text:
Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) Rating Reiterated by Cantor Fitzgerald
Cantor Fitzgerald reissued their overweight rating on shares of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) in a research note released on Tuesday. Cantor Fitzgerald currently has a $1,100.00 price target on the information services provider’s stock, up from their prior price target of $1,070.00.
A number of other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on GOOG. UBS AG reiterated a buy rating and issued a $980.00 price target on shares of Alphabet in a research note on Monday, March 27th. Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The) reiterated a buy rating on shares of Alphabet in a research note on Tuesday. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a buy rating and issued a $1,100.00 price target (up previously from $1,050.00) on shares of Alphabet in a research note on Tuesday. JMP Securities reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $1,077.00 price target on shares of Alphabet in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Pivotal Research reiterated a hold rating and issued a $980.00 price target (down previously from $990.00) on shares of Alphabet in a research note on Monday, July 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, forty-one have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock presently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $1,012.23.
Alphabet (GOOG) traded up 0.80% on Tuesday, hitting $941.53. 1,846,351 shares of the company were exchanged. Alphabet has a 52 week low of $727.54 and a 52 week high of $988.25. The stock has a market capitalization of $652.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.12 and a beta of 0.94. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $944.07 and a 200-day moving average price of $881.26.
Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, July 24th. The information services provider reported $5.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $4.43 by $0.58. The company had revenue of $26.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $25.61 billion. Alphabet had a net margin of 19.49% and a return on equity of 13.66%. Alphabet’s revenue was up 21.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $8.42 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Alphabet will post $30.74 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
In related news, Director Shirley M. Tilghman sold 525 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, July 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $938.09, for a total value of $492,497.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 5,517 shares in the company, valued at $5,175,442.53. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, SVP David C. Drummond sold 2,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, May 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $945.65, for a total value of $1,891,300.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 3,800 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,593,470. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 46,793 shares of company stock valued at $43,987,234. 13.92% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of GOOG. Riggs Asset Managment Co. Inc. increased its stake in Alphabet by 39.6% in the second quarter. Riggs Asset Managment Co. Inc. now owns 141 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $128,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the period. Farmers National Bank increased its stake in Alphabet by 15.0% in the first quarter. Farmers National Bank now owns 161 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $134,000 after buying an additional 21 shares during the period. Pacific Center for Financial Services acquired a new stake in Alphabet during the fourth quarter valued at $142,000. St. Johns Investment Management Company LLC increased its stake in Alphabet by 1,046.7% in the second quarter. St. Johns Investment Management Company LLC now owns 172 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $156,000 after buying an additional 157 shares during the period. Finally, Israel Discount Bank of New York GFN acquired a new stake in Alphabet during the fourth quarter valued at $166,000. Institutional investors own 34.60% of the company’s stock.
Alphabet Inc is a holding company. The Company’s businesses include Google Inc (Google) and its Internet products, such as Access, Calico, CapitalG, GV, Nest, Verily, Waymo and X. The Company’s segments include Google and Other Bets. The Google segment includes its Internet products, such as Search, Ads, Commerce, Maps, YouTube, Google Cloud, Android, Chrome and Google Play, as well as its hardware initiatives.
Receive News & Ratings for Alphabet Inc. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Alphabet Inc. and related companies with Analyst Ratings Network's FREE daily email newsletter.


text:
The UK's hit show, 'The Chase' is finally making the move into the gaming world. ITV, the British TV network which produces and airs the popular afternoon quiz show, has signed a licensing agreement with Storm Gaming Technology (SGT) to allow them to use the show's theme as a base for both land-based and online gambling products.
Storm Gaming Technology is a British gaming company which creates both land-based gaming cabinets and online casino games, including slots and table game variations. SGT has secured the rights to great 'The Chase' themed games in any genre; this includes online gaming products, as well as land-based cabinet machines. In the press release, SGT stated that they would pursue both AWP and SWP games centered around the show.
Managing director of SGT, Richard Sheldon, expressed that the company already has some specific ideas in mind for certain games. He also stated that, “The Chase is a superb brand and the start of what we are confident will be a great relationship with ITV.”
'The Chase' is currently in its 10th season on ITV, and remains one of the most popular afternoon shows in the United Kingdom. On the show, hosted by Bradley Walsh, a team of four contestants competes together in an attempt to win money while avoiding being chased down by professional quizzers known as 'chasers'.
Instead of pitting the four players against each other, they must work together to try and earn as much money as possible. They must first initially try to build up a bank of prize money by individually answering more questions than one of the chasers. Then, in the final round the team works together to attempt to again answer more questions than the chaser and collectively take home the prize money.

domain: news


text:
More photos of the new Mario Kart Hot Wheels sets, pre-orders starting to open
Posted on June 22, 2019 by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News
A few days ago, Nintendo and Mattel announced new Mario Kart Hot Wheels sets. You can find the announcement with all of the details here.
Here are a few new photos showing off what’s on the way:
Pre-orders for the Mario Kart Hot Wheels sets have started to open on Amazon. Currently, the retailer has Piranha Set and Thwomp set. Both can be found here.


text:
Pine Labs acquires API infrastructure startup Setu
Merchant commerce platform Pine Labs has acquired fintech infrastructure company Setu. “Setu will retain its team and brand and continue to run independently,” the company’s co-founder Sahil Kini said. This is the third acquisition for Pine Labs in 2022. The Singapore-registered company picked up a majority stake in payments solution provider Mosambee in April and Mumbai-based online payments startup Qfix in February.


text:
When his net worth hit $150 billion on Monday, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos became the richest person in modern history.
The 54-year-old is already the richest person in the world, with his net worth increasing by $52 billion this year. Taking into account inflation, his $150 billion fortune is more than the $100 billion Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates had in 1999, which would be worth $149 billion today, USA Today reports.
Bezos' staggering amount of wealth puts him well above his peers, including Gates ($93 billion), Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffet ($83 billion), Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg ($83 billion), and Inditex founder Amancio Ortega ($75 billion). Amazon stock closed Monday at $1,822.49, after climbing to a record $1,841.95 earlier in the day. Catherine Garcia


text:
Taylor Swift has written an open letter to Apple explaining her refusal to be part of the new Apple Music streaming service and lambasting it for refusing to pay writers, producers or artists.
The “Shake It Off” singer is withholding her latest album, 1989, which has not been released to any streaming services, but her back catalogue will be part of the Apple tech giant's impending music platform.
Writing on Tumblr she says: “I’m sure you’re aware that Apple Music will be offering a free 3 month trial to anyone who signs up for the service. I’m not sure you know that Apple Music will not be paying writers, producers or artists for those three months.”
Swift declares herself “shocked” and “disappointed” at Apple which she describes as one her “best partners in selling music”. She says she is speaking out on behalf of new artists who will not be paid for those initial months.
“These are not the complaints of a spoiled, petulant child,” she continues. “These are the echoed sentiments of every artist, writer and producer in my social circles who are afraid to speak up publicly because we admire and respect Apple so much.”
She ends her letter by calling on Apple to change their minds: “Please don’t ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation.”
Last year Swift hit headlines when she pulled her entire back catalogue from music streaming service Spotify while she was promoting new album 1989, which sold 1.287 million copies in its first week.
Musicians against Spotify
Musicians against Spotify
1/10 Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift does not what her work to be used as an 'experiment' by Spotify and believes that artists are treated unfairly. She withdrew her entire catalogue in November 2014.
2/10 Thom Yorke
The Radiohead frontman famously described Spotify as 'the last desperate fart of a dying corpse' in October 2013.
3/10 David Byrne
David Byrne of Talking Heads wrote about not understanding Spotify's claim of discovery in a Guardian op-ed. 'The inevitable result would seem to be that the internet will suck the creative content out of the whole world until nothing is left,' he said.
Beck dismissed the Spotify model as 'not working' because of how little it pays musicians. He added that the 'saddest thing' about streaming is the poor sound quality - 'It's like watching Citizen Kane on your phone'.
5/10 The Black Keys
Dan Auerbach has described Spotify's payment to artists as 'so minuscule it's laughable'. 'If you are a bigger band that's already known and you rely on record sales for a living then it's really no place to be,' he said.
6/10 Atoms for Peace
Thom Yorke's other band refused to let Spotify stream their songs. Nigel Godrich from the group described the service as 'an equation that just doesn't work'. 'Small labels and new artists can't even keep their lights on. It's just not right,' he said.
7/10 Yannis Philippakis
The Foals singer said he would rather that somebody stole his record on vinyl than bought it or streamed it on Spotify. He described using Spotify as like going to a top class restaurant and leaving only coppers without paying the bill.
8/10 Aimee Mann
The US singer-songwriter has not put her music on Spotify because she does not think artists make a fair amount of money from the streaming service.
9/10 Grizzly Bear
The band tweeted in 2012 that Spotify provides a great service for people but does as much to help bands as 'downloading from Limewire'.
10/10 Jason Isbell
Jason Isbell of Drive-By Truckers has used the single word 'evil' to describe Spotify.
The 25-year-old said at the time that "valuable things should be paid for", arguing that "music should not be free" and artists should not "underestimate themselves or undervalue their art".
"I felt like I was saying to my fans, 'If you create music someday, if you create a painting someday, someone can just walk into a museum, take it off the wall, rip off a corner off it and it's theirs now and they don't have to pay for it," she said.
"I didn't like the perception that it was putting forth and so I decided to change the way I was doing things."
Spotify subsequently begged Swift to return with a "we love you" playlist and insisted that nearly 70 per cent of its revenue goes back to the music community.
Swift's popular repertoire can be found on Jay Z's artist-owned Tidal service as well as other subscription services Beats Music, Google Play Music and Rhapsody.Reuse content


text:
The Digital Entertainment Group released its midyear report today, and Blu-ray Disc is a noteworthy bright spot. The DEG's industry report echoes the rosy picture of Blu-ray that the Blu-ray Disc Association presented at a press conference at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, and it reinforces the data offered by Adams Media Research this spring-namely, that Blu-ray Disc sales doubled in the first quarter of 2009 over the first quarter 2008.
Consumer spending on Blu-ray discs was up by 91 percent, to $407 million. More consumers have been renting Blu-ray discs, too: Revenues from rentals are up by 62 percent.
This news comes in spite of a recent Harris Poll report indicating that consumers were uninterested in adopting Blu-ray Disc.
According to DEG, consumer spending on prerecorded entertainment as a whole (including DVD, Blu-ray Disc, and digital distribution) during the first half of 2009 was off by 3.9 percent against last year's numbers. Blu-ray Disc sales are up at a time when HDTV household penetration has increased by 13 percent since the end of 2008. Sales of Blu-ray players have grown by 25 percent, and hardware prices continue to decline--a testament to the format's strength in the weak economy. The market success of Blu-ray also reflects the robust trend seen at the theatrical box office: Even tough times don't stop people from consuming entertainment. The DEG numbers note that U.S. households now have more than 2 million stand-alone player units. That brings the total installed base of Blu-ray players--including Sony PlayStation 3 consoles--to 11 million. Of that number, nearly 75 percent are BD-Live capable, meaning that they can handle discs with special Internet-connected content.
More than 40 million Blu-ray titles have now been sold in the United States, and more than 1600 titles are available. Over 190 titles offer BD-Live content.


