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It’s been a rough experience for the crypto market through 2022. By November the market was down by more than 70% from its previous peak on November 20, 2021. And just when things were looking down after the FTX crash made them look more dire. What is the likelihood that the crypto market be able to recover by 2023?
Crypto Market Dips are Cyclical
The market for crypto, particularly Bitcoin, has seen its fair share of drops in the past. Each time, it’s rebounded by a massive rise.
For instance, in 2013, Bitcoin reached a peak of $1,160, then fell for more than a year before hitting a low of $150. But, in 2017, it broke that record and reached a new record high of $19,600. In 2018, and it was trading at $3,100. And in the year 2020 it struck through that resistance and reached a new high of $68,000 in November 2021. Just like that, we’ve witnessed another drop. However, history has shown us that at the end of every dip there’s a bull-run.
Every Dip is Followed by a Long Bull Run
As we’ve seen in the past, dips are usually followed by a long bull run, which eventually overcomes the resistance set by the market’s previous highest price. This pattern can be seen in not just Bitcoin but also in other cryptocurrency.
Growing Use of Crypto and Blockchain
Crypto and blockchain technology have made significant progress in the last few years. With more and more businesses and industries adopting it, its usage and acceptance is increasing. From gaming to finance cryptocurrency is being utilized in a myriad of ways. This growing demand could result in more people getting involved in the market and, in turn, boost prices.
A rise in the interest of institutions for crypto
In recent times we’ve witnessed a rising demand from investors of institutional scale in cryptocurrency. From hedge funds to banks, many large institutions are beginning to investigate the potential of crypto assets. This increased interest from institutions can bring stability to the market for crypto and could lead to greater prices.
Regulations of the government
As the market for crypto grows as it matures, governments all over the world are beginning to establish more favorable regulations for cryptocurrency. This will help draw more investors and increase the acceptance of crypto in general.
Blockchain has many more applications.
The underlying technology behind the majority of cryptocurrencies, blockchain offers a variety of possible applications that go beyond financial transactions. For example, from supply chain management and voting, many industries are beginning to look at ways they can utilize blockchain technology. This could stimulate more investment and excitement in cryptocurrency.
Blockchain technology and cryptography are still in the early stages of development. As progress is made in areas like scalability and security, the potential of crypto assets will continue to increase. This could result in more acceptance and higher prices.
Rising global economic uncertainty
With the ongoing economic uncertainty caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other factors increasing numbers of investors are looking for safe haven investments like gold and crypto. As the global economic situation remains uncertain it could result in increased demand for crypto and higher prices.
Interest from retail investors
Investors from institutions aren’t the only ones showing interest in cryptocurrency. Retail investors, also known as individual investors, are also starting to participate in the market for crypto. As more and more people learn about crypto and how to invest in it, this could lead to increased demand and higher prices.
A growing number of people are becoming aware of and accepting crypto
As the crypto market grows, more and more people are beginning to learn about it and comprehend it. As the awareness and acceptance of cryptocurrency grows, this could lead to more people buying or holding cryptocurrency, and this could raise prices.
what is earning p.A. On crypto
The Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is a rapidly growing area of the crypto market that enables finance services built on top of blockchain technology. As DeFi expands and more projects and platforms become available, this could lead to increased adoption and more expensive prices for crypto.
Advances in crypto-based payment methods
As the market for crypto is growing, more and more companies are starting accepting crypto payments as a means of payment. This could result in increased usage of crypto in daily transactions and an increase in the cost of transactions.
More investment from sovereign wealth funds
Sovereign wealth funds, which are government-owned investment vehicles, are beginning to explore crypto as a potential asset class. As more funds devote a percentage of their assets to digital currencies, it could result in a rise in demand and more expensive prices.
Use of crypto for payment across borders
One of the main advantages of crypto is the capability to perform swift and affordable cross-border transactions. As more and more people and businesses are beginning to make use of cryptocurrency for international transactions, this could lead to increased demand and higher prices.
An increasing number of crypto ATM’s
As the number of ATMs that accept crypto continue to grow it will be more convenient for individuals to purchase and keep crypto, which could boost demand and increase prices.
Security tokens are developed for development
Security tokens, also known as digital assets that are used to represent ownership of an asset, like stock or real estate is a fast-growing area of the crypto market. As more security tokens are issued and traded, this could result in a rise in demand and consequently higher prices for crypto.
A greater adoption rate by merchants
With the increasing number of merchants begin accepting crypto as a form of payment, it will make it more convenient for people to use and hold crypto, which could boost demand and increase prices.
Will crypto be on the increase in 2023? It’s only time to find out. But with these factors to consider, it’s likely that the crypto market could see a recovery in 2023. And for those who are committed to the long haul Being patient and disciplined will be key.


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IBM is reportedly deepening its investment in Apple platforms via the Apple Watch, offering discounted units to its own employees, as well as linking ts Watson supercomputer to an upcoming Watch app. [Updated]
Under a new "Commit to Health" program, IBM workers will be able to get a free or lower-cost Watch depending on the health plan they choose, MacRumors reported on Tuesday. It's not clear whether the Watch effort is replacing or merely supplementing an existing Fitbit-based initiative.
People who tracked their exercise with Fitbits were eligible to accumulate points that could be traded in for goods or donations. The Apple Watch can monitor elements like steps, heart rate, and standing time.
A number of companies have adopted similar programs, using them as a way of reducing downtime and healthcare costs with their workforces.
The Watson-based Watch app — called CafeWell Concierge — was developed by a firm called Welltok, and lets users ask questions about exercise, nutrition, general health issues, or even IBM's health benefits, according to Fortune. The tool is intended to become more personalized over time, and will even prompt interactions on its own through a "Dialog" feature.
The app may also offer recommendations — like nearby healthy restaurants, or a flu shot at a local pharmacy — as well as reminders about things like taking medicine.
CafeWell Concierge will first be made available to IBM staff so that Watson can build up its database and improve guidance. A commercial version of the app is due to arrive in 2016.
Update: IBM confirmed to AppleInsider that the Fitbit program will continue.

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BOLZANO, Italy – Bringing 20,000 people to the mountain-rimmed apple region of South Tyrol in northern Italy, the Nov. 15-17 Interpoma 2018 was three days of “everything apple, said Thomas Mur.
Mur, director of Fiera Bolzano — organizer of Interpoma 2018 — said the event attracted 489 exhibitors and attendees from 70 countries.
In addition to optional tours of local apple orchards, a regional innovation and startup center, processors and a cave storage facility of an apple packer, the event featured two days of educational programming and three days of the trade show.
“One of the highlights of the show was the “Apple in the World,” where we had very interesting numbers on the market evolution in eastern Europe and Asia,” he said. “We talked a lot about sustainability in apple production, which is one of the key topics for the future with by with organic production also as a main topic.”
The event’s first-ever innovation technology innovation award for both the pre-harvest and post-harvest sector helps point the industry toward the future he said.
Selecting from about 25 total companies competing, the award for the post-harvest category was given to BioMetic, a division of Microtec, with “Q Eye XP,” according to a news release.
“The Q Eye XP by BioMetic is a scanner used in the packaging line that is effective in detecting internal fruit defects. Its innovative approach involves the use of X-rays, an emerging technology not yet practically applied in the fruit industry,” the award jury said in the release. “It complements other already established multi-sensor quality scanners, thus reducing post-storage waste with benefits for consumers.”
The jury said the technology is expected to measure additional attributes in other fruit commodities, which the jury said will improve post-harvest handling and quality for fresh fruit.
The first Interpoma Technology Award in the field category (innovations in production and crop protection) was presented to the Biogard Division of CBC Europe with “Mister Pro + Isomate CM Mister 1.0.
“By taking an existing technology of pest control using mating disruption and adding a combination of pest phenology, real-time environmental monitoring and microcomputing control hardware and software, CBC Europe have developed a simple technology that supports a sophisticated, advanced pest control system,” the award jury said. “This environmentally responsive technology will overcome the multiple shortcomings of current mating disruption technologies”.
In addition to the two winners, there were also special mention firms for each category. “In the field category, the Gotrack company from Poland was recognized for its “GOtrack Remote Control.”
In the post-harvest category, Greefa was recognized or its “SmartPackr2” and Meccanica Zucal for its packaging robot “Polus 48”.
The award jury was led by Massimo Tagliavini and includes researchers and university professors from Italy and around the world, according to the release.
The two winning companies received a package of prizes valued at more than $5,700, including a certificate, financing for a 30-second product video and a Fiera Bolzano advertising package for Interpoma, according to the release.


