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Sony’s Pro division has just released a new set of wired studio monitors, the $400 MDR-MV1, a set of open-back headphones that Sony says have been designed specifically to aid in the production of spatial audio. They’ll be available later in April through Sony’s Pro website and authorized Sony dealers.
Sony’s professional monitors have been favorites of the music industry for years, and have also found a home among discerning audiophiles. But what makes the MDR-MV1 unusual as far as Sony cans go is their open-back design. With almost no exceptions, Sony heavily favors closed-back designs, which it uses on everything from the ultra-affordable models you can grab at any Walmart, all the way up to its top noise-canceling WH-1000XM5 and wired units that cost north of $1,000.
So what would make the company rethink its approach for the MDR-MV1? “With the rise in spatial sound and high-quality streaming music services, we are seeing a professional demand for headphones that can adaptably address and enrich all of these immersive production needs,” said Andy Munitz, senior product manager, Sony Electronics.
The company credits the open-back design of the MDR-MV1 for their ability to fill that role. According to a press release, the open-back architecture reduces internally reflected sounds and eliminates acoustic resonances while accurately reproducing natural, rich spatial information and sounds.
It also helps that Sony has equipped the MDR-MV1 with an impressive set of dynamic drivers, with a claimed frequency range of 5Hz to 80kHz. To put that in perspective, human hearing can rarely exceed 20Hz on the low end and 20kHz on the high end, and even so-called hi-res certified headphones are only required to reproduce up to 40kHz on the high end.
Sony says that the combination of the ultra-wideband playback and open-back design makes it easier for professionals to capture localization, spaciousness, and detailed changes in sound processing.
The MDR-MV1 come with breathable earpads, which Sony says are intentionally lightweight, soft, and “fitted to provide a pleasant wearing experience,” even after hours of use. They also come with a replaceable, detachable cable with machined aluminum connectors and a stereo mini-jack adapter.


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Volkswagen has announced an agreement in principle between itself and US authorities. While the specifics are still under discussion, the company is set to create a fund to repair the environmental damage its vehicles caused, will buy back cars from current TDI owners, and may offer payment on top of the buyback to sweeten the deal.
Volkswagen is due in court to announce a settlement with the EPA or face criminal trial tomorrow, even as an investigation has uncovered that the roots of its dieselgate cheating software go all the way back to Audi, circa 1999.
Volkswagen’s woes continue, this time on two fronts. The company has recalled its e-Golf electric vehicle to fix a battery software issue, and the FTC has filed suit against the German company for numerous incidents of deceptive advertising related to its diesel engine problems.
It’s not a great week for VW. First, the firm was slugged by a massive lawsuit from the Department of Justice. Now, it’s having trouble coming to an agreement with the EPA and California Air Resources Board.
In the wake of the VW scandal, the EPA is going on the warpath.
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in this issue
Chemical Week Magazine :: Newsbriefs
BASF to Close U.K. Adiponitrile Plant
1:37 PM MDT | July 30, 2007 | Chemical Week Editorial Staff
BASF says it will close an adiponitrile (ADN) plant at Seal Sands, U.K. at an unspecified date after 2008 with the loss of about 30 jobs, 15% of the site’s workforce. BASF uses ADN as a raw material to produce hexamethylenediamine (HMD) at Seal Sands. The company says it will begin to purchase ADN from Invista for consumption at Seal Sands, from the beginning of 2009. HMD is an intermediate used to produce nylon-6,6. “We will continue to produce HMD and acrylonitrile as basic raw materials for the BASF group,” says Bernd Brian, site director at...
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IA is powered by GAN that spans over 100 top accelerators across the world.
Ashish Bhatia, Founder of India Accelerator said in a statement, “Our expansion is the testament to our deliberate efforts and strategic alliances that have helped us make an impact in the global startup community. With this announcement, we look forward to securing a globally dominant position and being at the forefront of the world’s top economic cities.”
As part of the global expansion spree, IA has set up a 3200 sq ft facility in Dubai to incubate startups specializing in healthtech, AI, fintech, agritech, cybertech, D2C, deeptech, and many among others. It will provide mentorship and networking opportunities and will inject USD 15-20 Mn in fundraising rounds. Additionally, it intends to bring around 20+ of its existing startups from these verticals into Dubai in the next 12 to 18 months.
“Dubai is our first foray beyond India and we are excited to have retained the position of being the first and only accelerator from India in the Emirates. Through our state-of-the-art facility, we look forward to nurturing young entrepreneurial minds and strengthening the India-UAE trade corridor,” he added.
IA has more than 200 startups in its portfolio and invests about 100K to a million dollars in each startup as per the seed round. The accelerator’s total investments made last year stands close to USD 15Mn-18Mn and is aiming to incubate about 100 startups annually. Besides this, it also plans to expand its footprints to Mauritius and Saudi Arabia in the near future.
- Front Page
- Pure Politics
- Around the World
- Auto Cos Await Clarity on PLI Subsidy for FY23
More than a year after the ₹25,938 crore production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for India's auto sector came into effect, qualified manufacturers await clarity on whether they will receive sops for the first year of the programme.Byju’s Misses $40m Loan Payment, Sues Lenders
Byju’s has sued its lender Redwood, an American investment management firm, and its related entities in the New York Supreme Court for accelerating the repayment of a $1.2 billion Term Loan B (TLB). This marks a new twist in the long-drawn saga playing out between the Indian edtech major and its lenders even as Byju’s missed its quarterly interest payment of about $40 million for the TLB that was due on June 5.Sequoia India & SE Asia Split from US
Sequoia Capital, the marquee Silicon Valley investor in early-stage companies, has broken away from its India and China partnerships, signalling a retreat from Asia for the fund that had backed technology giants Apple and Google in its early days.
Read More News on
ETPrime stories of the day


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BEIJING, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- China's search giant Baidu is in an Internet war with rival search engine Qihoo 360, which alleges Baidu is using aggressive measures to preserve its user base.
Qihoo 360, launched just two weeks ago, said when people use its new engine to search for a Baidu-related service, its rival "hijacks" the search to take them to its own search home page.
"Every time now users do a search about Baidu, instead of being taken to a particular Baidu Web site, they are re-directed to Baidu's search homepage," Qihoo's chief financial officer Alex Xu told the BBC.
"Let's say if you do a map search, and you get a link to a Baidu map in the search result -- if you click on it, you don't get a map, you get Baidu's search page.
"That's not how a web company is supposed to behave -- you're affecting the users' experience," Xu said.
Qihoo said it's responding by giving search results from other services higher priority in its results than Baidu's.
Baidu, which has 80 percent of the Chinese search market, has not faced any real competition since Google shut down its Chinese search site at Google.cn.


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Top stories this week on just-style...
The most-read stories on just-style this week include the news that A&E will acquire sewing thread rival Gütermann, Fat Face's planned IPO, and an analysis on high inventories at US retailers.
US: A&E to acquire sewing thread rival Gütermann
American & Efird, the world's second largest manufacturer and distributor of industrial sewing and embroidery thread, has agreed to acquire its German rival Gütermann.
UK: Fat Face IPO to raise up to GBP110m
Fashion retailer Fat Face has announced plans to float on the London Stock Exchange in a move that could raise up to GBP110m for the UK company.
High inventories at US retailers is causing concern
Stung by unseasonably cold spring weather that blanketed many parts of the US just as they were rolling out their spring merchandise, retailers have not only been hampered by sluggish sales but are also battling high levels of inventory, analysts warn.
CAMBODIA: Government urged to halt ongoing strikes
The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) has called on the country's government to step in to try to stop several garment strikes that began last week, and are now continuing into a second week.
US: Removes Philippines from intellectual property watch list
The US has removed the Philippines from a list of countries that fail to provide an adequate level of intellectual property protection or enforcement, in a move that paves the way for increased trade and investment.
An interactive databank with intelligence on the major apparel sourcing countries
- What the EU-Vietnam trade deal means for duties
- Ultimate frontier Myanmar uplifts Bogart Lingerie
- US apparel retailers' January 2016 sales roundup
- US apparel import growth led by Bangladesh
- Esquel backs Chinese Sea Island cotton production
- Sears looks to lift apparel via sourcing changes
- Direct sourcing helps M&S narrow the gap with Next
- Eco-friendly garment factory opens in Bangladesh
- Clothing and sports chains in activewear battle
- Nike accelerates digital strategy with new hire
- Southeast Asia strategic sourcing review – a focus on Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar
- Wearable technology: The future market potential for smart garments and e-textiles
- Global market review of denim and jeanswear – forecasts to 2021
- Practical Price Negotiation
- Wearable Technology Market by Product, Application, Type, & Geography - Global Forecast to 2020


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Bajaj Auto has achieved a landmark sale of 10 million units of motorcycles based on its patented DTS
Maruti Suzuki India Limited has won the prestigious National Safety Award for the year 2009
General Motors India has won the prestigious National Safety Awards 2011, for its various safety
National Engineering Industries (NEI), a pioneer in the bearing manufacturing industry in India,
Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra Group, has been appointed Honorary Amb
With India currently experiencing a navigation boom with more and more drivers starting to use
The board of directors of Tata Sons at its meeting on November 23, 2011 appointed Cyrus P Mistry as
JCB India Ltd. has showcasing its slew of new products at its mega stand at Excon in the Bangalore I
Paris based Organisation Internationale des Constructeursd' Automobiles (OICA),
From 1st November 2011, all new car and light commercial vehicle models in the EU must be equipped
Yokohama India announced the launch of two new additions to its popular Geolandar series of tyres– the Geolandar X-AT and Geolandar M/T G003. These cutting-edge tyres are engineered to deliver unparal...
Volkswagen Passenger Cars India launched the new “My Volkswagen” app, a one-stop solution that offers a seamless, convenient and immersive digital experience for prospective and existing customers.
Delhi-based leading auto-tech company Rosmerta Technologies Limited introduced a cutting-edge AI-based Driver Monitoring & Alert System integrated with a vehicle tracking management system.


