continue into 2013 and see the Western Market Indicator average 1050c/kg through next financial year when it would start to increase again and was budgeting on lamb prices around $4.20/kg over the next two to three years. The positive outlook follows a decline in wool prices by 24 per cent and lamb by 22 per cent after both peaked in June 2011.
"During the first half of 2011, confidence in the global economy returned after the economic crisis, and wool, cotton and synthetics all increased in price as demand, particularly from Europe, grew," Mr Rowe said.
"But then concerns about European financial conditions started to emerge and demand for clothing across all fibres fell away."
Despite the drop, wool prices remain mid-range.
"The Western Market Indicator is currently at 1080c/kg, the 6th percentile, meaning prices have been higher 39 per cent over the last five years," Mr Rowe said.
Lamb and mutton prices were impacted by a fall in demand from Europe and competition from New Zealand lamb into other export markets.
Department sheep leader Steve Gherardi said the variety of export markets available for sheep meat should provide confidence for the industry.
"The countries which sheep meat is exported to are doing well economically and we expect to see demand for sheep meat to stay up over the next year," he said.
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