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Austrian Leading Sights calls for VAT reduction beyond 2021
The tourism industry continues to struggle with the consequences of the Corona crisis. Austrian Leading Sights calls for the retention of the VAT rate of 5% as an important prerequisite for overcoming the crisis.
The Corona crisis has left a serious mark on the tourism and leisure industry. The effects of the crisis are still being felt both in the tourism sector and in our partner industry of the gastronomy and hotel industry, for many companies, sales as in 2019 still seem unattainable. To help these industries, the Federal Government has initiated a VAT reduction on food, drinks and overnight stays from 10% to 5% as a support measure. To recover and relieve the economically dramatic situation in the industry, Austrian Leading Sights pleads for the reduced tax rate to be maintained beyond 2021.
Learning from past mistakes for the future
By increasing the tax rate, Austria would fall far behind its German-speaking neighbours. The situation is like that in 2009, when Germany reacted to the consequences of the severe financial and economic crisis with targeted tax relief in the hotel industry with the Growth Acceleration Act. While Germany secured new jobs and recorded record sums, Austria fell behind in the role of passive spectator. Such a wrong decision must not happen again. Otherwise, there is a risk of losing guests, sales and jobs.
The extension of the five percent tax rate, on the other hand, enables Austrian tourism companies and our partners in the gastronomy and hotel industry to remain competitive. In turbulent times of crisis, the reduced tax creates an important basis for steering the industry back on the road to success. For legal reasons, this will require the abolition of the 13 percent tax rate.
Stefan Isser, Managing Director of D. Swarovski Tourism Services GmbH and member of the executive committee of Austrian Leading Sights, is in favour of this reversal in the tax system and emphasizes explicitly: “In order to come out of the crisis stronger, the extension of the VAT reduction to 5% beyond 2021 is urgently needed”.


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Kindle- and Nook-lovers probably already know what I’m going to say. But for people like me, who go back and forth between the Kindle and bound books, the news about online e-book clubs was surprising.
Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that online clubs such as BookLending.com, Lendle.me and ebookfling.com let strangers borrow and lend e-books for free on the Nook and Kindle. (**See below for two updates on Lendle.me, which went off-line and then came back, all in the last two days!) Readers have been able to share books with people they know for quite a while, but online clubs give readers access to more people and more books.
To lend an e-book: The lender joins an online club and agrees to share books. Books can be shared just once. The lender tells the website which e-books he or she owns. When a borrower requests a book, the lender is notified of the borrower’s name and email. The lender signs off on the loan.
To borrow an e-book: The borrower looks through the list of e-books on a lending site. The site sends the borrower’s name and email to the lender, and the lender signs off on it. The borrower has two weeks with the book, at which point the lender gets it back.
So tell me, are you joining the clubs?
As reported in the Guardian, Lendle has gone off-line after its access to Amazon accounts was revoked. The site’s homepage now warns users the service is “unavailable indefinitely.”
Here’s what the Guardian says:
Lendle co-founder Jeff Croft, who launched the site six weeks ago, expressed “pure surprise” at the development, saying in an online statement:
“The letter we received from Amazon states that the reason our API and Amazon Associates accounts have been revoked is that Lendle does not ‘serve the principal purpose of driving sales of products and services on the Amazon site’. We take issue with this, as Lendle was built from the ground up to ensure that it would be beneficial to authors, publishers and Amazon.
To read the full Guardian story, click here.
And, Lendle.me is back online. Read all about it here.

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EU bans illegal timber
Published: 08 July, 2010
BRUSSELS: The EU parliament has voted overwhelmingly in favour of legislation to ban illegal timber trade in the EU from 2012.
The regulations, which still need European Council approval before coming into effect, will close a loophole that has made it possible for European firms to import and sell timber that has been logged illegally in countries such as Brazil and Indonesia.
According to World Wildlife Fund, this trade is worth up to £700m a year and accounts for as much as a fifth of timber imported into the EU.
Under the new regulations, all companies importing and selling timber in the EU will be required to demonstrate that they have exercised adequate due diligence to ensure their timber has been felled legally.
Retailers including B&Q welcomed the move saying it will provide a level the playing field within the retail sector and help ensure the preservation of the world's forests.
Euan Sutherland, B&Q chief executive said: "We've been leading the industry with our responsible timber sourcing policies for many years and are able to trace the origin of our timber products right to the tree in the forest that it came from. This means our customers can be assured they are buying responsibly sourced timber and we are currently talking to them about how we can make it easier for them to understand this."


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Sen. Bill Nelson on Wednesday called for a federal investigation of Lumber Liquidators amid allegations that it sold an imported laminate that could pose health risks. The Florida Democrat sent a letter to federal agencies asking them to independently test the company's flooring products. He also sought to discover whether the company made potentially false marketing claims about its product's compliance with safety standards.
Four senior senators today introduced legislation that would, for the first time, provide a federal standard for companies to safeguard consumers' personal information throughout their systems and to quickly notify consumers if those systems are breached. The Data Security and Breach Notification Act was introduced by Senators Dianne Feinstein, chairman of the Intelligence Committee; John Rockefeller, chairman of the


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Combined, Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft represent over $1 trillion in company value. Most of that trillion dollars has been created in the past decade. For the first five of those years, each of the four had a clear playing field in its niche. Amazon selling books and other consumer goods, Apple selling stylish, user-friendly computers, Google selling search advertising, and Microsoft selling packaged software.
For the most part, there was an uneasy peace between the four companies. Fifteen years ago Microsoft even invested $150 million into a struggling Apple to help guarantee a market for its very profitable Office applications on Mac. For many years, Google's then-CEO Eric Schmidt was happily ensconced on Apple's board. One in ten iPods was sold on Amazon.com. Hardly friends, as evidenced by Amazon dumping Microsoft's search engine, the companies didn't feel obligated to foil each other at every opportunity.
The iPhone changed everything
A number of major technology shifts helped change this mutual wariness into all-out war. Convergence of traditional and digital media brought Apple's iTunes head-to-head with Amazon. A drive to control user experiences through the browser and productivity applications brought Google into increasing conflict with Microsoft. Most of all, however, the iPhone launch crystallized the reality that all four of these titans of tech were after the same thing -- the world's eyeballs and consumer pocketbooks.The state of play in 2007. Green means competitive offering, yellow is partner, partial or beta, red means no product in the space. The updated, 2012 table can be found on the next page.
Like the TV networks in their heyday, all of them began to worry about every move made by each other. Google quickly countered Job's iPhone with Android-powered devices, and piled on with Chrome OS to hit Apple in what was then its core business. In addition to threatening to go "thermonuclear" over Android, Jobs ever so politely severed Apple's relationship with Schmidt, saying "Unfortunately, as Google enters more of Apple's core businesses, with Android and now Chrome OS, Eric's effectiveness as an Apple board member will be significantly diminished, since he will have to recuse himself from even larger portions of our meetings due to potential conflicts of interest."
Google decides to sell stuff
Perhaps the most puzzling set of moves during this period was Google's drive to enter nearly every possible digital market that Amazon, Apple or Microsoft were already in. Beginning with an awkward attempt to direct-sell the Nexus One in competition with Apple, Google also started pitching an application suite and a desktop OS to tweak Microsoft's tail. More recently it's gone after Amazon's core offerings with a late-to-the-game content initiative -- part of Google Play -- and an obvious attempt to horn in on Amazon Web Services (AWS) with the Google Cloud initiative.Aside from ensuring a hostile relationship with Amazon and Apple -- Google was already at war with Microsoft -- it's not clear that its effort to press the battle onto the other firms' home turf has paid off for Google. Picking these fights has gotten it thrown out as the Maps provider for both Apple and Amazon, and has resulted in Amazon increasingly distancing itself from Google's Android branding and applications. With Google showcasing a "reinvented" Motorola as its hardware division, it is hard to blame them. Just recently rumors have surfaced that Amazon may try to muscle in on Google's key OEM, Samsung, by licensing it the Amazon app store as a replacement for Android's native Google Play services.
Amazon gets into the hardware business
When Amazon saw the writing on the wall that digital media would be the future, it was quick to cannibalize its own book business with the revolutionary Kindle platform and accompanying e-books. An instant hit, e-books looked like clear sailing for the retail giant -- until Apple once again upset the proverbial apple cart with the introduction of the iPad.
Suddenly Amazon's chokehold on digital media channels was endangered -- not so much by the iPad hardware itself, but by Apple's determination to control the user experience and revenue stream coming from every iOS device. Whether or not Amazon had ever pictured itself as a vendor of general-purpose computing devices, it scrambled to come up with the Kindle Fire product to protect its share of the digital media market.
Although a giant among the relative weak-selling field of Android tablets, the original Fire certainly didn't put much of a dent in Apple's mobile device juggernaut. It did provide a showcase for Amazon's new Silk browser -- another attempt to corral mindshare of its users, in this case away from Google's Android browser. Amazon's latest salvo, the Fire HD, brings it head to head with the iPad, where it hopes its aggressive pricing will gain it some traction.Next page: Microsoft, Apple, and the future
Microsoft decides it wishes it was Apple
While Google, Apple, and Amazon made their aggressive moves out of fear and greed, Microsoft's plunge into hardware can most easily be described as motivated by pure envy. Its OEM-based business model, and its stock price, have been stuck in a rut for over a decade. Despite massive revenues, profits, and marketshare, Microsoft has been increasingly marginalized by the growth of the web, and of mobile and cloud computing.
Taking matters into its own hands, Microsoft is making an aggressive investment in Nokia to guarantee a solid ally for Windows Phone 8. Stepping even further into its OEM's turf, introducing the Surface tablets will ensure there is at least one flagship offering in the Windows tablet market.
Apple keeps on ticking
Unique among these companies, Apple always appears to be marching to its own drummer -- even when introducing products that borrow heavily from others. The iPod was hardly the first digital music player. The iPhone drew on twenty years of stunted attempts to create all-in-one palm-sized devices. The iPad came nearly a decade after the Tablet PC and over twenty years after the first tablet. Yet each of Apple's innovative products was unique enough, and complete enough, that it created a new market segment -- dominated by Apple.As exciting as the i* family of products has been, it won't fuel Apple's meteoric rise forever. Another "next big thing" needs to be on the horizon. TV is usually pointed to as the obvious choice. Here Apple has a chance to repeat its infuriating to competitors "late reinvention" strategy. Microsoft has fiddled with media and TV offerings for years without much luck -- essentially abandoning its Media Center offering and finally selling off the last of its share of MSNBC. Google continues to flog its Google TV offering, but so far with very little real success.
If Tim Cook can pull off an alliance of content providers and cable companies, there is no doubt Apple has the technical expertise to create a world-beating product in the TV market. This will be his best chance to prove that he can really fill Steve Jobs' shoes. Unless Microsoft pulls a rabbit out of the hat in the meantime with a competitive Xbox-based TV service, or Google has a breakthrough with Google TV, an amazing Apple TV product would put Apple back in the driver's seat for years to come.The state of play in 2012. As you can see, the battlefield has changed rather dramatically in just five years.
Who will be king of the hill?
Judging solely by market value, Apple is the undisputed winner of this melee so far. The $658 billion valuation that Wall Street places on AAPL is more than the total of $117 billion for AMZN, $232 billion for GOOG, and $258 billion for MSFT. In shareholder value there has been no contest over the last decade.
That doesn't tell the whole story, however. Microsoft's Steve Ballmer is quick to point out that Windows runs on over a billion devices, and expects Windows 8 to be on 500 million of them by the end of next year. Huge market share and over $70 billion in annual revenue give Microsoft plenty of runway to push its new, unified Windows 8 initiative. If it is right that users want the same platform across all their devices, Windows 8 may be the perfect product.
Google has its own monster-sized assets. The internet's most ubiquitous brand, Google search has hardly been dented by competition, and YouTube has more than justified its initial eye-opening purchase price. Android doesn't help Google's bottom line, but with over half of the worldwide market for smartphones it represents a huge opportunity for add-on content and services.
Despite its runaway success with the Kindle and Amazon Web Services, Amazon is a relative newcomer to the high-tech market. Its increasing presence in every segment of online retailing give it a $50 billion core business and fierce customer loyalty to use in fueling its foray into consumer electronics. For all that recent rumors of an Amazon-branded phone were unfounded, it seems inevitable that Amazon will move in that direction now that it is already competing head-to-head with Google and Apple.Unlike broadcast TV networks, car companies, and airlines, it is unusual for a high-tech market to have several similarly-sized competitors for long. More normal is the Windows-Mac or Intel-AMD split, where the lion's share of the market and the profits go to one firm. In mobile devices that has been Apple, in web advertising that has been Google, in online retail it's been Amazon, and in software it's been Microsoft. If those markets continue to converge, only one leader will emerge. A trillion dollars in company value rides on which of them wins out.


