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Former Apple Chairman Funds Global Ventures
Kuala Lumpur -- Turnaround specialist Dr. Gilbert Amelio has
recast himself as an internationally-savvy venture capitalist,
stepping out of the shadows after leaving Apple Computer Inc. in
"Going into venture capital was the best use of my extensive
career, experience and contacts," he told dotcom.com in a brief
interview at the advisory panel meeting for Malaysia's Multimedia
Super Corridor in Kuala Lumpur recently.
Back in 1997, Amelio's career was at an all-time low, brought
down by his high-profile struggle to redeem the fortunes of troubled
PC legend Apple Computer.
Today, Amelio heads San Francisco-based Beneventure Capital,
which provides funding and mentoring to early-stage companies. In
addition to leading Beneventure, Amelio is currently a director of
SBC Inc. and on the boards of six other private companies.
Beneventure is focusing on companies in high technology,
communications, semiconductors and Internet-related businesses and
will likely invest an average US$3-5 million on each company. The VC
firm is now raising an initial fund of US$150 million.
A global view
Beneventure has already taken stakes in 17 companies in the US,
mostly in Internet-related businesses, two of which have gone liquid
for a tidy profit.
The two investments--Newport, California-based ThemeWare Corp,
creators of The Internet Tool Box, a multimedia Internet and
e-commerce kit, and Texas-based VideoNet Corp, a company
specializing in interactive video--were sold to public
Amelio said its current funding has a projected return rate of 25
percent but the company is doing a "bit better" than that so
Over time, Amelio plans to sink Beneventure's bucks in markets
across the world, including Southeast Asia.
"My interests are global and when we set up the company we wanted
it to have a global perspective. So we are hoping to develop
partners all over the world. That's not only important for US
companies that want to go overseas, but also important for overseas
companies that want to access the US market," he said.
Beneventure is currently scouting for opportunities in Hong Kong,
Southeast Asia, India, Pakistan, the Middle East and Europe.
"I have been coming here (Asia) for ten years. Every time I come
I see something new. It's wonderful. We hope to invest some of our
money here," he said.
The VC elite
Amelio joins an elite of high-profile technology executives who
have joined the ranks of venture capitalists including another
former Apple CEO John Sculley, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and
most recently, former Oracle COO Ray Lane.
Amelio has vigorously defended his stint at Apple. In a book he
co-authored, "On the Firing Line: My 500 Days at Apple" suggested he
had already set the company on the road to transformation and
recovery before Apple co-founder Steve Jobs returned.
Undoubtedly, Amelio had re-aligned much of the company's
direction, improving quality, pruning work force, overhauling its
product line, and formulating a new software strategy, but even that
was not enough.
The board jettisoned him after only a year and half after taking
the reins from Michael Spindler in February, 1996. During his
18-month tenure, Apple reported losses amounting to US$1.6 billion.
Amelio was also vilified by the more rabid Macintosh fans,
particularly for receiving a reported US$7 million severance
Amelio's detractors say his best move was bringing Jobs --
ironically, the man who eventually ousted him from office -- back to
the fold through the acquisition of NeXT Software Inc.
A stellar run
Amelio's tenure at Apple blemishes what had otherwise been a
He started his career as a scientist at AT&T's Bell
Laboratories in New Jersey in the 60s and invented a light-sensing
device, one of 16 patents to his name. He has a doctorate in
physics, is an IEEE Fellow and past chairman of the Semiconductor
In the 1980s, he turned around Rockwell International Corp.'s
unprofitable semiconductor unit, and in the early 90s repeated his
feat with troubled National Semiconductor Corp. during five years
leading up to his position at Apple.
When he was at National Semiconductor, the company had a record
profit of US$262 million from sales of over US$2 billion.
this article to a


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Tretton plays down any talk of a PS4 coming soon
Sony Computer Entertainment America boss, Jack Tretton has announced that they have no plans to release a new console in the short term.
In an interview with Forbes Tretton explained that the PlayStation 3 was just hitting its stride and that it still has a long way to run.
He said: "PlayStation 3 is really just hitting its stride. And technologically, I don't think it's possible to provide any advancement beyond what we have."
Tretton added: "What we've seen from the competition is trying to add features that already exist in PlayStation 3. We invested heavily in that, we rolled a very heavy rock up a steep hill, through the launch period. But now I think that all pays off, and we've got a long run way behind it. So, I wouldn't look for any discussion of a next generation PlayStation for quite some time."
Rumour has it that rivals Microsoft already have development kits in place for their next generation of home console at Crytek and EA although both companies officially deny the leaked information.
- Classic PC survival horror series returns with Alone In The Dark: Illumination
- Resident Evil: Revelations 2 confirmed with a concept trailer
- Xbox One owners, Destiny wants to eat your hard drive
- Saints Row IV modding tools released for PC
- Volition's Steve Jaros: Sarkeesian was right to call out Saints Row
- Playable Silent Hill teaser P.T. downloaded 1 million times
- Blooborne gets a Japanese release date
- Rockstar says no delay to next-gen GTA V, November release date rumoured
- Harmonix announces A City Sleeps, their new music-driven shooter

domain: news


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It seemed too good to be true: Cape Town gangsters, guided by a local pastor, laying down their weapons to hand out food parcels to desperate people in Manenberg. And, of course, it was.
“Today, they will give me a food parcel in front of my son but a few months later they will remind him of the food parcel and tell him to deliver ‘goods’ for them,” one resident told researchers from Global Initiative. Community groups reportedly claimed that some food parcels contained drugs and guns, and that gangsters were simply exploiting the lockdown to grow their territory and recruit vulnerable youngsters.
At least 50 gangs fight viciously for power in Manenberg, a township of 52,000 people crammed into just three square kilometres, and that averages a murder a week. For these gangs, the pandemic presents an ideal opportunity. South Africa’s lockdown has created severe food shortages in the Cape Flats, while temporary restrictions on sales of cigarettes and alcohol means dealers offering black market deliveries have a chance to cultivate new customers – and debts.
Community groups are striving to fill in the gaps, providing meals to thousands in order to keep this dubious charity at bay. But there’s only so much they can do. For impoverished families already struggling to make ends meet, especially the 70% of people in Manenberg who are unemployed, deliveries of food parcels are often the only lifeline – even if they come with long-term strings attached.


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U.S. Products announces new carpet extractor
PLYMOUTH, MN — U.S. Products has unveiled the new PEX™ 500 hot-water carpet extractor, according to a press release.
Known as the “King of Mobility,” the PEX™ 500 is exceedingly easy to transport and maneuver from location to location, up and down stairs and other places.
The design includes a special wand caddy molded into the machine and a retractable hose wrap and cord wraps to hold electrical cords.
The new PEX™ 500 is one of the easiest to use, highest performance hot-water carpet extractors on the market.
For more information, visit U.S. Products’s website here.


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According to a press launch from a authorities company, the U.S. Product Safety Commission has recalled 1.6 million non-contact voltage testers manufactured by Klein Tools. Not solely does the voltage tester fail to work, it could additionally pose a possible risk of electric shock.
USPSC said in an announcement: “During the power-on or power-off cycle, the on/off button may be kept pressed, causing the tester to not work properly.” statement Explain the recall. “If the tester does not work properly, the consumer who tests the power supply may not be warned that there is a live voltage, thereby posing a risk of electric shock to the user.”
According to USPSC, between January 2020 and March 2021, retailers comparable to Home Depot and industrial distributors offered greater than 1.6 million recalled testers. Approximately 67,800 autos had been offered in Canada.
If you will have a Klein Tools voltage tester, please examine the next SKUs (together with bigger kits containing recalled merchandise) to see in case your SKUs are affected:
Customers can name 800-527-3099 from Monday to Friday between 8 am and seven pm Eastern Time to get hold of alternative elements from Klein Tools, or they will e-mail the corporate at [email protected] may discover the recall submission type at Gadget website.
The firm stated in an announcement posted on-line: “There are no reports of injuries caused by the use of these testers, but Klein Tools is recalling them out of very cautious considerations.”
“Our biggest concern is the safety of our loyal Klein Tools customers. We apologize for the inconvenience caused to you and promise to redouble our efforts to continue to provide you with quality tools.”


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Battlefield celebrates 10 years, Battlefield 1942 is free on Origin nowWritten by: / / No Comments
DICE is celebrating the tenth year anniversary of the Battlefield series, and the fact that two million members have now signed up to Battlefield 3 Premium since its launch in June.
To say thanks to all the Battlefield 3 fans across the world, gamers can now download a free PC copy of Battlefield 1942 from Origin.
Karl Magnus Troedsson, Vice President and General Manager of DICE, said “Since the beginning, the reception to the Battlefield series has been incredible thanks to our amazing fans. Every day, we strive to provide our community with great games and new ways to play as evident with Battlefield 3 Premium. We wanted to thank our fans who have supported us throughout the years by restoring Battlefield 1942 for a digital re-release and give everyone a chance to play the game that started it all.”
DICE also released some interesting stats about Battlefield 3, such as since the game’s launch in October 2011 there have been 95 billion total heals, 4 billion total revives, 3 billion vehicles destroyed and 2 trillion bullets fired. Our Battlefield 3 Friday Squad has no doubt contributed to these impressive numbers.
Battlefield 3 became the fastest-selling title in EA history, having sold 17 million units since its release. Battlefield 3 Premium delivers five expansion packs to gamers, including Back to Karkand, Close Quarters and Armored Kill (which have already been released), as well as Aftermath (available for PS3 on November 27th and Xbox 360/PC on December 4th) and End Game (coming March 2013).


