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- THNDR Games launches a new solitaire game enabling users to play and earn bitcoin.
- The familiarity of solitaire is meant to make onboarding more comfortable for first-time bitcoin gamers.
- Over 80% of the company’s users earn their first bitcoin through THNDR Games with 60% of its base located in emerging markets.
THNDR Games, a bitcoin-only gaming company, has launched Club Bitcoin: Solitaire, a new solitaire-style mobile game that lets its players earn bitcoin for playing, per a press release sent to Bitcoin Magazine.
The new game is targeting a wider female audience, as the release states 63% of all women play mobile games. Additionally, the familiarity of solitaire games allows players to have an easy and comfortable onboarding experience onto bitcoin. Indeed, the gaming company notes that over 80% of its users are new to bitcoin and earn their first satoshis through the platform.
Furthermore, THNDR continues to target emerging economies as they are the fastest growing market in the industry, per the release.
Thus, the conclusion could be drawn that those in emerging economies who are looking for harder forms of money are turning to bitcoin via gaming platforms, as the company states 60% of its user base are in these regions.
“At THNDR, our mission is to bring bitcoin to the world through play,” said Desiree Dickerson, CEO of THNDR Games. “Club Bitcoin: Solitaire is the perfect tool to spearhead mass adoption.”
Truly, the Bitcoin Lightning Network eases the process of onboarding new users as the gaming company can deliver near-instant payments in bitcoin without requiring any technical know-how from the user. THNDR has delivered over $1.5 million in BTC to its users since inception.
Moreover, the gaming platform is non-custodial, meaning the company does not hold the keys of its users’ bitcoin. In addition, the application supports a plethora of bitcoin wallets, enabling users to control their experience from start to finish.


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Headliners included executives from iHeartMedia, Google, Havas Worldwide, Twitter and Yahoo
Arlington, Va., January 22, 2015 – Marketing, advertising, content and creative professionals found a new home at the International CES® at C Space. This new show venue, located at ARIA, served as an exciting extension of the Brand Matters and Entertainment Matters programs at CES and helped unite the more than 30,000 entertainment, content, advertising/marketing and creative professionals who attend the show each year. Owned and produced by CEA, the International CES is the global gathering place for all who thrive on the business of technology.
C Space at ARIA featured tailored conferences, networking events, exhibits and meeting suites along with an array of headline speakers. Throughout three days, attendees packed panel sessions focused on trends and techniques to reach the consumer through the next generation of digital video, social and multi-platform marketing. Other sessions explored related topics such as how brands can utilize video to drive deeper consumer engagement, the use of data and measurement, the best ways to foster creativity in a technology saturated world, and the need to balance customer relationships and privacy while implementing targeted marketing.
“We are pleased that this inaugural year for C Space at ARIA was successful as a dedicated venue for brand marketers and creative professionals at the 2015 CES,” said Karen Chupka, senior vice president, International CES and corporate business strategy, CEA. “With content and advertising professionals attending CES in increasing numbers, our goal was to create a setting for this community to network and generate new ideas at CES. Based upon the positive feedback we have received, we look forward to continuing to tailor this venue to the needs of the content community at future CES events.”
C Space headline speakers included Neal Mohan, vice president, display and video advertising, Google; Scott Burke, senior vice president of advertising, Yahoo!, in a panel session moderated by Yahoo! Tech columnist David Pogue; Ryan Seacrest, Host of On-Air with Ryan Seacrest; Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia Inc.; Jason Jercinovic, president, Havas Worldwide Digital; and Howard Pyle, vice president, IBM Marketing Innovation Group. In addition, NBC Universal’s Linda Yaccarino shared several announcements. These top executives discussed the impact that technological innovation is having on today’s business environment as well as how their companies are managing the intersection of media, content, marketing and technology.
Also at C Space, the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) presented the Digital Disruption conference track designed to bring together premier client side marketers to present thought leadership and share stories of winning campaigns and partnerships. Executives discussed the hottest issues in digital marketing and media.
Speakers included Michael Donnelly, senior vice president and group head of global digital marketing at MasterCard Worldwide; Stevie Benjamin, senior director of digital and media at MillerCoors; and Tony Pace, chief marketing officer of the Subway Franchisee Advertising Fund. Many speakers echoed the thoughts of Tony Pace as he stated, “The role technology plays in consumers’ lives is strong and ever growing. We need to pay attention to the intersection of marketing and technology.”
The Brand Matters keynote at the 2015 CES featured a one-on-one interview with CBS Corp. President and CEO Leslie Moonves by MediaLink Chairman and CEO Michael Kassan. Their discussion was followed by a panel conversation lead by MediaLink President and COO Wenda Harris Millard with executives from Conde Nast, Fox, Google, McDonalds and The Walt Disney Co. The panelists discussed how their “corporate DNA” dictates their distribution and personalization strategy and agreed that mobile is offering unprecedented opportunities.
For the latest news on the 2015 International CES, including videos from headliners at C Space as well as other conference sessions and keynotes, visit CESweb.org.
The International CES is the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for more than 40 years—the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace. As the largest hands-on event of its kind, CES features all aspects of the industry. And because it is owned and produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the technology trade association representing the $223 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry, it attracts the world’s business leaders and pioneering thinkers to a forum where the industry’s most relevant issues are addressed. Follow CES online at http://www2.ce.org/e/26962/2015-01-22/34jzbq/309971131 and through social media


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If you ask manufacturers about their operations, they'll probably tell you they're feeling pretty good. They've improved productivity and efficiency by implementing lean and Six Sigma, training their workers and making strategic investments in high-tech equipment.
If you ask them about what's going on outside their four walls, that's an entirely different story.
That's one interpretation of the summer edition of the McGladrey Manufacturing and Distribution Monitor, a quarterly survey of manufacturing executives on the state of industry.
"The economy, rising commodity prices, federal gridlock, federal over-regulation -- all of those things that manufacturers can't control, they're very concerned and pessimistic about," said Karen Kurek, national manufacturing practice leader for RSM McGladrey Inc.
Conversely, manufacturers seem "fairly positive" about the things they can control, such as making their businesses more productive, Kurek told IndustryWeek.
That assertion is reflected in the latest McGladrey survey. When asked about the health of their companies, 44% of the manufacturing executives answered that their firms are thriving and growing, compared with 45% of executives in the spring.
Meanwhile, 52% of the survey respondents said their businesses are holding their own, while only 3% said their businesses are declining. Those percentages are nearly identical to the spring survey.
Manufacturers in the "thriving and growing" category are engaging in a number of best practices, McGladrey notes, including:
- Embedding lean and other continuous-improvement approaches into their cultures.
- Investing in workforce training and automation.
- Formally measuring vendor performance.
- Tracking key business metrics in real-time on executive dashboards.
- Expanding internationally and exploring emerging markets.
The biggest driver of productivity gains: process improvements (80%) and improved labor utilization (60%).
At the same time, the survey of more than 620 executives found that external factors such as the economy are a lingering source of anxiety.
Some 60% of the survey respondents said they are pessimistic about the U.S. economy, up from 38% in the spring survey. Regarding the world economy, 64% of the respondents said they are pessimistic, up from 50% in the spring survey.
The specter of higher commodity prices also continues to be a huge concern, with 88% of manufacturing executives expecting their raw-material costs to rise.
Some 85% of the executives said they plan to pass those higher costs onto their customers in the form of price increases or surcharges, the survey found.
"That was one point I found fairly remarkable," Kurek said.
Continuing a trend from the spring, more than half of the respondents to the summer survey said they expect to increase their workforces over the next 12 months, by an average of 7%.
"It kind of debunks the myth that manufacturers are getting more productive at the expense of not hiring more employees," Kurek told IndustryWeek. "Indeed, these manufacturers are getting more productive, but their volumes and their sales have gone up, so they need to hire employees."
"But the big conundrum is not being able to find the people with the appropriate skills to fill those jobs."
While the skills gap continues to be a nagging problem, there is some hope. As an example, Kurek pointed to the National Association of Manufacturers' Manufacturing Institute and its efforts toward the goal of credentialing 500,000 community college students with skills certifications tailored to the needs of manufacturers.
Overall, manufacturers are grappling with the disconnect between the operational improvements they've made and the insanity in Washington, Europe and elsewhere, which is "making them very cautiously optimistic," Kurek noted.
"What we're seeing is that manufacturers and distributors have positive data in front of them, but they're not sure whether to believe their figures or the dismal news they hear every day," Kurek said.


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Debuting at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Nokia unveiled their new “Healthier Together” virtual reality (VR) experience. The new experience will allow users to interact with and learn about new Digital Health products and make purchases through the application.
Created in partnership with innovation marketing agency Brandwidth, the “Healthier Together” VR ad was created using Nokia’s own award winning OZO+ camera and software which enable the high-quality content capture and seamless production of immersive VR experiences for advertising and marketing professionals. It features Mixed Reality pop-up views of the Nokia Health Mate app and descriptions of the products, in addition to a first-of-its-kind e-commerce integration in which viewers can click through the pop-ups to the Nokia Health site and purchase the products directly.
“Nokia is launching the broadest range of consumer digital health products on the market and we wanted to show how easy it is to live ‘healthier together’ with them. VR was the natural choice to immerse the viewer in a real environment with a real family and Brandwidth have been great partners in realizing that vision,” said Rob Le Bras-Brown, CMO of Nokia Technologies. “I’m especially proud of this new campaign because it exemplifies the breadth of innovation at Nokia today – using award winning OZO VR technology to showcase our exciting new health products.”
The VR ad experience kicks off the ‘Healthier Together’ marketing campaign that will support the launch of Nokia digital health products. The full portfolio will include Nokia branded smart watches, connected scales, blood pressure monitors and other consumer health devices that will be available in store and online in key markets worldwide.


