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Field2Base, the emerging Triangle firm that offers mobile forms and data solutions which recently added credit card payment capability, is raising new investment capital.
Chris Roush of North Carolina Business News Wire reports that the Morrisville-based company has raised $1.7 million in a private equity raise, according to a filing Wednesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Field2Base Inc. raised the money from six investors and is seeking to raise an additional $500,000.
Earlier this year, Field2Base formed a strategic partnership with Century Business Solutions to provide clients with credit card processing services and a seamless payment integration with Field2Base Mobile Forms through EBizCharge, a PCI compliant payment gateway developed by Century.
- VIDEO: Watch an overview of the new Field2Base addition at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCzyQtN3B14
The company, which was founded in 2002, has clients across the United States and in select international countries using its software in industries such as health care, utilities, government and construction.
Ed White is the company’s chief executive officer. In 1980, White founded Utility Translation Systems Inc., a successful remote-meter reading software company headquartered in Raleigh.
In 1996 he sold UTS to Itron Inc., a supplier of energy information and communications solutions to the utility industry.
He served as Itron’s chairman until retiring in 2003 and has been a frequent speaker on metering, deregulation, and smart grid in the power supply industry at industry conferences throughout the world.


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Twitter placed a tweet from a close political ally of the president behind a warning label Monday, citing its policy prohibiting content that promotes violence.
Latest News review update by Tips Clear Blog
Honda is donating: For the latest news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO website. One of the few beautiful things to happen
Global smartphone sales plummeted 20% in Q1. More dismal numbers confirm what we already knew: Q1 2020 was really rough for an already struggling smartphone
The Indian government has rejected Flipkart’s proposal to enter the food retail business in a setback for Walmart, which owns majority of the Indian e-commerce
Costco Is Requiring Everyone Who Enters To Wear A Face Mask Grocery stores have adjusted their store policies in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic,

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The Cellular M2M Industry report says that it now has a detailed outlook of future prospects available in the market. Businesses have seen a major advantage in decision making, business strategies and... Read More
According to the new market research report, the machine-to-machine (M2M) connections market is expected to be worth USD 27.62 billion, growing at a CAGR of 4.6% from 2017 to 2023.... Read More
In its venture to extend the company’s services to all other companies connected by the IoT chain, Libelium has launched two partnership programs. Libelium designs and manufa... Read More
Sony Mobile Communications Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Corporation for Mobile Communications segment has joined the MulteFire Alliance, an independent, diverse and international mem... Read More
The London-based IOT M2M Council a.k.a IMC is considered as one of the largest and fastest growing trade group in the technology sector known as the Internet of Things. The IMC is ... Read More
CustomWritings is a reliable essay writing service with professional academic writers.


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The Broadcasters Audience Research Board (BARB) who are the organisation responsible for the compilation of audience measurement and television ratings in the UK have just announced that they are to measure all TV viewing across multiple devices from this August onwards. The move is a first for BARB and will see the body provide the first official measurement of viewers who are streaming or downloading TV across devices such as smartphones and tablets. BARB already tracks the level of television viewing on computers in 700 panel homes.
BARB will track audiences who watch television on their smartphones and tablets by using metadata tags and have appointed Kantar Media to collect the device data. BARB currently has around 5,100 homes in the UK which contain a box on top of their TV set and which tracks the TV programmes which they watch.
Irish TAM is the body responsible for overseeing television audience measurement here in Ireland and according to findings from a recent Irish TAM survey some 23% of Irish viewers claim to have watched TV content via a second device at some time, with 4% watching via mobile (2%) and tablets (2%)


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Chinese visitors are fascinated by the made-in-Pakistan showpieces, featuring Pakistani textiles, costumes, carpets, jewelry, gemstones, and handicrafts.
At an exhibition titled “Threads of Pakistan – Pakistan National Costume Culture Exhibition”, held in Shanghai was overwhelming for Chinese as they seemed highly fascinated with the made-in-Pakistan artifacts. The celebratory coins made of pure gold were also released by a co-organizer at the opening ceremony.
Read more: Pakistan, China celebrate 69th anniversary of diplomatic ties
Scheduled from May 18 to June 17, the exhibition is organized by National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage – Lok Virsa, Consulate General of Pakistan in Shanghai, Shanghai Textile Museum, co-organised by Atlantis Co Ltd and Pak-Persian Carpets Shanghai Co Ltd.
The exhibition featured Pakistani textiles, costumes, carpets, jewelry, gemstones, and handicrafts. It witnessed the participation of many Chinese visitors who had heaped praise on the gorgeous made-in-Pakistan showpieces.
“We had three types of main gemstones, which represent the highest quality of Pakistani gemstones,” noted a Pakistani exhibitor.
Exhibition was held to commemorate 70 years of Pak-China diplomatic ties
The exhibition was held to to mark the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China and 100th anniversary of founding of Communist Party of China (CPC), respectively.
According to CEN, Aqeel Ahmed Chaudhry, founder of WINZA Jewelry and CEO of Atlantis Co Ltd, while participating in an exhibition held in Shanghai, China lately to showcase the beauty of Made-in-Pakistan products and Pakistani culture, said that as a Pakistani jeweller, it’s amazing to promote these marvelous and beautiful Pakistani products to a foreign country like China,
“2021 marks the 70th anniversary of China-Pakistan diplomatic ties which started on May 21, 1951. So on this special occasion, we designed memorial gold coins written 70th anniversary of partnership in Chinese, English and Urdu,” said Aqeel, adding that the two countries always move ahead together rain or shine.


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Private sector tenders not coming: BHEL
India’s biggest power equipment manufacturer BHEL said on Wednesday that new orders especially from the private developers are drying up due to financing problems.business Updated: Nov 07, 2012 21:59 IST
India’s biggest power equipment manufacturer BHEL said on Wednesday that new orders especially from the private developers are drying up due to financing problems.
However, BHEL is betting big on revenues flowing from exports and its chairman, BP Rao told reporters that the company expects a revenue of Rs. 10,000 crore from foreign contracts by 2017.
“We are expecting a revenue of Rs. 1 lakh crore for the company by 2017 of which 10% would come from exports ... i.e Rs. 10,000 crore,” Rao said.
Rao said he is not hopeful of “any big tenders coming from the private sector.”
“Whatever orders are coming are from the central or state public sector companies,” Rao said. “This year, there are hardly any bulk deals coming.”
Rao said that overseas market has always been a focus of BHEL, irrespective of what is happening in India.
Some overseas markets like Syria and Yemen have political disturbances today, he added.
Stating that Africa is a focussed market for BHEL and the PSU is looking at a number of projects there.
“The company is already executing some projects in the African continent and is also looking at South-east Asia and Gulf countries for fresh orders,” Rao said.


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Theodore F. Schroeder filed a suit in New York District Court against Pinterest and one of it’s early investors Brian Cohen. Cohen was Schroeder’s business partner in 2007 – 2008. Schroeder allegesÂ misappropriation, unjust enrichment and breach of fiduciary duty.
Pinterest commented on the claim stating it was “baseless.” According to documents in his claim Schroeder believes that Cohen gave his ideas and applications to young entrepreneurs.
Read more at All Things D


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Tobias Wong, 1974-2010
There’s no denying it’s been a dark year so far; for the design world, it just got darker. On Sunday, Tobias Wong, 35, was found dead in the East Village apartment that he shared with his partner of five years, Tim Dubitsky. His death was ruled a suicide by the office of the chief medical examiner in Manhattan.
“This Is a Lamp,” 2001.
Wong’s design and artwork —lamps, candlesticks, clocks, jewelry and, with his frequent collaborator Josée Lepage, conceptual retail installations — was aesthetically pristine. But he had the soul of a prankster. Some of his most controversial pieces were in his “readydesigned” capsule collection, which repurposed iconic design work. One, 2001’s “This Is a Lamp,” lit Philippe Starck’s Bubble Club Chair from within; Wong was able to secure a chair from Kartell, Starck’s license-holder, even before the debut of the original. For an installation at the Paris boutique Colette, he embedded diamonds into dimes. Read more…
Trust the folks from Project No. 8, one of the city’s more thoughtfully hip boutiques, to curate an out-of-the ordinary hotel shopping experience for travelers. Elizabeth Beer and Brian Janusiak conceived No. 8a — in Manhattan’s hopping Ace Hotel — as a place to find useful objects and unusual souvenirs. Forget bad books, phone chargers and tacky swimsuits. Instead, you’ll find underpinnings from Falke, Schiesser and VPL, the cult skin-care line In Fiore, accessories from the likes of Maison Martin Margiela, Christian Wijnants, Bless and Natalia Brilli, and a continuing project called “Mementos,” an amusing collection of New York ephemera (think Chinatown Soccer Club mugs, Statue of Liberty night lights and Krink graffiti markers) gathered by the designers Josee Lepage and Tobias Wong. There’s also a mini-outpost of Kiosk, a downtown shop that regularly mounts themed “exhibitions” of objects.
No. 8a, 22 West 29th Street; (212) 725-0008.
Courtesy of Tobias Wong and Josee Lepage Cappellini’s SoHo showroom has become a pop-up holiday shop, where furniture and candy seem made for each other.
The cherry-red interior of the Cappellini flagship store in SoHo has always reminded me of candy — it’s the color of Red Vines, Swedish Fish, Atomic Fireballs, Hot Tamales, Abracabubbles, Cinnamon Discs, Red Hots and candy apples. So it seems fitting that from now until Jan. 3, the Italian furnishings shop will also be in the sweets business. “The Candy Shoppe: Papabubble x Cappellini” is this year’s holiday installation by the curators Tobias Wong and Josee Lepage, who asked the artisanal candy makers Papabubble to create what they call a “shoppe-in-shop” just inside Cappellini’s front doors. At an opening party last weekend, filled with fashionably dressed tots and their design-loving parents, limited-edition confections were stored in jars and honey pots on Cappellini’s Passepartout shelves and piled high in the polished acrylic drawers of a staircase-like cabinet by Shrio Kuramata. Read more…
Ambra Medda (Giulio Oriani)
Art Basel Miami is bigger and more crowded than ever, and that’s good news for design: all those collectors need a chair or sofa from which to admire their latest acquisitions. Thus, Design Miami, the show that began in 2005 with 15 carefully-vetted dealers and which opens today, has now grown to 26. That number may seem insignificant compared to the art fair’s legions, but for Ambra Medda, one of Design Miami’s founders, small is beautiful. “We’re not looking to make this a massive fair,” she explains. But Design Miami does want to broaden its appeal, and so — in addition to the high-priced, blue-chip offerings from the design galleries represented at the show — there will be 10 real-time performances, in which fairgoers can actually see furniture and objects being made. These “interactive, approachable, culturally dynamic” shows, says Medda, allow the public to “feel a part of the forum. They’re not just walking in on something unattainable.” For instance, the British designer Stuart Haygarth will recycle plastic water bottles into one of his signature chandeliers, this one shaped like a water droplet. Tobias Wong, Josée Lepage, and Aric Chen will operate a pop-up tattoo parlor that offers appropriately arty tattoos. And the Corning Glass Museum and the Vitra Design Museum have teamed up to present a mobile “GlassLab,” featuring prominent designers experimenting with new glass forms. Asked if she had a favorite, Medda demurred: “I feel like a kid in a candy store.”


