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90 Day Fiance alum Michael Jessen has been hard at work with his wine business and he’s very proud of it. Juliana Custodio’s husband managed to keep his venture afloat despite the ongoing pandemic.
Michael and Juliana have been busy promoting their wine products on social media. But Michael’s latest advertising strategy appeared to irk a few people. Here’s why.
90 Day Fiance: Michael Jessen’s successful wine business
Michael Jessen has proven himself to be a competent businessman with his successful wine brand. The 90 Day Fiance star has always been passionate about wine and made a living out of it.
During his debut on the show, Michael explained that his career involves importing and distributing wine in the country, as well as wine auction. Juliana’s husband admitted that such profession has brought him in an “enormous amount of income.”
But Michael’s love for wine doesn’t stop there. The 90 Day Fiance alum is now a proud co-owner Licataa Wines.
Michael seemed to use his reality TV stint to promote his wine. Aside from his wife, Juliana, the TLC star also managed to get other cast members to promote his brand.
Michael criticized for racy wine photo
But Michael Jessen’s latest promotion on his social media page appeared to have irked some of his followers. Apparently, some find the 90 Day Fiance star’s post somewhat tacky.
Michael shared a photo of his friend endorsing his Licataa wine. The picture showed a woman wearing a skimpy white top, exposing her ample chest. She’s holding two shiny wine bottles, strategically positioned right in front of her bosoms.
She then captioned the head-turning image with, “Two bottles of Licataa are better than one,” matched with heart-eyes emojis.
90 Day Fiance: Michael defends post
Michael Jessen’s post quickly caught the attention of his followers. While some loved it, others were more critical of it.
The 90 Day Fiance star shared a screenshot of one of the many hateful messages he received because of the said post. One user criticized Juliana Custodio’s husband for using a sexy photo to promote his brand.
“If it’s good enough product – shouldn’t need the tits to hawk it maybe?” the commenter said. In response, Michael suggested to try the wine first and let him know if it’s good or not.
The 90 Day Fiance star said he “understands how easily people get offended” but that is something beyond his control. In the end, Michael said he wants people to enjoy his wine any way they like.
90 Day Fiance airs on Sundays at 8/7c on TLC.


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X|NEWS: New ToTok campaign celebrates Ramadan with food competitions, dedicated news and more
As communities across the region continue to practice physical distancing, ToTok—the popular instant messaging app used regularly by millions of people across the world—is giving users more ways to celebrate Ramadan this year. The ‘ToTok Ramadan Virtual Gathering’ campaign ultimately encourages people to have fun while staying safe amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Running until May 23, all ToTok users will have access to in-app seasonal competitions and the chance to win fantastic prizes, in addition to enjoying bespoke content for the Holy Month.
Geared towards foodies, all ToTok users can participate in the Best Ramadan Recipe Contest launching on May 4 and the Best Ramadan Dish Contest launching on May 14. The first contest encourages ToTok users to submit a video of themselves making their favourite Ramadan recipe. For the second contest, users can submit photographs of their most unforgettable Ramadan dishes and the stories associated with them. Both competitions will follow a similar format, which will see entries published on ToTok’s competition page, where users can vote for their favourite submissions.
The top five entries with the most votes at the end of the competition will be announced as winners, with the chance to win popular consumer electronics from Huawei such as its latest Huawei P40 Pro smartphone, a Huawei Watch GT 2, and the latest edition of Huawei FreeBuds wireless earbuds.
In addition to the competitions, users can now greet friends and family on ToTok using the ‘Ramadan Kareem’ emoji rain within their chats, which will shower their screen with the season’s greetings. The ToTok News feature is also being tailored to provide users with the latest Ramadan updates such as a Ramadan timetable, community initiatives, and more. As always, users can keep in touch with family and friends through ToTok’s HD video calls and group video calls, bringing loved ones into the comfort of their home to share special moments such as Iftar or Suhoor.
Giacomo Ziani, ToTok Co-founder, said: “This is our first time celebrating Ramadan with our users, and we wanted to honour the occasion in a fun and light-hearted way. Although the consequences of COVID-19 will impact how many of us spend our time with loved ones this Ramadan, with the power to connect virtually and engage in community competitions, ToTok users can still enjoy many of the season’s special moments with family and friends while staying safe.”
ToTok is available for download to Android users on ToTok’s official website (https://totok.ai/download-android), through the Huawei AppGallery—which also offer other 3D lenses and fun features to the owners of the latest P40 series smartphones —via Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo app stores, or on popular third-party stores such as Apkpure, UpToDown, Aptoide, GetJar, Softonic.

domain: news


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PartyGaming (PRTY) announced on Friday that it plans to take over two of its four partners (Multipoker and IntertopsPoker), is cutting ties with a third (Coral Eurobet), and is going to kill the value of its fourth partner, Empire Poker, so they can eventually buy it on the cheap (although not exactly phrased that way).
We can see it now:
All joking aside, Wicked Chops Poker respects any European-based company that shows a little American-killer-business-spirit.
Says analyst Robin Chhabra, "PartyGaming is using this to further squeeze down the price it pays for Empire — that’s if it bothers at all."
We believe they eventually will. Why? Because, in true business fashion, the owners of PartyGaming adhere to this important credo: greed, for lack of a better word, is good.


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The words "gigabit Internet" are becoming fairly common these days with buzz surrounding Google Fiber — much to the ire of some wireless providers nationwide scrambling to compete.
In the meantime, Cisco is getting involved with some new 802.11ac wireless networking solutions, falling in line with the communications giant's evolving strategies around WLAN and the "Internet of Everything."
See also: Google Fiber speeds up with new destination: Provo, Utah | Google confirms Austin as next Fiber city | AT&T plots $14 billion network build out; Sprint nabs spectrum
To better comprehend what the 802.11ac standard offers, Cisco described that this means network speeds that can "download significant amounts of Web content and run streaming video simultaneously."
Imitating the patterns we've already seen with the consumerization of IT, Cisco predicted that as smartphones and laptops will soon be built to support gigabit Wi-Fi, employees will expect the same kind of speedy network support — especially for data-intensive apps like HD streaming video and Web conferencing.
Thus, aimed at the enterprise set, Cisco's new 802.11ac portfolio includes a module that supports Wi-Fi speeds up to 1.3Gbps. That access point, the 802.11ac Wave 1 Module for the Cisco Aironet 3600 Series, is available now and shipping to select customers.
Cisco estimated that early adopters will be looking to deploy .11ac in the very near future based on observing its own customer base already using these solutions in beta with their upgrades.


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Sinclair pharma has reported revenue growth in excess of 80% over the last two years will, as expected, return the Group to adjusted EBITDA profitability in 2017. Momentum in the business in the final quarter of 2017 was strong and whilst the re-order rate for US Silhouette Instalift is disappointing the CEO Chris Spooner said the company is looking at a number of options to address this.
“The Board and I remain confident that 2018 will be another year of substantial revenue growth which will deliver further operating leverage,” he said.
The company said the sales for the period were £45.3 million, compared to sales of £37.8 million for the same period in 2016, which is 20% or 14% at constant currency. As expected sales in the second half of 2017 were over 25% higher than sales in the first half of the year at £25.2 million. “Continued investment to support the launch of Silhouette InstaLift™ in the US via distributor ThermiGen resulted in an adjusted EBITDA loss for the US business of approximately £1.0 million,” the company’s press release reads.
Furthermore, profitability throughout the business built during the year; in particular the restructuring of the European operations started to bear fruit, culminating in notably strong fourth quarters in Europe as well as Brazil. The company said it used the strength in the ex US business to reduce sales of Silhouette and Ellansé to distibutors in the Middle East and South Korea ahead of creating its own affiliates/joint ventures in these territories. This decision, Sinclair Pharma says, held back 2017 revenues although Q4 still achieved 17% reported growth. “The Group is set up for strong growth in 2018; Sinclair’s Korean affiliate is already operational and a joint venture in the Middle East is anticipated during H1 2018” the company said.
New head of ME and Asia Pacific regions
Sinclair Pharma has named Kamal Abbasi as head of the Middle East and Asia Pacific regions. Kamal was previously head of Galderma’s Asia business and is a qualified doctor. In addition the Group has recruited several senior commercial professionals as it builds sales momentum in its worldwide business. These appointments are a reflection of Sinclair’s growing reputation in the industry and confidence in the Group’s strategy and product portfolio.


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NetEnt Partners with Wind Creek in PA
NetEnt has expanded its iGaming footprint in the U.S. through a partnership with Wind Creek Hospitality and it Wind Creek Bethlehem casino.
NetEnt has launched its portfolio of casino games in Pennsylvania through a partnership with Wind Creek Hospitality, which owns the Wind Creek Bethlehem casino.
The new partnership is part of NetEnt’s plan to expand its iGaming footprint in Pennsylvania, expanding the fast-growing U.S. state market. Having added RMG options to its existing social offering in August, Wind Creek can now offer the supplier’s casino content to online audiences, including its popular range of table games and local top performer Divine Fortune.
The partnership further increases NetEnt’s market share in Pennsylvania, where it has expanded significantly since first launching last year. The state has proved to be a major success for the company with consistent quarterly growth.
“It’s a major achievement to be supporting Wind Creek in its online journey,” said Brian Kraft, NetEnt vice president commercial, Americas. “The deal underlines our status as a go-to supplier in Pennsylvania both with established operators and emerging brands. Given the strong performance of our content with local players, this partnership will no doubt see Wind Creek make a big impact in the online landscape.”
Ken Rohman, chief marketing officer at Wind Creek Hospitality, added, “It’s an exciting time to be adding iGaming to our offering in Pennsylvania’s online arena, and with NetEnt’s portfolio of market-favorite casino games, we are in a strong position to quickly gain market share. We look forward to working with their knowledgeable team to build on our offering and deliver a first-rate online experience to our players.”