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A new business model for threat actors may level the playing field among cybercriminals and pose more trouble for enterprise security teams.
While gathering vulnerability intelligence through dark web forums, Digital Shadows researchers observed discussions on the emergence of exploit as a service, which would "inevitably lower the barrier for accessing sophisticated exploits." In this scenario, rather than sell a zero-day exploit to one threat actor, the developer would rent it out to as many people as possible in a controlled way as not to burn it.
Over the past few months, Digital Shadows researchers have been monitoring these discussions, which have been gaining attention and responses from a variety of users. The threat intelligence vendor released findings in a blog post and research paper this week. Stefano De Blasi, cyber threat analyst at Digital Shadows, told SearchSecurity they have observed a sort of cooperation within the cybercrime ecosystem.
The potential new service is a product of the highly profitable zero-day market, where researchers have seen multimillion-dollar price tags for exploits. For De Blasi, it's another sign of the "lowering of the professionalization and sophistication needed to conduct certain attacks."
"Traditionally, zero-days have always been a prerogative of state-sponsored actors because, of course, they were the ones with the most financial and technical resources. But in the last few years, the professionalization and sophistication of cybercrime has also led cybercriminal groups to compete with state-sponsored actors for buying these zero-days," De Blasi said.
However, from a developer perspective, De Blasi said the current business model is not always viable.
Though there are legitimate, legal ways to purchase exploits, Digital Shadows' research focuses on the illegal marketplace. In that market, when a malware developer discovers a zero-day vulnerability and creates a tool for it, they will try and auction it on a cybercriminal forum, according to De Blasi. While prices can reach several millions of dollars, it is not always the case and there is not always an immediate buyer. That's where an exploit-as-a-service model comes in.
"In this way, [developers] can try and monetize that zero-day before they sell it entirely to someone else -- or before the zero-day is discovered by security researchers, for example, and it's patched and they just lose all the potential money they could have made," De Blasi said.
It also benefits the cybercriminals who, according to the research blog, "could test the proposed zero day and later decide whether to purchase the exploit on an exclusive or non-exclusive basis."
Though the business model has potential for both parties, it also poses risks such as multiple actors using the same zero-day. As soon as the zero-day is detected and it is clear someone is exploiting it, De Blasi, said it will lose the zero status and much of its value.
One possible solution he proposed was the organization of a series of attacks from all parties that rented the zero-day to maximize the zero-day status. It could work, said De Blasi, if the attackers that rent the zero-day exploits are sophisticated enough to obfuscate the traces and conduct cyberespionage campaigns, for example, rather than a ransomware attack, which may draw more attention.
"On the other hand, I think personally what is going to happen is that this exploits-as-a-service model will develop not as much with zero-days, but maybe with just-discovered vulnerabilities but ones that aren't broadly patched. So they will create some custom exploits and try to rent those ones instead of zero-days, because those are quite complicated," De Blasi said.
Cybercriminals are also addressing complications of the new business model. According to De Blasi's research, the discussions are "active and ongoing every day" as they try and find a solution to the problem of maximizing the revenues before zero-day exploits are detected and patched.
If this model takes off, De Blasi said it could cause serious issues for enterprise security teams, who could face more zero-day threats. Additionally, it could take advantage of unpatched vulnerabilities, which is already a main concern for enterprises because many are slow to patch.
"It will provide a lot of different actors with the capability needed to conduct some serious cyber attacks," De Blasi said.


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Samuelsson will resign when his contract expires. Jim Rowan, the former CEO of Dyson, is expected to succeed him.
After nearly a decade as CEO and president of Volvo, Hakan Samuelsson will step down in March. Jim Rowan, the former CEO of the Dyson Group, has been named as his successor by the Swedish manufacturer. Samuelsson has been president and CEO of Volvo Cars since October 2012, following two years on the company’s board of directors and prior to that as chairman and CEO of the now-defunct commercial vehicle manufacturer MAN SE.
- Rowan headed Dyson when the brand was developing an EV
- Samuelsson to retain position as chairperson of Polestar
Samuelsson’s contract expires this year, and Volvo announced that his successor was chosen “after a thorough and diligent search process to secure the continued strong leadership of Volvo Cars with a CEO who has a strong background in software, digital transformation, and innovative consumer products.
When Rowan takes over on March 21, Samuelsson will step down from the Volvo board of directors, but will continue to chair Polestar, an electric vehicle performance brand that is preparing to list on the Nasdaq stock exchange later this year. He hasn’t said anything else about his plans.
“I’m delighted to welcome Jim to his new role as part of Volvo Cars’ exciting journey,” Samuelsson said. “I’d like to thank all Volvo Cars employees for the incredible progress we’ve made together over the last ten years – not only for making Volvo one of the fastest growing and most trusted premium automotive brands, but also for always innovating and leading with purpose.” I wish you every success in the exciting years ahead.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Hakan Samuelsson for his dedication and perseverance over the past ten years at Volvo Cars,” said Li Shufu, chairman and founder of Volvo’s parent company, Geely Holding Group. “Hakan has created a renewed and strong product line, re-established Volvo as a premium brand that is well positioned for the future, and enabled the successful listing of Volvo Cars with his management team.”
Rowan is the founder and CEO of Ember Technologies, a company that makes heat-controlling kitchenware. Prior to that, he spent three years as CEO of technology giant Dyson, specifically during the time when the company was developing a bespoke electric car, which never made it to market after being deemed uncommercially viable. He was the chief operating officer of Blackberry before joining Dyson in 2012.
Following the recent arrival of the all-electric XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge compact SUVs, he arrives at Volvo as the Swedish company prepares to launch the landmark all-electric successor to its largest model this year – the XC90.
It has also formed a joint venture with Northvolt, a technology start-up, to manufacture its own electric vehicle batteries in Sweden, and has pledged to significantly increase its sustainability efforts across its manufacturing and supply chain operations.
I’m thrilled to be joining Volvo Cars at such an exciting time for the company and for the industry and consumers,” Rowan said. “Volvo Cars, with its strong track record in innovation, safety, and quality, as well as world-class talent and inspiring sustainability and technology capabilities, is in the driver’s seat for the road ahead.
Volvo automobiles for India
Volvo has pushed for electrification of its model line-up in recent months, with the introduction of mild-hybrid versions of the XC60, S90, and XC90 in India. The all-electric XC40 Recharge will be released in the coming months, bringing Volvo into the EV market. The Recharge will be Volvo’s first electric vehicle for the Indian market, with the company planning to release one new electric vehicle each year.


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NEXUS has just announced that they are having an Encore Sales Event this weekend on Saturday November 18th from 11am to 5pm, which will debut 16 newly released city suites priced from the mid-$500’s. If you were one of those folks who missed out on a studio or urban one bedroom at NEXUS, this is your opportunity.
Where did these newly released units come from? Well, after analyzing market demand, the project team has reconfigured the floor plates on floors 28 to 35, in the “third cube”, so that where 8 larger one-bedroom plus den condos once were, there will now be 16 smaller city suites. Each of the 8 larger one-bedrooms will now be two independent units, one a 484 square foot studio and one a 503 square foot open one bedroom. The newly released homes will be priced from the mid-$500,000s to the mid-$600,000s, a price range that was previously sold out at NEXUS.
Some details to note about the Sales Event:
- The sales will be first-come first-serve – doors open at 11am
- Buyers will enter into a contract and provide a 5% earnest money deposit to secure the condo they want to purchase
- They have decided to not allow any further investor purchases for the new release of these 16 units and will be requiring all buyers to sign the purchase and sale agreement indicating they are buying as a primary residence or as a second home
Click here to see a video from the sales team just explaining the new release.
By Marco Kronen with Seattle Condo Review: A guide to Seattle downtown condos.


