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General Motors unveiled a few enhancements to its in-car assistance program OnStar on Sunday that could save customers money -- and maybe even prevent them from getting stranded somewhere.
Among the new features unveiled at the International CES in Las Vegas is a so-called "prognostic" extension to OnStar, giving it something of a crystal ball when it comes to potential maintenance concerns. OnStar can currently send notifications to users for basic issues, such as loss of tire pressure or past-due engine oil changes. Starting in the 2016 model year, OnStar will be able to monitor even more.
Initially, the system will be able to monitor and report on the health of the car's battery, its starter motor and its fuel system. If low voltage from the battery is detected, for example, or excessive draw from the starter, the OnStar service can notify the car's owner that they should consider replacing the soon-to-be faulty parts -- long before they get stranded in a cold parking lot somewhere.
Also coming are some enhancements to the commerce side of things. Starting next year, subscribers will be able to book hotels on Priceline.com, with an OnStar adviser handling the heavy lifting. Later, a program called AtYourService will launch, connecting drivers to various sorts of businesses. You'll be able to directly purchase titles through Audiobooks.com, for example, or get coupons and offers from RetailMeNot delivered right to the dashboard. Dunkin' Donuts is also said to be onboard, offering directions and incentives for drivers to stop and get a hot cup of Joe.
If the idea of coupons flashing up based on where you drive is a little disconcerting, you're probably not going to like the sound of the third and final OnStar enhancement. A new driver monitoring application will be able to track the habits and basically give you a rating and some guidance on how to improve your safety.
Score well and you can forward that result on to Progressive Insurance, potentially making you eligible for insurance discounts. Yes, that's similar to the sort of functionality you'd get though Progressive's current Snapshot device, just built into the car.
Don't worry, though, as this will be completely optional when it starts getting phased in to cars this year, so if you don't want Big Brother watching you can, at least, hand him a blindfold.
Again, many of these programs are set to begin roll-out in 2015, while all should be in place in time for 2016 model year cars from GM.


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What happens when a thin eggshell comes in direct contact with a sharp nicking tool?
Licheng district in Jinan, Shandong province is promoting the preservation of its traditional handicrafts by integrating with local tourism, cultural creative product development, intangible heritage cultural workshops, and rural vitalization.
A livestreaming event featuring local intangible cultural heritage items was held in Rencheng district, Jining on May 6.
The Chinese writing brush dates back 3,500 years and is strongly tied to Chinese characters and calligraphy.
Shandong province in East China is regarded as an important cradle of Chinese civilization.
Jinan has a history of 2,600 years, and is blessed with profound cultural heritage items.
Dough sculpture is a traditional Chinese handicraft and an intangible cultural heritage item that used to be popular among children all over China.

domain: news


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Final Fantasy XV after getting a demo at Microsoft’s E3 presser just got a small trailer at Sony’s too. The trailer, weird as it was, featured Afrojack… Yeah you heard that right.
Also Final Fantasy XV is coming to VR and will allow you to play as Prompto.
Check out the Final Fantasy XV Playstation E3 Trailer below:
Final Fantasy XV is in development for the PS4 and Xbox One. The game releases on September 30 later this year.


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Coca-cola: If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, video clip culture, that is.
In June, Coca-cola dismissed the Diet Coke & Mentos videos as “an entertaining phenomenon," saying "We would hope people want to drink [Diet Coke] more than try experiments with it." The company found the "craziness with Mentos ... doesn't fit with the brand personality" of Diet Coke.
One month later, the "craziness" was viewed as harmless, and potentially lucrative.
Coca-cola explains its about face in a tongue-in-cheek presentation, “Products and Packaging Myths and Rumors”:
A rumor has been circulating the Internet that a boy has died in Brazil from eating Mentos and drinking Coca-Cola light. This is a hoax, most likely triggered by the well-known "Diet Coke/Mentos fountain phenomenon." This story is not true; Appears to be linked to a number of amateur videos that have appeared on the Internet, which show people, for fun, mixing Mentos candies with Coca-Cola light (or Diet Coke) to produce a reaction that causes the Diet Coke to shoot into the air. This reaction is thought to be caused by carbon dioxide (which gives carbonated soft drinks their fizz) permeating the porous surface of the Mentos.
The Company has capitalized on the popularity of this harmless stunt and has launched a contest that is based on it.
In June 2006, a video clip produced by Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz began circulating on the internet that showcased an elaborate demonstration of the reaction that occurs when Mentos brand candies are dropped into bottles of Diet Coke. The video, created through an acting troupe called EepyBird, created an immediate online sensation and has since been viewed millions of times. There was no Company involvement in that video.
In July 2006, the Company re-launched www.coca-cola.com as its new Coca-Cola brand site. The new site features user generated content driven by regular challenges that invite consumers to post their own videos in response to creative “briefs” that outline a particular theme. The videos are judged and prizes awarded to winners.
Given the strategic direction of the new website, the Company entered into a sponsorship agreement with the producers of the video to create a new video which is more elaborate. The Company has featured the new video on its site along with a challenge asking consumers to create their own video around the theme of “Poetry in Motion.” The challenge is not asking people to recreate the Diet Coke and Mentos video. The video will also be available on Google Video and the producers’ site and will include post-roll advertising and banner advertising driving viewers to Coke.com (see “Showing on Google Video, not YouTube (yet)”).
John Stichweh, Director, Global Interactive Marketing, Coca Cola Company, has said of the Google Video/Coca-Cola deal, ““How many more cases of Coke am I selling? I don’t know” (see “Coca-Cola: Will Google Sponsored Video really sell cases of Coke?”).
Speaking at an Ad-Tech panel last month, Stichweh put forth that Web 2.0 marketing spends do not provide a “measurable link to sales” and noted the difficulty of evaluating the incremental benefits of consumer generated media investment and of justifying the ROI from a shareholder’s perspective.
Coca-cola is nevertheless determined to exploit the “entertaining phenomenon” to the fullest; It is now collaborating with Google’s other video site, YouTube, in "video greeting cards for the holidays":
It is the latest evolution in the development of Coca-Cola.com following the re-launch of the site in July 2006 that included user-generated content and the addition of digital music downloads in August. We continue to give people new ways to express themselves and connect with others online. Partnering with YouTube helps us bring creative content to a broader community.
For the first time people will be able to send their own personal videos as a holiday greeting card online. Visitors can share their holiday spirit by uploading their own videos, customizing video greetings created by popular YouTube personalities, Geriatric1927, Boh3m3, TerraNaomi, Renetto, TheWineKone and LisaNova, or sharing holiday-themed videos from Coca-Cola including clips from vintage Coke advertisements. Select video greetings that users have chosen to share with the world will be featured as part of a video playlist on Coca-Cola.com called the Holiday WishCast and will be seen by people around the world.


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Before there was LGBTQ+ Pride, there was police brutality and riots. Black Lives Matter started with protests against the senseless killings of innocent Black people by the police with no accountability.
Every June, without fail, companies change their logos to a rainbow version of it, and the rainbow-themed is steadily rolled out. Come July 1, all of that disappears.
The Black Lives Matter movement has officially been around since 2013. Since then, companies have started making apparel and accessories to show support, but only after another killing has occurred and subsequent protests. These products have really made a resurgence this year after the murder of George Floyd and the still ongoing protests.
All of the companies doing this, producing activism apparel, are only doing it for profit. They see the trend and the possibility of high sales and they make the merchandise. They are exploiting pain and activism and identity for their own good, and it's honestly infuriating.
If you are a small brand making this stuff and are black and/or LGBTQ+, fine, that's your identity and you actually care. Most of those small brands donate portions of the proceeds to corresponding organizations that support the movements, which also shows care. If it's the official organization selling things, even better. This anger is directed at big corporations that don't care about us.
Using these movements and more as a commodity devalues said movement. It is not to bought and sold. These movements, these protests, these celebrations, are fighting for people's lives and people's rights. Selling a shirt that was made by underprivileged and underpaid women in a different country is almost hypocritical. Activism isn't meant to be bought and sold.
Modern-day Pride is a celebration. It is a celebration of who we are as LGBTQ+ people. There used to be so much shame in identifying as such, and in a lot of places, it still is. That is why pride exists. It's not just a party. It's a place for people who have been hiding to be free, to be themselves. Yes, Pride has evolved since 1969, and yes, we have made amazing strides, but there's still work to do. Pride is still a protest in the face of homophobia and transphobia. Pride is still a place where we fight for our rights. It has become a celebration because no one else would celebrate us.
Now the fact that big brands will sell pride merch, exclusive to June (even though we celebrate pride all year round), just feels off to me. These are brands that know where the money is and that is all they care about. They do the bare minimum during June, and completely stop caring the day July starts. If they actually cared, if they actually supported LGBTQ+ people both on the inside of their brand and as models, influencers, etc., it wouldn't feel as....icky.
I am speaking about BLM as a white woman, so take this with a grain of salt. But I only really saw BLM clothes and accessories in the first month, give or take, of the George Floyd nationwide protests. That is when people are paying attention the most, and thus more susceptible to buying. Profiting off of Black misery is, and this should go without saying, horrific. It's been a pattern in the U.S. for the past 400 years, but there's no need to perpetuate it. Profiting off of this just seems incredibly disrespectful. Not through the fault of the protestors, just that of the media, when BLM gets accessorized, it becomes downplayed, and attention shifted to the statement of wearing it rather than the point of the movement itself.
We have arrived at a point in time where we have this unnatural urge to monetize everything. We must stop to think through what we are doing, and why. Capitalism beats down the already oppressed, so why take our activism to the free market?


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Samsung is turning out to be the only smartphone brand other than Motorola to update a number of existing devices to Android 5.0 Lollipop. It has already rolled out the sweetest version of Android to the Galaxy Note 4, the Galaxy Note 3, the Galaxy S4, and the Galaxy S5. However, it has reportedly halted the Lollipop update for the Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy S5 in Norway due to a number of bugs.
One of our regular readers from Norway has pointed out that Samsung pulled the initial Lollipop update (which was rolled out in January) for the Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy S5 due to a number of bugs, including the one where Contacts app doesn’t work and com.android.phone freezes from time to time. Apparently, Samsung Norway has admitted this on its official Facebook Page, and a lot of users are complaining there about these lingering problems after the update.
Thanks for the tip, Magnus!