text:
Holiday shoppers in Philadelphia are expected to spend about 10 percent more than a year ago.
Local spending on gifts is expected to be $478 per shopper, up from $434 in 2011, according to Deloitte’s annual survey.
The research was based on surveys of 500 area consumers, who said they had more optimism about the economy, household finances and job security than a year ago.
Philadelphia’s holiday spending is expected to be much higher than the national average, Deloitte said. U.S. holiday shoppers expect to spend $386 on gifts, down from $395 a year ago.
As gift givers, Philadelphia consumers said they’d likely buy clothing and gift cards and certificates. As gift recipients, they said they’d want gift cards/certificates or cash.
Some 47 percent said they’d shop online. About 70 percent said they’d use a smartphone to help in holiday shopping.


text:
Check out this guide to learn more about the best tablets on the market today.
Ads on an iPad in Los Angeles on a Tuesday morning are more valuable than ads on a random smart phone at night in Indonesia. Should this guide your app development strategy?
Since March 2011, One Laptop per Child has provided tablets for millions of children in developing countries around the world to see if children could learn to use the tablets and to read without the benefit of a classroom teacher. This infographic visualizes the results of the experiment.
Android-based tablets have captured 20 percent of the tablet market, according to a fresh data release from ABI Research. A flood of lower cost devices and Android fragmentation are considered to be the key factors in the increasing market share.
The iPad is currently dominating the tablet game, contributing more than 89 percent of tablet traffic in 13 countries comScore evaluated in their latest report that compares online traffic trends for the month of May
ASUS has unveiled Padfone, its new smartphone and tablet combo, at the Computex. Padfone is a modular mobile package that uses an Android smartphone and a tablet it can dock into. Switching of display between the smartphone and the tablet is dynamic and the display on the phone expands itself seamlessly once connected to the tablet. The launch is mere mockup for now and includes a 4.3-inch smartphone and a 10.1-inch tablet dock. ASUS hasn’t yet finalized the final dimensions and price of the eventual retail product.
Dell & Microsoft Separately Say Tablets are Fads. I Wonder What Bill Gates (Mr. Tablet PC) Thinks of This?
Apple has sold more than 15 million iPads so far. They have not been able to keep up with the demand for the recently launched iPad 2 which currently has a 3 to 4 week shipping delay from Apple’s online store. Microsoft itself already provides enterprise management support for iOS and Android based devices through Exchange ActiveSync and is working on further enterprise integration (see More Enterprise Mobile Device Management Options from Microsoft). Yet, we see these two separate anti-tablet messages from Dell and Microsoft. Curiously, both are published by Australian based organizations. Read more
Here’s an interesting number to ponder over.
Android 3.0 catalog still stalled below 100 apps (electronista)
Android 3.0 and the few (one) tablet it currently powers (Motorola Xoom) is in an interesting situation. Android itself has been around since October 2008 when the T-Mobile G1 launched in the U.S. Android was an uninteresting platform for most people until the Motorola Droid appeared in November 2009. Tablets based on various versions of Android have been appearing since early 2010 (or thereabouts). Many of these are not Google approved and do not have access to the Android Market and other Google provided features. The apparently popular Samsung Galaxy Tab appeared in late 2010 using Android 2.x which was designed for use on a phone and not a tablet (according to Google) but was a Google approved device. The Motorola Xoom has only been available for a few weeks now. So, it seems a little early to judge the Android OS 3.0 app market for tablets.
Apple’s iPad only a thousand or so apps when it launched in April 2010 despite a hugely successful iPhone app market. Today, the iPad’s app market is still not as large as the iPhone’s but can safely be said to be very successful. Still, 100 is a very small number. The Android tablet is having a tough time getting out the gate much as Android 1.x phones did for more than a year after it launched (13 months).
There definitely needs to be more Android OS 3.0 based tablets and, more importantly, at more affordable prices. Amazon’s recent launch of their Android Appstore will probably help convince a lot of developers to create apps and get them on the market. Near future developments with ebook readers from Barnes & Noble and Amazon becoming more tablet-like may also spur development. This is especially true for B&N’s Nook color which is already powered by a hidden Android engine.
WiFi-only Android tablets fill a valuable product category niche. So, I’m always interested to find more information about this product category. Big box warehouse store Costco sent email notices to their customers last week Friday to let them know that they could pre-order the WiFi-only Motorola Xoom tablet. Although Costco’s price is only $10 below the normail retail price, they do throw in a $22 Gel Skin Case with the purchase to sweeten the deal. And, Costco extends the manufacturer’s warranty to two years from the date of purchase. I’m extremely tempted to either order one from Costco.com or wait to see if the local Costco store starts to sell the WiFi-only Xoom.
I noticed that Costco had the 3G Xoom available at the local store near me over the weekend (photo below).
Video courtesy of asus
Way back in January 2010, Lenovo announced the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid Notebook. It featured a display that detached from the keyboard and turned into a standalone tablet. It ran Windows 7 Home Premium in its keyboard notebook mode and ran Lenovo’s own Skylight OS when in tablet mode. It generated quite a bit of buzz. But, it did not appear as an actual product. If it did, it does not appear in Lenovo’s website as viewed in the U.S.
Asus, on the other hand, is reported to have shipped a very similar product.
ASUS ships Eee Pad Transformer as its Android 3.0 tablet (Electronista)
It runs Android in both notebook (physical keyboard) and tablet mode. This is interesting since Google has repeatedly said that Chrome OS is for devices primarily designed for keyboard input (like notebooks and netbooks).
I could not find any information about U.S. availability of the Eee Pad Transformer.


text:
Based on Blizzard’s release schedule, we know that a new Hearthstone expansion was in the works, and the good news for Hearthstone players is that it looks like the new expansion has since been officially announced. Dubbed “The Witchwood”, it seems that the latest expansion will be based on Gilneas.
For those unfamiliar with World of Warcraft, Gilneas is the part of the starting area for the Worgen, a race for the Alliance faction. According to Blizzard, “The city of Gilneas once lived in uneasy peace with the sprawling, ancient forest that looms beyond its walls. Though the wilderness was grim and forbidding, the citizens of Gilneas—being no ordinary folks—roved and hunted there without fear. That was before a darkness began to fester in the heart of the forest. . . . Before the curse of The Witchwood!”
As expected the game will feature a bunch of new cards, 135 to be exact. It will also introduce some new mechanics and Legendaries. Blizzard is also promoting the game by offering gamers three free packs and a random Class legendary card, both of which will be from the expansion, just by logging into the game after the expansion has been released.
As for a release date, Blizzard hasn’t offered any specifics save for a release in mid-April which is pretty soon. The expansion packs are now available for pre-order where those who pre-order will be given an additional 20 packs as a bonus along with a “In a Dark Wood” card back.


text:
Today in the morning, a number of Australian users of Apple devices (Connected to iCloud) found their devices locked. Really this is a shock-full news.
Customers find their Apple products like phones, tablets, and even laptops and desktops showing a message originating in Apple’s find my device service that states “Device hacked by Oleg Pliss” and the user send US$100 to unlock the device.
Affected users reach on the Apple official forum to discuss more about this, some users also find that along with their iPhone hack—a passcode also has been added and they are unable to restore their iPhone from the Apple’s iCloud, But some of the lucky users did their password change immediately before someone behind the hack change his/her passcode.
One user, holidaying in London, reports being able to take their device into an Apple store, but no solution was found as they appear to have not had a passcode on the device prior to the attack.
According to the reports, the attack was initiated in the early hours of the morning across Australian, one user named ‘deskokat’ reporting that being woken up at 4:30AM with the associated ‘hacked by Oleg Pliss’ message and sounds being played out of their iPad.
“I thought it was the morning alarm. I just signed in with my code, and all seems ok. I then signed in to my powerbook — but as a guest user — VERY grateful I did,” deskokat wrote.
“Message to say I’d been hacked there too, wouldn’t let me sign out without erasing all data for that user. As there was nothing but a couple of expendable files on there, I signed out. And the guest user portal has been erased. I then went into my own (password protected) desktop, no hacking message. Have changed my Apple ID password.”
Users reportedly receiving messages in their hotmail account stating the ‘LOST’ Status applied to their devices.
In the meantime, as per the Apple reports—You can contact Apple care for any help.
At the time of writing, it is not disclosed, How it happened, it is believed that hackers have gained access to the users’ Apple ID credentials, which able hackers to open all the security doors of Apple Devices.
UPDATE: Apple replied to Zdnet about the recent hack attack on Apple Devices in Australia across Australia and New Zealand, and confirmed, its iCloud was not compromised and urges affected users to change their passwords:
In full, Apple said: “Apple takes security very seriously and iCloud was not compromised during this incident. Impacted users should change their Apple ID password as soon as possible and avoid using the same user name and password for multiple services. Any users who need additional help can contact AppleCare or visit their local Apple Retail Store.”