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The explosion of food in the sector over the past decade has seen an accompanying increase in the quality and diversity of wines available in pubs, as quality-driven diners have abandoned traditional white tablecloth-style restaurants in favour of more casual establishments.
But Brexit, in whatever form it eventually takes, looks certain to critically impact how pubs go about buying, selling and pricing wine over the coming months.
Economic uncertainty and the weak pound are already affecting prices, and with Prime Minister Theresa May set to formally trigger Article 50 this month, operators are waiting with baited breath to see how leaving the EU will actually affect their bottom line.
The Morning Advertiser spoke to wine expert Simon Jerrome, head of wine buying at Conviviality PLC, to ask how pubs can drive profits while continuing to improve the range of wines they sell and turn wine lovers into repeat customers.
Here are six things you should know:
1. Like it or not, price hikes are coming
Wherever you sit on the political spectrum, Brexit is not having a positive effect on UK wine buyers and suppliers. “We have to face up to the fact that there will be price increases,” says Jerrome.
“I’ve been buying for 20-odd years and I’ve seen increases come and go, but this is the first time we’ve really seen anything of this size. The euro has shifted by about 18% – that is huge when you think of Champagne, Chablis, Rioja and Prosecco, where you are seeing huge increases in some cases.
“There’s nothing the wholesaler can do,” he laments. “We’re not taking the p**s – these are the increases we’re faced with due to the Brexit vote.”
But, he says: “Will the currency stabilise? I’m sure it will at some point.”
2. UK consumers are going back to the classics
Old world European wines such as Rioja, Chianti and Chablis are making a comeback thanks to an increasing amount of operators beginning to offer them by the glass.
“People aspire to be drinking these by the glass, and with the use of Corovans and equipment like that, it has become much more prevalent,” says Jerrome. “Enomatic machines and the like allow trial so, for me, the pubs that are doing the best with wine are the ones letting customers try things they would not usually taste."
3. Chinese wine is poised for popularity
The land of Confucius is making serious waves among wine lovers as Chinese growers utilise traditional French grapes, taking advantage of the country’s little-explored 'terroir'.
“The potential for it is huge if you look at the amount of wine China is producing,” says Jerrome. “And it is now producing much better quality. It is making some serious wines, and they’re accessible – we have one for under a tenner on our wholesale list.”
4. English wine is living up to the hype
According to Jerrome, more and more customers are approaching homegrown wines with an open mind. “More people are definitely prepared to give it a go,” he says. “And we should be shouting about the quality of what can be produced [in the UK].
“We’ve got Ridgeview, Camel Valley, Chapel Down – it used to be that operators just stocked one English wine, but now it’s a national thing.”
The prospect of climate change may be terrifying, but it could have a surprisingly positive effect on UK winemaking, he muses.
“Can you tell me the last five great vintages in Australia? They’ve all been pretty much the same,” he says. “Here, climate change will make the vintages more stable. It could iron out some of those ones where the grapes don’t ripen or it’s too wet.”
5. The health lobby is still kicking up a stink
“The health lobby is arguing that we need duty to pay for the NHS,” says Jerrome. “How do you work that out?”
It is unfair to treat all types of alcohol as equally dangerous, he says, due to major differences in the environment different drinks are typically served in – and the quantity.
“Outside, very few late-night places have I seen people charging down the road, hitting each other with bottles of wine. That tends to be driven by spirits and beers,” he says.
“I think a lot of places realise that if you build a focus on wine, customers tend to drink a bit less and take more notice of what they drink."
6. If in doubt, get your customers involved
“We’ve had a few customers who have involved their regulars in the selection of wines, and that’s really cool” says Jerrome. “You could even buy one case of something a bit weird to try, it’s not like you’re going to be left with loads of leftover stock.
“Use a chalk board,” he recommends. “Chalk boards are fantastic for putting on ‘wine of the month’ style offers.
“There are places like the 10 Cases in Covent Garden, where you can literally buy 10 cases of each wine and once they’ve sold out, that’s it. Maintain people’s interest because pubs are still all about regulars.”


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Southwestern Electric Power Co., an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company, in collaboration with Shreveport Green and EPRI, today announced the first harvest of Shreveport Green’s Urban Farm, an indoor agriculture facility that utilizes new technology to grow nutritious food year-round.
The Urban Farm on Sprague Street near downtown Shreveport features a controlled environment agriculture (CEA) farm made from a custom shipping container equipped with LED lighting, a high efficiency HVAC system, recirculating water pumps, a dehumidification system, and sensors. Indoor agriculture facilities like this allow for the year-round local production of crops regardless of outdoor conditions. The container uses electric technologies to create a microclimate that optimizes plant production and helps meet other community energy, water, and sustainability goals.
“SWEPCO is proud to collaborate on this exciting project that will help increase access to healthy food in our communities using this innovative farming method,” said SWEPCO President and Chief Operating Officer Malcolm Smoak.
The produce planted inside the container is closely monitored via remote sensor technology, which continuously gathers real-time data on growing conditions. This information allows farmers to remotely control the lighting, temperature and watering conditions to create the ideal setting needed for produce to thrive. Shreveport Green is growing nearly 1,200 Tuscan kale plants in the hydroponic container that holds 88 growing panels. It will be harvested once every week-and-a-half and distributed through the Shreveport Green Mobile Market to provide fresh, nutritious food to the Choice Neighborhood recipients living in Allendale, Ledbetter Heights and Lakeside communities of Shreveport.
“We are thrilled to be a part of this exciting and practical program,” said said Donna Curtis, Shreveport Green Executive Director. “We hope to eventually harvest 90 pounds of produce every three weeks, giving our Mobile Market a dependable source of food. This hydroponic container nicely complements the 22 additional community gardens we have around the city.”
SWEPCO is one of 13 energy companies nationwide participating in a two-year EPRI study designed to demonstrate and better understand opportunities surrounding indoor food production through operation of a CEA farm. Through automated monitoring, researchers at EPRI will be able to evaluate how energy loads, water use, and other controlled parameters vary across different facilities and locations. Other trackable data will also help address questions regarding distribution planning, rate design, and larger societal benefits.
“Indoor agriculture is a rapidly growing and evolving industry across the United States. We’re seeing innovative designs, technologies, and energy applications that are helping CEA farms not only achieve year-round crop cultivation but also contribute to areas of community need like energy and water efficiency goals,” said Frank Sharp, Principal Technical Leader at EPRI. “We’re thrilled to be working with SWEPCO and Shreveport Green to explore potential opportunities from this CEA farm to benefit the Shreveport community.”


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Following a summer of mixed fortunes, including a welcome year-on-year increase in profit per room in August, hotels in the Middle East & Africa were back to business as usual in September. GOPPAR levels sunk by 17.1 percent year-on-year, according to the latest worldwide poll of full-service hotels from HotStats.
September typically marks a return to ‘normal’ trading conditions for hotels in the Middle East & Africa following the disruption during the summer. With room occupancy levels this month at 66 percent—well ahead of the average for the preceding three-month summer period at 57.5 percent—they looked to be back on track. However, a 10.8-percent decline in achieved average room rate to $158.67 wiped out the 1-percent increase in room occupancy and meant that hotels in the region suffered a 9.5-percent decline in RevPAR. At $105.80, RevPAR at hotels in the Middle East & Africa was 5.5 percent below the year-to-date average of $111.93.
The expected resurgence in performance at hotels in the region is characteristically led by the commercial sector. However, in addition to a drop in volume, a year-on-year decline in sector rates was recorded in the corporate (-8 percent) and residential conference (-8.6 percent) segments this month. In addition to the drop in rooms revenue, hotels in the Middle East & Africa recorded a decline in non-rooms revenue, which included a decrease in food and beverage (-1.7 percent) and leisure (-7 percent) revenue on a per available room basis. As a result, TrevPAR in the region fell by 6.5 percent year-on-year to $183.06.
In line with the growth in volume, a 2.4 percent increase in payroll levels was recorded at hotels in the Middle East & Africa to 29.9 percent of total revenue. However, the rising costs further exacerbated the issue of falling revenues. As a result, GOPPAR levels dropped by 17.1 percent to just $59.83. “Despite oil prices hitting a two-year high in late September, a number of key economies across the Middle East & Africa continue to face challenges as they come to terms with the reduction in oil output due to OPEC-imposed cuts and many look to non-oil industries to stimulate growth. The current challenges in the oil industry have seen Saudi Arabia fall into recession in Q2 2017 with the Qatar economy also struggling. Alongside this, the political landscape in the region is facing major issues. The current challenges in the Middle East & Africa suggest the hotel market will continue to struggle in the short term,” said Pablo Alonso, CEO of HotStats.
While Dubai is one of the few key economies in the Middle East & Africa, which is much less reliant on the oil industry, the city is facing challenges of its own, as the dynamics of the hotel market shift towards the mid-market segment and the volume of supply in the city multiplies in preparation for Expo 2020.
This month, RevPAR at hotels in Dubai fell by 13.4 percent year-on-year to $126.25 due to a decline in both room occupancy by 4.2 percent and achieved average room rate by 8 percent to $162.50. The decline this month contributed to the 2.7-percent drop for year-to-date 2017. It is surprising that the year-on-year decline has not been more severe, with more than 4,000 guestrooms added to the Dubai market in the year to Q3 2017. The increase in hotel stock, which included the 414-guestroom Rixos JBR and the 238-guestroom DoubleTree by Hilton Business Bay, brought the total number of rooms available to 82,200 guestrooms.
In addition to the drop in RevPAR, hotels in Dubai suffered declines in non-rooms revenue this month, which included a drop in food and beverage (-4.4 percent) and leisure (-17.9 percent) revenue on a per available room basis. The decline in revenues across all hotel departments resulted in hotels in Dubai recording a 9.9-percent decline in TrevPAR to $232.37 and a 3.2 percent increase in payroll to 32.2 percent.
Escalating costs contributed to the 27.6-percent decline in GOPPAR to $55.83 at hotels in Dubai this month. This added to the 6.3-percent drop in this measure for year-to-date 2017. A a result, Dubai hotels are on course for a third consecutive year of profit decline further to the drop in 2015 (-20.5 percent) and 2016 (-10.1 percent). “The additions to stock in the Dubai hotel market, many of which are in the mid-market segment, are inevitably diluting top line performance which is having a knock-on effect on the rest of the profit and loss. Despite this, construction projects in the city are continuing unabated and a further 4,100 bedrooms are due to enter the market in Q4 2017, with up to 40,600 rooms being developed in the next two and a half years in the lead up to Expo 2020,” Alonso added.
In contrast to the performance across many hotel markets in the region, hotels in Kuwait were able to record an increase in top and bottom line performance levels in September, but had to work hard to do so. This month, hotels in Kuwait were able to offset a 7.1-percent decline in achieved average room rate with a 5.2-percent increase in room occupancy levels. This resulted in a 3.2-percent increase in RevPAR to $110.72. The year-on-year growth in rooms revenue contributed to the 2.3-percent increase in TrevPAR to $212.65.
As a result of the growth in volume, payroll levels for hotels in Kuwait increased by 1.3 percent to 29.2 percent of total revenue. Despite the increase in costs, GOPPAR increased by 0.3 percent to $87.34 this month, equivalent to a profit conversion of 41.1 percent of total revenue.


