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For a tech industry analyst like me, the automotive market is interesting given the electrification, safety and self-driving intelligence added to today’s models as well as commitments by automakers to aggressive roadmaps. Cars of the future will be datacenters on wheels, software-defined, connected by 5G, and with gobs of compute, storage and networking silicon. Given this trend and thanks to the Tesla disruptive “jolt” carmakers and their Tier 1s are finally starting to look at silicon as a strategic enabler. It’s safe to say automakers and Tier 1s re-learned this lesson during Covid-19 as companies were scrambling for supply.
This week, there was one particular automotive tech story that caught my eye—semiconductor leader GlobalFoundries (GF), in partnership with Bosch, announced a joint effort to codevelop a mmWave automotive radar SoC (system on a chip) for ADAS applications (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems). ADAS is a key component of automotive, as these systems provide varying levels of intelligence designed to keep drivers safe. If your car features lane assistance, collision warning, automated emergency braking, parking assistance or any other smart features, you’ve benefitted from your vehicle’s ADAS. As we move towards increasingly smart and autonomous vehicles, and humans relinquish more driving controls, these safety systems will only become more crucial. While we’re providing definitions, mmWave refers to the high band of 5G spectrum—24Ghz to 80Ghz—capable of exceedingly high speeds but only at very short range.
Let’s take a look at the announcement.
Making tomorrow’s roads safer
According to Oliver Wolst, Bosch’s senior vice president in charge of its Integrated Circuit business, Bosch tapped GlobalFoundries for its proven industry leadership in RF and mmWave technology. On the other side of the partnership, Mike Hogan, GF’s senior vice president and GM of its Automotive, Industrial and Multi-market division, cited Bosch’s reputation for top-quality automotive solutions as motivation for the partnership.
The main component of the agreement is Bosch’s plans to integrate GF’s 22FDX RF solution inside its next generation mmWave automotive radar SoCs, targeted for availability in the second half of this year. The way 22FDX in a Radar application works, in essence, is as a wireless system that pings off of surroundings—receiving a reflection of the signal that was transmitted. FD-SOI technology is a crucial part of this, according to Hogan, giving it power efficiency and impressive noise immunity. GF has had much success with 22FDX, pulling in a reported $4.5 billion in design wins, amounting to 350 million semiconductors shipped worldwide. This partnership with Bosch represents another big win for GF.
Along with 22FDX, Bosch will also gain access to GF’s turnkey offerings for automotive mmWave testing and packaging. It plans to leverage these solutions in the developmental phase to improve design efficiency and hasten time-to-market. According to the joint press release, post-fab and turnkey services will happen at GF’s Fab 1 in Dresden - where GF manufactures 22FDX - and at GF’s world-class mmWave testing lab at Fab 9 near Burlington, Vermont.
Interview with GF leadership
I actually got the chance to virtually sit down with Mike Hogan, quoted above, and Kamal Khouri, General Manager of GF’s Automotive Business Line, to discuss the joint venture. Hogan led off with some background on GF’s automotive semiconductor background. According to Hogan, GF actually became involved in this deal quite some time ago, predating the automotive supply crisis. GF initially began to invest in mmWave for its potential in applications such as 5G handsets, pivoting to other businesses once it realized the potential in other areas, such as automotive radar.
One factor exacerbating the automotive supply crisis, according to Hogan, is the automotive supply chain’s complexity and the separation between OEMs and the technology sent its way from the supply chain, such as semiconductors, at the bottom of the stack. This creates difficulty in the best of times, but even more so in the context of a supply crisis. With this realization, GF set forth to tighten up its the supply chain—a move that paid off double by allowing OEMs and the vendors such as GF to also align more closely on technological development. According to Hogan, this is an attractive approach to OEMs because it allows them to essentially have custom technology that none of their competitors have. This is an important realization for the auto industry, as a whole, to come to—historically, the sector has been fairly disinterested in the tech side of things, which is a big part of the supply pickle it has found itself in. Now automakers are realizing that silicon can be a very competitive aspect of differentiation.
This partnership with Bosch is a great showcase of what GF does best—highly differentiated semiconductors. Additionally, it aligns well with GF’s goal to work more closely with its automotive partners. If more of the industry adopts this model, it could very well help the automotive sector avoid future supply chain issues. Even more importantly, it will result in safer, smarter vehicles on the roads.
Note: Moor Insights & Strategy writers and editors may have contributed to this article.


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WordPress is set to launch a new publishing platform backed by Google, ethereum development studio ConsenSys and others, which will offer blockchain features. The new product, Newspack, was announced Monday, described as an “inexpensive” platform which offers technology and support for small and medium-sized news organizations.
Coindesk reports that Google led Newspack’s funding, with a $1.2 million investment, meanwhile ConsenSys invested $350,000. In addition, The Lenfest Institute for Journalism and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation invested $400,000 and $250,000, respectively.
A representative from ConsenSys confirmed the investment to Coindesk on Wednesday, in which they added that newsrooms accessing Newspack have the option to utilize blockchain-based features, possible through ConsenSys-backed Civil Media.
Civil’s Publisher product, which allows newsrooms to permanently archive content on a decentralized network, will be installed on the WordPress platform as a plugin for any newsroom to use. It will also offer access to a “discovery portal” for consumers who are seeking news.
“The plugin will also act as a portal that will walk newsrooms through how to join the Civil Registry, the hub of community-vetted and -approved newsrooms,” the representative said.
Though Civil was faced with some challenges, including a failed token-based fundraiser that it later relaunched, the firm assisted a news site in archiving a full article on the ethereum blockchain in December. The Associated Press even announced plans in August 2018 to collaborate with Civil on content licenses based on blockchain technology.

domain: news


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DHL Express, the world’s leading international express services provider has partnered with Dubai-based fintech Tabby (that recently raised $2 million in a seed round) to provide the online businesses using its services with an alternative to cash on delivery (COD).
The ecommerce businesses using DHL can now provide their customers with Tabby’s ‘Pay Later’ option on their website, allowing their customers to checkout without providing a credit card when they make a purchase.
The customers will be able to make the payment 14 days after receiving an order or pay in interest-free installments of 2, 3, or 6 months. Tabby makes money by charging the merchants for these payment options.
Tabby’s option allowing customers to pay later addresses some of the biggest concerns of the customers who use COD for online purchases.
As the statement citing a 2019 study by Google and Bain & Company points out, even though the credit card penetration rates in the GCC are on par with mature markets, the consumers here still prefer cash on delivery over other options when buying online. But COD can be a costly option for retailers and often translates into a higher risk of packages being returned.
The partnership between DHL and Tabby, the two companies said, is an ideal solution for this issue, and will help optimize delivery management, creating satisfied customers who generate repeat business, “For retailers, this translates to bigger baskets and bigger conversions, predictable and consistent cash flows and deeper insights on their customers.”
Speaking to MENAbytes about how Tabby is able to provide these payment options to customers, Hosam Arab, company’s co-founder and CEO, said, “We instantly assess customer risk at the merchant’s checkout by analyzing a number of data points on the customer to decide whether we are comfortable to allow them to check out. We simply require the customer’s phone number and email address to feed our risk engine and produce a decision.”
Commenting on the partnership with DHL, Hosam said, “It will provide online retailers with an alternative to cash on delivery, a payment method that has been a necessary evil for a very long time, but retailers were forced to provide to address their consumers’ demands. Consumers will finally have an alternative that gives them peace of mind by ensuring that they only pay for goods after they have received them.”
Geoff Walsh, UAE Country Manager at DHL Express, commenting on the occasion, said, “Our partnership with Tabby demonstrates DHL’s continued commitment to delivering value to our e-commerce customers, as they are currently operating in a challenging and volatile business environment. Tabby’s proprietary decision engine will help our customers capture business opportunities that they may have otherwise lost.”
There are multiple existing DHL partners that have integrated with Tabby and will be going live with soon, in addition to a number of international retailers that ship to the region who can now service the COD customer.
- E&’s big bold bet on tech - May 2, 2023
- Ameer Sherif appoints a new CEO for Wuzzuf and Forasna, moves on to focus on VC, public policy - September 29, 2021
- Marham raises $1 million seed to grow into a healthcare superapp for Pakistan - August 3, 2021


