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Picture this: Facebook – mere weeks away from what should be a stratospheric public offering – buys Instagram for a cool $1 billion. Suddenly the app you use on your iPhone (and just recently Android phones) to dress up your smartphone photos and send them out on your favorite social networks..is owned by the Big Dog of social networks. Now small/midsize companies can truly show and not just tell their stories on their Facebook pages, since Mark Zuckerberg’s company will figure out a way to make its Instagram connection very marketing-friendly for Timeline for Businesses, right?
Or: the same thing that happened to location-based services company Gowalla (remember them?) happens to Instagram, and the acquisition is merely a high-dollar way for Facebook to silence a potential competitor to its own photo-sharing services.
If Zuckerberg’s Facebook post about the acquisition is any indication, that latter option won’t be happening anytime soon. Yes, Instagram will remain separate. No, it won’t turn into a Facebook-exclusive service; you’ll still be able to share your photos accessorized as scratchy tintypes with other social networks. Yes, Instagram’s features will soon make their way onto Facebook’s pages.
“Providing the best photo sharing experience is one reason why so many people love Facebook and we knew it would be worth bringing these two companies together,” Zuckerberg writes. “It’s because of our dedicated and talented team that we’ve gotten this far, and with the support and cross-pollination of ideas and talent at a place like Facebook, we hope to create an even more exciting future for Instagram and Facebook alike,” adds Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom on his company’s blog.
Yet Monday’s news broke just one week after Experian Hitwise revealed in a new study that the scrapbooking phenomenon Pinterest is now the third most popular social network after Facebook and Twitter. That rapid rise testifies to the fact that more people want to view the Internet, not just read it. The Facebook/Instagram development underscores this and should make it clear to social media marketing professionals that we now have to leverage the visual trend via photos and videos for business clients. We can now help them take customers behind the scenes, show off archival photos from a businesses’ history, and ask for photo contributions on a wide variety of subjects – some having to do with what a business does, and some that just ask potential/current customers to share a part of their lives, thereby humanizing brands and businesses.
Both Pinterest and Instagram became popular because they are easy to use, and play into mobile media-sharing desires among friends and colleagues. That should continue as long as the combined Facebook/Instagram doesn’t screw things up, as illustrated in this post from TheNextWeb’s Drew Olanoff. Otherwise, businesses are now one step closer to visual storytelling goodness.


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WASHINGTON — Genetic experts cautioned that it could take decades to confirm the safety of an ex
WASHINGTON — A consumer advocacy group is calling on the Food and Drug Administration to ad
WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration is warning against eating Uncle Ben's rice product
WASHINGTON — Federal health experts are taking a second look this week at the heart safety of pa
WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration is using ads depicting wrinkled skin on youthful f
CHICAGO — Gay and bisexual teen boys use illicit steroids at a rate almost six times higher than
WASHINGTON — Federal health officials say the pain reliever in Aleve may be safer on the heart t
WASHINGTON — A panel of federal experts has recommended approval for an experimental blood thinn
PARIS — The U.S.
The Food and Drug Administration is warning that a stimulant used in treatments for the childhood
WASHINGTON — After more than 40 years of study, the U.S.
WASHINGTON — Citing a potential threat to public health, the Food and Drug Administration is tak
NEW YORK — Artificial trans fats were as American as apple pie when New York City's health-consc

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TOKYO — Sony Corp.’s stock rallied Friday amid the latest divestiture talk.
It ended the Tokyo trading day up 8.5 percent at ¥1,290 ($14.18) following reports in the Japanese media that the conglomerate is looking at offloading its lithium-ion battery business to a joint venture between Nissan and NEC, which then would be invested in by a government-private fund. In the U.S., Sony shares were up 6.5 percent at $14.40 as of 2:40 p.m. ET.
The Innovation Network Corporation of Japan reportedly is looking at putting funds into a combined lithium-ion venture to prevent the technology falling into the hands of Chinese or Taiwanese companies.
Under new CEO Kazuo Hirai, Sony sold its chemical division last year to the INCJ for $700 million as it attempts to concentrate on its electronics and entertainment businesses and realizes synergies between them.
Sony’s stock, which hit a three-decade low last year, has been rising again recently following news last week that it would sell its New York City headquarters for $1.1 billion.
The INCJ also created the All Nippon Entertainment Works venture in 2011 to push Japanese content in Hollywood.
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Bentley: towards full electrification
A record year has just ended for the luxury car industry, and electric seems to be the benchmark for 2023. Among the brands involved, Bentley has announced plans to hire 200 new staff in preparation for the move to full electric.
By Eva Morletto25 janvier 2023
The premium car industry has set records in 2022. The excellent results recorded by a large majority of the houses in the sector demonstrate this. Lamborghini delivered more than 9,200 cars last year, increasing its turnover by 10%, while the iconic Bugatti boosted its production, with more than 80 sports cars delivered in 2022. Jaguar, now part of Tata - the Indian giant that bought the British brands Jaguar and Land Rover from the American Ford for $2.3 billion - for thirteen years, has a plan for full electrification by 2025.
However, Jaguar is not the only car brand to focus on electric power, as Bentley Motors has just announced an exceptional recruitment campaign aimed at attracting 200 new employees, in anticipation of the switch to all-electric models. The move is designed to boost the luxury car company's Five-in-Five strategy, which commits it to producing and launching five new electric models before 2030. Bentley Motors exceeded 15,000 models delivered last year, with a 4% increase in sales over the previous year.
Applications have just opened for several departments. The positions are reportedly based at Bentley's headquarters in Crewe, England, and the jobs on offer are in a hybrid form, mixing on-site and remote work. The most sought-after profiles include electrical engineers, project managers and buyers. Bentley's commitment to being an employer of choice is a key factor in the company's Beyond100 strategy, which aims to attract a wide range of talent to the business. In this regard, the Top Employers Institute recently named Bentley as the only UK car company to have won the Top Employer title for twelve consecutive years, thanks to the brand's focus on the ethical aspects of the company and the well-being of its employees.
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Eyewitnesses alleged that some of Sandra Ikeji’s bridesmaids were wearing slippers
…Claims she hired Instagram vendors to be her 200 bridesmaids
Consequences have followed Sandra Ikeji’s trending wedding that held yesterday at the Landmark event centre, Lagos state and her pursuit of a world record of having a longest train of maids in the world.
Sandra is now being dragged on social media for renting strangers to make up the train with allegations that she made the application open for as many people who were interested in buy the 15k material.
Eyewitnesses at the wedding alleged that some of the ladies were looking all tattered and unkempt as they wore bathroom slippers to base the dress and worn out braids and wigs.


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VibeHCM is a Human Capital Management platform utilizing technology through embedded communication and engagement tools. Their team has been operating for over 20 years and have been the recipients of many prestigious awards and accolades. Relied on by over 1 million employees worldwide, the Vibe HCM platform delivers HR, Talent, Recruiting, Onboarding, Engagement, Analytics and Payroll.
Similar to ZayZoon, VibeHCM takes tremendous pride in their easy-to-use product and the flexibility they are able to offer through their patented software.
Recently, ZayZoon's Head of Growth, Shubh Sidhu and Marketing Manager, Susy Alfaro sat down with VibeHCM's Elaine Clement and Devin Harris to discuss the recent partnership, how it's helped employees and employers, and the benefits of companies like VibeHCM and ZayZoon during a global pandemic.
In this virtual discussion,
See the full virtual interview below:


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Want to scour the web for a word or phrase without having to bother with the keyboard? Starting soon, you’ll be able to just say your search query into your PC’s microphone, and Google will take care of the rest.
Also on tap: the ability to search on an image by dragging the image itself into the Google Images search box.
Voice search on Google is nothing new—indeed, it’s been a feature on the Google Mobile app for a few years now—but this marks the first time that users could search by voice on a desktop PC.
You’ll need to have the Chrome web browser installed and a microphone to test drive Google’s new desktop voice search, which should start going live in the next “several days,” according to Google.
To speak and search, you just click a little microphone icon in the Google search box, wait for the “Speak now” pop-up to appear, and then … well, just start talking.
In demonstrations at a Google press event Tuesday, search results began appearing pretty much instantly, with company engineers speaking queries ranging from “bolognese sauce” to “translate to spanish where I can buy a hamburger.”
So, when would you use Google’s new desktop voice search? Perhaps when you’re looking for a word that you can pronounce but not spell, Google execs suggested. Voice search could also be helpful for users who don’t have the use of their hands.
Another interesting Google announcement Tuesday was image search—and by that, I mean performing a web search by actually dragging and dropping an image from your desktop to the Google search box.
In a demo, a Google staffer dragged and dropped a snapshot of a person posing on an barren island. Within a second or two, Google returned its “best guess” for the image: the Greek island of Nea Kameni (check), complete with relevant web pages and “visually similar” images. Neat.
Privacy fanatics should note that images dragged into the Google search box are uploaded to Google’s servers; that said, search exec Amit Singhai promised that Google will follow the same privacy protocols with images as it does with standard text queries.
In any case, Google says its new “Search by Image” feature will go live over the “next few days”—and again, you’ll need to be using the Chrome web browser to make it work.
So, what do you think: do you see voice search on the desktop or “search by image” coming in handy? Or are you just as happy to let your fingers to the searching?


