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Yeah. Thought that might get your attention. And how about this: Organic is far more powerful than you think. Let’s talk.
For the last couple of holiday seasons almost all our attention has been on new types of SEM like Google PLAs (AKA “Shopping Ads”) and to the power of social media. Organic? Yeah, that’s great for dinner veggies but not so much for my search strategy. Wrong.
Organic is more powerful than ever — especially when blended with smarter SEM and Social.
Let’s start with some statistics: A new report from BrightEdge looks at what drives traffic to B2B and B2C sites. Turns out 51 percent of all traffic comes via organic while just 10 percent comes from paid and a mere 5 percent is driven from social media. Maybe even more surprising is which one drives the most revenue. Again, organic delivers more revenue than paid and social combined. BrightEdge’s conclusion: “All non-organic search channels combined — paid search, social, display, email and referred — don’t stack up to the impact that organic search alone.”
There is a lot of other research to support this conclusion. State of Digital dug deep into Google's own research and found that 93 percent of all search clicks on the internet are organic — that means a lot of dollars are chasing just 7 percent of the clicks that are off SEM. Ouch!
Then there's GroupOn's experiment. For six hours it de-indexed its site from Google making it invisible to search results. Traffic crashed big time and not only Organic as would be expected. Direct traffic fell by 60 percent as well.
Part of the problem with paid is that it’s broken. Product Search Marketing was built for the era of Google search — the time when internet users turned on a PC, opened a browser and entered a search term in Google. The era of sweating keywords, navigating SEO and buying Google search ads. An era that is ending fast.
The Rise of Mobile
Brands and retailers spent more than $18B last year on SEM in the U.S. — mostly on Product Listing Ads and CPC text ads — trying to get front and center when shoppers search for information. But what if all that money is going to reach only half the addressable market of internet shoppers?
New stats from comScore demonstrate the extent of the move we’ve all made to mobile devices as our primary internet access points. As of June, 60 percent of our internet time is now spent on tablets and smartphones — interesting but aren’t e-commerce marketers shifting their ad spend to mobile search, Facebook and Pinterest in order to adjust? Yes and no.
Go one step further and look at the incredible differences in how mobile users spend their internet time on mobile versus PCs. Remember for almost 20 years shoppers have used browsers to search for product info. Not any longer. On mobile devices only one in eight minutes is spent in browsers — and many younger users essentially never use browsers on mobile. Meaning all of those SEM dollars you spend on PLAs and text ads are chasing no more than half the shoppers interested in your product.
So if more than half of all available e-commerce shoppers aren’t on PCs and aren’t using browsers even on mobile devices how do you reach them? Follow the leaders.
The top players in mobile understand that mobile shoppers not only access but use the internet in a fundamentally different way — visually. The mobile web is the visual web. And that makes sense if you think about it: the screen is small so big blocks of text are harder to read and scroll through; the keyboard is virtual so typing gets minimized (why do you think text apps are the rage?); and the device is personally immersive so we demand lifelike interactions — sound and images.
Look at your Facebook timeline — text-only entries have virtually disappeared. Facebook has continually tweaked its algorithms to deliver more and more posts with video or pictures. Why? It might have something to do with that fact that 81 percent of all Facebook traffic is now from mobile devices on which users engage more deeply with visually-stimulating material.
Or look at the top four mobile apps. What do Facebook, Pandora, YouTube and Instagram have in common? They are all entirely or largely non-text. Even on desktops the visual web is ascendant. YouTube is just barely behind Google now as the world’s number one website.
At Buzztala we have been creating Product Summary Video ad units to take advantage of these trends and to give brand marketers and e-commerce companies a viable visual and mobile alternative to PLAs and text ads. We’ve been running them with a limited number of clients for the last six months and have now begun expanding to big brands like Sears and eBay. And I want to share some of what we’ve learned.
We produce product review summary videos in which we condense the mass of text-based consumer reviews for any given product into a 30-second visual summary. At the end shoppers have the opportunity to click through to a product page to see more.
What we’ve found is that these visual PSVs dramatically outperform even PLAs — and let me be clear — the click-throughs come only after someone has watched a video and proactively clicked to learn more.
Because Google’s organic search algorithms heavily favor visual results we’ve found our PSVs show up high in search. Working with online auto warranty seller ForeverCar.com we deployed videos for 100 car models this summer. After the first 45 days we saw CTRs at 11.95 percent — that compares with a Google PLA average at 2.8 percent and Google text ads at 1.9 percent. Furthermore ForeverCar saw a 128 percent increase in SEO over the same period — completely attributable to the Buzztala PRVs because they purposely made no other changes to their SEO during the period. So even for something that seems as UN-visual as extended auto warranties — these visual PSVs dramatically outperformed the standard ad types currently in use.
The bottom line is if you’re not adjusting your search marketing spend to a much heavier mobile mix you are likely wasting money. Put another way, remember roughly 60 percent of our internet time is spent using mobile devices but only 31 percent of the digital ad spend will be on mobile. That represents a 29 percent mismatch between where potential buyers spend their time and where SEM dollars are being spent.
In the same way on average 46 percent of traffic is coming from SEO yet only 21 percent of the average search marketing budget is on SEO — that’s a 25 percent mismatch.
So what else can brands and retailers do?
Four Things that Can Make a Difference
Search engines — particularly Panda-powered Google — are looking for quality and trustworthy content. Sites must have an online presence that is recognized by Google as improving the user experience. The latest changes seem to reward sites with richer, deeper content that combines visuals and text across all pages. Not coincidentally that kind content will generally increase page views and session durations — both additional signals to the Big G that the site is "quality."
Videos and Images Rock
At this point it almost goes without saying the visual content is a primary key to search success. Now that 60 percent of our internet time is spent on mobile marketing and content have to be repositioned to be appealing and useful on mobile devices. Remember text is largely irrelevant to most mobile users — the top four apps are Facebook, Pandora, Instagram and YouTube. With Facebook fast deprecating text-only posts these apps all share one critical attribute: they are non-textual. Visual content is critical for a ton of reasons but here's one from the BrightEdge report that you may not have heard: Websites featuring heavy use of video and images see a 13 percent higher CTR than those with written content alone. That's some ROI to take to your CFO.
Make it Mobile
See above. Mobile isn't a trend or a fad. It is not the "second screen." Mobile is the primary way people access the internet. So along with all the stuff above about visuals think also about how a site behaves on mobile devices. Does is load slowly? Is it a pale "mobile optimized" imitation version of your main site? Is it an afterthought? Just to put it plainly: 60 percent of your customers' internet time is spent on a mobile device. Is 60 percent of your budget and effort spent on mobile?
Blend Paid and Organic
Do both. Well. Companies have to invest in both paid and organic with equal vigor, attention and passion. While paid search has a better revenue to traffic ratio, Organic drives far more traffic so ends up being far less expensive on a per action basis.
The bottom line here is pretty simple: The decades-old SEM model is broken, mobile isn’t ascendant — it’s already won — and organic matters a lot more than you probably think it does.
Image credit: Wikipedia & Canva


