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After the massive success of Realme 2 Pro, the Oppo-owned company is gearing up to launch Realme U1 on November 28. The company has teased that the handset will be India’s SelfiePro smartphone.
According to the official product teaser, the Realme U1 will be the most powerful selfie camera ever manufactured by any company. We expect the rear camera to bear atleast 24MP sensor with AI capabilities. The phone will be available in 4GB and 6GB RAM variants with 64GB expandable internal storage capacity.
Under the hood, the Realme U1 is confirmed to ship with a premium Helio P70 processor. The chipset will provide support for high-resolution depth engine, anti-blooming engine including accurate AI detection capabilities. The processor will offer faster multi-frame noise reduction shot.
The company also revealed that the upcoming U1 will be the world’s first smartphone with the mighty Helio P70 processor. Moreover, the device will ship with super elegant Dewdrop notch display. The company also added that the Realme2 will be the new emerging youth power. We will continue to track the developments and provide you with updates. Stay tuned.


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Toyota Motor said on Nov. 5 it would nearly double its investment in a new plant in India to 68 billion yen (US$683 million).
In April, Toyota announced a plan to invest 35 billion yen in a new factory on the site of a Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) plant on the outskirts of the southern Indian technology hub of Bangalore. Toyota said on Nov. 5 it would spend another 33 billion yen on necessary equipment for a production line.
The new plant will start production in 2010 with annual output capacity of 100,000 passenger vehicles.
Toyota and other carmakers are competing to increase their share of the Indian market, where automobile sales are forecast to rise sharply as the economy expands and middle-class incomes rise.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2008

domain: news


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Richmond, VA – Carpenter Co., one of the world’s leading producers of flexible polyurethane is pleased to announce a new line of Integral Skin (iSkin) Polyurethane Foam Systems. These foam systems have been developed to meet the coming regulations in the United States regarding the discontinuation of HFCs in polyurethane foams. These regulations come into effect beginning in 2017 and will pave the way for the next generation of HFO blowing agents. This iSkin line makes innovative use of Carpenter Carpol® Polyols and Honeywell Solstice® Liquid Blowing Agent (LBA), which is based on HFO technology. It delivers outstanding surface quality in a variety of shore A hardness levels.
“This line of products has good physical properties and we are also able to achieve a robust shelf life with Solstice® LBA,” says Ryan Rindone, Marketing Manager for Chemical Systems at Carpenter Co. “We believe these products address the needs of the market to provide high quality integral skin parts while complying with the upcoming regulations regarding HFCs.”
Carpenter has developed a line of polyurethane foam systems that can be used in a variety of settings producing a wide variety of configurations.
“Customers who have evaluated these systems in their production facilities have found them to perform similarly to existing HFC foams while providing excellent skin formation,” commented Jamie Spears, Flexible Foam Chemist at Carpenter. “These systems are able to produce a wide range of hardness levels through a variety of index ranges. The pack factors and densities were comparable to their current HFC-based foam products.”
For more information, contact Carpenter at www.carpenter.com
Solstice is a registered trademark of Honeywell International Inc.


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BT loses share of broadband
BT Group has lost one-sixth of its share of growth in the retail broadband market in the second quarter in the face of increased competition. However, the group still managed to produce a strong 26 per cent rise in first-half pre-tax profits to £1.24 billion.
BT’s share price plunged by nearly 3 per cent to 283.75p following the results, although some analysts predicted the strong performance would spark a round of profit upgrades.
BT has faced increased competition from cut-price offers from the likes of Carphone Warehouse and BSkyB. The group reported that its share of growth in broadband provided via phone lines fell from 30 per cent in the first quarter to 25 per cent in the second quarter.
Its total share of the


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Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo, a comic and pop culture convention in Los Angeles, announced that pre-sale ticket sales are available for the 5th Annual Comikaze Expo Weekend at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) from Oct. 30-Nov. 1.
Normally $75, these Three-Day badges are only available for a limited time at the June 3 price of $55. This is the guaranteed lowest price for these passes. Tickets are available here.
Named ‘Con of the Year’ in 2014 by an online poll at ConHQ.com, Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo is a celebration of entertainment and a meeting place for pop culture, comic book, horror, gaming and sci-fi fans.
To meet an increased public demand, the Expo has expanded beyond South Hall into more areas of LACC. This expansion makes the 2015 show better than ever with 300,000 square feet of events, games, celebrity appearances, panel discussions, contests and a marketplace with the hottest apparel and accessories.
- Announced Guests: Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo is already gearing up to be an amazing show, with the initial announcement of luminaries Stan Lee and Elvira, Mistress of the Dark plus comic artists Mike Mignola(Hellboy), Marc Silvestri (Uncanny X-Men), Rich Buckler (Fantastic Four), Tim Bradstreet (The Punisher) and Art Baltazar (Tiny Titans).
- Free Autograph Coupons: Get a coupon for a complimentary autograph from participating celebrities on-site at the show with any full price paid adult admission, October 30-November 1, 2015 (quantities are limited).
- Annual Cosplay Contest: Enter to win $10,000 in prizes during L.A.’s hottest contest.
- The Ultimate Kids Halloween Trick-or-Treat: On October 31, come to Comikaze Expo for the safest daytime trick-or-treat location in the city – featuring hundreds of candy-giving exhibitors.
- A Spook-tacular Kid’s Halloween Costume Contest: Back by popular demand, this costume contest is for kids 12 and under with prizes for the best, cutest, and most original costumes.
Additional details will be announced in the coming weeks. Visit www.comikazeexpo.com for more information and to sign up for email updates.


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MORE than 90,000 tickets were snapped up within the first 24 hours of the box office opening for this year’s Street of Light spectacular
Revellers flocked to grab more than double the amount of free tickets booked last year.
People from 37 countries have booked tickets to Street of Light from all corners of the world, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, Taiwan, Ukraine and the US.
The twice-daily show will boast 24 towering 62ft arches covered in thousands of multi-coloured bulbs on George Street from November 26.
Charlie Wood from Edinburgh’s Christmas said, “The number of people flocking to the website to book tickets has stunned us.
“We were delighted with the response to Street of Light in its first year, 2015, but already in this first 24 hours we have issued twice as many tickets.
“With just 12 days until the lights go on at Street of Light and across Edinburgh we are looking forward to filling the city centre from east to west with light and fun for residents and visitors alike.”


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Restoration Hardware Holdings is eyeing a market debut in late summer or early fall, roughly a year after filing for a $150 million initial public offering, writes Reuters. Private equity firms Catterton Partners and Tower Three Partners, along with Restoration Hardware chief executive Gary Friedman, bought a controlling equity stake in Restoration Hardware in 2008.
(Reuters) – Restoration Hardware Holdings Inc is eyeing a market debut in late summer or early fall, roughly a year after filing for a $150 million initial public offering, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation.
An offering from the high-end furniture maker and retailer would come as other consumer-sector IPOs perform strongly. If successful, it could help push forward an eagerly awaited offering from luxury department store Neiman Marcus Group Inc .
Founded in 1980, Restoration Hardware sells furniture, bath linens, lighting fixtures and other items for homes at its stores, online and through catalogs. Private equity firms Catterton Partners and Tower Three Partners LLC, along with Restoration Hardware Chief Executive Gary Friedman, bought a controlling equity stake in Restoration Hardware in 2008.
The initial public offering would come amid a recovery in the home goods industry after years of declining sales during the housing downturn and the recession.
IPOs from consumer companies have outperformed the broader U.S. market for initial offerings so far this year, with an average first-day return of 40.7 percent, compared with 16.6 percent across all industries, according to IPO research firm Renaissance Capital.
Shares of apparel company Michael Kors Holdings Ltd have risen 43.3 percent since the company’s December IPO. Shares of organic foods company Annie’s Inc have more than doubled after pricing in March.
Consumer offerings have traditionally held up well even in challenged IPO markets, thanks in part to fast-growing chains like discount retailer Five Below Inc, which next week is looking to raise up to $135 million. The retailer, which focuses on teens, said net sales rose 50 percent in 2011 to nearly $300 million.
Later this month, IPOs are also expected from organic retailer Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc and Tex-Mex restaurant chain Chuy’s Holdings Inc.
Despite general gloom in the IPO market resulting from economic uncertainty and a disappointing offering from Facebook Inc, BB&T Capital Markets analyst Anthony Chukumba said now is a good time for Restoration Hardware to go public.
“The housing market is picking up,” he said. “Home furnishings retailers in general are doing pretty well. From that perspective, I guess now is as good a time as any.”
Restoration Hardware’s IPO is being led by Bank of America Corp and Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
Restoration Hardware and the banks declined to comment.
Sales at home goods chains crumbled during the economic downturn when U.S. shoppers cut back on the purchase of non-essential items. They have now started to invest in their homes again after a long hiatus.
Restoration Hardware agreed in November 2007 to be taken private for $6.70 per share, or about $267 million, in a transaction led by Catterton and Friedman, who remains CEO. Two months later, it reduced the price to $4.50 per share, valuing the company at roughly $175 million, after market conditions deteriorated.
At the time of closing, Tower Three made an equity investment in Restoration. This left Catterton and Tower Three with a controlling stake, the company said at the time. Tower Three has invested $115 million in Restoration, according to the firm’s website.
In June, the company said in a filing that sales rose 20 percent to $991.2 million in the 12 months ended in April.
Some of Restoration Hardware’s rivals include Williams-Sonoma Inc, which operates the Pottery Barn and West Elm chains, Ethan Allen Interiors Inc and Pier 1 Imports Inc.