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How a simple text message scam is ruining the lives of thousands of Aussies – and what you can do to protect yourself from getting conned
- Scammers are targeting users of road toll e-tags such as Linkt by Transurban
- Text is sent claiming a toll wasn’t deducted and it must be paid to avoid a penalty
- But the link directs to lookalike fake website where bank details can be pinched
Motorists are being warned that thousands of Australians are falling victim to brazen scam that begins with a text message asking for an outstanding road toll to be paid.
The scam is targeting users of Linkt and other e-tags – small plastic devices that attach to windshields and automatically register tolls – which work Australia-wide.
The text claims a toll, usually only a few dollars, failed to be deducted and asks the recipient to pay via a website to avoid additional larger charges.
But the website is a fake which looks and has a web address almost identical to the genuine site and, once credit card details are entered, scammers then quickly drain bank accounts.
Catherine Arrowsmith (pictured) was fleeced for $8,000 after she paid a small $5 toll fine after getting a text
Young mum Catherine Arrowsmith said she double-checked the website and it looked legitimate but she was quickly fleeced for thousands.
‘About two weeks later they went and spent about $8,000 in Victoria and I live in NSW,’ she told A Current Affair.
She is angry her bank didn’t flagged the unusual transactions and put a hold on her card.
‘They didn’t put any stop on the cards. The transactions were for $2,500, another $900 at Coles, and another $900 at Woolies.’
‘I don’t think I’ve ever spent $900 at Coles,’ she said.
Pensioner Andrew Engel, 74, is in a similar situation, except he had $11,000 stolen in a series of smaller transactions of exactly a thousand dollars at the same Kmart store.
‘I go to bed at night it’s the last thing I think about, it’s the first thing I think about when I wake up because it’s such a large amount of money,’ he said.
His bank also didn’t put any stop on the card despite the transactions being very out of the ordinary for the decades-long customer.
Linkt e-tag (left) customers are being targeted by the scam text (right)
While Ms Arrowsmith got about three-quarters of her money back through dispute resolution with her bank, Mr Engels attempt was knocked back and he remains out of pocket.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said tens of thousands of Aussies were being hit by the scam.
NSW government owned E-toll and Linkt owner Transurban, which builds and owns toll roads nationally, said they will never send text messages asking for payments so users should ignore such texts.


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Today, Christa Cotton, CEO of El Guapo Bitters, announced that the company has secured $1.1 million in seed funding, which will allow the company to increase production and raise visibility for its portfolio of cocktail products. Participants in this funding round include NOLAAN, Alluvian Capital & the New Orleans Startup Fund, representing a group of investors from Greater New Orleans, the southern U.S., California and New York City. This milestone comes on the heels of recent news that the company is building America’s first bitters brewery on Gravier Street in New Orleans. The company has doubled its workforce since early 2020 and will be making 12 additional hires in 2022.
“New Orleans is synonymous with great food and drink, so El Guapo is a naturally evocative brand,” said Michael Hecht, President and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. “This funding will allow their products to find their way onto more retail shelves and into more bars. The company’s new facility will showcase the company’s innovative bitters brewing technique and help get their premier line into the glasses of drink enthusiasts around the world.”
Unlike most domestic distilleries that produce bitters with grain neutral spirit bases and facilities that blend and bottle extracts sold as “bitters”, El Guapo developed a unique brewing process for 100% alcohol free bitters, building the process to scale with brewing technology. Capitalizing on the city’s cocktail culture and committed to providing quality jobs, the company will open its new brewing facility, which will house all of its manufacturing operations, in 2022. In addition to bitters, the company has expanded into syrups and mixers, with additional product extensions and brand partnerships on the horizon.
El Guapo is fully owned and operated by its CEO, Christa Cotton, who has recently been selected as a 2021 James Beard Women’s Entrepreneuial Leadership Fellow, a program that selects 20 female food, beverage and hospitality business owners from across the country every year for advanced education, training and networking opportunities. The ten-week program, created in conjunction with Cornell University, includes sessions on negotiating, design thinking, business and financial models, funding your businesses, and more.
“The growth and sheer determination to succeed demonstrated by our team in the face of adversity that started in March 2020 has made this next phase of business possible, and now this group of investors has demonstrated their support of continued success,” said Christa Cotton, CEO of El Guapo Bitters. “I am keenly aware of the abysmal statistics regarding woman-owned businesses and business funding, and I am proud to have achieved this significant milestone so early in my career. It has long been my vision to build a facility that can manufacture at scale and El Guapo is well positioned as an emerging national brand, with our sights focused on liquor distribution in all 50 states. I’m excited to grow our brand and bring our team’s vision to reality in the city I love.”
El Guapo is a WBENC certified Woman Owned Business, and a 4x Good Food Award recipient (currently a finalist for two additional 2022 awards), the most of any brand headquartered in the State of Louisiana. The brand is popular with various upscale bars, restaurants and retail establishments. Current clients include Total Wine, Whole Foods, World Market, Rouse’s Supermarkets and a litany of notable chefs. Products are currently sold in 49 states and 3 countries and are distributed in Louisiana by Uncorked, also based in New Orleans.
“New Orleans small businesses continue to show the world, with their ability to scale and grow, that they can compete nationally,” says Norman E. Barnum, IV, Interim President and CEO, New Orleans Business Alliance. “NOLABA congratulates El Guapo on their expansion and will continue to support their growth. We are especially proud of Christa who continues a strong tradition of women-run food businesses in New Orleans. Our small businesses in the food and beverage sector are being seen by investors, nationally and internationally, proving to the world that New Orleans is not only the place where you go for world-class cuisine, but as a viable destination for food and beverage production in the United States.”
El Guapo has partnered with regional farmers to keep money in the local economy, producing products made with Louisiana strawberries, satsumas, pecans, chicory, and more. In 2021, the company’s Creole Orgeat, a syrup made with pecans grown by Christa’s uncle, won a Garden & Gun’s “Made In The South” award. The brand built this supply chain from the ground up, allowing it to use high quality ingredients to develop products that are sought after for superior taste and quality.
“The NO/LA Angel Network is honored to be lead investor of El Guapo’ current financing round,” said Mike Eckert, Chairman of the NO/LA Angel Network. “We see great things coming from Christa Cotton and her team. This is an example of the New Orleans early-stage ecosystem finding alignment in that El Guapo – a New Orleans-based company – and NO/LAAN – a New Orleans-based investment group – came together to make this deal happen. Great for New Orleans. This is out of market capital coming into New Orleans to enhance economic development here.”
A 2021 graduate of The Idea Village VillageX accelerator program, Cotton is focused on expanding the brand’s distribution utilizing the country’s 3-tier liquor distribution network. With contracts already underway in Georgia and Illinois, El Guapo is poised for rapid expansion in 2022.
Christa is a Tory Burch Foundation Fellow, member of the Fedex Entrepreneur Advisory Board and the recipient of the 2020/21 Les Dames d’Escoffier Legacy Award for Fine Spirits. She got her start in the spirits industry by helping her father start Georgia’s first legal distillery since Prohibition, 13th Colony, while in college at Auburn University.


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On 4th May people were seeing gathering outside wine shops even before the stores opened, some, as early as 7.:30 AM. Ever since the lockdown started on 24th March, people have been struggling to get alcohol, some were even caught tring to sell during the lockdown.
Social distancing ? What’s that ?
Shocked to see today’s scenes at #LiquorShops in Andhra Pradesh. Common sense says that people will throng in large numbers, but there is no contingency plan from @ysjagan nor is there a care for social distance. This comes amidst the steep rise in #Covid19 cases in AP pic.twitter.com/gaPigym896— N Chandrababu Naidu #StayHomeSaveLives (@ncbn) May 4, 2020
These visuals are from all over country, no social distancing, no precautionary measure, as well as no mask were spotted in some cases. In the national capital, cops had to shut down some liquor stores and even enforced laathicharge to disperse the crowd.
However, tweeteratis reacted to this in the most humours way possible…
The air in Bengaluru is so clear that I can even see the end of this liquor shop queue. #LiquorShops— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) May 4, 2020
These #LiquorShops queues show that after 6 weeks of prohibition, everybody has fallen in line.— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) May 4, 2020
You all made fun of Ravi Shastri. Now, Ravi Shastri is one who is going to take the Indian Economy out of shambles.#LiquorShops— Cryptic Mind (@vishj05) May 4, 2020


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Wholesale Inventories Decline in June
Washington, DC, Aug. 9, 2013 -- Wholesale inventories unexpectedly fell in June for the third month as demand grew, according to the Commerce Department.
The 0.2% decrease followed a 0.6% drop in May that was larger than previously reported.
Wholesalers had enough goods on hand to last 1.17 months at the current sales pace, the least since April 2012.
Stockpiles of hardware fell by the most since September 2009.


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The Next Xbox may be just around the corner, but Microsoft Studios boss Phil Spencer has predicted that the Xbox 360 has over 24 months of live left in it.
"Right now the Xbox 360 is really healthy and it’s doing incredibly well,” he told GameSpot. I think the 360 has a lot more than two years [left]. It has legs for a long time.
"The nice thing about the Xbox 360 right now is – if you look – we’re the number one console globally. We’re able to bring in new content and still support the best of the core games.
"It’s a platform that has really reached scale; this is the time when you really see the great content showing up. The future in a lot of ways is always tomorrow: [things like] the SmartGlass technology and Windows 8 [show that] things are going to constantly evolve.
There are two ways one could interpret the statement.
The first is that it will be another two years until the Xbox 360’s successor is released. The second, and far more likely, is that Microsoft plans to support its legacy platform after it launches the Next Xbox.
Still, with Xbox 720 expected to hit in Q4 2013, that means Microsoft is only committing to a year’s worth of Xbox 360 support post launch. That’s an improvement over the original Xbox, which was famously and unceremoniously dumped by MS the moment the 360 arrived.
Sony, meanwhile, has proved an expert at evolving the long tail of its products, with the PS2 still selling strongly in some countries five years after the arrival of PS3.
Indeed, publishers such as EA still release games on the platform.