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Kate Spade New York is dead set on its quest for world domination.
The quirky lifestyle label on Tuesday announced plans to expand into India through a long-term distribution and retail license agreement with Reliance Brands Limited, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Group.
Under the terms of the deal, Reliance will have the exclusive distribution rights to the Kate Spade New York brand in the country and a network of standalone stores will start opening later this year in major cities, including New Delhi and Mumbai.
“With India’s increasingly aspirational consumers, we see significant opportunities to build brand equity,” Craig Leavitt, chief executive officer of Kate Spade & Company, told analysts during a conference call discussing fourth-quarter and full-year earnings results. “And although we think this is a modest, short-term opportunity in region, we believe building engagement with the Indian consumer will impact business in markets such as Europe and the Middle East as we grow.”
Darshan Mehta, president and CEO of Reliance Brands Limited, shared in a statement, “We are confident that Kate Spade New York’s strong heritage and strong design point of view will resonate with Indian consumers, bringing a new dimension to the women’s wardrobe.”
The brand’s expansion into India is the latest stop on its journey into new markets around the globe. It extended its reach to an additional eight markets in 2015, opening 44 new stores on a pro-forma basis. Kate Spade International net sales for the fourth quarter rose 18.7% to $51 million from $43 million, “excluding sales for wind-down operations,” and the company said comparable store sales continued to accelerate in Japan, while a joint venture agreement in China has strengthened its brand position there.
Overall, Kate Spade delivered a mixed bag of results on Tuesday, missing earnings estimates but posting a net sales increase of 7.6% to $429 million on a reported basis for the quarter and 9.1% for the full year to $1.24 billion. Adjusted diluted earnings per share were $0.32 for Q4 and $0.50 for fiscal 2015. Gross profit as a percentage of net sales was 60.2% on a reported basis for the three months ended Jan. 2.
George Carrara, president and chief operating officer of Kate Spade & Company, said, “We are very pleased with our full-year performance for 2015, particularly our industry leading comparable sales growth of 13 percent and robust adjusted EBITDA margin expansion of 380 basis points, positioning us well to achieve our adjusted EBITDA margin target of 18-20 percent in 2016.”
“Our quality of sale efforts are successfully fueling brand aspiration and our channel-agnostic approach was a key driver of growth both during the fourth quarter and throughout 2015. We will continue to prioritize these important points of differentiation in 2016,” Leavitt added.


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Black Widow a success for Disney Plus - but what does that mean?
Selling a lot of virtual tickets may not be as important as it seems... yet
You just know when a company has something to boast about when it releases numbers for things it used not to - and that is exactly what's happening with Disney and Black Widow: the House of Mouse reported on the opening weekend of the Marvel Studios movie as it always does but, this time, included its streaming service, Disney Plus, in the announced figures. Natasha Romanoff's last adventure scored $80 million in ticket sales in the US alone, $78 million in international territories - 46 countries, crucially excluding China - and no less than $60 million in Disney Plus Premier Access sales.
The total figure of $215 million for the opening of any movie is impressive - especially by pandemic standards - and a sign of hope for a movie industry that has gone through the worst 18 months in its recent history due to COVID-19. The world is nowhere near to getting rid of the coronavirus, of course, but it seems as if - where safety measures are applied and respected - cinemas will be staying open even partially from now on. But this has apparently not happened quickly enough: streaming services have now a seat at the table of the discussion about new movie releases and the numbers of Black Widow on Disney Plus seem to be proof of that.
Is that $60 million number that important, though?
On one hand, yes, it is. In practical terms, it means that around 2.000.000 people in around 50 countries paid $30 (which is more than three times what a single movie ticket costs in the US) in order to watch a new movie in the comfort, and safety, of their homes. They did so while also paying the Disney Plus subscription fee in the first place. The fact that Disney published that number while it did not for Mulan in 2020 and Raya and the Last Dragon or Cruella earlier in the year means that it was much higher than what any of the others achieved.
On the other hand, no, it is not. It's not a number leading to any conclusion in July 2021 and there are multiple reasons why. Cinemas have not resumed normal operation in most parts of the world, so many consumers probably didn't have the choice between watching this film on their TV or a movie theatre screen. The whole pandemic situation, moreover, definitely affected the decision of many who did have that choice, as going to movie theaters (even with security measures present) is still way riskier than sitting on the living room couch. Then Black Widow is a Marvel movie: these films do not follow the pattern other films usually do, having built a loyal fanbase that will not miss a new movie or show under any circumstances. One could go as far as to say that no kind of movie other than a Marvel one would manage to bring in that kind of money through streaming in one weekend.
So while that $60 million number is not unimportant - in fact, it's admirable in its own right regardless of context - it is also not decidedly indicative of anything... yet. What it is, though, is encouraging for Disney: if Disney Plus is already a platform able to deliver the kind of revenue expected from the US or international movie theatre markets, then it might be worth following that approach for its big movies in the future. Smaller productions, that usually make for smaller theatre turnouts, should be the exception to this. But blockbusters are relatively safe: they are the kind of social event that consumers want to be a part of in its traditional, proper environment.
We might not have a clear picture of what the world will look like post-COVID yet, but it's not that hard to imagine a situation where this choice is always available to consumers. Everyone who wants the complete "movie theatre experience", big screen, crowds, fresh buttery pop-corn and everything, will continue to enjoy that. Everyone who would prefer forgoing that for a quiet night in, would probably not mind paying a premium for the privilege of watching a new film at home. Things were moving in that direction anyway. Maybe it's time to start embracing that model, instead of dreading it. People will ultimately decide anyway!


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Foggy uses the Taptic Engine in Apple Watch to provide vibrotactile stimulation for gait freezingRead more...
Tech companies are hiring lobbyists to convince the FAA that regulations aren't needed
The Federal Aviation Administration recently released new guidelines on operating drones, which, without saying so outright, pretty much banned any kind of commercial usage.
This put companies like Amazon and Google in a tight spot, as both have made drones a central part of their future plans. Of course, those companies have a lot of money and so they will do what any company in their position would: they are going to try to change the rules to benefit them.
Over the next 60 days, the FAA will be taking public comments on the proposed new rules, and a slew of industries, including tech firms, as well as aerospace companies and some in the news media, have already hired lobbyists to try to get regulators to change their minds, according to a report out from Reuters.
Some of the rules that they are fighting against include restricting drones to daylight hours, making it so the operator of the drone has to be able to see the it while it is flying, and now allowing them to fly over people "not directly involved in the operation." See how that would make using them for anything other than personal use pretty much impossible?
They will try to convince regulators that technology that they have been working on features to make some of the limitations that were proposed unnecessary. That includes the ability to sense other aircrafts, and avoid collisions, and the ability for drones to not lose contact even if it goes out of sight. Amazon is already making drones that can use GPS navigation, and will also come equipped with sensors to avoid crashes.
Amazon has a particularly high stake in this: it announced in 2013 that it wanted to start delivering packages via drone.
The Federal Aviation Administration expressly forbade the practice, though, stating that any unmanned aerial vehicle not used for hobby or recreation, i.e. a commercial business like Amazon’s, was to remain illegal in the United States. Amazon asked for an exemption, but so far the FAA seems to be sticking to its guns.
There is also a lot of money at stake. Funding for startups in the drone space more than doubled in 2014 growing by 104%. Overall, $108 million was invested in a total of 29 deals during the year. The number of deals has jumped very quickly in just the last couple of years; a total of just five deals were done in the years spanning 2010 to 2012 combined, while 11 were completed in the third quarter of 2014 alone.
Even more money was spent on lobbying efforts for the industry; $186 million in total, up from only $35 million in 2011.
A battle seems to be brewing over companies with a lot of vested interest in using drones to their advantage, and government regulators who are clearly uncomfortable with the potential ramifications of that.
Where do you stand on the issue? Sound off in the comments!
VatorNews has reached out to Google and Amazon for comment on the report. We will update this story if we learn more.
(Image source: usatoday.com)
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The new service, called PAM Health Therapy at Home powered by Luna, will be available starting May 1Read more...
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China’s Singles’ Day has turned into the world’s biggest online shopping frenzy. However, its original meaning has not been forgotten. China now has a large population of singles — an estimated 190 million bachelors between 20 to 59 years. Our reporter Xing Zheming finds out why.
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The Brazilian footwear group has appointed Frederic Levy as president of newly created Havaianas International. He will be in charge of all markets outside Brazil, with the mission of driving the group’s global growth.
Inditex continued to go from strength to strength in the latest quarter and first nine months of its financial year as its omnichannel strategy and focus on stores in the best locations paid off for all brands.
Inditex’s Zara has seen its UK profits falling even though sales there have continued to rise. Full-year 2018/19 sales rose around 10% to £772.5m, but profits were halved as selling and distribution costs rose 7%.