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Spanish cell phone subscribers are cancelling their handset subscriptions as the economic crisis gripping the country worsens. CMT, the country's telecoms regulator, said that 242,000 net mobile connections were dropped in September, the eighth consecutive monthly decline in Spain.
According to CMT, Telefónica's Movistar lost 254,000 customers and Vodafone Spain 178,000. Orange Spain and TeliaSonera's Yoigo both gained customers from their larger rivals during the month, according to Reuters.
"In line with previous months, the declines registered by Movistar and Vodafone were not outweighed by the increases at other mobile operators," the regulator CMT said in a statement carried by Reuters.
However, while September's fall in subscriber connections is larger than the 226,000 connections cancelled in August, it remains substantially below April's record loss of 380,000.
Since September, both Telefónica and Vodafone have been strongly marketing low-cost tariffs in an attempt to combat existing offers from Orange and Yoigo, while Vodafone has reinstated smartphone subsidies after conducting an ill-fated trial of selling the handsets at full price. Telefónica has also withdrawn subsidies, and the company's European head, Eva Castillo, has vowed they will not be reintroduced.
Telefónica is also promoting its quad-play Fusion package, according to Reuters, which has attracted 430,000 customers. However, the company has declined to detail how many came from the company's existing customer base.
- see this Reuters article
Vodafone Spain loses 639K customers after dropping handset subsidies
Vodafone Spain unveils budget brand to push back against rivals
Vodafone, FT Orange mull bids for Spain's Yoigo
Spanish operators to suffer 75% cuts to termination rates
Telefónica Spain struggles with churn as market share drops

domain: news


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Saints Row franchise developer Volition plans to unveil a new game at the conclusion of its “Quiz Show Hour with Volition” panel at PAX Prime, according to the panel’s description on the event's website.
At the end of the one hour-long quiz show, attendees will be treated to “exclusive gameplay, art, and details for an upcoming project from Volition.”
The panel is also set to feature the voice talent for Saints Row character Kinzie, Natalie Lander. She joins other panelists, including Deep Silver brand director Aubrey Norris, Volition creative director Steve Jaros and Volition producer Jim Boone.
In an interview with IGN last year, Volition's Boone and Kate Nelson both mused on the possibilities of the developer returning to an older franchise. Boone mentioned his desire to develop FreeSpace 3 and Nelson highlighted a new Red Faction title as a preference, while pointing out Nordic Games now owns its rights.
Volition was acquired by Koch Media - who also recently purchased the Homefront IP - following THQ's bankruptcy in January 2013. Last year’s Saints Row 4, like any future Volition-developed titles, was published under the Deep Silver brand.
Jenna Pitcher is a freelance journalist writing for IGN. You can follow her often inappropriate outbursts on Twitter.


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Neiman Marcus on Thursday reported its fiscal first-quarter results (for the period ended Oct. 27), which CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck said "demonstrate[s] the ongoing stabilization of our business." Lately, though, debtholders haven't been so sure.
The company reported that total revenue for its first quarter reached $1.1 billion, a 2.8% increase in comparable revenue year over year. That marks the company's fifth consecutive quarter of comparable revenue rises, the company said. While comps were up, net loss widened to $28.2 million from $26.2 million in the year ago period. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) climbed to $135.3 million from $122.3 million. And capital expenditures rose to $37.6 million from $24.7 million in the year ago period.
The overall positive report comes on the heels of rising tensions with bondholders and lenders, with whom Neiman Marcus had been engaged in confidential talks since Oct. 24 to refinance its roughly $4.5 billion long-term debt load, according to a regulatory report filed with the SEC Friday. The three parties, according to those documents, each issued their own proposals that offered Neiman Marcus varying amounts of time to pay back its debt. Ultimately, none were agreed upon.
During a conference call Thursday morning, van Raemdonck said the company has "ample runway to address our debt," adding that he's certain a "multi-beneficial solution can be reached."
The refinancing talks — referred to internally by codename "Project Rolex" in the company's SEC docs — focus on an "ignite to win" plan that aims to drive total sales to $700 million in adjusted EBITDA within five years, according to the Friday report. Loosely, the company's strategy to get there hinges on its ability to deepen customer relationships in key luxury metro areas, build "seamless experiences" with the help of digital personalization tools and connect emotionally with luxury shoppers through its assortment and service.
But at least one debtholder has raised increasingly urgent doubt over the department store retailer's ability to pay off its debt while building the future it envisions in the retail landscape.
That debtholder, Marble Ridge Capital, in September blasted Neiman Marcus over the transfer of its MyTheresa e-commerce business (which is viewed as one of its most valuable remaining assets) to Neiman Marcus Group, Inc., the company's parent entity. That group is ultimately owned by two private equity firms, Ares and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.
MyTheresa, which was bought in 2014, was previously included in Neiman Marcus' digital sales figures, and made up a significant portion of its growth. Upon announcement of the transfer in September, Neiman Marcus broke out the sales figures, showing that while overall e-commerce at Neiman Marcus was up 14.8%, it only grew 9.9% without MyTheresa, Debtwire Analyst Philip Emma told Retail Dive in an interview.
On Thursday, the company said online comps rose 8.9% to $366 million. Going forward, the company added that results for MyTheresa will no longer be included in publicly disclosed reports.
Back in September, Marble Ridge told Neiman's board it believed the "asset transfer was an attempt to move the business beyond the reach of existing creditors. The company went as far as to claim that Neiman was "insolvent" and that the MyTheresa transfer "has all the hallmarks of an intentional or constructive fraudulent transfer." Two days later, Marble Ridge sent a second letter threatening legal action against Neiman Marcus. In an email to Retail Dive, the company cited its improving financial metrics and dismissed the allegations as "inaccurate, both legally and factually."
A third, more contentious letter arrived Dec. 3. "We have been clear throughout our communications with you that the valuable MyTheresa assets must be returned to Neiman Marcus Group…" the letter stated, adding that "no effort by you to engage with creditors can properly move forward unless and until these prerequisites are addressed." Marble Ridge alleges that Neiman Marcus has engaged in "deceptive and misleading conduct."
Neiman Marcus executives did not directly address the concerns by Marble Ridge in its earnings report or conference call.
Van Raemdonck, who took over the CEO role in February, did note that the company's transformation will be driven forward in part by a number of newcomers to its C-suite, including: CFO/COO Adam Orvos, Chief Digital Officer Carrie Tharp, President of Bergdorf Goodman Darcy Penick and Chief Transformation Officer Katie Mullen.
While Neiman Marcus' sales are slowly growing quarter after quarter, it still landed a spot on Retail Dive's bankruptcy watch list last month. Emma, however, says the company is in no immediate financial danger.
"They still have a significant amount of liquidity, however, you're starting to come into a point where you're dealing with a maturity schedule that becomes you know relatively compact," he said. "Their term loan matures on Oct. 25, 2020, which means it goes current pay on their financial statement on October of 2019."
Correction: A previous version of this article misstated Marble Ridge Capital's Neiman Marcus debt holdings. Retail Dive regrets the error.


