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A strong line-up Of PS5 Games are going to be announced soon, Says Sony CEO
Last week we got the announcement that the PS5 was still on track to launch holiday 2020, however, we got no idea on when the game announcements were coming.
Well, it seems that we could be getting game announcements soon, as this week during an earnings call. Sony leadership went over some of the Playstation 5 plans. Mainly how the platform is getting closer to finding out more about the games coming to PS5.
Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida said, “We will soon be announcing a strong lineup of PS5 games.”
It’s good to hear the Sony plans to announce games soon, as this is what people want to see. As we have seen with Microsoft who are out there revealing specs and showing of games that will be coming to the Xbox Series X, however, Microsoft has confirmed that the Xbox Series X is still on track to launch but games may be delayed.
What game are you looking forward to being announced? Let us know in the comments below. If you enjoyed this article, why not share it on social media.
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Many fish oil supplement labels make unsubstantiated health claims and contain variable daily doses of EPA plus DHA, a recent study suggests.
The authors say “additional regulation” of the claims may be needed to prevent consumer misinformation. Notably, 20% of adults over age 60 take fish oil supplements for heart health despite multiple randomized trials showing no heart benefit.
Overall, about 74% of more than 2800 supplements made at least one health claim on the label, and only 19% used a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-reviewed qualified health claim (a statement including qualifying language from the FDA reflecting lack of scientific consensus or uncertainty).
To evaluate the health claims and examine doses of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in commonly available formulations, the investigators analyzed labels obtained from the National Institutes of Health Dietary Supplement Label Database.
In addition to heart-health claims, many fish oil supplements also make claims implying benefit to other organ systems, such as brain/mental health, joint health, and eye health -- despite a lack of randomized clinical trial data supporting benefit. Most use language that does not require FDA review -- words such as "supports" or "promotes," as in "promotes heart health."
The dose analysis of 255 fish oil supplements across 16 major brands found “substantial variability in the daily dose of EPA, DHA, and total EPA+DHA...leading to potential variability in safety and efficacy between supplements," the authors conclude.
To read the article, published in JAMA, click here
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Does the fish on your plate need a drug test? According to an April 14, 2011 report issued by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, The Food and Drug Administration is not doing enough to ensure that the fish available to American consumers is uncontaminated by antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals. They found that the FDA lacks “procedures, criteria and standards” to see that the fish being sent to U.S. markets are safe. The European Union, on the other hand, has a much tougher inspection and regulation system for seafood.
The Problem with U.S. Fish Inspection
Of all the fish consumed in the United States, 80 percent are imported. Half of imported fish comes from fish farms. China is the largest producer, providing a quarter of the fish imported into the U.S. every year. Thailand, Canada, Indonesia, Vietnam and Ecuador also provide at least five percent each of U.S. imports. In the last six years, the FDA has inspected 1.5 percent of Chinese facilities exporting to the U.S. About .1 percent of fish are inspected on import. It is not, however, inspected for several drugs legal in China but banned in the U.S.
In other words, the vast majority of fish are uninspected. Their production is unsupervised. Consequently, fish containing residues of pharmaceuticals banned in the U.S. are almost certainly leaking through the holes in the system.
The Problem of Factory Fish
Factory fish farms have many of the same problems that factory beef feedlots have. Fish are crowded into pens. They are fed not their natural diet, but food that can be bought cheaply, soy for example. Waste builds up inside the pens or seeps into the surrounding environment. Fish become sick, infested or deformed. They die at rates that are unacceptable to the managers of the farm. The typical response is pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, vaccines and chemicals to kill parasites.
China, the United States’ largest source of imported fish, is producing the most dangerous fish. China has adopted a high-density model for breeding fish, ten times denser than many other countries. According to the China Times News Group, diseases are sweeping through these fish farms that can only be treated with heavy doses of antibiotics. According to Cai Shuanghu, an associate professor at Guangdong Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Economic Animals, antibiotics lose effectiveness in this environment in about two year. After that the bacteria become resistant and fish farmers must resort to more powerful antibiotics.
European Union Inspection
The European Union deals with the problem of factory fish farming by visiting the farms, inspecting them regularly. They only allow imports from countries whose food safety laws and inspection programs are consistent with the EU’s own laws. And they require that each fish sold to the EU be traceable. The European Commission Directorate General for Health and Consumers points out that spot checks of the end product does not insure quality.
While European fish are being carefully monitored from farm to plate, American fish are being grown out of sight by countries with a history of irresponsible pharmaceutical use in their factory fish farms.
What Can You Do?
First, know that if you are eating imported farmed seafood, you cannot be quite sure what you are eating. Vote with your pocketbook against farmed seafood as it is currently imported.
Second, contact the FDA. Let them know that you are watching the issue and ask them what they plan to do about it. Food and Water Watch can help you keep apprised of the issues and progress of various legislative attempts to address the issue.
Sources for Story:
GAO; Seafood Safety: FDA Needs to Improve Oversight of Imported Seafood and Better Leverage Limited Resources; April 14, 2011 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-286
Food and Water Watch; Unsustainable Approach: Factory Fish Farming; June 2011 http://documents.foodandwaterwatch….
Food Democracy; Check the Label: 80% of US Fish Imported, Less than 1% Inspected, Most Loaded with Antibiotics etc.; November 6, 2007
Want China Times; Fish Farm Doping: China’s Latest Health Scare; May 14, 2011 http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-…
European Commission; EU Import Conditions for Seafood
and other fishery products http://ec.europa.eu/food/internatio…
Seafood Watch; Seafood Recommendations; http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/…
FDA; Contact CFSAN http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/Centers…


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BEIJING (MarketWatch) -- Intel Corp.
Tan's duties will be temporarily assumed by China Managing Director and Legal Counsel Ge Jun while the company searches for his replacement, Intel spokeswoman Nancy Zhang said.
Tan, a Singapore native, has been with Intel since 1990 serving in various capacities including managing director for Intel North Asia. On Jan. 1, 2007, the company's Asia businesses were restructured with China becoming an independent region, and Tan was named president of Intel China.
However, Zhang said Tan's resignation will not affect the company's strategy in the mainland.
China is an important market for chip makers such as Intel where demand for consumer electronics is rising sharply as robust economic growth boosts consumers' spending power there.
Intel has, to date, invested about $4 billion in the region in a sign that China is becoming an important market for the company's future growth. Last September, the company broke ground on a $2.5 billion chip manufacturing plant in northeastern China's Dalian city. It also operates two assembly and testing plants in Chengdu and Shanghai.
Intel doesn't break out its revenue from China separately. But in the third quarter of 2007, 52% of Intel's revenue came from the Asia-Pacific region, compared with 20% from the Americas.
News of Tan's resignation comes after shares in Intel suffered its worst percentage decline in two years on Friday, falling 8.1% to $22.67, after J.P. Morgan Securities cut its rating to neutral from overweight, citing a late-quarter slowdown in order rates and the increasing risk of downside to consensus estimates.


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Satellite messaging services provider Orbcomm of Fort Lee, New Jersey, said Oct. 28 that it will supply 16,000 tracking and monitoring devices to a U.S. retailer with a large fleet of dry and refrigerated transportation assets. Orbcomm did not identify the customer by name, but said it is “one of the nation’s largest companies.”
The order calls for a mix of dual-mode GT 1100 devices for the customer’s dry trailers and dual-mode RT 6000+ devices for refrigerated transportation assets.
Orbcomm expects to ship the majority of the order in the fourth quarter of this year, according to a press release.
“Signing one of the nation’s largest companies as a customer validates our ability to build and deliver high-performance [machine-to-machine] solutions that help our customers optimize their assets, drive down maintenance costs and increase their return on investment,” Orbcomm Chief Executive Marc Eisenberg said. “This opportunity marks our largest GT 1100 order to date and sets the stage for future growth in the transportation & distribution industry.”


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Hilton's low-budget offering, Tru, will start rolling out later this year. Check out how it will compare to the company's Hampton brand.
With hijackings and bombings dominating the headlines, here are some security tips every traveler should know.
These are the best of the best in the travel industry.
Everybody has baggage, but these luggage models offer something extra.
Three bizarre concepts for high-flying airport design, explained.
Five reasons JetBlue's Mint is the most fun you'll have at 35,000 feet.
This airport is a tourist attraction in itself.
Two years ago, ride-hailing made up eight percent of business transportation.
By booking farther in advance, women business travelers save nearly $20 per plane ticket.
Dip in share prices and bond yields, along with the upcoming election has had an impact on the state of the global economy, causing a setback in business travel growth.
Businesses are far apart from their workers when it comes to discerning the latest conveniences of travel.
After a decline in satisfaction last year, industry performance is on the upswing.
The report also shows that one company dominates online booking for trips.
Don't just take your meeting and fly home.
© 2017 Entrepreneur Media, Inc.