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Dell Technologies is considering a spin-off of its near-$50bn stake in VMware, a data centre software company widely considered its most attractive asset, in a bid to overcome a hefty stock market discount on its business.
The technology company, founded by Michael Dell, announced plans on Wednesday to sell its 81 per cent stake in VMware, the cloud computing business it acquired when it bought data storage maker EMC for about $63bn in 2016.
By exploring a sale of VMware, Dell is attempting to address a valuation shortfall that has plagued the company for years. With the value of its publicly traded VMware stake worth $47bn before Wednesday’s announcement, the group’s entire enterprise value of $83bn implied a value of just $36bn for the rest of the business, even though its sales last year topped $90bn.
Dell said the spin-off would not occur before September 2021, which is the earliest the company can offload its stake tax free.
The Texas-based company returned to the stock market in 2018, five years after it was taken private by Mr Dell and private equity firm Silver Lake. It received a hostile reception from investors and, to the frustration of large shareholders like Elliott Management and GIC, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, its share price has lagged its competitors.
The shares have risen 25 per cent since the listing, compared with a 60 per cent increase in the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite and a 34 per cent rise in the S&P 500.
A spin-off would mark a notable about-turn after Dell’s insistence that retaining majority control of VMware was an essential part of its efforts to build a broad IT group for the cloud computing era. VMware’s software is used in automating data centres, complementing Dell’s lower-margin hardware like servers and storage.
The attempt to retain control of VMware forced Dell into some convoluted financial engineering. To overcome a funding gap in its purchase of EMC, Dell issued a second new class of VMware stock that theoretically tracked part of its holding in the software business, though there was no formal connection between the two.
The tracking stock traded at a hefty discount before finally being bought back two years later, after a bruising fight with investors who claimed that Dell was underpaying.
Dell also considered spinning off VMware two years ago, before opting instead to return to Wall Street with a public listing despite Mr Dell’s complaints about Wall Street’s obsession with quarterly results. A dual-class share structure has left him with about 48 per cent of the voting power, compared to only 13 per cent of the votes before taking the company private.
On Wednesday, Dell claimed that it would be able to maintain its close relationship with VMware even after shedding direct ownership.
In a statement, the company said it would set up “mutually beneficial commercial arrangements similar to those currently in place” including “go-to-market, services, research and development, and intellectual property agreements” between the two companies.


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Top 10 most valuable global brands
Updated: 2016-03-18 07:02
According to Brand Finance's ranking of the most valuable global brands in 2016, Apple Inc is once again at the top, though it was challenged strongly by Google (Alphabet).
As the only Chinese company to make the top 10 list, China Mobile ranks ninth.
The standard for measuring brand value includes a product competitiveness index, brand loyalty, marketing and investment, etc.
Here are top 10 companies on the list.
No 10 Wells Fargo
Brand value: (USD $ Millions) 44,170
A man passes a Wells Fargo bank in Oakland, California, on July 14, 2014. [Photo/IC]


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BOQ becomes first Australian bank to issue debit cards made from recycled plastic
Bank of Queensland (BOQ) has today become the first bank in Australia to issue debit cards made from recycled materials to its customers. The move will see more than half a million new cards made from industrial waste that would have otherwise ended up in landfill.
BOQ has worked with Melbourne-based manufacturer, Placard, to roll out the new recycled cards which have been validated by global independent safety science company, Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
Group Executive Retail Banking, Martine Jager said she was very excited to be launching the Bank’s new recycled debit cards and leading the way to a more sustainable future for the banking sector in Australia.
“Plastic waste is one of the top three social and environmental issues that concern most Australians so I’m proud that we can do our bit to create a second use for industrial waste. This initiative alone will prevent three and a half tonnes of waste from going to landfill, and is a great example of how we can help support our customers in their journey to living more sustainably.
“Over the next three years we’ll issue more than half a million debit cards made from recycled material, and our customers will experience the same strong quality and durability with some fantastic new features including compatibility with digital wallets and smart devices,” Ms Jager said.
The Bank will initially distribute 150,000 BOQ Personal VISA Debit and BOQ Business VISA Debit recycled plastic cards, while the remainder will continue to roll out to customers through new or replacement cards.
This announcement is the latest sustainability initiative for BOQ, having recently achieved its carbon neutral certification by Australia’s governing standard, Climate Active, in July 2021.
 Each debit card is made up of a chip and antenna, which can’t be recycled, and the remaining 82% of the card is made from 99% recycled material
 Republic of Everyone – Power and the Passion Feb 21 https://republicofeveryone.com/power-and-the-passion/


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If you happen to own Analog on the Mac or Analog Camera on iPhone, you may notice some changes soon. That's because both apps have been handed off from Realmac Software to new owner Appuous, who plans to revolutionize "the way people capture meaningful moments and how they translate those moments to creative, beautiful works of photography" with future updates. And there just so happens to be more on iPhone photography in today's recap, so read on...
Dixons vet John Browett may not have been the best executive fit for Apple's retail stores, but you can bet that CEO Tim Cook won't be making the same mistake twice. But who might be the next head of Apple's retail division?
Sure, Pennsylvania might be one of the larger states in the U.S., but when Apple has eight retail stores to serve a population of 12.7 million but only six such outlets serving more than 1.3 billion in all of China, it's clearly a problem for Cupertino.
We’ve got quite the Thursday lined up for you in this edition. How does faster Wi-Fi sound? Check! Live television streamed to your iOS device for free? Got it! MobileMe replacement services? Naturally! And there’s oh so much more in store for MacLife.com readers today, so let’s cue the lights and start the show for this Thursday, April 26, 2012.
Apple's iPad has undoubtedly remained the darling of the tablet market, a device with such continued high demand, that shipping times still stand at 1-2 weeks at the online Apple Store. Due to this success, it has left Apple executives believing that the tablet market will soon surpass PCs.


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An Insider's Guide To The GooglePlex: 10 Must-Do Recommendations (GOOG)
Published 4:00 am, Thursday, May 19, 2011
According to a scan of Foursquare's API by the Wall Street Journal, the most popular workplace Foursquare check-in in the entire Bay Area is the Googleplex.
What's so special about the Googleplex?
Well, there are dinosaurs, giant phones, free bikes, nap pods, and we're not even scratching the surface.
Check out our walkthrough of the modern day Willy Wonka factory.
See if you can grab a Google bike to get around the complex on. It will save you some energy and time.
Check out the huge Google Store in Building 41 and grab some road-biking gear
Check out the huge iron T-Rex on the main campus. Sometimes, employees punk T-Rex and put pink flamingos all over it. LOL
Latest business videos
See the rest of the story at Business Insider


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Working during a pandemic, revenue share with platform holders, unionisation, and platform preference: these were the hot topics covered in the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2021 State of the Game Industry survey.
Now nine years running, GDC’s annual survey gathers the thoughts of game developers worldwide to provide a glimpse of industry trends. The 2021 survey accrued more than 3,000 respondents who provided information about various topics such as which platforms they’re developing for, game subscription services, and working hours.
A higher cut of platform revenue share gained almost unanimous consensus among respondents, with 71 percent believing digital storefronts should receive 20 percent or less of each game sale. The industry standard among digital storefronts sits at a 70/30 percent split in favour of developers, although the PC-based Epic Games Store only takes 12 percent, with Microsoft to follow suit on PC in August. Only six percent of respondents believed the status quo or a higher platform cut was justifiable.
Disruption due to the pandemic varied dramatically among developers according to the survey. 44 percent reported delays with their games as a result of the pandemic, up from 33 percent in last year’s survey. On the topic of working from home, 67 percent believed their creativity and productivity remained either the same or increased to some extent. It’s possible altered working arrangements would’ve impacted companies of various sizes differently, where working from home suits some but not all.
On the topic of working from home, 67 percent believed their creativity and productivity remained either the same or increased to some extent.
PC remains the platform developers are most interested in, with 58 percent indicating as such. Sony’s new PlayStation 5 console came in at second, with 44 percent interested platform, which could rise following the announcement of PlayStation’s most profitable financial year in history.
Unionisation and organising to negotiate working conditions is a highly debated issue in the games industry, as reflected by the survey’s responses. 51 percent think the industry should unionise, with 24 percent saying ‘maybe’, 14 percent disagreeing, and 10 percent responding with ‘don’t know’. As for whether unionisation will happen, the surveyed developers are less optimistic: 20 percent believe ‘yes’, 43 percent ‘maybe, and 23 percent ‘no’.
51 percent think the [videogame] industry should unionise, with 24 percent saying ‘maybe’
Men continue to dominate the game development industry, comprising 73 percent of respondents, while 2021 saw three percent identify as non-binary, the first time GDC’s survey listed the option.
As the GDC is based in the United States, most of the respondents are from North America, with only two percent of respondents listing Australia and New Zealand as their location. Still, there are plenty of insights no doubt reflective of wider game development trends.