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Southern Specialties hosts 2013 SEPC Step-Upp class
Pompano Beach, Florida – Southern Specialties hosted the 2013 Southeast Produce Council’s STEP-UPP leadership class to an educational presentation and tour of the company’s Pompano Beach facility on August 1.
During the visit, the ten members from this year’s class were accompanied by Southeast Produce Council chairs; Faye Westfall, chairman (Dimare Fresh); Joe Watson, co-chairman (Rouses); Tom Page, co-chairman (Supervalu-retired) and; Andrew Scott, president.
“Each STEP-UPP class tours farms and facilities in the Southeast, said Charlie Eagle, vice president of business development for Southern Specialties. “It is a great opportunity for future leaders in produce to gain first-hand exposure to the many facets of our industry. We are pleased to have been selected by the leaders of this group to give a presentation focused on South Florida as a gateway into the U.S. for fruits and vegetables from Central and South America. Our company has been growing in the America’s for more than 22 years, and we have gained expertise in growing, processing, warehousing and distributing safe, high quality, specialty produce from all regions.”
Robert Colescott, president and chief executive officer of Southern Specialties, and the executive and sales teams for the company, greeted the 2013 STEP-UPP class. A presentation by Tim Meissner addressed the three-billion pounds of produce from Central and South America that enter the country through South Florida each year. The presentation touched on growing, importing, processing and quality assurance. The class also learned the significant role imported produce has played in the increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables in our nation.
Southern Specialties is a grower, importer, processor and shipper of a variety of specialty products grown in Central America, South America, Mexico, Canada and the U.S. The company distributes from its Pompano Beach, Florida, headquarters, and facilities in McAllen, Texas and Los Angeles, California.
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1430 S.W. 6th Court, Pompano Beach, FL 33069. Phone 954 784-6500


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Facebook is Taking On Slack With its New Desktop Workplace App for Mac and PC
Facebook chat is looking to give Slack a run for its money.
While the Facebook chat app is already popular, the social networking site is apparently planning to unveil new features that will draw even more users.
According to a line in Facebook’s FAQ and first discovered by TechCrunch, Facebook has launched a desktop version of the chat app for both Mac and PC, as well as a screen sharing feature. For now, these developments are in beta and only available to Workplace users.
The desktop app will reportedly run the same way as Workplace chat’s dedicated website and Facebook Messenger’s site. It will also include a desktop notification feature, will support voice and video calling, customized push notifications, and one-to-one and group chats.
The new screen sharing feature will be customizable, allowing users to share their entire screen, or only certain windows. Slack only added screen sharing in May—four years after launch. Facebook’s debut of screen sharing, combined with the increased usability of a desktop client, will make Facebook chat an even more formidable competitor to other established apps used in workplaces, like Skype and Slack.
A spokesperson for Workplace confirmed the launch to TechCrunch, saying “This was one of the most widely requested features by customers, so we built it. The desktop app is still in beta and being tested by Workplace customers who are providing feedback that we’ll use to improve the product before a wider rollout.”
The beta version of Workplace chat’s desktop app can be found here.
Watch out, world.


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Smithtown has opted out of a state law that would have legalized retail sales of marijuana, renouncing potential tax revenue from what some board members have called a "gateway drug."
The town board’s 5-0 vote Tuesday ended more than a month of deliberation, with most council members saying early on they were likely to vote to opt out. Islip, Shelter Island and Nissequogue Village earlier this year passed similar legislation. Brookhaven and Islip passed zoning restricting marijuana sales to industrial areas when the state’s law takes effect next year. Municipalities have until Dec. 31 to opt out, but they can opt in later.
"The state has not fully divulged how they’re going to manage and oversee and regulate the sale of marijuana," Councilman Thomas Lohmann said at Tuesday’s meeting, which was conducted remotely. Town leaders may revisit the issue after evaluating those regulations, he said. Lohmann, a former NYPD detective with experience in narcotics enforcement, called marijuana a potentially dangerous gateway drug in a Newsday interview last summer.
In an interview after the vote, Lohmann said his concerns over regulation included inspection of cafes and dispensaries where marijuana could be sold or used under the state law. Town departments and county police departments are ill-suited for that work, he said, and law enforcement lacks tools to test drivers who might consume marijuana at those businesses and drive high.
The board’s decision drew a skeptical response from Troy Smit, a town resident and deputy director of Empire State NORML, an organization advocating for marijuana legalization. "What’s going on, and what will continue, is unregulated cannabis sales," he said at the meeting.
David Falkowski, a Bridgehampton farmer and chairman of the New York Cannabis Growers and Processors Association’s Long Island Committee, also criticized the town vote. "There’s nothing they can do to prevent people from going over to the next town, nothing preventing people from purchasing from a delivery service and that delivery service bringing [marijuana] to a person’s home," Falkowski said in an interview.
Ultimately, he said, the vote would benefit well-financed "multistate operators" in the emerging marijuana industry who are able to reach local customers while excluding smaller entrepreneurs who might depend on the brick-and-mortar outlets disallowed by the town board.
According to an unofficial database compiled by Michael Doyle, founder of the cannabis industry consulting firm Cannasigliere, about 40 Long Island municipalities have opted out of marijuana retail. A handful have opted in, and Newsday reported in September that the Shinnecock Indian Nation in Southampton could allow sales and usage by the year’s end.
The state law legalizes adult recreational use and small-scale private cultivation; it also will eventually allow dispensaries and cafes to do business across much of the state. Ordinances passed by Smithtown and other Long Island municipalities only apply to the law’s retail sale provisions and will not outlaw personal use.
A portion of a 13% tax on what state officials have estimated will be $350 million in annual sales will go to local municipalities, but town Supervisor Edward Wehrheim has said the local share of any tax revenue would have been paltry in Smithtown, where any marijuana businesses would have been confined to industrial areas.
About 40 Long Island municipalities have opted out of marijuana retail, while a handful have opted in.
Source: Michael Doyle, Cannasigliere


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August 1, 2012
Welcome to Capital Account. The Federal Reserve released its interest rate decision today: extremely low rates until late 2014. Also, tomorrow, the ECB council meets about possible bond purchases and how to react to the financial turmoil in Europe. We talk to Peter Tchir, founder of TF Market Advisors, about what to expect from the central banks.
Also, the manufacturing scenario in Europe appears grim. Eurozone factory activity in July fell at its steepest rate in more than three years, according to Markit Economics’ Purchasing Managers Index. German manufacturers suffered the largest fall in new export orders of any Euro-zone country. Could this mean trouble in Europe’s economic powerhouse? We will talk to Peter Tchir about how this fits into the crisis calculus.
And when Olympians from the US get the gold medal, they will have to cough up almost $9,000 to settle with the IRS! Chances are their competitors are not in the same boat, says Americans for Tax Reform. Lauren and Demetri give you their take in today’s “Loose Change!”


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Imagine a chef forced to shut down their restaurant after using stolen ingredients. That’s the basic idea behind algorithmic disgorgement, a powerful tool the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is wielding against tech companies accused of privacy violations. But instead of spices and veggies, it’s complex algorithms and the data they’re trained on that are being thrown out.
Why the heat? Because in today’s data-driven world, algorithms are the secret sauce that personalizes our experiences, from targeted ads to search results. But if that sauce is cooked up with tainted data, the consequences can be far-reaching – discrimination, manipulation, and even financial harm.
So, how does algorithmic disgorgement work?
Think of it like this: Company X collects your data without your proper consent, then uses it to build an algorithm that, say, shows you biased loan rates. The FTC swoops in, investigates, and finds X guilty. But a simple fine might not cut it. Here’s where disgorgement comes in.
The FTC can order X to destroy the algorithm and any data used to create it. That’s like throwing out the entire pot of sauce, even if it means sacrificing some delicious profits. It’s a harsh penalty, but it sends a clear message: don’t mess with user privacy.
Why is this important?
For starters, it deters companies from using shady data practices. Imagine losing years of work and millions invested in an algorithm – that’s a powerful incentive to play fair.
Secondly, it shows the FTC has teeth when it comes to regulating the tech industry. Big Tech companies have long enjoyed relative freedom, but algorithmic disgorgement demonstrates the FTC’s willingness to hold them accountable for their data-handling practices.
But there are challenges, too.
Disgorgement can be complex, especially when dealing with intricate algorithms and vast amounts of data. It’s also important to ensure it doesn’t stifle innovation or harm legitimate uses of data.
The bottom line?
Algorithmic disgorgement is a bold step towards protecting consumer privacy in the age of AI. While its implementation will require careful navigation, it sends a strong message to tech companies: respect user data, or be prepared to face the consequences.
Remember: This is just the beginning. As technology evolves, so will the FTC’s approach to regulating it. Stay tuned for the next chapter in the fight for fair and ethical AI!


