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Apple to provide discounts on iPhone, AirPods, Watch for China buyers
The company will take up to CNY 600 (roughly Rs. 7,100) off the price of its top-tier iPhone 13 Pro series between July 29 and Aug 1.
Apple announced a rare retail promotion in China, offering four days of discounts on top-tier iPhones and related accessories ahead of the release of its next-generation devices on Monday. According to a notice on the company's website, the company will take up to CNY 600 (roughly Rs. 7,100) off the price of its top-tier iPhone 13 Pro series between Jul 29 and Aug 1. To be eligible, buyers must use a limited number of payment platforms, such as Ant Group's Alipay. The promotion also includes specific AirPods and Apple Watch models.
The price cuts come as China's economy attempts to recover from major Covid-19 lockdowns in business hubs Shanghai and Beijing, which have harmed sales of leading domestic smartphone brands ranging from Xiaomi to Vivo and Oppo. According to national statistics, Apple bucked the trend by registering healthy growth in China shipments in June. However, the discounts suggest that even it has excess inventory heading into the second half of the year.
Weakening consumer demand, inflation, and supply chain issues all contributed to a 9 per cent drop in global smartphone shipments in the second quarter, according to Canalys research. Chinese firms bore the brunt of the blow, with double-digit declines.
Apple has traditionally kept iPhone prices constant across generations, but this year's economic turmoil has already compelled it to make an unusual move: raising prices in Japan in response to the sharply weakening yen.
The company provides several payment options in China, including instalment plans and lower pricing for students. For years, however, it has refrained from discounting its flagship products in the country.


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In what can only be called a stroke of marketing genius, Kraft Foods, the maker of Oreo cookies, launched an awesome marketing campaign this year called the Daily Twist where they took holidays, important weeks, trending events and major news stories and turned them into creative portraits using Oreo cookies. You may have heard something about it back in June, when they kicked off the campaign with multi-layered cookies with rainbow colored creme meant to to evoke a rainbow flag in recognition of LGBT Pride Month.
It was an ambitious undertaking as Oreo wanted to make a big splash to celebrate their 100 years of dunking. For 100 days, multiple agencies and a dedicated team of four designers worked to put out a new “twist” that was not only clever but relevant. Today, we put together some of our favorite Oreo creations from the campaign. From Talk Like a Pirate Day to the Mars Rover landing, look back on our shared history together through Oreos!

domain: news


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- Reddit just banned the NBA Streams subreddit 2 Years Ago
- How to watch ‘Drunk History’ for free 2 Years Ago
- Netflix’s ‘Unit 42’ soars on the chemistry of its unlikely lead partners 2 Years Ago
- How to watch ‘Good Trouble’ for free Today 7:00 AM
- It’s time for Pete Buttigieg to claim his status as Short King Today 6:30 AM
- The best foreign-language TV shows on Netflix Today 6:00 AM
- Hasan Minhaj explains why your internet sucks in ‘Patriot Act’ episode, puts it on DVD Monday 8:41 PM
- Hackers got control of Dylan Sprouse’s Twitter account, posted offensive content Monday 7:38 PM
- Twitch is suing the trolls who flooded the platform with porn and Christchurch shooting footage Monday 6:55 PM
- Cat filter turns Pakistani politicians’ press conference into frisky business Monday 6:12 PM
- Couple calls for boycott of dog walker app Wag! after their dog was abducted Monday 5:07 PM
- Trump gets banned from SeekingArrangement because he’s not a ‘real sugar daddy’ Monday 4:17 PM
- InfoWars accidentally sent child porn to lawyers representing Sandy Hook parents Monday 4:12 PM
- Sticker warns men changing diapers about ‘feminization of the American male’ Monday 4:10 PM
- The genius way Genius caught Google allegedly stealing lyrics Monday 3:03 PM
It’s up to the iPhone X to turn things around.
Lines at Apple stores should start dying down following the unveiling of the iPhone 8—at least, that’s what we’ve come to expect any other time a new model has rolled out. Instead, people are queueing up to buy Apple’s discounted iPhone 7, a device it released more than a year ago.
Apple’s old iPhone 7 is outselling the new iPhone 8, according to Reuters, citing broker KeyBanc Capital Markets. And while it’s not unusual to see a sales bump for an older device after a price reduction, the iPhone that replaces it traditionally outsells its predecessor by a wide margin.
But not this year. It appears users are willing to forgo wireless charging and a much-improved camera to purchase the iPhone 7 at a discounted price. The iPhone 8 and iPhone 7 are similar in many ways and it’s easy to see why consumers don’t feel compelled to upgrade. For one, both phones sport the same thick-bezel design that looks outdated when compared to this year’s other flagship phones. Both phones also have the same display technology and similar camera specs (the iPhone 8 does have an improved sensor). The iPhone 8 starts at $700 while the iPhone 7 is now $550 after a price cut.
“Many respondents indicated that a meaningful portion of customers are buying iPhone 7 in lieu of the new iPhone 8, given the lack of significant enhancements in the new phone,” KeyBanc analyst John Vinh wrote in a client note.
Others are holding out for Apple’s iPhone X, the company’s new flagship that comes with an OLED edge-to-edge display, stainless steel frame, and Face ID authentication. The iPhone X costs $1,000 and will start shipping on Nov. 3. Until the X is released, we won’t know if Apple customers are saving up for the new flagship or holding off entirely.
What is clear is that a lack of innovation in the industry is giving customers less reason to upgrade older devices. AT&T reported it had 900,000 fewer smartphone upgrades in the third quarter this year compared to last year.
H/T the Verge
Phillip Tracy is a former technology staff writer at the Daily Dot. He's an expert on smartphones, social media trends, and gadgets. He previously reported on IoT and telecom for RCR Wireless News and contributed to NewBay Media magazine. He now writes for Laptop magazine.


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A recent study titled “The Things We Sell,” presented by Graduate design researchers from the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, took a look at the unique American tradition of garage sales, and the “cultural transactions” that drive this $1 billion industry.
Here’s a summary of what they found:
According to Dan Wandrey and Chris Meierling, Graduate Design Researchers, “one reason why the cultural practice of garage sales continues to grow is because it is an unregulated economy that generates somewhere between $600 million to $1 billion per year.”
On the emotion level, the two researchers concluded that the practice of garage sales can be interpreted as “a process in which stories become cultural transactions. The exchange of the objects is not nearly as important as the bridge that is formed by explaining the story behind it.”
“This project is the direct result of a conversation I had with my mother,” Wandrey said. “Her parents had decided to move into an assisted living community, away from the home where my mom had grown up, and they needed to shed 50 years of accumulated stuff. An estate sale was held and my Mom had watched as objects that carried a life’s worth of memories were being liquidated. To her, the items were invaluable and irreplaceable, and the experience was traumatic.”
Meierling says “While a Google search reveals plenty of ‘how-to’s’ about running garage sales, there are hardly any accounts, even anecdotally, about being a garage sale shopper or about how this unique American tradition emerged over the past 90 years.”
The two researches summed up their findings best by saying “On the shopper’s end, one can expect the entrepreneurs to be scouting out offerings early in the mornings and stragglers and tag-alongs to come later on in the day,” Meierling said. “On the seller’s end, you see a range of individuals from those who are most interested in the social aspect of garage sales to those who are essentially running a small retail business out of their house.”
Article Source: http://asunews.asu.edu/20100304_Things_We_Sell


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The new Pulse has been launched with a 1.5 litre diesel and 1.2 litre petrol engines. It comes with automatic headlamps and steering mounted controls.
The company is also strongly evaluating offering automatic transmission variants in its products at the technology centre in Chennai.
France agreed to buy up to 14 million Renault shares, or 4.73 percent of the group, via a broker.
Nissan Motor Co said its board of directors met and unanimously supported alliance partner Renault SA's decision to seek a balance between its two main shareholders.
Renault is considering pulling out of Formula One because of the damage done to its reputation after a difficult start to the season.
Renault India Country CEO & MD Sumit Sawhney said MPV segment has seen consistent growth and it grew by double digit in 2014 in domestic market.
Renault's Santa Isabel plant in Cordoba will begin assembling the Logan sedan, Sandero hatchback and its crossover Stepway version next year.
The innovation will help the company de-risk itself from the vagaries of market and save costs in the long run.


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The user-generated video was created by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO. It uses photos and stories from London-based bloggers sent to Paris by Eurostar's media agency Arena Media.
The campaign also features holidays snaps from competition winners who submitted their photos through the Eurostories website, also created by AMV BBDO.
The video ad features images of Parisian landmarks, such as Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. It closes with the line "stories are waiting".
This is the second phase of the campaign, which includes a television ad that began a six-week run across national television in October.
The ad encouraged travellers to share their stories on social media with the hashtags #wheninparis or #wheninlondon.
The first spot, called "maybe" has already received 291,425 hits on YouTube.