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Actress Drew Barrymore launched her Flower cosmetics line at WalMart stores in January. Now the 38-year-old star has started sharing her make-up tips with her fans and everyone else through online tutorials.
Singer/songwriter Adele claims that she loves attention, well who doesn’t. She not only knows how to mesmerize people with her voice but also look the part. Softly enhanced eyes and bold liner are definitely worth a notice.
Going to the makeup counter and trying on makeup is fun and exciting. But when you try on the makeup do you ever wonder how many other people have tried on that same product? GMA (good morning America) investigators went undercover to inspect the bacteria in makeup samples and the safety of using them.
What the GMA investigators found was gross, but not surprising. What they found was that “one out of every five, or 20 percent, of samples we tested from 10 stores across two states showed significant growth of mold, yeast or fecal matter.” So what is a girl to do when she wants to see how she looks in a particular makeup product but does not want to commit to purchasing it? Follow the safety tips for makeup safety tips to avoid bacteria and getting sick.
Khloe Kardashian is best known as the “funny” sister in the Kardashian clan. Recently Khloe stated in an interview with Barbara Walters that the media has been horrible towards her repeatedly calling her “ugly” and “fat”. Khloe may not look like her two sisters Kim and Kourtney, but she has a beauty of her own. Khloe loves to get dolled up by her make-up artist Mario Dedivanovic and she has a lot of tips and advice to share with her fans.


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The city of Denver loses 65 percent of its sales tax revenue for general merchandise sales, like the kind you’d buy at a super center or warehouse store, to online retailers and surrounding suburban cities, according to a retail study conducted for the city by Dan Guimond’s Economic & Planning Systems Inc. (EPS)
“That’s just huge leakage and certainly a weakness here,” Guimond said.
Guimond gave some highlights of the study, which has not yet been released, to the Cherry Creek Area Business Alliance Thursday at the Daniels Fund headquarters building in Cherry Creek.
Out of the 41 large super centers, or large format warehouse retailers in metro Denver, there are only seven within the city limits, the EPS study shows. There are only four home improvement centers in Denver, out of the 28 in metro Denver.
Asked if the city has a reputation for not offering as many incentives for big retailers as surrounding cities, Guimond agreed but said Denver doesn’t have as many sites available for such large retailers, which require a lot of land for large stores and parking spaces.
“Incentives have been a factor,” Guimond said. “I think a combination of a lack of incentives and a lack of sites have caused that to be the case ... but Denver does have good incentives in some spots through DURA [Denver Urban Renewal Authority] with about 20 urban renewal spots.”
The study pointed to areas of the city that could either be good sites for retail growth, or need some increased retail activity.
Those included: the 16th Street mall, Cherry Creek, Colorado Boulevard — including East 9th Avenue and Colorado — and Northfield, the vacant Denver Post printing plant near Interstate 70, Brighton Boulevard (the RiNo area), in and around the Pepsi Center and Sports Authority Field and Broadway and Interstate 25.
“There are some real under-served areas of the city as far as retail, especially in the north and northwest,” Guimond said.
The event also included a state-of-retail presentation, on a national scale, from International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)’s President and CEO Michael Kercheval — who is the brother of FirstBank Cherry Creek President Charles Kercheval.
“A return to urban roots is a major trend we’re seeing in the United States,” ICSC’s Kercheval said. “Not since the 1940s has this been such a strong trend. And Cherry Creek is ground zero for this trend. This is dead-on where opportunity lies.”
He agreed with Guimond that the city is “under-retailed.”
“Retailers are growing and looking for space,” Kercheval said.
The ICSC this week is having its global retail real estate convention ReCon in Las Vegas this week.
Kercheval also pitched the Marketplace Fairness Act, which requires that states require that internet retailers — that don’t fall under the “small seller exception” — collect sales tax on purchases made by that state’s residents.
The act has passed the U.S. Senate and awaits a final vote from the House of Representatives.
Though some Republican legislators have balked at the act because of the tax issue, Kercheval said: “It’s not a new tax, it’s a ‘do’ tax — it’s a collection issue.”
Colorado, Kercheval said, is “a key state” in the legislation’s passage.
“We carved out that exception for small businesses that make $1 million or less in annual revenue,” Kercheval said. “That covers about 99 percent of all online retailers.”
Tax-free internet sales continue to hurt the “bricks-and-mortar” retailers that have to pay rent, property taxes, etc.
“In Denver, for example, they already have a 7 percent [for the city’s sales tax] price advantage over retailers here,” he said.
A copy of the bill can be found here.
ICSC’s informational website on the issue is here.


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Obsidian has confirmed once and for all that Sega has cancelled the RPG the studio had been working on, which would have been based on the Aliens franchise.
The unnamed Alien RPG
was the third Alien game in development that Sega was set to publish, with Gearbox working on Aliens: Colonial Marines
and Rebellion handling a new Alien vs. Predator
. Both of those titles are still doing fine and are planned for release on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2010.
Speaking on the official forums
though, an Obsidian spokesperson put an end to the rumours and confirmed that the Alien RPG had been totally cancelled.
"Unfortunately, it is true that we are no longer working on the game, and we wanted to finally announce that officially to everyone who has been following its development... it is no longer a product that is in development,
" he said.
Sega later confirmed the news in a statement that claimed the cancellation was the best thing for the franchise.
"At this point, SEGA has no plans to move forward with the Aliens RPG. The Aliens franchise offers us so much content to choose from that we feel it important to take a step back and carefully consider the type of game we want to release,
" the statement read.
Obviously the only type of game that Sega feels meshes with the franchise is an FPS then, but do you agree? Let us know your thoughts in the forums


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MSC plans ferry service from Freeport
Grandi Navi Veloci, acquired by MSC Group in 2010, hopes to start offering a passenger service regularly from Malta in the near future.
Mario Aponte, managing director of MSC Malta Seafarers Co. Ltd, said yesterday that GNV already offers a twice weekly freight service from the Malta Freeport. “We hope that in the near future, the Freeport will get all the necessary permits to allow passengers to embark our ferries”.
Speaking during the MSC Meraviglia’s maiden call in the Grand Harbour, Mr Aponte explained that other freeport terminals already offer such services. There already exists a legal framework in Europe, so we look forward to supporting the local trade and having a more positive impact on the economy in the near future”, he said.
The ferry service would offer the Maltese an alternative means of transportation to mainland Europe while at the same time bring over travellers who would spend more than just a day in Malta.
Speaking about the Meraviglia, Mr Aponte said: “It is fair to say that the Meraviglia, which carries the Maltese flag, together with another 18 MSC container ships, has finally arrived home.”
Mr Aponte spoke about the “excellent relations” existing between Malta and MSC. IN fact, he said, it was a very natural choice for the company to choose Malta as its flag bearer.
Only last year, the company set up MSC Malta Seafarers Co. Ltd, which now employs 13,500 seafarers, which is expected to increase. Over the next 10 years, MSC will be investing €9 billion in its fleet of cruise ships with the building of another 10 mega cruise ships. Some will be able to accomodate up to 7,000 pasengers and will all be registered in Malta.
Present for the press conference on board was Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi, who said that MSC choosing the Maltese flag was an important milestone and “a mark of trust in our country and the maritime sector”. The government, he said, was committed to improving the tourism product and wanted to do more business with MSC.
The Meraviglia, christened at Le Havre on June 3, will provide 170 Maltese holiday makers a weekly opportunity to cruise the west Mediterranean from Malta.


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Parents told to destroy talking doll because it could be used for hacking
Officials fear the doll called 'My Friend Cayla' - which is linked to the Internet - can be easily hijacked by hackers or paedophiles.
Consumer watchdog officials say My Friend Cayla is equipped with an insecure Bluetooth device, which cyber-criminals could take over in order to steal personal data and listen and talk to the child playing with it.
Germany’s Federal Network Agency, the regulatory office for electricity, gas, telecommunications, post and railway markets, now tells parents: "Destroy it immediately."
Officials fear the doll can be easily hijacked by hackers or paedophiles
Destroy it immediately
A spokesman for the agency said My Friend Cayla was a "concealed transmitting device" - illegal in Germany.
The doll answers questions by accessing the Internet but also asks for sensitive personal information, such as the user’s name, school, parents’ names and hometown.
Manufacturer Genesis Toys of the USA has not yet commented on the warning.
The Vivid Toy group, which distributes My Friend Cayla, has previously said that examples of hacking were rare.
However, it said the company would "take the information on board".
The EU Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, Vera Jourova, said" I'm worried about the impact of connected dolls on children's privacy."


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Starting next month, Grade will become non-executive chairman of the loss-making group, which was founded by three former Goldman Sachs bankers four years ago.
According to the paper, Grade is stepping down as chairman of financial information provider Hemscott, while Ocado chief executive Tim Steiner said his “media savvy” would help the retailer communicate with its customers.
The move comes as speculation mounts over a possible IPO by Ocado, which delivers food from supermarket Waitrose. It operates in a fast growing market but one that is dominated by Tesco, Asda and Sainsburys.
According to the Independent on Sunday, the group recorded a rise in gross turnover to £152m in the year to November 2005, up from £90m in 2004, while losses widened from £41m to £45m. Debt also rose from £82m to £95m.
Earlier this month, the FT quoted the chairman of John Lewis, Ocado’s biggest shareholder, as saying the listing would not happen until 2008. “(A float in) 2007 is unlikely as Ocado has to have a good profit record rather than just a few months of profit,” Stuart Hampson said. “Ocado is still loss-making and it is looking for volumes so the next six months are going to be critical for building that.”
The retailer raised £60m from its existing shareholders in March – a move which valued the group at about £500m.


