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Prime Minister Hun Sen has signed a sub-decree to completely exempt export tax on rubber that is sold below the market price of $1,400 per tonne, adjusting from the previous $1,000 per tonne market rate.
Mr Hun Sen said the export tax has been adjusted to assist local rubber plantations after calls from the private sector to help the struggling rubber industry in Cambodia.
The sub-decree stated that rubber will now start being taxed $25 per tonne if the market price is over $1,400, $50 per tonne between $1,800 and $2,500, $100 per tonne over $2,500 and $200 per tonne over $3,500 per tonne.
The newly adjusted tax rates will come into effect in April this year.
Lim Heng vice-president of An Mady Group, an international rubber exporter, applauded the newly adjusted tax rates. He said the adjustment will help ease the costs as the market is currently very low, around $1,300 per tonne.
“Rubber plantation owners are very happy with the newly-adjusted export tax rates. The adjustment will ease the burden on the rubber sector, as currently with such low market prices, many owners are running their businesses at a loss,” Heng said.
The adjustment is also an incentive from the government to stop farmers from removing rubber trees from their land and planting more currently economically viable crops, he added
In 2019 Cambodia exported 282,071 tonnes of dry rubber, up from 217,501 tonnes the year before, representing a 30 percent increase, according to the Ministry of Agriculture’s annual report.
The Cambodian Government received around $377 million from rubber exports in 2019, an increase from $286 million the year before, representing a 31.8 percent increase. One tonne of dry rubber cost on average $1,336 in 2019, a $19 increase from the year before, according to the same report.
The full list of previous rubber export tax rates were: $100 per tonne if the market price is between $1,000 and $2,000 per tonne, $150 per tonne between $2,000 and $3,000 per tonne, $200 per tonne between $3,000 and $4,000 per tonne and $400 per tonne over $4,000 per tonne.


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In September, Yahoo announced its decision to buy Bluelithium, America’s fifth largest online ad network, for $300 million (Reuters). In more recent news, Yahoo is contemplating the restructuring of its social shopping site Kelkoo, which was acquired in 2004 for a sum of $670 million.
It’s interesting to see Yahoo ponder over the fate of Kelkoo, while its rival in search, Microsoft, recently acquired the comparison shopping site Jellyfish.
A quote from the article at Wired:
“It’s had its good and its bad points, to be quite frank,” Yahoo’s U.K. managing director, Glen Drury admitted to Forbes. He continued: “I think that Kelkoo and all its competitors need to really re-think the way that they’re going to run their businesses in the future.”
Microsoft and Yahoo are striving to play catch-up to Google in capturing a major share of the online ad business. But they still have not exponentially enhanced their position in the ad market.

domain: news


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Tesla Motors is eyeing off China as its new production hub, with the company signing a non-binding agreement with Jinqiao Group, which is a Chinese government-owned company.
Jinqiao Group will be constructing the production plant for Tesla, where it will be built-in Shanghai. Tesla has reportedly signed a $9 billion on the deal after company CEO Elon Musk teasing six months ago that Tesla would choose China as a production facility site by the middle of 2016.
According to Bloomberg's report, both companies will invest $4.5 billion into the production plant, making it a much larger investment than Walt Disney Co.'s Shanghai-based theme park, which cost them $5.5 billion. How will Tesla benefit with a production plant in China? The electric car maker is paying 25% import tax it pays for each and every electric vehicle is ships to the country.


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The Ultimate Team aspect of FIFA 11 is set to see a major update soon that will introduce a new Play a Friend challenge mode as well as friends leaderboards and a supposed fifty other improvements. FIFA exec producer, Kaz Makita, said that “we have a thriving global community of over two million fans playing FIFA 11 Ultimate Team. Our commitment to these fans is that we will continue to listen to their feedback to improve and enhance their experience year round. Play A Friend Challenge and Friends Leaderboardsare both new innovations and features requested by the fans, and will enable players to better connect and compete with friends while playing FIFA 11 Ultimate Team.”
Thanks to VG247 for the info.


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FLIR Systems, the parent company of Raymarine, today announced preliminary revenue of about $390 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2011.
FLIR also said it expected to post earnings per share of about 18 cents for the three months that ended June 30. Excluding the net after-tax effect of a previously announced litigation settlement and related expenses, earnings per share for the three months that ended June 30 is expected to be about 35 cents.
FLIR will release full results for the second quarter on July 22 about 7:30 a.m. (EDT). Management has scheduled a conference call at 8 a.m. (EDT) that day to discuss the results.
A simultaneous webcast of the conference call may be accessed online from the “Upcoming Events” link at the Investor Relations page.


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Chinese Vice President Hu Jintao said here on Monday that opening up to the outside world is China' s basic and long-term state policy and once joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), China will earnestly fulfill its rights and obligations and play its due part in promoting economic development and trade around the world.
In a speech delivered at a banquet hosted by the China-Britain Business Council, Hu, who arrived in Britain on Sunday for an official visit, said that while taking an active part in economic globalization, China has worked hard to carry out international economic cooperation in great scope and depth.
"Our 15 years of negotiations for WTO membership are an important part of such efforts," Hu said.
The Chinese vice president also thanked the British government and the business community for their support to China in its bid to join the WTO. He told British businessmen and entrepreneurs that China is committed to opening wider to the outside world in an all-directional and multi-tiered way, with an even more active approach.
"Such sectors as finance, insurance, telecommunications, trade, commerce, transportation, construction, tourism and intermediary services will be open gradually to foreign investors," Hu said. " China will vigorously seek new ways and new channels to attract foreign capital and allow foreign investors to set up equity or contractual joint ventures or solely owned businesses in accordance with China's law and regulations."
Hu said that while making more areas gradually available for opening-up, China will adopt open, transparent and equality-based policies on trade and investment, continue to improve the environment for investment and business cooperation, encourage fair competition, offer national treatment so as to increase investor confidence and predictability in China.
On China's economic development, Hu said that China has made remarkable progress in the past few decades, particularly since the beginning of reform and opening-up over two decades ago. A socialist market economic system has been basically set up in China and an all-directional opening-up pattern has taken initial shape.
He noted that China's economy has managed to grow fairly rapidly in recent years. In 2000, China's GDP (gross domestic product) topped 1 trillion U.S. dollars, ranking sixth in the world, and its foreign trade reached 474.3 billion dollars, he said, adding that China has attracted more foreign investment than any other developing country for eight consecutive years and the Chinese people, on the whole, are now living a comparatively well- off life.
The Chinese vice president said that with continued economic and social development, the enormous potential of the Chinese market will be further tapped.
He said that in the coming five years, China will import about 1.4 trillion dollars worth of equipment and technologies, build 10, 000 kilometers of highway, increase the power generation capacity by 52,000 megawatts, and increase the recoverable reserve of crude oil by 95 million tons and that of natural gas by 37 billion cubic meters. The number of telephone subscribers will grow from 280 million to 500 million and that of Internet users to 200 million.
Hu told his audience that the promising Chinese market will offer even more business opportunities to foreign investors and that business people in Britain are most welcome to be part of China's modernization drive.
Britain is the second leg of Hu's five-nation European tour, which has already taken him to Russia. Hu will also visit France, Spain and Germany.
( Xinhua News Agency October 30, 2001)


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A couple of weeks ago, Google officially released the latest Android 14 update, a much-anticipated release by Android enthusiasts. This update brings a host of new features and improvements designed to enhance device functionality and performance. However, while many smartphone brands are swiftly embracing Android 14, Nokia’s stance on this latest Android version has remained shrouded in mystery.
Android 14 introduces a Monochrome theme, easy data sharing options, and a variety of other enhancements, promising a seamless and optimized user experience. Google initially rolled out this update for eligible Google Pixel devices and later made it available to other smartphone brands, with Samsung leading the charge by offering Android 14 to its flagship devices. Despite the exciting potential of this new operating system, Nokia has been notably silent regarding its plans for Android 14.
Owners of Nokia devices have been eagerly waiting to experience the latest Android 14 update. As the Android ecosystem evolves, users expect their devices to stay up to date with the latest features, improvements, and security updates. Nokia, a renowned brand with a loyal user base, has yet to disclose any information regarding Android 14 for its smartphones.
Recent reports suggest that Nokia may be gearing up to bring Android 14 to its devices. A post shared on X (formerly Twitter) by @SaMeH_HoTlAiN hints at a potential Android 14 update for Nokia devices, stating, “It seems that the Nokia G42 is the first device with Android 14.” While this statement does not confirm the update, it certainly piques the interest of Nokia users who have been waiting for this news.
The statement implies that Nokia might be in the process of testing Android 14 on the Nokia G42 5G. This could be a positive sign for Nokia users who have been longing for the Android 14 experience. However, it’s crucial to note that no official announcement has been made by Nokia regarding this update.
According to reports from Nokiamob, the Geekbench results of the Nokia G42 5G running Android 14 are comparable to those of devices running Android 13. This suggests that the forthcoming Android 14 update for Nokia devices may not negatively impact device performance. Instead, users can anticipate new features and improvements that will enhance their overall user experience.
It’s important to emphasize that, as of now, there has been no official confirmation or announcement from Nokia regarding Android 14. All reports and information about this potential update are based on leaks and rumors. While the information shared by @SaMeH_HoTlAiN is intriguing, Nokia users must await official communication from the brand to confirm the Android 14 update.