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Fri, 28 October 2016
This week, Jerry, Daniel and Andrew dive deeper into the Pixel and Pixel XL, discussing the phones' best and worst features after two weeks of use. It's also good news on the earnings front as Google pulled its most profitable quarter ever while LG and Samsung get hit hard.
Mon, 17 October 2016
The Google Pixel is here, and Daniel, Andrew, and Alex dive deep on the Google Phone. From the resemblance to the iPhone (overstated), to the camera (totally amazing) to battery life (good on the Pixel, great on the Pixel XL), there's a lot to discuss, so join us!
Fri, 14 October 2016
Andrew, Alex, and Daniel dive headfirst into the fiery depths of the Note 7 cancellation.
How much did Samsung know before the phone was widely released, and why didn't the company catch what was causing the first batch of phones to overheat before sending replacements? And, ultimately, how will this affect the way people look at Samsung as a company, and its future products?
Wed, 5 October 2016
We're live from the Google Pixel launch event in San Francisco! Andrew, Russell and Flo are on hand to talk about their first impressions of Google's new Pixel phones, along with Daydream View, the Google's first VR headset, and Google Home, Wifi and the new Chromecast Ultra!
Lots to talk about this week, so dig in, it's a good one.


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(Updates with comment from economist in fourth paragraph.)
Aug. 30 (Bloomberg) -- Mauritius lowered its forecast for this year’s trade deficit to 79 billion rupees ($2.8 billion), the Central Statistics Office said, as the currency’s strength curbs import bills and exports of textiles increase.
The shortfall was revised from an initial forecast of 83 billion rupees, the Port Louis-based office said in a statement today on its website. The trade gap rose 6.1 percent to 33.3 billion rupees in the first half from a year earlier, it said.
Exports climbed 15 percent to 36.2 billion rupees in the first half while imports rose 11 percent to 69.5 billion rupees. About 67 percent of imports bills are dollar-denominated and 41 percent of exports are euro-denominated.
“The improved forecast can be attributed to a stronger rupee for the first semester,” Swadicq Nuthay, an economist at Axys Capital Management Ltd., said by telephone from Port Louis, the capital. “Exports have increased in rupee terms, indicating that textile and apparel manufacturers still have positive momentum.”
The rupee strengthened 9.3 percent versus the dollar in the first half and 1.6 percent against the euro, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. It weakened by 0.7 percent to 27.95 per dollar at 1:50 p.m. in Port Louis.
Mauritius, an Indian Ocean island nation with a population of 1.3 million, is a net buyer of fuels and food. Sales of textiles surged almost 18 percent to 12.5 billion rupees in the first half, the statistics office said.
Europe, led by the U.K., buys 65 percent of Mauritius’s manufactured goods, the statistics office said. India is the country’s largest trade partner by imports, accounting for 26 percent of bills, as Mauritius buys all of its fuel requirements from Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd.
--Editors: Jennifer M. Freedman, Eddie Buckle
To contact the reporter on this story: Kamlesh Bhuckory in Port Louis, Mauritius, via Johannesburg at firstname.lastname@example.org
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin at email@example.com


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Using various statistical tools, the researchers found that the standards of care in retail clinics in Minnesota were consistent with accepted medical guidelines for those ailments, including the frequency and type of lab tests performed and drugs prescribed.
Treatment costs at the retail clinics were 30 percent to 40 percent lower than in physicians' offices and urgent care centers, and 80 percent lower than in emergency rooms. The researchers did not detect any significant misdiagnoses, Mehrotra said.
"The increasing number of patients who receive care at retail clinics has fueled concerns about increased health care costs, greater rates of misdiagnosis, overuse of antibiotics, and decreased delivery of preventive care," Mehrotra and colleagues wrote in the study. "When we compared these aspects of care in retail clinics, physician offices, urgent care centers, and emergency departments, we found little evidence to support these concerns."
Dr. Scott D. Hayworth, chief executive officer of Mount Kisco Medical Group in New York, one of the largest medical practices in the Northeast, remains unconvinced and is no fan of the retail clinic model.
For one, physicians provide more comprehensive and expert care, and they know their patients' medical history, he said.
"These [clinics] are clearly picking a few minor ailments, which tend to be less expensive to treat," said Hayworth, who has about 200 physicians on staff as well as nurse practitioners and physician assistants. "When you have more serious illnesses, you need more back-up," which drives up costs, he added.
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants (PAs) are effective in traditional medical settings, where there are always supervising doctors, Hayworth said. Bu
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|The critically acclaimed 'Wicked' cost $14 million to produce. Such high costs are making broadway theater owners more open to lucrative marketing deals. 'Wicked' is sponsored by Universal.
Corporate sponsorship of Broadway shows is nothing groundbreaking, but theater naming rights, in-theater advertising, product placement and product integration are clearly areas of growing marketer interest and activity.
Not everyone agrees with this trend. For instance Newsday theater critic Linda Winer makes no bones about her objections. "I detest the naming of theaters and turning them into billboards for airlines and auto companies... It so debases the street."
Nevertheless, Manhattan's 42nd Street -- the central artery of the world-famed theater district -- exerts a strong allure on marketing companies that need to get their message in front of ever more elusive consumers.
'Huge untapped platform'
"Broadway is a huge untapped entertainment platform," said Jan Svendsen, a former Ogilvy & Mather executive who now markets the League of American Theatres & Producers, an organization that helps Broadway market itself. Ms. Svendsen is the group's director of marketing, communications and development. "There will be more opportunities in the future. Product placement is not being leveraged," she said.
Broadway is attracting more money
|Visa USA says its sponsorship of 'Movin' Out,' a theater production based on Billy Joel songs, has been 'very successful.'
| Visa TV ads promote the play, which went on national tour last month.
Broadway is also an efficient way to target women, who make up 64% of the audience, according to Serino Coyne. And it's not strictly local: Nearly half, 49%, of the Broadway audience comes from U.S. cities outside of New York.
Visa USA has found that its sponsorship of Billy Joel's national tour of Movin' Out has helped it reach a wider audience. The credit card giant is helping build a national audience for the show behind a TV commercial from Omnicom's BBDO Worldwide, New York. The commercial is the first to support a touring Broadway production since Visa's sponsorship of A Chorus Line in 1992.
'Big and exciting'
George Perry, director for event and sponsorship marketing at Visa USA, said the credit card marketer was looking for a showcase sponsorship. "How do we say this is big and exciting? One way was to attract not only theater goers but a whole new group of people, Billy Joel fans." The national tour began Jan. 27 at Detroit's Fisher Theater.
Some marketers are already working with shows to get their wares on the stage. According to Ms. Svendsen, Sketchers supplied sneakers to the cast of Footloose.
Moreover, a number of theaters have followed sports arenas in selling naming rights: American Airlines Theater, Cadillac Winter Garden and Ford Center for the Performing Arts among them. Currently, Serino Coyne is currently looking to replace Mercedes-Benz as a name sponsor of New York's Minskoff Theater.
The agency also said theaters are looking for sponsors for the "Please Turn Off Your Cellphone" messsage.
Of the three companies that dominate Broadway -- the Nederlander Organization, Schubert Theaters and Jujamcyn Theater -- Nederlander is said to be the most interested in seeking out new ways of working with marketers, according to the League, which is also supported by IBM Corp., Continental Airlines, Visa and Macy's. The League is also in charge of marketing the annual Tony Awards, which are being reorganized to help attract a younger audience when the awards are handed out in June.
There is some resistance to the threat to Broadway kingpin Playbill's argument that it should remain the only ad-supported vehicle in theater. In some cases, logos on cocktail napkins are a no-go area, according to Playbill.
Phil Birsh, publisher of the theater handout that has a circulation of 1.4 million per month, said he hears complaints from advertisers that Broadway audiences aren't big enough and that the time and effort involved isn't worthwhile when compared to other mediums. Moreover, each show faces competition from anywhere from 27 to 30 productions every night and Mr. Birsh said product-placement deals are tough, given that the audience can't see in detail what's happening on stage.
"Theater owners don't want to be turned into casinos," he said.