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Under normal circumstances, a city-stopping snowstorm could lead to no-shows, last-minute cancellations and late arrivals. But none of the above were factors at the Fashion Group International’s Rising Star awards Thursday, which were held virtually for the first time.
Weather, like travel, were non-issues for numerous attendees, who watched Aknvas’ Christian Juul Nielsen and Epperson’s Rodney Epperson share the Womenswear award. After Anna Sui named the winners, Epperson chalked up his win to perseverance. Nielsen then followed up with his own thanks, adding that designers such as himself need support now more than ever. “FGI was founded by 17 women who banded together to support and promote the role of women in the industry,” he said, noting that he created his company to meet a similar goal of empowerment for women.
Reese Cooper locked up the Menswear honor for his signature collection. After accepting the award from Oscar de la Renta’s Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia, Cooper was succinct in thanking FGI and noting the amount of behind-the-scenes work that goes into such awards when Zoom rules all.
Before all of the winners were unveiled, the Grammy-nominated R&B duo Chloe x Halle shared some advice with the young creatives, including listen to yourself, the creative process is messy, don’t be afraid to dig in, stay the course even if you get discouraged and find a mentor.
Halle said, “Like all of you Rising Stars know, the real work is done unseen and often in silence. As artists, everyone gets to see all of those magical moments at a performance or hear the the final version of a song. But they don’t get to see the thousands of hours of real work that went into creating those seemingly flawless, sometimes not-so-flawless magical moments. And that’s true for anyone creative. We’re here to say we see you. We know what it takes to be a Rising Star, that’s why we are so proud to talk to you.”
During cameo appearances, designers such as Donna Karan and Brandon Maxwell offered encouragement to the crowd. Karan said, “There’s never been a more challenging and inspiring time to create the fashion history of the future as there is today. As I’ve always said, ‘It’s not about me. It’s about the we and coming together as a community to create, collaborate and communicate so that we can not only dress but address what’s needed to create the industry of tomorrow.’”
Maxwell, a 2016 Rising Star winner, acknowledged how being creative in these unstable times can be confusing and uncertain. “We are fortunate enough to work in an industry where on our best day our job, our only job, is to go into work and to help someone to feel their best. I encourage everyone to look at this time as a positive. Sometimes in the darkness and the sadness we are pushed toward the light.”
Rick Owens and Michele Lamy appeared to present the All Gender Product award to APOTTS’ Aaron Potts. The designer said, “The expectations of traditional gender expression are so confining for some people. I hope to offer something that allows people to exhale, to go deeper and to embrace every part of themselves — their creativity, their inspirations and their self expressions. The more that we can do that for ourselves, the more that we can do it for each other.”
Potts’ extensive thanks included Willi Smith, Perry Ellis and Patrick Kelly for their brilliant inspiration.
Another Rising Star category that led to a tie was for Beauty Entrepreneur. Nyakio Beauty’s Nyakio Grieco and Pause Well-Aging Rochelle Weitzner took home the top prize.
As a sign of the strength and breadth of the accessories market, FGI has two different Rising Star awards for that area. The first for Accessories-Scarves/Fashion Jewelry was handed to Rory Worby Studio’s Rory Worby. The second Accessories award for handbags/footwear went to Aera’s Tina Bhojwani and Jean Michel Cazabet. The duo were two-time winners Thursday. Aera’s founders also picked up the Fekkai Sustainability award.
Dee and Tommy Hilfiger also gave listeners a fight talk in dealing with the global pandemic. “We’ve learned that times of collective hardships have a way of changing our priorities for the better. For instance, the fashion industry has come to realize that we need to drastically alter our framework to be more sustainable and more inclusive.”
Tommy Hilfiger said, “We all know that you will help drive this positive and meaningful change.”
While hundreds of apparel companies are scrambling to invent and adopt more imaginative retail concepts, Fashwire was recognized for its innovation. The Seattle-based company took home the New Retail Concept award. Fashwire is a global platform showcasing apparel and accessories from more than 300 designers on its site and via its app. Collectively, the creatives represent more than 30 countries.
Another innovator — Leap’s cofounder and co-chief executive officer Amish Tolia — walked away with the Hilldun Business Innovation award, which was presented by Hilldun’s Gary Wassner. Leap operates retail stores for select direct-to-consumer brands. Launched two years ago, the company uses technology, store management and real estate know-how.
Tuning in from the comfort of their own homes, guests watched FGI deliver the inaugural Rising Star award for Home Product Innovation. New York City-based Hazy Mae won that for her Hazy Mae Cookie Jar Maker business. Mae sculpts and handpaints all of the cookie jars that she makes with monochromatic color palettes and fashion-infused whimsy. Reinventing classic cookie jars from the Twenties through the Fifties to create ones with a more modernistic edge, Mae’s ceramics are keepers. Accepting the award virtually seated in front of a backdrop of her creations, Mae was startled to be greeted with an off-camera horn salute.
Jason Wu was another guest designer, who reminded attendees to never stop learning, to remain curious, to give back and to foster the next generation of designers. “With the changing market, we need to be prepared to help those who are talented to be able to navigate the changing industry. I’m so happy that FGI continues its mission to celebrate talent and diversity.”
Before the awards were distributed, FGI’s president and chief executive officer Maryanne Grisz plugged the event’s sponsors Hearst, Hilldun, Fekkai, Diesel and Pullquest. She also noted that 350 students were listening in, thanks to a give-back initiative.


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Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd, one of China’s major carmakers, has long been known for its production and sales of car brands such as Toyota and Honda, since it established joint ventures with the Japanese car giants more than a decade ago. However, the Guangzhou-based carmaker started developing a homegrown car brand just eight years ago, at a time when the Chinese domestic market was almost entirely dominated by foreign brands.
Zeng Qinghong, president of GAC Group said:
“Cooperation with the Japanese carmakers in recent years has made a great contribution to launching innovative and homegrown brands. We needed to boost our market presence by launching a high-end homegrown brand.”
GAC Group’s homegrown vehicles, under the Trumpchi brand name, have become a hit in the Chinese domestic market, with annual sales increasing more than 80 percent year-on-year since it was established in 2008. In the past 10 months, GAC Motors sold more than 296,000 Trumpchi cars, a year-on-year rise of 126 percent, the company said.
The company has already secured orders for more than 18,000 units of the GS8 since sales of the seven-seat SUV were launched in late October. The GS8 which was launched in October is quickly becoming a huge success in China while GAC has serious plans to export the vehicle in US, Europe and Middle Eastern regions.
According to the company, sales of the GS8 will reach more than 100,000 units a year as it is very competitive both in quality and design in the Chinese domestic market, which is traditionally dominated by foreign brands. The company will make more effort to expand its capacity to meet growing domestic market demand for its high-end vehicles.
After the second assembly line of its Guangzhou facility was put into operation in July, GAC Motor became able to produce 400,000 cars annually. The company is also building an assembly line in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and is upgrading another facility in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com


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According to the latest Consumer Insights report from Empathy Research, almost 1 in 2 Irish consumers (46%) think today's Budget will leave them with less money to spend on groceries.
The survey of 1,004 adults found that 54% of females are of this opinion compared to 38% of males. Participants with children (54%) are also more likely to be of this opinion than those without children (41%).
Over half of Irish consumers (53%) say they are ‘not satisfied’ (22%) or ‘not at all satisfied’ (31%) with the current government. Almost one in five (19%) indicated that they are ‘satisfied' or ‘very satisfied’ with the current government. This is predominantly driven by males (24% vs. 15% females) and those aged over 55; 18-24 (18%), 25-34 (17%), 35-44 (17%), 45-54 (16%) and 55+ (25%).
Four fifths of Irish consumers (82%) think the price of alcohol will go up in the Budget. Most respondents age 18-24 years old (90%) think the price of alcohol will go up in the Budget. This is marginally higher than all other age groups; 25-34 (81%), 35-44 (82%), 45-54 (88%) and 55+ (77%).
Elsewhere, the vast majority of Irish consumers (93%) think the price of cigarettes will increase. Both males and females appear to be of equal agreement here, while over 45s are more likely to believe the price of cigarettes will go up compared to those aged under 45; 18-24 (91%), 25-34 (88%), 35-44 (93%), 45-54 (96%) and 55+ (95%).
In addition, almost half of Irish consumers (48%) think the government will introduce measures that will encourage people to start spending again. Males are the most hopeful, with more than 1 in 2 (54%) saying people will be encouraged to start spending again, which is significantly higher than females (41%).
Click here for more information from Empathy Research.
© 2015 - Checkout Magazine by Niall Swan