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Some say the ‘indications’ backed in the patent are next to useless because they are not matched by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) approved claims, some of which are expected by January, 2010.
Others say the patent validation still provides a powerful marketing tool, especially at a B2B level, even if specific claims are yet to be approved by EFSA.
The health indications patent (EP 0656786) was granted to Australian firm, Novogen Research, in 2004, but was challenged by 10 groups and companies in a Munich appeals court recently.
The judge approved a series of menopausal and pre-menstrual treatment indications related to products containing between 20mg and 200mg of the isoflavones forms, genistein and daidzein.Indications for prostate cancer and hypercholesterolemia were not upheld.
Validation is important
David Hart, SoyLife product manager at Israeli supplier, Frutarom, the exclusive European licensee for Novogen's patent via ADM, said the key point about the verdict is that a major component of the patent has been upheld.
“The is great public knowledge about isoflavones and women’s health and, while no specific claims can yet be made, this decision will assist with marketing materials, at least on a B2B level. But like everyone else, we wait to see what EFSA has to say about these claims.”
Frutarom was involved in the submission of about 400 article 13.1 generic health claims in the area to the EU nutrition and health claims process.
But vice president of marketing and development, Gary Brenner, from Israeli soy ingredients specialist, Solbar, said the menopausal and premenstrual indications approved in the patent will be difficult to translate to market
“The patent and the state of play in Europe means claims on these kinds of soy isoflavones will be narrowed to almost nothing,” he said.
“If any products are going to make treatment claims they are going to find themselves in trouble with EU trading standards if they have not been approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).”
How reference to the patent approval used in marketing materials is viewed by regulators is not clear, but Hart said he trusted in his customers and noted there were more than 150 isoflavone-bearing products on the market in the Europe that conveyed targeted messages without making explicit claims.
Hart acknowledged it was unfortunate the word ‘medicament’ featured in the patent to indicate its ‘treatment indication’, as it was “not an EFSA-friendly” term, and there was some doubt about how it might be interpreted by various EU bodies.
The patent states that isoflavones are a ‘Medicament’ for the “treatment of pre-menstrual syndrome or symptoms associated with menopause."
“There is a fine line between different regulatory bodies,” Hart told NutraIngredients.com.
Both companies asserted the robustness of the clinical data backing their forms of soy isoflavones.
Novogen’s patent was originally applied for in 1993 and took 11 years to be validated after fighting off much commercial opposition. The European application was made in 1999.


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“The war on inflation is over,” economist Paul Krugman, a New York Times columnist, wrote recently on X/Twitter. “We won, at very little cost.”
That must come as a shock to the many Americans who are demonstrably poorer because of the rampant inflation of the last couple years. The latest consumer price index (CPI) data shows that prices have risen more than 17% on average since President Joe Biden took office and are on pace to double in less than 12 years. The typical American family has effectively lost $7,300 in annual income under Biden.
But you’d never know that by listening to Krugman. The quintessential economic cheerleader for the Biden administration, he never lets facts get in the way of his ideology.
In the first place, inflation is not down for the count—not by a long shot. Prices are up an average of 3.7% in the last year, which means they’re rising more than two and a half times as fast as they did when Biden took office. Inflation is nearly twice the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.
Worse, with blowout federal deficits continuing as far as the eye can see, there’s little hope of inflation returning to its low trend that existed before Biden took office.
But Krugman digs himself deeper when he explains his reasoning, or lack thereof, for his fallacious claim that inflation is beaten. To arrive at an inflation rate of 2% and declare victory, he removed all costs for shelter, food, energy and used cars from the CPI. That amounts to eliminating 58% of the index.
In other words, Krugman simply decided not to count those things whose prices were rising the fastest.
This bizarre new inflation metric is not just pointless but deceptive. It does not reflect a single person’s buying habits. The CPI is supposed to approximate the combination of goods and services that the average American buys. The Frankenstein’s monster created by Krugman does exactly the opposite—it represents literally no one by eliminating things necessary for survival.
What Krugman is implicitly saying is that if you’re homeless, starving and freezing to death, then everything else is relatively affordable. After all, who needs to eat, or live somewhere, or stay warm, or to drive? Don’t the American people know that if they just ignore the rising prices all around them, there’s no inflation?
This is a perfect example of the old saying, “if you torture the data long enough, they will confess to anything.” And in that vein, surely Krugman can do better than bringing inflation down to 2%. For instance, if he were to remove even more items from the CPI, inflation could come down even further.
Indeed, if all the components of the CPI are removed and no price increases are counted, then inflation becomes zero.
Sarcasm aside, the fact that a Nobel laureate like Krugman would promote such wanton propaganda is appalling. Alfred Nobel, the famous chemist and namesake of the Nobel prize, must be rolling over in his grave watching a winner of his eponymous prestigious award try to hoodwink the American people.
Furthermore, Krugman’s attempt to defend Biden’s atrocious economic record is really damning with faint praise. Even after removing more than half of the CPI, including the fastest growing components, there’s still 2% inflation. In other words, virtually no prices anywhere have come down for consumers. Prices are relentlessly marching higher.
A few weeks ago, Krugman said the economy was achieving a “soft landing,” meaning inflation was coming down and there would be no recession. He even called the economic data “surreally good.” That’s an understandable assessment when your standard operating procedure is to simply ignore any numbers that are politically inconvenient and torture the data until it tells you what you want to hear.
The average American doesn’t have that luxury. Weaselly words and numerical sleight of hand won’t help pay for the record prices Krugman is so desperately trying to hide. The American people know better because they’re living through the very reality Krugman denies.
This piece originally appeared in MSN


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It’s been a fair amount of time since Apple updated the Apple TV, and there were rumors 2020 could be the year it finally happened. But that didn’t turn out to be the case.
But as Apple introduces more services, like Apple Arcade, the Apple TV’s stretch of old hardware becomes far more apparent. It’s about time the company updates the set-top box. Now, Nikkei Asia Review reports that we may be closer to a launch — but it won’t be in 2020.
According to the publication, based on information shared by unnamed sources, Apple is working on a new Apple TV set-top box the company plans to release some time in 2021. The new Apple TV is mentioned as you might expect: the last line in a paragraph mentioning other products, including updates for the MacBook Pro and and iMac Pro — both of which will probably be updated in 2021, too.
Here’s the full quote:
Apple is also preparing an aggressive production schedule for its high-end computers, including the MacBook Pro and iMac Pro, for 2021, two other people familiar with the matter said. The company is in the midst of replacing Intel central processors in its computer lineups with self-designed CPUs built using technology from British chip designer Arm. Apple already introduced three MacBook models powered by its M1 central processor in late 2020 and announced it will take about two years to fully transition to CPUs designed in-house. The U.S. tech giant is also working on a new Apple TV, a home entertainment device for video-on-demand services, for next year, one of the people said.
And that’s it! Not much to go on, unfortunately. We don’t even have a potential release window. Apple could use next year’s Worldwide Developers Conference to talk up some major new features for tvOS, which could be a big hint of a hardware update, too. Or maybe they’ll just launch the new set-top box along with a press release in the beginning of the year and call it good.
But it feels inevitable at this point. Rumors of a new Apple TV have been circulating for quite some time now — even as far back as February of this year, when tvOS 13.4’s beta hinted at new hardware. But Apple didn’t get around to launching the new set-top box in 2020, so the wait continues.
As far as what to expect? A new Apple TV would probably introduce a new remote of some kind, boast higher storage options, and boast one of Apple’s more powerful A-series processors under the hood. As far as features go, though, that remains a bigger mystery at this point.
Are you planning to upgrade to a new Apple TV whenever Apple actually launches one?