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November 21, 2013, Baidu Moments marketing festival was held in Beijing. Father of integrated marketing world, Northwestern University Professor Don Schultz went to the site and share the world's newest six marketing changes, as well as how to create a brand under the wave of the Internet.
"The father of integrated marketing," Don Schultz
Don Schultz introduced to the development of information technology has changed the entire market, we need to establish a new consumer-centric interactive marketing system. Currently, most of the advertisers brand building way far behind the market, consumers do not have to keep up with the changes still in the way, the persuasion style to push information to the consumer, which is not conducive to business in the digital age to create a brand, business brand building needs to be a revolutionary change in the way.
He stressed that advertisers must learn to consumer-centric, focus needs to shift from product users, the response from the business user control becomes, to convince customers to buy from changing product to allow users to deepen understanding. In addition, companies also need to know how to use Baidu as the representative to understand consumer demand media platforms to build brands.
Meanwhile, advances in technology, the changing global Internet environment, new technologies continue to emerge, but also for corporate brand building presents a new challenge, which is embodied as:
First, the user gets the information changes, previously, companies have information superiority and initiative, consumers are passive reception. And now, consumers anytime, anywhere, independent access to information, as many businesses and consumers now have the information. Meanwhile, mainstream access to information search tools to help people easy access to information, will also connect brands and consumers together.
Second, a large number of consumer behavioral data presented geometric growth from 2005 to 2012 and 1987, the global amount of information increased 20-fold, according to forecasts, by 2020 the amount of data to reach 40026EB. At the same time, homogenization and fragmentation of information leading to low availability of information, valuable information to get more difficult. How to effectively analyze and manage data, and thereby to study the behavior characteristics consumers become a very important issue.
Third, consumers turned to the use of mobile devices from PC side, worldwide, mobile access accounted for 1/3 of all online activities. In China, mobile search within 18 months increased by 232%, while only 48% of PC search. Brand how to communicate with consumers through the mobile channel end, the most important issue in the future.
Fourth, people tend to consumer demand through a one-stop shopping to resolve. In the Internet era, consumer behavior is extremely active, their shopping needs often need to have a very convenient channel to meet. Questions companies should consider is what kind of consumer goods, how do you make it easier to meet him, not what you want to sell goods to him.
Fifth, the consumer brand awareness and preference decline, consumers will be based on brand goods and do not choose. In the United States a strong sports brand, for example, over the past 10 years, their brand preferences of the population fell by an average of 1.68%, stores and shopping malls brand preference crowd fell 0.98 percent, an increase of 1.38% No preference groups. Therefore, even if it is a classic brand owners must seize every opportunity to show their, learn to communicate with them using the language of the consumer.
Sixth, important to understand consumers' income, the key is to be able to manage consumer revenue streams. Enterprises must understand the depth of the level of consumer buying and demands in accordance with the spending power, service costs, and other dimensions of the buying cycle division, only to do well aware of consumer information in order to carry out more effective brand marketing.
So, how to deal with these six challenges? Don Schultz said, this is SIVA theory to solve the problem. SIVA theory is based on consumer-centric marketing methodology to explore consumers to seek solutions to problems in a series of tracks. Brand advertisers need to be based SIVA theory, build up a market for interactive demand chain model in consumer demand continue to understand and identify the premise for the consumer to provide information and appropriate solutions.
Professor Don Schultz seems that the public widely Such aid Baidu search engine platform, access to information, more value, to determine solutions to problems, looking for problems to solve entrance coincides with SIVA theory, theory of complete reproduction of the SIVA process. Baidu platform features the biggest difference is that the consumer is the starting point, by digging behavioral data to understand and track the entire decision-making process of consumers.
At the same time, Baidu already beyond search to become rich media platforms. It is understood that, at present, only traffic from search Baidu accounted for 40% of overall traffic, while 60% of the traffic comes from the wealth of other channels. Baidu, Wikipedia, Post Bar, music, news, pictures, videos and other vertical channels, formed to meet consumer demand for rich solution platform to help enterprises to capture consumers different key moments, and effectively deliver the brand through appropriate commercial products information. In addition, the mobile terminal, Baidu in APP distribution, mobile search, LBS, etc. are firmly occupied the entrance of advantages, which also created the conditions for the future of the brand to communicate in real time with consumers in new channels to help companies in the mobile Internet era effectively create a brand. This means that Baidu has become extremely important in the digital age brand building platform.


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EDMONTON – The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is pleading with owners of pre-2008 Ford F-250 and F-350 trucks to use steering wheel locks or install alarm systems to protect their parked vehicles.
Police say the larger models in the Ford F-series, specifically those built before 2008, are being stolen more and more often in the city.
The EPS wants to stress to owners that they need to properly alarm or lock their steering wheel column of their trucks. Police say thieves have found ways of overriding the standard locking devices in older models.
Since the beginning of 2013, 184 F-250 and F-350 trucks have been stolen within city limits. Police say that accounts for slightly more than one per day. In rural areas, the number almost doubles.
F-series trucks are among the top four most commonly stolen vehicles across Canada for 2012.
In Alberta, eight of the top ten most stolen vehicles are Ford F-series trucks. The remaining two spots go to the Dodge Neon and the Acura Integra.
Police are not just worried about the theft itself.
“While the truck thefts alone are highly troubling, what makes these crimes a higher risk to the community is they are generally stolen by drug addicted property criminals, who are more likely to engage the police in reckless and highly dangerous pursuits,” says Acting Insp. Malcolm Allan, EPS Downtown Division. “While we do our utmost to maintain public safety in these instances, there is an increasing trend of these vehicles being driven at extremely high rates of speed and in the most dangerous fashion, whether police are actively pursuing them or not.”
In addition, when an arrest is made in connection to truck thefts, police are finding a “disturbing increase of drugs and loaded firearms in the trucks.”
Police say owners can contact a local Ford dealer or vehicle alarm store to arrange an installation of an alarm system. The Club steering wheel column lock can be bought at most retail stores.


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For the first time, police in Europe dismantled a Bitcoin exchange. On Monday, French authorities seized 338 Bitcoins, worth about $272,000, from a website that had been facilitating exchanges since last November. Before being shut down, the website allowed for 2,750 transactions with about 2,500 Bitcoins. The suspects are currently being investigated for illegal banking, money laundering, and illegally operating a gambling website. Olivier Caracotch, a prosecutor in the French town where the investigation started, told Reuters:
"It's the first time in Europe that a judicial action has resulted in the closure of an illegal exchange for virtual currency. It's also the first time in France that bitcoins have been seized as part of a judicial procedure."
The arrests come just a couple weeks after the European Banking Authority (EBA) put out a warning that financial institutions should stay away from Bitcoin and other virtual currencies. In the report, the EBA outlined about 70 potential "risks" associated with digital currencies, ranging from user vulnerability to financial integrity.
Despite this discouragement, countries in Europe and around the world have already started accepting Bitcoin and incorporating digital currencies into their economies. Switzerland's Federal Council, which functions as its executive branch, just released a 25-page report that outlined how they thought Bitcoin businesses should be regulated, and the Council's ultimate recommendation was that no new regulations should be put in place. Koen Geens, the minister of finance for Belgium, said that he doesn't see the Belgian National Bank having any objections to Bitcoin. Russia was initially tough on Bitcoin, but The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Russia's central bank has decided not to interfere with the use of virtual currencies.
The Bitcoin Foundation rejected the EBA's report and said that if this opinion is adopted it would be detrimental to the public. Jim Harper, the foundation's global policy counsel, said:
"Europe's states and people are figuring out for themselves how to get the benefits of Bitcoin while controlling the costs. They may not listen to the European Banking Authority."
Harper is right. ZipZap, a global cash transaction network, was shut down in the U.K. earlier this year. Two weeks ago though, it was reinstated at 20,000 partner retail locations across the U.K. ZipZap can be used in countries across Europe, a full list of which can be found on its website.
Watch Jeffrey Tucker talk about how Bitcoin is reinventing the monetary system:


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As a society, we are constantly being bombarded with information. But the way people consume these information has changed noticeably. People, today, prefer to consume more and more information from their handheld devices such as mobile phones and apps. Mobile devices account for more than 1/7th of global Internet traffic, study says. This means publishers, marketers and businesses need to make the transition to mobile platforms to reach their audience in the form of mobile-friendly websites and apps. The mobile Internet is expanding with the influx of mobile devices. Mobstac creates, powers and analyzes your mobile website and/or app, helping boost your business’ much-needed mobile presence.
The mobile Internet accounts for 15 percent of all global Internet traffic, a dramatic increase from only 4 percent at the start of 2011. Business Insider released the 2013 Year Ahead in Mobile report forecasting mobile Internet traffic as well as mobile device sales.
Smartphone shipments grew by more than the past two years, from 800 million at the beginning of 2011 to slightly more than 1 billion at the end of 2012. PC sales declined in the same time frame. Smartphones aren’t the only devices with accesses to the mobile Internet, however. Tablet device shipments continue to skyrocket, reaching nearly 1.2 billion shipments in 2012 and have proven to be the most-used device for mobile reading and content consumption.
One of the reasons tablets are becoming increasingly popular in households globally is because prices have steadily dropped since their inception in 2010. The average price for the latest iPad is currently less than $500, and other tablets are available in the $150 to $350 range. Shipment of tablet devices is expected to reach 200 million by the end of 2013 and nearly 450 million come 2016.
Mobile devices allow consumers the freedom to access the Internet anywhere. They search competing prices and product reviews in-store, influencing their mobile shopping habits. In addition, consumers receive news and social media alerts along with e-mails helping raise engagement levels with brands, businesses and service providers. Lacking a mobile presence will eliminate you from growing and engaging in continuous conversations with your current and potential consumers on mobile platforms.