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American fashion company Ralph Lauren and Dow Chemical Company have jointly released a detailed manual on how to dye cotton more sustainably and more effectively using Ecofast Pure Sustainable Textile Treatment. With this manual, Ralph Lauren and Dow are open-sourcing this improved dyeing process to encourage adoption in the textile industry.
The companies aim to help standardise a more sustainable and efficient cotton dyeing system for positive environmental impact.
The co-developed, step-by-step manual details how to use Ecofast Pure, a cationic cotton treatment developed by Dow, with existing dyeing equipment. Ralph Lauren, the first brand to use Ecofast Pure, partnered with Dow to optimise and implement the technology in its cotton dyeing operations as part of its new Color on Demand platform.
Conventional fabric dyeing processes require trillions of litres of water each year, generating roughly 20 per cent of the world’s wastewater. Pretreating fabric with Ecofast Pure helps significantly reduce the amount of water, chemicals and energy needed to colour cotton, by enabling up to 90 per cent less process chemicals, 50 per cent less water, 50 per cent less dyes and 40 per cent less energy without sacrificing colour or quality.
“As fashion supply chains look to recover from impacts of the pandemic, there is a critical window to build more sustainable practices into production processes,” said Mary Draves, chief sustainability officer at Dow. “By collaborating today to scale a less resource intensive dyeing process, we can help address pressing challenges, like climate change and water resiliency, in the long-term.”
“If we want to protect our planet for the next generation, we have to create scalable solutions that have never been considered before. This requires deep and sometimes unexpected collaboration and a willingness to break down the barriers of exclusivity,” said Halide Alagöz, chief product & sustainability officer at Ralph Lauren. “We are proud to have partnered with Dow on this innovation and to share it openly with our industry, with the hope that it will help transform how we preserve and use water in our global supply chains.”
Ralph Lauren began integrating Color on Demand into its supply chain earlier this year and first launched product utilising Ecofast Pure as part of the Company’s Team USA collection for the Olympic & Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020. Designed to help address water scarcity and pollution caused by cotton dyeing, Color on Demand is a multi-phased system with a clear ambition to deliver over time the world’s first scalable zero wastewater cotton dyeing system. By 2025, the brand aims to use the Color on Demand platform to dye more than 80 per cent of its solid cotton products.
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- Medical device manufacturers have reported mixed results in the latest financial quarter, a period characterised by the emergence of the Omicron variant, resulting staffing issues, supply chain constraints and inflation.
- We expect medtech revenues to expand due to pent-up demand for deferred procedures following the staffing challenges posed by the global surge in Covid-19 cases.
- Surging demand for Covid-19 diagnostics drove growth for diagnostic-focused companies over Q421, but demand for tests will decrease over H222.
- Medical device manufacturers will pursue an M&A strategy of tuck-in acquisitions over 2022.
In the most recent set of quarterly financial results (the majority of which the three months to December 31 2021), the manufacturers of medical devices reported mixed but mostly positive financial results in a quarter characterised by the emergence and spread of the Omicron variant, staffing issues and supply chain problems for key components.
We expect to see medtech revenues expand due to pent-up demand for deferred procedures following the staffing challenges created by the emergence of the Omicron variant. The emergence and spread of the more transmissible Omicron variant late in the quarter resulted in hospital staffing challenges, impacting procedure volumes and squeezing revenues particularly for procedure-dependent medtechs. Staffing challenges were noted by the majority of medtech companies in the most recent financial results release. For Johnson & Johnson’s medical devices business, despite recording sales growth, ongoing pressure from the pandemic slowed recovery in Q421, with CFO, Joseph Wolk noting that procedure volatility from Covid-19 will remain a challenge over H122. This was echoed by Intuitive Surgical, which expects a moderate impact from Covid-19 over the remainder of 2022. While Boston Scientific and Baxter also grappled with staffing-related challenges in both the hospital and manufacturing setting constraining revenues.
Staffing challenges are expected to linger over Q122 and are more likely to affect medical device makers in the orthopaedics sector such as Stryker, Zimmer Biomet and Johnson & Johnson’s medical device division. With the current surge of Covid-19 cases subsiding globally and vaccination efforts continuing, we at Fitch Solutions expect revenues of medical device manufacturers to expand over H122, benefitting from pent-up demand for deferred procedures.
Supply chain challenges featured prominently for medtechs in Q421, although these should ease over H122. GE Healthcare reported a Q421 revenue decline of 4% y-o-y due to the ongoing industry-wide supply shortages, with Boston Scientific also observing headwinds from global supply chain disruptions in addition to pricing pressures on material costs from increasing inflation. Increasing costs of procuring materials was also a feature for Baxter, with the company paying for expedited shipments in the quarter to procure necessary components, which tightened the company’s margins. The ongoing semiconductor shortage also continued to impact medtechs, with the advanced medical technology association, AdvaMed, warning of worsening supply chain issues and calling for prioritisation of the medical devices industry over other sectors owing to the critical nature of many medical devices.
Surging demand for Covid-19 diagnostics drove growth for many diagnostic-focused companies in Q421, although we expect demand for tests will decrease over H222. Abbott is a major player in the diagnostics field and recorded a strong Q421, with growth of 7.2% y-o-y, with revenues beating guidance as a result of the increased demand for Covid-19 diagnostic testing. The company brought in USD2.3bn in Covid-19 testing products in the quarter alone. However, despite ramping up testing production to meet demand in H221, Quest Diagnostics reported an 37.3% y-o-y decrease in its Q421 Covid-19 testing revenues. It is our view that Covid-19 testing sales will be frontloaded in 2022, with demand to somewhat fall over Q222 and Q322 as the pandemic enters a new phase. This view is supported by company guidance, with Quest anticipating an overall revenue decline of 12-17% in 2022, and Abbott also keeping expectations low, predicting sales of USD2.5bn in 2022, with the assumption that the majority of these sales will occur in the first quarter.
Tuck-in acquisitions will be a feature of the medtech space over 2022. M&A in the medtech space began this year with Stryker’s USD3bn acquisition of Vocera Communications, a provider of clinical communication and workflow solutions on January 6 2022. At Fitch Solutions, we believe that major medical device manufacturers will pursue an M&A strategy of tuck-in acquisitions over 2022. This involves a company absorbing a smaller company and integrating them into its own platform, generally allowing the acquiring company to incorporate a specific product or technology in order to grow market share. This M&A strategy has been hinted at by company executives of leading medical device manufacturers such as J&J, Medtronic, Becton Dickinson and Boston Scientific in Q421 earnings calls.
This report from Fitch Solutions Country Risk & Industry Research is a product of Fitch Solutions Group Ltd, UK Company registration number 08789939 ('FSG'). FSG is an affiliate of Fitch Ratings Inc. ('Fitch Ratings'). FSG is solely responsible for the content of this report, without any input from Fitch Ratings. Copyright © 2021 Fitch Solutions Group Limited. © Fitch Solutions Group Limited All rights reserved. 30 North Colonnade, London E14 5GN, UK.


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A pension fund-led class action lawsuit against Hasbro Inc. accuses the toy company of misleading investors about its financial health to artificially inflate its stock price while its CEO and CFO sold $147 million in personal shares.
According to the lawsuit, Hasbro’s executives allegedly made false statements, or failed to disclose adverse facts known to them about the company, to deceive the investing public regarding its prospects and business. It alleges that this propped up the stock’s price, allowing CEO Brian Goldner and CFO Deborah Thomas to collectively sell more than $147 million of their personally held Hasbro stock to the “unsuspecting public.”
The lawsuit argues that because of the “fraudulent scheme,” anyone who purchased Hasbro stock between April 24, 2017, and October 23, 2017, did so at artificially inflated prices. The lead plaintiff is the City of Warren Police and Fire Retirement System.
The plaintiffs claim that because Goldner and Thomas had the authority to control the contents of Hasbro’s quarterly reports, shareholder letters, press releases, and presentations, they knew that the “adverse facts” were being concealed from the public, and that “the positive representations being made were then materially false and misleading.”
The suit also argues that Goldner and Thomas knew that toy retailer Toys “R” Us, which accounted for 9% of Hasbro’s consolidated net revenues in fiscal year 2016, was in far worse financial condition than was being publicly reported.
Hasbro “knew or recklessly disregarded that Toys “R” Us would have to dramatically scale back its operations or file for bankruptcy and liquidate,” said the lawsuit, adding that “as a result, Hasbro would have to increase its financial support of Toys “R” Us or risk losing one of its most important customers.”
It also said that at the same time, Hasbro was experiencing “significant undisclosed adverse sales issues” in the UK and Brazil, which are two of the company’s main markets. The plaintiffs argue that because of the combination of these issues, the company “lacked a reasonable basis for their positive statements about Hasbro, its revenues, earnings, and prospect.”
The lawsuit cited a July 2017 Hasbro earnings press release that said the company “entered the important second half of the year with strong consumer momentum, a robust and diverse entertainment slate, and compelling new brand initiatives.”
The Pawtucket, Rhode Island-based company denied the allegations, according to the Providence Journal, saying “the claims have no merit and we intend to vigorously defend against them.”


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Lyft (NASDAQ:LYFT) reported its results for the first quarter of 2020 on May 6. The earnings were better than Wall Street’s estimate, which led the stock to surge 22% on May 7. The growth in active riders for the ride-hailing firm continued despite lockdown restrictions.
Lyft’s Q1 earnings
The company’s revenues rose by 23% YoY (year-over-year). However, April might be the worst month. Lyft CEO Logan Green mentioned that the rides fell 75% YoY in April. He thinks that the second week of April might be the trough. The company has seen three consecutive weeks of week-over-week growth. He also maintained that macro trends could continue to have a negative impact on the business.
Uber’s Q1 results
Uber (NYSE:UBER) declared its mixed first-quarter results on May 7. The company’s revenues were higher than analysts’ estimates. The adjusted loss also beat Wall Street’s expectations. Uber stock rallied after-hours on May 7. Even after reporting higher-than-expected losses, the stock has risen since the Uber Eats’ business did well. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi thinks that the business has started to pick-up again.
Analysts’ recommendations for Lyft
Analysts’ sentiment for ride-hailing giants has mainly been positive. Among the 39 analysts covering Lyft, 67% recommend a “buy,” while the rest recommend a “hold.” Wells Fargo analyst Brian Fitzgerald lowered Lyft’s target price from $56 to $48 and maintained an “overweight” rating. The analyst thinks that due to a lower cost structure, the company can achieve EBITDA profitability at 15%–20% lower volumes than previously estimated.
Lyft gets higher target prices
A Piper Sandler analyst downgraded Lyft from “overweight” to “neutral.” The analyst mentioned that he has “less faith in the attractiveness of the ride-hailing theme” due to COVID-19. J.P. Morgan analyst Doug Anmuth raised Lyft’s target price from $40 to $42 and kept an “overweight” rating. He’s positive on Lyft due to cost-saving measures. D.A. Davidson, Wedbush, RBC Capital, and Morgan Stanley also raised their respective target prices for the stock.
Analysts’ bullish commentary for Uber
Analysts were also positive about Uber. Wedbush raised its target price to $38 from $30 and maintained an “outperform” rating. Analysts are positive due to Uber Eats’ strength and cost-cutting measures. D.A. Davidson upgraded Uber from “neutral” to “buy” and increased the target price by 66% to $39. According to The Fly, analyst Tom White said that “the company is well-positioned to leverage its multi-product platform to emerge post-pandemic in a significantly stronger competitive position.”
J.P. Morgan also raised the stock’s target price from $32 to $38 and kept an “overweight” rating. J.P. Morgan’s analyst hopes that rides troughed in April and the subsequent pick-up has started.
Analysts are bullish on Uber and Lyft
Currently, the expected recovery is the major selling point for Uber and Lift. Most of the analysts who are turning positive on the companies think that the trough in rides already happened. Cost-cutting measures are another positive for Uber and Lyft. Notably, cost-cutting measures could help the companies turn profits despite lower volumes.