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Thanks to the pandemic and the resulting extended theatrical downturn, movie studios have been forced to get more creative with the release of big films. Couple that with the strategic pivot to prioritize streaming and it’s easy to see how the industry has become enamored with day-and-date hybrid releases. In recent months, several big name films have debuted simultaneously in both available theaters and on streaming services. While this has undoubtedly benefitted SVOD platforms such as HBO Max and Disney+, it’s likely taking a toll on box office performance.
Without any transparent data from individual streamers, it’s virtually impossible to reach a definitive conclusion on how significantly hybrid releases may be impacting the theatrical equation. Instead, the curious public has been left to chew on vague comments that provide little-to-no actual insight. Disney CEO Bob Chapek said in November that his studio was “very pleased” with the results of Mulan on Disney+ Premier Access. Andy Forssell, executive vice president and general manager of direct-to-consumer at WarnerMedia, said last month Godzilla vs. Kong garnered a larger viewing audience than any other film or show on HBO Max over the first four days of its availability since the service’s launch. Neither comment means much of anything without hard data to back it up.
“One might even argue the silence on streaming data speaks volumes about how studios feel about the results so far,” Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at Box Office Pro, told Observer. To be fair, he does note that studios are “understandably wary to discuss a data point in a vacuum as the industry tries to figure out left from right in this new universe.”
The pandemic has forced a backlog of major Hollywood product and streaming has provided a temporary pressure release, though at great economic expense to films with $1 billion box office ambitions. There’s a reason why the biggest of tentpole features such as No Time to Die (October 8) and F9 (June 25) have been reserved for exclusive theatrical distribution. No release over the last year has been standard or equal thanks to shifting theater availability and vaccination dissemination. But here are the worldwide box office receipts for some of the major hybrid releases thus far:
Mulan ($66.8 million)
Soul ($117.3 million)
Wonder Woman 1984 ($166.2 million)
The Little Things ($29.7 million)
Judas and the Black Messiah ($5.9 million)
Raya and the Last Dragon ($93 million)
Godzilla vs. Kong ($358 million)
Robbins points out that we don’t know exactly how many people who streamed Godzilla vs. Kong or Wonder Woman 1984 would have instead seen either film in a theater had it been the only option upon release, or if they never would have seen those movies at all. Therefore, we have no context to how significantly the needle moves and in which direction it tilts. According to our box office expert, we can reasonably and anecdotally assume that some did make that at-home choice due to the pandemic, and by extension come to the hypothesis that both films are still far below optimal box office levels.
“Will those same people make the same decision two, four, six, twelve months from now as recovery progresses and the world slowly approaches a new normal?” Robbins said.
Under normal theatrical circumstances, Godzilla vs. Kong was never expected to outperform Wonder Woman 1984 by such a significant margin on opening weekend. The former was coming off a disappointing flop in 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters and the latter was expected to be a $1 billion grosser. Yet thanks to a confluence of pandemic-related factors and beyond, GvK squashed 1984 from a ticket sales perspective. At the very least, Robbins argues, this signifies that the hybrid release of the DC sequel cannibalized its greater potential as a strong theatrical earner, and that demand for returning to movie theaters has risen substantially since December thanks to vaccine rollouts.
“The studio’s parent company [WarnerMedia] was and is chasing an experiment to boost subscriptions [HBO Max], but their decision to revert back to exclusive theatrical windows for key movies in 2022 is also telling on some level,” he said.
The economics of releasing blockbuster films via at-home platforms such as PVOD and SVOD has never made much sense from a studio perspective. Traditional theatrical releases are generally able to enjoy multiple windows of potential profitability—theatrical release, electronic sell-through (EST), DVD/VOD rental, Pay One, Network, Pay Two. Hybrid releases can eliminate many of those windows, reducing downstream revenue potential and long-term earnings upside of these movies. At the same time, however, it’s unlikely that Disney would continue deploying its Disney+ Premier Access option, particularly for Marvel blockbuster Black Widow (July 9), if the internal results were disastrous.
But even as we investigate every nook and cranny of hybrid releases, we’d be remiss if we failed to mention that they are the direct result of an unforeseen global pandemic. We are living in a “temporary reality” with new strategies and innovations arriving at each phase of the ordeal. What is commonplace now may not necessarily be the rule of thumb in a post-COVID world.
“I’m not sure how hybrid releases don’t have an impact on box office to some degree,” Robbins said. “It’s not necessarily a binary question of ‘Did it or not?’ but rather ‘By how much?’ And the answer to that is going to fluctuate over time and on a case-by-case basis, made more opaque by the lack of consistent, baseline streaming metrics.”


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AT&T’s recent decision to advertise the American Idol TV show in the US via SMS ended in tears, with floods of complaints on social networking sites – even though the campaign was apparently perfecly legal.
Interestingly, even in Australia, whose Spam Act of 2003 is considered fairly strict, AT&T would almost certainly have been allowed by law to conduct an SMS campaign of this sort. (The Australian Act is not limited to email, but instead covers what it calls electronic messages to electronic addresses. Email addresses, instant messaging accounts and telephone numbers are all examples of these.)
That will be cold comfort to Australian telephone and internet company Optus, which was recently fined AU$110,000 for an SMS campaign it ran.
Australia’s Spam Act is consent-based – often called opt-in legislation – which, very loosely, means that you can spam me, but not until I give you permission to start doing so. The Act relaxes this slightly if I am already a customer of yours, allowing you to use inferred consent to treat me as though I had expressly opted in.
Under these circumstances, it’s hard to imagine how a mobile phone company could be in breach of the Act for SMSing its own subscribers, since an obvious business relationship – a contractual one, in fact – exists between them.
But in Optus’s case the issue was not that the company had sent the spam at all, but that it had failed to identify itself as the sender. (This is a perfectly reasonable provision in the Act. If you want to send legal spam, you have to nail your colours to the mast in the messages.)
According to a report from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), the Act’s legislated enforcer, Optus identified itself only with the digits “966”, standing for ZOO, the name of its internet and mobile phone portal. Not good enough, said ACMA.
The amusing part of the story is that ACMA’s chairman explained in a press release that 966 was considered inadequate because it “could be used to represent any number of permutations on the telephone keypad”. (I could only make 36 of them, including some rather unlikely words such as YMN and XOM.)
The serious part is that in comparison with AT&T’s spamfest over American Idol, the Optus campaign was positively restrained, with just 20,000 SMSes sent. So Optus ended up paying a fine of nearly six bucks per message!


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Walgreens gets regulatory nod for slimmed-down Rite Aid deal
Walgreens will acquire 1,932 Rite Aid stores, 254 fewer than it announced in July, in areas where competition between the two chains is not significant.
One member of the Federal Trade Commission was concerned that a smaller Rite Aid may be unable to compete against its larger rivals.
The deal began as an offer made in October 2015 to buy all of Rite Aid’s 4,600 stores. But Walgreens failed to win approval for that $9.4 billion deal and rejigged it.
Walgreens operates stores under its own name as well as Boots stores in Britain and Duane Reade stores in the United States. ■


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Co-Founder of Pirate Bay Creates New Machine to Debunk Industry Claims
Earlier this week, we covered a story about the possible change of dealing with online piracy. A novel idea that instead of prosecuting your fan base who illegal downloads your intellectual property, the artist teams up with Muzit to use torrent data to create a positive relationship with their fans. With the music industry claiming that piracy is the largest threat to it’s profit margin,Peter Sunde, co-founder of the massively successful Bit Torrent site Pirate Bay, is advocating that the supposed lost sales don’t translate to the numbers presented.
Sunde, to demonstrate that copies of music have no correlation to the loss of millions of dollars the music industry is claiming, he has created a doomsday device specifically designed to show the lack of evidence called a Kopimashin. The device proves its point by making 100 copies of a track per second with the theoretical cost being shown on the built in LCD screen. “The one running at my home is up to 120 million copies as we speak. That equals $150 million in losses to the recording industry – following their logic,” Sunde says. “But following their rhetoric and mindset it will bankrupt them. I want to show with a physical example – that also is really beautiful in it’s own way – that putting a price to a copy is futile.” Having developed 13 other Kopimashin devices, he hopes to have them admitted to a few museums as well as selling off a couple.


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Of late a number of tech companies have been involved in several legal tussles, accusing each other of stealing technology. Whether it is Apple, HTC or Samsung, several known brands are locked in legal spat. And the latest to add fuel to the fire is India-based Kootol Software. The Indian company announced that it had sent notice to as many as 30 companies including brands like Apple and Microsoft, over the alleged unauthentic use of Kootol’s core technology in their products.
Other companies to whom Kootol sent notice are Yahoo, Google, Bharti Airtel Ltd., Webaroo Technology (India) Pvt. Ltd., Amazon, AOL, Nokia, Bebo Inc., ExactTarget Inc., Ford Motor, Foursquare Inc., Quora Inc., Salesforce.com Inc., Seesmic Inc., IBM, Linkedin, MySpace, NING Inc., Research In Motion Inc., Siemens Enterprise Communications Inc., Sina.com Technology Co. Ltd., StatusNet Inc., PopBox Inc., Twitpic Inc., Peek Inc., The Iconfactory Inc., Ubermedia Inc., Yammer Inc., Facebook and Twitter. [RELATED_ARTICLE]
Kootol Software said in its press release that it has US Patent Application No. 11/995,343 titled "A Method and System for Communication, Advertising, Searching, Sharing and Dynamically Providing a Journal Feed".
“The corresponding patent has been also filed in India, Canada and Europe (EPO). This exclusive license agreement is for the one of the embodiment (part) of the patent, which allows exclusive patent license rights to the company for a unique core technology providing a dynamic and real-time communication technology.”
The notice comes almost a month after Kootol issued a similar warning to Twitter. The company said in its statement that Twitter's technology infringed on the company's patented tech. The statement further quoted the company as saying that it was is in the process of examining the position and that the purpose of serving this notice was to bring the fact to the attention of Twitter Inc.