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It is always the towns with the most improbable names on NJ who want to ban weed !
Later this month, the public will have an opportunity to tell the Ship Bottom Borough Council how they feel about a proposed measure to prohibit all classes of business establishments, and distribution or delivery services related to the sale of cannabis.
The May 25 Ship Bottom council meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be conducted via the Zoom platform due to pandemic restrictions.
Citing the detrimental impact of a cannabis business to New Jersey communities in general, and in particular to Ship Bottom, the borough council introduced Ordinance 2021-06 by title at its April 27 meeting. The proposed measure also establishes municipal code titled “Cannabis, Establishments, Distribution and Delivery Services Prohibited.” It also amends the land development code to ban all classes of a cannabis-related business.
Ordinance 2021-06 reads “It is, at this time, necessary and appropriate, and in the best interest of the health, safety and welfare of the Borough of Ship Bottom’s residents and members of the public who visit, travel, or conduct business,” to amend the town’s regulations to ban all manner of cannabis/marijuana business within the confines of the borough.
In February, Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law P.L. 2021, c 16, known as the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance and Marketplace Modernization Act. The act legalizes the recreational use of marijuana by adults 21 years of age or older while creating a regulatory and licensing plan for commercial recreational cannabis operations, use and possession. There are six classes of cannabis establishments set out in the state measure: cultivator, manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, retailer and delivery service.
Under the state measure, a municipality can authorize, by ordinance, regulations governing cannabis establishments, distributors and delivery services, except those outsides of its borders. According to the proposed ordinance, the state measure also allows municipalities “to prohibit by ordinance the operation of any one or more classes of cannabis establishments, distributors, or delivery services anywhere in the municipality, except for the delivery of cannabis items and related supplies by a delivery service based and initiated from outside of the municipality.”
All municipal regulations or bans must be adopted within 180 days of the effective date of cannabis becoming legal in the state of New Jersey. Any municipality failing to take action would immediately experience a five-year period of the availability of “growing, cultivating, manufacturing, selling and reselling of cannabis and cannabis items” in all industrial zones. Retail selling of cannabis items, for the same five-year period, would be a conditional use in all commercial and retail zones. In 2026, the end of the initial five-year period, a subsequent 180-day cycle would begin for town officials who want to take action in favor or against cannabis businesses in their community but who failed to act now.
The New Jersey League of Municipalities said local officials can enact by ordinance a local cannabis tax that cannot exceed 2 percent for a cannabis cultivator, manufacturer and/or retailer, and 1 percent for wholesalers. The tax percentage is based on the receipts for each sale and is paid directly to the municipality in the manner prescribed by the municipality. Any delinquencies are treated the same as delinquent property taxes.
On Long Beach Island, Barnegat Light, Long Beach Township and Surf City have already introduced an ordinance banning all six classes of a cannabis business. Beach Haven officials are expected to consider enacting an ordinance permitting and regulating a cannabis business in that borough.
Earlier this year, state Sen. Christopher J. Connors and Assembly members DiAnne C. Gove and Brian E. Rumpf, who represent all of LBI in Trenton, opposed legalizing recreational pot, saying in a statement, “Without question, the dangers legalizing marijuana would pose to New Jersey residents are too severe to dismiss for the sake of revenue generated to fill Trenton’s coffers. First and foremost, we are concerned about the dangers of drugged driving and the expanded potential for deaths and serious injuries caused by impaired drivers.” —G.G.S.


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Amazon must punish city council by leaving Seattle
Sometimes, you need to get drastic — really drastic — to save a city from itself. Amazon should save Seattle from itself. Amazon should leave Seattle.
The Seattle City Council is too far gone to reason with. Councilmember Mike O’Brien loves to tell you he cares, while working overtime to ensure the homeless can live in parks, instead of in shelter beds. Councilmember Kshama Sawant wants to prosecute Amazon for fighting back against the head tax that would cost them $20 million a year. Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez misleads you about the so-called success the city has had on homelessness.
But, bad politics and misguided policies aside, what’s more troublesome is the despicable tone these councilmembers take when discussing Amazon. During Wednesday’s public comment on the head tax, a speaker criticized (though not by name) Sawant. Councilmember Rob Johnson immediately warned the speakers not to personally criticize anyone. He was seated near Sawant who has accused Amazon of extortion prior to (and during) the hearing — he didn’t ask her to watch her tone.
Amazon is an easy target to blame for a city’s problem when you have a population full of Progressive activists who don’t want to be told it’s their bad policies that are to blame. So Sawant and O’Brien and others will happily use Amazon as the boogeyman.
Consequently, Amazon should move and show Seattle what that would do to the city. You think the housing affordability problem is bad now? Sure, no Amazon means more empty apartments, which will drive the rents down tremendously. But it turns out you still can’t afford rent, even when it’s cheaper than it is now, if you don’t have a job.
If Amazon left, so too, do the jobs. And not just high-paying coding jobs. Restaurants, bars, and coffee shops would be decimated. Vendors? Done. Construction jobs? Bye-bye.
If we let the council continue to go down this virulently anti-business road, Seattle will run Amazon out. But other Seattle businesses follow. That would do damage Seattle could never recover from.
So, please, Amazon: help us by hurting us. Leave with haste and Seattle will be better off when Seattleites realize what this council is doing.
We do not deserve you, Amazon. Tacoma? Bothell? Redmond? Start looking there.


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Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Japan posts another record trade deficit
(Reuters / Toru Hanai)
Source: Russia Todayhttp://rt.com/business/news/japan-trade-deficit-record-219/
Japan has seen its worst trade deficit for October in over 30 years, renewing September’s record, with dropping exports to China due to the territorial dispute, and easing demand from debt-stricken Europe.
The government data showed that a 549 billion yen ($6.7 billion) visible trade deficit in October far exceeded the 360 billion yen shortfall expected by economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires and the Nikkei. This year, Japan posted trade deficits every month except February and June.
Overall, exports fell 6.5% year on year in October to 5.15 trillion yen. Total exports to China were down 11.6% year on year, compared with a 14.1% drop in September due to the growing anti-Japanese sentiment. Exports of automobiles to China were down 82% year on year, and exports of car parts were off 28.1%. The shortfall in car exports to China was the largest since October 2001, according to Japan’s Ministry of Finance.
The territorial dispute with China that sparked anti-Japanese riots in September re-emerged after the Japanese government bought a group of islands that China also claims.
Meanwhile, exports to the European Union dropped 20.1% year on year according to the data. But exports to the US were up 3.1%, supported by a rise in supplies of cars, engines and car parts.
Weaker exports have hit Japanese corporate majors such as Sharp, Panasonic, and Nissan, which heavily rely on foreign trade. Panasonic forecast a $9.5bln loss this year, 30 times bigger than analyst estimates, while Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. and Nissan Motor Co. cut their full-year profit forecasts.
Experts say Japan’s economy would experience its fifth technical recession in 15 years as it is expecting a fall in October-December, after dropping by 3.5% in Q3, which is below analysts’ expectations.
On Tuesday the Bank of Japan announced it has no plans for further stimulus measures, but experts suppose that weak figures would force them to change their mind. "With weak trade data, and likely a weak result to the BOJ's December Tankan survey, the BOJ could very probably ease in December," said Daiwa Securities senior economist Maiko Noguchi.


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Eager to prevent another Target style breach, credit card companies are canceling cards and denying purchases during this hectic shopping season.» Read More
The U.S. has scored the top spot in a new survey of charitable behaviors. How to make sure you're giving effectively this year.
Republican efforts to limit the power of the Fed should gain traction in 2015, when the GOP takes control of the Senate.
Billionaire investor Paul Singer has a message for California Public Employees' Retirement System: Dumping your hedge funds makes no sense.
The world will see huge shifts on both the usage and supply sides of the energy equation, according to BP's annual global energy forecast.
A photo-printing app that obtained backing through the show "Shark Tank" has been purchased by Shutterfly, according to a report in TechCrunch.
Investors ponder if Apple, the most valuable company in the S&P 500, could reach that illustrious trillion dollar mark. USA Today reports.
Now instead of buying with one click on Amazon, you can buy with your voice on an Android Wear watch, Engadget reported.
Investors have been withdrawing money aggressively out of bond funds recently, and it's pretty much all Pimco's fault.
Cocoa production is expected to be at a deficit of 30,000 tons prompting higher prices for both bean and bar, the Fiscal Times reports.
Salesforce is enjoying a strong run ahead of its third-quarter earnings report to be released tomorrow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the U.S. of wanting to subdue Moscow but warned Washington it would never succeed.
Halliburton bought Baker Hughes to be a bigger, stronger integrated company to compete in the marketplace, said CEO Dave Lesar.
A storm is gathering in D.C. over the president's planned action on immigration. Politico's Ben White explains the possible fallout.
The Justice Department is considering a civil suit against Countrywide Financial's Angelo Mozilo, reports the New York Times.
Yahoo Mail users took to Twitter Tuesday to complain about an email service outage. This issue has since been resolved.
Seven of the 30 largest U.S. firms paid more money to their CEOs last year than they paid in U.S. federal income taxes, according to a study.
Up to five feet of snow was possible south of Buffalo, N.Y., due to an "historic but highly localized lake effect snow event," according to NBC News.
The home-improvement retailer said it was still trying to determine the total cost of a recent consumer data breach.
Supporters of a Senate bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to the Texas Gulf Coast are still scrambling to find the last vote.
There may not be a recession next year, but don't expect a year of stellar growth either, according to BofA ML.
Get the best of CNBC in your inbox
Insure.com crunched government stats to match parts of Santa's job to a real-world job title and salary. TODAY reports.
Click through to see some of retail's biggest gaffes over the years.
What began as a mistake by Sears has become a competition between two of the technology world's biggest companies.
Nicholas Pollachi, The Whisky Dog, shares his spirit picks and the best way to serve them for the holidays.
CNBC's Meg Tirrell reports on a young woman's inspiring story and battle with a rare cancer.
Bill Barstow, Main Street Theaters CEO, explains his decision not to screen Sony's "The Interview."