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New Aveda-based Amity salon joins downtown Clarksville movement
With shiny chandeliers and an emphasis on elegant comfort, Amity salon, a new Aveda salon, is actively participating in the return of historic downtown Clarksville.
Owner Tonya DeRose has opened Amity salon at 55 N. First St., Suite 200, on the second floor directly above Yada Yada Yada Deli. She was formerly a stylist for another local salon.
"I had some ideas that I wanted to introduce ... to offer some unique salon expertise for the community," she said. "Being part of the downtown business community appealed to us because the downtown area has more of a family feel to it."
With a scenic view overlooking a portion of downtown from the big picture windows, Amity salon offers a variety of salon services for women and men.
In 1,084 square feet, there is a shampoo lounge, a hair color bar, a special bridal suite for doing makeup and other beauty details for the big day, and there are four stations for haircuts and styling.
Services also include complimentary hand massages, and men can receive relaxation head massages as part of their visit for a haircut and style.
DeRose said Amity's selection as an exclusive Aveda salon products retailer is a great source of pride for her.
"Aveda only deals with the owners of salon businesses. They are very selective with who they allow to sell their brand. There is a standard that has to be met, and we take pride in that," she said.
Part of Amity Salon's theme is giving back to the community, DeRose said. Discounts are offered for local public safety employees, for example, and the salon has already contributed to a school supplies collection drive for hurricane victims in Puerto Rico, in an effort led by Sango Elementary School.
In addition to DeRose, the staff of Amity salon includes Stacey Trinkle, salon manager, specializing in men's cuts and specialty styles; Kaitlyn Mullins, hairstylist specializing in blonding; and Taylor Otterbacher, guest services and Aveda ambassador.
Reach Business Editor Jimmy Settle at 931-245-0247 and on Twitter @settle_leaf.
Location: 55 N. First St., Suite 200
Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday


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Last week, Congress passed a bill that allegedly labels pizza as a vegetable in school lunches. How did pizza spontaneously become a vegetable? Has it always been considered a vegetable? Was it Congress? Was it the USDA? Some report it is because of lobbyists. Although lobbyists do play an influential role, its more so the system of legislation and regulation that creates such strange laws. Can we trust a governmental system that says a pizza is a vegetable?
A Defining Moment or Not?
Technically speaking, no strict definition of pizza as a vegetable passed Congress. The word pizza does not even appear once in the entire congressional bill (H.R. 2112). It changes nothing about the status quo of naming.
Strangely enough, because of the tomato sauce on pizza, pizza has been considered a vegetable for some time (despite recent notoriety.) The secret to understanding this labeling debacle is in the sauce, specifically the tomato sauce (puree and paste). In January of this year, the USDA proposed regulations which required stricter measuring of tomato sauce. For some odd reason, tomato sauce is credited with a fancy formula that calculates volume, rather than actual volume like other fruit pastes and purees. Actual volume provides more of the good stuff (granted, I would argue that pastes and purees aren’t necessarily healthy.)
Enter lobbyists that were not too fond of the USDA regulation, thus (successfully) lobbying Congress for legislation against it. “This agreement recognizes the significant amounts of potassium, fiber and vitamins A and C provided by tomato paste and ensures students may continue to enjoy healthy meals such as pizza and pasta.” says Kraig R. Naasz, President and CEO of the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI). AFFI is the national trade association which lobbies Congress for the interests of the frozen food industry. It’s amazing how a food lobby can insert their presence into the educational institutions of our children via legislation.
The Broken System of Regulation and Legislation
While accurately measuring tomato sauce would have been a step forward, in our broken system, this change would not explicitly keep pizza from being recognized as a vegetable. Even if the USDA-proposed regulations were accepted, cooks could just add another dollop or two of tomato sauce to the top of a pizza to meet minimum vegetable standards.
The bill effectively tied the hands of the USDA from implementing and enforcing new regulations, while stuffing their pockets full of money. The bill is a spending (appropriations) bill. While it gives money to the USDA to be a regulator, the bill prevents it from spending money towards regulating tomato sauce, among other things. This effectively continues to relegate pizza to vegetable status. The bill states, “None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to implement an interim final or final rule regarding [school] nutrition programs...that requires crediting of tomato paste and puree based on volume.”
As a side note, the stereotype is to blame Republicans for bills that benefit corporations, but if we look at the voting record, more Democrats in both the House and Senate said "yay" to this bill, than Republicans. Granted, this was a spending bill, and not a pizza-as-a-vegetable bill.
Getting back to Vegetable as a Vegetable, and Pizza as Pizza
So how do we solve this systematic regulatory and legislative breakdown when it comes to something like pizza as a vegetable in schools (or even more disconcerting problems)? Congress and the USDA spend months, if not years, bickering over minute details of volumetric quantity that amount to no real change. Lobbyists still have a strong presence at the Hill, and can insert one little line into legislation that blocks regulation. Why not strip them of that power of influence?
This may sound a little out there, but why not relinquish the regulation duties of the USDA, the legislative authority of the Congress, and the prying hands of lobbyists and their constituents from adversely affecting our schools? Instead of making this a national issue that is out of our hands, let us make this a local community issue at our schools.
Let us bring it back to the local level. Get the USDA and Congress out of the business of deciding how to measure health and nutrition. Let social ventures like Revolution Foods attempt to solve the school health and nutrition problem that Washington and lobbyists cannot solve with just writing more laws.
What do you think? Can we trust a governmental system that says a pizza is a vegetable, or even implies it? What else can we do to make sure that not only is a vegetable a vegetable, but that we are getting nutrition and health into our school food programs?
We're compiling all data!


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At least one in nine jobs — almost 17,000 — in Fayette County is tied somehow to agriculture, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.
The Fayette County agricultural business cluster generates $2.4 billion annually in revenue, and more than $73 million in state and local taxes, UK researchers found. There also are an additional $1.32 billion in other income, profits and dividends associated with the ag cluster.
This economic effect is much broader than previously assumed, in part because the survey looked beyond the farm to businesses that depend on farms, said Scott Smith, UK agriculture dean.
"I think the study is new and important because it defines agriculture in a broader and more meaningful way, not just through on-farm employment or farm-gate receipts," Smith said.
Researchers noted that their estimates are conservative, that there are many more businesses in Fayette County that have a percentage of their income tied to farms, such as accountants who do some farm-related taxes.
"We looked at those businesses that are entirely ag-dependent," Smith said. "Vet clinics are a great example. ... There are 200 of the world's best equine veterinarians here."
The equine sector is a big factor.
At least 15 recreational establishments, $88 million in additional annual payroll in three industries and $74 million in additional recreational sales are attributed to the presence of racetracks in the county.
The new survey numbers do not take into account the full tourism impact of Keeneland and the Kentucky Horse Park.
Agricultural sales in Fayette County are dominated by the horse sales and they impact hospitality, recreation, finance, real estate, professional services and retail trade as well.
A 10 percent increase in horse sales likely would result in 10 additional businesses in those sectors, $6 million in new payroll in professional services and $45 million in new sales in professional services, real estate and retail industries, the study found.
"The analysis quantifies how important Fayette County's distinctive brand is to major components of the local economy," the researchers concluded. "Agriculture imports wealth into Fayette County that is spent locally by industry participants and visitors."
Agriculture Commissioner James Comer hailed the study as more evidence of the economic importance of agriculture to Kentucky.
"Equine is our signature agriculture industry," he said. "The report showed that if we increased sales by 10 percent how much of a ripple effect that would have for Fayette County. I think that could be seen for beef cattle, for corn, for soybeans, for all of agriculture. ... Any time we increase production agriculture, it's going to have major effects on banks, on real estate, on housing and other sectors."
Comer said he hopes that the state General Assembly and Gov. Steve Beshear will see the research as more evidence that the equine industry should receive economic help.
Although other sectors of agriculture have flourished in recent years, Comer said, "equine continues to decline. And we need to work closely with the equine industry to reverse that trend for all breeds."
He said that lifting the sales tax on horse farm purchases and putting expanded gambling on the ballot are two possibilities.
"Our breeders' incentive fund isn't funded at the same levels as other states, and we need to examine what other states are doing and see how we can have more money in our breeders' incentive fund," Comer said. Many states with casinos or slots at tracks use the revenue to boost purses and breeders' funds.
"Let the people of Kentucky read these economic impact reports and let the people decide" on gambling, Comer said.
The study, funded by the Fayette County Kentucky Farm Bureau, particularly noted the potential impact of lost farmland: A decline of 10 percent, or $41 million, in production agriculture likely would result in an additional decrease of $26 million in other output, the study found.
"Fayette County has a diversified economy, and we wanted to get a better understanding of agriculture's role in it," said Todd Clark, past president of Fayette County Farm Bureau. "This project contains some important data that can be used to raise awareness and promote discussion of the agriculture clutter's importance to the county."
According to the study, the analysis was motivated by ongoing policy debates.
"Current policies preserve farmland at public expense, and discourage sprawl by restricting land use," the study noted. "Related debate exists about economic development priorities: Should the county attempt to lure manufacturing firms, or capitalize on its brand as the 'Horse Capital of the World'?"
Based on the analysis, policies designed to promote manufacturing would have fewer benefits in other local industries than agriculture gains would have.
The benefits go beyond the horse farm.
"Fayette County and local businesses have invested in a vibrant, entrepreneurial local food and entertainment industry," researchers found, citing the Lexington Farmers Market, named on of the top large farmers markets in the country by the American Farmland Trust.
"The addition of downtown businesses such as West Sixth Brewing, Shorty's Grocery, FoodChain Urban Farm, Country Boy Brewing, Town Branch Distillery and several new restaurants and bars in the area near Cheapside Park are all linked by a distinctive local character that blurs the lines of the agricultural, hospitality and recreation industries," the study found.
"Agriculture alone does not create Fayette County's unique image; it is the combination of the visual amenities of its farms; the glamour of its equine events, and the deep cultural history evident throughout the area. Bourbon distilling, originally a way to preserve the value of corn in an easily transported form, blends well with Fayette County's agricultural and equine heritage, strengthening the area's appeal to visitors and residents alike."
Leigh Maynard, one of the study's authors, said that their research reveals the true depth of agriculture's influence on Fayette County's urban economy.
"The important role of agriculture needs to be accounted for in policy discussions," Maynard said. "The linkages are so intertwined in Fayette County's diverse economy. ... If you do replace farmland with some other use, that replacement doesn't come cheap. It really is affecting the brand."