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Thanks for all the well wishes for my mom and her recovery. She says thanks.
Situational awareness: A bipartisan group of state attorneys general, led by New York, is opening an antitrust investigation of Facebook.
Today's Smart Brevity count: 1,313 words, a 5 minute read.
1 big thing: Apple's lock-in gets stronger
Many of Apple's latest products and services share a common goal for the company: increasing customers' dependence on the iPhone. As Apple prepares to unveil its latest generation of iPhones next Tuesday, this "ecosystem" strategy is more pronounced than ever.
Why it matters: With the smartphone market stalling, Apple needs to find other ways to make money while also maintaining its share of the market. This approach serves both goals.
How it works: When iPhone customers buy a set of AirPods or sign up for the company's new credit card, they are not only adding lucrative revenue to the company's bottom line, they are also making it more likely that they'll stick with the iPhone for their next device.
A number of Apple's recent and forthcoming products play to this dynamic.
- Apple Card: While there is a physical card, it is secondary. The main way you pay — and the way you manage your account and pay your bill — lives on the iPhone.
- Bluetooth-based finder tags: Apple is rumored to be readying a device, similar to Tile, that can be attached to physical items and located using an Apple device.
- Services: Apple has made a big push in this area. Some of the new services, like Apple TV+ and Apple Music, don't require Apple devices, but certainly appeal more to Apple users. Others really do count on Apple hardware, like Arcade, which is for games that physically run on an iPad, iPhone or Mac.
History lesson: This ecosystem strategy dates back in some ways to when Apple introduced the iPod in 2001. At the time, iPod sales helped boost the Mac in what was dubbed the "halo effect," and it was two years before Apple introduced a Windows version of its iTunes software.
- The iPhone has helped the Mac, too, but it has always worked with a PC, and these days many people never directly link their phone and computer at all.
Yes, but: In order for the ecosystem benefit to kick in, the latest device has to be compelling on its own. The HomePod is one area where Apple's Apple-first mentality appears to be limiting the company's sales, as its voice-driven home device competes with more full-featured rivals that use Google's Assistant or Amazon's Alexa.
What's next: Apple is set to unveil the next generation of iPhones at an event Tuesday. It will be worth watching what other devices and services accompany the new phones.
2. Public split over police use of face recognition
A new study suggests Americans trust law enforcement more than advertisers or tech companies to use facial recognition responsibly, though many are skeptical of all three groups.
Why it matters: There is a growing debate over the appropriate use of facial recognition, while few laws exist in the U.S. over how and where the technology can be used. Even some tech companies say it is time for Congress to set some rules.
- The Pew Research study found 56% of Americans trust law enforcement agencies to make appropriate use of facial recognition and 59% are OK with law enforcement using facial recognition tools to assess security threats in public spaces.
- By contrast, only about one-third of those surveyed trust technology companies to use facial recognition technology appropriately and a mere 18% trust advertisers with these technologies.
The release of the study comes the same day that 30 new groups have joined Fight for the Future's push to ban law enforcement use of facial recognition.
- Pew said it conducted a "nationally representative survey" of 4,272 U.S. adults, with polling taking place between June 3 and June 17.
3. Tech giants keep legacy ad businesses afloat
Big tech companies like Google and Facebook, as well as newer direct-to-consumer (DTC) tech upstarts like Away and Peloton, are driving advertising growth for legacy industries, like traditional television and out-of-home (billboard) companies.
Why it matters: The very industry that's upending legacy media companies is also the one that's keeping their ad businesses afloat, Axios Media Trends expert Sara Fischer writes.
Driving the news: Out-of-home (OOH) advertising grew by high-single digits for the third consecutive quarter during Q2 of this year, according to Vincent Letang, executive vice president and director of global forecasting for Magna Global, the media buying unit of global ad agency IPG.
- The reason for such high growth is increased spending by the tech sector, per Letang. Amazon increased its spending by 130% last quarter, while Apple increased by 22%. Letang notes that DTC brands also increased spend.
- Last year, a quarter of top OOH spenders were major tech brands, according to the Out of Home Advertising Association of America.
- Netflix in particular has been increasing ad spend, as it vies to promote movies to critics in Hollywood. One billboard executive says Netflix's out-of-home spending has so far doubled this year compared to last year.
Television networks are also seeing increases, thanks in large part to the commercial spending by tech rivals on linear channels. Both broadcast and cable networks saw their ad businesses grow and stabilize, respectively, last quarter, due in part to the investments made by big tech companies with heavy pockets.
- "Well over $1 billion this year came from digital-native companies that literally didn't advertise 4 or 5 years ago," NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke noted on Comcast's second quarter earnings call.
- "Companies like Amazon, Facebook, Google and Netflix are spending big, big dollars on network television," CBS chief advertising revenue officer Jo Ann Ross said on CBS' second quarter earnings call.
- Even Thursday's NFL opener got a huge boost from tech companies. As M.G. Siegler noted, advertisers included Google, Apple, Amazon and Facebook.
Be smart: The investments being made by big tech companies and newer companies that are just beginning to join the TV advertising market are a reflection of a healthy economy.
- "Digital companies like Google, Facebook, Wayfair, etc., have been driving so much growth in the last two years in total advertising," says GroupM's Brian Wieser, one of the top advertising industry analysts.
Yes, but: Wieser notes that as these mega-companies mature, their growth rate, and thus ad spend growth rate, is also likely to slow, which could cut ad growth for the rest of the advertising ecosystem.
Flashback: In the late 90s, spending by dot-com-era tech companies flooded print outlets, particularly magazines and newspapers, with cash. When that market collapsed at the turn of the millennium, print began a long decline that hasn't yet ended.
4. Berlin show spotlights new consumer gear
Among the ones that caught my eye:
- Google unveiled a new Ambient Mode for Google Assistant, basically a way to turn idle phones and tablets into Smart Displays. Initially it will work with some Lenovo tablets and Nokia phones.
- Samsung introduced the AirDresser, a steam closet that freshens up your clothes to cut down on trips to the dry cleaner.
- Garmin has some new smart watches, including a Captain America model.
- Motorola's One Zoom phone offers four rear cameras, including a 3x Zoom lens, for around $450.
Why it matters: Not only is IFA one of the biggest consumer electronics trade shows in the world, but its early fall timing means it is a key launch point for devices that will arrive before the holidays.
5. Take Note
- The giant IFA consumer electronics trade show runs through Wednesday (see above).
- Janice Min is leaving Quibi, the second executive to depart the short-form video service in recent weeks. Min, a former co-president of The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group, joined Quibi last year.
- PagerDuty hired former Uber and Dropbox marketing executive Julie Herendeen as CMO.
- Apple has launched a public beta of Apple Music on the web. (TechCrunch)
- Ex-FCC head: Huawei fears obscure broader threats to 5G security (Axios)
- Getaround is raising upwards of $200 million at a $1.7 billion valuation (PitchBook)
6. After you Login
Step aside, Dumbo. Check out this one-month-old baby elephant.


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Alex Elegudin and Yannick Benjamin met when they sustained spinal cord injuries in the same month. Both young men with eyes on the future, they watched each other advance in their chosen field, Elegudin as a patent attorney and Benjamin as an advanced sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers.
In 2001 they together founded Wheeling Forward to help other people with disabilities live fully and “enable them to see possibility where others see insurmountable obstacles.” The organization has provided 339 wheelchairs for people in need, created a comprehensive fitness program for people with spinal cord injury, runs adaptive clinics on water-skiing, skydiving, snow skiing and scuba diving, and provides advocacy and support in many other ways.
Wheeling Forward is engaged in a suite of fundraising efforts, including its signature experience, Wine on Wheels, a tasting event that’s been hosted in New York City, Washington D.C. and Portland, Oregon and has raised over $900K in the last eight years. Benjamin’s network in the wine industry has made this event a success coast-to-coast, drawing attention from consumers as well as sommeliers, restaurant owners and wine enthusiasts.
“I myself was told that I could never work in a restaurant in a wheelchair because it was never done before, but my response to that is very simple,” says Benjamin. “Just because it hasn’t been done before, doesn’t mean you can’t be the first.” Benjamin wants the same for the individuals that Wheeling Forward supports, to be there for recently disabled people as they learn to live independently, pursue education and attain a higher quality of life.
In 2020, Wine on Wheels will come to Chicago for the first time to feature sommeliers from several local restaurants pouring nearly 100 wines. The event will also include a silent auction and proceeds from Wine on Wheels Chicago will be split between Wheeling Forward and a local organization, BACKBONES, which assists people with spinal cord injury or disease.
Benjamin says his motivation for bringing the event to Chicago was the opportunity to support and work with BACKBONES founder Reveca Torres, who was injured and paralyzed as a teenager. “Reveca started BACKBONES to ensure that others, especially those newly injured, had access to resources, information and the same type of peer support she had,” says Benjamin. “Reveca and I started to discuss doing Wine on Wheels in Chicago starting in 2014 so it has been a long time coming.”
He also credits Peter Kuhnz, Wine on Wheels co-founder and maître d’ at RPM Italian. “He’s been an absolute gem and the centerpiece of putting Wine on Wheels Chicago together.”
Both Kuhnz and Benjamin say Chicago was a top choice for this event thanks to a strong wine community. “I’ve witnessed hard-working somms changing the landscape of wine through their contributions to the wine industry,” says Kuhnz. “There’s this unique sense that everyone acts as family, rooting for each other and wanting one another to succeed.”
This event is designed to be inclusive, to promote inclusivity in an industry that many view as exclusive. “The compliment that I get the most is how incredibly diverse the event is and how positive the ambiance is,” says Benjamin. “The truth is, in the wine and hospitality industry, there still is a lot of work to be done when it comes to diversity and those of us who have the resources and experiences need to reach out across the aisle and get involved with cultivating new faces.”
Benjamin does this by leading, and offering mentorship when he can (in fact, he’s a mentor to Kuhnz). “I like to say that at Wine on Wheels we are ‘turning wine into hope’ because our objective is to give people opportunities that they would not have and to be sure to remove as many obstacles as possible so they succeed in achieving their objectives.”
Tickets are on sale now and guests of the event will experience wines from around the world with a focus on Mediterranean, European and domestic wines. “With over 100 different wines on offer, Wine on Wheels is a great opportunity to taste within the greater context of the world of wine,” offers Corey Drake, wine director at RPM Italian, which is part of the RPM family of restaurants, including the event venue, RPM on the Water, which was renovated in 2019 with accessibility in mind.
Jason Limjoco is an account manager at Heritage Wine Cellars Ltd, one of the event’s largest local supporters. Limjoco hints that some of Heritage’s most prestigious suppliers have donated wine to the event. “Vineyard Brands, which represents some of the top estates from around the world, will be pouring wines like Delamotte Blanc de Blancs NV Champagne, 2015 Liger Belair Bourgogne Rouge from Burgundy and 2017 Famille Perrin ‘Les Sinards’ Châteauneuf du Pape from Rhône,” says Limjoco.
There will also be the chance to experience some unique wines including bottles from Diamond Wine Importers, which Limjoco says “represents benchmark producers from various regions of Greece and they will be pouring the 2018 Domaine Skouras ‘Salto’ Moscofilero from the Peloponnese, Kir Yianni ‘Akakies’ Sparkling Rosé and 2016 Alpha Estate ‘Hedgehog Vineyard’ Xinomavro from Amyndeon.”
The event promises to be a positive experience, using wine as a focus to bring people together. Advice from Benjamin: “It is important to learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Focus on the things that you do have, and not on the things you don’t have. Never lose your curiosity, don’t wait for people to come to you, but reach out for help. But finally, when you wake up in the morning, be thankful! Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future.”
Wine on Wheels Chicago will be held on Sunday, January 26, from 12-4 p.m. at RPM on the Water, 317 N. Clark Street. Tickets are $99 each and can be purchased online here. All proceeds from Wine on Wheels Chicago will be split between BACKBONES and Wheeling Forward. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.