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Most of the largest creators of value in recent years, regardless of sector, have one thing in common: technology is critical to their business (see Figure 1).
In general, companies and sectors with less tech-enabled innovation had smaller market-value gains from 2015 through 2020.
The clear message is that technology isn’t just an industry. It has become the primary disruptive force across the entire global economy.
“Born tech” companies deliberately built their businesses upon technology at an early stage because they viewed it as critical to their success, even if their end product isn’t a traditional technology product or service. Think Tesla in automobiles, Netflix in media, and Amazon in retail.
But even more-traditional, often “brick-and-mortar,” businesses have recognized the outsized benefits of adopting a tech-led strategy. For example, Disney launched a streaming video service, and Walmart now has a huge online marketplace.
This phenomenon goes beyond legacy companies’ digital transformation projects, which often focus on converting analog processes to digital ones. This is about all sectors learning how to wield technology and the tech industry’s platform and ecosystem playbook as a needle-moving competitive advantage.
As we explored in last year’s Technology Report, the massive global success of cloud technology and platform business models fueled the technology industry’s value creation over the past decade. These two trends gave rise to the tech giants, the leading cloud tools and service providers that we call “hyperscalers”: Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft in the US, and Alibaba and Tencent in China.
Now, cloud technology and platform business models are unlocking significant value for companies across every sector. The winning companies of the next decade will be defined by their ability to take full advantage of these catalysts.
Cloud-native infrastructure software
Within the technology industry, the unprecedented growth of the hyperscalers has overshadowed the rapid rise of another segment that has become a formidable value creator and disruptor in its own right: cloud-native infrastructure software vendors.
The publicly traded companies in this group were collectively worth nearly half a trillion dollars at the end of 2020, with many of the leading ones more than doubling in market value last year (see Figure 2). Plus, there’s a healthy pipeline of earlier-stage competitors reportedly valued at more than $1 billion each (so-called unicorns).
Market values of top cloud-native infrastructure software vendors are growing rapidly
Cloud-native infrastructure software companies have flourished because they can more easily launch and rapidly scale up new applications by building them on top of the big cloud service providers’ public cloud resources. Rather than making costly up-front capital investments, cloud-native infrastructure software companies can pay for cloud computing resources as they go, based on how much they use. This can free them to focus investments on product development, sales, marketing, and other areas that can grow their businesses.
This model has helped Snowflake become one of the fastest-growing and highest-valued cloud-native infrastructure software vendors. The company developed a platform, running on multiple public clouds, that helps businesses consolidate their disparate data sets so they can more easily analyze and share data, and build data-enabled applications. Snowflake uses the public clouds’ elasticity to flexibly ramp its computing and storage resources up or down independently, based on what customers need. This has delivered cost and performance benefits for both Snowflake and its customers. Furthermore, the standardization and infrastructure management capabilities of each public cloud make it easier for customers to deploy Snowflake’s services using their cloud of choice. Snowflake’s customers in financial services, healthcare, retail, and other sectors are now collectively running hundreds of millions of data queries each day using the company’s products.
Nontech companies and the cloud
As cloud infrastructure and supporting tools get more advanced, they’re empowering companies across industries not only to build more efficient and effective IT footprints, but also to use large amounts of data to enhance their business model.
For example, automakers are scaling up vehicle telematics services underpinned by cloud technology. This can improve customers’ safety and vehicle experience and lower the total cost of car ownership. General Motors introduced its OnStar telematics system 25 years ago. The company has added a series of cloud-based capabilities to it since the mid-2000s, and GM leaders see OnStar as an important source of future growth. There are now about 20 million Internet-connected GM vehicles worldwide. OnStar, which comes standard in most GM vehicles, transmits telematics data to the cloud for real-time analysis. For consumers, OnStar provides navigation assistance, proactively alerts emergency services when the vehicle has been in an accident, and enables GM’s new usage-based insurance offering, which adjusts rates based on driving behavior. Commercial customers can use GM’s OnStar Vehicle Insights product to more easily monitor vehicle fleets’ performance, location, usage, and other metrics.
Nontech companies and platforms
Platforms are usually associated with the technology sector, but now companies in other industries are shaking up their markets by adopting business models built upon tech platforms. The term “platform” is often used broadly. Here, we use it specifically to indicate a product or service upon which others build their livelihood―one that attracts an ecosystem of partners and customers who collectively deliver value. The power of platforms lies in their network effects, which drive down marginal acquisition costs and fuel compounding increases in value for the platform and its participants.
One example of a traditional business taking advantage of tech platforms is John Deere. The nearly two-century-old tractor manufacturer launched its digital platform MyJohnDeere in 2012. The product combines data generated by sensors installed on the company’s farm equipment with third-party data on crop characteristics, soil conditions, yields, weather, and more. The platform’s ability to synthesize this information helps farmers manage their fleets by reducing machine downtime and conserving fuel, which reduces costs and increases productivity. The platform’s analytical insights continuously improve as more farmers join and share data. The platform is also a hub for third-party applications that can help farmers make agronomic decisions and better manage their fields. These innovations have deepened John Deere’s relationships with customers and strengthened its core equipment business, ultimately helping the company to nearly triple its market capitalization since 2011.
In our analysis of companies worldwide adopting cloud technology and platform business models, we’ve found that the most successful are doing four things differently.
First, they’re using data and analytics to gain an edge. By actively managing and drawing insights from large data sets, companies can more rapidly improve their offers based on real-time customer feedback.
Netflix does this well. All that binge-watching of movies and TV shows produces valuable viewer behavior data that guides content development and personalized promotions. Netflix says the vast majority of customers’ viewing choices are based on suggestions served up by its data-driven recommendation engine. As customers watch more, Netflix uses that data to shape the content it produces so viewers keep coming back.
Second, winning companies are scaling rapidly while owning fewer assets. Cloud technology and platforms have made this “asset-light” model possible because companies can now achieve scale through “connection” rather than “production,” by tapping into capital goods owned by others. As the meme says, Uber became one of the world’s largest taxi companies without owning any cars, and Airbnb became one of the largest accommodation providers without owning any real estate.
Third, realizing they don’t have to own everything, leading companies are using partnerships to add capabilities faster and cheaper than developing them internally. For example, Swedish financial technology company Klarna, which helps facilitate payments between buyers and sellers online by offering consumers pay-after-delivery and installment-plan options, sought a solution that would allow Klarna users to shop at any merchant, even ones that don’t have a direct relationship with the company. Rather than build it in-house, Klarna formed a partnership with Marqeta to provide consumers with virtual, single-use credit cards—which Klarna calls “One-time cards”—that can be used at checkout like any other payment card. This virtual card allows the consumer to pay with Klarna at the point of sale, without requiring a new technical integration between Klarna and the merchant’s registers and terminals. Using Marqeta’s card-issuing product, Klarna can fund the card in real time with the exact amount needed to pay for the customer’s order. Klarna also used Marqeta’s geographic reach to launch in two new countries, the US and Australia, a model Klarna is replicating in other countries. Since launching its partnership with Marqeta in early 2019, Klarna’s transaction volume has approximately doubled every quarter.
Lastly, companies are investing in tech talent to help them take full advantage of cloud technologies and platform business models. Just look at Goldman Sachs for a clear view of how executives across sectors are reshaping their businesses with technology. The US-based financial services firm now has more software developers (10,000) than most technology companies. Coders make up about 25% of its workforce.
The question on the table in every boardroom, regardless of industry, is not whether technology can make a difference for the business. It’s how, and to what extent? Companies that embrace technology as a fundamental, differentiating capability have a shot at unleashing more growth than ever.


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Having collected over $8.5 million in funding through Kickstarter, the Android based gaming console had raised quite some brows over its ambitious claims. Critics were of the view point that the project won’t deliver on its promises and looked like a scam. But, it seems that the console has silenced all those critics for now as the developer kits have already started shipping.
Ouya forums have got a “The Official ‘I got my OUYA Game Console’ Thread” going on with one customer having posted what seems to be a shipment notification email. According to the text of the email the developer kit has got a console and two controllers. The kits were supposed to go out on December 28 but, with the forum thread it seems that the few lucky ones are up for an early New Year treat.
For those who are not willing to purchase a hardware kit, the software development kit (SDK) will also be released, which is due tomorrow.