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Jon Peddie Research released its latest facts on the GPU industry today. JPR says that in Q3 2008 over 111 million GPUs were shipped. During the same quarter of 2007 91 million GPUs shipped and in Q2 2008 94 million GPUs shipped.
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In desktop GPUs Intel slid to 32.6% of the market while Intel maintained its top spot with 43.9% of the market, AMD climbed to 20.3% of the market and overall desktop GPUs grew 4.7%. In notebook, GPUs Intel held the top spot with 56.2% of the market, NVIDIA dropped to 32.6%, and AMD climbed to 20.3% of the market.
"The third quarter is seasonally up as OEMs place orders for chips to build inventory for the holiday season. However, this quarter was up more than any other for some time, and in spite of suggestions of a recession that started last Q4," said Dr. Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie Research in Tiburon, California. "Desktops increased seasonally and notebooks enjoyed quite significant gains."
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China is facing an inflationary trend, and exchange traded funds (ETFs) from competing countries might be able to gain an edge against one of their biggest competitors. Thus far, Chinese growth has relied upon low prices with high top-line sales growth. Low-cost Chinese imports allowed a way to keep inflation at bay.
Carl Delfed for Forbes says the deflationary impact of China on world markets is now becoming an inflationary red flag with implications for global investors. Wages have begun an upward climb, energy is expensive and food prices and demand are exploding. The Chinese Consumer Price Index (CPI) was up 8.7% in just one year.
Delfeld recommends a lean toward countries that are net exporters of commodities instead of net importers like China. iShares MSCI Brazil (EWZ) or the iShares MSCI Hong Kong (EWH) present better opportunities than the iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index (FXI) ETF.
China’s inflationary pressures will create opportunities for other emerging market countries to pick up the slack, such as India. India has two ETFs right now: the PowerShares India (PIN) and Wisdom Tree India Earnings (EPI).
This is an ever-evolving situation, so keep an eye on it. Once these areas head above their trend lines, they could be worth a look.
The opinions and forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Tom Lydon, and may not actually come to pass. Information on this site should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any product.


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Fresh off of a successful season opener by the Boston Celtics, retailers may have jumped the gun on unveiling what Nike has planned next for Boston’s uniform lineup.
Thanks to twitter user @tweetsbyJD — an avid fan of his local Boston sports franchises — we have a look at what is expected to be one of two new alternate uniforms to be debuted this season for the Celtics. This white jersey sports a solid green arm and neck hole trim with green lettering outlined in gold.
Uniform trackers (like myself) will notice this closely resembles the grey and green ‘City Edition’ uniform Nike and the Celtics debuted last year, although it is missing the famed parquet graphic this time around. While Nike is expected to give every NBA team some form of a City Edition uniform again this year, there are also rumors of a new Earned Edition uniform as an option for the 16 franchises that participated in Playoffs last season. There is no confirmation of which edition this uniform will fall under.
In related news, the NBA recently unveiled LockerVision, a hub dedicated to providing the uniform schedule for every team this season. Uniforms that have already been unveiled are color coded while yet-to-be unveiled uniforms sets simply show a white or “Coming Soon” text plate.
Celtics fans, are you digging this new look or are you a fan of the more traditional green and white sets? Be sure to let us know your thoughts down in the comments.
Image via @tweetsbyJD


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Increasingly, social media content is being used in ways that consumers never expected – and is likely to fuel the growing backlash. Consider Jeremiah Owyang’s post on how insurance companies are eying tweets as a potential data point for underwriting.
In short, he wrote, we can expect insurance and wellness companies to monitor social data, then reward – and penalize member actions.
Hypothetical scenarios: Insurance companies, for example, monitor what members are saying, then offer suggestions on wellness, activities, and being healthy. “Overtime, they can develop intelligence and eventually predictive models based upon members published information and their overall well being.” From there companies will be able to size up new members based upon their existing social behaviors online – and use that as part of the decision in what packages and rates are offered.
A company called Rapleaf is using social data – namely who people’s friends are online – to help lenders determine whether that person is a good risk. “Who you hang around with has empirical implications with how you behave,” says Joel Jewitt, Rapleaf’s vice president of business development. “This is a new type of information. It’s still an evolving science, but the results have been positive.” (via Fast Company)


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Thailand dominates Vietnam's car imports
Thailand has continued to hold a large share of Vietnam's car imports according to initial statistics of the General Department of Vietnam Customs.
In November, 2020, Vietnam imported 5,927 cars from Thailand with a total value of over USD125 million. In October, the country imported 7,599 cars from Thailand, valued at over USD150 million, the department reported on December 25.
In the first 11 months of this year, the number of cars imported from Thailand reached 44,697 units with a value of USD913 million, accounting for half of the imports, the report said. Car imports from Indonesia make up 36% with 32,691 units valued at over USD410 million.
According to the report, the number of imported cars in the first 11 months of 2020 reached 92,261, down 30.5% from the same period last year.
The decrease is attributed to the impact of Covid-19 pandemic.
Another cause was the Government’s latest reduction of registration fees for domestically-assembled and manufactured automobiles, which encouraged customers to buy locally-made cars.
After 25 years of development, the automobile industry has failed to reach its localization ratio goal, while cars in Vietnam are more expensive than other regional countries.


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Shipments of both the HTC One X and EVO 4G LTE were recently delayed by U.S. Customs for review due to an ITC exclusion order from a decision on an Apple complaint back in December. The two devices eventually cleared Customs and began infiltrating the U.S., but it seems that Apple still thinks that HTC is still infringing upon its patent. On June 4, Apple filed a new ITC complaint against HTC, alleging that 29 of HTC's Android products are still in violation of the same "data tapping" patent that HTC said it worked around to get its products past Customs. The products named in Apple's complaint include the One X, One S, One V, EVO 4G LTE, Incredible 4G LTE, Amaze 4G, Wildfire S, ThunderBolt and Jetstream.
The patent in question allows the user to select from a number of actions after clicking on an item such as a phone number or link. FOSS Patents says that the "data tapping" patent actually relates to the internal method of making the feature work rather than the feature itself. Apple included two screenshots in its complaint, seen below, which shows the functionality that the ITC ruled on back in December (left) compared to the feature found on HTC phones that are currently shipping (right).
This latest ITC complaint is the third one that Apple has filed against HTC. Considering that HTC feels that it already worked around Apple's patent and that U.S. Customs cleared the One X and EVO 4G LTE, it'll definitely be interesting to see how the ITC rules on Apple's latest complaint after inspecting HTC's tweaked software. We've yet to get HTC's response to this new ITC complaint, but as usual, you can bet that we'll pass along more details as we get them. Stay tuned!
Via FOSS Patents


