text:
Senegal, just like the whole of Africa, has everything to gain from a free trade area, suggests Assome Aminata Diatta, Senegal’s International Trade Director. But better identification of growth sectors and more information for participants are still needed.
Is Senegal prepared for entering the AfCFTA?
It would perhaps be presumptuous to say that Senegal is entirely ready today. But the country is on its way. The negotiations on the creation of the free trade area were conducted with the close co-operation and full involvement of all ministerial departments. On this subject, I wish to pay tribute to the commitment of the Senegalese government. It mobilised enormous resources to enable experts from all ministerial departments directly or indirectly affected by the creation of this continental free trade area, to take part in the technical work – from the working group stage all the way to the negotiating forum.
All the ministries were represented in our extensive delegation. From the start of the negotiations, we had an impact assessment which evaluated the expected effects of creating the free trade area. It revealed that the forecast fall in tax receipts would be mitigated by the increase in Senegal’s exports, which ought to be far greater than the increase in its imports of African goods. Furthermore, a free trade area should improve the population’s well-being, and increase their purchasing power. As you know, it is household savings which, via the banking system, provide the financing for our countries’ economies. In this regard, the creation of the free trade area might also stimulate very significant beneficial effects for Senegal.
How do we bring together all participants? The debates we have attended throw up a great many questions, suggesting information is not getting through… How do we disseminate this new culture to the whole population, so that the Senegalese are aware of the issues involved in the free trade area?
What AfroChampions has done already represents a first step. Previously, information only came from government and didn’t get through very well. Now, through the AfroChampions initiative, the private sector has launched a wide-ranging awareness-raising campaign. It ought to help ensure that more people now listen to us. Of course, several meetings had already been organised at the national level. Senegal’s negotiating positions had been laid down by the international trade negotiations committee. This committee would meet the day before every planned negotiations meeting. Its members were drawn from government, the private sector and civil society.
In 2017, we also organised a national consultation on the continental free trade area. We have also asked to meet business organisations, in order to discuss these questions with them, sector by sector. For the next phase, we made need to consider more interactive debates – perhaps even on television – to heighten awareness still further among all stakeholders, and to better prepare them for what’s going to happen.
Can we really say that this will be like an electric shock for Senegal? What will the impact be?
Yes, and this shock therapy is already under way.
We see ever greater awareness among all participants of the importance of the African market to Senegal. Formerly, Senegal would explore primarily European or Asian markets and would neglect the African market, from a marketing and commercial point of view, even though this market could absorb the entirety of the country’s exports. The free trade area is going to open up a bigger market to us, since our current exports on the continent are concentrated in too few countries. That situation restricts our opportunities and might even constitute a threat to the survival of our exports.
What is the current Senegalese offer?
Policies enable this offer to be developed. They are specifically to give support to the new export openings that the free trade area is going to offer, while also encouraging local production.
Have you identified some Senegalese champions?
Our biggest exports to the African continent, in volume terms, are products such as cigarettes, cement and certain processed agri-foods, like broths. Exports of these goods within Africa are on the increase.
In addition to manufactured products, we export our fish stocks. However, we wish to further develop the services sector, which today is already in a dominant position in the economy, at around 59% of our GDP. We export a lot of services, particularly communications and business process services. A free trade area gives us the opportunity to boost this sector even more. One of the major challenges we face is being able to carry out studies of the different service sectors. We have done it for some but not for all. We have got to fill this gap, because we have engaged in a dynamic strategy to promote all our service sectors.
It seems the moment has come for Africa to leave its inertia behind and adopt operating synergies. But here, too, there are huge uncertainties…
Yes, you are right, there are major uncertainties, but I believe that the time has come for Africa to industrialise. It is estimated that manufactured products constitute 43% of the trade in goods between African countries, whereas they only represent 13% of our trade with the rest of the world. We are all convinced that a country cannot have sustainable development without industrialising. Today, the continent must get to its feet. With this AfroChampions private sector initiative, we have taken a major step forward.
AfroChampions has succeeded in something that we have never managed to achieve at ministerial level – the participation of more than 30 private sector representatives from every country in the free trade area. That’s a first! It is imperative that we support this initiative, to ensure that this awareness-raising extends beyond the private sector alone, and beyond Dakar, as well. We must not neglect the private sector in the regions. We have to reach as many people as possible if we are to make the continental free trade area a development tool for the continent. The task is far from easy, but I believe in it. I believe in Africa and I know that Africa can develop Africa.


text:
EA revealed information pertaining to the newest game in the Battlefield franchise; Battlefield: Hardline. DICE has revealed two new multiplayer modes and an extensive 12 minute look at Battlefield: Hardline’s single player. Continue reading Battlefield: Hardline Shows Off Single and Multiplayer Modes
YouTube has announced that soon content creators will be able to upload 60 frames-per-second videos. To debut this new feature, a Titanfall and Battlefield Hardline gameplay footage video was uploaded on to YouTube showcasing both their gameplay running at 60 frames-per-second.
A few of us received Alpha codes for Destiny this past weekend and we decided to make a Let’s Play series out of it! So check out all 6 parts below! We will add some of our competitive multiplayer videos later. Continue reading Let’s Play: Destiny Alpha!

domain: news


text:
Lafarge Africa Plc’s share price has the potential to rise by as much as 57 per cent to hit N34.44 per share, after the cement company recorded double-digit growth in the bottom-line in the first half.
In its latest stock review, Cordros Securities stated that it has reviewed its pre-tax profit forecast for Lafarge Africa to N71.83 billion from previous estimate of N42.64 billion, translating to earnings per share of N3.43 as against prior estimate of N2.17.
“Consequently, we retain our “BUY” rating on the stock;” the investment firm stated.
Lafarge Africa’s first half report for the period ended June 30 2021 showed that second quarter 2021 standalone profit after tax grew by 25.7 percent to N19.19 billion while earnings per share settled at N1.19, bringing total first half earnings per share to N1.76.
The report indicated that the double-digit growth in net profit was driven by a combination of topline growth of 29.4 percent and reduction in finance cost of 71.5 percent, of which offset the increases in operating expenses which rose by 61.3 percent and cost of sales which grew by 42.6 percent.
“Over the rest of the year, we expect sustained growth in earnings due to favourable price and volume mix and moderation in finance cost given its low leverage position;” the report stated
According to analysts; with revised earnings per share of N3.43 for 2021, dividend per share could be N1.55 by the end of the year, implying a dividend yield of 7.3 percent based on the price of N22 per share in recent days.
Analysts said price increment and sustained volume growth will support revenue. Turnover had grown by 20 percent in first half on the back of improvement in cement sales and aggregate and concrete sales.
The report noted that the double-digit growth in cement sales was price-driven given the higher increase in price per tonne compared to volumes. Without downplaying the strong demand from individual homebuilders as disclosed by management, analysts pointed out that low base in the prior-year further aided the volume growth.
Management of Lafarge Africa had noted that margins were pressured by the pass-through impact of the naira devaluation on dollar-denominated cost items, namely gas contracts, spare parts and strategic raw materials.
Analysts said they expected price increments implemented at the start of the year and improved fixed cost absorption associated with the recommissioning of Ewekoro Line 1 to support margins in second half of 2021.
“For 2021 estimate, we estimate EBITDA growth of 37.8 percent, but forecast EBITDA margin will moderate to 35.3 percent by year-end from 36.5 percent in first half 2021;” the report stated.
Low leverage to cushion impact of cost pressures on pre-tax profit as the growth in second quarter 2021 pre-tax profit was also supported by the deceleration in finance cost, which is reflective of Lafarge’s deleveraged balance sheet.
Notably, gross debt fell to N19.75 billion as of first half 2021 following the redemption of its N34.08 billion bond this year. In addition, management has guided that there are no plans to embark on significant borrowings in the short term. As a result, analysts expected no material increase in leverage with overall interest expense estimated at 44.2 per cent by the end of 2021.


text:
Meta Platforms’ President of Global Communications has been appointed by Nick Clegg.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms Inc., has promoted Nick Clegg to a higher role in the firm, implying that Zuckerberg would be less involved in future policy choices.
According to Zuckerberg, Clegg will be in charge of all policy matters at Meta, including relations with governments and how the firm will publicly advocate for its products and activities.
Zuckerberg will focus on his areas of expertise.
Mark Zuckerberg is shifting his emphasis away from the company’s politics and onto Meta’s technology and products, which he is more familiar with, such as plans for a more immersive version of the Internet called the Metaverse.
“When Nick takes on a new leadership position, it will free up more time and energy for me to focus on the company’s leadership as we develop new products for the future,” Zuckerberg added.
Clegg’s promotion would also allow Zuckerberg to avoid making public pronouncements about current events, which has done little to boost public trust in Facebook.
In New York trade on Thursday, Meta Platforms’ stock declined 3% to $214.18.


text:
Work starts on new Newbury store
Dunelm Mill is due to open in the old MFI building in the London Road retail park later this year
WORK has started on the new Dunelm Mill store which is due to open in the old MFI building in the London Road Retail Park, bringing good news for unemployed people in the area.
The store, which aims to employ 70 people, most of whom will be recruited locally, will open in the autumn and will stock the group's usual range of home décor and content.
A spokeswoman for the store, Louise Barltrop, said: “We will employ people of varying levels in the store. We have an active recruitment policy with Job Centre Plus and we will also recruit via our website and other sources.”
She said the recruitment process would start next month (August).
Asked why Newbury was selected for a new store, she said: “We are always looking for places where we have customer demand and we believe there is customer demand in the area.”
The group's nearest stores are located in Reading and Swindon.
Meanwhile the Currys.Digital store in Northbrook Street is set to close on August 13 and will relocate to the existing Currys store in Newbury Retail Park, off Pinchington Lane.
Some staff have already relocated from the store.