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Regional farmers find new customers online
The Hamyang County Office of South Gyeongsang hosted an online festival promoting the region’s dried persimmons on Naver Shopping Live, an online shopping platform run by internet portal Naver from Jan. 15 to 19.
They did pretty well, selling some 300 million won ($272,720) worth of dried persimmons, according to the county office.
A few days later, they hit the jackpot.
“People started calling from all over the country asking for our dried persimmons,” an official of the county office told the JoongAng Ilbo. “In the end we sold some 13 billion won worth of dried persimmons, coming from 60 to 70 percent of the 530 persimmons farms in the county.”
The secret, they found, was going online.
“The fact that the festival, which is usually held in person in the county, was moved to online platforms definitely made the difference, as it was able to catch the attention of not just the locals but people all over the country,” the official said.
“It shows in our consumer data as well, because the average consumers for dried persimmons used to be people in their 50s or above, but this time around we saw a boost of sales amongst consumers in their 30s and 40s.”
Other county offices have experienced similar boons from hosting online sales.
Yeongdeok County in North Gyeongsang postponed its annual king crab festival last February over coronavirus concerns. As the pandemic showed no signs of ebbing, the county office moved the festival online last month, hosting not only sales events but also online dance performances with local sellers. Streamed on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, the event held every weekend in December garnered views as high as over 1.26 million on just one weekend.
Experiencing success with online sales events last year, some local governments created their own online shopping platforms, connecting the consumers with local producers directly. Gyeonggi’s Market Gyeonggi website and North Chungcheong’s Goesan County’s Goesan Market website are just a few.
The Goesan Market said it saw online sales grow during the pandemic as more people turned to online shopping and deliveries because of coronavirus concerns. Total sales from the online market were 800 million won in 2019, which grew to 1.3 billion won in 2020.
“It’s good that local food producers are doing well through online platforms, but the local governments need to make sure this doesn’t lead to careless expansion of online shopping platforms that could undermine the quality of goods being sold,” said Kim Mi-ok, a researcher on local produce and markets at the Chungbuk Research Institute in North Chungcheong.
“The local governments need to create a system that enables clear management of these online shopping platforms to ensure that farmers continue to thrive through trust-based relations with the customers.”
BY WIE SUNG-WOOK [firstname.lastname@example.org]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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CINCINNATI -- The Kroger Co. here said it has stopped using oil containing trans fats to fry chicken in its stores, in response to growing customer concerns about trans fats.
"Our customers are interested in healthier options for their family meals and this is another example of how Kroger and our network of stores are providing them with more choices," said Joe Grieshaber, group v.p. of perishables.
Kroger stores now use a blend of non-hydrogenated vegetable oil that contains 0 grams of trans fat per serving. Kroger said the new oil retains the flavor of fried chicken.
Grieshaber said Kroger is exploring other ways to reduce trans fats in other foods prepared in its stores.
Recent studies, including those by the Harvard School of Public Health, have found that diets high in trans fats can lead to increased risk of heart disease and other health issues, said Kroger.
The trans fat-free oil is in use for fried chicken dinners, chicken wings, and chicken tenders prepared n Kroger supermarkets, as well as stores owned by Kroger under banners including City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry's, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs, and Smith's.


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Smoothie King, a household name in the realm of nutritious beverages, has culminated 2023 with resounding success, marking it as a pivotal year of growth and accomplishments. With an extraordinary surge in same-store sales by 11.5% and a robust development strategy yielding its largest new development quarter in seven years, Smoothie King sets its sights on an even more promising trajectory for 2024, projecting the inauguration of 100 new stores.
The brand attributes its phenomenal growth to a convergence of strategic initiatives, spearheaded by an aggressive expansion agenda and an unwavering commitment to market penetration. In 2023, Smoothie King secured an impressive tally of 189 new store commitments, reflecting its unparalleled momentum in the market. Notably, the fourth quarter of 2023 witnessed an unprecedented surge in franchise agreements, with 39 signings and 20 area development commitments—a feat unmatched since 2017. These developments spanned 47 Designated Market Areas (DMAs) and 29 states, with the brand venturing into new territories such as Utah, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. Anchoring its stronghold in its home turf of Dallas-Fort Worth, Smoothie King saw the inception of 15 new units, further solidifying its dominance in the region.
However, the cornerstone of Smoothie King’s success lies in its relentless pursuit of innovation, epitomized by its revolutionary menu offerings. In April 2023, the brand unveiled its latest innovation: Smoothie Bowls—a tantalizing fusion of fresh fruit and premium Purely Elizabeth™ granola. These delectable creations, adorned with vibrant hues and bursting with flavor, have captured the imagination of health-conscious consumers nationwide. In a testament to its popularity, Smoothie King has sold over 5.5 million Smoothie Bowls, establishing itself as a frontrunner in the burgeoning smoothie bowl market. Beyond culinary indulgence, these bowls embody the brand’s ethos of promoting health and wellness, catering to the needs of fitness enthusiasts and health-conscious individuals alike.
Wan Kim, the visionary CEO of Smoothie King, reflects on the landmark achievements of 2023 with pride and optimism. Amidst record-breaking sales and unprecedented growth, Kim underscores the brand’s steadfast commitment to fostering a culture of health and vitality. With menu innovation at its core, Smoothie King remains dedicated to delivering nutritious and delicious offerings that resonate with consumers’ evolving preferences.
The accolades and recognition garnered by Smoothie King further underscore its industry prominence and enduring appeal. Having secured a coveted spot in Restaurant Business’s and Nation’s Restaurant News’ 2023 Top 500 lists, the brand reaffirms its position as a leading franchise opportunity. Notably, its recognition as the No. 1 most beloved limited-service brand among millennials underscores its widespread appeal and relevance across diverse demographics.
Looking ahead, Smoothie King is poised for continued success and innovation. With a steadfast commitment to excellence and consumer-centricity, the brand remains at the forefront of the health and wellness revolution. As it embarks on the journey ahead, Smoothie King invites aspiring entrepreneurs to join its mission of inspiring healthier lifestyles and making a positive impact on communities worldwide.
Smoothie King’s exceptional performance in 2023 is a testament to its unwavering dedication to innovation, growth, and consumer satisfaction. With a compelling vision for the future and a track record of success, the brand stands poised to redefine the landscape of the smoothie industry and inspire healthier living for generations to come.
Founded in 1973, Smoothie King has grown from a humble storefront in New Orleans to become the largest smoothie franchise in the United States, boasting over 1,300 locations nationwide. With its mission to inspire healthier lifestyles through delicious blends of fresh fruits, vegetables, and wholesome ingredients, Smoothie King has become synonymous with wellness and vitality for millions of Americans.
What sets Smoothie King apart is its unwavering commitment to quality and innovation. Each smoothie is meticulously crafted to deliver a perfect balance of flavor and nutrition, utilizing proprietary blends that are free from artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. From classic favorites like the Strawberry Banana and Caribbean Way to specialty offerings like the Immune Builder and Muscle Builder, there’s a smoothie to suit every taste and dietary preference.
In addition to its extensive menu of smoothies, Smoothie King has expanded its offerings to include nutritious snacks, supplements, and wellness products. These include energy bars, protein-packed snacks, and vitamin supplements, providing customers with a holistic approach to health and wellness.
Smoothie King’s impact extends beyond its storefronts, as the brand actively engages with communities across America. Through partnerships with local organizations, schools, and fitness centers, Smoothie King promotes health and wellness initiatives, educates consumers about the benefits of nutritious eating, and supports active lifestyles.
The brand’s commitment to sustainability is also evident in its operations. Smoothie King prioritizes eco-friendly practices, such as using biodegradable cups and utensils, minimizing food waste, and sourcing ingredients from responsible suppliers. By embracing sustainable practices, Smoothie King aims to reduce its environmental footprint and contribute to a healthier planet for future generations.
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- Alibaba Group’s (BABA.NYSE) online video website Youku Tudou announced on April 18 that it has reached a partnership agreement with Alibaba’s two other media units, Alibaba Pictures (1060.HK) and Alibaba Literature. The three units will together invest 1 billion yuan to reinforce marketing efforts and also open up more resources to Youku Tudou’s users to help them produce higher quality videos, as Tencent Tech reports.
- This comes as the first move of Alibaba after the company announced a consolidation of its media units in October of last year.
Why It Matters:
- Like Youtube, Youku Tudou’s users can create their own channels, upload their own content and make profits. To keep motivating users to make high-quality content and upload them is important for Youku Tudou to stand out in the highly competitive market.
- Youku Tudou will provide more attractive profit-distribution options to its users, Alibaba Literature will provide Youku Tudou users’ high-quality original stories and scripts, and Alibaba Pictures will provide financial and marketing support.
- From 2010, Youku Tudou traded on Nasdaq with the stock ticker “YOKU”. In 2016, Alibaba took over Youku Tudou and the company completed a privatization. After the deal, Youku Tudou became a fully-owned subsidiary of Alibaba.