text:
Anheuser-Busch InBev NV (ABI) is nearing an agreement to gain control of Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana, the Dominican Republic brewer, said two people with knowledge of the transaction.
The move would bring the maker of Presidente beer under AB InBev’s Brazil-based AmBev unit, said the people, who declined to be identified because the negotiations are private. An announcement may come as early as today, they said.
AB InBev, the world’s biggest brewer, is among beermakers seeking to expand in emerging markets and a CND purchase would be the latest in a series of beer deals during the past year. Molson Coors Brewing Co. this month agreed to buy StarBev LP, giving it access to countries such as the Czech Republic, while Kirin Holdings Co., Japan’s largest brewer, last year agreed to buy Brazil’s Schincariol Participacoes e Representacoes.
In the transaction under discussion, AmBev and CND would merge their operations in the Dominican Republic, one of the people with knowledge of the matter said. AmBev would get control of the venture, this person said, while CND’s current owner, Grupo Leon Jimenes, would retain a stake in the business.
A transaction could be worth as much as $2.5 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on April 11.
Vied With Heineken
Heineken NV (HEIA), the world’s third-biggest brewer, had been vying with AB InBev for CND, a person familiar with the discussions said. Amsterdam-based Heineken owns a 9.3 percent stake in CND, according to Heineken’s website.
Marianne Amssoms, an AB InBev spokeswoman, declined to comment. Spokesmen for AmBev and CND didn’t respond to calls and e-mails sent outside of normal business hours. A Heineken spokesman declined to comment.
AB InBev gained the majority of revenue last year from North America and Latin America and owns the biggest brewer in Brazil, Cia. de Bebidas das Americas, otherwise known as AmBev.
The company has sought to boost sales by introducing Budweiser beer into countries including Russia, China and Brazil, as well as a new variety of Bud Light beer, called Platinum, in the U.S.
AB InBev, based in Leuven, Belgium, was created when InBev NV acquired U.S.-based Anheuser-Busch Cos. in 2008 for $52 billion. AB Inbev fell 58 cents to 54.12 euros in Brussels trading on April 13. The shares have risen 14 percent this year.
To contact the reporter on this story: Jacqueline Simmons in Paris at firstname.lastname@example.org; Zachary R. Mider in New York at email@example.com
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jennifer Sondag at firstname.lastname@example.org


text:
- Subscribe NowLimited Time Offer
Time: 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Cover Story: SHIFTING GEARS - Dayton tech is changing the way you manage your car
Dayton tech is changing the way you manage your car
Like many cities, Dayton was a casualty of the auto industry’s shrinking pains in the Great Recession.
But while the loss of manufacturing jobs from mega-sites like General Motors and Delphi dominated the headlines in Dayton, a quieter revolution was beginning: the emergence of a higher-tech auto industry. This includes not only large-scale manufacturers, but other auto-related firms.
And several Dayton-area companies are key players and making investments to grab an even bigger piece of the automotive industry.
These moves may position these companies to have more secure futures, plus add more Dayton-area workers.
They also may play a role in providing the Miami Valley with more national prominence by helping drive innovation in the industry.
One of the most notable companies making headway is Kettering-based Reynolds & Reynolds, an automotive software company that dates back to 1866.
But Reynolds doesn’t like to stand still and is making some aggressive moves.
Ron Lamb, president of Reynolds & Reynolds, prefers to illustrate the crux of his company’s growth the old-fashioned way: on a white board with a marker.
“New car sales crashed in 2008, and we went from about 17 million new autos sold to 10 million — a 45 percent decline,” Lamb says, drawing a graph to show the cut in sales. Those numbers have slowly come back up with the economic recovery, and auto sales will probably be flat around their pre-recession levels for the next five years or so.
But while the auto sales have curved back up, the number of people selling them has stayed flat. About 22 percent of new car franchises have gone out of business in the past six years, but they’re not coming back up.
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.
- Most popular
- One Call Now moving headquarters as it grows with acquisition
- Dayton-area beer maker named best new brewery in Ohio
- Boeing 747-8 chosen as platform for new Air Force One fleet
- Dayton International Airport director resigning
- Take a look inside downtown Dayton’s newest spot, The Barrel House
- Dayton’s PSA Airlines looks to add 1,500 jobs this year
- Ohio, Warren County to sue Obama Administration over Obamacare Taxes
- Standard Register shares take a beating
- Two Ohio firms make Forbes ‘Most Promising’ companies list
- $27.5M in construction work coming to Dayton airports
Account Executive Dayton Business Journal | Dayton, OH
Administrative Assistant Buck Run Commercial Doors & Hardware | Dayton, OH
Enginner Avion Solutions | Corpus Christi, TX
Client Support Representative - On Site Events Now Hiring | Dayton, OH
Health Information Management Manager Cirrus Consulting | Dayton, OH


text:
The supply constraints around fish-derived omega-3s are well-documented, and this is leading to price increases. One of the big winners has been algae-derived omega-3s, which have seen more competitive pricing as suppliers achieve economies of scale.
Algal omega-3 was more prominent in Anaheim than ever before, with krill oil supplier Aker Biomarine expanding its portfolio to include FloraMarine, a new plant-based, marine source of DHA omega-3 from algae. Also on display in Anaheim was Youtheory’s Ocean Friendly Omega and OceanBlue Omega with its Omega-3 1300 Vegan, which won the NutraIngredients-USA Award for Omega-3 product of the year in 2023.
“We’ve been seeing the algae-based omega-3 trending up recently, and it’s actually been trending up more in the natural channel, which is always a leading indicator that it will find more widespread adoption in the mainstream,” said Dicker, who is director of market insights for SPINS.
Greens and Superfoods
“Greens and Superfoods are a big trend going on right now,” Dicker said. “We’ve seen the rise in popularity in a lot of D2C brands and Amazon brands, and of course Bloom.”
According to data from SPINS, sales of greens in the mainstream retail channel grew by 145% in 2023 vs 2022, totalling $116.6 million for the 52 weeks ending Dec. 31, 2023. In the Natural Channel, SPINS recorded an additional $41 million in sales
California-based Bloom is noteworthy because it taps into several trends, including its positioning towards women.
Stress management, relaxation and sleep
Similar to 2023, this year’s Expo West saw a lot of supplement products positioned for relaxation and sleep, notably formulations based on magnesium and adaptogens.
One of the standout ingredient launches at the event was Nuritas’ PeptiSleep, a network of peptides derived from rice that act to lower cortisol.
“This is a different approach to the other sleep ingredients out there,” explained Dr. Andy Franklyn-Miller, chief medical and innovation officer at Nuritas. “We want to reduce stress, we want to improve sleep latency, but also we want to improve deep sleep but keep that morning focus.”
Nuritas also launched a blood sugar management ingredient called PeptiControl derived from peas. “This works via three pathways,” Dr Franklyn-Miller said. “DPP-4, GLUT4 and the magic GLP-1. So, improve satiety, feel full and lose some of that [glucose] spike.”
“Everyone’s talking about GLP-1 drugs,” added SPINS’ Dicker. “We’re seeing companies switch their strategies to address the amount of people that are going on the pharmaceuticals, and there’s also interest in what can be construed as a natural alternative. These are things that are going to increase with that interest and awareness […] and all the adjacent categories as well, so healthspan, and preserving muscle mass.”
Beets are one of the top growing ingredients in all supplements currently, said Dicker. Historically positioned in the active nutrition space, specifically in pre-workout products, beets are now being positioned as a blood pressure support ingredient.
"It’s another example of ingredients that start in active nutrition moving out into other health focuses and finding a lot of success," he added. "We’ve been seeing that a lot with creatine moving into things like cognitive support, we saw that with protein moving into everything."
Supplements for kids
We highlighted the children’s supplements category as a highlight of Expo West 2023, and the trend is still strong 12 months on. The category experienced stellar growth during the pandemic with over 50% increase in dollar sales in 2021, followed by 7% in 2022. There was always going to be a certain reset in the market after so much success, as we’ve seen around the wider supplements category.
“There was a dip [in the market] for a little bit, but we’ve seen it come back,” Dicker said. “Parents are looking for these products for their kids, particularly for mood support. We know that a lot of kids are high anxiety these days, and it would appear that many people are turning to these products to help them.
“It’s a category I think is going to continue to grow […] Keep looking for kids supplements for the same health focuses we’re seeing for adults.”
Check out the full video for more.


text:
Pharmaceutical customers will benefit from a breakthrough in pharmaceutical glass technology while patients will access safer medicines and vaccines.
Stevanato Group, specializing in glass pharmaceutical primary packaging, glass converting machines, visual inspection systems, assembling and packaging machines for the pharmaceutical industry, announces that Monica de Virgiliis has been appointed as a member of its Board of Directors.
The construction works for the new production plant of Stevanato Group officially started today at Sete Lagoas (Minas Gerais) in Brazil, with the traditional groundbreaking ceremony, at the presence of local Authorities and company management. The Group located in Piombino Dese (Padua - Italy) is specialized in the production of glass pharamaceutical primary packaging, in the technology for the development of glass tube forming machines, visual inspection machines, assembly and packaging machines, serialization solutions.
The Stevanato Group website was awarded the first prize MEDIASTARS, the Technical Award for Italian Advertising in the "Internet - Corporate Websites" section.
The awards ceremony of the XIX edition winning projects of the Mediastars prize took place on 12th June 2015. It is one of the most prestigious prizes at Italian level for the realization of Advertising, Corporate Design and Multimedia Communication Campaigns.
Stevanato Group, international leader in the production of insulin cartridges and glass containers for pharmaceutical use, in technology for glass tube forming machines and visual inspection machines, announces that Prof. Fabio Buttignon joined the Company as member of the Board of Directors.
An exhibition called "Vetro Murrino, da Altino a Murano", sponsored by Stevanato Group, will take place starting from 17th June 2012 until 6th January 2013.
"Organic growth", said Company President Cav. Sergio Stevanato, "is the basis of every solid industrial company. That's why, in keeping with our business plan, we have decided to begin doubling the plant in Mexico. The investment plan will initially open with the amount of 4.5 million Euros, which is expected to double early in 2012, and will reach 30 million by the time the plant has been completed."
Venice, October 28, 2009 - Today the Island of San Giorgio in Venice hosted 300 representatives of the leading players in the worldwide pharmaceutical industry for a meeting on quality, product and service innovation, and internationalization.