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Facebook Inc. is expected to have its initial public offering as early as next spring, while projected earnings and evolving online advertising models continue to raise speculation about the company’s overall value. The social network’s business is growing faster than its forecast of several months ago when Goldman Sachs Group and Digital Sky Technologies invested $1.5 billion. The Wall Street Journal reports the Internet company may earn as much as $2 billion in 2011.
Facebook was launched in February 2004 and claims more than 600 million active users today. According to WSJ: “Goldman’s and Digital Sky Technologies’ investment reported early this year was at a share price that implied a $50 billion valuation for Facebook. The people familiar with the company’s recent finances said they thought its profit was growing at a fast-enough clip to justify a valuation of $100 billion or more when it goes public.”
Additionally, eMarketer estimates that Facebook will earn ad revenue this year of $4.05 billion, more than doubling last year’s $1.86 billion. According to comScore, 31 percent of all online display ads in the U.S. for the first quarter of 2011 appeared on Facebook.
Wedbush Securities analyst Lou Kerner estimates the company’s value in the public market at $112.9 billion. “Part of our bullishness for Facebook is our belief that it is still in the embryonic stages of advertising,” he said.
Related San Francisco Chronicle article: “Why Google Should Buy LinkedIn, Now Before It’s Too Late” (5/3/11)
Related Mashable article: “One Year Later: What Marketers Have Learned About Facebook’s Open Graph” (4/26/11)
Related CNBC article: “Facebook Launches Deals Program, Rivals Groupon” (4/26/11)
Last week Microsoft announced its Xbox 360 will include subscription movie and TV service Hulu Plus, starting April 29. The subscription cost will be $7.99 per month (with limited advertising). Additionally, Xbox LIVE users will receive a one-week free trial sponsored by Jack Link’s Beef Jerky.
Hulu Plus will also add Kinect support, enabling users to control programs with their voice or via physical gestures. According to the Hulu blog: “With Kinect for Xbox 360, you can simply say ‘Xbox, pause’ or use gestures to rewind, pause and fast forward your way through your favorite shows.”
In related news, Gamasutra reports that a record number of Xbox 360 console sales contributed to Microsoft’s 13 percent year-on-year revenue increase for the first three months of 2011. A new quarterly record for the gaming console was set, as 2.7 million Xbox 360 units were sold (up from 1.5 million for the same period last year).
For complete details, visit the Hulu Plus on Xbox LIVE page.
Watch the video demo on Engadget: “Hulu Plus on Xbox 360 launches tomorrow, all members get a free week thanks to beef jerky” (4/28/11)
Related PC World article: “Making Sense of Streaming Media Options” (4/30/11)
Related Home Media Magazine article: “Six Questions with Microsoft’s Senior Spokesman, Jose Pinero” (4/29/11) Featuring everything from Netflix to ESPN, Microsoft wants Xbox to be the media hub in the living room. Jose Pinero, senior spokesman for Microsoft’s interactive entertainment business, chatted with Home Media Magazine about where live TV fits into the Xbox 360’s future, how the addition of Kinect might be a game-changer in the console wars and whether a Blu-ray Disc drive will ever be included in the Xbox.
Wes McDermott (“the 3D Ninja”) has released version 1.0.2 of his app for creating handheld camera animations in Autodesk Maya 3D software. CameraMan for Maya is an interesting new utility app for the iPhone 4, iPod touch and iPad 2 (currently available for $1.99 on iTunes).
The app uses the Apple devices’ gyroscope hardware as a motion capture device to control X, Y and Z rotations of the camera. It enables users to adjust the focal length with a slider, record animation, and provides Maya timeline playback controls. The 3D Ninja Blog features a helpful 29-minute video tutorial.
Requirements (according to the CameraMan for Maya iTunes page): Compatible with iPhone 4, iPod touch (4th generation), iPad 2 Wi-Fi, and iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G. Requires iOS 4.1 or later.
By Rob Scott
April 29, 2011
The new G-Slate tablet from LG (sold by T-Mobile) was launched last week as the first tablet in the U.S. using Google’s Honeycomb software (Android 3.0 for tablets) to offer 4G speed and 3D video. With an 8.9-inch screen, the G-Slate offers less viewing area than Apple’s iPad 2 and the Motorola Xoom, but more than the Samsung Galaxy Tab and RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook.
The greatest challenges for the new device may be how to compete with the highly successful iPad — and how to differentiate itself from the other Android-based devices currently on the market. In his WSJ “All Things Digital” column, Walt Mossberg suggests that the G-Slate aims to be different in three major ways: by offering 4G cellular data speeds, enabling 3D video creation and viewing, and featuring an “in-between” screen size as compared to current offerings.
In his review, Mossberg found the performance to be on par with the Honeycomb Xoom, but overall not as good a choice as the iPad 2 (especially in terms of price, size and weight). And regarding the 3D functionality, he writes, “The 3D feature, which requires the use of 1950s-style colored glasses, seems like a parlor trick to me.”
Mossberg reports that the biggest selling point of the G-Slate is the 4G speed, but adds that the current problem with all Honeycomb devices involves a lack of “tablet-optimized third-party apps.” It’s tough to compete with Apple in this regard, considering it already claims 65,000 tablet apps.
Mossberg’s bottom line: “The G-Slate isn’t as good a tablet as the iPad 2. I’d only recommend it for people who want the higher cellular speeds, or who prefer Android.”
By Rob Scott
April 29, 2011
Former Apple engineers Kimon Tsinteris and Mike Matas have created a digital creation tool that might have a dramatic impact on the “frictionless” self-publishing of electronic books. Book apps created with the platform will leverage the sensors, touchscreen gestures, microphone and graphics chip of the iPad and iPhone to create a more interactive experience for electronic reading. The duo’s Push Pop Press is getting an interesting start, with some help from former vice president Al Gore.
According to the Wired Gadget Lab: “Push Pop Press will be a publishing platform for authors, publishers and artists to turn their books into interactive iPad or iPhone apps — no programming skills required.” The app enables users to augment their stories with photos, videos and a compelling variety of interactive features, which could go beyond books to the publishing of magazines and newspapers.
Push Pop Press could become an affordable alternative to the tools featured in Adobe’s Creative Suite, commonly used for creating today’s tablet periodicals. For example, Tsinteris and Matas claim that interactive diagrams, geotagged photos and video content can easily be embedded in a book produced with the tool.
For those who may be interested in seeing the possibilities of Push Pop Press, the app version of Al Gore’s book, Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis, is available for $4.99 via the iTunes store.
You can also check out Gore’s guided tour of the app on the Wired post or the Push Pop Press site. It’s worth the two minutes to see this in action.
By Rob Scott
April 28, 2011
At the 2011 NAB show in Las Vegas, filmmaker James Cameron and 3D production expert and cinematographer Vince Pace discussed their newly-formed company, the Cameron-Pace Group (CPG), aimed at promoting 3D production and streamlining its processes with the FUSION 3D camera and workflow packages.
According to the company’s website: “CPG’s expansion will include proven solutions for 3D productions worldwide including industry-wide 3D advocacy, driving innovations in technology, and delivering products, services and creative tools for filmmakers and broadcasters in ways never addressed or witnessed before.”
Headquartered in Burbank, the company already has 53 employees. “Our goal,” Cameron said at NAB, “is to banish all the perceived and actual barriers to entry that are currently holding back producers, studios and networks from embracing the 3D future.”
Broadcast Engineering reports that upcoming CPG projects include the ESPN X Games 17, the NBA Finals, and feature films such as Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon, The Three Musketeers and Martin Scorsese’s The Invention of Hugo Cabret.
For more information, the Cameron-Pace Group company overview is available in PDF format.
By Rob Scott
April 28, 2011
Amazon announced that its new ad-supported Kindle will launch April 27, nearly a week earlier than originally expected. The e-reader — dubbed Kindle with Special Offers — will ship for $114 through Amazon, Target and Best Buy (that’s $25 less than the Wi-Fi only version).
According to Amazon, the cost reduction is a result of the device being subsidized by advertising. Early sponsors include General Motors, Proctor & Gamble and Visa. “Special offers” will be made available directly to the new Kindle related to Amazon.com gift cards, audible books and products from the various Amazon stores.
The latest Kindle is 21 percent smaller and 17 percent lighter than its predecessor, but features the same 6-inch reading area. The company claims the device features the “most advanced E Ink Pearl display technology” and touts 50 percent improved screen contrast with crisper, darker fonts.
It’s worth noting that the ad-supported model is getting more press than the Kindle’s new specs. We’ve seen similar approaches with other devices and services in the past, with mixed results. It will be interesting to see how consumers respond.
By Rob Scott
April 27, 2011
Most of our readers have probably been following the recent news regarding consumer fears that iPhones and other smartphones are tracking users’ location information. It was recently discovered that phones operating on iOS and Google’s Android platform transmit the devices’ locations back to the respective companies.
Apple has defended the need for location data to provide optimum service and provided clarification by explaining an individual cannot be located using the data. The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple defends its process, but nonetheless announced a planned software update that will reduce the size of the database cached on the phone and hopefully alleviate user concern.
According to WSJ: “Apple said it maintains a database of Wi-Fi hot spots and cell towers around users’ locations, a process that helps the phone calculate its location. The information is used to quickly find global-positioning-system satellites, a process that otherwise could take several minutes, the company said.”
Related CNNMoney article: “LocationGate was a ‘bug,’ says Apple” (4/27/11)
Related Wall Street Journal article: “Q&A: Jobs and Apple Execs on Tracking Down the Facts About iPhones and Location” (4/27/11)
Related Macworld article: “How the iPhone knows where you are” (4/28/11)
By Rob Scott
April 26, 2011
At a Tokyo press event, Sony announced a pair of Android 3.0 tablets — the S1, featuring a 9.4-inch touchscreen display, and the smaller S2, with dual-screen 5.5-inch displays that can can fold like a book. The tablets will connect to Sony’s cloud-computing library of movies and music in addition to Sony PlayStation Android-based games and digital books from Sony’s Reader store.
The S1 media tablet features front- and rear-facing cameras and what Engadget describes as “a curved wrap design that resembles a folded magazine.” The S1 also features a Tegra 2 SoC, touch panel UI, and integrated infrared for use as a remote control for Sony devices. The second tablet, the dual-screen S2 clamshell, features two 1024 x 480 pixel displays, Tegra 2 SoC, and camera. Engadget reports: “Sony takes advantage of the two screens with a custom book-style UI layout for its e-reader app, split keyboard and messaging displays for email, and split display and game controllers for PS One gaming.”
In a video report, IDG reports the S1 and S2 are PlayStation certified, WiFi and 3G/4G compatible, and will support DLNA (enabling users to buy a movie from the online Qriocity store, for example, and stream the content to a TV from the tablet via WiFi).
Sony said the devices will go on sale worldwide by September. The company has yet to announce prices, but according to Engadget: “…sources told us back in February that Sony was considering a $599 MSRP on the S1 while the S2 would likely come in at $699. Still no word on the Windows 7 slider but with the other two leaks official, it’s now only a matter of time.”
Related Huffington Post article: “Sony Shows Off S1, S2 Honeycomb Tablets With PlayStation Integration” (4/26/11)
By Rob Scott
April 25, 2011
Artefact asks “What’s next in digital camera design?” with an interesting new prototype called the WVIL (Wireless Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens). According to the Artefact site: “The patent-pending WVIL system takes the connectivity and application platform capabilities of today’s smart phones and wirelessly connects them with interchangeable full SLR-quality optics. It is the inevitable solution for photographers who expect the power of modern mobile devices but who also demand uncompromised quality.”
In an article that features two compelling videos, Fast Company’s Co. Design suggests the WVIL provides a possible glimpse at the future of photography if digital cameras and cellphone cameras continue to merge, “leaving just a lens with a chip and a screen on the back of it.”
Artefact explains that many possibilities stem from this idea. According to Markus Wierzoch, WVIL’s lead industrial designer: “With the first digital cameras, the industry was quick to replace the medium, film, with a sensor, but the rest stayed the same. But modern connectivity opens up a lot of different options, like being able to detach the lens from the viewfinder. What if you could go to a party, mount three or four lenses all over the room, and control them all wirelessly with one ‘camera’?”
The Artefact team has cleverly redesigned the digital camera as “a camera operating system,” one that can be controlled from a touchscreen-based viewfinder and could quite possibly appeal to prosumer photographers who have outgrown their traditional DSLRs and no longer want a bag full of expensive gear. Artefact believes the WVIL could become a reality within three years.
By Rob Scott
April 25, 2011
As part of the next step toward streamlining the film and television production workflow, Sample Digital and Technicolor have introduced apps that enable executives to view “dailies” on their iPads. According to the Los Angeles Times, the apps provide production execs around-the-clock mobile access to daily footage, scripts, visual-effects shots and trailers.
“Until a few years ago, dailies from shoots were typically stored on DVDs and then shipped to various locations, a process that became more costly as production increasingly moved out of Hollywood and projects took on multiple financing partners. More recently, dailies are delivered online and accessible on PCs and laptops, which aren’t as easy to lug around as a tablet.”
The dax|Mobile app from Sample Digital costs $249.99 on the iTunes store, while the subscription-based digital workflow system runs $1,250 to $2,000 per TV episode and up to $15,000 per movie. Encryption for the streaming video to prevent illegal copying is available for an additional fee.
Additionally, Technicolor has teamed with PureBlend Software Design Group to offer the Technicolor MovieSlate on-location production app that works for both Android and iOS systems to provide access to dailies and other content.
By Rob Scott
April 22, 2011
HBO announced that its streaming service HBO GO will soon offer more than 1,400 titles for streaming via iPads, laptops and smartphones. According to the press release: “HBO subscribers can instantly watch every episode of classics like The Sopranos, Sex and the City and Deadwood and current award-winning series like Boardwalk Empire, Entourage and True Blood as well as blockbuster theatricals – where they want, when they want.”
HBO made its announcement with a YouTube video posted last week. The service will be available for iOS and Android devices.
The HBO promotional video suggests May 2nd as a launch date. The press release specifies that HBO GO will be available to HBO subscribers through Comcast XFINITY TV, Verizon FiOS, Cox Advanced TV and AT&T U-Verse customers. Surprisingly, Time Warner Cable is not currently included in the list of providers (HBO is owned by Time Warner).
HBO was in the news earlier in the year after senior vice president of corporate affairs, Jeff Cusson told The Hollywood Reporter that HBO “has no intention of making its content available for streaming on Netflix,” adding that the company “believes in content exclusivity, especially for high-value content.” It looks like the new capabilities of HBO GO support that strategy.
Related CNET story: “HBO Go teased for iPad, iPhone, Android” (4/19/11)
Related Gizmodo post: “HBO Go Will Bring Every Episode of All Their Shows to iOS and Android” (4/19/11)
By Rob Scott
April 21, 2011
According to Business Insider, “kids are leading the world’s transition to digital media” — and if we want to stay in step with the latest (or emerging) media consumption trends, we’ll need to pay close attention to what children are doing. The Kaiser Family Foundation has released the results of a comprehensive survey of more than 2,000 families. The report features some compelling information regarding the media consumption habits of 8-18 year olds — in addition to some pattern changes that have evolved since 1999.
The survey indicates a number of interesting trends that may impact the future of media delivery, such as: TVs remain on during meals in 2/3 of households, TVs are on when no one is actively watching them in 3/4 of households, only 1/3 of households have media-consumption rules, and more than 70 percent of kids have TVs in their bedrooms.
Not surprisingly, children are consuming less print media and much more digital media (and they are increasingly consuming multiple forms of media simultaneously).
- TV viewing by platform in a typical day: Live TV (59%), Mobile (12%), DVD (12%), Online (9%), On Demand/DVR (8%).
- Recreational computer time in a typical day: Social Networking (25%), Playing Games (19%), Video Sites (16%), Instant Messaging (13%), Email (6%).
- Music consumption by platform in a typical day: 29 percent iPod, 23 percent Computer, 23 percent Radio, 12 percent CD, 12 percent Cell Phone.
Click here to access the complete Kaiser Family Foundation report and related information including a news release, podcast, webcast and more.
Click here to flip through the Kaiser Family Foundation slide presentation of charts and related information posted by Business Insider.
By Rob Scott
April 21, 2011
We recently reported that a new premium VOD service from DirecTV was in the works that would make movies available in the home shortly after their theatrical release. The Hollywood Reporter now says 23 industry leaders — including Peter Jackson, James Cameron, Michael Bay, Michael Mann and Kathryn Bigelow — have thrown their support behind the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) by signing an open letter in opposition of the new distribution model.
NATO is running the letter this week in Variety at the same time the new VOD service — dubbed Home Premiere — is launched (the first available title will be Sony’s “Just Go With It”). According to DirecTV, new movie releases will be available in 1080p HD for $29.99, months before they are available on Netflix, DVD or Blu-ray. THR reports that theater owners are threatened by this proposal and what they see as a disruption to a proven distribution model. The directors and producers who signed NATO’s letter do not believe a premium VOD service will solve slumping DVD sales, and could negatively impact the platform release patterns of specialty films and lead to additional piracy issues.
“As a crucial part of a business that last year grossed close to $32 billion in worldwide theatrical ticket sales,” the letter states, “we in the creative community feel that now is the time for studios and cable companies to acknowledge that a release pattern for premium video-on-demand that invades the current theatrical window could irrevocably harm the financial model of our film industry.”
Related THR story: “7 Key Questions Surrounding DirecTV’s Premium VOD Service Controversy” (4/19/11)
Related Bloomberg story: “DirecTV Starts Premium Film Rentals at $29.99 for 48 Hours” (4/19/11)
By Rob Scott
April 20, 2011
IPTV News interviews Vassilis Seferidis, director of business development at Samsung Electronics, in this interesting article regarding the direction of 3D TV. Based on recent market growth and the update of 3D TV channel subscriptions, Seferidis believes consumers have no hesitation in enthusiastically adopting 3D TV. He adds that the fundamental obstacle in moving forward at this point is the availability of 3D content.
In terms of technological progress at Samsung, Seferidis comments, “For our 2011 TV line-up we have introduced a series of 3D TV innovations including: new lightweight active 3D glasses with better shutter synchronization for better separation of the two stereo channels; wireless (induction-based) re-charging station for 3D glasses; the ability to add prescription inserts to your 3D glasses (similar to those used in diving goggles); and improved processing of the 3D video signal on the TV panel for a better separation and presentation of each stereo channel.”
Seferidis is slated to deliver a presentation in mid-May at the 3DTV World Forum in London’s Thistle Marble Arch Hotel.