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REWE International AG, the Austrian arm of Cologne-based retail conglomerate REWE Group, has selected Körber Supply Chain’s warehouse management system (WMS) to ‘drive supply chain optimisation across 40+ locations across Europe’.
Körber’s K.Motion WMS will be rolled out in REWE warehouses in two stages. The rollout will begin in a pilot phase until mid-2025, being introduced at five locations and beginning to connect with the retailer’s existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
After the pilot, 35 additional locations will be ‘converted with support from Körber through REWE International’. According to Körber, the system’s go-live is anticipated by 2028.
Michael Brandl, Executive Vice President of Operations Software for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) at Körber Supply Chain, explained the need for such technology, saying: “Today’s supply chains face a myriad of complexities. These include sudden delivery bottlenecks, rising customer expectations, ever-larger product ranges, as well as hybrid fulfilment concepts and labour shortages.
“This leads to significantly higher demands on efficiency and transparency in logistics operations, for which digitised strategies are becoming indispensable in order to also tap new potentials of data use and analysis.”
REWE believes that this rollout of Körber’s WMS will help the company become more flexible and adaptable. Manfred Mülleder, Project Lead for WMS at REWE International AG, feels that this software gives him confidence that REWE are “optimally prepared for both upcoming automation projects and expected company growth”.
Körber Supply Chain Automation (Stand i1030) will be at IntraLogisteX on 28-29 March 2023 at the NEC Birmingham. For more information, visit www.intralogistex.co.uk.


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The brutal 2022 for stocks due to rising interest rates and rising inflation has been particularly rough for technology-based growth stocks, and that could be an opportunity for longer term investors.
Jefferies Equity Research Analyst Brent Thill told Yahoo Finance that every rally we've seen in tech has been met with harder selling in a lower low. He said that it's a good time to get into the tech space for investors with a three to five year window.
If you think about it, Thill said you want to buy when sentiment is terrible and sell when things are great. We're at one of those moments in which everyone is saying how bad tech is and how evil it is, and everyone is running away from it. Many investors have flocked to the energy sector. It's another key for money to come back to tech if and when the trade starts to falter, Thill said.
Every of our clients went to a recession portfolio - owning energy, owning dollar store, owning Coke, Pepsi, McDonald's, and at some point that trade reverses, he said.
Thill stressed that high costs in gas and food are leading to consumer weakness, so big box retailers Walmart WMT and Target TGT are feeling the pinch shoppers are shifting their preferences for discretionary spending.
Thill believes that weakness will spread to enterprise companies?
Microsoft recently cut its guidance for fourth-quarter profit and revenue, suggesting that it may be the case in the near term.
Microsoft didn't say that the fundamentals were terrible, but we worry about that potential that is a warm-up act for them to say Foreign exchange has gotten more difficult, so is the fundamental business, Thill said. Everyone is worried, and that's going to cause a lot of worry going into the July quarter prints and June quarter end.


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Travel agency groups have called on the chancellor to “go further” than his update to the Job Support Scheme to support agents “with noting to sell and bills to pay”.
Rishi Sunak made the announcement earlier today alongside specific help for hospitality and leisure businesses.
When the JSS replaces furlough from November 1, employers will now have to pay for a minimum of 20% of usual hours worked, and 5% of hours not worked instead of a minimum requirement of paying 55% of wages for a third of hours, announced last month.
Agency groups and trade associations welcomed the update but said the chancellor must do more to help the specific case of the travel industry.
Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, whose members collectively sell £4.5 billion in travel a year, said members “will benefit, particularly from the step to reduce the employer contribution for unworked hours to 5%”.
But she said the consortium was “seeking clarity” on whether the monthly cash grants allocated for businesses in hospitality, accommodation and leisure are also applicable to the travel industry, adding that it “has been adversely affected since the onset of the pandemic by quarantine regulations and a stonewalling by government on testing at airports to reduce quarantine”.
Lo Bue-Said said: “50% of jobs from our members have been lost since March and 80% will run out of cash by May.
“Travel agents are on their knees with nothing to sell and bills to pay. Whilst these new measures are indeed welcome, the chancellor needs to go further to help our sector survive if we are to continue trading next year.”
She suggested: “An extension of the provision of government underwritten loans to businesses of all sizes and an HMRC holiday for six months could mean the make or break for many travel agents up and down the country.”
Writing in his blog today, Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer said: “While we need to take a closer look at the details, it does appear that Job Support Scheme for ‘open’ businesses, in particular, has been enhanced, with the minimum employer contribution falling from 55% to 24%, which is only 4% higher than the current tapered furlough scheme.
“Nonetheless, that remains a significant drop in terms of the support offered by the original [furlough] scheme introduced in March, and I recognise that, even at that level, many travel businesses are facing difficult decisions in the coming weeks with trading conditions difficult and deteriorating.
“What is more, travel companies that are not open remain excluded at present from the Job Support Scheme for closed businesses, as the government does not consider this to be the result of legal restriction. We will continue to fight hard to change that assessment.
“Abta will continue to make the case for tailored financial support, with the measures taken by government to control the virus directly responsible for the difficulties facing our industry.”
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Google started testing Knowledge Graph ads over the weekend. SEO strategist Gianluca Fiorelli, who currently resides in Spain, shared this screenshot of a Knowledge Graph ad on Twitter last Friday:
The ad displays details about a US car dealer selling the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro, complete with contact details, address, and a link to directions on Google Maps. The “Dealers nearby” heading indicates that Google will be displaying ads based on the user’s location, but some US users have reported that this particular ad does not appear in their Knowledge Graph results.
Another complaint users have voiced out is that the ad is difficult to distinguish it from the other sections of the Knowledge Graph entry. The example ad shows that it only has a small text label at the top.
Knowledge Graph Advertising was Inevitable
The sudden appearance of this test ad surprised many online marketers and advertisers, but this move toward monetization wasn’t completely unexpected. The Knowledge Graph results’ placement on the right side of the search results page, where ads are usually located, led some users to speculate that Google is “training” users to look at ads.
Earlier this year, Google’s co-founder, Larry Page, issued a statement that seemed to hint at the company’s plans to monetize Knowledge Graph, saying that it “does run on the right hand side where the ads also run,” and that “there could be some short-term impacts on that, but I think the primary thing is getting people better answers is really good for our business.”
Knowledge Graph ads are still in the testing phase, and Google has not released any details about them just yet. In the meantime, having a sound local SEO strategy and keeping the company’s contact details updated is a good way to prepare for their full implementation.


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Consumer Group Bashes Voluntary Crash-Avoidance Pact
The Center for Auto Safety is the nation’s premier independent, member driven, non-profit consumer advocacy organization dedicated to improving vehicle safety, quality, and fuel economy on behalf of all drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.
Allowing automakers to voluntarily comply with an agreement to equip most new vehicles with crash avoidance technology by 2022 is putting the lives of those who can’t afford luxury models at risk, according to a consumer advocacy group.
The Center for Auto Safety, which for years has urged automatic emergency braking (AEB) be required in all new vehicles, says a voluntary accord now in play lets the industry pick and choose which cars are equipped with the life-saving technology, “playing roulette with the lives of consumers who cannot afford safety as a luxury.”
The DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety on Thursday lauded steps taken by automakers to equip new U.S. vehicles with technology that experts say could halve the number of rear-end crashes.