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Former Salesforce.com Exec Joins Parature to Lead Growth and Expansion Plans
Parature, a cloud-based customer service software, announced today the appointment of Mike Minelli as chief revenue officer and executive vice president. Minelli has 20 years of mid-market software experience and more than 10 years experience within cloud computing and software-as-a-service (SaaS) delivery models. Minelli will lead all sales, service, and support operations for the company.
“Mike’s significant leadership experience with successful cloud companies will enable us to accelerate Parature’s success at revolutionizing the way companies engage and help their customers,” said Tim Davenport, CEO of Parature, in a statement. “Mike has an impressive record of success in global sales and operations leadership, and is experienced in building and managing highly productive sales, service and support teams.”
Duke Chung, founder and chief strategy officer at Parature, commented in a statement that, “Mike joins Parature at the perfect time. He shares our vision of how customer service solutions will dramatically change to provide answers anywhere customers spend time – Web sites, mobile devices, or social media platforms.”
Minelli served as a senior sales executive at Salesforce.com and also held executive sales positions at Covisint, Everdream (acquired by Dell), Opsware (formerly Loudcloud, and later acquired by Hewlett Packard), Epiphany, Netscape, and Lotus Development.
“As we see the convergence of social networks and personalized customer experiences changing the game for every business, I am excited to become part of a passionate and driven team that is entirely focused on their customers’ success,” said Minelli in a statement. “Parature serves a vast market as one of the fastest-growing cloud-computing software companies in North America, and I look forward to being an integral part of the company’s success for the next decade of its growth.”
Parature’s engagement software integrates a multichannel system that allows organizations to manage all support needs within traditional and social channels. Parature software aims to increase efficiency across organizations, improving processes among customer support, operations, marketing, development, and sales.


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AquaGen acquires 51 per cent of AquaSearch ova
AQUAGEN has bought 51 per cent of the shares in the Danish based breeding company AquaSearch ova, one of the world’s leading suppliers of genetics for the portion size trout market.
Globally, portion size trout is one of the fastest growing aquaculture sectors and has become an important commodity of animal protein. Production in 2016 was 650,000 tonnes, with annual growth of five to seven per cent over the last three years.
AquaSearch ova, established in 2006, is a leading global player in breeding and egg production of trout. From its headquarters in Billund, the company has developed cost effective production and distribution from its six broodstock farms in Denmark.
‘Our association with AquaSearch ova represents an important strategic milestone for AquaGen,’ said Odd Magne Rødseth, chairman of Trondheim based AquaGen.
‘With this we get a new platform for growth and value creation, helping AquaGen to maintain and strengthen its commitment to trout breeding.
‘Due to a limited market for large trout, many breeding companies in Europe and Chile have chosen to close down their breeding programmes for trout.
‘AquaSearch ova’s strong position within the portion size trout sector completes our commitment to all farmed species of salmon and trout.’
Torben Nielsen, CEO of AquaSearch ova, said: ‘This transaction is very positive for the trout industry because it helps to provide advanced technology and research resources to more trout farmers around the world.’
AquaGen’s Odd Magne Rodseth (left) and AquaSearch ova’s Torben Nielsen


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News & Commentary Posts: 1 Michael Goul currently serves as department chair and professor of information systems at the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University (ASU), ranked top 30 in the nation by U.S. News and World Report for both graduate and undergraduate business schools. With nearly 30 years experience at the W. P. Carey School, Goul is passionate about how the explosion of big data, cloud computing and the mobile/social Web affect the global economy. For additional information, please visit wpcarey.asu.edu. You can reach him at email@example.com.
The Business of Going DigitalDigital business isn't about changing code; it's about changing what legacy sales, distribution, customer service, and product groups do in the new digital age. It's about bringing big data analytics, mobile, social, marketing automation, cloud computing, and the app economy together to launch new products and services. We're seeing new titles in this digital revolution, new responsibilities, new business models, and major shifts in technology spending.


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A brand-new line of Happy Earth clothing has been launched online, with its official launch scheduled for Monday.
The new line, which is being dubbed Happy Earth Fashion, has been designed by Happy Earth designer Peter Mertens and includes a range of styles including hats, gloves, and a variety of items for children.
The clothing line, the first from Happy Earth, has a focus on children’s clothing, but the company is also working with a range a range children’s accessories and accessories, including socks, shoes and even hats.
The first of the new lines is called the Happy Earth Hats.
The collection includes four hats, which feature a rainbow-patterned motif, and the company says there are even more hats in the works.
The collection also features two pairs of shoes, which are available in both men’s and women’s styles.
There are also five different designs of a beanie for the head and a scarf for the body, and you can also find an option to purchase an extra pair of gloves.
The company says that the Happy Life collection will be available at a special eBay event, where people will be able to vote on the new line of clothing, and then there will be a sale on the items.
The item will sell for $50.
Happy Earth Fashion is also selling a range that will be sold online in the coming weeks, including an assortment of hats and hats and socks.
The online auction site is a popular site for eBay to sell items, with a significant number of items sold in the past year, including a collection of “Happy Earth” clothing and an item from a previous auction that sold for $300,000.
But this new line has been developed by a company that is more focused on the children’s market.
The Happy Earth Clothing line is available at eBay, Amazon and Etsy for $100, and has a suggested retail price of $130.


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L'ABUS D'ALCOOL EST DANGEREUX POUR LA SANTÉ. À CONSOMMER AVEC MODÉRATION.
EDOUARD SCHUMACHER UNVEILS THE NEW LAMBORGHINI FLAGSHIP – AUTOFFICINA PARIGI
On the occasion of the official opening of “AUTOFFICINA PARIGI” flagship, Edouard Shumacher unveiled the latest Lamborghini dream cars. A … Read more
Supra Skytop V Launch Party
Ten years after the launch of the first Skytop, Supra dropped the Skytop V, the newest addition designed by Chad … Read more
Waiting for the Sun X Opening Party !
Few days ago, the Waiting for the Sun team organized a party to celebrate their brand new shop and the … Read more


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Tesla’s P100d Interior Ergonomic Vehicle Inspired By Nasa
Tesla’s P100D interior Ergonomic vehicle inspired by NASA
Ergonomic vehicle inspired by NASA. Faraday Future’s PR team continues to work hard, busy releasing a teaser video of the upcoming production car that will debut at CES 2017 in Las Vegas.
In a recently released 15-second video posted to YouTube, Faraday Future provides an overview of what the company calls “NASA-inspired ergonomics.”
The latest clip reveals the seat the vehicle maker says defies gravity.
Our vehicle seats are built to withstand gravity loads, “said Faraday in a video statement.
Experience NASA-inspired ergonomics – and more – at CES2017. This idea is similar to Nissan’s “Zero Gravity Seats” which seek to reduce fatigue for longer journeys or road trips.
Electric-powered SUV Tesla Interior, this short teaser features a close-up leather seat cover, as well as some cabin catches. Faraday’s first production vehicle is expected to be an electric-powered SUV allocated to the Tesla Model X.
A short shot that looked like an armrest and center console, followed by another shot from the front seat of the vehicle, left the viewer with enough material to form an opinion. It’s an approach the company has held firmly since it first launched the CES campaign, with a series of new, fast-moving teasers dedicated to Tesla’s P100D.
A few weeks ago, Faraday began producing footage of drag racing prototypes of a number of fast vehicles including the Ferrari 488, Tesla Model X P100D Ludicrous, and Bentley Bentayga. Recently, Faraday’s prototype clashed with Ludicrous’s Tesla Model S P100D. Faraday hinted that the car had “more torque” and should go from 0-60 mph in a two second low.
Not much is known about Faraday’s production vehicle. It will use the Automatic Variable Product Architecture, capable of running up to four electric motors and accommodating high-capacity battery packs. More details will come when Faraday officially launches his new car at CES in January.
The latest video concludes with a shining silhouette of a vehicle that is perhaps the best display of the vehicle’s entire form to date.


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Digicel Takes "Summer To Di World"
Telecommunications company and Best Value operator in Jamaica – Digicel – has unveiled one of its biggest promotions yet under the banner ‘Summer to di World’. With two of its brand ambassadors as top contenders in the World Championships – Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser, Digicel has promised that this new and exciting promotion offers something for all its customers across Jamaica from July 13 through to August 30.
Digicel Summer to di World gives customers a chance to win one of three great grand prizes of a trip for two to the 2012 Olympics in London and two brand new, 2012 BMW X1 and a total of $2 million cash plus weekly and daily prizes of BlackBerry Torches and local and international call credit. In this exciting new promotion, pre-paid customers qualify by topping up with $200 or more using any of its easy and convenient electronic top up methods including Phone to Phone, FlexE or Bank Flex, while post-paid customers gain automatic entry when they accumulate 20 minutes of talk time throughout the promotion. Digicel 4G Broadband customers also qualify when they top up electronically and activate a prepaid plan or pay their bill on time and in full.
Acting Head of Marketing at Digicel, Aileen Corrigan noted that; “Summer is an exciting time of the year for Digicel and our customers and we always seek new and exciting ways to deliver the best value to Jamaica – that is just what Summer to di World is all about. Additionally, we will literally be taking this promotion on the road to our customers in their communities where they will have a chance to win more prizes and enjoy some great entertainment from today right up until August 30th. The telecommunications company says that they will definitely be heating up the summer with even more exciting value offers. “We have partnered with handset manufacturer Nokia to offer our new and existing prepaid and postpaid customers fantastic prices on handsets throughout the summer. Additionally, new 4G Broadband customers can purchase a USB modem at the reduced price of $3,950 plus get 3 days free usage.
All prepaid 4G broadband customers get 10% extra on all electronic 4G recharges from now until end August.