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|Bid||18.2450 x 0|
|Ask||19.0450 x 0|
|Day's range||20.1200 - 20.1200|
|52-week range||17.0150 - 20.5000|
|Beta (3Y monthly)||0.92|
|PE ratio (TTM)||-0.00|
|Forward dividend & yield||0.51 (2.58%)|
|1y target est||N/A|
When the little known Ken Murphy takes over next year as CEO of Tesco, Britain's biggest retailer, he will inherit something current boss Dave Lewis did not have the luxury of when he joined in 2014 - a strategy and a stable business. When former Unilever executive Lewis became CEO of Tesco on Sept. 1, 2014, the supermarket group was already reeling from a dramatic downturn in trading. Three weeks later, an accounting scandal plunged it into the biggest crisis in its history.
Tesco boss Dave Lewis, credited with saving Britain's biggest retailer from collapse in 2014, will step down next summer after declaring its turnaround complete, handing over to a relative unknown catapulted into one of the sector's top jobs. Celebrating its 100th anniversary, Tesco is five years into a recovery plan launched by Lewis after an accounting scandal capped a dramatic downturn in trading. Successor Ken Murphy, a former executive at healthcare group Walgreens Boots Alliance, will become the second outsider to lead Tesco, following in the footsteps of former Unilever executive Lewis.
* China's conciliatory statement boosts European stocks * STOXX 600 +0.7%, FTSE 100 +1.2% * Tech stocks outperform, luxury underperforms * Pearson and Imperial Brands slump on profit warnings Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of European equity markets brought to you by Reuters stocks reporters and anchored today by Thyagaraju Adinarayan. Reach him on Messenger to share your thoughts on market moves: rm://firstname.lastname@example.org A DEEPER LOOK INTO THE LONDON TRIO'S PROFIT WARNINGS (1009 GMT) A cigarette maker, an airline and an education group - what's the one thing in common between them today? Combined $5 billion has been wiped from London blue-chips Pearson, Imperial Brands and British Airways-owner IAG as they warned on full-year profits.
French retailer Carrefour SA has seen sales boosted by the use of blockchain ledger technology to track meat, milk and fruit from farms to stores and will extend it to more products to increase shopper trust, an executive said on Monday. Blockchain's digital tracking technology allows customers to see detailed information on products like when it was harvested or packed - reassuring them on the quality of items they buy and allowing them to avoid products with genetically modified organisms, antibiotics or pesticides if they want. Carrefour has launched blockchain information for 20 items including chicken, eggs, raw milk, oranges, pork and cheese, and will add 100 more this year with a focus on areas where consumers want reassurance, like baby and organic products.
HONG KONG/PARIS/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Carrefour, Europe largest retailer, is exploring the sale of a minority stake in its loss-making business in China and has started sounding out potential buyers, people familiar with the matter said. Carrefour's China business is valued at around $1 billion (£784 million) and the retailer is working with BNP Paribas on the deal, the sources said. A Carrefour spokeswoman said on Friday: "There is nothing particularly new to say about the matter", when asked about China.
PARIS/FRANKFURT/BEIJING (Reuters) - Carrefour, Europe largest retailer, is exploring the sale of a minority stake in its loss-making business in China and has started sounding out potential buyers, people familiar with the matter said. Carrefour's China business is valued at around $1 billion and the retailer is working with BNP Paribas on the deal, the sources said. A Carrefour spokeswoman said on Friday: "There is nothing particularly new to say about the matter", when asked about China.
French retailer Carrefour and U.S. waste recycling company TerraCycle launched on Tuesday the test for their 'Loop' initiative which they hope will tackle the problems of plastic waste threatening to destroy the environment. The 'Loop' online platform will allow shoppers in the Paris area to buy orange juice, powder detergent or shampoo in reusable containers that do not result in waste. Users put down a refundable deposit via the Loop website when ordering products, which are delivered in reusable glass and metal bottles, and shipped in a tote bag to shoppers' doors.
PARIS (Reuters) - A sale of Carrefour's business in China is not on the agenda, a spokeswoman for the French retailer said on Wednesday in answer to market rumours that had sent the share higher. Carrefour's ...
20% of the top 10 global grocers will use blockchain for food safety and traceability by 2025, according to Gartner. “Blockchain can help deliver confidence to their customers, and build and retain trust and loyalty,” says Joanne Joilet, Senior Research Director at Gartner. “Grocery retailers are trialling and looking to adopt the technology to provide transparency for their products. Additionally, understanding and pinpointing the product source quickly may be used internally, for example to identify products included in a recall.” Walmart, for instance, is now requiring suppliers of leafy greens to implement a farm-to-store tracking system based on blockchain. Others, such as Unilever and Nestlé, are also using the technology to trace food contamination. “As grocers are being held to The post Grocery retailers take lead on blockchain adoption, Gartner appeared first on Coin Rivet.
Carrefour plans to axe 3,000 jobs at its large hypermarket stores in France through a voluntary scheme, more than previously announced, a spokeswoman told Reuters on Friday. Under an offer made to unions on Friday, it could increase the number of potential voluntary departures by 1,770 through an additional early retirement scheme, the spokeswoman said, declining to comment on the costs and potential savings that the plan could generate. Carrefour aims to sign an agreement with unions in mid-May and to carry out the plan in the second half of the year.
Carrefour wants to track 20% of all in-house products on the blockchain by the end of 2019. It currently uses the technology to track 20 out of its 300 Carrefour-branded products across the supply chain, and plans to add about 40 more over the coming months, says Carrefour Blockchain Programme Director Emmanuel Delerm. Carrefour has implemented blockchain pilots in six countries, including France, Italy, Spain, and China. Customers can access information about the origin of the product they’re buying by scanning a QR code on the packaging. “When we tested this feature in China – we tested it with a Chinese pomelo – we got incredible figures,” Delerm says. “Customers scanned one out of two (or three) pomelos to check The post Carrefour places big bet on blockchain appeared first on Coin Rivet.
* European stocks falter as cyclicals drag * Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank end merger talks * Nokia drops 9 pct after surprise quarterly loss * Q1 beat sends ASM International to all-time high * Huhtamaki ...
Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of European equity markets brought to you by Reuters stocks reporters and anchored today by Thyagaraju Adinarayan. European stocks are under pressure in early deals, with all the major bourses in the red after weakness in Asia and on Wall Street overnight and as investors digest a slew of poor earnings from Nokia to Peugeot and UK housebuilder Taylor Wimpey. Finnish telecom equipment maker Nokia is down 10 percent at 6-month lows and set for its worst day since late 2017 after it reported a surprise Q1 loss.
Carrefour's shares rose on Thursday after the French supermarket retailer reported late Wednesday that sales growth had accelerated in the first quarter of this year. Carrefour's shares were up 3.6 percent in early trading, helping to lift the stock price of its French rival Casino by around 1 percent. "While we expect the sales trend to slow in coming quarters, we see the new initiatives launched in Q1, including additional price investments and new formats as steps in the right direction," wrote Deutsche Bank analysts.
Carrefour said revenue growth accelerated in the first quarter, driven by robust sales in Brazil and an improving performance in the core French market where hypermarket sales turned slightly positive. Finance Chief Matthieu Malige said the quarterly performance "confirms and reinforces management's confidence in the relevance of the transformation plan initiated in 2018". Carrefour, which is Europe's largest retailer, is in the midst of a five-year plan it launched in January 2018 to cut costs and jobs, boost E-commerce investment and seek a partnership in China with Tencent.
Nestlé and Carrefour are working on a pilot that will apply blockchain technology to the Mousline instant mashed potato product, available in Carrefour stores around France. This is the result of the companies joining the IBM Food Trust platform. Using a QR code on the product’s packaging, shoppers will be able to access information on the production supply chain, including the varieties of potato used, information on quality control, and places and dates of storage prior to reaching the store. “This pilot is the result of a successful partnership with Carrefour and a great step forward on our blockchain journey. We are using this technology to bring more transparency to our products by providing accurate, trusted and impartial information. That The post Nestlé, Carrefour to track mashed potato brand with blockchain appeared first on Coin Rivet.
Carrefour plans to cut 1,229 jobs as it downsizes its large hypermarket stores in France under a plan to boost sales and profits at Europe's largest retailer, the Force Ouvriere union told Reuters. The plan, which is being discussed with the FO, CFDT and CFE-CGC unions, entails departures via a conventional collective bargaining agreement, said FO union representative Michel Enguelz. Carrefour had earlier confirmed to Reuters that it was in talks over a conventional collective bargaining agreement, but the company did not specify any figures over possible job losses.
Carrefour is continuing its adventures in blockchain by applying the technology for tracking milk. As of this month, the French retail giant is selling blockchain-powered Carrefour Quality Line micro-filtered full fat milk which, it claims, guarantees consumers complete product traceability across the entire supply chain. This builds on a number of other initiatives. Last month, we reported that Carrefour Belgium was using blockchain to track meat, while Carrefour Italy was tapping the technology for citrus fruit. Further info here. It has also joined IBM’s food tracking network, Food Trust. The post Got milk? Carrefour is back on the blockchain appeared first on Coin Rivet.