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Insulet (NSDQ:PODD) posted second-quarter results this week that beat the revenue consensus on Wall Street but missed on earnings estimates.
The Acton, Mass.-based company reported losses of -$25 million, or -37¢ per share, on sales of $263.2 million for the three months ended June 30 for a sales growth of 16.31% compared with Q2 2020.
Earnings per share were -37¢, 50¢ behind The Street, where analysts were looking for sales of $259.19 million.
“We’ve reached the midpoint of the year and remain on track to deliver another year of double-digit revenue growth, including meaningful acceleration in the second half of the year. We continue to advance our strategic imperatives and have sustained momentum across our business,” president and CEO Shacey Petrovic said in a news release. “The compelling clinical data we recently shared speaks to the power of our Omnipod product platform and its ability to deliver improved outcomes and quality of life for people of all ages. We are incredibly excited about the upcoming launch of Omnipod 5 and the tremendous value our new offering will provide people living with diabetes.”
Insulet said it is reaffirming its revenue guidance for the year. It expects revenue growth to be in the range of 16% to 20%.
Shares in PODD were down more than –7% to $260 apiece in morning trading today. MassDevice‘s MedTech 100 Index, which includes stocks of the world’s largest medical device companies, was down slightly.


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TOP 5 Cannabis Friendly States. Colorado Ranks #1
Colorado is considered the most cannabis friendly state.
According to the Quote Wizard, Colorado ranked #1 cannabis friendly state. The study considered current laws, job growth, taxes and sales per capita, ranking each state from one to 14, azbigmedia.com reports.
The survey found that marijuana sales in fully legalized states passed $10 billion in 2020.
The number of marijuana-related jobs increased by more than 20% in 2020.
As of today, 17 states fully legalized marijuana, 36 have allowed sales for medical use, and 27 states have decriminalized it.
TOP 5 Cannabis Friendly States
Today we continue exploring cannabinoids focusing on CBG
Silver Stem was one of the first to receive a recreational cannabis license in Littleton.
President Joe Biden is taking the first major steps toward decriminalizing marijuana.
Psychoactive products claiming to be hemp derived have flooded the markets, especially in the states where cannabis and cannabis infused products are still illegal.
Every year, Colorado Springs loses out on millions in tax dollars to Denver, Pueblo, and Manitou. It’s time to stand up to keep our tax dollars local.
Olympic City USA - a name given to it due to the fact that it hosts the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and Training Center
Join Silver Stem Fine Cannabis for a celebration of Phish 2022 for the Labor Day weekend.
Introducing one of the most trending cannabis products of the year - rosin gummies.
The phenomenon baffled the town of Mildura in late July.
Get yourself a great discount just for signing up!
Get a discount on your purchase to enjoy the festival!
Enjoy a special price on Half Ounces of the following strains
Now available at select Silver Stem locations


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Sun 20-08-2017 19:03 PM
SHARJAH, 20th August, 2017 (WAM) -- A workshop on disseminating awareness about VAT will be organsied by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the Federal Tax Authority on August 23rd.
The workshop will be targeting businesses in the Emirate to prepare them for the application of the new Value Added Tax system.
The system includes excise tax, which will be introduced by the end of this year, and VAT which will be introduced early next year.
The workshop aims to ensure that businesses fully understand the new taxes, and that they have enough knowledge to take the necessary measures to comply with the tax laws, said Mohammed Ahmed Amin, Assistant Director General for the Communication and Business Sector at the Sharjah Chamber.
" The Sharjah Chamber will spare no efforts in enhancing the awareness of all businesses about the new tax system, with special emphasis on the private sector retail, export and import companies to help them reach full assimilation of the new rules and regulation," he added.


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How much do natural disasters really cost corporate America?
As spring begins in New England after record-setting snowfall this winter, the economic consequences of natural disaster are a common topic of discussion. We know it will have a big impact on New England, but will it affect other parts of the country? If so, who will be affected and how much?
We hear these types of questions a lot following any type of disaster whether it is weather related or not. For instance, the fear of contagion was at the root of the decision of the U.S. government to bailout Chrysler and GM in 2008. Surprisingly, Ford’s CEO Allan Mullaly himself advocated the bailout of his two competitors in front of a U.S. Senate committee, as he recognized that “the collapse of one or both of our domestic competitors would threaten Ford because we have 80% overlap in supplier networks and nearly 25% of Ford’s top dealers also own GM (GM) and Chrysler franchises.”
So the key question is: When a shock — like a natural disaster or financial crisis — hits a supplier, what really happens to the firms in that network? Is there a spillover effects? To address this issues, we studied the transmission of shock caused by natural disasters in the past 30 years in the U.S. within the supply chain of publicly traded firms. We analyzed a sample of 2000 large corporations and 4000 of their suppliers.
You’d think that at a firm level, shocks could easily be absorbed in production networks. Even when they face disruptions, firms are supposedly flexible enough to change their production mix or switch to other suppliers. However, our study showed that shocks cause significant effects in production networks.
First, we found that the sales growth of supplier firms directly hit by a natural disaster drops by around five percentage points. The customers of these suppliers are also disrupted, as their sales growth drops on average by two percentage points when one of their suppliers is hit by a natural disaster. This is a strikingly large effect. We also found evidence that customers with lower inventories are the most exposed to disruption affecting their suppliers.
Then we investigated whether the drop in firms’ sales caused by supply disruptions translates into value losses. Our study shows that supply disruptions caused a 1% drop in customer firms’ equity value. This effect is almost twice as large when the disrupted supplier is a specific supplier, meaning a supplier producing differentiated goods, generating high R&D expenses, or holding patents.
Finally, we looked at whether the shock originating from one supplier propagates to other suppliers of the same firm, which were not directly affected by the natural disaster. You might expect that firms would continue to buy from other suppliers outside of the natural disaster zone, or that the other suppliers would find alternative buyers. However, our research shows large negative spillovers of the initial shock to other suppliers. We found that other suppliers of a main customer see a drop in sales growth by roughly three percentage points.
These findings highlight the presence of strong interdependencies in production networks. In other words, production networks matter. When one of your suppliers or customers is experiencing a negative event, there will be important implications for you.
This research likely applies to contexts beyond natural disasters, such as strikes and financial recessions. More generally, shocks that originate in one part of the economy can be amplified because of the strong interconnections between firms.
As for the economic impact of the weather in New England this winter, there is good reason to think that the effects will be propagated to other parts of the economy through relationships that Massachusetts firms have with customers all over the country. But who will be affected and how much? We’ll have to wait and see.
Jean-Noel Barrot is assistant professor of finance at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Julien Sauvagnat is a postdoctoral researcher at ENSAE-CREST and is expected to join Bocconi University in September 2015.


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That could be read as the latest threat to Foursquare, but that company isn’t standing still. In fact, according to the Wall Street Journal, Foursquare is in talks with Apple to integrate its data into the latters much-maligned Maps app.
Facebook first though. The revamped Nearby tab in its mobile app – currently only available to a small proportion of Facebook users – shows local business and venue recommendations based on friends’ activity, including star ratings and comments. Check-ins are also included.
Hence talk of what all this means for Foursquare. Yet talks with Apple hint at a possible new revenue stream for the company, with the WSJ claiming Apple’s services boss Eddy Cue is personally involved in the negotiations, as part of a wider push for partnerships with companies whose location data can improve Apple Maps.
Cue tweeted two Foursquare check-ins last week after several months off Twitter, fuelling the speculation.
Picture originally from TechCrunch