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Financial services firms will no longer be able to use premium rate telephone numbers for customers as part of a series of proposals from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on changes to the rules on complaint handling and post-sale telephone calls.
The proposals follow a FCA thematic review on complaint handing, and look to reform the way complaints will be dealt with and reported. The changes are now open to consultation.
Christopher Woolard, director of policy, risk and research, said:
'Consumers want a simple way to complain that does not leave them out of pocket. And they want to be assured that their concerns will be dealt with fairly and quickly.
'These proposed reforms will further improve the system, making it less bureaucratic for firms, easier for consumers and will provide us with improved intelligence on complaints.'
Under the current rules, complaints that are dealt with by the end of the next business day do not require a letter to be sent to the customer. For these quickly resolved complaints, if dissatisfied the customer could have to wait up to eight weeks before being able to go to the Financial Ombudsman Service (ombudsman service).
The recent thematic work showed the one day deadline could lead to some unintended consequences, with consumers often reasonably expecting a complaint to be dealt with quickly and, where appropriate, informally. The FCA is now proposing to extend the period during which complaints can be resolved without the need for a formal letter. Firms will be allowed up to three business days to deal with less complex complaints. This will help avoid unnecessary procedure and ensure that consumers have matters resolved faster.
In addition, complainants will be able to refer all cases to the ombudsman service immediately after receiving the firm’s response. Firms will also have to inform customers, in writing, that they are able to take their complaint to the ombudsman service if they are dissatisfied with the resolution.
The FCA proposes to improve transparency by requiring firms to report all complaints to the FCA, not just those where final response letters are issued, as is the case at present. Firms will also have to analyse and report the causes and categories of complaints, which will be published alongside details about the size of firms, to provide greater context and allow for comparison of their performance.
The FCA is also consulting on amendments to the complaints handling rules to implement the Alternative Dispute Resolution Directive (ADRD).
The FCA is proposing to keep current time limits for referring complaints to the ombudsman service, as they comply with the Directive and provide a sufficient level of consumer protection. However, the rules will be amended so firms will be required to tell consumers when they respond to complaints if the firm will consent to the ombudsman service considering a complaint made to the ombudsman service outside the relevant time limits.
In addition, the FCA is continuing its work to consider the case for a 15 year ‘long stop’ on complaints to the ombudsman service. Implementing the ADRD in the way the FCA is consulting on would not preclude the introduction of a ‘long stop’ should it be decided it was appropriate to do so in the future.
In its recent review of how complaints are handled, the FCA found that while some improvements and innovations have already been made firms could and should be doing more. In particular, firms did not always consider the impact on consumers when designing and implementing processes and procedures. These proposals help address this concern.
Notes to editors
- CP14/30 Improving complaint handling
- Thematic review: Complaints handling
- Alternative Dispute Resolution Directive
- The FCA’s dispute handling rules for regulated firms
- One minute guide – complaints handling
- Being regulated: dealing with complaints
- On 1 April 2014, the FCA took over responsibility for consumer credit and the regulation of 50,000 consumer credit firms, including logbook lenders, payday lenders and debt management firms.
- On 1 April 2013 the FCA became responsible for the conduct supervision of all regulated financial firms and the prudential supervision of those not supervised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)
- Find out more information about the FCA


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This past week closed in the most dreadful way for cryptocurrency owners. Coincheck’s $400 million loss reminded everyone of the increased risk involved with trading these digital tokens. Despite a continue fall in prices through Friday, the market bounced back on the weekend. Crypto-coins, both brand name and altcoins, are finding more practice usage each day.
Dallas Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban was one of the first this year to offer new life for turned-pessimist crypto-investors. The Texas-based basketball (NBA) franchise will host a cryptocurrency avenue where fans can purchase their tickets with tokens serving as valid tender. Cuban is one of technology’s more progressive thinkers, and his support offers plenty of hope moving forward.
When Dallas rolls out their starting five on week nights, they are promoting the faces of a $1.4 billion franchise (ninth in the league). However, the team fails in comparison to one of the world’s hottest companies, Starbucks. The international coffee sensation produces revenues of over $20 billion and holds assets of just under $15 billion.
Corporate chairman Howard Schultz pushed Captain Ahab’s chief mate into conversation late in the week following a statement with optimistic tones for cryptocurrency. Schultz, while keeping any potential claims at an arm’s length, mentioned the potential for this digital currency and the bright future it brings. Many investors leapt internally following his statement, and Schultz made it clear that while he sees tangible utility in the idea, but Bitcoin may not be the right coin for the job.
Two of the United States’ most recognizable companies have publicly praised the potential for cryptocurrency in both the short- and long-term future. Investors target the retail market as the ultimate goal for digital currency. An alternative to credit cards, customers would be able to transfer their own tokens at a lower rate than present third-party entities. Wall Street brokers struggle to back such a large mindset, but it is hardly necessary.
An Oakland house listing made its own headlines as the seller made the house available in exchange for cryptocurrency. The idea is not a new one. Bitcoin-RealEstate.com is an online listing with properties ranging from condominiums to bulk lot purchases, with prices between $50,000 and $6 million. Oakland’s current property may have been elevated by the lack of crypto-relevancy in the Bay Area. Should sales follow this procedure, the area would be forced to adapt to social trends.
The idea of trading for cryptocurrency is partially misleading. Buyers will agree on a flat US dollar price, then lock in an exchange rate for the token. With token prices shifting drastically, certain measures would need to be made. Most important, is that the crypto—market is displaying an ever-increasing amount of utility in everyday life. Whether investors will be able to stop in for a cup of coffee before work, or purchase their dream house, there is a bountiful parallel between opportunity and capability.


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The certification will provide a quantitative and qualitative framework for recognising organisations that have committed to take action on their supply chain environmental impacts, ultimately leading to carbon reductions. The methodology involves measuring impacts and improving processes and systems, allowing organisations to move forward from an initial commitment stage through to improving governance, measurement and the implementation of reduction initiatives.
“For a typical organisation, up to 90 percent of the carbon impacts are outside of its own boundaries of operational control,” said Darran Messem, managing director of certification at the Carbon Trust. “A number of companies are now very good at energy efficiency and cutting carbon inside their own four walls, but the real leaders are starting to look at how they can have an impact across the supply chain. The Carbon Trust’s new supply chain certification will help businesses and public sector bodies along a continuous journey of improvement, as a part of a sustainable, low carbon future.”
Organisations interested in the pilot should contact email@example.com or call +44 (0) 207 170 7000.
The Carbon Trust is an independent company which advises businesses, governments and the public sector on opportunities in a sustainable, low carbon world; measures and certifies the environmental footprint of organisations, products and services; and helps develop and deploy low-carbon technologies and solutions, from energy efficiency to renewable power.
Source: Carbon Trust
Timely, incisive articles delivered directly to your inbox.


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The Chevrolet Malibu has been on the market for half a year now so General Motors has released a six month report card on its volume mid-sizer, and the grades look pretty good. Not only did the Malibu grab the 2008 North American Car of the Year award, but it has also seen strong sales throughout the country.
Through the first three months of 2008, the Malibu has seen its market share increase by 1.3 points over the same time period the year before. That growth was largely due to increased retail sales, which were up 110 percent during the first quarter of 2008.
Perhaps the biggest news about the Malibu's success is that it is doing very well in states typically dominated by foreign auto sales. Florida, New York and California also saw tremendous sales gains over the previous model -- 91, 135, and 186 percent, respectively -- with some dealers reporting sales increases of 1,000 percent.
According to GM, more than 40 percent of trade-ins on the Malibu are non-GM vehicles, citing the Toyota Camry as the most traded-in vehicle. However, according to J.D. Power, only 1.4 percent of Malibu buyers traded-in a Camry, so that statistic has to be taken with a grain of salt. But whatever the case, it's certainly good news for GM that the Malibu is doing well on the coasts.


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LA Clippers Sign New Sponsor 1-800LoanMart
February 2, 2012
NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers have announced a new partnership with 1-800LoanMart.
This partnership between 1-800LoanMart and the Los Angeles Clippers will include signage for 1-800LoanMart at the Staples Center arena during Clippers home games, television and radio spots with 1-800LoanMart during games, charitable events sponsored by 1-800LoanMart and the Clippers, and a wide array of online and social media marketing.
Fans of the Clippers will begin to see this partnership with 1-800LoanMart go into action with signs during the game both live at the Staples Center and from home on television broadcasts. As the Clippers rise in popularity, 1-800LoanMart will gain more exposure as well.
Los Angeles Clippers team president Andy Roeser, said: “The LA Clippers are experiencing unprecedented growth in popularity. We are excited to have 1-800LoanMart on board as they continue to grow their brand.”
1-800 LoanMart chief marketing officer Colby Estes added: “It combines the strength and stability of the 1-800LoanMart brand with a professional sports franchise that has one of the fastest growing fanbases in the world, while providing us with a great opportunity to connect with some of the country’s most passionate, die hard fans, right here in our hometown of Los Angeles.”
1-800LoanMart is based out of Encino, California and is a lender of title loans in California for people who need an emergency influx of cash. This partnership with the Los Angeles Clippers will help promote the brand of 1-800LoanMart to the greater Los Angeles area.