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Urban List today announced the launch of a new dining card — Urban Feast — a reader-exclusive offering that encourages their audience to explore more of their city, and support local restaurateurs.
Fuelled by the company’s relationships across the hospitality industry, the $100 Urban Feast card offers cardholders the equivalent of $500 to spend across 20 top restaurants, with participating operators benefiting from the new clientele and exposure to Urban List’s 1.5 million monthly users.
A limited release of Urban Feast cards are available across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, up for grabs through the company’s new eCommerce arm: urbanfeast.theurbanlist.com.
Participating restaurants include some of Australia’s best restaurateurs:
- Sydney – Scout Sydney, nel., Long Chim, Hello Auntie and Pilu
- Melbourne – Supernormal Canteen, Tokyo Tina, San Telmo, Lucy Liu and Gazi
- Brisbane – Urbane, Phat Boy, E’cco Bistro, OTTO and Gerard’s Bar
- Perth – The Flour Factory, Bib & Tucker, Bivouac, Hadiqa and Sauma
Each Urban Feast card sold will trigger a donation to The Hunger Project, with the goal of training 12,000 people about locally available, nutritious food through the program — changing the future of their families and communities.
Urban List CEO and Founder, Susannah George, is excited by the company’s move to build more direct relationships with their audience, diversify revenue streams, and give back to those most in need.
George said: “Intrapreneurship is core to our culture, and I’m so proud of the team that brought Urban Feast to life.
“Three months ago, I put a challenge to them — to develop a product that our audience loves and inspires them to explore more of their city’s culture — and they’ve knocked it out of the park.
“Urban Feast is such a natural extension of our brand, a truly valued proposition for our audience, and a meaningful way to ensure we can all do more good while having a good time.”
Media companies around the world are seeking ways to diversify their business models and create new, non-advertising revenue streams through consumer engagement.
Urban List is no different, and in order to continue to thrive have identified opportunities such as Urban Feast that not only provide value to readers but also create new avenues of revenue growth and contribute to the sustainability of communities globally.
It’s meant to be a time of relaxation and celebration, but for many parents, the festive season is a lot of hard work. Created by AJF, Target’s new Christmas campaign dramatises this reality. A mum and dad traverse epic landscapes and travel to whimsical places in search of the best tree, decorations and gifts. Their […]
BIG Outdoor has announced the launch of programmatic capabilities powered by Vistar Media. BIG Outdoor is leveraging Vistar’s supply-side platform (SSP) to make their inventory available for purchase programmatically via open exchange or private marketplace deals. “Our mission is to stay at the forefront of improving the value proposition of digital billboard advertising,” said Richard […]
Joey Calandra (main photo) is an inventiologist at leading behavioural science and innovation consultancy Inventium with over 20 years’ experience driving innovation in the health industry. In this guest post, Calandra offers top tips on rediscovering your own personal purpose… During times of crisis, like we are experiencing today, having your own personal leadership purpose […]
In this guest post, Garrett Ilg, President JAPAC at Oracle, Oracle Corporation lays out how marketers can lead their businesses to recovery… The global pandemic has changed nearly everything for CMOs, forcing them to scramble as consumers shift even more to online shopping. Meanwhile, CEOs are pressuring their marketing chiefs to find strategies for recovery. […]
The NSW Government and the Department of Education have today launched a major campaign titled ‘Maths Trains Brains’ which is aimed at changing the perception of maths and encouraging more engagement towards the subject for students from pre-kindy to Year 10. The campaign was developed by creative and digital agency Bastion Banjo with production by […]
Grill’d has launched a new tactical campaign ahead of the upcoming US elections, with the aim of comparing big American fast food giants with Grill’d’s home-grown, healthier approach to burgers. The tongue-in-cheek campaign depicts Donald Trump’s addiction to fast food options, such as McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King and Dominos, with the words ‘You are what […]
In this guest post, Dr Phillip Lawrence of Edith Cowan University debunks the myths of the environmental impact of printing… The environmental credentials of printing have been in the spotlight for a while with brands and marketers as well as large corporates regularly proposing they would reduce or eliminate paper and printing from their business as […]
The WPP-owned agency Mindshare has revealed it has won the media business for both Kayo and Binge. Both Kayo and Binge form part of Foxtel’s Steamotion’s streaming services and have seen significant boosts to the subscription numbers in recent times, primarily during lockdown. Commenting on the win, Mindshare CEO Katie Rigg-Smith said the win would […]
Realworld, an Australian location-based technology company, today launched adfindr.co, a leads platform for media owners. Adfindr finds the contact details of hundreds of local businesses around any location. Adfindr offers all media owners a database of local advertising leads. Simply type in a location and extract advertising leads in that area. David Sanderson, Director at […]
The new Online Will from State Trustees has launched with an unexpected campaign via newly appointed creative agency Hardhat, one that aims to turn in between moments into opportunities for action. Having a baby, moving house or exploring some thrilling new hobbies – this colourful, tongue-in-cheek campaign leverages the types of life stages that trigger […]
Worksafe and FCB New Zealand have launched a wild new campaign, challenging New Zealanders to take a fresh look at workplace safety. The launch TVC, hitting screens big and small this week, asks workers to be more vigilant and proactive, by listening to their inner-meerkats. In the last five years, WorkSafe has recorded 363 workplace […]
Immersive media company Imagine Room has signed an exclusive agreement with Microsoft to build and operate Australia’s first Mixed Reality Capture Studio to drive the next generation of content production. The state-of-the-art studio uses 106 cameras to create holographic and 3D-video performance assets and create immersive and interactive experiences for virtual reality (VR), augmented reality […]


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Morning Edition: Zuckerberg's mea culpa Video
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg released this video statement outlining the company's new and "simple" privacy controls for the popular social-networking site.
Today we listened in on Mark Zuckerberg's awesome announcement which we found to be not so awesome. Skype is being integrated into Facebook but I think we are more excited about Spotify finally coming to the U.S! Apple Passes RIM In U.S. Smartphone Market Share and Microsoft wants Samsung to pay a smartphone fee of about $15 for every phone it makes. Yikes! And Japan Discovers Rare Minerals in the Pacific Seabed. All this as well as your calls and emails on today's Buzz Out Loud.
Thomas Dolby talks with us about about the future of the music industry, Facebook connects with Skype, and Mark Zuckerberg is the most followed user on Google+.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduces a completely revamped News Feed that promises to show users the stories they care about, in a less cluttered format.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announces new software that will transform your Android phone into a social device built around people, not apps.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco that the company does 1 billion queries a day in search. Zuckerberg goes on to say there's a big opportunity and company has a team of engineers working on it.
The Dialed In crew dives deep into early-termination fees: where they came from, why we have to have them, who's been screwed over by them, and what you can do if you want out.
Verizon increases its early-termination fees, eBay launches an online fashion "magazine," and the Jitterbug can help you, if you've fallen and can't get up.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveils a new tool that aims to offer improved, more relevant search results. CNET's Sumi Das explains how the social network is trying to satisfy users' search needs.
The co-founder of venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz talks about the hurdles Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg overcame in becoming CEO. Horowitz spoke at Business Insider's Ignition West conference today in San Francisco.


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Hamleys could fall into Chinese hands in the next few weeks.
Groupe Ludendo, the French company that has owned the British toy chain for the past three years, is understood to be finalising a £100m sale after months of talks.
The buyer is believed to be a Hong Kong company run by a relative of Yuan Yafei, billionaire owner of the House of Fraser department store chain. Yuan, chairman of the Sanpower conglomerate, originally planned to do the deal himself and is said to have been closely involved in his relative’s talks.
They had hoped to announce the takeover this week to coincide with Chinese president Xi Jinping’s state visit to Britain, but sources said regulatory hurdles could disrupt the timing.
Yuan, 50, was unknown…


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Technology and fashion to play an important step! Have you heard the MICA? See how technology in the future will be more seamless with women's lives!
Iphone 6 released at the conference, Apple Classic One more thing ... Trailer wear smart watch iwatch will be launched in 2015, a few happy few worry, but you know almost the same time, Intel also quietly with the IOT (Internet of Things) of the trend, in Intel Will the developer conference launch a smart bracelet with both stylish and future trends? Yes, that's the way it feels!
This invite well-known new design brand Opening ceremony decorate the appearance, the Intel engineer is installed the smart hand ring name do MICA, will technology and fashion blend made perfect interpretation, and, exclusive woman. What the MICA is selling, what Intel is thinking, let's take a look.
Deconstruct the MICA smart bracelet that belongs to women
Image source: Intel
The MICA has two kinds of modelling, a white and black, black snake-lined substrate, and inlaid with pearls and Madagascar gems, White also has a snake line with the color of the South African Tiger eye Stone and the Russian The stone. A strong personality, a unique charm, let you choose, absolute fashion.
If you think the MICA is only modelling fashion, then you can underestimate it. The MICA is definitely a IOT of a smart screen, each MICA has a 1.6-inch blue surface screen on the back, which can connect to the 3G network, and also has the function of displaying time, sending and receiving mail messages, history reminders, and supporting USB and infinite charging function in the state of the unlinked mobile phone. More features Intel is still confidential, to be announced in October, but everything is done in the hope of a perfect combination of consumer life.
Intel also predicted that the MICA would be one of the main shows in the spring and summer 2015 fashion Week, and would sell at upscale fashion department Barney's New York and Opening Ceremoney, which is priced at less than $1000 trillion, and is expected to cause another wave of snapping. (Recommended reading:Barney ' s apparel ads, take you to listen to the body's voice )
When science and technology collide with each other, they also agitate each other.
In fact, the imminent advent of the MICA also shows Intel's ambition to combine wearable technology with fashion, and we are equally excited, as it will be the first smart bracelet to be born with a woman's needs in mind. Strictly speaking, wearable devices in the technology industry is not new, but the Intel to boutique road flagship female market, to discard the past strong sense of science and technology, by imagining the real life of women, so that technology devices also become women want to have a dream of escape, may be able to kill a way out. (Recommended reading:10 of the most novel wearable technology devices )
Intel said: "We want to make wearable technology into a modern life style lifestyle, as long as we can solve the problem of consumers, why not in the form of fashion to do?" When we design the MICA, we not only consider technology, but also value women's needs. 」
Photographed in Idf14-intel Developer Forum 2014-san Francisco
The Intel developer Conference was on the same day that the iphone 6 was released, and the head-on was not afraid.
"Wearing technology is a future trend, but we also want to know what makes people want to wear it every day," Barney's department spokesman said at the Intel conference. "Like I definitely don't want to wear the same thing every day" (the audience laughs), this is definitely a challenge, so this cooperation, we just want to make people really want to wear fashion accessories. 」
Through this cross-border cooperation, we saw that the two are not to let each other also surging domineering, but also look forward to the future of technology and women are no longer such a clear barrier, science and technology circle is no longer just men's field, more happy to see the technology circle has more such attention to women's modern life device inventions (Recommended reading: Design your favorite life )
At this time we are fortunate enough to witness the currents of change, to move forward, to explore the various possibilities that we have never imagined ten years ago, and to feel the future as now the wind of the Future is blowing through my ears.
In addition to the beautiful innovation of the MICA, we began to look forward to be regarded as "negative" of the boutique industry and the "positive" technology industry has more cooperation, as well as different industries to lend power to make the future of power. In the end, women, together, look forward to MICA, the fastest words in New York in October will soon be on sale!
Type: Content Lab/audrey Ko