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Shoppers get set to bag a free Christmas shop in Lidl’s annual festive fundraiser for NSPCC
Lidl Northern Ireland is giving local shoppers the chance to win their Christmas shopping for free as its annual festive fundraiser, Lidl Trolley Dash, returns to reward more shoppers this Christmas and raise vital funds for its charity partner, NSPCC Northern Ireland.
Last year, shoppers across Northern Ireland raised an amazing £103, 975 for NSPCC and, with the support of its customers, the retailer is hoping to beat this fundraising target this Christmas.
Lidl Trolley Dash gives customers the chance to take part in their very own supermarket sweep to win their Christmas shop. For just £1, shoppers can purchase Trolley Dash tickets in all 38 Lidl stores across Northern Ireland until Sunday 1st December.
One winner from each store will be selected from a draw to go wild in the aisles and bag their Christmas shop entirely free of charge on Saturday 14th December. The 38 lucky contestants chosen for the dash will have two minutes to stock up on as many Christmas goodies as possible and enjoy a Lidl Christmas this year.
Deirdre Ryan, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Lidl Ireland said:
“Shoppers always enjoy saving on their grocery bills at Lidl but, with the Lidl Trolley Dash, lucky winners can fill their trolley completely free of charge and enjoy Christmas on us. The Trolley Dash initiative is a fantastic way for us to reward our customers whilst raising money for our charity partner, NSPCC. Every penny raised from ticket sales goes directly to charity to support the important work carried out by NSPCC across Northern Ireland.
So, if you’ve ever dreamed of going ‘wild in the aisles’ or think you’re a savvy shopper, this is the perfect opportunity to stock up for Christmas and have a ‘dashing’ good time, all for a worthy cause. We really want everyone to get involved and help us smash last year’s target to enable NSPCC to continue its vital services for children, young people and families across Northern Ireland.”
For more information about how to get involved and for competition terms and conditions, please visit www.lidl.co.uk.
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🎅🏼 Lidl Trolley Dash is back! 🛒💨 Each year, Lidl hosts a Christmas Trolley Dash to raise vital funds for its charity partner, NSPCC Northern Ireland. I am so happy to be part of it❤ From 11 November, Trolley Dash tickets will go on sale across all 38 Lidl stores in NI. For just £1, shoppers can enter a draw for their chance to win a Trolley Dash experience and, courtesy of Lidl, bag their Christmas Shopping for FREE! Every penny raised from ticket sales goes directly to NSPCC NI! 👉www.lidl.co.uk. #Lidlchristmas #trolleydash #NSPCC #Christmas #Northernireland #Niblogger @lidlni @nspcc_official


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Artists aren’t sometimes getting screwed in the digital era. According to the latest research, they are systematically and routinely missing as much as half of their royalties on an ongoing basis. “Unfortunately, the adage ‘follow the money’ leads only to a dense thicket of micropayments and ‘black boxes’ where relationships among rights, royalties, processes, and participants, in the eyes of many, are deliberately obscured or, at best, have become hopelessly complex and outdated,” notes a just-released report from Rethink Music, an initiative of Berklee’s Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship. “Payable events—performances, recordings, publications—occur, but the resulting payments that trickle back to recording artists, writers, and producers are based on a series of outdated frameworks, technologies, formulas, and methods that are demonstrably unable to keep pace with the state of music creation and consumption today.”
“It is estimated that anywhere from 20-50 percent of music payments don’t make it to their rightful owners.”
But that’s only the amount that’s supposed to be paid. The report, Fair Music: Transparency and Money Flows in the Music Industry, pointed to a giant pile of money that is intentionally squirreled away in private deals, all of which are legal. That would explain why Sony Music pressured The Verge to pulldown its contract with Spotify, that is, before it went completely viral. “As a result of the many unique, and often legally private, financial relationships that exist between artists, authors, record labels, and publishers, our window into the revenue earned by musicians from their compositions, performances, and recordings is obscured,” the report continues.
“While that portion of the global recorded music sales, subscriptions, and synchronization fees that might be initially attributable as recording artist “revenue” could be as much as $3 billion (using an admittedly rough method for approximation), of the $15 billion in global, recorded music revenue reported by the IFPI for 2014, only a small portion of this money beyond the initial recording advances paid ultimately makes its way to the artist as ongoing revenue.”
This is a rathole that gets dirtier the further you go down. While Rethink pulled some punches on notoriously shady groups like SoundExchange, they also pointed to an institutionalized system of complicated dysfunction. “Along with the emergence of digital services and issues surrounding their business models have come numerous worthy questions about the transparency of payouts,” the report continues. “In a world where data is readily available and micro-payments can be tracked, accountability should be a foregone conclusion. However, the industry has yet to require services and intermediaries to provide complete, readable, up-to-date data about music sales and uses in a standard format adopted throughout the value chain.”
“Perhaps this is because the current lack of transparency appears to benefit middlemen, but creators, consumers, and others in the music industry value chain should no longer passively accept this.”
The Rethink report can be downloaded here.
Top image by Wonderlane, licensed under Creative Commons 2.0 Generic (CC by 2.o). ‘Baby Boy diagram pulled from the Rethink/BerkleeICE report.


