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It is indisputable that 2020 has been a year of change. And with change often comes two choices: Dig your heels in and resist, or adapt.
Less than a year after Deanie Elsner was hired as CEO of Charlotte’s Web Inc. (CW) in May 2019, change crashed in like a wave. The coronavirus pandemic spread to the U.S. in early 2020, followed by store closures across the country that forced a majority of retail sales to move online.
Then, on April 7, the company’s namesake, Charlotte Figi, passed away at age 13. Despite testing negative for the virus just days earlier, she was treated as a likely COVID-19 case, wrote Charlotte’s mom, Paige Figi, in a Facebook post.
“The news of Charlotte’s passing has been devastating to our organization,” Elsner said at the time, adding to CW co-founder and board member Joel Stanley’s statement that Charlotte was CW's “original founder” and “northern star.”
Faced with these adversities, Elsner has chosen to adapt by balancing the company’s original mission to “improve life, naturally” with new initiatives and ideas to drive growth.
CW, a pioneer of sorts in the CBD industry, has faced its own share of change throughout its history. Around the time Paige Figi first sought out the Stanley Brothers (a company founded by Stanley and his six brothers, who had not yet launched CW) for their CBD Original Formula to ease Charlotte’s grand mal seizures in 2012, the company had a modest waitlist of 40 people. When Charlotte and the brothers made a debut on CNN’s “Weed” series in 2013, that waitlist skyrocketed to 15,000 people.
In the time since, the Stanley brothers have not only launched the vertically integrated CW, but also turned it into the largest CBD brand by market share in the U.S., selling products in nearly 21,000 retail locations across the country.
Now, Elsner is looking to carry that momentum through a global pandemic and expand the company internationally in 2021 and beyond.
CPG to CBD
Elsner was no stranger to change, either, when she took the helm of the Boulder, Colo.-based CW. She came to the company with an extensive leadership background, particularly in helping consumer packaged goods (CPG) businesses change their financial trajectories.
Elsner was previously the president of Kellogg’s Snack Business Unit, where she led more than 1,000 employees and eight plants that manufacture brands like Pringles, Keebler and Cheez-It. At Kellogg’s, she raised profits by nearly 10% and evolved the company's supply chain and marketing strategy.
Prior to that, she served more than 20 years in various leadership roles at Kraft Foods, where she used data to deploy innovative marketing strategies that led to a boom in sales for brands across the business. For example, under Elsner’s leadership, Lunchables began marketing to adults, which resulted in a double-digit increase in gross sales for the brand. (Elsner was ranked on Forbes’ "Top 50 Most Influential Chief Marketing Officers" list in 2014.)
Elsner has also taken on international roles, serving as the president of Kraft’s coffee business in Europe, where she expanded business capabilities, designed a portfolio strategy and launched new products across 18 countries.
While Elsner says her background seems like “the antithesis” of what one might expect from the CEO of a CBD corporation, she had been yearning to pursue a more dynamic and disruptive career role.
“I kept thinking, ‘Am I the person who wants to go out of my career having marketed Cheez-Its, or am I the person who wants to exit my career having democratized something wonderfully natural like this botanic to the world?’” Elsner says. “It was a pretty easy answer for me.”
At the time of Elsner’s hiring, company executives had been building out the CW leadership team to lead the company's growth as a “dominant global CPG brand,” according to a news release.
“Deanie’s appointment is timely and aligns perfectly with our corporate evolution. … Placing world-class marketing and sales expertise at the highest level of the company is critical to further extend Charlotte’s Web’s leadership position in the market,” said Hess Moallem, former president and CEO of the company, in the news release. (Once Elsner became CEO, Moallem transitioned to an advisory role with CW.)
"I kept thinking, ‘Am I the person who wants to go out of my career having marketed Cheez-Its, or am I the person who wants to exit my career having democratized something wonderfully natural like this botanic to the world?’ It was a pretty easy answer for me.” - Deanie Elsner, CEO, Charlotte’s Web
Bringing Experience to a New Industry
Since arriving at CW, Elsner has been building on her past experiences by continuing to build out the company’s leadership team and using data to drive decisions.
The latter pursuit posed a challenge for Elsner because the fresh-faced CBD industry didn’t have much data to work from. So, Elsner got to work piecemealing numbers from outside sources as well as from CW’s own reservoir.
“E-commerce was a channel of business for us, but we’ve moved that channel of business to be our data nucleus for the company,” Elsner says.
"The brothers, we knew what we needed, but we didn’t know how to get there. And so we’ve surrounded the company with just incredible ability, talent and leadership….” - Jared Stanley, co-founder, Charlotte’s Web
By assembling a mass of data points, Elsner says CW has been able to “get smarter about what consumers need."
“We’ve built an ecosystem, if you will, and it literally feeds on itself,” Elsner says. “If you’ve got good data, then you can get to good content in terms of what you provide consumers. If you have good content, you have good experiences that make consumers engage with you. If you’ve got good experiences, they’re going to … purchase your product.”
Elsner has helped complete numerous other initiatives since she joined CW. In March, the company announced its plans to acquire Abacus Health Products Inc., which filled in two major gaps for the company—its distribution to healthcare practitioners and its topical CBD offerings. The acquisition was completed in September.
“We were hell-bent on getting this acquisition integrated as quickly as possible so that we could move on with our business,” Elsner says. “You will see us begin to make major inroads into that business in Q4 [of 2020] and Q1 of next year.”
In 2020, the company also became a Certified B Corporation, which requires businesses to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and “legal accountability to balance profit and purpose,” according to the B Corps website—all of which Elsner says aligns well with the company’s mission. (Only about 3,500 companies have received certification out of over 60,000 that have taken the B Corp assessment, according to a CW news release.)
CW also opened a 130,000-square-foot production facility and R&D lab in Louisville, Colo., this year, as well as CW Labs in Buffalo, N.Y., which will expand the company’s work on CBD, terpenes, flavonoid compounds and other minor cannabinoids.
How It All Began
As Elsner navigates the company’s business operations, one of the company’s seven founding brothers, Jared Stanley, still remains engaged with growing hemp in his role as CW's chief cultivation officer.
Jared Stanley began cultivating hemp after his oldest brother, Josh Stanley, opened one of Denver’s earliest medical marijuana dispensaries in 2008, just as the economy began to collapse. At that time, Joel, Jesse, Jordan and Jon Stanley were looking for jobs, and Jared Stanley, who was a student then, couldn't find an internship.
Shortly after, the brothers’ cousin was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.
So, all seven brothers banded together in 2009 under the state’s medical marijuana caregiver program in pursuit of a cannabis formula that might benefit their cousin. Jared Stanley says the brothers went more than $4,000 into debt creating that initial formula.
From that pursuit, the brothers set out on a mission to help heal others with natural botanicals. “For the first couple years, we didn’t have a single employee because the brothers had different skill sets that were driving the focus of the company,” Jared Stanley says.
The Stanley brothers began to meet other patients with cancer, who used cannabis to relieve their symptoms but didn’t like the intoxicating effects, Jared Stanley says.
“It was really that feedback that drove us to breed for THC [tetrahydrocannabinol] down and go back to the naturally occurring CBD in the plant that we had lost. … That really started the Charlotte’s Web phenomenon,” he says.
Back in those days, the brothers did quite literally turn to nature. They began scouring the state for feral hemp—which often contains low THC content—and breeding it with the high-THC genetics they had been working with. That variety went into CW's flagship CBD formulation that is still sold today.
“I think the work that was done in those early years was really beautiful and magical. These were individuals who didn’t have any formal training in this, and they let the plant speak to them and guide them to the right path,” says Bear Reel, the company’s senior director of cultivation research and development. “What I do is a little bit more structured, but I think there’s still that listening to plants … that is paramount to being successful in finding those gems.”
Reel has been honing the company’s genetics since 2014 by producing thousands of crossings, integrating new varieties into CW’s genetics collection and adapting them to produce consistent results across the small family farms in Colorado, Oregon and Kentucky that the company has partnered with. (CW covers all production costs up front for its partners, and the farmers repay the costs and receive a bonus based on their crop's value after harvest. The seeds and plant never leave CW's ownership.) The CW cultivation team operates the Colorado farms, while those in Kentucky and Oregon are run by contracted farmers.
Consistency is key to CW’s strategy, especially because its hemp is grown in different regions of the U.S. It’s part of the reason, Jared Stanley says, that the company has now received patents for two of its varieties. The first patent for an asexually reproduced variety called CW2A was approved in July 2019. The second patent, approved in May 2020, is a utility patent for a variety called CW1AS1, which features the same phytochemical profiles as the company’s Original Formula. The utility patent assures consistency, but it also provides an added layer of intellectual property protection beyond that of a plant patent. (Editor’s note: Plant patents address any distinct and new variety of plant that is not found in nature and reproduced asexually. Utility patents address “any new useful process, machine, manufacture or composition of matter,” according to Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute.)
“For us, it was so important to protect those varieties for the people who needed them,” Reel says. “We had to make that call that, if we put our flag in the sand, it would guarantee that our customers will always have this product to rely on.”
Those strains, among others that Reel finds have the best phytochemical properties, eventually make their way out to the fields for production.
Organic cultivation practices are another priority for CW. As of late 2020, 90% of CW’s total farm acreage was USDA Certified Organic, and the company intends to reach 100% certified by 2021.
Reel says organic certification was a natural progression, as CW never used synthetic pesticides nor herbicides to grow. Instead, the company introduced natural soil amendments, such as local chicken manure, to its soil, and implemented a three-year crop rotation, which varies from farm to farm. Some farms rotate hemp with horseradish, for example, because of its large root system that can break up hard soils and generate oxygen flow.
Many farmers growing for CW also use companion cropping to divert hemp pests to other crops the insects prefer.
“What we see in our hemp fields is that a lot of diversity is coming back,” Reel says. “A lot of predator insects and insects that will protect our plants from the ones that want a munch on it come naturally … [creating] a more natural, beautiful ecosystem in our fields.”
To maintain consistency as well as quality, Jared Stanley says CW has automated nearly every aspect of the cultivation process, from planting with GPS-driven (self-guided) tractors to mechanizing post-harvest processing.
“From the time that we drive through the field to the time that [the hemp is] in a bin, the only hands that are actually touching it are controlling the systems to ensure that it’s quality and check certain checkpoints,” Jared Stanley says. “This has allowed us to scale with a higher level of quality.”
Jared Stanley adds that CW performs 20 different quality assurance tests on materials throughout cultivation and processing, from testing soils and irrigation water for contaminants to testing for molds and harmful bacteria after extraction. (CW uses two types of extraction, depending on the product: alcohol or CO2.)
By building out its leadership team and maintaining consistency despite rapid growth, CW has found success in the ever-changing CBD market. But even CW hasn’t been spared the challenges plaguing thousands of other businesses in the industry.
While CW did see a boost in online sales because of store closures from the coronavirus pandemic, the company reported a net loss of $14.4 million in Q2 of 2020, as compared with a net income of $2.2 million the same time the year prior.
Despite the steep loss, Elsner anticipates the worst of the pandemic is behind the U.S. And, with a product line expansion across channels and a larger distribution network than 2019, she expects CW sales will be on the rebound heading into 2021.
Elsner is also trying to prepare for the future by coordinating with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on moving CBD regulations forward, which has been a major holdup for not just CW, but the entire industry. CW is part of a national multi-company study into how CBD affects the liver with long-term use. But Elsner says the company is also providing the FDA with its own data that engulfs everything from seed to production, including data on its cultivation practices, its genetics, its testing protocols and more.
Elsner says she hopes the data CW is providing will help set the standards for incoming industry regulations. While she believes it will benefit the entire industry, Elsner acknowledges it gives CW an additional edge.
“The bet I’m making is that when it opens up, we will disproportionately benefit. But those are the kinds of things we’re doing—we’re educating, we’re helping influence, we’re participating as a category leader,” Elsner says. “We would love to see a high level of standards set for this category. We think the category deserves it and the consumers deserve it.”
Elsner says the lack of FDA regulations has, in part, contributed to more litigation. CW has been subject of several class-action lawsuits between 2019 and 2020 that allege the company mislabeled its products. The latest case, Moqeet v. Charlotte’s Web, Inc., is still moving through a California district court.
“Where you’ve got high growth and a lot of competition and uncertainty, people are going to look to take advantage,” Elsner says. “We are tackling any of these class actions aggressively, because we think we’re in the right.”
Looking to the Future
Despite headwinds, CW persists. Elsner says the company will be launching new products in the first half of next year that will be highly targeted to different consumer demographics. Elsner is also looking to expand the company next year into overseas markets that have established CBD regulatory environments, including in Canada and Europe. “International expansion is a mandatory part of our strategy,” Elsner says. “It’s important for us to have our products where consumers are.” (Currently, CW's products are only available in Canada through the company's website if the consumer has a Health Canada exemption.)
Elsner says the Stanley brothers never intended CW to be a large commercial business. Yet, even as the company continues to grow and navigate immense changes since its founding, Jared Stanley says that in some ways, the business remains the same.
“The brothers, we knew what we needed, but we didn’t know how to get there. And so we’ve surrounded the company with just incredible ability, talent and leadership, but it’s holding to the same mission, vision and values,” Jared Stanley says. “It’s actually quite remarkable.”
Theresa Bennett is an associate editor for Hemp Grower.