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Japan mulling purchase of China govt debt
Updated: 2011-12-21 09:30
TOKYO - Japanese Finance Minister Jun Azumi said on Tuesday that the country is discussing with China possible purchases of Chinese government bonds.
The talks are a sign that Japan is diversifying its foreign-exchange holdings by tapping into the world's second-largest economy.
"I think it's mutually beneficial" for the two countries to be investing in one another's debt, Azumi said at a news conference in Tokyo. "We're not abandoning the dollar or euro, but we're adding the yuan to deepen our relationship."
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda signaled in September last year as the nation's finance chief that Japan should have the ability to invest in China's market given that the Chinese are buying Japanese debt. Japan holds $1.22 trillion of foreign-currency reserves, the world's largest after China.
Noda will discuss the bond purchases when he meets his Chinese counterpart later this month, Azumi said, adding that the government has not made a final decision on this issue.
"It's another step forward in the path of yuan internationalization," said Liu Dongliang, a senior analyst in Shenzhen at China Merchants Bank Co, the nation's sixth-biggest bank. "It shows yuan-denominated assets are becoming more and more attractive. But the quota may be small because China will be cautious in allowing foreign governments to invest in Chinese government bonds."
Central banks from Thailand to Nigeria plan to start buying yuan because slowing global growth has capped interest rates in the United States and Europe. Investment has become easier for central banks as issuance of yuan-denominated bonds in Hong Kong more than tripled to 112 billion yuan ($17.6 billion) this year and institutions were granted quotas to invest onshore.
The Nikkei newspaper reported on Tuesday that Japan was in talks with China to purchase the debt. Japan's discussions about buying yuan-denominated debt come at a time when investors are seeking alternatives to US Treasuries and European debt.
China-Japan agreement highlights 2007-04-12 08:44
Forum discusses China-Japan ties 2005-08-22 16:51
China-Japan talks yield minor progress 2006-02-22 19:43
Forum told: Respect could help China-Japan ties 2005-08-23 11:30
- US court concludes tariffs on Chinese goods illegal
- Toy orders plunge in export-oriented city
- Japan mulling purchase of China govt debt
- Property sales see further declines in East China
- Alibaba spins off reward points service
- China's logistics value up 12.5% in Jan-Nov
- CNOOC shares slip after gas leak report
- Farm produce prices rise, producer goods fall


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Quite awhile back, Thunderful revealed SteamWorld Headhunter, a third-person action adventure that won’t see release until sometime 2023. While we all thought that was it for the SteamWorld franchise, Thunderful has revealed that three more entries are in the works.
While we don’t know the names of these projects, we do have codenames a gameplay details for each. You can see the breakdown for these new SteamWorld games below.
- puzzle game
- city-building game
- PC and console
- turn-based tactical shooter/strategy game
- PC, console, and mobile
It seems these titles will see release sometime in 2023 or 2024, and it’s likely we’ll see at least one of them sooner in 2023 than we think. I guess ‘Strawberry’ is out of the question for Switch release, but both ‘Coffee’ and ‘Caramel’ are definitely possible.


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The first VR Oculus Rift model was released five years ago in March 2016. After that great moment for the world of technology and virtual reality, the company has given birth to as many new models such as: Rift, Go, Quest, Rift S and Quest 2. Over the course of the Over the past five years, Oculus has released five different headsets, and each of them has led to major technological advancements and major improvements in how people interact with virtual reality.
The company recently reminded us how over these 5 years, Oculus has provided multiple additions to the VR experience on PC, primarily replacing the Rift gamepad with more sensory ones. controller Oculus Touch, and then thanks to the addition of internal sensors that have made the whole experience in virtual reality even more immediate and less cumbersome. Obviously there was no shortage of games, with some of the titles that have been able to entertain millions of fans including: Beat Saber, Lone Echo, Asgard’s Wrath and many others.
There was no lack of revisions and new versions of the hearsets for VR Oculus which, from 2016 until today, has also placed the viewer on the market GO, a device defined as all-in-one; then came the match Quest e Rift S, two models that have eliminated the threads from the equation, so as to allow players to be able to identify even more in the virtual worlds they lived in first person. Last but not least was the Quest 2, the most recent of the VR headsets that hit the market last December.
But what will happen in the next 5 years of Oculus? Michael Abrash, tried to answer this question: “We are exploring a lot. Eye tracking, high resolution panels and sophisticated optics that allow you to permanently eliminate the screen door effect. HDR, so that outdoor scenes look more realistic. The ability to share spaces with people and feel like you are really there with them. We are exploring all technologies for the future. We are very grateful to everyone who has helped make VR real over the past five years, including everyone who bought a headset or shared it with friends and family. “
You can also buy your Oculus Quest 2 conveniently from Amazon at this address.


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WASHINGTON (CNN) - The U.S. economy has come a long way since last year’s devastating downturn. But a return to “normal” may not be possible.
The Back-to-Normal Index created by CNN Business and Moody’s Analytics stands at 93% as of June 18, a new pandemic-era high.
The index is comprised of 37 national and seven state-level indicators that track metrics such as consumer credit, unemployment claims, job postings, domestic air travel and hotel occupancy.
The latest reading shows that America is inching closer to “normalcy,” but the last mile will be tough. Although various states have done away with pandemic-era restrictions, life as it used to be hasn’t fully resumed.
In fact, the pandemic may have changed some fundamentals of the economy in ways that mean it’s never going back to “normal.”
For example, many people are still working from home and might continue to do so indefinitely. While some companies are ordering their staff to return to the office, others are adjusting to a new normal of more remote work and a more geographically diverse workforce.
Travel is another component of the Back-to-Normal Index that might be changed forever. People are excited to vacation again as vaccination rates rise across the United States and countries around the world reopen for tourists, but business travel might not resume in the same way.
After more than a year of making due with virtual meetings, companies might be less inclined to fly staff around the world. Moody’s Analytics doesn’t believe business travel will come back to its pre-pandemic level any time soon, which will in turn affect plane travel and the demand for oil as well.
“We’re tracking the return to something we might not get back to,” Matt Colyar, associate economist at Moody’s Analytics, told CNN Business.
Claims for unemployment benefits are still about double what was considered normal before Covid. They “are still sky high and they have to come down,” Colyar said.
States that were hit particularly hard by the pandemic — such as economic powerhouse New York — still have much more room to improve compared to other parts of the country. They will likely remain a drag on the index.
That doesn’t mean the U.S. economy won’t regain its pre-pandemic size and strength. In fact, the speed of the rebound is without modern precedent. But we’re heading for a new kind of “normal.”
For the Back-to-Normal Index to hit 100%, some components will need to make up even more ground while others lag.
The features and characteristics of this new economy have major implications for investors. Figure out the growth areas, and you can identify the companies most likely to benefit.


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Circuit City is yet another electronics retailer (CompUSA being the other) to be closing down stores — 155 to be exact. Plus, they’re also withdrawing from 12 markets. The official announcement is expected to come this morning, but we’ve got the letter sent out to employees here, or at least a minituarized version of it.
Another Circuit City insider writes: “A team of liquidators will be coming in and taking control of the store. They will set prices as they see fit, and price match guarantee, employee discounts, CC circulars, and the new one price guarantee are all out the window.”


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Sony has unveiled its new Xperia Z2 smartphone, borrowing innovations from its audio and camcorder businesses to provide noise-cancelling technology and ultra-high-definition video recording.
The Japanese tech giant unveiled the new device at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona.
Noise cancellation works with an in-ear headset, which is sold separately, while the camera can capture video in ultra-high definition, or 4K resolution, an emerging standard that offers four times the sharpness of current high-definition video.
"With Xperia Z2 we have taken our premium Z series to the next level, delivering unique experiences that only Sony can offer," said John Featherstone, Sony Mobile managing director for Oceania.
Sony did not disclose how much the phone will cost in Australia, but said they should start shipping around the world from March. The phone will be available through Optus, Telstra, and Vodafone, and directly from Sony.
Sony, once an electronics powerhouse, has had difficulty keeping up with Samsung and other rivals in various consumer electronics. Its phones have struggled to compete with the likes of Samsung and Apple.
The Z2 sports the same 20.7 megapixel camera found in its predecessors, the Z1 and the Z1s. Most other smartphone cameras have 8 to 13 megapixels.
The Z2 is waterproof, like the Z1 phones, and its screen is slightly larger, at 5.2 inches diagonally instead of 5 inches.
Sony also demonstrated a SmartBand fitness accessory that works with a Lifelog app on the phone to record your daily activities.
You see key moments on a timeline, including photos taken and messages sent and received. As your day progresses on the timeline, you see the number of steps and calories burned to that point.
The band is also waterproof and connects to your smartphone via NFC or Bluetooth.
The fitness band will sell for €99 ($150), though an official Australian RRP and release date have yet to be confirmed.
Sony also announced a high-end tablet and a separate, mid-range smartphone.
The tablet is also called the Xperia Z2 and features a 10.1-inch screen, larger than most full-size tablets. The Wi-Fi-only model weighs 426 grams, lighter than Apple's iPad Air, despite the Z2's larger size.
The device is also razor-thin at 6.4 millimetres, again thinner than Apple's iPad Air. It sports a 2.3 gigahertz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 3 gigabytes of RAM and an 8.1-megapixel camera.
The tablet also features the same noise-cancelling features found in the Z2 smartphone and is also waterproof.
Sony's Xperia M2, meanwhile, is designed as a cheaper alternative to the Z2 smartphone. Its camera isn't as powerful, at only 8 megapixels, and the screen measures 4.8 inches.
Sony is making a version of the M2 with two SIM card slots, something in demand in emerging markets, where plans vary so much that people often have service with multiple carriers and use what's most economical for the circumstance.
The M2 is slated for release in April.
The writer travelled to Barcelona as a guest of Samsung.