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Cheddar, the streaming video network dubbed the “CNBC for millennials” is launching its own business-focused news channel for Snapchat Discover, reports Sara Fischer of Axios.
Fischer reports, “It’s the latest addition to the two-year-old video company’s growing portfolio of digital distribution partners. In the past two weeks, Cheddar has launched new distribution partnerships with Snapchat, YouTube TV, Hulu, Altice, and the news section of The Roku Channel.
- Cheddar will release a new ‘Publisher Story’ on Snapchat Discover every morning at 6 a.m. ET. It will focus its coverage on personal finance, career news, innovative business news, and cryptocurrency.
- ‘I think our partnership with Snap and being on their platform is a BIG part of us building the #1 financial/business news brand for centennials,’ says CEO and founder Jon Steinberg. ‘It is WHERE that audience lives.’
“The bigger picture: As one of the first full-time digital streaming news networks, Cheddar’s business model is to expand its distribution as quickly as possible to build its brand while it remains ahead in the space.”
Read more here.


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As protests against racial injustice and institutional racism continue to flare around the country, all…
The Challenges Black Women Face in Business and Politics
August is Black Business Month, which is a month recognizing the contributions of Black entrepreneurs to the American economy. But did you know that starting and running your own business has not only a lot of overlap with being a Black woman running for office, but can be beneficial to Black women candidates?
According to research assembled by JP Morgan, while Black women are the fastest growing demographic of entrepreneurs in the U.S, with nearly 2.7 million businesses nationwide, only 3% of Black women are currently running mature businesses (a business that has survived for at least five years). One thing that can help maturation is access to capital. 61% of Black women self-fund their business in the beginning even when they come from homes that, on average, don’t have the finances to do so. And the reason why? Black business owners who apply for funding have a rejection rate that is three times higher than that of white business owners. And what’s worse – only 2% of venture capital funding goes to U.S. female-only founder teams.
And as someone who has personally run for public office, advised many women candidates, especially Black women, I’ve noted the struggles to fundraise that affect otherwise qualified candidates with years of serving their community as business owners, nonprofit leaders, and community advocates. I’ve now also started and run my own business and been in community with other Black women business owners, and I now clearly see the similarities in Black women’s experience in the business world as founders and in politics as candidates. While Black women in particular have a deep history of community engagement, and demonstrated willingness to run they still often lack the financial support to be successful in building a campaign to run for office.
In 2020, in an article written in the Washington Post, data from the Center for Responsive Politics showed that the 113 active Black women candidates running on all tickets raised a combined nearly $81 million in the first three quarters of the year. Sounds great, until you compare it to their 379 active white women counterparts who raised nearly $811 million across party lines. In comparison, more than $1.5 billion was raised by over 1,000 White men from all parties in the same timeframe. There have been exceptions to this rule of course such as Kamala Harris, Stacey Abrams, and Val Demings, but there are many more who didn’t get as far because of the imagination barrier that often still finds Black women candidates having to convince donors they have what it takes to serve in elected office.
The irony is in addition to helping the economic prospects of communities, owning and running your own small business is great experience for candidates, especially women candidates. In a recent Barbara Lee Foundation report Ready Willing and Electable, voters view women as more qualified and likeable if they also demonstrate economic expertise through public-private partnership work that helps create jobs and brings new businesses to the area or as a business owner. And the majority of Black women business owners start businesses in the retail/wholesale, health, education, government or social services sectors that directly impact community. These experiences are particularly relevant for executive roles such as Mayor or Governor. So, when you are thinking of encouraging and supporting women candidates running for office, especially Black women, think of what your local women business owners can bring to the table!


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In a year of many acquisitions, the annual EVO fighting game tournament which is best known for harvesting competitive Super Smash Bros. play is now part-owned by Sony.
Sony Interactive Entertainment announced that they have teamed up with esports venture RTS to jointly acquire the EVO Championship Series. While the official EVO PR has stated that Sony has allowed them to still be open to all platforms and support existing fighting game communities, many are wondering if the House of Mario will pull out of EVO. After all, Nintendo and Sony have a rocky history.
It looks like we have our answer as games journalist, Stephen Toltilo has reached out to a representative from Nintendo. The rep says that Nintendo wishes the founders well and states that “We will continue to assess Evo, and other opportunities, as we plan for future online and offline Super Smash Bros. tournament activity.”
Whether this means Nintendo is stepping away from EVO or not, remains to be seen.
Dave’s first Nintendo platform was the GameCube when he was age 7; however, he was introduced to Nintendo through Duck Hunt on NES.


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Egypt raised the prices of a wide range of fuel products today as it seeks to keep to a year-old promise it made to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as part of a $3bn financial agreement.
According to Reuters, Egypt made this promise in November 2022 when it signed a letter of intent saying it would allow most fuel product prices to rise to bring domestic prices more in line with those in the international energy market.
It also promised to make up for a slowdown in such increases over the previous year. But it subsequently hiked prices only once, in March 2023.
The official gazette, an Egyptian Newspaper focused on government decisions and announcements citing the petroleum ministry, said a quarterly pricing committee raised petrol prices on Friday by 1.00 Egyptian pound ($0.02) per litre, with 80 octane rising to 11.00 pounds, 92 octane to 12.50 pounds and 95 octane to 13.50 pounds.
The pricing committee raised the price of diesel to 10.00 pounds from 8.25 pounds and the price of butane cooking gas to 100 pounds per cylinder from 75 pounds,
The committee also set the price of fuel oil at 7,500 pounds per tonne but left prices unchanged at 1,500 pounds per tonne for food industries and at 2,500 pounds per tonne for power plants.
The IMF argued that subsidized petrol prices mainly help the rich at the expense of the poor, who do not even own cars.
The IMF this month expanded its financial support agreement to $8bn to help Egypt overcome difficulties in its economy caused by the War in Gaza and a sharp devaluation of its currency, the aftermath of the government renewing its commitment to reform measures.
Inflation in Egypt peaked in 2023, with prices rising by 33.7%. The Egyptian pound is currently worth 46.6000 pounds to a dollar in the market.
What To Know
Egypt’s agreement with the IMF fell into dormancy last year when the North African country did not follow through on price rises and other commitments including allowing its currency to be determined by market forces, selling state assets, and reducing the government’s role in the economy.
Egypt’s economic woes are on the increase as many as 60% of Egypt’s 106 million citizens are estimated to be below or close to the poverty line.
Egypt has recently received various aid and stimulus packages from the European Union, the World Bank, and the UAE as the struggle to stabilize its economy continues.
Follow us for Breaking News and Market Intelligence.


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In a recently published testimonial on the Switzerland Global Enterprise site, Wences Casares, the CEO of Xapo, offers high words of praise for Switzerland and Crypto Valley as a location for blockchain businesses.
Xapo, which is known for its easy-to-use bitcoin wallet, its highly secure bitcoin vault and its innovative bitcoin debit card, is the largest custodian of bitcoin in the world. Casares had this to say about the company’s experience with the Swiss financial regulator, FINMA, as it was looking for a location:
“Many regulatory bodies in similar situations would have rejected Xapo and bitcoin entirely. By choosing to persevere, however, we believe FINMA has positioned Switzerland as a hub for fintech innovation and ensured Switzerland’s primacy in global financial services for decades to come.”
For more, read the testimonial and watch the accompanying video.


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The SaaS Weekly is a weekly newsletter covering major SaaS news from Canada and around the globe.
Subscribe to S|W using this form to ensure you don’t miss out on the most important SaaS news every week!
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of popular video app TikTok in September 2023 but did not disclose it publicly.
The revelation comes after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
“We’re watching, of course, the debate going on in the United States,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday when asked whether Canada would pursue a similar move.
“As you know, Canada made the determination that no government phones or devices can have the TikTok app. That’s a matter of security and safety,” Trudeau said Thursday.
“I can’t comment on national security reviews.”
Montréal-based e-commerce solutions company MDF Commerce is going private after entering a $255 million definitive agreement that will see it acquired by New York-based investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR).
MDF was founded in 1996 and provides software-as-a-service solutions for e-commerce interactions between buyers and sellers.
The Globe and Mail reported: several shareholders have come out against the deal. While none of the dissenting investors are among [MDF]’s largest shareholders, all of them say the $5.80-per-share offer price is too low.
Last year was another down year for venture investment into enterprise SaaS. Global data per PitchBook shows that the number of enterprise SaaS venture deals fell 32% to 2,764 last year, while the value of those transactions slipped by 33.3% to $72.9 billion.
If you asked us which categories were on an upswing in the final months of 2023, customer relationship management probably wouldn’t have been at the top of the pile. Yet PitchBook reported that CRM was the leading growth category in enterprise SaaS in Q4 2023.
Continuing a broader trend in Canadian tech over the last year, Ottawa-based workflow and data collection platform TrueContext has entered a $150 million agreement that will see it acquired and taken private by Boston-based investment firm Battery Ventures.
The platform allows clients to dispatch jobs to workers with attached data and collection tools such as notes, pictures, and geolocating. The platform also supports various integrations such as ServiceNow, Salesforce, and Dropbox.
Reddit on Monday disclosed that it plans to raise up to $748 million in its initial public offering, at up to a $6.4 billion valuation.
It would be the first U.S. social media company to go public since Pinterest in 2019.
Reddit turned a profit in the fourth quarter of 2024, and opened a new revenue stream by selling data to AI companies.
That Q4 profit was an exception to Reddit’s historical rule, and AI-enabled search may eventually eat into Reddit’s traffic.
Yamaha Motors leads Joyride’s $7-million CAD Series A as startup sets sights on enterprises and OEMs
Toronto-based software startup Joyride has closed $7 million CAD ($5.2 million USD) in Series A funding as it looks to sell its mobility software to larger customers.
The startup aims to simplify fleet management and Internet of Things connectivity with a branded rider app, backend analytics, multimodal vehicle integrations, and insurance access.
Since its founding, Joyride has been focused on serving small and medium-sized operators, but after closing its $4.6-million CAD seed round, saw an opportunity to help more enterprise businesses and original equipment manufacturers with its platform.
Oracle Corp. surged 11 per cent after signaling that growth in its closely watched cloud computing business is stabilizing, showing progress in its bid to capture more market share in the competitive market.
The Austin-based company, known for its database software, is focused on expanding its cloud infrastructure business to compete with Amazon.com Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google. That effort has faced headwinds in recent quarters as growth rates slowed.
Vancouver-based developer operations platform Codezero has secured $3.5 million in seed funding.
The round was led by Silicon Valley venture capital firm Ballistic Ventures, joining a list of angel investors that have previously backed Codezero, including Github CEO Thomas Dohmke, Peloton chief product officer Nick Caldwell, and former Reddit CTO Marty Weiner.
Codezero’s Teamspaces acts as a cloud-based alternative to local code testing, duplicating the final product on the cloud for developers to test their code before sending it in for review.
Telegram has 900mn users and is nearing profitability, according to the owner of the secretive messaging app, as the company moves closer to a potential blockbuster stock market listing.
Durov, who fully owns Telegram, said the company had “been offered $30bn-plus valuations” from potential investors including “global late-stage tech funds”, but has ruled out selling the platform while it explores a future initial public offering.
Montréal-based music-tech software startup BeatConnect has closed $2.25 million CAD ($1.86 million USD) in funding as it gears up to launch the latest iteration of its music collaboration platform.
Founded by CEO Alexandre Turbide and CTO Nicholas Laroche, both CBC Radio-Canada alumni, BeatConnect offers a digital collaboration-based music platform, which includes a multiplayer digital audio workstation, that allows users to connect with other music makers globally.