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Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are forecasting another good year for farm machinery sales. According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ (AEM) twice-a-year business barometer, the vast majority of companies expect “positive” to “very positive” results for sales revenues in 2013. The exception is the livestock sector, which is bearing the brunt of higher feed prices.
Charlie O’Brien, AEM’s vice president, ag sector, was not able to comment on sales figures. But he says a big driver of equipment sales is net farm income, which the USDA estimates will reach a record high of $122.2 billion in 2012, up 3.7% from last year. “Also, farmers have had several good years in agriculture,” O’Brien says. “Their debt ratio has come down and continues to be at relatively low levels, so their balance sheets are still in pretty good shape.”
Dealers are expressing similar optimism. According to Ag Equipment Intelligence’s (AEI) 2013 Dealer Business Trends & Outlook report, the majority of dealers surveyed expect sales revenues to be at least “as good as” or “better than” sales levels in 2012, citing 4-wd tractors as their best revenue prospect.
Wild cards include future crop prices, the policies of newly elected leaders, changes in machinery replacement cycles, and the number of growers taking crop insurance payouts in place of a machinery deduction.
High demand for machinery is expected to drive up prices, which most dealers estimate will be between 1 and 6% for new machinery orders, according to AEI’s survey. Dealers say higher equipment prices are their number-one concern going into 2013.
Dave Kanicki, AEI’s executive editor and author of the report, says dealers’ concern about pricing is a reflection of price hikes they’ve seen over the past few years, including the 7 to 11% increases from Tier 4i engines. “It’s more of an accumulative effect that they’re concerned with rather than immediate increases,” Kanicki says. “New, top-of-the-line combines are approaching or exceeding $350,000. Dealers have told me that as long as corn and bean prices remain elevated, they’re probably okay. But if they see a deep decline, farmers will balk at the high prices for new equipment. Even with these higher prices, dealers say their margins on sales of high-horsepower tractors and combines remain pretty slim.”
Gary Schnitkey, University of Illinois ag economist, also expects machinery prices to rise in 2013. Schnitkey has adjusted his 2013 Illinois corn and soybean budgets to reflect a $42/acre depreciation, up from $39/acre in 2012.
“Overall, demand for machinery is good, leading to continued machinery purchases, maintaining upward pressure on prices,” Schnitkey says. “Purchasing additional inputs now may be warranted, particularly if tax planning indicates that 2012 taxable incomes are going to be high.”
Jim Farrell, president and CEO of Farmers National Company, Omaha, Neb., expects that tax planning likely will affect buying decisions in light of this year’s high farm income levels. “Cash is king in any operation,” Farrell says, “and if farm operators can protect their cash position and still purchase needed machinery, many will make the purchase.”
Some manufacturers are working on year-end programs that will provide discounts on purchases to soften the cost of new equipment. “A lot of 2011 grain was sold at record prices in 2012,” says Tom Evans, Great Plains Manufacturing. “High prices coupled with section 179 and 50% bonus depreciation should make for some pretty good ‘year-end’ buying. Even producers with short yields due to the drought are positive because most are fairly well insured. These year-end programs will hopefully generate enough sales to take us well into the second quarter of 2013.”
Manufacturers and dealers say they expect to have a good supply of both new and used equipment in 2013. Dealers surveyed in AEI’s report expect the wait times to receive a high-horsepower tractor or combine will be between four and nine months once an order is placed.
Manufacturers estimate similar wait times, between one and six months, says AEM’s O’Brien. “When we look at October of last year compared to October of this year, the length of time for delivery of equipment has been reduced a great deal,” O’Brien says. “In some cases, we were stretched out to a year last year. Now, that time is cut in half. So we are in much better shape in terms of supply.”


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This initiative is turning old, worn-out cotton clothing into new fi bers for reuse in the textile industry by using a cellulose dissolution technique.
Reproducing old cotton clothing into new material has proven to be very challenging as the worn-out fibers are too short to be spun into new quality thread. But the cellulose dissolution technique from the Relooping Fashion Initiative
allows for virtually unlimited recycling of cotton without the addition of any harmful chemicals or new material. The process does not require use of sulfur, thereby avoiding environmental and occupational health challenges in the
production of new textiles.
According to the company, the circular technique has proven to reproduce fibers for new textile production with an improved quality, closing the loop and maintaining the value of cotton throughout the value chain. By the end of 2016, a pilot project is expected to produce the first commercially available clothing lines made with 100% recycled fibers.
Relevance of solution
The widespread decomposition of clothes in landfills releases methane and increases the risk of dyes and other chemicals leaching into the environment. The Relooping Fashion Initiative’s circular approach to recycling cotton fibers reduces textile waste and provides a valuable source of raw material for new clothing materials.
Triple Bottom Line
Cellulose dissolution reduces water usage by 70% and energy consumption by 50%, according to the company.
The approach enables the production of garments without the release of harmful chemicals.
By re-purposing textiles that would otherwise have ended up in landfills, the initiative achieves cost savings in raw materials.


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Lotus is developing its latest gasoline sports carApril 23, 2020
After that, the company will focus on the production and sale of powerful cars with an electric component of the power plant.
The sports car manufacturer Lotus buckets is working on the design of a new sports car with a gasoline engine. As it became known on Wednesday, April 22, this sports car will be the last in the history of the brand with a classic internal combustion engine. It is expected that the official debut of the car will take place at the end of 2020 or in the first half of 2021.
Lotus Cars CEO Phil Popham said the new car, although a sports car, will be positioned as a car for everyday travel. The preliminary cost of the car is already known – the most affordable version can be purchased for 55 thousand pounds, and the maximum configuration will cost 100 thousand pounds
Also, some details about the exterior of the car became known – the design will use some features of the Evija hypercar.
Recall that the Lotus Evija was the first fully electric car of the brand. It was officially introduced in July 2019. The total power of electric motors reaches 2000 hp, and the range on one charge is about 400 kilometers. Acceleration to 100 km / h in such a car takes less than 3 seconds. Serial production of the latest Lotus petrol sports car will be launched at a factory in Hötel in the UK.
- Updated Cadillac CT5 gets V Performance package
- Mercedes has updated the luxury SUV Maybach GLS
- Cadillac Lyriq will get an incredible projection system on the windshield
- Tesla admitted: yes, our bumpers fall off, and blow off roofs
- 80-year-old retiree drives a Ferrari F40 daily


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One of Australia’s largest timber-producing regions will explore using low-value wood fibre in engineered products to address the nation’s growing structural timber deficit crisis. The Green Triangle forestry industry, spanning parts of western Victoria and the Limestone Coast in South Australia, has received a AU$1.3 million federal grant to explore the creation of new wood products using softwood and hardwood pulp.
The project comes amid the ongoing export log ban by China and structural timber shortages faced by homebuilders, renovators and the construction sector. A report by Forest and Wood Products Australia claims demand for new housing will climb from 183,000 new dwellings per year to 259,000 by 2050. This is expected to drive an increase of almost 50 per cent in the demand for sawn softwood.
Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union national secretary Michael O’Connor said action was needed. “Australia is not going to be able to build the new homes that it needs into the future if we don’t take urgent action now to ensure we have the softwood supply the country needs,” Mr O’Connor said.
“The timber shortage crisis is a global problem, and Australia can’t look to other markets for solutions. We need our own plan.” Forest and Wood Products Australia, in partnership with the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub, has received an Agricultural Trade and Market Access Cooperation program grant to explore opportunities to create new wood products using softwood and hardwood pulp.
Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub executive general manager Liz McKinnon said the project was potentially exciting for the regional industry, as it underpinned thousands of local jobs. “This project will determine whether it is feasible to manufacture an engineered wood product for use in building construction using this fibre.”


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Morrisons is to work with both Amazon and Ocado as it looks to grow its online sales.Hundreds of Morrisons’ products are to be sold through Amazon’s Prime and Pantry services in coming months. The supermarket will supply fresh, frozen and ambient food products to Amazon on a wholesale supply basis as it looks to build a “broader business that complements our supermarkets and is consistent with our commitment to pursue capital light growth.”
Morrisons Chief Executive David Potts said: “Today’s agreement is built on Morrisons’ unique strengths as a food maker. The combination of our fresh food expertise with Amazon’s online and logistics capabilities is compelling.”
He said the supermarket looked forward to developing and growing the Amazon partnership in coming months.
Meanwhile, it is renegotiating its agreement with Ocado, which supplies the technology and fulfilment services behind Morrisons.com, to enable pick from store – enabling Morrisons.com to sell to customers all over Great Britain. Morrisons will take space in Ocado’s new Erith, south east London, customer fulfilment centre which is due to go live at the end of 2017. Ocado will provide Morrisons with the software it needs to fulfil orders from stores – enabling Morrisons to serve online customers in areas that are not served by Ocado’s network of fulfilment centres.
However, said Morrisons, the agreement would only go ahead if it enabled it “to achieve profitable growth online”.


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KEENE, N.H., May 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bridgit Lombard, Executive Chairman of The Mountain, has announced that Kenny Ballard, former Senior Vice President of Operations at Osprey Packs, has joined the company as Chief Executive Officer, effective May 15th, 2017.
Kenny and his family are in the process of relocating from Colorado to the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire. A proven outdoor and action sports industry leader and brand visionary, Kenny brings with him a unique and extensive skill set that will serve the team and brand well in his new role at The Mountain. As President of iconic outdoor brand, Kelty, he created and implemented strategic direction, refining the brand, achieving record growth and solidifying the brand's value within the outdoor industry. In his most recent role as Senior VP of Operations for Osprey Packs, Kenny led strategic day to day operations and management for the business, and was a key member of the leadership team through the most profitable years in its history and laying the foundation for long term success.
On Kenny's announcement, Executive Chairman Bridgit Lombard stated, "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Kenny and have him lead this company forward. His energy, enthusiasm and expertise will be a huge asset for The Mountain as we dive into new categories and build a solid foundation for future growth."
Regarding the new position, Kenny commented, "I am thrilled to be leading The Mountain, working with the passionate and creative team and a brand with a rich 25-year history of domestically produced, eco-sensitive, lifestyle apparel that appeals to a diverse and loyal customer base."
The Mountain is an eco-friendly manufacturer of t-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, and apparel featuring unique and creative images that appeal to a diverse audience. The Mountain, which was recently acquired by Gladstone Investment Corporation, will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2017. The Mountain sells its products to retailers spanning 58 countries through www.wholesale.themountain.com, as well as direct to customers on its website, www.themountain.com.
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-mountain-announces-new-chief-executive-officer-300457831.html
SOURCE The Mountain