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Chuck E. Cheese owner eyeing bid for Dave & Buster's
Apollo Global Management Co. is considering a bid for the Dallas-based food and entertainment chain Dave & Buster's Inc., a little more than month after acquiring Irving-based CEC Entertainment, the operator of the Chuck E. Cheese pizza chain, Bloomberg reported.
According to the report, Oak Hill Capital, the owner of Dave & Buster's, is seeking roughly $1 billion. The company posted sales of $608 million in the most recent fiscal year, Bloomberg said.
In January, CEC agreed to be acquired by an affiliate of New York-based Apollo Global Management for $1.3 billion.
But this isn't the first time Oak Hill has explored the exit of Dave & Busters. The company filed for an IPO in 2011 to withdraw in 2012.
"Their long term debt was 10-times their operating income," Adriana S. de Lozada, analyst with financial research firm PrivCo, said about the decision to nix the IPO.
The debt built up after the company switched between owners the past several years. In 2006 Wellspring Capital sold the company to HBK Capital Management. Then HBK sold to Oak Hill in 2010. Each sale increased the debt in a slow-growth industry at the time, S. de Lozada said.
Despite its challenge, Oak Hill was able to make its mark.
"Their balance sheet was not in good shape," she said. "But they were able to reverse a trend of negative growth to mid-single digit growth."
How? By increasing the company's entertainment revenue. The decision not only helped the company's finances, it gave Oak Hill a bunch better story to pitch future buyers. For Apollo, the emphasis on entertainment could help it compliment its recent acquisition, Chuck E. Cheese, S. de Lozada said.
Lance Murray edits and writes for the DBJ's website and can be reached at 214-706-7106. Subscribe to our email newsletters.Danielle covers technology, retail, restaurants and hospitality for the Dallas Business Journal. Subscribe to our email newsletters.
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Fairafric Pledges Delish Chocolate Treat For 2022 Ghana Cocoa Dinner Guests
Captains and value chain actors of Ghana’s cocoa industry will be converging at the Accra-based Kempinski Hotel on 11th November 2022 for the yearly networking and awards gala night organised by Cocoa Post under the auspices of Ghana Cocoa Board, the regulator.
For the second year in a roll, Fairafric Ghana, which produces the world-acclaimed Made In Africa range of chocolate is collaborating with the event organisers to serenade the taste buds of all guests.
“For this year our products are still going to be on the table, where everybody gets to have a taste of Fairafric recipes as well,” said Jacqelyn Owusu, HR and Administration Manager, Fairafric Ghana.
She disclosed that there will be a special Fairafric and Amanase combo package of assorted chocolate recipes for VIP guests.
Jacquelyn Owusu also recounted that “Partnering Cocoa Post last year created the platform for us to be exposed to the cocoa market.”
Owusu further hailed Fairafric’s partnership towards Ghana Cocoa Dinner, explaining that “It also gives us the opportunity to still sell our brand…the market is big, you never know what will come out of it.”
The Ghanaian chocolate executive added “Being a new company last year we were just about a year old, but then we got the opportunity to meet key industry players. Our brand was put out in the limelight and we were able to build meaningful networks and also identify new markets as well.”
For the fourth consecutive year, the Ghana Cocoa Dinner platform will be bringing together C-suite executives from across the cocoa value chain in Ghana and the African continent.
A very significant feature on the cocoa dinner itinerary is the coveted Ghana Cocoa Awards presentations.
Since its inception in 2019 more than 100 individuals and organisations within the global cocoa industry have been recognised for exceptional achievement, including Fairafric.
“For our team, it was an exciting moment. We have employees who are proud to be associated with an organisation that had gained such recognition after just a year of operations,” stated Owusu.
She believes that the awards feature of the cocoa industry’s prestigious annual get-together “creates the platform for key industry players to be recognised for their effort.”
“I think before the inception of Ghana Cocoa Awards there was no such activity as this, and therefore this creates the opportunity for key industry players to come together to network, socialise, build meaningful relationships and know that for whatever effort they are putting in the industry it is being recognised. And that is the reason why they would still want to come back this year,” the Fairafric executive maintained.
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This year's World Dairy Innovation Awards 2019 took place at the Global Dairy Congress in Lisbon.Take a look a...
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Take a look at our gallery of images from IFE and Pro2Pac 2019.
This is a selection of new soft drinks published to FoodBev.com in April 2012. Read more
These photos were taken at the British Water Cooler Association conference and trade show in Kenilworth in March 2012. Photos courtesy of Liz Drake Photography. Read more
This is a selection of new drinks published to FoodBev.com between January and March 2012. Read more
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Plans are in to turn a religious centre into a new shop in York city centre.
The owners of what is now the York Buddhist Centre on Gillygate are asking permission to turn it into a retail unit.
This is because the Triratna Buddhist Community is moving to a new home on Walmgate.
A Grade II listed building, number 38 Gillygate is next door to the Doner Summer takeaway.
Planning documents say that the property and the land at the rear is owned by Shakyapada Jenny Roberts.
The 271 sq ft shop area would have a rent of £11,500 a year, according to letting particulars.
Prior to being the York Buddhist Centre, the unit was home to the Beautopia beauty salon.
You can see the plans and comment on the City of York Council planning portal.


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Hershey’s board on Thursday summarily rejected a $22.8 billion takeover offer from Mondelez International that would create the world’s largest candy company.
Mondelez offered $107 a share for the iconic maker of Hershey’s Kisses and Reese’s Peanut Butter, representing a 10% premium to the closing price on Wednesday. On news of the offer, the stock rose 16.8% to $113.49.
But Hershey rebuffed its suitor, saying its board “determined that it provided no basis for further discussion between Mondelez and the company.”
A merger would combine Mondelez, the second-largest candy company behind Mars, with industry No. 5 Hershey. But as The Wall Street Journal reports, any deal would be contingent on the approval of the Hershey Trust, which holds 8.4% of the company’s common stock and 81% of its voting power.
More than a decade ago, Wrigley, now a unit of Mars, tried to buy Hershey, but resistance from the trust scuttled the deal at the last minute.
“I think the Hershey Trust is the biggest risk to this deal,” Brittany Weissman, an analyst at Edward Jones, told CNBC. “There is some risk something like that could happen again.”
With the stock trading higher than the speculated offer price, investors may be betting Mondelez could sweeten its offer, or another suitor could appear. “A significant premium versus packaged food peers will be required to satisfy the Hershey Trust,” S&P Global analyst Joe Agnese said in a note.
An offer of $126 per share would give Hershey a P/E ratio of 27 and a 15% premium over other packaged food companies.
Mondelez, whose brands include Oreo cookies and Cadbury chocolate bars, has pledged to protect jobs following a merger, locate its global chocolate headquarters in Hershey, Pa., and rename the company Hershey, according to the WSJ. Hershey had sales of $7.4 billion and earnings of $513 million in 2015.
“From the Mondelez perspective, I think it’s a really good fit,” Weissman told Forbes, suggesting that Hershey’s strength in confectionery and chocolate would complement Mondelez’s presence in cookies and crackers.


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Macy’s is providing customers of all its retailer banners the ability to pay in four equal, interest-free installments at online and in-store checkout.
The department store giant is expanding upon a partnership it launched with global retail bank, payments and shopping service Klarna in October 2020. Macy’s will exclusively offer the Klarna Pay in 4 in-store and online across all of its brands. Customers can now pay for purchases made on Macys.com, Bloomingdales.com and Bluemercury.com, as well as Macy’s more than 750 U.S. retail locations, and pay in four interest-free installments using the Klarna platform.
Shoppers can pay in-store by downloading the Klarna app, creating a onetime-use digital card and adding it to their Apple or Google Wallet. Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury customers can then make a secure and contactless payment with a single phone tap.
Macy’s is one of the first retailers in the department store vertical to partner with Klarna. The company is also an investor in Klarna as part of a plan to fast-track initiatives that offer digital shopping and flexible payment, as well as appeal to younger consumers.
"Klarna's in-store option gives our customers the same shopping experience they already enjoy online, in-store, making it easier for them to purchase with confidence," said Matt Baer, chief digital officer, Macy's, Inc. "We're excited to expand our partnership with Klarna to bring even more convenience to our shoppers in-store by enabling flexible, contactless payments at checkout."
“As one of the most successful retailers in the U.S., Macy’s continues to drive retail innovation to meet customers wherever they are, through any channel,” said David Sykes, head of U.S. at Klarna. “As demand for digital, contactless payments skyrockets, Klarna is excited to expand its partnership across Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, and Bluemercury to enable them to offer a superior shopping experience for customers nationwide, both in-store and online.”
Headquartered in New York City, Macy’s Inc. comprises three retail brands: Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, and Bluemercury.


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Anthony Scheirer, owner of Pig Out BBQ at 1234 MacArthur Road in Whitehall… (Emily Robson, THE MORNING…)
I just spent the last 2 1/2 months in retail withdrawal.
Unexpectedly, I had to go out on medical leave after taking a very bad fall. And while I'd love to be able to say I was doing something macho, like downhill skiing or sky diving, the truth is my fall was the result of pure clumsiness — not watching where I was running in my own front yard.
One trip to the hospital, one surgery, one titanium plate and 10 orthopedic bone screws later, I found myself out of commission for the entire holiday season and beyond — the biggest retail time of the year.
Unable to drive, I had a tough time tracking retail activity in my own community yet alone elsewhere. I would have had no clue what was happening if not for editor Mike Hirsch and part-time reporter Jennifer Sheehan, who took over the Retail Watch column to keep us all informed. I'm extremely grateful.
When I returned last week, it seemed I was receiving nothing but bad news, including the closings of three longtime favorites — Youell's Oyster House in Allentown, Paulo's Italian Restaurant in Northampton and Confetti Café in Bethlehem. (More about these and several other closing later in this column.)
Fortunately, the tides quickly turned and I learned of several new businesses that have opened and several more that are on the way.
Among the new places is an eatery that caters to those who love pulled pork barbecue, baby back ribs and other Southern favorites.
About three weeks ago, Tony Scheirer opened Pig Out BBQ Pit at 1232 MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township. It's in the small shopping strip next to the Jordan Creek, just south of the White Castle that opened in front of Home Depot. (Look for the hot pink door, says Scheirer.)
Now, if you're thinking, "only in the Lehigh Valley would you find a place called 'Pig Out'," you're wrong.
Scheirer relocated from his original location in Glen Mills, Delaware County, where Pig Out BBQ Pit garnered numerous awards for his original Southern recipes of favorites such as pulled pork barbecue, Hickory Smoked Baby Back Ribs, smoked wings, collard greens, brisket baked beans and corn bread. It was ranked the No. 1 place to go for barbecue on WPHL 17's Best of Philly Hot List, among other accolades.
Scheirer, a 1991 graduate of Whitehall High School, and his late wife, Joanna, opened the Delaware County Pig Out BBQ Pit in 2007 to give people a taste of real Southern cooking. Joanna grew up in southern Virginia.
When they moved north after they married, they just couldn't find good barbecue, certainly not as good as Joanna could make at home. Opening their own business gave them a chance to share those dishes and it gave Joanna an opportunity to work.
"She suffered from rheumatoid arthritis since she was a child ... and was too proud to go on disability," Scheirer explained.
Two years ago, at age 38, Joanna died. Scheirer tried to make a go of it in Delaware County without her but finally decided to move back to the Valley to be close to family.
But it's still her recipes that drive the business, says Scheirer. Pig Out BBQ Pit is not a sit-down restaurant. It's a takeout, delivery and catering service. And its specialty is Joanna's Eastern North Carolina Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich — hickory smoked pork simmered in a spicy vinegar pepper sauce and topped with cole slaw.
The secret is how the recipes are prepared as well as specialty sauces, which range from mild to chili hot, says Scheirer. All are all gluten-free.
His quarter-pound sandwiches are priced at $5.50. A-la-carte sides are $2 and $3.
Pig Out BBQ Pit also specializes in party trays and is now running a "ribfest," during which two full baby back ribs are on sale for $22.
For more info, including a look at the menu: http://www.pigouttakeout.com. To place orders: 610-820-8355.
The Internet Café Deli & Grill at 6 S. Broad St. in Nazareth is open again under new ownership. Although the menu still features many all-American favorites, owners Marco Justo and Maria Cortes are gradually changing it to primarily consist of Puerto Rican, Peruvian and Mexican cuisine.
By the end of March, Justo, who is from Peru, and Cortes, a native of Puerto Rico, hope to change the restaurant's name, as well, to The Beans & Rice Place.
Internet, of course, is still available for patrons. And the restaurant has retained its décor, which includes fascinating old photos of Nazareth.
It's open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For more info: http://www.internetcafeanddeli.com.
Named after an old city in Turkey, Ephesus Restaurant opened in mid-December at 549 Main St. in Bethlehem.
Owners Metin Genc and Senol Aydemir say Ephesus is open for lunch and dinner every day, offering Turkish, Greek and Mediterranean cuisine.
"Everything is homemade. We try to use only fresh products and everything is prepared on the premises," says Genc.