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Unilever research hub pioneer alternatives to animal testing
The research work is showcased in the film, with external experts – including Dr Timothy E H Allen of the University of Cambridge Toxicology Unit – recognising Unilever’s contribution to furthering international confidence in non-animal testing methods.
“The research undertaken by Unilever is of the highest standards and internationally respected,” he says. “It is our hope that the methods and tools that Unilever develops can be used in other areas globally.”
The film premiered in June at the virtual Cosmetics Europe Trade Association’s industry event. It is one of 24 films created for the Essentials for Daily Life series, produced by BBC StoryWorks, which offer a behind-the-scenes view into how the often-overlooked cosmetics and personal care sector is enhancing people’s lives, supporting the planet and improving products.


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he acquisition adds the VTI Vector and Matrix products to the existing MEI Conlux product portfolio provided to the Retail, Transportation, Amusement, Vending and Gaming markets. These two products complement existing technologies and enable MEI Conlux to offer a broader range of solutions to both existing and new customers.
“The VTI advantage of cost effective, rapid development is now in the hands of MEI Conlux, the company that produces the best recognition and authentication technologies in its class,” said G. Peter Lee, founder and CEO of VTI who will continue as an advisory consultant to MEI.
This acquisition is the first after MEI Conlux was purchased by Bain Capital and Advantage Partners in June of 2006. Mike Hayes, President and CEO of MEI Conlux, said, “This acquisition is a logical progression in our relationship with VTI which began with a co-development project in 2005. The combination of VTI’s proven hardware with MEI's recognition technology will further our ability to provide high quality, value-added solutions to our growing customer base worldwide."


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Korean market and domestic brand trends: Semiconductor shortages reducing production and sales
Hyundai Group accelerates electrification, Korean government presents battery strategy
- Korean government policies: Tax break extension, joining RCEP, and battery strategy
- Domestic market share: Hyundai Group declines to 61%, imports’ share grows to 16%
- Production volume: Declining to 3.462 million units in 2021, down by 1.3% y/y
- Korean automakers’ production capacity of 4.813 million in Korea and 5.48 million overseas
- Hyundai Motor Group: Aiming to sell 1.7 million EVs in 2026
- GM Korea: Semiconductor shortage and preparation for new model reduce production
- Renault Samsung: Samsung sells its entire stake, partnership with Geely Group
- Ssangyong: To be sold to Korean EV start-up Edison Motors
- Sales forecast by LMC Automotive: Korean light vehicle sales expected to be 1.91 million units in 2025
Korean vehicle production in 2021 decreased by 1.3% year-over-year (y/y) to 3.462 million units while sales in the country declined by 10.6% y/y to 1.441 million units. Semiconductor supply shortages led to lower production, and thereby, stagnant sales at OEMs. On the other hand, exports from Korea increased by 8.2% y/y to 2.041 million units. Export destinations including major countries and markets enjoyed vehicle demand growth, recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Korean government will extend its measures to reduce the individual consumption tax on cars to support the automotive industry until the end of June 2022. Regarding the activities related to vehicle exports, the “Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)” went into effect in Korea on February 1, 2022. Since Japan, China and ASEAN countries are participating in the RCEP, vehicle exports from Korea are expected to increase in the future.
The Korean government set a target to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. The government is promoting the use of EVs to achieve this goal, and in July 2021, presented its strategy to develop the EV battery industry.
The Hyundai Motor Group enjoyed strong sales in 2021 through supply chain management and expanded sales of SUVs and Genesis luxury brand models despite the impact of the semiconductor supply shortage. The group is accelerating its electrification strategy, raising the EV sales target for 2026 from 1 million to 1.7 million units.
GM Korea is facing stagnant production, sales and exports due to a lack of semiconductor parts and the suspension of plant operations in preparation for the production of the new CUV model.
In August 2021, Renault Samsung announced that Samsung would sell its entire stake in the company and it will operate its business in South Korea under the Renault brand starting in the second half of 2022. On the other hand, in January 2022, Renault Samsung partnered with Geely Holding Group to introduce the new models including hybrid vehicles using Geely’s technology into the Korean market.
Ssangyong, which filed for corporate reorganization proceedings in December 2020 and had been looking for a buyer, signed an acqisition contract with a consortium led by Edison Motors, a South Korean electric bus start-up. The company will rebuild its business under a South Korean EV manufacturer.
|Genesis G90 full-size sedan (Photo: Hyundai Motor)||Kia Niro all-new compact SUV (Photo: Kia)|
Korean vehicle production, sales, exports, and imports
|Production in Korea||4,524,932||4,555,957||4,228,509||4,114,913||4,028,834||3,950,614||3,506,774||3,462,299|
|Sales in Korea||1,463,893||1,589,393||1,600,154||1,560,202||1,552,346||1,539,766||1,611,218||1,440,779|
Source: KAMA (Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association)
Note: Sales in Korea do not include imports.
Decarbonization - Global agreement at COP26 and its deployment to regions/OEMs (Jan. 2022)
Hyundai Motor Group: Aiming to sell 1 million EVs a year in 2025-26 (Aug. 2021)
Auto Shanghai 2021: NEVs of Non-Chinese OEMs (Apr. 2021)
Korean market and trends of domestic brands: Tax breaks boosting domestic sales (Nov. 2020）
Read more at no cost for a limited time by registering for a free trial.


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It’s ringing cash registers for Indian digital advertising this financial year. The sector is expected to grow a whopping 54 per cent in the next 12 months according to a report released by the Internet And Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and IMRB.
As of March 2012, the industry was worth Rs 2,581 crores in annual revenue and is expected to grow to Rs 4391 crores by March 2013. IAMAI that typically represents the online and mobile VAS industry said that mobile advertising will grow from 105 crore, 17 per cent more than last year, to Rs 144 crore during the same period. Of these 75 per cent ads are on mobile browsers/ WAP’s and barely 5 per cent on SMS. While, Rs 21 crore were spent on In-App Advertising, about Rs 5 crore was spent on SMS.
When it comes to online classifieds it is frequently noticed that the vertical is not included as a part of the online ad market. Therefore, excluding online classifieds, online advertising is expected to grow about 25per cent from Rs 1,250 crore to Rs 1,561 crore in the next 12 months.
It is interesting to note that display has and will be slightly ahead of the search marketing in India. It has contributed about 55-60per cent of the total ‘pure’ online ad market and the ratio is expected to remain similar even after a year. This is contrary to the prediction across the world market which believes that search advertising is at the forefront of online advertising.
Travel and banking and financial sector continued to be the main spenders as far as display ads are concerned. The display ad spend by automotive companies has appreciably increased. Its overall share has risen from 9 per cent in 2010 to 13 per cent in 2011 to 14per cent in 2012, the report said. On an average the digital ad spends have been growing at 25 per cent year-on-year basis and is about 11 per cent the size of the conventional or traditional media ad market, presently.


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Pernod Ricard Appoints Richa Singh As CFO
Pernod Ricard announces the appointment of Richa Singh as CFO. Singh will be responsible for strategic financial planning and key business processes to drive business growth in her new role.
Pernod Ricard India (PRI), a global leader in the wine and spirit industry, has appointed Richa Singh as CFO. In her new role, she will steer the finance function for the South Asia region, including India, and will be responsible for strategic financial planning and key business processes to drive business growth.
Richa Singh will report directly to Thibault Cuny, managing director and CEO Pernod Ricard South Asia and India.
Richa has over 20 years of experience and has led finance teams across functions for large multinational companies such as P&G, Johnson & Johnson Medical, Coca Cola and Philips at their offices in India and Singapore.
Speaking on the appointment of Richa Singh, Thibault Cuny, MD & CEO, Pernod Ricard South Asia and India, said, "We are delighted to welcome Richa to our core management team at Pernod Ricard South Asia & India - at a time when we look to build a future-ready organization. Richa brings with her a wealth of deep financial expertise, a proven track record of results-driven leadership, and an entrepreneurial mindset, that will help augment our growth trajectory and take the company to newer heights."
"I am excited to join Pernod Ricard, a global leader with one of the most dynamic and premium portfolios in the industry, especially as it revs up on its accelerated growth path. I am inspired by the organisation's culture of conviviality and values of mutual trust, entrepreneurial spirit and a strong sense of ethics - coupled with its commitment to building brands with purpose with innovation and premiumization at its core," said Richa Singh, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Pernod Ricard South Asia and India.