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This preview will let app developers - or other applicable parties that sign up through Google's Android Beta program - check out Android 7.1 before it goes public, giving them a chance to optimize their apps for the updated software.
In addition to the minute refinements that typically come with a new Android platform, previewers can get their hands on Daydream VR support on their phones - provided that they're Daydream-ready, of course.
More Nougat-y filling
For those without a standing by, Android 7.1 also lets developers play with app shortcuts, an API feature that plots direct paths to frequently used parts of applications without users having to open a bunch of menus manually.
For those who prefer to wait for the public release, the Android update is expected to launch in "early December."


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Amazon’s online game department has canceled a web-based role-playing sport according to the myth sequence Lord of the Rings, which was once introduced in 2019, an Amazon spokeswoman stated. The sport have been in building at Amazon Sport Studios along China-based Leyou Applied sciences Holdings, which was once got by way of Chinese language tech massive Tencent Holdings in December.
The ensuing contract negotiations resulted in a dispute between Amazon and Tencent that finally led to the sport’s cancellation, Bloomberg reported previous on Saturday, bringing up other folks aware of the topic. “Following Leyou’s fresh acquisition by way of Tencent, now we have been not able to protected phrases to continue with this identify presently”, the Amazon spokeswoman stated in a remark emailed to Reuters.
The Amazon crew running at the sport will likely be moved to different initiatives, she stated. Amazon Sport Studios has struggled to free up a a hit online game since its release in 2014. The corporate has canceled prior to now introduced video games Breakaway and Crucible, whilst every other of its video games, New Global, has been behind schedule many times, Bloomberg reported.
Amazon’s online game department has struggled on account of mismanagement and cultural clashes between sport builders and the corporate’s ideas, Bloomberg stated previous this yr. Amazon’s incoming CEO Andy Jassy stated previous this yr that he was once dedicated to the video video games department, which introduced beneath outgoing leader government and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.


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UK: SMMT report to show finance access challenge
A report due to be issued by the UK auto lobby group The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) this week will reveal levels of finance availability substantially lower than previously thought.
The SMMT has been calling for greater access to finance for some time and its report comes just weeks before the British government outlines what are thought to be significant cuts to public spending in a bid to reduce the UK's huge deficit.
"It is fairly clear that not only is lending much lower, it is substantially lower in terms of access to finance," SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt told just-auto.
"Effectively, we are at 20% [of] previous levels. Even [if] you accept access to finance in the last decade was too much, we have gone to the complete reverse of that which is the other extreme."
Everitt insisted the SMMT was not asking for "special pleading" but also highlighted the fact the UK spent less on research and development than other advanced manufacturing countries.
"There are actually spill-over benefits from research and development investment, so there is a strong incentive for government to invest more to maximise broader returns," said Everitt.
The SMMT chief executive also cited the Technology Strategy Board as an example where R&D could play a role, allowing smaller companies in the supply chain to liaise with larger firms.
And ahead of the UK government's comprehensive spending review next month, Everitt praised the roles of secretary of state [minister] for business Vince Cable and business minister Mark Prisk.
"We have nothing to say but pleasant things about Vince and Mark," he said. "They support the Automotive Council - [but] they have some tough battles ahead in terms of the overall public spending settlement."


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By: Rick Stein, Vice President, Fresh, FMI and Sue Borra,RD, Executive Director, FMI Foundation, Chief Health and Wellness Officer, FMI
Like cheese and wine, peanut butter and jelly, and fish and chips, consumers pair health and wellness with fresh foods. Retailers can capitalize on this pairing by assisting shoppers as they turn to fresh categories to meet their healthy-eating aspirations (Power of Foodservice at Retail 2018, Power of Produce 2017). To meet this need, FMI’s Fresh Foods team and Health and Wellness team have joined forces to create the Best Practices and Excellence in Fresh Department Health & Wellness Programming: Meeting consumer needs and driving business success guide.
Health and wellness and fresh foods departments working together create incredible opportunities to better serve customers. Health and wellness in food retail has evolved into a key driver in food purchase decisions. According to the U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2017 report, 78 percent of shoppers are concerned about the nutritional content in the food they eat. In addition, 45 percent of shoppers surveyed see their primary store as an ally when it comes to their wellness journey. Food retailers, through their fresh departments, have the opportunity to offer delicious, nourishing and convenient meal solutions for families that focus on healthy eating principles.
Convenience also remains a key driver of food sales for busy shoppers. Deli/fresh prepared food is the fastest growing area in the fresh departments and incorporating healthier choices and wellness messaging can enhance sales.
This new best practices guide details key elements of success to drive sales and loyalty; profitable partnerships and resources; food retail examples of excellence from better-for- you- products to strong partnership programs; and, strategies to create a culture of health and wellness in fresh departments to meet shopper needs.


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2007-05-03: Questions Arise About Market Share Numbers
Market Share vs Installed Base: iPod vs Zune, Mac vs PC: Daniel Eran takes aim at claims of market share. He shows that the only thing the numbers prove is that one can create statistics to support any hypothesis, given the opportunity to tweak the criteria.
More Macs Mean Many Fewer PCsThis is more news showing that, despite the bragging, Microsoft's Windows Vista is unwanted by consumers and corporations. Apple's unit sales rose significantly over the past year, and each Mac tends to last about twice as long as a PC.
The worst news for Microsoft is that every new Mac sold to a former PC user means that at least two Windows PCs will go unsold: the initial PC and its mid-life crisis, second string replacement.
Compared to the 240 million PCs sold last year, Apple’s small share of around 6 million Macs per year won’t put Microsoft out of business any time soon. However, it means that 12 million Windows licenses will go unsold. That’s up from less than 4 million Macs eating up 8 million potential Windows licenses just two years ago.
The faster Apple grows, the more devastating this effect will be to Microsoft's automatic sales machine, which in turn will help open the market up to new choice and options, including Linux desktops. Once Microsoft loses its monopoly control of the OEM market, Windows will fare as well in the market as the Zune.
A prime segment of choosy consumers are going out of their way to not buy Windows. Microsoft doesn’t want to dominate the low end of cheap PCs; that market is already headed towards Linux anyway.
Microsoft wants to retain the valuable top tier of the PC market, the segment rapidly buying new Macs.