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IBM has established a new cloud-based service, helping automakers build IoT-connected vehicles.Connected cars may offer a range of services, including predictive vehicle maintenance, real-time diagnostics on engine trouble, and guiding drivers to the most efficient traffic routes, with IBM looking to assist manufacturers in harnessing driver and vehicle data.
In announcing the move, IBM cited research finding that by 2020, 90 per cent of new cars will be equipped with extensive connectivity services, stating automakers are increasingly turning to IoT solutions.
Gartner earlier this year forecast that there will be 250 million connected vehicles on the road by 2020, with connected cars set to play a major role in IoT.
IBM stated its service will help manufacturers gather data from individual sensors that can be combined with other data for real-time analysis.
“The service provides driver, vehicle and environmental insights through analytics, tapping both vehicle and geolocation data collected in the car,” IBM stated.
The service will also deliver “new insights from third party data, such as from parking providers, as well as an automotive manufacturer’s customer data and vehicle history”.
“With the significant increase in connected cars, automotive manufacturers have the ability to take near-real-time data and put it to good use for drivers in a variety of ways – from finding the nearest parking space and most efficient route, to maintenance alerts that help drivers expect the unexpected,” Dirk Wollschlaeger, IBM general manager, global automotive industry, commented.
“By combining data directly from the car with other sources, the insights derived through the IBM IoT for Automotive solution have the potential to change how we interact with our vehicles moving forward.”
Intel this week also announced a new connected vehicle initiative, establishing the Automotive Security Review Board to help “mitigate cybersecurity risks associated with connected automobiles while encouraging technological progression and innovation”.


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Monday, December 9, 2013
Clearlake Capital Rolls Up Three Companies Into Calero Software
Santa Monica-based private equity investor Clearlake Capital Group has rolled up three companies into a new company called Calero Software, the company announced today. Clearlake Capital said that Calero is made up of the business operations of Veramark Technologies, PINNACLE, and Movero. The new company will focused on communications expense management, managed mobility services, and mobile device management products. Clearlake did not announce any of the financial details of the rollup, but did say that Wells Fargo Capital Finance and Stellus Capital Management helped finance the deal.


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Every entrepreneur who appears on Shark Tank wants to have an update segment filmed; that means they've been successful. Maria Curcio and partner Veronica Periongo, the women who scored an investment from ALL FIVE Sharks in episode 402, are getting their update segment just a few months after their original air date. The Sharks invested in BuggyBeds, an early bed bug detection product, that has gone from measured growth to a global powerhouse in less than a year. Since episode 402 is re-running on 12/7/12, I gave Maria a call to see how things were going ar BuggyBeds.
Filming BuggyBeds Update Segment
Maria told me the camera crews were down in Freehold, NJ filming an update segment for Shark Tank in late November. “They shot the update segment in our homes, since we started the company out of the garage. We also shot at our new 6,000 square foot warehouse and at a Home Depot where we sell a lot of our product.” Maria was very excited about the film crews, even though no Sharks showed up for filming. “The past year has been amazing,” she continued, “we've had increasing sales every month since February.”
Maria wasn't sure when the update segment would air, but I suspect it will be some time in January. That's probably why ABC is re-running the BuggyBeds episode now, so the business will still be fresh in fans' minds.
Shark Investment Stalled
I asked how things were going with the Sharks. “We haven't closed the deal with Sharks. We're still in due diligence, but there are some stumbling blocks with legal issues surrounding our women owned company certification.” Maria went on to say that in order for a company to retain its certification as a women owned company, women need to control 51% or more of ownership. There are other investors so “the Sharks complicate that situation,” she said.
Shark Tank doesn't film an update segment unless the company featured is a success story. BuggyBeds has grown by leaps and bounds since their September air date. “We'll be in over 600 Home Depot stores in the next few weeks. We're also talking to WalMart and we've just been certified to sell in Canada, we'll be on a Canadian Home Shopping Network and over 200 stores up there too. We've been getting calls from all over the world; we'll be in 23 countries by February. My head is spinning reading all the different languages on the packaging!”
In addition to BuggyBeds' growing retail presence, online sales have been strong. “It's a real testament to the quality of our product when people are willing to pay $15-$30 to have it shipped to another country. We've been endorsed by housing authorities, we were the product of the month for several months on Smart Mommies' Top Ten Things to Buy, it's been overwhelming. Veronica and I have been working 15-20 hours a day since September but we haven't had to make one cold call; we have calls coming in from all over the world.”
Besides running a growing global business, Maria, who is sometimes called “Mrs. Wonderful,” is doing paid speaking gigs and appearing on morning TV shows. She stays pretty busy! “We've been getting proposals from other inventors, too. Every insect trap inventor wants to work with us. We even had a guy pitch us a hamburger product!”
For now, Maria and Veronica are busy growing their business. They'll be watching Shark Tank and keeping an eye out for their update segment in the weeks to come. Tonight's re-run happens to come on Maria's 50th birthday. “I can't imagine a better present!”


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AVIA is proud to announce the acquisition of Scan2CAD.
After many successful years of marketing Scan2CAD, Softcover International Ltd passed the reigns to AVIA.
This has allowed AVIA to seize the opportunity to market, support, and drive an enhanced development program that will ensure that Scan2CAD remains a market leader in Raster (and PDF) to Vector conversion software.
George Kennedy, Head of Development at Scan2CAD said “I’m extremely pleased with AVIA’s decision to market Scan2CAD. It brings new energy to the progress of Scan2CAD, already a market leader”
AVIA has made a long term commitment to Scan2CAD and looks forward to establishing Scan2CAD as the prime product in its range for quality, affordability and excellence of support.
Customer support is a key requisite to the future success of Scan2CAD and AVIA welcomes old and new Scan2CAD customers alike to participate in driving their future vision for Scan2CAD.


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Many U.S. car owners want to protect their investment at the ends of the axles.
Upscale wheels cost thousands.
Wheel-and-tire-replacement plans, virtually nonexistent 15 years ago, now are hot-selling finance and insurance products in the U.S., particularly at high-end dealerships.
“They have almost become a core product,” says Rick McCormick, training director at Automotive Financial Services, an F&I firm.
The rise in popularity corresponds with increased replacement costs. Run-flat tires can cost $500 each. Accessorized alloy wheels start at that much. Four upmarket rims can approach the price of a new entry-level subcompact.
It wasn’t like that years ago in the era of ordinary inflatable tires and plain hubcaps. Today, it has reached a point where many premium car owners carry insurance plans to protect the investments at the ends of the axles.
Consumer Reports cautions readers to avoid buying several F&I products, notes Steve Lynch, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services’ western regional manager. “But even CR says wheel-and-tire protection is valuable. We’ve had customers asking for it.”
He tells of a Mercedes owner who opted for the plan and ended up filing seven claims for damages incurred during his daily commute in Los Angeles.
“That guy got more than his money’s worth on that F&I product, especially because we replace, not just repair,” Lynch says. “We were tempted to go up there and patch the road he takes to work.”
The cost of claims has skyrocketed. Consequently, some insurers are considering offering limited plans. “I think you’ll see a variety of offerings, including ones that repair, rather than replace, tires,” Mike Burgholzer, senior vice president at Warrentech, says at a recent F&I Industry Summit.
Garret Lacour, head of RoadVantage, is one of the pioneers of wheel-and-tire protection plans. “We were the stepchildren for so many years,” he says. “But the product speaks for itself. There isn’t a driver that hasn’t had tire and wheel damage.”
Dealership F&I managers pitch the plans in different ways, he notes. “I’m not a believer in scare-tactic selling, but one F&I guy makes it a point of stepping over a damaged rim as he heads to his desk, telling customers, ‘That’s mine, and it would have cost me $1,200 to replace it without insurance.”
Mercedes Financial encourages dealers to set up displays to draw customer interest. Some setups include damaged wheels retrieved from the store’s service department. “It’s not the display itself as much as what you do with it,” Lynch says.
Mercedes Financial started offering wheel-and-tire protection plans in 2006 after dealers pitched the idea at a meeting. Two years later, the captive-finance company introduced an enhanced version that can be financed as part of a vehicle lease or purchase.
Almost anything can happen when it comes to the only part of the vehicle that actually touches the roadway. “One dealer sent us a photo of a tire with a fork sticking in it,” McCormick says.
Burgholzer adds, “Road debris is everywhere.”
The more expensive the car, the more costly the wheels and tires, and the greater the chances an owner will get a protection plan for those, says David Duncan, president of F&I provider Safe-Guard Products International. “At Porsche F&I offices, it’s 100%. At lower-end stores, it’s 30%. ”
The take-rate varies by region and the overall condition of roads in particular areas, he adds.


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Feedback: What did you think of this show?:
Victor Rozsnyay joins The Space Show live from Budapest, Hungary to discuss his research and company work in the field of controlling gravity. He explains the implication of controlling gravity for creating cost effective space access to LEO, the Moon, asteroids, Mars, and beyond. Mr. Rozsnyay talks about the theories behind his innovative research and why both he and his researchers believe gravity control to be completely plausible. We also discuss the spin-off technology from his gravity control research, especially the very real product soon to hit the market for recharging batteries in ten minutes. His company has international patents on this new technology which will soon be available to consumers worldwide. Victor Rozsnyay is a visionary applying his vision to work designed to lead us all into a space-faring culture.