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Beacon Technologies continues its busy 2014 conference schedule at the 10th annual Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition, the world’s largest e-commerce event. This year’s event will be held at Chicago’s McCormick Place West from June 10-13, 2014. The unmatched 250,000 square-foot exhibit hall at IRCE presents more than 600 companies in the e-commerce solutions industry. Representing nearly 90% of the e-commerce solutions market, IRCE’s exhibit hall is the largest display of services and technology found under one roof. We will be at Booth 103 next to the massage station!
This years conference expects over 10,000 attendees that comprise online retailing, from web merchants and distributors to retail chains. Beacon will meet with all the other attendees and exhibitors at McCormick Place West, the world’s largest exhibition, to discuss the latest trends and industry technologies that will help take online retailing into the next decade.
Beacon has a large team again at this year’s conference and is giving away some great prizes for those who come by the booth and sign up! Not only can you win great Google giveaways this year but we are also giving away some SWEET North Carolina goodies! We are proud to be sponsoring a beehive in Greensboro, NC and we are bringing some great giveaway jars to anyone who comes and chats with us! We are also excited to talk more about our new product, GAFUSION, and help e-commerce clients gain a better understanding of their online marketing efforts with Beacon’s own multi-channel conversion tracking solution.
You can follow the happenings of the conference by following Beacon Technologies and Internet Retailer on Twitter. Check back frequently on both Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and Facebook to see photos, giveaways and updates from the event. You can tweet with #IRCE or tweet at either one of us with @beacontec and @IR_Conferences or @IR_Events. Connect with both accounts below.

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Scrolls, the first game from Minecraft developer Mojang that isn’t Minecraft related has a release date – and you’ll soon be able to take your card-based battles to PC and Mac. It’ll be playable from June 3rd, or just a little under a week – but you’ll have to pay for that privilege.
“We also have a confirmed release date,” says the game’s official site. “Scrolls will hit Open Beta on June 3rd, one week from today. You’ll be able to buy Scrolls for £13/€15/$20, depending on where you live. It will be available for PC and Mac.”
I’ve never been keen on the idea of a paid beta – and one for a niche card-battling turn-based strategy kind of gets my ire up. that said, I’ve recently fallen in love with the frankly incredible Fire Emblem: Awakening on the 3DS and this is looking like it’ll fit nicely in my wheelhouse.
I have to wonder though; would anybody really give a damn about this game if it wasn’t from “the people who brought you Minecraft?”
Last Updated: May 28, 2013


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Research published on-line (Tuesday 9 January) in European Heart Journal has found that the protective effect that tea has on the cardiovascular system is totally wiped out by adding milk.
Tests on volunteers showed that black tea significantly improves the ability of the arteries to relax and expand, but adding milk completely blunts the effect. Supporting tests on rat aortas (aortic rings) and endothelial (lining) cells showed that tea relaxed the aortic rings by producing nitric oxide, which promotes dilation of blood vessels. But, again, adding milk blocked the effect.
The findings, by cardiologists and scientists from the Charité Hospital, Universitätsmedizin-Berlin, Campus Mitte, Germany, are bad news for tea-drinking nations like the British, who normally add milk to their beverage. The results have led the researchers to suggest that tea drinkers who customarily add milk should consider omitting it some of the time.
Proteins in milk probably bind to the catechins and render them unavailable.
Their study showed that the culprit in milk is a group of proteins called caseins, which they found interacted with the tea to decrease the concentration of catechins in the beverage. Catechins are the flavonoids in tea that mainly contribute to its protection against cardiovascular disease.
Senior researcher Dr Verena Stangl, Professor of Cardiology (Molecular Atherosclerosis) at the hospital, said: "There is a broad body of evidence from experimental and clinical studies indicating that tea exerts antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and vasodilating effects, thereby protecting against cardiovascular diseases. As worldwide tea consumption is second only to that of water, its beneficial effects represent an important public health issue. But, up to now, it's not been known whether adding milk to tea, as widely practised in the UK and some other countries, influences these protective properties. So, we decided to investigate the effects of tea, with and without milk, on endothelial function, because that is a sensitive indicator of what is happening to blood vessels."
In East Asian countries where green tea is popular the use of milk in tea is relatively rare. So they are deriving a greater benefit from tea drinking.
High resolution ultrasound allowed measure of the effects of tea and milk on an artery.
Sixteen healthy postmenopausal women drank either half a litre of freshly brewed black tea, black tea with 10% skimmed milk, or boiled water (as a control) on three separate occasions under the same conditions. The endothelial function of the brachial artery in the forearm was measured by high resolution ultrasound before and two hours after drinking, with measurements being taken every 15 seconds for up to two minutes a time.
Said first author Dr Mario Lorenz, a molecular biologist: "We found that, whereas drinking tea significantly increased the ability of the artery to relax and expand to accommodate increased blood flow compared with drinking water, the addition of milk completely prevents the biological effect. To extend our findings to a functional model, we determined vasodilation in rat aortic rings by exposing them to tea on its own and tea with individual milk proteins added, and got the same result."
Milk contains a number of different proteins: by testing each one separately, the researchers found that it was the three caseins that accounted for the inhibiting effect, probably by forming complexes with tea catechins.
Casein proteins make up a substantial portion of cheese. This suggests that red wine (which has a healthy amount of catechins) and cheese is a bad combination. Chocolate milk similarly blunts the effects of the catechins in the chocolate. Drink your wine with nuts. The nuts have their own beneficial compounds such as another type of flavonoids called anthocyanins (tea has some too). As for chocolate milk: Why dilute something as great as chocolate with mere milk?
Casein proteins show up as food additives in a variety of foods and you can watch for the terms caseinate, casein, milk solids, milk protein, and curds as indicators of their presence.
|Share |||Randall Parker, 2007 January 08 06:26 PM Aging Diet Studies|


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Kellogg Plans To Spread Olympic Marketing Across Seven Brands For Sochi Games
USOC sponsor Kellogg Co. this year will broaden its approach to Olympic marketing, moving from the singular campaign focused on its signature Kellogg’s brand during the '12 London Games to multiple campaigns around seven of its brands during the '14 Sochi Games. The company, which became a USOC sponsor in '11, will announce the complete list of brands at a later date, but Pop-Tarts, Bear Naked and Kashi are three of the newcomers. Kellogg Senior Dir of Integrated Promotions Sandy Uridge said, "A lot of other brands saw our success after 2012 and thought there was a great opportunity to get on board.” Kashi and Bear Naked this week announced they would be developing Olympic-related promotions. Kashi signed cross-country skier Kikkan Randall and plans to feature her in social media and advertising campaigns, which could include TV, print and digital ads. Uridge said, “The program is all about the power of positive eating. Kikkan is a big believer in that. She’ll say you can’t out-train bad nutrition. She’s a great athlete and representative of the Kashi brand.” Bear Naked signed snowboarder Chas Guldemond and mogul skier Hannah Kearney to feature in marketing efforts. Uridge said the brand plans to do a smaller promotion that includes packaging and on-site sampling at events. She added, “Their premise is they’re fueling epic winter adventures. They have a campaign about ‘one upping’ -- one upping winter experience.” Kellogg’s agencies Krispr and MatterEdelman helped select the athletes. Uridge said Kellogg Co. expects to have 13-14 athletes across all of its brands.


