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Food and Drink
Most famous food and drink, new recipes and cocktails
When Mandy Sacher’s daughter refused to eat cauliflower, she asked, “If you could choose one way to eat cauliflower, what would that be?” Her little
Starbucks just rolled out two new iced coffees: Iced Vanilla Bean Coconutmilk Latte and Salted Cream Cold Foam Cold Brew. Both promise to
Hailey Baldwin’s diet is not unlike some of her most famous friends. On a typical day, the model and future Mrs. Bieber doesn’t
We’re always trying to add more veggies to our diet, but it seems like every time we do, we’re thwarted by news of
With free Slurpee day right around the corner, there’s no better time to plot what flavor — or flavor combinations — to try
Maybe you ate way too much on your vacation last week. Maybe you haven’t been as *ahem* regular as you normally are.
This Secret Menu Item From Sam’s Club Is the Nostalgic Treat Your Summer Needs
Sam’s Club is celebrating National Ice Cream Month
It’s the end of an era for Southwest Airlines.
The Dallas-based company announced on Tuesday that it will no longer be serving peanuts
Happy birthday 7-Eleven!
The convenience store company is celebrating their namesake day on July 11 (7/11) with free Slurpees for all. Customers can
Sunshine. Beaches. Koalas. These three words may immediately come to mind when you think about Australia, but the one that should be
Any state fair guarantees three things: avoiding eye contact with carnies, plenty of thrilling rides and deep-fried abominations passed off as adventurous fair
Who among us has a Starbucks order so complicated sometimes you’re a tad embarrassed to even have to say it aloud for
Plastic Straw Ban: How Drinking out of Plastic Straws Is Bad for Your Health (And the Environment) – The Cheat Sheet »
Plastic straws have received a lot of heat for the devastating impact they have on the world’s oceans. However, marine life isn’t the
DJ Steve Aoki is all about spreading the love — including his love for pizza.
The entertainer is teaming up with restaurant group
Chick-fil-A wants to see your spots.
As part of their 14th annual Cow Appreciation Day, the fast food chain is giving away a
Starbucks is going strawless! In a major move for sustainability, the coffee chain announced Monday that it will stop offering customers its signature
Lisa Lillien is the author of the popular Hungry Girl website and email newsletter, featuring smart, funny advice on guilt-free eating. She is also
We’re sure you’ve heard: Americans use 500 million drinking straws every day. To give you an idea, this is enough to circle the
Kourtney Kardashian Poses in a Sexy Bikini While Eating Her 'Daily Basket of Focaccia' in Photo Taken by Son Mason »
Kourtney Kardashian is in carb heaven.
While showing off her rocking bikini bod on a yacht in Portofino, the 39-year-old mom of three
212 people have been infected with an intestinal parasite in four upper Midwest states after reportedly eating pre-packed vegetable trays under the Del
Starbucks is going strawless.
On Monday, the coffee chain announced their plans to get rid of plastic straws in over 28,000 of their
Six years ago, a farmer in Ontario bought a cheeseburger and fries from McDonald’s, put it on a shelf, and let it
Love them or hate them, the first family is firmly ensconced in the White House. Since Donald Trump took office, there have been
We see many diet trends come and go, but one that’s truly making its mark — at the moment, at least — is
OXO Good Grips
Pros: Affordable, easy to assemble, works with a variety of shapes
Con: No built-in blade storage
Just a month after having employees undergo racial bias and diversity training, Starbucks goes under fire across social media for another incident
Many home cooks tend to rely on yogurt, tahini, and mayo to add creaminess to salad dressings, but consider this fresh alternative: avocado.
Dietitians don’t recommend eating fast food for the health benefits, likely because they’re few and far between. But an estimated 80% of Americans still


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Apple Purchases Augmented Reality Startup Metaio
Apple recently acquired augmented reality startup Metaio, reports TechCrunch. According to the company's website, Metaio is a "pioneer in augmented reality and computer vision" that built the Metaio Creator, an augmented reality authoring tool. With the Creator, users could create augmented reality scenarios "within minutes."
Metaio has stopped taking new customers and a shareholder document concerning the transferring of shares has confirmed that it was purchased by Apple. Apple also provided TechCrunch with its standard acquisition confirmation statement: "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans."
Metaio's augmented reality tools have been used by several companies to create interactive experiences. Ferarri, for example, created an augmented reality showroom with Metaio, and it's been used in Berlin with historical footage to let travelers see what the scene they're viewing would have looked like when the Berlin Wall was still in place.
It is not clear how Apple plans to use Metaio's technology, but there have been persistent rumors indicating Apple is interested in virtual reality and augmented reality. Based on patents, Apple has explored a video headset, a motion-sensing virtual 3D interface for iOS devices, and 3D "hyper-reality" displays.
It's possible that Apple could use Metaio's AR creation tools to introduce unique features to Maps and other apps. A 2014 rumor suggested Apple was considering adding augmented reality features to Maps, and a more recent rumor points towards Apple's work on a "Browse Around Me" feature for iOS 9 that includes an augmented reality view.
Recent rumors have suggested that Apple has a small team working on augmented reality projects at its Cupertino headquarters, but it remains unclear exactly when we'll see Apple incorporating AR and VR features into its products.
Top Rated Comments
You only half corrected him/her, as of course Microsoft *does* have an augmented reality device (the HoloLens).
Also, Virtual reality is not even the same as augmented reality. Two very different technologies for 2 different needs.
"...stop looking through your iPad!"

domain: news


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Africa, China's bread basket
Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) – Olives from Tunisia, Uganda's coffee, sesame from Ethiopia: China opens up to agricultural products from Africa. Beijing needs more and more of agricultural products for domestic consumption and African agriculture needs investment and technology. A partnership that could reshape the world's agriculture.
For years now, China has been plundering Africa of oil and precious minerals, which constitute over 90% of its imports from the Continent. Agricultural products were only 3% of its imports between 2006 and 2008. After all, Beijing has always sought food self-sufficiency, and many African countries only have sufficient agricultural production for domestic consumption.
But in China's cultivated land is disappearing, because economic development for new industrial zones and residential neighbourhoods: 1996 to 2009, 8 million hectares of agricultural land was lost.
Many agricultural areas are also polluted. In addition, for years there have been continual natural disasters: this year the worst drought for 60 years in the north, floods in recent years, record snowfall or other episodes.
As a result of industrialization, pollution and drought, food prices are rising fast.
Africa has 733 million hectares of agricultural land, six times more than China, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
The South China Morning Post analyst Andrew Leung Kinpong noted that "Africa could become a bread basket of food for 1.3 billion Chinese." "There is much room for China to start agricultural production in Africa."
Among other things, some African countries like Burundi, are also poor in minerals and other resources and are unable to balance the imports from China. But the country tries to stimulate valuable and easy export crops like cotton, coffee and tea, and analysts believe it is interested in receiving funding, equipment and technology from China to improve production.
Lesotho has a similar situation, only barely meeting domestic consumption needs with the current agricultural production. Makhotsofalang Lekaota, the country's ambassador in Beijing says "training centres and equipment to improve product quality" are needed.
But the problem is common to many African countries that have agricultural land but lack of investment, technology, technical assistance.
Beijing itself is concerned. Lin Yi, secretary of the Chinese-African Friendship of Peoples, said that in China there is great potential for African agricultural products such as coffee, tea, meat and flowers. " China also has resources and experience to optimize the export of agricultural products. Meanwhile, it is creating agriculture training centres throughout the continent.
South Africa is China’s 2nd largest trading partner after Angola. Agricultural products constitute less than 1% of its exports to China, but with 64.3 million dollars in the first nine months of 2010 it more than doubled compared to 2009.
Experts agree that this collaboration would be beneficial to both China and African countries. Concerns focus on the kind of cooperation that Beijing will propose. The example of Mines of Zambia is underlined: Chinese companies own the mines, provide funds, managers and technicians. But in the depths of the tunnels the inhabitants of the country dig, often on Chinese working shifts and wages.


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With Halo being one of the more iconic franchises for the console, many have high expectations for the folks at Bungie who are currently working on their next franchise, Destiny. The game isn’t scheduled for release yet but as it stands, the game will only be seeing a release for consoles and will not be released for the PC.
This is understandably upsetting as we’re sure many gamers are looking forward to playing the game on their PC. Bungie has since come forward and offered up an explanation as to why they will not be releasing a PC version of Destiny, at least not anytime soon.
According to the design lead, Lars Bakken, “The console SKUs are really important for us and that’s what we’re focusing on. We’re doing it all internally ourselves. That’s a huge endeavour. That’s not something we’ve ever done before. So when I’m playtesting and I’m trying to play PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PS3, that’s a lot of work. Adding another thing on there is just crazy. It’s crazy to think of right now.”
This sentiment was shared by Bungie’s COO, Pete Parsons, who felt that developing for four consoles was a huge task, especially considering that they only developed for one platform with the Halo franchise. Unfortunately due to the intricacies of the game and the world which extends to multiple platforms, it’s not as simple as creating a PC version at a later date.
However Parsons did not close the door completely and did state that at some point in the future they might revisit the topic about Destiny for the PC, but for now if you wanted to play the game, you’d probably have to go get yourself a console.