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New Ballard business aims to satisfy people's late-night munchies
Two young entrepreneurs in Ballard have launched a business based on their own need to keep the party going without anyone having to make a beer run when snacks or refreshments run out.
iHaveMuchies.com is a late night door-to-door delivery service which delivers snacks, beer, wine, tobacco and various sundries ranging anywhere from TP to plastic cutlery between 8 p.m. and 3 a.m.
"It really was a function of my own need," said co-founder, Noel Davenport. "I looked online thinking there has got to be somebody that delivers that type of food but found nothing so I decided there need to be something."
Davenport said the concept was simple and the hard part was making the business a reality.
"[Our business] is a new platform. It's a grocery store without a store front and we still had to apply for the same kind of alcohol and tobacco licenses," said business partner and attorney, Mark Arthur.
Located on Leary Way between Fremont and Ballard, ihavemunchies.com serves the Ballard and Fremont communities, delivering everything from beer to toilet paper.
"We really want to keep partiers off the road," Davenport said. "And we try to be pretty price sensitive. It's so expensive to go out nowadays and our service allows people to stay in."
With little to no mark-up, a six-pack of PBR from ihavemunchies.com will cost you $5.99, which is similar to most stores.
Davenport added that the delivery fees get smaller the bigger the order is. Delivery fees for orders $60 and up is $2.99 and while smaller order have a $7 delivery fee.
They launched their business only four weeks ago, but already they're looking into possibly expanding their delivery radius to include Greenlake, Queen Anne and other nearby neighborhoods.
Davenport said cheap beer is by far their most popular item but they're also seeing other needs such as mothers needing diapers.
Arthur said they want to hear feedback from the community on what they need and want to cater to the community's need.
Davenport and Arthur both have day jobs and see this business as a "labor of love", Arthur said.
In an effort to keep the overhead costs low, Arthur and Davenport have been working a lot of shifts themselves, shlepping orders in the late night hours.
"It's a cool service and it's something I would use," Arthur said.
As the company grows, Arthur and Davenport hope to employ bike messengers and invest in community involvement.
Both guys share a love for dogs and said they'd like to promote the animal shelters by conducting an adoption events and participates in the furry 5k.
They're also like to sponsor a climbing team and will have regular trivia team.
"This business was born in Ballard and we hope to be a Seattle staple for many years to come," Arthur said.


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Posted 4:33 PM 11/17/2012 : Walmart Customer Helps Police Catch Thieves
CORPUS CHRISTI -- Police say thanks to the help of a Walmart customer they quickly caught up with two thieves.
Officers say the couple stole a toothbrush and electric drill from the store on Staples and Carmel Parkway.
Officials tell us the customer called police right away when he saw
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Google Authenticator has not made any major changes to the Android version for years. The previous big update was in 2017. The new update includes interface design changes and other features.
Google Authenticator is a security utility app that allows you to do two-factor authentication without the help of SMS.
The latest update makes it easy to transfer authenticated accounts on one phone to other phones. There is an import/export tool for that. With this we can create a QR by selecting the accounts we want to transfer to another phone.
Accounts will be transferred to the new phone by scanning the QR using the Authenticator app on which phone the account is to be brought. Previously, transferring accounts to another phone was a difficult task. Authy, the competitor of the Authenticator app, has come up with this feature before.


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With more and more brands exploring a presence in the metaverse (however you define it), new opportunities for creators and influencers are arising.
One main area of opportunity is characterised by the virtual influencer – a digital persona who acts just as any other influencer would, but who is entirely computer-generated. The concept has been around for a while, but a combination of the metaverse and the burgeoning creator economy has led to an expansion of the market, with brands increasingly partnering with creators who want to promote a virtual persona rather than their real selves. According to reports, there are more than 200 virtual influencers in existence, with this number only set to grow in future.
But with ‘authenticity’ being the key to influencer success – or so we have previously been told – will consumers buy into virtual influencers in the same way as humans? I recently spoke with Eric Dahan, CEO of global influencer marketing company, Open Influence, to discuss the benefits, challenges, and potential opportunities for brands in this space.
Designing influencers from the ground up gives brands greater control
The battle for creative control has been an issue within brand-influencer partnerships for a number of years – a 2019 Takumi study found that 45% of marketers feel they should have complete control over the written captions and visual elements of an influencer’s post, in order to ensure that the influencer does not veer away from the agreed tone or content of a campaign. Dahan says that virtual influencers can take away this debate.
“For brands, it gives them the ability to have more control in one or two ways. Either they are partnering with a virtual influencer, and they can take a little bit more control than with a human influencer. Or – and I think this is what’s really exciting – brands can create their own virtual influencers and really design them from the ground up.”
Dahan suggests that, in this context, a virtual influencer can become a brand mascot or spokesperson of sorts. “Ideally that’s your CEO or founder, but most companies don’t have that, or they have been around for so long that their CEO is more of an operator than the face of the business,” he says. “And so, there’s really an opportunity there for brands to create their own mascots.”
Can virtual influencers be authentic?
The question is, will virtual influencers lack authenticity if they are entirely manufactured? Or rather, if consumers are willing to buy in, is authenticity less important than marketers tend to think?
Dahan suggests that real authenticity doesn’t necessarily come from the ‘face’ of the influencer, but the voice. “I’m sure there are meme accounts that you follow [on social media] – there are a bunch that I certainly follow, where I’ve never seen the actual creator who is putting out the content and writing the captions. But I don’t need to, right?” he proposes. “There’s an authenticity, a voice, and the messaging and the values are reflected by what’s being shared. So, there’s that level of authenticity to it even though there’s not a face attached to it.”
There are additional challenges here of course, which Dahan says it is vital for brands to consider before they jump into virtual influencers. “It can’t just be something that feels corporate and empty – it needs to feel like there is a true reflection or values and personality,” he states. “Ultimately, there’s going to be a team behind it who is running it, aiming to focus the values of the organisation and personifying it into a single individual to make it more relatable.”
Are virtual influencers ethical?
Ethical considerations are important, too, particularly when it comes to the audience that a virtual influencer might be targeting. Fashion retailer PacSun was recently criticised after it named Lil Miquela – an AI influencer first created in 2016 – as its latest ambassador and the face of its 2022 holiday campaigns. Despite Lil Miquela aligning with PacSun’s positive brand values, such as her stance on social activism, some have suggested the CGI influencer also promotes a largely unattainable image that is potentially harmful to a young female audience. Not to mention that the clothes Lil Miquela ‘wears’ are perhaps unlikely to look the same in real life.
Dahan concedes that social media can perpetuate harmful standards, but that it’s also the case irrespective of whether the influencer is virtual or human.
“With influencers in general, if they alienate their audience, they aren’t going to maintain that audience – they will start losing followers,” he says. “Of course, there’s the question of what sort of things are you influencing, but that’s not specific to the virtual side.”
Perhaps more concerning, suggests Dahan, is if brands begin to rely on AI. You’ve only got to look at BlenderBot – the prototype of Meta’s conversational AI, which recently generated media coverage for its propensity for making offensive and untrue statements.
“Ethically, there are more questions [with AI]. There’s the same danger of nefarious things happening with virtual influencers, and you don’t have the same accountability that you do with an individual, so there is a heightened risk for misinformation and swaying opinion,” he acknowledges.
In terms of the additional challenges that come with virtual influencers (compared to human influencers), Dahan suggests that brands need to be aware of the ongoing commitment and workload. “As people we all have experiences and life stories and we’re used to expressing every little thing we do, but we’re not conscious of it,” he explains. “With a virtual influencer, somebody has to consciously write that down. It’s like a movie script – ten people sat in a room for hours and deliberately decided to include that piece of dialogue… it is much more finite and isolated, but with a virtual influencer it is continuous, and it is a lot of content.”
The impact of the metaverse (and the ‘avatarisation’ of real people)
Despite lingering concerns over AI technology, Dahan says that the potential will eventually outweigh the risks. “We are seeing it with chatbots getting smarter and smarter every year, so who is to say a few years from now virtual influencers can’t be managed in the metaverse by AI, [with this technology] controlling most of the interactions and creating personalised experiences for users?” he asks.
Dahan suggests that another factor that is likely to propel the popularity of virtual influencers is the impact of the metaverse and Web3 culture, and the ‘avatarisation’ of real people.
“If you look at the crypto world, people are buying NFTs and making them their profile picture, right? And with the metaverse, you need an avatar – you can’t just go in live action,” he says. “I think that will make it easier for virtual influencers to exist, because how do you know whether or not that avatar is a real flesh and blood person or a team of people carefully crafting their messaging?”
“The other thing that’s interesting is that you can have the same virtual influencer in more than one virtual location, and you can customise experiences. All this feels very ‘pie in the sky’ but the advances in AI are moving really quickly.”
New methods of monetisation for creators
Finally, Dahan touches on the industry shifts that could result in the emergence of more digital creators (and virtual influencers) than ever before. Most notably, he says, is Apple’s privacy updates and the impact it has had on ROAS and ad performance.
“This has created a push towards social commerce,” he says. “But there has also been a bigger shift in the past couple of years in how platforms look at creators. Where Facebook used to look at influencers as a nuisance – taking money away from its ad platform – now they realise ‘ok well, we actually need to reward the creators, so they stay on and create and keep the audience.’”
“So, whether it be video or affiliate revenue through social commerce, the bigger shift that is happening for creators is platforms finding new ways to monetise aside from just selling impressions and clicks.”