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Edward Bulmer Natural Paint
Edward Bulmer Natural Paint, a Herefordshire-based family business headed up by Emma and Edward Bulmer. It has a national reputation for its beautiful natural colours and is now making serious waves with its plant-based sustainable paint ranges and a national campaign called Lifting the Lid.
Edward, an interior designer, had long been interested in how paint was made and quickly recognised the impact of plastics it contained. He went on a quest to find an alternative, finally teaming up with a German-based company called AURO, pioneers in the use of gentle chemistry and plastic-free paints by swapping for a plant-based binder. As plastic hit the headlines, the idea for a UK industry-changing campaign was born.
Explain the plastic
All paint is made from four ingredients – water, a filler, the colouring pigment, and the crucial binder. Paint is often called ‘eco-friendly’ when it is water based, even though all paint is water based (that’s how it’s made). What is often ignored is the resin binder inside it that contains plastic (polymers derived from petro-chemicals). This can include microplastics (making up some 15 per cent of paints). “It’s estimated that 180,000 tonnes of microplastics from paint end up in our rivers and oceans each year – as they are released in waste, or sanded from walls during the painting process,” explains Emma.
Why they signed up
“We are completely committed to this county and our business is, front and centre, committed to the environment – so we were delighted to join the 30 for 2030 group,” Emma says. “This is a great campaign and an incredibly urgent one. Collective action is powerful. If businesses get together with one voice and show an alternative way of working it could make a huge difference.”
Steps taken and plans ahead
With the company’s range of pioneering, plant-based paint in place, the challenge now is education: hence the campaign Lifting the Lid. They also have plans to build a UK factory to avoid the shipping of the base paint currently made in Germany.
In their own words
“We are a small company with very big ideas about how to make paint differently. We know we face a huge challenge, squaring up against a market dominated by multi-million pound companies with enormously deep marketing pockets who are already calling themselves eco-friendly even if their paint isn’t plastic free,” explains Emma. “We know that it’s only when people understand the difference and start asking about the ingredients before they buy, that they can start buying better.
“That will, in turn, put pressure on other companies to rethink the plastic in their paints. We want to stop greenwashing in this industry, and to share what we’ve discovered with consumers and other paint companies. We want competitors to switch to natural, plastic-free binders, too. We want to make environmentally friendly paint for them. We think the paint industry could lead the charge for the appropriate use of plastic in products. So watch this space…”


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Slider device allows businesses and customers to interact safely during pandemic
The simple device from a small Coquitlam fabrication company enables two people to carry out a transaction two metres apart.
The Coquitlam-based producer of pillows and dog beds is poised to become the first manufacturer of N95 respirators in Canada. Production of medical-grade surgical masks starts on Tuesday, and he anticipates production of N95 respirators will begin within two weeks.
Starting Tuesday, 100,000 medical-grade surgical masks will be rolling off the assembly line daily. Once the second machine arrives, he will be able to produce 100,000 N95 respirators a day as well.
Canadian startups quickly pivoting to help combat #COVID19
MaRS-supported startups are banding together against the coronavirus — shifting their everyday business pursuits in hopes of bringing the crisis to a decisive end. This link provides a platform for partnering, procuring or learning more from these Canadian companies


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US subscription ecommerce sales will grow in 2022, but digital subscription buyer growth will slow.
US consumers can’t get enough of luxury retail: While Walmart and Target struggle, LVMH and Burberry benefit as affluent customers ramp up their spending.
GoParrot helps restaurants set up and manage online ordering and payments and can strengthen the Square for Restaurants suite.
Insider Intelligence spoke with Liyia Wu, founder and CEO of ShopShops, about why livestream shopping will take off in the US.
The rules of the early D2C playbook no longer apply: As category mainstays like Casper and Warby Parker lose money, Nike and Tesla succeed at leveraging D2C—our latest research digs into why.
Consumers are trading down to private label brands: That presents an opportunity for retailers such as BJ’s Wholesale Club to use their own brands to demonstrate value and build loyalty.
Amazon focuses on small businesses as it tries to keep its India division alive: The ecommerce giant is looking to India for growth, but must contend with determined competitors and a protectionist government.
The home improvement market is still strong: Despite Lowe’s revenue miss, which the company blamed on poor weather, demand for DIY and professional renovation projects is high.
Off-price retailers continue to perform well as consumers look for deals: TJX saw strong sales growth as store traffic increased.
Enabling Crypto.com Pay lets customers pay merchants with over 20 cryptos.
Plan before a promotion: That’s the lesson from Grubhub’s free lunch promotion, which misfired spectacularly.
Kohl’s slashes its sales and profit outlook: The retailer expects potential buyers’ final and fully financed bids in the coming weeks.
Brick-and-mortar retail is growing quicker than ecommerce: While ecommerce experienced explosive gains in the pandemic, its growth rate has fallen back to Earth as consumers return to stores.
Apple, Netflix woo $490 billion market: Both companies announce new features in honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (May 19).


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More people are saying, ‘make mine Virginia wine’
Virginia wine. The name says it all.
The commonwealth’s wines are gaining recognition across the country and even across the globe.
“Virginia is one of only two places on the planet successfully growing petit manseng,” boasted Annette Boyd, marketing director for the Virginia Wine Board. “France and us.”
In the past year, Virginia’s petit manseng plantings increased 20 percent. “That’s a sure sign people are investing and feel strongly about this grape,” Boyd noted.
She added that there are many other varietals the state’s wine growers are experimenting with, including albarino, nebbiolo and tannat. “Growers are growing warm-weather grapes that have traditionally been grown in Spain, Italy and France,” Boyd explained.
While petit manseng plantings are on the rise, vineyard operators continue to plant more chardonnay grapes than any others. “It’s a popular white grape, and it grows well here,” Boyd said.
The second most-planted grape in Virginia is the red cabernet franc, followed by merlot and cabernet sauvignon, then viognier, a dry, fruity white wine.
Virginia viognier has received recognition since the 1990s, Boyd said, and is the state’s second most-popular white grape. In 2011 the Virginia Wine Board voted it the state’s signature white grape.
These days, however, other varietals are becoming just as popular. Boyd said petit verdot “grows ridiculously well in Virginia,” and is bottled as a varietal. In other states, it’s used for blends.
From Southside to Northern Va., 2017 is good year for wine grape growers
On an early September day, clusters of chardonnay grapes traveled up Rappahannock Cellars’ conveyor belt into the crusher. Simultaneously, temporary workers were picking Cabernet Franc grapes.
That weekend owner John Delmare was expecting a couple hundred guests in the tasting rooms—all typical fall activities.
Rappahannock’s winemaker, Theo Smith, said 2017 was shaping up to be a quality harvest. “The flavors are really good,” Smith remarked. “This year’s grapes have more acid and less sugar, and people like the wine we make with that. They’re going to be beautiful.”
Virginia is home to more than 260 wineries, and Rappahannock Cellars in Rappahannock County was the 62nd to be established. At that time, it was one of only a half-dozen wineries serving the Washington area.
That was roughly 17 years ago, and Delmare’s family carved out a niche with a wine club modeled after those in California, where he operated a small winery for five years before moving to Virginia. Members pay a monthly fee and receive two bottles, either picked up at the winery or shipped to them. When they visit Rappahannock, they get VIP treatment like appreciation events and complimentary tastings.
Delmare said his family grows grapes on 30 acres in Rappahannock County and has for the past 25 years also used grapes from Indian Springs Vineyard in Shenandoah County.
Virginia is ranked fifth nationwide for wine grape production.
There are more than 260 wineries in Virginia.
From 2010 to 2015, the number of Virginia wineries increased 35 percent, from 193 to 261. The number of full-time equivalent jobs at wineries and vineyards saw a 73 percent increase.
An economic study released earlier this year reported that the state’s wine industry contributes more than $1.37 billion annually to the economy, an 82 percent increase from a similar study in 2010.
In producing a product that will be labeled and marketed as a Virginia wine, the commonwealth’s farm wineries generally may use no more than 25 percent fruits, fruit juices or other agricultural products grown or produced outside Virginia.
Smithfield vineyard switching to winery
Kim Pugh and her husband, Al, have been growing grapes since 2007 and selling them to other wineries. Co-owners of SummerWind Vineyards in Isle of Wight County, they decided to keep half of this year’s grapes to be made into their own wine. They plan to open a tasting room next fall and serve wine crafted by a Charlottesville winemaker. Future harvests will be used mainly for their own wines.
Prior to growing grapes, Pugh worked as a registered nurse in Pennsylvania. She and her husband decided to buy retirement property in Virginia. “We started growing grapes just as a hobby, then decided we wanted to grow them commercially and eventually open a winery. We learned as we went,” she explained.
Today she’s the primary vineyard operator, with assistance from her husband and daughter, Meagan. She also has two seasonal workers to help plant and pick.
Got a winery or vineyard? Virginia Farm Bureau has you covered – for agritourism insurance, that is.
Grants helping boost wine grapes for burgeoning wineries
While the number of Virginia wineries has more than doubled in the past 10 years, vineyard acreage has not kept pace. The state’s wine production grew at about 6.7 percent annually for the first part of the decade but slowed to 2 percent in 2015. The drop is blamed on a lack of Virginia grapes.
That’s why an agribusiness grant from the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission, called the SoVA Vineyard Development and Expansion Project, is crucial in supplying wine grapes. The grant program was awarded to Pittsylvania County in January 2016 and is managed by Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, the Virginia Vineyards Association and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research. It includes cost-share programs for existing vineyards that want to expand and for people who want to start a vineyard.
The program awarded $75,000 in cost-share agreements in 2016. Approximately $30,000 will enable existing farmers to grow grapes on 10 additional acres in Halifax, Mecklenburg and Pittsylvania counties. Another $45,000 in funding will allow three farmers to plant 17 acres of grapes in Campbell, Dinwiddie and Mecklenburg counties.