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If you’re in the market for a smartphone featuring a physical QWERTY slideout keyboard, the good news is that Virgin Mobile has just announced the LG Optimus Slider, which as the name implies, is a smartphone that will sport a slideout keyboard, which we think will be great especially if you send out a lot of text messages/emails.
It’s not exactly the most powerful of Android handsets currently available, but it looks like it could get the job done. It will sport a 3.2” HVGA display, a 3.2MP camera, a microSD card slot that will support an additional 32GB of storage and will run on Android’s Gingerbread 2.3.
The handset will also come with Virgin Mobile’s Live 2.0 social networking app, which not only provides users access to Virgin Mobile’s music stream, but will also synchronize your status updates with your Facebook and Twitter accounts. It is expected to retail for $200 and will be made available 31st October at Best Buy and Radio Shack, 6th November at Target and 13th November at Sprint stores.


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Walmart Foundation Feeds the Village
We are thrilled to announce that the Walmart Foundation has funded our work to FEED THE VILLAGE through a generous grant as part of their Northwest Arkansas Giving Program.
Improving Access and Availability to Healthier Food
This grant will provide access to healthier food at the Village, and it will fund our new Food Service Coordinator position who will prepare healthy communal meals for our residents and teach residents how to prepare nutritious meals for themselves. Securing healthy food is a vital component for restoring the lives of women and children who have been impacted by domestic violence, homelessness, and other forms of abuse.
New kitchen equipment has also been purchased, including a new ice machine and stove. Funding from this grant will also help facilitate our meal program at the Eighth Street Motel that feeds those experiencing homelessness.
Thank you, Walmart Foundation!
Thank you, Walmart Foundation, for restoring lives with Restoration Village!
About Walmart.org –
In 1962, Sam Walton opened the doors of the first Walmart. He recognized the value of bringing affordable products to people in small towns. Walmart has been helping people save money – and live better – ever since. In 1982, the Walmart Foundation was created to help support the communities Walmart serves. Together, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation generally provide more than $1 billion in cash and in-kind annual giving.
Walmart corporate giving and Walmart Foundation programs parallel Walmart’s shared value priorities and include economic opportunity, sustainable supply chains, and local communities. Their giving team develops each philanthropic program strategy based on a system-level theory of change and a theory of action for philanthropy to accelerate social and environmental progress. They believe that work in these areas are not only beneficial for their business bottom line, but also creates shared value for customers and society. To learn more, read their Global Responsibility Report, https://corporate.walmart.com/esgreport/.


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- Japanese farmers opposed to the TPP
Mainichi Japan | February 10, 2011
US negative in excluding rice in trans-Pacific FTA
WASHINGTON (Kyodo) — U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk indicated Wednesday in a congressional panel that the United States is unlikely to treat Japan’s rice as an exception in the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.
In response to a question by a Republican lawmaker about the exclusion of rice in a free trade agreement between the United States and South Korea, Kirk said, "We will be looking to try to address some of your concerns about rice within TPP and others," suggesting that Washington will seek elimination of tariffs on all products including rice in the trans-Pacific FTA.
In testimony before the Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives, Kirk described the TPP as "the world’s most dynamic regional trade negotiating" and said, "We are moving forward to unlock the Asia Pacific through a 21st century trade agreement."
Japan, which plans to decide in June whether it should participate in negotiations to join the regional free trade pact, aims to have politically sensitive products such as rice that are protected by high import tariffs excluded from the TPP amid strong criticism from farmers.
The TPP originated in a free trade agreement among Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore. Now, negotiations are under way to expand the framework to include five other countries, such as the United States and Australia.
The Japanese government said it will decide whether to join the TPP negotiations around June, but there is strong opposition from farmers who fear they may be hard hit by an influx of cheap agricultural imports.


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- The internet of things (IoT) refers to the network of everyday objects that are plugged into the internet.
- And as IoT continues to mature, experts and industry leaders are exploring applications through something we all do — buying stuff.
- Visa is exploring IoT payments through cars, and it thinks cars could pay for their own parking in as soon as 12 months.
- Citi Ventures is also eyeing the space. It's backing CarIQ, a startup that's already exploring payments initiated from vehicles without needing a credit card.
- But VCs at Edison Partners caution that while the funding is there for startups launching IoT platforms, it may not happen as quickly as we'd think.
- While tech moves fast, legacy infrastructures and consumer behavior could delay IoT adoption.
- Click here for more BI Prime stories.
You probably have heard of the so-called internet of things (IoT). It refers to the network of everyday objects that are plugged into the internet. Think: phones, refrigerators, cars, even lightbulbs.
Talks of IoT often conjure up fears of Black Mirror-esque dystopian realities. If the things you use every day are connected and communicating with each other, it's easy to see how privacy and security become top concerns. IoT devices can collect data including location, spending habits, and health information.
It's that rich trove of data and always-watching connectivity that has caught the attention of one of the world's biggest payments players, as well as venture investors and startups.
And as IoT continues to mature, experts and industry leaders are exploring applications through something we all do every day — buy stuff. They're eyeing not only your wallet, but your car as the next opportunity to roll out IoT payments.
We talked with payments experts to learn what's possible when it comes to smart devices paying bills, and what some of the big hurdles to adoption will be.
Card network giant Visa has been investing in IoT payments for the past couple of years, Bisi Boyle, vice president of IoT at Visa, told Business Insider.
Boyle heads up efforts around connected payments and is leading Visa's charge to make sure the card network's rails are connected on the IoT. And for 2020, she's focused on rolling out invisible payments in cars.
"We saw the opportunity because of this explosion of connected devices that make up the internet of things that people use every day now" said Boyle. Cars are first on the list, she said.
The four use cases Visa is exploring with cars are fuel, parking, food, and tolls. Cars, Boyle said, will likely be the first place consumers will see IoT payments — and she predicts that capability could arrive as soon as next year.
"The idea is you're just living your life and all these payment experiences happen," said Boyle.
Take parking, for example. IoT enabled cars will be able to find open street parking and pay the meter, all without the driver needing to pull out their phone or wallet.
Visa is betting that fuel and parking use cases will surface in the 12 to 18 month range, said Boyle. And the card company has already partnered with car companies like Honda to start rolling out the tech.
Paying for parking and gas are just the beginning, though. Boyle sees drive-thru and curbside food pickup as the next step for the tech within three years.
Tolls are another area with potential, but Boyle thinks adoption will take closer to the three years. The idea is to bring the toll payments into the cars using IoT, as opposed to the existing electronic toll providers like New York's E-ZPass and California's FasTrak.
"You have to work with different governments and municipalities, so that's why that one takes a little bit longer," Boyle said.
And while these payments may be "invisible," Boyle does not see a world where machines are initiating payments without the involvement of the owner themselves.
To be sure, IoT payments will eliminate the need to take out a wallet, but users will still need to authorize payments made by machines.
"I don't mind it paying for me, but I want it to ask me first, and I want it to know that it's me," said Boyle.
"You have to design the payment experience in a way that people feel that they can trust it," she added.
Cars paying for their own gas
Like Visa, Citi Ventures' co-head of venture investing, Ramneek Gupta, is betting on cars to drive the first wave of IoT payments.
"It is a little bit nascent today — but I think there will be a lot more value creation there from the startup ecosystem—is the emergence of non-human or machine-originated payments," Gupta told Business Insider in November.
As everyday devices like cars and phones get smarter, Gupta thinks IoT payments are inevitable. "It's the natural next step," he said.
Gupta expects these machine-initiated payments to surface in the next two to three years. Citi Ventures backed an India-based startup called CarIQ, which is already exploring payments initiated from vehicles without needing a credit card.
The startup raised $5 million in a Series A in June, and in August, automotive manufacturer Varroc acquired a 74% stake.
Product-agnostic platforms are what some VCs are looking for
CarIQ's platform model is one way for startups in the IoT payments space, said Dan Herscovici, partner at Edison Partners. The other is a product-driven approach.
"It's a very interesting conundrum, and has lived in IoT for a long time. It's the point solution versus the platform," said Herscovici.
Home appliance manufacturer LG, for example, could create an IoT-enabled washing machine, then partner individually with repair servicing companies or payments networks.
"That's impractical," said Herscovici. "When we look at startups in the space, we're looking for people that are providing platforms or ecosystems as opposed to singular point solution ones that are agnostic to the device in which they're being inserted."
While building out a platform can be costly, the funding is out there, said Chris Sugden, managing partner at Edison Partners.
If you build it, they will fund
While large players like LG or Visa are making big pushes in IoT, winners in the space are far from being established. Sugden thinks startups, flush with VC cash, can compete.
"I think that can come from the startup world because the $50 million and $100 million and the multiples of $100 million rounds are available. That didn't actually exist in the past," Sugden said.
Sugden mentioned the so-called SoftBank syndrome — the concern around megarounds and over-funding of startups like WeWork — but with a great business model, investors are willing to provide enough capital to chase what some might see as lofty ideas, he said.
"We're seeing those things get funded now in areas where you couldn't actually get them funded to really take the market," said Sugden. "Someone else would actually frankly steal your idea before you got the scale."
Cars aren't the only use case, but it will take time
And while IoT payments may materialize in cars over the next couple of years, Sugden and Herscovici think other use cases will take longer than 10 years.
While tech moves fast, legacy infrastructures and tough-to-change consumer behavior could delay IoT adoption.
In the home, for example, appliances like washing machines are purchased and replaced less frequently than cell phones. Some of these appliances can last in the home for more than 10 years, Herscovici said.
Smart phones, on the other hand, have high market penetration and are replaced often. And that paves the way for business to use IoT payments wherever there's a smartphone present.
Amazon is exploring IoT through smartphones with the launch of its IoT-powered Amazon Go convenience stores. There are currently more than 20 of the cashierless stores open in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle. Amazon is reportedly aiming to open 3,000 Go stores by 2021.
Using the Amazon Go app, shoppers can scan their phones to enter, take whatever they want from the shelves, walk out, and get charged automatically after they leave the store. The ceilings in the stores are lined with cameras and sensors to keep track of your virtual cart. There's no checkout, so shoppers never have to pull out their wallets to pay for their snacks.
Still, it's a long road ahead for the tech
"In fintech and financial services more broadly, and payments even more specifically, everyone thinks it's going to happen faster than it does," said Sugden.