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- Windows Phone Apps - Microsoft Store
Download apps for your Windows phone instantly to your smartphone. Browse
thousands of free and paid apps by category, read user reviews, and compare
- Windows 10 Upgrade & Updates for Your Windows 8.1 Mobile ...
Windows 10 Mobile is being made available to supported smartphones running
Windows Phone 8.1. Phones and devices that can upgrade to Windows 10 are
Lumia Icon, 1520, 930, 640, 640XL, 730, 735, 830, 532, 535, 540, 635 1GB, 636
- Windows Marketplace for Mobile - Wikipedia
Windows Marketplace for Mobile was a service by Microsoft for its Windows
Mobile platform that allowed users to browse and download applications that had
been developed by third parties. The service was available for use directly on ...en.wikipedia.org/.../Windows_Marketplace_for_Mobile
- Windows Mobile - Wikipedia
Windows Mobile（ウィンドウズ モバイル）はマイクロソフトが独自に開発・提供していた
モバイルオペレーティングシステム(OS)とハードウェア ... サードパーティーが開発する
ソフトウェアが利用可能。「Windows Marketplace for Mobile」を通して有料の
- Windows Phone Garmin - Garmin Connect Mobile Windows - Mobile Apps ...
Now even Microsoft has thrown in the towel. A beautiful interface, very intuitive.
Personally, I didn't have any issues with the hardware. The market was already
owned by Apple and Android by the time Microsoft got into it with Windows
- Microsoft finally admits Windows Phone is dead - The Verge
In a series of tweets, Microsoft's Joe Belfiore has revealed that the software giant
is no longer developing new features or hardware for Windows 10 Mobile. While
Windows Phone fans had hoped Microsoft would update the ...www.theverge.com/.../microsoft-finally-admits-window...
- Microsoft Admits Windows 10 Mobile Is Finally, Mercifully Dead ...
Microsoft has acknowledged that the OS is finally, irrevocably, ... ... Windows 10
Mobile Windows Phone 8.1 ... Microsoft might have had a ghost of a chance of
expanding its market share if Windows 10 Mobile had been ...www.extremetech.com > Home > Mobile
- Microsoft putting Windows Mobile 6.x market out to pasture - Engadget
Are you still out there rockin' a Windows Mobile device? And, yes, notice we did
not say "Windows Phone." Well, we've got some bad news (besides the fact that
your handset is seriously obsolete) -- the Windows Marketplace ...www.engadget.com/.../microsoft-putting-windows-mob...
- Microsoft launches Windows Phone Marketplace - CNN - CNN.com
Finally, the Windows Phone 7 operating system is starting to catch up.www.cnn.com/.../mobile/windows...marketplace.../inde...
- Windows Phone is Dead: To Be Replaced by Windows 10 | Digital ...
Since 2010, Windows Phone has been slowly making its way in a market
dominated by the likes of Google and Apple. Microsoft's VP of Windows, Joe
Belfiore, announced that Windows 10 will come to Microsoft's smartphones ...www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/windows-phone-dead-wi...


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Like Deva and his family, devotees and tourists are flocking back to shrines across the country. Extended weekends, and improved connectivity have eased the way for those who want to pay their respects, show gratitude and to invoke blessings.
The number of visitors to these religious places has more than doubled. For instance, Kerala based Guruvayur, dedicated to the Lord Guruvayurappa has seen visitor numbers almost double. "Normally, the increase in visitors begin after August 15 with the start of the auspicious month. This time even the lean months of March, April and July saw a daily increase. This month we are seeing 6,000-7,000 visitors every day against 4,000 a day pre-pandemic, said VK Vijayan, chairman of Guruvayur Devaswom.
The Golden Temple in Amritsar is receiving at least one lakh visitors daily, much higher than pre-pandemic numbers, says Rajwinder, tourism officer at the Golden Temple. While most visitors so far are domestic tourists, international visitors are expected starting from October, she said.
At the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, 32,000 to 40,000 pilgrims are visiting per day against 10,000-15,000 pre pandemic. "During the extended weekends, due to the rush, pilgrims had to be stopped at the base in Katra. Once the rush eased, they were allowed to visit the shrine. Helicopter services and fares have also doubled during this time, said Rajesh Sharma, tourism officer at Katra.
In a bid to tap into this high-potential yet unorganised segment, travel companies are expanding their portfolios to include a range of ready-to-book pilgrimages and personalised spiritual journeys. Products start at ₹20,000 per person for a 5-day tour, with personalised options priced at ₹2,00,000 per person for a 6-day tour.
Rajeev Kale, president & country head-holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India), said, "With the government's strong focus on connectivity and infrastructural development, spiritual locales are attracting interest from not only seniors and families but also from millennials and group of friends." Thomas Cook and its group company, SOTC Travel, have witnessed a 35% growth in specific spiritual tourism packages over pandemic levels and 15% over pre pandemic levels.
Daniel D'souza, president & country head-holidays, SOTC Travel, believes, "Spiritual tourism will propel the revival and growth of tourism in India."
Some of the top religious spots are Char Dham Yatra , Do Dham, Vaishno Devi temple, Venkateshwara Temple , Golden Temple, Ajmer Dargah Sharif, and Velankanni Church. The hospitality sector is also looking to increase its footprint in this segment, say experts. "We have a strong presence across the country's pilgrimage spots such as Amritsar, Ajmer, Tirupati, Katra, Varanasi, Nashik, Haridwar, Rishikesh and Dwarka, said Deepika Rao, executive vice president, Indian Hotels ( IHCL).
Occupancy in these locations have spiked, of late: IHCL says it is seeing occupancy above 90% in Tirupati, and over 60% in markets such as Ajmer, Amritsar, Rishikesh and Haridwar.
Amritsar looks set to book as well, says Kamaljit Singh, general manager, Hyatt Regency, Amritsar: "We are expecting a spike from NRIs, especially from Canada, Australia and Singapore for Darbar Sahab visit in Q4 of 2022."
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- Sebi Set to End Permanent Board Positions
Reining in special rights, ASBA-like system for stock trades, and allowing PEs to become MF sponsors are also on agenda.Vedanta Likely in Talks to Sell 10% in India Unit
With debt repayments up to $2 billion maturing by June, billionaire Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Resources Ltd (VRL) has reached out to investors for a strategic stake sale of up to 10% in India-listed Vedanta Ltd (VEDL), said people with knowledge of the matter.India’s Return to Normalcy has a Price & Households are Paying It
The return to normalcy from the pandemic has turned out costly for households with office and school requirements triggering a spike in prices of items such as shirts, trousers, shoes, coats and school uniforms among others.
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In the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, it took Neil Armstrong close to three days to reach the Moon. But guess what. It takes just as long, or longer in some cases, to transfer money from one country to another, even today. Technology has not been able to make any significant dent in cross-border payments, and banks—the primary movers of money across countries—still rely on legacy systems.
Multiple financial institutions from Money Transfer Outlets (MTOs) to banks and neighbourhood shops are involved in a tedious exercise. The process is inefficient, costly and time-consuming. But the market is up for grabs. Over $600 billion is sent between countries every year, according to the World Bank. If anyone came remotely close to disentangling this web, the compliance and regulation procedures could be enough to spook them out.
Not a surprise then that few companies globally have dared to attempt it. And Indian firms have been far fewer. Not TerraPay though. This company wants to make cross-border payments as instantaneous as a text message, and cheap too. “When one can send an SMS instantly, why should sending payments from one country to another be any different,” says Ambar Sur, founder and CEO of TerraPay.
That was the thought that set the ball rolling. TerraPay is a curious little company. Headquartered in the Netherlands, it helps people transfer money between seven countries across Africa, Europe and the Middle East. But it is run by Indians based out of Gurgaon and a lone member in Goa. “Setting up a cross-border payment business in India is tough due to the tax regulations involved in dealing with money across different currencies,” says Ramakrishnan Sundaram, TerraPay’s COO, who is based out of Goa for the last six years.
Did you know that India is the largest remittance receiver in the world? Almost $69 billion comes into the country, according to a 2016 World Bank report. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed only banks to carry out remittances inward and outward. Needless to say, companies, which want a slice of the remittances pie, have to partner with banks in order to move money. That’s not very lucrative. So naturally, India wasn’t TerraPay’s first choice to begin operations in.
Africa is where TerraPay went first. And the fintech explosion in Africa is the single biggest reason to be there. Even though close to 80% of the population in Africa is unbanked or underbanked, the ubiquity of a mobile network presence has powered fintech companies to bring payment solutions to countries like Kenya and Tanzania.
Sur relies on telecom analogies to make his point. After all his first company CellCloud built systems that powered value-added services for mobile operators.