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Virginia ninth-grader Heman Bekele has been honored as "America’s Top Young Scientist" for his remarkable invention of a low-cost soap that can treat skin cancer. The 14-year-old earned the honor through a competition held by 3M Corporation and Discovery Education, renowned as one of the nation's leading middle school science contests.
Over the course of four months, Heman competed against nine other finalists to earn the title of "America's Top Young Scientist." Under the guidance of his mentor, 3M product engineer Deborah Isabelle, Heman developed a compound-based bar of soap that can treat melanoma, a common skin cancer that kills thousands of people every year. His revolutionary invention only costs about 50-cents to produce and promises to stop many preventable deaths.
Beyond the recognition, Heman will also receive a $25-thousand cash prize. He hopes to become an electrical engineer one day, but in the next few years he plans to refine his cancer-fighting soap and establish a non-profit to distribute it to communities where it will have the most benefit.
Source: USA TODAY


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Wolters Kluwer’s ELM Solutions has launched Passport Office Companion in an effort to bring greater efficiency, collaboration and software usability to corporate legal departments. ELM Solutions’ Passport solution now features an interface that enables legal professionals to manage their legal workflows directly from familiar Microsoft Office Suite of products.
Although Passport Office Companion is being made available today to select customers as part of an early customer release programme, full product availability will only open in the first quarter of 2017.
The firm, which offers technology-based solutions for the legal industry ecosystem, noted that nearly 61 percent of employees typically access four or more systems to get the information they need to do their jobs. With Passport Office Companion, however, users can now manage their matter management tasks and execute their legal workflows within familiar tools including Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint.
“Passport Office Companion transforms workflows for corporate legal professionals by eliminating the need to switch between multiple systems while staying within the Microsoft environment where they do a majority of their work,” said Glenn Paredes, executive vice president and general manager, ELM Solutions. “This latest ELM Platform innovation is a result of our deep knowledge of legal workflows and our continuing focus to help corporate legal departments connect disparate processes and technologies in order to remove silos and complexity and make them more effective to the entire enterprise.”
The flexibility and design of Passport, and the Office Companion interface, allows for new apps to be easily added and deployed, the firm said. Built with modern web technologies, the new module is designed to work in today’s corporate IT environments without major desktop or infrastructure upgrades. It supports Office 2010, 2013, and 2016, as well as single-sign-on authentication for simple, quick access while working in Office without having to re-type credentials.
With input from customers and collaboration with usability experts, Wolters Kluwer ELM Solutions has also launched a new, modern, and more personalized user interface (UI) for the Passport Platform that extends to key Passport applications, including the Passport Collaboration Portal. Overall highlights reflect a modern approach to the user experience, in keeping with software industry design developments.
Just two months ago the firm announced that it has processed more than $80 billion in legal invoices through its solutions.


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LendingTree (NASDAQ:TREE) reported its second quarter earnings last week, beating analyst estimates on the bottom line by $0.20 with $0.92 EPS. However, the company missed analyst estimates on the top line with revenue of $94.3 million in the quarter.
Over the last year shares of the company have performed very well. Over the last twelve months shares of LendingTree have appreciated by a whopping 20.3%. And, since the start of 2016 shares of the company have traded higher by 10.6%.
I've been stalking LendingTree for the last few months and I am very interested the long term thesis. I believe that that personal finance marketing industry is primed for growth in the decades ahead. And, LendingTree is the leader in the personal finance lead generation industry. As a leader in the industry, LendingTree stands to benefit substantially from the improving housing and consumer credit market. Specifically, I believe LendingTree is in a great position to grow its mortgage, personal loan, and credit card business.
Since hitting a bottom in 2012, home prices are up by about 38%, and are less than 10% below all-time highs set in 2007. Rising home prices is a good thing for LendingTree. On the company's second quarter conference call, Chief Executive Officer Doug Lebda reported that home equity requests are up by 140% year-over-year. In addition, revenue from the company's mortgage business grew by 51% year-over year to $56 million.
According to Bloomberg, the national average 30-year fixed home mortgage rate in the U.S. fell to 3.36%, equaling a record low that was set in late 2012. Home buyers and homeowners looking to refinance are benefiting from the drop in U.S. Treasury yields. And, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices national home prices increased by 5% annually in May. Rising home prices and strong buyer demand is good for the company.
Even more exciting, the company's non-mortgage product revenue increased by 114% year-over-year. LendingTree has positioned itself to benefit from the growing personal loan market. The personal loan industry is growing as more lenders enter the industry and borrowers are looking for credit. According to TransUnion, 27.34 million people held secured and unsecured loan balanced at the end of the 3rd quarter of 2015, up 18% from 22.5 million people in the 3rd quarter of 2013.
In June, the Wall Street Journal reported that the popular personal loan company, Prosper Marketplace, put its relationship with LendingTree on hold. Temporary funding issues has hurt some personal loan companies, in turn weighing on LendingTree. But in the second quarter the company was positive by announcing that the company is working with six new lenders, including a top online lender in a major U.S. bank. The company went onto say that its lending partners are increasing advertising budgets. Lebda was especially positive by saying:
Given the improving fundamentals and the strong lender pipeline, we're more confident than ever in the stability, profitability, and growth opportunity of our personal loans business moving forward.
LendingTree's credit card business was slow in the second quarter due to seasonality. That said, the credit card industry as a whole is headed in the right direction. According to CNBC, the number of credit card accounts in the U.S. is rapidly rising. In the first quarter of 2016, credit card originations increased to 16.52 million, up 14.5% on a year over year basis. Total credit card balances increased to $644 billion in the first quarter of 2016, up 6.4% on a year over year basis.
More consumers are looking for new credit cards, and credit card issuers are opening the doors to more customers.
The entire personal finance marketing industry stands to benefit from improving trends in the housing and consumer credit markets. Investing in the personal finance marketing industry is difficult. LendingTree is an excellent vehicle for exposure to the growth of the entire personal finance marketing industry. LendingTree should continue to make gains in the mortgage, personal loan, and credit card industries.
Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.
I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


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Autohuset Vestergaard is a nationwide retailer of 12 car brands. The key to a good customer experience at Autohuset Vestergaard is our spare parts inventory, which has been reduced by 16% over a few months while we have increased our service level by 6%.
The auto industry is undergoing massive change and is characterised by:
- Smaller margins on new cars
- Most turnover comes from the aftermarket (spare parts)
- Tough competition in the aftermarket
- Less loyal customers
Reliability of delivery is crucial
“Our ability to deliver the parts which customers demand is essential,” says Lars Kromann, project manager and spare parts manager in Odense. Without the right parts there can be no quick repair, and that has implications for customer experience and, ultimately, our earnings.
Therefore, Autohuset Vestergaard has developed a key ratio which measures the good customer experience.
“It has made a huge difference that we can see how we perform every month. Now I cannot help but do something about the problems,” says Lars Kromann.
According to Lars Kromann, these good results have been obtained with “minimal changes” to day-to-day operations.
- Reliability of delivery has increased by 6%
- Turnover has increased by 5.4%
- Inventory value has dropped by 8%
- Significant improvement of efficiency in the workshops
See the development of the reliability of delivery in the Odense department below.
In six months, Autohuset Vestergaard has distributed more than 1,000 checklists among its employees. This has been the key to achieving quick results.
“We have selected strategically important KPIs which support what we want to achieve as a business, and we have created action reports from scratch to improve them. Every day, my colleague and I review our action reports in ABC Cloud: One of us focuses on backorders for our main products, and the other one focuses on returning “new spares with no sales”. We also have monthly lists and ad-hoc lists.”
So far, the project has been rolled out in the departments in Odense, Vejle, Horsens and Svendborg, and the rest of the departments will be connected on an ongoing basis. “It has been a real test of our patience, holding back the roll-out to other departments,” says Lars K, and continues: “but now that the results speak for themselves, and we are 100% familiar with the day-to-day routines that create value, we have guaranteed a really good start for the other workshops.”