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Ever read the Terms of Service for a service you were about to sign up for? Yeah, me neither. But it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t at least give it a quick scan to see if anything unusual sticks out.
All the time, we are signing up for services and clicking on “I agree” before reading anything that we are actually agreeing to. Just this past week, it was discovered that users were granting access to their Google accounts by agreeing to the popular app Pokémon Go’s Terms of Service.
Recently, Ars Technica reported on a study written by Jonathan Obar & Anne Oeldorf-Hirsch who are professors at York University and University of Connecticut, respectively. In this study titled “The biggest lie on the Internet: Ignoring the privacy policies and terms of service policies of social networking services” students were asked to sign up for a site called “NameDrop in order to perform a “pre-launch” evaluation.
At least scan the TOS
While we don’t expect anyone to ready every word of every TOS they agree to (we don’t plan to either), we do suggest that users scan the TOS before agreeing to anything, especially if it’s not a largely known service.
Some of you may or may not already know...but your iPhone is keeping a map of everywhere […]
Update: 27 May 2018, Sunday
There we have it folks! Real Madrid has done it again in […]
Online purchases with a debit card are simple. You enter your card information and BAM, […]
Payment Gateway Added: CoinPayments
We're proud to announce our partnership with […]


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This resource is no longer available
According to a recent study, existing electronic car manufacturers risk losing 30% of their revenue to emerging competitors by 2035.
Within the automotive industry as elsewhere, organizations need to be able to adapt and modernize in order to stay competitive against rapidly evolving competition.
In this webcast, Medix Automotive Senior Industry Manager, Sonja Thomas, and Scheffler Group Head of Digital Process Transformation and Demand Coordination, Jakob John, sit down to share insights on how the Scheffler Group democratizes app development with a low-code platform.
Tune into the full webcast to learn more about the development benefits of low code.


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The BMW X7 Could Be Offered With an M Badge
No final decision yet, but it is expected to happen sooner than laterby Kirby Garlitos, on
BMW’s range-topping SUV, the X7, could be offered in X7 M form in the future. There have been no decisions made on that front by BMW, but a report from BMW Blog claims that Bimmer execs are considering such a model. A decision is expected to be made in the coming weeks, which would essentially put a rumor that’s been circling the waters since 2016 to bed.
The evolution of the SUV segment, specifically the super-luxury SUV class, could point the way for the X7 M to finally get the green light.
The performance alter-ego of the BMW X7 has been a hot topic within BMW for a while now. There’s still no clear-cut answer on what direction BMW plans to make, but the evolution of the SUV segment, specifically the super-luxury SUV class, could point the way for the X7 M to finally get the green light.
It’s not like it hasn’t been discussed before, either. Back in October 2016, there were reports that the X7 M was already in discussion. It’s unclear what was talked about back then, but news on that front died down quickly, a sign that there was no consensus between the right decision-makers on the subject.
But 2016 was a long time ago. Since then, companies like Lamborghini, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce have come out with their own super-luxury SUVs. That’s not to say that the X7 M would be a direct competitor, but if anything, the Urus and Bentley — and the Cullinan, soon enough — proved that there’s a market for these types of SUVs.
The current topography of the market has opened the super-luxury SUV segment to a lot of interested buyers
If the BMW X7 M does get greenlit, it should, in theory, sit higher than the X5 M and X6 M in BMW’s performance SUV hierarchy. That would entail the X7 M having well over 600 horsepower — Urus territory, in other words — at its disposal given that both current versions of the X5 M have 567 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque on tap. Throw in the gobs of luxury amenities that are typical of BMW models affixed with a “7” on their names, and it’s easy to see why an X7 M is more likely to get the nod from BMW compared to two years ago.
Customer interest is unlikely to be an issue. The current topography of the market has opened the super-luxury SUV segment to a lot of interested buyers. A BMW X7 M would certainly be a welcome addition on that map, provided that BMW develops it properly. The model’s going to have its detractors from people who are starting to wonder where the business draws the line with all these SUVs, but for the most part, an X7 M makes sense if only for the simple reason that BMW is more than likely to sell a lot of it once it comes out.
Read our full speculative review on the 2019 BMW X7 M.
Read our full speculative review on the 2019 BMW X7.
Read our full review on the 2017 BMW Concept X7 iPerformance.
Read more BMW news.
Source: BMW Blog


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Hewlett Packard Enterprise skyrocketed after the company reported Q1 results that blasted past analysts' expectations. » Read More
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the firm will aggressively invest in Southeast Asia despite the fact it expects to lose money in the region. » Read More
By: Jordan Novet
Facebook has started using artificial intelligence to spot people who could be at risk of suicide. » Read More
Sony said it has plans for a joint venture to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based taxi hailing system in Japan » Read More
The company is growing its sales and shrinking its losses, though it still lost $187.32 million last year.
Taiwan's Foxconn saw annual revenue fall last year by 2.8 percent, the first decline since the company listed shares on the Taiwan Stock Exchange in 1991.
The companies defended themselves after the House and Senate voted to roll back the FCC’s privacy protections.
Toshiba shareholders agreed to split off its prized NAND flash memory unit on Thursday, paving the way for a sale to raise at least $9 billion.
As Wall Street feels the heat from robots, RBC Capital Markets is turning to programmers to design trading systems of the future.
Cisco plans to start selling some networking software in a way that doesn't force clients to buy its hardware, according to The Information.
The new red aluminum iPhone is part of Apple's decade-long (RED) campaign.
Red Hat reported earnings after the bell on Monday.
The data analytics company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AYX.
The San-Francisco software company raised money from investors like Salesforce Ventures and Lightspeed Ventures Partners.
Microsoft just took a direct swipe at Salesforce with a new enterprise-ready version of LinkedIn's Sales Navigator customer relationship management product
The enterprise technology company has been battling names like Salesforce to reach $10 billion in cloud services revenue.
Enterprise cloud firm ServiceNow, which boasts a market cap of about $14.5 billion, says it is accelerating its growth in Asia.
Bitcoin investors have taken the U.S. regulators decision last week to reject listing a bitcoin-backed exchange-traded fund in their stride.
A Microsoft board seat would be the best way for Hoffman to "serve LinkedIn's long-standing mission in a hands-on way," Hoffman said.
"Our partners have large sales forces, so we are going to market with them," Diane Greene said.
"Now we're in an environment where women are increasingly having a huge impact," Google's Diane Greene said.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise is offering $12.50 for each share of Nimble Storage, a 45.3 percent premium compared to Monday's close.
Workday's CEO is hoping Oracle's acquisition of NetSuite could have customers knocking on his door.
The enterprise cloud technology company has seen shares rise more than 50 percent over the past year.
Get the best of CNBC in your inbox


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Samsung net profit slides 18pc in Q2
Seoul, July 30, 2011
Samsung Electronics, a leader in consumer electronics, earned 3.51 trillion won ($3.33 billion) in the three months ended June 30, as against 4.28 trillion won in the same period last year with a decrease of 18 per cent in net profits.
The South Korean company has suffered this year due to slack prices for electronic components amid oversupply and weak demand, said a report in our sister publication, the Gulf Daily News.
Both operating profit and sales in Samsung's memory business fell as weak global personal computer sales suppressed demand for DRAM, or dynamic random access memory, chips used in the devices, the company said.
On Thursday, Sony and Panasonic also warned of weak TV sales, especially in the US and Europe.
Samsung is however betting big on its mobile phone business as it rolls out new versions of tablets and phones, helping it capture market share from Research in Motion and Nokia. Samsung sold 74 million handsets including 19 million smartphones, replacing Nokia to become the world's No 2 smartphone vendor after Apple. – TradeArabia News Service