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The Marvel app for the iPhone and iPad (see “Marvel iPad App”).charted at #14 on the list of free apps offered through the iTunes store at the end of its first weekend of availability. The free app allows users to shop around 500 Marvel issues (individual issues are $1.99); download select free titles, including New Avengers #1, Captain America #1, Invincible Iron Man #1, and Thor #1; or access the Comixology comic shop locator.
Marvel’s app benefited from widespread press coverage surrounding the iPad launch; many iPad stories included coverage of Marvel’s app for the new device.
After First Weekend
Posted by ICv2 on April 4, 2010 @ 10:26 pm CT
'Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures'
September 23, 2016
WizKids will release a new line of unpainted miniatures featuring iconic heroes and monsters from Dungeons & Dragons.


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Shop Direct chief executive Alex Baldock has welcomed news of a boost to broadband in yesterday’s Budget.
Chancellor George Osborne yesterday said in his Budget speech that the government would support long-term investment in digital communications infrastructure, including what he termed “a new ambition that ultrafast broadband of at least 100MB/s should be available to nearly all UK premises.”
Osborne also said the government would support improvements that will pave the way for better mobile broadband connectivity, and provided £1.1m for the Government Equalities Office IT challenge Fund that will support women to take their businesses online, using superfast broadband.
Alex Baldock, group chief executive of the UK’s fourth largest online retailer Shop Direct, said: “We’re thrilled that the government has pledged to make ultrafast broadband a reality for all. A fifth of the population has no access to broadband, wi-fi or mobile phone coverage. This is a big drag on the digital economy today.
“Superfast broadband will boost online sales by over £500m a year. This technology has changed not just how we shop, but how we live. Everyone, wherever they are, deserves it. It’s great news for Shop Direct customers, and will allow us to make lives easier nationwide.”
Shop Direct operates brands including Very.co.uk and Littlewoods.com.
Elsewhere in the Budget, the chancellor confirmed that a ‘diverted profits tax’ would come in to force on April 1, through the Finance Bill 2015. The tax, which has been dubbed a ‘Google tax’, is aimed at companies that move their profits abroad and avoid tax by doing so. Online retailers who trade in the UK but account for their profits in other European jurisdictions, such as Amazon , are also expected to be affected by the tax. The measure is expected to raise £25m in 2015-16, rising to £360m in 2017-18.
As Marketing Manager of PrioryDirect.co.uk, which is Europe’s leading supplier of integrated labels and packaging with 23000 clients within the ecommerce sector, Josh Pitman is uniquely positioned to assess the impact of the Budget on the industry as a whole, here is his assessment.
Josh Pitman, marketing manager of PrioryDirect.co.uk, which supplies labels and packaging to the ecommerce industry, welcomed the tax. “The diverted profits tax will help level the playing field between UK-based businesses and those that report their profits elsewhere,” he said. “Dubbed the ‘Google tax’, it will encourage a more competitive marketplace by reducing the unfair rates advantages achieved by the likes of Amazon.”
Pitman also welcomed the review of business rates, which he said could encourage smaller retailers to go online by removing “unfair rates penalties associated with high rental retail properties and freeing up some capital for them to invest in new routes to market. “The growth in the ‘clicks and bricks’ and ‘click and collect’ ecommerce business model has been clearly evident in our data with the incidence of retail addresses in our database for delivery of labels and packaging supplies up 22% in the last year alone and 76% of online shoppers predicted to use click and collect by 2017,” he said. “This review promises immediate improvements and opens the door to going much further in the years to come with discussions around removing a million small business from the business rates scheme entirely which would only reduce the revenue generated by 6% and provide much needed support to the high street and small business sector.”
He also said: “It’s undeniable that the £600million put aside to invest in superfast broadband will have a huge positive impact on the sector. It will give the UK ecommerce market a big advantage in terms of route to market within the UK itself and will help UK businesses compete more successfully into the European ecommerce market which is set to grow by 18.4% to £156.67bn in 2015.”
Finally, Ian Malone, chief executive and founder of proximity marketing specialist Airspace, said the budget was promising for retailers. “Firstly, the pledge to make ultrafast broadband a reality for nearly all UK premises will help retailers to introduce newer, more innovative ways to help service their customers better,” he said.
He added: “The other aspect of the budget that was particularly interesting was the government’s pledge to assign funds to develop applications for the Internet of Things and smart cities, The funding forms part of what the Treasury describes in the Budget document as ‘strategic science and innovation investments to make the UK a global leader in emerging markets and technologies.’ The Internet of Things is another huge opportunity for retailers.
“Right now the conversation is about providing what we call Private Networks to retailers so that they can engage and get insight from their own visitors. In the future we have Open Networks planned, ie out-of-home Internet of Things that will enable conversations between cars and individual parking spaces in shopping centres, for example. Your car will recognise you are on a regular route (to the mall) and it will check ahead to see if your preferred parking bay is available.
“With the introduction of these two key areas of investment, the UK is well placed to be a global leader in the development of new innovative solutions for retailing.”


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Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) on Monday called on the government to formulate an SME act and redefine cottage, micro, small and medium enterprises (CMSMEs) in the upcoming Industrial Policy.
DCCI President Rizwan Rahman said 75% entrepreneurs in Bangladesh belong to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
“But the CMSMEs are not getting loans from the stimulus package and other non-fiscal policy support like the medium enterprises,” Rizwan said.
“So, there has to be a new definition of CMSMEs, and an SME act will have to be formulated instead of policy.”
Rizwan also proposed to undertake a project to create a sector-specific database of CMSMEs to bring them under policy assistance.
He also called on setting up agro-based economic zones in areas like Jessore, Rangpur, Mymensing and Sylhet.
The DCCI president also urged the government to ensure an investment-friendly environment for the development of the export-oriented manufacturing sector and to increase the investment – GDP ratio to 36.99%.


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-K Vasudevan (email@example.com)
April 16, Thiruvananthapuram – Catering, which was once into delivering food as per choices with moreover a client-specific needs and with traditional cuisines have now made a tremendous shift to what is now seen as the ‘domination’ of Arabic, North-Indian, Italian dishes that is all set to welcome the guests across Kerala irrespective of the demography.
Spot preparations, wide varieties of cuisines and welcome drinks, sharp fall in catering orders have now led to catering units to devise and strategize ‘smart’ and feasible options to serve healthy and clean food at affordable rates. Most catering houses did not have to look into a wide variety of menus when it came to a reception, a house warming ceremony or a birthday. The caterers always had a set of traditional authentic dishes – non-vegetarian and vegetarian that had a special place in the dinner tables.
However, post-covid pandemic the food consumption pattern of an average Malayali witnessed massive changes with Middle-eastern and Malabar cuisines such as ‘Al-fahm’, ‘Thawa’, desserts etc dominating the dinner table spaces that was once occupied by traditional cuisines like ‘Biriyani’, ghee rice, ‘pulav’ and various vegetarian cuisines such as vegetarian pulav, cauliflower curries.
“During the 90s and the early 2000 we the people of Kerala witnessed the flourishing of the catering industry and people like me had started door to door delivery in 2011. Slowly when we started catering to elite functions like receptions, birthday celebrations etc we had served authentic Malabar biriyani and ghee rice in almost all functions. The recipe had continued until 2019 when the trend started changing drastically with various ‘Mandi’s, Turkish recipes, chicken items such as ‘Al-faham’, Chicken and mutton mandi having more takers like never before”, said Afzal, the owner of ‘Rahmaniya’ Hotels and Catering chain based in Ernakulam.
Traditional caterers based in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam who have been serving traditional ‘sadya’ (traditional Kerala meals with variety of curries) and traditional breakfasts says that the food consumption habits have not much changed, however the influence of North-Indian culture among the youths who had settled in metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi have started introducing ceremonies back in their hometown. The welcoming ceremony of guests and the festivities associated with it have witnessed the glaring shift in the changing culture. The arrival of a variety of deserts, salads, milk shakes, mixed-fruit juice combinations have more takers than how it used to be earlier where the guests who arrive directly wish the couple and move to the dining tables.
“These days thanks to the presence of social media and an interface called “event managers”, the stress is more on the ‘visibility’ than quality food at affordable rates. Since the pictures of such events are going live on social media, the stress is not on the quality and hygiene of the food, instead it is on the showmanship and gimmicks”, said Raji Suresh, the owner of ‘Anandham home catering’, a well-known catering organization that is headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram.
With its roots in a classic Yemeni dish – the mandi – the Kuzhimanthi biriyani is all the rage in Kerala. In fact, it is the only dish on the menu of Al Reem at its three branches in and around Kochi. They serve it with mayonnaise, salsa and salathar, or salad, on the side though, in Yemen, it is served with tzatziki, a type of cucumber raita. Various kinds of Yemeni cuisines have become an instant hit among the caterers.
Arabic food and Yemeni food joints have spread its wings across north kerala and central kerala. A drive through the highway from Kannur to Kasaragod and from Kozhikode to Thrissur gives a picture as to the demand which has generated among the youths for Mandi’s and Turkish Kebabs. Meanwhile, many well established catering houses have complained regarding the quality and hygiene of the ‘new-age’ catering houses that have flourished post Covid pandemic.
Calicut Taste catering and events is a partnership firm owned by Hashim and Shihabudheen “The biggest challenge now that has arised is the arrival of a large number of small sized caterers who have managed to start food joints without the adequate licenses. The quality and the hygienic factors are the most concerning issues here. Many such joints have been asked to shut down recently by the food safety department. This has indeed affected people like us who have been working for years following the norms and protocols after gaining the confidence of the people here”, said Hashim, owner of Calicut Taste Catering and Events.
“Spot cooking is the new word now. Earlier days the client came up with a single order or a common order where we had a set of food items. Now the variety is so diverse that even for welcome drinks there are 7 to 10 choices. People have more and more choices now”, Hashim added. Post Covid has also witnessed a major dip in the orders issued in main cities across kerala. Earlier when there used to be 2000 to 2500 orders for a function, the number has seen a substantial drop. Many point out that financial constraints and the need for privacy among family and friends gathering has become a norm.
“The orders that have been made have reduced substantially. There could be many reasons for this reduction. Earlier in our Cochin unit there used to be 2500 to 3000 orders on an average function that used to happen. That has now reduced to 1000 and 1200. The difference is stark, hence we have to evolve with the changing times”, he said
Anees, Royal Catering Service feels that “The biggest change we have witnessed off late is the downsizing of the orders unlike earlier days where we saw 2000 to 2500 orders for a function like reception and party’s. People now likes to make all functions small and a more private affair post covid. This is not essentially due to financial constraints. But this has become a norm now”. As per chefs and hoteliers there are various reasons for the emergence of the so-called Arabian cuisines into our dinner tables. One reason is the large-scale coming-back of Keralites back to their hometowns from the Gulf region and other regions of the middle east after the Covid induced lockdown had a cascading effect on the economy.
“After 2020 and especially after Covid pandemic, there has been a dip in the number of catering orders. Earlier if for a marriage or a reception if there were 1400 1500 people now it has come down to 800 to 850. People are reluctant to spend money now. This could also due to the financial burden post pandemic. Due to this we are also affected”, Sujith, owner of Nakshatra Caterers, Ernakulam concludes
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As Apple is believed to be working on its own ‘Siri speaker‘ product, research firm eMarketer has predicted that the U.S. market for voice-controlled speakers will double this year.
The number of active U.S. users will more than double for the devices this year, to 35.6 million, eMarketer said.
Reuters reports that in the market currently dominated by Amazon and Google, there is currently a clear leader …
Amazon.com Inc is dominating the nascent market for voice-controlled speakers, research firm eMarketer said on Monday. The e-commerce giant’s Amazon Echo and Echo Dot devices will claim a 70.6 percent share of the U.S. market this year […] That puts it far ahead of Alphabet Inc’s Google Home, a similar gadget that has a 23.8 percent share, and less successful offerings from other tech companies.
However, Google’s share is expected to grow as it’s brand awareness is increasing at a faster rate than that experienced by Amazon.
Apple is of course expected to compete in the premium end of the market, rather than chasing market share initially.
We first heard reports of the company working on a connected speaker almost a year ago, when it was suggested it might feature facial recognition cameras. The most recent report suggests that Apple very well could announce it at WWDC.
While a Siri speaker likely only makes sense for some households, Apple would come to the market with a number of advantages over existing products. These include multi-language support, HomeKit and app integration through a Siri SDK.