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It’s official: we love our smartphones.
According to the latest figures, most Australians own a smartphone and are likely to replace the one we have with the next big thing within three years.
We use them to connect and navigate the world, keep track of our lives, contact our friends and family, play games, find a date, take photos, listen to music, watch video and find out anything with the swipe of a finger.
But we’re only just starting to understand the impacts they’re having on our lives, our relationships and our kids.
“As researchers, we’re only now coming to this in a systematic way,” Dr Kathryn Modecki from Griffith University said.
“We’ve been measuring smartphone use. Lots of teams have been doing that. But now we’re getting a sense of the way it interacts in our relationships.
“Is it taking us away from our relationships or is it helping us be better connected? Is it helping to relieve stress or distracting us from problems?”
Help the experts catch up
Dr Modecki is part of a group of researchers who have teamed up with the ABC to ask Australians about their relationship with their smartphones for National Science Week.
We want to hear from as many Australians as possible, so they can better understand the impacts smartphone use is having on our lives.
“I think it’s always important to remember that the phone is not the problem. The smartphone is a tool. It’s a powerful computer,” Dr Modecki said.
Dr Modecki studies adolescent risk taking, decision making and resilience. She is particularly interested in looking at the impact of smartphones on adolescents.
“We think about adolescents and their challenge with figuring out their identify, their independence, their sensation seeking, their risk taking, tamping down with self control,” she said.
“All of that is happening and now we’ve given them a computer in their pocket [that] connects them to their friends and their larger social world, day and night.”
But the survey is not just limited to adolescents.
Can you live without your phone?
“Most adolescents will tell you — they literally cannot live without their phone. They truly seem to believe that. Many adults will say that too,” Dr Modecki said.
Anecdotally, we’re seeing a lot of issues with self-control for adults who seem to be struggling to contain the way the phone is trickling across our life, she said.
“[So] how much of this is anecdotal or fear-mongering? That’s what we’re going to find out from the survey, in an anonymous way, where people can share things that they might not share with their friends or family,” Dr Modecki said.
The researchers are also particularly interested in how smartphones are affecting our relationships, especially within families.
By sharing your experiences in our Smartphone Survey you can help researchers make recommendations around smartphone use, especially for children and teens.
“Getting Australians to share with us their own experiences is going to be incredibly valuable,” Dr Modecki said.
“Recommendations are only going to be as useful as the data that informs them. So to me this is a really exciting way to inform Australia on how we can put some healthy parameters around smartphone use.”
How much do we love phones?
It’s been 30 years since the first mobile call was made in Australia
84 per cent of Australians now own a smartphone — that’s around 16 million people.
Australians are the fourth biggest nation of smartphone users in the world and on average, every Australian smartphone owner uses their phone 30 times a day.
Don’t like your handset? Don’t worry, you’re likely to get a new one within three years, according to the Deloitte Mobile Consumer Survey 2016
About the survey
The survey is open to anyone aged 12 and older who uses or has access to a smartphone.
You’ll be asked questions about your own smartphone use, smartphones in society and also some questions about who you are and your relationships. Your answers are anonymous.
The Smartphone Survey is the result of a collaboration between the ABC and researchers from Griffith University, Murdoch University and Western Sydney University, with support from the Inspiring Australia — Science Engagement Program within the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science.


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El-Kuwaiz clears up misconceptions about market regulator’s role in offering process
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Mohammed El-Kuwaiz, the board chairman of the Capital Market Authority (CMA), said there are several misconceptions about the role of the market regulator in the offering and listing process.
The first one is related to the fact that the share sale process starts and ends with the CMA.
“In fact, the market regulator’s role could come last or almost before last in a long process that starts with the company’s preparation of listing requirements. Then, the process starts with the CMA, taking less than 12 weeks on the main market and less than 8 weeks on Nomu. However, the process of offering and listing is much longer,” El-Kuwaiz added in a webinar hosted by Asharqia Chamber.
The market regulator’s role is part of this system. The more the company is well prepared in the initial stages, the more the later stages of the offering process are shorter and easier.
A second misconception is about the market regulator’s role in corporate valuation, El-Kuwaiz explained, adding that the valuation of an issuer is the same like that of a listed company. In both cases, the valuation is determined by investors, who are looking to invest in that company.
In the book-building process, the company and its financial advisor coordinate to offer its shares to a number of institutional investors, who set the price. Accordingly, the offer price depends on supply and demand.
Another myth says that an issuer is required to be profitable ahead of the share sale, El-Kuwaiz added. The truth is that the issuer must have audited financial statements of at least three fiscal years rather than one year. It’s not related to the company’s profitability at all, he pointed out.
The profitability of a company is part of the commercial valuation made finally by investors. The offering, however, provides investors with information to take the right decision.
Clearing up the fourth misconception, El-Kuwaiz said, “some believe the public offer decision cannot be revoked. However, the market regulator allows companies to delist their shares for many reasons. Today, the voluntary delisting mechanism is available for all companies, though it has not yet come into effect.”
Moreover, some companies or sectors might not be ripe for offering or listing. The market regulator’s regulations do not differentiate between companies or sectors in terms of size, as all sizes of companies and sectors are allowed to go public, El-Kuwaiz said.
The only difference is related to how companies are attractive and how investors are willing to put their money, because it is a commercial issue. The regulations do not place restrictions on a certain sector or a certain size of any company to list their shares in the capital market, he concluded.


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Fans flock to Free Comic Book Day
MISHAWAKA — 'Twas Free Comic Book Day, and all through the store
stacks of free comics waited inside the door
While readers were waiting to come through the line
to select their books, and exclaim, "This one's mine!"
Even though it's May (and no, not December)
The first Saturday isn't hard to remember.
Free comics for all, that's simply the goal
Pick up one and read — it's good for the soul.
It was a Christmas of sorts for comic fans on Saturday, which marked the 15th annual Free Comic Book Day. The worldwide event was celebrated locally at a couple of stores, including Mishawaka's Buy Me Toys, owned by Casey and Kelly Heying, and South Bend's Knappy's Komics and Kollectibles, owned by Len Knappenberger.
"It's been great to participate this long," Kelly Heying said, standing in her store just before it opened for the crowd. "Every year it seems to grow. It is just like a holiday."
This year, folks were out front of their store by 7:30 a.m., even though doors didn't open until 10. Heying said she expected a steady stream of customers all day long. Though there's a crowd, the store was well organized, with the free comics sorted by age appropriateness — all ages comics first, followed by young adult and mature readers.
Friends Bryan Brown and Mark Barnette were the first in line on Saturday morning. Brown said he came out to pick up some of the special issues released just for Free Comic Book Day — issues that you won't be available again until they are released in a larger collected volume.
Barnette was also there for comics, but also for the atmosphere.
"I'm a comic fan, but I also love to see everyone out here. It's cool," he said. "I also think it really promotes reading."
Brown agreed; he said he thinks the increase in comic-based movies and television shows is driving more readers to pick up comics.
"It's a uniquely American art form," Brown said. "I think Free Comic Book Day is trying to bring in new readers, to get them to read the originals. Anything that promotes comics or print media is great."
Knappenberger said a new layout in his new storefront on Jefferson made the day much smoother than in the past. Previously, he was located on McKinley Avenue. He had very little to no line all day long.
He measured 68 linear feet of free comics up for offer — "The biggest nerd buffet in town," he laughed. Issues on Marvel's Civil War and Captain America were popular, as well as DC's Suicide Squad release and Titan Comics' Assassin's Creed issue. While some popular titles went quickly, there were still plenty of free issues for everyone, he added.
Knappy's policy is four free comics per person, and customers must make a charitable donation to get a fifth. This year, Knappy's is benefiting the Ronald McDonald House at Memorial Children's Hospital.
"There's a good amount in there," Knappenberger said of the donation box. "People are very generous in our community. It really helps make the local community better and stronger."
The day isn't just for die-hard comic fans. Heying said she sees a diverse crowd every year, young and old coming into the shop for free comics. Each year they allow customers to pick five free comics from the nearly 20,000 issues they have to give away. They also had other feature sales around the store, and events throughout the day, including a visit from members of the 501st Legion, a Star Wars troop that brings out costumed individuals to events and raises money for charity. The store also hosted a costume contest for children and adults.
To help out, the Heyings brought in some volunteers, including Lindsey Hans Peek, who frequents the store with her husband, Alex. She said she enjoys seeing the crowd, especially children, coming out to the store for free comics. Comics can help promote literacy.
"I really do believe that comics and graphic novels are a vastly under-appreciated form of literature," she said. "For kids that might be struggling to read, put a comic in their hands."
Knappenberger said that, while it's nice to see old timers in line, he enjoyed seeing the younger faces in the crowd. Out of his three years, he said this year was the best selection for free comics for younger readers.
"It's good to bring in new readers," he said. "I'm happy to see those new faces. They're the ones going to be regenerating the crowd of comic readers."


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On Thursday, devoted users of Twitter (which accounts for many of the platform’s users, given its addictive qualities) were taken aback at the sight of a sudden prompt the app was feeding them: “Introducing NFT profile pictures,” the slide reads. There’s a cursory, and still-necessary, description of what an NFT actually is, since so many Internet denizens are as yet unwilling to find out. “So what does this mean?” The announcement continues. “NFT profile pictures are displayed in a special hexagonal shape. To choose an NFT as your profile picture you must connect to your crypto wallet.” As dorky as I found this, I have a crypto wallet, so I decided to click through.
This brought me the next page, where it became clear I’d have to pay for Twitter Blue, the platform’s new subscription offering, to access the NFT feature. I closed the app in frustration. From the brouhaha that erupted on the timeline, it’s clear that I wasn’t the only person to balk at the prospect of NFT profile pictures. For every crypto enthusiast crowing at the victory associated with their favorite microblogging platform adopting NFTs, there seemed to be 500 others lamenting the development in no uncertain terms.
blocking everyone with an nft profile pic call that the blockchain pic.twitter.com/cDrfP9LQFA
— big willie (@howmuchismuch) January 20, 2022
in light of twitter dropping NFT profile pictures feel free to use this as you please pic.twitter.com/UqodPdTqVU
— miyu 📄|| COMMS OPEN (2/4) (@sugimoto_miyu) January 20, 2022
There’s also, as has been the case since NFT creation and exchange really kicked into a whole new gear, the ongoing problem of artistic theft. The Twitter NFT profile picture feature was made possible through OpenSea’s API (application programming interface); OpenSea, the NFT distribution platform that was recently valued at $13.3 billion, has also frequently had to intervene in cases of token theft and resales. Additionally, last September, an OpenSea executive was accused of trading NFT assets using insider information.
I've had five pieces stolen and minted in just the last 24hrs, and @Twitter @TwitterBlue is now trying to profit by letting you pay for special NFT profile pictures. I shouldn't be surprised, Twitter has never supported artists, but god am I exhausted. pic.twitter.com/XH2xCFJb7M
— Jon Neimeister (@CirenSong) January 20, 2022
I also wanted to have this statement on my twitter as I learned yesterday that one of my artworks has been stolen and sold as an NFT: I don't sell and don't support NFTs. Any of my artworks sold as an NFT has been stolen. I don't consent to commissions I make to be used as NFTs.
— mye 🐣 🌞 (@Mye_Bi) January 17, 2022
Already, digital artists on Twitter are saying they’ve been stolen from in tandem with the introduction of the new feature. Artistic theft online in general has always been an issue and will continue to be one, but the NFT profile picture introduction highlights the problem in a new way.