text:
Midlands farmers hope to tap into the £2.8bn UK halal meat market with
a scheme that will check animals are killed in accordance with Islamic
The project, which follows a two year trial, will ensure livestock are
killed with a single cut to the throat in a halal abattoir.
About two thirds of halal meat in the UK is currently imported.
Farmers also hope to gain a share of the global halal market which is worth an estimated £75bn.
The scheme, which will begin in March, follows the trial arranged by
the regional development agency Advantage West Midlands and the West
Midlands Minority Ethnic Business Forum.
Sheep farmed in the Midlands could be sold as halal meat around the world
Qurbani Project sourced halal meat from about 200 animals on farms in
the region and was tested during the Muslim festival Eid-ul-Adha in
The animals were slaughtered in a halal abattoir and then distributed to poor people in Bosnia.
The idea is similar to the National Farmers’ Union’s (NFU) Red Tractor
scheme, which ensures the welfare of slaughtered animals, Midlands
Today science and environment correspondent David Gregory said.
Farmers signed up to it cannot use pig manure, GM feeds or alcohol-based cleaners.
The NFU said it had been concerned about the welfare of animals but was reassured they would be stunned first.
A machine is used to monitor the animal to make sure it is unconscious but not dead when its throat is cut.
There are about two million Muslims in the UK but an estimated six million consumers of halal meat nationwide.
Michael Oakes, board member for rural affairs at Advantage West
Midlands, said British Muslims consumed 20% of all red meat sold in the
country while making up just 3% of the population.
Adam Quinney, chairman of the West Midlands NFU, said: “Beef and sheep
producers in the Midlands welcome the opportunity to take advantage of
the new markets now being opened up as a result of the Qurbani project.
“Being able to produce animals for halal meat with confidence that high
welfare standards will operate throughout the supply chain, will be
welcomed by livestock farmers.”


text:
Once you’ve scoped your system boundary, it’s time to get googling. Pull out articles, academic papers, reports, interviews – anything that contains interesting insights on your problem system.
The aim of this step is to gather as many ‘system dynamics’ as possible within your chosen system.
A system dynamic is any form of causal relationship that exists within a system. If X causes Y, it’s a system dynamic.
If A results from B, it’s a system dynamic. As you read through your sources, highlight causality wherever you see it – this is a quick and easy way to start drawing out system dynamics.
Let’s say your chosen problem system is ‘rising obesity levels’ and you’ve scoped your system boundary further to focus on rising obesity in India.
Here’s an excerpt that contains some interesting system dynamics: can you identify them?
India's obesity crisis
Prakash Shetty, of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), says lifestyle and food habits change as an economy develops. There is a significant increase in the consumption of fats, sugars and energy-dense foods. The main drivers behind changing lifestyle and food habits are rising incomes, urbanisation and globalisation.
Rising incomes and urbanisation lead to the substitution of servants or appliances for physical work around the house, while family breadwinners take to desk jobs instead of ploughing the fields. These factors also encourage more sedentary pursuits such as television viewing and computer use, and well-off city-dwellers travel by car instead of walking or cycling.
At the same time, globalisation puts junk food and fast food within easy reach of a population often hard-pressed to find time to cook healthy meals, but with more than enough money to buy a greasy lunch at a nearby restaurant.
In India, these factors have contributed to the rise of bad eating habits and lack of exercise amongst a growing urban middle class, and their effects are startlingly visible.
A University of North Carolina study conducted in Andhra Pradesh showed that 37 percent of women living in cities are clinically overweight or obese, and a study by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) found that 76 percent of women in Delhi suffer from abdominal obesity.
But India’s obesity crisis has been further exacerbated by some peculiarly Indian factors. Despite India being a vegetarianism stronghold, the average Indian’s diet severely lacks fruit and vegetables – an abysmal low of 150 gm a day against the WHO recommendation of 400 gm a day.
Instead, Indian consumers’ calories come mostly from refined carbohydrates and fats. Indian food also tends to be amongst the most oil-rich in the world, and while Indians have taken Western junk food to heart (quite literally!), India also has its own array of fried snacks (think pakoras and samosas) which make the population susceptible to weight gain without even factoring in globalisation.
To add to this dismal picture are schools which promote a culture of fierce academic competitiveness and leave children with no time to play or exercise. That Indians are as an ethnic group more genetically prone to obesity and its health consequences is the cherry on top. Indians have up to five percent more body fat than Caucasians at a given weight and height, suggesting that Indians may face higher health risks than expected at a given weight. Some researchers have even gone so far as to suggest that Indians are genetically more likely to store fat due to a ‘thrifty gene’ that evolved out of undernourishment in the past.
For the answers, email us at firstname.lastname@example.org


text:
- The research by International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) was conducted in five counties
- It showed consumption of large amounts of milk, meat and cereals with aflatoxin was harmful
- Milk from farmers and pasteurised one was found to contain aflatoxin levels exceeding FAO limit
- Cereal products contained high levels of aflatoxin exposure due to prolonged humidity in the country and poor grain storage
Kenyans could be exposing themselves to detrimental health risks by consuming large amounts of milk, meat and grain that have aflatoxin levels exceeding internationally accepted limits, a new study shows.
The daunting research findings come even as Kenyans are trying to come to terms with the fact that they could be consuming sugar laced with lethal chemicals including mercury, copper and lead.
Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens
The study released in June 2018 by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and seen by TUKO.co.ke on Saturday, July 7, established that Kenya has aflatoxin levels ranging between 75% to 100%.
READ ALSO: Kericho woman jailed for one year for selling expired soda
The study further showed that 72% of the milk from dairy farmers, 84% from large and medium-scale farmers and 99% of the pasteurised marketed milk had aflatoxin levels exeeding Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) limit.
According to the survey, livestock feeds bought from retailers exceeded the limit of the toxic substances hence making consumption of large amounts of meat harmful to humans.
The survey titled Measuring and Mitigating Risk of Mycotoxins in Maize and Dairy Products for Poor Consumers in Kenya was done from samples of livestock feeds collected from farmers in five counties.
READ ALSO: Kenyans left baffled after CSs Matiang'i, Adan Mohamed agree contraband sugar is contaminated
Milk samples from those counties had high aflatoxin levels with at least 55% of samples exceeding the standard level.
Consumers of cereal products are not safe either as they risk aflatoxin exposure following prolonged humidity in the country and poor grain storage among smallholder farmers.
“Households are consuming unprecedented levels of aflatoxin, a carcinogenic substance, hence putting their lives in danger while hampering efforts to reduce the country’s growing cancer burden,” said lead researcher Johana Lindahl.
READ ALSO: Homa Bay couple's son kidnapped 3 days after their wedding
Acute aflatoxicosis, apart from being the leading cause of liver cancer, can lead to depression, anorexia, weight loss, gastrointestinal bleeding, pulmonary edema and stunted growth especially in children.
“Kenya is a hotspot for aflatoxin contamination, especially in maize, and farmers, traders and the general public need to be educated on the dangers and simple prevention measures,’’ said Lindahl.
The survey comes even as there is heightened tension in the country over the safety of sugar sold in local shops following reports that it could be laced with toxic substances.
On Friday, June 22, Kenyans were left perplexed after Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i and Trade Cabinet Secretary Aden Mohammed admittd that seized contraband sugar was contaminated.
Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through email@example.com or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.
Ruto Is Behind The Sugar Scandal - On Tuko TV
Source: Tuko Breaking News Latest


text:
Matrix Launches Prepaid SIM Card Plans For International Roaming
The new prepaid plans are available, starting at Rs. 2999.
Matrix Cellular has launched prepaid plans for International Calling. (Image: REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri)
Matrix Cellular today announced ‘Summer Offers’ on prepaid SIM cards for travellers planning to visit USA, UK, Europe, Australia, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia this season. The plans for Europe (Excluding UK) are now available at 50-60 percent less cost when compared to last year and plans for USA and Singapore are available at approximately 40 percent less.
The new prepaid plans are available, starting at Rs. 2999 for countries such as USA, UK, Europe & Australia and for Rs. 999 only for Singapore, Thailand & Malaysia. The prepaid plans offer freebies such as unlimited data, free calls to India, free local calls and incoming calls. Apart from this, one can also buy family add on prepaid SIM cards for their kids starting as Rs. 499.
Recommended For You
- Justice is the Merriam-Webster Dictionary's Word of the Year for 2018
- Vinod Khanna's First Wife Geetanjali Passes Away at the Age of 70
- The Kapil Sharma Show: Salman Khan and Ranveer Singh Can't Stop Laughing in the New Promo
- PUBG Vikendi Snow Map to be Released on 20 December 2018: Watch Video
- Tech And Auto Awards 2018: Motorcycle Of The Year
- 01 d
- 12 h
- 38 m
- 09 s


text:
Lawsuits against Mt. Gox, the now-defunct bitcoin exchange that ‘lost’ upwards of 700,000 BTC belonging to clients, are growing.
New reports indicate that a proposed class-action lawsuit in Canada will seek $500 million for former investors that used Mt. Gox before it tumbled last month.
The lawsuit, which targets the exchange, it’s owner (Mark Karpeles), and one of the largest banks in Japan (Mizuho Bank), alleges the company was negligent, breached contract, and acted under fraudulent misrepresentation, according to Yahoo Finance Canada.
“We’re never going to find out what’s going on unless we start a lawsuit because it’s the only way we’re going to get access to the records,” said Toronto litigation lawyer Ted Charney to Yahoo Finance. “It’s really the only way to get the thing going.”
The notice of action to the Ontario Superior Court stated:
After this news broke, the price of bitcoins plummeted, creating a disruptive ripple effect that has nearly shut down the industry.
A similar lawsuit filed south of the border in Chicago, Illinois is also targeting Mt. Gox, and is at present time seeking class-action status.
According to Charney, his firm is working with the lawyers whose case is mentioned above. [source: Yahoo Finance Canada]


text:
Ugh! Look what's for dinner in 2013! From cuttlefish and chips to bacon chocolate, the Mail's food writer predicts the bizarre food trends coming our way | UPDATED: 10:44 GMT, 29 December 2012 Fancy some Korean fermented cabbage Or how about oxcheek doughnuts It’s not only clothes that have trends — food is just as susceptible to the fickle world of fashion. Here, Daily Mail food writer ANNE SHOOTER gives her predictions for the hottest foods of 2013… Bon appetit! Anne Shooter has predicted what foods are going to hit the big time in 2013 Have a haute dog Gourmet: Hot dogs are going up in the world thanks to steak restaurant Hawksmoor and Bubbledogs in London Remember a few years ago when posh burger bars were popping up everywhere Well, now it’s the turn of the humble hot dog to go gourmet
Only 97 days to go: Supermarkets under fire for selling Easter eggs – on Christmas Eve Tesco has been criticised after putting Easter eggs on sale earlyOther supermarkets have also been stocking Easter goods before ChristmasThe Church of England say that shops shouldn't be selling Easter eggs now | UPDATED: 16:42 GMT, 24 December 2012 You may be looking forward to tucking into your turkey or unwrapping those long-awaited Christmas gifts, but it seems that Britain's supermarkets are already looking to capitalise on the next major UK religious holiday. With Easter still a little under 100 days away, supermarket giant Tesco has come under fire – for having its chocolate eggs on sale already. Shocked shoppers spotted the eggs on sale last week and many took to Twitter to vent their disbelief.