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As if the release of The Hobbit weren’t enough to send fans of Middle-earth into a frenzy, LEGO have announced a new Lord Of The Rings collection featuring the heroes and villains of the J.R.R Tolkien trilogy.
A deal was signed last year to allow the toy company access to the rights to all characters and settings from the LOTR trilogy, as well as the upcoming adaptation of The Hobbit.
The first range of LEGO products is expected to arrive in December, ahead of The Hobbit’s release, and will be a heroes collection, featuring the likes of Frodo, Aragorn and Gandalf (in his traditional grey attire).
After that will come a small range of villains, including the Orcs of Moria, a Ringwraith and Gollum. Whether or not a Lego Eye of Sauron will be released remains to be seen, but we can only hope so.
We’d like to pretend that we’re too grown up to be hopelessly excited by this, but there it is… we aren’t. This year’s Christmas list has just written itself…
How badly do you want these? Be honest, below...


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Google Wallet Launched
Google Wallet has launched in the US and currently available for customers using Sprint Nexus S 4G phones with a Citi MasterCard or Visa Card.
You may be familiar in Australia with the MasterCard PayPass where you can ‘Tap and Go’. The Google Wallet is a similar concept except your can assign a specific credit card to your phone – basically making your phone a credit card, or wallet.
Google now has a worldwide license to Visa’s payWave technology. Google has further announced that in due course American Express and Discover will be part of the Google Wallet system.
Google Wallet Promo Videos
Seinfeld’s George Costanza
You can find out more about Google Wallet here: http://www.google.com/wallet/ – we will keep you updated with any news about Google Wallet launching in Australia.


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Google Nexus 7 to launch with no TV content
July 5, 2012
The company’s first own-branded tablet computer will go on sale in the UK on July 10th, but many potential buyers could be put off paying £169 (€209) for the device without a full library of content.
International rights issues mean that manufacturers must strike deals for music and TV shows in individual countries. Google has so far only managed to sign successful licensing agreements in the US.


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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 18, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MPH Ventures Corp. (TSX-V:MPS) (OTCBB:MPSFF) (Frankfurt:IJA2) (the “Company”) is pleased to announce Travelucion has signed an exclusive contract to begin international commercialization and marketing of Cuban medical treatments across its 432 Cuban related websites. The combination of low cost of treatment and excellent post-operative rehabilitation centres makes Cuba an ideal destination for medical tourism. The National Health System of Cuba, along with its doctors and surgeons, are world renowned as is Cuban medical research.
Rising healthcare costs in developed countries like Canada, America and European Nations, coupled with the availability of high quality medical services at lower prices in developing nations like Cuba has led to an expansion of the medical tourism industry. Moreover, a rise in the elderly population along with an increasing number of uninsured people has further triggered market growth with patients travelling abroad not only for cosmetic surgeries with quick recoveries but also for more complex operations and procedures. According to the Medical Tourism Association, it was estimated that approximately 1.6 million Americans travelled to other destinations in 2012 for medical services and this number is anticipated to grow.
This contract is a significant development as it positions MPH’s Travelucion within this rapidly growing industry in addition to expanding and diversifying the current business as an online travel and digital media company specializing in travel marketing, electronic reservations and online booking solutions for international visitors to Cuba. As per the contract, Travelucion will be paid a 10% commission on all medical procedures and treatments booked through its websites with procedures ranging in price from a few hundred dollars up to US +$50,000. To create a flagship website in conjunction with this contract, MPH’s Travelucion will completely overhaul one of its existing medical tourism websites CubanHealth.com which was originally developed in the year 2000 in partnership with CIMEQ hospital in Havana.
There will be 252 medical procedures and treatments that will be offered through Travelucion’s websites and they are all ISO 9001 compliant, employing the latest state-of-the-art equipment and techniques, ranging from simple medical checkups and addiction therapy, to major surgeries and cancer treatments. Some of the treatments available include: neurological rehabilitation, cancer treatments, organ transplants, ophthalmic therapies, orthopedic surgery, cardiovascular surgery, drug and alcohol addiction treatments, as well as treatments for vitiligo, psoriasis, alopecia, Parkinson’s disease, scoliosis and many more.
Travelucion will also offer increasing popular cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures such as: breast augmentation/reduction, body contouring after major weight loss, liposuction (including laser and ultrasound assisted procedures), sclerotherapy, buttock augmentation, botox and dermal fillers, gynecomastia surgery, rhinoplasty, skin rejuvenation and resurfacing, facelift surgery, eyelid surgery, as well as hair transplants and laser removal procedures.
Furthermore, Cuba has become a prominent location for the latest keyhole surgeries and operations which incorporate advances in the fields of computers, videos and endoscopy equipment and made possible through the development of endoscopic and video-assisted surgeries. These new therapeutic approaches and operations have revolutionized medical science in general and in particular surgical specialties.
All services are offered at special wings of numerous hospitals and health care centres across Havana such as: Hospital Frank País, Pando Ferrer Hospital, Ramón González Coro Hospital, Julito Dias Hospital, La Pradera Health Centre, CIREN Neurological Rehabilitation Hospital, Cira Garcia Hospital, Calixto Garcia Hospital, Manuel Fajardo Clinic, Joaquin Albarran Clinic and numerous others across the city. Steve Marshall, CEO of Travelucion, maintains a keen interest in Cuban Healthcare demonstrated by his philanthropic initiatives including refitting of the Pinar del Rio General hospital in 2001 with over $800,000 in second hand medical equipment and importing containers of children's toys for the pediatric cancer unit at the Havana William Soler Hospital in Cuba.
The Medical Tourism Industry and Cuba:
Medical tourism is a rapidly growing industry around the world and Travelucion considers Cuba to be one of the major opening opportunities globally due to its proximity to the United States and Canada coupled with its timely and less costly treatment availabilities. Patients will also be able to combine treatment with an extended stay in Cuba both pre or post treatment.
Transparency Market Research (TMR), a market intelligence and research firm, has published a market study on the global medical tourism market, estimating the total value of the global medical tourism market by 2019 to be US $32.5 billion. The market was valued at US $10.5 billion in 2012 and is expected to expand at an impressive CAGR of 17.9% during the period from 2013 to 2019 according to the research report titled “Medical Tourism Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 – 2019”. Travelucion estimates that Cuba’s nascent medical tourism sector could treat tens of thousands of patients each year generating tens of millions in health care sales, plus the additional sales related to extended stays, rehabilitation and vacation time for patients.
About MPH Ventures Corp.:
On October 20th, MPH Ventures announced the Company had acquired a 20% interest in Travelucion S.L., an online travel digital media company, with an option for a period of eight months, to acquire the remaining 80% interest subject to shareholder and TSX Venture Exchange approval (see News Release Oct. 20, 2015). Travelucion is a cash-flow positive online travel digital media company that specializes in travel marketing, electronic reservations and online booking solutions for international visitors to Cuba. Travelucion also owns one of the most significant portfolios of Cuban focused web assets, through 432 sites, which collectively generate over 30 million page-views per year and direct traffic to the main Travelucion booking site.
Recent Cuban article printed in the Globe and Mail:
MPH-Travelucion Presentation: http://www.mphventurescorp.com/i/pdf/MPS_PPT.pdf
MPH Ventures Corp. has approx. 33.3 million shares issued and outstanding.
MPH VENTURES CORP.
JAMES G. PETTIT
President & CEO
For further information contact myself or:
MPH Ventures Corp.
Toll Free: 800-567-8181
NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, include market prices, exploration and development successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedar.com for further information.
Source:MPH Ventures Corp.