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Organic Formula Finds Success Is Sweet
Amy Chase started feeding Similac Organic infant formula to her second son, Amos, as soon as he was born in November 2006. "When I saw the organic at Publix, I bought it, no questions asked," said Chase, of Atlanta. Like Chase, many American parents have rushed to embrace Similac Organic formula, even though it sells for as much as 30 percent more than regular Similac. In 2007, its first full year on sale, it captured 36 percent of the organic formula market, with sales of more than $10 million, according to Kalorama Information, a pharmaceutical-industry research firm. (Similac's parent company, Abbott Laboratories, does not release sales figures for individual products.) Parents may be buying it because they believe that organic is healthier, but babies may have a reason of their own for preferring Similac Organic: It is significantly sweeter than other formulas. It is the only major brand of organic formula sweetened with cane sugar, or sucrose, which is much sweeter than sugars used in other formulas.No health problems in babies have been associated with Similac Organic. But pediatricians say there are risks in giving babies cane sugar: Sucrose can harm tooth enamel faster than other sugars; once babies get used to its sweeter taste, they might resist less sweet formulas or solid foods; and some studies suggest they might overeat, leading to rapid weight gain in the first year, which is often a statistical predictor of childhood obesity. Asked about these concerns, Carolyn Valek, a spokeswoman for Abbott Nutrition, the division of Abbott Laboratories that makes Similac Organic, said sucrose had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and was considered "safe and well established." She said that Similac Organic had no more sweetener than other formulas and that prolonged contact with any kind of sugar can cause tooth decay. Europe Taking A Stand In Europe, where sudden increases in childhood obesity are a public health issue, sucrose-sweetened formulas will be banned by the end of 2009, except when ordered by a doctor for babies with severe allergies. The 27 countries of the European Union adopted the rules according to the recommendations of the group's Scientific Committee on Food, which found that sucrose provides no particular nutritional advantages, can, in rare cases, trigger a fatal metabolic disorder and may lead to overfeeding. The FDA, however, which regulates infant formula, does not specify which sugars can be used, as long as they are classified as safe. Nor does it set the amount of sugar per serving, as it does for fats and proteins. Still, a number of pediatricians said they were surprised by the choice of sucrose. "I would be very concerned about this as a pediatrician," said Benjamin Caballero, director of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and an expert in risk factors for childhood obesity. "The issue is that sweet tastes tend to encourage consumption of excessive amounts." Evidence shows that babies and children will consistently show a preference for the sweetest food available, he said, and they will eat more of it than they would of less sweet food. Valek of Abbot Nutrition said the company did not "optimize for taste" when developing infant formula. "Our primary focus is to support normal growth through optimal nutrition and quality ingredients," she said. Organic formula, with sales of about $20 million annually, makes up only a sliver of the $2.5 billion formula market, according to A.C. Nielsen, the market research company. Similac Organic, analysts say, is largely responsible for the nearly tenfold growth in sales of organic formula from 2005 to 2007. All infant formulas contain added sugars, which babies need to digest the proteins in cow's milk or soy. Other organic formulas, such as Earth's Best and Parent's Choice, use organic lactose as the added sugar. Organic lactose must be extracted from organic milk, the global supplies of which have been stretched in the past three years, driving up the price. "The parents in my practice who would use organic formula are the same parents who would be worried about giving sweets to their babies," said Jatinder Bhatia, a member of the nutrition committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "That organic formula would be sweeter might not be a health risk, but it certainly isn't what the parents have in mind." Mom Considers Change Kim Kupferman, a technology consultant in San Leandro, Calif., said she tended to trust the organic label. Her 7-month-old daughter, Saige, eats Similac Organic and a few organic solid foods. "But sugar is a concern for us - that's why we started her on vegetables rather than fruits, so she wouldn't get used to the sweet taste first," Kupferman said, adding that she might reconsider her choice of formula. Many doctors have long believed that sugars, from raw cane to highly processed high-fructose corn syrup, are nutritionally identical. Others disagree. Ivan de Araujo, a fellow at the John B. Pierce Laboratory at Yale University School of Medicine, a center for sensory research, said scientists are beginning to tease out the differences. "Recent studies show that animals have a clear preference for sucrose over other sugars," he said. And eating sucrose, he said, generates future cravings for sucrose; other sugars tested, such as fructose and glucose, do not have the same long-term effect. However, Gary K. Beauchamp, director of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, a nonprofit research institute, said there is no solid proof that early exposure to sweetness gives babies a greater taste for sugar later in life. "The taste for sweet may be pegged so high that it can't go any higher," he said. The overall question of whether sweeter foods are more appealing to babies has long since been resolved. "Babies love sweetness, and anyone selling a sweeter formula is going to have an advantage because it would be harder to switch a baby to another formula once they get used to the taste," said William J. Klish, director of the pediatric gastroenterology department at Baylor College of Medicine and a former chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics' nutrition committee. The sweeter taste of Similac Organic was observed by a professional sensory-tasting panel, commissioned by The New York Times to do a blind tasting of eight nationally available formulas, soy and dairy, organic and not. Seven of the formulas were as sweet as unsweetened apple juice, said Gail Civille, the director of Sensory Spectrum, which performed the tests. She said Similac Organic was the sweetest, with "the sweetness of grape juice or Country Time Lemonade." Doctors say that parents need not worry about the precise composition of formula, because the product overall has proved safe and effective.


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TOKYO — Sales of flat-panel televisions, DVD recorders and digital cameras helped Sony register break-even sales figures in its consumer electronics segment during the company’s fiscal third quarter. Segment sales reached $13.8 billion in the three months, about flat with the dollar volume reported in the third quarter of last year.
However, third quarter operating income in Sony’s consumer electronics segment slid nearly 40 percent, dropping to $463 million, compared with $777.2 million in the year-ago period. The company said segment-restructuring charges of $433 million, up from $80.5 million year-on-year, primarily accounted for the income decrease.
Video sales led the CE segment product parade in the third quarter, increasing nearly 17 percent, to $2.9 billion, up from $2.5 billion year-on-year. Audio sales slid 7 percent in the three months, down to $1.9 billion, from $2 billion in the same three months in 2002. Television sales were off 3.4 percent in the third quarter, reaching $2.8 billion, from $3 billion in the same quarter a year ago.
Slower sales of PlayStation2 pushed third quarter game-segment dollar volume down 4.5 percent, to $3.4 billion, from $3.6 billion in the same three months last year. Revenue decreased because of strategic price reductions on the PS 2, while the company recorded a 15 percent decline in PS 2 third quarter shipments. Software sales for PS 2 increased 32 percent in the three months.
Third quarter operating income in the game segment decreased only slightly, down 1.6 percent, to $659 million, from $678.7 million year-on-year.
When a 30 percent sales volume slide and an 82 percent operating income decrease in its Sony Pictures segment is added to results from both the CE and games segments, consolidated Sony sales in the third quarter, ended Dec. 31, remained about flat, at $21.7 million.
Consolidated operating income, due mainly to restructuring expenses, decreased 20.4 percent in the third quarter, to $1.5 billion, from $1.9 billion year-over-year. Net income declined 26.2 percent in the period, to $866 million, from $1.2 billion in the same three months in 2002.
For the nine months, CE segment sales dropped 3.3 percent, to $35.4 billion, down from $37.1 billion in the same period a year ago. Segment operating income for the nine months decreased 37.7 percent, to $916 million, compared with $1.5 billion.
Game segment sales for the nine months were off 17 percent, to $6.1 billion, compared with $7.5 billion in the year-ago period. Operating income for the game segment dropped 24.8 percent in the nine months, to $696 million, from $937.4 million year-over-year.
Sales to the United States were off 13.1 percent in the third quarter, down to $6.1 billion, from $7.1 billion, while nine-month sales to the United States slid 15.3 percent, to $15.2 billion, from $18.2 billion.
Nine-month video sales increased 7.6 percent, to $7 billion, from $6.6 billion. Audio sales for the same period dropped 8.5 percent, to $4.7 billion, compared with $6 billion, while television sales for the nine months decreased 5.9 percent, to $6.6 billion, from $7.1 billion.
Sony’s sales forecast for the fiscal year, ending in March, remains on track at $70 billion, while the 12-month net income prediction has dropped to $473.3 million, from an earlier $520 million. The company expects to report $3.3 billion in capital expenditures for the current fiscal year.