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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau got a chance to try out the Microsoft HoloLens augmented reality headset today during his appearance at the company's Vancouver engineering center.
Microsoft's blog post about the opening of its new offices in the city included an image of Trudeau wearing the HoloLens headet. There's no word on what apps he got to use during his demo.
As previously reported, Microsoft's new facility in Vancouver includes over 500 employees who are working on HoloLens, Xbox One games and more products. In a statement, Trudeau said:
Microsoft is showing that it recognizes the country's tremendous potential to be a world leader in the innovation sector. It will provide new opportunities for Canada's young people, and our highly educated workforce as a whole, to shape the future."
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Leading distributor Exertis has announced a new director. Promoted from within the ranks, Ian Aitken has been promoted to the role of AV director. With big shoes to fill, Aitken takes on the leadership role at Exertis Medium following the departure of Ian Sempers, the founder and owner of Medium UK, which was acquired by Exertis last year. Responsible for sales and commercial operations, Aitken will report to Exertis IT sales and commercial director Phil Brown at the company’s new facility at Stockley Park, London.
‘Excited’ to get to work, Aitken said he is looking forwards to working with the team. "I am excited by the opportunity,” he said. “We have an excellent team combining the strengths of two well established AV companies that can provide our customers with business continuity, technical expertise and a portfolio of leading vendors with products and solutions that can cater for the requirements of AV specialist resellers and IT resellers that have an AV proposition.”
Paul Bryan, Exertis UK managing director added: “Firstly I would like to thank Ian Sempers for his contribution and professionalism in conducting a seamless integration of the business. There is no doubt that he has been instrumental in combining our existing AV business with that of Medium to create a dynamic, high growth division which will be a key part of the Exertis proposition moving forward.
“We wish Ian Sempers all the best for the future and at the same time congratulate Ian Aitken on his promotion. Ian has built a successful AV division at Exertis over the last six years, establishing key relationships with vendors and customers, and demonstrating excellent leadership skills.”
Commenting on his decision to stand down, Sempers said: “It is now time to hand over the reigns to enable me to concentrate on other interests and opportunities. I wish Exertis the best of luck with their future.”


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Raf Simons (Dutch pronunciation: [rɑf ˈsimɔns]; born 12 January 1968) is a Belgian fashion designer. Beginning in furniture design, he launched his own menswear
TRAF is a Community of Gamers, well, duh. True gamers rotate through thier list of games and pick up new ones here and there so whos playing what this month??
Big-dicked Raf Koons bottoms bareback for Johnny Bloom at BelAmiOnline.com.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) notes the response through Fin24 by the Road Accident Fund (RAF) CEO Dr Eugene Watson, on the strike action
FLYING HIGH What are the Red Arrows, where are they based and what’s the 2017 schedule for the RAF aerobatics display team?
CORRIE MUM’S HOPE Corrie McKeague’s mum believes missing RAF airman could be found today as police continue search of landfill site
Artichoke & Jalapeno Cheeseball Make this decadent appetizer for just about any celebration and watch it disappear! Friends and family will rave about it!
Fashion designer Raf Simons — who left Christian Dior last month — showed up for the second night in a row to the fashion house’s event for the Guggenheim
If the 2017 CFDA Awards belonged to anyone, it was Raf Simons. The Belgian fashion designer, who was announced as chief creative officer of Calvin Klein in August


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What's new at Turbulence Forecast
The all new Turbulence Forecast app was just released for iOS. We have pulled the Android app as the overwhelming majority of our audience is iOS.
It is unlikely that the maps that we had to pull down will make a return as they seem unwilling to license their use to us.
We continue to await for the return of the maps we recently had to take down. We have asked for a licensing agreement but we have to wait on them to provide it. As time goes on I'm losing faith that we will actually be able to license the maps.
Map return update
The missing maps may make a return, but we will have to restrict access and charge a membership fee for their access. Please take our quick survey linked below so we know the level of interest in the maps.
Some important changes happening at Turbulence Forecast.
- One of our data sources has decided to stop allowing us to use their maps, so we have removed them from the website at their request. We are working on trying to get them licensed for our use.
- The website menus have been slightly consolidated to remove the maps that are now missing.
- The Android app will soon be pulled from the Google Play Store, we will no longer issue updates for it. Our mobile audience is 80% iOS and that's where we will focus our energy for apps.
- The old iPhone and iPad app will soon be pulled from the Apple App store. They are too old to update and fix the menus for missing maps.
- We will be releasing a brand new iPhone / iPad Turbulence Forecast app early this fall. Stay tuned for details.
- The website is undergoing a new design refresh which will be released early this fall. Stay tuned for details.


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Want to join the conversation?
$VFC 2Q15 Q&A: Yruma of KeyBanc asked about timing of Nautica reboot. Eric replied that VFC is at the front end of this and just finished its consumer segmentation study. From a timing, will continue to see improvement over the next 12-18 months as the team locks on to this new model and new strategy and putting differentiated products.
$FOXA just entered into a preliminary deal with Sky plc under which it will acquire all shares, or should I say remaining shares for a total value of $23 billion. The sleeping fox catches no poultry, but this fox just caught something that’s a lot bigger than poultry.
$BIG looks promising to me. Feels like it’s a good time to put some money on it.
$TWTR rolled out an iOS update Dec. 8 night that killed its famous "@" symbol. This lead to confusion among the iOS users when they tried it to reply to tweets.


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pizza Club Website Increases Website Capacity
Brooklyn Park, Minnesota (April 3, 2014) â€“ Pizza Club, THE leading Club about all things Pizza, has announced details regarding a recent capacity upgrade to its Club website.Â The upgrade, which has been in process for several months, was finally completed on March 31, 2014.
â€œThe success and rapid growth of our Club over the past 12 to 18 months has far exceeded even our most ambitious projections,â€ explained Schulte, the Clubâ€™s admin.Â â€œThe traffic generated by our Clubâ€™s worldwide audience actually began to impact all Internet traffic in to and out of the entire [Twin Cities, Minnesota] region.â€
After several large Internet providers in the area were unable to stabilize the local access networks that served millions of daily Internet users, Pizza Club voluntarily agreed to seek out a different hosting solution.Â According to Schulte, â€œWe spent months evaluating about a dozen vendors of high-capacity Internet hosting products.Â Very few were able to even come close to meeting our SLA needs in terms of high availability, low latency, and high throughput.â€
One provider, though, was up for the challenge.Â Located Kansas City, Missouri, USA (noted as one of the best-Internet-connected cities on the planet), the new Pizza Club network headquarters hopes to provide better service to the many Club members and prospective members.
Contact: Schulte, Pizza Admin email@example.com
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“In 2018, Hellbent Brewing installed a solar energy system on its roof with the help of Seattle-based Sphere Solar Energy and found other resource-saving measures through Envirostars. Hellbent Brewing now boasts the largest solar energy system on a brewery in Washington, generating about 30 percent of its own energy.”
-Seattle Office of Economic Development
With an endorsement like that, Hellbent Brewing Company has reason to celebrate. Which is probably why the brewery is releasing a new beer, not only commemorating their achievement but also to recognize another important date - Earth Day. Starting, April 20th, the brewery is happy to announce the release of Solared Out IPA.
At Hellbent Brewing Company we value the environment and feel lucky to be based in the Pacific Northwest. Utilizing as much clean energy as we can is one way we choose to give back to this region we call home. Releasing the weekend before Earth Day, we dedicate this beer to our solar panels.
Brewed in the now famous West Coast Style, Solared doesn't take itself too seriously as the brewery births this Citrus wonder upon the Earth. Brewed with a copious amount of El Dorado, Azacca, Mosaic, Amarillo, and Simcoe Hops; no doubt you will presume this beer to be a hazy IPA with its lack of clarity and simple malt recipe (of pale malt, rolled oats, and malted wheat) but head brewer and co-founder Brian Young would quickly remind you that looks are deceiving because its what you taste that matter. At 6.8% and 48 IBU, Solar IPA awaits your next visit, starting April 20th.
Hellbent Brewing Company is located at 13035 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98125. For more information including current releases and hours, visit http://www.hellbentbrewingcompany.com/.


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Automotive giant Ford has announced that it will become the first automaker to use graphene parts in its vehicles, starting with the Mustang and F-150 by the end of 2018.
Ford acknowledges the difficulties of graphene manufacturing and use, but in partnership with Eagle Industries and XG Sciences, it has determined a way to make use of graphene reinforcement in certain components to strengthen and lighten them, as well as reduce noise. Since 2014, Ford and its partners have tested graphene-reinforced foam covers for noisy components such as the fuel rail, pumps, and belt-driven pulleys or chain-driven gears on the front of engines. The graphene is mixed with foam constituents, and the resulting parts are said to be 17% quieter, 20% stronger, and 30% more heat-resistant.
"We are excited about the performance benefits our products are able to provide to Ford and Eagle Industries," added XG Sciences CEO Philip Rose. "Working with early adopters such as Ford Motor Company demonstrates the potential for graphene in multiple applications, and we look forward to extending our collaboration into other materials, and enabling further performance improvements."
Earlier this month, XG Sciences announced the completion of the first phase of expansion in its newest 64,000 square-foot facility. The expansion has added 90 metric tons of graphene nanoplatelet production capacity, bringing the total capacity of the facility up to approximately 180 metric tons and enabling the formulation of up to 18 million kilograms of advanced materials per year.