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Tesla’s battery metals bill balloons to $100 billion
Elon Musk had plenty of advice for the mining and metals industry at the company’s Battery Day event in September 2020, where the road map to a $25,000 Tesla was laid out.
A couple of days after the event Musk confirmed in a tweet that Tesla will reach production of 20 million vehicles per year “probably before 2030.”
Tesla has been ramping up output at an impressive pace despite lockdowns and power problems in China and a late start in Germany, but the scale of the task is put into perspective by Musk’s proud announcement earlier this month that the Texas-based company has now reached the 3 million vehicle-mark – since its first production model launched in 2008. Tesla is expected to deliver 1.4–1.5 million vehicles in 2022.
Not only did Tesla stop working on a cheap and cheerful Model 2, crucial to achieving those lofty goals, now new data compiled by MINING.COM show the run up in metal prices would make a mass market Tesla at that price point almost impossible to build and the bill of materials for 20 million vehicles a year hard to swallow even for a company that is showered with cheap capital.
Combining data from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, a London-headquartered price reporting agency, and battery supply chain consulting firm, Toronto-based Adamas Intelligence, which tracks demand for EV batteries by chemistry, cell supplier and capacity in over 100 countries, shows just how much has changed since that September 2020 tweet.
Extrapolating the current numbers for Tesla’s sales-weighted end-use of metals from the Adamas database and accounting for trends in the carmaker’s battery deployment, including greater use of lithium iron phosphate batteries and future model releases, Adamas calculated the raw materials needed to produce 20m cars and trucks (fingers crossed for the cybertruck before 2030 everyone!) per year.
At today’s price Tesla is on the hook for a bit over $100 billion for the 11.1 million tonnes of raw materials it needs to build 20m cars.*
That’s up from $44.8 billion for the metals entering the battery and electric motor supply chain at the time the production goal was announced.
The jump is mostly on the back of an astonishing 8-fold rise in the price of lithium over the period, which in July averaged more than $60,000 per tonne. In July, lithium made up 46% of the total cost while in September 2020 it was only 11.6%. The persistent high price of lithium is also playing havoc with the economics of LFP batteries – which most EV-makers want for entry-level runabouts.
Nickel made up 25% of the overall bill of materials two years ago, now that portion is 15.7% despite a 40% increase in the price of the metal since then.
In March-April when battery metals were hitting multi-year and all-time highs that total was $131 billion.
Bar lithium, prices have pulled back sharply since March (cobalt is down from a peak of $92,000 to under $50,000) but through to the end of the decade most, if not all these commodities will likely become more expensive as supply struggles to keep up with demand.
As automakers (and the renewable energy sector) scramble for lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, rare earths, aluminium, manganese and copper securing supply may ultimately be a bigger issue than costs.
To produce 20m vehicles Tesla alone needs more than the total volume of lithium and natural graphite produced last year, almost a third of the magnet rare earths, 36% of the cobalt, and so on.
No single enterprise consumes 1.8m tonnes of copper per year, not even China’s state grid, and laying your hands on a quarter of the world’s nickel may prove impossible, no matter how many times you meet with the Indonesian president.
$100 billion is a nice round number for mining companies hoping to supply the raw materials for the world’s number one electric carmaker.
So is $1 trillion when every automaker is an electric one.


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SOUTHFIELD, Michigan – Tyler Dean has the jeans, jacket and beard that place him squarely in the target market for Harley-Davidson. Another draw for the motorcycle maker: Dean has a social media account, and he knows how to use it.
Harley, the manufacturer of road hogs famous for roaring throttles, said in June it’s considering selling a relatively quiet, electric motorcycle. It’s now showcasing the bikes on a 30-city tour to seek feedback and drum up interest among people like Dean, who cares about the environment and can spread the word about his likes on social media like Twitter and Instagram.
“Businesswise, this is smart,” said Dean, 31, who stopped riding after he got married three years ago and is starting to feel the itch again. “I’m going to take my photo of me sitting on this and post it to everyone I know. I’m not going to post me sitting in a Toyota.” While the idea of an e-hog has risks, he said “if Harley is doing it, that means it’s a viable thing.”
The tour is part of a push by Chief Executive Officer Keith Wandell to make the once-insular company more open and ensure its perch atop a U.S. motorcycle market that researcher IBISWorld pegs at $6.9 billion, with Harley getting about half. The company views electric power as a way to reduce emissions and prepare for a time when petroleum-based fuel may be more scarce. It’s also a way to appeal to younger, affluent consumers who want a clean way to get around in style without dropping $100,000 or more on a Tesla Model S.
Harley, based in Milwaukee, wants “to make sure we’re not missing something” as the tour continues in more U.S. cities and Europe and Canada next year, Wandell said in an interview. “We don’t want to come to market with something that falls short of somebody’s expectation.”
Like Dean, 25-year-old Ben Myburgh isn’t in Harley’s current core market, which skews older and wealthier. He is, however, the type of customer the company wants to win.
Myburgh races electric bikes in his spare time and signed up in June to be in the first group of five riders at the start of the tour’s stop in Nashville, at Boswell’s Harley-Davidson dealership. The Nissan quality engineer came prepared: With his padded riding jacket and pants, he was the only member of the quintet not clad in blue jeans and black shirtsleeves. He wore a Google Glass headset, which he used to film his test run.
Social media has been a big part of Harley’s marketing effort. Project Livewire, as the bike is called, garnered 340 million media impressions as of mid-July. To help fuel that, test riders are encouraged to work their networks.
“Email and social media gave HOGs a louder voice and more access,” Erik Gordon, a professor at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, said in an interview, referring to the motorcycle maker’s enthusiasts. “To Harley’s credit, they see that as an asset, not a threat.”
Follow @ModernMotoGuy as he shares his 1st electric motorcycle journey with the world aboard #ProjectLiveWire. pic.twitter.com/IMjtslNeKG
— Harley-Davidson (@harleydavidson) July 8, 2014
After a 10-minute test ride on surface streets, riders park the bikes. Before they get off, a Harley photographer takes a picture and hands them an access code so they can download the picture and post it on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram. Next, they’re shuttled to a video camera to record instant impressions and then are asked to fill out a 10-minute survey on an iPad.
Sample questions include “What words come to mind when you first rolled the throttle?” and “How would you describe the bike’s look, sound and feel?” The survey also asks how much a buyer would expect to pay, starting from “below $15,000” to as high as “$35,000 and above.”
For all the “awesomes” and “wows” collected on the commentaries, there also are criticisms: a desire for more battery range, for example, or on-board charging ports and storage. Several riders said the price would need to be near or below $15,000.
Myburgh, who rides a 2011 Brammo electric bike, said he likes the bike’s sound, which he likens to the TIE fighter Darth Vader flies in the “Star Wars” movies. Myburgh said he appreciates the innovation and the risk Harley is taking by developing a bike so counter to its snarley-Harley roots.
“You’re going to get guys saying it’s not a true Harley- Davidson — it’s not air-cooled, it doesn’t make a lot of noise and it doesn’t fall apart,” Myburgh said. “But you have to embrace the future at some point.”
While motorcycles are already quite efficient — most Harleys go 30 to 60 miles on a gallon of gasoline — Myburgh said he won’t own a Harley unless they make one that doesn’t require gas.
The electric bike’s battery range is about 53 miles and the engine can be operated in three modes: sport, power and range. There are no gears to shift through, so the prototype rides as easily as a moped, albeit one that’s frighteningly quick. Acceleration goes from zero to 60 miles (97 kilometers) per hour in under four seconds. It has foot and hand brakes and also slows quickly when the throttle is released.
If Harley does go green, it’ll compete against a handful of companies, including Brammo, based in Talent, Ore., and Zero Motorcycles, based in Scotts Valley, Calif. Global sales of electric motorcycles are expected to grow slightly, according to a report from Navigant Research, to 1.4 million annually in 2023 from 1.2 million this year.
For much of its 111-year history, Harley sold choppers as fast as it could to riders it knew well: wealthy, middle-aged American white men. The recession shook that up.
Revenue in 2009 fell almost a quarter from a year earlier. Wandell, hired from auto-parts maker Johnson Controls, cut costs and pushed Harley to try to expand its customer base to women, younger drivers, non-whites and non-Americans.
The company is projected to increase sales 7 percent to $5.6 billion this year, based on analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg. After receiving 25 percent of its revenue from outside the U.S. in 2006, the company forecasts 40 percent of sales this year will be in foreign markets, which is where more than half of its dealerships are located.
Harley’s stock, which dropped each of two years before Wandell arrived, has risen annually since. So far this year the stock has declined 9.6 percent to $62.56.
The electric bike program is an extension of how Harley also has changed the way it develops motorcycles, using focus groups and clinics and opening test-runs to a wide circle of consumers and dealers. Earlier results hit the market last year with a new Touring line, equipped with voice-activated and touch-screen GPS systems, and Street bikes, Harley’s first lightweight motorcycles in decades.
The electric version “is going to appeal to a whole new set of customers,” Wandell said. “It’s getting folks thinking about our products that maybe typically wouldn’t have.”
David Hood, a 46-year-old from Old Hickory, Tenn., came to Boswell’s dealership not to scout a potential purchase, but to have a peek into what may be the future. He’s old-school Harley, riding a 2008 Street Bob and loving the potato-potato rumble of its V-twin engine.
“It’s cool,” Smith said. “Today’s world is the world of innovation. Everything’s changing.”
© 2014, Bloomberg News


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Apple employees lose valuable prototype iPhones and now the company appears to be looking for additional know-how in product protection.
The day after CNET reported that Apple had lost control of another valuable iPhone prototype--the second misplaced prototype handset in the past 18 months--the company began looking for people to help protect unreleased products.
David Murphy at PCmag.com made a nice catch today by noting Apple posted two job openings on Thursday for managers of "New Product Security." Maybe it's a coincidence that the positions opened up when they did, but the job descriptions certainly sound like a response to Apple's troubles of late for losing test gadgets.
"The candidate will be responsible for overseeing the protection of, and managing risks to, Apple's unreleased products and related intellectual property," said the post.
Apple representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
On Wednesday, the CNET report pushed the bounds of believability for some. An iPhone was taken into a San Francisco tequila bar in July by an unidentified Apple employee who somehow lost control of the device. The circumstances were strangely similar to an incident in April 2010, when another Apple employee lost an iPhone 4 prototype in a Bay Area beer garden.
Could this really happen to Apple again?
San Francisco Police confirmed on Friday that they assisted an Apple security team to search a home in the city's Bernal Heights neighborhood where Apple had electronically tracked the phone. The device wasn't found there.
While it was easy to draw parallels between those two events, there were other signs that Apple's problems went beyond iPhones. Colleague Josh Lowensohn reported last week that Apple is trying to retrieve a prototype laptop that is in the possession of Carl Frega, a North Carolina resident who said he acquired the unreleased device via a Craigslist ad. He bought the machine thinking it was only good for spare parts.
On the same day that Apple posted the job openings, an Apple store customer was given internal company media and documents by accident after taking his computer in for service in Stamford, Conn. Cult of Mac was contacted by a man who said he was given a hard drive in addition to a computer that was being repaired with the spare drive containing a backup of the store's internal file server.
This is significant because this is Apple, a company that has forged quite a reputation over the years for secret keeping and message managing. Apple execs like to spring new devices to great fanfare at very rehearsed and controlled press events. Lots of people have commented in the past week that they suspect the misplaced gadgets is thanks to some kind of Apple publicity stunt.
But the job postings last week seem to indicate that a far more plausible reason for the lost devices may be little less conspiratorial. Apple's security seems to have slipped a bit and the company is trying to correct the problem.