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Cyber security lessons from the Uber hack
For decades, cyber security experts have been warning us against weak or stolen passwords. Two-factor authentication (2FA) has always been pointed out as the solution to password problem. And for years now, many companies have been introducing more and more convenient 2FA methods, starting from SMS, moving through app-generated one-time codes (TOTP), and finishing with email push notifications. Unfortunately, many of the 2FA methods turned out to...
SYSGO: PikeOS achieves Common Criteria (CC) level EAL5+ Security Certification
SYSGO has responded to the increased cybersecurity threat level: Separation Kernel PikeOS 5.1.3. and attained the most widely accepted security certification standard Common Criteria (CC), also known as ISO 15408, at level EAL 5+ for the leading application processor architectures ARMv8, x86-64 and PPC.
Codasip to boost RISC-V security with Cerberus acquisition
Codasip, the leader in processor design automation and RISC-V processor IP, has announced that it has acquired Cerberus Security Labs. The company’s IoT security IP and experienced team will enable Codasip customers to quickly embed secure solutions for RISC-V processor designs.
ETSI secures critical infrastructures against attacks
ETSI secured critical infrastructures against cyber quantum attacks with new TETRA algorithms.
NAKIVO adds VMware vSphere 8 IA compatibility in v10.7.2
NAKIVO released version 10.7.2 of NAKIVO Backup & Replication, the backup and disaster recovery solution, providing compatibility with VMware vSphere 8 IA.
Access digital accounts faster & more securely using voice and face together
No one likes passwords. An average person has more than 100 passwords to manage, often making it difficult and frustrating to complete even the simplest online transactions.
EU Cyber Resilience Act – IAR Systems provides Embedded Developers with ‘Security Made Simple’
In September 2022, the European Commission introduced the proposal of a Cyber Resilience Act, which obliges manufacturers to protect their internet-connected electronic products from unauthorised access at all stages of their life cycle.
LastPass to provide simple, fast, and secure logins across the Metaverse
At this year’s Meta Connect, LastPass announced it is the first password manager with a 2D Progressive Web App (PWA) in the Meta Quest Store, available today, with a native integration into the Meta Quest Browser planned for early 2023.
2K2K square resolution CMOS image sensor pass-through cameras
OMNIVISION, a global developer of semiconductor solutions, including advanced digital imaging, analogue, and touch & display technology, has announced its first 2K2K (2048 x 2048) square resolution CMOS image sensor designed for 1:1 aspect ratio security wide-field-of-view (dome, fisheye, and doorbell) and pass-through (AR/VR/MR) cameras.
ABBYY reduces fraud and expediates onboarding with proof of identity
ABBYY is solving the billion-dollar identity fraud problem facing consumers and businesses with the all-in-one solution that offers instant identity proofing and affirmation anytime, anywhere.


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As cars continue to become more advanced and stuffed full of technology, they’ve begun to catch the attention of security researchers. One analyst in particular recently purchased a salvaged Tesla Model 3 in order to conduct a series of tests, ultimately determining that the vehicle stores massive amounts of unencrypted personal data, accessible to any individual who has physical access to the car.
A researcher and self-proclaimed white hat hacker who goes by GreenTheOnly often takes advantage of Tesla's advantageous bug bounty program. The mutually beneficial strategy helps Tesla to patch serious security bugs while rewarding the researchers who find them with thousands of dollars in reward. Recently, the researcher spoke with CNBC under the condition of anonymity, showing just how much personal data he was able to extract from salvage vehicles.
The researcher and his colleague (who has bought and repaired hundreds of wrecked Tesla vehicles) recently purchased a salvage Model 3 found in a junkyard. The vehicle would be studied by GreenTheOnly, who was able to find an alarming amount of personal data left in the car after it had been hauled away for scrap.
Using information found in the car, the vehicle was able to be pinpointed back to its owner, a construction company based in the greater Boston area. The researchers were able to gather data stored by at least 17 different devices that had been connected to the car during its lifespan, none of which were encrypted. Data included 11 phonebooks' worth of contact information, calendar entries for the devices which paired, and even a series of email addresses. The researchers were also able to discover the last 73 locations which the driver(s) had navigated to.
But perhaps the most damning evidence found in the car was video of two separate crashes that occurred in the wrecked Model 3.
The first video showed the crash that finally brought the car to the salvage yard. The vehicle sped out of control and crashed into trees on the wrong side of the road. GPS and timestamp data was also included, showing the precise time and location of the crash.
But it gets deeper. Phone data from the time of the crash contained enough personally identifiable information to pinpoint who may have been in the car. A phone paired to the vehicle at the time happened to belong to a relative of the founder of the construction company who owned the Model 3, and incoming call logs showed that a family member had placed a call to the phone only moments before it had crashed.
A second video uncovered an earlier accident where the Model 3 sideswiped a guard rail. More video footage shows a general disregard for safety or the possibility that the person behind the wheel was driving while impaired.
Limited data can be collected by any individual willing to purchase a set of EDR cables from Crash Data Group for $995. Raw data output can be collected with Tesla's EDR tool and then re-uploaded to Tesla's website in order to generate a basic EDR report (a sample of Tesla's report from a Model S can be found here). Video and other personal data can't be collected through this method and requires a more invasive approach.
One feature which Tesla owners enjoy is the car's recently updated Sentry Mode, a security-like application which enables event-based recording while a vehicle is parked. Specifically, the feature is meant to help capture vandals and prevent thefts. But, the cameras aren't just recording when using Sentry Mode. In fact, there's no way for owners to know just when their cameras—including the cabin-facing interior camera—is capturing video.
Opting out of data collection isn't exactly as simple as one might think. Though possible, GreenTheOnly goes on to explain that one caveat of giving up data collection is also losing over-the-air software updates and other functionality which make Tesla's vehicles highly desirable to technology aficionados.
Collected information also serves to benefit the automaker directly, protecting it against false claims of Autopilot crashes. Tesla has provided information regarding fatal crashes to the public, which allowed it to both dispel rumors and calm public opinion. Tesla has seen a decrease in use of its Advanced Driver Assistance System, Autopilot, following a recent high-profile crash. Though the data collection is important for the automaker to prevent the spread of incorrect information, it certainly raises the question of just what reasonable expectation of privacy drivers should have when owning a Tesla vehicle and opting in to data collection.
Tesla says that customers are ultimately responsible for the data stored on their cars. Should their vehicle be sold or otherwise disposed of, it's the automaker's belief that the owner should first factory reset their car.
“Tesla already offers options that customers can use to protect personal data stored on their car, including a factory reset option for deleting personal data and restoring customized settings to factory defaults, and a Valet Mode for hiding personal data (among other functions) when giving their keys to a valet," explained a Tesla spokesperson to CNBC. "That said, we are always committed to finding and improving upon the right balance between technical vehicle needs and the privacy of our customers."
Such is true with vehicles that the automaker sells through a popular dealer-only auctioneering service, Manheim. Another tipster from the auction company told CNBC that Tesla does not wipe customer data from cars which traverse its sales block, nor do the auction's employees. Manheim declined to comment on the validity of the claim.
The security of the data at Tesla has also been previously questioned. A publicly exposed kubernetes cluster operated by Tesla was compromised in 2018 and used to mine cryptocurrency; it was then found to be the same cluster used to house Autopilot data. In 2017, Tesla exposed a private key used by its maps server for more than a year and reportedly did not respond to reports of the vulnerability for more than two months before it was brought to public attention. There have also been reports of database dumps from Tesla, several of which include wireless networks and their corresponding passwords, all of which were stored in plain text.
Two former Tesla service employees also told CNBC that Tesla has a few built-in security features to flag customers who may have attempted to reverse-engineer their cars. Those who are flagged reportedly will not be prioritized to receive cutting-edge updates.
Still, knowing that any individual with the right skills can reveal the final moments of a car's life could be daunting. Things people prefer to keep private—where they go, who has been in the car, or how they drive—can be exposed to the public in the blink of an eye. Celebrities and high-profile individuals in particular could shift their views of the automaker's cars should they know that their personal data could be exposed. Even individuals who oft have nothing to hide tend to change their stance once the shoe is on the other foot.