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Larger new container vessels entering US east and west coast container trades could foil attempts by liner operators to raise transportation rates in 2015, according to a container sector analyst.
The capacity surge is coming at the same time that the National Retail Federation (NRF), a major US container shipper group, is predicting volume increases of 4 to 8% through August, during much of the peak shipping season.
The strong volume forecast has prompted the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement, a 15-member alliance of box carriers, to seek USD1,600 in rate and surcharge increases by 1 July.
However, “There is not enough demand to justify this level of capacity increase,” said Ben Hackett, founder of Hackett Associates, in the latest monthly Port Tracker released on 8 May.
Hackett said the change in the supply-demand balance could lead to a “price war” on transportation rates. “Expect rates on both coastal services to fall to all-time lows.”
NRF noted that US import container volume levels are returning to normal since West Coast dockworkers agreed to a tentative labour pact in February. A ratification vote count on the agreement is scheduled for 22 May.
NRF and Hackett Associates predict US box imports for the first half of 2015 will hit 8.8 million teu, a 6% y/y increase.


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CDP Supply Chain Report 2018: Closing the Gap, Scaling up sustainable supply chain practices, report is released on 29.01.2018.
The number of companies forging ahead with an industry-leading approach to tackling emissions in the supply chain has doubled in a year, according to CDP’s Global Supply Chain Report 2018. But despite a high awareness of climate-related risks, this leadership is not yet spurring widescale action down the supply chain, leading to missed opportunities for cutting emissions and costs.
A growing number of global companies are leading the way on cutting emissions in the supply chain.
Emissions located in the supply chain are around four times as high as those from direct operations. To meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, we need action at every level of the supply chain.
Find Closing the Gap CDP Supply Chain Report 2018 here.


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The country’s top technology hub Hangzhou will be assigning government officials to work with 100 local companies in the eastern province of Zhejiang. The move appears to be proof that the government is becoming more involved in the private sector, especially with growing concerns over China’s trade war with the United States.
The 100 companies were not named, but state media reports said Alibaba and auto maker Zhejiang Geely Automobile Holdings are included in the list. Despite the news, Alibaba said it plans to proceed with business as usual.
“We understand this initiative… aims to foster a better business environment in support of Hangzhou-based enterprises,” Alibaba said in a statement. “The government representative will function as a bridge to the private sector, and will not interfere with the company’s operations.”
This move follows the introduction of business ratings in the country, with around 33 million businesses already evaluated and ranked on a scale of one to four.
“The unified rewards and punishment system significantly increases the potential for one violation to snowball across your operations until you have this avalanche of penalties that make it impossible to operate until you solve that one thing,” said Kendra Schaefer, head of digital research at Trivium China.
And just this week, it was revealed that the government’s social credit system will also be impacting American firms doing business in China. Companies refusing to cooperate will get “black marks on their records.” United, Delta and American Airlines, for instance, were instructed to change their websites to say that Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan were part of China.
“It’s supposed to affect the decision making of businesses to conform to what the party wants,” said Samantha Hoffman, a fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.


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For the last few years, it’s seemed like every major tech and gaming company has experimented with virtual reality to some degree, including Sony, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, HTC, Valve, and plenty more. Nintendo, meanwhile, has been conspicuously absent. (And no, the ill-fated Virtual Boy from the mid-’90s doesn’t count.)
Not only has the company stayed away from VR, but its most prominent figures have seemed apprehensive about the medium. “When I see people play virtual reality, it makes me worry, just as for example if a parent were to see their kid playing virtual reality, it would probably make them worry,” game design legend Shigeru Miyamoto told Time back in 2017, just before the Switch launched.
That’s why it was so surprising when Nintendo abruptly announced a VR headset last month. Of course, this being Nintendo, it’s not just any pair of virtual reality goggles. This is a company that likes to go its own way, and its first proper foray into VR is no different. Instead of the chunky black headsets that have become synonymous with VR, thanks to the likes of Oculus and HTC, Nintendo is releasing a device that’s made of cardboard that you have to build


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Huawei has unveiled their latest phones, the Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro.
Razer has unveiled the Razer Phone 2, the sequel to last year’s Razer Phone.
After numerous leaks, Google has officially announced their latest hardware offerings with the Pixel 3 & Pixel 3 XL, Pixel Slate, Home Hub and more.
Apple had a few announcements at their event on September 12th, including the Apple Watch Series 4, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR.
Samsung has officially launched their latest phone in their Note lineup, the Galaxy Note9.
Sony has announced when Xperia owners can expect the Android 9 Pie update.
Samsung has officially unveiled their latest Note entry with the Galaxy Note9.
Usually, with phones leaks, we get a few blurry images or renderings in the months and weeks before a phone’s official announcement. But now a rumoured Pixel 3 XL final production unit has leaked out, just less than two months before Google’s official announcement.
Sony has unveiled their IMX586 stacked CMOS image sensors for smartphone cameras. The sensor has 48-megapixels, which is the industry’s highest pixel count.
In the smartphone market, there has always been a race for third place. This is because Apple and Samsung have already established themselves as the top smartphone makers. That leaves the rest of the smartphone OEMs to battle it out to gain a top spot.


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OCZ Technology and Symwave are teaming up for a new line of USB 3.0-powered external solid state drives, with both companies again showing faith in the growing storage technology.
“OCZ’s products are synonymous with high performance,” Symwave officials said in a statement. “Combining our USB 3.0 controller with their SSD technology, both architected for performance without compromise, is a perfect match.”
The OCZ USB 3.0 external SSD will be shown off during CES in Las Vegas in January. It’s unknown what other technologies the companies will collaborate on, but it’s almost guaranteed to be a storage device that features either USB 3.0 or SSD.
Similar to CES 2009 last January, CES 2010 is expected to feature a number of new SSD-based products, with external SSDs expected to be especially popular among exhibitors. Symwave previously worked with Seagate to show off USB 3.0 devices during CES at the beginning of this year, and sees USB 3.0, SSD, and strong partnerships as three important steps moving forward.
In October, Dane-Elec showed off a USB 3.0 HDD with storage capacities ranging from 500GB up to 2TB. The USB 3.0 devices can reportedly transfer 1GB of information in 3.3 seconds, compared to USB 2.0 transfer speeds around 33 seconds.
As consumers look to use storage products faster than regular HDDs, it’s up to manufacturers to now work on driving down the price of SSD to encourage more widespread adoption.


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Norfolk, Va. (WTKR) - The cruise season in Norfolk ended Monday with a visit by the cruise ship Aida Vita to the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center.
The ship visited Norfolk as a stopover visit, one of several to do so this year.
"These ships that stop in town for the day. The guests get off. They have 8 hours to go to the mall or take tours and see the city. It really is a great thing for the community," Nauticus Executive Director Stephen Kirkland told NewsChannel 3's Todd Corillo Monday.
The stopover visits in Norfolk are seasonal, usually in the spring and fall.
When combining the Carnival cruises that originate from Norfolk with the stopover traffic, Kirkland says there were more than 50,000 passengers in Norfolk in 2015, an increase from 20,000 in 2014.
Those passengers are bringing an important economic impact to the city.
"Typically on average those guests spend about $100 to $125 while they are in port. We’ve had 50,000 cruise ships passengers in total this year. Times that by 100 bucks a person," Kirkland explained.
Already the itineraries are being made for cruise visits to Norfolk in 2016 and 2017.


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Hello Barbie can hold Siri-like conversations with kids, and was meant to help spur a turnaround for Mattel. Instead, it’s drawn the ire of one of the toy industry’s most influential critics
Mattel Inc. replaced Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bryan Stockton after the toy company’s sales slump extended to five quarters and holiday-season earnings fell far below analysts’ estimates
“Frozen” merchandise is the most coveted toy for girls this holiday season, knocking Barbie from the No. 1 position for the first time, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation
At 55 years old. Barbie is starting a new career as an entrepreneur — but is it enough to offset her waning popularity in the playroom?
Mattel Inc, the world’s largest toymaker, reported its third straight fall in quarterly revenue as sales for the iconic Barbie doll declined the most since mid-2009
Mattel chairman and chief executive Bryan Stockton said its purchase of Mega Brands would 'immediately position us to be a meaningful player in the construction category'
The popular doll brand, which sells for US$110 at its highly interactive U.S. stores and through a catalogue, will be opening boutiques inside two Indigo books stores in Toronto and Vancouver, complete with in-store doll hair salons, apparel and accessories
Monster High dolls are taking a bite out of Barbie. Mattel said Wednesday its second-quarter net income fell 24%, hurt by a continued slide in Barbie sales and a $14 million write-down on the toy maker’s Polly Pocket line
In a bid to boost sales of its Hot Wheels toy cars, Mattel Inc. invited influential mommy bloggers to discuss one of the great mysteries of modern life
Best Managed program leaders John Hughes and Peter Brown recently spoke with the Financial Post to discuss some of the key trends and challenges affecting private business in Canada and how Best Managed companies have been able to overcome them.
OPEC's strategy to choke off U.S. shale producers has gone awry, and now threatens to turn into an ugly stalemate that could further destabilize the Middle East
The key to Sprott Energy Fund's success in a lacklustre market was a canny decision to buy into high-quality, but massively oversold Canadian light oil companies
When customers asked about the products, Shoppers tracked down the twin sisters selling their parents' creation online, and put in a small order. That soon became a big one
The changes are the latest for the once high-flying retailer, which pioneered the sexy preppy look and made male models with ridiculously ripped abs a billboard standard
Laura Jones: Canada is now the first country in the world to require that for every new regulation introduced one of equivalent burden must be removed