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As consumers return to in-store shopping habits, according to a recent Mastercard* survey, 56% of shoppers continued to prioritize shopping online this holiday season, citing lineups (72%), looking for parking (65%) and out of stock items (47 percent) as the main reasons.
Survey data also showed that when selecting gifts this holiday season, nearly half of respondents said they were more likely to give gift cards this year (48%) and two-thirds said they focus on charitable and cause-related giving (69%).
Additional information from the Mastercard survey includes:
- Two-thirds (63%) of shoppers said they were more likely to buy loved ones a gift card/prepaid card rather than a physical or experiential gift this year, and 41% said gift cards gifts were the first item on their own wish list. ;
- Gift cards are the most popular gift for parents/grandparents (21%), siblings, other family members and best friends (all at 23%), colleagues (16%) and customers (12%);
- Twenty percent of shoppers would like a gift that gives back to a good cause more this year than in the past. Millennials are more likely to prioritize giving, with 27% saying gifts that go to a good cause are higher on their wish list, a significantly higher share than millennials. X (15%) and baby boomers (18%). and
- The top charitable causes that shoppers are most interested in supporting are wildlife conservation (37%) and environmental protection, including parks and nature centers, health, including support for and family, food banks and social services (all 30%).
“Gift cards are a clear winner this season. People’s propensity to engage digitally and support causes they are passionate about is changed for good,” noted Cheryl Guerin, Executive Vice President, North America Marketing and Communications, Mastercard. “Online shopping not only provides consumers with convenience, but also an immediate way to make sense this season.”
*The survey was conducted with 4,000 respondents representative of the populations of the United States and Canada. All respondents were 18 or older, used a credit card, and were likely to shop during the 2021 holiday season. The research was conducted between November 23 and December 1, 2021.
Photo courtesy QSR


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Indian smartphone shipments were down 5% in the second quarter of 2022 (Q2 2022) compared to the first quarter of the year (Q1 2022), according to research firm Canalys. A total of 36.4 million smartphones were shipped to India in the second quarter of this year. This is the third consecutive quarter of declining shipments in India for the smartphone market. Among the recorded data, Xiaomi maintained its first position by shipping 7 million units, while Samsung and Realme took second and third place with 6.7 and 6.1 million shipments respectively.
According to Canalys research report, smartphone shipments in India in the second quarter of this year decreased by 5% compared to the first quarter of this year. The smartphone market recorded around 36.4 million smartphones in the second quarter of 2022. However, the report also mentions that the comparison of Indian smartphone shipments year-on-year looks very positive and increased by 12%. The reason for this may be low shipments in the second quarter of 2021 due to the second wave of COVID, according to the report.
Xiaomi, including the Poco sub-brand, maintained its leading position with 7 million smartphone units shipped, accounting for 19% market share. It was followed by Samsung with almost 6.7 million units shipped with 18% market share. Realme managed to stay in third place with 6.1 million smartphone shipments with a 17% market share.
Meanwhile, Vivo and Oppo took the fourth and fifth positions with 6 and 5.5 million units shipped respectively. Vivo captured 16% market share, while Oppo retained 15% share in the second quarter of 2022, according to the report.
Other smartphone makers sold 5.1 million units, taking the remaining 14% market share.
Oppo and Vivo have remained relevant in the Indian market with the launch of their new K10 model and T1 series. Meanwhile, Apple, which is now using India’s PLI program to manufacture the iPhone 13 locally, can withstand future aggressive pricing.
The report also states that the main reason for the drop in demand during this quarter was the high levels of inflation which changed consumer habits and demand for smartphones. Chinese brands like Xiaomi, Vivo and Oppo were also coming under scrutiny amid tax evasion and money laundering investigations in India.


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As we bid farewell to the year 2023, it’s time to reflect on the highs and lows that shaped the gaming industry and set the stage for what’s to come in 2024.
The past year has been a testament to the diversity and quality of games flooding the market. From gripping narratives to heart-pounding action, 2023 showcased a plethora of genres. Highlights included memorable releases such as [mention some standout games]. Gamers worldwide found themselves immersed in these titles, each leaving a unique mark on the industry.
In 2023, the gaming community witnessed a surge in video game adaptations, bridging the gap between virtual and cinematic worlds. Notable releases like “The Last of Us,” “Super Mario Bros Movie,” “Gran Turismo,” and the “Twisted Metal” TV series demonstrated the industry’s evolving synergy with other entertainment mediums.
Unfinished Games and Industry Setbacks
However, not all releases were met with acclaim. The year also saw its share of disappointments, with several unfinished games garnering attention for all the wrong reasons. Titles like “Gollum” and “The Day Before” faced criticism for being incomplete or, in some cases, virtually unplayable. The fallout from these missteps underlines the challenges developers face in delivering polished products.
Gaming Events: Connecting Communities
In the spirit of community, gaming events like PAX Australia marked significant milestones in 2023, bringing enthusiasts together for a celebration of their shared passion. These events not only showcased upcoming releases but also provided a platform for key moments that added immense value to the gaming community.
Industry Challenges and Closures
Despite the highs, economic strains took a toll on the gaming industry, leading to the closure of several developers, especially smaller teams. In Australia, beloved studios like Samurai Punk shuttered their doors, emphasizing the fragility of grassroots indie teams. The closure of E3 further underscores the challenges the industry faces as it navigates an ever-evolving landscape.
The industry’s resilience will be tested in the face of economic challenges, coupled with the ongoing shift towards digital-only platforms. In these uncertain times, the hope is for more innovative and high-quality games to emerge, sustaining both major players and smaller teams dedicated to pushing creative boundaries.
As we venture into 2024, the gaming industry stands at a crossroads, ready to face new challenges and embrace opportunities that will shape the digital entertainment landscape for years to come.
SpaceX funded flying car company boasts huge pre-orders
Alef Aeronautics, a pioneering flying car company backed by SpaceX, has announced a significant milestone in its journey towards revolutionizing personal transportation.
The California-based firm revealed that preorders for its futuristic electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle have surpassed 2,850, signaling robust demand for its innovative technology.
The Alef Model A, a two-seater flying car, has garnered widespread attention, with eager customers securing preorders by placing a $150 deposit online.
Alef aims to offer customers flexibility by allowing them to withdraw their deposits at any time, ensuring they’re not committed to the purchase.
With a planned price tag of $300,000 per vehicle, the cumulative order value from the preorders has exceeded $850 million, underscoring the significant market interest in Alef’s groundbreaking offering.
Jim Dukhovny, CEO of Alef Aeronautics, expressed pride in achieving this milestone, highlighting the Model A’s position as the bestselling aircraft in history, surpassing established aviation giants like Boeing and Airbus.
Despite the substantial investment required from prospective buyers, Dukhovny emphasized the necessity of the higher price point for Alef’s startup operations.
Alef is committed to delivering cutting-edge technology and ensuring the utmost safety and performance standards, factors that contribute to the pricing strategy.
The Alef Model A, showcased as a half-size model at the Mobile World Congress, distinguishes itself from competitors with its innovative design.
Unlike traditional eVTOLs, which often resemble drones or helicopters, the Model A bears a closer resemblance to a conventional car, with a mesh shell housing rotors that facilitate vertical takeoff and landing.
Apple unveils M3 powered MacBook Air
The unveiling includes updated models in both 13-inch and 15-inch variants, showcasing Apple’s continued innovation in the laptop market.
The M3 chip, initially introduced in October alongside versions for the iMac desktop and MacBook Pro laptops, aims to enhance performance and user experience across Apple’s product lineup.
The introduction of these new MacBook Air laptops comes as Apple reported $7.78 billion in Mac revenue during its fiscal first-quarter earnings, reflecting a modest growth of less than 1%. With the latest computers boasting advanced features and capabilities, Apple anticipates a potential boost in sales.
Key enhancements in the new MacBook Air lineup include sharper 1080p webcams, support for faster Wi-Fi networks, and an impressive battery life of up to 18 hours.
Design is consistent
Despite these improvements, the design of the laptops remains consistent with earlier models.
Notably, the M3 chip enables users to connect up to two external displays, a notable improvement from previous chip iterations which supported only a single screen.
Apple’s marketing strategy around artificial intelligence (AI) takes center stage with the new MacBook Air release.
The company brands the MacBook Air as the “world’s best consumer laptop for AI,” signaling a heightened focus on AI capabilities. This shift in language suggests Apple’s intent to compete with emerging Windows laptops marketed as “AI PCs.”
Headache for Musk and Tesla as Chinese EV slashes prices
China’s leading electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD has unveiled a new version of its best-selling car at a price lower than its predecessor.
It signals a fierce price battle in the world’s largest automobile market.
In a bid to maintain its competitive edge, BYD has slashed prices for several models, following similar moves by rivals.
The price change represents a significant 12% reduction compared to the final sales price of its predecessor.
Analysts suggest that BYD’s aggressive pricing strategy aims not only to capture a larger share of the domestic market but also to enhance profitability through increased exports.
As competition intensifies and consumer preferences evolve, manufacturers like BYD are strategically adjusting their pricing strategies to remain competitive and sustain growth both at home and abroad.
FAA uncovers Boeing quality control issues
Can U.S. Moon lander Odysseus recover from it’s dormancy?
Trump wins disqualification case at U.S. supreme court
Crypto.com accidentally transfers $10.5m to woman instead of $100
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Motorola issued a press release this morning announcing that preliminary results indicate that activist investor Carl Icahn probably did not make the company's board of directors. Motorola said a final result will be announced "within a few weeks."
"On behalf of Motorola's Board of Directors and management, we thank all of our stockholders for their continued support and confidence," said Ed Zander, Chairman and CEO of Motorola. "During the past few months, we have met with and listened to a large number of our stockholders, including Mr. Icahn, and we value their insights and perspective regarding Motorola."
For more on Icahn's bid for a seat on the Motorola board:
- read this press release