text:
Nov. 29, 2017
The jury previously found, as fact, that Willowood's azoxystrobin fungicide products are manufactured using azoxystrobin made by a process protected by Syngenta's valid U.S. Patent No. 8,124,761. Syngenta's '761 patent does not expire until April 15, 2029.
Last week, the Court permanently enjoined Willowood from importing into the United States, or making, using, selling, or offering for sale in the United States, any azoxystrobin or end-use products containing azoxystrobin made using a process that infringes Syngenta's '761 patent.
The Court further concluded that Willowood should not be allowed to use the azoxystrobin previously imported to manufacture fungicide products or to sell any such fungicide products, as such actions would constitute new acts of infringement causing new and additional damages not taken into account by the jury's verdict.
"This injunction is an important win for Syngenta and its customers who depend on Syngenta's innovative products. Without the injunction, Syngenta would be forced to compete against its own patented technology, resulting in lost sales and harmful price erosion, both of which significantly impact our ability to bring needed new products to market," said Jeff Cecil, Syngenta's Head of Crop Protection Marketing.
More from AgroNews
- Top 20 Brazilian agrochem companies in 2017: Mergers will increase market concentration in the future
- Sichuan Lomon Bio Takes S-ABA and Gibberellin as Core Products to Build Full Range Product Line on Basis of Biotechnology
- AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals rebrands as Nouryon
- What venture capital looks for in agricultural start-ups


text:
How the bar code was invented by a man who is a resident of the Santa Ynez Valley
It’s changed the way that business is done around the world.
The familiar beeping sound of bar codes being read at the grocery store check-out is a part of life we take for granted. But, without one Central Coast resident, the way that we buy our groceries, and so much more, could be very different.
Paul McEnroe – who lives in the Santa Ynez Valley, developed the Universal Product Code (UPC), commonly known as the barcode.
"I'm writing a book about it now," McEnroe told KCLU, explaining it would be from an "engineering point of view."
McEnroe was an engineer for IBM, and says that the invention – which has changed the way business is done around the world, came about because the company wanted to grow from making computers – fearing that those didn’t have a future.
"IBM wanted to expand to things adjacent to computers so I went after the national cash register," explained McEnroe of the project which he started in the late 1960s.
Alongside the barcode, McEnroe also created a way to read it, which was also the first commercial application of laser technology, the barcode scanner, and the magnetic code for Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) marking.
He’s quick to point out that no, the invention did not make him billions. Or, even millions.
"I never got a dime from it. IBM owns it and IBM made billions of dollars because they own the patents on the products," he said. He joked that anyone who did own the patent on the barcode would "make Bezos and Gates look like paupers," in comparison.
Now, McEnroe has switched out silicon chips for saddles, and enjoys ranching in the Santa Ynez Valley.


text:
January 16, 2007 – Samsung may have won the prime processing sockets in Apple’s just-announced iPhone, but the real winners will be the production houses in Taiwan contracted by all the other chip providers, according to the Taiwan Economic News.
Of the roster of companies rumored to be incorporated in the iPhone — Samsung (combined video + applications processors), Infineon (baseband), Broadcom (touch-screen controller), Marvell (802.11 content), and Cambridge Silicon Radio (Bluetooth chip) — all but Samsung wil farm out production to pure manufacturers. TSMC is reportedly being contracted by the other four to build chips using 0.13-micron and 90nm process technologies, the paper noted. Infineon and CSR are likely contracting Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) Inc. to package and test their chips, while Marvell and Broadcom reportedly will go with Siliconware Precision Industries Co., Ltd., the paper noted.
iPhone production volumes are projected to be 6 million units in 2007 with an unnamed contract manufacturer, with potential extra capacity for up to 9 million units if necessary, according to FBR Research analysts Chris Caso and Elizabeth Pate.
At those levels, the semiconductor content for Broadcom and Marvell should extrapolate to about $12-$25 million in 2007 revenues for Broadcom, and $15-$30 million for Marvell, though the research firm suggested those extra sales are “increment


text:
Responding to the increasing trends on convenience oriented and time saving consumption, UberEATS entered the Australian market in April with Melbourne as its first targeted city. Collaborating with over 80 Melbourne restaurants, UberEATS allows users to order food via the app after which an Uber driver will collect and deliver to your chosen location. Although this is a new concept from Uber (in Australia), they are tapping in to an already existing market with players like Delivery Hero and Menulog which both collaborate with restaurants on delivery all over Australia.
Still in its launching phase, the UberEATS has its restrictions with a 3km radius inside a limited delivery zone, bordered by Carlton, West Melbourne and Windsor. There have also been some problems with maintaining the food in a good condition while being transported, which have resulted in some of the restaurants have tailor made their menu to be delivery friendly.
We have yet to see the instant feature, limited selection of items with a 10-minute delivery, which is available on the American version of the app. But their priority and next move is to expand throughout metropolitan Melbourne before offering the delivery service nationally, according to UberEats general manager Simon Rossi.
Is it too late for UberEATS to enter the Australian food delivery market?
With the increasing proportion of consumers looking for alternatives to home cooked meals as well as time saving driven consumption, there seems to be room for more restaurant delivery players in the food game.


text:
Shares of Dunkin' Brands Group Inc. (DNKN) - Get Report fell Thursday after the parent company of Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins revealed stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter profit but lower-than-expected revenue and weaker same-store sales.
Shares of Dunkin' slipped by 3% to close at $66.79 in Thursday's trading on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange.
Dunkin' said net income for its fourth quarter was $53.2 million, or 64 cents a share, vs. $134.7 million, or $1.47 a share, a year earlier. Excluding non-recurring items, adjusted per-share earnings were 68 cents, above the 61-cent estimate of analysts surveyed by FactSet.
Revenue, however, came in at $319.6 million, well below the FactSet consensus estimate of $330 million. What's more, same-store sales at the company's U.S. chains were flat compared to the FactSet consensus of 1.6% growth. Baskin-Robbins U.S. same-store sales dropped 3.7% vs. analysts' expectations of a 0.2% decline.
"While we did not drive consistent traffic momentum for the full year, we laid the foundation for future growth and, most importantly, along with our franchisees, are unified and well-positioned to capitalize in 2019 on our brand promise of 'great coffee, fast,'" Dunkin' U.S. CEO David Hoffmann said in a statement.
Separately, Dunkin' said it has raised its quarterly dividend to 37.5 cents a share from 34.75 cents, with the new dividend payable March 20 to shareholders of record on March 11.


text:
Disappointing news. Apparently 37 percent of us are boring, because a recent study from food delivery provider Foodler shows that that's how many of us order plain cheese pizza. But aside from that, the rest of you surprised us a little. The top 10 most-ordered pizza toppings aren't exactly what we might've predicted.
After studying pizza orders from thousands of restaurants in the United States and Canada, Foodler says the top 10 pizza toppings are as follows:
In addition to that data, Foodler also reveals that when we order "half and half" pizzas, the two most divisive ingredients (a.k.a. DON'T LET THEM TOUCH EACH OTHER) are green peppers and pineapple.
Honestly, we're just glad hot dogs didn't make the cut!


text:
Rival Celerio offers an AMT with a petrol engine.
Tata Motors revealed the technical specifications of its forthcoming offering, the Zica, last week. While the spec sheet has no mention of an automated manual transmission (AMT), a report on Business Standard confirms the technology for the small car later in its lifecycle.
The publication spoke to Girish Wagh, senior vice president, programme planning and management (passenger cars), Tata Motors, who said - "We will provide Zica with AMT when the model gets absorbed in the market and is ready for its next stage of growth." Mr. Wagh further mentioned that the AMT variants of the GenX Nano, which were launched in May this year, contribute more than 50 percent of total Nano sales.
The Maruti Celerio, which is a key rival for the Zica, offers an AMT with its petrol engine. The Celerio, which was the first passenger vehicle to get an AMT in India, is available with a 1.0-liter three-cylinder K-Series engine or Suzuki's self-developed 0.8-liter two-cylinder DDiS diesel engine. The Zica though is powered by three-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, the former being an all-new unit, while the latter is derived from Tata's 1.4-liter unit.
The Zica is expected to have its market launch in the first week of January 2016. A compact sedan based on the small car will follow, with a launch expected in the first half of next year.
[Source - Business Standard]


text:
Electric shuttle and cargo van builder Zenith Motors reports that Zenith Electric Vans have become the first electric commercial van to receive a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Certificate of Conformity.
Mandated by the Clean Air Act of 1990, the EPA Certificate of Conformity is a required certification for vehicles to operate on U.S. roads and highways and certifies that vehicles conform to all EPA regulations and emission standards.
“We are extremely pleased to be the first commercial electric van to have received EPA Certificate of Conformity. This certificate allows our customers to reduce their vehicle cost through federal tax credits,” said William Yung, CEO of Zenith Motors LLC.
The Zenith Electric Shuttle and Cargo Vans are 100 percent electric. The vans can travel up to 60 miles per hour with a range from 90 to 120 miles per charge, depending on the battery options chosen.
The van can fully charge in 6.5 hours; an upgraded on board battery charger can reduce this time to 4 hours.
The shuttle van seats up to 11 passengers, while the cargo van sports a payload capacity of 3,000lbs.
Zenith Electric vans are saving fleet operators an estimated $100,000 over 300,000 miles, according to the company.