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The two-page ad that ran in the Aug. 10 issue of the New York Times, which more than 900 authors signed calling for readers to email Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to air their displeasure at the company’s tactics in its terms dispute with Hachette Book Group, unleashed some of the harshest language yet in the months-long standoff.
Any pretense that this was a typical publisher-bookseller negotiation, as the parties said when news of the dispute first broke, has given way to statements by the Amazon Books Team in a blog post on Aug. 8 on the readersunited.com site that pointed to HBG’s role in colluding with other publishers to raise e-book prices. (The publishers’ switch to the agency model had the effect of setting prices for Amazon and all other retailers on many new titles at $14.99, well above Amazon’s preferred price of $9.99.) The Amazon post urged readers to email HBG CEO Michael Pietsch and ask him why the publisher was against lower e-book prices. Pietsch responded to the email campaign by noting that HBG sets its own prices, and saved his sharpest criticism for Amazon’s stance in the negotiations, writing that Amazon initiated the fight because it “is seeking a lot more profit and even more market share, at the expense of authors, bricks and mortar bookstores, and ourselves.”
“Once again,” Pietsch continued, “we call on Amazon to withdraw the sanctions against Hachette’s authors that they have unilaterally imposed, and restore their books to normal levels of availability. We are negotiating in good faith. These punitive actions are not necessary, nor what we would expect from a trusted business partner.”
For its part, the Amazon Books Team said it “will never give up its fight for reasonable e-book prices,” and said that it is HBG that has prevented a deal from getting done. According to Amazon, “Hachette spent three months stonewalling and only grudgingly began to even acknowledge our concerns when we took action to reduce sales of their titles in our store.” The company added that it is HBG that has rebuffed three attempts by Amazon to remove authors from getting caught in the crossfire.
The public fight over terms has caused a deep division between authors: those who believe the Amazon argument that lower e-book prices result in higher unit sales and thus more money for everyone, and others who support the HBG position that its ultimate goal in its discussions with Amazon is to preserve a bookselling environment that includes not just Amazon but a range of outlets including bricks-and-mortar bookstores.
Peter Hildick-Smith, president of the book research firm Codex Group, said that, given current market trends, the importance of the dispute between Amazon and HBG “goes well beyond a simple negotiation over selling terms.”
Based on Codex survey data, Amazon has more than tripled its book unit share, from 13% in 2008 to 40% in 2014, which has contributed to an estimated 30% loss of physical bookstore selling space over the same period. With that loss of bookselling space has come a 4% decline in U.S. households reading fiction from 2008 to 2012, according to research by the National Endowment for the Arts.
In Hildick-Smith’s view, just as Hollywood movie studios would be reduced to mere video producers without movie theaters to launch their latest blockbusters, trade publishers without physical bookstores to accelerate new book discovery would be robbed of their unique ability to make break-out bestsellers and author brands, and ultimately be reduced to the role of Amazon associates, reliant on daily deals to promote new titles.
Whether openly acknowledged or not, the book market is “now in a battle for both the survival of physical-world book selling and the trade publishing business model that depends on it,” Hildick-Smith said. “The choice is either to emulate the film industry, with its theaters and strong multiple channels of distribution, or else by default, go the way of the music industry, which has endured a massive revenue decline since it became dominated by digital distribution.”


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This Monday, renowned tech-giant Microsoft unveiled its most anticipated smartphones of the year, the Lumia 950 and 950 XL. Running Windows 10 mobile, the new beauties from Microsoft flaunt a mind-boggling set of features at an impeccable price bracket. Lumia 950 XL features an Octa-core chipset and a bigger display, while its younger sibling packs a hexa-core processor with a smaller yet sharper display. They both feature 32GB of built-in storage, and ship at a tempting ‘best buy’ prices of Rs. 49,399 and Rs. 43,699 respectively.
So the question is, what’s new in the latest Lumia flagships? We all know Windows 10 Mobile promises a better ecosystem for nonstop work and play, and packs immense power for seamless performance. But despite a major OS upgrade, Microsoft sells some really interesting features that make Lumia 950 better than others. Let’s check out what are these features:
- Mesmerizing display
Microsoft has equipped Lumia 950 with a beautiful 5.2 quad-HD AMOLED display. The device features a clear back display protected by Gorilla Glass 3, and gives an impeccable viewing experience with 564 pixels per square inch. It makes a strong impression over the likes of Galaxy S6 and LG G4, and delivers sharp and true-to-life images with perfect viewing angles. The daylight output of this display is also very impressive, and till now, only a few smartphone makers have managed to offer a better package than this one!
- Windows 10 Continuum
The most impressive feature for on-the-go users, Windows 10 Continuum, transforms Lumia 950 into a full-fledged mini-computer. By using Microsoft’s Display Dock, Lumia 950 can be hooked up to a desktop, mouse, and keyboard, and can give a complete PC-like experience. The mobile interface of the OS transforms into a PC-like UI with Start Menu, and native Windows app scale up to give the same look of Windows 10 PC apps.
- Windows Hello
After seeing a lot of passwords and fingerprint scanners, Microsoft has finally introduced its state-of-art Windows Hello technology for smart and seamless unlocking. This feature pairs up with Iris scanner and unlocks Lumia 950/950 XL just by identifying the user from his eyes. It eliminates the dubious requirement of typing login credentials, and makes the Lumia 950 securer than all high-end smartphone, Android, iOS, or even BlackBerry OS.
- Impeccable camera Performance
Moving the flow, Microsoft has unwrapped some major camera improvements in its new flagships. This year, the company has introduced Lumia 950 with a 20-megapixel PureView rear camera with Carl Zesis optics, and a 5-megapixel front-facing shooter with wide angle lens. The device promises bright and sharp images with optical image stabilization and triple LED RGB flash modules, and makes one of the strongest camera packages to take on the likes of Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6S. It can also capture and play 4k videos without any lags or glitches.
- Windows 10 Mobile OS
Microsoft Lumia 950 is one of the first smartphones to run Windows 10 Mobile right out-of-the box. Just like the Desktop version, the highly-anticipated Windows 10 Mobile Microsoft promises a well-synchronized Windows ecosystem, just like Apple. The upgraded OS packs a better look and feel, and brings a plethora of new features such as, Continuum, improved Cortana integration, and Windows Hello. It also brings a bunch of noticeable changes in Camera, Messaging, Photos, OneDrive, People, and Office Mobile.
- Upgraded Storage
Sufficient built-in storage and an additional option for expandability makes Lumia 950 one of the most favored choices in the high-end segment. Unlike the iPhones or the Galaxys, Microsoft equips Lumia 950 with 32GB built-in-memory, and allows its users to expand storage up to a whopping 200GB without spending a huge fortune. On other smartphones, you’d have to spend more than Rs. 60,000 for a standard 64 or 128 gig variant, while here, all you need do is just pop-in a microSD card.
- Advanced USB Type-C connectivity
Along with enhanced storage, Lumia 950 also endows USB Type-C reversible connectivity with fast charging. This is the first Lumia smartphone with USB Type-C standard, but in last few months, we’ve seen a lot of USB Type-C, starting from OnePlus 2. This feature allows you to plug-in the data cable from both ends, and charges Lumia 950 from 0 to 50% in just 30 minutes. Since Microsoft is using the latest USB 3.1, the transfer rates are better on this handset.
- Enhanced Battery Capabilities
This year, Microsoft has equipped the new Lumia 950 with a humongous 3000 mAh removable battery. Unlike most flagships, the battery equipped with Lumia 950 can be replaced with a new one whenever required. It offers sufficient juice for work and play, and with added fast-changing technology, it easily gives you more than one day usage even on heavy usage.
To be exact, Lumia 950 offers 23 and 18 hours of talk time on 2G and 3G, and allows you to play more games, surf on the internet, and stream videos without any snags, glitches, or unexpected thermal issues.
So, all these features make Microsoft Lumia 950 one of the most anticipated smartphones of 2015. The Windows ecosystem has undoubtedly improved a lot, and with features like Windows 10 Continuum and Windows Hello, the power-packed device would definitely leave a strong impression over the likes of Galaxy S6, LG G4 and iPhone 6S. According to Microsoft, Microsoft Lumia 950 will hit the shelves in India from December 11, and will be available via online as well as offline channels. The pre-booking for the handset are currently open, and the Microsoft Display Dock, which has been launched at a price tag of Rs. 5,999, will also be bundled free with both phones until stocks lasts.
Lumia 950 packs dual SIM connectivity, measures at 151.9×78.4×8.1mm and weighs around 165 grams on paper. It replaces native fingerprint sensor with an Iris scanner and includes ambient light sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Proximity sensor, Gyroscope, and Magnetometer.


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A sharp drop in volumes of addressed letters has seen revenue at Royal Mail’s UK parcels, international and letters (UKPIL) business decline in a nine-month trading update.
In its trading update on the nine months to 23 December 2018, Royal Mail recorded a 2% increase in overall revenue, which includes UKPIL and the general logistic systems (GLS) sides of the business.
GLS enjoyed a volume boost of 5% in the period, resulting in an 8% uptick in revenue. UKPIL revenue declined by 1% with 6% growth in parcel volumes and revenue dragged down by an 8% fall in addressed letter volumes and a 6% drop in letters revenue.
Describing performance as “broadly in line” with expectations, Royal Mail affirmed that it expected to turn an operating profit of £500m-£530m for the full 2018-19 financial year.
Group chief executive Rico Back said: “Addressed letter volumes, excluding the impact of elections, were down 8%, with total letter revenue down 6%, largely reflecting the continuing impact of GDPR and a relatively strong prior year comparative period.
“Due to our letters performance to date, we expect addressed letter volume declines, excluding elections, to be in the range of 7%-8% for 2018-19. While the rate of e-substitution remains in line with our expectations, business uncertainty is impacting letter volumes.
“As a result, addressed letter volume declines, excluding elections, are likely to be outside our forecast medium-term range next year. Otherwise, we are reconfirming the outlook and other guidance for 2018-19 provided in our half-year results.”
With price increases for business mail customers coming into effect this month, it is expected that letter revenue will enjoy a net positive revenue over the new year.
Royal Mail confirmed that it was “planning for all the main eventualities” of Brexit, which remains set to take place on 29 March. Considering immediate risk to domestic operations “low” and regarding the “unclear” shape of the UK and EU’s future relationship, the PLC deemed it “not appropriate” to lay out the potential impacts of Brexit in its report.
Key issues identified that could hit Royal Mail include potential economic downturn and changes associated with customs and VAT processing, according to the update.
In its H1 results, adjusted operating profit before transformation costs was down 25% at £242m primarily due to lower UK sales and “poor productivity performance” that was significantly below plan, meaning cost saving targets were missed. Adjusted pre-tax profit fell 27% to £183m.
Full year results up to 31 March 2019 are expected to be published on Wednesday, 22 May.
As a result of yesterday’s trading update, shares in Royal Mail slumped to £2.54, their lowest level since the company was floated in 2013. Shares rallied slightly today, rising to £2.63 at the time of writing.