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Bringing Home the Gold
A highlight of the annual Silmo international trade show, held in Paris since 1994, is the naming of the Silmo d’Or award recipients. The awards recognize the optical industry’s most innovative products in everything from shapes, designs, colors, materials, and manufacturing know-how.
In the all-important Vision category, Shamir won top honors by bringing home this year’s gold for Glacier PLUS™Metaform™, its nano-structure manufacturing technology created to superpower spectacle lenses by embedding them with higher impact resistance, rich protective features, and light wavelength control capabilities.
Tip: “Metaform is a disruptive and eco-responsible manufacturing technology that upgrades at unprecedented levels mechanical and physical features of lenses.”
A CRUCIAL CHALLENGE
Talking about the top tier of creations in the competition, Silmo organizers explain, “To create and innovate is to succeed in the challenge of launching something new on a market, a crucial challenge for the competitiveness of companies in an environment where competition is always strong. Creation and innovation are also a formidable source of energy internally because they stimulate know-how and skills within companies.”
DISRUPTIVE + ECO-RESPONSIBLE
Here’s how the award committee described Shamir Metaform and explained why it is deserving of this globally recognized award:
“Shamir Metaform is a disruptive and eco-responsible manufacturing technology that upgrades at unprecedented levels mechanical and physical features of lenses, such as strength, weight, and thickness. Metaform also revolutionizes [the] AR coating process,” continue the Silmo accolades, with “a single step for a faster, more cosmetic, more reliable, and more durable result, with lenses up to 18 times more resistant, 40% thinner and lighter, a durable and aesthetic coating without Newton rings.” The committee also recognized Shamir Metaform’s “fast, resource-efficient production.”
If you haven’t tried this globally recognized, award-winning technology, now is the time. Tell us about your experience and share it with us on Facebook here.
Comments are closed.


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Business decisions, especially by a major corporation, are not made in a vacuum. That is why this news is disturbing for those of us who support the economic growth a Supercenter would bring to Pullman:
Judge tosses Wal-Mart building permit in Chelan, a Chelan County Superior Court judge has thrown out the city-issued building permit for the megastore.
CHELAN, Wash. - Less than a month before Chelan's new Super Wal-Mart is scheduled to open
Defenders of Small Town Chelan provided a written copy of an order signed by Judge Lesley Allan on Friday.
Wal-Mart opponents tell The Wenatchee World newspaper that they will likely ask the judge to order that the 162,000-square-foot store be torn down.
Defenders of Small Town Chelan sued in May to challenge the building permit.
Wal-Mart has started hiring employees and stocking shelves in preparation for an opening on Jan. 22.
In the written ruling dated Friday, the judge wrote that the city did not follow its own land-use rules in granting the building permit and another permit for grading and excavation on the site about a half mile northeast of Chelan off Highway 97A.
The excavation permit was issued on April 20. The building permit was issued on May 1.I certainly don't expect a judge to order a $20 million building to be town down. This is just a legal speed bump. And the issues in Chelan are totally different than the issues in Pullman.
However, make no mistake, Wal-Mart will probably proceed more cautiously in Pullman as result of what has happened in Chelan. I don't think we will see Wal-Mart aggressively pursuing a building permit during the appeal process, at least not in the short term. When you are reponsible to millions of shareholders, you tend to be somewhat cautious and risk averse. We may have to wait out the latest appeal and a Supreme Court rejection, if necessary, before the project moves forward. That could be a couple of more years. It's incredibly frustrating that a small group has been given this much power. But Wal-Mart is in for the long haul. As proof of this, they have revived plans for a Supercenter up in Hayden after three years of inactivity. The store was originally proposed there in 2002. It's all just a war of attrition.
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The worst of the rise in inflation is likely over. But as the economy stutters, and with Brexit chaos looming, wage earners will be waiting a long time for any real reliefby George Magnus / June 20, 2017 / Leave a comment
The recent election, the Grenfell Tower tragedy and Brexit negotiations, which start this week, continue to dominate our news and send shockwaves through the land. The economy continues to rumble on, regardless, but all is not well. Last week, the inflation report for May revealed that the annual rise in consumer prices had risen to 2.7 per cent. Only a short time ago in 2015, the annual change in the index was struggling to remain above zero, and actually failed to do so for a few months. Now it is the highest rate for four years. As if on cue, the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) met soon afterwards, and voted 5-3 to keep interest rates unchanged at 0.25 per cent. The MPC hasn’t had this close a call in quite some time. So, is inflation getting to the point, where to cap everything else, higher interest rates are on the way?
The answer to this is almost certainly no—but while inflation won’t bite much harder than it is now, wage earners aren’t out of the woods by a long shot.
The inflation figures were affected in May specifically by air fares going up, a rise in energy costs, and generally by the so-called “pass through” of Sterling’s depreciation in the wake of the referendum result this time last year. In other words, the weaker pound has made everything we import more expensive, and while some companies absorb some of these extra costs in their profit margins, much is passed on to other companies and of course to consumers. We should be over the worst of the acceleration in inflation. Input prices, or the index of prices paid by companies was still 16.6 per cent higher than a year ago, but the rate has fallen from almost 20 per cent in January. Nevertheless, it would be a mistake to assume that the rise in the Consumer Price Index has ended. The Bank certainly expects it to rise to over 3 per cent this autumn, and we should not forget that Sterling has weakened again in the last few weeks.
“Real average weekly earnings have been 0.4 per cent lower than a year ago. By May and June, you can imagine this depressing statistic will be even worse”
The Governor of the Bank, Mark Carney, is duty bound to write a letter to the Chancellor Philip Hammond if the inflation rate rises to more than 1 per cent over the mandated target of 2 per cent to explain what has happened, why, and what happens next. However, this is all pretty well rehearsed. The pick-up in inflation is predominantly Sterling-related, and once this has worked its way through the economy, inflation should then start falling again. Hence the decision to keep interest rates unchanged again, although many of us are scratching our heads wondering what on earth the three MPC members, who voted for a rise in interest rates, are seeing in their crystal balls. We understand the MPC is supposed to be vigilant, and pre-empt rising inflation before it plants strong roots, but really?
To get a self-feeding inflation, you need to have something called a transmission mechanism. This could take the form of a continuous and pervasive rise in costs, or it might be overheating in the economy so that excessive aggregate demand growth pulls up prices. Neither of those two conditions exist. The commonest transmission mechanism is wages, so that higher prices force wages up, which push prices up, and so on. Yet, last week’s labour market statistics showed that average weekly earnings in the three months to April were 2.1 per cent higher than a year ago, just 1.7 per cent if you exclude bonuses. The Office for National Statistics also said that real average weekly earnings were 0.4 per cent lower than a year ago. By May and June, you can imagine this depressing statistic will be even worse. Inflation has risen, and there doesn’t appear to have been any marked change in the environment for wages and salaries.
“The government has gone mercifully quiet with its “Brexit means Brexit” mantra, only for a new meaningless phrase about ‘Brexit for the many, not the few’ to come from the lips of the opposition”
Put another way, real consumer spending is being squeezed now by the rise in inflation, brought on by the Brexit currency depreciation (as widely forewarned, it should be said.) Looking forward, the squeeze should ease once inflation has peaked just above 3 per cent and then starts to slide. But in real terms, most wage and salary earners will have to wait quite a long time before they get any relief, especially if money incomes continue to grow so slowly.
There are currently few reasons to expect that to change. Last week also brought news that retail sales in May dropped by 1.2 per cent, and were only 0.9 per cent higher than a year ago, the slowest for four years. I have mentioned before that overall consumption is being restrained by both higher inflation and the fall in the household savings rate to a record low, and that firms’ capital spending is trendless. The economy, then, is slowing down from the surprisingly elevated rates we saw a year ago, and it will be good fortune if the UK can keep the economy growing at just 1 per cent.
We all understand that the state of the economy at the moment is overshadowed by other news but we should not forget that a deterioration in the economy is highly likely to be exacerbated by the Brexit process starting now. The government and opposition seem as clueless and unprepared today about a coherent strategy for the UK as at any time since the Brexit referendum was held. The government has gone mercifully quiet with its “Brexit means Brexit” mantra, only for a new meaningless phrase about “Brexit for the many, not the few” to come from the lips of the opposition. Between them, our political leaders seem intent on a wrecking mission.