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“Today, Ryan and I discussed his desire to return to focusing on growth in the core freight business,” Clark, former CEO of Amazon Worldwide, wrote in a memo shared on Twitter. “In light of that, I feel that he is best suited to lead the company in that direction.”
A report by Bloomberg News says the resignation came as a surprise in tech circles, as Clark had just a day earlier announced plans to speak at a company event next week.
That report cites a source familiar with the matter who says that Clark — who had apparently been tagged with the nickname “The Sniper” while at Amazon — had a tough time adjusting to life at the more hands-on Flexport after years with the much larger company.
A separate report by the Wall Street Journal suggested Clark’s resignation may be tied to the fact that he’s considering a run for governor of his home state of Texas in 2026.
“The supply chain has entered everyday national discourse for all the wrong reasons,” Clark wrote on LinkedIn. “Put simply, the United States supply chain suffers from a significant fragmentation of technology and process.”
Flexport, he argued, has worked to address the issue by “tackling the most complicated piece of the supply chain: the global cross-border movement of goods.”
Under his leadership, Flexport in June acquired Shopify Logistics, adding eCommerce fulfillment, B2B distribution and last-mile delivery to its services portfolio.
Clark said at the time that the purchase would streamline global supply chain operations, “democratizing and leveling the playing field of cost and speed of delivery for all businesses.” It will also offer “3-million-square-feet of warehouse space to support merchants during the upcoming holiday season.”
His resignation came one day after another leadership change in the logistics world. As PYMNTS reported, eCommerce logistics solutions provider Radial has named its chief operating officer (COO) Laura Ritchey as the CEO of Radial North America.


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Filing that service tax or excise duty for small and medium businesses on time are about to become easier, considering the developments at the Central Board of Excise and Customs. The announcement of a new ‘E-payment service’ and ‘Automated Central Excise and Services’ was made today at the FAPCCI Bhavan, where the National Academy of Customs Excise and Narcotics and the Regional Training Institute jointly organised a two-day workshop on the topic. Inaugurating a novel approach to dealing with Central Excise, service tax and allied transactions, the new mode of payment would make dealing with service tax as convenient as shopping online.
Speaking to the Additional Director General of the National Academy of Customs Excise and Narcotics, Bhupendra Pal Singh, one is told that the new system would “ensure greater accountability and transparency in the current system of transactions.” He noted that the E-payment service would require an online bank account registered with any of the 28 nationalised banks in the network, following which the assesses would be able to generate electronic challans, check the correctness of the transactions conducted, receive an electronic acknowledgment of their transactions, among other services, practically from anywhere in the country.
“The current system also rids the transaction process of third party interventions, resulting in greater clarity in the processes involved,” Singh noted.
The Automation of Central Excise and Service Tax (ACES), a web application software would eventually replace the current mode of filing returns, approving permissions and rebates through an electronic interface. Singh informed that “the service would soon be connected with all the customs and excise offices in the country, thus saving the taxpayers’ time and cost in complying with trade provisions.” The Superintendent of Central Excise Customs and Service Tax, Arun Deshpande added, saying: “The electronic mode will especially benefit the trade industry with its convenience and optimum use of resources.”


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El Cajon is toughening the rules for stores that sell tobacco accessories in an attempt to regulate devices that can be used to ingest drugs.
State and federal law already criminalize the sale of drug paraphernalia, but city officials and anti-drug advocates say merchants try to circumvent the law by marketing certain kinds of pipes and other devices as tobacco paraphernalia.
“The intent is to discourage the sale of drug paraphernalia, no matter what they call it,” said El Cajon Councilman Gary Kendrick.
The City Council unanimously approved an ordinance this week that regulates such items. Final approval is expected at the Feb. 26 council meeting, and the law would take effect 30 days later.
The ordinance does not ban the general sale of tobacco paraphernalia, which can include pipes and water pipes made of metal or glass. However, it limits how such items are displayed.
For example, the law bans the sale of tobacco paraphernalia at outdoor markets or festivals. It also requires that store displays not be visible to passers-by. Also, paraphernalia cannot be displayed within 20 feet of other merchandise linked to illicit drug use, such as clothing or magazines that bear pictures or messages associated with marijuana or other controlled substances.
The law does not apply to tobacco pipes made of materials “commonly used in the manufacture of tobacco pipes,” such as briarwood or corncob, or “cigarette holders manufactured to hold a single, commercially created and machine rolled, cigarette.”
Communities Against Substance Abuse, an El Cajon-based advocacy group, worked closely with the city to craft the law and is working to toughen the state law.
Evelyn Hogan, a public-policy advocate for the organization, said the ordinance is a good first step, but it “is not necessarily going to solve the drug-paraphernalia problem.” She said her group appreciates that the ordinance will limit the way the items are displayed and sold.
The group has worked closely with city officials to enforce other tobacco laws enacted in recent years. The organization monitors merchants' compliance with the city's tobacco-retailer-licensing law, and Hogan said it will check to see that retailers follow the new rules.
El Cajon has about 120 licensed tobacco retailers, including smoke shops, but not all of those stores sell tobacco paraphernalia that can also be used for drugs. Hogan estimates that there are seven stores that specialize in what many advocates consider to be drug paraphernalia.
El Cajon police inspect smoke shops through the department's special operations division, but “a lot of enforcement on tobacco shops and smoke shops is complaint-driven,” said police Capt. Pat Sprecco.
The new ordinance lets retailers know the city is watching, Sprecco said. Merchants cited for repeated violations could also find it harder to renew their business licenses, he said.
Liz Neely: (619) 593-4961; email@example.com


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Nissan and Hummer roared back from dismal performances a year ago to post double-digit gains in the closely watched Initial Quality Study from J.D. Power and Associates.
And Toyota, which last year was rocked by being ranked behind Hyundai and Mercury, scored better than both of those brands this year.
For the fifth year in a row, Lexus held the top spot in the study, which measures quality after 90 days of ownership. It also had the two top-ranked vehicles, the SC 430 convertible and LS 430 sedan.
BMW and Audi vaulted into the top 10 this year, displacing Honda and Mercury.
Average holds steady
Fifteen of 36 brands scored better than the industry average of 118 problems per 100 vehicles on the 2005 study, which was released last week. Last year, the industry average stood at 119 problems per 100 vehicles.
"The industry performance this year remains pretty flat, but that kind of stuff is not uncommon," said Neal Oddes, senior director of research for J.D. Power of Westlake Village, Calif. "It's happened twice before in the history of the study. Both times before, we saw a dramatic improvement the next year."
The study has been done for 19 years.
Missing from this year's report is the ranking of automakers by corporation. Last year, Hyundai Motor America surprised some observers when it tied with American Honda Motor Co. Inc. for second place, behind Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.
The corporate ranking was dropped from the report because J.D. Power wants the focus back on the brand rankings, spokesman John Tewes said.
"For virtually every corporation model, performance varies widely, with some models doing very well and others not performing as well," Tewes said. "One number for a corporation doesn't necessarily provide good guidance for a particular model that a consumer may be considering."
Toyota still on top
Toyota Motor Corp. continued its dominance of the study, having the top-rated vehicle in 10 of 18 segments. Its plant in Tahara, Japan, which builds the Lexus GS 300/430 and LS 430, repeated as the top-rated factory for quality.
General Motors' vehicles were top rated in five vehicle segments, its best performance in the history of the survey. Buick and Cadillac remained in the top 10 brands, but Chevrolet slipped below the industry average with 127 problems per 100 vehicles. Saturn and Saab ranked in the bottom one-third of brands.
The biggest gainer among brands was Hummer, which vaulted into a tie for 10th place after it finished last in the 2004 study with a score of 173 problems per 100. Hummer's score of 110 problems per 100 vehicles equaled that of Hyundai.
The study asks owners to rate vehicle quality on 135 attributes. Last year, Hummer executives complained that their vehicles were downgraded on factors such as fuel economy, which they argued was not a quality measure.
Power's Oddes noted that Hummer scores improved this year on 76 of the 135 attributes, but its score on fuel economy was unchanged.
"Hummer made big improvements on moldings and wind noise," Oddes said. "The study hasn't changed since 1998. That kind of increase can't be just on fuel consumption."
Crisis fixes quality
Nissan's crisis mentality in the wake of last year's rating of 154 problems per 100 vehicles paid off. The automaker rushed 200 engineers from Japan to its assembly plant in Canton, Miss., to fix problems with the Quest minivan, Titan pickup and Armada SUV.
The result: Nissan rated 120 problems per 100 vehicles on the study, just under the industry average and tied with Jeep and Mercury. The 2005 Quest improved its rating by 104 problems per 100 vehicles, J.D. Power said.
The company does not release the scores of any individual model.
Itaru Koeda, co-chairman of the Nissan board, said the company must push harder: "We did a good job, but we are not happy with it yet."
Meanwhile, Mazda re-examined its quality strategy after finishing second to last.
"There is a breakdown in communications between our company in Japan and our customers in America," said Seita Kanai, Mazda Motor Corp. managing executive officer in charge of vehicle development and technical affairs. "We aren't hearing what they want, and we aren't communicating to them the positive aspects of our cars."
Oddes said automakers are improving vehicle quality at launches. Three new vehicles, the Hyundai Tucson sport wagon, Ford Mustang coupe and Ford Five Hundred sedan, ranked among the top three vehicles in their segments.
GM swept J.D. Power's ranking of plant quality for North and South America, with its Oshawa, Ontario, No. 1 and No. 2 plants and its plant in Hamtramck, Mich. Displaced were GM's Grand River plant in Lansing, Mich., as the top-rated plant, and Ford Motor Co.'s Wixom, Mich., plant as third-ranked.
James B. Treece and Yuzo Yamaguchi contributed to this report
You may e-mail Dale Jewett at [email protected]