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A growing body of evidence from overseas could inform Australia’s recreational cannabis laws, says UNSW’s Dr Vendula Belackova.
Discussions about legalising recreational use of cannabis have circulated in and out of public debate this year. With the ACT legalising cannabis cultivation for personal use, a change in regulations in other Australian states and territories might be around the corner.
But which model of recreational cannabis regulation would suit Australia best?
We have a growing body of data and knowledge to lean on from studies in the US, Canada, Uruguay, the Netherlands and Spain, just to name a few.
What is the status of recreational cannabis legislation?
Most Australian states and territories currently use de facto police diversion schemes for recreational cannabis possession, which means that people who are deemed eligible (e.g. first or second-time offenders, caught with a small amount of drug only) can avoid criminal proceedings.
Police diversion schemes position cannabis use as a health or social issue rather than a criminal one. These schemes generally see police referring first-time offenders to education or treatment instead of arrests for simple possession.
The benefits of such a scheme include reduced burden and cost to the police and criminal justice system.
However, with de facto measures, as opposed to decriminalisation by law, the caution is at the discretion of police. They aren’t required to offer a diversion to everyone caught in possession of cannabis and can opt for a criminal charge instead.
A downside of de facto diversion is that cannabis use and possession remain a crime and there can be inequalities in the use of police discretion.
Illicit vs fully legalised – two ends of the spectrum
The production, distribution and sale of cannabis for recreational use remains illegal throughout Australia.
Besides medicinal production, the circulation of recreational cannabis comes from the illicit market.
There are harmful consequences when the illicit market controls cannabis production, such as increased criminal activity, increased access by young people and no quality control, meaning no opportunity to manage impacts on physical and mental health.
On the other end of the spectrum, in the US, there is a full-legalisation model, which sees commercial, profit-driven production of cannabis in a private market setting. This has been implemented in 19 states and the District of Columbia to date.
Commercial legalisation can look appealing to both business and consumers and offers taxation revenue possibilities.
But commercialisation does come with some risks. We should consider government interventions like bans on advertising or plain packaging so as to not increase cannabis consumption.
Canada also embarked on a regulated model four years ago. As opposed to the US, no major increases in cannabis use have been observed there so far, but it’s too early to draw conclusions.
Non-profit model – a middle-ground option
Illicit and fully legalised markets both essentially operate as for-profit, in which players have incentives to maximise revenue via increased cannabis consumption. They might also supply cannabis that is cheaper to produce, but riskier to consume (e.g. containing pesticides or other adulterants). But cannabis law reform could embrace a middle ground option involving a non-profit, consumer-centred model.
The non-profit model involves restricted cannabis supply and regulation, which has the potential to undermine the illicit market and in turn promote the health of people who use cannabis while not increasing consumption.
The non-profit model includes cannabis social clubs, for example in Spain or Uruguay. These are private co-operatives collectively cultivating and distributing cannabis for each member’s personal use. There is no advertising to the public or the members, and only existing users have access. It is reported that there are now cannabis social clubs in 17 other countries, with each varying its approach in the specific legal and policy context.
Cannabis social clubs not only circumvent illicit production, they also offer public health benefits by providing members with information on safer use.
A non-profit model which sees the operation of cannabis social clubs is worth exploration by policymakers considering recreational cannabis reform.
What’s next for cannabis policy reform in Australia?
From tolerated personal use to regulated and fully commercialised legal markets, there are various policy choices for reforming cannabis laws.
A survey from the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare shows more Australians support cannabis legalisation than those who oppose it, and also that support for removing criminal sanctions towards cannabis might be on the rise.
There is room for improvement in our recreational cannabis policies and it’s now up to the decision-makers whether they choose to assess alternative options based on the evidence available.


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Imagine setting up service for a smart thermostat in your home: If it doesn't work, it could be the device, the...
Wi-Fi router/cable modem, or the ISP. Pinpointing the problem can lead consumers into the Bermuda Triangle of customer support, where one company can pass the buck to the next.
Guess what? According to two recent surveys of consumer sentiment, traversing multiple customer service channels or getting stonewalled by chatbots is fatiguing, and frustrating.
The good news is that customer service automation technology is improving. More importantly, there are ways smart service managers can design their customer experiences to work more smoothly, take less time and beat lesser competitors.
Multiple companies = bigger headaches
Poor customer experience is the kind of scenario that frustrated respondents to a November 2017 survey conducted by IQor, which provides technology tools for companies to improve customer service. The more than 1,000 respondents said they spend roughly 1.5 hours of their own time resolving smart home device issues on average, one hour of that working with customer service. Nearly one in four respondents doesn't resolve their issues at all and return the product for a refund.
"There's no clear ownership of the customer, end to end," said Autumn Braswell, COO of IQor, when talking about yet another common multiparty customer service rat's nest: Smartphones, which can precipitate customer service issues between phone manufacturers and cell carriers when it comes time to activate and use them on a network. This is slowly changing as consumers hold companies more accountable and the various product and service providers realize they need to work together or lose those customers to competitors.
"What is happening," said Braswell, who sees firsthand what IQor's customers are implementing to solve these thorny multivendor issues, "is that companies have to think about the ecosystem more holistically. They no longer have the ability to stick their head in the sand and think about their little silo. They're trying to ... help [consumers] navigate through the right solution, so that they don't fall into the trap of saying 'not my problem, go talk to somebody else.'"
How ironic it is that so many connected consumers -- more tech-savvy than average, one indicator being that 59% actually read instruction manuals before reaching out to customer service -- can't connect the companies that bring such cool automation to their homes, and eventually give up? It causes a double whammy to the company, as it both drives up costs and loses a sale.
For smart home devices, Braswell said, building up content enabling self-help on YouTube and expert forums can be a next step for companies to help their customers troubleshoot issues, not more chatbots or phone conversations. Another improvement is retaining information between calls or between customer service groups: Eighty-one percent of respondents having to start from scratch retelling their stories and contact information delayed their resolution, and 85% found it to be "somewhat or extremely annoying."
Chatbots have a ceiling
AI-driven chatbots can also be a source of frustration when they aren't properly implemented, at least in the minds of humans who need to use them to solve customer service issues. According to a Chatbots.org survey of 3,000 consumers, also conducted in the last quarter of 2017, more than half of respondents found customer service chatbots either "not effective" or merely "somewhat effective" in solving issues. Opinions split according to geography and age: Millennials and younger generations were more likely to find chatbots effective, as did more-educated consumers. People in the U.K. had better luck with chatbots than U.S. citizens.
Consumers' main complaints: Customer service chatbots aren't smart enough; when they did offer some help, they "got stuck" somewhere between 30% and 40% of the time, depending on the respondents; and finally, if the chatbot is smart enough to elevate the customer's issue to a human -- just like in the IQor survey -- they waste time repeating their information and retelling their story, 60% of the time.
Making chatbots more effective, said Anand Subramaniam, senior vice president of marketing at chatbot and customer service automation vendor EGain -- which sponsored the survey -- involves putting knowledge management behind the bots. That includes giving them more answers to questions, as well as sending customers to informational web links more of the time. Most importantly, he said, is integrating customer service chatbots with human-assisted customer service; putting the interaction in its own loop is a way to frustrate customers.
"Don't treat chatbots like a silo," Subramaniam said. "Chatbots have to be part of a unified, multi-touch, multichannel customer journey. Successful [companies] take that approach ... and they pay attention to the knowledge base that drives the chatbot."
Connecting all these systems takes not only time and improvements in customer service automation technology, but shifting philosophies on behalf of the manufacturer and service provider executives imagining the next generation of customer support. Both Braswell and Subramaniam indicated their customers are thinking about how thorny customer service issues can be more efficiently ironed out, without shoving so much of the obligation onto the consumer. Companies doing that, they said, are the most competitive and more likely to be successful against lesser competition.


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The network equipment maker says it will stop making its G-series line of cable network equipment. It will instead market similar systems made by rival Arris International.
The network gear maker will instead co-market similar cable modem termination systems (CMTS) made by rival Arris Group, Juniper said in its announcement. Some 65 Juniper employees will be laid off as a result, said Paula Reinman, Juniper's corporate marketing director.
The deal promises to intensify the battle between Arris, Cisco Systems and ADC Telecommunications over selling CMTS, which cable providers use to shuttle video, broadband and telephone calls to thousands of customers at a time.
In the first quarter of 2003, Arris was the No. 2 seller of CMTS gear, which is sandwiched between market leader Cisco and No. 3 ADC, according to industry analysts Infonetics Research.
Juniper?s partnership with Arris ends its two-year effort to make and sell its own CMTS. To enter the market, Juniper bought Pacific Broadband Communications (PBC) for about $200 million. PBC?s line of CMTS products became Juniper?s G-series.
Juniper promised to continue providing support for any existing G-series products through 2007, when the service contracts will expire. The support will include "repair or replacement of faulty hardware," according to the Juniper statement.


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Looking out over one of the most beautiful parts of the Surrey Hills, between Abinger Hammer and Westcott, the pub does not struggle to attract people to its garden during warm summers such as this one.
But general manager Bradley Marchant, who took over in May, said it now boasts standards to more than match the views and keep lovers of good quality, freshly-made food coming back throughout the year.
“I went through a vigorous hiring process,” he said. “It’s about having that ‘wow’ service and that 'wow' food, and we have that now.
“It’s food made on site, a mix of British and Mediterranean.”
Bradley calls it an unashamedly ‘foodie’ pub, able to offer dishes ranging from the chef’s daily specials showcasing market fresh ingredients, to traditional favourites such as fish and chips and steaks, all reasonably priced.
Spit roast chicken and generously-sized burgers are extremely popular too, as are pizzas priced from £7.95, and Sunday roasts from £9.95.
The pub feels like the sort of place a proud Surrey resident might take a visitor from London or overseas, who has preconceptions about the area’s food and service not being as good as their own, to show them that this is not the case.
It has been immaculately refurbished, has three log fires burning during the winter and plenty of nooks and crannies allowing visitors to enjoy a quiet chat, as well as the main open plan bar and restaurant area with views out to the hills.
“During the week we get a lot of people from the local area, and at the weekend we get a lot of walkers, cyclists and young professionals,” Bradley said.
The pub, which is part of the Premium Country Dining Group, has a guest ale programme, with beer prices starting from £3.35, and a large wine selection.
Its affiliation to Rothschild means it stocks high-quality drops such as the Pauillac, which appears on the Queen’s dining room table, while there are other options and the house wine for those with less expensive tastes.
Events are being planned for the winter including music evenings, though Bradley believes the pub’s growing reputation will ensure business remains brisk.
“Since I came here the sun has been shining and when the sun’s out the garden is packed,” he said. “I believe we’ve sold ourselves enough to those people, to make sure they come back.”