text:
We know, we know, these rumors have been swirling for so long now, you probably don’t believe anything anymore. But this time around, TechCrunch is reporting that a source intimately familiar with the hardware supply chain for Apple has noticed an order for millions of units of Qualcomm CDMA chipsets. Why is this unusual? Because Verizon’s wireless network requires CDMA chipsets to be present in the wireless devices that run on their network.
This can only point to one thing: Apple is revving up their supply chain for a Verizon-compatible iPhone. And because lead-times in the semiconductor market can be quite lengthy, sometimes as long as 26 weeks, we can start to forecast that a real-live Verizon iPhone looks to be a strong possibility in January 2011.
On its own, this latest bit of news is a strong prediction of AT&T’s expiring exclusivity arrangement with Apple, yet there’s more. In a SEC filing made by AT&T a few days ago, the company detailed what may happen to the company’s profitability in the wake of just such an event:
“We believe offering a wide variety of handsets reduces dependence on any single handset as these products evolve. In addition, offering a number of attractive handsets on an exclusive basis distinguishes us from our competitors. As these exclusivity arrangements end, we expect to continue to offer such handsets (based on historical industry practice), and we believe our service plan offerings will help to retain our customers by providing incentives not to move to a new carrier.”
And AT&T is even more clear in their final paragraph of their SEC filing:
“Although exclusivity arrangements are important to us, such arrangements may not provide a competitive advantage over time, as the industry continues to introduce new devices and services. Also, while the expiration of any of our current exclusivity arrangements could increase churn and reduce postpaid customer additions, we do not expect any such terminations to have a material negative impact on our Wireless segment income, consolidated operating margin or our cash from operations.”
While all of this points to the fact that AT&T is finally acknowledging that the ending of their exclusive deal to sell iPhones will certainly impact their bottom-line, in reality, it’s not like millions of AT&T customers will suddenly dump their carrier and switch to Verizon overnight. Between lengthy two-year contracts that can be expensive to break, to family plans that keep entire families locked into AT&T, as well as the cost of purchasing a new $200 CDMA iPhone will likely keep many AT&T customers in place, at least for the short-term.
Some surveys have predicted that as many as half of Verizon’s current customers will abandon their current phones for the iPhone if it becomes available to them. I find that a little unrealistic given the great line-up of Android-powered smartphones Verizon offers. Let’s hear from some of the Verizon customers out there: Would you dump your current phone in favor of an iPhone should they be offered as an upgrade? Be sure to let us know in the comments.


text:
A business district reeling from the economic impact of Covid-19 could shoulder higher rates until 2031, says Stuff. Auckland Council’s city centre advisory board on Monday voted in favour of extending a rate targeted at commercial property owners. But an expert says costs are likely to be passed down to business owners, resulting in more financial strain for the retail and hospitality sector.
- Crocodiles splash down in ‘swamp forest’: $62m Auckland Zoo revamp complete
- Long ferry queues worry Waiheke businesses for summer tourist season
- What to do during Labour Weekend in Auckland
- Police arrest 15 young people after driver incidents across Auckland
- PM Jacinda Ardern meets with new Auckland mayor


text:
Does PayTM’s logo look similar to PayPal? PayPal thinks YES!
By Rahul Dev for e27
Is this a strategy by PayPal to hamper PayTM’s efforts to cash in on demonetisation in India?
With recent announcement of Demonetisation, digital payment wallets have gained immense traction and among the likes of FreeCharge and MobiKwik, PayTM seems to be leading the market with a majority.
Interestingly, while Demonetisation was announced on November 8th, 2016, PayPal opposed registration of PayTM’s trademark on November 18th, 2016.
More interestingly, PayTM’s trademark application was at final step of registration and was advertised on July 18th, 2016 for acceptance, which marked the beginning of statutory period of four months within which said trademark could be opposed. Hence, PayPal filed for trademark opposition on the very last day of expiry of said period, i.e. on November 18th, 2016.
In its complaint for trademark opposition, PayPal contends that its brand name has been registered and used globally since 1999.
Considering the above dates, it is difficult to digest that a leading global brand (with battery of trademark lawyers worldwide) like PayPal waited till the very last day to file for trademark opposition.
Or, is this a strategy by PayPal to hamper PayTM’s efforts to cash in on demonetisation with advertising blitz of Rs. 600 crore (US$14.7 million) allocation? One has to wait and watch how each party fights this opposition.
In the notice for trademark opposition (full copy) filed with Indian trademark office, PayPal has opposed registration of PayTM’s trademark on numerous grounds, primarily stating that PayTM is deceptively and confusingly similar to PayPal and possesses similar colour scheme, which is likely to cause confusion and deception among the consumers. The proceedings have been initiated on 18th November 2016 and further steps are presently awaited.
In future, these proceedings will go by the procedure or will be withdrawn after mutual settlement. Let’s see what happens.
In past, similar issues cropped up with Zomato (formerly named as Foodiebay), when eBay initiated trademark opposition proceedings against Foodiebay. Those proceedings never reached next step after initial phase, as Zomato rebranded itself within days of filing of trademark opposition by eBay.
Proceedings are general, but PayPal is trying to play monopoly over the word ‘Pay’, which is generic in the sector of financial services, and numerous brands use the word Pay as part of their complete brand. If one brands get the majority, it won’t be good for the market.
First appeared at e27


text:
- Schnuck Markets plans to open a Schnucks Fresh store on Oct. 25 in Oak Grove Village, Missouri, marking the debut of the second location under the Midwestern grocery chain’s fresh-focused, small-format banner.
- The 23,000-square-foot store, located in a newly constructed building, will primarily offer products in departments like produce, seafood, deli, bakery and meat.
- The location will feature technology including electronic shelf labels supplied by Aperion and a robotic inventory-scanning system from Simbe Robotics, Schnucks spokesperson Paul Simon said.
Like the first Schnucks Fresh location, which opened in 2021 in Jasper, Indiana, the new location is intended to give Schnucks access to an area where one of its standard stores would have been too large to be viable, Simon told Grocery Dive.
The new store is larger than the inaugural store, which comprises 18,000 square feet, but much smaller than one of Schnucks’ traditional supermarkets, which average 60,000 square feet, Simon noted.
The new store will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. By comparison, traditional Schnucks stores generally close at 10 p.m., Simon said.
The budding Schnucks Fresh concept “provides us with growth in markets that may not be able to support a conventional supermarket. This allows us to offer our signature fresh food offerings to smaller communities,” Simon said. The store will offer a limited assortment of packaged goods as well as items Schnucks is known for, such as donuts, fried chicken and Certified Angus Beef, according to Simon.
Schnucks also operates small-format stores under its Eatwell Market banner, which is focused on locally sourced goods such as natural and organic foods as well as made-to-order meals.
The new Schnucks Fresh store, which will have 32 employees, will replace a Frick’s Market in Sullivan, Missouri, that Schnucks purchased last year and plans to close on Oct. 22. Workers at the Frick's location will move to the new store.
Schnucks’ effort to expand the Schnucks Fresh format comes as the grocer continues to roll out electronic shelf tags across its fleet. Simon said Schnucks, which operates retail locations in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, has added the digital equipment to about half of its stores and expects to bring the technology to all of its locations by the end of 2024.
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified the provider of the electronic shelf labels that will be in the new Schnucks Fresh store. The equipment is being supplied by Aperion.


text:
MANILA – The Duty Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC) has cancelled its plan to permanently close its provincial airport stores as a response to the coronavirus' impact on travel retail.
"With the shift to GCQ (general community quarantine) which eased most travel restrictions and reopened air travel, the DFPC Management saw an opportunity and a 'small window of hope' for improvement," the DFPC said in a statement on Saturday.
The initial plan was to permanently shut down the Duty Free outlets in Bacolod, Davao, Iloilo, Clark and Kalibo to address the state-owned corporation's "already precarious financial condition" brought by the health crisis that had virtually cut-off air traffic.
"After two weeks of situational assessment, (the) Management, thru its Memorandum dated June 15 2020, decided to indefinitely postpone the permanent closure of the above mentioned outlets trusting that normalcy will be regained sooner," it said.
The DFPC further said its operations relied on tourism and passenger traffic and with no income to manage its operational expenses, it had to resort to various means to survive.
In a separate statement, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, chairperson of DFPC's Board of Directors, added there is no decision to lay off employees during the pandemic.
"The dissolution or permanent cessation of operations of the DFPC are definitely not options on the table as we address the impact of global travel restrictions on our business performance. The continued employment of our workers remains a top priority," she said. (PNA)