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The five-day event anchors Hong Kong Art Week, a wider schedule of satellite shows and exhibitions openings, glitzy parties and talks. The city is once again abuzz with cultural events just a month after the territory lifted its nearly 1,000-day mask mandate.
Visitors attend the Art Basel Hong Kong VIP preview on Wednesday. Credit: Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images
In the last year alone, major new art fairs have launched in Seoul and Singapore. Taiwan’s capital continues to generate excitement as it prepares to host the fourth edition of its Taipei Dangdai fair, and the inaugural Tokyo Gendai launches in Japan this July. Western galleries and auction houses have meanwhile expanded their presence in Asian cities beyond Hong Kong. So, can any of these burgeoning markets establish themselves as the region’s leading collector hub?
Last August, Sotheby’s held its first auction in Singapore for 15 years. The volume of interest was so high that prospective bidders spilled out into the aisles of a packed conference room. Flitting between English and Mandarin, the auctioneer brought the hammer down on artworks by Asian heavyweights like Yayoi Kusama in a flurry of sales that collectively exceeded estimates by almost 40%.
A packed auction room as Sotheby’s held its first sale in Singapore for 15 years. Credit: Courtesy Sotheby’s
The fair was held alongside the ongoing Singapore Biennale and a smaller curated fair, S.E.A. Focus, dedicated to emerging Southeast Asian art. The city was “really buzzing,” the fair’s project director Emi Eu said in January. “I saw a lot of important collectors and VIPs coming from the region… The big Western galleries would not have come if they didn’t feel like this whole week was important for their program.”
Art SG launched in January, taking over two floors of the Marina Bay Sands exhibition center and reporting over 42,000 visitors across its four-day schedule. Credit: Courtesy ART SG
A growing number of private galleries have also set up shop in recent years. In the days ahead of ArtSG alone, Tokyo’s Whitestone Gallery and Hong Kong-based Woaw Gallery opened new outposts in the city.
“Art Basel Hong Kong is really important for (the city) to really show what is reality on the ground.”
Singapore has advantages for galleries and collectors alike. The country’s low taxes may not be as favorable as those in Hong Kong, which enjoys tariff-free imports on art, but it is still relatively economical for both buyers and sellers. A recent influx of affluent Chinese residents during the pandemic has expanded the local customer base, while the widespread use of Mandarin helps collectors from mainland China — now the world’s second-largest art market — feel at home while shopping for art.
Hong Kong-based Woaw Gallery opened a new outpost in Singapore last year. Credit: Courtesy WOAW Gallery
Ultimately, it may simply be too soon for Singapore’s nascent art market to compete with Hong Kong’s. Eu described the city as Asia’s “newest baby” compared to more established markets like Seoul and Tokyo.
“It takes time,” she said, adding: “But if we really work together with the same aim, I do think that we can go somewhere.”
Frieze Seoul attendees view an artwork by Javier Callerja at the fair’s VIP preview last year. Credit: Justin Shin/GA/ARTNews/Getty Images
Among them was New York’s Lehmann Maupin, which opened its first Seoul gallery in 2017 before relocating to a larger space last year. Co-founder David Maupin said South Korea’s appeal is not just about wealth or size (the population of Seoul alone is almost double that of Singapore) but of its collecting culture.
“Collectors here have an openness to engage with artists — and to buy and talk about art that doesn’t necessarily have auction records,” he said ahead of Frieze Seoul’s opening. “Their collecting habits come out of connoisseurship, interest and passion.”
The art world’s growing interest in the country makes “perfect sense,” he added, pointing to its education infrastructure, well-established local galleries and globally-renowned artists like sculptor Lee Bul, who he has long represented.
Last year, Lehmann Maupin gallery relocated to a new two-story space in Seoul’s chic Hannam-dong neighborhood. Credit: Courtesy Lehmann Maupin/Sonongji
Speculation about the Hong Kong art world’s decline may, in any case, have been greatly exaggerated. Within the last two years, auction houses Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Phillips have all announced plans to open new physical headquarters in the city. Former Sotheby’s chair Patti Wong said that while Covid put “a big dampener” on the market, Hong Kong’s auction sales “held up pretty well” throughout.
Wong welcomed the emergence of new “mini hubs” in recent years, saying “the more players there are, the more vibrant the market is.” But, she added, none of these cities can match Hong Kong’s tax setup or overcome other competitive advantages amassed in recent decades.
A Covid-inspired artwork at 2021’s scaled-back edition Art Basel Hong Kong. Credit: Anthony Kwan/Getty Images
No emerging player ticks every box. Like Hong Kong, Singapore has been accused of censoring sensitive art, albeit often motivated by supposed public decency rather than politics; Seoul and Tokyo are harder to navigate for all-important Chinese collectors due to language barriers. All of them currently lack the logistical capacity to handle the volume of art trading seen in Hong Kong.
“Yes, in Singapore everything is in Mandarin or bilingual, which is very convenient for Chinese buyers,” said Wong. “But the infrastructure must be there: the art handlers, the warehouses, the restorers.”
Indeed, global fairs and auction sales are not the only litmus test of an art market. Shipping company Crozier’s 2022 announcement that it was significantly expanding its presence in Hong Kong may have generated fewer headlines than ArtSG or Frieze Seoul, but it was arguably a more important long-term indicator.
“We still see Hong Kong’s role as being a primary gateway — into China and out of China,” the firm’s general manager Simon Hornby told The Art Newspaper at the time. “The Hong Kong dollar is still linked to the US dollar; the system of law is still based on English law. We have no reason to believe that’s going to change in the next 20 to 30 years.”
Top image caption: An installation by American artist KAWS in Singapore, with the city’s famous Marina Bay Sands and ArtScience Museum seen behind.


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On the market of postal services in the country in 2021, there has been continuity in the growth of the volume of packages. The volume of packages is 4,832,940, which makes up 12.8 percent of the total volume of the postal market, the most so far, according to data from the Postal Agency (AP).
According to the AP, the increase in the number of packages is correlated with the accelerated change in consumer habits due to the pandemic, where a growing number of consumers use e-commerce, with the delivery of purchased goods usually provided by postal service providers. Further growth in demand for these services is expected in the future.
The volume of packages with postal service providers on the free market in 2021 increased by 38.7 percent compared to 2020.


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Famed truck maker Mercedes-Benz has announced that it has built its two-millionth SUV, which includes its G-Class, M-Class, R-Class, GL-Class and GLK-Class models.
Read This Article
Mercedes-Benz plans to expand its lineup with a series of new vehicles, ranging from a 911-fighter to more compact vehicles.
When automakers compete, the consumer is the winner.
Mercedes-Benz announces pricing on the all-new 2014 B-Class Electric Drive.


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The world is now growing at an even faster rate than it was a decade ago. This rapid growth has not only brought new technology to the world but also a fair square of equal responsibility that needs to be addressed along.
Novelis partners with recycling startup Sortera Alloys to recycle automotive post-production and consumer scrap
Novelis, a sustainable aluminum solutions provider and the world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling, announced a strategic partnership with Sortera Alloys, an industrial scrap metal sorting and recycling company.
Virginia-based fashion tech startup Circ raises $30m funding to expand recycle clothing, eliminate waste
The circular fashion company Circ announced over $30 million in Series B funding backed by some of the largest international apparel companies and venture capital firms.
Simplifyber secures $3.5m seed investment to reinvent how clothing is made with sustainable, advanced Manufacturing
Simplifyber, the creator of the world's first fully-molded garment and shoe uppers made directly from a cellulose-based liquid, announced the closing of a $3.5 million round of seed funding.
Deeptech startup NEU Battery Materials raises S$800,000 seed funding to produce clean and sustainable lithium batteries
Deeptech startup, NEU Battery Materials has raised a total of S$800,000 in seed funding from Momentum Venture Capital and Se-cure Waste Management.
Vietnam-based sustainability company, EQUO, has raised $1.3 million in seed funding. Leading the seed round is NextGen Ventures with participation from Techstars and East Ventures.
Bio-material tech startup Cruz Foam closes $2.5m seed funding to accelerate circular protective packaging solutions
Cruz Foam, a mission-driven sustainable materials company, announced it has closed $2.5 million in seed funding in a raise led by At One Ventures to enable the transition toward a circular economy.
Enel, a multinational power company and integrated player in the global power, gas and renewables markets. announced it has expanded its energy innovation reach into Canada through a partnership with MaRS Discovery District.
MITO Material Solutions, a cutting edge developer of additives that enable polymer manufacturers to enhance product performance, announced an oversubscribed $1 million Series Seed funding round.
Seattle based startup Atomo Coffee announced it has closed an additional $9 million in Seed funding to bring its molecular coffee to market.
The Digital Africa seed fund off to a promising start, offers customized support for African startups
The Digital Africa seed fund for innovative entrepreneurship in Africa is off to a promising start. Just six months on from its launch, already, one third of the €15 million for technical and financial assistance has already begun to flow.
Award-winning Belgium start-up e-peas has raised an additional €8 million worth of investment led by Partech and Airbus Ventures, with KBC Focus Fund, W.IN.G, Noshaq Ventures, LeanSquare, Nivelinvest and Vives also contributing.
UK startup Greyparrot raises €2 million in seed funding round to revolutionise recycling with waste recognition software
AI tech startup Greyparrot has raised €2 million to tackle the growing waste crisis by introducing digitisation and automation to recycling.
Mitsui Chemicals announced that it has selected three innovative Asian startups to receive support under the Asia–Pacific Low-Carbon Lifestyles Challenge (APLCLC), a program run by the United Nations Environment Programme.
TOOPI Organics, a French startup specialized in the valuation of human urine for agriculture has raised over one million euros as part of its first capital round.
Kolics Company Limited is a social enterprise that owns the Koliko Wear brand. It was established in Takoradi-Ghana in 2017. It provides customers with quality and affordable ladies and gents footwear. We produce shoes for all and deliver on our promise