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iSportConnect And STWS Sign Strategic Partnership Focusing On Jobs And Trade In Sports Innovation
By Community | May 25, 2021
iSportConnect, the world’s largest Sports Business Network and STWS (“SportsTechWorldSeries”), the world-leading sports technology community and advisory specialist, have today announced a global strategic partnership to pursue global consulting and international trade partnership opportunities to drive “The Future of Sport”.
The global network partnership is game-changing for the future sports innovation and digitalisation of sports for government and mature, fast-growth startups.Founded in 2010, iSportConnect has a network of over 23,000 sports executives and sports rights holders internationally. STWS has a global community network of 53,000 sports technology, practitioners and sports entrepreneurs worldwide. Working together globally, the parties will explore partnership opportunities with governments, cities to create new jobs from the new sports economy, as well as world-class mentoring and global growth programs for Sports, Media and Esports entrepreneurs and maturing scale-ups (Series A and beyond) as they move towards IPO and the complex transition from SME to large company.
Solving challenges – Governments Legacy and Sports Scale-ups
“We see two major gaps around the Future of Sport and Sports Technology economy. First is the lack of support for governments, regions and cities looking to build and develop pathways and how they measure legacy for future jobs, major events, international trade and exports, sports events best practice and ecosystem development programs for the new sports economy. Secondly, there is a major gap helping fast-growth companies – Series A or 30+ staff and larger – becoming world-leaders and expanding globally to reach their maximum potential(especially in a post-covid recovery). Working collaboratively, we believe iSportConnect and STWS as two global leaders can help solving these complex challenges and creating for governments and sports entrepreneurs” said John Persico, director of STWS.
Sree Varma, Founder of iSportConnect said: “At iSportConnect we always try to be ahead of the curve and with these evolving times which have reinforced the importance of digital and innovation more than ever, we are excited to partner with STWS and support them in their endeavors.”
Announcements will be made soon around up-coming international programs and initiatives.


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To comply with tough new cybersecurity rules, Apple Inc. will begin storing all cloud data for its China customers with a government-owned company -- a move that means relinquishing some control over its Chinese data.
Apple will build its first Chinese data center in the southern province of Guizhou to house data for customers of its iCloud service. The data include photos, documents, messages, apps and videos uploaded by Apple users throughout the mainland, the company said Wednesday.
The center will be operated by a company owned by the Guizhou provincial government, and whose chairman was a local government official until last year.
Under the agreement, Apple will retain control over encryption keys at the data center. It wasn't clear if it would have access to any of the data itself, which would be overseen by its Guizhou partner.
In addition, Apple wouldn't be able to transfer data from Chinese customers to the U.S., in compliance with China's new cross-border data guidelines that were also part of the latest cybersecurity rules.
The announcement significantly expands a concession Apple made to appease Chinese authorities in 2014, when it started storing some data at facilities owned by state-owned China Telecom to dispel security concerns. At the time, Apple said the move would improve performance for Chinese customers.
Apple didn't clarify which data was being stored under that previous agreement, but under the new arrangement all of the iCloud data for its customers in China will be stored in the country. Currently, Apple pulls some iCloud data for Chinese users from servers in the U.S.
Apple said it made the latest change to comply with China's new rules on data storage and cloud-services operation that went into effect June 1 as part of sweeping new regulations aimed at improving cybersecurity. It also said the new data center would improve speed and reliability for customers in China.
The Silicon Valley company has been one of the technology industry's strongest advocates for fending off government incursions into user data. In a statement, Apple said it has "strong data privacy and security protections in place and no backdoors will be created into any of our systems."
The latest move comes as Apple has been facing increasing regulatory headwinds in China. Last year, for example, its online book and movie services was shut down by authorities, who didn't give specific reasons for the closing.
China also has ramped up pressure broadly on foreign cloud-service providers over the past year to comply with longstanding rules that require them to partner with local firms. Microsoft Corp. and Amazon.com Inc. already have local partners.
"It's clear that this is now being enforced across the board," said Chris DeAngelis, Beijing-based general manager of consultancy Alliance Development Group. "Any cloud-based company coming into China has to have a local operating partner."
U.S. lawmakers sent a letter to China's ambassador in March, protesting the growing restrictions on foreign cloud-service providers.
Under the arrangement announced Wednesday, Apple's China users will transition to a cloud-storage service that will carry the brands of both Apple and its Chinese partner, whose full name is Guizhou on the Cloud Big Data Industry Development Co.
It is the first time iCloud has been co-branded. The transition will occur over the next several years while the $1 billion data project is developed.
Apple has said its encryption can't be cracked, not even by Apple itself, making the company one of the strongest defenders of user privacy among major U.S. tech companies. Apple famously refused the FBI's demand that it unlock an iPhone owned by a gunman in the 2015 mass shooting in San Bernardino.
Guizhou is one of China's poorest provinces, and Beijing has pushed economic development there to create more job opportunities. Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to participate in the Communist Party's leadership conclave this fall as a Guizhou delegate, despite having few ties to the province.
With Beijing's backing, Guizhou is seeking to build a big-data industry, and has attracted investments from other major tech companies including Qualcomm Inc. and Foxconn Technology Group.
In a description of Guizhou on the Cloud, chairman Fu Yu wrote that the company aims to "provide a platform for aggregation and sharing of government data."
Mr. Fu, the former government official, couldn't be reached for comment. An employee who answered the phone at the company said Apple was its first international partner, but they hoped for more.
Tripp Mickle in San Francisco contributed to this article.
Write to Alyssa Abkowitz at email@example.com and Eva Dou at firstname.lastname@example.org
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 12, 2017 12:18 ET (16:18 GMT)