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01/25/2011 // Greensboro, NC, USA // Personal Injury Lawyers News // Nicole Howley
Lawyer Internet marketing specialist Rene Perras reported, a Rasmussen Reports survey showed “seventy-seven percent of U.S. adults oppose government regulation of how search engines select websites in response to search inquiries. Just 11 percent of the consumers polled believe such regulation is necessary, while 12 percent are not sure.” In addition, “54 percent of voters oppose Internet regulation by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC).” Visit http://www.cepac.com.
Url: West Palm Beach Personal Injury Lawyer News
Watch the full story on:Lawyer Internet Marketing: Google Instant safe from FTC reports Rene Perras


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What you need to know
- Google has launched its annual Santa Tracker, just in time for Christmas.
- Santa is being a bit health conscious, donning a purple mask in recognition of the global pandemic.
- Googles Santa Tracker can be installed from the Play Store or as a progressive web-app if your browser supports it.
Christmas is here in just over a week, and Google's Santa Tracker has made its annual appearance as we track the jolly red gift giver on his global journey from the North Pole.
Going over the Santa tracker site, you'll notice a minor cosmetic tweak. That's right, Santa and Mrs Claus are donning purple face masks (spotted by Android Police). It seems even the frosty North Pole isn't immune from concerns of the coronavirus (though if he still plans on zooming through everyone's house in a night, he'd best stock up on hand sanitizer.)
Google has also trotted out the usual features that accompany the Christmas season. You can ask the Assistant "What's new in the North Pole?", or you can ask the Assistant "Where's Santa?" for a Christmas countdown on your phones or smart home speakers.
2020 is going to b a Christmas unlike one we've had in recent years. With the likelihood of seeing a Santa publicly in most countries being low, the Google Santa Tracker (and other Santa trackers) may be one way of keeping some of the fun in this annual tradition. Excited about Christmas this year? Let us know in the comments below.


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Down the runway
Louis Vuitton showcases new Spring/Summer Collection at Houston fashion show
Luxury fashion brand Louis Vuitton presented its Women's Spring/Summer 2024 Collection at Post Houston to an invitation-only crowd of media, content creators, and its most loyal Texas-based clientele on Tuesday, March 19.
The crowd experienced a full runway show followed by an exclusive trunk show and shopping event to mark the launch of the collection in all four of Houston's Louis Vuitton stores. The fashionable event is the first time the iconic French brand has held a runway show in Texas since it showcased its Cruise Collection in 2022 at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas.
In a nod to the Paris debut of the Spring/Summer 2024 Collection, the brand wrapped Post Houston in billowing orange to look like the inside of a hot air balloon that represented "the Spirit of Travel at the heart of the Maison." Ever thoughtful in its approach to runway shows, Louis Vuitton chose the downtown dining and entertainment hotspot because of its history of being adjacent to Houston's Grand Central Station in the 1930s. Fast forward nearly 100 years and the site selection represented a full-circle moment for the brand.
“We wanted Post Houston to be a place that can both ground you in Houston but also make you feel like you’ve arrived somewhere else," said Kirby Liu, director at Post Houston owner Lovett Commercial. "We're thrilled Louis Vuitton played into the building's heritage and its current aspirations with their vision for travel and transformation."
The venue was draped in billowing orange to make it look like the inside of a hot air balloon as a nod to the collection's debut in Paris. Photo courtesy of Louis Vuitton; Image Megan Kay Photography
Nicolas Ghesquière, Louis Vuitton's artistic director of women's collections, showcased several layered silhouettes and tailored ensembles to highlight different aspects of femininity. Models wore flowing layered skirts, mousseline, and charmeuse, with bomber jackets and large, low-slung belts. Stripes, a big trend for spring and summer, appeared in many looks. Light pink and blues contrasted against stark black and white ensembles and the brand's beloved checkerboard pattern.
"Vuitton is a luxury brand, but it's about function — it provides a service: to travel better. Mobility is important in clothes," Ghesquière said of the collection when it made its runway debut in the fall.
The collection includes contrasting textures and materials from the signature monogrammed bags, woven knits, and glossy details. Alongside traditional heels, this collection featured several styles of the LV Knot Pump with draped leather and a knotted heel accent.
The Spring/Summer Collection is full of ready-to-wear pieces perfect for travel. Photo courtesy of Louis Vuitton; Image Megan Kay Photography
Texans came out in full support of the brand, wearing head-to-toe Louis Vuitton, including current and vintage pieces. Castings for the runway show took place in New York, and models flew to Houston to participate in the event.
"Being invited to such an iconic event was such a bucket list goal of mine," says content creator Jasmine Nguyen, who was wearing a Louis Vuitton black ensemble and heels. "The fact that the runway show was in my hometown made it that much more special."


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Volkswagen AG expects a rebound in vehicle sales in Nigeria as the economy in Africa’s biggest oil producer recovers, the head of the company’s South African operations, Thomas Schaefer said.
Speaking with Bloomberg, Thomas revealed that sales in the West African nation dropped to less than 40 units last year. Nigeria was one of
several African oil exporters hit hard when crude prices crashed in 2014, but the economy is recovering as oil rebounds.
“Now that the oil price has been recovering hopefully this situation will reverse and we can assemble and see a few hundred cars in the next year or so,” remarked Thomas.
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Volkswagen resumed building cars in Nigeria in 2015, it’s the first factory on the continent outside South Africa. The company is set to start producing models including the Polo, Passat, and Teramont at an assembly plant in Rwanda next month, according to the head of the company’s South African operations.
We are “expecting to start with at least 2,000 cars in 2018 alone, but I would love to get to 10,000 cars,” Schaefer said.
While VW is continuously assessing opportunities in countries like Ethiopia, Ghana, and Tanzania for expansion, “with these new markets it is a bit of a long shot,” he added.


text: Indicating it is seeking a 16 percent rate increase for auto policies in Louisiana, State Farm Insurance Co. has stopped writing new auto policies in that state. The company estimates that the rate increase would generate over $150 million to offset losses. According to A.M. Best and the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the company ceased writing new auto business in Louisiana June 18; it currently has some 1 million auto customers in the state. A State Farm spokesman reported that the company lost nearly $200 million in its Louisiana auto business last year. The rate increase request is for the company’s Louisiana auto subsidiary, State Farm Mutual. Unprofitable business and inadequate pricing of policies were major factors in making the request. State Farm’s request is expected to be discussed during a July 17 hearing by the Louisiana Insurance Rating Commission (LIRC), which last month granted the company a 12 percent increase for its homeowners rates. About a third of Louisiana’s auto policies are written by State Farm. The state’s second largest auto insurer, Allstate, also requested a 19.9 percent increase on its homeowners and renters rates. The LIRC has deferred that request, saying Allstate needed to better justify another rate increase (it had been granted a 7 percent increase last November). The company plans to pursue the issue at the July 17 hearing.