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A growing number of farmers in Latin American nations renowned for their high-quality arabica coffee are starting to plant cheaper robusta — a crop still frowned upon or even outlawed in some countries.
In locales such as Colombia and Costa Rica, many in the industry have feared the low-brow bean will spoil their reputation as suppliers of the world’s best coffee.
Costa Rica bans robusta farming entirely, while coffee trade organizations in Colombia and elsewhere have historically discouraged it. But a growing number of Latin American farmers are warming up to the bitter bean as a cash crop.
“It has good productivity and a good price,” said Evelio Matamoros, a farmer in Nicaragua who first planted robusta in 2010. Robusta “has better yields and it doesn’t need shade. That matters.”
Robusta, which thrives at lower elevations, is typically processed into instant coffee or added to brewed blends as a cheaper ingredient. It’s also used to create the froth in some espressos.
Coffee producers from Colombia to Guatemala are dedicating more land to robusta, and it has even spread to Panama, a small country renowned for growing exceptionally high-quality arabica beans that fetch steep premiums.
In Nicaragua and Guatemala, the industry has targeted robusta expansions that would increase their combined harvest by five times, to about 540,000 60-kg bags.
That would account for nearly 1 percent of global output, and bring supplies closer to North American coffee makers, cutting freight costs and shipping time compared to major robusta-growing nations such as Vietnam and Brazil.
The expansions of robusta in arabica-growing nations appears well-timed. Demand for all coffee worldwide is on track to reach a record this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and robusta supply hit a six-year low last year, after a drought hurt Brazil’s crop.
In November, Olam International Ltd, a major agri-business that trades food globally, forecast the world’s robusta production will fall short of demand for the second straight crop year in 2017/18, creating a cumulative two-year deficit of 8 million bags.
Changing climates are also making robusta farming more attractive. The crop survives better at warmer temperatures, and it has enough caffeine to make its trees hardier against some diseases and pests.
Farmers growing arabica in Central America were hit hard by the spread of an airborne fungus known as roya in 2012. In low-lying areas, which are more susceptible to roya, some producers are now looking to robusta as an alternative crop because many varieties are resistant to the fungus and less costly to grow than arabica.
Robust debate in Colombia
Arabica, typically grown at high altitudes and roasted for brewed coffee, accounts for roughly 60 percent of the world’s beans. Robusta accounts for the rest.
Robusta sells at a discount of roughly 40 cents per lb to the benchmark arabica price, as the cheaper bean typically has lower input costs.
The efforts to increase — or in the case of Colombia, to begin — robusta production signals increasing acceptance of the bean.
In 2013, Colombian farmers — worried about the nation’s brand as the world’s biggest grower of premium arabica coffee — opposed President Juan Manuel Santos when he raised the idea of growing robusta in the country’s plains. But now some Colombian farmers are planting the lower-quality crop in lowlands that are unsuitable for arabica.
Diego Lopez, a fourth-generation coffee exporter who retired and now has a farm, has planted 12 hectares of robusta and aims to cash in on rising demand.
“We are talking about two different products, like bananas and plantains,” said Lopez, comparing robusta and arabica.
In Costa Rica, it has been illegal to grow robusta since 1988, and farmers who grow it could have their crops destroyed without compensation.
Farmers in Honduras — Central America’s biggest coffee grower — chose not to grow robusta to maintain tradition and quality, the country’s coffee association said.
Expansion in Guatemala, Nicaragua
In Guatemala, however, the country’s coffee association, ANACAFE, is actively pushing a robusta expansion. About 2 percent of Guatemala’s coffee harvest is robusta and ANACAFE is testing the crop in different areas with the hope it could be grown at elevations no longer ideal for arabica due to warming temperatures.
ANACAFE President Ricardo Arenas said it aims to increase the country’s robusta harvest to 300,000 60-kg bags. This would be four times the 75,000 bags that the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated were grown here in the 2016/17 season.
The expansion will require farmers to raise roughly $220 million for supplies and harvest machinery, and the financing is not yet in place, Arenas said. But in 2017, ANACAFE bought 20,000 robusta plantlets designed for high yields from Nestle SA, the maker of Nescafe, and the world’s biggest coffee maker. The first harvest from those trees is expected in 2019.
Sergio Morales, head of ANACAFE’s research department, said that roya made arabica farming unprofitable at altitudes below 800 meters, where some arabica is grown, making robusta the only solution for those producers.
In Nicaragua, the law entrusts the National Coffee Council to make sure “the quality of exports will not endanger Nicaragua’s coffee prestige,” and a protest by coffee growers in 2010 sought an outright ban. But in 2013, the government permitted limited areas for robusta farming — during a roya outbreak — and three years later expanded those areas.
Today, Nestle is working with Mercon Group in Nicaragua to develop production in its Autonomous Region of the South Atlantic, said Orlando Garcia, coffee regional manager of Zone AMS (America) for Nestle’s Corporate Agriculture Division.
Nicaragua harvested 25,000 bags of robusta last year, making up nearly 2 percent of its coffee production, according to USDA data.
Mercon, a longtime exporter of coffee from Nicaragua, expects the country’s robusta crop to increase to 38,000 bags this year and rise by more than six times to 238,000 bags by 2025, said Luis Alberto Chamorro, Mercon’s general director for Central America.
“The conditions and costs of the zone also allow us to produce robusta at very competitive prices versus other countries that produce this coffee,” Chamorro said.


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Idaho man shares warning about Craigslist scam
SPOKANE, Wash. — A Craiglist ad almost cost one Idaho man his privacy of his personal information. Now, he’s sharing his story to spread awareness and hopefully prevent someone else from becoming a victim of the same scam.
Ken Withey was using Craigslist to sell a vehicle. He said he recently received an email from a potential buyer. That person had an unusual request, they wanted Withey’s personal email, which he provided, and then they wanted him to complete a car report through a website called my reports. Withey was hesitant. He’d never heard of the report site before.
“So I told them I’d look into it. It was only $24, but it was a site that was unsecured, it didn’t have the HTTPS on the address,” Withey said.
That was one of many red flags. He started to dig deeper into where the website was coming from and who ran it. He said he discovered the site was based out of Panama and was not an authentic report service.
He acknowledged that this was a clever set up that nearly fooled him, a cybersecurity professional. Withey said this is an example of how complex new cyber crime tactics are.
“Be careful where you are going. Don’t accept emails with links from people you didn’t have contact with,” Withey said.
He said people should be skeptical about online offers or strange phone calls. He encouraged people to do research before giving out personal information. He said trusting your gut can also be a good thing to keep in mind.
“If you feel you’re being taken advantage of or something is wrong, go somewhere else. You initiate the shopping, don’t let somebody do it for you,” Withey said.
You can file complaints with federal and state authorities if you’ve been the victim of a scam.
COPYRIGHT 2022 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.


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Phil Spencer: “We Have 14 Xbox Game Studios Games in the E3 2019”
The 2019 edition of E3 is set for Xbox to concentrate the attention of the world of video games and also that the brand is taking with utmost seriousness its presentation in the biggest event of the year, where very important announcements are expected. Today, precisely, Phil Spencer referred to that topic and confirmed that everything is ready.
A few hours ago, Phil Spencer, vice president of the gaming division at Microsoft, revealed through his official Twitter account that the rehearsals for his presentation at E3 2019, which will take place on Sunday, June 9, have finished. The manager was in charge to ignite the hype revealing that there will be announcements on the part of 14 studios that today work with Microsoft, however, he did not imply that all the titles would be novelties, and indicated that the number of first-party disclosures will be the biggest they have had since participating in the event.
In that sense, we must remember that in E3 2018, the same Spencer surprised fans by announcing the new strategy for video game development that added a significant number of studios such as Undead Labs, Ninja Theory, Compulsion and Playground. Also, the expectation is placed in the work of Obsidian and the first results of the alliance that Xbox celebrated with Japanese studios to bring the content of Asian origin to its gaming environment made up of Xbox One and Windows 10.
On the other hand, fans await the final announcement of Gears 5, a title that already confirmed its participation in E3 2019, as well as more details of Halo Infinite and other surprises by Microsoft Studios, without counting what some third-parties will present there.
What are you expecting in the presentation of Xbox in E3 2019? Tell us about your opinions in the comments below.


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Farm jobs are not getting any better, and they’re getting worse, according to a USDA report.
The USDA is projecting the U.S. economy will shrink by 2.3 million jobs by 2027.
The farm sector will see its job growth slow by about 2.2 million, or 0.4 percent, while the manufacturing sector will grow by nearly 1.2 percent.
Agriculture jobs fell 0.7 percent last year.
That’s worse than the 0.6 percent contraction that many expected.
The agricultural sector is already the worst-performing sector in the economy, with a 1.3 percent contraction in jobs in 2018, according the report.
The report comes just days after the U,S.
Chamber of Commerce warned that the U and China were not cooperating enough on trade.
In the report, it said it was “deeply concerned” by China’s “aggressive and aggressive” policies on trade, and called for a crackdown on China.
It said it “will continue to work to secure fair and reciprocal trade rules.”


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“If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by.”
― Sun Tzu | The Art Of War
Ontario, CA – November 1st 2017: Although sales of motorcycles in the US have declined in virtually all categories, one area is seeing growth, and that is small displacement motorcycles. Many have questioned in the past, “Why would a company focus on small displacement bikes when everyone else was following the “Bigger is Better” marketing strategy that appeared to be working for so long.” For LIFAN the answer was simple, continue producing high quality smaller displacement motorcycles and eventually the market will return to its roots and sales will soar. This is exactly what we are seeing in current market with sales of 125cc to 250cc motorcycles leading market trends.
The quote “If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by.” appears in the Chinese military treatise “The Art Of War” by strategist Sun Tzu (Master Sun). This 5th century quote is often used in marketing to describe a strategy of waiting for the market to come back to you. This strategy clearly would not work in the high-tech world of computers and smart phones, however when it comes to motorcycles, it appears to be working well for LIFAN. “Americans once lived by the phrase “Bigger is Better”, however we do see a trend in the motorcycle industry towards smaller engine sizes and this is an area that we already have a strong foothold.” says Mike Turber, Director of Sales and Marketing for American LIFAN.
“Over the years as other manufactures built larger displacement motorcycles, LIFAN continued to perfect the engines it was already producing, and this strategy appears to be paying off. LIFAN is a major player in the motorcycle market with products being sold in over 120 countries. Approximately 55 million motorcycles will enter the market this year with the United States accounting for about 500,000 units, or just under 1% of the global market.” Stated Mike Turber.
Tony Sun, President of American LIFAN, sees the market trend and said “We believe strongly that the American perception of “Bigger is Better” has changed and that is no more evident than in the automobile industry. The motorcycle industry, is now recognizing this fact and is going through a similar phase that the automobile industry went through with the focus now turning to smaller and more efficient engines.” Tony further stated, “This is an area that we have dominated for decades and we feel our products are well suited for the new demand for smaller displacement motorcycles in the United States.”
At AIM Expo 2017, in Columbus Ohio, that trend was very evident in the number of dealers who were looking for smaller motorcycles to meet the demands of their customers. American LIFAN estimates that nearly 50% of the traffic coming to the booth were looking for smaller bikes. The KP series of motorcycles from LIFAN accounted for nearly 85% of the sales generated by American Lifan at AIM Expo. The KP series is famous around the world as it holds many records and has won 17 of the last 18 CRRC Championships since 2012.
With the growing popularity of smaller pit bikes and mini motorcycles, consumers are looking for an alternative to the relatively expensive models like the Honda Grom or Kawasaki Z125. The LIFAN KP-MINI has a more powerful engine with a respectable 12.2hp vs less than 9hp for both the Grom and Z125. Other notable differences include a 5-speed vs a 4-speed and 150cc vs 125cc. The KPMini also has a more affordable price tag at over $1,000 less than the comparable Grom or Z125.
It is clear that the smaller engine classes are getting more attention these days and this may not be a trend, this may be the future.