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Google has announced the release of a new feature for Google Home and Google Home Mini. Called ‘Broadcasting,’ the addition introduces the ability to broadcast messages across to Google Home speakers throughout your household.
Did you pre-order a Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL? If you did, and made your purchase from Google or one of its retail partners such as Verizon or Best Buy, you’re eligible for a free Google Home Mini speaker. All pre-order buyers of either flagship are being emailed a promo code as we speak.
If you have a Google Home speaker, the original or mini, you’re probably aware that the Google Assistant has games. Some are fun and others a kind of silly, but hey, they’re there for enjoyment and laughter. And now, to simplify things, Google has shared a list of all them.
In a recent teardown of the Google Search application (version 7.14.15), sources discovered references to an unknown device code-named ‘Quartz.’ It’s believed that Quartz is an unannounced Google Home speaker that will coexist alongside Home, Home Mini and Home Max.
On October the eleventh, we reported that Google Home Mini review units were experiencing an issue. This issue involved only the review units, and had many flipping out over privacy concerns. Android Police was first to realize that Google Home Mini was listening to everything, 24/7. Google pushed an update right away, and even updated all retail units prior to dispatch. But there’s one “but.”
How cool would it be if you could control what’s playing on your living room TV using a voice command to the Google Home in your kitchen? Now you can.
Last week, Google announced Google Home Mini at its Made By Google 2017 event. Buyers of Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL are to receive one of these speakers, which retail for $49, for free because of their purchase. Upon hearing about Mini on the grand stage last week, one’s privacy became of rapid concern, however, Google made it clear that nothing leaves Mini unless you opt in to it.
Earlier today, Google held its much-anticipated Made By Google 2017 event in the city of San Francisco, CA. During the private event, the tech giant unveiled a bevy of new products including Pixel 2 smartphones and a range of neat accessory upgrades. It has been a whole two years since Google first launched Google Home, and today the company took wraps off not one but two new smart speakers. Google Home Mini is the one we were all expecting, and Google [Read More]


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Dr. Ira Silver
National Auto Auction Association
Auctions continue being an integral part of U.S. remarketing channels; volumes at auctions were up 7.3% compared to the first six months of 2014. The market is seeing an upward trend following a steep drop off – with 10.7% growth in January 2015 followed by 5.4% in February and 4.5% in March, with June seeing the second highest volume growth rate for the year.
June Was a Particularly Active Month – Up 8.3% in Volume Over June 2014:
Compared to May 2015 having been up 7.1% over May 2014 in auction volume.
New Light-Duty Vehicle Sales Had 1.5% Growth over June 2014:
Up 4.8% year-to-date and averaging a forecast of 16.8M units sold for the year.
Economic Indicators Solid for Unemployment Rate and New Hires:
Unemployment at 5.3% compared to 5.5% for year, with 223K new hires for the month.


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The following research was contributed to by Christine Short, VP of Research at Wall Street Horizon.
- S&P 500 EPS growth for Q2 is unchanged from last week at 6.7%, the lowest level since Q4 2020
- Retail reports last week showed a US consumer that was still strong in the second quarter, but that could be waning as we head into the second half of the year.
- The LERI ends the season with the highest reading in a year-and-a-half, pointing to a general feeling of uncertainty amongst US corporations.
- Q2 earnings season continues to wrap-up with final reports from retail and tech.
Last week we got some intel on the US consumer as retailers started reporting Q2 2022 earnings and July Retail Sales were published. While most of the news was positive, there were some hints of softening on the horizon.
Big box retailers such as Wal-Mart (WMT) and TJX companies (TJX), as well as home improvement names like Home Depot (HD) and Lowe’s (LOW) all reported better-than-expected earnings last week, while TJX and LOW missed Wall Street’s revenue expectations. Target (TGT) on the other hand garnered most of the attention when they missed bottom-line estimates by 50%, with sales in-line with sell-side expectations. The huge miss came as the retailer has struggled to unload excess inventory in categories that are now dealing with waning demand such as apparel and homewares.
And even as home improvement names were able to post decent results for the second quarter, the housing market showed signs of wear. July home sales fell nearly 6% MoM according to the National Association of Realtors, putting the US housing market in a recession according to the group. So far that hasn’t impacted forward estimates for HD and LOW which are still expected to post growth in H2 2022 and into 2023.
Retail sales for July were also reported last week, unchanged from June due in part to lower prices at the pump and falling auto sales. Excluding both gas and autos Retail Sales increased 0.7% for the month.
As Q2 Earnings Season Closes, the LERI Ends at its Highest Level in Over a Year
With 84% of companies now reporting for the second quarter, the LERI remains at its highest level since the Q3 2020 earnings season. The quarter ends with a reading of 160, on par with Q1 2020’s reading of 147, showing US corporations are uncertain about their future growth prospects.
The LERI (Late Earnings Report Index) tracks which companies are confirming off-trend earnings dates. Academic research shows when a corporation reports earnings later in the quarter than they have historically, it typically signals bad news to come on the conference call, and the reverse is true, an early earnings date suggests good news will be shared. The idea is that you’d prefer to delay bad news, but when you have good news you want to run out and share it. A LERI reading over 100 indicates more companies are delaying reports and is meant to be watched carefully.
A Final Trickle of Retail and Tech Reports Out This Week
This week earnings releases slow down dramatically, with the final group of reports concentrated within the retail and tech industries. We will hear from department stores Macy’s (M) and Nordstrom (JWN), apparel names such as Urban Outfitters (URBN), Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) and Gap (GPS), as well as enterprise tech players Splunk (SPLK), Workday (WDAY), and Zoom (ZM). A few highly-followed names will also announce results: Nvidia (NVDA), Peloton (PTON) and Snowflake (SNOW).
Earnings reports drop off precipitously this week with only 662 companies anticipated to report. Roughly 94% of companies have confirmed at this point (out of our universe of 10,000 global names), with 84% of those names reporting already. The Q3 2022 earnings season is scheduled to begin the week of October 10 when the big banks begin reporting.
For more information on the data sourced in this report, please email: firstname.lastname@example.org
Christine Short, VP of Research at Wall Street Horizon, is focused on publishing research on Wall Street Horizon event data covering 9,000 global equities in the marketplace. Over the past 15 years in the financial data industry, her research has been widely featured in financial news outlets including regular appearances on networks such as CNBC and Fox to talk corporate earnings and the economy.
The author may hold positions in mentioned securities. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author, and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.


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Black Ops 2's Uprising DLC dated for May on PS3 and PC
After coming to Xbox Live last week.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2's Uprising DLC that came out last week on Xbox Live has now been given a 16th May release date on PSN and PC, Activision has announced.
Uprising is the second DLC map pack for Black Ops 2 and it contains four multiplayer maps (Magma, Encore, Vertigo and Studio) and Mob of the Dead, a prohibition era gangsters-fighting-zombies spin-off starring Ray Liotta, Michael Madsen, Chazz Palminteri and Joe Pantoliano.
Our Dan Whitehead felt mildly positive towards Treyarch's expansion. He called it a "clumsy stew" in his Uprising review and stated that, "the multiplayer maps are decent but a little too interested in goofy novelty over core mechanics, and Zombies mode continues its slow and awkward evolution towards something interesting."


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Honda might soon be bringing an affordable electric scooter to Indian shores. The U-Go was launched in China last year and soon after that, the Japanese manufacturer filed a patent for the scooter in India as well. The patent was registered in August of 2021 and has now been journaled. The company had announced their intentions for making environment-friendly vehicles in India and bringing in EVs as well. The U-Go could be part of the plans to bring in affordable electric two-wheelers and build an ecosystem for this greener technology.
The Honda U-Go is a slim and light e-scooter with a minimalistic design philosophy. There is a modern-looking headlamp cluster on the apron with an LED DRL surrounding it. The slim top section houses the turn indicators. U-Go has a rather simple looking profile and looks rather utilitarian. However, it rides on smart alloy wheels and has telescopic forks at the front and twin springs at the back.
Internationally, the U-Go comes in two variants – one powered by a 1.6bhp electric motor and another by a lower-powered 1bhp motor. This is clearly a slow-speed scooter that comes with a hub-mounted motor. Both variants run on a removable 1.44kWh battery that promises a claimed range of 65km which is a bit less compared to most flagship EVs in India right now. By adding a second battery pack, the range can be doubled to 130km. The removable battery and maximum top speed of 53km would make it a hassle-free choice for short commutes.
While many new e-scooter manufacturers have sprung up in the past few years, a handful of established players are also gearing up to make the transition from ICE to EVs. Honda has been one of the manufacturers that are yet to take any solid step in the matter. While it is still unclear if U-Go will be the first electric two-wheeler from Honda in India or if it will be launched at all, the move shows that the company is working on EVs behind the scenes.