text:
Anne Mulcahy, chairman and CEO of Xerox, will retire as CEO effective 1 July. She will be succeeded as CEO by Ursula Burns, currently president of the company, while Mulcahy will reman as chairman.
"As CEO, Anne successfully led a multibillion-dollar turnaround of Xerox and transformed the business into an innovative digital technology and services enterprise," says NJ Nicholas, lead independent director of Xerox's board of directors.
"She has consistently demonstrated values-based leadership, strong strategic insight, broad expertise and a remarkable ability to create 'followership' through the respect she earned from Xerox people.
"As important, Anne has focused intently on developing the next generation of leadership at Xerox, with Ursula Burns prepared to strengthen Xerox's industry-leading position in the marketplace."
Mulcahy, 56, became CEO of Xerox on 1 August 2001, and chairman on 1 January 2002.
The printer giant faced bankruptcy in 2001, and was being investigated for accounting practices. Mulcahy is credited with turning the company around.
Prior to becoming CEO, she was president and chief operating officer of the company from May 2000 to July 2001.
She began her Xerox career as a sales representative in Boston in 1976.
During her 33-year tenure with Xerox, Mulcahy has held senior management positions in sales, human resources and marketing, and led the Xerox business division that sells products for reseller and dealer channels.
The hallmarks of Mulcahy's leadership include a close connection to Xerox customers – she is often referred to as Xerox's chief salesperson – and a commitment to innovation. As a result, Xerox has completely overhauled its product line during her tenure, launching more than 80 products in the last three years and earning the number-one revenue share position in its industry.
In addition, Mulcahy created and scaled Xerox Global Services, which offers document-related outsourcing, imaging and consulting services, and last year generated $3,5-billion in annuity revenue.
"I joined Xerox because it offered a level playing field – a sales environment where meritocracy ruled," says Mulcahy. "And I stayed because the values of the brand, the culture and the people are so closely aligned with how I think every business should operate.
"It has been a privilege leading Xerox. The decision to move on is made easy only in the fact that Ursula Burns is so well positioned to take Xerox to the next level. Our strategy is sound and well defined. And, despite a tough economy, we are generating cash, building our technology and services pipeline and poised for a period of steady profitable growth in the future.
"Ursula takes on the leadership role the old-fashioned way. She has earned it. And, for that, she has my deep respect and confidence."
Burns, 50, joined Xerox in 1980 as a mechanical engineering summer intern and later assumed roles in product development and planning. From 1992 to 2000, Burns led several business teams including the office colour and fax business and office network printing business. In 2000, she was named senior vice president, Corporate Strategic Services, heading up manufacturing and supply chain operations. She then took on the broader role of leading Xerox's global research as well as product development, marketing and delivery.
In April 2007, Burns was named president of Xerox, expanding her leadership to also include the company's IT organisation, corporate strategy, human resources, corporate marketing and global accounts.
Her appointment marks the first time a Fortune 500 company has had two consecutive women as CEOs.


text:
EA is on a roll with revealing a ton of news and exciting game reveals. The latest reveal is ZoinkGame’s latest title called Lost in Random which looks like its straight out of a Tim Burton film.
Check out the reveal trailer down below:
Lost in Random takes a wildly intriguing concept and mashed it together with a beautiful world. The game is based on the premise of where every citizen’s future is determined by the roll of a dice. It is up to you to take Embark on a journey with your sidekick Dicey to play the odds and change the course of the future.
EA Original title lost in Random releases in 2021. Stay here for the latest game reveals and exciting news EA has in store for gamers.
What are your thoughts on this new reveal? Let us know in the comments down below and be sure to stay right here at Gameranx for the latest gaming news releasing out of EA Play Live 20.
Source: ZoinkGames on Twitter


text:
Leading investment guru Jim Rogers will make an investment in Chinese online brokerage firm Tiger Brokers, the first such by the Wall Street billionaire in a Chinese financial technology (fintech) startup.
Beijing-based Tiger Brokers, an online brokerage that allows Chinese investors to buy stocks from US and Hong Kong, recently disclosed its funding round worth $14.5 million (100 million yuan), the third funding round for the company since it was founded three years ago.
It is, however, not known how much Rogers is willing to invest in the firm that has till now raised about $58 million, including the latest round, according to a report from Chinese media outlet Caixing.
According to a statement on Friday, Tiger Brokers said, Rogers is bullish on the growth momentum of China’s fintech industry claiming that the internet-driven transformation across the financial sector will bring benefits to the ever-growing Chinese investors who seek to optimize their asset allocation.
“What Tiger has been doing, which is use technology to trade around the world, reserve a bright future…Everybody will be able to trade in everywhere and Tiger appears in the right place, at the right time,” Rogers noted.
The three-year-old fintech company provides an app to investors who can invest in big local firms that are listed overseas. Internet company Tencent, Alibaba Group and Lenovo are among such giant Chinese firms which are listed offshore.
In addition to access to US and Hong Kong stocks, and China A-shares, the platform, which is available on smartphones or PCs, supports transactions involving securities margin trading in addition to 13,000 US stocks, share options and ETF products.
More than $100 million in transactions were booked through Tiger Trade in the first month following the initial launch of the platform in 2015.
The monthly dollar value of transactions handled through Tiger Trade jumped 22 times by the end of last year, topping $2.2 billion a month.
Fintech, as a sector has seen unprecedented growth in recent years with investments from both traditional players and venture capital firms. According to a recent CB Insights report, VC-backed fintech firms raised $12.7 billion across 836 deals last year.
Meanwhile, Rogers’ interest in China has built up over a period as has been vocal on Chinese currency and Chinese investments in the US. Though earlier this year, he raised concern over US President Donald Trump’s hawkish stance on China and said he was not optimistic about investment prospects in China amid the backdrop.
However, in one of the articles, The Roaring Dragon, written by Rogers, said that as an approach he was exploring investing in companies domiciled in overseas Chinese communities such as Bangkok, Singapore, Vancouver, etc. that do business in China or with the Chinese.
“The Chinese consider the overseas Chinese almost the same as themselves, giving those outside the country a leg up on other nationalities. Find a few of these companies in which to invest and the alert investor will have found an entry point into the Chinese market,” he says in the article.
He ends the article saying: “Today many Chinese B-shares sell on the New York Stock Exchange as ADRs for small sums. A similar strategy might be to buy all these stocks and hold them through thick and thin. In five, ten, fifteen years there’s an excellent chance that this will be one of the best investments an investor will ever make.”


text:
The children’s hospital where I work recently announced it will be getting rid of its onsite McDonald’s. The restaurant will be out by the end of the year. It joins a long line of hospitals that have ejected their golden arches, including Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The Cleveland Clinic once tried to do so, but couldn't get out of its contract.
Why would a hospital seek to evict McDonald’s from its premises?
In a nation confronting epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, healthcare facilities do not want to encourage fast-food eating patterns. No hospital wants to “send the wrong message.” A 2006 study showed that people who see a McDonald’s in a hospital tend to rate its food as healthier. Perhaps its mere presence smacks of endorsement.
McDonald’s child-centric marketing focus is also a source of scrutiny: Happy Meals with toys that are often tied to children’s movies, Ronald the clown, playgrounds, etcetera. This might encourage unwise eating behaviors at an early age.
Yet McDonald’s must be doing something well. They are the world’s leading food service retailer, serving 69 million people each day in more than 34,000 restaurants in 118 countries. Why do people eat there? Their food is consistent. It’s available at all times of the day—an especially important service in a hospital, where schedules are frequently disrupted. Plus the service is generally fast and efficient and the prices are relatively low. McDonald’s is also a major economic force, with over 1.8 million employees worldwide.
Especially at a children’s hospital, it is hard to overlook Ronald McDonald House Charities, which operate over 320 facilities in 52 countries. They have been McDonald’s “charity of choice” since the first one opened in 1974. The Ronald McDonald House at my hospital opened its doors in 1982, and since then it has served over 35,000 families as a home-away-from-home while their children were hospitalized.
It costs the Ronald McDonald House about $75 per night to provide lodging to each family, but it requests just $15, and no family is ever turned away because they cannot pay. Moreover, Ronald McDonald Houses serve as frequent focuses of local charity and volunteerism, providing businesses, churches, civic groups, and individual community members well-structured opportunities to give.
The health arguments have two sides; the battle lines having been sketched out a decade ago in two films. In Super Size Me, filmmaker Morgan Spurlock ate only McDonald’s food for a month and gained 25 pounds. In Me and Mickey D’s, Soso Whaley lost 30 pounds in 3 months eating only McDonald’s. The difference? Spurlock consumed 5,000 calories per day and didn't exercise, while Whaley exercised and stuck to a reduced-calorie diet. Often where we eat is less important than how much.
Then there is the human side. For every physician, nutrition scientist, and health policy advocate who bemoans the very existence of McDonald’s as an assault on the nation’s health, there must be 50 parents who are thankful just to be able to get hot food at 2 a.m. For a sick child, sometimes nothing is more reassuring than a familiar burger and fries.
For my own part, I tend to find demonizing McDonald’s difficult. In our children’s hospital, we care for lots of skinny kids who aren't eating enough because their illnesses have sapped their appetites. When I see one of those kids munching happily on a French fry or sipping even a high-calorie chocolate shake, I don’t wince. It’s good just to see them eat.


text:
During my trip to Sweden last month, I spotted many interesting old Detroit cars on the...
Oprah viewers get keys to 2012 Volkswagen Beetle giveaway cars
The redesigned 2012 Volkswagen Beetle is arriving at dealerships, and some of the first people to get one have waited nearly a year.
Talk-show host Oprah Winfrey revealed the Beetle's design silhouette on her "Ultimate Favorite Things" giveaway show in 2010 and told audience members that they would be among the first owners.
On Thursday, 276 people got their cars. Volkswagen of America CEO Jonathan Browning handed keys to 21 "Ultimate Favorite Things" recipients at the Volkswagen of Orland Park dealership in Orland Park, Ill.
Get more car news, reviews and opinion every day: Sign up to have the Autoweek Daily Drive delivered right to your inbox.


text:
It appears one of the actions Activision and Bungie are taking to bring back fans of the first game is offering the base game of Destiny 2 for free on PC until November 18. Destiny 2 was previously included as one of September's free PlayStation Plus titles. Despite Destiny 2’s latest expansion generally not hitting financial expectations, Activision did note multiple times in the conference call that it received a positive reception from critics and fans alike and that its monthly active users have grown since the launch of Forsaken.
World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth reportedly set a new day-one franchise record with more than 3.4 million units sold-through. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 also reportedly sold-through more units than Black Ops 3, with the PC version of the game performing especially well.
Colin Stevens is a news writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
If you buy something through this post, IGN may get a share of the sale. For more, learn more.