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Rapper Kanye West’s Nike Air Yeezy 1 prototypes from 2008 brought a recording-breaking price in a Sotheby’s auction this week. The sneakers sold for a whopping $1.8 million. That price makes them the most valuable sneakers ever and the first recorded sneaker sale for more than $1 million, Sotheby’s says.
The price is a record for a publicly recorded sneaker sale, shattering the previous auction record for sneakers by nearly three times. Sotheby’s says the shoes were acquired by sneaker investing platform RARES via private sale. RARES, a first-of-its-kind fractional ownership and sneaker investigating marketplace, allows users to invest in sneakers by buying and trading shares in them. Kanye wore the Yeezys during his performance of “Hey Mama” and “Stronger” at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards
The Kanye West & Mark Smith designed samples were built in Nike’s lab – known as the ‘Innovation Kitchen’ – at the company’s headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon in 2007.
Previously, Sotheby’s record auction price for sneakers was $560,000 for a pair of Nike Air Jordan 1s in May 2020. The company also sold a pair of Nike Waffle Shoes in 2019 for $437,500, which was a record price at that time.
There are lots of nicknames costume jewelry collectors have given their favorite...Read More


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Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) Receives Buy Rating from Mizuho
A number of other brokerages have also recently weighed in on AMZN. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a hold rating on shares of Amazon.com in a research report on Monday, June 27th. Wedbush reiterated an outperform rating and set a $900.00 price target on shares of Amazon.com in a research report on Friday, September 30th. Piper Jaffray Cos. reiterated a buy rating and set a $800.00 price target on shares of Amazon.com in a research report on Sunday, July 31st. Pacific Crest reiterated a buy rating and set a $820.00 price target on shares of Amazon.com in a research report on Friday, July 15th. Finally, Bank of America Corp. reissued a buy rating and issued a $840.00 price objective on shares of Amazon.com in a research note on Sunday, July 17th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, forty-six have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $894.98.
Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) traded down 0.12% on Thursday, hitting $828.32. 1,123,463 shares of the company traded hands. Amazon.com has a 12 month low of $474.00 and a 12 month high of $847.21. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $798.20 and its 200 day moving average is $724.68. The firm has a market capitalization of $392.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 206.00 and a beta of 1.20.
Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 28th. The e-commerce giant reported $1.78 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.11 by $0.67. Amazon.com had a net margin of 1.60% and a return on equity of 13.52%. The business earned $30.40 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $29.54 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.19 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 31.1% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Amazon.com will post $5.85 EPS for the current fiscal year.
In other news, insider Jeffrey M. Blackburn sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $760.98, for a total transaction of $7,609,800.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 55,887 shares in the company, valued at $42,528,889.26. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Jeffrey P. Bezos sold 1,000,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $756.74, for a total value of $756,740,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 81,871,067 shares in the company, valued at approximately $61,955,111,241.58. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 17.70% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Pathstone Family Office LLC raised its position in shares of Amazon.com by 92.1% in the second quarter. Pathstone Family Office LLC now owns 146 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $105,000 after buying an additional 70 shares during the period. Kistler Tiffany Companies LLC raised its position in shares of Amazon.com by 906.7% in the second quarter. Kistler Tiffany Companies LLC now owns 151 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $108,000 after buying an additional 136 shares during the period. Kings Point Capital Management purchased a new position in shares of Amazon.com during the second quarter worth $109,000. Krilogy Financial LLC raised its position in shares of Amazon.com by 157.1% in the second quarter. Krilogy Financial LLC now owns 198 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $142,000 after buying an additional 121 shares during the period. Finally, West Oak Capital LLC raised its position in shares of Amazon.com by 105.7% in the second quarter. West Oak Capital LLC now owns 216 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $155,000 after buying an additional 111 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 65.44% of the company’s stock.
Amazon.com Company Profile
Amazon.com, Inc offers a range of products and services through its Websites. The Company’s products include merchandise and content that it purchases for resale from vendors and those offered by third-party sellers. The Company has three segments: North America, International and Amazon Web Services (AWS).
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Washington University School of Medicine researchers suggest dietary calcium might be better for bone health than calcium supplements. Preliminary findings suggest that women who get most of their daily calcium from food have healthier bones and higher bone density than women who get most of their calcium through supplements.
With milk prices rising, it is a shame that activists protest the use of rbST, a protein that stimulates milk production in dairy cows, writes Henry I. Miller, who led the FDA's Office of Biotechnology from 1989 to 1993 and co-authored "The Frankenfood Myth." Milk from rbST-supplemented cows could provide significant environmental and economic benefits, and FDA scientists have summarized more than 120 studies that reveal no human health risk, he writes.
Giant Eagle has launched a new convenience-oriented prototype, Giant Eagle Express, in a community near Pittsburgh. The "small-box" store size -- 14,000 square feet -- is designed for urban settings and features a number of eco-friendly concepts.
General Mills is seeking inventors with patented technology that could improve its food lineup, which includes Hamburger Helper, Yoplait and Trix, among other brands. The company's decision to look outside itself for new innovation is part of its strategy to spark growth in more stagnant sectors, such as breakfast cereals and baking mixes.


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Brussels targets single-use plastics in an urgent clean-up plan that aims to make all packaging reusable or recyclable by 2030.
The EU is waging war against plastic waste as part of an urgent plan to clean up Europe’s act and ensure that every piece of packaging on the continent is reusable or recyclable by 2030.
Following China’s decision to ban imports of foreign recyclable material, Brussels on Tuesday launched a plastics strategy designed to change minds in Europe, potentially tax damaging behaviour, and modernise plastics production and collection by investing €350m (£310m) in research.
Speaking to the Guardian and four other European newspapers, the vice-president of the commission, Frans Timmermans, said Brussels’ priority was to clamp down on “single-use plastics that take five seconds to produce, you use it for five minutes and it takes 500 years to break down again”.
In the EU’s sights, Timmermans said, were throw-away items such as drinking straws, “lively coloured” bottles that do not degrade, coffee cups, lids and stirrers, cutlery and takeaway packaging.
The former Dutch diplomat told the Guardian: “If we don’t do anything about this, 50 years down the road we will have more plastic than fish in the oceans … we have all the seen the images, whether you watch [the BBC’s] Blue Planet, whether you watch the beaches in Asian countries after storms.
“If children knew what the effects are of using single-use plastic straws for drinking sodas, or whatever, they might reconsider and use paper straws or no straws at all.
“We are going to choke on plastic if we don’t do anything about this. How many millions of straws do we use every day across Europe? I would have people not use plastic straws any more. It only took me once to explain to my children. And now … they go looking for paper straws, or don’t use straws at all. It is an issue of mentality.”
He added: “[One] of the challenges we face is to explain to consumers that arguably some of the options in terms of the colour of bottles you can buy will be more limited than before. But I am sure that if people understand that you can’t buy that lively green bottle, it will have a different colour, but it can be recycled, people will buy into this.”
Plastic waste on the shore of the Thames Estuary in Cliffe, Kent. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
. . . The EU wants 55% of all plastic to be recycled by 2030 and for member states to reduce the use of bags per person from 90 a year to 40 by 2026.
An additional €100m is being made available on top of current spending to research better designs, durability and recyclability and EU member states will be put under an obligation to “monitor and reduce their marine litter”.
The commission said it will promote easy access to tap water on the streets of Europe to reduce demand for bottled water, and they will provide member states with additional guidance on how to improve the sorting and collection of recyclable plastic by consumers.
The EU’s executive is also to propose new clearer labelling for plastic packaging so consumers are clear about their recyclability, and there are plans to ban the addition of microplastics to cosmetics and personal care products, a move that has already been taken by the UK government.
New port reception facilities will seek to streamline waste management to ensure less gets dumped in the oceans under a directive already published.
“More and more it is becoming a health problem because it is degrading, going to little chips, fish are eating it and it is coming back to our dinner table,” said European Commission vice president Jyrki Katainen on Tuesday.
. . . Every year, Europeans generate 25m tonnes of plastic waste, but less than 30% is collected for recycling. Across the world, plastics make up 85% of beach litter.
Featured image: A Risso’s dolphin entangled in a fishing line and plastic bags in Sri Lanka. Brussels’ plan includes investing €350m in research to modernise plastics production and collection. Photograph: Andrew Sutton/eco2.com/Central Studio


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A-PLANT is introducing paperless dispatching across its delivery and service f leet.
The firm claimed to be the first hirer to introduce such technology company-wide.
A-Plant is issuing 1,000 electronic 'personal delivery assistants' to fitters and drivers in a £2.3 million investment.
The hand-held devices, developed with A-Plant's software provider MCS, have been trialled at a number of depots.
The first location to go live is the Trenchless Technology depot in Staines, Middlesex.
The PDAs record delivery information such as dispatch times, locations and signatures, as well as invoices and statements. The devices feature satellite navigation and communication.
Andy Wortley, A-Plant's director of IT applications, said: 'We have the industry's most advanced PDA system.'