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What’s the Right Price to Pay for Amazon's Stock?
The e-commerce giant’s shares continue to defy gravity even though consistent profit growth has long eluded the company.
On February 9, during the stock market’s early-2016 slump, shares of Amazon.com (symbol AMZN) closed at $482.07. The next day Kiplinger’s recommended Amazon in Best FANG Stocks to Buy Before They Rebound. In just four months since the stock hit bottom, Amazon shares have surged 51%, to $726.64, giving the Internet retailing giant a market capitalization of $343 billion, or 55% more than the market cap of Wal-Mart Stores (WMT), the world’s largest brick-and-mortar chain, even though Wal-Mart’s sales are more than four times greater than Amazon’s.
Then again, you shouldn’t beat yourself up for passing on the February fire sale. After all, Amazon, a company that has lost money in two of the past four calendar years, is an enigma for investors. Although Amazon continues to grow rapidly—analysts expect revenues to expand at a 20% annual clip through 2018—does a company that has so much trouble keeping its bottom line in the black really deserve to trade at 110 times estimated year-ahead earnings?
Even in good years, Amazon isn’t particularly profitable. In 2015 the company’s operating margin (operating income dividend by revenue) was just 2.1%—and that paltry figure marked a five-year high. To some extent, low profit margins are inherent when running a retail business that competes aggressively on price. But Amazon’s margins also reflect its big-picture strategy of making enormous investments in order to quickly claim territory in the rapidly expanding landscapes of e-commerce and cloud computing. In 2014, for example, Amazon lost $0.52 a share as it made big expenditures on media content, new warehouses and Fire TV, Amazon’s box-top streaming device. That year the company also cut prices for its cloud-computing customers to win market share.
And yet, however much Amazon’s results may infuriate investors, its growth prospects never fail to dazzle. Plenty of growth potential certainly remains for the core retail business, where Amazon continues to win business away from traditional retailers. For example, Amazon Prime membership—a linchpin for future growth because Prime members spend much more than other customers—expanded by 51% in 2015 from the previous year. But the juiciest growth potential lies at Amazon Web Services (AWS), the cloud-computing business. “You can get starry-eyed” thinking about AWS’s growth prospects, says Justin White, manager of T. Rowe Price New America Growth, which at last report had 9% of its assets in Amazon shares.
Amazon is the undisputed market leader in cloud computing, in which sellers provide infrastructure or computing platforms as a service to customers, and customers access their data, storage and servers over the Internet. White says it can be difficult to get a grasp on exactly how large the market is or exactly how fast it’s growing, because many companies claim to offer cloud-computing services but instead really sell software or other ancillary products.
But AWS’s results tell a clear story: Business is booming. The unit’s first-quarter operating earnings of $604 million were more than three times greater than profits in the same period a year earlier. Moreover, AWS’s first-quarter operating profit margin of 23.5% provided a welcome lift to Amazon’s overall margin.
It could be that AWS is the profit machine that will finally propel the company to consistent earnings growth. There are also reasons to believe the core retail business is turning a corner on profitability, as investments in logistics and infrastructure start to pay off. Amazon has been investing in new fulfillment centers—so far in 2016 it has announced plans for 10 new centers in the U.S.—which reduces shipping costs. In March, Amazon inaugurated its own air fleet, with a deal to lease 20 Boeing 767s, a move that should further reduce shipping costs as the company is able to rely less on outside carriers such as United Parcel Service. And almost 50% of units sold on the Amazon marketplace now come from third parties, which should provide a boost as such sales are typically more profitable than in-house sales, says Victor Anthony, an analyst with Axiom Capital Management, an investment-banking firm based in New York City. Putting all those and other positive factors together, Anthony believes the core retail business could achieve double-digit-percentage profit margins within the next two years.
However, even if profits march steadily upward from now on, valuing the company on a price-earnings basis still looks Pollyannaish. Analysts on average expect earnings per share to grow by a sturdy 56% per year through 2018. But even comparing Amazon’s current stock price against estimated 2018 earnings of $16.66 per share yields a P/E ratio of 44. And of course, estimating earnings several years in advance is especially tricky for a company with a bottom line as hard to predict as Amazon’s.
Chief executive officer Jeff Bezos has said that instead of profits he prefers to focus on free cash flow, a measure of how much cash the business generates after accounting for capital expenditures, because “that’s something that investors can spend.” So, perhaps investors trying to value the company should do the same. R. J. Hottovy, an analyst with Morningstar, uses a projection of Amazon’s future free cash flow to arrive at a current fair value estimate of $800 per share. Hottovy’s price tag rests on the assumption that companywide operating margins could expand to 7.6% over the next five years—a more conservative, but possibly more realistic assessment than Anthony’s outlook—factoring in cost savings at the retail business and continued growth at AWS.
On Hottovy’s estimate Amazon is about 10% undervalued. Buying the stock at today’s price thus provides some margin of safety. But that margin could prove too thin if profits were to take a sudden nosedive, which might happen if Amazon were to turn on the spending spigot again. If that were to occur, frustrated investors could punish the stock.
On the other hand, in a few years $800 may look like a bargain. White believes the stock could reach $2,000 in the next four to five years as AWS grows to be even more valuable than the core retail business. That said, he doesn’t think the road to $2,000 will necessarily be a smooth one. “This is the type of stock that you buy and don’t think about,” White says. “Own it for the next 10 to 20 years.”
Bezos would agree. As he put it in a now-famous 1997 letter to shareholders, “It’s all about the long term.”


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So today is January 25th, the day that is commemorated as the National Tourism Day. But why and what is the need to, you may ask? India is a vast nation, and it has a lot to offer as far as tourism is concerned. The day Indian Tourism Day is celebrated on 25th January. The day aims to increase awareness about Indian tourism through offering a variety of activities. As in the tourism industry, Cultural Heritage Tourism is one of the fastest growing segments in the world and India is very rich in its Cultural Heritage.
India for sure playing a volumetric role in contributing to the overall flourishing and sustainability of destinations and as well as local communities by creating direct and indirect jobs, so that they can run their small business based on tourism. It helps not only to local people to increase their economy but also in bringing people of different cultures and regions and languages to meet and enhance their mutual understanding.
Objectives and Importance of Tourism Day
1) Promoting India as a tourist destination : India has a vast number of modern and ancient wonders, which will attract the eyes of tourists. The climatic and geographical uniqueness of each state is another attraction. The celebration of Tourism Day will highlight all these aspects perfectly.
2) Generating employment opportunities With the advancement of tourism in India, various job opportunities will also increase. In the recent times, a hike in the tourism industry has brought up the employment in this sector by 24 million.
3) Increasing the national GDP : With the recognition of Tourism Day, the government wants to encourage more inflow of foreign travelers into the nation. It will also add to the national GDP. Tourism is the second highest contributor in this respect.
4) Earning foreign currency : When more foreigners come to visit India, the nation will get an ample amount of international revenue. Tourism follows export carefully in this respect. More foreign revenue will mean further prosperity for the country.
5) Ensuring protection of tourist sites : The inflow of national and international tourists will urge the central and state government to invest time and effort in the upkeep and protection of famous tourist sites. It will not only encourage tourist inflow in the future but will also save the cultural from denudation.
We the Indians are people who believe in “Atithi Devo Bhava” that means we always welcome our guests and treat them like God. So, we collectively as the country become the destination of tourism. Our state to cherish its beauty and to commemorate its gratefulness announced a day in January as India Tourism Day.
Thus, it is easy to see why the Indian government is putting so much stress on the promotion of India and all its states as a premium tourist destination. The central government has launched programs like “Incredible India” that highlights the entire nation, while the state government of each state is also doing its part to uphold the specialties that each region has to offer.


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The latest CommBank Consumer Insights Report reveals shoppers are now more conscious of purchasing from purpose-led brands than prior to the pandemic.
According to the report from Commonwealth Bank, 53% of the consumers surveyed are willing to pay more to buy from purpose-led businesses.
While value for money is the primary driver of shopping behaviour for 41% of the respondents, almost one in five are willing to pay more than 10% extra for goods and services sold by a business with a strong purpose.
Younger generations are at the forefront. The percentage of those willing to pay more declines sharply with age, ranging from 71% among generation Z to 38% of pre-boomers.
The pandemic, says Commonwealth Bank, has been a “primary driver” to more than a third of respondent’s reassessing their priorities and making deliberate choices about where they shop and what they buy. The value of purpose varies by category and is highest for food and beverage, recreational goods and personal care services and products.
“The report findings show the powerful influence of purpose and how it can increase a consumers’ loyalty, advocacy and spending,” says Commonwealth Bank Executive Manager, Consumer and Diversified Industries Jerry Macey.
“The pandemic has accelerated a shift in Australian consumer habits and we have seen how shoppers are looking for their own values to be reflected back in the brands and businesses they support.
“Despite this trend emerging from the pandemic, the focus on instilling a social purpose will likely continue for the long term. Consumers have made it clear they are looking for an authentic, all-encompassing approach that is embraced throughout the organisation.”
Benefits for purpose-led businesses
Purpose-led businesses benefit in a number of ways, says Commonwealth Bank.
Respondents say they are more forgiving towards a brand with an authentic purpose (38%) and will “actively” seek them out (35%). They are also more likely to “regularly” shop at (35%) or invest in (31%) purpose-led brands.
Keeping it genuine
Commonwealth Bank highlights Pablo & Rusty’s Coffee Roasters. It’s claimed that 26% of the roaster’s customers buy from them because of its purpose.
Pablo & Rusty’s CEO Abdullah Ramay hopes to positively impact people and the environment through coffee. He believes it can be done without sacrificing profitability, yet the change needs to be genuine.
“The consumer makes the judgement call, and they are very invested in the brand, which is powerful for growing the business,” he says.
“Being purpose-led is a medium-to-long-term journey that brings clarity and easier decision-making. Simply running two marketing campaigns will not suffice and businesses that make empty claims will lose customers.”
Mr Macey adds: “Purpose is important, but it needs to be authentic in order to add value.
“Today’s consumers are very well informed and can quickly determine whether a brand is genuine about the causes they support. Their connections with brands are often personal, and so they are likely to feel personally let down if brands fail them with inauthentic, short-term campaigns.”