text:
By GUY WILLIAMS
Don’t wait and hope.
That was the message from Tourism NZ boss Stephen England-Hall to Industry operators at a roadshow event in Queenstown on Wednesday.
England-Hall told a packed room at the Heritage Hotel ‘‘there’s no bag of money that’s going to come over the mountain’’ from the government, and they must adapt to the reality of domestic tourism for the forseeable future.
He’s seeing a growing realisation among operators they ‘‘just need to get on with it’’, rather than hold out for a reopening of the borders.
‘‘Because we just don’t know when that is.’’
However, the NZ and Australian governments continue to work on a two-way trans-Tasman bubble, and he predicts that when it does happen, people will be highly motivated to travel by their desire to reconnect with family and friends.
England-Hall tells Mountain Scene his main message for resort operators is to ‘‘build your business around what we know today’’, ensure their product, pricing and promotion is resonating with their target market, and ‘‘have a plan ready to go’’ for when international tourism resumes.


text:
The TV market is looking sluggish as we approach the end-of-year holiday season with economic pressure in Europe and the US taking its toll on TV demand.
Asia Pacific is slated for the highest growth rates in the TV market as global forecasts dip below earlier expectations according to research by DisplaySearch in its Quarterly Advanced Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report. Most of this growth is tipped toward India though as developed markets hit a snag in consumer demand.
Consumers are making more cautious decisions when nabbing a new screen and are “highly value-seeking,” according to the report, and manufacturers are meeting this behaviour by dropping the premium on advanced features like 3D and IPTV integration. …
Read the full story here: http://smarthouse.com.au/TVs_And_Large_Display/Industry/N3C3V6X5
And there is a related story here: http://www.channelnews.com.au/Display/Plasma/H6C2B8V5
Panasonic Stockpiles 3D TVs Into Shrinking Plasma Market
Panasonic has released two new Viera plasma screens boasting 3D displays and IPTV services in-built into its UT30 Series in 50- and 42-inch sizes, but new research shows the market’s set to slump this year.
The two new models jump onto Panasonic’s latest plasma line-up of 16 screens announced back in April, but DisplaySearch researchers have tipped a reduction in demand for new TVs globally. While LCD TVs are forecast to account for 206 million sales worldwide this year, plasma screens sit at 17 million. …


text:
- The upcoming foldable smartphone from OPPO could be powered by the Snapdragon 888 chipset.
- The device will have a design similar to the likes of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Huawei Mate X2.
- The upcoming smartphone will feature an LTPO display.
If recent rumors are to be believed, OPPO is gearing up to launch its first-ever foldable smartphone by next month. Previous reports, which surfaced last month hinted that OPPO might launch a new foldable smartphone to rival the hugely popular Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. Now according to a tipster on Weibo (via GizmoChina), the upcoming foldable smartphone from OPPO which is codenamed “Peacock”, should launch next month. The Weibo post further states that another high-end device, codenamed “Butterfly” could also launch somewhere next year.
The report further adds that the upcoming foldable device will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset while the “Butterfly” codenamed smartphone, which should launch early next year could be a Find X4 series smartphone. It should be powered by the upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon 898 chipset.
OPPO’s upcoming foldable phone specifications tipped
Previously Digital Chat Station had hinted that the upcoming foldable from OPPO should be about 7.8 inches to 8 inches in screen size, meaning it will have a bigger screen size than the Galaxy Z Fold3. The smartphone could also have a low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) display.
The device will feature a vertical camera module, with a Sony IMX766 50MP primary camera. As of now, there’s no confirmation about the other sensors of the camera module that will be available on its back panel. For taking selfies and for video calling, it may have a 32MP on its front side.
Additionally, the smartphone should have a side-mounted fingerprint sensor and will run on ColorOS 12 on top of Android 12. The phone is expected to have a similar inward folding design, like the Galaxy Z Fold3 and the Huawei Mate X2 have. It is further tipped to come with an 8-inch LTPO OLED panel that offers a 120Hz refresh rate. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer is also gearing up to launch the next-generation OPPO Reno7 series of smartphones by next month. While the exact launch date is not yet confirmed, the OPPO foldable phone along with the Reno 7 series of smartphones could go official in the middle of December 2021.
Also Read: OPPO foldable phone matching previously leaked design spotted on patent website


text:
BOYERTOWN — The Boyertown Junior Woman’s Club saw a record number of attendance for its 9th Annual Once Upon a Prom, a prom dress event that aims to help girls have a memorable prom experience.
Racks and racks of new and gently used dresses were set up and displayed with other items such as shoes and jewelry.
“Almost 60 young ladies browsed the collection of 1,000 plus dresses! Most of the girls attending left with multiple dresses and even a few accessories to complete the outfit. Once again, bright-colored dresses and dresses adorned with jewels and bling were the most popular pick,” according to a press release issued by the club.
Girls in junior and senior high from all school districts were welcome to attend the free event on March 4 and 5 and March 11 and 12 at Boyertown YMCA and select a dress and accessories at no charge.
The event drew attendance from local girls from Boyertown, as well as those who traveled from areas such as Pottstown, Pottsgrove, Owen J. Roberts, Daniel Boone, Upper Perk, Perkiomen Valley, Norristown, as well as Northwestern and cyber schools.
“This event has gotten bigger each year, and the amount of donations from the community is just amazing. Every year we can help more and more girls find the perfect dress. It is so rewarding to see girls leave so excited about their big day, and to know that we made that possible for them to go,” said Anita Zuber, Once Upon a Prom committee chairwoman.
The idea behind Once Upon a Prom is that once you’ve had your “once upon a time” moment, you can give another hers.
“So many of us buy formal dresses and wear them once for an event and then they sit in our closet. This was the perfect opportunity to donate these dresses to a great cause. Dresses are expensive and purchasing the accessories adds up,” said Danelle Matlack, a Boyertown Junior Woman’s Club member. “This event gives girls a way to get a stylish dress at no cost. It helps alleviate some of the financial cost of going to prom. Some young women can’t financially afford a new dress, so this gives them that chance to get the dress they always dreamed of.”
Recognizing that the dress is a huge part of going to prom but can be an enormous financial burden for some, Boyertown Junior Woman’s Club members established an event that would help provide beautiful prom dresses for those who might not otherwise have the means to purchase them.
“Our club members have great memories of going to prom and we want the next generation to have the same experience and a big part of going to prom is having a great dress! Having that dress that makes you feel good and gives you confidence is such a gift,” said Matlack. “The dress is a huge part of going to prom. We want these young girls to leave with a smile on their face and a gorgeous dress in their hand.”
Matlack said the response to the event has been very positive.
“The girls have a great time trying on a variety of dress styles and colors. It has turned into such a fun event through the years,” said Matlack. “One awesome thing we have noticed is that often the girls that took a dress will then donate it back the next year so that another young lady might get to wear it for their event.”
The Club said that an event such as this would not be possible without support from very generous people and organizations, thanking Alicia Dinnell, executive director of the Boyertown YMCA for use of their rooms, Agnes Edmunds Bridal & Formals and Alessia’s Bridal & Formal Wear for their dress donations, Revive Upscale Resale Shop for dress and jewelry donations, Zuber Realty for storing and transporting dresses and accessories, as well as the community at large for their kind-hearted donations.
While the event was free, voluntary donations were accepted. The money collected will be donated back into the community by Boyertown Junior Woman’s Club.
For more information, visit the GFWC Junior Woman’s Club of Boyertown Facebook page.
Comprised of a group of women who volunteer their time and talents to enrich the Boyertown area and beyond with projects benefiting youth and those in need, the Boyertown Junior Woman’s Club is a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, one of the world’s largest and oldest nonpartisan, nondenominational, women’s volunteer service organizations.