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Providence Equity Partners’ seventh fund will likely come in at around $5 billion, according to two sources who attended the firm’s annual meeting last week. Separately, Providence has finally completed the sale of their 10% stake in Hulu for $200 million.
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Integrate said it raised $11 million in a round led by Comcast Ventures and joined by Liberty Global and existing investor Foundry Group. The Series B financing brings the total raised by the company to $15.2 million. The new money will help the ad tech company push ahead on product development. PRESS RELEASE COMCAST VENTURES [...]
(Reuters) – Little-known online games company Trion Worlds, after raising more than $100 million in venture capital since 2006, is looking at becoming the newest debutante at the digital media IPO ball. Not unlike larger and better-known games company Zynga, which filed for an IPO of up to $1 billion in July, Trion is considering [...]
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Tennis Channel said on Wednesday it filed a complaint against Comcast Corp with U.S. regulators, alleging that the top U.S. cable operator favors its own programs over others. The Tennis Channel, seeking a wider audience, said Comcast offers its tennis programs on the premium tier of sports shows which is watched [...]


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Milan-based Voidless secures €2.2 million in seed funding. Leading this round were 360 Capital, an Italian-French venture capital firm, and CDP Venture Capital through the Industry Tech sector’s Corporate Partners I Fund.
With this round, which comes after 360 Capital’s €600,000 pre-seed in July 2022, Voidless will be able to expand its market share thanks to its next-generation “box on demand” machinery, which is made to precisely create boxes and packaging for every kind of shipment right in warehouses.
Carlo Villani, CEO of Voidless said, “In addition to the benefits deriving from the reduction of overpackaging, Voidless systems allow another series of operational advantages for the warehouse itself, The logistics operator verticalizes by producing the boxes in-house instead of buying them from third parties and this directly translates into an increase in flexibility, a simplification in procurement and the possibility of printing personalized messages or logos on each box, a key point for modern marketing”.
Voidless systems are simple to include into any kind of warehouse, enabling each logistics operator to quickly and accurately design the right-sized box for the item or cargo that has to be transported.
The Voidless technique makes it possible to significantly optimize the entire logistics chain, which lowers waste from cardboard and filler materials and increases transit efficiency.
Enrico Filì, Partner of the IndustryTech sector of the Corporate Partners I fund, CDP Venture Capital, commented: “We think there is a great opportunity in the efficiency and decarbonization of logistics and packaging processes in which market operators driven by customer pressure must find solutions of immediate impact and flexible enough to adapt to the needs of companies of different sizes and growth rates; Voidless’ solution and its business model go in this direction. We are particularly happy to support a talented and young team like Voidless, which in a very short time has developed a product and won over its first customers”.
Lucrezia Lucotti, Partner at 360 Capital, added: “In less than two years, Voidless has managed to bring to market an innovative on-demand packaging solution that is more easily integrated and low-cost than existing solutions. We note that the strategy of companies is increasingly oriented towards a sustainable approach and oriented towards the end customer (who is increasingly attentive to environmental impact issues), all in line with the imperative of reducing packaging and transport costs. Congratulations to Carlo, Daniel, Guglielmo and Mattia for this result, which started from a garage near the Politecnico di Milano. There is still a lot of work to be done and we are happy to support them on this journey.”
The goal of Voidless is to address the issue of excessive packing in the online retail sector. They accomplish this by creating, constructing, and setting up the newest generation of box on-demand packaging systems, which precisely satisfy the demands of their clients in the context of Industry 4.0.


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Microsoft has fixed a problem with the Windows 10 Store that had prevented a number of users from being able to update existing Windows Store apps and/or download new ones.
A week after users -- including me -- began reporting problems with the Windows 10 Store, Microsoft seems to have fixed the issue.
In the early hours of August 11, Microsoft officials said to expect a fix for the Store issue to come via Windows Update within 48 hours. I don't think this ultimately is how Microsoft repaired the problem, however, as I don't see any new Windows Updates in my history beyond the usual Windows Defender definition updates.
I've asked Microsoft officials for more information on what caused the issue and how the company ultimately fixed it, but have yet to hear back.
While waiting for the Microsoft fix, a number of Windows 10 users found various workarounds, including resetting their Windows 10 machines and disabling various recent Windows 10 updates, to have fixed the Store and Windows Store app issues, they said.
For those who've had the Windows 10 Store problems mentioned above, try restarting your PC, opening the Store and waiting for the queue to automatically start clearing, which may take a few minutes. Windows Store apps like Mail and Calendar should start working once the queue starts clearing.
Update: I am still hearing from a few Windows 10 users that they're still having problems with the Store and Store apps. I'm not sure if this is just a matter of the fix taking time to propagate or if there are still unresolved issues. But I'm hearing from more users than not that the fix Microsoft made seems to have worked.


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Time Warner Cable Inc. will let its home broadband customers turn their connections into public wireless hotspots, a practice shunned by most U.S. Internet service providers.
For Fon, which has forged similar agreements with ISPs across Europe, the deal will boost its credibility with U.S. consumers.
For Time Warner Cable, which has 6.6 million broadband subscribers, the move could help protect the company from an exodus as free or cheap municipal wireless becomes more readily available.
Fon was founded in Spain in 1995 on the premise that people shouldn’t have to pay twice once at home, then again in a coffee shop â€” for Internet access. At first, the company offered software that let members, called Foneros, turn Wi-Fi routers into shared access points, but it took hours to get up and running.
In the fall of 2006, Fon, which counts Google Inc. and eBay Inc.’s Skype among its investors, started selling and sometimes giving away its own branded wireless router, called La Fonera. Since then, it has distributed about 370,000 of them worldwide.
La Fonera splits a Wi-Fi connection in two: an encrypted channel for the Fonero and a public one for neighbors or passers-by. Foneros can decide how much of their bandwidth to share with the public and can log on to any Fon router without charge. “Aliens,” as Fon calls nonmembers, can register on a Web page and pay a modest $2 or $3 for 24 hours of access.
In the U.S., where it costs $10 for a day pass to use a T-Mobile HotSpot at a Starbucks, Fon’s economics seem particularly appealing.
Starbucks Corp. and T-Mobile USA Inc. representatives responded that they provide a premium service, and that customers see value in paying for speed, security and reliability.Fon has about 60,000 Foneros in the U.S. In February, the company launched “Fonbucks,” a one-month router giveaway aimed at people who live above or next-door to a Starbucks. It was an amusing way to get more La Foneras into high-density areas, and it worked to the tune of 6,800 free routers.
But until now, ISPs in the U.S. have resisted the Fon model. Most big companies’ end-user license agreements prohibit subscribers from sharing their connection outside the home or business. Verizon Communications Inc., for example, can terminate contracts if it finds an ad-hoc hotspot.
Those policies are antiquated and don’t mesh with the reality of untold thousands of people using their neighbors’ unsecured Wi-Fi connections, Rees argues.
“It’s a dirty secret how much leeching” goes on, Rees said. She said ISPs should embrace Fon because the routers, which require that “aliens” enter a valid credit card number before getting online, put a sharp stop to the leeching. And getting free access to the worldwide network of La Fonera routers encourages people to get or keep a broadband connection at home.
In the Time Warner deal expected to be announced Monday, Fon and the cable company will split what “aliens” pay to use the hotspots. Rees said the two companies are still working out details on how the partnership will be marketed. Time Warner Cable spokeswoman Maureen Huff confirmed the broad outlines of the deal but declined to discuss any details.
Time Warner may be looking ahead to the not-so-distant future when some of the 300 or so municipal wireless projects â€” featuring free or at least inexpensive broadband â€” being considered today become reality.
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Accra, March 21, GNA - The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has applied to the Registrars General Department to legalise its logo to grant the Association the sole right in its quest to clamp down on pirates. The FA put in its application last week and is expecting a reply from the Department in the next four weeks after which the Association will begin the fight against the pirates.
Kwasi Nyantakie, President of the Association told the GNA Sports that "we have applied for the registration of our logo to enable us have the legal right to prosecute the cheats". The issue of illegal merchandising remains a huge battle for sports authorities in the country. Individuals have hijacked the sale of paraphernalia's of the national colours and clubs where proceeds head for private pockets. The FA in recent times has come under huge criticism from various quarters which argue that, the Federation had done little to oust the practice of pirates using it's logos for their personal gains.
The President said "the only way we can obtain the power to halt this unfortunate practise is for the registration to pass through". But the GNA Sports can confirm that the registration provides the FA limited power of just stopping the pirates from displaying it's logos on the items as the right to completely eradicate the entire practice does not confine in the association's jurisdiction. Nyantakyie said "We do not have the right to stop the sale of Puma products since our sponsors have an agent in Ghana responsible for the sale of their replica items"
The sale of the jerseys of the senior national team, the Black Stars has fast established itself as a lucrative business after Ghana sealed her qualification to her maiden Mundial appearance last October. Items bearing influential names as Chelsea's Michael Essien, skipper Stephen Appiah, Samuel Osei Kuffour and Sulley Ali Muntari remain a sell out across the length and breath of the country. Even though Puma, the kit sponsors of the Stars are yet to release their replica jerseys and other paraphernalia's as said in their agreement with the GFA, prototypes of their jerseys can easily be located from the streets to the market places.