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It looks like something won’t be rotten in the state of Denmark, and in Elsinore, for too long.
Golden Glitch Studios has been working on Elsinore for more than three years. All in all, making a game where you put a different spin on Hamlet and mash it up with Groundhog Day can’t be an easy task. However, Golden Glitch has always had regular, and meaty, updates on their Kickstarter page. They’ve been working very hard on the game and it looks like their hard work will pay off soon.
Elsinore is getting a new backer beta. It will be released next month and it will expand upon the one they released almost two years ago. This new beta will comprise of the full playable game, with the exception of “a couple of hidden secrets.”
There is method in this madness
Golden Glitch has been playtesting Elsinore on the regular. These waves of playtesting are helping them figure out how close to release they are. They are focusing on quality assurance more than anything because, in their own words, they want to “stick the landing.” But the process is quite long, and that’s where this new beta comes in. The feedback that backers give Golden Glitch will help when it comes to finishing work on the game.
Seeing how the full game looks like is going to be interesting. The prospect of going on dates with “Emo Hamlet” sounds hilarious enough but changing events so that we save Ophelia and everyone in the castle is certainly Elsinore‘s main appeal.


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The new industry standard from the FIDO Alliance promises to make the onboarding of IoT devices in industry more effective. It aims to make the process faster, more secure and less expensive.
MORE FIDO in the News
The Wall Street Journal: Apple Wants to End Passwords for Everything. Here’s How It Would Work
Passwords ...6月 24, 2022


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New Car Sales In The UK Surge
Sales of new cars in the UK surpassed the million mark for the first six months of 2014 in what analysts say is the best half-year results since 2005. In total, there was a 10.6% increase in sales for the same period with 1,287,265 units sold. The month of June was slightly lower than the average for the half-year, with sales in the month reaching 228,291 units, an increase of 6.2% compared to June 2013.
According to the society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), this is the 28th consecutive month of growth and apparently there is no end in sight. Sales for the year are expected to top the 2.4 million mark, which will be an overall 6% growth over 2013.
Much of the demand is for alternative-fuelled vehicles, according to the SMMT. In the first six months, some 23,337 of these vehicles have been sold, a 51.3% increase. Registration of pure electric vehicles has increased dramatically as well.
The most popular car is still the Ford Fiesta but competition is coming from the Vauxhall Corsa, and the Ford Focus is also making the year’s top ten list along with the Nissan Qashqai, Fiat 500 and VW Golf; no real surprises there except the lack of a Toyota model.
SMMT’s Chief Executive, Mike Hawes, said, ‘Improving economic conditions have helped propel the UK new car market to a strong first half-year performance.
‘Key to attracting consumers is the ever-improving efficiency of new cars. The overall market has risen faster than we were expecting but, after a bumper March, growth is showing signs of stabilising around our forecast level.’


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The research aims to understand, from a comparative perspective, how the citizens use the internet when data is subsidised and when it is not
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, August 1, 2017/APO/ —Compelling Mozilla-backed research (www.Mozilla.org), carried out by Research ICT Africa, finds that significant barriers to internet access remains in four African countries – Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. The research aims to understand, from a comparative perspective, how the citizens use the internet when data is subsidised and when it is not.
Rwanda has been a real leader in bringing people online, including through innovative models like internet connected buses and other public Wi-Fi efforts
Knowing that affordability is one of the primary barriers to Internet access and particular optimal use, the main objective of the focus groups was to obtain qualitative information that reflects the perceptions of female and male Internet users, new users, and non-Internet users from urban and rural locations about how people use the Internet.
A 2016 International Telecommunications Union report (http://APO.af/KAylqd) estimates that only about 25 percent of the population of Africa has access to the internet. Results of the research included the following findings:
- In all the countries, across demographics, access to subsidised data did not result significantly in new users going online.
- Use of subsidised data is just one of many strategies employed by users to manage costs in these four African countries.
- Uptake of zero rating varied across the four countries. Awareness was low and scepticism of free services was high in Nigeria, whereas in Rwanda bundles with unlimited WhatsApp and Facebook were very popular. In Kenya and South Africa, the zero-rated services were welcomed for their cost-reducing nature.
- There was substantial interest and uptake in Equal Rating-compliant, partially subsidized data bundles that provide access to the entire internet not just some parts of it (e.g., Cell C’s offering of 250MB between 1 am and 7 am for R6 in South Africa or an MTN bundle in Rwanda for Rwf 800 (USD 0.96) that provide 24 hours unlimited data).
- Poor network quality and coverage limited the consumption of subsidised data since some respondents, especially in rural areas of Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa, reported that telcos with those offerings did not have coverage in their area. Indeed, many of these users only have access via the most expensive operator in that country.
- Women face additional barriers to internet use, including concern of being exposed to inappropriate content online and its consequences in their intimate relationships and family responsibilities.
“Our research reveals that a significant urban-rural divide remains in opportunities to access the internet.” said Dr Alison Gillwald, Executive Director of Research ICT Africa. “Too often the debate over zero rating glosses over the fact that many people in rural communities don’t even have access to the best subsidized offerings and have to spend largely disproportionate amounts of their already low income on mobile access, and that’s assuming they can even find electricity to charge their devices.”
“Given all the controversy around zero rating, it’s surprising to see how few research respondents in these African countries actually use or depend on zero rated data. We are, however, seeing a lot of interest in Equal Rating compliant models which provide access to all of the internet, not just some parts of it,” said Jochai Ben-Avie, Senior Global Policy Manager at Mozilla. “More must be done to connect the unconnected. This research makes clear that it’s critical we all focus more on barriers like healthy competition outside urban areas, electricity, digital literacy, and gender power relations.”
Mozilla-backed research reveals affordability a barrier to internet access in Nigeria
Zero rated services are still relatively new to the Nigerian market, with Airtel launching Facebook’s Free Basics and Facebook Flex only last year. Awareness and use of zero rating remains low in Nigeria, a country which enjoys some of the cheapest data prices in Africa. Results of the research included the following findings:
- Many rural users see the internet as their access to the civilized world and the gateway to the places around the globe where they have friends and family.
- Overall awareness and use of the internet has gained traction especially as social interactions, business or career enabler, and majority of participants, whether in rural or urban areas, rank the purchase of data high on their personal expense list.
- There is a general belief that mobile network operators charge a hidden tariff, and whatever airtime is on the phone will be eventually deducted by the operator if one subscribes to a subsidized service.
- Many non-users want to use a “big phone” (a smartphone) and would rather wait until they can afford one than use a more limited version of the internet.
- Though the price of brand new smartphones keeps dropping and they can be bought for as low as $20, affordability challenges persist.
“Even in a country with some of the lowest rates for data and devices in Africa, the cost of buying a smartphone in Nigeria is still a challenge for many,” said Dr Alison Gillwald, Executive Director or Research ICT Africa. “Affordability gets disproportionate attention, but we need to do much more to improve digital literacy and supply side issues like network quality and speed.”
“This research demonstrates that Nigerians want access to all of the internet, not just some parts of it,” said Jochai Ben-Avie, Senior Global Policy Manager at Mozilla. “If we’re to bring all the internet to all people, we need to do more to improve digital literacy and understanding of the internet, especially among low-income individuals and those in rural and deep rural communities. At Mozilla we believe in equal rating for all internet users so that this shared global resource is not held hostage by the wealthy.”
Mozilla-backed research reveals Kenyans offline due to prohibitive costs and security fears
The Communications Authority of Kenya reports that some 38 million people – about 82 percent of the population – were online in 2016. The four mobile operators in the country have 4G internet connections on mobile but not in all parts of the country. Researchers’ findings include:
- Social media tops the list of uses for the internet and there is even a perception among some users that the internet is about social media.
- The price of data bundles and internet-enabled phones render the cost of doing what most users want to do online prohibitive to many.
- Strategic solutions for high costs include working late into the night before reward bundle periods expire, visiting friends who have Wi-Fi at home, and using multiple promotions from different operators.
- Even when people have smartphones, they do not always carry them for offline security reasons. In particular, there are concerns that, thieves may frequent areas with free public Wi-Fi in order to steal patrons’ internet enabled devices
- National network coverage was seen to be a challenge for both voice and data particularly in rural areas.
“While internet access is good in Kenya relative to elsewhere in Africa, real barriers remain to internet use,” said Research ICT Africa Executive Director Dr Alison Gillwald. “If we don’t look beyond access issues to the real concerns around privacy and security, for example, we’ll never bring all of the internet to all people.”
“One participant in this study reported concerns about getting skin cancer from their phone, proving there’s a lot more we still need to do to improve digital (and health) literacy,” said Mozilla Senior Global Policy Manager Jochai Ben-Avie. “At the same time, Kenyan internet penetration is on par with some of the most developed countries, and that’s due to the ingenuity of Kenyans to find ways to connect despite the relatively high cost of data.”
Mozilla-backed research reveals heavy use of subsidized data in Rwanda
internet use and access in Rwanda has been exploding largely due to the Government of Rwanda’s Vision 2020 to enable Rwanda to leap-frog the key stages of industrialization and transform her agro-based economy into a service, information-rich and knowledge-based one that is globally competitive. While internet penetration is relatively high, the diversity of content accessed by participants in this study is relatively low. This is of concern. Results of the research including the following findings:
- Most participants only use a very limited number of websites and services, and make heavy use of subsidized data.
- While the use of subsidized data services allows mobile network operators to retain a large number of subscribers that use the internet, an Airtel representative was quoted as saying the company is considering ending their current zero rating offers because the majority of users that are benefiting from zero rated services are no longer using other services, and therefore are not spending on data.
- The types of bundles and packs from the three MNOs keep changing almost every week due to tough competition going on, and some promotion offers – including zero rated services – are not even publicized on the website to prevent competitors access to the information.
- The majority of participants with mid or high income when asked how they would react if subsidized data was no longer available, responded that they may reduce the time spent on the internet, while participants with low incomes responded that they may stop using the internet.
- Significant access barriers remain, especially in remote areas, including the cost of data as well as illiteracy and lack of understanding of foreign languages to manipulate devices and understand internet content.
“Rwanda has been a real leader in bringing people online, including through innovative models like internet connected buses and other public Wi-Fi efforts,” said Dr Alison Gillwald, Executive Director or Research ICT Africa. “The limited number of sites and services Rwandans use points to the need for the government and other stakeholders to consider issues beyond access that leave many Rwandans accessing just a small part of the internet.”
“While it’s inspiring to see the boom in internet access in Rwanda, many Rwandans are still stuck in the walled gardens of subsidized services and haven’t experienced the full diversity of the open internet,” said Jochai Ben-Avie, Mozilla’s Senior Global Policy Manager. “Rwanda is a fascinating testbed of different experiments in connecting the unconnected and we hope the Government of Rwanda and other stakeholders will focus on solutions like Equal Rating that seek to bring all of the internet to all people.”
The research sees opportunity and a greater outlook in the future of internet use for these countries. Infrastructural issues still need to be addressed in rural areas, in particular to increase quality of service, which would allow users to choose any operator offering the cheapest product. The intensity of use could be enhanced through redirecting universal services funds directed at access, often by subsidising the already planned roll out of services, towards supporting the rollout of public Wi-Fi points at all public facilities such as schools, clinics, libraries and police stations.
Other factors limiting the digital participation of the poor and unskilled, particularly women, will require policy interventions than extend way beyond digital policy to the much greater challenges of human development. Without interventions to redress broader social and economic inequality in society more the entry of more sophisticated services and devices will amplify digital inequality.
Distributed by APO on behalf of Mozilla.