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CasaCano Farms is starting a members market, and now’s the time to sign up.
The new offering provides an alternative to the traditional community-supported agriculture, or CSA, program.
Here’s how it works: Customers pay a $75 membership at the start of the season, then visit the farm on a designated day to purchase produce at wholesale prices, a discount of about 20 percent.
In traditional CSA programs, members pay a lump sum up front, then pick up a – usually pre-packed – box of produce without charge each week throughout the season. In the Spokane area, prices vary from farm to farm, ranging from $200 to $650, often depending on shares (some offer one- and two-person sizes), number of weeks and pounds of produce.
Last year, CasaCano Farms charged $500 for its 22-week, 12-member CSA. It was the farm’s first year of operation.
Founded in 2014, CasaCano Farms is located on a 6-acre plot off the Palouse Highway, 3 miles south of the Spokane city limits. Madyson Versteeg and Jorge Cano debuted their produce at the Thursday Market in the South Perry District last May, starting a CSA program around the same time.
For their second season, they’re opting to do things a little differently.
“Five hundred dollars is a lot at one time,” Versteeg said. “This bridges the gap between the farm and the CSA. You still get to come and interact. We’re trying to build a sense of community.”
But, she said, “With this, if we don’t have cabbage for everybody, it’s OK.”
The members market will be first come, first-served. The pick-up time will remain the same as last year: Wednesdays from 4 to 8 p.m. The season starts May 27 and runs through Oct. 14.
“This will be more like going to buy produce at the grocery store: You can buy as much or as little as you want,” said Cano, who spent the past several months renovating a barn to better accommodate the members market.
He said he’s hoping the lower cost upfront will attract more members. He also said the produce, harvested the day of the members market and stored in a new cooler in the remodeled barn, “will be even more fresh than the farmers market.” That’s because there’s no travel time for the farmers, and vegetables won’t be displayed outdoors in the height of a hot summer.
He and Versteeg still plan to make their produce available at the popular farmers market on South Perry Street.
But, “Sometimes, farmers markets can be kind of stressful,” Cano said. “This is taking it back to the ’50s farm stand. You’re going down the road to talk with your neighbors.”
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A crazy with a giant hunting knife decided to rob a grocery store clerk.
Little did he know there was a gun carrying customer waiting in line behind him.
“Never Bring A Knife To A Gun Fight”
Once again, an armed citizen with a concealed carry was able to protect an entire store full of people from a knife-wielding nut.
This exemplifies the potential guns have as an equalizer in dangerous situations. Because this bystander was packing, nobody got hurt. But when it comes to the leftist narrative, this story just doesn’t fit. There are many stories like this, yet few ever get any coverage. Mainstream media is quick to blame guns for things that go amiss, even when guns clearly aren’t the problem, But when a gun owners save the day? Silence.
VIDEO: Gun Owner Stops Knife-Wielding Robber in His Tracks…
Guy pulls a knife out to rob a grocery store. pic.twitter.com/yug8Vl4YPI
— Caught on CCTV (@CaughtCctv) January 28, 2017
sources: Twitter, louderwithcrowder, Youtube


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Corvette Leads World in Composite Material Development and Technology
When the 2014 Corvette Stingray finally hits the street later this year, it’ll be a prime example of the best cutting-edge ways to use composite materials to cut the weight of vehicles.That was the word Monday from a GM executive during the 2013 Center for Automotive Briefing Seminars.
“The all-new Stingray composite materials were developed specifically for the seventh-generation Corvette,” said Mike Regiec, GM manufacturing chief of body manufacturing engineering. “In fact, the Corvette is the world leader in composite material development and technology.”
With every gallon of gasoline that has to be used by a car being scrutinized carefully these days, a weight reduction of any kind can mean a significant increase in fuel economy, according to Regiec.
He said a 10 percent cut in a vehicle’s weight can translate into a 3 to 4 percent cut in fuel consumption.
Regiec says GM searches constantly for a balance between the use of different materials and how much customers are willing to pay.
In the Corvette’s case, customers want the best car possible, without breaking the bank, of course, but they are willing to go the extra mile if it means better performance.
That translates into the use of premium materials throughout the C7, which features some 18 pounds of carbon fiber, including the hood and roof panels, “to meet the performance needs” expected by Corvette customers, Regiec says.
That’s not to mention many other advanced materials and new techniques in the C7, including lightweight shape memory alloy wire and new aluminum welding technology.
Regiec also mentioned that the Stingray should be on showroom floors by October.
“The vehicle is on schedule to be released here (in the) third quarter, and so far we are abs. on track with all of our goals,” he said.
The weight savings aren’t just limited to the Corvette, though. Regiec pointed out that the next-gen Cadillac CTS will use several new aluminum parts, including the doors, to cut its weight by 250 pounds.
Regiec and five other speakers at the conference agreed that the key to making vehicles lighter will be a mix of all products, from steel and composites to carbon fiber and aluminum.
“Every auto company is aggressively looking for weight reduction,” said CAR President and CEO Jay Baron, who monitored the panel.
The 48th annual Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars, which runs through Thursday, Aug. 8, is expected to draw about 1,000 industry experts, executives and public officials.
Content provided by CorvetteBlogger.com


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From State Tax Commissioner Cory Fong’s office:
BISMARCK, N.D. – Tax Commissioner Cory Fong today released two key reports showing record growth in taxable sales and purchases. During the fourth quarter 2011, which includes the months of October, November, and December, North Dakota’s taxable sales and purchases were $6.155 billion, up $2.014 billion or 48.6 percent compared to the fourth quarter 2010. For calendar year 2011, taxable sales and purchases were over $19 billion, growing 39 percent compared to 2010.
“During 2011, North Dakota’s economy continued to expand with statewide growth reported in all industry sectors except one,” said Fong.
Retail trade, the largest sector in terms of dollars, grew by 14.4 percent when comparing 2011 to 2010, or more than four times the rate of inflation. The Consumer Price Index measurement of inflation for 2011 was 3.2 percent.
“Retail trade is the sector often looked to as a measurement of the consumer’s pocketbook,” said Fong. “The growth in retail trade confirms that North Dakota consumer confidence remained strong throughout last year.”
Fourteen of fifteen industries reported growth for the year 2011. Mining and oil extraction was up by 98.4 percent; financial, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing was up by 95.4 percent; transportation and warehousing, up by 83.1 percent; wholesale trade, increased by 50 percent; construction grew by 42.7 percent; manufacturing was up 39.7 percent; accommodation and food services, up by 15.5 percent; retail trade, increased 14.4 percent; professional, scientific, technical, and management services, up 5.3 percent; arts, entertainment, and recreation was up 5 percent; utilities was up 1.5 percent; information industries, was up 1.4 percent, other services, up 34.4 percent; and miscellaneous was up 101.4 percent.
The only sector reporting a decline was the educational, health care, and social services sector, which declined 5.4 percent.
The 2011 annual report is embedded below, and it contains some interesting data.
For instance, while it’s fashionable for the state’s politicians to try and downplay the impact of the oil boom on the state in order to give credit to their statewide economic development policies, the sales tax numbers tell a different story. Sales and purchases grew 10.57% and 8.16% in Fargo and Grand Forks, respectively. Devils Lake saw 7.7% growth, and Jamestown was at 15.66%.
Closer to the oil patch, Bismarck saw 18.78% growth. Among cities actually in the oil patch: Minot saw 43.74% growth, Williston saw 81.95% growth, Watford City saw 67.35% growth and Dickinson saw 55.94% growth.
Leading all cities in the state was tiny Ray, going from $4.3 million in taxable sales to $32.1 million, a whopping 642% increase.
As one last comparison, the city of Williston’s taxable sales and purchases ($2,521,286,467) were more than double those in Grand Forks ($1,078,995,179), and came in at about $100 million more than Fargo’s ($2,422,391,342).
Without the oil boom in the west, North Dakota would be a middle-of-the-pack state in terms of economic growth nationally. But please, let’s keep talking about how the universities in Grand Forks and Fargo are the “economic engines” of the state.