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BEIJING — Like millions of bridegrooms in China, Beijing cook Zhang Jian nearly went broke when he got married last month.
Zhang, 27, had labored for four years in a steamy hotel kitchen to achieve his dream of buying the basic necessities for a normal wedding in urban China--a color television, a tape recorder, a refrigerator and a washing machine.
These four items, together with furniture, a bicycle and new wedding clothes, cost him about $1,350--a staggering amount considering that he earns only $40 a month.
"I would have had to delay my wedding for another two years if I had to pay for the wedding banquet, which cost 2,000 yuan ($540)," Zhang said.
"But my parents were impatient and decided to pay for it. Marriage is a very expensive business in China."
Most traditional Chinese wedding customs, such as kneeling in front of the couple's parents to offer tea, have disappeared since the Communists took power in 1949. But the old dictum that marriage is never cheap still holds true.
Dowries Officially Banned
All over China, millions of prospective brides and bridegrooms save feverishly to splurge on expensive electrical goods for their new homes, which are normally allocated by the state.
Dowries are officially banned, and most of the items are often paid for by the bridegroom or his family. But an increasing number of brides are sharing the burden.
Many young couples are spending up to 10 times as much on weddings as their parents did.
One recent marriage in Fujian province broke a local record with expenses reaching $2,700.
Authorities, alarmed by the growing trend, have launched a drive against the "social pollution" of lavish weddings, especially in rural areas.
The official press has published the findings of a survey on the rising cost of marriage and censured the extravagant behavior of newlyweds and their doting parents.
$1,800 Average Cost
A survey of 20 major cities showed that couples spend an average of $1,800 on consumer goods before their wedding day, a binge amounting to three years' savings for an average worker.
Most couples would also like to have a wedding banquet followed by a honeymoon, but the survey said only one-fifth of them realized their dream of a honeymoon.
The survey said the trend of basic wedding items had moved from bicycles and watches in the 1960s, and black and white television sets and tape recorders in the 1970s, to color television sets, refrigerators and cameras in the 1980s.
People's Daily said the problem is more pronounced in the countryside, where the average cost of weddings rose from about $25 in 1980 to up to $800 by 1985. The average per capita income in rural China is $115.
"This bad practice has polluted social morality and increased the number of cases of conflict between couples, forced marriage, suicide and murder, and slowed development of the rural economy," the newspaper said.
Chinese leaders have been trying to eradicate ancient wedding customs in which the bride is seen as being "married off" at a loss to her family, which must be compensated with money or gifts.
The custom has become like a competition in some villages, where parents of young couples try to outdo their neighbors with elaborate weddings, expensive feasts and new homes.
A Chinese official told a recent conference on marriage that in one county in Anhui province, most farmers were financially crippled by high-priced brides.
The men, at the first meeting with the bride's family, had to offer up to $220 as a greeting gift, the official said. "After that, a lot of gifts followed."


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2nm Chip technology released by IBM and it’s worlds first
IBM is one of the finest inventors in the computing world, and according to their latest unveiling, 2nm chips have been produced. It is the successor of the latest 5nm silicon-diode based chips. It is a breakthrough in semiconductor process and design. 2 nanometer (nm) nanosheet technology in the semiconductor industry will play a massive role beyond what we can think about at the moment.
The 2nm node chip design can squeeze off 50 billion transistors in a single unit. Each unit being fingernail-sized. "It is a breakthrough in semiconductor design", according to Big Blue. The new design has three-layered sheet material containing stacks of NMOS transistors. PMOS (logic) transistors sit on top of this layer, while in the previous design, these transistors sat side by side. New design is also known as gate-all-around, which is more advanced than previous-gen 3D FinFETs.
IBM's new 2nm technology is using EUV patterning to scale sheet widths. These sheet specs between 15nm-70nm meet requirements suited for today's tech and new appliances. New tech is projected to achieve somewhere around a 45 per cent performance boost and a 75 per cent low energy consumption. It is estimated that smartphones crafted using this chip will have quadruple battery life in the same form factor or smaller. It will be applied to both consumer-grade products and enterprise infrastructure tech systems.
Semiconductor plays a vital role in every form of tech. Computing appliance, transportation to communication systems, critical infrastructure, and much more will be affected by this in the future. It is kind of like Moore's Law, but for semiconductor chips. Moore's law is that the number of microchip or transistors doubles every two years. As we can see, it is less than half of what we currently have as cutting-edge technology. It is an excellent evolvement. 5nm chip breakthrough happed in 2017, and IBM secured that too. They had a rough patch in business for a few years, but the research team did a fine job by continuously researching in this project as innovation is the key strategy to survive for business today.
The state-of-the-art semiconductor industry advances with the new 2nm chip as there is a growing demand for it everywhere rather than 7nm node chips. 50 billion transistors in a fingernail-sized space will allow designers for innovation beyond what we have today. As much as it is helping us today, Cloud computing will benefit more once the power under their equipment grows. IBM collaborated with Intel on advanced semiconductor research and development around the time of announcing this news. We do not precisely know if Intel fed effort in 2nm development or will be the first to acquire the chips and develop products around it.
2nm chips will let users use cell phones for up to four days on a single charge as these highly packed transistors will let us do more with less power consumption. Data centres account for a percentage of global energy usage. If all the servers upgrade themselves with 2nm processors, it will reduce power consumption. And it will lead to less carbon footprint. We all get a bit relieved learning stuff like this. Laptops and computers will function faster and can process faster internet connection. We can't leave without mentioning autonomous vehicles or self-driving cars. Utilising new tech will give more rapid reaction time and object detection.
Darío Gil, SVP and Director of IBM Research said, "The IBM innovation reflected in this new 2 nm chip is essential to the entire semiconductor and IT industry." Semiconductor research lab is based in Albany Nanotech Complex, Albany, NY. Here IBM scientist and engineers work closely and collaborate with public and private sector partners. A collaborative approach is said to be the innovation that is working for the IBM research team.
According to IBM, their breakthrough also includes single-cell DRAM, silicon-coated insulator, copper interconnect wiring, High-k gate, 3D chip stacking and plenty more. The nanosheet technology for a 2nm chip took less than four years to develop, and it's a huge milestone for all of us. AI alongside cloud computing will have additional recourses to gain a practical advantage. The company does regular business with more than 175 countries and has nearly 3,000 government and corporate entities, helping with critical infrastructure. 2D transistor equivalent 2nm chips are going to break through the technology era in a new margin.


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SINGAPORE--Alcatel's impending purchase of Nortel's 3G wireless infrastructure business will help to pit itself better against Western counterparts and China's Huawei.
Paris-based Ovum analyst Julien Grivolas told ZDNet Asia that if the acquisition goes through, Alcatel will be in a better position to compete against Ericsson, Nokia-Siemens and Huawei in a highly-competitive UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) markets.
Behind the two Western vendors, Huawei is the main challenger to Alcatel as the Chinese vendor has been winning network infrastructure contracts with European 3G operators including Vodafone in Spain and Czech Republic, as well as KPN in The Netherlands.
Alcatel said last week that it plans to buy some of Nortel Networks' wireless access infrastructure equipment for US$320 million. The companies are expecting to complete the transaction in the fourth quarter of this year.
Grivolas said: "Ericsson and Nokia are the main leaders in the UMTS market. If Alcatel combines its existing customer base with those from Lucent and Nortel, it would be able to benefit from economies of scale.
"That would also put Alcatel in a better position to compete with Huawei," he said.
Moreover, Grivolas noted that Nortel's products are well-known for their good performance, and that should help Alcatel compete better against its rivals.
Other industry observers have also pointed out that the deal would strengthen Alcatel's market position in Asia, particularly in China and South Korea, where the company already enjoys a strong position in the local second-generation network equipment markets.
Grivolas, however, said since the Chinese government has not issued 3G licenses, it is premature to discuss the impact of the takeover in China.
"Although Alcatel is a significant player in the Chinese market through its joint venture with Shanghai Bell, the impact of the deal is less important, because the UMTS spectrum has not been allocated."
In 2002, Alcatel started a joint venture with China's Shanghai Bell, the country's first foreign-invested telecoms company. Called Alcatel Shanghai Bell, the joint-venture company delivers products in areas such as fixed-line and mobile networking, broadband access, intelligent optical networking, multimedia and network applications.
In South Korea, Alcatel currently does not have a direct presence in the local market, Grivolas said. But that may change with the acquisition of Nortel's UMTS assets.
"Alcatel does not provide any mobile equipment to Korean telecoms operators, such as SK Telecom and Freetel," Grivolas said. However, Nortel last year established a joint venture with 3G equipment supplier, LG Electronics. This meant that Alcatel could now have direct access to the South Korean 3G market, he noted.
Alcatel's latest buying spree is not surprising, given the pressure on telecoms vendors to compete effectively, in a global UMTS market teeming with competitors.
Grivolas said: "The 3G market is overcrowded with too many players, and with decreasing market share. To be innovative, you need to spend lots of money in R&D (research and development), and to sell at lower prices.
"If you are too small a player, it's going to be difficult."
Marrying once too many?
With the impending marriage between Alcatel and Nortel's UMTS business, there is also a lingering question over the future of Evolium, Alcatel's joint venture with Fujitsu, in which the French vendor holds a 66 percent stake, Grivolas said.
In 2000, Alcatel and Fujitsu inked an agreement to set up Evolium, a company that develops future-generation mobile communications network systems. "If Alcatel completely divests itself of Evolium, Fujitsu could lose its international go-to-market channel in UMTS infrastructure," he said.
More importantly, dealing with technology integration is one common aftermath of any merger effort. Grivolas said very little has been communicated to analysts and industry observers in that regard. "If the Lucent merger is completed, and the acquisition of Nortel's assets is effected, Alcatel would have to deal with three different product lines."
"They would have to realign their products, or create some solution that will enable very flexible interoperability among the different product lines," he added.
A spokesperson from Alcatel Singapore, however, said: "We see a clear path [in the] integration of solutions." She added that the company will develop software-based products to facilitate an "unusually smooth migration path to a single integrated product line".