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Amazon.com Inc. is expected to set up a digital bookstore in Brazil in Brazil in the fourth quarter, as it seeks to get a piece of the fast-growing online retail market in the country that inspired its name.
The e-commerce powerhouse, named after Brazil's longest river, wants to elbow its way into Latin America's largest economy with the popular Kindle e-reader and a Portuguese-language catalogue of digital books, according to Brazilian publishers and an industry source familiar with Amazon's plans.
The all-digital approach will allow Amazon to minimize the risks that a bigger retail launch would imply in a country with notorious infrastructure shortcomings and a complex, costly tax system.
The company would also have to ride out a downturn in Brazil's economy that threatens to cool consumer demand.
"Brazil would be the first country Amazon enters only with digital (products) and that is because of the logistic and tax difficulties," said the industry source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations.
"Having a full retail operation? That's the goal," the source added.
A Brazil-based operation would save the country's 200 million consumers from paying high import taxes on online orders shipped from overseas.
Two local book publishers told Reuters they have had meetings and video conferences in recent months to negotiate contracts with Amazon's head of Kindle content, Pedro Huerta.
"They told us the plan is to start between October and November," said one of the publishers, who asked not to be identified.
Amazon spokesman Craig Berman declined to comment.
The world's largest online retailer, Amazon is the latest U.S. company looking to tap Brazil's $10.5-billion (U.S.) online retail market, which is expected to grow 25 per cent this year fuelled by a swelling middle class. Others include online movie service Netflix Inc. and home-rental service AirBnB.
It would be Amazon's latest foray into emerging markets after breaking into China in 2004 and India earlier this year.
But the move comes as Brazil's decade-long expansion in consumer growth hits the brakes.
In 2012, Brazil's economy is expected to grow less than last year's 2.7 per cent expansion, raising questions about the timing of Amazon's entrance.
Pedro Guasti, director of the Sao Paulo-based research firm eBit, says Brazil's online business has become big enough to pop up on Amazon's radar.
"This year we should reach $12-billion in sales online, a level that justifies their entry. If they wait much longer it would become very expensive," he said.
Kindle Aims for Supremacy
Amazon thinks it could quickly dominate Brazil's e-book market with the Kindle, boosting sales of electronic books to 15 per cent of the publishing market in the first year of operations from 0.5 per cent currently, the industry source said.
Amazon hopes to grab 90 per cent of Brazil's e-book market, the source added, in part because many Brazilians already download content from its site using readers they bought abroad.
Brazilians account for 1 per cent of the global traffic to Amazon's websites, according to the company's information firm Alexa.
That compares to 2.3 per cent in Britain or 1.3 in Germany, where Amazon already has operations.
To gain market share quickly in Brazil, Amazon will likely sell its most basic Kindle model at a subsidized price of under 500 reais ($239 U.S.), three times more expensive than in the U.S. but still bellow rival products, the source said.
That strategy - prioritizing market share over profit - is one that Amazon has used elsewhere, prompting critics to question the company's ability to make money in the long run.
Amazon has already signed contracts with around 30 Brazilian publishers and is rushing to build a portfolio of some 10,000 electronic books ahead of the end-year shopping season, the source familiar with the company's plan said.
A publisher involved in the negotiations said Amazon is planning to price the e-books at about 70 per cent of their cover price and earn a profit margin of to 40 to 50 per cent.
"Revenues for us will be insignificant, but we see it as an important channel to promote our products and sell more physical books," the publisher said, who also asked not to be identified because negotiations with Amazon are ongoing.
Amazon's move could end up prompting other U.S. competitors to expand their digital operations into on Brazil. One distributor said Barnes & Noble Inc. has already approached some Brazilian publishers with its reader Nook.
A spokeswoman with the U.S. bookseller said they have plans to expand internationally but had no specific comments on Brazil.
"Local companies will need to acquire foreign technology in order to survive," said the source close to the negotiations.
Not An Easy Market
Rumors of Amazon's arrival are swirling in Brazil's online retail market, with many players already preparing marketplace platforms to compete with the U.S. giant.
Despite relatively low Internet penetration, Brazil has recently overtaken India as Facebook's second-biggest user base and is one of the world's fastest growing markets for smartphones.
But publishers and online retailers warn that when Amazon expands its retail offerings, it will struggle to replicate its efficient business model in Brazil, where labour costs are high, taxes complex and less than 20 per cent of roads are paved.
Online retailers in Brazil complain about inter-state taxes and logistical bottlenecks in this vast country, which is roughly the size of the United States and where mail is sometimes delivered by canoe.
Steep customs taxes and an endless chain of intermediaries make imported goods expensive.
Ludovino Lopes, head of Brazil's e-commerce association camara-e.net, says Amazon will have to adapt. "They will have to tropicalize their business model to take on those challenges."
One likely strategy is a long-term approach.
"I think Amazon will take small steps at first, to learn the market, but then invest in growth. Amazon is a large company, and could subsidize its operations in Brazil for years before making a profit there," said Colin Sebastian, an equity research analyst with R.W. Baird in San Francisco.
Local competitors say Amazon would first have to prove it can compete in the challenging environment.
"They are going to face the same kind of problems we always had," said Sergio Herz, director of Livraria Cultura, one of Brazil's top bookstores with a dozen locations.
"Until now they were in heaven and we were in hell. Come to hell with us, Amazon."


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Netflix Inc. has partnered with The Weinstein Co.'s new Radius-TWC label in a move that will add more films to Netflix's watch instantly lineup in the U.S. in 2013.
According to a release from Los Gatos-based Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX), movies include "Bachelorette, "The Details" and "Lay the Favorite".
"As an independent studio, we embrace all of the new avenues people are choosing to use when seeing their favorite movies," said TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein in a release. "The Radius-Netflix partnership is a natural and exciting next step for us, and one that gives us the power to reach a broader audience than ever before."
Written by Lisa Ward. To contact someone about this article, Shana Lynch can be reached at 408.299.1831 or email@example.com.


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The popular activity of smoking e-cigarettes, or vaping, is on the rise. But the risks may significantly outweigh any benefit as this new trend has resulted in users reporting serious coughing, shortness of breath, and chest pain. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that in October of 2019, over 1,400 cases of vaping related illnesses were reported across 49 states, except Alaska. 33 of these patients died. These statistics are growing each day.
While tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Vitamin E have been reported to be a common ingredient in each of these cases, the CDC is advising that all consumers refrain from using all forms of e-cigarettes and vaping products until the exact cause of these illnesses can be determined. What’s alarming is that regulatory bodies such as the CDC and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are still investigating these products.
No age group has been immune from these symptoms. In fact, 15% of these cases affected users under 18 years old; 21% of the cases affected users between 18-20 years old; 18% of the cases affected users between 21-24 years old; 25% of the cases affected users between 25-34 years old; and 21% of the cases affected users 35 years of age, and older. New Hampshire had a lower incident rate, reporting under 10 cases, however, just south of us between 10-49 cases were reported in Massachusetts.
While vaping remains a popular activity across all age groups, it is important to remember the risks that have a direct correlation with this activity. For your own health and safety, it is likely a safe choice to stop vaping and to encourage others to do the same.


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What you need to know
- Carl Pei's London-based startup Nothing has raised $15 million in series A funding, with the round led by Alphabet's GV.
- Nothing says it will use the funds to scale operations and invest in R&D.
- Nothing's first product will include wireless headphones that will debut in the summer, with other smart products launching later in the year.
Carl Pei left OnePlus back in October to start his own venture. We got more information on what he's planning a few weeks ago when he announced the name for the startup: it's called Nothing. Today, the startup announced that it is raising $15 million in series A funding, with the round led by GV, Alphabet's venture capital wing.
Nothing says that it will use the funds to "expand its team and operations, further invest in R&D, as well as launch its community and first products in the coming months." According to Bloomberg, Nothing's first product will be wireless headphones — slated to debut in the summer — followed by a "suite of smart, connected" products launching later in the year.
As for launching a community, Pei was integral in setting up OnePlus' global community, so it's no wonder that he's trying to emulate the same at Nothing. From Pei:
From Tom Hulme, General Partner at GV:
The funding round puts Nothing's total investment to date at $22 million — Pei previously announced that he raised $7 million in seed financing from friends and family, including YouTuber Casey Neistat, Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, and CRED founder Kunal Shah.
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Harish Jonnalagadda is a Senior Editor overseeing Asia at Android Central. He leads the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, contributing to reviews, features, and buying guides. He also writes about storage servers, audio products, and the semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.


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If you haven't recently checked to see whether the credit card you're using is the right one for you, you could be leaving money on the table.
A new survey from CreditCards.com found that 12 percent of credit card users, or 20 million individuals, have not switched cards in 10 or more years, while 28 percent, or 49 million, have always used the same card.
"That's an awful lot of people who are missing out on an opportunity to get some rewards and missing an opportunity to make a real impact on their budget," said Matt Schulz, senior industry analyst at CreditCards.com.
Cutting down on any credit card debt is especially important this year because the Federal Reserve is expected to steadily raise rates, Schulz said. That means you will be paying more interest on any outstanding balances.


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The family of Aaron Hernandez is in mourning after his alleged suicide.
[Image via CNN.]
Bill Nye the Science Guy is back with a brand new show called Bill Nye Saves The World on Netflix.
This is awesome!!!
The show, airing April 21, will tackle a new subject every episode and will feature a live panel. But that's not all, as a bunch of celebs will also be joining him!
You have to watch the trailer (below)!
Thank goodness for Tim Gunn's willingness to speak out!
When so many in the fashion industry seem too afraid to say a word, he comes right out and says what everyone is thinking!
Speaking with Access Hollywood on September 13, the 63-year-old said:
Tim Gunn with the mic drop!
"I love the American fashion industry, but it has a lot of problems, and one of them is the baffling way it has turned its back on plus-size women. It's a puzzling conundrum. The average American woman now wears between a size 16 and a size 18. But many designers — dripping with disdain, lacking imagination or simply too cowardly to take a risk — still refuse to make clothes for them."
The Emmy winner dishes out facts that are hard to ignore, explaining that plus-size women are actually spending more money on clothing than straight-size women.
Still, mainstream designers rarely if ever offer clothing above a size 12.
The 2016 Emmy Awards nominations are officially here!
We cannot believe it's been nearly a year since we last celebrated the best that TV has to offer, but luckily, Anthony Anderson and Lauren Graham are here to change all that.
That's because the Black-ish actor and the Gilmore Girls actress woke up extra early on Thursday to announce the list of talented artists behind the best shows on television!
Ch-ch-check out a full list of nominees for the 2016 Emmy Awards (below)!!!
The Carolina Panthers quarterback is bringing his charm, leadership skills, and dance moves to the children's' network this summer for his new series All In With Cam Newton, where he will help real kids achieve their real dreams!
Over 20 episodes, the NFL star will help each kid pursue their passion — from pro basketball to fashion to even zoology!
So, it's basically like a kid-version of MTV's Made, except people actually know who the coach is this time! LOLz!
Like any good coach, Newton will have some help from special guests to serve as mentors — including gymnast Dominique Dawes, magician David Copperfield, and even fashion guru Tim Gunn!
Ch-ch-check out the trailer (below) to see Cam dabbing with some inspiring kids — and catch All In With Cam Newton premiering on June 3 at 8 pm on Nickelodeon!
In case you were losing sleep over not knowing who the random guy was in the Kardashian family Thanksgiving photo, have no fear!
Turns out, he's not so random!
The unidentified dude to the far left is Kanye West's childhood pal J. Sakiya Sandifer!
Sandifer and Yeezy grew up together in Chicago, and at this point he has become an honorary member of the Kardashian clan. You know you're close to the family when you're on opposite ends of the photo from the person you came with!
Sandifer — who was credited on West's song Black Skinhead — co-authored a novel with the world-famous rapper in 2009 called Thank You and You're Welcome. We have a suspicion 'Ye had more to do with the second half of that title than the first! LOLz.
Yeezus' buddy has made a name for himself as founder of We Think LLC and writer of Think Think Think and Think Again.
And to top it off, Sandifer even was paired with Kylie Jenner to walk down the aisle at Kimye's wedding!
He's definitely earned his stripes!
[Image via Instagram.]
It's not just YOU, Perezcious readers, who really dislike the Kardashians!
The Project Runway mentor recently went in on the contentious family during an interview, calling them "vulgar" and surrounded by an "aura of yuck." Well, then!
As for Kanye, he refers to his clothing as "dumb" and "basic."
Tim also admits that "the whole Kardashian clan doesn't like me." Indeed?! We'd never have guessed.
Watch the entire interview (below)!