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Big FM has strengthened its national sales team with the appointment of Ishita Dasgupta as the National Head – Digital, and Business Growth (West & South).
In her new capacity, Dasgupta will be in-charge of advancing Big FM’s digital and business verticals across the radio network.
An accomplished media professional, Dasgupta specialises in media and entertainment. In a career spanning more than 17 years, she has led cross-functional projects and teams in the fields of revenue management, business development, relationship management, and brand development. Her robust body of experience exhibits a strong focus on advertising sales, digital properties, project management, and Profit & Loss accountability.
In her previous role as Vice-President – Digital Alliances & Partnerships with QYOU Media India, she oversaw market expansion by spearheading its digital sales strategy and developing innovative IP solutions.
Prior to that, she has worked with Print and TV media companies including ABP, TV9 and India News where she set up the entire revenue function, sales strategy, revenue generation and customised brand solutions.
Sunil Kumaran, COO, Big FM, said, “In all Ishita’s previous roles, her contribution has been integral to the success that the brand has achieved. Given her vast experience in bringing together functions to deliver on the organisational goals, Ishita joins us at an opportune time as Big FM endeavours to re-write its digital story. I am very happy to welcome Ishita to the team and look forward to exciting times ahead for the brand.”
Dasgupta said, “I am delighted to join the team at Big FM. With changing trends and shifts in consumption patterns, the relevance of radio continues to remain unmatched. It is a crucial time for Big FM, as we focus on understanding and building capacity to grab headspace within the emerging niches of the digital world. I am confident that my experience and learnings over the past two decades will hold me in good stead as I lead the team into new arenas and scale revenues to meet our goals.”


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For all the follows and likes Pat McGrath generates around her makeup artistry every season (Julia Fox’s internet-breaking black eyeliner didn’t just happen), it’s the skin quality she has pioneered over the course of her storied career that is perhaps her biggest calling card. Hydrated, but not oily; smooth, but realistic, with a makeup-priming moisture quality that is “lightweight yet nourishing,” McGrath explains. Much like she developed a seven-step lipstick technique to achieve the ultimate in petal-soft pigment, McGrath has been cocktailing her own skin-care formula for her entire career, layering simple creams spiked with rose water to create a quick-penetrating emulsion. And just as that signature makeup technique became Pat McGrath Labs’ best-selling MatteTrance Lipstick, her patented skin prep has finally been bottled.
Called Divine Skin Rose 001 and formulated by a Korean lab, the milky liquid that will launch on patmcgrath.com on Mat 5th closely resembles a blendable essence, formulated with 97 percent naturally derived ingredients; shake it up, and a ceramide-boosted oil phase combines with an antioxidant-spiked rose water phase to create McGrath’s replenished, rebalanced glow. “The truth is I’ve been working on skin care as long as I have been working in makeup,” admits McGrath, who has tweaked her formula not in focus groups but on supermodels, including Naomi Campbell, who stars in the campaign for the rose-tinted glass bottle that will arrive at select Sephoras later this year. “I wouldn’t use anything else,” says Campbell—which is high praise considering Campbell is serious about her skin care, specifically her hydration. “You never want your skin to look dried out. It's not attractive. It's unbecoming,” she says. Here, Campbell reveals how she's been using the uniquely textured Essence, and why after all these years in the business, good sleep might be the real secret to good skin.


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An article on CNN.com is helping spread the news: “Businesses cruise more to meetings — literally”. The story reports that interest in holding corporate meetings on cruise ships is rising steadily – for good reason.
The research firm PhoCus Wright confirms that 8% of companies surveyed in 2010 listed cruise ships as their first choice for a meeting venue, up from 6% in 2009. This is due in large part to the fact that an all-inclusive cruise event can save up to 30% versus a comparable land venue.
According to Jo Kling, co-founder and CEO of Landry & Kling Global Cruise Events,
There have been a lot of organizations that deleted or deferred meetings and want to do something to get their momentum back up. Taking people to an environment they don’t go often or have never been shifts the perspective all together. They’re not in a (dark) hotel ballroom … thinking, ‘Here we go again.'”
To read the entire article, click here.
Jo reminds meeting planners that they’ll also notice many value-added amenity items included with their cruise program, including nightly entertainment, floral arrangements, A/V equipment, and meals served “a la carte”.
Besides the obvious cost savings, there are many more reasons companies are taking a fresh look at cruise ship venues. Just a few advantages of a cruise include the excitement of visiting multiple destinations (and unpacking only once), more attendance and participation from a “captive audience”, and increased networking/relationship-building opportunities. All these factors make ships attractive alternatives for incentive trips, continuing education courses, product launches, and all types of meetings.
Jo Kling confirms that Landry & Kling has seen an uptick in business, as clients like Microsoft, Aflac, Harley-Davidson, Land O’Lakes and MetLife are choosing to meet on cruise ships. Many of these companies are booking full ship charters for their large events to ensure optimal privacy and customization. For example, Barbizon USA opted to host two 2,000 person events on a ship this year instead of its usual land-based venues – for about half the price.
Close-to-home meetings at sea are also becoming increasingly popular with planners who require venues that offer extra value and convenience. With about 27 gateways in the U.S., nearly 70% of the population lives within a five-hour drive of a cruise ship port.