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FedEx is collaborating with Dexterity AI to use artificial-intelligence robotic technology to load boxes into trucks and trailers.
Truck loading is one of the most challenging tasks in parcel hubs. Manual loading is taxing. Previous technology approaches have not been able to handle the complex decision-making required to stack the wide range of shipments encountered in the FedEx network, which vary in size, shape, weight, and packaging material.
Dexterity AI focuses on the complexity of truck loading by giving mobile robots a suite of intelligence, with the ability to see, touch, think, and move quickly to pack trailers with stable, dense walls of boxes.
“Based on feedback from our operations team, we have been looking for a solution that helps alleviate the challenges of truck loading,” said Rebecca Yeung, corporate vice president of Operations Science and Advanced Technologies for FedEx, in a news release. “Collaborating with Dexterity AI to combine the latest in AI and robotics supports our operations team while meeting growing customer demand.”
Next-Generation AI for Intelligent Truck-Loading Robots
Dexterity AI’s proprietary mobile robot design, DexR, navigates autonomously to the back of trailers and connects to a powered conveyor system that feeds the robot boxes directly from the sortation system. The DexR’s two-arm design enables the robot to pick and pack boxes simultaneously, improving throughput.
Dexterity’s AI platform uses a broad set of intelligence, so it can be used to handle the complexities of truck loading required by operations.
- Generative Wall Planning: With every new box presented to the DexR, Dexterity’s AI software takes 500 milliseconds or less to assess billions of wall build possibilities to pack trailers with tight, stable walls.
- A Sense of Touch: Dexterity AI-powered force control gives robots a sense of touch so they know how to gently nudge boxes together in creating tightly packed walls.
- Machine Learning-Based Pack Improvement: Machine learning helps ensure that with every box picked, the Dexterity AI truck loading software becomes even more efficient in handling a broader range of packing challenges.
- Integrated Motion Planning: By integrating its own trajectory and motion planning, the Dexterity AI platform helps the DexR’s two arms move quickly inside trailers without colliding with each other or the truck walls.
Testing of the truck load technology is ongoing by FedEx to refine the technology and deploy it commercially in the future.
“FedEx shares our belief that innovation should solve the most difficult tasks in operations,” said Samir Menon, founder and CEO of Dexterity AI.
Dexterity is a Redwood City, California-based robotics company specializing in creating intelligent robots with human-like dexterity, with applications in logistics, warehousing, and supply chain operations.


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“In 2013, opportunities to manage energy costs will be a prime focus for supply chain professionals,” explained Craig Dickman, CEO of Breakthrough®Fuel. He offers these tips:
*Understand how changes in the fuel marketplace affect your business supply chain.
*Agree on how much volatility in fuel prices you can afford.
*The rules surrounding fuel are changing.
For more in-depth tips, click HERE.


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LG Electronics’ smartphone has come to an end, as the company confirmed yesterday. And the final decision was approved by the board of directors. Their decision on exiting the competitive mobile phone sector will shift its focus and resources in growth areas such as “ electric vehicle components, IoT devices, robotics, AI and platforms and services”, LG said in a Public articulation.
Available smartphone products in LG’s inventories will remain on sale and serve as support and software updates for customers of existing mobile products for a period of time which will vary by region. The company hasn’t said anything about possible layoffs except that “details related to employment will be determined at the local level.” LG says it expects to have completed the business’ closure by the end of July this year, but product inventory may be available after July 31st.
It has been rumored for a while, as they bear huge losses for over the past five years. Considering Samsung manufacturer as a rival, LG’s recently launched smartphone has struggled to compete, while its more reasonable handsets have confronted stiff competition from Chinese rivals.
Further LG will focus on the research and development part in the field of telecommunications networks such as 6G projects, and focus on strengthening its competitiveness in other fields too. The company has confirmed that all core LG technologies developed over the last 20 years will be retained and incorporated into the brand’s future products.


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Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct has stepped up its plans to conquer Europe by acquiring two retailers in Austria and the Baltics.
The two deals extend the presence of Britain’s biggest sportswear retailer to 16 European countries and throw down the gauntlet to the French giant Decathlon, which has 14 UK stores. Industry experts firmly believe that the two retail groups will dominate the European market over the next decade.
Sports Direct already has stores in countries including Belgium, Slovenia, Portugal and France and has previously said it wants to be in all the countries that have adopted the euro inside five years.
The group, which Newcastle United owner Ashley founded from a single shop in 1982, has agreed to acquire a 51 per cent stake in Sports Eybl & Sports Experts (EAG). The UK chain could eventually shell out €61m (£52.3m) to buy Austria’s biggest retailer of sports goods. The deal comprises an initial payment of €10.5m to EAG shareholders and Sports Direct providing it with a €30m debt facility.
Sports Direct has the option to buy the Austrian retailer’s remaining shares for €15.5m over the next five years, with a further €5m up for grabs.
The sum it has paid to acquire 60 per cent of Sportland International Group, the biggest sports specialist in the Baltics, was not disclosed. SIG operates the retailers, including Sportland and Sportland Outlet, in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The two acquisitions only have limited crossover with the stores of Decathlon, which has nearly 550 shops globally, but it highlights the land grab by both chains in Europe.
The acquisitions reinforce the growing might of Sports Direct, which has 400 UK stores. It has seen its share price rise at a rate akin to a technology stock during the boom years and is tipped for entry into the FTSE 100.
Its shares closed at 511.5p yesterday to give it a market capitalisation of £3.1bn, which is a country mile away from its lowly value in December 2008, when it had a share price of just 32p.
Dave Forsey, the chief executive of Sports Direct, said: “Expected benefits from these investments include increased scale for our international business, growing international awareness of our group brands and additional expertise in specialist product categories such as winter sports.”Reuse content


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A strong earnings report from BlackBerry maker
Research In Motion
and the impressive public market debut of business software maker
lifted tech stocks Friday.
Research In Motion soared 11% after the company doubled its earnings in the third quarter and topped Wall Street expectations for the current quarter despite concerns that a slowdown in consumer spending and financial sector woes could affect BlackBerry sales. Net income for the third quarter rose to $370.5 million, or 65 cents a share, compared with $175.2 million, or 31 cents a share, a year ago.
Revenue increased 22% to $1.67 billion from $835.05 million the year-before. Analysts were expecting revenue of $1.65 billion and earnings of 62 cents a share. RIM guided revenue in the range of $1.8 billion to $1.87 billion, with earnings in the range of 66 cents a share to 70 cents a share. Analysts were expecting revenue of $1.74 billion and EPS of 65 cents. Shares of RIM closed up $11.64, or 11%, to $118.63 in recent trading.
NetSuite gained 10% following the company's
debut on the stock market Thursday. The stock had been priced at $26 and the Dutch auction IPO helped raise $161.2 million for the company, approximately double its filed base price. The successful debut has also given NetSuite a market cap above $1.5 billion. Shares of Netsuite were up $3.64 to $39.14.
CEO Larry Ellison holds a 54.5% stake in the company. Shares of Oracle closed up 61 cents, or 2.8%, to $22.71.
Leading the skyward surge in financial stocks was
, which was up some 66% after
inject the student lender with up to $260.5 million by buying up to 19.99% of the firm's shares outstanding as of the time the deal closes. That kicks off today with a purchase of $59.8 million in securities convertible to shares at $11.24 apiece. Then, upon regulatory clearance, Goldman will buy up to another $200.7 million worth for a $15 per-share conversion price.
Goldman additionally agreed to establish a $1 billion warehouse lending facility for the company. Further, First Marblehead will suspend its dividend "for the foreseeable future" in an effort to preserve its cash levels. First Marblehead shares jumped $7.46 to $18.70. Goldman added 3% at $209.60.
may also hop on the capital-infusion bandwagon: the troubled New York broker is currently in late-stage negotiations to
get as much as $5 billion from Singapore-based Temasek Holdings, according to
The Wall Street Journal
. Shares gained 1.9% to $55.54.
Inverness Medical Innovations
said Friday that it completed its previously announced $230 million acquisition of ParadigmHealth, which provides decision support technologies and coaching for health choices for acutely ill and clinically complex patients, including neonatal intensive care and oncology patients. Shares were up $1.05, or 1.9%, at $55.05.
Elsewhere, the Food and Drug Administration cleared specialty pharmaceutical company
Decatur, Ill. manufacturing facility after a compliance inspection. The company said that as a result of the inspection, it's now eligible for pending product approvals in its ophthalmic, ampoule, liquid vial and lyophilization production filling suites at the Decatur location. Shares rose 54 cents, or 8.2%, to $7.16.
shares bounded 12% higher to $9.18 on news that the Chicago specialty finance company had completed its acquisition of Deerfield & Company LLC from
. Deerfield paid Triarc and minority shareholders a total of about $75 million in five-year senior notes and converted preferred DFR stock. Shares of Triarc were up 5.3% to $8.80.
Also gaining was
, shares of which jumped 14% to $24.16. The gain in share price was a recovery from Thursday's loss after the St. Louis, Mo.-based owner and operator of Sears Portrait Studios announced third-quarter earnings. The company posted a per-share loss of $1.57 vs. a loss of 15 cents a share in 2006, which CPI attributed to its acquisition of portrait brand PictureMe.