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Honoring past presidents by shopping is now American tradition, let’s face it. And merchandisers aren’t shy about using Presidents Washington or Lincoln to hawk their wares. But there have to be legal issues surrounding the idea of plastering presidential images on everyday merchandise like coffee mugs or key chains. Right?
Mitch Stein is a New York attorney who specializes in intellectual property. He says slapping a president’s face on an ad for discounted mattresses is — perfectly legal. Sort of.
This all stems from something called “the right of publicity.” These are laws granted by states that give an individual the right to control their own image. And the longevity of those rights — whether or not they last after death — depend on the state in which the individual was living in when they died.
In California, the heirs of an individual have rights to the image for 70 years after death. In New York, rights end after death. Lincoln and Washington had passed away long before the right of publicity was adopted as law so their images are considered fair game (even expected).
But President Regan? He passed away in 2004 as a resident of California. His family will own the rights until 2074. So that “Ronald Reagan is my homeboy t-shirt” you can find on the web? President Regan’s family probably didn’t license that.
Political statements (as the t-shirt could be considered) and art are protected under the First Amendment. But what about coffee mugs and bobble heads? That’s where it gets dicey.
“We know art on the one hand is protected. Probably coffee mugs are probably not protected but where that line falls in the middle is really something that the courts continue to try to sort out,” says Stein.
But Stein says you don’t often see the heirs of former presidents taking the makers of such items to court.
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Lease a Bike has been the official business club partner of Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach since the 2021/22 season. Since then, the club's employees have been able to choose their dream bike and use it both for commuting to work and for leisure. In the course of the last season, 40 employees have already opted for a new bike and thus also for sustainable mobility. In this way, the association, in cooperation with Lease a Bike, is making an important contribution to environmental protection.
The service bike leasing provider Lease a Bike is launching its own podcast "Ab aufs Rad - Get on your bike - the podcast with Lease a Bike". You can listen to six exciting episodes and learn a lot of interesting facts about bicycle leasing and company bikes. Lease a Bike expert Dennis Langlets talks about leasing advantages for employees, companies and the self-employed. as well as green mobility, sustainability and popular employee benefits.
Together with Statista, Lease a Bike conducted a study on the topic of "company bike leasing and sustainable mobility" among German employees. Many exciting and new findings emerged - for example, 59% of employees would like their company to provide them with a company bike.
Service leasing is one of the most important employee benefits for a company to present itself as attractive on the labour market. The job portal Stepstone has also recognised this trend and invited us to their podcast "HR Snackbar".
Borussia Mönchengladbach has a new official sponsor for the 2021/2022 Bundesliga season in the form of the company bike leasing provider Lease a Bike. But that's not all: with the Lease a Bike bike leasing offer, the football club is offering all its employees a sporty alternative to the company car and is thus making a major contribution to green mobility.
Werder Bremen has extended its partnership with Lease a Bike for the 2021/2022 season. The company bike leasing provider from Cloppenburg will thus remain the official supplier of the northern club. As part of the partnership, SV Werder offers all of its employees a sporty alternative to a company car with the Lease a Bike bike leasing service, thus making a major contribution to green mobility.


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Holy bidding war, Batman!
The Scottsdale-based Barrett-Jackson Auction Co. has announced that it will bring the original Batmobile to the 42nd annual Scottsdale auction in January.
The auto was created by custom-car legend George Barris for the “Batman” TV series starring Adam West that ran for three seasons starting in 1966.
“The 1966 Batmobile by George Barris is one of the most famous Hollywood cars in history and it has become a true icon that has been carried from generation to generation of Batmobiles to follow,” said Craig Jackson, Barrett-Jackson chairman.
It became “the real star of the show,” he added.
Barris used a 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car that he bought from Ford Motor Co. for $1 as a platform for the crime-fighting bat ride.
The 19-foot car is a bubble-top two-seater with a 390-cubic-inch 1956 Lincoln V-8 engine.
Some of its gadgets include a bat-ray projector, bat phone and a bat smoke-screen fogging device.
The Batmobile will be auctioned with other high-value cars on the evening of Jan. 19 at WestWorld with prices likely to hit seven figures for some of the collectible automobiles. This is the first time the car has been offered for sale.
Barris created the Batmobile in 15 days with a $15,000 budget from 20th Centruy Fox Televsion, according to Barrett-Jackson.


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Local Who Dats are working together to boycott the Super Bowl, with plans for a “Boycott Bowl.” And we don’t think we need to remind the world why, right? Right.
The Boycott Bowl, an event still in the works, is a protest concert scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 3, opposite of the Super Bowl. According to the event’s Facebook page, organizers want to throw the music festival to provide the Who Dat Nation the opportunity to celebrate the New Orleans Saints and the city’s culture.
Founders Brandon Rizzuto, Travis Laurendine and “Kango Slimm” Williams report that Who Dats have donated over $5,000 to cover the project’s expenses. The event’s website allows fans to purchase tickets for as little as $10 to reserve a seat. Fans who donate more will have the option of multiple tickets or a VIP package.
So, who’s all in?
While the location of the event has not been announced yet, organizers reveal details about an initial lineup.
So far, the Boycott Bowl lineup will feature:
- CHOPPA, leading a “Choppa Style” Dance Contest
- Shamarr Allen & The Underdogs, performing, known for the fan anthem “Hit the Sean Payton”
- Partners N Crime and The Big EZ Band
- The Vettes
- Ricky B
- Flow Tribe
- Khris Royal and Dark Matter
- Michot’s Melody Makers featuring members of The Lost Bayou Ramblers
- Dash Rip Rock
Organizers say they will donate concert proceeds to The NORD Foundation. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit boycottbowl.com.


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Hyundai considering Genesis-based luxury SUV
We could see a luxury Hyundai SUV as early as 2017
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That’s the latest word from Reuters , which spoke to four people close to the matter, but at least one executive says there is “no certainty” the luxury SUV could even happen.
“We are timid when it comes to bigger SUVs,” one of Reuters ‘ sources said, who asked to remain anonymous. Hyundai faces a handful of hurdles in introducing an upscale SUV, most notably the brand’s lack of power in the luxury segment and the possibility of higher gas prices.
If the SUV happens, we could see it in about two years’ time. But that’s a big “if” as Reuters points out Hyundai’s track record with the Veracruz (though it’s since been replaced by the Santa Fe XL ), as well as a lack of pickup trucks could also be a challenge for Hyundai seeking an edge over rivals such as the Acura MDX and Lexus RX .


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The IT and tech industries are ever changing, and it’s very hard to keep up with ever-changing on at the moment, never mind what will happen in the future.
Having said that, we love a challenge here at Industry Connect, so we’re ignoring our own advice and making these 5 predictions about the coming year.
The Trump Effect
Let’s not pretend that Donald Trump becoming the leader of the most powerful nation on earth isn’t going to affect the IT Industry. He’s already proved he’s very anti-science, and this will surely have an effect on funding and investment for certain areas.
Trump met with some top tech executives back in December, including Elon Musk, Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, and Apple CEO Tim Cook, but the meeting seemed to be more a truce than anything productive.
Although Silicon Valley are a pragmatic bunch, so we’re sure they’ll make the best of a bad situation and at the very least find a way around Trump’s gag orders.
Yes, we know, AI has been promised every year since the Terminator was released, but it’s really come along in the past few years, and 2017 might just be the year it finally explodes. AI is showing a lot of potential at the moment, with software like Google Translate or Amazon’s home assistant Alexa starting to make ripples. With Driverless cars on the horizon, 2017 may be remembered as the year we seen the first true AI be born. When we’re all living in the Matrix, just remember you heard it here first!
Apple’s bounce back
Remember the last time you were genuinely excited about an Apple product launch? Yeah, us neither. It seems like Apple has lost their spark since Steve Jobs died, but in reality the technology has just hit a plateau. Tablets can only become so big and fast before they’re no longer tablets, and the same can be said for phones. True innovation is hard to come by, as wireless earphones that everyone makes fun of proves.
But Apple are Apple, and they can’t go another year without being cool or they may lose that status forever. 2017 should see some form of new product from them, something that sets them apart from Samsung and Microsoft. Whether it works or not is another question, just as long as people start camping out again to be the first to own it.
Hacking and Security will both be ramped up
According to Intel Security, there were around 707 million cybersecurity breaches in 2015, with 554 million in just the first half of 2016. This year, hackers are learning to use artificial intelligence to automate their attacks, making it even faster for them to break into targets’ accounts.
On the opposite side is encryption. Last year the FBI got into a legal battle with Apple about unlocking a terrorist’s iPhone. Since then, encryption technology has exploded in popularity, with people worried that the Government are going to use terrorism as an excuse to breach people’s privacy.
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
Virtual Reality is the next big thing in the gaming world, with the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Sony’s PlayStation VR fighting for superiority. On the other hand, Pokemon Go showed us Augmented Reality and how it quickly took the world by storm.
Expect to see a push towards both these things with new products hitting the shelves in 2017. Gaming may be taken to a different level, but having VR and AR on everyone’s phone is where the real money is at, and the tech giants know it.
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Over the years, we have helped hundreds kick-start an IT/software career. (Verifiable evidences are available on this website)
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Fri., November 5, 2010 9:11am
Georgia Boosts International Trade
The Department of Economic Development is hosting a series of missions and trade shows in Cuba, Germany and Turkey to tighten trade relations.
Fri., July 23, 2010 9:07am
Big Companies Boost State Economy
This week brought very good earnings reports for several major Georgia-based companies. And that could have a trickle-down effect in getting the state’s economy moving again.
©Copyright 2015, Georgia Public Broadcasting. All Rights Reserved
Georgia Public Radio®


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Consumers upbeat on hopes of mainland policy easing
Survey shows positive sentiment for business conditions and jobs at its highest this year
Mainland consumers are most optimistic since January with expectations for business conditions, jobs, personal finances and spending power all pointing higher, according to a new survey of attitudes in the 30 biggest mainland cities.
The turnaround in sentiment from a low in March signals a belief the government will not allow a further deterioration in economic growth, which slipped below the official 7.5 per cent target in the first quarter to 7.4 per cent.
"While an undercurrent of caution still remains, the survey indicates that the anxieties gnawing away at the consumer through the first four months of the year lessened considerably in May," said Huw McKay, a senior economist at Westpac, which sponsors the MNI China consumer sentiment indicator.
The indicator's five sub-indices rose from last month, although it still left the overall sentiment gauge just a whisker below its long run average calculated from April 2007.
Latest government data - for last month - signalled relatively soft domestic demand in the economy. The nominal value of retail sales growth fell, although they accelerated in real terms when adjusted for inflation.
The latest household survey by the government depicted a steady growth in urban and rural household consumption since December last year. Real urban consumption spending rose 7.2 per cent in the first quarter from a year ago, accelerating from 6 per cent in the preceding quarter.
Current conditions in the consumer sector were their most vibrant so far this year, according to the survey, with a turnaround in employment prospects being a notable finding, alongside a pickup in optimism that home prices are set to continue to rise.
Beijing's efforts to cool house prices since 2012 have soured sentiment, but the recent relaxation of selected policy calming measures and a steady stream of government investment in infrastructure projects broadly appear to be filtering through to consumer perceptions.
The sentiment indicator builds on information MNI has gathered since 2007 and a databank of over 100,000 reference points to enable analysis of mainland consumer activity by city, region, income, gender and age.