text:
China urged to develop hi-tech products rather than relying on imports
Rather than importing solutions for its problems, a London group says it would be better for China to grasp modern technologies
Halma, a London-listed high-technology group, gave a kind reminder to Chinese businesses that grasping the use of advanced foreign technologies should be more important than splashing out funds to import sophisticated facilities for their latest products.
The maker of safety, health care and environmental technology products consolidated its foothold on the mainland as it added a research and development centre for optical sensing in Shanghai.
"Education is more important," said Martin Zhang, a director of Halma China. "You may not have to take cutting-edge technologies, but you should know how to implement them and conduct product development."
Halma's products are increasingly used in China in strategically vital products such as air pollution monitors and detectors for melamine that help ensure food safety.
Its subsidiary, Ocean Optics, one of the world's leading suppliers of technologies for optical sensing, will develop more new products for China and regional markets after its Asian operations are separated from its US headquarters and would run independently in what the company said was a decision aimed at "giving a quick response" to the mainland's huge market.
Optical sensing technologies are used to measure and interpret the interaction of light with matter. They are widely applied to things like industrial thin film measurement, fruit sorting and jewellery detection.
Halma would not disclose its targeted sales figure in China but it did say that Ocean Optics expected an annualised business growth of 15 to 20 per cent.
China's reliance on imported technologies and sophisticated products has increased by leaps and bounds in recent years in line with Beijing's ambition of moving mainland-made products up the value chain.
The key components and technologies imported from foreign markets or bought from foreign businesses could be either copied or directly used in end-products.
China's bid to raise air quality and ensure food safety also ushered in a buying spree for foreign technologies and products.
Halma's Alicat mass-flow controllers, a series of devices which improve the accuracy of air monitors, has gone into the mainland market as dozens of cities published PM2.5 readings.
PM2.5 refers to airborne particles smaller than 2.5 microns, which cause choking haze and poses health risks to hundreds of thousands of people.
Anecdotal evidence showed that a large sum of money was wasted in China as local engineers were unable to operate imported equipment or maintain them.
Some of the production lines were forced to sit idle for several days or even months because of technical glitches before the suppliers sent the technicians to help fix the problems, according to an official with state-owned China National Coal Group.
Ocean Optics has a research team of 10 engineers focusing on product development for China and regional clients. Its Asian operations contributed 20 per cent of Ocean Optics' global revenue.


text:
Trung Nguyen Coffee Co aims to build a global brand in the Year of the Snake by expanding its chain of stores into the US market. Viet Nam's biggest chain of coffee houses has also braced for tough competition from world and domestic competitors while targeting an increase in earnings from US$200 million to $1 billion by 2015. Company chairman Dang Le Nguyen Vu spoke to Viet Nam News about the business challenges ahead.
Starbucks Corporation, which is a roaster, marketer and retailer of coffee operating in 60 countries, has opened a store in HCM City. What do you think about competing with this international chain of coffee houses?
|Vu introduces Trung Nguyen products to a shopowner. — File Photo
We had already prepared for this during the past several years, and are not scared by the appearance of Starbucks in Viet Nam. We faced tough competition from Nestle in Viet Nam nine years ago at a time we had only two processing workshops, and we surpassed them with our instant coffee products. I note that the G7 brand is the country's top selling instant coffee in comparison to Nestle's Nescafe.
The Starbucks brand may win over some young Vietnamese people who are fond of foreign trademarks. But we believe that Trung Nguyen Highlands Coffee will still win the heart of domestic consumers with its Vietnamese coffee style. Drinking strong, filtered coffee in the morning has been popular among millions of Vietnamese people since the 19th century.
I can say that Starbucks are not selling coffee. They are selling coffee-flavoured drinks.
This year, Trung Nguyen plans to build its global brand by expanding into the US market, while ASEAN markets will be considered as domestic markets open for further expansion.
How many Trung Nguyen coffee shops have been built in Viet Nam and abroad? How are your coffee shops abroad going?
|Vu shares experience with young students. — File Photo
We have developed 60 luxury shops, of which five were built in Singapore. Meanwhile, a network of tens of thousands of shops providing Trung Nguyen's products was set up nationwide.
Five Trung Nguyen Franchise coffee shops in Singapore are major sites that reflect tastes and reactions to pilot samples that may be sold worldwide.
Trung Nguyen, which was build 16 years ago, needs to work hard to make it a global brand. I always remind our staff how to deal with the three big challenges for success: the product– the successful model – and a successful story.
International brands have seen generations of development with experience and professional management. While we lack these important factors, we have strong finances, marketing, and the Government's prolonged support – to help us succeed in the world market. It means that we have to work our socks off to make it against competition from global firms.
What is Trung Nguyen's strategy for its chain of cafes this year?
We develop our cafes as destination for coffee only – where gastronomers find a space for premium quality coffee. Baristas will make the best fragrant coffee produced from premium Robusta coffee.
Customers can both taste their favourite drink and share in the knowledge and story of our coffee. They can feel and understand how much hard works goes into making good coffee.
It is not simply making a drink, but also the efforts of coffee growers, roasters and bar tenders.
Trung Nguyen will refresh its coffee house chains by introducing cross-cultural coffee styles from Ethiopia, Turkey, Japan, Italy and Viet Nam this year. The new image will see customers become members of a community of coffee connoisseurs. I drink 10 cups of coffee a day.
How is Trung Nguyen faring against tough competition in the market?
Trung Nguyen saw a growth rate of 50 per cent last year. We will restructure our sales and increase new products. Trung Nguyen aims to develop Buon Ma Thuot city as a ‘Kingdom of Coffee'. We aim to dominate the domestic market and improve market share as well as increase coffee consumption in Viet Nam.
We have applied advanced technology in coffee production from Germany and Europe to improve crop processing, packaging and marketing.
Trung Nguyen also plans to buy coffee plants in the US and open coffee houses in Seattle, New York and Boston. It means that the company would sell 15 per cent of its stock to cover the investment in coffee houses in the US.
Trung Nguyen has already exported coffee products to 60 countries. We do hope to reverse our proportion of sales of 70 percent for the domestic market and 30 percent for export in the future.
I estimate that our sales would double due to increasing demand for coffee from China and Southeast Asia. Last year, we earned revenue of $200 million – a 32 per cent increase.
We will also increase the number of coffee houses to 200 during the next two years. We are operating our factories at 110 percent capacity, but we still cannot provide enough to the Chinese market.
What's your big picture dream as chairman of the company?
I hope to build a ‘Kingdom of coffee' in Buon Ma Thuot to help contribute to great growth for the coffee sector in Viet Nam. The country's coffee industry could achieve $20 billion in exports each year and create between 5 to 6 million jobs.
Viet Nam exports 90 per cent of its raw Robusta beans, but there is still no strong brand and this needs to change.
I can make sure that all Trung Nguyen coffee products are produced from guaranteed sustainable development coffee farms. Our company's growth also goes together with ensuring living standard for coffee growers. It's all about creativity with responsibility and harmony and sustainable development. — VNS


text:
The marriage of Web services and Java got a big boost with the release this month of IBMs technology preview of WebSphere Application Server 6.
“This is the first clap of thunder for IBM in 2004” regarding Java and Web services, said Bob Sutor, director of WebSphere infrastructure software at IBM, in Somers, N.Y. J2EE (Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition) 1.4 is the latest version of J2EE, and its main theme is Web services support. Sutor said IBM has the jump on its competition, namely, BEA Systems Inc., and is getting WebSphere 6 technology to developers early, although the product will not be generally available until midyear.
The free download enables developers to begin working with J2EE 1.4 on the WebSphere code base. “The technical preview gets code into the hands of developers as early as possible,” Sutor said. “This is especially important to ISVs who are building on top of WebSphere.”
WebSphere 6 represents IBMs next-generation platform for building out SOAs (service-oriented architectures), with support for JCA (J2EE Connector Architecture) 1.5 and the latest Web services standards.
Among Web services standards the new technology supports are JAX-RPC (Java API for XML-based Remote Procedure Calls); Java Specification Request 109, which uses the JAX-RPC programming model; and the Web Services Interoperability Organizations Basic Profile, WS-I 1.0.
“JCA 1.5 is significant because it provides what people have been asking for for years—support for both synchronous and asynchronous communications,” such as between J2EE and packaged applications,” Sutor said. “Those things really position this as a very important platform for developing service-oriented architectures.”
Industry observers say the melding of Java and Web services takes developers into a new era. “What makes this significant is that [IBM is] one of the first on the block to support the [J2EE 1.4] spec as part of a major application server brand,” said Ronald Schmelzer, an analyst with ZapThink LLC, in Waltham, Mass.
“This means that weve finally moved into an era when developing and delivering application logic through an application server can be done in an SOA and Web services-native way without having to require the developer to install any additional software,” Schmelzer said. “So, this means that SOAs and Web services are here to stay. So, now that IBM has embedded SOA and Web services functionality into their products, we can definitely expect more of the same from BEA, Sun [Microsystems Inc.], Oracle [Corp.], and a host of other application server and ESB [enterprise service bus] vendors.”
The WebSphere line is significant for other reasons, Sutor said. “Another reason why we think this release is so important to get in the hands of folks is that we think this is going to be the cornerstone of a lot of work being done in vertical markets,” he said. “This is part of the componentization of IBMs products.”
At the end of last year, IBM began talking about its plans to reorganize its software business around a dozen vertical markets. Buell Duncan, IBMs general manager of ISV and developer relations, said the change is akin to IBMs decision in 1999 to exit the applications business. “Companies are moving to look for solutions that have more industry specificity, and in the software business were taking that to the next level and building products that are industry-specific,” Duncan said.
Duncan called the transition “very exciting. When you talk about building vertical-industry solutions, there are industry offerings from which well take our infrastructure and middleware products and combine them.”
Officials said the 12 vertical markets IBM will focus on are insurance, banking, financial, automotive, health care, retail/wholesale, consumer packaged goods, utilities, telecommunications, electronics, government and life sciences. IBM will be rolling out solutions and programs throughout the year, they said.
WebSphere 6 is the result of IBMs Project Vela, which set out to componentize IBMs software solutions, primarily WebSphere. Sutor said that not only does WebSphere 6 make it easier for IBM to take on the strategy of selling its software into vertical markets, it also sets the company further apart from its competitors in terms of standards support, industry focus and market coverage.
The WebSphere 6 preview follows closely on the heels of new releases of WebSphere Application Server 5.1, WebSphere Studio Application Developer 5.1.1 and WebSphere Application Server Express 5.1, all of which shipped last month and focus on usability, performance and enhanced features for ISVs, Sutor said.