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Table of Contents
- The McKinzie Valdez Leaked Scandal: Unveiling the Impact and Lessons Learned
- The McKinzie Valdez Leaked Scandal: What Happened?
- The Impact of the McKinzie Valdez Leaked Scandal
- Lessons Learned from the McKinzie Valdez Leaked Scandal
- 1. Strengthening Online Security Measures
- 2. Raising Awareness about Privacy Risks
- 3. Implementing Strict Data Protection Regulations
- 4. Encouraging Responsible Digital Citizenship
- 1. How can individuals protect their personal information online?
- 2. What are the legal implications of leaking personal information?
- 3. How can organizations improve data protection?
- 4. What role do online platforms play in protecting user data?
- 5. How can society rebuild trust after a privacy breach?
In today’s digital age, privacy breaches and leaked information have become a common occurrence. One such incident that recently made headlines is the McKinzie Valdez leaked scandal. This article aims to delve into the details of the scandal, its impact on individuals and society, and the lessons we can learn from it.
The McKinzie Valdez Leaked Scandal: What Happened?
The McKinzie Valdez leaked scandal refers to the unauthorized release of personal and sensitive information belonging to McKinzie Valdez, a prominent public figure. The leaked information included private emails, financial records, and intimate photographs.
It is believed that the leak occurred due to a security breach in Valdez’s personal accounts, which allowed hackers to gain access to her private information. The leaked data quickly spread across various online platforms, causing significant distress and embarrassment for Valdez.
The Impact of the McKinzie Valdez Leaked Scandal
The McKinzie Valdez leaked scandal had far-reaching consequences, not only for Valdez but also for the broader society. Here are some of the key impacts:
- Personal and Emotional Distress: The leak of personal and intimate information can have severe emotional consequences for the individuals involved. Valdez experienced immense distress and humiliation as her private life was exposed to the public.
- Reputation Damage: The leaked information tarnished Valdez’s reputation, both personally and professionally. The public scrutiny and judgment that followed the scandal had a lasting impact on her career and personal relationships.
- Privacy Concerns: The McKinzie Valdez leaked scandal highlighted the vulnerability of personal information in the digital age. It raised concerns about the security of online platforms and the potential for unauthorized access to private data.
- Trust and Confidence: The scandal eroded trust and confidence in online platforms and the ability to keep personal information secure. Individuals may become more cautious about sharing sensitive information online, impacting their overall digital experience.
- Legal and Ethical Implications: The leak of personal information raises legal and ethical questions regarding privacy rights and the responsibility of online platforms to protect user data. It may lead to discussions and debates on the need for stricter regulations and accountability.
Lessons Learned from the McKinzie Valdez Leaked Scandal
The McKinzie Valdez leaked scandal serves as a wake-up call for individuals and organizations alike. Here are some valuable lessons we can learn from this incident:
1. Strengthening Online Security Measures
The scandal highlights the importance of robust security measures to protect personal information online. Individuals should prioritize using strong and unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and regularly updating their security settings. Online platforms must also invest in advanced security systems to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.
2. Raising Awareness about Privacy Risks
Education and awareness play a crucial role in mitigating privacy risks. Individuals should be educated about the potential consequences of sharing sensitive information online and the importance of maintaining privacy settings. Organizations and online platforms should also take responsibility for educating their users about privacy risks and providing clear guidelines on data protection.
3. Implementing Strict Data Protection Regulations
The McKinzie Valdez leaked scandal highlights the need for stricter data protection regulations. Governments and regulatory bodies should work towards implementing comprehensive laws that hold online platforms accountable for safeguarding user data. These regulations should include penalties for non-compliance and regular audits to ensure adherence to privacy standards.
4. Encouraging Responsible Digital Citizenship
Individuals should adopt responsible digital citizenship practices to protect their privacy. This includes being cautious about the information shared online, avoiding suspicious links or downloads, and regularly reviewing privacy settings on social media platforms. By practicing responsible digital citizenship, individuals can minimize the risk of their personal information being compromised.
1. How can individuals protect their personal information online?
Individuals can protect their personal information online by:
- Using strong and unique passwords
- Enabling two-factor authentication
- Regularly updating security settings
- Avoiding sharing sensitive information on public platforms
- Being cautious about suspicious links or downloads
2. What are the legal implications of leaking personal information?
Leaking personal information can have legal consequences, including potential violations of privacy laws, defamation, and invasion of privacy. The severity of the legal implications may vary depending on the jurisdiction and the specific circumstances of the leak.
3. How can organizations improve data protection?
Organizations can improve data protection by:
- Implementing robust security measures
- Regularly updating and patching software
- Conducting regular security audits
- Providing employee training on data protection
- Complying with relevant data protection regulations
4. What role do online platforms play in protecting user data?
Online platforms have a responsibility to protect user data by implementing strong security measures, regularly updating their systems, and providing clear guidelines on data protection. They should also be transparent about their data collection and usage practices and obtain user consent for any data sharing.
5. How can society rebuild trust after a privacy breach?
Rebuilding trust after a privacy breach requires a collective effort. Organizations should take immediate action to rectify the situation, provide transparent communication about the breach, and implement stronger security measures. Individuals should remain vigilant about their privacy and actively engage in responsible digital practices. Governments and regulatory bodies should work towards implementing stricter data protection regulations to prevent future breaches.
The McKinzie Valdez leaked scandal serves as a stark reminder of the importance of privacy and data protection in the digital age. It highlights the need for individuals to be cautious about sharing sensitive information online and for organizations to prioritize robust security measures. By learning from this scandal and implementing the lessons discussed, we can strive towards a safer and more secure digital environment.


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Amazon unveils its own game-streaming platform – ProWellTech
Amazon announces a new gaming service and numerous hardware updates, tech companies join app stores, and United Airlines tests a COVID-19 rapid test program. This is your Daily Crunch for September 24, 2020.
The big story: Amazon unveils its own game streaming platform
Amazon’s competitor to Google Stadia and Microsoft xCloud it’s called Luna and it’s available starting today at an early access price of $ 5.99 per month. Subscribers will be able to play on PC, Mac and iOS, with more than 50 games in the library.
The company made the announcement at a virtual press event, where it also revealed a redesigned Echo line (with spherical speakers and swiveling screens), the latest Ring security camera, and a new low-cost Fire TV Stick Lite.
You can also check out our full summary of Amazon announcements.
The tech giants
App Makers Unite to Fight for App Store Changes with New “ Coalition for App Fairness ” – Thirteen app publishers, including Epic Games, Deezer, Basecamp, Tile, Spotify and more, have launched a coalition formalizing their efforts to force app store providers to change their policies or tackle regulation.
LinkedIn launches Stories, plus video integrations from Zoom, BlueJeans and Teams as part of a larger redesign: LinkedIn built its business around recruiting, so this redesign pushes engagement in other ways as it waits for the labor economy to pick up.
Facebook provides more details on its efforts against hate speech ahead of the Myanmar general election – This includes adding Burmese-language warning screens to report information classified as false by third-party fact-checkers.
Startups, financing and venture capital
Why is Robinhood not a verb yet? – The latest episode of Equity is about a giant funding round for Robinhood.
Twitter-backed Indian social network ShareChat Raises $ 40 Million – Following the TikTok ban in India, dozens of startups have launched short video apps, but ShareChat has clearly established a dominant position.
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek pledges $ 1 billion of his wealth to support deeptech startups from Europe: Ek has pointed to machine learning, biotechnology, materials sciences and energy as sectors he would like to invest in.
Tips and analysis from Extra Crunch
3 founders on why they pursued alternative startup ownership structures – At Disrupt, we’ve heard about alternative approaches to ensure VCs and early founders aren’t the only ones benefiting from a startup’s success.
Coinbase UX Teardown: 5 Failures and How to Fix Them – Many of these lessons, including the need to avoid the “Get Started” trap, can be applied to other digital products.
With tech stocks plummeting, is insurtech startup Root targeting an IPO? – Alex Wilhelm writes that Root’s debut could clarify Lemonade’s IPO and valuation.
(Reminder: Extra Crunch is our subscription membership program, which aims to democratize information about startups. You can register here.)
All the rest
United Airlines is making COVID-19 tests available to passengers, powered in part by Color – United is embarking on a new pilot project to see if easy access to COVID-19 tests immediately before a flight can help facilitate freedom of mobility.
Final Agenda Announcement for TC Sessions: Mobility 2020 – ProWellTech reporters and editors will interview some of the top leaders in the transportation industry.
The Daily Crunch is ProWellTech’s roundup of our biggest and most important stories. If you would like to receive this message in your inbox every day around 3pm Pacific, you can subscribe here.


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Sean isn't sure about Virtual Reality. He used the Oculus Rift and thought it was really cool. But as an Apple User, he can't use it. Leo says that not only that — he can't use any virtual reality with Apple. It comes down to the high end video cards that are required, and Apple hasn't been serious about putting them in their computers.
Apple is working on something called ARKit, which will work with iPhone. It won't be anything like Oculus or the HTC Vive, though. If he waits, will Apple catch up? Leo says maybe. Of course, he could also go the Hackintosh route. Leo also says getting a Daydream compatible Android device could get him close to Oculus. He could also go with the Samsung Gear VR, which has Oculus technology built-in.


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Never one to let an opportunity go to waste Steve Jobs used this morning’s launch of the iPad tablet to position Apple as the world’s leader in mobile computing and take a swipe at netbooks.
Citing last week’s reported 50% increase in profit and a quarterly revenue of US$15.68bn Jobs pointed out that most of that revenue comes from â€œiPods iPhones and Macs. What’s interesting is that iPods are mobile devices the iPhone is and most of our computers. We’re a mobile company.â€
Based on the quarterly figures Jobs said that Apple was now a US$50bn company which in turn made it â€œthe largest mobile device company in the world. Larger than Sony bigger than Samsungâ€¦ and by revenue we’re even bigger than Nokia.â€
The head of the world’s newly self-appointed Big Cheese in mobility then took a shot at the most successful mobile computing category of the past year dismissing netbooks as being slow having â€œlow quality displaysâ€ and running â€œPC softwareâ€.
â€¨Describing netbooks as â€œjust cheap laptopsâ€ Jobs said they were a lacklustre attempt to create a â€œthird categoryâ€ between smartphones and notebooks.
â€œIs there room for something in the middle? We’ve wondered for years as wellâ€ Jobs said. â€œIn order to create that category they have to be far better at doing some key tasks better than the laptop and better than the smartphone.â€
â€œWhat kind of tasks? Browsing the web. Doing email. Enjoying and sharing pics. Watching videos. Enjoying music. Playing games. Reading ebooks.â€
â€œIf there’s going to be a third category it has to be better at these tasks â€“ otherwise it has no reason for being.â€
â€œNow some people thought that was a netbook — the problem is that netbooks aren’t better than anything.â€
Of course Jobs believes that the iPad is better than the iPhone and the MacBook at quite a few things â€“ not the same things for each device to be sure but enough things across both categories to simultaneously create and fill a niche as the third mobile device.
So Jobs has had his say â€“ what do you think? Is the iPad a better netbook than a netbook?