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Americans Can Now Make Political Donations Using Bitcoin
This week the Federal Election Commission gave permission for political action committees to accept the cryptocurrency. They can also purchase Bitcoin with existing funds, but they can't use it to buy goods or services.
The US Federal Election Commission (FEC) announced this week that it has approved Bitcoin contributions to political action committees (PACs) as well as the purchase of Bitcoin by PACs using existing funds. In response, at least one congressman, Jared Polis (D-CO), put up a special donation page “almost immediately.” No limitations were set, but some PACs are accepting contributions of up to US$100. They are forbidden from buying goods or services in Bitcoin; it must first be converted into dollars and deposited into a bank account.
What’s the Big Idea?
The announcement represents yet another tentative governmental step towards the cryptocurrency, since it comes a few months after the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offered Bitcoin guidelines to taxpayers for the first time. Notably, Super PACs have no limits on how much money they can receive, which could mean a future in which Bitcoin fundraising plays a much larger role. Meanwhile, FEC chairman Lee Goodman thinks the standard federal cap on donations should apply regardless of whether the money is real or virtual.
The US Navy is working with several universities on a new multi-year project designed to figure out how to engineer moral competence. One big challenge: Science still doesn't know exactly how it works in humans.


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FTC Announces More Aggressive Use of ROSCA to Obtain Monetary Relief
On June 7, 2021, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a proposed settlement with MoviePass. Interestingly, FTC staff attorneys used the used the proposed settlement to announce a completely new and original way of obtaining monetary relief. The case raises legitimate concerns for digital marketers that offer negative option programs because it indicates that the FTC now intends to use ROSCA to challenge any potentially misleading, deceptive or unfair aspect of an autorenewal program.
By way of reminder, the Supreme Court recently held in AMG Capital Management that Section 13(b) of the FTC Act does not authorize the FTC to obtain monetary remedies by initiating enforcement actions in federal court. Section 13(b) was historically invoked by the FTC in order to challenge unfair and deceptive acts and practices.
In what appears to be an effort to circumvent that ruling, the FTC proposed MoviePass settlement evidences an attempt to interpret the Restore Online Shopper’s Confidence Act more broadly in pursuit of monetary relief in consumer fraud matters.
The Restore Online Shoppers Confidence Act is federal statute governing online negative option programs. In short, ROSCA requires sellers to “clearly and conspicuously” disclose all “material terms of the transaction” and obtain consumers’ “express informed consent” before charging them for online negative option features.
Here, though, the FTC does not actually allege issues relating to the company’s billing disclosures or consent mechanism. Rather, FTC lawyers alleged that the company interfered with its customers’ ability to use the movie-ticketing subscription service in the manner that it was advertised, and that MoviePass did not reasonably protect the personal data of its users (resulting in a 2019 data breach).
Specifically, the FTC alleges that the company deceptively marketed a subscription service for customers to view movies at theaters for a monthly fee. However, once customers purchased a subscription, the FTC alleges that MoviePass used different methods that actually prevented subscribers from accessing the advertised service. For example, the FTC alleges that the company limited the movies customers could view, blocked account access and invalidated subscriber passwords. The FTC also alleges that the company implemented an onerous ticket verification program and blocked groups of subscribers.
The FTC’s complaint alleges that MoviePass’ practices rendered its “one movie per day” promise false or misleading in violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act. What makes this matter so novel is that the FTC alleges that MoviePass’ practices violated ROSCA, because MoviePass failed to obtain consumers’ express informed consent prior to charging their credit or debit cards, and that consumers did not know that promises of “one movie per day” were allegedly illegitimate. Thus, consumers could not have provided express informed consent.
By using ROSCA in this manner, the FTC has signaled that it could have demanded that MoviePass pay equitable monetary relief as well as civil penalties under Section 19 of the FTC Act, which authorizes those remedies when a defendant has violated “any rule” that the FTC has authority to enforce.
Commissioner Phillips explained in a dissenting statement:
The novelty here is that, for the first time, the Commission is treating a deception about the characteristics of the underlying product — not the negative option feature — as a violation of ROSCA. To data, all the complaints filed by the Commission that allege ROSCA violations in the negative option context with a first party seller have involved defendants hiding a negative option feature, not obtaining express informed consent before charging the consumer, or failing to provide a simple mechanism for cancelling the recurring charge. Instead of examining whether consumers understood the negative option feature, had given consent to that, or were able to cancel in a simple way, this complaint instead looks to the characteristics of the product that MoviePass sold … The Commission is thus announcing that it may seek civil penalties against all businesses that use online negative option features where the Commission determines that there has been any material deception, whether relating to the negative option feature or a characteristic of the underlying product.
Commissioner Phillips criticized the FTC’s novel interpretation of ROSCA.
“The Commission’s decision dramatically to re-interpret ROSCA and expand liability comes just weeks after the Supreme Court’s decision in AMG Capital Management, LLC v. FTC, which held that equitable monetary relief is not available under Section 13(b) of the FTC Act,” he said. “I believe Congress should amend the statute. But I do not agree that our loss of authority under one statute someone creates authority elsewhere.”
The company’s CEO and the parent company’s CEO were also named in the complaint. The proposed consent order prohibits MoviePass, its parent company, and the individuals from misrepresenting their services in the future. It also requires them to implement a comprehensive security program to identify and address security risks. As has become more common in recent years, the operators shall also be required to obtain biennial third-party assessments of its security program.
Takeaway: The matter reflects a new enforcement tactic by the Federal Trade Commission and is a clear warning to the digital marketing industry. In a concurring statement, Commissioner stated: “Given the inaugural use of ROSCA for this purpose, it is appropriate that the Commission is foregoing civil penalties. Businesses need predictability about the manner in which laws will be enforced and should be afforded the ability to contest new uses of authority. This case will serve as notice to the market, and future violations of this type may well warrant civil penalties.” Thus, all signs seem to point to the FTC more aggressively using ROSCA in order to obtain monetary relief for a broader range of false or misleading advertising representations involving the underlying products and services associated with online negative option features. Businesses are well-advised to evaluate negative option disclosures and identify necessary changes, including, but not limited to, pre-enrollment, consent and fulfillment disclosures.
This article should therefore be of interests to digital marketers that are engaged in the use and offering of negative option features. Consult with an experienced FTC lawyer if you are interested in discussing the implementation of preventative measures, if you have received a CID from the Federal Trade Commission or if you have been named as a defendant in an FTC enforcement action.
Richard B. Newman is one of the leading FTC defense lawyers in the digital marketing space at Hinch Newman LLP. He defends digital marketers in regulatory claim substantiation proceedings.
Informational purposes only. Not legal advice. May be considered attorney advertising.