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Global Logistics–July 2010
As the rest of the world deals with the aftershock of a global economic recession, British Columbia’s Port of Prince Rupert keeps steaming along with record traffic. Because the port is two days closer to Asia than any other West Coast gateway, isn’t bottlenecked with congestion, and has made considerable investments in rail connectivity to hinterland markets, it has become a vital conduit for Asia-North American trade.
The port improved its performance in the first quarter of 2010, with shipment volumes up nearly 73 percent — handling 4,119,708 metric tons compared to 2,383,510 metric tons during the same period in 2009. The surge in traffic was driven by a 218-percent jump in throughput at Ridley Terminals and an 84-percent increase at the Fairview Container Terminal. This growth follows the best year (2009) at the Port of Prince Rupert since 1997. Much of the growth in containerized export cargo is due to the backhaul of Western Canadian commodities — such as lumber and aluminum — to China.
The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) has warned that a rumored move by the United Kingdom to replace the existing Airline Passenger Duty with a new per-aircraft flight fee would result in higher taxation across the air cargo supply chain, increased costs for manufacturers and consumers, and no new environmental benefits.
The per-plane fee would ostensibly be imposed for sustainability reasons, as a means of addressing greenhouse gas emissions. TIACA argues that it is unlikely any of the additional revenues will be directed toward improving the environment; instead, they will feed the United Kingdom’s general funds.
The industry lobby also stresses that any new tax burden across the air cargo supply chain would impair the aviation industry’s ability to continue investing in new green technologies.
Garuda Indonesia, the country’s national airline, has taken the first step in rebuilding its long-haul international network with the launch of a new daily service from Jakarta to Amsterdam via Dubai. In line with the commencement of this new route, the airline has awarded a Europe-wide cargo contract to European Cargo Services to maximize bellyhold freight capacity.
Amsterdam is the first of several major European destinations, including Frankfurt, London, Paris, and Rome, that Garuda Indonesia intends to add to its network over the next four years. The airline’s re-entry into Amsterdam, after an absence of almost six years, marks a significant step forward in its global expansion strategy—and bodes well for further trade opportunities between Indonesia and European markets.
Garuda Indonesia is the first airline to reopen flights to Europe after the European Union’s (EU) ban prohibiting Indonesian carriers from operating on the continent was lifted in July 2009. In 2005, the EU began blacklisting airlines that were not compliant with essential safety standards from flying in European airspace.
In a world run ragged by plummeting trade, one bright spot is Vietnam. The country’s export revenue jumped 26 percent year-on-year from January to April 2010 and industrial output grew 13.5 percent during the same period. Vietnam’s best-performing sectors include electronics and computers, which rose 39 percent to US $985 million, and tools and spare parts exports, which increased 75 percent to US $910 million.
Much of this growth is attributed to intra-Asia business, with 16 of Vietnam’s top 20 trade lanes within the region, and dominant import and export markets. Expansion is expected to continue.
A member of the World Trade Organization since 2007, Vietnam’s GDP is predicted to grow between 6.2 percent and 7.8 percent per year between 2010 and 2014 as a result of several key factors: its large, young, and highly literate population; continued success of the government’s foreign direct investment-friendly Doi Moi policy; political stability; and its proximity to China, Indo-China, and Southeast Asia.
Vietnam’s success also bodes well for carriers such as DHL, which has been aggressively mapping out its own plans for further investment in the country. In April 2010, DHL Express launched its Ho Chi Minh Gateway, located at the new Tan Son Nhat Cargo Express Service airside facility.
U.S. and Swiss officials recently signed an enhanced Open Skies air transport agreement, replacing a previous arrangement ratified in 1995. The new pact includes all the essential elements of Open Skies and adds the right for airlines of both countries to operate all-cargo flights to third countries without a connection to the home country—“7th freedom rights” as it is commonly called.
Additionally, the new agreement permits Swiss airlines to be owned and controlled by nationals of any European Union member state. It also allows them to compete under the Fly America Act for certain U.S. government civilian agency-funded passenger and cargo traffic between the United States and Switzerland and between non-U.S. points.
Open Skies agreements have vastly expanded international passenger and cargo flights to and from the United States, promoting increased travel and trade, enhancing productivity, and spurring high-quality job opportunities and economic growth. They accomplish this by eliminating government interference in the airlines’ commercial decisions about routes, capacity, and pricing, freeing carriers to provide more affordable, convenient, and efficient air service to customers.
The Windsor Port Authority, Canadian Pacific Railway, and Borealis Infrastructure have formed the Continental Rail Gateway (CRG) coalition to pursue opportunities to develop, fund, and construct a replacement rail tunnel under the Detroit River.
Opened in 1910, the Detroit -Windsor Tunnel’s existing freight infrastructure carries approximately 350,000 railcars each year. While still in good condition, it cannot handle double-stacked containers and new generations of multilevel railcars used by shippers and auto manufacturers. The tunnel clearance was enlarged once in 1994 and cannot be expanded further.
Replacing the 100-year-old train tunnel is a key step toward making the Windsor/Essex County/Detroit/Wayne County region more competitive as a logistics hub. The high-clearance replacement rail tunnel would accommodate double-stacked container trains out of the Port of Montreal, which is important because the port plans to double its container-handling capacity over the next 10 years.
A who’s who of German transport and logistics companies, associations, and academia are joining forces to support the “Cargo Needs the Night” initiative, a cause championing competitive operating times at commercial airports throughout the country.
With special direction from Lufthansa Cargo, the effort intends to highlight the importance of the logistics sector to Germany’s economy through a series of conferences and related activities.
Currently, 40 percent of the value of Germany’s domestic exports is transported by air. Night flights are a key component in functioning global supply chains, but transport policy decisions are increasingly limiting the competitiveness of German industry.
In recent years, proposed bans on night flights have jeopardized the vitality of Germany’s airports and its entire export industry. In addition to challenging European air cargo hubs in Amsterdam, Paris, London, and Madrid, these restrictions threaten Germany’s competitiveness with airports in the Gulf region that also serve transcontinental routes between Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
UPS recently applauded the Obama administration’s move to re-engage South Korea and overcome remaining obstacles toward finalizing a bilateral free trade agreement. The U.S. government is attempting to end a three-year impasse on a pact reached with Korea in 2007 as another step in an initiative to double American exports over the next five years.
UPS has supported the negotiation of a U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement from the start, as more than one quarter of domestic exports to the country come from small and medium-sized businesses—a key shipper demographic for the package delivery company.
Specifically, the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement contains vital provisions for the express delivery industry, including enhanced market access and improved customs clearance times that allow carriers such as UPS to better serve their customers’ global shipping needs.
Following the announcement in early 2010 that Cathay Pacific and Air China would form a joint venture cargo airline, the Chinese government is now pushing for a merger of its three major airlines’ cargo operations. It marks the country’s latest move to produce stronger, internationally competitive carriers, and to create market stability.
The government has set up a team to work out details of a possible cargo merger between Air China, China Eastern, and China Southern. The proposed consolidation may jeopardize the Cathay -Air China cargo joint venture, which is still subject to final approval by the central government.
Foreign carriers transport approximately 70 percent of China’s international air cargo, with the three domestic carriers carrying the remaining 30 percent. Any move toward consolidation would likely give the country’s airlines impetus to seize even greater market share in the airfreight sector.[â€†]
Construction and mining equipment manufacturer Caterpillar is looking to expand its production footprint in Brazil and meet growing customer demand across Latin America by siting a new facility there. The location of the new plant will be announced later in summer 2010.
The new plant will produce backhoe and small wheel loaders, which are among the products currently made at Caterpillar’s Piracicaba, Brazil, facility. Once the new plant begins production, it will allow the manufacturer to increase capacity for other machinery.
Caterpillar is capitalizing on the region’s relatively strong economic recovery during the past year. A rise in available credit has helped drive Brazil’s domestic prospects with demand for automobiles and housing, enabling the economy to grow nine percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2010.
The manufacturer also has incentive to replicate what it has already created in Piracicaba. The current operation has been instrumental in developing the Caterpillar Production System, a business process strategy that stresses quality and manufacturing excellence within the organization.


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Ryan Tuttle, owner of The Lawn Barber based in Hampton, doesn't view it as competition.
"We're getting them jobs that they wouldn't have gotten," Mahoney said.
The company eyed Hampton Roads because smartphone users with local ZIP codes had been downloading the app and about five different local landscape companies reached out to the company wanting to participate, Mahoney said.
Want to push a button on your smartphone to get your grass cut? You can when the Mowz app launches in Hampton Roads on Monday.
By May, the company launched the Mowz app, which is now in 30 markets across the country with more than 700 participating providers, he said. Mowz moved into Virginia with a recent launch in Fredericksburg and is planning to hit Richmond next.
The Lawn Barber has been using Angie's List, where customers can find vetted reviews of companies and discounts, to promote its business, Tuttle said. While he'd pay 30 percent to get a new customer, Tuttle said he couldn't envision continuing to pay that regularly.
nearby providers tracked by real time GPS are alerted and can accept a job through their version of the app. The provider Nike Metcon New Release that the ordering customer rates highly gets first dibs, he explained.
with the platform. A customer then receives a photo in the app or via email when the job is done and can rate the provider's work, said Plowz Mowz co founder Wills Mahoney, 31. Mahoney's mother needed her driveway cleared but the plow companies weren't answering their phones, he said.
"It stuck out and so did Fredericksburg," he said.
billing. Providers are paid within 24 hours of completing the job.
Find Hampton Roads mowers to cut your grass with Mowz smartphone app
Providers are independent contractors that are required to have commercial grade equipment and general liability insurance. The average one has been in business seven years, he said. When customers are ordering, Nike Metcon 1 (Dark Grey/ Volt)
What do lawn care and landscape companies on the Peninsula think of it?
Plowz Mowz handles payments through the app and sends a daily deposit to the provider. Users can also call the 24 hour customer service center, particularly for specific requests, like mowing behind the garage.
"It's just an avenue for getting more customers," Tuttle said. "I view it as a possibility to grow."
After downloading the free application and answering a few questions about your yard, Mowz quotes a price and allows you to schedule a mow with a local lawn care provider participating Nike Zoom Generation On Feet
The company also plans to bring the Plowz app and a leaf removal add on for Mowz to Hampton Roads, Mahoney said. Customers can also order from a desktop computer.
The firm takes a maximum of 30 percent of the payment, which is used for customer service, merchant fees and marketing, Mahoney said. The company has been heavily advertising on Facebook for the Hampton Roads market. Mahoney said the service could help small landscaping companies who'd like to outsource Nike Zoom Air Basketball Shoes
Scott Marlowe of Marlowe's We Care Co. in Newport News agreed that paying 30 percent would be a good chunk of the profit when residential grass cutting comes with plenty of expenses. Even so, he said it could be an option for newer firms and that he'd have to learn more about the platform. Neither Tuttle nor Marlowe had heard of Mowz before being asked questions.
Nike Metcon New Release
Roshe Run Jacquard Army Green
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Roshe Run Grey And Black
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Nike Zoom Structure 20 White
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Nike Roshe Run Knit
Nike Kyrie Lebron
Nike Zoom Bb 1.5
Nike Zoom Fit
Nike Metcon Red White Blue
Roshe Run Calypso On Feet
Nike Kyrie Christmas