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Japanese Dog Gets His Own DVD Film
As we’ve already know, Japanese people loves their pets. It can be their robot dog, or a nice parrot. In recent months many people in Japan fell in love with “Oto-San” – a cute dog from Softbank commercials. Softbank is one of the largest mobile operators in Japan, and it sells the iPhone in the country for instance.
Oto-San is featured in the commercial as the head of a Japanese family and promotes the mobile operator plans. It’s popularity grow so quickly that now Softbank decided to release a DVD with Oto-San daily life. The DVD is scheduled to be released during September.
In order to sign his new movie contract Oto-San has arrived in a limousine to the headquarters of Softbank, and signed the agreement with Softbank president Yuichi Kato. Two scary looking bodyguards escorted him all the way from the limo to the building.
The dog doesn’t come cheap. You will have to cough up $24 for the Dog’s DVD only, and $31 for a DVD plus a lunch box.
You can watch some of Oto-San short commercials here:
So let’s sum up: A dog is the head of the family and sells mobile phones gets to be the star of a new film. Not bad for an ordinary weird day in Japan.
via [Japan Today]


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|By PR Newswire||
|December 21, 2012 08:30 AM EST||
NEW YORK, Dec. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobile technology startup bMobilized (http://bMobilized.com) today announced an additional $2.5 million in Series A funding from Norway's Alliance Venture, Investinor and Alden AS, which together had invested $1.5 million in the New York startup last April.
bMobilized's cloud-based do-it-yourself technology platform lets small and medium businesses instantly convert their websites into customizable HTML5-enabled mobile sites that look and work great on any mobile device, OS and browser. The current technology platform, which launched in May, now works in eight languages and costs just $9/month including set-up and maintenance.
Both Alliance Venture and Investinor specialize in privately held, early stage technology companies seeking to expand internationally. Alden AS is a well-known and successful Oslo-based venture capital company that invests in a range of industry sectors. They are pleased to continue their support of the bMobilized team given the size and growth of the market, the company's patented technology and its 400% growth in customers since May.
The additional funding will allow bMobilized to invest in resources to better capitalize on current market momentum and further develop its end-to-end solutions platform to help SMBs better engage mobile customers. This will include overseas market expansion, new feature-rich functions, an API for large-volume partners and a pure white label solution.
"The confidence these investors have shown in bMobilized is further validation that our technology and unique market position can meet the explosive demand from SMBs to jump on the mobile bandwagon," said bMobilized CEO Ben Seslija. "Our platform makes it simple for businesses to accomplish this once complex and costly task."
The business need for a service like this is clear when one considers that the number of smartphones in use worldwide totaled 1.03 billion in Q3 2012, a 47 percent increase from Q3 2011. By 2015, that number is predicted to double to 2 billion, according to research by Five Star Equities. U.S. smartphone ownership reached 51% in September (119.3 million users), up 8% since June according to ComScore.
Still, an SMB DigitalScape study of two million small business websites found that 98% of SMBs still do not have sites optimized for the dominant mobile operating systems: Android, iOS, BlackBerry, Windows and Symbian.
Under development for more than two years, bMobilized's patented technology produces a mobile experience that better reflects the original website's graphic look and feel -- with more functionality -- than any other mobile conversion technology available today. The Automatic Content Identifier (ACI), contains more than 300 algorithms to analyze, detect and convert all parts of a website into an HTML5 mobile version in less than 30 seconds.
The technology also offers more than 30 individually customizable features that enhance mobile engagement, e.g., a contact bar, maps, social sharing buttons, product promo window on home page, etc. bMobilized also makes it easy for companies to promote and market their products and services via Google AdWords, QR Codes, and in-app ads. The mobile site requires little or no maintenance.
Headquartered at 670 Broadway in New York City, bMobilized (http://bMobilized.com) is a global pioneer in DIY website-to-mobile conversion that offers small and medium businesses the most advanced, easy-to-use and cost-effective mobile site creation tools in the marketplace. The company was founded in 2005 in Oslo, Norway and relocated to New York in 2010 where it currently has 15 full-time employees.
About Alliance Venture
Alliance Venture (http://www.allianceventure.com) is a venture capital firm managing venture funds investing in privately held, early stage technology companies. Total funds under management are 430 MNOK (about $75 million).
Alliance Venture was formed in 2001 by a team of experienced executives with a good balance between operations and business, applied research, entrepreneurial and financial background that enables efficient investment evaluations and active follow-up. This is supported by a network of strategic partners who contribute with know-how, deal flow, due-diligence, co-investments and partnerships for the firm's portfolio companies.
Investinor is a government-funded investment company. It invests venture capital into highly competitive and promising Norwegian companies aiming for international growth and expansion. Investinor manages NOK 3.7 billion (mEuro 460) under a mandate from the Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget) and invests on the same terms and conditions as private investors, with a clear exit strategy for all investments.
Investinor is one of the major venture investment companies in Norway, both in terms of manpower and capital under management. Its team has a superior overview of the market and attracts high quality dealflow. Investinor's team is a value adding mixture of engineers and business professionals with industrial and entrepreneurial experience.
Alden is a private investment company based in Oslo, Norway. It invests in a range of asset classes across many industry sectors. Since its inception, Alden has had a strong focus on venture capital investments to which, in addition to providing capital, offers access to the firm's comprehensive network of resources. The company often co-invests with several of the leading venture capital firms in the Nordic region.
Flatiron Communications LLC (for bMobilized)
Google Voice: 516-308-1120
This press release was issued through eReleases® Press Release Distribution. For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.
The 20th International Cloud Expo has announced that its Call for Papers is open. Cloud Expo, to be held June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, brings together Cloud Computing, Big Data, Internet of Things, DevOps, Containers, Microservices and WebRTC to one location. With cloud computing driving a higher percentage of enterprise IT budgets every year, it becomes increasingly important to plant your flag in this fast-expanding business opportunity. Submit your speaking proposal ...
Dec. 5, 2016 01:15 PM EST Reads: 2,149
DevOps is being widely accepted (if not fully adopted) as essential in enterprise IT. But as Enterprise DevOps gains maturity, expands scope, and increases velocity, the need for data-driven decisions across teams becomes more acute. DevOps teams in any modern business must wrangle the ‘digital exhaust’ from the delivery toolchain, "pervasive" and "cognitive" computing, APIs and services, mobile devices and applications, the Internet of Things, and now even blockchain. In this power panel at @...
Dec. 5, 2016 12:34 PM EST Reads: 114
Major trends and emerging technologies – from virtual reality and IoT, to Big Data and algorithms – are helping organizations innovate in the digital era. However, to create real business value, IT must think beyond the ‘what’ of digital transformation to the ‘how’ to harness emerging trends, innovation and disruption. Architecture is the key that underpins and ties all these efforts together. In the digital age, it’s important to invest in architecture, extend the enterprise footprint to the cl...
Dec. 5, 2016 12:30 PM EST Reads: 2,279
Bert Loomis was a visionary. This general session will highlight how Bert Loomis and people like him inspire us to build great things with small inventions. In their general session at 19th Cloud Expo, Harold Hannon, Architect at IBM Bluemix, and Michael O'Neill, Strategic Business Development at Nvidia, discussed the accelerating pace of AI development and how IBM Cloud and NVIDIA are partnering to bring AI capabilities to "every day," on-demand. They also reviewed two "free infrastructure" pr...
Dec. 5, 2016 12:30 PM EST Reads: 935
Whether your IoT service is connecting cars, homes, appliances, wearable, cameras or other devices, one question hangs in the balance – how do you actually make money from this service? The ability to turn your IoT service into profit requires the ability to create a monetization strategy that is flexible, scalable and working for you in real-time. It must be a transparent, smoothly implemented strategy that all stakeholders – from customers to the board – will be able to understand and comprehe...
Dec. 5, 2016 11:38 AM EST Reads: 166
Businesses and business units of all sizes can benefit from cloud computing, but many don't want the cost, performance and security concerns of public cloud nor the complexity of building their own private clouds. Today, some cloud vendors are using artificial intelligence (AI) to simplify cloud deployment and management. In his session at 20th Cloud Expo, Ajay Gulati, Co-founder and CEO of ZeroStack, will discuss how AI can simplify cloud operations. He will cover the following topics: why clou...
Dec. 5, 2016 11:30 AM EST Reads: 760
"Dice has been around for the last 20 years. We have been helping tech professionals find new jobs and career opportunities," explained Manish Dixit, VP of Product and Engineering at Dice, in this SYS-CON.tv interview at 19th Cloud Expo, held November 1-3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA.
Dec. 5, 2016 11:15 AM EST Reads: 936
More and more brands have jumped on the IoT bandwagon. We have an excess of wearables – activity trackers, smartwatches, smart glasses and sneakers, and more that track seemingly endless datapoints. However, most consumers have no idea what “IoT” means. Creating more wearables that track data shouldn't be the aim of brands; delivering meaningful, tangible relevance to their users should be. We're in a period in which the IoT pendulum is still swinging. Initially, it swung toward "smart for smar...
Dec. 5, 2016 10:30 AM EST Reads: 641
The Internet of Things will challenge the status quo of how IT and development organizations operate. Or will it? Certainly the fog layer of IoT requires special insights about data ontology, security and transactional integrity. But the developmental challenges are the same: People, Process and Platform and how we integrate our thinking to solve complicated problems. In his session at 19th Cloud Expo, Craig Sproule, CEO of Metavine, demonstrated how to move beyond today's coding paradigm and sh...
Dec. 5, 2016 10:30 AM EST Reads: 276
In his keynote at 18th Cloud Expo, Andrew Keys, Co-Founder of ConsenSys Enterprise, provided an overview of the evolution of the Internet and the Database and the future of their combination – the Blockchain. Andrew Keys is Co-Founder of ConsenSys Enterprise. He comes to ConsenSys Enterprise with capital markets, technology and entrepreneurial experience. Previously, he worked for UBS investment bank in equities analysis. Later, he was responsible for the creation and distribution of life sett...
Dec. 5, 2016 07:30 AM EST Reads: 7,059
We are always online. We access our data, our finances, work, and various services on the Internet. But we live in a congested world of information in which the roads were built two decades ago. The quest for better, faster Internet routing has been around for a decade, but nobody solved this problem. We’ve seen band-aid approaches like CDNs that attack a niche's slice of static content part of the Internet, but that’s it. It does not address the dynamic services-based Internet of today. It does...
Dec. 5, 2016 07:30 AM EST Reads: 1,001
The WebRTC Summit New York, to be held June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY, announces that its Call for Papers is now open. Topics include all aspects of improving IT delivery by eliminating waste through automated business models leveraging cloud technologies. WebRTC Summit is co-located with 20th International Cloud Expo and @ThingsExpo. WebRTC is the future of browser-to-browser communications, and continues to make inroads into the traditional, difficult, plug-in web ...
Dec. 5, 2016 07:15 AM EST Reads: 1,298
WebRTC is the future of browser-to-browser communications, and continues to make inroads into the traditional, difficult, plug-in web communications world. The 6th WebRTC Summit continues our tradition of delivering the latest and greatest presentations within the world of WebRTC. Topics include voice calling, video chat, P2P file sharing, and use cases that have already leveraged the power and convenience of WebRTC.
Dec. 5, 2016 06:45 AM EST Reads: 1,627
20th Cloud Expo, taking place June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY, will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world. Cloud computing is now being embraced by a majority of enterprises of all sizes. Yesterday's debate about public vs. private has transformed into the reality of hybrid cloud: a recent survey shows that 74% of enterprises have a hybrid cloud strategy.
Dec. 5, 2016 06:45 AM EST Reads: 1,797
"We're a cybersecurity firm that specializes in engineering security solutions both at the software and hardware level. Security cannot be an after-the-fact afterthought, which is what it's become," stated Richard Blech, Chief Executive Officer at Secure Channels, in this SYS-CON.tv interview at @ThingsExpo, held November 1-3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA.
Dec. 5, 2016 06:30 AM EST Reads: 758
The Internet of Things (IoT) promises to simplify and streamline our lives by automating routine tasks that distract us from our goals. This promise is based on the ubiquitous deployment of smart, connected devices that link everything from industrial control systems to automobiles to refrigerators. Unfortunately, comparatively few of the devices currently deployed have been developed with an eye toward security, and as the DDoS attacks of late October 2016 have demonstrated, this oversight can ...
Dec. 5, 2016 06:15 AM EST Reads: 964
Fact is, enterprises have significant legacy voice infrastructure that’s costly to replace with pure IP solutions. How can we bring this analog infrastructure into our shiny new cloud applications? There are proven methods to bind both legacy voice applications and traditional PSTN audio into cloud-based applications and services at a carrier scale. Some of the most successful implementations leverage WebRTC, WebSockets, SIP and other open source technologies. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Da...
Dec. 5, 2016 06:00 AM EST Reads: 1,690
Internet-of-Things discussions can end up either going down the consumer gadget rabbit hole or focused on the sort of data logging that industrial manufacturers have been doing forever. However, in fact, companies today are already using IoT data both to optimize their operational technology and to improve the experience of customer interactions in novel ways. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Gordon Haff, Red Hat Technology Evangelist, will share examples from a wide range of industries – includin...
Dec. 5, 2016 04:15 AM EST Reads: 1,621
Unless your company can spend a lot of money on new technology, re-engineering your environment and hiring a comprehensive cybersecurity team, you will most likely move to the cloud or seek external service partnerships. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Darren Guccione, CEO of Keeper Security, revealed what you need to know when it comes to encryption in the cloud.
Dec. 5, 2016 04:00 AM EST Reads: 4,713
We're entering the post-smartphone era, where wearable gadgets from watches and fitness bands to glasses and health aids will power the next technological revolution. With mass adoption of wearable devices comes a new data ecosystem that must be protected. Wearables open new pathways that facilitate the tracking, sharing and storing of consumers’ personal health, location and daily activity data. Consumers have some idea of the data these devices capture, but most don’t realize how revealing and...
Dec. 5, 2016 04:00 AM EST Reads: 5,138