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By Christine Kern, contributing writer
In news this week, Taco Bell pledges huge expansion over the next five years; the Global Travel Insights Report provides some keys to attracting summer travelers; and KFC launches its romance novella to win Mother’s Day feasters.
Taco Bell Pledges To Add 100,000 Employees Over the Next Five Years
Taco Bell recently announced plans to increase the number of locations in its U.S. system to 8,000 units by the end of 2022, which means the creation of approximately 100,000 new jobs over the next five years. The expansion has already begun this month, and some 3,500 new jobs are anticipated at 85 new locations this summer alone. The company also plans to seek to fill some 650m000 additional positions across the system by the end of the summer.
According to QSRWeb, the chain is partnering with Roadtrip Nation, an RV-based career exploration program, in order to facilitate the hiring process. Employees are encouraged to create profiles through Roadtrip Nation and to connect with others to share stories about their experiences at Taco Bell. It is designed to foster networks and communities that allow employees to help themselves.
Taco Bell Chief People Officer Frank Tucker stated, “Our system’s employees are central to creating exceptional experiences for the 46 million customers we serve each week. Taco Bell and our franchises are committed to building workplaces where team members want to work and grow. That starts by showcasing the diverse pathways in the Taco Bell system and celebrating employees’ achievements, which we’re doing by shining a spotlight on some of Taco Bell’s most impressive young talent.”
“Last year we announced our commitment to hire 100,000 new team members in our system by 2022,” said Brian Niccol, Chief Executive Officer at Taco Bell. “We are now taking that commitment to the next level with recruiting and employment programs to help us and our franchisees invest in our employees, and their experience, in significant ways.”
Sojern’s 2017 Global Travel Insights Report Reveals Summer Travel Trends
According to Sojern’s latest Global Travel Insights Report, early North American planners are anticipated longer trips in June with 46 percent of searches happening for trips lasting 12 or more days, and they are searching to depart at both the very beginning and the very end of the month. Meanwhile, short-haul travelers are looking to make the most of long weekends this summer, with 21 percent searching for Thursday departures and 22 percent searching for Friday departures. It also found that Miami, Las Vega, New York City, Orlando, and Los Angeles top the list of searched recreational domestic destinations for this summer.
For those in the hospitality industry, these insights have some important takeaways: tailor packages and promotions to longer trips by including exclusive upgrades or discounts; start your summer travel campaigns now to catch early planners; use video or Facebook dynamic ads to create visually stunning campaigns to showcase destinations to appeal to travelers; and engage new customers by targeting them with both upper-funnel and mid-funnel messaging to introduce them to your brand.
KFC Launches Romance Novella Featuring Casanova Colonel Sanders
KFC may just have taken the love of a good chicken one step too far. It has launched a romance novella titled Tender Wings of Desire starring a Casanova Colonel Sanders, which follows the love affair between Lady Madeline Parker and Colonel Harland Sanders. The96-page eBook is available through Amazon for $.99, or for free with Kindle Unlimited, and KFC is giving away 100 hardback copies of the book to fans via Facebook.
“The only thing better than being swept away by the deliciousness of our Extra Crispy Chicken is being swept away by Harland Sanders himself,” asserts George Felix, KFC US’s director of advertising. “So this Mother’s Day, the bucket of chicken I get for my wife will come with a side of steamy romance novella. Dinner is taken care of and she’ll have the time to escape her busy schedule.”
Mother’s Day is the best-selling day of the year for the chain, and the novel is part of a promotion for the $20 Fill Up special. In the television ad, a shirtless man proclaims, “This Mother’s Day, let Colonel Sanders take care of dinner – and mom’s fantasies by giving her Tender Wings of Desire.”
The novella is part of KFC’s aggressive and innovative advertisement campaign featuring Colonel Sanders, portrayed by a range of actors and comedians. In the past, the company has also published comic books featuring the founder, as well as using his image and story in restaurants and on its website.


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OSN, the MENA region’s leading entertainment hub partners with castLabs’ PRESTOplay player SDKs to support multiple devices, including browsers, smart TVs, iOS, Android, and more for the newly launched streaming platform.
Together with a team of partners, a new streaming platform has been launched by OSN, in under six months, to which castLabs has contributed with PRESTOplay. PRESTOplay SDKs provide the versatility to create high-quality bespoke players with latest and greatest features. “API-first” players for rapid player creation aid in achieving an easier and swifter deployment cycle.
Peter Riz, Chief Technology Officer at OSN, said: “OSN’s collaboration with castLabs and integration of PRESTOplay underpins OSN’s commitment to amplifying reach and ensuring viewers enjoy a smooth streaming experience whichever device they choose. castLabs’ technology has been an integral part of the development of our newly launched platform, providing the technology and expertise for a smooth execution. We are proud of the success of the collaboration, as we continue to work with industry leading partners to deliver a viewer-centric entertainment platform.”
Whilst working closely with other companies and integrating third-party solutions such as DOTSCREEN, Supercharge, and intive, castLabs’ value came with the support of a wide range of devices for an enjoyable viewing experience in over 20 countries. An already existing relationship and pre-integration with Conviva has allowed for a smooth integration of analytics. Furthermore, castLabs’ team of experts provided custom development to enable displaying of subtitles for live content.
“OSN is one of the largest streaming platforms in the Middle East, working closely with airports and being an official distribution partner for Disney, we are happy that they have chosen our scalable and reliable solutions,” said Michael Stattmann, CEO and founder at castLabs. “This complex project has required a lot of communication and cooperation between the teams to ensure a successful launch and it’s been a pleasure.”


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The superstore has urged U.S. managers to improve performance on "Chilled and Fresh" items in its dairy, meat and produce departments.
Can shares of Carnival keep cruising higher? Options traders seem to think so.
Starting at 6 p.m. Thursday, the retail giant will roll out a long weekend of Black Friday lures.
Same-store sales, a key metric in the retail business, fell 1.4 percent. Analysts polled by Consensus Metrix had forecast same-store sales would rise.
The Android smartphone is now shipping from Google and steadily becoming available in U.S. cellular stores.
Americans will change bad spending and saving habits only when financial literacy efforts start to leverage big data and digital tools.
Obamacare's excise tax on pricey health plans will hit both employers and workers with some steep costs, a new analysis shows.
A thruster system problem has heightened the drama surrounding what could be the first-ever soft touchdown on a comet. NBC News reports.
Financial regulators on both sides of the Atlantic imposed multibillion-dollar fines on five global banks for rigging key foreign exchange markets.
Chat room conversations offer an insight into the collusive and macho world of the traders which manipulated the foreign exchange market.
China and the U.S. made common cause on Wednesday against the threat of climate change, staking out an ambitious joint plan.
Total application volume fell 0.9 percent from the previous week on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Yahoo will acquire video advertising network Brightroll in an all-cash deal valued at $640 million.
Expectations of growing U.S. crude supplies sent oil prices to a new four-year low and are turning up the heat on OPEC members to cut production at their meeting this month.
After a rally in housing stocks, the CNBC "Fast Money" traders share their top trades.
Christina Kelly is walking back her accusations of illegal drug use and debauchery by senior Jefferies bankers with clients.
A strong pipeline is what "Mad Money" host Jim Cramer thinks separates these stocks from the rest.
President Obama gets a $2,173/night hotel suite for the G-20 meeting, while host Tony Abbott slums it with a $270/night room.
New releases of "Halo," "Assassin’s Creed" and "World of Warcraft" will be available this week.
A new survey finds that 24 percent of millennials expect their student loans will ultimately be forgiven.


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Coinbase executives cash out, leaving investors eager to gauge COIN’s response.
Four top executives at Coinbase, the American cryptocurrency giant, have reportedly sold significant amounts of company stock, including CEO Brian Armstrong. This development comes at a time when Coinbase is navigating regulatory scrutiny and facing stagnant trading volumes in the cryptocurrency market.
The stock sales made by Coinbase executives were disclosed in filings submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) through Form 4. The filings shed light on the transactions carried out by executives such as Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal, Chief Accounting Officer Jonnes Jennifer N., and CEO Brian Armstrong.
This week, Armstrong completed his largest-ever sale, disposing of over $5.8 million worth of shares. Additionally, on May 25, he sold shares valued at $2.6 million. Armstrong had previously revealed his plan to sell his 2% stake in Coinbase over the next year. The proceeds from these sales will be directed towards funding science and technology ventures in his co-founded companies, including NewLimit, a biotechnology firm, and ResearchHub, a scientific research company.
Market Speculates On Impact Of Stock Sales Amid Regulatory Pressures And Lawsuit Against Coinbase
The question now arises: will these stock sales impact the price of COIN, Coinbase’s stock? Despite facing regulatory pressures and grappling with stagnant trading volumes in the crypto market, Coinbase has witnessed a remarkable rally of over 125% in its shares this year, reflecting positive investor sentiment.However, concerns have emerged about the stock’s future performance due to the aforementioned regulatory pressures and the SEC’s lawsuit against Coinbase. The SEC alleges that the company offered unregistered securities, posing a potential threat to its core trading business.
Coinbase Global Inc.’s stock is currently valued at $78.72, reflecting a 30.57% increase over the past year. As the company deals with regulatory hurdles and strives to regain traction in the cryptocurrency market, market observers will closely watch the effect of the recent stock sales by Coinbase executives on the company’s stock price.
It’s worth noting that the COIN stock price experienced a 12% increase when BlackRock updated the Bitcoin ETF through Nasdaq, with Coinbase listed as a partner under a surveillance sharing arrangement.