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"Device authentication and encryption are critical to securing connected devices and the information they share, but many software implementations lack standard protocols for provisioning devices," said DigiCert CTO Dan Timpson. "DigiCert Auto-Provisioning, powered by Device Authority, helps companies get certificates on a much wider range of IoT devices in a scalable, secure and automated way."
As the number of connected devices rises toward an estimated 50 billion by 2020, security continues to lag behind. A study published by HP Fortify estimated that three-quarters of connected devices failed to encrypt communications to the Internet and local network. Last year, researchers found that Nissan Leaf smartphone app APIs were not authenticating users on the server. Similarly in 2015, researchers highlighted a flaw in Samsung's smart fridge that attackers could use to carry out a man-in-the-middle attack and access a homeowner's credentials.
In healthcare, the FDA has recently issued "Postmarket Management of Cyber Security in Medical Devices," even as security vulnerabilities have been discovered in popular pacemakers, defibrillators and diabetes insulin pumps. The report calls for "deploying mitigations that address cyber risk early." Public key infrastructure (PKI) can be used for secure boot, patch management, machine-to-machine mutual authentication, user authentication, and data integrity to help prevent unauthorized intrusions and data manipulation.


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Tesco has been stopped from unilaterally withdrawing entitlements to retained pay for workers at its Livingston distribution centre following a ruling in the Court of Session in Edinburgh. The judgement, which applies only to the Livingston site, means the supermarket giant also cannot terminate a contract in order to re-engage a worker on new terms […]
Wincanton has been awarded a new four-year contract by Wickes that will extend and expand its mandate for the home improvement retailer. The new contract, which spans warehouse and transport operations, will see Wincanton become the sole supply chain partner for Wickes’ kitchen and bathroom business in the UK. Wincanton has worked with Wickes since […]
XPO Logistics has introduced a rail element to its distribution work for plastic pipe manufacturer Wavin, cutting CO2 emissions by an estimated 58%.
Construction materials group Breedon is paving the way for workers to switch careers and pursue a new life as an HGV driver through its apprenticeship scheme.


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Another massive piece of the mysterious augmented reality puzzle known as Magic Leap fell into place on Wednesday as AT&T announced that it will be the exclusive launch carrier for the device.
Google's music offerings have been on a roll lately. First they announced a new music video streaming service called YouTube Music Key, offering ad-free playback with background listening. Then they stated that the new offering would be rolled in with their Google Play Music service, with members allowed to exclusively test the Music Key beta, which just went live. And if all that wasn't enough, they're also offering free music to boot!
How To: Turn Your Android Phone into a Personal Distress Beacon with Motorola's "Exclusive" Alert App
Loving parents can suffer bouts of insomnia when their children leave the house. Not just when they move out, but when hanging out with friends or during out-of-town weekends. Others may worry about their significant other who has to work late all week and their only option for getting home is that sketchy nighttime bus.
We talk a lot about Spotify and Apple Music on the topic of music streaming. So much so that it's easy to forget that other streaming platforms exist. Tidal, Jay Z's streaming service, is often one of these forgotten platforms.
Verizon will be exclusively selling the ASUS ZenFone AR, which supports Tango (Google's mobile AR platform) and Daydream VR.
As competition for Spotify and Pandora, Samsung released Milk Music earlier in 2014, a free music streaming service for their Android devices. While Milk was unique to Galaxy owners only, it was popular enough that we showed you ways to get it on non-Galaxy devices as well.
Personality is something we're constantly attempting to inject into our lives, whether it be the car we drive or clothing we wear—and our mobile devices are no exception.
As Magic Leap continues to spread its influence in the US with the help of wireless carrier AT&T, the augmented reality startup is also working its way into East Asia.
Opinion: Here's Why Magic Leap's Exclusive AT&T Deal Could Be the Key to Its Success, or the Start of a Rocky Rollout
On Wednesday, the tech world woke up to fairly shocking news with the announcement that AT&T would be the exclusive wireless carrier for the forthcoming Magic Leap One, as well as an investor in Magic Leap.
Just weeks after officially launching its mobile augmented reality toolkit, Google can now claim one of its first Android and ARCore app exclusives with the Curate app from Sotheby's International Realty.
It turns out that the new Galaxy Samsung S8 Active (codenamed Cruiser) will be headed for AT&T in the US later this year, just like previous Active models. SamMobile revealed that the device would be exclusive to the network with a model number SM-G892A.
Back in March, Samsung partnered with Slacker Radio to create a streaming service called Milk Music. For those of us who don't own a Galaxy device, this news was a non-starter, as it was exclusive to Samsung's flagship line of phones and tablets.
Last week, I showed you a peek at the not-yet-released Galaxy S5 Active, the more rugged version of Samsung's current flagship. The man behind those leaks, TK Tech News, has now brought another goodie from the device, and it's one we can have on the Galaxy Note 3.
If you're like me, then you were a little disappointed after updating your Nexus 7 to KitKat and realizing that not much has changed. The old Jelly Bean look still occupied your home screen, and there wasn't really anything noticeably new overall. All of that waiting and anticipation only to be left high and dry.
Months after Next Reality broke the story surrounding the financial troubles at Meta Company, there's a new update in the company's ongoing patent lawsuit.
News: Google Opens ARCore Floodgates with AR Section on Play Store & Exclusive AR Apps from eBay, Lowe's & Jet.com
In the weeks following Google's AR toolkit launch last month, the availability of quality ARCore apps has been somewhat limited. That changed on Tuesday, as a flurry of new and updated apps arrived on the Play Store, including some AR experiences available exclusively on Android.
LG has really made their new G3 handset something to drool over. The hardware and software behind it can be considered as good, or even better than most flagships out there, and it has left me second guessing my decision to stick with the M8.
Last week marked the announcement of LG's new G3 smartphone, and with it came a ton of new features and improvements to their Optimus UI. While most manufacturers put little effort into their keyboards—probably due to the attraction of third-party alternatives—LG has made their latest iteration one of the best OEM keyboards I have ever used.
Samsung's exclusive music streaming service, Milk Music, has been making waves across the web thanks to its peculiar name and ad-free stations.
The Xperia Z1, Sony's flagship device, has been extremely popular overseas, so much so that it has made its way into the U.S. market as the Xperia Z1S, a modified version of the original. Known more commonly as the "waterproof smartphone," the Xperia Z1 packs one of the most powerful cameras on the market, with an impressive 20.7 megapixels. Since the device is only available for T-Mobile here in the States, unless you currently have that carrier, the chances of you getting your hands on Sony...
Getting a new phone is exciting, but having access to its exclusive apps ahead of its release is what we're all about here on Gadget Hacks.
Recently, Sprint announced a partnership with Harman Kardon to deliver exclusive sound FX technology to their variant of the HTC One M8. The joint effort between the two companies is both to entice customers to switch to Sprint as well as improve the overall audio quality coming from the already extraordinary BoomSound speakers. But while this is great for new and existing Sprint customers, it does leave the rest of us out in the cold.
On Tuesday, the smartglasses startup known as North finally took the wraps off its Focals product, but in a very unique way: The team simply opened a couple of stores and invited the public in.
Snapchat continues to deepen its roster of clients adopting its Shoppable AR Lens, with clothing giant Levi's and Disney becoming the latest brands to try on the e-commerce platform for size.
The official Google Hangouts app has been around for a while, and is the standard messaging app on Nexus devices, but Google didn't make each version equal. On the iOS version, you get the feature of adding "stickers"—GIF emoticons—but Google left that out of the Android version.
In the latest update to the ongoing Meta Company patent infringement case, the court has responded to a request from the defendants, and the answer isn't good news.
The legal drama framing the closure of Meta Company continues even after the company's assets have been sold to a new owner.
After entering the UK's version of bankruptcy last month, Blippar's assets are up for sale, and bidding ended today.
Nokia's calling card used to be camera quality, a small bright spot compared to the black hole that was Windows Mobile. Since Microsoft discontinued the rarely-used operating system, Nokia phones began to run Android — and now, they're getting back to their camera-driven roots with their Pro Camera mode. What's more, you can experience their camera app on any Android phone.
Today we are pleased to announce the end to the Apple vs. Android war. About a year ago, our Gadget Hacks team started working on a top-secret project to dual-boot both Android and iOS on the same phone—and we couldn't be more proud to announce that we've finally succeeded! Your phone can now run both iOS and Android—whenever you want. Right now.
Thanks to the strenuous efforts of our Gadget Hacks development team here at WonderHowTo, the fortified barrier segregating Android from iOS has finally fallen down.
Sometimes, taking a picture of your friend doing a crazy stunt just doesn't suffice. Getting the progression of the stunt in one image does!
Exclusive: Nreal Changes Company Name, Amid Magic Leap Legal Battle Unknown Chinese Parent Company Revealed
The still-unfolding story of China's Nreal augmented reality startup continues to develop, with each turn uncovering another unexpected wrinkle.
The long guarded veil of mystery surrounding Magic Leap for years was finally lifted last year when the company revealed its Magic Leap One device.
In case you thought the long and unfortunate story of ODG was over, hold on, there's one last chapter to tell.
The story of Meta and its Meta 2 augmented reality headset isn't over, there's a new development that could impact its ultimate fate.
Samsung has been on a tear with its flagship devices since the release of the Galaxy S6; The S6 edge, the Note 5, and this year's Galaxy S7 models have all been met with universal acclaim, and even the staunchest of critics have almost nothing negative to say. Almost.
According to WitsView, 8-inch displays will rule the tablet scene this year at 11.9% market share, compared to yesteryear's 2.6% market share. By year's end, it'll be almost 18%.
In a stunning end-of-year twist to the Magic Leap versus Nreal legal saga, the China-based startup is now filing a motion against Magic Leap.
Exclusive: Judge in Meta Patent Lawsuit Sets Deadline for Default Judgment, Meta's Founder Moves to Save Startup
The saga of augmented reality startup Meta appeared to be at end, but there are new developments unfolding in real time that may either sink Meta deeper into trouble, or provide a tenuous lifeline for the beleaguered augmented reality company.