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NEW YORK — Best Buy Co. Inc. reported Tuesday that its first-quarter profit fell 15 percent — even as Circuit City, a key competitor, closed the last of its stores — because recession-weary shoppers were still limiting big-ticket purchases.
The earnings beat Wall Street expectations, and the nation”s largest consumer electronics seller maintained its annual profit outlook.
Best Buy”s shares fell $2.89, or more than 7 percent, to $35.78 in midday trading amid uncertainty about consumer spending in the coming months.
The company earned $153 million, or 36 cents per share, in the quarter that ended May 30. That compares with profit of $179 million, or 43 cents per share, a year earlier when federal stimulus checks briefly spurred consumer spending.
Adjusted profit was 42 cents per share. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected 34 cents per share.
Revenue rose 12 percent to $10.1 billion as it opened 185 new stores and gained some market share from the shuttered Circuit City Stores. The company said it gained 2 percentage points of market share for the three months that ended April 30, fueled by sales of TVs, computers and mobile phones. It said the gain accelerated after Richmond, Va.-based Circuit City closed its last outlets across the U.S. March 8.
“Our share gains accelerated during the quarter since a major competitor closed its doors, something we”ve been very purposeful in planning for and — to be blunt — taking advantage of,” Brian Dunn, Best Buy”s president and chief operating officer, told investors during a conference call following the earnings release. Dunn becomes CEO on June 24.
Minneapolis-based Best Buy, which has about 22 percent of the market in consumer electronics, according to a Deutsche Bank report, hopes its sales staff and its Geek Squad paid service will help differentiate it from discounters like Wal-Mart. The Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer has about 14 percent of the electronics market, according to Deutsche Bank.
Even after Circuit City shed stores and became a lesser competitor during 2008, its absence left about $6 billion for the taking, estimates Barry Judge, Best Buy”s chief marketing officer. In 2007, Circuit City generated almost $11 billion in revenue.
But the weak economy, particularly rising unemployment, made it harder for Best Buy to take advantage of the environment as shoppers continue to be frugal. Best Buy faces increasing pressure from discounters, particularly Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world”s largest retailer, to grab those orphan customers.
Wal-Mart is aggressively expanding its consumer electronics areas in its 3,600 stores to include higher-end brands like Sony, Apple and Dell. And it”s experimenting with interactive displays such as those many other electronics retailers have long featured for hi-definition Blu-ray and video gaming.
Best Buy”s same-store sales fell 6 percent, and the stronger dollar hurt its overseas results. Same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year, are a key measure of a retailer”s health because they measure sales at existing stores and exclude sales at those that open or close during the year.
Best Buy said that the same-store sales decline was fueled by a reduction in customer traffic and a flat average total transaction; in particular, the company said, its sales of gaming devices, digital cameras, appliances and movies fell.
Gains in notebook computers, mobile phones and repair services partly offset those decreases. Best Buy added that same-store sales of flat-panel TVs were essentially unchanged from last year as an increase in volume offset price declines.
Company officials said that while it couldn”t take full advantage of Circuit City”s demise in March because of an inventory slip-up — stores ran out of TVs and digital cameras shoppers were seeking — its market-share gain accelerated in April as it improved its product assortment.
Officials predicted market share data for May also will show continued market share gains in areas like home theaters and car stereos where Circuit City had a heavy presence, Judge said.
Another signal that things are getting better is that customer traffic at its stores fell less in the first quarter than it had for a year.
Best Buy held to its forecast of annual earnings between $2.50 and $2.90 per share, including restructuring charges. Analysts project $2.79 per share.
AP Retail Writer Vinnee Tong contributed to this report.


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European digital money transfer firm Azimo today announced it has secured a licence from the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank) to operate its services in the Netherlands.
The approval follows the recent opening of Azimo’s office in Amsterdam, which will help the firm to grow its share of the market for cross-border payments from Europe, which is valued at over EUR 1 trillion. The licence also guarantees that Azimo will continue to benefit from so-called ‘passporting’ rights to operate across Europe, even in the event of Brexit.
Michael Kent, CEO of Azimo, said: “We looked at many jurisdictions but decided the best place to expand our European operations was the Netherlands. Outside the UK, it’s the best place to grow a fintech company in Europe. It offers a welcoming culture open to innovation, access to talent, a thriving banking sector and a strong regulator.”
Azimo’s headquarters will remain in London, and its engineering and operations in Kraków in Poland. The company enables payments from Europe to more than 200 countries and territories in more than 80 currencies, reaching more than 5 billion potential customers. It offers a wide variety of payout methods, including cash pick-up, bank deposit and payment into a mobile wallet.
Responding to the announcement, Jeroen Nijland, Commissioner for the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency, (NFIA), said: “We welcome this great news from Azimo, showing once again that the Netherlands is a great place to build and scale technology businesses. Our growing ecosystem of fintech companies serves consumers and businesses across the European continent and beyond. Azimo will be in good company amongst global players like Bloomberg and MarketAxess, and homegrown successes such as Adyen and Booking.com.”NFIA is an operational unit of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. It assists foreign companies wishing to establish their business in the Netherlands and to take advantage of the Dutch business environment as a strategic base to cover Europe.


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Microsoft E3 2018 Livestream: Watch Full Xbox One Press Conference - Cyberpunk 2077, Halo, Gears
Microsoft's big show streams live today, and we're expecting a lot of big news.
What's next for Xbox? We'll know a lot more very soon, as the Xbox E3 2018 press conference takes place today, June 11. It kicks off at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET, and you'll be able to watch the entire event here on GameSpot in the livestream above. We'll also have a pre-show to help get you psyched for the show and a post-show where GameSpot editors will discuss all the big reveals and what they mean. The show itself is expected to run about 100 minutes.
Microsoft has said it has a lot in store for E3 2018, but we don't know what to expect from the event itself. Given that the Forza series rotates between Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon, 2018 would be a Horizon year, so an announcement of a new entry could happen. There are also rumours of a Xbox game-streaming service, while Halo fans are hoping to hear about what's next for Master Chief's journey. As usual, there will likely be big surprises, too.
After the Xbox briefing wraps up, fans can visit the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles to play upcoming Xbox games. Microsoft will also have a presence at the Los Angeles Convention Center itself, but this will be primarily focused on Mixer.
Microsoft's press conferences follows EA's on Saturday. Later on Sunday, Bethesda will host its own show starting at 6:30 PM PT / 9:30 PM ET. Ubisoft and Sony follow on Monday, and then Nintendo on Tuesday. Here is the full E3 2018 press conference schedule.
The E3 show floor is open June 12-14. Keep checking back in the days ahead for lots more on E3 2018.


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A new style of Asda store is set to be launched in the coming weeks that will see a new range of products titled the 'Extra Special' range.
For more on shopping across Leeds, click here.
The new store will be the first time EG has collaborated with Asda to trial a format that links the firm’s existing brands and it also include other partners — such as Leon and Greggs.
Derek Lawlor, chief merchandising officer at Asda, said: “We know that customers want great quality that is easily accessible and great value – so we’re delighted to be able to launch our first ever ‘Extra Special’ Asda On the Move store in Beaconsfield.
“Customers visiting the store will find everything you would expect to be able to pick up in a forecourt grocery location, along with a wide range of premium ‘Extra Special’ options across chilled meals, fresh ingredients and a specially selected range of beverages.
“The launch marks a milestone in the evolution of Asda On the Move and our convenience offer, as well as an increased focus on showcasing our Extra Special range, which continues to be a popular choice with customers.
Asda will open 28 new 'On The Move sites' with EG - before extending to 200 locations in 2022.
Its latest 'On The Move' addition stocks 2,500 products including a large selection of Asda’s premium range products.
They include an extensive selection of fresh and chilled ‘Extra Special’ products, as well as ready meals and beers, wines and spirits.
There will be dishes created by celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo, including his ‘Mamma’s’ lasagne and classic Italian recipes such as aubergine parmigiana.
The store will have a different look to a traditional grocery convenience store.
A second premium store will launch in Hartlebury, Worcestershire, before the end of 2021, with five more locations set to receive an extended range of ‘Extra Special’ products.
To get the latest email updates from Yorkshire Live, click here.


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Chinese TV maker TCL looks to artificial intelligence as it reports strongest sales growth in five years
World’s third-largest television maker will cooperate with Google and Baidu to personalise content for its users, though rivals are ahead already
Chinese television maker TCL Multimedia said it will focus on using artificial intelligence technology to offer users more personalised content as the firm reported its strongest sales growth in five years.
TCL, the world’s third largest television maker, said at the CES electronics show in Las Vegas on Monday that it will cooperate with companies such as Google and Baidu to personalise content for its users. New TCL models will come with Google Assistant, Google’s voice-activated home assistant, which will allow users to control smart devices at home from their television sets, the company said.
The Shenzhen-based company’s focus on artificial intelligence comes as more tech firms seek to offer users customised experiences through the analysis of big data to try and increase their market share in an industry where hardware specifications are no longer the sole deciding factor for consumers.
“We will continue to invest in technologies that will help transform the future of the television industry, to ultimately benefit our consumers,” said TCL Corporation chairman and chief executive Tomson Li.
TCL’s move to integrate Google’s voice-activated assistant lags behind major rivals like Vizio, the top television brand in the US, which incorporated the feature in its Smartcast line of televisions early last year. South Korea’s LG, also a rival of TCL in the US market, this week announced that its high end televisions shipped this year will be compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa.
TCL is known in the US for its affordable, value-for-money television sets, achieving No 3 ranking in the country in less than three years after entering the market in 2013. Last year, the company said it was looking to release TCL-branded smartphones in the US, where it already manufactures devices for brands such as BlackBerry and Alcatel.
TCL also said it will release television with better display technologies and bigger screens in response to increasing consumer demand for these features.
The company said it has completed construction of its US$7.09 billion G11 manufacturing facility for the latest generation of flat panels and will boost production of 65-inch and 75-inch liquid crystal display (LCD) screens.
TCL also announced record sales volume for 2017, selling over 23.2 million LCD televisions for the year, a 16.4 per cent year on year growth.
Overseas market growth jumped by a third, thanks to strong sales in North America, where sales surged 31.5 per cent, as well as from emerging markets like Brazil.
“We are thrilled to report such robust global business growth in 2017, especially in the North American market,” Li said.