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Scottish businesses should be given £75million to help them deal with Brexit, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has demanded.
FSB Scotland has urged the Scottish Government to set aside the money in a Brexit resilience fund in its submission ahead of the Scottish Budget on December 12.
In a letter to Ministers, the small business campaign group also called for further reforms of the business rates system, as well as action to boost town centres and high streets.
“Our research shows that only a minority of Scottish businesses have started to prepare for Brexit. While few would blame firms when they still don’t know exactly what they’re preparing for, we can’t see good businesses overwhelmed by a rapidly changing trading environment,” said Andrew McRae, FSB’s Scotland policy chair.
“Earlier this year, the Welsh Government announced a £50m EU Transition Fund. We’ve been impressed by Scotland’s economic agencies’ response so far, but after 29 March the work is really going to need to ramp up. At this budget, the Finance Secretary needs to put aside funds to help businesses – across all sectors and geographies – adapt.”
Read more about the impact of Brexit on small UK businesses:
- HMRC slammed for concealing Brexit reality from 100,000 small businesses
- Why aren’t small business owners planning for a “chaotic” no-deal Brexit?
- What we can expect from HMRC before Brexit
FSB’s submission also detailed a request for the development of a new town centre diversification fund, which would be used to upgrade high street properties and infrastructure.
McRae added: “The high street is known as the home of independent retail. But if we’re to turn around some of our town centres, we need to make them attractive to the next-generation of businesses. We want the Scottish Government to build on the success of its town centre regeneration fund with a new high street diversification programme.”
It also laid out proposals for additional changes to the Scottish rates system including a new taper on the Scottish Government’s small business rates relief scheme, to smooth out financial shocks to businesses who suddenly find themselves outside the scheme’s scope.
Sign up to our newsletter to get the latest from Business Advice.


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Westdale Target Gets New Tenant & Square One Rumours
Published January 20, 2016 at 8:13 pm
Ever since Target took leave of our cold country, we’ve been wondering what would take its place. Now, it’s been confirmed that the former Target location at Westdale Mall will be home to a brand new Planet Fitness by the end of January.
Mississauga previously had four former Target locations on ice, with empty storefronts at Square One, Erin Mills Town Centre, Westdale Mall and Sheridan Centre.
Erin Mills Town Centre recently announced that Walmart will be moving in and the news received mixed reviews from people who thought the area could benefit from the discount superstore and critics who felt the brand would downgrade the newly renovated mall’s carefully curated “higher-end” vibe.
Now, residents around the Dundas West-area Westdale Mall (or beyond) will get to try a brand new fitness facility in the coming weeks. Planet Fitness is an affordable gym that offers no-commitment, $10 a month memberships with $1 down. The Westdale location will be the first of two Planet Fitness facilities, with the other scheduled to open in the Dundas and Dixie area in February. The brand is also opening a third location in Etobicoke. Beyond traditional gym perks (new equipment, fitness classes, full locker and shower facilities), Planet Fitness provides free pizza on the first Monday of every month and free bagels on the second Tuesday of every month. You can learn more here.
As for the other two locations, we’ve reached out to both Sheridan Centre and Square One to find out what vendors will be occupying the prime real estate.
As of today. Square One has no news. That said, there have been persistent (but unconfirmed) rumors that Bass Pro Shop might be eyeing the ample retail space.
Sheridan Centre did not respond by press time.insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising


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A car with the number of start M2 [2012 Renault Kangoo] was seen in Boise (Idaho) at April 12, 2019, 7:21 pm
The Vehicle with number start M2 [2013 Dacia Logan] was spotted in Phoenix (Arizona) at April 13, 2019, 2:09 am
A car with the number of start M2 [2012 Audi A1] been in Albany (New York) at April 10, 2019, 3:19 pm
The Vehicle with number start M2 [2015 Ford C-Max] was seen in Nashville (Tennessee) at March 25, 2019, 8:47 am
A car with the number of start M2 [2014 Honda Civic] been in Dededo (Guam) at April 11, 2019, 6:48 am
A car with the number of start M2 [2012 Chevrolet Spark] was seen in Charlotte (North Carolina) at April 13, 2019, 10:07 pm
We do not share any personal information about the owners of cars with numbers M2. We are not affiliated with any organizations or individuals interested in obtaining information on the whereabouts of cars with the license plate at the current time.
|M2CC M2C7 M2C8 M2CT M2CK M2CI M2C4 M2C5 M2C3 M2CV M2CJ M2CW M2CN M2CS M2CD M2CE M2CX M2CZ M2CG M2CF M2C6 M2CU M2CH M2C2 M2C0 M2C1 M2CA M2CL M2CM M2CR M2CB M2CO M2CY M2CP M2C9 M2CQ|
|M27C M277 M278 M27T M27K M27I M274 M275 M273 M27V M27J M27W M27N M27S M27D M27E M27X M27Z M27G M27F M276 M27U M27H M272 M270 M271 M27A M27L M27M M27R M27B M27O M27Y M27P M279 M27Q|
|M28C M287 M288 M28T M28K M28I M284 M285 M283 M28V M28J M28W M28N M28S M28D M28E M28X M28Z M28G M28F M286 M28U M28H M282 M280 M281 M28A M28L M28M M28R M28B M28O M28Y M28P M289 M28Q|
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As a result of the movement restrictions imposed because of the pandemic, my 30-mile average daily travel around the Bay Area and the monthly airline trips have all become a 30-step walk to my home-office for video calls. While we’re all eagerly anticipating the lifesaving health outcomes from the measures taken towards the pandemic, the retail, travel, and hospitality industries are reeling.
n this second article we focus on on-demand mobility services, they issues they face, and the opportunities they have. The piece is pertinent to the conversation about California’s AB5 and the conversation it is raising. It also provides a good preview of topics I am discussing in my upcoming book.
The automotive industry has survived many swings of feast and famine using a business model that is largely unchanged in a century. The industry has made a remarkable recovery in the decade since the Great Recession, with record sales and profits over the past five years. Yet despite this success, there is broad recognition something fundamental has changed and that focusing exclusively on the current business model is unwise.
On-demand mobility services continue to evolve fast. New solutions are introduced constantly to address changes in consumer urban transportation tastes,…
The congressional and European Parliament testimonies of Facebook’s CEO focused attention on Internet and ecommerce corporations whose business models rely on the collection and exploitation of big data, with personal data being a major component. Legislators and the public at large came to realize a) the leverage such companies now possess through the dominant positions […]


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GOOGLE has snatched what is believed to be its biggest single client in the world - the NSW Department of Education - away from its rival Microsoft to claim up to 1.3 million new users...
A week of Google porn, Net Neutrality, Lollipop updates, Xbox burgers and a Wankband
The YotaPhone 2 is probably the most interesting phone since the iPhone 3G - Review
Hands On with Microsoft's wireless charging pad, the DT-903
Windows 10 for phones news
Windows 10 for phones
Hands On with Microsoft's new Comfort Headset
microsoft comfort headset
All the latest on Windows 10
Windows 10 promo
Graphics firm Nvidia has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Ageia Technologies, a privately held gaming physics technology developer based in California. Ageia is best known for its PhysX software, which is shipping or in...
Firefox has an estimated 50 million customers worldwide and a 15 per cent share of the global browser market. The reason you may not have heard of Mozilla is that it has no shareholders, no...
Networking software maker Novell on Monday boosted its Linux portfolio with the acquisition of Linux software maker Ximian for an undisclosed sum. The purchase of Ximian's desktop Linux software will complement Novell's efforts...
Acclaim announced today that they signed a deal with Disney Interactive to for the publishing rights to ABC's critically acclaimed TV show Alias. The stylish adventures of CIA operative Sydney Bristow, Alias has grown into...


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In the latest update, Facebook has launched ‘Instant Games’ on Messenger and Facebook News Feed for both mobile and web platforms starting Tuesday.
One can easily start playing a game by tapping on to the new game controller icon which would be visible only after you update your app. As of now, the social network giant has introduced 17 game titles including Pac-Man, Galaga, Space Invaders, Shuffle Cats Mini etc. Further, this new update is only being rolled out in 30 countries with other countries soon to join in. Also, the company didn’t reveal the list so we have to wait and see if India is the lucky one to get the update in the first phase of roll out.
Facebook has partnered with developers like KONAMI, Zynga, King, Taito etc. to introduce the initial 17 titles. “We believe this new cross-platform gaming experience provides a new and unique discovery surface for our games and will delight and entertain our players around the world,” said Kimihiro Horiuchi, Head of Global Marketing at Konami Digital Entertainment.
Also, Instant Games only work with your Messenger contacts which mean you can’t play with people who are not in your Messenger contacts. Also, if you happen to have a lot of contacts but they aren’t into gaming then you are in for a bit of struggle as well.
Till some months back, Facebook was in limelite for its partnership with Zynga which introduced ‘FarmVille’ but later on the gaming aspect of the social network giant never worked. So this might be Facebook’s attempt to comeback in the field of social gaming both on mobile and desktop. Also, as Gadgets360 pointed out, Facebook might be monetizing Messenger with the addition of Instant Games feature.
Earlier this year, Facebook tested two simple yet addicting Messenger Soccer and Basketball games which needed users to flick soccer and basketballs on the screen with their fingers.
“The primary way that we expect people to be interacting with Instant Games is through Messenger, especially at first,” said Leo Olebe, director of global games partnerships at Facebook.