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Phunware (PHUN – Research Report) received a Buy rating and a $2.00 price target from H.C. Wainwright analyst Scott Buck today. The company’s shares closed last Tuesday at $1.03, close to its 52-week low of $0.60.
According to TipRanks.com, Buck is a 5-star analyst with an average return of 27.1% and a 49.0% success rate. Buck covers the Technology sector, focusing on stocks such as Enthusiast Gaming Holdings, Intellicheck Mobilisia, and Lightpath Technologies.
Phunware has an analyst consensus of Moderate Buy, with a price target consensus of $2.25, implying a 108.3% upside from current levels. In a report issued on July 15, Roth Capital also maintained a Buy rating on the stock with a $2.50 price target.
Based on Phunware’s latest earnings release for the quarter ending March 31, the company reported a quarterly revenue of $1.65 million and GAAP net loss of $12.36 million. In comparison, last year the company earned revenue of $2.64 million and had a GAAP net loss of $3.96 million.
Based on the recent corporate insider activity of 27 insiders, corporate insider sentiment is negative on the stock. This means that over the past quarter there has been an increase of insiders selling their shares of PHUN in relation to earlier this year.
TipRanks has tracked 36,000 company insiders and found that a few of them are better than others when it comes to timing their transactions. See which 3 stocks are most likely to make moves following their insider activities.
Phunware, Inc. engages in the development of a Multiscreen-as-a-Service platform, an enterprise cloud platform for mobile. It provides companies the products, solutions, data, and services necessary to engage, manage, and monetize mobile application portfolios and audiences at scale. Its platform also allows for the licensing and creation of category-defining mobile experiences for brands and their application users worldwide. The company was founded by Alan S. Knitowski and Luan Dang in February 2009 and is headquartered in Austin, TX.


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The finalists for this year’s Guardian University Awards have been selected in each category, with Swansea University being shortlisted in two categories: Sustainability Project, and Business Partnership.
The awards recognise qualities and achievements across a range of categories and act as a benchmark of excellence for higher education. This year’s shortlisted universities were selected by expert judges with a wide range of experience in the higher education sector.
The Sustainability Project award is given to an outstanding initiative that creates and champions a more sustainable living and working environment in the university and beyond, with a demonstrable and lasting legacy. Swansea University has been shortlisted in this category for its SWell (Sustainability and Wellbeing) project. SWell is an app-based programme which pulls together multiple initiatives, campaigns and events, and rewards employees of Swansea University for taking a range of sustainability and wellbeing-related actions.
Heidi Smith, head of sustainability and staff wellbeing, said: “Our nomination for this Sustainability Project Award is deserved recognition for the hard work of all of our staff in the SWell (Sustainability and Wellbeing) Programme. We have almost 1000 staff (and growing) taking part in SWell, and the work is increasingly being seen as sector leading. We are so pleased that it has been noticed by the Guardian for its innovative, engaging and inclusive approach to improving sustainability and wellbeing across our staff community”.
The Business Partnership award is presented to an outstanding university partnership with a business or an industry – regional, national or international – with lasting impact for students, staff and the university. Swansea has made the Guardian shortlist for its COATED2 project. COATED2 is a £6.5 million project led by Dr James Sullivan and Dr Dave Penney from the College of Engineering at Swansea University which aims to produce EngDs in the field of industrial functional coatings with a focus on coatings that generate, store and release energy. Major companies work with the Swansea team, including Tata Steel, BASF, the world’s largest chemical company, and NSG Pilkington, one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of glass.
Alison Parker, business marketing manager, said: “The partnership with Tata and its supply chain has become an exemplary vehicle showcasing the success of industry, local supply chain and academic partnerships. The impact of the partnership is being realised through the leveraging of additional research income, new innovations, a University spinout company, placement opportunities for University students , work based learning for manufacturing companies and outreach in the local community with regards to demonstrating science and technology’’.
Winners of the Guardian University Awards will be announced at the awards ceremony on Wednesday 29 March.
- Tuesday 14 March 2017 15.52 GMT
- Friday 17 March 2017 12.02 GMT
- Catrin Newman


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Fans were excited to hear that The Last of Us Part II and Final Fantasy VII remake were making special appearances during PAX East this year, though unfortunately there has been a change of plans. With the death toll rising due to the spread of the Coronavirus and much of PlayStation’s team traveling internationally, the company has concluded that the travel would pose too much of a risk for their team and opted to put their safety first.
In an update to their original blog post boasting their PAX East lineup, Sony issued the following statement:
“Today, Sony Interactive Entertainment made the decision to cancel its participation at PAX East in Boston this year due to increasing concerns related to COVID-19 (also known as “novel coronavirus”). We felt this was the safest option as the situation is changing daily. We are disappointed to cancel our participation in this event, but the health and safety of our global workforce is our highest concern.”
While the news would bum anyone out, it’s good to see the company taking whatever measures they see fit to make sure that their people are taken care in terms of safety. While in the US it hasn’t been as big of an issue with isolated breakouts that were caught in time, that doesn’t stop the fact that internationally the death toll is staggering and when traveling internationally, that exposure increases exponentially.
As for PAX East, sans PlayStation, the celebration begins on February 28th in Boston.


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Physical stores have been slow to catch up to the wave of digital innovation driving exceptional consumer experiences. One Silicon Valley startup thinks it has cracked the code for bringing data and technology into the brick-and-mortar environment.
Led by a trio of seasoned retail and tech executives, Virtual Visions leverages its co-founders and chairman’s decades of experience building tech companies and partnering with European merchants. Founder Almaz Nanjappa built and sold Momentus, an innovation studio, to Softvision, while co-founder Alex Grange’s expertise in digital signage aided more than 1,000 retailers across the pond.
“In conversations with some one of the most forward-looking retailers today, we’ve discovered the need for physical stores to perform as intelligently as the world’s leading e-commerce platforms,” Nanjappa noted. “Many companies talk speculatively about the store of the future. At Virtual Visions, we are creating that store for our customers today.”
Counting Lululemon and Saks Fifth Avenue among its clients, Virtual Visions believes its combination of smart, interactive digital displays combined with backend inventory data can help stores upgrade from “cost centers to profit makers,” the company said in a statement. When in-store shoppers interact with the digital displays and click on products that catch their eye, retailers gain valuable data on how their merchandise is performing and can use these insights to devote more of their physical footprint to high-turn items rather than products that sell slowly. The platform incorporates RFID tags to track merchandise and manage stock levels.
The company’s Smartstore platform, which it says integrates with any inventory or CRM system, hews to a trend bubbling up in retail: self-service kiosks. Customers using the smart displays can view products added to wish lists via social media, look up merchandise information, compare prices and research what’s available in stores nearby or online, driving useful cross-channel insights.
Virtual Visions formally unveiled its 10,000-square-foot Silicon Valley Retail Innovation Lab in Hayward, Calif., where it develops and pilots new store-based technologies to serve the luxury and hospitality sectors, in addition to retail.
“A smartstore needs to provide customers with smart and elegant ways to discover what is right for them and make their choices easily available whether the items are inside the store, at another location nearby, or shippable to their homes,” CEO Mo Malek noted. “But physical retailers have another opportunity: to more deeply engage the consumer in a way that is not achievable offline. The Virtual Visions platform empowers retailers to customize and right-size the physical experience.”