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-Tom Dunmore is editor-in-chief of Stuff magazine. The opinions expressed are his own.-
The audience at Apple’s Worldwide Developers’ conference seemed pumped about the new high speed iPhone — and the price cuts. So, too, do everyday consumers, at least the ones I’ve spoken to. Bloggers? They also seemed pleased, for the most part. Silicon Alley Insider said that compared with the new iPhone, “the competition is nowhere in sight.”
Among all the limelight-hogging features and rock-bottom prices unveiled at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers’ conference on Monday, two underscored the potential for the consumer electronics giant to sidle up and get up-close and personal with users — whether they like it or not.******For the hundreds gathered in San Francisco for the company’s annual developers’ pow-wow, Apple previewed a new iPhone feature that will allow users to remotely locate their device if they ever get separated from it. Executives highlighted another application that, eerily, can directly monitor a person’s vital signs.******In this day and age, when millions advertise not just their location but what they had for dessert via social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, it’s unclear how consumers will respond to functions that monitor their movements or their inner workings. Favorably, judging from the applause and hooting when those features were expounded upon.******Find My iPhone allows users to remotely locate their device via the Web. Logging onto Apple’s MobileMe, users can locate their phone on a map; send a text message to the phone, asking that it be returned; or play a strdient alert or alarm. The feature is intended to aid finding a phone left unattended at a restaurant or hidden under a couch cushion, developers said.******The new software also has a feature that allows users to remotely “wipe” the device of all data if it is truly lost or stolen – but allows users to reload the wiped data via Apple’s iTunes Web site — which usually offers music, applications and even video for sale — if the phone is then found, meaning data is periodically stored via a user’s iTunes account.******Besides additional uses of the phone’s GPS capability, Apple on Monday highlighted a third party app that allows doctors to monitor patients’ vital signs remotely – accessing real-time heart rate, temperature, blood pressure and other data collected by hospital devices on their iPhones – clearly helpful for on-call doctors but also very private information.******The app would allow doctors to zoom in and out, measure different parts of the data, and scroll through historical data.******The Critical Care app from AirStrip Technologies has yet to be approved by the FDA, but the company said it was in advanced testing and expects the app will soon be available.******(By Clare Baldwin)
The verdict is in: The Pre smartphone from Palm is a hit, at least with the reviewers. Sure, there are dissenters and everyone noted some problems with the device, including battery life, limited applications, and the fact that some programs simply loaded too slowly.
from Summit Notebook:
Verizon Communications Chief Financial Officer John Killian had a lot to say about how well his company's smartphone and data business is doing, but skirted the elephant in the room at the Reuters Global Technology Summit: Is his company going to strike an iPhone deal with Apple?
from Summit Notebook:
In China, Apple's iPhone commands a strange presence. Perenially "coming out", already widely available on the black market, viewed with trepidation by local telecom players but with undisguised lust by affluent consumers.
Amid a wave of hype about wireless gadgets like netbook computers and mobile internet devices, Research In Motion’s Co-CEO Jim Balsillie says he will keep focused on the BlackBerry maker’s core business of phones even as computer makers are starting to make phones and phone rival Nokia eyes netbooks.
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, perhaps best-known to today’s generation for doing the Argentine Tango with world champion Karina Smirnoff on “Dancing with the Stars,” weighed in this weekend on Apple’s apparent foray into chip design.


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The country’s first albino models, the Motsopa siblings, are a testimony that beauty is found in all shapes, sizes, and even colours.
These two have defied the odds by encouraging other albinos to venture into the modelling industry and other visual arts activities.
Two weeks ago, the nation woke up to amazing photos that were posted by the X models agency page on Facebook introducing a pair of albino models Junior and Rumbi Motsopa.
Growing up in South Africa, the two did not have any intentions of venturing into the modelling industry, but due to their good looks, their peers encouraged them to try it out as models.
It was model agent Leatile Motlhalamme who coincidentally discovered them on separate occasions, not knowing they are siblings and recruited them to join his agency, X models.
“I have personally been involved in a few gigs back in South Africa with the likes of Ricky Rick and Stilo Magolide, but I did not take it seriously even though I was often told it would suit me,” said 21-year-old Junior who sports a blond English cut hairstyle.
He said at this stage, he has not yet discovered his strength as a model but is willing to learn more as time goes on.
“The journey has been cool so far. I do not it see as a challenge but as an opportunity,” he said.
The medium-built male model with a body to die for has a sense of fashion that allows him to try out different fashion trends. He said he combines different influences to come up with a lifestyle infused with an old and new school style.
Rumbi, the youngest of the siblings who is 19-years-old, is a natural beauty with ice blue eyes and long black braids.
“Modelling is a recent thing, I took it as an opportunity to start new things,” she said.
As one of the first albino models in the country, she feels proud of her complexion, that her skin plays a role in boosting her confidence.
Like her older brother, she has a good sense of fashion. “I am influenced by myself, I do not normally look for inspiration from my peers. I put things together.”
As someone new in the industry, she said the journey has been agreeable so far, and has not yet faced any challenges despite of her condition. Her wish is to conquer the modelling industry and become a top model,
“I want to be on billboards and fashion shows,” said Rumbi who hinted that her agency is planning something massive.
“One way or the other, there was supposed to be albino models, we live in a progressive world and things change time and again,” she said explaining their presence in the modelling industry.
The duo, who profess to have been raised by loving parents in a community that accepted them for who they are, said they do not recall facing any hatred because they are albinos.
They attribute their good sense of fashion from their mother, though.
Model agent Motlhalamme who discovered the two said his agency is interested in trying out new things and coming up with new channels in the modelling industry.
The international modelling circuit has a few albino models, such as Stephen Thompson and South African Refilwe Modiselle who was the first albino model to appear on the runway in her country.


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The company has announced its intent to buy all of Cisco's Home Networking division, including the Linksys brand.
It was back in 2003 that business networking giant Cisco bought Linksys, hoping to make a dent in the home networking industry. By 2008, the brand had been repositioned as Linksys by Cisco, in deference to both Cisco's long history of networking infrastructure and the simple fact that the average consumer was more familiar with the Linksys brand.
We heardthat Linksys was back on the sale block, and it seems to have been true, with Belkin today announcing that it will acquire the Cisco Home Networking Business Unit, including the Linksys brand, technologies, products and even a few employees.
Belkin is not discussing the money behind the deal, but it is expected to be wrapped up in March.
According to Belkin, it will keep the Linksys brand, continue to offer support for Linksys products and will honour all valid warranties for current and future Linksys products.


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“Taking our customer’s safety as our highest priority, we have decided to halt sales and production of the Galaxy Note 7,” the South Korean smartphone maker stated.
Samsung Electronics Co. called a permanent halt to the production and sales of its hyped Galaxy Note 7, the premium smartphone whose botched product recall has severely damaged its brand.
On Monday, Samsung announced only a temporary discontinuation of the Note 7 production. The company made the announcement on the permanent cease of the handset production on Tuesday in a filing with South Korean regulators after its shares dived a hefty 8%, its steepest one-day drop in eight years, amid growing pressure after a new string of reported smartphone fires in the US.
Not only with production, but Samsung is also officially calling on carrier and retail partners to cease selling the handset while the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) investigates the aforementioned string of incidents regarding Note 7.
In its official statement on its website, the company is requesting Note owners to switch their devices off and return them to where they bought them.
Instead of issuing another replacement plan as it did early in September, Samsung is offering a full refund for customers or a refund for a different device, together with a $25 gift certificate or other add-on for the two rounds of recalls hassles.
According to the official Safety Recall statement, “Galaxy Note7 Owners need to do one of the following:
· Exchange your current Galaxy Note7 for a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge and replacement of any Galaxy Note7 specific accessories with a refund of the price difference between devices; or
· Contact your point of purchase to obtain a full refund.
Customers who exchange a Note7 device will also receive a $25 gift card, in-store credit, in-store accessory credit or bill credit from select carrier retail outlets.”
While it is a huge and major twist in Samsung’s tale of handsets, it doesn’t necessarily mark the end of the company. The CPSC’s investigation remains ongoing, and Samsung says that it “remains committed to working diligently” with the organization. The company still hasn’t completely gave up on the device, even as a rising list of opinions in the media have asserted that it should axe its losses on the defective phablet .
Previously on Thursday, the first reported case of a faulty replacement unit emerged, prompting a whole Southwest plane to vacate while waiting at the gate. Since this incident, a series of reports have reached the media. Leading carriers, such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and US Cellular, have declared to officially stop selling the phone until granted the permission by the CPSC.
(image from CNN)
On Monday, a statement from Samsung comprised of acknowledgement of carrier actions, stating that, “We recognize that carrier partners have stopped sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note7 in response to reports of heat damage issues, and we respect their decision.”
As of 13:33 GMT, Samsung shares plunged deep into the red by a negative 9.42% or 70.25 points to 675.50. On the chart below, this hefty dive is evident. October 7, right before Monday’s initial decline, marks as a doji candle which hit an all-time high of 764.75. On that day, reports said that Samsung expects third-quarter profit have risen 5.6%, beating estimates, as a pickup in chip and display earnings likely offset the impact of the global Note 7 recall.
The firm won't issue full results until late October, however, and gave no details on the expense of recalling about 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 phones after batteries caught fire. Now, how exactly did prices rise to an all-time peak?
Ironically, it was the Note 7 itself. The smartphone problems could also boost Samsung's chip business. Industry executives claimed that the sudden need for chips in 2.5 million replacement phones is aggravating already tight memory market conditions, which could push prices higher.
However, as seen on the chart, Monday’s session had Samsung shares fall on the same issues. Tuesday made its biggest decline, hitting an intra-day low of 671.96.
The Samsung chart has been plagued by bearish candles all throughout since mid-July, caused by constant conflicts and lawsuit battles with Apple Inc and of course, the fiasco with its Galaxy Note 7. The latter issue has seemingly taken its toll on the stock on its more than 9% decline. With how things are looking, it is best to say that Samsung will remain in the bearish territory for a while.
For more relevant news and in-depth fundamental analyses on forex, stocks, commodities and economy, FSM News is your ideal provider!