text:
Households are paying the price of surging utility bills and fuel costs as inflation accelerated to its quickest pace in nine months.
Consumer prices rose to 2.8 per cent in February from the prior year, faster than the 2.7 per cent rate recorded the previous month, according to the Office for National Statistics.
A separate measure of inflationary pressures in the manufacturing sector suggested that the recent declines in sterling are storing up further trouble in the inflation pipeline.
The prices paid by manufacturers for materials and fuels rose by 3.2 per cent between January and February, twice as quickly as analysts expected, as the cheapening of the pound drove up the cost of imported goods.
Inflation has been running higher than the Bank of…


text:
What’s the difference between an ice cream and a frozen dessert? And does it matter?
Yes, if the battle between giants is any indication.
India’s largest fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) company, Hindustan Unilever, had last month filed a case against the country’s largest ice-cream maker, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, in the Bombay High Court, successfully obtaining an injunction against an advertisement for Amul ice cream which disparaged frozen desserts.
Amul’s ad had said that people should eat real ice cream made from milk, rather than frozen dessert made from vanaspati. The court said the ad was “guilty of disparaging a rival product” — Unilever’s Kwality Walls, which is a leader in frozen desserts.
So what’s the difference between the two? An ice-cream is made from milk fats while a frozen dessert is made from vegetable oil fats. Vanaspati is a hydrogenated vegetable oil used in cooking, a cheaper substitute for ghee or butter. But it’s not used in frozen desserts, say manufacturers.
Every summer, a battle of sorts resumes between ice-cream and frozen dessert makers. Often, consumers are unaware about the difference.
“It becomes very difficult to convince people that we make ice-cream, and not frozen dessert. The approach that we have decided to undertake is to educate the consumers by pointing them to the differentiation which the government of India has made,” Vice President and Head of Marketing at Havmor Ice Cream, Chaitanya Rele told IANS.
Gujarat-based Havmor claims itself to be the second-largest dairy-based ice-cream maker, after Amul.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has categorised ice-creams under “dairy based desserts/confections”, further categorised as plain, medium fat and low fat depending on the percentage of total solids, milk fat and milk protein used.
The food regulator defines “frozen dessert/frozen confection” as a product obtained by freezing a pasteurized mix prepared with milk fat and/or edible vegetable oils and fat. The milk fat is used in such dessert for freezing.
According to ice-cream manufacturers, frozen desserts have captured a market share of 40 per cent of the Rs 1,800 crore market with a growth of approximately 10-12 per cent every year.
“We have recently come out with a campaign on print and digital mediums talking only about the goodness of our product — that they are made from rich, creamy milk,” said General Manager, Marketing (Dairy Products) of Mother Dairy, Randhir Kumar.
But are both the products same from the health viewpoint?
Chief Dietician at BL Kapoor Hospital, Sunita Roy Chowdhury said that frozen desserts have more trans-fat as compared to ice-creams. “Trans fatty acids are not good. I believe trans fatty acids are used in frozen desserts because the normal oil does not freeze. I would suggest ice-creams are better than frozen desserts,” Chowdhury asserted.
Chief Executive Officer of Creambell — which markets a combination of ice creams and frozen desserts — Nitin Arora said awareness should be raised on the virtues of vegetable oil compared to those of dairy fat.
“The cooking medium in our houses remains vegetable oil or mustard oil. This is the same ingredient that goes into the making of frozen dessert. The fact remains that nobody uses ‘vanaspati’ in frozen dessert,” Arora told IANS.
He said that most of the single serves are ice creams, while for catering and banqueting packs they use frozen desserts. “If we sell a frozen dessert, it is very clearly labelled. We cannot camouflage a frozen dessert as ice-cream or vice versa,” he said.
He said that 10 per cent fat that goes into ice-cream is dairy fat, whereas that 10 per cent going into frozen dessert is vegetable oil fat.
Havmor’s Rele says it’s a question of consumer awareness. “At the end of the day is frozen dessert a bad thing? No, it’s not a bad thing, but there are differences. Importantly, a consumer has a right to know,” he said.


text:
In case you didn’t know it, Amazon is looking to create a second HQ somewhere in the States. Its first one is located in Seattle, and is known as a regeneration catalyst for Emerald City.
To give you an idea of what Amazon may bring for the lucky city that will be selected to host its second HQ, consider this: Since opening its headquarters in Seattle in 2010, Amazon has attracted “more than $38 billion in investments, through job creation, infrastructure investment and philanthropic efforts”.
This, all in a city that was suffering from neglect and lack of means to grow and prosper. Amazon, didn’t solve all this problems of course. Some even claim that it has created a load more. However, it restarted Seattle’s economy, making it the most tech-friendly city in the U.S. So, the news of the creation of Amazon’s second HQ have cities competing against each other, in a bid to secure Jeff Bezos’ decision.
While we’re pretty sure that most city mayors are conducting discussions behind closed doors, there’s Sly James, Mayor of glorious Kansas City, MO, who caught our attention leading a brilliant campaign.
Mayor Sly James and his office, partnered with local agency Barkley to lure decision-makers at Amazon. Betting on the fact that Amazon’s force relies heavily on user reviews, Barkley along with Mayor Sly James started leaving 5-star reviews, injecting a bit of Kansas City facts and subtle propaganda in it. You know, every little helps. You can find them all here; they’re legit and all purchases are verified
Barkley even produced videos starring the Mayor giving his opinion on the (not so usual) products purchased – and they’re hillarious.
We don’t know whether Kansas City will win the bid, but if it was up to us due to its creativity and fun factor, it would win hands down.
Sly James – Kansas City Mayor
James Roberts – Director of Communications
Morgan Franklin – Business Development Officer at EDC
Katy Hornaday – EVP / Executive Creative Director
Berk Wasserman – VP / Group Creative Director
Chris Cardetti – VP / Group Strategy Director
Jimmy Keown – Strategy Director
Howard Laubscher – VP / Strategy Director
Matt Pruett – Creative Director
Joe DeSalvo – Associate Creative Director
Jeremy Gilberto – Associate Creative Director
Jordan Breindel – Associate Creative Director
Justin Smith – Writer
Jim Howard – Senior Writer
Megan Adams – Art Director
Alissa Funk – Writer
Travis Kramer – Lead Design Director
Holly Taylor – Senior Designer
Tifany Wrzesinski – Senior Project Manager
Dustin Schirer – Creative Production Director
Nick Stout – Creative Producer / Camera 1
Griffin Davis – Creative Producer / Camera 2
Carson Catlin – Senior Motion Designer
Melany Esfeld – Executive Producer
Tashia Neuhaus – Associate Producer
Lauren Alexander – Integrated Production Manager
Luke Hurd – Technical Director
John Hornaday – VP / Account Director
Lindsey Ingram – Engagement Director
Bailey Grover – Content Director
Shannon Scribner – Content Producer
More from Creative Campaigns
After announcing 4K image uploads last month, Twitter is now Twitter has announced that it will now stop cropping tall …
Sony has recently become a minor investor in Discord and will integrate the online chat app to Playstation early next …
According to reports, eBay is open to accepting cryptocurrencies as a form of payment and is examining ways to add …
A new sticker automatically transcribes speech in videos so you can automatically caption your Instagram Stories.


text:
Google toys with Digg-style voting on search results
Internet search leader Google is experimenting with a new tool for its online search engine that lets users vote on search resultsin a manner similar to social news sites.
Google Labs unveiled the new tool in a limited release with an aim "at improving the search experience," the company said in a statement on Thursday.
The program lets users influence search results by adding, moving and removing items. When searches are conducted again with the same keywords, the changes are retained, the company said.
The experiment appears to borrow some of the qualities of social news sites like Digg and Reddit, which rank news based on reader-generated voting. But it differs in that the results appear to be personalized to the specific user, and don't have an impact on how other people's searches are performed.
The experiment may also be short-lived: the company cautions that "this is an experimental feature and may be available for only a few weeks."
Google's traditional search method relies on a page-ranking system. Pages are ranked higher the more times other pages link to it. Links from popular pages also receive more weight in the ranking system.
Social media advocates have been critical of Google's search for relying too much on automated results that can be tricked into prioritizing some websites over others.
Last year Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales told the Times of London the search engine was "broken," that while it was good at some types of searches, other times "it produces nothing but spam and useless crap."
Google, however, remains the leader among search engines, ahead of second-place Yahoo Inc. In October, Google reported revenues of $4.23 billion US for the quarter ending Sept. 30, 2007. The bulk of these revenues are generated through advertising on Google's network ofweb sites.


text:
Android ransomware, which displays a message that claims to be from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and other local law enforcement authorities, has affected 6,223 Australians since May 2014, according to research by Kaspersky Lab.
The Koler police mobile ransomware detects which country the user is based in and if they are using an Android or iOS phone. The ransomware also detects if the user is on a PC or tablet.
Australians have been served up a message that claims to be associated with AFP, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), Australian Crime Commission (ACC) and the Royal Australian Corps of Military Police.
- Online banking malware increased in Australia during 2013: report
- Security vendors issue warning about Cryptolocker ransomware
- 16.5k malware infections reported daily in Australia
Kaspersky Lab United States principal security researcher Vicente Diaz said that once the victim has viewed the message they are redirected to one of 48 malicious adult websites used by Koler’s operators.
After that, the user is subjected to three scenarios. If the user has an Android phone, they are redirected to the Koler mobile ransomware. However, the user still has to download and install the app, which is called animalporn.apk.
If the consumer is not using an Android phone, they will get a message saying their phone has been blocked.
If the consumer is using Internet Explorer on their PC, they will be re-directed to a site that hosts the Angler exploit kit. According to Diaz, the kit has exploits for Silverlight, Adobe Flash and Java.
“During our analysis, the [Angler] exploit code was fully functional. However, it didn’t deliver any payload, but this may change in the near future,” he said in a statement.
Diaz warned that the cyber criminals have created a “well organised and dangerous” campaign.
“The attackers can quickly create similar infrastructure thanks to full automation, changing the payload or targeting different users. The attackers have also thought up a number of ways of monetising their campaign income in a multi-device scheme.”
According to Diaz, the mobile component of the campaign was disrupted on July 23. The attacker’s command and control server started sending 'Uninstall' messages to victim’s phones which deleted the ransomware.
However, the PC Angler exploit kit is still active. “Kaspersky Lab has shared its findings with both Europol and Interpol, and is currently co-operating with law enforcement agencies to explore possibilities for shutting down the infrastructure,” he said.
An ACMA spokesman told Computerworld Australia that a version of the Koler malware has been around since July 2013.
ACMA’s advice for Australian users is to update anti-virus software and security patches on their phone, computer and tablet.
“Install personal firewall software and use long, unusual and random passwords,” said the spokesman. “Treat email attachments with caution and don’t click on links in suspect emails. Never visit suspicious websites.”
Follow Hamish Barwick on Twitter: @HamishBarwick


text:
Finance News reported earlier this week that Justin Bieber’s hair was on the popular online auction site, eBay, and has eventually sold for $40,668 (£24,911)
Justin had a haircut recently, and has shortened his famous locks.
Ellen DeGeneres had previously stated on Twitter that she would like a piece of his hair when he got it cut, so Justin presented her with a snippet of his hair in a presentation box, which he signed.
Justin, who was 17 this week, is giving bits of his hair away to various people, so they can raise money for charity.
Ellen put her snippet on eBay, to raise money for the animal rescue group, The Gentle Barn Foundation.
Bidding closed this morning at nearly £25,000, representing a fantastic donation for the charity, and showing just how big Bieber fever really is.