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The multimodal port and logistics park combination offers customers a unique opportunity to optimise efficiency and flexibility within their global supply chains
Global container shipping consortium ‘The Alliance’ has announced that all of its mainline UK calls will be handled by DP World, the Dubai-based global ports and logistics services company.
The consortium of container shipping lines – which comprises Hapag Lloyd, K-Line, MOL, NYK Line and Yang Ming – will bring vessels on its FE1, FE2 and FE4 services into DP World Southampton and those on FE3 and FE5 into DP World London Gateway, all of which link Asia and Europe.
Vessels deployed on the consortium’s transatlantic AL3, AL4 and AL5 services, will call at DP World Southampton while those on AL1 and AL2 will call into DP World London Gateway, a statement form DP World said.
The FE3 and FE5 will be the first regular Asia-Europe services to call at DP World London Gateway. This means the port now offers the widest choice to shippers on North-South and East-West trade lanes.
The port is also integrated with DP World London Gateway Logistics Park, which provides nearly one million sq m of supply chain and distribution space, such as Lidl and UPS, who are already on site, it said.
The multimodal port and logistics park combination offers customers a unique opportunity to optimise efficiency and flexibility within their global supply chains.
Confirmation from ‘The Alliance’ that new Asia-Europe and transatlantic services are to begin calling at DP World London Gateway has triggered a separate announcement by DP World that it will formally open its third berth for full operations at the end of March.
Berth 3 provides additional capacity for shipping lines and cargo owners, such as those in the retail, engineering and automotive sectors.
DP World Southampton container terminal will now be the only port to handle vessels operated by ‘The Alliance’, ‘Ocean Alliance’ and ‘2M’ alliance – the three major container shipping line consortia.
Both DP World Southampton and DP World London Gateway are linked to an unrivalled global shipping network, providing competitive shipping options to all corners of the globe.
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, CEO and chairman, DP World, said: “This is a strong endorsement of UK industry. We are proud that ‘The Alliance’ has chosen to make all of its UK calls at DP World terminals from April and we strongly believe that DP World in the UK is best placed to offer the consortium and its customers the very best service.
“DP World is the only operator in the UK to provide two deep-water facilities. Both terminals can provide operational back up to each other and reduce the risk of delays to the supply chain – no other operator in the UK can do this.”


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WhatsApp will now allow users to react to messages with any emoji, in an expansion of its reaction feature that came out last year. It’s coming to iOS and Android over the coming weeks, and it brings more personalization to one of the world’s most used messaging apps.
Once you get the update, the emoji reactions will work as they do now, with a long press bringing up the basic six options with the incision of a new plus button. Pressing that plus icon will show you the new expanded set of emojis, and you’ll be able to add whatever emoji you want. This includes skin tone variations, family types, and more.
Since you asked…
… all emoji Reactions are here! We’re feeling 🤩😎🙌🤸🎉💚 about it.
— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) July 11, 2022
WhatsApp’s new emoji options aren’t out of the blue. Meta brought the same feature set to its Facebook Messenger service a while ago, so it’s simply pulling both services into sync. In contrast, Apple’s iMessage and Google’s Messages app only allow for six reactions, while Telegram has a more expansive selection but falls below Facebook’s offerings.
Though easy to dismiss as trite, emoji reactions are fun and add an extra layer of personality that’s often lost when communicating via text and not face to face. They’re also pretty useful in replying to messages that don’t need much acknowledgment other than “got it.” The expansion of emoji now adds an even further touch of personality, and I can’t wait to get it on my phone.
You can grab the new update from the App and Play Stores respectively when it’s available over the next couple of weeks.
- The Fitbit app just got its biggest update in years
- The Nothing Phone 2 just leaked, and it’s not what I expected
- WhatsApp finally lets you edit sent messages. Here’s how to do it
- How to know if someone blocked you on WhatsApp
- It’s not just you: the Apple Weather app is down


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US President Joe Biden has issued a presidential decree authorizing the release of critical and strategic materials from the US National Defense Stockpile as a precaution against the country’s supply chain crisis.
US President Joe Biden issued a new presidential decree as a precaution against disruptions to the global supply chain.
Biden noted that the economic prosperity of the United States, national security, and the preservation of National Competitiveness Day depend on resilient, diversified, and secure supply chains.
He said the healthy functioning of the supply chain and industry should be used by both the federal government and the federal government.
The private sector creating a buffer against potential shortages and dependence on imports, he noted, depends on the availability of adequate supplies, equipment, or raw materials.
Biden emphasized that the United States’ national stockpiles, including the National Defense Stockpile, are one of the federal government’s primary tools to ensure adequate supplies to protect against potential shortages and supply chain problems.
“The Federal Government permits the release of strategic and critical supplies from the National Defense Stockpile to enhance its stockpiling efforts for national defense purposes,” the decree said.
Biden stated that said authority has also been granted to the Under Secretary of Defense responsible for procurement and maintenance, and he may be released.
Biden ordered a comprehensive review of the country’s supply chains in his presidential decree on American Supply Chains issued on February 24, 2021.