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25th September 2021, Mumbai:
India’s biggest sportswear brand by revenue, Puma has roped in cricketer KL Rahul to roll out 1DER, an affordable range of athleisure brand. Priced to woo masses—from Rs 1,499 to Rs 4,999—1DER includes a wide array of footwear and apparel for men, and would be rolled out on Flipkart.
The launch also marks a decade of partnership between the homegrown ecommerce player and Puma.
For Flipkart, an affordable and stylish athleisure brand makes immense business sense as it will help the company to bridge the gap between metros and Tier II and beyond, where people seek the best of current fashion trends but have limited access from a selection, range and affordability perspective.
As a category, sportswear and athleisure have seen phenomenal growth on Flipkart, close to 60 per cent over last year. While the pandemic forced people to work from home and prioritise their health and fitness, athleisure fashion made most of the tailwinds.
1DER aims to cater to the needs of young working professionals and college students, says Abhishek Ganguly, Managing Director, Puma India.


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Online diamond and jewelry retailer Blue Nile is opening another bricks-and-mortar location as it seeks to unite Internet sales with a brick-and-mortar presence.
The new 'Webroom' will be opened this summer at the Washington Square Mall in Portland, Oregon.
Earlier this month, Blue Nile announced its third such online/offline hybrid retail model would be opened near Washington D.C. following two such stores being opened in New York.
Webrooms are display locations that provide a retail experience for consumers to see goods available for sale which can then be ordered on a PC, by smartphone or via a tablet. Sales can also be made online via in-store tablets and with the help of non-commissioned consultants.


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Affordable luxury retailer Michael Kors also struggled last year as its sales growth turned negative last quarter because of stiff competition from rivals such as Coach (NYSE: COH ), lower mall traffic, and the cannibalization of its higher-end goods by its cheaper outlet ones. The company expects its revenue to fall 3% this year, compared with 8% growth last year.
Kors initially looks like another victim of the meltdown in the retail sector caused by competition from "fast-fashion" players such as H&M and e-tailers. However, the affordable luxury market also looks ripe for consolidation. LVMH was reportedly courting Kors earlier this year, but those talks stalled out. Kors rival Kate Spade (NYSE: KATE ) also recently surged on buyout rumors, with Coach being cited as a likely candidate.
I believe that Kors remains a strong buyout candidate, since its P/E of 10 is much lower than Kate Spade's 19, Coach's 20, and the industry average of 26. Its P/S ratio of 1.5 is also lower than Kate's 1.8 and Coach's 2.2.
Per: The Motley Fool


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UCaaS providers have discovered that a truly “unified” solution must also include fax—still a top form of business communication. MSPs have found adding cloud fax increases their value to customers. Both have found it lucrative to offer the world’s #1 brand, iFax.
Top software reseller marketplaces have already added iFax’s cloud fax solutions to their portfolios. These marketplaces know cloud fax is expected to become a billion-dollar industry in the next few years, and they want to sell only the world’s best HIPAA-compliant fax service.
SaaS software companies—particularly those selling B2B apps for healthcare, legal, real estate, and other regulated industries know that embedding enterprise cloud faxing can enhance their solution while attracting new customers.
Healthcare software companies, EMR and EHR providers, telehealth services, and health information exchanges are improving their solutions, adding value for customers, and creating new revenue with iFax’s cloud fax solution.
Some technology providers want to offer cloud fax service but maintain their brand’s identity across all aspects of their solution. For these companies, iFax offers a white label option: our secure and trusted cloud fax solution, under their brand’s name
Many of the world’s leading communication service businesses —telecom carriers, telco service providers, cable companies—are enhancing the value of their offerings, and increasing their bottom line, with iFax’s cloud fax services.
Join our network of industry leaders and harness the power of secure, efficient communication. Experience the benefits of partnership and grow your business alongside the trusted name in HIPAA-compliant faxing.
Discover why iFax is the partner of choice for organizations worldwide.