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DAILY MORNING NOTE | 30 June 2023
The application for the first fortnightly July tranche of MAS 6-month T-bills is open on Wednesday for investors to apply. The Auction Date, where the cut-off yield for this tranche will be announced on 6th July 2023.
Latest Singapore 6-Month Treasury Bill result
Cut-Off Yield: 3.89%
% of Non-Competitive Application Allotted: 100%
Singapore shares ended the Wednesday (Jun 28) with a marginal gain of 0.1 per cent or 1.93 points at 3,207.28. Nio was the top gainer, rising 7.4 per cent or US$0.64 to close at US$9.25. Don Agro was another top gainer, adding 73.7 per cent or S$0.14 to S$0.33 after announcing the proposed sale of its crop and milk production businesses. Jardine Matheson Holdings was the biggest loser for the day, shedding 1.2 per cent or US$0.63 to US$51.72. The market was closed on Thursday (Jun 29) to observe Eid al-Adha.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose on Thursday as big bank names gained after passing the Federal Reserve’s annual stress test, and a revised upward GDP print alleviated some recession fears on Wall Street. The 30-stock index jumped 269.76 points, or 0.8 per cent, to finish at 34,122.42, lifted by major bank names. The S&P 500 added 0.45 per cent to end at 4,396.44, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite closed flat at 13,591.33. JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs each rose more than 3 per cent, while Wells Fargo advanced 4.5 per cent. The action came a day after the central bank said all 23 institutions included in its annual stress test are well capitalized to weather a severe recession scenario.
Temasek is selling around S$400 million (US$295.92 million) worth of shares, or a 1.85 per cent stake, in Singapore Airlines (SIA), according to a term sheet seen by Reuters on Wednesday (Jun 28). The shares are priced between S$7.202 and S$7.283 per share, the sheet shows, representing a 2.89 per cent and 3.97 per cent discount to the last close of S$7.50 on Wednesday. Temasek will continue to be a major shareholder in SIA with a 53.5 per cent stake, according to Reuters’ calculations.
Guocoland on Wednesday (Jun 28) said it obtained a S$974 million green club facility, raised under its newly-established green finance framework. The club facility, which comes from DBS, UOB, OCBC and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking, is the property developer’s largest to date, it said. It will be used to refinance its flagship asset Guoco Tower, particularly the building’s commercial components.
The extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to vote on the removal of the manager of Sabana Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust (Sabana Reit) will take place on Aug 4. Activist investor Quarz Capital requisitioned the EGM to pass a first resolution to remove Sabana Reit’s current manager as soon as practicable. Another resolution will effect the internalisation of the Reit management function by incorporating a subsidiary wholly owned by the trustee, and appointing this subsidiary to act as the manager of Sabana Reit. Quarz Capital reiterated that the two EGM resolutions are independent and standalone resolutions.
US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday (Jun 28) that the central bank is leaving open the possibility of consecutive interest rate hikes in the months ahead, to cool the economy further. “We believe there’s more restriction coming,” Powell told a central banking conference in Portugal on Wednesday. The comments reiterate a position taken by Powell’s fellow policymakers at their June meeting, during which they indicated the likelihood of another half percentage point of increases through the end of 2023. But he added that the Fed has not decided whether it will raise rates every other meeting, as some analysts have suggested. “I wouldn’t take, you know, moving to consecutive meetings off the table at all,” he said.
The U.S. economy showed much stronger-than-expected growth in the first quarter than previously thought, according to a big upward revision Thursday from the Commerce Department. Gross domestic product increased at a 2% annualized pace for the January-through-March period, up from the previous estimate of 1.3% and ahead of the 1.4% Dow Jones consensus forecast. This was the third and final estimate for Q1 GDP. The growth rate was 2.6% in the fourth quarter. The upward revision helps undercut widespread expectations that the U.S. is heading toward a recession. A separate economic report released Thursday showed layoffs running well below expectations, indicating that labor market strength has held up even in the face of the Federal Reserve’s 10 interest rate hikes totaling 5 percentage points.
Nvidia’s financial chief said restrictions on exports of artificial intelligence (AI) chips to China “would result in a permanent loss of opportunities for the US industry” though the company expected no immediate material impact. US officials are considering tightening an export control rule designed to slow the flow of AI chips to China by clamping down on the amount of computing power the chips can have, according to two people familiar with the matter. The new curbs being mulled by the US would ban the sale of even the company’s A800 chips, which were designed specifically for Chinese customers to meet the export rules set in October last year, without a special US export license.
Oracle is spending “billions” of dollars on chips from Nvidia as it expands a cloud computing service targeting a new wave of artificial intelligence (AI) companies, Oracle founder and chairman Larry Ellison said on Wednesday (Jun 28). The company will also spend even more on central processor units (CPUs) from Ampere Computing and Advanced Micro Device (AMD), Ellison said at an Ampere event.
Oracle on Wednesday (Jun 28) said it is adding generative artificial intelligence (AI) features to its human resources software for businesses, aiming to help draft job descriptions and employee performance goals, among other tasks. Rich Buchheim, vice-president of product management for Oracle Adaptive Intelligence Applications, said the resulting text will still need to be approved by a human. The features are expected to roll out by the end of this year.
Micron Technology beat estimates for third-quarter results on Wednesday (Jun 28), powered by demand for its memory chips from the rapidly-growing artificial intelligence (AI) sector and an easing supply glut in its traditional PC and smartphone markets. Micron’s third-quarter revenue of US$3.75 billion beat estimates of US$3.65 billion, while fourth-quarter revenue forecast of about US$3.9 billion plus or minus US$200 million, was largely in line with expectations. The company’s adjusted net loss of US$1.43 per share was narrower than estimates for a US$1.58 per share loss. “The recent acceleration in the adoption of generative AI is driving higher-than-expected industry demand for memory and storage for AI servers, while traditional server demand for mainstream data centre applications continues to be lacklustre,” CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said.
Blackberry posted a surprise profit for the first quarter on Wednesday (Jun 28) as its cybersecurity business benefited from higher client spending, while its enterprise software continued to gain traction in automotive sector. BlackBerry reported a surprise profit of 6 cents per share for the quarter ended May 31, while analysts were expecting a loss of 5 US cents per share. Its total revenue of US$373 million topped analysts’ average estimate of US$160.4 million.
Volkswagen is in talks with Tesla to adopt its North American Charging Standard (Nacs) technology, while the German automaker’s charging network unit Electrify America has already agreed to use the system. The announcement comes as a slew of automakers and charging equipment makers choose Tesla’s charging design on concerns of losing out on customers if they offer only the Combined Charging System (CCS) design, which is backed by automakers like Volkswagen and Hyundai Motor. Ford, General Motors and ChargePoint are among the companies that have signed up for Tesla’s charging design in the past few weeks.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) plans to file a far-reaching antitrust suit focused on Amazon’s core online marketplace, according to documents reviewed by Bloomberg and three people familiar with the case. The main allegation is expected to be that Amazon leverages its power to reward online merchants that use its logistics services and punish those who do not. Based on her public comments, FTC commissioner Lina Khan is said unlikely to accept compromises from Amazon and could seek to restructure the company – a dramatic outcome that Amazon would surely appeal.
Source: SGX Masnet, Bloomberg, Channel NewsAsia, Reuters, CNBC, WSJ, The Business Times, PSR
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First things first this week, seeing as it is the last few days before Christmas, make sure to check out our new Apps on Tap column, which unearths great apps to download and give a spin. This week delivers exactly what you need to know if you happen to be traveling this holiday season. One last note about security on the holiday season: Did you know that research shows that mobile security threats overall have grown 350 percent since 2010? To help consumers protect their mobile devices this holiday season, the Federal Communications Commission is stepping in with a new tool called the Smartphone Security Checker. It's free.
As we head into the end of the year, it's time to begin looking ahead to 2013. What are some of the key mobile trends we can expect to materialize in the New Year? And given the various trends, will mobility prove to be as hot in 2013 as it was in 2012? On the wireless telecom side, we can expect that mobile data will underpin growth, however that growth will be uneven and spread out in interesting ways.
One thing we know for sure is that a huge number of LTE-enabled phones will be sold during the holidays, and in fact throughout all of next year. LTE is quickly becoming a high demand issue. Are the carriers going to be able to deliver on consumer demand for lots of bandwidth and lots of speed? This week the FCC at least made sure that AT&T would have a better chance to do so than it previously had. Verizon Wireless, which currently owns the largest LTE network in North America, also continues to expand its coverage. And with Softbank's dollars now in hand, Sprint is also looking to rev up its LTE capabilities in 2013.
This week Research in Motion (RIM) yet again managed to keep itself in the news. First of all, the company did what we knew it had to do -- man up and admit that it needed to figure out how to come to an agreement with Nokia on licensing fees it has to pay Nokia due to a clear cut Nokia court victory. Well, the good news is that RIM finally did manage to do so. It had no choice, and though the deal cost was undisclosed we'll probably be able to figure out what Nokia got during its next earnings call.
That earnings call, which will be for Q4 2013 and reported probably in February 2013, will be quite the call. That's when we can expect to begin to see if RIM's January 2013 launch of its new smartphones and Blackberry 10 will show any promise. Meanwhile, this week RIM held its quarterly earnings call for its fiscal Q3 2013. Did the company nose dive off the financial cliff or did it survive?
Finally this week, RIM also announced that it is now in full pre-release testing with over 120 large scale companies who will begin to scope out BlackBerry 10, BlackBerry Enterprise Server 10, and a limited number of the new smartphones. RIM CEO Thorsten Heins noted on the earnings call that every company is showing "remarkable" enthusiasm. That's good to hear; it is the enterprise that is going to make or break RIM.
Speaking of make or break, what is likely to happen to Google's Motorola Mobility? This week Google found a buyer for Moto's set top business, which will return about $2.35 billion to Google's coffers. That still pegs the rest of Motorola that remains in Google's hands at about $10.15 billion or so. Will Moto survive inside of Google as a smartphone maker or will it simply melt away, leaving behind only its patent portfolio?
We'll wrap up by wishing all of our Mobility TechZone readers an enormously happy and fun filled Christmas week!


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The Korean automaker says in documents filed with NHTSA it is recalling 204,768 older-model Elantras with a potential power-steering defect that might cause the cars to revert to manual steering....More
The 650-hp super car is capable of sprinting to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 2.9 seconds and traversing a quarter-mile (0.4 km) in less than 11 seconds. If you don’t know your limitations as a driver, or passenger, the Z06 will....More
The Corvette always has been unique as a 2-seat muscle car with few competitors, and the high-tech, lightweight Z06 and more aerodynamic Z07 place the nameplate amid even more rarefied, even exotic, company.
Ford reveals its all-new Focus RS, slated for arrival next year with a 2.3L EcoBoost 4-cyl. that carries a number of upgrades from its first application in the all-new Mustang. Ford isn’t discussing pricing or volume projections....More
Hella unveils its Intelligent Damage Detection System, which uses piezo-based sensors to detect whenever a body panel sustains a scratch, dent or worse. Think of the implications for rental fleets, car-sharing companies and personal vehicles....More
Among midsize luxury CUVs, the Lincoln MKX has trailed big sellers from BMW, Cadillac and Mercedes. But the new model arrives this fall with fresh styling, a clean interior, high-end audio and numerous active-safety technologies....More
The classic image of a V-8 is big and thirsty. Engineers set out to dispel that notion by making the small-block Gen V engines extremely efficient. Along the way, some dynamometers also got toasted....More
Today’s auto-industry executives must connect Silicon Valley and Detroit, as well as address entirely new dimensions of safety concerns, such as how to protect their customers’ privacy and data....More


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It started out with a simple Netflix subscription, around $7.99 USD per month to be free from space-hogging DVDs and to leisurely binge TV shows without ads. Sounds great, right?
Well, in reality, 2019 and 2020 look a little (lot) different from a video streaming perspective.
Over the past several years many people, especially those of the younger, digitally-comfortable generations, have opted to cut the cord and instead rely on paid video streaming services to get their TV and movie fix.
“Four million households per year are dropping their cable and satellite TV services – cutting the cord and relying on internet alternatives – a trend which should continue for at least the next five years, research firm eMarketer predicts.”
For cable operators, this was a clear disruption to their long-standing business models, but it did give users more freedom, choice, and flexibility to watch what they wanted, when they wanted, and from wherever they wanted. With this new paid-viewing alternative, user-quality expectations also changed – gone are the days where grainy is considered an acceptable streaming resolution.
Aside from the obvious loss of revenue, the cord cutting phenomena has a direct impact on the network, driving up bandwidth demand, causing congestion, and increasing peering costs.
Some operators, ahead of the curve, have implemented different management techniques to help with the side effects of what can be described as “too much of a good thing.”
So, what’s changed? Well, what has been dubbed as the streaming wars has taken this simple, easy, and arguably user-centric model and made viewing options once again difficult and more expensive.
The Sandvine 2019 Global Internet Phenomena Report already shows the early effects of these wars, as Netflix was surpassed by HTTP Media Streaming, a generic streaming protocol.
This fragmentation is expected to only get worse as content giants and streaming services now duke it out for the eyeballs and monthly subscription dollars, once held largely by Netflix, with the likes of Disney+ giving the incumbents a run for their money with a library that boasts more than 7,500 TV episodes and more then 500 movie titles.
For users this means once again having to pay more than $60 USD per month, begging the question: “how many services does one need to actually keep up-to-date with their favorite series and movies?”
Those who can’t afford these now fragmented services or who live in regions where in-demand content, such as the titles offered on Disney+, isn’t offered will experience a renewed reliance on piracy – file sharing, IPTV fraud, and geo-blocking.
As for the network, which is already dominated by video traffic, managing congestion, costs, and quality is going to become an increasingly difficult problem, one that demands an intelligent solution.
All this fragmentation results in a lot more content – both original and existing – for people to stream. It’s not just an increase in volume that operators need to worry about, but with players such as Disney+ coming out of the gate with 4K streaming for free, small shifts in resolution rates result in big traffic increases.
To help operators manage the new video landscape, Sandvine is releasing a video spotlight eBook – Avoiding the Stall: An Operator’s Guide to Video QoE – covering all the latest traffic and market trends and how to tackle the continued rise of video.