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The marketing industry never stops innovating and the best marketers are always scouting for new techniques, agencies and solution providers to help them fuel deeper customer engagement. From technology to talent investment, there is no shortage of areas crying for investment. According to ChiefMarTech.com’s Scott Brinker, marketers had nearly double the number of marketing technology solutions to assess and vet last year than the year prior. The challenge is where to focus and where to invest for sustainable growth.
To bring DMA members the most insightful data and perspectives to inform 2017 practices and 2018 investments, we spoke with more than a dozen of marketing’s top innovators and asked them what trends they were watching and how they plan to overcome the next technological disruption. You can read their full reports and predictions in the new DMA 2017 Statistical Fact Book, . Here’s a preview of perspectives from five data and marketing experts and leaders an agency evolution, data integration, viewability, AI and talent:
Joe Zawadzki – Founder & CEO, MediaMath:
In order to onboard new technology and invest deeper in data, machine learning and attribution, organizations have to find and train the right people. Thirty-two percent of respondents in the CMO Council’s June 2016 “Context, Commerce + Customer” report said having the right team and talent to manage and optimize these new tools was the greatest challenge to onboarding and integrating new and emerging technologies. There’s an increased need and willingness to rethink how the marketing organization is structured, both internally, from the bottom up, and externally, through vendors and partners.
Bruce Biegel – Senior Managing Director, Winterberry Group:
The role of the marketing agency—and the services and capabilities offered—will continue to shift. As marketers rely on data and more complex technology to understand their audiences and plan and deploy relevant communications, new service provider entrants will continue to take share from traditional marketing agencies, including management consultancies, system integrators and CRM providers. To compete, agencies will continue acquiring businesses that offer digital, data and analytics expertise, they will re-integrate media and creative services and team up to form new independent provider networks.
Matt Seeley – Global President, Experian Cross-Channel Marketing:
Look for more brands and organizations to centralize their disparate data sets. With customers engaging with brands across various channels, many organizations have data sets that don’t always speak to each other. For example, point-of-sale systems, CRM systems and loyalty programs all capture unique data points about customers, but often live in separate databases or systems. By breaking down these silos and encouraging collaboration, marketers are able to access a more singular view of customers. And more informed marketers can create a seamless experience for those customers across all devices and channels.
How are you allocating your digital marketing spend?
James Fink – CEO & Co-Founder, Optikal:
Companies need to prioritize their mobile viewability and optimize their social platforms based on the mobile format. Consumers nowadays are spending more time on their smartphones than any other devices. According to comScore’s 2016 report on social media, almost 80% of social media time is spent on mobile. Cell phones will continue to overtake the digital landscape and it is no longer an option for marketers to ignore the mobile viewability, aesthetics, and functionality of their social campaigns.
Neil Feinstein, M.S. – Assistant Professor of Mass Communication, St. John’s University:
With AI, response rates go up, costs go down and waste is minimized. Customers can potentially have immediate resolution to problems–or they may never know they have a problem because machines can predict and resolve issues before the alarm goes off. For example, patients can receive a renewal reminder robocall from a prescription provider. Not only will this impact health outcomes, it can boost brand affinity.
More than a dozen leaders have contributed their perspectives to DMA’s 2017 Statistical Fact Book. Executives from leading solution providers such as Return Path, Vehicle, IBM and more have shared how best to build a customer-centric marketing operation in the face of technological disruption. Download your copy of the Statistical Fact Book today and gain the business intelligence you need to make informed marketing decisions in the digital age.


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There is little argument that Bitcoin’s initial rally towards $20,000 was predicated on its growth as an investable asset. The major cryptocurrency came onto the mainstream radar as people realized that it was gaining huge amounts in very little time.
The coin went from being the currency of the dark web to being digital gold – only with gains that had scarcely been seen before. However, by becoming an asset, it drew in a lot of speculative investors, eventually leading to a bubble.
Now, with Bitcoin recovering and not swinging so violently in its volatility, there are debates as to what will be the next catalyst to send Bitcoin on a rally that has been predicted as big as $1 million per coin.
Some feel that Bitcoin will inherently start to grow – and probably at a more stable rate – based on the decreasing supply from the upcoming reward halving, and general principles of supply and demand. However, there are others that are looking to Bitocin to really embrace its utility and head back towards being a functional currency.
However, for Bitcoin to get back to being a digital currency – or a “peer-to-peer electronic cash system,” there needs to be a few changes in regards to the cryptocurrencies scalability. Bitcoin had experienced high network rates before, which slowed transactions right down and pumped their prices too – is ideal for something that wants to work as well – if not better – than Visa and Mastercard.
Time Draper is one such advocate for Bitcoin going back to being a functional digital currency. The Venture Capitalist, who has a soft spot for Bitcoin, said at a Q&A session at the Malta AI & Blockchain Summit last week that the Lightning Network could help Bitcoin’s utility and thus boost its price to $250,000.
“I think Bitcoin payment processors are really going to open the floodgates,” he summarized.
On the topic of why Bitcoin would reach new records within just the next three to four years, Draper continued:
“It’s because of Lightning Network and OpenNode and maybe others that are allowing us to spend Bitcoin very freely and quickly, so that it’s not just a store of value, but it can be used for micropayments; it can be used for retail, it can be used all over.”
There is certainly a sentimental change in the belief of what Bitcoin can be used for at the moment. This, coupled with the evolution of payments, could very well lead may traditional payment processors towards Bitcoin.


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East Africa Community is expectant to birth another exciting summit for manufacturers that will see entrepreneurs and business enterprises converge in Kigali, Rwanda for the function. The news was brought to the surface by EAC Secretariat on Friday.
The small central African country will host the 2nd high-level East African Manufacturing Business Summit and Exhibition (EAMBS) from May 23 to 25, dubbed: “harnessing the Manufacturing Potential for Sustainable Economic Growth.”
The three-day meeting will bring together top executives in the manufacturing and agri-business sectors, policy and decision makers, as well as key financial institutions from Africa and beyond to dialogue and explore opportunities for investment in manufacturing and agri-business in the EAC region.
Speaking to reporters, Jean Baptiste Havugimana, Director of Productive Sectors at the EAC Secretariat, said the conference will provide a strategic platform for an extensive and intensive dialogue on opportunities and challenges of industrialization in the region.
“It will be a good opportunity for EAC entrepreneurs to explore market opportunities for their products and as well as investment opportunities within the East Africa region,” he noted.
Havugimana noted that the business summit platform borne out of the recognition that sustainable economic growth and development in East Africa is unattainable without creating a vibrant and diversified manufacturing sector.
The forum will also include an exhibition where investors, enterprises, researchers, and academia will collectively showcase new products and services as well as exhibit the latest advances in manufacturing technology and innovation, particularly those with relevance to SMEs.
It is expected to create greater awareness about the opportunities and challenges arising from the common market protocol for the regional manufacturing sector, according to organizers.
Gerard Mukubu, chief advocacy officer, Rwanda Private sector Federation said that the summit will serve as a platform not only for initial business contacts, but also for exchange of ideas on how to promote manufacturing sector in the region.
“The meeting will lay strategies on how to improve the competitiveness and capabilities of domestic firms and promoting industrial development,” he added.
The summit will also address existing gaps in policy and business environment by providing a platform for dialogue among manufacturers, suppliers, technology providers, and policy makers.


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The Europe sporting goods market is currently worth US$ 171.9 Bn, and is predicted to expand at a CAGR of 7.7% from 2022 to 2031. Increasing focus on health and fitness is a major trend that is prevalent across the world, and is hugely popular across Europe, which will propel the sales of sporting goods in the region. There has been substantial increase in the instances of obesity due to the rising sedentary lifestyle and bad eating habits of people in Europe, which has further bolstered the need for fitness. This rising fitness trend will favor the sales of sporting goods across the continent over the coming years.
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However, increasing popularity of digital games and rising prevalence of counterfeit products are expected to hinder Europe sporting goods market growth potential through the forecast period of 2022 to 2031.
Key manufacturers of sporting goods are focusing on launching new products to expand their sales revenue and increase their revenue potential.
- In November 2021, Decathlon, a leading sporting goods retailer based in France, announced the launch of a new sports bra for breast cancer patients in lieu of making sports more accessible to women who are differently-abled.
Key Takeaways from Market Study
- Consumption of sporting goods in Europe is anticipated to surge at a CAGR of 7.7% from 2022 to 2031.
- Germany holds a major market share of 19% in the European market for sporting goods.
- By 2031, the Europe sporting goods market is expected to reach a valuation of US$ 382.9 Bn.
- Rising focus on health & fitness, increasing popularity of several sports, and rising disposable income are major factoring anticipated to drive Europe sporting goods market growth through 2031.
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Europe sporting goods market players are investing in expanding their business scope through various mergers and acquisitions that will strengthen their stance in the European region.
Some of the key market players included in the report are Adidas AG, Nike Inc., Under Armour Inc., PUMA SE, Amer Sports, Odlo, Hammer Sports, Polar Electro, KETTLER, and WaterRower, besides others.
These have been identified as key manufacturers of sporting goods in Europe. These prominent market participants are following organic and inorganic marketing strategies to boost their sales potential.
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Big Easy Software President Derek Mansfield added his congratulations to the Skyworks team on the launch of their archive on the Big Easy platform
Mansfield said “I’m delighted to see the site go live – it contains superb footage and is positioned well for the future. The system was completed about a year ago and Skyworks have been creating stock to upload since then.”
He added "From our perspective as a development company the footage industry seems to be buoyant judging by the number of sales we are making. Certainly the Skyworks launch at this time shows how the industry is becoming increasingly professional in the quality of stock offered and the systems used to deliver it"
Big Easy Software
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video library software