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Apple Watch all alone: what can it do? Not a lot -- it's mainly an iPhone accessory -- but there are some key things that it can handle on its own.
After residents living near George Lucas' Grady Ranch protested his planned studio into nonexistence, the film magnate made different plans for the land.
Google says it knows Silicon Valley needs to do a better job of employing women and minorities. One company program hopes to solve the problem by looking to historically black colleges.
The Korean electronics maker, best known for TVs and mobile devices, also makes the processors powering those devices. Here's why it's now angling to be first with new chip technology.
An apparent slip during an Advanced Micro Devices conference call on Friday may have spilled the beans on the launch date for the next generation of Windows.
Cancelled in 2013, the classic Volkswagen Camper may find a new lease on life as an eco-friendly EV.
Decades of progress creating conventional computer chips will stall in the coming years, forcing some far-out ideas on semiconductor makers. Carbon nanotubes or quantum computing, anyone?
Intel, GlobalFoundries and other chipmakers have built massive facilities to manufacture more powerful computer chips. It's all part of a race to prove they can keep pace with Moore's Law.
With the Lumia line now in Microsoft's hands, what's left of Nokia is reportedly planning to get back into the smartphone business as early as 2016.
If you're ready to take the plunge into storing your files, photos, and more in the cloud but need help deciding which service is right for your needs and wallet, we've got you covered.


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Porcher Industries at Techtextil 2019
Porcher Industries plans to showcase a range of its products at Techtextil 2019, taking place from 14 to 17 May in Frankfurt, Germany.
On display will be thermoplastic 5G radome technology, non-combustible Flamline fabric and a recycled lightweight fabric for the outdoor sports apparel market.
Porcher Industries developed a bespoke glass reinforced thermoplastic material for the base structural component of the SATCOM radome. The composite material solution has improved impact resistance and efficient processing and can tune the dielectric constant (Dk) for 5G Air-to-Ground transmission, the company says. The material technology is also suitable for markets such as mobile telecommunications and big data wireless networks.
This story uses material from Porcher, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
» Publication Date: 08/05/2019
This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement Nº 737882.
València Parc Tecnológic - Gustave Eiffel, 4 - 46980 Paterna - Valencia, SPAIN
+34 96 136 60 40 - email@example.com


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Identity theft target, google competitor, financial fraud victim cannot afford to purchase a car
A harmless engineer, domain investor, being subjected to identity theft defamation (like the Vishal Sikka, Infosys case) , financial fraud allegedly by the cbi, ntro, security agency, google, tata employees finds that it is very difficult to make enough money to cover expenses, so the question of purchasing a car does not arise.
In the IT and internet sector in India, small online business owners are second class citizens, who are systematically denied their fundamental right to privacy and to earn a fair living, so they cannot afford to purchase a car as the indian government forces them to work as slaves to increase the profit of large companies allegedly google, tata .
On the hand, employees, especially government employees do far less work and are getting a much better salary, so they can easily afford to purchase a car. Realizing that non government employees are second class citizens in India in 2017, many car manufacturers, builders are offering special discounts to indian government employees.


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Former APC chief executive Syed Ziaullah has acquired Swindon-based parcels and pallet firm UK Shuttle for an undisclosed sum. The express delivery business is a member of The Pallet Network as well as parcel network APC Overnight, and operates a secure warehousing site with pick-and-pack options for customers. Ziaullah told MT the business is a good fit with his existing company, Action Express, based in Northampton, as both are well positioned to provide a reliable, customer-centric service to their respective […]
With annual volume growing at 15% to 18% in recent years, overnight parcels specialist APC Overnight has outgrown its national hub in Essington, West Midlands. The company is in the process of relocating to a purpose-built 120,000sq ft centre at Kingswood Lakeside just off the M6 Toll road, but due to the wet summer and longer-than-expected ground works the new hub will not be operational before spring next year. But recently appointed APC chief executive Syed Ziaullah is relaxed about […]
Parcel delivery network APC Overnight made a £4.42m pre-tax profit last year, a 30.4% increase on the previous year’s figures. Turnover for the year ended 31 March 2012 rose 13.5% to £65.7m (2010/11: £57.9m) as a result of increased customer demand. Chief executive Syed Ziaullah said: “These results really are a reflection of the huge surge in customer demand seen right across the business during the last financial year. “We pride ourselves on delivering the best service in the business […]
The DfT will offer longer semi-trailers on a first come, first served basis before next year, after admitting the current timescale for getting the trial’s 1,800 units onto the UK’s roads will not be met.


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HALIFAX—The looming legalization of cannabis edibles has health experts at Atlantic Canada’s largest children’s hospital expressing concerns about the impact widespread availability will have on newborns, children and youth.
On Tuesday, the IWK Health Centre issued a media release highlighting the need for public awareness about the “unique risks” cannabis edibles pose for that vulnerable group. Brownies, cookies, candy bars and gummy bears are often coveted foods for young children who might unknowingly sneak a treat that looks just like its non-cannabis counterpart.
Canadians can legally purchase cannabis-infused goods and vapes with the second wave of legalization that begins on Oct. 17. Edibles like candy and baked goods could be gracing store shelves as early as December, prompting the IWK to push its message.
“People think because it’s a plant that it’s not a poison. And anything can be a poison, it depends on the dose,” Laurie Mosher, clinical leader of the IWK Regional Poison Centre, said in an interview.
“So if you have a lot of THC in an edible and a young child gets it, it can act as a poison to them because it makes them have symptoms that are very concerning.”
Some of those symptoms include extreme drowsiness, rapid heart rate, irritability and vomiting.
“This is what we’ve seen in our actual cases. It can cause big pupils ... and there have been reports of seizures,” she said.
Mosher said children are more sensitive to the effects of cannabis due to their small size and the fact they don’t use the substance. She said edibles can contain large amounts of THC (the psychoactive compound producing a high). Symptoms may not be immediately apparent, so parents may not be aware their child has eaten edibles until the onset of symptoms.
“It’s virtually impossible for children when they see an edible to know that it’s not a safe food to eat, and children especially five and under are very good at climbing and getting into things,” she added.
“The concern is people might just leave it on the counter, or maybe in a cupboard up high, thinking that it will be safe. They (children) can easily eat one, two, three gummy bears and become symptomatic.”
Mosher said numbers of calls to the poison centre relating to cannabis edibles have increased from just four calls in 2016 to 30 calls in 2019 as of last week. Of those 30 calls, 12 involved children age 12 or younger.
“It’s not mandatory to call the poison centre, so the exposures are likely a lot more than what we’re receiving calls on,” she said, adding they expect calls to increase with the legalization of cannabis edibles.
“Any time there’s a product that’s more available, we’re going to have more exposures, whether it’s with cannabis or another cleaning product. But the problem with edibles is they taste good.”
Her key message is for parents and guardians to ensure all edibles are locked up and out of sight. But she also urges people to avoid using edibles in front of children, and to always avoid calling edibles medicine in front of children.
“If children see parents taking a brownie and they’re saying ‘Well this is my medicine for whatever,’ and the child gets sick they might think that they can do that as well,” Mosher explained.
“It’s very hard from their perspective and their age and experience to understand that. How can a cookie be medicine? Is a cookie going to make me feel better as well?”
If a parent or guardian suspects their child has ingested a cannabis edible, Mosher urges them to call the IWK Regional Poison Centre immediately to seek advice.
“We assess how the patient or the person calling is to make sure that they’re safe and we’ll advise whether or not the child or adult has to go to the hospital and how they can safely get there if they have to go there,” she said. “Anything can be a poison, it depends on the dose.”
Another concern expressed by the IWK’s health experts is the fact there are still many unknowns when it comes to cannabis use and its long-term impacts on children and youth.
“What we do know suggests that we should proceed with caution,” IWK health promotion specialist Sarah Blades said via the media release.
“We do know that cannabis exposure in children and youth under the age of 25 can impair healthy brain development.”
Although Blades applauded strict federal regulations requiring labelling of cannabis edibles and restrictions on marketing to reduce the effects of marketing attractive to youth, she said once these edibles are out of their packages they can still be mistaken for non-cannabis products.
Another concern noted by Dr. Heather Scott, obstetrical clinical adviser for the Reproductive Care Program of Nova Scotia is the perception that edible cannabis is a safer option than other consumption methods.
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) notes on its website that there is not yet enough clinical evidence to determine the benefits or risks of using cannabis while pregnant or breastfeeding. Among other things, the society urges pregnant women to not use cannabis products to ease their morning sickness.
The SOGC says studies show cannabis use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding may be associated with increased risk for low birth weight, preterm labour and long-term health problems related to cardiovascular and mental health. It may also increase a child’s risk of short and long-term learning as well as development and behavioural issues, including low IQ scores, impulsivity and hyperactivity in childhood.
“We’re working hard to understand the science, but we’re just not there yet,” the SOGC notes. “Not using cannabis during pregnancy and while breastfeeding is the safest option for you and your baby until we know more.”