text:
Vietnam may have a chance to transform itself into a global technology player.
Apple might be quietly creating a data center in Vietnam, a local online business news provider reported.
The technology giant may have laid its eyes on the country’s central coastal city of Da Nang, the news site cited a top official from the central city as saying at a meeting last Thursday to review foreign direct investment in Da Nang.
According to the official, Apple Inc could invest up to $1 billion in the center, which would function as a research and development center with engineers crafting future products for the Asian market.
Apple last year opened a subsidiary company in Vietnam so that it can directly import and distribute Iphones and other electronic products in one of the fastest growing smart phone markets in Asia-Pacific.
The Ho Chi Minh City-based firm was set up in October last year with registered capital of VND15 billion ($672,000), according to Vietnam’s national business registry website.
Nearly 49 million people, more than half of Vietnam’s population, were online as of June 30, 2016, according to statistics compiled by Internet World Stats.
The number of mobile phone subscriptions in Vietnam grew 29 percent from 2009 to 2015 to 127 million, latest official data from the information ministry showed.
Apple is expected to officially announce whether it will go ahead with the plan by the end of this month.


text:
Microsoft, Accenture Collaborate To Help Social Impact Start-Ups Through the initiative, the two companies will provide hands-on support and technologies for social enterprises to scale and build business models that can benefit a larger group of people across the world.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
Tech giant Microsoft and Accenture have come together in a collaboration to help entrepreneurs and start-ups that are focused on social impact and sustainability. Through the initiative, the two companies will provide hands-on support and technologies for social enterprises to scale and build business models that can benefit a larger group of people across the world.
The "collaboration is part of their shared vision to amplify the societal impact of emerging technology with the long-term goal of reaching a million lives globally," the companies said in a statement.
Through the programme, Microsoft Research India and Accenture Labs will help start-ups test and validate proof-of-concepts, conduct design thinking sessions to re-envision their impact as well as provide support in using Microsoft technologies.
Focus On Social Impact
"Startups in the social impact and sustainability space are among the world's most inspiring organizations," said Jean-Philippe Courtois, executive vice president and president for Microsoft's global sales, marketing and operations, adding that the passion for meaningful innovation and positive change must be supported.
The programme will have a particular focus on the areas of agriculture, education and healthcare and initially engage with start-ups in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. It would also make use of Microsoft's Center for Societal Impact through Cloud and Artificial Intelligence.
"By providing social impact entrepreneurs with direct access to the combined power of Accenture and Microsoft's technology expertise, we can help significantly improve access, equality, inclusion, education, health, sustainability, and the environment," said Paul Daugherty, chief technology officer at Accenture.
Microsoft's involvement in this initiative is part of the company's Global Social Entrepreneurship programme while the involvement of Accenture is part of its Tech4Good programme. The latter is focused on applying emerging technologies to help solve complex social challenges and the former gives start-ups access to technology in Microsoft AI, cloud, go-to-market services among others.
"Microsoft's collaboration with Accenture offers us an opportunity to empower these start-ups so they can use technology to make an even greater impact in addressing many of the world's most pressing challenges," said Courtois.


text:
Please Log In
July 24, 2012Net Nanny for Android 2.0
Dec 05, 2012
Facebook privacy is starting to sound more and more like an oxymoron. The company is now selling data about its users to advertisers and other companies, though it insists that the companies never see individual data, only the results of aggregate data.
Because of the amount of information Facebook has gathered on its users, advertisers are able to target consumers directly with the brands they ‘like,’ sometimes going so far as to show users ads for products that they had just been looking at on other sites, because they are able to track users from site to site. Eventually, Facebook hopes to be able to place its ads on all sites that their users visit.
The fact that Facebook users are exposing enough of their personal information to make this a profitable business is frightening. If users are putting this much information on their profiles, who else is looking? Identity theft is a real concern, and the more information you put online, the easier you make it for identity thieves.
Practicing basic online safety and never sharing your email address, phone number, physical address, birth date, and other personal information online will help to protect you against identity theft. Facebook is required to ask you for your birth date to verify that users are over 13 years old, but that doesn’t mean that you have to make that information publically viewable on your profile.
Another common faux pas that users make is posting their private contact information on someone else’s public Facebook wall instead of sending it in a message. Once you post something on someone else’s wall, it’s out of your control. Anyone who has access to their wall can see what you’ve posted. Depending on the other person’s privacy settings, that could range from just that person’s friends to anyone on Facebook. And anyone on Facebook could use that information to steal your identity.
I work for ContentWatch and all opinions expressed here are my own.


text:
Kingspan are delighted to showcase its industry leading range of AdBlue®, Diesel, Oil storage and tank measuring and monitoring solutions at this year’s FPS Expo 2018
Attendees will be welcomed to come and see demonstrations of our range of storage tanks and smart monitoring products that have been developed to protect, securely store, dispense and monitor fuel levels for the transport industry.
As part of the demonstrations, Kingspan are proud to unveil:
- The new and improved FuelMaster
bunded diesel tank
- The SlimLine Edge
, a product of the future and leading design
- The premium DieselPRO
diesel steel tank
- The EcoSafe Slimline
bunded oil tank
– New telemetry system for remote tank monitoring
Our team of experts will be available at our stand to take any of your questions and discuss your business needs.
We look forward to welcoming you at Stand 57.


text:
First Look: New Wahoo Elemnt Roam
Wahoo Fitness have announced the latest model in their lineup, the new ELEMNT ROAM, the brand’s third GPS cycling computer and first with a colour screen.
Offering expanded navigation features and sporting a new form factor, Wahoo say the ROAM is designed to help cyclists ride further, longer, and explore new roads or trails.
The ROAM features a clear 2.7” colour display and 17+ hour battery life and connects to the ELEMNT smartphone app for initial setup and ongoing management.
The ROAM includes an ambient light sensor that automatically turns the screen backlight on or off and adjusts the brightness of the screen.
Like the BOLT there's an integrated out-front mount that gives ROAM a clean, sleek look. ROAM’s interface includes several new Smart Navigation features accessible directly on the computer, including -
Get Me Started -- Navigates cyclists to the start of their route
Back On Track -- Navigates cyclists back to their route if they take a wrong turn
Take Me To -- Allows cyclists to select a location on their ROAM using new pan and zoom
functionality, and get directions to that location
Saved Locations -- Easily route to locations saved on ROAM
Route To Start -- Find the shortest route back to the start of your ride
Retrace Route -- Reverse your route to navigate back to the start along the original route.
The new GPS cycling computer is available now for an RRP of $599.95.
Other Wahoo ELEMNT GPS computers include the ELEMNT ($449.95), ELEMNT BOLT ($399.95), and ELEMNT MINI ($149.95). Wahoo recently released the ELEMNT BOLT Limited Edition in the popular pink and blue colours to better complement any bike and kit also at $399.95.


text:
Video game enthusiasts almost certainly own at least one Foxconn product, as the company builds the Nintendo 3DS, the Wii U, the PlayStations 3 and 4 and the XBox One. The company also makes cellphones beyond the iPhone, including products for BlackBerry and Nokia, as well as Amazon's Kindle e-reader and Dell PCs.
All told, Foxconn is the world's largest manufacturer of consumer electronics.
However, as recent news clearly illustrates, Foxconn has its sights set on electronics that extend far beyond those that can fit in a user's hands. The South China Morning Post reports that the Taiwanese company plans to make a multibillion dollar investment into the development of autonomous vehicle technology in Michigan. The exact amount of the investment remains to be determined. It's also not clear what the money will be used for, but the most likely answer is a research and development facility in some shape or form.
"Automotive development in the US is still more advanced than China," Foxconn founder Terry Gou told the Post. "Besides self-driving technology, I'm also interested in artificial intelligence and deep learning technology."
Gou's vague allusions to AI and deep learning tech suggests that the media isn't the only one in the dark about Foxconn's intentions in Michigan. The company itself may not have a clear idea of exactly what it plans to do. The announcement of the Michigan initiative came mere days after Foxconn made huge waves elsewhere in the Midwest, with the announcement of a $10 billion plant in Wisconsin to manufacture LCD crystals.
That project, however, is already ensconced in controversy after studies showed that the $3 billion in incentives needed to lure Foxconn to Wisconsin would take at least 25 years for taxpayers to break even on.
Those economic concerns have given the state legislature some pause in approving the plant and the its requisite incentives, although Gov. Scott Walker maintains that the deal will get done. Between the indeterminate nature of the Michigan facility and the fact that it would require similarly substantial investment by taxpayers, it may still be too early to call Foxconn's Michigan plans a done deal.
If the manufacturer does come to Michigan, though, it will enter one of the most autonomous vehicle-friendly states in the US. In December 2016, Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law a bill that makes the state more permissive to the testing of self-driving cars on its roads than nearly all other states. Autonomous vehicle developers are already taking advantage. In late July, Magna International and Continental piloted a self-driving car that drove between Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario. This fall, Ann Arbor residents will see autonomous shuttles built by Navya navigating the University of Michigan campus.
For now, this Foxconn story remains one to watch. But given the size and influence of the company and the motivation on the part of Michigan to be a leader in the self-driving car space, it certainly seems more likely than not to happen in some capacity.