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360iGame is a social media portal for next generation of today’s digital market place incorporating existing social networking media tools, digital video media, reality and live broadcast, and interactive services for gamers. SPARTANBURG, SC, July 28, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ — 360iGame is a social media portal for next generation of today’s digital market place incorporating existing social networking media tools, digital video media, reality and live broadcast, and interactive services for gamers.
The organization announces new professional video gaming sponsorship programs that requires gamers to maintain high academic standards and develop marketing skills. The company has partnered with DBLGAMING LLC and Delta Beta Lambda Fraternity Inc to revolutionize the pro gaming industry.
The program further requires gamers to attend online seminars that explain marketing strategies, leadership development and professional networking. The launch date of the program will be August 1, 2009 during the Delta Beta Lambda Fraternity Inc "Hero’s Call of Duty" tribute which will open the new Frathouse Cyber Cafe to family members of military service personnel in the South Carolina area and will be broadcast live on http://www.360igame.com and http://www.letkidsplaygames.com
About DBL LLC
DBL LLC is not a conventional company. We intend to operate DBL LLC differently, applying the core mission values it has developed in concert with its sister organizations. We will continue to strive to attract creative, committed new users, members, and we will welcome support from new stakeholders. We will live up to our "User First" principle by keeping user trust and not accepting payment to compromise that trust.
Press release service and press release distribution provided by http://www.24-7pressrelease.com


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While skewed from a US angle, this article highlights some interesting points about the way outdoor advertising targets people. Well worth a read if you're in the outdoor business.
Out of home advertising can reach specific demographics with more accuracy than ever before. Mums are targeted on the school run, families are reached on a weekend train trip while youths are hit with the latest fashions during a visit to the high street.
But socio-demographics have changed. We’re entering a ‘flat-age’ society, where people are living longer, staying healthier and remaining younger in attitude and interests. OOH advertisers need to react and start thinking about creating and planning campaigns to target behaviour, rather than demographics.
In a bid to demonstrate the value of targeting consumers by behaviour as opposed to solely by traditional demographics such as age, gender, income or social class, we at KBH have produced new OOH audience categories with our Pen Profiles, using Mosaic, Personicx and TGI data.
We studied the behaviour of more than 2,500 consumers, beginning in 2013 and then again last year. We assigned them to one of the following groups – Influential Youths, Intellectual Urbanites, Modern Families or Affluent Professionals. Although these categories are still partly segmented by age and social classifications, they are also heavily derived from attitude and behaviour.
Verizon Media’s talent program has come to an end for the third year, closing with a hybrid pitch-off event for Musicians Making A Difference (MMAD). The Verizon Media Academy class of 2021, made up of 44 emerging leaders from across Australia and New Zealand media, advertising and marketing industry, were given just one hour to […]
Social purpose organisation UnLtd’s Big Games competition has raised a combined $85,000 for children and young people at risk. Running over five weeks, the competition involved 32 teams from across the advertising, marketing and media industries battling it out virtually for a chance to qualify for the Rocket League final. The tournament culminated in a […]
Stan has announced that the Stan Original Film Transfusion commenced filming in Sydney earlier this week and will premiere on Stan in 2022. Transfusion is a taut, muscular thriller starring Sam Worthington (Avatar) as Ryan Logan, a former Special Forces operative, who is battling to cope with life after the loss of his wife and is thrust […]
According to a decade of data collected by iStock, Australian brands turned to imagery depicting outdated gender stereotypes during the pandemic. Tracking the keyword ‘women’, iStock by Getty Images found that in 2020, ANZ brands and businesses reverted to gender stereotypes. Images of mothers home-schooling were used at almost twice the rate of images of […]
Schwartz Media is congratulating Maddison Connaughton on her three years as editor of The Saturday Paper. Connaughton has decided to finish up her editorship this month. “It’s been an honour to edit the paper,” Connaughton said. “The Saturday Paper is one of the brightest voices in Australian media and I have been happy to see […]
Research from EdBbirdie using Spotify data has identified the most popular songs to study to. After analysing thousands of studying and homework playlists on Spotify, American singer Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘drivers license’ came out as top song to study to. It featured on 48 study playlists, while other top songs included ‘Ophelia’ by The Lumineers, ‘Falling’ […]
Dayna Stewart is the Business Director – Digital Marketing, Media & Creative Services at The Nudge Group. Here, she discusses the challenges that come with building a successful marketing team when working remotely. Before COVID-19 changed the way businesses work, most marketing teams spent their days together in a meeting room collaborating on the next […]
The line-up for the 2021 iHeartRadio Music Festival has been announced as the legendary event returns live in Las Vegas in September. This year, the epic two-day lineup for the iHeartRadio Music Festival main stage will feature performances by Billie Eilish, Cheap Trick, Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Florida Georgia Line, Journey, Khalid, Lil Baby, Maroon 5, Nelly, […]
Shop! ANZ is calling on shopper and retail marketing professionals from all retail related disciplines to participate in the first ANZ Shopper and Retail Marketing Industry Survey in four years. This important research provides a guide of where the retail marketing industry in Australia and New Zealand has come from and what is anticipated to […]


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Gems and jewellery industry wants 5% import tax; PAN card limit to Rs 5 lakh for Budget
The dometic gems and jewellery industry has urged the government to increase the mandatory PAN card limit to Rs 5 lakh and above and reduce the import duty on gold to atleast 5 percent in the Budget
Mumbai: The dometic gems and jewellery industry, which went through a lot of turmoil in 2016, has urged the government to increase the mandatory PAN card limit to Rs 5 lakh and above and reduce the import duty on gold to atleast 5 percent in the Union Budget 2017-18.
All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF), the apex body for domestic gems and jewellery industry, has recomended the Finance Minister to increase the mandatory PAN card limit to Rs 5 lakh and above.
"With the implementation of the PAN card limit of Rs 2 lakh, the industry has been facing serious challenges. Organised sector, which is growing by at least 2 percent
every year since past decade is directly hit due to this. We request the government to bring the PAN card limit to the earlier level of Rs 5 lakh and above," GJF Chairman Nitin Khandelwal told PTI here.
He said they should also reduce the import duty on gold from the current 10 percent to at least 5 percent.
"The high import duty on gold bullion at 10 percent has been adversely affecting the industry. This has built a parallel economy, leading to wide scale gold smuggling. It is also affecting domestic retail and manufacturing industry adversely. Bringing down duty to at least 5 percent will eliminate the grey market," he added.
Further, GJF has also recommended Goods and Services Tax (GST) at 1.25 percent for the gems and jewellery sector, so that it help the industry become compliant and organised.
"Soon the entire nation will come under the single taxation regime of GST. We recommend GST at 1.25 percent for the gems and jewellery sector, as this will help the industry become compliant and organised," he said.
Khandelwal also said the jewellers should be enabled sell the Ashoka Chakra Gold coins launched by the prime minister through their retail stores.
"This will increase the reach and generate more sales of the coins," he said.
GJF has recommended the need for the formation of domestic council for the sector to address various issues pertaining to the industry, including generation of reliable
database and regulation of fair trade practices and to help the government in forming industry friendly policies for trading and manufacturing, he said.
It has also recommended to keep the dore import under tight observation to avoid malpractices.
The gold import presently has been confined to banks and nominated agencies, however, over time more and more agencies should be given opportunity to be enlisted to allow good competition and easy availability of gold across the country, Khandelwal opined.
Further, welcoming the government's decision of mandatory Hallmarking, he said, there is a need for new and upgradated Hallmarking centers across the country.
"This is an important aspect to consider, since increasing the number of hallmarking centres with proper implementation of the Hallmarking process for gold will
streamline the industry," he added.
GJF is an apex and responsible body for the domestic gems and jewellery industry representing over 3,00,000 players comprising manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers,
distributors, laboratories, gemologists, designers and allied services to the industry.
For full coverage of Union Budget 2017 click here.
Hackers uploaded several pictures of Mobikwik QR code along with documents used for KYC compliance.
In Delhi, the price of 10 grams of 22-carat gold has reduced by Rs 250
While gold prices in Delhi, Kolkata, and Bangalore have witnessed a fall, they have seen a jump in Chennai