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On the ground floor of central Beijing’s Shimao Gongsan Plaza shopping mall, a highly caffeinated standoff is taking place.
A few steps along from a branch of Japanese clothes store Muji, most of the seats in a Starbucks branch are full. Their occupants, with eyes invariably harpooned towards smartphones, are drinking 35 yuan (£4) Americanos as they give their arms respite from the weight of heavily stuffed shopping bags.
A five-second walk further north, the new kid in town and country has set up shop. There are a few bar stool-style seats next to the Luckin Coffee service booth, but they remain unused as the apron-wearing baristas do a steady trade in take-out coffees, sold at around 80% of the price of the US neighbour. As Luckin customers stroll purposeful out of the mall as they sip, Starbucks counterparts faff over branded tat in the queue.
Launched in October 2017, Luckin Coffee, a Chinese startup brand of coffee outlets, has seemingly come from nowhere to be considered a serious contender for Starbucks’ high street coffee crown in the country.
Having operated in China for 20 years, in January 2019 Starbucks had 3,521 stores in the country and is aggressively expanding there, as it concentrates on the land of tea as its main market globally.
In January Luckin had 2,000 outlets, and aims to reach a figure of 4,500 before the end of the year. If achieved, it would likely overtake Starbucks’ outlet count, which is expected to be around 4,100 by the end of 2019.
Starbucks successfully brands itself as premium in China, increasingly focusing on drink-in experience with inviting venues typified by Shanghai’s Roastery outlet: at 30,000 square feet the world’s biggest Starbucks branch, which comes across as more of a theme park than a café. In contrast Luckin is all about digital, delivery and discount.
In May, Luckin debuted on the Nasdaq exchange at US$25 a share. The company’s ascending firework profile has led many industry observers to view it as a serious challenge to Starbucks in China.
Amid the hype, there are equally serious concerns that the brand is offering sweeteners over substance. Having spent US$111m in 2018 on advertising and marketing, plus offering huge discounts as standard, that year the company lost US$123m.
Luckin has not been shy about its Starbucks-smashing ambition, giving bullish public statements about growth while making no bones about the strength of its rival behind closed doors. Peter Radosevich, international sales team leader with coffee trading firm Royal Coffee, told Foodservice Consultant that Luckin had poached high-ranking Starbucks corporate staff, tempting them with inflated salary offers.
In January, Luckin CEO Qian Zhiya said the company “aims to become China’s biggest coffee chain brand by the year end, totally surpassing Starbucks by cups of coffee sold and number of shops.”
It is far from another Chinese copycat company. Although Luckin is too new for its brand values to be solidified among the public, in contrast to Starbucks’ premium public image, the newcomer has become known as providing mediocre drinks extremely conveniently. Only available via digital purchase, consumers order via China’s ubiquitous messaging and payment app WeChat then pick up from an outlet or have it delivered. Almost all orders are heavily discounted.
With Luckin continuing to lose millions of dollars per month largely due to discounting, there can only be so much runway left. However Yuwan Hu, consultant with Daxue Consulting, believes that Luckin’s heavy discounting will need to continue for most of the following year for it to have a good shot at becoming profitable.
“If you have Starbucks and Luckin Coffee in front of you, at the same price, people choose Starbucks,” she says. “But if consumers get used to it [through discount buying] they will re-buy Luckin coffee on a regular basis. But they still need a certain amount of time to do so.”
Hu compares the strategy to that of Chinese car-hailing app DiDi, which has become widely used in China following its launch in 2015 with an extended period of discounted rides. Now, with heavy discounting not regularly on offer, DiDi remains the go-to ride choice for many, despite rides not being much cheaper than street-hailed taxi rides.
Radosevich says that Luckin may find long-term success by focusing on Chinese cities beyond the enormous ‘tier one’ cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, where coffee competition is most fierce and customer habits are more established. Trendy cafes may be common in the hipster streets of cosmopolitan Shanghai, but China as a whole has a tiny per capita consumption rate of around six cups. It’s still a new market in most places.
“In a lot of ways Luckin and Starbucks are attempting to serve different parts of the market,” says Radosevich. “It’s possible that Luckin will be more successful in tier two and tier three cities rather than in tier one cities because consumers who have less disposable income are going to be more attracted to the value that Luckin offers than people in Shanghai or Beijing.”
Hu agrees. “In the most highly developed cities we can see people are consuming coffee every day, especially white-collar workers,” she says. “But in the lower tier cities many people are not into this coffee culture. Education is coming in terms of coffee drinking, and people are growing more familiar with it [coffee culture].”
With such outlay there remains potential for a spectacular Luckin Coffee failure once the financial runway runs out of tarmac. Adding to the danger is Starbucks’ increasingly proactive response to the company’s thrust into its market.
Luckin has opened many outlets that are delivery-only, with Starbucks responding by opening more small stores focusing on quick service rather than cosy seating and ‘experience’ – although stores offering the latter are opening just as frequently.
Also, somewhat late to the delivery party, last year Starbucks teamed up with China’s Ele.me delivery app, to help close the convenience gap between the US company and the bullish Chinese startup. Wang Zhendong, chairman of Shanghai Feiyue Investment Management Co Ltd, told Ecns.cn: “Starbucks has been preoccupied so much on opening more and bigger stores in China in recent months that its new delivery project appears more like a passive defence against the fast rise of Luckin.”
Defensive moves by Starbucks may be uncharacteristic in China, where the company has been confidently attack-minded over the past two decades. But despite the impressive numbers of the Chinese newcomer, the US firm’s iron-strong brand values are not to be underestimated. Sometimes viewed in the West as a negative bastion of global capitalism, in China Starbucks is established as a cool, desirable brand worth shouting about on social media.
Today, Beijing’s Starbucks venues are rarely quiet, with customers often paying as much attention to logo-adorned trinkets sold at the counter as they do the drinks. In lower tier Chinese cities people walk around with cheap coffee poured into knockoff Starbucks mugs, fooling onlookers into thinking they’re sipping with the elite.
That’s a hard image to puncture, and if both Luckin and Starbucks are to thrive it may be that their direct rivalry eventually dissipates, as they occupy differing tiers of the market. That the consensus that Starbucks coffee is way, way better tasting than Luckin’s seems almost secondary.


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Just as Amazon unveiled the Amazon Echo with Alexa, the Harman Kardon Invoke is being launched later this year with Cortana from Microsoft.
The device takes the form of a speaker that can control music and smart home devices, as well as accept incoming calls from Skype. With the help of Cortana, Microsoft's digital assistant, users are able to execute a range of hands-free tasks. As a brand that is known for its expertise in the world of audio and music, Karman Kardon created Invoke in premium materials with hardware to offer a powerful 360-degree sound.
As more digital assistants and robots are being launched to automate tasks within, as well as outside, the home, entertainment systems and components like speakers are once again becoming integral parts of the household.


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Samsung have just announced that their Galaxy phones may have a security risk. Samsung Galaxy's keyboard software and how it accepts data as it is updating seems to be the problem. You also need to be connected to a compromised network to be affected.
However, according to the Wall Street Journal, this Samsung Galaxy keyboard fault has been an issue since November 2014. Apparently, researchers at NowSecure found a bug in many Samsung Galaxy phones that could allow hackers to spy on Galaxy phone users. This security issue was apparently reported to Samsung and their reply was the issue had been rectified and a patch for the keyboard program had been sent through to Samsung Galaxy users. The Wall Street Journal also claim Samsung asked them to "wait three months before going public."
The researchers from NowSecure did this and after the time was up, purchased new Samsung Galaxy phones to see if the patch worked on the compromised keyboard software. Apparently, it did not and NowSecure CEO Andrew Hoog decided to share his findings with the Wall Street Journal as well as distributing a report on the fault.
Samsung was quick to respond with a statement on their Galaxy phones, claiming the two instances were "unrelated." You can view the full statement from Samsung below.
"On Tuesday, we learned that a security vulnerability exists in Samsung's Android keyboard software. This was publicly revealed yesterday in a statement in The Wall Street Journal by NowSecure, which they claim was reported to Samsung in November 2014."A Samsung spokesperson issued the following statement on Wednesday: "Samsung takes emerging security threats very seriously. We are aware of the recent issue reported by several media outlets and are committed to providing the latest in mobile security.
"This vulnerability is unrelated to and does not affect our SwiftKey consumer apps on Google Play and the Apple App Store."
"We supply Samsung with the core technology that powers the word predictions in their keyboard. It appears that the way this technology was integrated on Samsung devices introduced the security vulnerability. We are doing everything we can to support our long-time partner Samsung in their efforts to resolve this important security issue."
"The vulnerability in question is not easy to exploit: a user must be connected to a compromised network (such as a spoofed public Wi-Fi network), where a hacker with the right tools has specifically intended to gain access to their device. This access is then only possible if the user's keyboard is conducting a language update at that specific time, while connected to the compromised network."
"Samsung KNOX has the capability to update the security policy of the phones, over-the-air, to invalidate any potential vulnerabilities caused by this issue. The security policy updates will begin rolling out in a few days."Do you own a Samsung Galaxy phone? How do you think this vulnerability will affect you? Let us know by commenting below!
"In addition to the security policy update, we are also working with SwiftKey to address potential risks going forward."
For clarity, this issue does not affect SwiftKey's consumer keyboard applications on Google Play or the Apple App Store, and we are absolutely committed to maintaining world-class standards in security and privacy practices for our users."
[Image credit: NowSecure screen capture]