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Serbian antitrust agency allows MHP to buy Slovenian Perutnina Ptuj
09.11.2018 21:17 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) —
As of this week, the Serbian Commission for Protection of Competition has allowed Myronivsky Hliboproduct (MHP) to acquire 90.69% of Perutnina Ptuj (Slovenia), a vertically integrated company in Southeastern Europe, Interfax-Ukraine says referring to the Serbian Commission for Protection of Competition report.
«The planned concentration will be carried out on the basis of a stock purchase agreement … After the transaction MHP SE will own 90.69% of the total number of Perutnina shares. Companies in Serbia related to Perutnina … carry out activities for breeding broiler chicken, egg incubation, production and sale of fresh and processed poultry,» the report reads.
«MHP is taking a strategic step to expand its activities, which will bring additional value to the company and strengthen its position as a global player. Perutnina Ptuj, in turn, gets a strategic and long-term investor. Perutnina Ptuj owns strong brands and a significant share of the value-added product market, while MHP is ready to support these positions with the help of investments and their further development in future,» the MHP says.
It is to be admitted, MHP is going to improve, in part., the quality of the Perutnina Ptuj output facilities’ base.


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Shinesty, a mail-order novelty clothing retailer that offers American flag bikinis and leopard-print "party suits," wants to advertise anywhere it might find an interested buyer. It's been playing with Snapchat since a new self-serve tool gave smaller spenders an entrée earlier this year.
"Any time anything new comes out we'll test it," said Jens Nicolaysen, chief marketing officer of Shinesty. "We'll test Twitter or Pinterest. We'll test ads on porn websites. We'll test anything, but usually it's not compelling enough to continue advertising."
Its ads on Snapchat, however, performed five times better than elsewhere, Nicolaysen said. The ad tech has proved compelling -- if a little rudimentary.
Now Snapchat is entering the next stage of its ad tech roadmap to satisfy marketers like Shinesty and broaden its pool of ad buyers. The company on Friday is opening what it calls Advanced Mode self-serve, hopefully fixing some of the shortcomings in its inaugural software.
The first version let agencies, brands and startups make their own Snapchat buys without having to go through with the company sales team or its ad-tech partners.
"The initial barrier to investment is very high," said Brittany Richter, VP-social at digital agency iProspect, of Snapchat's price tag when it sells ad programs directly. "So anytime you switch to self-serve, some advertisers that couldn't meet that threshold begin spending."
The advanced tools, Snapchat's answer to Facebook's Power Editor, give advertisers "bulk creation" capabilities that cut down on the manual work of setting up multiple campaigns, according to a Snapchat spokesman. Snapchat also built an ad targeting library to store audience data and a media library to hold creative assets.
"There's a lot of time savings in there," Nicolaysen said. "Bulk creation is for people that create a lot of ads and need a lot of control."
Nicoalysen and other marketers said Snapchat is taking the right steps but has further to go to even approach Facebook's level of ad tech.
The ad tech improvements come at a crucial time for Snapchat. On Thursday, it is set to release its second-quarter results, the second time it's reported since going public and becoming subject to the demands of Wall Street.
It faces a growing challenge from Instagram, which has lifted its style of video and now offers advertisers a format similar to Snapchat's once-unique vertical video ads. Instagram's Snapchat-like Stories have seen massive adoption by viewers, to the tune of 250 million a day, according to the company.
Snapchat investors will be watching its user numbers in the latest results. Growth has slowed, and stands at 166 million daily users.
Even with all those problems, ad infrastructure could be its most pressing test.
"They've got a challenge because Facebook ad tech is fantastic," said Manning Field, chief commercial officer of Acorns, a finance app that helps 2 million investors build stock portfolios. "Still, we continue to invest more and more every day at Snapchat, but is it at a level where Facebook is at? No."
One soft spot has been building "lookalike" audiences on Snapchat that resemble a company's most loyal customers, according to buyers. And some marketing partners said they want Snapchat to develop a pixel, or tag, that they can put on their websites to detect when consumers arrive via Snapchat ads.
The Snapchat spokesman said it has moved aggressively to build up its measurement capabilities, striking partnerships with third-party auditors that help brands see how ads perform. It's also working on a pixel-like product that would help track conversions. "We're currently exploring our own proprietary web-based measurement solution to further prove the effectiveness of our advertising," the spokesman said.
The new advanced ads kit comes with more sophisticated lookalike tools, according to the spokesman. "We added the ability for advertisers to specify a variety of lookalike goals, deciding if they prioritize reach or accuracy," he said. "This was an advertiser request."
The Snapchat ad auction has been friendly terrain for Acorns' style of marketing, Field said. Acorns tests creative assets on Snapchat, find the ones that work and then runs them on Facebook. "Snapchat has been much more responsive to creative testing," Field said.
"From when we started working with them last November, Snapchat has covered remarkable ground," Field said. "But it's still moving a little bit slower than expected."


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With Star Wars: The Force Awakens dominating all forms of media many of next years movies are capitalising on the media attention and releasing teasers and trailers for their forthcoming movies. As a result we have already had trailers for Captain America: Civil War, Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice and more recently Teenage Muntant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.
A trailer for Bryan Singers latest instalment in his long running X-Men movie franchise was expected to be released along with The Force Awakens on December 18th, but it looks like studio 20th Century Fox want to compete against the trailers for Marvel Studios' and Warner Bros. forthcoming comic book movies with the news that the trailer for X-Men: Apocalypse will actually release tomorrow...
Logan March 3rd, 2017
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Women sports fans are everywhere these days: They have the bases loaded, they’re calling for an all-out blitz, and they’re setting up for the pick and roll.
Game day clothing companies across the country are seeing more first downs and go ahead runs when marketing to women. It’s big business, according to Stephanie Godfry of Remedy, a wholesale sports clothing company in Dallas.
Godfrey said their company did extremely well with the NFL women’s apparel they sell. The clothing that sells is also different then the men’s lines. Rather than logo-covered T-shirts, the women’s lines focus more on fashion forward trendy pieces.
Women “enjoy the fashion aspect of it,” Godfrey said. “I think there are a lot more women into sports than in the past.”
It’s unclear why the female fan base is increasing, but sports officials point to a number of reasons: New sports networks added to the TV Guide every year, a surplus of sports marketing jobs, and the communication line between teams and their fans is expanding through social media mediums.
Men, this is good news for you. Women like sports. Or they at least like wearing the clothes. And here is a little secret about women, they only wear what they like.
When it comes to women, fashion and sports, Jana Mathena, owner of Gameday Cloth in Dallas has this to say, “They get to have fashion and show spirit. The (woman) fan base is a huge market, women are why we opened.”
Take a gander at these numbers that lay the increasing coexistence of women and sports fans:
- Over the last five year’s women’s sports apparel has seen a 148% increase within the Collegiate Licensing Company.
- It is estimated that women will spend upwards of one billion dollars on NFL merchandise.
- Major League Baseball reported a 21 percent increase in women’s merchandise online last year.
Not to mention, recently during the famed New York Fashion Week designer Kristin Cavaleri introduced her new line “Junk Food Vintage NFL.” Before that, Cowboys’ Charlotte Jones-Anderson teamed up with design firm Peace Love World to introduce a new clothing line called “I am Game.” Also noting that the AT&T stadium in Dallas, Texas features a Victoria Secret “Pink” store selling women’s cowboys clothing and now a new boutique.
Professional teams and collegiate teams alike are marketing and focusing on women. They realize that women are not only going to games but are also call themselves loyal fans.
“They enjoy the fashion aspect of it,” Godfrey said. “I think there are a lot more women into sports than the past.”