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Milestone: One million Wii units sold in Canada
Every so often, yet another milestone or record-breaking stat is realized on the Wii. The interest in the system, headed by the casual crowd, has been just pure insanity. It may not be too surprising then that the Wii has achieved yet another historic feat: one million units sold in Canada. NPD data shows that total Wii sales have reached 1,060,000 units, in comparison to 870,000 PS3 and 520,000 PS3 systems sold.
Nintendo’s continuing momentum and ability to tap into the casual market will surely make the company sell another million. Wii Music and Wii Sports Resort will most likely be huge successes.


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TNeenah is set to showcase new CLASSIC papers at the National Stationery Showh in New York City, which will take place from 21 to 24.
Neenah will be on hand at Booth 2646 to share its latest paper collections, perfect for letterpress, offset and digital printing.Neenah will also present its world-class packaging solutions including bespoke papers for premium packaging, gift cards, gift card carriers and shopping bags.
“There is no other show like this in the world,” said Ross Van Burkleo, Senior Sales Manager, Neenah. “We think of the National Stationery Show as ‘the’ place for all things paper — from stationery, greeting cards, custom invitations, gift wrap and journals, to lifestyle gifts. The National Stationery Show is also the ultimate launch pad for designer-makers to unveil their latest creative lifestyle and stationery products, “ he said.
At this year’s show, Neenah is proud to present the newly refreshed CLASSIC Brands featuring 2 new finishes, 8 new market-inspired colors and 6 exciting new duplexes, 64 new digital items, and 33 envelope styles in all writing and text weights. The Neenah signature portfolio includes market-leading brands such as CLASSIC, CRANE’S LETTRA, ENVIRONMENT, The Design Collection, and ROYAL SUNDANCE Papers. “I encourage everyone to stop by the booth to see all the inspiring promotions and wonderful brands we have at Neenah Paper,” said Van Burkleo.


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New menu items showcased at employee luncheon
April 17, 2006
KALAMAZOO--WMU Catering invites university employees and their guests to a special Administrative Professionals Day luncheon Wednesday, April 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Bernhard Center Ballroom at Western Michigan University.
Executive Chef Nick Petruska and the catering staff will debut a variety of new higher-end menu items, all of which will be available for sampling.
Hors d'oeuvres available at the luncheon will include Chicken Fusion Sticks, Mini Cuban Sandwich Bites, Mango-Ginger Shrimp and Caribbean Dumplings. Lunch entrees include Loire Salad, New Age Salad, Barbeque Pork Chop, Mushroom Melange Ravioli, Bourbon and Autumn Fruit Filled Pork Roulade and Baked Stuffed Jumbo Green Bell Pepper. Desserts offered will be Dark Chocolate Cheesecake, Oreo Mousse Parfait, Raspberry Dream Cake and Fresh Fruit Parfait
The cost is $9.95 per person with reservations by Friday, April 21. The cost at the door is $11.95. To make reservations, contact Kay Lewis at email@example.com or (269) 387-4868.
Media contact: Thom Myers, (269) 387-8400, firstname.lastname@example.org


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General Motors recalled an additional 8.4 million vehicles in North America in Monday, bringing its total for the year to more than 28 million as it copes with a mounting safety crisis.
The vast majority of the vehicles recalled on Monday, 8.2 million, were pulled because of ignition defects linked to inadvertent key rotation. Recalled vehicles with these types of defects include the Chevrolet Malibu, Impala and Monte Carlo; the Oldsmobile Intrigue and Alero; the Pontiac Grand Am and Grand Prix; and the Cadillac CTS and SRX, with model years ranging from 1997 to 2014.
GM said it knew of seven crashes, eight injuries and three fatalities related to the latest recall. The company will spend an additional $500 million to fix the problems, bringing its total recall-related repair costs to $2.5 billion this year.
Monday’s recall announcement came just hours after Kenneth R. Feinberg, a prominent lawyer who specializes in compensation, detailed the terms of a fund for victims that GM asked him to design and administer. That fund, which is uncapped and from which money will be awarded at Feinberg’s discretion, is intended for deaths and injuries resulting from defective ignition switches installed in 2.6 million small cars that GM recalled earlier this year.
GM’s handling of the ignition-switch recall has prompted congressional inquiries, a criminal probe by federal prosecutors in New York and, most recently, a civil lawsuit that the Orange County, Calif., district attorney filed Friday. Internally, it set into motion a cascade of recalls, as GM seeks to reassure buyers and investors that its vehicles are safe.
“We have worked aggressively to identify and address the major outstanding issues that could impact the safety of our customers,” GM chief executive Mary T. Barra said in a statement Monday. “If any other issues come to our attention, we will act appropriately and without hesitation.”
Trading of GM’s stock was halted for about half an hour Monday afternoon as the news about the latest set of recalls was announced. By the market’s close, the company’s stock was down 0.9 percent on the day.
Monday’s recall includes 7.6 million vehicles in the United States, for a total this year of 25 million — a record for a single vehicle manufacturer in the country in one year. The previous record was held by Ford, which recalled 21.4 million vehicles in 1981, according to Clarence Ditlow, head of the Center for Auto Safety. The other vehicles being recalled are mostly from Canada.
If GM recalls 6 million more vehicles in the United States in the next six months, the company will have recalled more domestic vehicles this year than all vehicle manufacturers combined have done in a single year, according to Ditlow. In 2004, all manufacturers combined recalled a record-setting 30.8 million domestic vehicles.


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Tourist attractions across the South East have opened their doors to visitors this weekend, as the Government continues to ease the lockdown rules on the reopening of non-essential businesses.
From Saturday 4th July 2020, zoos, safari parks and wildlife centres can all reopen, provided social distancing and safety measures are put in place.
Theme parks across the south east of England, including Paulton’s Park near Romsey in Hampshire, have welcome visitors, but people can only enter if they book their tickets in advance.
Extra facilities for ticketholders to wash their hands have been installed and signs reminding people to social distance during their visit have been put up.
However, the theme park will be quieter than usual, with the management team at Peppa Pig World at Paulton's Park releasing tickets for just 10 percent of their usual visitor numbers .
Other attractions opening their gates to the public include Legoland at Windsor in Berkshire and Sea Life in Brighton.
However, not all tourist attractions has taken advantage of the relaxed lockdown rules.
On Friday, Dreamland at Margate in Kent celebrated its 100th birthday. However the only guests able to ride the landmark’s historic Scenic Railway were a group of 28 giant teddy bears.
The number of places choosing to reopen to the public may increase as the summer months continue.


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The sirens of song inspired Deborah Lloyd’s fall collection for Kate Spade so the brand revisited that theme for an event in Tokyo to unveil her clothes and accessories infused with musical references.
“I was inspired by these amazing firebirds…these divas. Whether it was Billie Holiday singing the blues, or Sade that sultry siren, or whether it’s ballerinas,” said Lloyd, the president and chief creative officer of the brand.
The intimate event, staged in a café space of a historic bank building, included live music by a female jazz vocalist. But the highlight of the night was a performance by local star Chara, who rose to fame in the Nineties as a singer and actress and remains a household name today. Attendees, including model Jourdan Dunn, sipped Moët & Chandon and snacked on finger foods including tiny hamburgers.
“Japan is just such an important market for us. They’ve always been so supportive, the brand has been looked after so well here that we really wanted to celebrate with them and also preview the collection just before it arrives in store,” Lloyd said, adding that the business is performing well in the country.
Dunn, who was last in Tokyo in 2015, brought her six-year-old son along for this trip and will be staying a few extra days in the city to do some sightseeing.
“He’s really made plans for us,” said the model, who is fronting the brand’s spring-summer campaign. “We’re going to Legoland, Disneyland and a few museums. So we’re going to cram all that in in like four days.”


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Liseberg presents next generation virtual queuing system
This spring Liseberg opens the new Dark Ride Underland, situated in the children’s area Kaninlandet (the Rabbit Land). For the new ride, visitors will not have to stand in a physical queue and wait. Instead, Liseberg launches a newly developed virtual queuing system.
In connection with Liseberg’s summer premiere in April, the park premieres the new children’s ride Underland – a dark ride that will take guests underground to experience the Liseberg rabbits’ secret and wondrous world. Underland is the first dark ride that Liseberg has built in 50 years and represents the largest ever ride investment in this segment, SEK 150 million in total.
New and exciting rides usually equals long queues which is a big challenge for all amusement parks. Liseberg now presents a new custom-made virtual queuing system for the new ride, that will be accessible in the Liseberg app.
“Long queues is a challenge parks share”, says Andreas Andersen, CEO and President Liseberg. “We have an extensive Express Pass program at Liseberg, but this is the first actual virtual queuing system, that we will present in the park.”
The benefits are many, for both Liseberg and the guests. Instead of being stuck in a physical queue, the visitors register in the app and get the first available time slot for the ride. Children can play at the adjacent playground or experience something else in the park while they wait.
The solution, that is developed by Liseberg and the digital agency Creuna, is custom-made for Liseberg and is the next generation of virtual queuing systems.
“We believe that by integrating digital solutions in the park experience, we can create more value for our guests”, says Andreas Andersen. “It’s a complex system that we are testing this summer, and if everything goes as planned, we see an opportunity to apply the solution to other popular rides in the park.”
The virtual queuing system will be available in the Liseberg app and on Liseberg’s website from the end of April when Liseberg opens for the summer.
Liseberg ist ja auch nicht der erste Park mit solchen virtuellen Warteschlangen. Ich weiß aber nicht ob es bei Disney Alternativen dazu gibt, würde ich aber bezweifeln.
Disney hat in Orlando an diversen Stellen FastPass+ Kiosks, an denen Du die selben Funktionen hast, wie in der App. Efteling hat bei Python auch noch zwei Automaten vor der Tür stehen.