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In today’s digital age, streaming has become an integral part of our entertainment ecosystem. Whether we’re catching up on the latest TV shows or enjoying our favorite movies, having a reliable and affordable streaming device is essential. That’s why tech enthusiasts are buzzing with excitement over the news that Google is working on a cheaper HD Chromecast. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the details and explore the potential benefits of this upcoming device.
- The Evolution of Chromecast:
Chromecast, Google’s streaming media player, has been a popular choice for consumers since its initial release. It has undergone several iterations, offering enhanced features and improved performance. The current Chromecast with Google TV has gained acclaim for its integration of a user-friendly interface and a wide range of streaming apps. However, with a more affordable option in the works, Google aims to reach an even larger audience.
- Affordable HD Streaming for All:
The upcoming HD Chromecast promises to deliver high-definition streaming at a fraction of the cost of its predecessors. This move by Google opens up the world of streaming to a wider audience, allowing more individuals and families to access their favorite content without breaking the bank. By offering an affordable streaming device with HD capabilities, Google is addressing the needs of price-conscious consumers who still want a reliable and enjoyable streaming experience.
- Key Features and Improvements:
While specific details about the cheaper HD Chromecast are yet to be officially announced, we can speculate on some potential features and improvements based on Google’s previous product launches. Here are a few possibilities:
a. Enhanced Performance: The new HD Chromecast is likely to offer improved hardware specifications, ensuring smooth streaming and a responsive user experience.
b. Seamless Integration: Google’s commitment to seamless integration across its ecosystem might extend to the new Chromecast. Users can expect easy connectivity with other Google devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and smart speakers.
c. Content Availability: As with previous Chromecast models, the upcoming device is expected to support a vast range of streaming apps and services, providing users with an extensive library of content.
- SEO and the Focus Keyword:
To optimize this blog post for SEO, the focus keyword “HD Chromecast” should be strategically incorporated throughout the article. This includes the title, headings, subheadings, and body paragraphs. Additionally, relevant secondary keywords such as “affordable streaming,” “budget-friendly device,” and “streaming media player” can be used to further improve the SEO score.
Google’s decision to develop a cheaper HD Chromecast is a testament to the company’s commitment to making streaming accessible to a wider audience. This upcoming device has the potential to revolutionize the way we consume entertainment, providing high-definition streaming at an affordable price point. As we eagerly anticipate the official release and more details, one thing is clear: the era of budget-friendly streaming is on the horizon, and Google is leading the way. So, get ready to immerse yourself in a world of affordable HD entertainment with the upcoming HD Chromecast from Google.


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An already tariff-weary natural products industry will face elevated tariffs on nearly all ingredients and materials sourced from China, if a fresh 10% increase on the remaining US$300 billion in imports from China goes into effect Sept. 1, as promised by President Trump in his ongoing trade war.
The Trump Administration proposed the tariffs earlier this summer and held public hearings in June. However, the tariffs were put on hold after Trump and China President Xi Jinping met at the G20 Economic Summit in Japan in late June.
The tariffs would include the remaining imports from China not on the earlier three lists of punitive tariffs, some of which have elevated from an initial supplemental 10% to 25%.
The challenges for industry include how to deal with the elevated costs and possibly find non-Chinese sources of ingredients, whether another country or creating domestic supply. However, finding new sources can be nearly impossible for some ingredients, especially agricultural items that grow in certain climates and conditions. Further, it can take years to develop domestic sources of materials and ingredients that were almost exclusively imported for years and decades.
Read The Full Article HERE


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In yet another signal that cryptocurrency has become more mainstream, popular theater chain AMC has announced it will start accepting several forms of crypto payments before the end of the year. AMC already said in August that it would accept Bitcoin (BTC). Movie fans will now also be able to use Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) to pay for tickets and concessions online.
Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions. In order to improve our community experience, we are temporarily suspending article commenting


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LA CROSSE, Wis. (WXOW) - The annual Stuff the Bus Campaign sponsored by The Salvation Army of La Crosse County begins next week.
Despite the challenges faced with the coming school year, The Salvation Army wants to make sure that students in need have the necessary supplies for the school year.
The campaign is part of a nationwide campaign to provide school supplies to those students who are less fortunate.
People who want to contribute to this year's campaign can drop off items in the Back to School collection bins at Walmart stores in Onalaska and La Crosse. The bins will be out Friday, August 7 through Sunday, August 9 during regular business hours.


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Optus' investment in the English Premier League (EPL) is a “long-term play” that will help the telco gain market share at a time when white label broadband products are set to hit the market.
Since announcing it had secured EPL rights last year, there has been conjecture over how Optus would make a return on rights that cost more than $60 million per season.
This month, the telco announced it would broadcast every single game live on a 24/7 football channel it will house on Fetch
TV while on-selling a game each week to SBS. Gemba research shows that football is among the top four sports drivers of Pay TV subscriptions, behind AFL, rugby league and cricket.
Gemba CEO Rob Mills said telcos are the next big driver of broadcast rights values after freeto- airs and pay TV.
“In an NBN environment where you'll get white label broadband, such as Coles broadband, telcos are going to have to find content bundles to protect their broadband businesses. This is the start of it.”
Media agency bosses who spoke to AdNews believe one telco will struggle to attract advertisers to live games that typically run from midnight Saturday, into the early hours of Sunday morning.
What is more likely is that Optus' business model will combine revenue from advertising and selling bundled subscriptions to existing and new customers.
Maxus CEO Mark McCraith believes Optus will use the EPL as a way of “attracting a fanatical and loyal audience”.
“When people first questioned Optus on why they did it, it comes back to ‘content is king’,” McCraith said.
“I don't know its business model, it could be a loss leader, you don't know. But surely it’s smart enough to work out how it can make money out of it.”
Dentsu Aegis Network Australia CEO Simon Ryan believes Optus could go to market with a low subscription fee to try and build audience scale. Once they hit a critical mass, fees or advertising rates could then escalate.
“It's an investment that will pay off in years to come, it's not an investment that is going to be immediately captured,” he said.
“But the data it is going to get out of this play is certainly going to give it a strong position in the market.”
Optus' decision to invest well above what current rights Fox Sports is willing to pay signals a “statement of intent” and is not a surprise to Mills.
“Telcos are getting more aggressive in content with BT and Singtel ... I'm surprised it took so long to be brutally honest,” he told AdNews.
Behind the news
Optus' plans for the English Premier League and FIFA World Cup are ambitious but are only a sign of things to come as content distributors jostle for a larger slice of the consumer pie.
Pitching for live sports is a proven way of buying audience. All that is changing is more content distributors are muscling in on the action.
Telcos and ISPs have been hoovering up content creators for years to grow customer bases and offer lucrative bundle packages that combine landline, broadband, mobile and TV. In many cases, there's also advertising revenue to be gained.
In the UK, BT has invested close to £2 billion to secure the rights to weekly EPL games, European football, rugby, cricket and Moto GP - taking UK pay TV operator Sky Sports head–on.
BT uses its sports rights as a free incentive for its premium priced broadband package, which has helped it win more new customers each quarter than Sky since it went to market with the offering in 2015. BT's direct T V subscriber base has grown to 1.2 million, rising to 5.2 million when subscriptions through Sky and Virgin are accounted for. But the impact this has had on Sky has been marginal. Sky grew its subscriber base past 12 million for the first time in 2015.
It still offers EPL and premium content aside from football, a sign that should insulate Foxtel against an EPL hangover. Foxtel has coverage of the three largest subscription driving sports – AFL, NRL and cricket – and plenty of other entertainment to keep punters happy.
Whether Optus' EPL play helps it get one over its rival or leads to an own goal remains to be seen. The more important point is that the telco is now firmly in the content game.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at firstname.lastname@example.org


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Hyundai is issuing an auto defect recall for about 27,500 of its Genesis sedans to fix defective brakes. According to a USA Today news report, 23 complaints have been received so far alleging incidents of increased brake pedal travel and reduced brake effectiveness in the model year 2009 Genesis vehicles, including one crash. This recall, which involves 2009 to 2012 model year vehicles, is a follow-up to one last March, which apparently did not catch all the vehicles affected by the problem.
The Danger of Brake Defects
Owners brought in only about 60 percent of the affected vehicles and Hyundai is hoping that the latest recall will help bring in the rest. The affected cars were manufactured from April 1, 2008, through March 16, 2012. In March, the Korean automaker, initiated a service campaign to replace the brake fluid in the affected vehicles.
When the recall begins, dealers will inspect the brake system and change the brake fluid with replacement fluid containing an anti-corrosive additive. The procedure will be conducted at no cost to owners.
Brake defects are serious safety issues because it hampers the ability of the vehicle to come to a stop when needed. In addition to causing collisions and injuring vehicle occupants, it can also cause injuries to others on the roadway such as bicyclists or pedestrians.
Liability Issues Involving Auto Defects
Anyone who has been injured as the result of a defective auto product can file an auto product liability claim against the carmaker. Such claims seek compensation for damages including medical expenses loss of wages, cost of hospitalization, pain and suffering and emotional distress. Families of deceased victims can file what is known as a wrongful death claim seeking compensation for damages as well.
It is important to remember that the vehicle is the most important piece of evidence in an auto defect case. Immediately after a crash, it is important the victims preserve the vehicle in its current condition unaltered so that an expert can carefully examine it defects, malfunctions and design flaws. An experienced auto product liability lawyer will be able to advise victims and their families regarding their legal rights and options.


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There's no doubt in anyone's mind that one of the most anticipated titles for February is Guerrilla Games' Horizon Zero Dawn. Hype for the game has gotten so big that Sony is eventually considering the title's potential to be a franchise.
In an interview with MCV, Sony Interactive Entertainment's UK products manager Jon Edwards talks about the potential of Horizon Zero Dawn, and he says, "Nothing has been announced to date but I think there's a lot of potential for this to be an exciting new franchise for us - we'll just have to wait and see."
A lot of good rumors have been surrounding Horizon Zero Dawn before its release, and they have said that Sony is very happy with the final product and they expect it to do very well commercially and critically. Pre-orders for the game are said to have met expectations, and HZD is already making good money even before it comes out.
Game Rant, however, reminds players to take note that good pre-order numbers are not an indication of a great game. No Man's Sky was met with a huge number of sales, but a sour reception quickly lead to the game's failure, and the developers even getting sued for false advertising.
Horizon Zero Dawn, however, looks to be a different animal, and players are already intrigued by the rich and vibrant world that the game looks to feature. One of the most unique things about HZD is its portrayal of a post-apocalyptic future where society has been brought down and robotic animals roam the lands. Whereas most post-apocalyptic worlds feature a dying world, Horizon Zero Dawn looks to be embracing a thriving Utopia of the world after the destruction of humanity.
Will Horizon Zero Dawn deliver, or will it fizzle out just like No Man's Sky? Gamers will just have to wait and see till HZD comes out on Feb. 28.