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China's digital economy worth nearly $5.4t in 2020
China's digital economy was worth nearly $5.4 trillion last year, ranking second in the world. That represented a year-on-year growth of 9.6 percent, the fastest in the world, Economic Information Daily reported.
The result was announced at the 2021 Global Digital Economy Conference, which is underway in Beijing, and co-hosted by the Beijing municipal government, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Cyberspace Administration of China.
According to the global digital economy white paper released by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology at the conference, last year, the value added for the digital economy reached $32.6 trillion in 47 nations, with a nominal growth rate of 3 percent on a yearly basis.
At the conference, more policy signals were released to further speed up the development of the digital economy, including R&D breakthroughs and iterative applications in high-end chips and key basic software, green smart data and computing facility layouts, and promoting digital transformation in the manufacturing sector.
In the wake of the fragile global economic recovery, the digital economy has become a key to realizing economic recovery and promoting sustainable development, as well as a new driver to boost high-quality development, said Zhuang Rongwen, director of the Cyberspace Administration of China.
Developing the digital economy has enormous significance, said Xiao Yaqing, minister of Industry and Information Technology. Next, the country will strengthen efforts to tackle key problems in core technologies, strengthen areas of weakness and build an independent, controllable, safe and reliable information technology system.
The government will put more efforts into advancing digital transformation in the manufacturing sector, and also promote implementation of the "5G plus industrial internet" innovation development project and smart manufacturing project, Xiao said.
Digital technologies should better empower small, medium and large enterprises to fully support industrial upgrading, Xiao said, adding that an open, fair and nondiscriminatory development environment should be built up for the digital economy.
Local governments are also actively planning a new round of measures to speed up the construction of a highland for the digital economy. According to a document published by the government of the Beijing municipality, after continual efforts over about 10 years, Beijing aims to become a leader in city digital smart transformation, global data deployment hubs, emerging digital industry incubators, global digital technology innovation, digital governance in China and digital economy opening-up.
The country should build new, quality and reliable bases for the digital economy, promote the popularization of information infrastructure,


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Recognizing excellence in innovation and creativity in the United States and Canada retail real estate industry, the award competition focused on three categories: renovations and expansions; new developments; and retail store design. Shopping center owners, developers, management companies, architects, designers, retailers and other professionals responsible for any retail project or retail store design could apply.
During the three-day CenterBuild conference in Phoenix, Pinecrest, which is in Orange, was awarded gold in the new developments category.
“Fairmount Properties, along with our partners the DiGeronimo Cos., are honored to be recognized among so many of our outstanding industry peers with this prestigious national recognition,” Fairmount Properties principal Adam Fishman said in a news release. “This pinnacle industry award is a tribute to our transformative development, which has quickly become a central gathering place for the citizens of Northeastern Ohio to live, work, shop, dine, stay and recreate.”
Orange Mayor Kathy U. Mulcahy said she feels proud of Pinecrest’s award “on behalf of the entire region.”
“It’s exciting and gratifying and a testament to all the people involved in making the project come to fruition,” Mulcahy told the Cleveland Jewish News. “Fairmount Properties and DiGeronimo and all the architects, it’s pretty exciting.”
Fishman did not return requests for further comment.


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Quick Note: Sony and Sharp Call it Quits on LCD Joint Venture
May 25, 2012 1:22 PM
comment(s) - last by
Sharp Display Products to regain 100% control after sale
Sony and Sharp announced this week that their joint venture in producing and selling large-size LCD panels and modules will terminate. Sony will sell its shares in Sharp Display Products Corporation back to SDP. Sony owns about 7.04% of all stock issued in the company.
In exchange for selling the shares back to Sharp, Sony will get cash equal to its original investment of ¥10 billion.
The return of the stock and the cash payment to Sony will be completed by the end of June 2012. Sony made the original ¥10 billion investment in December of 2009, and at that point Sharp Display Products became a joint venture between Sharp and Sony.
Sharp expects no material impact on its financial forecast for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013. Sony also expects no material impact on its own financial forecast set to end the same month.
Sharp Display Products already holds 92.96% of all stock in the company and purchasing Sony shares will bring its ownership up to 100%.
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
Sony cut off its supply of capital
5/25/2012 2:12:53 PM
After Sony cut off its supply of capital to the ill-fated Sakai production plant that it jointly owns with Sharp, it became clear that the final goodbye may be little more than a formality. And here it is, in the form of a cold, resolute press release stating that Sony is selling its seven percent stake back to Sharp and taking back the 10 billion yen ($126 million) it originally invested. The only reason given is the "rapidly changing market for LCD panels and LCD televisions," which is a polite reference to the fact that profits from big TVs are well below what these companies predicted back in the heady days of 2008 and early 2009, when the impact of the global economic crisis loomed without yet being fully apparent. Fortunately for Sony, which is in the delicate stages of reform, the solid pre-nuptial agreement it had in place with Sharp should protect the company from having to revise its financial forecasts for the coming year -- not that those were particularly great in the first place.
RE: Sony cut off its supply of capital
5/25/2012 2:35:57 PM
Wow, this is a very elaborate spam, almost to the point of coherency and relevancy to the topic ...
We're getting there, xkcd ... we're close ...
RE: Sony cut off its supply of capital
5/25/2012 3:18:48 PM
Yeah it's spam. If you look at previous posts he's done it many times before, always linking to the same site. Yet no one at DT has bothered to ban the account.
I find it funny that right now some idiot has rated his post up, while yours has been rated down.
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Data protection enforcement in the healthcare: What can we learn from it?
In recent years, since the GDPR was fully implemented and inspections focused on enforcement of the new rules began, the Italian Data Protection Authority has focused on breaches of the rules applicable to processing health data in the context of the Electronic Health Record, the Health File, and online medical reports.
Processing health data on online platforms: The Garante rules on fairness
With order no. 368 of November 10, 2022, the Italian Data Protection Authority ruled that the provider of an online platform aimed at connecting healthcare professionals with patients was in breach of the personal data protection rules provided by the GDPR in processing data via their platform.
Health data and digital healthcare: MedTech Europe Recommendations
On June 16, 2021, the European trade association representing the medical technology industries named MedTech Europe published a document containing recommendations for maximizing benefits from use of health data collected via medical devices.
The role of the DPO in the public sector: New guidance from the Italian Data Protection Authority
On May 24, 2021, the Italian Data Protection Authority published on its website “Guidance on designation, position and tasks of the Data Protection Officer in the public sector”.
EU regulations on medical devices and the GDPR: first step forward a necessary coordination
In the wake of application of the European medical device regulation (EU Regulation No. 745 of 2017), occurred on May 26, Italy is taking its first steps toward adjusting its national regulatory framework.


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Fasig-Tipton has announced a date and location change for its upcoming California Yearling Sale. The inaugural auction will now be held Sept. 26 at Fairplex in Pomona. It had originally been scheduled to be held at Santa Anita, which hosted the company’s inaugural California 2-year-olds in training sale in June.
“We appreciate Fairplex working with us to utilize the existing permanent facilities there to host our California yearling sale,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “Our inaugural 2-year-old sale at Santa Anita last month generated positive momentum in the California marketplace, and we look forward to building on that momentum with a strong yearling sale in September at Fairplex. We will be returning to Santa Anita next year for another outstanding 2-year-old sale.”


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Digitimes is reporting that the HTC One 2 (or HTC M8) and the LG G3, the upcoming flagship phones from the device manufacturers are reportedly set to feature sapphire home buttons. Sapphire is commonly used in fingerprint scanners due to its anti-scratch properties.
If the Digitimes report, which quotes “industry sources” turns out to be true and the upcoming devices do feature sapphire, it is highly likely that that indicates the devices will feature a fingerprint scanner used to unlock the device.
Gizchina News of the week
Fingerprint scanners were a hot feature for phones released in the last quarter of 2013, with the iPhone 5s and the HTC One MAX both sporting the feature. It would come as no surprise to see that trend continue in 2014. LG and HTC aren’t likely to comment on their plans anytime soon but we will likely get more information about their next flagship phones at either the upcoming Consumer Electronic Show or the Mobile World Congress, set to be held in Las Vegas and Barcelona in January and February respectively.
How do you feel about fingerprint scanners? Do you think they are an industry trend set to take over the market or a fad a few manufacturers will try out before abandoning?[Source via UberGizmo]
I won’t buy a phone with a finger print scanner. It enhances the government’s ability to track you and for your ID to be stolen.


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(KLTV) - Technology can help us get healthy, doing everything from keeping track of our diets and exercise, to our weight and heart rate.
A Pew Research Center study found that 60 percent of American adults keep track of their diet and exercise, but about half try to do it all by memory.
But now, with many of us glued to our smartphones and other gadgets, technology is taking the strain off the brain.
Praised by many doctors as a way to make sure the rest of your body is up to speed.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for us if everyone uses a device to get fitter," said Dr. Michael Roizen.
Among the countless fitness gadgets now on the market, there are bracelets that count your steps and monitor your sleep patterns and store that info in an app. There are scales that tell your smartphone your weight and body fat percentage. And while you try to reach your goal, headphones can offer more than just the soundtrack to your workout by tracking your distance and heartrate.
Since Chelsea Ruffino, who uses technology to get fit, started using gadgets to get healthy.
"It motivates you I would say more to know that you are actually doing something and you're making progress," said Ruffino.
She has had such success that she has started a blog encouraging others to go techy to get healthy.