text:
PORTUGAL’S MOST important annual interior decoration fair, Casa Decor, was due to open its doors in Lisbon’s Baixa Chiado on Wednesday, November 15.
Already in its 12th year, this year’s splash of colour, form and line from the latest creations that Portuguese interior designers have to offer, will be hosted at the Valadares Palace in Largo do Carmo 32.
Organisers Casa Decor 06 chose the historic palace for its proximity to Lisbon’s oldest and most traditional shopping district.
The historic palace in Largo do Carmo is right by the ruins of the Convento do Carmo next door to the headquarters of the GNR, which served as the operations centre for the holed-up Marcelo Caetano government on the April 25th Revolution in 1974.
Just as in other Casa Decor exhibitions this year, the latest being in Porto, the Lisbon exhibition will show off all the latest trends in interior design, furnishings and decoration from more than 40 exhibitors spread out over a space of 4,000sqm.
The design exhibition will also feature 20 stands and displays from other countries in Europe, the US and Latin America.
The exhibition, open to the public from November 16, will run right up to December 17 daily between noon and 7pm, except Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays when the exhibition will have extended opening hours until 11pm. Entrance tickets cost 10 euros, while under 25’s and pensioners over 65 pay five euros.


text:
Google Inc. has officially unveiled its new smartphone, the Nexus 6.
Just as rumours had indicated, it comes with a giant 6-inch screen and is made by Motorola.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Nexus 6 will be available for pre-order through the Google Play Store later this month starting at $749 in Canada. That’s a lot more expensive that Google’s Nexus phones have sold for in the past.
The Nexus 5 sells for $349 off-contract.
Nexus 6 will also be available through carrier partners later this year, Motorola Mobility Canada said in a statement.
Google also says the Nexus 6 will be available through all five major carriers in the U.S. — including Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular. This is surprising, since Google previously only sold its phones through the Google Play store and T-Mobile.
The Nexus 6 is going to look gigantic compared to your average smartphone.
With it’s 5.9-inch screen, it’s even larger than the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus and 5.7-inch Galaxy Note 4. It’s one inch shy of being the same size as Google’s Nexus 7 tablet.
As we expected, the phone will come with a 5.9-inch screen with a resolution of 1440 x 2560. It’ll feature a 13-megapixel main camera and a 2-megapixel front camera, and a 3,200 mAh battery.
Naturally, the phone will also come with Android Lollipop out of the box.
Google’s new Nexus phone looks almost identical to the new Moto X device that Motorola introduced last month. Judging by the photos on Google’s Nexus page, it looks like the Nexus 6 will feature extremely thin side bezels, too.
The Nexus 9
The Most Reliable Apple Analyst In The World Says A New iPad And A Retina Display iMac Are Coming Tomorrow
Here's How Hackers Could Be Stealing Data From Your Favorite Apps And Services
The Best iPhone 6 Cases We've Tested So Far
Google also took the wraps off its new Nexus 9 tablet, which has been rumoured to be in the making for the past few months.
Made by HTC, the Nexus 9 will come with an 8.9-inch screen and a brushed aluminum build. It’ll be available for preorder on Oct. 17 and will start selling on Nov. 3.
Google’s new Nexus tablet will run on chip maker Nvidia’s new 64-bit K1 processor, which doesn’t come as too much of a surprise considering the company accidentally outed this detail in a legal document.
There will be an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1.2-megapixel camera on the front.
Google unveiled its new tablet just one day before Apple is expected to introduce its new successor to the iPad Air.
And the details don’t come as too much of a surprise — nearly every single detail about both the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 had leaked long before Google’s announcement.
With files from Financial Post staff