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- Noom carved a niche in the crowded weight-loss market with a behavioral-science based program and full-time health coaches.
- The app taps into the pandemic-fueled wellness economy, which has ballooned into a $4.5 trillion global business.
- Now with $400 million in sales, Noom is targeting men, businesses and stress management for growth.
Madeline Pietschnig lost 20 pounds on weight-loss app Noom, but for the 27-year-old mother of two school-aged boys, that alone is not a victory.
She’s shed just as many pounds on other weight-loss programs, but the weight didn’t stay off. And then her disappointment and disengagement kicked in, as did the self-blame and shame.
This time is different, she told CO—.
On Noom, “I have not only lost that weight, but I have maintained that weight loss — which is a first for me,” Pietschnig said. “Noom teaches the psychology behind our thoughts regarding weight loss and eating. It has rewired my entire way of thinking about weight loss and the everyday food choices I make.”
What’s more, “I have never been asked to remove any foods from my diet and I have never been shamed for my shortcomings,” she said.
Pietschnig signed up for Noom in 2020, when the app’s sales doubled to $400 million, from $200 million in 2019, wooing users with “psychology and human empathy enabled by tech,” Saeju Jeong, CEO and co-founder, told CO—. By design, Noom looks the culture of shame surrounding weight gain squarely in the eye and tells it to leave the room.
Via artificial intelligence and more than 3,000 full-time wellness coaches, the app delivers content developed by psychologists, nutritionists and behavioral health specialists aimed to change the eating habits of consumers — many who’ve borne the psychic toll of failed diets — long term, and from the inside out.
Indeed, psychology is the linchpin of Noom’s business model. That’s because “Noomers,” as they’re called, join the app with “a lot of emotional baggage regarding weight loss, and often immediate health issues whereby they need to lose weight,” he said. “Why is that? Because most of the available weight loss services unfortunately didn’t work for them over years.” So, they come feeling stigmatized and have internalized defeat, Jeong said.
“We understood that once we applied psychology and the power of human empathy with tech,” it bottled a path to healthy eating habits that are sustainable, too, he said.
Jeong is now leveraging this holistic mind-body-and-soul approach to the business of weight loss to drive growth this year as it courts men, 20% of users today, and builds its business-to-business arm, while tapping research and development to offer more robust stress and anxiety management solutions.
We were arrogant. I was blinded, thinking, ‘We have the best AI tech.’ AI tech? It’s freaking humans, empathy, love and passion. People need people. Humans need humans.
Saeju Jeong, CEO and co-founder, Noom
‘Health is the new luxury’
With an app subscription plan that tops out at $59 per month, Jeong says he’s on a mission to democratize healthcare for everyday folks who are increasingly taking wellness into their own hands. “People are seeking a healthy, high-quality lifestyle,” he said. “Health is the new luxury.”
He’s not wrong. The wellness economy has ballooned into a $4.5 trillion global business, fueled in part the proliferation of Noom’s digital startup brethren, which span telemedicine disruptors like Doctors on Demand to fitness phenom Peloton to therapy-geared apps like Talkspace.
The pandemic has only accelerated the trend, stoking the growth of holistic health and fitness coaching platforms like Noom, Vida Health and GOQii, according to a report from business intelligence firm CB Insights. They’re among the 70-plus health tech startups that raised a record $2.3 billion last year, catering to consumers who’ve formed new habits amid the pandemic by “capitalizing on the digital connections consumers are establishing through fitness equipment, wearables, apps, and more,” CB Insights reports.
Delivering ‘health care versus sick care’
Jeong, who is from South Korea and comes from a family of doctors, never set out to build a weight loss company. He wanted to create a far-reaching health management solution, and in this regard, Noom is a love letter to his father, who died at 51 when he was 21.
Jeong’s father was a celebrated physician in the country, but to Dr. Jeong, that renown felt somewhat hollow. Throughout a medical career treating patients with chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, Dr. Jeong never got a chance to prevent those very conditions via healthy eating and regular exercise. For the doctor, that left a patient-care wish unfulfilled, like work undone, Jeong said.
“He told me before he passed away, ‘All I did, son, from morning to night, was take care of sick people,’” he recalled. “‘I became a sick-care pro, not a healthcare pro.’ My father felt bad about that gap,” he said. “That’s the reason why I started Noom.”
‘We struggled so many years’ — then an ‘a-ha’ moment
Noom is far from an overnight success story, but instead a 13-year-long tale of trial and error marked by now-shuttered apps. “We struggled so many years to build the business,” Jeong said.
In 2008, Jeong launched fitness activity tracker CardioTrainer followed by Calorific in 2010, a color-coded calorie-counting app. Both failed to meet Jeong’s mission to build an affordable and scalable healthcare solution that would make the most impact on the greatest number of people.
Then came his first “a-ha” moment. “Losing just 5% of one’s body weight is a priceless gift that will immediately impact your sugar level, blood pressure and brain function,” Jeong realized then, citing CDC research.
When he zeroed in on weight management as the most efficient way to deliver health to the masses and tackle chronic conditions, “the gateway to total health,” that’s when Noom started to take shape.
The first iteration of Noom launched in 2011, bringing to market a digital weight-management tool powered by content steeped in psychological therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help users meet physical and mental health goals by changing their habits for good. Artificial intelligence supercharged the app, as virtual AI robots coached users on their Noom weight-loss journeys.
But it still wasn’t enough. The tool alone did not get consumers to change their eating habits, so he shut it down.
“We were arrogant,” Jeong said. “I was blinded, thinking, ‘We have the best AI tech.’” Turns out, the app was missing the magic ingredient: the human touch. “AI tech? It’s freaking humans, empathy, love and passion. People need people. Humans need humans.”
So, in 2017, Noom relaunched, replacing robots with full-time, certified human coaches, now the beating heart of its business, and the app took off. “People loved it,” Jeong said. “It was the right product/market fit.”
A behavior-science platform staffed by on-demand human coaches
Today Noom, which Jeong calls a behavioral science platform, is equal parts psychology, technology and group therapy, with a curriculum based on CBT, but also disciplines like mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR.)
He touts the app’s science- and peer-reviewed, evidenced-based approach to holistic health and weight loss as its differentiating sweet spot in the market.
For one, Noom is accredited by the National Consortium for Credentialing Health & Wellness Coaches (NCCHWC). And its credentialed coaches all hold at least four-year and more advanced degrees in health-and-wellness-related disciplines.
Via instant messaging, coaches foster a one-on-one relationship with Noomers, offering on-demand guidance, support and accountability, as the app allows the coach to see a user’s meal and activity logs.
(Jeong stressed that Noomers set the tone of that interaction, helped by AI technology, which personalizes the user experience based on their preferences and behavior patterns.)
When asked about the proprietary psychological model underlying what Noom calls its “curriculum,” Andreas Michaelidies, chief psychology officer, said the platform’s Noomiversity training program “prepares coaches to facilitate empirically validated, substantial behavior change.” Said another way, the program pinpoints the “behavior chains” behind users’ existing habits and the source of their struggles, so that they can reverse course to make positive pivots, he said.
Noomers are schooled in nutrition and healthy eating via a green, yellow and red color system of low- to high-caloric density foods, and are sent daily quizzes and articles like, “Introduction to the Psychology of Weight Loss,” “What Type of Eater Are You?” and “The Only Seven Habits You Need,” shepherding them through courses that advance one from a “Noom novice” to a “Noom master.”
Users on like-minded health journeys join coach-led peer groups, where chats ensue on topics from healthy treats for a virtual tailgate party to daily and weekly inspirational nuggets and challenges, like, “What can you do this weekend to serve your wellness needs?”
Personalization is another part of the equation, as Noom leverages AI to monitor every user session, so that the program is customized to an individual’s eating, lifestyle and even thinking patterns, albeit anonymously.
Noom says 64% of users on the program lose over 5% of their body weight, and 60% keep the weight off for over a year.
While Jeong would not comment on competitive programs, WW, formerly known as Weight Watchers, has reported that 25% of its users kept off at least 5% weight loss for 12 months.
“I think Noom is working because our approach is very organic — we’re not giving them any fad diet or system, instead helping them to understand the psychology” behind their choices — which means that Noom is not a quick fix when it comes to weight loss: Achieving sustainable, healthy outcomes typically takes time, he said.
Growth pillars: Male consumers, businesses and stress management
It’s a point of pride for Jeong that Noom has been cash-flow positive for over a year, as many hyper-growth startups are not, he said.
To drive further growth this year, the app is placing a big emphasis on research and development to roll out new stress and anxiety management solutions this year, which two-thirds of Noomers have expressly asked for, Michaelidies said.
Men are another (underserved) growth target. “In the male market, they don’t talk about losing weight, they talk about building muscle,” Jeong said, “yet many men face pressing health issues.”
The company is also angling for a bigger slice of the B2B market and is expanding its preventative-care platform to employers and healthcare providers that will offer Noom as a reimbursed benefit.
Jeong, who notes that Noom’s diabetes prevention program was the first of its kind to be recognized by the CDC, sees this as one way to broaden its reach and lower folks’ risk of future illnesses. By changing behavior, “we want to help many, many lives,” Jeong said. Which is just what his father wanted.
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Event Recap: Social media strategy tips
Watch the replay from our latest Roadmap for Rebuilding event, where the panel discusses how to choose a platform, build your plan, and make the most out of your social media marketing strategy.
Published February 17, 2021


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Where's Tesla going to build? No permits in Nevada - yet
For weeks now, the Reno Gazette-Journal has been checking building permit filings with the city of Reno, Washoe County and Storey County after Nevada was named as one of four finalists for Tesla's planned $5 billion battery facility. And so far? Nothing.
The other states Tesla's eyeing for its "gigafactory" are Texas, Arizona and New Mexico.
Tesla recently announced that it will further narrow down the number of finalists to two before picking its final location. In an unusual move according to site selection experts, Tesla will break ground in the two sites before it selects the winner.
"We are approaching a down-select stage in the process, which will likely see two locations emerge," spokeswoman Alexis Georgeson previously told the RGJ. "We will break ground on these locations in parallel to minimize risk of delays."
Potential sites in Northern Nevada include the Reno-Stead Airport, located in the North Valleys, and the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center in Storey County.
A look at several months of building permit applications with the city of Reno failed to show any filings using Tesla's name. Tesla also could file a permit under an assumed name just like Apple did with its data center, which used the moniker "Project Jonathan."
A search of filings based on property type, however, did not show any viable candidates based on the scope of a potential Gigafactory.
No Gigafactory-related filings were found under Tesla or an assumed name with Storey County, which is the location of TRI, as well as Washoe County, which houses sites such as the Reno Technology Park. A search of Secretary of State filings under Tesla and its executives did not return any records as well.
The RGJ will continue to check back with permit filing sources until Tesla's official announcement. Tesla expects to announce the site for the Gigafactory within the next couple or so months, Georgeson said.