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The number of coffee shops in Britain is set to overtake pubs by the year 2030, according to research conducted for the London Coffee Festival.
Some three coffee shops are opening every day, adding an extra 21-a-week serving up lattes and cappuccinos. By contrast between 21 and 25 pubs are closing every week, with many turned into private homes and convenience stores.
The switch from lager to latte means that the number of UK coffee shops has risen from 10,000 in 2007 to 24,000 today. At the same time, the traditional pub is suffering with the total down from around 75,000 in the 1970s to around 47,000 today.
As meeting places go, coffee shops are very female-friendly and are open all day and come without the alcohol or rowdiness that can be associated with pubs. Pubs traditionally have been more about men meeting in the evening, although food-led pubs are deemed more family-friendly.
To meet coffee needs, London brewer Fuller’s has created their own-brand coffee, approaching it in a similar artisanal manner that the high street coffee shops do. They now sell over 1.25m cups a year and train its staff as baristas. Welsh brewer Brains has gone one step further and bought their own chain of coffee shops, Coffee#1.
Many pubs have started opening early in the morning after investing in coffee-making equipment and signing deals with the likes of Costa (Spirit Pub Company) and Lavazza (Wetherspoons).
Wetherspoons sell upwards of 50 million coffees and teas each year, making big pub chains seem an enticing partner to coffee companies. Opening earlier in the morning allows pubs to reinvent themselves slightly, giving them more of a coffee shop vibe.
Britain’s increasingly mobile workforce are often looking for a place outside the home/office to get some work done, and setting up in a pub with Wi-Fi can be an enticing idea for some.


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At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January 2017, NVidia announced that a consumer beta-test of GeForce Now for PC users would begin in March 2017. What NVidia is not bringing to PC users overshadows what it is bringing, however.
In a January 2017 Mintel Report “Netflix-for-games: NVidia brings GeForce Now features to PCs,” states that users of the PC GeForce Now service get access to the side of NVidia’s cloud service that solves the technical problems of video game streaming: access to the computing power necessary to run the latest games via the cloud from NVidia’s servers. Users on PC will not have access to the GeForce Now library of games that Shield device users have access to however – instead users upload games they already own into the cloud that then run on NVidia’s servers. Moreover, PC users will pay for this by the minute, rather than as a monthly subscription as GeForce Now users with Shield devices do.
Although the service NVidia is bringing to PCs shares a name with its existing product, it is an entirely distinct proposition. The service being tested on PCs has more in common with NVidia’s enterprise-facing cloud computing service GRID, than its namesake on Shield devices. The features of GeForce being brought to PCs are not the ones that make the service valuable to consumers; unlimited access to the GeForce Now library – which includes new games as well as a back catalogue of titles.
During the demonstration at CES, NVidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang said that the service was targeted at people who want to play video games occasionally, but do not play frequently enough to justify buying a gaming PC. However, Mintel’s data (see above) indicates that the audience for a cloud gaming service is core gamers who play regularly and own the latest consoles.
There has been some speculation that the upcoming Nintendo Switch, releasing on 3 March 2017, will be able to access the full NVidia GeForce service as NVidia worked with Nintendo on the development of the hardware and software development APIs, However this seems unlikely on the basis that NVidia will probably want to protect the unique value of its Shield range of devices by keeping GeForce Now’s library of streamable games exclusive to that platform, which would also explain its decision to withhold the library from PC users.
With Microsoft’s Project Scorpio due for release this year it seems especially unlikely the tech giant will attempt to transition to cloud gaming in the near future. The Xbox manufacturer would not want to de-value its new flagship console by developing a cloud gaming platform with the same proposition: high-performance gaming. A physical console for which users have to buy individual games is also unlikely to match a subscription based cloud gaming service in terms of value. So at this stage it appears that none of the three main players in the console gaming market – Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo – are likely to be motivated to push cloud gaming into the mainstream.


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OSLO, NORWAY– August 20th, 2020 – Biometric fintech company Zwipe and Wisecard Technology, a leading supplier of EMV personalization and payment solutions, have partnered to support the industrialization of biometric payments solutions.
Headquartered in Shenzhen, China, Wisecard Technology Ltd. specializes in personalization software development, primarily focusing on the smart card payment industry. As a leading provider of EMV personalization services, the company will support the co-development of personalization offerings for the Zwipe Pay family of products and solutions.
“We are excited to work closely with Zwipe to tap into the huge potential we see for biometrics in the payments market. Zwipe has led the way in establishing a global network of partners to make the launch of biometric payment cards and wearables at scale as effortless and cost- effective as possible. We are keen to support this mission and bring safer and more secure payment options to consumers around the world,” says, Kevin Yi, Vice President at Wisecard.
Smart card manufacturers will benefit from the collaboration by having access to a validated and proven personalization process for their biometric payment cards powered by Zwipe technology.
Speaking on the partnership André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe, says “We are excited to partner with Wisecard as we continue to expand our ecosystem and our capacity to provide the most comprehensive and compelling offerings within biometric payments to smart card manufacturers and issuers, further cementing the value-add we bring to our customers.”


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Getaway car fails alleged thieves
Two alleged thieves are facing big charges after their getaway car failed to, well, get away.
At about 3:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30, loss-prevention officers at Kohl's in the Clackamas Promenade reported a man running from the store carrying an armful of stolen merchandise. They also reported spotting a second male who might be involved, according to a release from Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.
"The second male was next to a getaway car that wasn't making much of a getaway," according to the release. "When the first suspect carrying the stolen merchandise reached the getaway car, the duo ran into some bad luck: The car's battery was dead, and the two men needed a jump-start."
The suspects reportedly began asking others in the parking lot for a jump, police said, which provided enough time for police to arrive at the scene as the two suspects still had the car's hood up.
Deputies detained the duo, identified as Raymond Allen Stavig, 41, of Molalla, and Derek Richard Benjamin Shurts, 27, of Clackamas.
Shurts was identified as the one stealing items from Kohl's. He also had several counterfeit bills in his pocket, police said.
Deputies not only recovered the items from Kohl's, which included clothes and shoes, but they also found other suspicious items inside the car including:
• Bags of clothing from other stores
• Several laptops
• Several phones
• Multiple credit cards with different names
• A magnetic card reader/writer
• Oregon ID cards
• Counterfeit bills
• Methamphetamine and cocaine
Shurts told deputies that Stavig offered him $1,000 as deputies were arriving if he would take the blame for everything. Shurts reportedly declined the offer.
As deputies interviewed Stavig, he denied any criminal activity and offered a variety of explanations for why he had the items listed above.
Initially, he claimed all the items belonged to his wife, who was not present at the scene. He also said one of the recovered credit cards belonged to a friend he'd given a ride to earlier in the day. Stavig said his friend had told him to hold onto the credit card and get some fuel with it later, per the release.
Deputies discovered that that credit card was used to purchase a bag of items from Dick's Sporting Goods and items from Target, not fuel. Deputies also confirmed Stavig was the one who used the credit card at those stores.
Deputies contacted the owner of one of the laptops found in the car. They learned that the person's car had been stolen in Portland with the laptop and phone inside of it.
Many of the credit cards had altered information on their magnetic strips and writing on the cards that appeared to be ZIP codes and PIN numbers. Information obtained from the credit cards allowed deputies to identify nine victims of identity theft, according to the release.
Stavig was arrested on charges of identity theft, theft, possession of methamphetamine and a warrant out of Multnomah County for aggravated identity theft.
Shurts was arrested on charges of possessions of a forged instrument, theft and a warrant out of Crook County for possession of heroin.
Police are seeking more information from the public on the criminal activity of Stavig and Shurts. Anyone with information is urged to contact the tip line by phone at 503-273-4949 or by using the online email form at www.clackamas.us/sheriff/tip. Reference CCSO case No. 20-025559.
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It looks like Apple's suppliers in China may be guilty of having loose lips. Video evidence has surfaced that suggests the next iPhone will indeed offer significant changes.
The first images of what is thought to be the next version of the iPhone showed up last month on several sites displaying different images of the same phone aluminum alloy casing. Now a new video (below) discovered by 9to5Mac (via CydiaBlog) and posted by Chinese parts retailer ETrade Supply shows the same iPhone backing in greater detail as the narrator compares the new backing to the current iPhone 4S.
Not only does the video show off the aesthetic differences of the new iPhone casing, but it goes on to use the current iPhone 4S to show us that the new iPhone has a new headphone positioned at the bottom of the phone, a differently sized SIM card slot, brand-new speaker grills, and most importantly, a completely redesigned docking port. And, when placed side-by-side, the new iPhone case is taller and slightly thinner than the iPhone 4S. These size specifications line up perfectly with the rumours that have been circulating about the next iPhone for months.
We've seen a number of clever Apple product Photoshop fakes over the years, so when the images of the supposed new iPhone backing surfaced last month, there were many sceptics doubting the authenticity of the images. But this new video is pretty hard to refute. The detail and engineering required to manufacture such a well-crafted piece would seem to point to the piece's authenticity.
However, China has been known to come up with rather convincing bootleg versions of Apple products before, so even with this close-up video, we won't truly know what Apple has in store for the next iPhone until its official release.