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By Tom Peters
Growth, stability and the reliability of container cargo movement over the port of Halifax is a collective effort of several port stakeholders. CN Rail is central to making it all work. “CN is the backbone of the port, certainly for the long haul moves. They get into the heart of big markets like Chicago and Toronto,” said Patrick Bohan, Director, Supply Chain Solutions, Halifax Port Authority. Rail accounts for almost 50 per cent of the port’s laden inland movement.
Halifax Port Authority (HPA) and CN rail give customers highly efficient ship-to-rail connections between ports in key North American consumer markets and to markets in India, Southeast Asia, Europe and the Caribbean, said CN’s Mark Hallman. “CN’s congestion free-line enables CN to assure customers of the fastest, most efficient, competitively priced, on-time service possible. Cargo entering the port of Halifax connects directly to CN’s main line at the dock. From the port, CN provides highly competitive intermodal service to Montreal, Toronto, Detroit, Chicago and Memphis,” he said.
When marketing the port, Halifax’s rail connections are a key factor, said Bohan. It’s usually on top of the priority list, he said. “All of the terminals have on-dock rail, we have daily train service and loads and loads of backup storage track. The rail infrastructure we have here is not something you will find everywhere you go. The terminals here were built with rail transfer in mind right from the beginning and I think we have unequalled rail equipment when it comes to the port,” he said.
The port’s South End Container Terminal, operated by Halterm Ltd., has 2,438 metres of on-dock rail while the Fairview Cove Container Terminal, operated by Ceres-Halifax, has 3,657 metres of on-dock rail. Both handle double-stack trains. Bohan also pointed out that “some of our other facilities like the grain elevator, Ocean Terminals and Richmond Terminals all have plenty of track for high volume moves.”
“As part of its commitment to continuous improvement, CN and Halifax Port Authority (HPA) along with Ceres -Halifax and Halterm Container Terminal Ltd., have signed an innovative and comprehensive Service Level Agreement (SLA),” said Hallman. “The agreement, dating back to 2010, establishes clear and defined performance standards for these Halifax Gateway partners regarding times for loading and unloading containers between vessels and cars, the timing of the placement of rail cars at the terminals and CN transit times to key markets in Eastern and Central Canada and the U.S. Midwest,” he said.
CN also has a strong supply chain collaboration relationship with Halifax Port Authority and its terminal operators, which has led to the G6 Alliance of APL, Hapag-Lloyd, HYMM, MOL , NYK & OOCL adding an export call to South East Asia on its AZX service triggered by market demand, and the additions of CMA CGM, China Shipping Container Line and UASC adding Halifax as a first port of call on their Ocean Three service from Shanghai, the Pearl River, Hong Kong, Vietnam and South East Asia via the Suez Canal.
Further to cooperative efforts, HPA and CN have shared the cost of having representatives in India and Vietnam to market Port of Halifax as a gateway and CN as a rail connection to North America. The joint effort has “given us a global platform to work within a collaborative fashion,” said Bohan.
In efforts to build cargo and improve supply chain logistics, CN continues to see temperature-sensitive cargo as a growth opportunity. Halifax has approximately 1,000 reefer plugs which shows its commitment to this type of cargo, while CN has also invested significantly in new generator sets for containers with GPS and remote monitoring capability, said Hallman. “As part of CN’s 2015 equipment spending, CN plans to invest $20 million in the expansion of its cold supply capacity to help producers and distributors of chilled or frozen foods grow their businesses in North American and overseas markets,” he said. “CN is acquiring 200 more domestic, 53-foot temperature controlled containers which will add to the current fleet of containers circulating inside North America. CN is also acquiring 32 electrical generators to move 40-foot international marine reefers to and from CN served ports on CN intermodal trains. The power packs provide economies of scale by connecting up to 17 international marine containers at a time,” Hallman added.
In addition to CN’s freight capabilities, CN also operates its Autoport in Eastern Passage. In 2014 the facility handled in excess of 220,000 vehicles moving them to markets by rail, truck and ship. Approximately 200 people work at the 41-hectare Eastern Passage facility which receives automobiles from manufacturers in North America, Europe, Japan and Korea. With its own 262-metre marine dock and 5,574-square metres of service bay area, Autoport offers a full range of services where vehicles can undergo any required maintenance or inspection before distribution. The rail siding was expanded in 2013, increasing the spot capacity to 47 cars from 29 cars.
Vehicles from European manufacturers arrive by vessel, while they arrive by vessel and rail from West Coast and North American manufacturers. Vehicle distribution from Autoport is by rail serving all Canadian major destination ramps, by truck to the Maritime region and by ship to Newfoundland and Labrador. “Export of vehicles through Autoport is a growing business for CN and the facility,” said Hallman. “At this time the exported vehicles are produced in Canada and exported to Columbia as a result of a free trade agreement between the two countries,” he said.
On the trucking side, a critical part of CN’s supply chain solutions is its CNTL unit, one Canada’s largest, full-load trucking companies. The team consists of more than 700 drivers plus a fleet of 6,000 chassis and 6,000 containers. “CNTL delivers more than 1,300 loads a day, safely with a 90 per cent on time delivery record, making it a reliable choice for local pick-up and delivery needs,” said Hallman.
In addition to CN’s truck fleet and intermodal yard, the port works with various trucking firms and the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association as part of its supply chain system. “We have worked closely with Armour Transportation Systems over the years, as well Consolidated Fastfrate Transportation and their cross-dock operations in the Atlantic Gateway Logistics Park and a host of others, like Maritime Ontario and the Irving companies,” said Bohan.
Bohan said the trucking industry, which moves about 30 per cent of the port’s container cargo, has stepped up to support port operations with such facilities as Armour’s warehouse and transload operations. One of the several services Armour offers is the de-stuffing of marine containers which makes those containers quickly available for the marine trade.
“It is important to get that 40 foot container emptied and get that 53 footer loaded to go back to Central Canada,” said Bohan. “It’s important that there are enough 40 foot containers for the export industries like pulp and paper, and peat moss. Having containers de-stuffed quickly and efficiently has gone a long way toward eliminating some of the challenges we saw a dozen years ago.”
Keeping cargo moving through the Port of Halifax is vital, and over the years, Halifax Port Authority has invested significantly to make that happen. “I think the biggest infrastructure assist we gave the trucking segment was working to get new truck gates and marshalling facilities at Halterm and Ceres. That has enhanced the entire operation and increased efficiency in a significant way,” he said. And in the world of international shipping, an investment in efficiency is an investment in the future.


text: IntroductionThe increasing cost of prescriptions drugs in the United States has increased concern for patients, prescribers, insurance companies and policymakers. In 2015, people were outraged when Turing pharmaceuticals increased the price of Daraprim, a 62-year old drug used to fight a life threatening parasitic infection, from $13.50 to $750 per pill (Pollack). Similarly, people were angry when the price of insulin tripled between 2002 and 2013 and the price of EpiPen-a 4 decade old lifesaving allergy medication-had a price hike of 500 percent since 2007 (AARP bulletin). Pharmaceuticals claim that the high prescription prices are a result of the money spent on research and development (R&D) and used to stimulate innovation. However, there is more at play than what one is led to believe. These prescription prices are skyrocketing for consumers in America because of complex healthcare system, limited competition, and increased spending on marketing – not because of increased spending on R&D. As a result of these rising prescription prices, Americans are paying more out-of-pocket for prescriptions and are experiencing increasing financial constraints. Healthcare SystemsWhen compared to European markets, the US is paying several times more for the same drug than countries like Britain. In fact, “U.S. prices for the world’s 20 top-selling medicines are, on average, three times higher than in Britain” (Hirschler). One of the main reasons for this is that unlike the rest of the industrialized world, the United States’ capitalistic approach allows pharmaceutical companies to set their own price for a given drug. The insurance companies and hospitals then buy the drugs for their individual consumers and negotiate their own prices with pharmaceuticals-causing an unregulated variety of pricing for prescriptions. However, in the UK, their National Health Service (NHS) program, funded by taxpayer money, purchases drugs for the entire country’s supply. They negotiate the prices to make it affordable to all UK citizens. They determine if the price demanded by the manufacturer is excessive based on the benefits it provides. And since there is only one buyer, pharmaceutical sellers are more sensitive to how much their customers are willing to pay in countries like the UK since the negotiation can determine whether the drug will be sold in the market or not (Kounang). National health insurance systems, like the United Kingdom’s NHS, allow for streamlined negotiations and lowered pricing.


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Vocalocity has announced a rebranding option for its cloud-based platform, aimed at service provider partners looking to offer hosted IP PBX services and other communications services to their customers.
The offering comes with two implementation options: white label and network integration. For the former, partners create their own branded VoIP solution using a set of administration tools included in the Vocalocity platform. For the latter, partners integrate their networks with Vocalocity’s cloud-based, hosted PBX functionality to leverage Vocalocity’s infrastructure behind the solution.
The platform is based on Vocalocity’s own infrastructure, which it uses to manage VoIP services for nearly 20,000 customers and more than 120,000 end users. Service providers can leverage the same back-end software as a service (SaaS) to create an offering with low up-front costs and fast deployment.
“CornerStone chose to partner with Vocalocity on our custom cloud voice solution based on their out-of-the-box features designed specifically for the SMB market,” said Donald Walsh, CTO at CornerStone Telephone. “The ability to go to market without extensive upfront costs was a major differentiator. We benefit from Vocalocity’s proven technology, and are able to provide a new solution to our customers which complements the services that CornerStone currently offers.”
Vocalocity also will provide marketing resources and materials along with sales support to service providers in the program. Marketing materials include information sheets, data sheets, user guides and whitepapers, as well as syndicated content for partners to host on the Web.
“The market for VoIP services in the SMB segment continues to accelerate, presenting a terrific business opportunity for everyone as customers find they can save money and get a much better service that helps them grow their business,” said Wain Kellum, CEO of Vocalocity. “If fastest growth rates and best customer retention are indicators of leadership in the SMB segment, Vocalocity has established itself as the clear leader.”
He added, “We are pleased to be able to offer Vocalocity’s cloud-based infrastructure to service providers that want to build a similar business in the market they serve, and we’re excited to have CornerStone on board as one of our early partners.”


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The new iPhones are coming!
Apple has officially announced that the pre-order for both the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro Series will start this October 12. This is just a month after the announcement of their USB-C packing smartphones and availability in most of the first world countries.
The iPhone 15 will come in two variants — iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus while the iPhone 15 Pro will come in iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Unlike the previous generation, all models will now have a Dynamic Island on their display and they’ll have a USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer.
The iPhone 15 Series will pack a dual lens-camera and also an A16 Bionic chip inside while the iPhone 15 Pro models will feature an A17 Pro chip, the first Pro chip to land on iPhones. While the iPhone 15 Pro models have a better camera, the Pro Max will have an even better telephoto lens versus the Pro model.
So far, Apple Online store, Digital Walker and Beyond the Box has announced that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Series will be up for pre-order this October 12, 2023 at 12:01 AM and it will be available by October 20, 2023.