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Fix “Bluetooth automatically turns off” on Galaxy On8 2018: The latest device in Samsung’s Galaxy On lineup – Galaxy On8 2018 is finally launched. Just as expected, the device comes up some highly advanced features and amazing specifications list for the price. The Samsung Galaxy On8 2018 highly equipped with the mid-range specs with Samsung’s beautiful Super AMOLED display which is why it is no surprise that they have become such an instant success. As soon as the official launch, people started pre-booking it and making arrangements so that they could buy the device soon.
The Samsung Galaxy On8 2018 smartphone was launched in August 2018. It is a mid-range device from Samsung and comes with some decent specification. The phone comes equipped with a 6.00-inch touchscreen display (720 pixels by 1480 pixels). It also has a super AMOLED Screen.
The Samsung Galaxy On8 (2018) is powered by octa-core processor which is Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 Primarily Clocked at 1.8 GHz. It is coupled with 4GB Of RAM and 64GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 256GB via a microSD card. The Samsung Galaxy On8 (2018) sports a dual rear camera setup [16-megapixel (f/1.7) + 5-megapixel (f/1.9)] and a 16-megapixel front camera. The device houses a 3500mAh non-removable battery. It runs Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.
Steps to fix “Bluetooth automatically turns off” On Galaxy On8 2018
Clear the Bluetooth app cache
- Open the settings and tap on App manager.
- Find the Bluetooth app and tap on storage.
- Finally, tap on clear cache button.


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When it comes time to purchase a new phone system, how do you sift through all the clutter to arrive at what exactly your business needs to consider? To many, this can be daunting and not as clear as it might seem it should be. Some questions such as “how many phones do we need” […]Continue Reading... No Comments.
The Nortel Norstar MICS phone system or Modular Integrated Communications System was created to be a phone system for customers looking for a reliable, feature-rich business phone system that would be expandable. The MICS supports up to 24 incoming lines and up to 274 extensions. Though now a discontinued system and now owned by Avaya, the […]Continue Reading... No Comments.
Enterprise telephony market fell four per cent last year as businesses held off purchases, says Infonetics Sales of unified communications (UC) applications leapt 20 per cent last year, defying a slowdown in the wider enterprise comms market, according to Infonetics Research. The market watcher found that global sales of enterprise telephony and UC fell four […]Continue Reading... No Comments.


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SHANGHAI — Nearly two years ago, the Chinese government unveiled a massive plan to overhaul a fledgling national textile industry facing turmoil over rising labor and material costs, the emergence of price-competitive manufacturing bases in countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia and falling exports to ailing economies in the West.
That plan, released in early 2012 by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, called for manufacturers to invest heavily in research and development to upgrade the quality of fabrics to increase global competitiveness. The plan also called for the relocation of more factories to interior provinces to tap into a migrant labor force less willing to move to coastal regions to work and for government subsidies aimed at moving industry to more rural areas.
It is clear that plan is now coming to fruition.
At the Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Fair, held Oct. 21 to 24, the key message of domestic manufacturers was that they have invested big in new technologies and are beginning to reap the benefits. They say the quality of fabrics they produce is nearly on par with more sophisticated European manufacturers, while their prices are lower. The days of low-cost production are over, and, after a couple of painful years of transitioning, business may slowly be turning around as orders are returning and more sophisticated technology is streamlining operations and, in turn, helping control costs.
“I feel that the Chinese are really in a waking-up period,” said Jonny Kristiansen, chief executive officer of Nankatan, a Norwegian-based producer of bamboo-based yarn, which has manufacturing operations in China. “I am surprised by how open-minded they are to try to change themselves.”
Ivan Yang, vice president of Yaoguang Textile, located in Zhejiang Province near Shanghai, said sales are up 40 percent compared with 2012. He attributed the increase to a “serious increase in the quality of products.”
“We developed many new styles of garments,” he said. “Price is not as important to buyers. It is the technology that is important. The new samples are important. We are now able to charge higher prices. In the future, the technological competitiveness of the Chinese textile industry will be very serious.”
More than 3,700 suppliers from 35 countries and regions participated in Intertextile, according to organizers. In the first eight months of 2013, China’s textile and clothing exports increased by 12.9 percent, according to Textiles Intelligence.
“We spent a lot of money on R&D,” said Huang Yuli, a manager with Xinchang Jing Textiles Co. Ltd., a Guangdong Province-based denim manufacturer. “Our company is manufacturing high-end products. That is the trend.”
Huang added that labor shortages continue to plague the industry, particularly as younger migrant workers do not want to work in factories or are demanding wages that are making it increasingly hard to make margins.
“It is very difficult to get workers,” she said, adding that her company is looking to open factories in the interior to tap into the labor force there and take advantage of lower costs.
Another growing trend is Chinese manufacturers relocating factories producing low-cost products offshore to Southeast Asia, she said.
“They are moving and hiring local workers,” she said. “Maybe other industries will move to Guangdong and the textile industry will move to other places.”
There are ongoing concerns about the strength of the domestic and foreign markets. Huang, whose company focuses primarily on selling to China, said the last few months have been tough due to a weakening Chinese economy. Others said exports to the U.S. have continued to stagnate or decline.
European manufacturers, with declining sales in the West, have been increasingly turning to China to satiate a huge demand from domestic brands for luxury fabrics, and are experiencing a changing business landscape. Chinese buyers are still willing to pay high prices but are more selective in their purchases.
Carlo Anceschi, executive director of Asia-Pacific operations of Lanificio F.lli Cerruti, said this trend is partly because of slowing economic growth, but also because of a sweeping government antigraft campaign, which has impacted luxury sales. He also said more sophisticated Chinese consumers are forcing domestic luxury brands to focus more on design rather than “copycat” apparel made with expensive fabric.
“[Chinese brands] are now trying to understand the design side. Before they would buy nice Italian fabrics, but had bad manufacturing,” Anceschi said, adding that sales in China had slightly declined this year. “They have to now understand the proper way of doing fashion.”
China’s domestic fashion brands have been plagued by unsold stock piling up in warehouses, as well as franchise partners that have opened too many points of sale, resulting in inefficient retail operations.
Some domestic brands are now buying cheaper European fabrics to make apparel to sell to middle-class consumers as the high-end segment dwindles. The decline in luxury sales is “more severe” than what is being reported, Anceschi said.
“Before there were just crazy periods of purchasing everything,” he said. “Now customers are more conscious and more serious. The political situation has also made things worse. For some brands in China, especially in the north, 40 percent of their sales were for bribes.”
But for many European fabric makers, China remains the most promising growth market. David Mallalieu, managing director of Mallalieu’s of Delph Ltd., a British manufacturer of woolens, said the company has lost many major clients in the U.S. This was his second year at Intertextile.
“China is a huge market,” he said. “It is potentially phenomenal. If we can get back to the level of business in China that we were doing in the U.S., it would be wonderful.”
In his new book “Hollywood Royale,” Andy Warhol’s Protégé Matthew Rolston celebrates the Eighties revival of Hollywood glamour. Featuring more than 100 portraits taken by Rolston from 1977 to 1993, the book contains photos of icons like Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and @drewbarrymore, pictured here in 1991. “Hollywood Royale,” out today, will be accompanied by an exhibition opening at Los Angeles’ Fahey/Klein Gallery on March 1. #wwdeye
"Nowadays when life is not so happy with everything going on in the world, I think people come to me for a little bit of whimsy and color and fun." - Designer Rebecca De Ravenel on her cult-favorite jewelry line. (📸 : @vsteves) #wwd40
“Everyone is talking about how the retail industry is struggling, but I think it’s an incredible time because brands who are doing something different and innovative are setting themselves up for the future,” said @adamgoldston, who founded the luxury athletic brand @apl with his brother @ryangoldsten. The Goldston’s are part of WWD’s 40 under 40: a group of industry notables. See the rest of the list on WWD.com. (📷: @vsteves) #wwd40
@eyeswoon blogger Athena Calderone debuted her first-ever cookbook, “Cook Beautiful,” which is heavily centered on the presentation and visual expression of food. Pictured here are her miso glazed carrots from the book. Get the recipe on WWD.com. (📷: @johnny_miller_) #wwdeye
“It’s passion that helps get anybody to a certain point and it’s what’s propelled me,” said Kith founder @ronniefieg, one of WWD’s 40 under 40: a group of industry notables who are changing the face of retail, fashion and beauty. Fieg, who opened a Manhattan flagship on October 7, began his career at age 13 as a stock boy and salesman for footwear chain David Z. “I think staying true to [my] beliefs, hard work and passion have gotten me to where [Kith] is today.” See the rest of the 40 at WWD.com. (📷: @vsteves) #wwd40
25-year-old @samweaving is about to break out this fall, starring in Netflix’s horror film “The Babysitter,” fittingly out today on Friday the 13th. That’s not the only place you’ll be seeing her, though — Weaving’s got a role Showtime’s “SMILF” and another alongside Frances McDormand and Woody Harrelson in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” Though she’s got a full plate at the moment, there’s one role she’s got her eye on: Marilyn Monroe. “I’m a little too young at the moment, but it’s on my bucket list,” the actress told WWD (📷: @dandoperalski) #wwdeye
BFF's Poppy Jamie and Suki Waterhouse celebrated the launch of their bag line Pop x Suki at Nordstrom last night. "The line is really about our friendship, and how we are so different but complement each other," said Waterhouse. 👯 (📷: Katie Jones) #wwdeye
After designing the new @louisvuitton and @bulgariofficial flagships and a @chanelofficial boutique opening in Japan, @petermarinoarchitect has another project on his plate: The Lobster Club. Located in the Seagram Building, it’s the famed architect’s first restaurant project in New York, serving up modern Japanese brasserie-style cuisine. Bronze hues, bespoke material detailing, blush and chartreuse tones and a heavy emphasis on Picasso can be seen throughout. Mark your calendars for Nov. 1 for the much-anticipated opening. (📷: @clint_spaulding) #wwdeye
Did you know: @carlychaikin of "Mr. Robot" has been painting for about a decade? The actress, who plays Darlene on the show, is a self-taught artist who lists Salvador Dalí and Chuck Close as some of her idols. Chaikin told WWD that painting is a form of meditation for her — A much-needed one given the intensity of "Mr. Robot." See a piece Chaikin is working on at WWD.com (📷: @jilliansollazzo) #wwdeye


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Agility plans to invest more than a billion in warehousing
Agility is considering a bond issuance of up to US $1 billion in 2019 to fund expansion in its industrial real estate and warehousing business across emerging markets, according to The National.
Agility said it plans to invest US $1.6-billion by 2020 to diversify its revenue streams and reach its target of US $800-million (Dh2.9bn) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (ebitda) by 2020.
The company, which is listed in Kuwait and Dubai, is bullish on emerging markets in Africa, where it has invested heavily, as well as the Middle East South-East Asia.
"We're bullish on technology and how it intersects with emerging markets and small-and-medium enterprises," said Tarek Sultan, CEO of Agility.
Sultan added that the company expects to turn an annual profit in 2018 and that it would be "safe to assume" a growth in annual earnings next year up from 2018, as its logistics and infrastructure business continues to grow.
Agility earlier this week announced it will invest US $100m in digital logistics website Shipa.com, which allows small businesses and entrepreneurs to manage their freight and deliveries online.
"With the growth of e-commerce and the initiatives to approach the Middle East market, it is timely to come up with a one-stop shop for e-commerce providers to address the region as a whole," he said. "It's still early days for e-commerce in the Middle East and there is tremendous market potential."
Sultan tempered his comments with concern about the impact on global economic growth from rising trade tensions between the US and China.
"We’re a global company so anything impacting global growth will impact us in some way shape or form," Sultan said. "The trade dispute is somewhat concerning."
Agility operates in more than 100 countries with 22,000 employees.