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It's no wonder that Bridgestone/Firestone and Ford Motor Company appear to be circling the wagons these days. After acknowledging serious problems with Firestone tires on Ford vehicles, and in the wake of a massive tire recall with additional recalls possible, the companies are under assault from several different forces on many different fronts. For Bridgestone/Firestone, in particular, these looming battles must seem like a prelude to Waterloo, the Alamo and Little Big Horn all wrapped up into one.
First, there is the legal assault on the two companies. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reportedly investigating more than 750 complaints about Firestone tires alleging links between the tires and dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries. Some of the families of these victims already have sued Bridgestone/Firestone and/or Ford for manufacturing and distributing allegedly defective products and other lawsuits are sure to follow.
In fact, the publicity surrounding the tire recall is likely to increase dramatically the number of individual lawsuits brought against the companies by folks who only now are realizing that there is a possible or likely connection between the tires and an accident they may have suffered on the road.
Now, although these lawsuits certainly aren't welcome at Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone, it's fair to say that both companies probably are big enough to handle these particular lawsuits since on a relative scale they will be few in number. Big companies like Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone routinely handle defective product claims and typically have some sort of insurance to help them pay both litigation costs and damage awards.
But the tire recall also looks like it will spawn class-action litigation against the two companies, and here is where the possible exposure to both Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone is immense. Some of these potentially massive lawsuits reportedly are aimed at broadening the existing recall; others are reportedly alleging "emotional distress" on behalf of drivers worried about their vehicles crashing or even the resale value of their cars.
Not all of these lawsuits, of course, will make it to trial. The more creative the legal theory, the less chance there is that a judge will buy into it. But some of these cases likely will make it to trial and a few might even generate victories for large classes of plaintiffs.
Such victories, with punitive damages a possibility, could absolutely devastate either or both companies. Even a settlement in cases involving the strongest class-action plaintiffs could costs the companies precious financial resources.
But it gets worse: Adding to the companies' legal headaches is the knowledge that they will have to spend millions and millions in legal fees just to fend off these challenges. And in addition to sustained court expenses, lawsuits bring the sort of corporate uncertainty that shareholders and market analysts simply hate #151; and that's also got to weigh heavily on the folks who run Bridgestone/Firestone and Ford.
Then there is a Congressional investigation. While the multi-layered legal assault on the companies relates to their past performance, duties and responsibilities, Congress could play a significant role in changing the way the companies are required to do business in the future. In the past, Congress has stepped in to help the automobile and tire industries when those industries faced certain regulatory action.
Now, as this week's Congressional hearings suggest, there may be significant pressure on the politicians in Washington to do an about-face and put pressure on the industry, effectively authorizing NHTSA to implement and enforce much broader, more stringent regulations. These potential new regulations could cost Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars, not all of which can be passed along to consumers. So while the companies are faced with a current flood of bad news, they also
must acknowledge the storm clouds on the horizon.
Then there is the regulatory front. Firestone or Ford face potential fines for failing to recall the tires sooner and they also face potential penalties for withholding documents. And while Joan Claybrook, a former administrator of NHTSA, astutely pointed out this week in The New York Times that those fines and penalties are a drop in the bucket compared to what the companies make. The real regulatory problem for Ford and Firestone may come down the road, in the form of more recalls and safety warnings by an agency angered by the actions and reactions of the companies.
These additional recalls and warnings obviously could and will affect sales of all Firestone tires and perhaps Ford vehicles as well, which means less profit for the two companies to work with as they fight the legal and political battles above.
Finally, there is the wild card in all of this, the possibility of criminal charges brought in Venezuela against the corporate officers of Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone. Venezuelan prosecutors apparently are on the cusp of a criminal investigation designed to determine whether involuntary homicide and/or conspiracy charges could be sustained for producing faulty tires and then deceiving the government and failing to warn drivers there of the dangers of the tires.
Few people expect such charges ever to be brought or, if brought, to succeed. But even this problem area cannot be given short-shrift by the companies. Some of the Venezuelan investigators reportedly have been in touch with some of the lawyers who either already have sued the tire maker or are about to.
If these contacts are indeed occurring, they could provide a significant boost to the class-action and product liability lawsuits here, by clueing in plaintiffs' attorneys to where to look for potentially incriminating documents or willing witnesses. And in a case against a large compan like Ford or Bridgestone/Firestone, sometimes just finding the right folks to talk to or the right documents to read is half the battle.
By Andrew Cohen ©2000, CBS Worldwide Inc., All Rights Reserved


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McDonald's has lost a $17,500 lawsuit from a former franchise manager in Brazil, who says he put on 65 pounds during his 12 years of working for the chain. The former employee blames the company's policy of mandatory food sampling and free employee lunches for his weight gain.
The infamous McDonald's coffee lawsuit has a sequel. A mother has sued the fast-food giant because too-hot chocolate burned her daughter. But the coffee suit was much stronger than was reported and may bolster the new case.


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FINCH has announced the promotion of Nick Simkins to executive producer.
Simkins has been a full-time producer at FINCH for two years, and freelanced at the company before that. He has had a long history in the industry, having worked as an executive producer and a producer at production companies around the world.
During his time at FINCH, some of the commercials that Simkins has been involved in include ALDI Special Buys, directed by Christopher Riggert, and Uber Eats ‘Grey Wiggle’, directed by Alex Roberts.
Says Simkins: “What I’ve found really rewarding about working at FINCH has been working with such a wide variety of high caliber directors and working across different styles and genres.
“FINCH is somewhere that’s so innovative, and always trying to push themselves, while remaining a humble place, which is what I love about it.”
In his role as executive producer, Simkins will round out the Australian team alongside Loren Bradley, Corey Esse and Rob Galluzzo, and work across commercials as well as branded content.
Nick Simkins can be contacted at email@example.com


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Johnson & Johnson beats revenue, profit projections for 2Q
Fueled by a 20 percent sales jump in its prescription drugs business, Johnson & Johnson posted a 3 percent increase in second-quarter profit.
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Still, the world's biggest maker of health care products trimmed its forecast for 2018.
J&J's prescription medicine business, which had lagged its medical device business until a couple years ago, accounted for half its $20.83 billion in total revenue.
That business has prospered from wider use of its cancer and immune disorder medicines and its $30 billion acquisition of Swiss drugmaker Actelion last year. That deal brought J&J Opsumit and other drugs for high blood pressure in the lungs, a business that could hit $2.5 billion in sales this year.
The New Brunswick, New Jersey, company on Tuesday reported net income of $3.95 billion, or $1.45 per share, up from $3.83 billion, or $1.40 per share, a year ago.
Adjusted for one-time gains and costs, earnings came to $2.10 per share, or 4 cents better than Wall Street had expected, according to a survey by Zacks Investment Research.
The $20.83 billion in revenue, up from $18.84 billion in the year-ago quarter, also topped analyst expectations for $20.21 billion.
The results come on the heels of a $4.69 billion jury verdict against J&J last Thursday in a 22-plaintiff lawsuit alleging its iconic Johnson's baby powder contained asbestos and caused their ovarian cancer. J&J plans to appeal that verdict and is fighting about 9,100 lawsuits alleging that talc in its baby powder and Shower to Shower caused ovarian cancer or mesothelioma, despite significant evidence that talc, an inert element, is safe.
Prescription drug revenue totaled $10.35 billion, while medical devices and diagnostics products brought in $6.97 billion, up 3.7 percent. That segment is now entering the third year of a restructuring program that's included several divestitures.
Sales of the immune disorder drug Stelara, used to treat psoriasis and Crohn's disease, jumped 36 percent, to $1.34 billion. That made it J&J's top earner, toppling longtime best seller Remicade, for rheumatoid arthritis and five other immune disorders. Remicade's revenue dropped nearly 14 percent, to $1.32 billion, as cheaper "biosimilar" near-copies of the expensive injected biologic drug increasingly erode its sales.
Meanwhile, three of J&J's cancer drugs — Darzalex and Velcade for multiple myeloma, and Zytiga for prostate cancer — saw sales skyrocket, each rising between 37 percent and 71 percent. Fueled by approvals for additional uses or patient groups, J&J's oncology medicines are now on pace to bring in nearly $10 billion this year.
However, J&J's diabetes drug Invokana posted a 27 percent revenue plunge, to $216 million, amid pressure from insurers for lower prices in that fiercely competitive category.
Consumer health products such as Band-Aids and Neutrogena skin care products saw sales edge up 0.7 percent, to $3.5 billion. Sales rose 6 percent to $1.07 billion for nonprescription drugs such as Tylenol pain reliever and Benadryl allergy pills, but sales of baby care items such as No More Tears shampoo dropped nearly 8 percent to $494 million. J&J is launching a new promotional campaign for that business.
Johnson & Johnson said it now expects full-year earnings between $8.07 and $8.17 per share, down a bit from its April forecast for $8 to $8.20 per share. It now anticipates revenue between $80.5 billion and $81.3 billion, down from its prior forecast of $81 billion to $81.8 billion.
Analysts are expecting $81.2 billion in sales and earnings per share of $8.10, on average.
In premarket trading, shares rose slightly.
Elements of this story were generated by Automated Insights using data from Zacks Investment Research.
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