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Amazon is investing a fortune in automation. The company recently announced that they would open a grocery store without cashiers. They’re also trying to get a fleet of delivery drones off the ground, barring regulations, effectiveness, and cost. Some functions of the company’s warehouses are already automated, and more human-powered jobs will eventually be replaced by machines.
While current technology could, in fact, fully realize these lofty goals within the next year, Amazon is also devising some pretty wild and futuristic concepts, too. For instance, the company recently filed patents to build a floating drone warehouse to fulfill orders placed by Amazon Prime Air, their in-the-works drone delivery system.
Yet how would a giant floating loading dock in the sky work? Better yet, why would Amazon want to build one in the first place? Let’s take a look.
Amazon wants to create automated “airborne fulfillment drones” that float 45,000 feet above the ground.
These drones will supply smaller Amazon Prime Air drones with goods in high-demand locations. Instead of having the delivery drones fly all the way back to an Amazon warehouse to reload, they could significantly reduce their delivery time by resupplying in one of these behemoths.
These warehouse blimps could be used to deliver items to a crowded event.
In Amazon’s patent filings, they hypothesized that these blimps could be positioned near sporting events. This would let small drones delivery concessions and/or food to the crowd. The small delivery drones would also require little to no power in their descent from the bigger airborne fulfillment drones.
You won’t see these blimp-like drones for a while. Amazon is already having a tough time getting their delivery drone fleet off the ground due to cost and regulations. Once they perfect that and delivery drones become the new normal, then we’ll start to hear more about these fulfillment drones. Until then, you should get to know your friendly neighborhood UPS guy, because he’s not going anywhere anytime soon.


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Barn Brasserie to temporarily close, rebrand
MUNCIE – A popular downtown Muncie restaurant is closing — temporarily — to become something new.
Barn Brasserie, 117 W. Charles St., will close for an undetermined amount of time at the end of business hours Tuesday, and is expected to reopen as a new restaurant concept in the future.
Owner Matt Burns said the closure will allow the restaurant to reinvent itself.
"It's time to close for remodeling and rebranding," Burns said. "I plan on reopening ... but I don't have a timetable yet."
While Burns declined to share further details, or a potential reopening date, he did confirm the restaurant — whatever it is — will remain in the same location. He said it would be something different from what his restaurant currently offers, which includes locally-sourced foods and American dishes with a French influence.
Barn Brasserie opened in mid-2013 in the spot that was once occupied by White River Landing, near the corner of Charles and High streets.
In November 2015, the restaurant said it would start serving brunch daily — expanding a Sunday-only favorite — in hopes of attracting business from the new hotel. Barn Brasserie suspended daily brunch service in late January, but has continued to offer Sunday brunch, which has long included bottomless mimosas.
The restaurant will be open 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Tuesday, March 29.


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Samsung hopes to ship at least 35 million Galaxy S5 units this quarter
posted by Florin T. / Apr 15, 2014, 1:41 PM
Samsung launched its new Galaxy S5 flagship on April 11 around the world, and initial reports say that sales are going well - better than initial sales of the Galaxy S4 from last year. Now, a new report coming out of South Korea has it that Samsung expects to ship at least 35 million Galaxy S5 handsets this quarter (by the end of June).
According to The Korea Times, an unnamed senior Samsung executive declared that “the S5 will be a major turning point for Samsung’s mobile business. That’s why Shin Jong-kyun, the company’s mobile chief himself, checks sales figures and stock movements.”
While shipments won’t be immediately translated into sales, 35 million units is still an impressive figure that will likely allow Samsung to further consolidate its position as the world’s largest smartphone maker.
The Galaxy S5 is currently available in 125 countries, including in key markets like the US - where the handset can be purchased via all major mobile carriers (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile).
The Korea Times also noted that, according to some insiders, until now Samsung shipped a total of 63 million Galaxy S4 units, but only 40 million were actually sold - so the rest of 23 million units is probably sitting in stores and warehouses waiting to be purchased. We’re assuming that Samsung will significantly reduce the selling price of the S4 in every market, now that the S5 is also available.
source: The Korea Times via Android Authority
Samsung Galaxy S5 OS: Android 6.0 Marshmallow, 5.1 Lollipop, 5.0 Lollipop, 4.4.4, 4.4.2 View Full specs
- Display 5.1" 1080 x 1920 pixels
- Camera 16 MP / 2.1 MP front
- Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, Quad-core, 2500 MHz
- Storage 32 GB + microSDXC
- Battery 2800 mAh(21h 3G talk time)
Posts: 4146; Member since: Nov 02, 2012
I don't doubt they will. Good thing you attached 58 pictures so I would know which phone it was. Yudutat?
posted on Apr 15, 2014, 1:45 PM 21
Posts: 4888; Member since: Apr 15, 2011
People really like that the Galaxy S5 is dust & waterproof. I think it will sell VERY well. I think they can do it for sure. +1
posted on Apr 15, 2014, 1:57 PM 17
Posts: 1888; Member since: Mar 30, 2011
People who got S3 on the contract 2 years ago are ready to upgrade to S5 now :D I think S5 is a great phone. No doubt they will do well this year. It might not be my favorite phone for 2014, but S5 will lead the pack in sale again this year for sure.
posted on Apr 15, 2014, 2:05 PM 8
Posts: 2964; Member since: Oct 08, 2012
I know..LOL. Poor iPhone 5C. http://appleinsider.com/articl
I wonder how many Android flagships, BB, WP are collecting dust in warehouses.
posted on Apr 15, 2014, 3:13 PM 1
Posts: 2236; Member since: Jun 14, 2013
Except this very article states 23 million SGS4's are rotting on shelves or warehouses. 3 million of a midrange phone sitting on shelves is not the same as 23 million of a flagship (that's more than 50% of all SGS4 sales) rotting, no matter how fuzzy the math. The SGS4 loss write-off is going to make the Surface write-off look like chump change.
posted on Apr 15, 2014, 4:33 PM 0
Posts: 2964; Member since: Oct 08, 2012
Keep them coming! http://www.electronista.com/ar
ticles/14/04/11/company.relies .on.conflation.of.sales.with.s hipments.to.fool.wall.street.c ustomers/
posted on Apr 15, 2014, 4:11 PM 0
Posts: 17356; Member since: Jun 17, 2009
Here is how retail works. Retailers order based on demand. Samsung can't simply ship 35 million because they want to, retailers have to order them. They didn't order 35 million on day one. If there's no sales, there's no reorders.
posted on Apr 15, 2014, 5:03 PM 4
Posts: 3902; Member since: Feb 04, 2013
You know...photos for advertising....
posted on Apr 15, 2014, 2:10 PM 4
Posts: 849; Member since: Feb 26, 2014
Expect a tech site to cover the most wanted phone for 2014 entirely, while putting all available articles and photosbecause that is what people are interested in and that is what people will buy. Of course they will not put 60 photos of a phone no one will buy or no one cares about. So when it comes to Samsung and Apple expect big articles and many photos as for the other wannabe please-buy-us brands, euhm no one cares really.
posted on Apr 16, 2014, 12:30 AM 0
Posts: 440; Member since: May 12, 2012
I bag to differ.
posted on Apr 15, 2014, 2:01 PM 1
Posts: 2540; Member since: Sep 03, 2013
Hope to and actually selling is two different things. Also, they wanted to sell 100 million s4's.
posted on Apr 15, 2014, 2:07 PM 1
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3D printer manufacturer QIDI TECH has unveiled “i-fast,” a particularly powerful desktop 3D printer
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Israeli manufacturer Modix has unveiled the BIG-120Z, a new 3D printer for large-format objects.
The Sonic Mega 8K photopolymer 3D printer from Phrozen has one of the largest


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THETFORD TWP, MI — Home delivery for both medical and recreational marijuana products from Freddie’s, a Clio-area dispensary, will begin for the Bay City, Saginaw and Midland areas on Tuesday, April 14.
Freddie’s, located at 10092 N Dort Highway, started home delivery Tuesday, March 31, for areas in Genesee County. The business announced it will expand its delivery service to areas in Saginaw, Bay and Midland counties in a Thursday, April 9, news release.
“There has been an excellent response from customers when we began home delivery of Freddie’s products in the Clio area,” Nicole and Barry Goodman, Freddie’s owners, said in the release. “Home delivery is an easy way for recreational marijuana customers and medical marijuana patients to get Freddie’s without having to leave their residences.”
Freddie’s plans to expand delivery service to other parts of the state in coming weeks, the couple said.
“We’re here to make people happy,” they said.
Orders must be for $200 or more and there is no delivery charge. State mandated limits 2.5 ounces of marijuana or equivalent product per day. The customer placing the order must be the one receiving the order when the delivery is made.
Freddie’s is also continuing to offer curbside pickup from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week.
Those who order are required to provide their name, address, phone number and driver’s license, state-issued identification number or medical marijuana card information.
Customers are asked to go to the Freddie’s website or call 810-547-7276 to place an order. It is quicker to order online than call, according to the release.
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