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Says B D Khurana, group president, Reliance Infocomm: ''We got a favourable response when we checked out corDECT at places it has been installed. In addition, its pricing was attractive to our scheme of things.''
Reliance has already connected around 4,200 rural telephones. ''Wherever we have put up village public telephones, we are getting requests for individual lines,'' he adds. ''Further, with most of the private basic service providers focusing on the urban market, future growth has to happen in rural areas. And the prospects of BSNL going in for additional corDECT lines in the years to come are bright,'' says an upbeat Arun Khanna, director, Shyam Telecom, one of the corDECT manufacturers.
In addition, group company n-Logue Communications is expected to source more lines as many private basic services providers are talking with the company to connect rural areas as their franchisee (See 'n-Logue's digital edge to rural India').
Midas Communications, which has a staff of 220, will close this fiscal with a turnover of Rs 45 crore. ''One can see the hockey stick effect from this year onwards. Last year the turnover was Rs 12 crore. In seven-eight months, corDECT will be there in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu,'' says Purohit.
An elated Rene Abraham, one of the directors, referring to the huge BSNL order, says: ''It is nice that BSNL has understood the importance of data in communication technology. When one gives data to the rural populace the change that it will bring in will be enormous.''
The BSNL order will be executed by the company's licensed manufacturers - Indian Telephone Industries (ITI), HFCL and Shyam Telecom. With the corDECT technology now eight years old, Midas Communications is working on a next generation chip set that can give faster data speeds.
''Within six months we will be coming out with a new chip that will do that and also reduce the overall cost,'' says Abraham. ''We would leapfrog to fourth generation wireless technology,'' adds Purohit.
The other focus is to increase corDECT's data capacity. Currently the per-unit capacity is 1,000 subscribers, and only a percentage of that can be on the Net at a particular time. The company plans to provide all the thousand subscribers with 'always on' facility.
However, the immediate plan is to leverage the optic-fibre cables laid by private telecom players with corDECT, using the company's new product, the optiMA Fibre Access Network System. Claimed to be more economical than competing products offered by UT Starcom, China, optiMA would enable basic services operators, who have laid optic-fibre cables, to use corDECT to offer broad and narrow band communication to end-users.
''In two months' time optiMA will be commercialised,'' says Prakash B Khawas, a director of the company.
With Midas Communications finally on the hyper-growth path, the four young founder directors have taken on board S S Motial as the executive chairman. The former chairman and managing director of ITI, the Indian telecom hardware giant, will lend his expertise in building Midas Communications to meet future challenges. During Motial's four-year tenure at ITI (1996-2000), the company doubled its revenues.
Agreeing that to fuel growth the company needs additional capital, than the current Rs 10 lakh equity base, Purohit says the company is talking to venture capitalists for the purpose.
According to Ray Stata, chairman of the US-based Analog Devices, the joint goal of Analog Devices and the TeNet group is to develop Midas Communications as a substantial communications equipment provider, similar to Chinese companies like Huawei Technologies Company and ZTE Corporation. The American chipset major is one of the investors in Midas Communications.
''In a nutshell, we are moving towards enhancing solutions at lower costs,'' sums up Sanjay Gupta, another director.
also see : n-Logues
digital edge to rural India
to the article A global winner


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Chad Wilcox has a decision to make: will he take over his father’s lobster fishing license? Originally purchased for twenty-five cents at the post office, these licenses are now selling for upwards of one million dollars. In the tiny town of Main-a-Dieu, the easternmost in Nova Scotia, Chad lives with his mother and father. Lobster fishing is the multi-million dollar industry at the centre of the seaside town.
Lobster, once considered the poor man’s food, is having a moment in the east coast. Licenses are being passed down through generations or sold outside the family at exorbitant prices. The majority of Canada’s lobster catches come from Nova Scotia, an industry that brought in more than $750 million in 2018. Today, lobster is Nova Scotia’s most valuable seafood export commodity.
As lobster fishing becomes more lucrative and licenses continue to tick up in price, young fishers are being faced with difficult decisions on whether to pursue the family business and uphold the tradition of fishing through the generations. Should young fishers get in now before the price spikes further, or choose a different path?


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Ali Wong will again be "very pregnant" for her second Mother's Day Netflix special
Netflix announced Ali Wong: Hard Knock Wife is dropping on Mother's Day, May 13. Wong's first Netflix special, Baby Cobra, also premiered on Mother's Day, in 2016, and was also filmed when she was very pregnant.
- Netflix cancels Seven Seconds
- Netflix is facing a local politics problem
- Joel McHale meets his Today show "nemesis" Donnadorable
- Wild Wild Country is coming out with a soundtrack: Meet the music supervisor


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Digital is mainstream: Rajan Anandan, Google
Rajan Anandan, Vice President, Google India and South East Asia was in Mumbai to deliver the annual Subhas Ghosal Memorial Lecture, organised by the Advertising Agencies Association of India and Subhas Ghosal Foundation
The profile of the internet user is dramatically changing from ‘metro, male, millennial’ to include more women. “By 2020, 45 per cent of all internet users is expected to be women. There has been a 4X growth in rural users since 2012,” said Rajan Anandan, Vice President, Google India and South East Asia, speaking about The New Internet User in Mumbai on Thursday. Anandan was delivering the annual Subhas Ghosal Memorial Lecture on the invitation of the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and Subhas Ghosal Foundation (SGF).
Giving out stats and figures about the changing internet landscape in India as he addressed a room full of advertising veterans, Anandan said that voice, vernacular and video are defining the evolution of internet in India. Anandan noted that of the 390 mn internet users in India, 330 mn (around 80%) access the internet on their mobiles. This number is expected to grow to 500 mn by 2020.
At present, nearly 95 per cent of all video consumption in happening in Indian languages. Anandan pointed out that new Indian users who are coming online for the first time are Indic language users. He said that by 2020, 400mn of the 650mn using Indic languages - 62 per cent users will use the internet in Hindi and other Indian languages. Currently, 200mn of the 390mn Indian internet users are Indic language users. “There has been a 10X growth in local language queries over last 18 months,” Anandan noted.
He said that the trend of using voice on the internet has been a rather surprising development. The industry has seen a 270% growth in voice search and 400% growth in Hindi voice search. He said that new internet users are more comfortable with speaking to the internet, therefore companies need to start thinking about building products with a voice-first approach.
At a time when ad spends on digital are growing at 30% CAGR, television is still the mass reach medium for advertisers. He said that with YouTube’s 245 mn MAUs (monthly active users) the reach of the video streaming site far exceeds the reach of any TV channel. “Digital is mainstream in India,” he announced as he gave out more numbers.
The digital explosion has surely made life more convenient, be that ordering food home, or booking a taxi, and why even getting groceries delivered home, but digital can do a lot more than that, Anandan pointed out. He said that Indians in rural India who spend nearly 35-40 per cent of their income on medical expenses are the ones that need the internet more than the urban/metro folk. With more connected users coming online, Indian entrepreneurs need to be solving real problems of real India. He cited the examples of start-ups Niramai, Sig-Tuple which are revolutionising the medical diagnostics space in India. “As the new internet users comes online and get connected, we are going to start seeing some incredible things that you can do to solve their real needs,” he concluded.
While it was an evening of new learnings from Anandan, it was also an evening to remember and celebrate the great doyen of advertising - Subhas Ghosal. This year Ivan Arthur, who was groomed by Ghosal, went down memory lane as a tribute to his mentor. Arthur delivered a poetic remembrance that gave the audience, who had not had the good fortune of knowing Ghosal, a little taste of what it was like to work with and learn from the legend. Arthur brought Ghosal alive, even if for just a few minutes, and inspired the room to aim higher and seek perfection.
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The recent rise of the Virtual and Augmented reality industry has garnered a lot of attention, and Google, being one of the biggest players in the industry have taken a step to further advance the development of the VR/AR community, with its recent launch of Poly, an open library of 3D objects and scenes, to ease creation of VR/AR contents.
Poly features integration with Blocks, a platform for creating 3D objects with and of course Tilt Brush, a platform for painting, and editing 3D models.
Poly has a wide range of 3D objects ranging for artists to select from, with categories ranging from Animals and Creatures to People and Characters, so if you’ve always wanted to use some Pokemon characters in your app, this will save you some of the stress of searching for the model or even creating one yourself.
Poly also allows you to upload content for other artists to use as they share with you their creations as well. The user can also edit models found on Poly and re-upload them, for which Google automatically adds credits to the original.
Most of the objects come in a low-poly style like in Blocks, Google’s app for creating low poly 3D objects for VR. This decision according to Google owes to the fact that its VR platform Daydream, is resource intensive and making the objects low-polygon will obviously allow for fast rendering, therefore leading to better overall performance.
A 3D, VR or AR artist? Or just an admirer of the industry, be sure to check out Poly.