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Sportradar To Keep Athletes From Online Harm
Data leveraging and content giant Sportradar has launched a product designed to help protect professional athletes and sportspeople from the abuse so often suffered as a result of their having a public presence on social media. The latest Sportradar solution is created in such a way that it specifically targets sports organisations as the primary client, with athletes proposed to be safeguarded as a result of their memberships with those organisations, the data and tech supplier has said.
The new safeguarding solution, described by Sportradar as the first of its kind, will reportedly be made available to all sporting management bodies, sporting federations, and all leagues (major and well as minor and club-level) the world over. The solution is, according to its creators, designed with a specific focus on the protection of athletes from a mental health and general emotional wellbeing point of view. This, said the brand, is achieved by keeping athletes free from online harm.
Actual Action Will Be Taken
The product will reportedly follow a cease-and-desist type of approach and will not only block internet trolls from harassing and humiliating athletes but will also discourage future incidents via active investigation into reported incidents, a proactive intervention-based approach, and also a general disruption of harmful online actions and movements.
From a practical point of view, the service-offering product will work by identifying the actual real identities of those individuals behind trolling and harassing online activities – individuals typically not inclined to reveal their real identities for fear of legal consequences and/or retaliation from the victims of their abuse.
After a social media troll guilty of having harassed an athlete has been successfully identified, Sportradar says it will then report the incident and the guilty party’s identity to a relevant partner so that appropriate action may be taken, and justice enabled to run its course. Law enforcement officials and subsequent legal proceedings will at this point in the process be involved, the supplier has confirmed.
Product Long In The Making
The product is the result of a long-standing priority of ensuring that sport not only remains in line with integrity, but also that it is made safe, fair, and enjoyable for all involved – including the actual athletes and players themselves. This according to Sportradar’s manager of integrity services, namely Andreas Krannich.
The latest product, explained Krannich, aims to strengthen and support exactly this position and goal. And most importantly, it is both tangible as well focused on the taking of actual action capable of bringing about real change.


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Fisker released Q2 2022 financial results after the market close today and provided updates on the business including Fisker Ocean program.
Today, Fisker released their Q2 2022 earnings results followed by their conference call. Henrik Fisker, Dr. Burkhard J. Huhnke, and Geeta Fisker discuss Q2 2022 earnings call and the health of their business. Fisker Ocean One took center stage. The company took questions from both equity analysts and even retail investors. We recorded the Fisker Earnings Call and took notes, which are listed below.
Highlights from Q2 2022 Earnings Call
- Fisker Ocean is on schedule for SOP on November 17th.
- 55 Fisker Ocean prototypes, Magna will continue to build prototypes up until SOP in November.
- Company is 100% completely sold out of all 5,000 Fisker Ocean One electric SUVs with non-refundable deposits of $5,000/each.
- Henrik says it is historic, no company has done it the way they did with non-refundable deposits for Ocean One and they are sold out ahead of SOP.
- Potential revenue of $350 million before starting production.
- Experience Centers will open later this year in both US and Europe.
- More pop-up events are planned for this year as the company gets more prototypes.
- 5 prototypes in Michigan being tested with Magna for ADAS testing.
- Fisker isn’t in charge when formal crash test ratings will be released.
- Henrik has been impressed by his test vehicle that he received last week; it handed great on the test track in Italy; great handling and comfort for everyday use.
- Ocean demand remains strong with Ocean One selling out in about 1-month.
- Fisker will not raise the price of the first 40,000 Oceans; shipping rates are growing high and the company is passing on the logistics cost to customers; could lower it in the future.
- Fisker will open up pre-orders for Extreme next.
- Fisker said they will build some Ultras and Sports next year even if demand for Extreme is too high; expected Q3 2023.
- Henrik says the company has affordable vehicles even if there is a change in [EV tax credit] legislation.
- The company has a plan in place for customers to take advantage of the $7,500 EV tax credit and will release details if needed.
- Service centers will be operated by Fisker; won’t need to think of service for the first 5k to 6k miles; they’ll service your vehicle at home or take it to a partner.
- Over 50 kilos of recycled vehicles are included in the Fisker Ocean more than any vehicle on the market.
- Company will announce the ESG impact report later this month ahead of production; ESG is integrated into the company’s business; company plans to create a CO2 neutral vehicle by 2027.
- All 55 prototypes have production intent parts.
- Fisker Ocean is on track for global certification.
- Henrik, Geeta, and Burkhard are going to Graz next week to check on all the validation.
- Test vehicles are here in the USA to test ADAS, handing, waterproofing, etc. and have been tested in all markets to be customer-focused.
- Just over 3 months to SOP.
- Level set expectations for 2022, little to no revenue to shipping Fisker Oceans to the USA.
- From an accounting standpoint, Fisker will not recognize any of the $5,000 down payments for Ocean One until vehicles are delivered.
Equity Analysis Q&A Highlights
- RBC: Who shares the cost of the raw materials between Fisker and contract manufacturers? Geeta said Fisker is responsible for the cost.
- RBC: When will the company lock the vehicle so it won’t impact the production line? Henrik said they’ve built 55 prototypes for engineering team. No adjustments with be made to prototypes that will impact Magna. No changes on the line.
- RBC: When should we expect test drives for media and analysts? Henrik said it will likely be November.
- Bank BNP Paribas: What can you do to help people get EV tax credit? Henrik said they’ve hired new head of manufacturing, they have some countermeasures for Ocean US manufacturing.
- Bank BNP Paribas: And battery components/materials? Henrik said he doesn’t think any vehicle made has the minerals needed to qualify for tax credit; CATL is looking for US production; no decision on who will supply battery for PEAR; will be a US supplier; close cooperation or joint venture.
- Morgan Stanley: How much does an Ocean BOM cost in USD today vs. 1-year ago? Geeta said she doesn’t encourage those discussions, because it doesn’t mean anything. Suppliers only price out each quarter. Didn’t increase prices based on what they are seeing; don’t know what Q1/Q2 2023 looks like but can absorb that; logistics cost are separated for transparency.
- Morgan Stanley: Ocean ramp needs new capital? Geeta is looking at non-dilutive funding for delta with cash flow; could use $350 ATM or issue new equity.
Retail Investors Q&A
- See the comments section below for retail Q&A captured by one of our readers. Thank you!
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2 thoughts on “Highlights from Fisker’s Q2 2022 Earnings Call”
Here’s a summary of the retail shareholder questions and summary of responses from the Fisker panel. Thanks for sharing the stream.
1) RICHARD S. ASKS
How many of the 5,000 Ocean One are actually spoken for? When will you be able to share rollout plans including when reservation holders can expect delivery in their market?
Henrik: We are looking our new interactive configurator in October. We are going to start to confirm reservations (Extreme) on Nov 18, the day after we start (One) production and at that point in time we will definitely give an indication in which quarter you will get deliveries in. And of course, as we get closer to the actual delivery we will give a firm, probably about 6 weeks before, so we are working on all these details now and we want to be as accurate as possible. We will probably also allow people to somehow track where their car in this entire process. We should be able to give pretty clear guidance by the end of the year on when people will get their cars.
2) SETH S. ASKS
With the way our ecomony is going is fisker going to market to masses or only making it affordable for the elite consumer??
Henrik: I think we already are, we have already said we will produce the $37,500 Ocean Sport beginning Q3 next year. We have already announced our PEAR which will be starting under $30K. I don’t think I can count on one hand the amount of EVs that’s going to come on the market 2024 that’s going to be under 30K. So I think we will have a really unique proposition in super high volume potential for our two vehicles. What was important about the Ocean was that we are ultimately able to get really high volumes out of that vehicle by having a base price of $37,500 and what is important about the PEAR is to get it under $30,000 because now you’re talking about potential of millions of vehicles…….
3) COLE T. ASKS (My Question!)
Is there a chance Ultra production may start sooner than Q3 2023?
Not at this point, we have to plan production far ahead and also have to think about the company’s financial health. I know we have a lot of investors on the call and I’m sure a lot of people who have ordered an ultra or investors that have ordered an Ultra. But ultimately we are a business and what we are seeing right now is a very healthy demand for the Extreme and Ocean One and right now we should be able to fulfill, maybe not all orders by 2023, if we wouldn’t have committed to start Ultra and Sport production in Q3 next year, we may have been able to go through 2023 without producing any Ultras or Sports, but it was very important for the company to stand up to what we promised to deliver a 37k car and $49,999 in Q3 next year and we stand by that promise. We’ve planned it into our production and that’s what we’re going to do.
Thank you very much Cole! Looks like one of your questions got answered too. Nice!


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The day has come, fellow gamers. Yooka-Laylee releases today on PS4 via PSN and at retail stores.
To celebrate the release of Playtonic Games’ debut game, Team17 has released a brand new trailer to coincide with the game’s launch. A launch trailer, if you will.
You can find the trailer up above. If you want to know what Pure PlayStation thinks of Yooka-Laylee, be sure to check out our review through here.