text:
Alison Watkins has a big, fat problem. The chief executive of Coca-Cola Amatil, already facing declining local sales and an up and down Asian market, knows better than most that a federal sugar tax – already adopted in 28 countries – is probably inevitable in Australia.
“There is a prospect that a sugar tax will at some stage be introduced here,” Watkins tells BOSS, during a wide-ranging interview about the company’s plans to shake up the business. “I think a lot of people believe it at least shows we are trying to do something about it but I think it will be disappointing if that’s the only reason we end up introducing a sugar tax, because we just want it to look like we are doing something.”
More than 60 per cent of Australian adults are classified as overweight or obese and by 2025 that figure is expected to rise to 80 per cent.
In March, Britain became the 28th country to introduce a sugar-sweetened beverages tax and there are growing calls by public health advocates for a 20 per cent sugary beverages tax to be introduced here.
Coca-Cola Amatil is one of the largest bottlers of non-alcoholic beverages in the Asia-Pacific region and one of the world’s five major Coca-Cola bottlers.
Watkins, a former consultant at McKinsey – which she jokes is full of insecure overachievers – worked as an executive at ANZ Bank, became CEO of Berri and then Graincorp before being hand-picked by then Coca-Cola Amatil chairman David Gonski to replace long-time CEO Terry Davis in 2014.
Watkins, who grew up as a tomboy on a sheep farm in Tasmania’s midlands and is variously described by her colleagues as down to earth, clever, hardworking, positive and unflappable, knows radical action is required.
Coca-Cola Amatil has already committed to a 10 per cent reduction in sugar from 2016 levels by 2020. It will shortly put another “major stake in the ground”. The industry is believed to be discussing a target for a 20 per cent reduction by 2020 to help stave off a sugar tax, if members of the Beverages Council, including Coca-Cola Amatil and PepsiCo, can agree.
“The whole industry recognises it’s an imperative. It’s what consumers want and it is what we must do if we don’t want to end up with more regulation,” Watkins says.
“First and foremost it is about giving consumers more choice. It will also have the added benefit that it should reinforce for the major political parties that there isn’t a need to have a sugar tax.”
The Beverages Council has been fighting hard against a tax.
The ABC’s Four Corners program recently likened the council’s lobbying efforts in Canberra to the tactics of big tobacco to fight or delay the tax. The Beverages Council held its annual general meeting at Parliament House and admits to spending a vast amount of resources lobbying against such a tax. Its 2016 annual report boasted of its success keeping the topic of a tax off the table from both of the major political parties.
“It’s not the public that isn’t on board,” the executive manager of the Obesity Policy Coalition, Jane Martin, told the ABC. “The politicians aren’t on board, and the reason that a lot of the politicians aren’t on board is because of this influence that we’re seeing of groups like the Beverages Council, of these alliances in Canberra, working against effective recommendations.”
Watkins made a decision to stop political donations. Coca-Cola Amatil is a major funder of the Beverages Council but, Watkins says, the company does its own lobbying. She argues that a sugar tax is not a panacea for obesity.
“In Australia, for example, we have seen the amount of sugar-based beverages that people are drinking actually decline quite a lot. Since 1995, added sugar in total has gone down by about 6 per cent and for kids 23 per cent. So people are voting with their feet because they are concerned about their sugar intake. They are reducing it on their own,” Watkins says.
“Then you look at the fact that soft drinks are less than 2 per cent of the calorie intake of the population, so by having a sugar tax it is pretty clear it is just not a meaningful part of people’s consumption, so it is not going to help obesity. We have been getting more obese through a whole host of factors, including our activity and eating more fat, so it is a really complicated and important problem that won’t be fixed with just a sugar tax,” she argues.
But Watkins knows she might be fighting a losing battle.
The iconic drink company – 30 per cent owned by the US Coca-Cola Company – is undergoing the sort of radical transformation that suggests the writing is probably on the wall for a sugar tax.
To support its new sugar target, it is switching to smaller portion sizes, reformulating fizzy drinks to use no sugar or sugar substitutes and is diversifying into alcohol, coffee and water, which Watkins says is being led by consumer demand.
“I think [in 10 years] we will look much more like what the consumer wants,” Watkins says. “At the moment we are about 70 per cent sparkling beverages and the market is closer to 50 per cent, so our portfolio will look more like the market. We will be stronger in dairy and a meaningful participant in some of the smaller categories [more water, more craft-style juice and dairy products] but we will still be very proud to be selling Coke, which will still be a much-loved brand.”
Despite the transformation, Watkins has good reason to be concerned about a tax and the general trend towards healthier eating. Australian beverages still contribute more than 50 per cent of the company’s $4.9 billion annual revenue, most of which would be directly affected by a tax, as well as large swaths of the Asian and New Zealand business.
In addition to the Coca-Cola family of products, other drinks include Sprite, Fanta, Lift, Kirks, Powerade, Barista Bros, Fuze Tea, Keri Juice Blenders, Monster and Mother as well as water brands Deep Spring, Mount Franklin and Pump.
Interestingly, the 2017 annual report shows the company’s use of raw sugar increased from 280,887 metric tonnes in 2016 to 288,982 metric tonnes last year.
Investors and analysts are worried the Australian business has flatlined or is in structural decline.
Profits from Australian beverages have fallen almost 30 per cent since 2013, despite beginning to gain market share in bottled water.
The business has also been hit by the introduction of the container deposit scheme in NSW, which will be rolled out in Queensland in November and Western Australia next year. One shareholder asked at May’s annual meeting whether the container deposit scheme was “a sugar tax in drag”.
“You make a good point,” Watkins replied.
“Our Australian business is the one going through the most change but we are very, very determined,” Watkins tells BOSS.
Push for acquisitions
Watkins, who turned things around at GrainCorp, has already stamped her mark as one of the country’s most powerful female chief executives. Cochlear, ASX and Santos director Yasmin Allen has worked with Watkins. “I’ve seen her toughness,” she says.
“You learn as a CEO you can’t really aspire to be popular,” Watkins says. “If you like to be liked too much you lose your objectivity. You have to have zero tolerance for any poor behaviour. The most important thing is to stay consistent and sometimes that is hard when you are not seeing the results you would like.”
Watkins is consolidating operations by closing a bottling plant in Adelaide. She has proposed the sale and leaseback of Perth facilities that would raise $150 million to $200 million; a similar deal for the Brisbane manufacturing plant raised $156 million last year.
She plans to use $40 million from cost savings to reduce prices, roll out more cold-drink equipment and invest in digital technology and marketing. She also announced in April the company would invest at least $10 million over the next year in Amatil X, a newly created venture fund to invest in start-ups to find new sources of revenue.
At May’s AGM, however, Watkins warned investors they would have to wait until 2019 or 2020 to see signs of the green shoots.
Trading in Indonesia and PNG in recent months has been subdued, as rising living costs forced consumers to cut back on discretionary spending. Analysts fear growth from Indonesia and PNG may not be strong enough to offset an 8 or 9 per cent decline in Australian beverage earnings.
On the plus side, Coca-Cola Amatil’s strong balance sheet (net debt to EBITDA of 1.5 times last financial year’s earnings) and cash flow (about 92 per cent cash conversion) mean analysts are pushing hard for acquisitions.
“They probably need an acquisition over the medium term, especially if Indonesia and Papua New Guinea continue to underperform,” Watermark investment analyst Ian Carmichael says.
Macquarie sees alcohol – Coca-Cola Amatil’s spirit brands include Jim Beam Bourbon and Canadian Club whisky – as a key area of growth this year. Coca-Cola Amatil sold its half share in Pacific Beverages to SABMiller as part of the Foster’s takeover deal in 2011 and was restrained from selling, distributing or manufacturing beer in Australia until the end of 2013.
“The Australian beer market is becoming increasingly fragmented – the number of craft brewers has increased from 30 to 379 in the last decade – presenting [merger and acquisition] opportunities for CCL,” Macquarie says.
Watkins – who has often talked about the pressure from short-term investors – says while they are very focused on growth there are no current plans for a deal. Acquisitions may be on the agenda but Watkins is not wasting any time in shaking up the company’s existing product line-up.
No-sugar soft drinks
Coca-Cola Amatil has cut the amount of sugar used in 22 products sold in Australia since 2015. In the past two years it has lowered the amount of sugar in Lift by 23 per cent (from about 10 teaspoons of sugar in each can to eight), Sprite by 26 per cent, blue Powerade by 20 per cent and Deep Spring by 26 per cent.
It has introduced smaller portion sizes, including the 250 millilitre Coca-Cola cans, and is offering sugar substitute stevia in Sprite. In May, it launched the first Coca-Cola Stevia No Sugar in New Zealand and Coke Stevia will shortly launch here.
Coke No Sugar – the new brand the US giant is hoping will win over consumers wary of calorific carbonated drinks – also launched here in June last year and is planned to replace Coke Zero by the end of the year. But it was a troubled launch, with Woolworths initially refusing to stock No Sugar. The supermarket relented in December.
“Many of our Coke Zero drinkers are very attached to it so we are going about it carefully to bring Coke Zero drinkers with us,” Watkins tells BOSS.
Despite the challenge, Watkins believes she can shake up the business while still generating a good return for shareholders who are waiting for the company to hit a promised mid-single-digit earnings growth target.
“We take capital from shareholders and need to generate a return but we judge ourselves by many other metrics, which go to our sustainability over the long haul,” she says.
Watkins’ ability to pivot and survive is not surprising given her circuitous career path, which suggests she is capable of remaking a business under pressure.
Watkins says her childhood on a sheep farm in Tasmania’s midlands shaped a lot of her thinking. She still returns home to the family farm in western Victoria’s unglamorous Camperdown most weekends after spending her weeks in Sydney. “I have always enjoyed food, beverages, agriculture. I like businesses that make real things and I can talk to my kids about what we do.”
Down to earth
Watkins likes to understand every facet of the business and in 2016, the CBD column in The Sydney Morning Herald reported that she arrived with the Neverfail water delivery guy at a boutique fund management firm as she got to know the business from the ground up.
Watkins still loves to get out in the business. While some observers have perceived her as cold or robotic, those who know her best say she is real and down to earth and loves to chat to staff, including the truck driver who drops off a Coca-Cola rig behind Melbourne’s Exhibition Building for our cover photo shoot.
When we are done, Watkins accepts a lift in our photographer’s old and jam-packed Volkswagen Passat to be dropped off out the front of the building where she jumps out with her bags to head to a lunch.
After studying commerce at the University of Tasmania, she met her husband, Rod Watkins. He wanted to go to Sydney and study an MBA so Watkins moved with him and started to work as a chartered accountant, before doing her own MBA.
“He [Rod] pushed me quite hard and said, ‘You should go for that’,” Watkins says of the man who gave up his career at investment bank Turnbull & Partners to turn farmer and help raise their four children – three girls and a boy. Only one is still at school. “I get a lot of important HR advice from him [Rod]: usually, ‘You should just sack the bastard.’ He does tend to see things in black and white.”
Watkins worked for 10 years at McKinsey: “It really opened my mind,” she says. “I really dislike hierarchy. McKinsey had this very strong value called the ‘obligation to dissent’.
“McKinsey is full of insecure overachievers and everyone feels woefully inadequate. You are constantly thrown into situations where you feel out of your depth but you get a lot of feedback, which is not always pleasant. It has taken a lot of my career to leave that insecurity behind,” she says.
“It got to a stage where I thought it would be great to be the client rather than an adviser.”
Watkins joined ANZ Bank, where she became head of strategy and later head of regional banking working with then CEO John McFarlane and ANZ’s then global head of HR, Elizabeth Proust, and where she says she learnt the nuts and bolts of business. It also established her as one of a handful of top executive women with major listed operational experience.
Reflecting on the ANZ interview with Watkins back in the late-1990s, Proust says: “Alison nailed her interview on her CV alone.”
Watkins says watching Mike Smith as chief executive at ANZ and Michael Luscombe as CEO at Woolworths, when she joined their boards, got her thinking how great it would be to run a listed group. “I can do that,” she thought. When the opportunity came along to run fruit juice company Berri, she jumped at it.
Watkins says she has had a number of mentors, including McFarlane, the late James Strong and others, when she had big career decisions to make but she hasn’t always followed their advice, including those who told her not to take the Berri CEO job.
“I remember one mentor telling me, ‘I think you should just stay put. Who is this company?’ I learnt their advice could be helpful even if it is just to sharpen how other people might perceive things,” she says. “I have a coach in the US who also helps me, it is great to have someone to talk to about certain situations – even dealing with your own board.”
David Gonski, who worked with Watkins on the ANZ board, tells BOSS that Watkins is “very clever, hardworking, full of energy, a good leader and communicator, as well as being a very decent person”.
Former Coca-Cola Amatil director Jillian Broadbent, who has an office opposite Gonski’s in Sydney’s Chifley Tower, recalls grilling former CEO Terry Davis about gender diversity at the beverage giant only to discover there were no women among the top 40 executives. Less than a decade later, the company has passed its target of 30 per cent female executives and directors by 2020 and is the only ASX 100 company with a female chairman and CEO.
Watkins works closely with Coca-Cola Amatil chairman Ilana Atlas, a former lawyer and banker who was mentored by Gonski in 2011. “We speak weekly, it is quite informal and she will often drop me a text message,” Watkins says of her relationship with Atlas.
“I’ve worked with a few different chairmen over the years and you have to see what works best. Ilana works best with short, sharp informal interactions,” she says. “I’ve worked with Don Taylor at Graincorp where we went through an intense relationship with a hostile takeover, and David Gonski when I first joined Coca-Cola Amatil.”
Atlas says that all of Watkins’ hard-earned experience has been the perfect preparation for the monumental task of re-making a famous business under pressure. “She is very real, down to earth and listens with real interest to everyone’s suggestions,” Atlas tells BOSS.
“She is always positive and unflappable.”
Expert advice for getting ahead in the new world of work left by COVID-19
Sign up to our weekly newsletter.
- Fiona Carruthers


text:
Distributor VIP Computers has announces the departure of its director, Duncan McAuley, after 11 years at the helm of the Warrington based company.
McAuley, who joined VIP in 2005, will be stepping out of the UK distribution business from the end of January 2016, and for the foreseeable future will be part of the VIP Group.
Commenting on his departure, McAuley said: “Having been with VIP UK for over a decade I feel that now is the right time for me to step out of the business. VIP UK has just announced its best-ever half-yearly results, based upon a sound strategy that is delivering solid growth and profitability. Over the past year VIP has strengthened its foundations to offer great opportunities to its vendors and customers.
He continued: “I will now be looking to take a well-earned break and to consider new opportunities, either within the VIP Group or externally. I would like to thank the team at VIP UK for all their support over the years and wish them well in their endeavours.”
VIP Group chairman, Jatti Sahni, added: “I would like to thank Duncan for his valued contribution over the past 11 years. He’s played an important part in the growth of the business, which has helped VIP UK become the distributor of choice in the IT industry. I look forward to his continued contribution within the VIP Group.”


text:
Galaxy S9 comes with a 5.8-inch AMOLED display that is still one of the best around
Galaxy S9 is the South Korean tech giant's most premium handset only behind the Galaxy Note 9.
Although the device is expected to be succeeded on February 20 when Samsung takes to the stage and announces the Galaxy S10, the S9 is still an appealing option for those that are not fussed about having the latest and greatest.
Moreover, the S9 still has a compelling spec sheet that has only been bolstered by its updated software.
Galaxy S9 comes with a 5.8-inch AMOLED display that is still one of the best on the market.
The handset's panel flaunts a resolution of 1440p and an incredibly high density of 570-pixels-per-inch.
Moreover, the device is powered by Samsung's own Exynos 9810 chipset in the UK that offers swift performance across Google's Android operating system.
Galaxy S9 still has a capable camera too and its 12-megapixel main shooter remains one of the few around to feature a variable aperture that is able to open or close depending on lighting conditions.
Mobiles.co.uk is currently offering the handset in a tantalising deal that will end on Monday.
The site is selling the Galaxy S9 on a contract for £23-per-month with an upfront cost of £75.
The tariff in question comes with 3GB of data, 1000minutes and unlimited texts.
Such an offer comes as Samsung has released Android 9 Pie and its new One UI skin for the Galaxy S9.
Earlier this month owners of the flagship around the world reported they had received a prompt to download the new software, suggesting delivery to all users had started.
Samsung had already announced the Galaxy S9 would receive One UI and Android 9 Pie this month, but an exact date had not been clarified.
One UI was announced at the South Korean OEM's developer conference in San Francisco last year and aims to make navigation on larger devices easier by placing the majority of user content in the middle and bottom of the display.
The skin also boasts a new aesthetic for fans to get excited about with apps and icons being granted a new look.
Moreover, One UI also includes a new dark theme which should improve battery life for users.
Discussing the skin, Samsung said: "One UI helps you focus on what really matters to you.
"With hardware and software working together in harmony, see only what you need, using and viewing your phone with an experience that feels second nature. Because it’s the small details that make a big difference.
"One UI changes how you view your phone. Use Night Mode for a comfortable experience in the dark.
"And with clear and intuitive visuals, you don't have to give it a second thought."