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7/24/2008 5:56:00 PM
Samsung announces first 8 megapixel camera phone
Details of Samsung’s first ever 8 megapixel camera phone have emerged – but there is still some confusion over what it will be called.
The handset is due to be available in August this year. It will be based on Symbian OS v9.3 and have HSDPA connectivity at 7.2Mbps
However there is still some confusion over the name of the device; a release was initially sent out by Symbian’s press office, which said that the handset would be called Innov8. However, Samsung says that name was created for the Korean market, and the UK name will be different.
Samsung becomes the second manufacturer to announce an 8 megapixel camera phone, after Sony Ericsson unveiled the C905 last month, which is due later this year.


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Made in Germany – Respirators for various occupational groups in continuous use – Reliability and availability with quality assurance – Strategic partnership for mask production from PPE Germany GmbH in Berlin.
Crises such as the COVID 19 pandemic have made it clear worldwide how quickly and intensively supply chains, production and manufacturing processes are at risk. This affected many industries, but in particular the sensitive interactions in health and care facilities, as well as the manufacture of medical equipment, as mouth-nose coverings became critical to public health overnight as a result of the pandemic. Hospitals and care facilities depend on a reliable, constant supply of high-quality oral-nasal protective masks to protect their staff and patients from infection. Looking back, the pandemic with its subsequent crises was crucial for company developments such as PPE Germany GmbH in Berlin. Max Leber, Managing Director of the company, which was founded in 2020, remembers that all of a sudden, in addition to the great uncertainty in the population, it quickly became apparent that further challenges had to be strategically overcome. „In addition to the growing fear of the spread of the virus, the health risks, the lack of knowledge, problems and challenges for the stable supply of medical devices and items were added at the same time, including supply chain disruptions in numerous industries,“ says Max Leber. Among other things, this provided the impetus to set up a new production centrally, for short supply chains and Made in Germany as a special promise of quality. PPE Germany GmbH is now one of the major European mask producers for high-quality FFP2 masks, with promising strategic partnerships to ensure the supply of protective equipment to the population.
Innovations driven by the crisis
Since its foundation in 2020, PPE Germany GmbH has become a leading German manufacturer of personal protective equipment (PPE), specialising in the production of high-quality FFP2 masks. „Almost forgotten today, but especially at the beginning of the Corona pandemic, there was a lack of sufficient protective equipment everywhere, not only in Germany. This was the number one issue, politicians demanded the expansion of respirator mask production in order to be less dependent on availability on the world market,“ Max Leber recalls.
One challenge was how to directly and in large numbers produce the required protective equipment locally, which until then had been mostly imported? Max Leber knows that on the flip side of the crisis coin are opportunities, as the development of masks ‚Made in Germany‘ makes clear. According to the German Mask Association, 29.3 million FFP2 masks and 50.05 million surgical masks are currently produced weekly in Germany. A total of almost 4,650 people are employed in the German mask industry, yet masks are imported from abroad and political decisions are harshly criticised. Max Leber says, however, that this is a separate issue.
Necessity is the mother of invention, or rather brings forth innovations, and this is also true of the mouth-nose protection with innovative further developments. A kind of scarf has been developed that covers the mouth, nose and ear area and has a special antiviral coating, or masks developed by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences that are self-disinfecting. PPE Germany has developed the Dodo Air Medical as a premium medical mask for the clinical sector. „With these certified masks, an excellent filtering performance of up to 98 per cent can be achieved. But in addition, with the 3-layer protection, we have succeeded in developing a soft, hyperallergenic and skin-friendly mask with a perfect fit and low breathing resistance,“ explains Max Leber. The Dodo Air Medical Mask is the innovative product of PPE Germany GmbH, designed for everyday clinical use and medical facilities.
Advantage of Germany as a production location
The pandemic has brought the question of the production location back into elementary focus. Security of supply depends on the production location, as the pandemic of medical masks in crisis situations has made clear. „Today we know that it is often necessary to react quickly to rising demand, risks of supply chain disruptions should not be underestimated, and these must be minimised, for example by bundling European resources.“, explains Max Leber. Another advantage of the accessible production location is the flexibility when it comes to emergency planning. With fast and reliable production, it is possible to react to challenges, bringing security to hospitals and care facilities that have to ensure the reliability of protective equipment supplies. Max Leber points out that, especially in crisis situations, strong cooperation between companies and government authorities is necessary and purposeful to ensure successful care for the population.
Availability for European countries
The production of masks at the German location also enables expansion on the international European market. One goal of the Mask Association Germany also sees the future in terms of European procurement law as well as competition law requirements, with the most important goal of maintaining mask production to ensure long-term supply. Companies like PPE Germany are helping to increase the availability of protective equipment in the European market. FFP2 masks are still in high demand not only in Germany but in all European countries. True to the motto: Moving more together, the production location and European cooperation play an important role in overcoming crises.
OTA training & blogger
Moritz Roland, a graduate of the English boarding school Rossall School in Fleetwood, Great Britain, with the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB). Moritz is in vocational training OTA in healthcare. Moritz has been with abowi.com since 2022. He is particularly interested in the transformation of healthcare – putting people’s health first – through technology, digitalisation and artificial intelligence to holistic health from A–Z. The blog akopjan-health.de offers numerous topics on health and occupational health management. You can reach us at email@example.com.
PPE Germany GmbH
PPE Germany GmbH
PPE Germany GmbH, based in Berlin, are specialists in respiratory protection Made in Germany. PPE Germany is one of the major European mask producers for high quality FFP2 masks and started production in 2020 to ensure the supply of protective equipment to the population. PPE Germany protects the health of people who have to work and live in complicated air conditions, for example viral contamination, hospital germ contamination, bacterial contamination, dust, fibres (e.g. from mineral wool), industrial fumes, fine dust. All PPE Germany products are certified and subject to the strictest testing standards. Further information at: https://ppegermany.de


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Tuesday marks the 10th anniversary of Orlando’s National Entrepreneur Center, and the center is celebrating with free seminars for small business owners.
The center was founded in 2003 by a collaboration of Walt Disney World, Orange County government and the University of Central Florida and was then known as the Disney Entrepreneur Center, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
It wasn’t until 2011 when the center moved to its current location at Orlando Fashion Square mall that it was renamed the National Entrepreneur Center.
Today, the center is home to 11 different business organizations and service providers.
For more information on the center and today’s seminars, click here.


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Here are the top stories from around the world of mobile advertising that we’ve been following in the past week.
A Flurry of Ad Formats: How App Developers Should Decide What Makes the Cut
Banner ads deserve credit as the early monetization workhorses of mobile apps. They’ve offered both familiarity and immediate scale—two attractive benefits for brands that are tiptoeing into a new area of mobile marketing.
Fiksu Visual: Why Do Mobile Users Block Ads?
Our friends at Fiksu have developed a new infographic with data from its latest consumer report.
FIRST LOOK: The Trade Desk Augments Native Offering with Video, Display Inventory
MAW learned Wednesday that The Trade Desk, Inc. — a global technology platform for buyers of advertising — is expanding its native offering to include video and additional display inventory.
OpenX’s Ad Footprint Makes Performance Analysis Easier for Publishers
OpenX has launched Ad Footprint, a new free tool designed to help publishers optimize their desktop and mobile pages using detailed insights on the speed and performance of each page.
AdColony’s Instant-Play HD Leads to High-Performance Vertical Video
The news is promising from AdColony, one of the largest independent mobile advertising platforms in the world. Data on its Instant-Play HD Vertical Video launch mobile app campaigns reveals an 89 percent average video completion rate, topped by a 10 percent average engagement rate.


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You can’t have missed Disney‘s recent glut of live-action remakes of beloved animated classics. In the past few years we have had the likes of Cinderella, The Jungle Book and Pete’s Dragon, with many more to come. Though many would like to dislike such a practice, it is proving difficult as the remakes have so far been reliably good. The latest movie to get the treatment, though, is perhaps the most exciting/controversial yet. You could say it’s going to be the main event, like no live-action remake was before.
Today director Jon Favreau – who recently helmed The Jungle Book – got people talking with a tweet that seemed to confirm he was working on a new version of The Lion King.
Excited for my next project
— Jon Favreau (@Jon_Favreau) September 28, 2016
Sure enough, Disney swiftly released an official announcement about it. Read it below (via Den of Geek):
We can officially confirm that The Walt Disney Studios and director Jon Favreau are putting a new reimagining of The Lion King on the fast track to production. The project follows the technologically groundbreaking smash hit The Jungle Book, directed by Favreau, which debuted in April and has earned $965.8 million worldwide.
The Lion King builds on Disney’s success of reimagining its classics for a contemporary audience with films like Maleficent, Cinderella, and The Jungle Book. The upcoming Beauty and the Beast, starring Emma Watson as Belle, is already one of the most anticipated movies of 2017. Like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King will include songs from the animated film. Disney and Favreau are also in development on a sequel to The Jungle Book. No release date has been announced for either film.
The Lion King (1994) is one of the biggest animated films of all time with a lifetime global box office gross of $968.8 million, including $422.8 million domestically. It won Academy Awards for the original song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” (Elton John, Tim Rice) and original score (Hans Zimmer), plus two Grammy Awards, with the soundtrack selling over 14 million copies. In 1997, the stage production The Lion King made its Broadway debut, winning six Tony Awards; 19 years later, it remains one of Broadway’s biggest hits alongside several other productions running around the world, including London, Hamburg, Tokyo, Madrid, Mexico City, Shanghai, and North America. Translated into eight different languages, its 23 global productions have been seen by more than 85 million people across every continent except Antarctica. The Lion King’s worldwide gross exceeds that of any film, Broadway show or other entertainment title in box office history.
The next Disney live-action remake will be Beauty and the Beast, set to enchant audiences on March 17th 2017. The Lion King has yet to receive a release date.
Image via The Walt Disney Co.