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What's new at the CVMA
Canada’s Automotive Industry Driving Canada’s Economy!
The automotive industry is dynamic, innovative and a provider of thousands of highly skilled, high tech jobs.
This section is dedicated to the latest news, speeches and policy statements on key issues of importance to the automotive industry in Canada.
CVMA Bill 104 Submission to Quebec National Assembly Committee.
Quebec – 2016-08-16 Good afternoon. I am Mark Nantais, President of the Canadian-Vehicle Manufacturers of Canada. More >>
AAPC-AMIA-CVMA Joint Statement on Canada-Mexico-U.S. Summit in Ottawa. Auto Industry Urges Greater Integration and Trade Policy Cooperation..
Toronto – 2016-06-28 In advance of the upcoming North American summit meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, President Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico and President Barack Obama of the United States, the associations representing the American, Canadian and Mexican automotive industries issued the following joint statement.. More >>
Auto industry Sees Collaboration and Nurturing of Consumers Demand for Less Carbon Intensive Products as the Key to Ontario’s Climate Action Plan.
Toronto – 2016-06-08 The automotive industry is taking a leadership role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from new vehicles by investing more than $200 billion in the development of multiple green vehicle technologies and fuels, including electric vehicles.. More >>
Automotive industry reaction to the tabling of Bill 104.
Quebec City – 2016-04-02 The automotive industry is investing more than $200 billion developing multiple technologies, including electric vehicles that will make significant reductions in GHGs from the personal transportation sector, while meeting customer vehicle needs.. More >>
Federal Budget Supports Auto Manufacturing Through Extension of Automotive Investment Fund (AIF).
Toronto – 2016-03-22 The Federal Budget released today included important measures directed to the Canadian automotive manufacturing industry. . More >>
Automakers Applaud B.C. Government's Continued Commitment the Announcement for Clean Energy Vehicle Program.
Toronto – 2016-03-02 The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association (CVMA) applauds the British Columbia government's announcement today to renew and enhance the Clean Energy Vehicle (CEV) consumer incentive program in British Columbia. . More >>
CVMA Congratulates Government on Completion of CETA Legal Review.
Toronto – 2016-02-29 The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association congratulates the Government of Canada on the completion of the legal review of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).. More >>
Ontario's transition to a low carbon economy - Auto industry is part of the solution.
Toronto – 2016-02-25 Ontario's introduction of New Climate Change Legislation enables the establishment of a cap and trade program and is a step toward a lower carbon economy which takes a broad-based approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from all sectors.. More >>
Automakers Welcome Enhancements to the Ontario Electric Vehicle Incentive Program for Consumers.
Toronto – 2016-02-10 The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association (CVMA) welcomed the Government of Ontario's announcement today to enhance the Electric Vehicle Incentive Program for consumers in the province.. More >>
Canadian vehicle manufacturers react to today’s Quebec Plan of Action on Transportation Electrification announcement.
Toronto – 2015-10-09 /CNW Telbec/ Electric and Plug-in hybrid vehicles are available and growing in popularity in Quebec and throughout North America, and our members are actively bringing forward new and more advanced models with enhanced electric range and features.. More >>
CVMA Statement Regarding Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) Announcement.
Toronto – 2015-10-05 Due to the highly integrated nature of the Canadian and US auto sectors, the CVMA consistently recommended that Canada achieve the same terms for the Canadian auto sector as the US achieved for its auto sector.. More >>
Letter to Minister Fast regarding the TPP.
Toronto – 2015-06-09 As Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations move toward conclusion, the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association reiterates its position that achieving alignment between U.S. and Canada auto terms with Japan remains critical for future assembly and supply chain investment in Canada.. More >>
Vehicle Manufacturers Welcome Announcement of a New Auto Investment Committee.
Toronto – 2015-06-09 The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association (CVMA) welcomes the creation of the new Canadian Automotive Partnership Council (CAPC) sub-committee to promote auto manufacturing in Ontario, announced today by the Governments of Canada and Ontario. More >>
Federal Budget Supports Automotive Supply Chain Innovation and Improved Productivity.
Toronto – 2015-04-21 The federal budget announced today includes a number of measures that that recognize the need for the auto industry and its suppliers to be competitive and address future challenges through the research and innovation of new technologies, with the associated economic benefits.. More >>
BC's Clean Energy Vehicle Program Provides Real Benefits for Consumers and the Environment.
Toronto – 2015-03-23 The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association welcomes the BC government's commitment of $10.6 million to the Clean Energy Vehicle (CEV) program announced by the Minister of Energy and Mines, the Honourable Bill Bennett.. More >>
CVMA Applauds Government for Securing New International Trade Crossing Arrangement.
Toronto – 2015-02-19 The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association (CVMA), representing FCA Canada Inc., Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited and General Motors of Canada Limited, applauds the Government of Canada’s announced arrangement with the United States that will allow for the New International Trade Crossing (NITC) to move forward without delay. . More >>
Automakers support Canada's continued action to reduce vehicle greenhouse gases and smog causing emissions.
Toronto – 2014-09-22 The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association (CVMA) supports the government of Canada's announcement today of several new regulatory initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from both light duty and heavy duty vehicles, as well as new regulations to further reduce vehicle related smog causing emissions to improve air quality. . More >>
Automakers Support Canada’s New Smog Emissions Standards.
Toronto – 2013-06-07 The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA) supports today’s announcement that Environment Canada intends adopt Tier 3 emissions standards, harmonized with those developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). . More >>
Leading Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers are Encouraged about The Canada-U.S. Progress Report To Leaders on Regulatory Cooperation and Harmonization.
Toronto – 2012-12-14 The release today of the Canada-U.S. progress report to country leaders on regulatory cooperation and alignment is welcome and an encouraging sign for Canada’s leading vehicle manufacturers whose operations and supply chains are fully integrated on a North American basis. More >>
Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association Applauds Government of Canada on Introduction of Vehicle GHG Sandards for 2017 and Beyond: Harmonized North American Standard Will Provide Environmental and Economic Benefit to Canadians.
Toronto – 2012-11-27 The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA) today commended the Government of Canada on its announcement of new vehicle greenhouse gas emissions standards beginning with the 2017 model year. More >>
CVMA and AAPC Welcomes New Detroit-Windsor Bridge Crossing.
Toronto-Washington – 2012-06-15 The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA) and the American Automotive Policy Council (AAPC) commends Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood for their leadership by proceeding with a new international crossing for the Windsor– Detroit gateway. More >>
Harmonization of the Heavy-duty and Engine Greenhouse Gas Emissions Regulation with the United States is the Right Approach.
Toronto, ON - 2012-04-13 Member companies of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA), Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, and Navistar, support Environment Minister Kent’s announcement today to fully align with the U.S. national regulations for new on-road heavy-duty vehicle and engine greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for 2014 and later model years. More >>
Excitement Builds for the Canadian International Auto Show.
Toronto, ON - 2012-02-17 Canadian vehicle manufacturers are welcoming the public to the 39th Annual Canadian International Auto Show, starting today at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. For the next 10 days, thousands of auto enthusiasts will be treated to the newest and best that the industry has to offer, including many models built right here in Ontario. More >>
500,000 Switches and Counting. Award-winning environmental program passes milestone recovering mercury.
Ottawa, ON - 2011-12-20 An award-winning environmental program that prevents mercury once used in older vehicles from being released into the atmosphere has hit a major milestone. The program, called “Switch Out”, has recently been recognized in the Ontario Minister’s Award for Environmental Excellence. More >>
Bi-National Manufacturing Coalition Praises Leaders on Border Vision.
Toronto, ON - 2011-12-07 “Today’s border announcement by President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper is great news for North American manufacturers as it will significantly improve our economic competiveness by enhancing the flow of trade and commerce across our shared border in a secure manner,” said Matt Blunt, President of the American Auto Policy Council (AAPC) and steering committee member of B3. More >>
Leading Automakers’ Support Canada-U.S. agreement on Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness.
Toronto, ON - 2011-12-07 The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA) today welcomed the action plan announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barack Obama on the shared vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness. More >>
Canadian Automakers Endorse The Government Of Canada’s Direction On Moving Forward With New Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards.
Toronto, ON - 2011-11-16 The member companies of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA) welcomed today’s announcement by federal Environment Minister Kent regarding the government’s continued commitment to align future light duty vehicle GHG standards with the United States. More >>
Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Give a Thumbs-up to British Columbia’s Clean Transportation Initiative.
Toronto, ON - 2011-11-06 The Canadian Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association (CVMA) welcomes today’s $17M Clean Transportation initiative announced by B.C. Environment Minister Terry Lake and Energy and Mines Minister Rich Coleman. More >>
Leading Automakers’ Applaud Canada’s Progress on Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness.
Toronto, ON - 2011-08-29 The release of two reports today by Foreign Affairs Minister, John Baird, summarizing consultations on the Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness was most welcomed by member companies of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association as it accurately reflected the issues and concerns of not only Canada’s leading automobile manufacturers but also the broad range of small and medium businesses to individual Canadian citizens. More >>
Recycle My Ride Right.
Toronto, ON – 2011-08-10 Ontario automotive recyclers invite Ontario’s political parties to endorse a first in North America industry led environmental management system for end-of-life vehicles.. More >>
Re: Federal Government Announcement of Consultations Concerning the Canada – U.S. Declaration on a Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness.
Toronto, ON – 2011-03-13 Thank you and good morning. My name is Mark Nantais, President of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association, representing Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, and Navistar Canada. These companies account for 65% of all vehicle production in Canada and 50% of all vehicle sales. More >>
Bi-National Manufacturing Coalition Praises Leaders on Border Vision.
Washington, D.C. and Ottawa, ON – 2011-02-04 Leading U.S. and Canadian manufacturing associations have announced the formation of the B3 – Businesses for a Better Border – a manufacturing coalition to advise both governments on policies for perimeter security, regulatory compliance and economic competitiveness. More >>
Chrysler, Ford and General Motors account for 71% of the increased vehicle output in Canada.
Toronto, ON - 2011-01-12 As consumer demand for new vehicles rose 6.6 percent in Canada and 11 percent in the United States in 2010, Canadian vehicle production increased by 41.2 percent compared to 2009. More >>
Business calls for immediate re-opening of Port of Montreal.
Ottawa, ON - 2010-07-22 A coalition of associations representing thousands of Canadian businesses and their millions of employees are calling on the federal government to immediately intervene in the labour conflict at the Port of Montreal to end the dispute so that normal business operations resume immediately. More >>
CVMA, Ontario Business Coalition support HST implementation.
Toronto, ON - 2010-06-29 The CVMA participated with the Smart Taxation Alliance’s press conference today supporting the implementation of the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) in Ontario on July 1, 2010. The HST, coupled with other tax changes such as corporate tax reductions and the elimination of the capital tax, are critical to the auto industry’s long term competitiveness and our ability to retain tens of thousands of high skilled jobs for Ontarians. More >>
Vehicle Manufacturers Applaud Progress Toward New Detroit River International Crossing.
Toronto, ON - 2010-05-27 The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association (CVMA) commends the decision by the Michigan House of Representatives to pass the legislation needed to ensure that a new international crossing that will link Windsor and Detroit will proceed without delay. More >>
Vehicle Manufacturers Urge Governments to Secure Detroit River International Crossing Without Delay.
Toronto, ON - 2010-05-20 The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association (CVMA) whose members include Canada’s leading manufacturers of cars and heavy trucks fully supports the strong partnership between legislators and governments on both sides of the Canada-United States border and encourages them to proceed with securing the new international crossing at the Windsor– Detroit gateway without delay. More >>
Letter to Minister Baird on Detroit International Crossing.
Ottawa, ON - 2010-04-29 On April 29th, 2010, the Government of Canada offered to fund up to an additional $550 million towards the construction of a new international crossing between Windsor and Detroit. More >>
Ontario’s automakers applaud reforms to prescription drug system.
Toronto, ON - 2010-04-08 Canada’s automakers applaud the government of Ontario for proposing changes to the prescription drug system designed to lower the costs for prescription drugs. More >>
Canadian automakers applaud new vehicle green house gas emissions standards.
Toronto, ON - 2010-04-01 Canada’s automakers applaud the government of Canada for following through with its commitment to introduce new national standards for vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions that are fully aligned with the national standards also finalized in the United States today. More >>
Automakers and aftermarket call for withdrawal of Bill C-273.
Ottawa, ON - 2009-10-28 The National Automotive Trades Association (NATA), Association of International Automobile Manufacturers of Canada (AIAMC) and Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA) welcome the endorsement of, and desire by the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA) to become party to, the Canadian Automotive Service Information Standard (CASIS) agreement. All groups call on Bill C-273 to be withdrawn. More >>
Automakers and repair shops enhance consumer choice for service and repair.
Ottawa, ON - 2009-09-29 Automakers have partnered with Canadian service and repair shops to enhance consumers’ ability to have their vehicles serviced in their local repair shops. More >>
Biofuel Guidelines From the Wide Fuel Charter Committee.
Toronto, ON - 2009-06-12 The World Wide Fuel Charter (WWFC) Committee has announced the availability of new Ethanol and Biodiesel Guidelines. Rapid growth in the use of ethanol and biodiesel prompted the WWFC Committee to address the need for more information about these important renewable fuels. More >>
Canadians deserve financial incentives to scrap older, Higher-emitting vehicle. Auto Dealers and Manufacturers across Canada call for an aggressive "scrappage" program to stimulate our economy.
Ottawa, ON - 2009-06-05 Canada’s auto dealers and manufacturers have called on the federal government to help strengthen Canadians’ confidence and the Canadian economy by introducing an aggressive "scrappage" program aimed at stimulating new vehicle sales while removing higher-emitting, less-safe vehicles from the road. More >>
Automakers and Repair Shops Commit to Voluntary Agreement on Service and Repair Information.
Toronto, ON, and Vancouver, BC - 2009-05-15 Canada’s automobile manufacturers and distributors today confirmed their pledge to create a voluntary agreement with independent vehicle repair shops to provide access to emissions and non-emissions-related service information, diagnostic tools, and training information and training needed to service Canadian’s vehicles. More >>
National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program Launched - A Unique Collaboration.
Ottawa - 2008-06-02 Canada’s steel and auto industries are supporting and funding a national program designed to remove mercury-containing switches that were used in vehicles for convenience lights (under the hood or in the trunk) and anti-lock braking systems from end-of-life scrapped vehicles before they are flattened, shredded and recycled into new steel. More >>
Auto Industry Applauds Government Action on Windsor Infrastructure Improvements.
Windsor - 2008-05-01 “We applaud today’s announcement by the Province of Ontario and Government of Canada aimed at improving the infrastructure at Canada’s busiest border gateway,” said Mark Nantais, President of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association. More >>
Automakers Welcome Standing Committee Report on Proposed Canada-Korea FTA.
Toronto - 2008-03-12 “The CVMA is encouraged by many of the recommendations and findings of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on International Trade examination into the ongoing negotiations between Canada and South Korea on a potential free trade agreement,” said Mark Nantais, President of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA). More >>
Automakers Support Government Direction on Repositioning the Automotive Industry.
Toronto - 2008-02-29 “The federal government’s attention and focus on one of Canada’s most important sectors of the economy is greatly welcomed and well timed given the challenges currently faced by Canada’s vehicle manufacturers,” said Mark Nantais, President of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA). More >>