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|(Natural News) Prepare for a flood of intel in today’s Situation Update podcast shown below. Beyond the world bombshell DARPA document leaked to DRASTIC, which shows that EcoHealth Alliance and Fauci conspired to release aerosolized, skin-penetrating spike protein nanoparticles into wild bat populations in China (which would immediately leap to humans as planned), we also…|
Natural News is a science-based natural health advocacy organization led by activist-turned-scientist Mike Adams, the Health Ranger. The key mission of Natural News is to empower consumers with factual information about the synthetic chemicals, heavy metals, hormone disruptors and other chemicals found in foods, medicines, personal care products, children’s toys and other items. Visit https://www.naturalnews.com (Feed disabled due to lack of libertarian content)
This post has been republished with permission from a publicly-available RSS feed found on Natural News. The views expressed by the original author(s) do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of The Libertarian Hub, its owners or administrators. Any images included in the original article belong to and are the sole responsibility of the original author/website. The Libertarian Hub makes no claims of ownership of any imported photos/images and shall not be held liable for any unintended copyright infringement. Submit a DCMA takedown request.


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The company, which currently offers a roster of digital avatars for the likes of Cardi B, Russell Westbrook, Justin Bieber, J Balvin, Rihanna and Shawn Mendes, has transformed Quavo, Offset and Takeoff into virtual personas based on their real-life identities. Additionally, Genies has crafted an exclusive selection of blockchain-backed collectibles and wearables inspired by the trio’s Culture III era, which fans can purchase for their own avatars on the Genies Marketplace, set to launch later this year.
“The Genies’ universe is curated by culture,” said Jake Becker, Head of Talent Relations at Genies, in a statement. “There isn’t a more perfect fit than introducing Migos to the Genies family. Migos IS culture.”
Last month, Genies acquired $65 million USD in a funding round led by Mary Meeker’s Bond and a new partnership with Warner Music Group, securing the company’s top-shelf position in the celebrity avatar marketplace with a 99 percent share.
“Migos got your metaverse drip on lock,” said Offset. “The Genies platform will allow us to further engage and give meaningful experiences to culture.”
“Coming out of the pandemic, this industry has changed forever. When it comes to the metaverse, if you want more Migos, you get more Migos,” added Quavo.
Culture III marks the trio’s fourth studio album and the final installment to their Culture trilogy. The 19-track record features a multitude of feature appearances from Drake, Cardi B, Polo G, Future, Justin Bieber, YoungBoy Never Broke Again and late rappers Juice WRLD and Pop Smoke.
The Genies Marketplace has not received an official launch date, though the company has confirmed it will arrive in 2021. As we wait, indulge in Migos’ latest music video for the Culture III track, “Why Not.”


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Why Spanish tech companies are beefing up their workforces while U.S. giants are laying off workers en masse
The wave of tech company layoffs began in 2022, reaching a figure of more than 150,000 according to layoffs.fyi. That number nearly doubled in January with a total of 75,912 laid off and looks set to continue to grow, as Meta has announced it will shed about 11,000 jobs in March.
Former employees of major brands such as. Philips, Dell, Zoom, Meta, Twitter, Microsoft, eBay, Yahoo or GitHub, among others.are quickly finding new positions in other technology companies. But that does not prevent there is great concern about the massive layoffs that are taking place. While this is happening in the world, the situation in Spain seems favorable.
The situation in Spain
According to a report by Scaleup Spain Network, a program that supports start-up companies, generated. some 850,000 jobs, equivalent to an increase of 60%.. On average, 94% of the scaleups stated that there were direct skilled jobs among the recruits.
Scaleups are companies that started as startups, but have the purpose of expanding. and reach new markets, new customers and innovate. Therefore, as they are newly created, it is to be expected that some of them will not survive, but Scaleup Spain Network is positive.
Antonio Iglesias, general director of Endeavor Spain, explains to D+I that we are facing “years of euphoria” for Spanish entrepreneurs and that, “although it is foreseeable that there will be layoffs, it will never be a situation comparable to that of the United States”.
But beyond the scaleups, there is also a promising future for specialists in the tech sector, as more jobs are on offer than there is demand. According to a report by DigitalES in the middle of last year, there were more than 120,000 unfilled tech vacancies. and Frank Moreno, an expert in intrapreneurship and technology talent pipeline, stated for 20BITS that. specialists did not cover “not even 25% of the current supply”.
Microsoft does not give up in Spain
While Microsoft lays off in the rest of the world, it continues to bet on technological talent in Spain, according to Alberto Granados, president of the local division. It should be noted that the firm three will have data centers in the country and that its plans are to to hire one hundred new people in Barcelona.
Granados recalled in a talk at Nueva Economía Fórum that the Artificial Intelligence hub in Barcelona had opened a year and a half ago, with 80 initial employees, and that his intention was to hire a hundred more. He also pointed out that in Barcelona they will be working with GPT3 and GPT4.
On the other hand, Microsoft’s Spanish data centers will continue to adjust to demand. In this way, the executive explained that they were going to “reprioritize certain areas and projects that are more strategic and have a greater impact on the end customer” and that the company’s situation will be “more strategic and with a greater impact on the end customer”. would not impact the construction of the three data centers “neither now nor in the future”.
These facilities will be in the Community of Madrid: In San Sebastián de los Reyes, Meco and Algete.. Granados comments that an analysis that has been done estimates that this project will offer a value of approximately 15,000 million additional euros, from 2022 to 2025, and around 50,000 additional jobs throughout the ecosystem.
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This post is also available in: Spanish
Throughout the Amazon region, human activities like agricultural production, infrastructure development and logging are leading to alarming levels of deforestation. After impressive advances like the tripling of protected areas in Colombia, we are now seeing backsliding or insufficient improvement throughout the basin. Policies that are sound on paper often succumb to the combination of weak institutions and inadequate enforcement coupled with powerful economic forces, both legal and illegal, driving activities that destroy forests.
The Amazon rain forest plays a critical role as a carbon sink, mediator of the global water cycle and cradle of biodiversity. Massive loss of the Amazon rain forest would spell catastrophe not just for the 30 million people living in the basin but also for the world. Half of the world’s tropical forests are in the Amazon, and yet deforestation produces 8 percent of net global emissions, more than the entire European Union. Scientists warn that we may be close to a “tipping point” — a degree of deforestation at which the Amazon basin will no longer be able to generate its own rainfall by recycling moisture and thus cease to support rain forest ecosystems. According to a 2018 study by the World Wildlife Fund, as much as half of wildlife in the world’s richest forests, like the Amazon, could be at risk of extinction in the next century.
Countries in the Amazon are falling behind on their targets to cut deforestation. Effective conservation policies have proved successful, but enforcement is lacking. We must quickly reverse current trends and ensure that economic development is not at odds with conservation to avoid reaching the tipping point.


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Picture yourself falling in love with Germantown. This Saturday, a group of photographers for the first ever “Germantown Photo Walk” from 9 to 11 a.m.
Photographers of all skill levels are welcome.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their professional, digital camera or even phone camera in order to explore the beauty of the neighborhood.
The meeting place will be at the Germantown Life Enrichement Center located at 5722 Greene Street.
For more information, contact Gary Reed at email@example.com


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CollegePlus won the first place prize in the prestigious annual SMU Cox Entrepreneurship Club Startup Launch Competition for $73,825. Alongside the money, CollegePlus secured favor in the Dallas entrepreneurship space, and gained much popularity.
CollegePlus has won the SMU Engaged Learning Business Plan Competition in 2021 and 2022, securing $10,000 total from these two prizes.
CollegePlus along with the story of the founder, Seun Suberu, has been shown on the main SMU homepage where many prospect students got to learn about what CollegePlus was all about. CollegePlus has also released many stories where the founder has given testimonials on the start and growth of CollegePlus, along with how CollegePlus has impacted students across the United States.