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The bank check is a payment method that, although it was very present in the business world in the past, today it has been completely relegated to the background.
Specifically, it was used as a means of payment to pay large amounts of money, for example, when buying a home. Nevertheless, its use is becoming more and more rare.
“In 2021, processed 24 million checks with an average amount of 7,665 euros, which represent 0.95% of all operations carried out through the national payment system (SNCE)”, they explain from the Bank of Spain blog.
This figure contrasts a lot and is far from the almost 60 million checks that were cashed in 2012precisely 10 years ago, which shows the evolution of payment systems thanks to new technologies, although the reduction in their use has been constant since before the entry of the euro.
The reason the check is no longer used
The main reason why the bank check is no longer used as a payment method when paying large amounts of money is, without a doubt, the competition that the cards suppose.
To this is added the competition that transfers also entail immediate for smaller checks, which is why the average amount per transaction increases.
However, we must know that “the check is still reluctant to abandon us”, which means that can still be used as a payment method.
The same has not happened in other countries in the economic environment, where it has completely disappeared: “According to the payment statistics published by the ECB, in a total of 15 EU countries its use is testimonial or zero. France is the country where it is used the most, although it shows a notable decrease, followed, far behind, by Italy, Portugal, Spain and Ireland,” concludes the ECB.


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As dairy prices continue to rise, however, forcing rising prices on everything from gallons of milk to cheese-laden take-out pizzas, people are starting to take note of the agreement. Specifically, the South Koreans' love of suddenly competitive American-sourced cheese. Pizza is huge in South Korea, with the top four of the country's 70 pizzeria chains operating exclusively with American-made mozzerlla. Pre-packaged string cheese, most commonly purchased from convenience stores, is becoming a staple in the country as well.
So great is the impact of the increased purchasing that South Korea entered the top 10 importers list in 2011 and, by 2013, was the number two importer, surpassed only by Mexico.
The end result is that dairy prices are up 17% year over year, which will have an impact on food producers budgets, as they're now paying 17% more for dairy products. All because of a trade agreement that got next to no press or publicity.
The impact of tariffs and agreements established, the question turns to how is your company preparing for them?
Is someone monitoring the political landscape and looking for agreements and laws that can have an effect on your budgets? Your suppliers' budgets? Their suppliers' budgets?
Is someone monitoring invoicing to see if a price has been lowered to reflect reduced trade costs resulting from an agreement?
Are contracts, current and future, written to fairly account for the impact agreements like these can have?
It's easy to focus on the impact newsworthy conflicts can have - such as Russian action on the Black Sea - and how force majeure clauses should be constructed in conflict areas. They are areas of strife and conflict, and they're constantly in the news. Agreements between allies and partner nations, particularly agreements that loosen up trade, should not go unnoticed. Once identified, any such trade agreements should be analyzed for both potentially negative and potentially positive impacts to current and future contracts.
To supplement my aforementioned point about South Korea's love of cheese - check out this article from SeriousEats.com listing some of the country's pizza offerings. Triple-layered cheese pizza! Cookie crusts topped with shrimp and potato!!


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PSNews - On the occastion of the 65th anniversary of the Capital’s Liberation Day (October 10, 1954), the Hanoi’s Department of Information and Communication on October 2 kicked off a book festival named "Hanoi - The City for Peace", attracting the attention of thousands of visitors.
This year’s event marks the sixth edition of the festival and is being jointly organised by Hanoi’s Department of Information and Communication, alongside a range of domestic publishing houses and book distributors nationwide.
With the theme "Hanoi - The City for Peace", the book festival introduces books and documents of domestic/international publishing houses and book distributors nationwide including: Children's books; literary and social books; economic, scientific and technical books; foreign language books; electronic books and digital devices…
Additionally, foreign embassies throughout Hanoi including those from France, India, Italy, Indonesia, and the Czech Republic are showcasing books from their respective nations and participating in cross-cultural exchange programmes during the five-day festival.
In particilar, during the opening ceremony held on October 2, the Hanoi People’s Committee unveiled a new book titled “Hanoi-20 years of the city for peace”. The release of the book aims to introduce Hanoi’s achievements after being recognised as the city of peace by the UNESCO 20 years ago.
Moreover, a wide range of activities are also taking place during the event, including exchanges between famous authors and book lovers, a storytelling competition, and a talk on astronomy.
By Linh Bui


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It didn't work five years ago, but a rejuvenated image and fast-approaching holiday shopping season have returned Apple Computer to Circuit City, where this month it will again try its hand at selling Macs.
Last week, select Circuit City employees were sent to Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. where they were paired with Apple Solution Consultants (ASCs) for a week-long training expedition. The goal of the program was train Circuit City reps to effectively market the Mac and its strong-points, rather than lure prospective buyers towards their own familiarities in the Windows PC isle.
"This is a pilot program that's just getting underway and we will evaluate how it is doing over the next several months," Circuit City spokesman Jim Babb told AppleInsider. He added that in addition to Macs, the retailer would also stock select Mac software titles and accessories.
Circuit City, the nation's second largest consumer electronics retailer, and Apple, the world's most recognized niche computer manufacturer, have run this course before. In July of 2000, the two companies announced they were teaming to offer Appleâs iMac, iBook and AirPort products throughout Circuit City's then 570 retail stores. But with Mac maker cutting the ribbon on 27 of its own retail stores the following year, the two companies mutually decided it would be best to go their separate ways.
Things could play out differently this time around, say insiders. With its brand now booming and the first signs of Mac market share gains peering through the clouds, Apple is reportedly considering a move that would pull ASCs from CompUSA boutiques — a deteriorating model — and reassign them to trendy Circuit City posts. Insiders say the Mac maker's relationship with CompUSA has been waning with each new Apple retail store it launches.
The move into Circuit City is just on facet of a much broader strategy from Apple, aimed at increasing the number of worldwide distribution points for its Mac product line. While the company's iPod digital music players can easily be located in over 40,000 shops, there are only about 7,000 locations where customers can purchase a Mac; and even fewer where customers can first take one for a test drive.
Earlier this year, Apple began testing a similar pilot at select west coast Best Buy locations. Like Circuit City, Best Buy has indicated that it is prepared to scale the pilot program "rapidly" if results prove strong. During a conference call in July, Apple said was "evaluating results" of the program but had ">nothing new to announce
">nothing new to announceat that time.
An expanded deal with Best Buy, which operates more than 900 outlets nationwide, could add more than $400 million to Apple's top line each year, analysts have said. Circuit City, though smaller, could prove to be an equally fruitful venture with 600+ locations.


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Sunbury’s Business Association has expressed “extreme concern” about Hume council’s “inability” to solve the town’s carparking issues.
Last week the association made a submission to the council’s draft 2017-18 budget, asking that it allocate funding to fix the parking problems in Sunbury’s town centre.
There were no funds allocated to investigate parking in the council’s draft budget, released on May 8.
In it’s submission the Sunbury Business Association (SBA) highlighted the impact a lack of parking had on residents, businesses and the community.
It claimed many shoppers travelled to retail centres outside of Sunbury to avoid the town’s congestion.
“Feedback from SBA members, the Sunbury business community, shoppers from Sunbury and surrounding regions, and the general public, is that impacts are widespread,” SBA president Michael Osborne wrote.
“Every day, more local and regional income is being spent outside of Sunbury.”
The association also raised concerns that the parking issues would only get worse as the population grew.
According to the Sunbury South Precinct Structure Plan, another 33,000 residents are expected to move into Sunbury.
Mr Osborne said “it [didn’t] make sense” to plan for population growth while infrastructure was limited.
At its June 13 meeting the council agreed to investigate what long-term and short-term parking was available in the Sunbury town centre as part of its 2017-18 Local Area Traffic Management Study.
The council will also write to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan to discuss parking issues.
Hume’s 2017-18 budget was expected to be adopted on Monday, after Star Weekly went to print.