text:
Following at the moment’s announcement by the Malaysian authorities that free passage shall be given to freeway customers throughout the nation for two days along side Deepavali which falls on November 12, PLUS Malaysia has issued an announcement that freeway customers on the PLUS freeway community and the East Coast Expressway 2 (LPT2) will take pleasure in toll-free journey in that point.
PLUS Malaysia needs to remind freeway customers that whereas toll fare is not going to be deducted on this interval, toll entry and exit strategies nonetheless apply for journey recording functions. As an illustration, these utilizing the Contact ‘n Go card or the SmartTag system will nonetheless have to faucet their playing cards or have the system prepared in place when passing via toll plazas, nonetheless no toll fare shall be deducted, PLUS Malaysia reiterates.
Customers of Contact ‘n Go playing cards are additionally reminded to test the standing of their Contact ‘n Go playing cards, to make sure clean passage, so as to not be held up at toll plazas within the occasion they use a deactivated or expired card.
The identical applies for the RFID technique of transit. For freeway customers utilizing the RFID technique, they are going to be required to enter and exit the highways utilizing the RFID lanes, and as with the Contact ‘n Go card and SmartTag strategies, RFID customers may have no toll fare deducted from their Contact ‘n Go eWallets.
Freeway customers throughout this era are additionally suggested to observe the 2023 Deepavali journey time advisory, which has various freeway journey begin instances relying on area.
Toll-free journey for freeway customers will take impact from 12:01am, Saturday, November 11 till 11:59pm, Sunday, November 12, PLUS Malaysia has introduced, in keeping with the announcement by public works minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi at the moment.
The toll exemption will apply to all toll plazas throughout the nation, apart from toll plazas at nationwide borders, that are the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) toll plaza and the Tanjung Kupang (Second Hyperlink) toll plaza in Johor.
Trying to promote your automobile? Promote it with myTukar.


text:
Tell Congress to Protect Our Personal InformationLearn More About Unauthorized Access to Data
It has been reported that NBCUniversal, News Corporation, and Walt Disney Company will block access to Hulu unless you pay for both a broadband subscription and a paid TV subscription. Such a move will prevent an estimated 3.58 million people from becoming Hulu customers and likely stifle Hulu’s future success. Who else but the executives who brought you the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) would actively strangle their own Internet success story? With an annual doubling of revenue and average monthly growth of 100,000 paid subscribers, it must be that Hulu was too successful (and disruptive) for its stakeholders to handle. So rather than embrace the Internet, they have opted to reverse course and try to preserve the increasingly rejected business model of cable and satellite TV.
Now it is not a surprise that after ten years of subscription rate increases exceeding inflation, millions of consumers have opted to save money and switch to broadband only for video consumption. One of the reasons prices have continued to climb over the years is due to fees content companies (through broadcasters) have been extracting from cable and satellite companies for program carriage. This process, known as retransmission consent, is also the reason why the bundles that are sold to you contain hundreds of channels you do not want to watch. It used to be that broadcast television made its money solely through advertising and free use of spectrum (a multi-billion dollar asset) provided by the government.
However, now fees pushed by content companies through broadcasters onto cable and satellite providers are seen as an easy way to increase profits and subsequently consumer’s bills. While major content companies still make money with either Hulu or your cable and satellite subscription, the Internet requires content to aggressively meet the consumer at the price point they demand while the old business model forces one bulk high price. The problem with this approach today is that consumers have the choice to cut their subscription and pay and view content through broadband. Look no further than Comcast (who is also NBCU) and you will see that they have been losing cable subscriptions for the last five years running but continue to see growth in broadband subscribers.
On the issue of piracy as a separate policy matter, what do Hulu’s masters think will happen when an estimated 5 percent to as high as 9 percent of TV households suddenly lose access to Hulu (much of its content already free to see via broadcast)? Does anyone truly expect people to repurchase their expensive cable and satellite subscriptions? When consumers have chosen to reject the old model with their dollars, one cannot just force them back and require that they perpetually pay more of their money. Unfortunately, what will happen is more people will turn to piracy not out of malice towards to the industry, but because that is the only option left to them in these tight budget times.
Now they have every right to change their business model but this type of top down control belief that somehow you can control people’s behavior on the Internet and force them to pay ever increasing prices is the mindset that birthed SOPA. The irony in this situation is that it could have been possible that Hulu eventually made more money than the old business model while simultaneously reducing piracy (the alleged goal of SOPA).
Since its launch in 2007, Hulu has shown that it is possible to profit from preventing millions of consumers from engaging in piracy by making content legally accessible on the Internet. Just in the month of March 2012 alone, 31 million people decided to watch content they could have pirated and choose to view advertising or directly pay for access through a Hulu Plus subscription. With growth approaching 2 million subscribers and an online advertising platform that was serving 1.4 billion ads per month (more than YouTube), Hulu’s future was bright. Despite all of this good news of break neck growth and substantial room for additional growth, the desire to preserve the old business model continues to override the necessity to embrace the future.


text:
“You’ll see more of us in the loyalty space, it’s a very important part,” Lewis said. “Where the [Sunday Times] comment comes from is when we talk to customers about Tesco, the whole Tesco, those customers that have a grocery relationship with us but also have a mobile relationship with us, also have financial services, are among our most loyal and indeed have a greater lifetime value to Tesco.
“One of the things we’re interested in is how we can add more value and connectivity across [the business]. That’s what you’re going to see from us, you’ll see us investing in Clubcard.”
Last year, Lewis highlighted synergies between Clubcard and Pay+, Tesco’s mobile payments app, which now has more than 500,000 users across the Tesco business.
Since the 24-year-old Clubcard loyalty scheme relaunched in 2017, Tesco has seen a 34% increase in activity and there have been 1.2 million downloads of the app to date, so there are clear opportunities to integrate its offerings.
Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.marketingweek.com


text:
How Connected Mobility Technology Is Driving The Future of The Automotive Industry
After over 20 years of advances in the world of mobile connectivity, big data and social networks, technology is now rapidly infiltrating the traditional realm of the automotive industry and shaping it to be at the forefront of global technology.
This new form of “connected mobility” is driving new technologies in the world of navigation, analytics, driver safety, driver assistance and information virtualization. The challenge of understanding the opportunities and the threats (both cyber and physical) of this new industry will set the scene for a new competitive environment for both traditional OEMs and non-traditional players looking to establish themselves as the global leader of connected mobility.
At the same time, the rapid emergence of markets like China has changed the nature of competition in the 21st Century global auto industry as well as the commercialization pathway for such technology frontiers. The rapid embrace of mobile connectivity by Chinese mobile device users, combined with the commercial aggressiveness of China’s internet giants will create conditions conducive to the rapid commercialization of smart connected car technologies. As the leading automotive market, China is poised to revolutionize the global automotive industry, especially in the area of the Internet of Vehicles, making mobile vehicle connectivity the next great frontier of automotive innovation.
To read the entire article, click here.


text:
There has been a lot of negative press on Research in Motion (RIMM) and negative reports from most of the analysts on Wall Street. Some of this criticism and negativity is justifiable, but most of the critics are missing the crucial points regarding this company. I would go as far as saying that many of these articles and reports are misleading. Furthermore, the same negative stories are repeated time and again no matter how insignificant these stories are.
There is no doubt that the company's senior management team made some serious mistakes by not responding in a timely and effective manner to the challenges from Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Android a few years ago. I attribute this to their arrogance and complacency. Further, this management team had a sub-optimal marketing/PR and developer relations strategies. They also mismanaged expectations given to Wall Street. I believe the management has realized its mistakes and is taking corrective actions. For example, recent departures of senior executives (not counting the two ex-CEOs) from RIMM and streamlining/reducing the number of devices are just two examples of changes taking place at RIMM.
The company's stock took a huge beating from its all-time of around $148; but at $16, the valuation of this company is extremely cheap and this has become a value play. I disagree with those who say this is a value trap. Just to put things in perspective: Skype was bought for $8.5 billion and Motorola Mobility (NYSE:MMI) for $12 billion. By any metrics, RIMM has to be worth well over $25 billion (resulting in a share price of $50) but this stock is trading below book value at slight more than $8 billion in market capitalization.
RIMM has 75 million recurring subscribers that contribute more than $4 billion in annual revenues on the "blade" side of the business. The profitability of this business segment is very high. The soon to be introduced "fusion mobile" service will bring another recurring revenue stream while entrenching RIMM deeper into the enterprise.
BlackBerry is losing market with the retail consumers in North America. This particular demographic makes up a small percentage of the worldwide market. Those who are bearish on RIMM have no idea about the popularity of the BlackBerry brand in regions like Latin America, Asia and the Middle-East; for example in Peru, India, UAE and Indonesia, RIMM is very popular. The smartphone adoption rates in those countries are estimated to be quite impressive and Research in Motion will be a big beneficiary because of its BlackBerry brand.
Security, despite a couple of recent problems, is a major differentiator of the BlackBerry brand. Is it any wonder that the President of the United States and most leaders use BlackBerry? With ever-increasing information put on the mobile device security will become more important both for businesses and the consumers and RIMM will benefit.
Not too long ago, the analyst community was valuing the BES/BIS/BBM part of RIMM at $40 billion ($77 a share). Today the enterprise value RIMM is less than $7.5 billion. The BES/BIS/BBM business segment throws enough free cash that any rational analysis will conclude a valuation of $20 billion ($38 a share) for that segment alone.
Even if BB10, Research in Motion's new operating system to be launched in the latter half of 2012, takes off moderately, RIMM could trade north of $100 a year after BB10 is introduced. QNX based BB10 platform could be a game changer. But some people in the media and on Wall Street have already written RIMM's obituary. RIMM has shown consistent growth over the last several years; a few quarters do not always make or break a company. RIMM is making a big transition and those platform transitions take time. One analyst put a price target of $12 on RIMM while maintaining a $2.70 EPS of the year 2013. According to his estimates and numbers, the book value of RIMM will be $24 by the end of $2013 and profitable while his price target is $12.
In Summary: RIMM is a company that is certified by virtually all carriers in the world; is a standard bearer of security; has very strong international brand equity and a strong foothold in enterprise market worldwide. It has a loyal installed base of 75 million subscribers and growing that generate loads of cash. The company has valuable patents. Its breakup value far exceeds the current valuation. But talking about break-up value is a stupid idea when the company throws a lot of free cash flow.
The company is facing increasing competitive pressures. That is how the world works; no one can have a market worth hundreds of billions of dollars market to itself. RIMM has realized its blunders but it is very profitable and I expect the company to resume its upward trajectory with the new QNX platform.
This is a $50 dollar stock today that has a potential to go past $100 in 18 months even if BB10 is just a moderate success.
Disclosure: I am long RIMM.