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In the midst of the storm of privacy concerns regarding enormous online platforms like Twitch, Apple, and Facebook, Google has provided the public with a breath of fresh air. Instead of having to worry about privacy, the tech giant has just released a brand new feature that keeps users relieved about it!
Earlier this week, Google announced a new feature that is intended to protect a very vulnerable demographic: minors. More specifically, it allows children and teenagers to delete images of them that come up in Google Search, in which they specified that “[they] know that kids and teens have to navigate some unique challenges online.”
By filling out this form provided by Google, minors would be able to request deletion for the following:
Overall, this update has been widely accepted by the public. Despite the backlash that companies like Apple received over their own privacy ambitions and preexisting methods for people to remove their private information from Google Search, Google has seemingly thrived due to the broader changes that this update could affectuate.
In fact, some experts noted that, since minors would have more autonomy over their own images online, it could also mitigate cyberbullying or prevent potentially harmful information or photos from being easily accessible. This feature is also speculated to make it easier for parents to talk with their kids about managing their digital footprint.
While this is a huge step in the right direction for those concerned about their privacy, there is some fine print – just because someone uses this feature, that does not mean that the images are removed from the Internet in its entirety.
If, after deleting an image using this new feature, a minor was to find that same image on any individual site, Google has provided some key information on how they could get in contact with that site’s webmaster and request that the image be removed there as well.


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MALLORCA tennis legend Rafa Nadal has traded his yacht Beethoven for a €4m catamaran after a sailing holiday in the Bahamas.
The tennis ace is putting his 23-metre ship up for sale following a family trip around the Carribean on a luxury Sunreef 74 Chrissy.
The French Open champion, who is set to marry his long-time sweetheart Xisca later this year, is believed to have ordered a similar 30-metre catamaran.
Sunreef catamarans come with seven cabins, large spaces to store jet skis, kayaks and also have deck terraces that can be accessed directly from the main lounge.
The price of Nadal’s new boat could reach up to €4.8 million.


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X, formerly called Twitter, launched its “Not a Bot” beta on Tuesday, charging new accounts an annual fee of $1 for tweeting and retweeting. The first test applies to new accounts created in New Zealand and the Philippines to supposedly “fight bots and scammers on X,” the company said on its website Help Center page.
The Not a Bot test will not apply to existing accounts, X said, but those who create an account will receive a subscription prompt after signing up, asking them to pay the fee but also giving them the opportunity to opt-out to deregister. If a user is unwilling to pay for the subscription, they can only access “read-only” content, which allows them to read posts, watch videos, and follow accounts.
If they agree to pay for the subscription, new users can publish content, like and reply to posts, bookmark posts, and repost and quote posts from other accounts.
X says on its website that the “new program is aimed at fending off bots and spammers that attempt to manipulate the platform and disrupt the experience of other the web version of the platform, but it is not specified why this does not apply to the downloaded app.
Although X repeatedly states that subscribers pay a $1 fee, the Not a Bot test does not apply to US users and the company reiterated that local pricing applies. This means new users in the Philippines will be charged PHP 42.51 per year. Meanwhile, the fee for New Zealand users is only slightly higher than the advertised $1, costing new account holders $1.43 NZD per year.
“This new test is designed to strengthen our already significant efforts to reduce spam, manipulation of our platform and bot activity,” X said on its website. “This is evaluating a potentially impactful measure to help us combat bots and spammers on X while balancing the platform’s accessibility with low fees.”
The fee is in addition to The existing premium subscription of X Option introduced in November 2022 Users are charged $8 per month for adding a blue checkmark to their accounts. It also includes select features like post editing, showing 50% fewer ads, and prioritized rankings that push accounts’ posts to the top of the feed.
Since taking over the company last year, Musk has proposed plans to charge all users to access the platform in the future. Last month, Musk said in a streamed live Discussion with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he was from
The required $1 fee represents a major shift for X, which has been free to all users since its launch as Twitter in 2006. The newly added fee likely won’t deter all bots, which Musk acknowledges in the announcement, but could deter existing users Advertisers who have already started leaving the platform.
Advertisers expressed concern that Musk claimed in an post last month that the decreased revenue was “mainly due to pressure from ADL” – an anti-hate organization – on advertisers, “…so they almost succeeded in killing X/Twitter!”


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THE RECENT NEWS that Companies House will move to electronic filing of statutory annual returns and accounts in 2013 could spell good news for its users. Receiving accounts information in xbrl digitised format instead of paper will provide an opportunity for the house to do some validation checking before it offers it up for public consumption.
Visitors to the Companies House website will see a disclaimer there saying that at the present time, information received by its staff is done so in good faith, and that no checking of the data is undertaken. There are two big reasons why not; one is that the paper format gives very little opportunity to run checks on the content, and two, Companies House does not have it in its remit to do validation checks to ensure the information is “kosher”.
Potential fraudsters know this….that’s why many fictitious sets of accounts are being filed on recently acquired shelf companies for the purpose of tricking trade suppliers into providing goods with no intention of paying for them. Fortunately, the main credit reference agencies like Graydon do run such checks once the house’s information hits their databases because by that stage, data is digitised and therefore “checkable”.
Electronic filing in 2013 will, for the very first time, gives Companies House the chance to validate the data it offers up to the public…but will the Government grasp the nettle and plan to provide officials at Companies House with the remit to do so? A question for BIS to ponder on over the next few months. I know what I would recommend. The public deserves to trust in information that it is asked to pay good money for.
Insolvency and business recovery firm Gibson Hewitt has recruited a new manager from one of the UK’s top four accountancy practices
The director of a company set up to market a fuel-saving device has been disqualified for failing to maintain and preserve proper records
Cowgill Holloway Business Recovery has concluded the sale of assets of film distributor Metrodome to independent movie distributor 101 Films following appointment as administrators
Accountancy software firm Sage has been hit by a data breach which may have compromised the personal details and bank account details of as many as 300 UK businesses


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The most modern car fleet in Iceland
The Icelandic travel-agency Iceland Excursions has grown vastly the past years, the company can be defined as a tour-operator, tour-organizer and a travel agency.
The growth of Iceland Excursions has been immense in recent years. The company focuses on providing quality service for it´s customers and now has one of the most modern car fleet in Iceland.
The company was originally found as a tour- and public transport operator and can be traced back to the year 1992. Then in the year 1997 it had transformed into a full fledged travel agency and attained all the necessary licenses.
The increase in tourism
“We define ourselves as tour operators, tour organizers and a travel agency,” says Þórir Garðarsson, sales- and marketing chief. “Day tours is just one branch of our operation. We sell custom made tours whilst we run our own sales office where we are able to create and sell complete tours. The company´s operation is three-fold. We have a separate division that focuses and handles contracted projects; school transfers and public transport services. Then we have the tour-operating section and lastly the travel-agency itself,” says Þórir.
He also say the specialty of the company is in what is called tour-production, whereas the company creates and modifies their own tours. This year Iceland Excursions provides 37 day tours from Reykjavik, ranging from a 3 hour city-sightseeing to a 14 hour tour to Jökulsárlón and they suspect the passenger count will reach about 45 thousand in this year alone. “We are now experiencing the turnover for March and April being on par with the July turnover three to four years ago,” says Þórir. “It appears that the increase in the past four years is doubling the respective tourism increase to Iceland in general. That means that we are increasing our share of the total market available to us,” says Hannes Strange, CEO.
Focus on marketing abroad
Þórir says the company is consistently increasing the emphasis on foreign marketing and the company now has around 300 written contracts with travel agencies all around the world. “We visit them on a regular basis and contribute to establishing Iceland as a place of interest for tourists. Compared to the company´s extent we have spent substantially on the promotion of our country, marketing and our sales, but this has paid off. We have been very successful in increasing the number of our clients and they are very satisfied with the service we provide them,” says Þórir.
The most modern car fleet in the country
The company´s car fleet is now 45 cars and half of it is now bound to contracted projects. “We have been investing almost exclusively in new cars the past years and we are expecting six brand new cars this year. The average age of our day tour coaches is three years, which we think is the youngest in the country,” says Hannes.
Hannes says there are benefits that come with the new cars. “The expenses is lower as the maintenance drops not to mention the practical adjustment that follows the lower gasoline expenditure. We are very conscious about environmental effects and all the new cars follow the strict European standards in regards of pollution caused by vehicle exhaustion. The cars are also equipped for the comfort of our passengers. The vehicles are used extensively and we have very demanding clients and therefore we provide the highest quality available of coaches, drivers and guides, also the company has a broad spectrum of excellent staff on all divisions,” says Hannes.
In most coaches there are LCD monitors which show security- and promotional videos, not unlike those that can be seen on airplanes. There the necessary security measures and information to improve comfort for the passengers are covered. “The video itself is in eight languages and, for example, the Japanese tourists have shown their satisfaction that an instructional video at an Icelandic travel agency is shown in their native language whereas major commercial airlines who fly to Japan every day, do not,” says Hannes.
The Gray Line franchise
Þórir says that a large part of the success the company has had is due to the Gray Line franchise, which Iceland Excursions received in the year 2004. “The Gray Line franchise is well known and it has 25 million annual passengers traveling under their name. They provide 160 tourist destinations to six continents. To receive this franchise has created an immense opportunity for us and Iceland in general, whereas Gray Line is making an increasing effort in promotional and marketing strategies and Iceland is a part of that. To receive this franchise should not be taken granted. We had to comply to high standards and expectations that we have managed to successfully fulfill,” says Þórir.
All the marketing and promotional material we have is produced and designed by the company itself. “We do not exchange with commercial agencies, we´d rather have our own staff oversee those projects, be it our brochure or any promotional material and we have received widespread recognition for that,” says Þórir and Hannes.
The company has received positive attention towards their booking system, it is considered very simple to use whilst being very safe. “Our booking system is an exemplar whereas our clients can book themselves via the internet, very similar to what we know from commercial airline companies. The travel agencies that we have contracts with can log themselves into the system and take care of all their bookings. That way they are working through our own communal booking system and by doing so it minimizes the risk of any booking errors. The booking system has had incredible reception abroad as it is very simple and secure in all places,” says Þórir.
Maintaining the Lead
Þórir and Hannes say that the future plans for the company is simply to do better than the competitors and to hold an advantage regarding technical solutions and quality. “We also commit ourselves towards inventing new day tours and improved combinations of them, that way the tourist can in fact customize their own trip completely. It is also scheduled to find a new housing facility for our entire operation and there are many aspects that need to be taken into account in the process.
This article was published in Icelandic Financial News 10th of June 2007 and was written by Vignir A. Gudmundsson. Published with their permission www.vb.is