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Maryland State Retirement & Pension System boosted its holdings in Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA – Free Report) by 3.5% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 211,295 shares of the electric vehicle producer’s stock after acquiring an additional 7,176 shares during the quarter. Tesla accounts for approximately 1.2% of Maryland State Retirement & Pension System’s holdings, making the stock its 9th largest position. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System’s holdings in Tesla were worth $55,311,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Tesla by 0.7% during the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 99,683,820 shares of the electric vehicle producer’s stock valued at $20,680,162,000 after buying an additional 685,454 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Tesla by 1.9% in the 1st quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 50,047,967 shares of the electric vehicle producer’s stock worth $10,358,912,000 after purchasing an additional 938,216 shares during the period. FMR LLC raised its holdings in Tesla by 3.9% in the 1st quarter. FMR LLC now owns 33,326,389 shares of the electric vehicle producer’s stock worth $6,913,893,000 after purchasing an additional 1,244,230 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new position in Tesla in the 4th quarter worth $3,459,540,000. Finally, Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Tesla by 180,125.4% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 26,851,778 shares of the electric vehicle producer’s stock worth $3,307,602,000 after purchasing an additional 26,836,879 shares during the period. 41.87% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Analyst Ratings Changes
TSLA has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on Tesla from $248.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, July 3rd. StockNews.com began coverage on Tesla in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a “hold” rating for the company. Barclays lowered Tesla from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $220.00 to $260.00 in a research note on Wednesday, June 21st. Guggenheim reiterated a “sell” rating and issued a $125.00 price target on shares of Tesla in a research note on Wednesday, August 30th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an “underperform” rating and issued a $150.00 price target on shares of Tesla in a research note on Thursday, July 20th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eighteen have assigned a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $239.43.
Tesla Stock Down 0.6 %
Shares of NASDAQ TSLA opened at $274.39 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a current ratio of 1.59 and a quick ratio of 1.07. The company has a market cap of $870.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 77.73, a PEG ratio of 4.30 and a beta of 2.09. Tesla, Inc. has a 1 year low of $101.81 and a 1 year high of $313.80. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $255.83 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $220.81.
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 19th. The electric vehicle producer reported $0.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.69 by $0.22. Tesla had a net margin of 12.97% and a return on equity of 26.10%. The business had revenue of $24.93 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $24.22 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.65 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 47.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that Tesla, Inc. will post 2.94 earnings per share for the current year.
In other news, CFO Zachary Kirkhorn sold 3,750 shares of Tesla stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $278.70, for a total transaction of $1,045,125.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 197,540 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $55,054,398. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, CFO Zachary Kirkhorn sold 3,750 shares of Tesla stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $278.70, for a total transaction of $1,045,125.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 197,540 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $55,054,398. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, SVP Xiaotong Zhu sold 1,065 shares of Tesla stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $249.62, for a total transaction of $265,845.30. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 59,540 shares in the company, valued at $14,862,374.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 55,815 shares of company stock valued at $14,384,135. Corporate insiders own 25.10% of the company’s stock.
Tesla Company Profile
Tesla, Inc designs, develops, manufactures, leases, and sells electric vehicles, and energy generation and storage systems in the United States, China, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Automotive, and Energy Generation and Storage. The Automotive segment offers electric vehicles, as well as sells automotive regulatory credits; and non-warranty after-sales vehicle, used vehicles, retail merchandise, and vehicle insurance services.
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dow brings the face of innovation to k 2016
Dow to promote its world-class technologies, culture of collaboration and commitment to sustainability through the innovative “faces” of its people
HORGEN, SWITZERLAND - June 16, 2016 - The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: Dow) will showcase world-class expertise, technologies and award-winning innovations from its Packaging & Specialty Plastics (P&SP), Elastomers, and Electrical & Telecommunications businesses at K 2016 – the largest global gathering of the plastics and rubber industry, held October 19-26, 2016 in Dusseldorf, Germany.
Through its ‘Face of Innovation’ theme, Dow will demonstrate the latest developments in technologies and applications, as well as shine a light on what is behind every innovation – a team of world-class scientists, researchers, marketing experts and value chain partners that together result in accelerating transformative ideas into real-world solutions for customers worldwide.
“For us, behind every innovation there is a story of the people who have worked hard to bring that idea or growth opportunity to life. This is what we will be highlighting at K 2016… the Face of Innovation,” comments Diego Donoso, Business President for Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics. “Dow’s R&D experts, our Pack Studios innovation centers, and Technical Services & Development leadership means that Dow is able to collaborate with our customers to develop solutions that meet consumer preferences. K 2016 offers a giant global stage and tremendous opportunity for our customers to see and experience first-hand our latest product advances and how they were created.”
Dow is at the forefront of the plastics industry with new innovations for markets ranging from food packaging, transportation, infrastructure and appliances to consumer durables, utilities, healthcare, medical and more.
Increasing consumer demand in emerging regions such as the Middle East, Turkey, Africa, India, and Asia Pacific also means new opportunities. Dow invites K 2016 attendees to learn more about global growth and partnership opportunities made possible by its latest world-scale plastics growth investments. For instance, Dow’s joint venture in the Middle East, the Sadara Chemical Company, has begun ramping up polyethylene production and delivered its first product to India in February. Dow’s investments on the U.S. Gulf Coast will also provide further growth opportunities for customers in the Americas.
“We want to highlight customer successes and demonstrate the opportunities for mutual growth that come from our partnerships spanning across the entire value chain and our investments spanning the globe. The Face of Innovation is a great platform to do this,” said Greg Jozwiak, Business President, Dow Elastomers and Electrical & Telecommunications. “Whether customers are looking for technical information, practical advice, or inspiration for their next innovation, they are sure to find it with Dow at K 2016.”
At K 2016, Dow will provide a dynamic, first-class experience for customers, with a business and hospitality center, an interactive collaboration zone, and application/sample spaces on its stand. This is the ideal space for Dow customers and other partners to meet with Dow and see the Face of Innovation and industry thought leaders, to engage and learn more about the many exciting innovations happening across the industry.
Visit www.faceofinnovation.com to learn more about how Dow is bringing innovation to life. Stay up-to-date with the latest news and events, and find out more about the Dow stand in Hall 8a.
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company is driving innovations that extract value from material, polymer, chemical and biological science to help address many of the world's most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, clean energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's integrated, market-driven, industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 180 countries and in high-growth sectors such as packaging, electronics, water, coatings and agriculture. In 2015, Dow had annual sales of nearly $49 billion and employed approximately 49,500 people worldwide. The Company's more than 6,000 product families are manufactured at 179 sites in 35 countries across the globe. References to \"Dow\" or the \"Company\" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.


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Big Movers in the Stock Market
Stocks that were moving substantially or trading heavily Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Stock Market.
Alltrista Corp., up $4.25 at $27.55
The consumer products and materials business has agreed to buy Tilia International, a home food preservation products company, for $145 million in cash and $15 million in debt financing. Alltrista expects the acquisition to double its consumer products revenue and add to its earnings per share immediately.
Solectron Corp., up 80 cents at $7.80; Lucent Technologies Inc., up 39 cents at $4.73
Solectron said it has reached a three-year agreement to produce optical networking equipment for Lucent. Solectron expects the contract to generate about $2 billion over three years.
Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc., down $3.65 at $27.09
The pharmaceutical company said the Food and Drug Administration has rejected its Oxytrol skin patch for overactive bladders, saying more information is needed.
TrueTime Inc., up $1.50 at $3.15; Symmetricom Inc., down 30 cents at $6.19
TrueTime, a manufacturer of precision time and frequency products used in technology, is being acquired by wireless products provider Symmetricom for $5 million cash and 2.6 million shares.
Sonus Networks Inc., down 20 cents at $2.62
The maker of voice infrastructure products reduced its first-quarter forecast citing continued weakness in the telecommunications market.
Juniper Networks, up 70 cents at $12.62
The networking company said first-quarter results will fall below Wall Street's estimates because of continued cautious spending by its customers. But some investment firms, including Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch, expressed optimism that the company will perform better in the future.


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Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS Line Now Selling Protective Face Masks
Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS Face Masks
SKIMS shapewear brand has developed a line of seamless face masks in an effort to help protect its customers amid the coronavirus pandemic. On Saturday (May 16th), SKIMS officially launched the new product on their website.
The masks are available in five different neutral-toned colourways, and are selling for $8 each, two for $15, or four for $25.


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Honda Rebel 500
Kia Sonet Kia QYI
2020 Hyundai i20
Royal Enfield Meteor 350
Lada Vesta SW and Lada Vesta SW Cross now available to order in Russia
03/10/2017 - 13:11
The Lada Vesta SW and Lada Vesta SW Cross entered production in Russia on 11 September 2017. Dealerships in Russia started accepting orders for both models on the 19th of the same month. d
Lada Vesta Cross spied up close in Kazakhstan [Video]
29/05/2017 - 13:45
Will hit the Russian market in Q3 2017. The Lada Vesta sedan was launched in November 2015 and currently, its adventure-styled estate version is in the development stage. Dubbed 'Lada Vesta Cross',..
Lada Vesta Wagon/Lada Vesta Cross spotted on test
20/06/2016 - 11:32
Lada Vesta range to include up to four models in the future. Lada launched the Lada Vesta sedan on November 25, 2015 last year and has sold over 15,000 units of it as of May 17. The company will..
Lada Vesta hatchback to launch in 2017 - Report
05/05/2016 - 13:49
Currently available as a sedan. People looking to buy the hatchback version of the Lada Vesta will have to endure a long wait, as it is expected to arrive at Russian dealerships only in the Autumn..
Lada Vesta sedan enters Russian police fleet - IAB Report
08/01/2016 - 16:58
Regular model available for sale in limited numbers. The Russian Police has placed an order for a fleet of Lada Vestas, which has been showcased in the their livery at a conference that commemorate..
Long-wheelbase Lada Vesta spotted for the first time - Spied
03/11/2015 - 14:15
Could be introduced along with station wagon model in the near future. Along with the regular sedan that is slated for launch on November 25, Lada could, interestingly, also introduce a long..
Lada Vesta on track for November 25 launch date in Russia - Report
31/10/2015 - 19:52
Will be sold in limited numbers, initially. AvtoVAZ has confirmed to Just Auto that the Lada Vesta will launch on November 25 across Russia. To secure quality issues, the Lada Vesta will be sold..
Lada Vesta station wagon to be introduced after Vesta sedan - Rendering
12/10/2015 - 12:07
Vesta sedan to launch in Russia in November 2015. Following the launch of the regular Lada Vesta sedan, the company could introduce the Lada Vesta hatchback and Vesta Station wagon. Graphic artist..
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