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The distressed debt investors are starting to smell blood on the streets.
"Debt trading in some sectors is starting to look distressed," said one institutional trader, who noted that the bonds for one particular retailer are now trading at around 80 cents on the dollar. "Generally it would be considered distressed when the bonds start hitting around the 70s."
He said the easy lending of the past, the subprime debacle and the anticipation of more bad news to come are what's bringing distressed investing back to the forefront. "At some point, the writing will be on the wall. Maybe [retailers will] get through another Christmas," the trader said.
So exactly just how easy was it for companies to borrow money in the past few years?
"We witnessed an unprecedented period of lending, where lenders were willing to extend credit on terms far more liberal than before. Covenant-lite loans [those with few or no requirements], low fees and rates, payment-in-kind and toggle options and few or no collateral requirements defined a true 'borrower's market,'" said William R. Wagner, a financial restructuring partner at the Baker & McKenzie law firm.
Wagner said that, due to the subprime meltdown and subsequent general liquidity squeeze, "many companies that enjoyed borrowing at low rates and on liberal terms now face much less attractive refinancing alternatives, especially if they have liquidity issues of their own. Now they're coming to market looking for loans where banks are again demanding collateral and traditional covenant protection."
He noted that some of the overhang connected to the subprime debacle may not have hit the market yet, as corporate default rates are still relatively low and many investors believe the market still isn't at or even near the bottom.
With the era of easy money gone, some investors are eyeing distressed investing as the next phase, during which they can score some big bucks.
Often referred to as vulture investors, those that focus on the debt of distressed firms have been around for years. They emerged from obscurity during the junk bond era of the late Eighties, which created a slew of large retail bankruptcies burdened by an overload of debt.
Also known as the bottom-fishers of the investment community, their modus operandi is to buy at discount, in hopes of turning a quick profit should a piece of good news hike the price back up. Although most are speculators at heart, some provide financing to distressed firms and in turn take an equity position in hopes of future appreciation.
With so much money still floating around, don't expect the next group of vultures to behave in the same way as their predecessors.
Wagner noted there's been, and still is, a significant amount of fund-raising in the hedge fund community, some with the designated purpose of providing financing to, or making strategic investments in, troubled companies. What's potentially significant about the distressed investing side from the last bankruptcy wave in retail and apparel may be the type of players who trade and invest in bank debt. According to Wagner, many of these funds also have become the new lenders. Today's hedge funds aren't only well equipped to provide financing to companies in financial distress, they're also skillful in navigating the restructuring process.
So far 2008 has seen only a handful of bankruptcies: Friedman's Inc., Fortunoff, Lillian Vernon, Linens-N-Things and Sharper Image.
One fund manager in the retail and apparel sector said it could take another six to 12 months for both the remaining subprime overhang to work its way through the financial system and to see the impact of the Federal Reserve's attempt to navigate a soft landing. The fund manager isn't optimistic due to current weakness on the consumer side. "When the bankruptcy wave hits, I expect it'll be very bad for several years," the individual predicted.
In that scenario, there could be a lot of pain ahead.
Bankruptcies, should they become the mainstay of headline news, will no longer hang around in the court system for years and years. One example is general merchandiser McCrory Corp. McCrory filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy court protection in February 1992, and operated stores under the nameplates McCrory, J.J. Newberry and S.H. Kress, to name a few. Its remaining assets after a six-year tour of bankruptcy court were finally sold in October 1997. Administrative creditors received 18 cents on the dollar, while unsecured creditors received nothing on their claims, which totaled $516 million.Two major changes to the bankruptcy laws in 2005 impact how business bankruptcies are now handled by the courts.
"One change in the 2005 amendments impacting business bankruptcies concerns the time in which debtors have the exclusive right to file a plan of reorganization. Debtors still have the same initial 120-day period, but now it can only be extended, for cause, through 18 months from the filing of the Chapter 11 petition," said Joseph Samet, a partner specializing in bankruptcy at Baker & McKenzie.
Samet noted another change that impacts business debtors, which is the time to decide whether to assume or reject nonresidential real estate leases. "The debtor generally has 120 days but can obtain an extension for only another 90 days for cause. The total number of days, 210, is not supposed to be extended unless the landlord approves in writing," the attorney said.
The impact of the latter change means "retailers no longer have the luxury of two Christmas seasons to pick out which stores to close," said Bradley I. Dietz, managing director and co-head of the restructuring department at investment banking firm Peter J. Solomon Inc.
While investing firms may be anticipating the next big investment phase, Dietz is quick to note, "Not so fast."
The banker believes it's still too early to tell which way the wind will blow. "Two years ago attorneys started moving to different firms, and bankers are now on the move, some starting restructuring advisory businesses. However, there's still too much capacity in the market. It has been the [mantra] from the [restructuring] industry's lips to God's ears that it'll be the next six months, but they've been in that mode for the last two years," he said.
While Dietz does expect there will be some uptick in bankruptcy filings, he also believes apparel firms are less leveraged than in previous years. As for retailers and distressed firms in general, he observed that many of the companies entering bankruptcy proceedings are likely to be more highly leveraged than in the past, with assets "hocked to lenders so that there are fewer assets available for collateral when companies try to get new loans."Peter J. Solomon, namesake of his eponymous banking firm, said that so far retailers are doing three things: evaluating store opening programs, figuring out how to weather the projected increase in the slowdown of consumer spending and determining how to get earnings per share growth, whether that includes using balance sheets to repurchase stock or make acquisitions.
For now, he too believes there might be a lull before anyone actually sees a wave of bankruptcy filings. "What's different between now and before are the covenant lites and the easy credit terms. The pressure is not from the financial players, the bond holders, but from vendors. As credit becomes constrained, it puts pressure on vendors to get paid. As vendors tighten up, that puts pressure on everybody," Solomon said.
As for the credit markets, who knows when that will ease up.
"There is no sense of when. Anyone who says they can tell you is a fool. No one has the foggiest idea," said Solomon, who advised that six months after the "last financial institution raises money via preferred stock" might be the time to take a look at the crystal ball.
Meanwhile, some deals are still getting done.
The ones that Allan Ellinger, of investment banking firm Marketing Management Group, sees being completed are smaller transactions where it can be easier to obtain financing.
And while many expect strategic players to have a bigger role on the mergers and acquisitions front than before, when it was a financial buyers' market, don't count anyone out yet.
Financial buyers are still sniffing around for deals. Last week, Windsong Brands, which earlier this year co-led a team of investors to buy Ellen Tracy from Liz Claiborne Inc., was part of a team of investors that included Hilco Consumer Capital, GB Brands and Crystal Capital that became the court-approved stalking horse bidder for certain assets of bankrupt Sharper Image.
EXCLUSIVE: @tomford is opening its first-ever beauty store. The boutique, which opens November 20 in London’s Covent Gardens, was designed with the over-the-top glam Ford is known for. Read the full story on WWD.com, link in bio. #wwdbeauty #wwdnews (📷: Simon Wagner) #TomFordBeauty
New York-based DJ @harleyvnewton threw a party to celebrate the holiday collection of her dress and pajama line @hvn at the Ladurée Beverly Hills. It Girls @katebosworth, @rashidajones and more joined in on the fun, which included cocktails, croque monsieur sandwiches and a photo booth. #wwdfashion (📷: Owen Kolasinski/BFA.com)
For the holidays, @Burberry partnered with 20-year-old artist @blondeymccoy on a series of three outdoor murals in downtown Manhattan. The murals are McCoy’s interpretation of a Christmas eve party, the idea of charity and the spirit of family. His third mural, pictured here, is the most personal. The image depicts McCoy’s grandparents and father in London’s Trafalgar Square in the Seventies. “My work often features lots of sentimental objects.” #wwdeye
For spring 2018, designers applied bold colors and cartoonish motifs on everything from sneakers and belts to key chains. See all the top men’s accessories trends on WWD.com. #wwdtrends (📷: George Chinsee; Prop Styling by @rnasti; Market Editor: @luiscampuzano)
The @dior-sponsored @guggenheim international gala pre-party has a history of drawing cool-girl musical acts to serenade the crowd –– and last night was no exception. @haimtheband performed songs both new and old, and lured a star-studded audience with the likes of Rebecca Hall, Kate Mara, Mamoudou Athie and more. #wwdeye (📷: @lexieblacklock)
In a partnership between the @metopera and the @englishnationalopera, “Marnie” was born. The opera, with costumes sponsored by @mrporterlive, is an adaptation of the 1961 thriller by Winston Graham. Arianne Phillips, who created the costumes, is no rookie: She’s styled Madonna for her tours and created costumes for a myriad of films in the past. Read WWD’s interview with Phillips, where she talks about her inspiration for the opera’s costumes on WWD.com #wwdfashion
@barneysnyc took a different approach to their holiday windows this year. Instead of Christmas decor, Barneys tapped @thehaasbrothers to tell a story of positivity, gratitude and inclusivity via heartwarming silliness and humor. “It’s about kids and it’s about coming together and being family and loving each other,” said Simon Haas. #wwdfashion (📷: @joshuascottphoto)
Beauty influencer @kandeejohnson makes her foray into hair care with a collaboration with @ogx_beauty — making it the first time that OGX has teamed up for a product creation. The collab includes shampoos and conditioners in three scents. At 39 and a mom, Johnson is a different profile than the emerging social media stars, but is considered one of the pioneers of the digital beauty influencer world. Read WWD’s interview with her on wwd.com, including the strangest beauty product she’s ever tried #wwdbeauty


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South Korean Telcos Fined for False 5G Advertising Claims: What You Need to Know
South Korea is one of the leading countries in the development and deployment of 5G networks. However, the excitement surrounding the new technology has led some telcos to make exaggerated claims regarding their 5G capabilities. In November 2019, the Korean Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) imposed fines on three major South Korean telecom companies – SK Telecom, KT Corp, and LG U+ – for making misleading 5G advertising claims. This article discusses the KFTC’s ruling, its impact on the 5G market, and the lessons that can be learned from it.
The Korean Fair Trade Commission Fines SK Telecom, KT Corp and LG U+ for Inflated 5G Claims
In its ruling, the KFTC fined SK Telecom, KT Corp, and LG U+ a total of KRW 9.9 billion (approximately USD 8.5 million) for exaggerating their 5G network speeds and coverage. The KFTC found that the telcos’ advertisements misled customers into believing that subscribers would experience faster and more stable 5G service than was actually available. The telcos were also accused of falsely claiming that their 5G networks covered wider areas than they actually did. In response to the KFTC’s ruling, the telcos apologized and promised to improve their advertising practices.
Misleading 5G Advertising: A Common Industry Practice or a South Korean Phenomenon?
Misleading advertising is not unique to South Korea’s telco industry. In fact, regulators in other countries have also cracked down on false advertising claims related to 5G networks. For example, in the UK, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned an advertisement by Three UK that claimed “If it’s not Three, it’s not real 5G”. Similarly, in the US, the National Advertising Division (NAD) recommended that AT&T discontinue its “5G Evolution” advertising campaign, which used the term “5G” to describe its 4G LTE network. However, the fines imposed on South Korean telcos are among the highest in the world and have set a precedent for other countries in terms of cracking down on false 5G advertising claims.
The Impact of the Fines on South Korean Telcos and the 5G Market
The fines imposed by the KFTC are relatively small in comparison to the revenue of the telcos. However, the reputational damage caused by the ruling could have a bigger impact on the industry. South Korea’s telcos have been investing heavily in 5G infrastructure and marketing to maintain their position as leaders in the global 5G market. The KFTC’s ruling could undermine public trust in the telcos and create an opportunity for competitors to gain market share. Additionally, the ruling could encourage other regulators to take a harder stance on false advertising claims related to 5G networks, which could affect the industry as a whole.
Lessons Learned from South Korea’s Crackdown on False 5G Advertising
The KFTC’s ruling highlights the importance of transparency and accuracy in advertising, especially in emerging technologies such as 5G. Telcos should be cautious about making exaggerated claims about their 5G capabilities and ensure that their advertising is based on factual information. Regulators should also continue to monitor the industry closely to prevent false advertising and protect consumers from misleading claims. Finally, the ruling serves as a reminder to consumers to be skeptical of marketing claims and do their own research before making purchasing decisions.
2 thoughts on “South Korean Telcos Fined for False 5G Advertising Claims”
It is reassuring to see regulators take a firm stance on misleading advertising, especially for emerging technologies like 5G, where consumers may not have a complete understanding of the capabilities and limitations of the network.
While it is true that telcos in other countries have also faced similar crackdowns for false advertising claims, the fines imposed on South Korean telcos are among the highest in the world. This highlights the importance of transparency and accuracy in advertising, and the need for regulators to closely monitor the industry to protect consumer rights.
Moreover, the reputational damage caused by the ruling can be severe, especially in a highly competitive industry like telecommunications. The ruling could potentially undermine public trust in the telcos and create opportunities for competitors to gain market share. It is therefore crucial for telcos to be cautious about making exaggerated claims and reduce the risk of future regulatory action.
Overall, the KFTC’s ruling serves as a reminder to telcos that advertising claims should be based on factual information, and to consumers to be skeptical of marketing claims and do their own research before making purchasing decisions. It will be interesting to see how the industry responds to this ruling and how it affects the global 5G market in the coming months and years.
False advertising has long been a problem in the industry, especially for emerging technologies like 5G, which are still not fully understood by the average consumer.
One interesting aspect of this ruling is the potential impact it could have on the global 5G market. With South Korea being one of the leading countries in 5G adoption, the reputational damage caused by this ruling could potentially affect the perception of 5G technology worldwide. It will be important to see how telcos in other countries respond to this ruling and whether they take heed of the lessons learned by their South Korean counterparts.
Another question that comes to mind is whether this ruling will lead to more rigorous monitoring of telcos by regulatory bodies around the world. While it is heartening to see the KFTC take action against false advertising, it is also important to ensure that similar measures are being taken elsewhere to protect consumer rights and hold telcos accountable for their claims.
In conclusion, the KFTC’s ruling on South Korean telcos should serve as a wake-up call for the telecommunications industry to prioritize transparency and accuracy in advertising. it is our responsibility to remain vigilant and do our own research before making purchasing decisions, and to hold telcos accountable for their claims.
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A coalition of five NGOs will on Wednesday hold a one-day exhibition and symposium for micro, small and medium enterprises to showcase the potentials of young Nigerian entrepreneurs.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the expo, powered by GIZ, a German empowerment outfit in partnership with Federal Government, will hold at Blue Roof Hall of the Lagos Television premises, Agidingbin Ikeja, Lagos.
Mr Tobi Durojaiye, Spokesman for the NGOs, said on Tuesday at a roundtable ahead of the exhibition that the event was put together to expose, connect and showcase the products of the young entrepreneurs.
He said that the empowered youths, who had successfully undergone various trainings, would be given them access to financial and strategic opportunities.
Also speaking, Mrs Bose Aggrey, Executive Director of Web of Hearts, an NGO that focuses on irregular migrants, said that her organisation had been able to train and empower over 1000 people.
She said that these are those who have been repositioned under this GOPA implemented initiative.
Aggrey, added that the MSME symposium and exhibition would re-emphasise the fact that locally made products by Nigerians can rule the market.
She urged Lagos residents to visit the one-day exhibition which will also have government and corporate personalities in the MSME industry in attendance.
Aggrey added that interested youths can also register for the GIZ empowerment initiative to train thousands of young Nigerians in 2022