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In the digital age of shopping for clothes and accessories, modern-day consumers don’t want retailers to entertain them: Instead, they want these merchants to bring them an easy experience, offering seamless shopping in store and online.
According to the PYMNTS Connected Consumer Playbook, “Consumers may not call that ‘omnichannel,’ but that’s clearly what they want their favorite merchants to enable for them.” In addition, shoppers see value in personalized offers that match their buying preferences, or the ability to use their phones to scan a tag and place an online order for an out-of-stock item.
From rue21 to Walmart, retailers in the clothing and accessories market are enabling ways to make shopping a little easier. Here are just some of the ways these merchants are providing influential consumer experiences in their brick-and-mortar locations and online with the help of digital technology and retail innovations:
About one-quarter – or 26.8 percent – of existing customers indicate the most influential consumer experiences are well-coordinated online and in-store properties. For instance, retailers are providing shoppers with omnichannel experiences through offerings like buy-online-pick-up-in-store (BOPIS). In recent times, fast fashion apparel retailer rue21 announced plans to bring the offering to more than 700 stores. Shoppers can check the availability of an item in the store closest to them, make the purchase online and pick up the product without paying shipping fees. Chief Analytics Officer Mark Chrystal said in the announcement, “Our customers are young, mobile and know what they want – whether that is fashion or flexibility. We developed this mobile-first offering with our customers in mind, and they have loved the ease of buying and trying clothes across channels.”
Just under 15 percent – or 14.3 percent – of existing customers indicate the most influential consumer experiences are personalized offers. And retailers are teaming up with players in the subscription box space to deliver personalized kids’ fashions to customers: Walmart, in one case, is teaming with KIDBOX to offer curated styleboxes for kids that customers can receive seasonally. Customers on Walmart.com can access styles from brands like C&C California, Butter Super Soft, Puma and BCBG. Walmart U.S. eCommerce Head of Fashion Denise Incandela said in an April announcement, “Over the last year, we have significantly expanded our portfolio of kids’ fashion brands as part of our broader effort to establish Walmart.com as a destination for fashion.”
Roughly 7 percent – or 6.7 percent – of new customers indicate the most influential consumer experience is the ability to scan and pay with phones. The technology has been made famous by Amazon through its checkout-free Amazon Go stores. Recently, it was reported that one of the company’s newest cashierless stores went into service in Midtown Manhattan at 300 Park Ave. The new location comes after the online retailer opened one of the concept locations in New York City in a mall. The company’s other Go locations are mainly on the West Coast in places such as San Francisco and Seattle. Amazon Vice President of Physical Stores Cameron Janes said, according to reports, “New York really fits … what we’re looking for. It’s high density … lots of people on the go. It’s a great fit for us.”
About 5 percent – or 4.5 percent – of new customers indicate the most influential consumer experience is personal shopping assistants. In the online space, Stitch Fix announced last year that it plans to expand its personal shopping service into the United Kingdom. Stitch Fix Founder and CEO Katrina Lake said, per reports in October, “We believe our ability to create a uniquely personalized shopping experience is something that will resonate with consumers and brands outside of the United States. We can’t wait to show our first U.K. clients how effortless, convenient and fun Stitch Fix is.” In more recent news, the company rolled out a new inventory optimization algorithm to more effectively allocate inventory to its client base.
And 2.3 percent of new customers indicate the most influential consumer experience is virtual reality (VR) for product demonstrations. Some of those experiences are coming from abroad: News recently came from South Korea that SK Telecom, along with Shinsegae Group, which is a retail conglomerate, have teamed up to create new business models as well as innovative services. Through the deal, the companies will create business models based on 5G technology that could work with the department stores of Shinsegae, along with other use cases. The plan aims to use virtual reality technology to let customers shop through digital platforms instead of inside brick-and-mortar locations, but no further details were immediately available at the time of the report.
From the Shinsegae Group to rue21, retailers in the clothing and accessory space are tapping into digital innovations to provide consumers with easier shopping experiences. In the digital age, more personalized, efficient and convenient ways to shop and pay can turn shoppers into loyal customers.


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GAO: Defense Blows Billions
The General Accounting Office has come up with some startling claims, saying the DOD has completely botched its role in developing its technology systems and has wasted billions of dollars, according to a report it issued this week. It also says the government should take some tips from Wal-Mart
“We visited Wal-Mart to compare what they were doing with supply chain management to what the Department of Defense was doing,” said Gregory Kutz, author of a new GAO report, in an interview today. The GAO found that while Wal-Mart knows where a single toothbrush is, the DOD has no way of knowing the location of a defective chemical-biological protective suit...
Get all the sordid details at Next-Gen Data Center Forum.
— Evan Koblentz, Senior Editor, Next-gen Data Center Forum


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Apple has an app that helps you switch from Android to iOS
To make things worse for Google, Apple made a new app to help people switch from Android to iOS
Apple never hesitates when it comes to throwing Google a low blow. Their latest assault on Google’s family jewels is a new app called Move to iOS, which will launch in the next iOS 9 rollout.
This isn’t Apples first attempt in veering Android users to iOS. The company previously made a step-by-step guide helping Android users transfer all their digital content to an iPhone. However, this app takes it to another level.
Once the app is installed on a new iPhone, the app begins the wireless transfer process. The app handles the transfer of users’ contacts, camera photos, videos, message history, mail accounts, bookmarks, calendars, and wallpapers. It will even suggests you to download the free apps that were originally installed on your Android phone too.
To add injury to insult, the app also tells you to recycle their old Android for free at any Apple Store. Ouch.


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The IMF trims its economic growth forecast again as the U.S.-China trade war continues, Brexit worries linger and inflation remains muted.Economyread more
Citigroup thinks Tesla investors hoping for a post-earnings rally later this week should scrutinize a pair of related financial metrics.Investingread more
Olive branches were extended from both China and the U.S. as the two nations are set to restart face-to-face trade negotiations after a monthlong truce.Marketsread more
Coca-Cola topped Wall Street's expectations for earnings and revenue.Food & Beverageread more
New disclosures show Facebook and Amazon each spent more than $4 million on lobbying activity in the second quarter of 2019.Technologyread more
Boris Johnson, one of the biggest voices in the Brexit movement, wins the Conservative Party leadership race by a 2-1 margin.Europe Politicsread more
Disney can nearly double its earnings by 2024, Morgan Stanley said in a note to clients on Tuesday.Investingread more
Amazon is expected to report its second-quarter earnings on Thursday.Investingread more
The largest residential brokerage company in the U.S. is partnering with the largest online retailer in a strategy to boost sales for both.Real Estateread more
Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on TuesdayInvestingread more
Canaccord Genuity's Tony Dwyer believes stocks are about to fall as much as 5% from their all-time highs.Trading Nationread more
-Perdue@ (Adds details on soybean sales, comment from exporters)
Feb 22 (Reuters) - China committed to buy an additional 10 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans in a meeting in the Oval Office on Friday, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Twitter.
The commitments are a "show of good faith by the Chinese" and "indications of more good news to come," Perdue wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump met Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in the Oval Office on Friday and suggested it was likely the globe's two largest economies would be able to make a deal to resolve their trade war.
Beijing last year imposed tariffs on imports of U.S. agricultural goods, including soybeans, grain sorghum and pork, slashing shipments of American farm products to China.
China resumed buying some U.S. soy in December, after Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping struck a trade war truce, but sales are still lagging.
As of last Thursday, only 7.4 million tonnes of the most recent U.S. soybean harvest had been sold to China, well short of the 26 million in purchases at the same point last year, according to the latest USDA export sales data.
An additional 10 million tonnes in exports would help whittle down massive U.S. soybean stocks that have depressed prices for months.
Perdue did not say on Twitter when China would begin buying the soybeans. Two U.S. soy exporters contacted by Reuters on Friday afternoon said they had not made any fresh sales to Chinese buyers. (Reporting by Tom Polansek and Karl Plume in Chicago; editing by Grant McCool and Tom Brown)