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Karylle's introduced fans to her new YouTube channel....
Karylle's introduced fans to her new YouTube channel.
A popular Adelaide cafe is under fire after sharing a “tacky” photo of an influencer dining at the eatery wearing a “skimpy bra”.
The furore started late last week after South Australian restaurant Fine and Fettle shared a Facebook post from food blogger and fashion influencer Karylle Banez who had dined there a few days earlier.
The picture shows the young woman surrounded by a number of dishes and was accompanied by the caption: “Love cafes getting onto the dinner scene! Fine and Fettle dinner tonight was next level. Don’t forget to tag & share your Fettle experiences!”
But instead of focusing on Ms Banez’s meal, social media users were quick to criticise her choice of outfit — a white lace bralette.
Many claimed it was an “inappropriate” option for a restaurant, with others saying the post was “tacky”.
“Look, I get you have the rights to advertise whatever the way you would like to, but honestly putting a beautiful girl wearing a bra? I can see she is beautiful sexy and attractive but what does this has to do with your marketing? What type of clients do you want for your business? What does it say about your business? By all the response, you got to understand that you kind of asked for it.....” one Facebook user posted.
“You just lost a weekly customer. Chicks in skimpy bras are tacky,” another wrote, while another said: “If you want your place to look classy then use a classy lady. You were obviously going for the ‘cheap’ look.”
However, many followers defended the restaurant and Ms Banez, arguing her outfit was “fashionable” and she had the right to wear whatever she chose.
“She’s a woman, she can wear whatever she wants, that’s her choice … moving on,” one Facebook user wrote, while another added: “Karylle wears fashion and this is fashionable at the moment — get with the program … Women can wear what they want.”
Fine and Fettle also hit back at the social media backlash, posting management were “shocked at the negative comments” and explaining it was “never our intention to offend”.
But the restaurant also slammed the “offensiveness from our community” and urged people to remember Ms Banez was “a real person, with real feelings”.
In a statement sent to news.com.au by Fine and Fettle management, the eatery defended Ms Banez and slammed the trolls who attacked her.
“Karylle is a long-time supporter of Fine and Fettle. She dined at Fine and Fettle on 26 April at our invitation to sample our new dinner menu,” the statement reads.
“The online bullying that Karylle has experienced as a result of her outfit is absolutely unacceptable.
“Fine and Fettle does not have a strict dress code. We do not discriminate against our customers.”
Ms Banez is an Adelaide-based food blogger and fashion influencer who boasts a 62,000-strong Instagram following.
According to The Advertiser, Ms Banez also made headlines last year after prominent Australian restaurant critic John Lethlean posted an Instagram review that included a message she allegedly sent to an Adelaide restaurant asking for cash payment and free food in exchange for photographing the meal and sharing the snap with her followers.
Fine and Fettle is a trendy cafe in the South Australian capital’s inner east that boats a “diverse menu curated by (owner and chef) Sam Worrall-Thompson” with offerings that “push the boundaries of breakfast and lunch staples”.
News.com.au approached Ms Banez for comment.
Aussies sure are an outraged bunch. Twitter has gone into meltdown through the ball tampering scandal, the Apu controversy and even when Vegemite flavour launched at Boost Jui...
Aussies sure are an outraged bunch. Twitter has gone into meltdown through the ball tampering scandal, the Apu controversy and even when Vegemite flavour launched at Boost Juice. Maybe we're taking this too far and need to calm down a little.


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Increasingly sophisticated technology. Now charger technology created without cable. Wireless Charger technology names.
Another name Wireless Charger is Inductive Charging. This technology utilizes magnetic force to deliver power between the two objects.
Forget for a moment about advanced products. During the next week, TechBoom will discuss more about the person behind the successful world of IT companies in his career.
The first person to be examined is Steve Ballmer. Are there some of you who’ve [...]
There are interesting from Firefox OS related use HTML5 methods in the operating system.
According to Viking Karwur as Mozilla Indonesia Community Manager, an application was made for Firefox OS could run on all platforms, with a note, there are browser [...]
There is a new leaked about brother Z10 is equipped with a physical QWERTY keypad, BlackBerry Q10.
Quoted from Techradar, Friday (22/3), BlackBerry Q10 reportedly will be launched on 26 April.
On price, smartphones with OS BlackBerry 10 is estimated [...]
The talk on social networking Twitter.
A photo cards appalling universe of cyberspace, especially on social networks. From the photo clearly visible a business card Apple Canada to that of a man named Sam Sung.
A business card is interesting when related [...]
The news about the presence of the successor to the iPhone 5 more widely heard. If previously only known to be released summer of 2013, the latest info mengunkapkan that the smartphone is ready to go July.
Quoted from Techradar, Tuesday (30/4), about [...]
Rotation with the sun at a distance equal to the Earth’s rotation on the solar system.
An expert team of Anglo-German astronomers have discovered a new planet orbiting a nearby sun in the same distance as the Earth orbits the sun so that it has [...]
Microsoft has officially announced the successor to the Xbox 360 and named Xbox One. The next question that arises is, what games are ready to present at the console.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Wednesday (22/5), here are some games that are determined to [...]
Easy to find because it is positioned right next to the “Like”
Facebook are testing the “Reply” button at the comments posted on the Timeline each user, say a Facebook spokesperson told Mashable last weekend.
Have you ever imagined playing your favorite PC games with an XBOX controller? If so, your dream might come true with the release of some updates from XBOX. As confirmed by XBOX official website, now it is possible to use an XBOX controller on our PC [...]
Apple is reportedly preparing a new MacBook Pro is equipped with Intel’s Haswell and will be introduced at the WWDC 2013, 10-14 June 2013 in the U.S..
Never heard about Intel Haswell? This is the latest generation of Intel processors, which will [...]


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GITEX Africa has sold out its inaugural event scheduled for May 31-June 2, 2023, with an expansion phase currently underway. A purpose-built super venue is being constructed in Marrakech, Morocco, for the historic debut of the event. Over 900 exhibitors, startups, and visiting delegations from 95 countries are expected to attend the three-day event focused on public-private sector collaborations. Held under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco, GITEX Africa is hosted by the Digital Development Agency (ADD), the public entity leading the Moroccan government’s digital transformation agenda. The event will promote multi-sector technological innovation and the digital transformation of the continent to enhance Africa’s influence on the international level. GITEX Africa 2023 is affiliated with GITEX GLOBAL, the world’s largest tech and start-up show hosted in Dubai.
With the African Union’s bold mission to unify the continent into a secure Digital Single Market by 2030, GITEX Africa exhibitors are rousing optimism about the proliferation of trends shaping the continent’s tech ecosystem. This includes increased internet connectivity, a rampant start-up scene, the rise of artificial intelligence, and a flourishing fintech sector. IBM, a global technology and consulting company, will use GITEX Africa 2023 to amplify its commitment to the continent. Meanwhile, Kaspersky, the global cybersecurity heavyweight with an African presence spanning more than two decades, is another exhibitor investing in Africa’s vast potential.
Major players from Morocco’s tech landscape have also signed up for the event, in line with the North African country’s unifying economic mission. For example, Ribatis, a provider of e-Gov platforms for African public administrations, and CASAN, one of the largest water and sanitation companies in Africa, will be among the Moroccan exhibitors elevating Africa’s thriving tech revolution.
GITEX Africa’s CEO, Trixie LohMirmand, announced the event’s expansion plans during a Moroccan tour recently, meeting key tech stakeholders, exhibitors, government entities, and media. LohMirmand believes that GITEX Africa’s reception in its inaugural edition is a strong validation of the world’s confidence and optimism in the growth of the African digital economy. She encourages every company with an internationalization strategy to partake in the digital revolution of the world’s most watched continent.


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The ASEAN Tourism Association (ASEANTA) Board has made an unusual move of bringing together several travel industry associations at ATF 2018 to facilitate a more coordinated approach to resolving issues such as market penetration and courtship of Muslim travellers.
Cheah Swee Hee, ASEANTA president, pointed out that this decision has resulted in a “merrier” ASEAN airlines meeting on Monday, as three member airlines – Thai Airways, AirAsia and Philippine Airlines – are joined by NTO representatives from Indonesia and Thailand as well as ASEANTA Board members.
Explaining the benefit of bringing all parties together, Cheah said: “Member airlines target different market segments and can contribute to our plans. Philippine Airlines, for example, is strong in North America, so we can work with it should we hope to grow that market.”
He added that NTO presence was also valuable as they were the ones to bring travellers into their destination and garner critical support from their governments and airport authorities to expand an airline’s network.
Airline, NTO and ASEANTA Board members also discussed on Monday ways to improve intra-ASEAN travel for Muslims, an increasingly attractive segment in the region.
Desiree Bandal, Philippines AirAsia’s head of government policy & ASEAN, told TTG Asia: “AirAsia hopes for the tourism industry in South-east Asia to create increased awareness about halal-compliant products and services, and make them more readily available across the region.
“South-east Asia’s population comprises around 40 per cent Muslims, with Malaysia and Indonesia being the biggest tourist source markets. As we continue to promote intra-ASEAN travel, it is important that the needs of Muslim tourists from the region are met.”
Cheah is engaging his peers from the ASEAN Hotel & Restaurant Association (AHRA) and the Federation of ASEAN Travel Associations as well, through separate meetings during ATF 2018.
He noted that stakeholders within South-east Asia’s tourism sector were dependent on each other and only by helping each other – such as through the sharing of business information – would they meet their business objectives.
For example, he believes that the ASEANTA Board can share knowledge on halal tourism with AHRA members to enable more hotels to be Muslim-friendly.
Cheah acknowledged that a single meeting would not bring about immediate solutions, so numerous and regular meetings with various travel industry associations in this region would be arranged going forward.