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Genshin Impact Anniversary 2021 is about to be celebrated on September 28, which is a mere week away. The developers have already made announcements and teasers about their Version 2.1 Special Program. A number of events will run through its anniversary and the week around it to celebrate with its players. Genshin Impact’s developer miHoYo has announced the rewards coming with the game’s one-year anniversary, and the live event. The article details all about the upcoming Genshin Impact Anniversary Event and what’s in it for the players.
Genshin Impact Anniversary 2021
Genshin Impact is an open-world, action RPG developed and published by miHoYo for PC, iOS/Android, and PS4 platforms. The game is Free-to-Play with a Gacha monetization system in the form of wishes. Genshin Impact was globally released on September 28, 2020. This means the game’s possible in-game anniversary events might become a part of the 2.1 updates. The anniversary-related rewards were also confirmed by a Blog post, where the anniversary rewards were mention.
The game’s publisher miHoYo is putting on a raffle for Genshin Impact players who share their wishes to the world ahead of the game’s first anniversary in the Engraved Wishes event. The event will start on September 28 and end on October 12. The rewards include:
- Enhancement Ore
- Hero’s Wit
Players will be able to pick up Intertwined Fates, Mora, and other goodies. The more detailed details of rewards per day are as follows:
- Day 1: Intertwined Fate x1
- Day 2: Mora x80000
- Day 3: Intertwined Fate x2
- Day 4: Mythic Enhancement Ore x18
- Day 5: Intertwined Fate x2
- Day 6: Hero’s Wit x8
- Day 7: Intertwined Fate x5
Furthermore, Sangonomiya Kokomi’s banner will be available around the same time as Genshin Impact’s anniversary date. The Genshin Concert 2021 – Melodies of an Endless Journey is scheduled to premiere on October 3, and will be free and available for everyone to watch.


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As of 31 Oct. this year, PDRM has gotten a total of 8,162 cases of e-commerce fraud that amounts to RM57.73 million in losses.
According to Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) Investigating Officer, Assistant Superintendent Mohd Sa’adon Sabirin, there were only 3,318 cases involving RM22.39 million in losses reported in 2018.
The number shows that e-commerce fraud has more than doubled since then.
He said that the total loss suffered by the fraud victims from 2018 till until October of this year amounts to RM149 million
The situation worsened in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, where 5,848 cases of e-commerce fraud were reported as more people started making purchases online.CCID Investigating Officer, ASP Mohd Sa’adon Sabirin.
During a webinar session on e-commerce fraud organised by Bank Negara Malaysia on 10 Nov, Mohd Sa’adon said that the statistics is made up of those who were swindled and reported the crime.
He believes there are more cases that has gone unreported and urged victims to lodge police reports. The information and data related to these scams will be used by the PDRM to take further action.
Information such as phone number and bank accounts received from fraud victims would be updated in the “Check Mule” application, which helps the public to cross check seller information before making a transaction.
Penang Companies Commission of Malaysia Director, Sazuree Shuib advised merchants to register their businesses under SSM BizTrust platform, which was created to protect consumers and help crackdown on e-commerce fraud.
A total of 625,000 businesses have registered under SSM BizTrust platform with only 43,000 still active, according to Sazuree Shuib.
Free registration promotion from SSM BizTrust is ongoing till 31 Dec for businesses that does online trading.


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The ability to find a laptop display that offers the darkest levels of black while also having a very high refresh rate is set to get easier later this year thanks to Samsung Display.
In March, the company will start mass-producing 14-inch 90Hz OLED panels(Opens in a new window) for use in laptops. It sees the move as introducing a "major shift in the market as it collaborates closely with global manufacturers to achieve a new level of excellence for refresh rates in laptops." However, it's as yet unclear which laptop manufacturers have signed up to use this new OLED panel.
A range of laptops sporting OLED displays are already available, but this move by Samsung Display could trigger a wave of high refresh rate 14-inch laptops hitting the market later this year. Samsung Display is also touting the benefits of the new panel when compared to LCD, claiming the 90Hz OLED refresh rate "is actually 10X the fastest screen response time on the market today." The company also states it's "on par with that of 120Hz LCD screens." If the claims are true, especially when combined with the darker blacks and lower power draw, the 90Hz panels are sure to prove popular.
Earlier this month, Samsung Display also announced it had 10 new OLED panels specifically designed for upcoming laptops. Expect 1440p and 1080p options, as well as 13.4-inch, 14-inch, and 16-inch screen sizes.
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Tech Trends: What’s in Store for 2014?December 27th, 2013 | Articles, Hiring Resources, Press Releases and Industry News | No Comments »
2013 brought about plenty of change in the tech industry. New social media platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram saw massive success, and old timers like Facebook broke new ground by going public. Tablets and smartphones became the new norms when it comes to surfing the web, and PC companies saw record plunges in the sales of their desktop and laptop computers, forcing them to change their ways or falter.
Now that the rampant madness of the holiday season has begun to subside, we can look ahead to next year and make a few predictions for the tech industry. Here is what 2014 is likely to bring us.
The PC will fall into a greater decline
It’s no surprise that PC sales fell so greatly during 2013, as the use of tablet computing and smartphone technology exponentially increased since 2012. Although old school techies may not like it, the likely outcome of 2014 will be the inevitable death of traditional computers (at least in the sense of everyday activities). It is only a matter of time before desktops are being sold only to industry professionals and avid gamers (the only people will need the extra computing power).
E-commerce could reign over brick and mortar stores
Mobile app developers are very aware of the lucrative e-commerce industry and have set out to provide companies with more ways to shop using tablets and smartphones. Brick and mortar stores may have had it rough this year, but online retailers like Amazon saw massive sales despite the lackluster economic recovery. The struggles of UPS and FedEx to deliver every holiday package on time is a further testament to the power behind e-commerce.
Gaming consoles will not die
Although consumers are dropping their PCs for mobile computing technology, it is not likely that we will see the fall of traditional gaming consoles. Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One have already sold millions – Amazon reported that customers were purchasing more than 1,000 units per minute at the peak of shopping. Even Nintendo has seen huge success with its 3DS models despite the rise of smartphone gaming.
Privacy will be decided
The leaks brought about by Edward Snowden in regards to NSA spying tactics could possibly be the tech news of the year. Even now, companies like Google are taking on big government to try and shield the massive amounts of data that they collect on customers and users. It won’t be long before federal judges begin to pick up these cases, and it is likely that it will reach the Supreme Court in the near future.
By Kevin Withers


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Sun Capital has invested in a £13m funding round for music streaming service Roxi Music, according to press reports.
GP is investing in the Norway-based marketing technology group via its EUR 540m Edda II fund
Further details are expected to be announced in the coming six weeks, according to a statement
Paris-based manufacturer of construction surface films records annual turnover of more than EUR 30m
Paack, now valued at EUR 1bn, has pledged to be the first delivery service to be 100% emission-free


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Piggybank.ng closed $1.1M in seed funding and announced a new product — Smart Target, which offers a more secure and higher return option for Esusu or Ajo group savings clubs common across West Africa.
Founded in 2016, by Somto Ifezue, Odunayo Eweniyi and Joshua Chibueze, Piggybank.ng offers online savings plans — primarily to low and middle income Nigerians — for deposits of small amounts on a daily, weekly, monthly, or annual basis. There are no upfront fees. Savers earn interest rates of between 6 to 10 percent, depending on the type and duration of investment.
Users need an account with one of PiggyBank.ng’s bank partners to use the products. The startup generates returns for small-scale savers (primarily) through investment in Nigerian government securities, such as bonds and treasury bills. PiggyBank.ng itself generates revenue through asset management and from the float its balances generate at partner banks.
The startup looks to grow clients across younger Nigerians and the country’s informal saving groups.
“The market that we are trying to serve is largely the millennial market, though we do not exclude anyone,” said Eweniyi, the company’s chief operating officer. The venture also looks to meet a demand in Nigeria for accessible investment options, citing a survey they conducted indicating that as a top priority for people with discretionary income.
“Piggybank offers savings, but our vision is not just savings, but to become a holistic platform — a financial warehouse — where other financial providers can plug in their services for PiggyBank users,” said Eweniyi. She cited banks, investment houses, insurance, and pension funds as possible partners.
The company currently has 53,000 registered users — 60 percent of whom are Nigerian Millennials — who have saved in excess of $5M since 2016, according to a release.
Joshua Chibueze, Co-Founder and CMO of Piggybank says, “Today’s announcement allows us to expand and capitalise on the many opportunities that the market presents us with. Our growth so far has been stimulated almost entirely by peer-to-peer advocacy and our investment in the highest quality customer service, so we know the market is there, and the product has been built, modified, tested and ratified by users. With this fundraiser, we can invest significantly in our people and products, as we build a digital financial warehouse accessible to millions of Africans whose savings woes we want to put firmly behind them.”
In addition to securing its seed funding of $1.1 million, Piggybank.ng has recently acquired a micro-financing license from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which provides the relevant regulatory cover, allowing them independence from partnering with banks.


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A famously generous employer is cutting health benefits for some of its workers. Trader Joe’s told employees it will stop offering health insurance to part-time workers in January. The company suggests they turn to new options created by Obamacare.
The undisputed winner in this is Trader Joe’s.
The company told employees it will offer $500 stipends to put toward their purchase of personal health insurance; on the whole, however, the company will probably contribute less for the health care of its employees.
Trader Joe’s has advised employees to browse the health-care exchanges established as part of the Affordable Care Act. The online marketplaces offer a place where people can shop for plans or access subsidized options.
For the employees, those outcomes could be hit or miss. Paul Van de Water from the Center on Budget and Policy.
“While it’s likely that some employees may be disadvantaged,” said Paul Van de Water from the Center on Budget and Policy, if their total household income does not qualify them for any subsidies.
“But it’s also quite possible that many, if not most, of the employees may actually end up better off — or at least no worse off — because they will be able to receive subsidies through the exchanges,” he said.
A Trader Joe’s representative couldn’t be reached for comment, but the Huffington Post obtained a memo saying that the changes will apply to employees working under 30 hours a week.
The grocery chain also recently reduced its pension contributions.