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In the latest issue of Famitsu, Atlus’ Kazuhisa Wada shared an interesting statement regarding rollback netcode for Persona 4 Arena Ultimax (Thanks, Ryokutya2089). According to Wada, a Persona 4 Arena Ultimax rollback netcode update is being considered for sometime after release. The PS4, Switch and Steam ports have delay-based netcode, a previous standard for fighting games. Upcoming fighting games such as DNF Duel and The King of Fighters XV feature rollback netcode. The use of rollback netcode allows for more stable online play and accurate inputs during matches.
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax releases on March 17th 2022. Stay tuned at Final Weapon for the latest Japanese gaming news and updates!


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Wireless components specialist Laird is being sized up as a takeover target by bigger American rivals keen to take advantage of potential tax benefits and growth prospects for internet-connected cars in their home market.
It is understood that the Connecticut-based electronics giant Amphenol has been “running the rule” over the FTSE 250 iPhone parts maker. Assuming a reasonable premium on Laird’s market valuation, the company would fetch at least £1.2bn, City sources said.
Explorations are at an early stage and may not ultimately lead to a bid, but Amphenol is understood to have been attracted by Laird’s discount relative to industry peers.
The company, which has undergone a major reorganisation under new management in recent years, also has US tax losses on its books that, while useless to its current owners, could make a deal easier to do by enabling an American bidder to pay a higher premium.
If Amphenol does decide to bid, it could face competition. In November, Laird shares rallied on rumours that Eaton Corporation, a giant maker of industrial parts, could swoop to get its hands on the British company’s automotive technology businesses. Private equity firms are also known to regularly monitor Laird in the hope of picking up a bargain.
Laird was hit last week by reports that Apple has cut production of its latest smartphone model, the iPhone 6S, in response to cooling consumer demand. Its shares slid 6.7pc over the week on claims of Chinese assembly plants scaling back operations. Shares in ARM, the iPhone microchip designer, and other Apple suppliers also fell.
Parts for smartphones account for around a fifth of Laird’s business, and the company has ridden the wave of Apple’s success in recent years. The new management, led by chief executive David Lockwood, has been seeking to combine what were previously separate divisions across the company and reduce its reliance on smartphones for growth.
According to analysts, the car industry has become Laird’s engine of growth, seeking acquisitions of its own. It paid £47.1m in cash and shares in December to acquire Novero, a German specialist in car connectivity. That came soon after a £38m deal for LS Research, which makes antennae to connect light industrial and commercial equipment to networks.
If a bidders do move on Laird, it could follow the Bluetooth chip specialist CSR and Scottish audio technology maker Wolfson into foreign hands, stoking further debate about Britain’s ability to sustain public technology companies.


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Signed, sealed, and delivered.
Jollibee Foods Corp. has officially acquired 70 percent of Mang Inasal restaurant chain after the quick service restaurant giant and Injap Investments, Inc. signed a share purchase agreement last Monday, the company told the Philippine Stock Exchange. [Read how Mang Inasal started his now multi-billion peso business here]
Besides the initial payment of P200 million, JFC also gave Injap Investments of an additional payment of P1.350 billion in cash during the agreement signing. The completion of the acquisition will be on November 22 with the payment of an additional P1.150 billion. The remaining P300 million will be withheld and paid over the next three years as assurance for indemnification against the seller’s representations and warranties.
“Mang Inasal has successfully grown the grilled chicken in the Filipino cuisine segment of the fast food industry. It has been the fastest growing network in the Philippine food service business in the last three years behind very good tasting food, excellent value, and focused branding,” said Tony Tan Caktiong, JFC chair and chief executive officer. [Read about the value of doing business the \\\'Jollibee\\\' way here]
At present, Mang Inasal has 312 stores nationwide, of which 28 are company owned and 284 franchised stores. The grilled chicken restaurant is expected to have 340 stores by the end of the year.
“With JFC’s scale and resources, Mang Inasal will be able to secure even better store locations, more franchisees, lower cost of raw materials and supplies, and better management systems and technology. I also look forward to bringing Mang Inasal to our fellow Filipinos in the United States and other foreign countries as part of JFC’s rapid expansion abroad,” Edgar Injap Sia III, chairman and founder of the Mang Inasal brand, said. [Read how the acquisition of Mang Inasal started here]
Mang Inasal is expected to contribute at least five percent to the worldwide system wide sales of JFC, five percent to its revenues, and seven percent to its net operating income.
Other brands under the JFC group include its flagship brand, Jollibee, Chowking, Red Ribbon, Greenwich, and Manong Pepe’s. The group also owns restaurant chains in China such as Yonghe King and Hong Zhuang Yuan.
Mang Inasal and his road to success
Jollibee continues domestic and international growth
Mang Inasal founder to remain active in resto\\\'s management


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Yesterday, on Monday, Apple introduced an augmented reality headset called “Vision Pro” in the world of “Metaverse” (which is dominated by the social media giant, “Meta“). This is Apple’s biggest and most risky move since the launch of the “iPhone”.
The price of the “Vision Pro” starts at $ 3,499, more than 3 times the price of the most expensive “Meta” mixed reality headset (Quest Pro), which currently dominates the augmented and virtual reality headset market.
It is expected that “Apple” will launch its new headphones in the United States in early 2024, and that it will launch them in more countries later in the same year.
Apple announced that the “Vision Pro” users can identify the content by looking at it through the glasses. Additionally, the glasses will have a 3D camera and microphone system to capture videos and images that can be viewed in 3D later.
During a speech before revealing the new product, Apple President Tim Cook stated that combining digital content with the physical world would give rise to unprecedented experiences.
Richard Howarth, corporate vice president responsible for the design, said, “If you buy the latest TV, high-performance speakers, a powerful PC with lots of high-resolution screens, and other advanced hardware, you won’t get to the Vision Pro level.”
The difference between the “Meta” and “Apple” headphones
The main difference between the “Vision Pro” and “Meta” (Quest Pro) headsets is that the “Vision Pro” has an additional external screen that allows people outside the headset to see the user’s eyes.
When the user is fully engaged in a virtual world, the external screen goes dark. In the default mode, the headset displays the user and someone who approaches them to each other, as confirmed by Apple’s representative Alan Day. He stated that you will never feel isolated as you can still see and be seen by people around you.
The price of Apple shares increased by 2% and reached a new high of $184.95 before the launch. However, after the announcement, the shares closed at a slightly lower price.
Apple has designed a new chip named R1 for its headset that can quickly process data from its sensors. The headset is also capable of functioning as a traditional computer with multiple screens when used with a trackpad and keyboard for work purposes.
Vision Pro and applications
According to an announcement, “Apple” is collaborating with “Adobe” and “Microsoft” to make their applications compatible with the new headset. Additionally, “Unity”, a company that works with game developers, will also have their technology integrated, as well as a broadcasting service from “Walt Disney” on the “Vision Pro” speaker from the beginning. As a result of the news, shares of “Unity” increased by over 14%.
The Vision Pro is a portable device that can fit in a pocket and has a two-hour battery life. It allows the user to control applications and virtual screens using eye movements, gestures, and voice commands. The user can adjust the level of immersion in virtual worlds through a special tap.
There is a lot of attention from investors and technology enthusiasts on how Apple’s plans for the virtual reality market align with Meta’s vision. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, has described his vision of a “Metaverse” where people can use headphones to enter a virtual space where they can socialize, work, play, and shop.
Meta, as well as two other companies owned by ByteDance, Sony and Pico, have released virtual reality headsets. According to research firm IDC, 8.8 million such headsets were sold in the previous year.
Apple also unveiled a host of new products and features, including the 15-inch MacBook Air laptop, a powerful M2 chip, improvements to the iOS operating system, and autocorrect.
It announced an update to its lineup of Mac laptops and PCs with proprietary CPU chips.
And while Apple hasn’t made any major announcements about generative AI products similar to ChatGBT or Google’s cool search engine, it has used AI in many smaller features, such as direct transcription of voice messages.
The price of the “MacBook Air”, which is supported by the “M2” processor chip – and is equipped with 6 speakers – starts at $ 1,299, and it will be on the market next week. The 13-inch MacBook Air costs $1,099.
The Mac Studio PC from Apple has been upgraded with the new Ultra M2 chip. This chip can handle artificial intelligence programs that other chips can’t process due to memory limitations.
And “Apple” also presented a new version of the “Mac Pro”, its highest-performance device for personal computers, which it also supplied with the “Ultra M2” chip, and its price starts at $ 6999.
The “Ultra M2” chip is essentially two integrated chips from Apple’s largest “M2” chips, a method the company has taken to boost the performance of its “M1” chips.
As of Monday, the Mac Pro was the last computer in the Apple lineup to still use Intel chips.