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This will be The North Face’s third Wisconsin location. The San Leandro, Calif., company, which sells athletic outdoor wear, has an outlet store at Pleasant Prairie Premium Outlets and a store at Hilldale Shopping Center in Madison. The store will open in late fall between Bravo and The Limited and will have an exterior-only entrance along Moorland Road, said Scott Oleson, Brookfield Square general manager.
Maurices, a clothing chain that has been expanding rapidly in Wisconsin, will open a store in late summer in the east wing near the main entrance, the release said.
The Limited is remodeling its permanent space during The North Face construction and will set up shop temporarily next to Express near Boston Store, the release said. Paciugo, the gelato shop, is moving to the food court to accommodate The North Face location.
The mall also has a new restaurant, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant, opening June 27.


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Twitter has steadily been rolling out its new design for the web version of the service over the last month, which includes not only a newly designed layout, but new colors for the page accents like the buttons, hashtags, and mentions, as well as the new Lights Out color theme for the page which turns the background completely Black. That new Lights Out mode is coming to the Android version as well and it appears that September is when it will go live.
More specifically, it looks like the new all-black color scheme will be hitting Android devices in the middle of that month according to Dantley Davis, Twitter's VP of Design and Research. Davis says that the feature is on track to ship to Android devices in mid-September, so if everything stays on schedule then users on Android can expect the new Lights Out mode to arrive in around six to seven weeks.
Of course there's also the chance that it could be pushed back but it's more likely that the feature will come to Android on time unless there is a major issue that forces the Twitter for Android development team to put things on hold. Since Lights Out is already live on the web anyone who uses the desktop version of the site should be able to check things out, provided it's already been pushed to you as it seems to be hitting users in stages.
While Lights Out will be making the transition to Android devices it's unclear if the new set of colors will be coming along with it. On the web version, clicking on the "more" button which sits just above the new Tweet button on the left-hand side of the screen will pop up an option called Display, and there you'll find the option for Lights Out as well as Dim and the default white color.
Just above that, you can find the different accent color themes, all of which have an icon associated with them. There's the default Twitter blue, as well as yellow, pink, purple, orange, and green. If you enjoy these different color options on desktop, cross your fingers that they'll come to the Android version of Twitter as well so you can match things up on both fronts.
When the new Lights Out mode does launch for Android it'll be a boon for those with smartphones that have OLED screens, as the new all-black background will do wonders for the battery life on those devices, whether the feature is accompanied by the six new accent colors or not. The new black background will also go well with Android's new dark mode that launches with Android Q, where users will be able to set the darker color scheme to show up in every area of the device as it will be system-wide.
If you can't wait for the Lights Out background color to show up and you aren't in love with the default white background, you can already switch the background color to the Dim mode on Android which is a bit easier on the eyes especially in darker rooms with less light.
Hey Android users: 'Lights out mode' on Android is on track to ship by mid-September. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming… pic.twitter.com/7ZIuz6ypWkAdvertisement
— Dantley Davis (@dantley) July 24, 2019


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ARKit is the “largest AR platform in the world” according to Apple’s latest keynote address from WWDC 2017. So what can it do? Well, as we saw in the demos, ARKit enabled features for surface tracking, depth perception, and integrated with existing libraries from the game development world. Note: If you’re here to learn how to make ARKit apps, I’ve got a detailed tutorial over here: ARKit Tutorial.
Most significantly, Apple showed that both the Unreal and Unity game engines will integrate with ARKit for support for Pokemon Go-esque apps. But that’s not to mean that these engines will not run low-end casino and word games. Yes, you can still guess the Wordscape answers successfully in your device running these engines. Multiple objects can interact with each other casting shadows with each other, and even having physics reactions. Some say this development means Apple will soon be releasing a Hololens style device. I personally think they just want to enable better experiences like what Snapchat offers today.
On the other hand, ARKit will also give developers of photo editing apps a better way to dive deep in to the contents of user’s photos in orer to enable new and improved photo editing experiences. Deep learning powered photo editing will be sure to make mobile photo (and video) editing a much better experience.
ARKit has support for:


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Orange fruit juice and drinks are by far the most popular category among refrigerated juice and juice drinks, as the latest U.S. retail sales data released by market research firm IRI showed. Some leading brands of refrigerated orange juice in the United States include Tropicana Pure Premium, Simply Orange, and Florida's Natural. Private label products were also popular in 2020, with sales reaching almost 600 million U.S. dollars.
The latest survey results revealed that about 23 percent of U.S. consumers tend to drink juice daily. Around 30 percent of surveyed consumers drink juice multiple times a week. Domestic annual consumption of juice drinks is forecast to total around 17.4 liters by 2027, a decrease from 18.11 liters in 2021.


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On 30th march 2016, Microsoft finally announced the all new Windows Update Codenamed as Windows Red Stone in San Francisco, it is actually bought with the Actual name of Windows 10 Anniversary Update. It is actual New Windows 10 Built which will be available to the windows customer by this summer.
This New Update of Windows Red Stone (RS) is loaded with Tones of new feature and bug Fixes, thanks to Developers are and Windows feedback Integration on Windows 10. All the recent updates are recently being releasing from the New Windows Redstone developments branch.
Well, the news from source also coming that when Microsoft Release Windows Redstone Builds it will actual going to label as Anniversary Updates.
With the confirm news of this release it will be available to all the windows 10 Customers just Like Windows 10. Just like windows 10 Update which came in November was referred as Windows 10 Version 1511, this new update also be referred to Windows 10 version 1607. Well, this is not actually confirmed yet but if this update comes in this summer like in July it will be so obvious that it will be labeled as Version 1607 ie.(16 =year) and (07=mount July) and just similar if it released in other months.
Yet from sources, it is still not being confirm that what will be the actual build number of Window Redstone Update
Just said before this Windows Redstone or Windows Anniversary Update will give the best build latest UI and features. Microsoft announced some if the key feature of them:-
- New Windows Ink Integration Featured:
In Windows 10 Anniversary Update/ Windows Redstone Update, we will be able to write/edit on your Surface device just like a paper pen, will able to create sticky notes on them, draw on a whiteboard like structures and can also be easily shared with friends or family. I.e. Analog thoughts on the digital world using new “Ink Center” feature will be integrated. Windows Ink is integrated into apps like Maps, Microsoft Edge browser and MS Office (word, outlook and more).
- New Features for Xbox:
In New Windows 10 Anniversary Update/Windows Redstone, background music and Cortana comes embedded into Xbox One. Universal Windows Platform also called UWP apps will come to Xbox through a Unified Single Windows Store, In which every Xbox One will be able to become a developer kit with Xbox Developer Mode, enabled anyone to develop their own ideas from anywhere.
- Cortana Improvements:
In New! Windows 10 Anniversary Update/Windows Redstone, Microsoft has improved the digital assistant lady “Cortana” to proactively make suggestions for you throughout your day, like Remaining you to do lunch or can arrange a movie ticket. Cortana will be now available in the Startup Lock Screen, giving user a quicker access to their personal tasks and help in issues for across all types of devices without unlocking your PC. Cortana will now work across your devices and enable you to complete some amazing tasks like certain notification-based tasks on your Windows or Android phone, ie enables you to receiving and sending text messages, on your PC.
- Windows Hello Biometric Security Support for Apps Including Microsoft Edge Web Browser:-
In Windows 10 Anniversary/Windows Redstone Update, user can be able to use Windows Hello’s sign in security features in modern (metro) apps including Microsoft Edge web browser, Groove music and other more. Windows Hello feature in Windows 10 allows you to sign into other devices with ensured security wall.
- New HoloLens Technology
Yes, of course, we heard the new technology of HoloLens which is shipped to many developers for developing the amazing new feature which will soon come across. Microsoft demonstrated NASA live technology with Hololens which let people to see Mars and enable to explore, plus helping medical students to learn much faster.
These Updates and new feature are looking promising and exciting. There will be tons more UI changes and new feature which will be announced by Windows Redstone Developer very soon.


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Malvern Bancorp (NASDAQ:MLVF) posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The savings and loans company reported $0.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.37 by $0.04, MarketWatch Earnings reports. Malvern Bancorp had a return on equity of 7.56% and a net margin of 15.63%.
Shares of MLVF traded down $0.29 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $20.76. The stock had a trading volume of 17,500 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,835. Malvern Bancorp has a 12-month low of $19.08 and a 12-month high of $28.20. The company has a current ratio of 1.20, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37. The stock has a market capitalization of $157.21 million, a P/E ratio of 16.58 and a beta of -0.16.
A number of research firms have recently issued reports on MLVF. Sandler O’Neill upgraded Malvern Bancorp from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $24.00 price objective for the company in a report on Monday, October 8th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reiterated a “market perform” rating and issued a $23.00 price objective (down from $29.00) on shares of Malvern Bancorp in a report on Friday, October 5th.
In related news, CFO Joseph D. Gangemi bought 1,428 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 9th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $21.00 per share, for a total transaction of $29,988.00. Following the acquisition, the chief financial officer now directly owns 2,173 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $45,633. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, SVP William Woolworth III bought 2,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 9th. The shares were bought at an average price of $21.00 per share, with a total value of $42,000.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the senior vice president now directly owns 2,268 shares in the company, valued at $47,628. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders bought a total of 37,569 shares of company stock valued at $788,949 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 3.70% of the company’s stock.
Malvern Bancorp Company Profile
Malvern Bancorp, Inc operates as the holding company for Malvern Federal Savings Bank that provides various banking products and services to consumer and business customers in Pennsylvania. The company offers checking accounts, retirement accounts, money market accounts, time and savings accounts, interest and non-interest bearing accounts, NOW accounts, and CDARS/ICS reciprocal deposits; and debit and credit card, wire transfer, automated teller, Internet banking, ACH origination, safe deposit box, telephone banking, and mobile banking services.
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