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US government lawyers are preparing charges that Intel Corp. (INTC) illegally abused monopoly power to hurt rivals, sources familiar with the case said on Tuesday.
Within the next week, the sources said that top staff at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will review the proposed charges against the Santa Clara, California, company that makes the microprocessors running four out of five PCs.
Soon after that, the five-member commission may vote to approve narrow charges against the company. Those charges are likely to be broadened later.
The move comes as the Justice Department and 20 states are pursuing major antitrust actions against Microsoft Corp. (MSFT).
The Intel charges will likely be heard before an administrative law judge rather than in federal court, if the FTC follows the pattern it has set in the past.
An FTC spokeswoman would neither confirm nor deny the reports, noting that the agency never comments on pending decisions.
A spokesman at Intel was equally taciturn.
"We have no comment about speculation about what may or may not happen," the spokesman said. "It is a nonpublic investigation. But we continue to cooperate and meet with the staff of the commission."
However, the FTC's public statements have sent a signal that it has reasons to move against Intel. And some of the broad outlines of the case are also obvious publicly, in part because of activities that took place far from Washington.
Last month, a federal judge in Alabama ruled that Intel used life-and-death market power to chop off information and enabling technology that Huntsville, Alabama, computer-maker Intergraph Corp. needed to stay in business.
The judge issued a preliminary injunction ordering Intel to provide the same kind of service to Intergraph it provided to other customers. Intel followed the order but appealed.
The FTC has studied that decision and Intel's similar actions against computer equipment maker Digital Equipment Corp.
The cases provide the factual basis for the FTC to make assertions similar to those Intergraph made in its private antitrust lawsuit: that Intel is violating the law by using its power to force others to give up their trade secrets or cooperate with Intel.
"The dispute is largely a legal one rather than a factual one, and therefore something the FTC could move quickly on," said Howard Morse, a former FTC official who is now a partner at the Washington law firm of Drinker Biddle & Reath.
Rivals also complain Intel has changed its latest sockets -- which seat its chips -- to be incompatible with existing systems, and the judge in the Alabama Intel case agreed.
"This closed architecture for practical purposes allows Intel, by exercising its intellectual property rights ... to wield absolute power over who will and who will not be allowed in that part of the high-end computer industry that is based on the x86 architecture," ruled US District Judge Edwin Nelson.
Intel does not argue about what it did, only about what its legal rights are. The chipmaker may be called in next week to explain its legal views to the FTC staff, before the staff takes the case higher.
Those meetings -- standard in such cases -- are private. But much is already public. The FTC must first assert that Intel holds a monopoly. It already has.
When it brought charges against Intel in April for its actions against Digital, the FTC said, "Intel has market power in the market for the supply of high-performance, general-purpose microprocessors that are capable of running the Windows NT operating system. Intel accounts for nearly 90 percent of dollar sales and nearly 85 percent of unit sales of such microprocessors."
The government said Intel also holds a monopoly in stand-alone personal computers' chips.
Intel, together with Microsoft, dominates the PC industry with the so-called Wintel machines, which typically run Microsoft's Windows operating systems on Intel Pentium processors.
If the government acts against Intel, it will have moved against both halves of the Wintel combination. Last week, the Justice Department and 20 states filed a major antitrust action against Microsoft.


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Amazon is the first big company to add support for the Matter open casting standard, it announced at CES 2024 in Las Vegas. Matter Casting is an open protocol that lets you send videos and related content from an app to a hardware device, just like Apple AirPlay and Google Chromecast. The feature just launched for the Prime Video app and will allow casting to various Amazon hardware devices.
For now, you can only cast to the Echo Show 15 smart display, but the company says it’ll soon offer support for Fire TVs, including Panasonic models with Fire TV built in. As for content streaming partners, it’s just Prime Video for now, but the company promises more options later this year, including Plex, Pluto, Sling TV, Starz and many more.
This works just like AirPlay. You open the Prime Video App, tap the cast button and look for an appropriate hardware device. However, Matter cast isn’t tied to a particular smartphone operating system and is available to every app and hardware maker, if they want to implement the feature.
This is part of the open-source Matter smart home protocol, which is backed by Amazon, Apple and Google. However, it’s unlikely Google and Apple will jump onboard this particular feature set, as each company has its own casting standard in place. Google took to CES this week to announce that Chromecast will be built into all new LG TVs, giving no mention of Matter cast.
Amazon would prefer that each of the big tech companies adopt an open casting platform instead of the current glut of competing models. “We believe in open standards,” Chris DeCenzo, a principal engineer at Amazon, told The Verge. “It simplifies things for developers.”
In the meantime, major players have begun adopting other aspects of the Matter smart home standard. Google’s smart home devices integrate with the protocol, and the same goes for Amazon devices like Echo speakers.
We’re reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-wont-support-airplay-or-chromecast-but-will-adopt-matter-casting-instead-161933813.html?src=rss