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HARRISBURG (AP) – The butter sculpture at the 97th Pennsylvania Farm Show pays tribute to the state’s home-grown agricultural products.
The eagerly awaited 1,000-pound tableau was unveiled Thursday evening. It features milk and dairy items, grapes and wine, Christmas trees, and fruits and vegetables.
The farm show is billed as the nation’s largest indoor agricultural event. Held at a massive complex in Harrisburg, it formally begins on Saturday and runs through Jan. 12.
The food court and equine area open at noon Friday. New food court offerings include veal meatball sandwiches, bacon on a stick, pumpkin funnel cakes and apple cider slushies.
The Farm Show features about 6,000 animals, some 10,000 exhibits and a wide variety of family-friendly fun.


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Inside Edge Season 3, featuring Vivek Oberoi and Richa Chadha in lead roles, is coming to Amazon Prime Video in December and is going to make for a promising binge. One of the highest-rated shows on Amazon Prime Video, Inside Edge has been getting approval for new season renewals ever since the huge success of the first season.
Inside Edge Season 3: Everything you need to know
Inside Edge first came to the platform way back in 2017 and pretty much got the ball rolling for Amazon Prime Video India in the OTT world. It was a speculative series that showcases what happens behind the scenes of a domestic franchise cricket premier league in the country. The series served content that was exciting, fresh and had an element of suspense attached to it – one of the biggest reasons for its success.
According to a press release on Amazon Prime Video, the upcoming chapter of the sports drama will see “the game behind the game” take another serious turn as there will be a personal vendetta thrown into the fray. The International Emmys nominated series releases on the platform on December 3rd. Similar to the previous seasons, Inside Edge Season 3 will have ten episodes that will all release on the same date.
Interestingly, Inside Edge was also the first-ever web series introduced by Amazon Prime Video India and its success is rather special to the team. Aparna Purohit, Head of India Originals, Amazon Prime Video India, talking about the third season in a statement, per Indian Express, said, “This season, the fans are in for a treat as the plot intensifies which will keep them on the edge of their seats. Replete with multiple twists and turns, the new season of Inside Edge has in store a lot more drama and mystery that will unravel through a riveting story and would impress fans and audiences alike in India and beyond”
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Twitter has revised its rules for marijuana advertising—but there are still open questions about the practical implications of the new policy.
The social media company recently started reaching out to marijuana accounts to inform them of the forthcoming policy change, which was uploaded this week and says that Twitter now permits “approved Cannabis (including CBD– cannabinoids) advertisers to target the United States.”
That line on its own seems to have left many stakeholders with the impression that marijuana companies now have wide latitude for marketing on the site. But the policy is still seriously restrictive, prohibiting cannabis businesses from advertising their actual products for sale, for example.
“Advertisers may not promote or offer the sale of Cannabis (including CBD– cannabinoids),” it says. The exception is ads for “topical (non-ingestible) hemp-derived CBD topical products containing equal to or less than the 0.3 percent THC government-set threshold.”
Twitter, which confirmed to Marijuana Moment on Wednesday that the rules now shown live on its website represent the change that was touted to cannabis industry stakeholders, had the same limited CBD carveout before—specifying that advertisers could only “promote non-ingestible, legally derived CBD topical products.”
While there’s certainly a market for those products, it represents a small sliver of what’s available in the state-legal marijuana industry.
Additionally, under the new policy, cannabis businesses are barred from promoting ads that depict cannabis use or people under the influence, make “claims of efficacy or health benefits” or use “characters, sports-persons, celebrities, or images/icons appealing to minors.”
That latter rule seems to be problematically subjective, as there are a number of celebrities and athletes who’ve become part of the marijuana industry and who might appeal to adults and minors alike.
That said, there does seem to be somewhat more leeway than before for cannabis companies. While they can’t advertise their products for sale, it appears that they might be able to promote their brands and non-commercial activity.
Also, some ancillary companies like PAX have started advertising their vaporizer devices in light of the policy change.
“We’re excited to be among the first of Twitter’s cannabis advertising partners and be able to engage customers more directly,” PAX Vice President of Marketing Luke Droulez said in a press release on Wednesday. “After decades of prohibitionist propaganda, there is an opportunity to destigmatize and normalize the plant and its use.”
Still, the news of Twitter’s revised rules—which were first highlighted by ADCANN on Tuesday—seems to have left many stakeholders with the impression that the floodgates are opening, as if the policy for cannabis is now as flexible as it is for alcohol, for example.
Kudos to @twitter for being the first major social network to welcome Cannabis advertisements.
We’re thrilled to be working closely with the team over there to implement this program. https://t.co/qbvdsMCwd5
— Rosie Mattio (@RosieMattio) February 15, 2023
— Jeff Schultz (@JSchultz44) February 15, 2023
— MariMed (@MariMed_Inc) February 15, 2023
Twitter does set limitations on alcohol advertising content, but products can still be promoted if they don’t violate various restrictions on appealing to minors, implying that alcohol consumption in excess is good and more.
Where the new rules do seem to expand advertising opportunities for the cannabis sector, they seem limited to generic brand promotion that doesn’t involve a company’s actual products, unless they’re topical CBD items.
The new cannabis policy only applies to the U.S., and companies can only “target jurisdictions in which they are licensed to promote these products or services online.” The rules for Canada, where marijuana is federally legal, remain the same as under a prior iteration of the policy that allows cannabis ads within certain guidelines.
“It’s been a long time coming for social platforms to allow state legal cannabis brands to advertise on the same platforms that have built massively successful brands in other industries,” Kaliko Castille, CEO of ThndrStrm Strategies and author of CannabisCMO, a cannabis marketing newsletter, told Marijuana Moment.
“Twitter beginning to open up their ads policy is finally a step in the right direction—although it seems there is more work to do for cannabis brands to have full access to consumers on the ad platform,” he said. “I hope the legal departments of other platforms start to follow suit and that one day cannabis brands will have the same marketing opportunities as any other business.”
Google also updated its cannabis advertising policy as of last month, making it so companies can promote Food and Drug Administration- (FDA) approved drugs containing CBD, as well as topical CBD products with no more than 0.3 percent THC.
However, Google restricts those ad opportunities to California, Colorado and Puerto Rico. While Twitter’s previous policy also prohibited advertising the limited CBD products in seven specific states, that restriction now appears to have been removed.
Not long after Tesla CEO Elon Musk took over Twitter last year, the company separately ended a federal partnership that had presented users who searched the site for certain drug-related keywords, including “marijuana,” with a suggestion they consider entering drug treatment. No such suggestion had appeared for “alcohol” searches.
Musk has repeatedly inserted himself in the marijuana debate on several occasions, including on Twitter.
He got into hot water for puffing a blunt during a podcast interview with Joe Rogan in 2018 (he later claimed he never inhaled it), prompting a federal investigation over his company SpaceX’s “workplace safety” and “adherence to a drug-free environment.
The next year, when shares of his other company, Telsa, hit $420, he responded on Twitter with crying laughing emojis and said “Whoa…the stock is so high lol.”
He also raised the attention of the federal Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2018 after he said he was considering taking Tesla private at a share price of $420—an announcement that SEC described as “false and misleading” and that was made without required notification to regulators. That tweet was the subject of a recent lawsuit in which Musk was found not liable.
The post Twitter’s New Marijuana Advertising Policy Still Doesn’t Allow Ads For Marijuana Product Sales appeared first on Marijuana Moment.


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Although global markets might be facing some significant uncertainty, the U.S. is still holding up better than most. This is particularly true in the consumer market, where spending is holding up quite well.
Plus, there has also been some modest progress on the job creation front, while housing has been an especially strong component of the renewed consumer confidence. After all, with prices surging at a roughly 10% annual rate, many are likely feeling much better about their financial situations, and thus eager to spend in the second half of the year.
There are a number of ways to play this trend with stocks, such as by targeting retail companies, automotive firms, or even movie studios. Companies in the movie studio space represent an especially intriguing way to invest in this environment, as they are often overlooked as a way to play a strong consumer market. While there are a few publicly traded firms in this sector, one that is looking really good now is Dreamworks Animation SKG (DWA).
Dreamworks in Focus
DWA was founded by some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry (Steven Spielberg, David Geffen, and former Disney executive Jeffrey Katzenberg), and has grown into a major studio specializing in animated films. Some of its biggest hits include ultra-popular names like those in the Shrek, Madagascar, and Kung Fu Panda series, all of which have grossed over $1 billion in their respective franchises.
The firm has built off this success with a number of other films, and it has a decent-sized lineup coming out over the next few years. This good-sized offering of movies and a solid consumer discretionary environment is making many take note of the stock, with key analysts bumping up their expectations for the company.
Analysts have universally raised their estimates for the current year and next year figures, with the current year consensus surging by twenty cents a share in the past 90 days alone. Meanwhile, next year’s earnings growth is expected to come in above 27%, suggesting that the future is looking quite bright for DWA.
Investors should also note that the company has an amazing track record when it comes to earnings season. The firm has beaten estimates by more than 190% in each of the last three quarters, with +300% beats in each of the last two. And given that the Zacks Earnings ESP is positive for this quarter, we could see another beat later this month as well.
Thanks to this amazing track record, solid industry outlook, and analyst praise of the company, DWA has earned itself a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). This suggests that this company will outperform others in the near future, adding on to its recent gains to become a strong pick to play the positive consumer trends in the U.S. market.
Consumer stocks seem like a great play in this environment, which is seeing strong home price increases, and solid levels of consumer confidence. Particularly, stocks that have a U.S. focus could be a good choice, as these are relatively well-insulated from global woes.
One such company that appears to be in prime position to benefit from the trend is DWA. The company is seeing surging earnings estimates, and it has a strong track record in earnings season, meaning it could be a great option for those seeking to tap into one of the best sectors for the current market environment.
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