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FORT SMITH, Ark. (4/17/14)--With economic activity starting to sizzle, at least one small Arkansas-based credit union has been leveraging the upward trend into gains in loan growth, while also sharing its secrets for success.
With consumer borrowing up $16.5 billion in February, and auto and student loans gaining $18.9 billion as well--the largest one-month leap since February of last year--River Town FCU, Fort Smith, Ark., with $14 million in assets, is trying to capitalize on the recent economic surge (Leaguer April 16).
It appears to be succeeding.
"Since the economic recession, consumers have felt a little uneasy about taking on more debt," said Tim Bowers, River Town loan manager. "But it seems they are feeling more secure in their ability to manage new debt. Since January of this year, we've seen steady loan growth."
River Town offers several loan products, such as credit cards, signature loans, home equity, recreational vehicle and motorcycle loans.
For mortgage lending, the Arkansas-based credit union uses CU Members Mortgage, a business partner of Credit Union Resources.
But of all loan products, Bowers told Leaguer, the member-owned institution has seen the strongest improvements in auto lending.
"People have been driving their cars for longer because they haven't wanted to take on new debt," Bowers said. "However, that's starting to change as people are biting the bullet and trading in their aged and high-mileage vehicles for new or pre-owned vehicles with less mileage. As a result we're seeing a greater demand for auto loans."
Meanwhile, not only has Bowers pushed River Town to take advantage of the healing economy, he's also offering up ways other credit unions can cash in.
To maximize products and services, Bowers advises credit unions:


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Shares of GoPro (GPRO -0.92%) jumped 18.5% in December as the action camera maker seemed to benefit from finally getting its house in order.
A large part of that might have been a direct result of the pandemic, which forced the company to focus on digital sales and reduce its retail channel inventory, a situation that has long dogged the camera company.
GoPro didn't introduce any new products last year, but its operational excellence seemed to become more apparent as the year progressed, leading investors to bid up shares fourfold in 2020.
Inventory issues have been a concern with the camera maker, meaning it was producing more goods than consumers wanted, but this year, CEO Nick Woodman said third-quarter inventory had actually fallen 50% year over year and was down sequentially as well.
The third-quarter earnings report provided a platform for GoPro's stock to gain steam in December; then it reported record Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales and noted that GoPro subscribers to its cloud storage solution had surged past 670,000 members.
It also noted it had sold its 40 millionth camera since the first HD model was introduced in 2009, revolutionizing the industry as it created the action camera market.


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YKK AP Expands Direct Freight Shipping Program to Southeast Region
Dedicated service provides a convenient and efficient shipping experience that limits potential for damage
AUSTELL, GA. (March 9, 2017) – YKK AP America customers in the Southeast U.S. now have access to its direct freight shipping program. The program, successfully established in the Northeast, Midwest, Southwest, Gulf Coast, and Central U.S. regions, greatly decreases the use of less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation and improves the overall customer experience by providing a more direct, efficient way to receive shipments, without the potential for damage.
The direct freight shipping program uses a dedicated logistics system with YKK AP-branded trucks to handle transportation and deliveries. Each shipment is moved by hand, limiting the possibility of damage. Because shipments are scheduled for delivery on a recurring date, the customer can improve productivity by better scheduling its labor needs. Additionally, the system provides for added flexibility, with the ability to order and receive full truckloads outside of the regularly scheduled route service.
“As one of our strongest markets in the U.S., the Southeast was the next natural fit for the expansion of the direct freight shipping program,” said Dennis Howard, manager of transportation and logistics at YKK AP America. “The program has allowed us to build upon our goal to provide the best quality and service to our customers. We have received a highly positive response to it in other regions and are proud to continue our expansion into this rapidly growing market.”
For more details on the program, please go to www.ykkap.com/freight. Customers can contact their branch directly to get more information on routes servicing their specific location.
About YKK AP America
YKK AP America Inc. is a technology-oriented manufacturer of commercial façade systems and residential doors and windows. With every finished good, we push the boundaries in next generation manufacturing and create value for architectural applications. Driven by a desire to provide exceptional service in our markets, YKK AP America builds upon our foundation of advanced engineering, vertically integrated manufacturing, and customer focus to deliver the highest level of quality at a competitive price. Headquartered in Austell, Ga., all building products are manufactured in our world-class production facilities located in Dublin, GA. and Macon, GA. YKK AP America Inc. is a subsidiary of YKK Corporation of America, whose parent company is global manufacturer YKK Corporation of Japan. For more information, visit ykkap.com and follow us on Linkedin.com.
News and Events
YKK AP Donates Windows to Habitat for Humanity in Dublin-Laurens County
We donated windows for the Dublin-Laurens County Habitat for Humanity branch for their next ten houses. “It is because of donations like this from YKK AP America that we at Habitat for Humanity are able to build homes affordably,” said Tracey Kinney, executive director of the Dublin-Laurens County Habitat for Humanity. “We are incredibly grateful […]
Rolling up our sleeves to assist the Las Vegas Rescue Mission
Our Director of Marketing Jamilla Walcott, along with other AIA conference attendees, teamed up with AEC Cares to provide much-needed repairs to the Las Vegas Rescue Mission’s chapel and gym. The updated spaces will be made available for vital services provided to Las Vegas’ homeless and hurting men, women and children.
YKK AP Sponsors AIA’s Design Challenge
We were honored to serve as a presenting sponsor of the 14th annual AIA Atlanta High School Design Competition. Our Vice President of Organizational Excellence Patrys Wiid was humbled to congratulate the competition’s winner, which saw 140 submissions from more than 30 schools in Georgia.


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Razer unveils Blade gaming laptop
For the past week, Razer has been running a teaser site that claims “PC gaming is not dead”, and we now get to see exactly what the company has planned. Announced via press release, it turns out that the life support for PC gaming comes via the first laptop manufactured by Razer- the new 17” Blade PC.
With the sole purpose of gaming on its mind, the Blade laptop packs some serious horsepower, as a 2.8GHz Core i7-2640M processor, 8GB of DDR3 RAM and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M join forces under the all-aluminum chassis. In addition, the gaming notebook comes with a 17.3” Full HD panel with a 1920x1080 pixel resolution, a 320GB HDD, and is only .88 inches thick while weighing ~7lbs.
Based on the Switchblade prototype that was introduced back at CES in January, the Blade notebook also comes with a secondary 480x800 pixel touchscreen that displays relevant in-game info and acts as a touchpad in the absence of an external mouse. The display will likely be the Blade’s biggest selling point, and is further enhanced thanks to 10 fully customizable buttons that are underlain by an LCD which allows customization of their actual appearance.
The above model appears to be the only Blade made available by Razer, and it will cost a cool $2,800 to own. Q4 2011 is the expected time frame for release, so theres plenty of time to scrounge the couches for some cash, but in the meantime check out the intro video and pictures below.


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30% of a Twitter poll think the property sector will capitalise on NFTs
Ali Sajwani is confident the real estate industry is ideally placed to combine digital and physical assets, as more than 4,000 of his followers share their views
Dubai, UAE ـــ 14 February 2022: Real estate is most likely to be the first sector to widely adopt non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for real-world applications. That is the opinion of respondents to an online survey conducted by Ali Sajwani, General Manager – Operations at UAE-headquartered DAMAC Properties.
The three-day poll, which garnered 4,225 responses from both Arabic and English-speaking Twitter users, saw almost a third of its participants (30%) tout the property sector as the most likely to capitalise on the potential physical applications of NFTs.
Sports and entertainment ranked second (26%), while the automotive and luxury goods industries placed third and fourth, securing 22% and 21% of the vote, respectively.
Commenting on the results of the poll, Sajwani said: “While I don’t believe the property industry is ready to migrate to the metaverse en masse just yet, I think we are at the verge of a breakthrough. My Twitter followers are right to identify the real estate sector as the first to combine digital and physical assets on a commercial scale.”
At present, NFTs, which perform a similar function to traditional certificates of authentication, are typically used in conjunction with digital assets. Due to their ‘non-fungible’ nature, they cannot be swapped for an equivalent token or tokens, meaning each NFT is unique.
During recent years, however, the number of uses for NFTs has grown significantly, with applications ranging from the ownership of digital assets and the protection of artists’ work to real-world activities.
“Today, NFTs are most commonly tied to virtual art and collectables, but there are several examples wherein digital tokens have been deployed in tandem with physical assets,” said Sajwani. “We have already witnessed this in the real estate sector, with TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington selling his Kiev apartment as part of the world’s first NFT property auction.
“One advantage for the property market is that royalties can be built into these tokens, meaning they have the potential to be used alongside Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) title deeds, or for the automatic collection of levies such as the 4% Dubai Land Department (DLD) fee, for example.
“I have no doubt that traditional property deeds and mechanisms will continue to be used for many years to come, but I certainly see blockchain-enabled technology, such as NFTs, as the future of our industry,” he concluded.
To learn more about Ali Sajwani’s NFT-related views and ventures, as well as his other passions, follow @ali_sajofficial.
#NFTs are already being used in conjunction with physical assets outside the #metaverse, but these innovations still represent the exception rather than the rule. In the longer term, which industry do you think will be the first to widely adopt NFTs for real-world applications?
Categories and results
- Real estate: 29.95% (1,265 votes, approx.)
- Sports and entertainment: 25.8% (1,090 votes, approx.)
- Automotive: 22.15% (936 votes, approx.)
- Luxury goods: 22.1% (934 votes, approx.)
The above poll was conducted via Ali Sajwani’s Twitter account from 17-20 January 2022. Published in both Arabic and English, the survey attracted a total of 4,225 responses.
About Ali Sajwani:
Ali Hussain Sajwani oversees day-to-day operations at global property developer, DAMAC Properties. He holds a BA from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, where he majored in economics. Having inherited an entrepreneurial mindset from his father, Founder of DAMAC Properties Hussain Sajwani, Ali is keen to explore new frontiers with an eye on strategic business investments, especially in technology, sustainability and the startup ecosystem.
Ali has set up several private business ventures, including a luxury transport business, which he exited in 2020, delivering a 200% return on equity. He went on to establish a specialised facilities management company with 1,500 staff members, which provides services to the high-end hospitality segment. Ali’s most recent entrepreneurial endeavour is establishing a highly targeted, short-term leasing company in Dubai.
Ali sits on the board of the family office for investments, with a focus on US equities and venture capital funds. In this capacity, he participated in the acquisition of global fashion brand Roberto Cavalli in 2019. Ali is also a founding board member of Emirates Angels Investors Association, a non-profit organisation that works to make positive contributions to the early-stage investment ecosystem.