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Good morning! DIGITAL MEDIA INSIDER is delivered first thing every morning exclusively to BI Intelligence members and INSIDER subscribers.
GOOGLE HOPES TO ATTRACT JOURNALISTS WITH 'NEWS LAB': Google announced the launch of Google News Lab, the company's latest initiative to cement itself in the digital media industry and compete with recent news offerings from social media platforms. The site hopes to become a place where digital journalists can take advantage of Google's existing tools and data from platforms like Maps, Fusion Tables, YouTube, Earth, and Search, according to VentureBeat. Journalists can also access recently updated programs like Google Trends, which tracks trending stories from Google Search and YouTube. Google also announced new partnerships with media outlets and organizations aimed to supplement News Lab and connect reporters with the larger industry. These include a partnership with Matter, a media investment fund; Hacks/Hackers, a grassroots journalism organization; and TechRaking, a series of technology summits with the Center for Investigative Reporting.
Google News Lab is not a revolutionary development for the company. Google appealed to journalists in 2013 with the introduction of Google Media Tools, which incorporated Google's data and various platforms to reach a wider audience. News Lab appears to be an updated version of Media Tools and largely bundles together many of Google's existing offerings under one site.
The new initiative could become the precursor to a Google-owned content-management system (CMS). Google already has a massive digital reach with an impressive stock of user data. If it is able to leverage its technological capabilities through Google News Lab, it could become a platform for publishers who lack the technology and funding to create their own proprietary CMS. This scenario would likely see Google's various ad products integrated directly into the CMS, which could boost its already dominant advertising business. The company has not yet mentioned offering such a service, but its eventual implementation of one would not come as a surprise; many other large media and technology companies boast their own CMS.
BRANDS ARE INCREASINGLY UPLOADING VIDEOS TO FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM: Video uploads from brands have increased significantly on Facebook and Instagram over the last year, according to Socialbakers' data shared with BI Intelligence. Brands uploaded 20,000 videos during May 2015, marking a 27% increase over the same period last year. Facebook-owned Instagram also experienced a steady rise in branded video uploads during the same period. This trend is likely the result of Facebook's increasing emphasis on new video features on both social networks. Facebook and Instagram have both rolled out autoplay video posts, new video ad units, and expanded video analytics tools over the past few years. Facebook and Instagram's rise comes at a time when branded video uploads on YouTube and Twitter are starting to decline; brand video uploads declined by 5% and 11% year-over-year on YouTube and Twitter during May 2015, respectively. Socialbakers' data covered several thousand brands across a three-year period.
TWITTER ROLLS OUT PRODUCT PAGES: Last Friday, Twitter announced its new product pages, a platform through which users connect with online retailers via Twitter. Separate from users' timelines, these pages will have images and videos of products from partnered retailers. Users will also be able to see information related to the products, such as tweets, user reviews, and prices. Some products will also include a "buy" button, which will allow users to make purchases through Twitter, and others will include links to outside websites. Retailers can choose whether they want to include a "buy" button or third-party link in their tweets.
Twitter also announced Collections, a way for brands and people to share collections of products. Users can browse content curated by celebrities or companies they like and purchase the items listed. Currently, Twitter has invited a select few to create Collections: Celebrities like Reese Witherspoon and Ellen DeGeneres, and companies like HBO and Nike, have their own Collections pages. Users can browse products featured on Ellen DeGeneres' talk show and items from HBO's popular series "Game of Thrones." At this point, Twitter is not taking a portion of the proceeds earned through product pages or Collections, according to Recode. While this may change in the future, we expect retailers to also want to take advantage of Twitter's large amount of user data. This would enable retailers to not only understand their shopper base more accurately, but to apply the information toward targeted ads.
COMPANIES IN THE NEWS
- Facebook announced that it will open up its Facebook ad targeting data on Instagram in the coming months, Bloomberg reports. Currently, Facebook only uses its data on age and gender on its Instagram platform.
- Magna Global lowered its global advertising revenue forecast for the year to $513 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal. The decline comes from lower-than-expected first quarter ad spending in emerging countries, notably in Brazil and Russia.
- Apple announced that it will pay artists royalties on songs streamed during its new music service's three-month free trial period, Recode reports. The decision to reverse its original stance came after artists like Taylor Swift publicly declared they would not allow their music on the service if Apple failed to pay royalties during the trial period.
- Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel released a video highlighting the platform's approach to video ads, stating that full-screen ads would play between content rather than pre- or post-rolls, TechCrunch reports. The video aims to attract advertisers to spend ad dollars on the platform.
Research Associate Nancee Halpin contributed to this briefing.
Read more: Here's what else BI Intelligence members are reading...
- Spotify boasts an increase in both paid and free users despite growing competition
- iTunes Music Store revenue share declines as users gravitate to streaming services
- THE SOCIAL MEDIA DEMOGRAPHICS REPORT 2015: Differences in age, gender, and income at the top platforms
- DIGITAL-VIDEO ADVERTISING REPORT: Mobile and social are fueling video growth as dollars shift from display to video


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April 25, 2012
WA: New study shows state industry worth $8.6 billion
An economic impact study released this morning by the Washington Wine Commission shows the state's wine industry is worth $8.6 billion per year, up $3 billion from a similar study in 2006.
© 2013 Wine Communications Group - all rights reserved.
privacy & terms


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StreamView GmbH, the official licensee of Nokia Android TVs, set top boxes and DAB+ radios in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), has announced the Nokia Streaming Box 8000. Powered by Android TV, the device is manufactured by SEI Robotics and supports 4K streaming, with native support for Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, as well as YouTube and Google Play, among others.
According to a report from German publication, Golem, the device comes with a remote that has hotkeys for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Google Play. It is priced at €100 (~Rs. 8,800) in EU markets and will go on sale during the upcoming holiday shopping season. There’s no more information on the device as of now, but it will be interesting to see how it measures up against existing Android TV boxes in the market.
It’s not immediately clear if the Nokia Streaming Box 8000 will make its way to global markets outside the EMEA, including India. Even if it does, it is unlikely to be launched by StreamView, given that branding rights for Nokia Android TV devices in India are currently controlled by Flipkart, which not only sells a bunch of Nokia-branded Android televisions in the country, but also the Nokia Media Streamer, a tiny Android TV box priced at Rs. 3,499.
It is worth noting, though, that unlike the Nokia Streaming Box 8000, Flipkart’s Nokia Media Streamer only supports up to 1080p videos with no support for 4K streaming. The device, which went on sale in August this year, competes with the likes of the Mi Box 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K which, as their names suggest, offer 4K streaming capabilities at similar prices.
Featured Image Courtesy: StreamView GMBH


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The Chicago ordinance would be automatically repealed Jan. 1.
The fees charged to restaurants for online delivery, plus commissions paid for being listed on platforms such as DoorDash or Grubhub, run 25 to 30 percent of the bill. It’s not clear if Waguespack aims to limit the delivery fees, which cost merchants about 10 percent, or the marketing fees for being listed on the platform, which run about 15 percent—or both.
“We’re trying to help local businesses survive,” Waguespack said. “We’re already looking at reducing licensing fees. This is another area where they’re getting hit hard. Restaurants already were coming to me and other aldermen before the COVID crisis. What we’re seeing is the COVID crisis is making it even worse. When you pile it all up against them, they feel like they’re dying on the vine.”
The Illinois Restaurant Association said last week that it had asked Mayor Lori Lightfoot to consider implementing a cap via an emergency order, similar to what the San Francisco mayor did.
Nine aldermen, led by Andre Vasquez, introduced a resolution asking Gov. J.B. Pritzker to issue an executive order to cap commissions on delivery “at a reasonable rate” but it didn’t specify an amount.
Waguespack's ordinance also would require that all of the delivery fees paid by customers go directly to delivery drivers. It would fine violators $1,500 to $3,000.
“We're still reviewing the ordinance,” mayoral spokeswoman Lauren Huffman said in a statement. “However, while we agree wholeheartedly with policies that would provide support for our struggling food and restaurant community, we need to better understand any plans to regulate service fees that are not currently under the city's purview. We continue to work with (Finance Committee) Chairman Waguespack and industry partners on ways we can ensure our restaurants, delivery companies, as well as our food service workforce can succeed during the stay at home order.”
Grubhub and other delivery companies have come under fire for more than a year from restaurants owners who say the companies are taking too much of their revenue. The New York City Council took up the cause and was considering a law capping commissions at 10 percent before the coronavirus hit, devastating the restaurant industry.
Grubhub declined to comment. The company opposed the San Francisco cap, arguing that it would increase costs to diners, which would result in fewer orders, hurting restaurants.
The impact of the coronavirus could provide additional momentum to such policies. But regulating business-to-business fees is an unusual step that could prove tricky. “I’d love for rates to be as low as possible. But how do you decide what the right rate is?" said R.J. Melman, president of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, a Chicago-based restaurant group, which partnered with Grubhub on a virtual restaurant concept. "If you set it too low, delivery companies will either stop delivering or find another way to charge for it.”
DoorDash said in a statement that the proposed ordinance is unconstitutional on several levels, including interference with contractual relationships without providing compensation to the delivery platforms, and violating the equal-protection clause. DoorDash called it “profoundly disappointing that, in the midst of this crisis when food delivery is more essential than ever, some members of the City Council are trying to score political points by imposing extreme government mandates that will force food delivery in Chicago to a standstill.”


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Spyware Maker QuaDream Is Shutting Down, Seeks to Sell Intellectual Property
Israel pummeled by cyberattacks from two different groups, BlackBasta posts Capita data online, Bitrue exchange exploited for $23 million, Silk Road hacker sentenced, LockBit targeting Macs, much more
Check out my latest CSO column, which takes a deeper look at CISA’s zero trust maturity model update to make it easier for organizations to adopt zero trust.
Formerly stealth spyware company QuaDream is shutting down and is expected to cease operations in the coming days.
New research published by Microsoft and the internet watchdog Citizen Lab exposed the company last week. They revealed that the Israeli firm's hacking tools had been used against journalists, opposition figures, and advocacy organizations across at least ten countries.
According to sources, the company has been in a difficult situation for several months, and the research was the last nail in its coffin. The company hasn't been fully active for a while, and it is believed that there are only two employees left in its offices whose job is to look after the computers and other equipment. At the same time, the board of directors is trying to sell the company's intellectual property. (Omer Kab…