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Looking back at the way music shaped us, 75 years later.
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Optimism is high among workers that they can return to their pre-pandemic jobs, but economists warn over 40 percent of job losses could become permanent.
Marion County will continue to enforce a stay-at-home order until May 15, despite the state of Indiana’s Back on Track plan that indicates the county could ease restrictions and start to reopen businesses May 11. The restrictions also apply to places of worship in Marion County, delaying their opening.
Tests will be administered from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday at Eastern Star Church’s main campus at 5750 E. 30th St. to address the disparities in the impact of COVID-19 among African Americans and other high-risk populations.
A survey from the National Restaurant Association shows restaurants throughout the country continue to be among the hardest hit by the global pandemic. In the Hoosier state, the Indiana Restaurant and Lodging Association says restaurants stand to lose $920 million
An additional $600 in weekly unemployment benefits could start arriving Friday for some Hoosiers, but independent contractors and gig economy workers may be waiting until next month to see any payments.


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Stylish battle royale game Naraka: Bladepoint is officially coming to PS5 and other consoles, though which ones will join it have yet to be named.
The once-presumed PC exclusive Naraka: Bladepoint is making its way to consoles, and a new gameplay trailer shows how it runs on PlayStation 5. The flashy 60-player battle royale appears to take some visual cues from international martial arts films like House of Flying Daggers, and it was most recently shown off by publisher NetEase at E3 2021 alongside LOTR: Rise to War and Racing Master.
Naraka: Bladepoint will also be launching on PS5 and other consoles, revealed by an IGN trailer as part of its ongoing Summer of Gaming 2021. NetEase says PS5 won’t be the only console it comes to and that multiple console ports are planned, but a simultaneous console release alongside the August 12 PC launch seems unlikely. Currently, the PS5 and other, unnamed console versions of Naraka: Bladepoint are simply coming “soon.”
Unfortunately, the gameplay footage is in a lower resolution than most PS5 players have grown accustomed to at 1080p. However, the textures and particle effects on display don’t appear to show any telling signs of a downgrade from what’s been shown ahead of Naraka: Bladepoint‘s PC launch. The gameplay still looks like a novel blend of narrative and multiplayer, so it seems that the defining announcement that NetEase has yet to make is whether or not crossplay will be supported between PC and console versions. In an era when AA and indie games opt for announcements on PlayStation or Xbox consoles first before revealing multiplatform and PC ports, Naraka: Bladepoint is flipping the script and leaving interested console players wondering if their platforms will be supported.
Naraka: Bladepoint will be available for PC on August 12, 2021, and its PS5 and console launches are TBA.
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Mukesh Ambani is Set to Revolutionize India's Mobility Sector with Personal Rapid Transit System. Are Indian Startups Ready? Ambani picked a 12.7 per cent stake in SkyTran Inc, which has partnered with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the US and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to develop the required technology, late last year.
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
SkyTran, the Personal Rapid Transit system concept originally funded as a research project through the Department of Transportation, is prepping to launch itself first for the most complex and dynamic country in the world.
Its India entry is being smoothened by the venture capital and private office company's partnership with Reliance Industrial Investments and Holdings Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited.
Ambani picked a 12.7 per cent stake in SkyTran Inc, which has partnered with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the US and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to develop the required technology, late last year. As part of the deal, Reliance would supply communication equipment and a prototype would be built in India.
SkyTran has gone on to raise investment from some of the world's top tier investors, including Innovation Endeavors, Draper Associates and Reliance Industries.
SkyTran's computer-controlled vehicles, capable of speeds up to 300 kilometers per hour, may soon be a reality in India. While speaking to Entrepreneur India on how SkyTran is developing the revolutionary transportation pods and how they are going to be launched in India first and what makes India so unique, John Cole CEO of SkyTran said that," India is a very complex place; bureaucracy is crushing, it's very difficult for a foreign company to start and what changed for the company is Mukesh Ambani.
"He is a visionary business man (Mukesh Ambani is the Chairman of Reliance Industries Limited- India's most valuable company by market cap) and in fact my very first meeting with him, he instantly got the whole concept of the physical package product system that is an abstraction, very few can get it and they got it immediately. Very few people get it; these people are so smart they got it instantly, they saw what this could do well in India and now we are in the middle of working out a plan to roll this throughout India. First with a small scale demonstration system on one of their captive projects probably in Mumbai," Cole revealed.
Cole finds India the perfect launch pad for SkyTran's transit pads due to the country's scale.
"The primary strategy of India may be different than what was thought of. We are seeing that the inner city core are very difficult places to work, there are a lot of controls and the bureaucracy permits are very difficult. India is different; the inside of the city is completely non-functional nothing moves so in India the deployment strategy may be a bit different, we don't know yet," Cole said.
He senses the first phase of SkyTran's pods could will be actually inside the city for India.
Competition to Startups
Would the SkyTran's skypods give India's startups namely Ola and Uber India a tough competition is a point of ponder upon.
Cole however finds his company's products the greatest blessing to India's startups.
"It's going to be the best thing for their business ever – SkyTran can take you to the last destination but not all the way, a car can," Cole said.
SkyTran intends to partner with Indian companies – they want a lot more riders, more trips and less waste of time and we see that they (mobility startups) will move to automated vehicles which then can be seamlessly integrated with Skytran.
When you pick up your phone and want to go to a certain location, an automated Uber lift will pick you up, take you to the SkyTran location, when you get off another SkyTran, it will pick you up again explained Cole.
While Cole isn't certain about which partnership the company will with an Indian startup, he clarified it'll be Reliance's call.
"Reliance is SkyTran India."
Entrepreneur India's staff met John Cole and other members of SkyTran as a part of their visit to Israel for the OurCrowd Global Investor Summit.


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Delhi viral cases up 25 percent this monsoon
New Delhi: There is a 25 percent increase in the number of viral cases in the capital this monsoon, says the Indian Medical Association (IMA) while advising people to keep their surroundings clean, drink fresh juices and wash their hands regularly.
"The number of viral cases has gone up by 25 percent and these are a result of parasites, bacteria and viruses which find the monsoon temperature and humidity perfect for breeding," Narendra Saini, president of the IMA, told reporters.
"They play a major role in increasing cases of jaundice and typhoid every season," he added.
According to doctors, in order to keep such waterborne diseases at bay, simple measures like keeping your surroundings clean and washing hands regularly can work wonders.
"People should keep their surroundings clean to prevent mosquito breeding, which is of utmost importance," said R.D. Sharma, a Delhi-based physician.
"Consuming more liquids like fresh juice and lemonade further strengthens metabolism," he added.
Doctors also advised avoiding roadside food and washing fruits and vegetables properly before eating.
Pharmaceutical shops across the city are registering a massive increase of 30-50 percent in the sales of hand sanitisers, tissue papers and mosquito repellants.
"We are selling almost double the number of sanitisers as compared to last month and same is the case with mosquito repellant sprays. Face and hand tissues are also selling in good numbers," said Charanjeet Chowdhari, owner of a chemist shop in south Delhi`s Green Park Extension.
Other chemists agree. Anand Singhal, the owner of Asoka`s departmental store in west Delhi`s Patel Nagar, said: "Sales have definitely increased and it`s good that people are taking precaution instead of falling ill and buying medicines."
Delhi-based physician Suniti Sharma said people should take precautions and contact a doctor at the first sign of body ache, fever or cold and cough.
"There is no point in waiting till the situation gets bad. One should take immediate precautionary steps," added Sharma.
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