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Small businesses in the City of Melbourne are invited to apply for the 2015 Business 3000+ Awards which recognise and celebrate their endeavours and achievements.
Nominations are open now, and close on August 31.
Some 47 Melbourne-based businesses have won the awards in the past 11 years, and this has led to increased exposure of their businesses and further recognition from Melbourne’s business community. 43 of these recipients have grown their businesses since winning their awards.
Melbourne businesses are eligible for a number of awards and recognitions, including the Melbourne Awards, the Lord Mayor’s Commendations and the Business 3000+ Awards.
The Business 3000+ Awards focus on services-based small businesses including, but not limited to, finance, legal and IT.
Awards organiser John Stock says that the beauty of these awards is “the small business stories they uncover in our city”.
Nominations are sought from small businesses located within the City of Melbourne that contribute to the commercial success and unique, vibrant fabric of the city.
Businesses that operate their head office, an office, branch, shop or outlet within the City of Melbourne municipal boundaries, and have no more than 30 full-time employees are eligible to enter.
There are five categories in which businesses can self-nominate, or if you know a small business that fits the bill, you can nominate them via the website – www.b3000.org.au
Past awards winners have included Ausmed Education, Mork Chocolate, Gomo Foundation, GreenSync, Polaris Communications, Starnet Systems, Enspire Australia, KeepCup, Rooftop Cinema, STREAT and Melbourne City Rooftop Honey.


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For Valve Software, Team Fortress 2 isn't just a game – it's a resource. Since its launch in 2007, Valve has continued to update the game with new items, modes, and even a new business model. While these changes have certainly helped satisfy players, they've also helped the studio prepare for the future.
In a recent interview with Gamasutra, Team Fortress 2 lead designer Robin Walker explained that while the game's primary goal has been to grow and maintain its sizeable audience, Valve has also used the title as a testbed for new ideas that could protect the livelihood of the entire company.
"Our secondary goal [with Team Fortress 2] was to see if we could explore specific game and business design spaces that we felt were potentially a requirement for the long-term survival of our company," Walker said.
One of those spaces, as it turns out, was the traditional MMO market -- and Team Fortress 2's persistent item economy came about because Valve was hoping to learn more about what made those games tick.
"[When the game shipped], MMOs were the dominant story in the industry, and one concern we had was that we might not be able to survive if we didn’t build one," Walker said. "We didn’t think we were ready to undertake that, but we did think that we might be able to build some pieces of one, learning enough so that if or when we did need to build one, we had less risk on the table. We decided that persistent item design and storage seemed like a reasonable amount of risk for us to bite off, and could be made to fit into TF2’s gameplay."
Just a few short years later, when traditional MMOs had started to wane in popularity, Valve was beginning to sense another major trend looming on the horizon: the rise of free-to-play and microtransaction-based games.
"A couple of years later... we were starting to feel the same way about microtransactions as we did initially about MMOs: that our company was at risk if we didn’t have internal experience and hard data on them," Walker said.
Once again, Team Fortress 2 was chosen as the guinea pig, and in June 2011, Valve made the game completely free-to-play. This update proved to be one of the game's most significant yet, as it both increased revenues by a factor of twelve, and gave the studio the expertise it needed to adopt the free-to-play model in games like Dota 2.
"At the time, one of the questions the fledgling Dota 2 team was asking was whether they should be free to play, and we wanted to be able to give them a bunch of data so they could make that decision with some confidence," Walker said.
Given everything Valve has learned from Team Fortress 2 over the years, Walker says the game's financial success is really just icing on the cake. The game's ongoing updates have allowed the studio to quickly adapt to market changes, making it -- if nothing else -- an invaluable research tool for the studio's future projects.
"In the end, TF2 has been ended up being one of the most useful tools we’ve ever built to reduce risk in our company’s future. It’s been really nice that it’s also brought in significant revenue throughout that time, but ultimately, the importance we place on understanding our business and our customers has made it totally worthwhile," Walker said.
"The thought that if we hadn’t done it, we’d be here today without any data or experience with service based monetization strategies is quite terrifying."


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Gift & Home Market to Take Place at CMC Next Week
September 14, 2011,
LOS ANGELES--The California Market Center will host the Gift & Home Market from Sept. 18-20.
Gift and seasonal items for the fourth quarter and for spring 2012 will be on display. A statement from CMC said many exhibitors will offer immediate delivery of fall items and other incentives for buyers looking for inventory fill-ins. Merchandise categories will include decorative accessories, apparel, personal-care items, gifts, jewelry, children's products and others.
Sue Bhanubandh, CMC's vice president of leasing, said the center has experienced a "growth spurt" in the gift and home resources located there. Bhanubandh said CMC will be announcing more new showrooms in the near future.


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A record £5.27 billion was invested in UK TV advertising in 2015, according to Thinkbox.
The figures show an increase of 7.4 per cent on 2014, and mark the sixth consecutive year of growth for TV advertising in the UK.
Thinkbox’s data represents all money invested by advertisers in commercial TV, broadcaster VoD, linear spot and sponsorship, and product placement.
Online businesses are now the second biggest TV advertising category, investing over £500 million, with Google, Facebook and Netflix spending over 60 per cent of their marketing budgets on TV advertising.
Social media network Facebook invested £10.8 million, the year’s biggest-spending new TV advertiser, one of 877 new or returning advertisers on TV.
“TV advertising works, it works better than anything else, and it works for all budgets,” said Lindsey Clay, chief executive of Thinkbox.
“Nothing else has TV’s reach, scale and connection with audiences; no other form of advertising is as trusted. Advertisers of all sizes, from global technology companies to local businesses, know this and have voted with their investment.
“Online businesses in particular recognise the impact TV advertising has and have significantly increased their investment recently. This is something we expect to continue in 2016.”
Further figures included:
– TV advertising is 30 per cent cheaper than ten years ago
– Commercial TV reaches 92.5 per cent of the UK every week
– An average broadcast TV campaign in the UK (of 400 TV ratings) gets 234 million views


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Using our patents search engine, we have unearthed a newly-published patent application from Airbnb, which was originally filed in October 2016. The patent application, titled “Beam Device Architecture,” describes a system to compress cellular data, allowing people to more easily go online in areas of limited internet connectivity. Explicit mention is made regarding less developed areas of the world in Asia and Latin America where Airbnb is active.
The Beam patent application is relatively rare for Airbnb, which has applied for just 15 patents since 2013 to date — compared to, for example, fellow unicorn Uber which has applied for over 130.
The patent would push Airbnb into the realm of Facebook and Google,
The patent application describes how a bubble-shaped device called a “beam modem” and “beam API server” act as intermediaries between the user’s device (e.g., smartphone) and external web service, compressing the request from the user before sending it on, and then compressing the response before passing it back to the smartphone or other device.
We highlight one part of the process below.
The patent specifically mentions China and Cuba as countries with underdeveloped infrastructure for wireless internet. Both countries are major growth opportunities for Airbnb, which is still relatively early in cracking China’s $500B+ domestic tourism market. Cuba, on the other hand, is an area where Airbnb has experienced explosive growth in hosts and activity since it began offering accommodation there in April 2015.
By offering reliable wireless internet access to its listings, Airbnb could differentiate its service from local competitors (in alternative accommodation or standard online hotel booking) in China, and perhaps in markets like Brazil and India as well. Locally-based competitors include Xiaozhu in China ($80M in disclosed funding), Oyo Rooms in India ($542.6M), and Hotel Urbano ($130M) in Brazil.
Furthermore, by giving hosts a way to offer their guests more consistent wireless access, Airbnb could move toward a more standardized guest experience across the world, making international travelers feel more comfortable about staying with Airbnb rather than an international hotel chain. Also, as Airbnb increasingly targets business travelers, guaranteed connectivity may become even more important.
Beam seems to be a brainchild of Airbnb’s new innovation unit, Samara, which launched in August 2016. Samara aims to focus on long-term innovations and urban planning through software, hardware, and even new real estate models. In its first major project, it designed a community center to connect guests and locals in a rural village in Japan. We can see Samara’s focus on design in a photo of the Beam device below. The photo was pulled from LinkedIn, where it was posted by Alex Blackstock, a founding member of the Samara team whose name is on the patent app.
There is a clear similarity between the photo to the right and the drawing in the patent (left).
In 2016, Airbnb received their first actual patent grant. That patent described methods to blend online and offline data to verify the identity of a user, a feature that is perhaps more core to Airbnb’s business model than the Beam device and which could help increase trust between Airbnb hosts and guests.
Check out the CB Insights platform to discover patents or continue to track Airbnb’s patents and innovation around hardware devices, connectivity, and trust.
Log in to CB Insights or sign up for free below.If you aren’t already a client, sign up for a free trial to learn more about our platform.