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Last August, Samsung promised that they will start removing in-app pads for their first-party pre-installed apps. What they did not say though was when they would start doing so. We’ve seen the Samsung Weather app go ad-free and now two more of the apps are joining the party. Both Samsung Pay and Samsung Health are finally going ad-free which makes using the apps better now that there are no unwanted distractions. Hopefully, the other One UI stock apps will follow soon in losing their ads.
Tizen Help reports that two of the most-used proprietary Samsung apps are finally getting less crowded. Both Samsung Pay and Samsung Health will not be showing ads anymore, as promised by Samsung earlier this year. Samsung Weather was the first one to become ad-free and hopefully they’ll soon remove it from other apps like Samsung Theme. Ads on premium devices like Samsung Galaxy smartphones are annoying to say the least so at least they’re now listening to their customers.
The announcements about the now ad-free apps were made on the Samsung community forums. A “Samsung Health Operations Manager” said that users will not be able to see the banner at the top of the app, which were ads, starting October 1. A separate post from a community member also shows that Samsung Pay also doesn’t sport the banner ad anymore and included a screenshot. No news yet as to when it will roll out to the other first-party apps.
What we don’t know though is if they will also be removing the ads that they send through push notifications on their devices, promoting their other devices. This is another thing that users find really annoying especially if you don’t have any plans on buying a new smartphone since the one you’re using is just something you recently bought. These ads should be opt-in or just totally removed since Samsung does a good job of pushing their new devices through other means anyway.
It’s worth noting that these posts were from the South Korea forum and the removal of ads is only available for the apps there. But it should also roll out to users in other territories as well through a One UI firmware update soon, although no date has been mentioned.


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Digital TV News: Euroconsult
3,300 satellites to be built & launched over next decade
Nov 12, 2018 – In the commercial space sector, over the next decade, Euroconsult believes about 50 companies will launch around 2,000 satellites. Communications and broadcasting satellites in geostationary orbit will represent almost 50% of the $70 billion in expected commercial revenues.
News categories: Euroconsult, Rachel Villain, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Market Research, Satellite
1,400 satellites to launch over the next decade
Aug 25, 2015 – According to Euroconsult, 140 satellites with launch mass over 50 kg will be launched on average each year over the next decade. The number of satellites is due to grow more than the market value over the decade.
News categories: Euroconsult, Rachel Villain, Market Research, Satellite, Worldwide
Strong growth ahead for Latin America Satcom market
Apr 29, 2015 – According to Euroconsult, total satellite capacity usage in Latin America increased at an 8% CAGR over 2009-2014, driven by growing requirements for satellite pay-TV (+1,600 channels), VSAT services (+50,000 VSATs), trunking and backhaul.
News categories: Euroconsult, Nathan de Ruiter, Latin America, Market Research, Satellite
11% CAGR expected for satellite capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa
Apr 2, 2015 – According to Euroconsult, overall usage for satellite capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa increased at an 11% CAGR over 2009-2014. Euroconsult further anticipates an 11% CAGR for capacity leased over the next decade.
News categories: Euroconsult, Pacôme Révillon, Africa, Broadband, Content Distribution, Market Research, Satellite
Emerging markets drive satellite pay-TV growth
Dec 4, 2014 – According to Euroconsult, the global satellite pay-TV industry has observed strong growth in the past five years despite an increasingly competitive TV landscape where IPTV, DTT and connected entertainment services have rapidly expanded their reach.
News categories: Euroconsult, Dimitri Buchs, Digital TV, Market Research, Satellite, Worldwide
Modest revenue growth for satellite operators in 2013
Aug 13, 2014 – According to Euroconsult, the Fixed Satellite Service industry generated $12.2 billion in revenues in 2013, corresponding to 2% growth over revenues in 2012. 60% of revenue-generating FSS operators experienced a revenue growth slowdown in 2013.
News categories: Euroconsult, Nathan de Ruiter, Digital TV, Market Research, Satellite, Worldwide
Satcom sector in India to grow at over 6% per year
Jan 23, 2014 – According to Euroconsult, India’s satellite communication sector has experienced significant growth over the past five years driven by explosive demand from DTH pay-TV platforms and growing telecommunication needs in the country.
News categories: Euroconsult, Deepu Krishnan, Content Distribution, India, Market Research, Satellite
DTH TV platforms to pass $100 Billion in revenues this year
Nov 12, 2013 – Euroconsult has announced the release of its yearly reference report on satellite television. The 202 million DTH subscribers in over 100 countries (early in 2013) will result in over $100 billion in revenues this year.
News categories: Euroconsult, Pacôme Révillon, Digital TV, DVR, Market Research, Satellite, Subscribers, TV Everywhere
Government & industry to combine for 1,150 satellites over next decade
Nov 4, 2013 – According to Euroconsult, 115 satellites will be launched on average each year worldwide over the next 10 years (2013-2022), with up to 140 satellites per year expected between 2015 and 2017, decelerating to 100 units afterwards.
News categories: Euroconsult, Rachel Villain, Content Distribution, Market Research, Satellite
- CDNetworks powers VSTV K+ OTT streaming in Vietnam
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- Net Insight and Skyline partner on live video workflows
- Mixed fortunes for pay TV in the Asia Pacific region
- Evolution Digital integrates OpenSync with an Android TV set-top box
- ARF calls for move away from TV households as basis of TV measurement
- 76% of SVOD services to introduce ads in the next two years
- Free, ad-supported streaming takes off in the U.S.
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- Eurovision Sport selects Ad Insertion Platform monetization solution
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- SES in discussions regarding possible combination with Intelsat
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