text:
The latest case against Apple’s monopoly could lead to the company facing an indefinite fine in Russia. This came after the company failed to meet a September deadline to allow app developers to tell customers about alternative payment options.
Although the potential amount of the fine has not been specified, the wording implies that it could be significant …
Apple has faced a large number of antitrust investigations and lawsuits around the world due to its monopoly position in the sale of iOS apps and payments within apps. You can read more about this disputed monopoly status in our antitrust guide.
One specific basis of the dispute was the anti-governance rules that Apple applied. They said developers were not allowed to tell app users about alternative payment methods for in-app purchases, allowing Apple to take its share of all of that revenue.
The Cupertino-based company agreed to change these rules back in August, but did so in an extremely limited way that did not satisfy all regulators and developers.
Previously, developers could not even do that email app users to notify them of alternative payment options. Now I can – but that’s it.
Developers still cannot provide an in-app connection to an alternative payment platform. Indeed, the company confirmed to us that the developers were not even allowed to do that to mention alternative payment methods within the application.
Yes, an app can ask for a user’s email address – but it can’t do that with a message that says do it so we can tell you about subscription options. If a user enters their email, the developer can send them a link to payment options, but developers still can’t direct users to them within the app.
So, Apple has resolved this particular lawsuit, but it still has an anti-management policy, so yesterday’s announcement will do nothing to allay concerns against the monopoly.
Russia is opening the latest case against Apple’s monopoly
Russia is among the countries that are not impressed by Apple’s limited response Reuters.
Russia has launched antitrust proceedings against Apple for failing to allow app developers to tell customers about alternative payment options when using their App Store platform, Russia’s antitrust regulator said on Wednesday. […]
The company previously received a warning regarding this problem and was given a deadline of September 30 to “stop the abuse on the market,” the regulator’s Roskomnadzor said in a statement.
The regulator said that if Apple is found guilty of acting against competition, then it will face a fine ‘based on its revenue in Russia.’
FTC: We use auto affiliate links to earn revenue. More.
Watch 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:
Friendly communicator. Music maven. Explorer. Pop culture trailblazer. Social media practitioner.


text:
Just a quick head up that Verizon‘s latest Android smartphone, the Motorola Droid Razr M, is now on sale. For $99 (after mail-in rebate) and a two-year service agreement, you can get an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich handset that features a 4.3-inch “edge-to-edge” qHD display, a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm S4 processor, 1GB RAM, an 8-megapixel/1.3-megapixel camera combo. Toss in a 2,000mAh battery, NFC, and NFC, 4G LTE, and microSD expansion and you’ve got a pretty darn attractive buy!
What is it worth to you to better understand, and even master Machine Learning? Pay as much, or as little, as you'd like for this 10-piece bundle of education, training, and e-books!
Amazon confirms the existence of the Fire TV Cube, an upcoming product which is expected to be a mix between a Fire TV and Echo speaker.


text:
America’s increasingly connected homes will soon be even more plugged in as electronic holiday gifts — smart speakers, TVs, thermostats, video doorbells, even smart pet feeders and litter boxes — are installed.
This increasing connectivity also results in a growing loss of privacy, as these smart devices collect and share data with the manufacturer and others. It’s “a goldmine of data about how they’re being used — and increasingly who is using them,” digital security expert Adam Levin wrote in a recent article for Inc.
And that tradeoff is not always apparent or clearly understood by the person living with the device.
“It's incumbent upon consumers to recognize just how many different kinds of sensors they are bringing into their homes — whether it's microphones, video cameras or just devices that are capturing all sorts of data about them and their guests,” said Maurice Turner, deputy director of the Center for Democracy & Technology. “So, it's not just about one video doorbell or one Internet-connected TV; it's thinking about all of those devices working in concert. What information is being collected and who has access to either keep it, or more importantly, share it?”
Smart devices need to gather certain types of data to work properly and improve their performance. But in many cases, privacy experts argue, too much information is being collected and shared with third-party companies.
“We know there's a lot of money being made by collecting and packaging our data,” said Ashley Boyd, vice president for advocacy and engagement at the Mozilla Foundation. "Our position is: Let consumers opt in to that kind of data collection, rather than opt out. Our concern lies in the lack of transparency or even basic information about the data that's being collected.”
The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) acknowledges the growing concern about privacy and says steps are being taken to make people feel safe and comfortable using connected devices.
“The industry is committed to strong consumer data privacy protections and transparency,” said Mike Bergman, CTA’s vice president of technology and standards. “These devices do provide a lot of benefits, but we understand that consumers need to trust the products they're bringing into their homes.”
It's incumbent upon consumers to recognize just how many different kinds of sensors they are bringing into their homes — whether it's microphones, video cameras or just devices that are capturing all sorts of data about them and their guests.
Maurice Turner, deputy director of the Center for Democracy & Technology
That’s why manufacturers are giving users more control over the data that’s collected and how it’s used and stored, Bergman told NBC News BETTER.
RATING PRODUCTS FOR SECURITY AND PRIVACY
For its third annual Privacy Not Included report, Mozilla reviewed 76 popular connected gifts in six categories: smart home, entertainment, toys and games, wearables, health and exercise and pet products.
Researchers read privacy policies, looked at product and app specifications, and contacted companies about their encryption to answer these important questions:
- Does the product require strong passwords?
- Does it collect biometric data?
- Are there automatic security updates?
Most of the products rated in this report met Mozilla’s minimum security standards. Eight did not:
- Artie 3000 Coding Robot
- Litter Robot 3 Connect
- OurPets SmartScoop Intelligent Litter Box
- Petsafe Smart Pet Feeder
- Ring Video Doorbell
- Ring Indoor Cam
- Ring Security Cams
- Wemo WiFi Smart Dimmer
While smaller companies often don’t have the resources to prioritize the privacy and security of their products, many of the big tech companies, such as Apple and Google, are “doing pretty well at securing their products,” the report concluded. “But even when devices are secure, they can still collect a lot of data about users.”
PRIVACY POLICIES NEED IMPROVEMENT
Few of us read the privacy policies for the smart devices we buy. They’re way too long and difficult to read.
Jamie Boone, vice president for government affairs at the Consumer Technology Association, says the industry realizes this is a problem and is working to improve disclosures about notice, choice and consent.
“We’re seeing a concerted effort to update those policies and make them more readable and make them easier to find,” Boone told NBC News BETTER.
Mozilla agrees. Its study found that overall, manufacturers are “making strides” in how privacy information is presented. More privacy pages — such as those by Apple and Roomba — are being written in “simple, accessible language,” the report said.
In November, the Washington Post reported that Amazon, which owns Ring, has entered into agreements with more than 600 police departments across the country allowing them “to quickly request and download video” recorded by the Ring doorbell cameras.
DO YOU REALLY NEED A SMART DEVICE?
Connectivity sells products, so manufacturers are flooding the market with all sorts of household appliances and wearable devices that are web-enabled. You need to ask yourself, is the risk to your privacy or safety worth the benefits?
“In some cases, we're connecting stuff to the Internet that we don't necessarily need to connect,” said Charles Henderson, head of IBM’s X-Force Red security testing team. “Is the risk of compromise worth the reward of being able to see the inside of your refrigerator from across town?”
Henderson suggests doing this risk vs. reward analysis for all the smart technology you consider bringing into your home. You need to consider the increased risk to your privacy that comes from having devices with microphones and cameras spread throughout the house.
“You expect these devices to be used for the intended purposes, but they can certainly be abused — and you may not know it,” Henderson cautioned. “It's not like there’s a big light on top of your voice assistant that flashes red when a criminal is inside.”
HOW YOU SET UP THE DEVICE CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE
When you get a new smart device, you want to have it up and running as quickly as possible. So, it’s easy to race through the settings, agreeing to various types of data collection, sharing and storage, without thinking about it.
Is the risk of compromise worth the reward of being able to see the inside of your refrigerator from across town?
Charles Henderson, head of IBM’s X-Force Red security testing team
“A lot of these devices do have options, but the defaults are often toward collection and sharing,” said Justin Brookman, director of consumer privacy and technology at Consumer Reports. “It’s worth taking five minutes when you set up these devices to check what you're agreeing to and try to find the settings to maybe turn some of this data sharing off. It’s a shame that it's incumbent upon each user to have to do that, but it’s worth the time.”
Consumer Reports has detailed instructions on How to Turn Off Smart TV Snooping Features.