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BULGARIA: Scientists explore new methods or extracting sturgeon roe for caviar
Bulgarian scientists are investigating possibilities for extracting sturgeon roe without killing the fish, in order to save the shrinking worldwide sturgeon population. The Bulgarian fish research institute in Bolyartsi, Plovdiv region, has a sturgeon-breeding facility that plants young sturgeon in the Danube river. Bulgaria's Agriculture Ministry has proposed a new rule for financing the planting operations, under which the fishermen, who have received a licence for catching and exporting sturgeon and sturgeon caviar, will pay a fee for the fish planting, reported the Bulgarian News Digest.
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Schools, police forces and parents are sick of masked idiots terrorising children – but many still have no idea how this horrifying fad even started.
Stephen King, famous author of clown horror flick IT, has staunchly denied he is responsible.
But conspiracy theorists have pointed the finger at an unexpected culprit – the global fast food giant's famously friendly clown Ronald McDonald.
He may be the face of the iconic fast food brand, but one Illuminati blogger – known as “Bruce” – claims the McDonald’s mascot has a sinister side.
In a bizarre blog titled “McDonald’s, mind control and the illuminati”, Bruce claims the “happy clown” is a “subtle representation of Satan”.
He writes: “With a head of red hair and face paint reminiscent of heathen rituals, this classic image is little more than a farce.
“In actuality, the clown was designed by the Illuminati to appeal to children in order to make them more susceptible to notions of Satan and hell.”
After spending years in the public eye, is it possible Ronald McDonald brainwashed individuals to carry out his bidding?
“The clown was designed by the Illuminati to appeal to children in order to make them more susceptible to notions of Satan and hell.”Bruce Illuminati blogger
Reddit user 911bodysnatchers322 said there’s weight to this argument because clowns are used as a trigger in a Illuminati mind control technique.
According to rumours, the secretive cult use a method called “monarch mind control” to programme individuals to carry out missions planted in their heads.
You’d be forgiven for thinking this theory is far-fetched – but last week a YouTube clip emerged which added fuel to the fire.
The creepy video purports to be an old Japanese advert for McDonald’s.
Throughout the two-minute video, everyone’s favourite clown – looking exceptionally creepy – can be seen stalking a woman.
In one bizarre scene, he stares at the woman through a window after calling her phone.
There is nothing to suggest the video is an official McDonald’s advert, but that’s not stopped conspiracy theorists speculating.
Although Ronald’s Illuminati ties can’t be confirmed, the fast food giant did confirm the mascot is “keeping a low profile”.
A spokesperson said he is being kept away from promotional events until the “killer clown” craze dies down.
The company said: "McDonald’s and franchisees in the local markets are mindful of the current climate around clown sightings in communities and as such are being thoughtful in respect to Ronald McDonald’s participation in community events for the time being."
Daily Star Online asked popular Illuminati blogger Isaac Weishaupt if he believed Ronald McDonald had inspired the terrifying clown craze.
He said: “I don't see anything that suggests it. I think the clown craze is just a bunch of nerds getting off on attention.”
A McDonald's spokesperson told Daily Star Online Ronald McDonald has not been used as a mascot in the UK for some time.
It comes after a top supermarket pulled clown masks from their shelves over fears the craze could spread.


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Game’s new website now also includes liquor and Pickup
With Massmart’s eCommerce gross merchandise value sales increasing by 56% in 2021, Game last month launched a refreshed website equipped with new features, functionalities, and product categories – providing shoppers with an improved experience.
This is an exciting step for the retailer, supported by an investment from Massmart and a dedicated support team in Walmart’s global tech hub in Bangalore, India.
While its original website offered basic eCommerce functionality, the new site offers an improved experience featuring advanced sourcing logic, order tracking, online returns, a brand new pickup option for customers and categories that were previously unavailable online – such as liquor and clothing.
“Our research shows that our consumers enjoy shopping safely and conveniently online, especially from their mobile phones. Aside from a refreshed look and feel, the mobile-friendly website the website also offers improved search and navigation functionalities for our customers– ensuring they are served with a convenient and easy experience when shopping with Game,”
explains Andrew Stein, Vice President, Game.
“This is a significant step in the transformation of our business through our turnaround strategy and is evidence of the investment that Walmart and Massmart are making in Game.
In line with the improved experience, intelligent system logic will now allow geo-location of products for faster and more efficient deliveries and near real-time stock availability updates. In April the retailer reported a more than 100% growth in online sales month-to-date when compared to April 2021 – directly demonstrating the relevance of this new website, as South African consumers continue to shop online.
The retailer will also be offering a Pickup feature in select stores – powered by the new website – where customers can order online and collect in-store.
Currently, this is available in 20 conveniently located stores throughout the country, with additional stores rolling out throughout the year.
“This is a feature we are particularly excited about, as our consumers have shown interest in this for some time,” explains Stein.
“The website will continue to evolve, with new features being added each month, as we continue our drive to remain relevant, transform our business and grow with our consumers. Our aim is to provide a more convenient, streamlined shopping experience for all our customers,” said Stein.
Supplied by: Game.
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Walt Disney has again extended CEO Bob Iger's contract to July 2, 2019, it announced in a release on Thursday. » Read More
According to studio estimates Sunday, "Beauty and the Beast" blew past the previous record-holder for G- or PG-rated releases. » Read More
With all the talk of the massive growth of digital media, online companies are still making traditional TV deals. Here's why.
The Sumner Redstone lawsuit is at trial Friday, where a pre-taped testimony from Redstone will be played, reports CNBC's Julia Boorstin.
Tribune Publishing said on Wednesday its board unanimously rejected Gannett's unsolicited takeover offer.
Verizon pronounced its commitment to growing its media business through the AOL/go90s NewFront presentation.
CNBC's Julia Boorstin has the update on two media giants reporting quarterly results.
Mike Hopkins discusses what is next for the company and for the future of streaming television with The New York Times.
Time Warner reported a 2.5 percent rise in revenue, helped by higher subscription revenue at its Turner Broadcasting and Home Box Office networks.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has approved European telecoms group Altice's acquisition of U.S. cable company Cablevision Systems.
CNBC's Julia Boorstin talks about how Hulu is working on a service to stream live TV.
The company claims that if you want to reach millennials, you'll need their insights, which it says the rest of media doesn't exactly have.
About.com created specialized health site Verywell to compete for more digital advertising spend.
CNBC's Julia Boorstin reports that streaming site Hulu is working to offer a bundle service including live and on-demand TV content.
A string of leaders failed to define what Yahoo is to its users, former Yahoo President Susan Decker says.
CNBC's Julia Boorstin reports on the growing rivalry between Netflix and Amazon over their competing streaming video services.
CBS's executives are considering how they can gain more control over the broadcaster after Sumner Redstone dies, or if he is declared incompetent.
At first glance, iflix might appear to have a lot in common with Netflix, but CEO Mark Britt is adamant that the two companies are not competing.
Barton Crockett, Senior Analyst at FBR Capital Markets & Co., and Tony Wible, Director and Senior Analyst - Media & Entertainment at Drexel Hamilton, talk about the streaming rivalry between Netflix and Amazon, as well as how they approach investing in the companies.
WPP posted first quarter earnings on Thursday of 3 billion GDP, up 10.6 percent ($4.7 billion). Like-for-like sales was up 5.1 percent.
Millennials are skeptical of ads. Digital media is trying viral products or blending in with users to get brand messages across.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey sat down for an interview to talk about what Wall Street has wrong about the company, and what his vision is.
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By Chris Hock, SVP Business Development & Strategic Initiatives, BlackArrow
The pay-TV industryâ€™s transition to â€œanywhere, anytime, any deviceâ€ viewing is connecting broadcasters and programming networks directly with consumers via OTT applications that can be monetized with targeted advertising. But on that big TV in your living room and traditional pay-TV platforms, which still command the most TV eyeballs and advertising dollars, the new paradigms of time shifting and binge watching are causing economic havoc. Broadcasters are losing money every time a stale ad is locked up on a DVR or in a VOD library.
Whatâ€™s changing the equation is the evolution of Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI) in recent years. DAI has grown from its roots as an operator-centric technology to one that is being extended to operatorsâ€™ content partners, allowing broadcasters to stack full seasons of all of their programming into VOD libraries and dynamically insert fresh ads whenever the programs are watched.
Virgin Media, for example, has used technology from BlackArrow to fast track a strategy to enable their broadcaster partners to monetise â€œBig Screen VODâ€. Broadcasters can now deliver fresh ads in time-shifted programming to the 3.8 million subscribers who watch the broadcasterâ€™s programs on the television as well as any of Virginâ€™s other platforms.
Just three months after its December 2014 announcement that it is implementing cross platform, addressable advertising capabilities, Virgin Media had the system up and running. Lynette Turnbull, Head of Digital Entertainment Product Management for Virgin Media, indicated that more changes â€“ including DAI on IP VOD and addressable linear platforms â€“ are in store for the industry later this year, and has said that it is â€œabsolutely criticalâ€ that the content industry adapt to the changing landscape.
â€œSo what can the broadcasters do to protect and grow their advertising revenues?â€ Turnbull asked recently. â€œThey need to embrace â€˜Big-Screen VODâ€™ â€“ adapting to consumer demand is absolutely critical. The broadcasters need to expand their VOD offerings, introduce catchup services, deeper archives and invest in original content. This is, after all, how the consumer now expects to consume their content.
â€œSecondly, they need an effective and deliverable monetization strategy focused on VOD. And as an industry, we need to create the right ecosystem for advertisers, broadcasters and platforms to establish an effective audience measurement standard for the Big-Screen VOD viewership and advertising. We all know that this is a huge challenge but it is critical that we come together as an industry to drive this forward.â€
Currently, Turnbull said 68 percent of its 3.8 million TV subscribers use its VOD service. Last year, Virgin Media served up 1.2 billion VOD views, a 9 percent increase over the previous year. On the advertising front, Virgin Media is now delivering 300 million ad views annually, including on its TV Everywhere service.
How do the operators benefit from providing their broadcaster partners with dynamic ad insertion? More content available whenever and wherever their subscribers want to view it means a happier subscriber base and less churn.
In the United States, a recent article noted that VOD advertising has generated a 6 percent lift in retention, a 4 percent increase in motivating viewers to search for and find the advertised product, and a 14 increase in overall ad â€œlikability.â€ Turnbull echoed similar advantages within the Virgin Media ecosystem.
â€œSo all of this results in benefits for advertisers, customers and broadcasters and, of course, the platforms,â€ Turnbull said. â€œFor advertisers, weâ€™ve created the ability to buy against targeted and segmented audiences with richer data and dynamically managed campaigns in real time. For customers, the ads that they see are more relevant to them, thus improving their TV viewing experience. Weâ€™re also able to promote more relevant content to the customers based on what we know they love to watch, and we can keep them up to date on relevant new products and services, reminding them of the value of their quad play subscription.â€
And finally, for broadcasters and programming networks, the advantages are obvious. Moving to an addressable, dynamic advertising capability will help drive new revenue streams from time-shifted content and coupled with the targeting capability and rich data from the platform, drive incremental value from the existing audiences.