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Origin Protocol stages a near 100% rally in 24 hours thanks to this
The crypto market is not alien to random assets rising every other day. Still, usually, these assets are the product of spot assets and chains. This week a new form of token emerged, and it did not fail to leave a mark. In fact, its demand was so profound it created an entire market for such coins.
NFT tokens, the new meta?
Well, calling them the new meta would be a stretch because such tokens barely exist, but they could shape into one. Bored Ape Yacht Club’s (BAYC) token ApeCoin took the market by storm with its 1240% rise in the last three days, and the effect was visible on other NFT tokens as well.
A seemingly unheard coin, the native token of the Origin Protocol (OGN) over the week has risen by 197%, 99% of which came in the last 24 hours.
The protocol, which essentially provides a platform for building peer-to-peer marketplaces and e-commerce applications, witnessed the stark rise fueled by the bullishness of its ecosystem developments.
Origin intends on tapping into the hype and interest spread amongst the mainstream audience for the well-established $15 billion worth NFT space.
By launching their first family-friendly NFT collection called ‘Lucky Ducky,’ not only will Origin expand it to cross-chain, but its long-term roadmap includes production of an animated claymation TV series, merchandise drops, and metaverse integrations with Decentraland and Sandbox.
This will also make it the only collection to tap into mainstream media as well.
Thus observing the success of the NFTs and their rising appeal, OGN investors gauged the potential Origin Protocol has and took their shot.
A day before the week-long rally began, on 12 February, investors purchased over 10 million OGN worth $2.6 million at that moment out of exchanges. This move played in their favor as, within a week, this $2.6 million turned into $7.6 million as OGN is trading at $0.76 at the moment.
The overall rally benefited the earlier investors as well. 81% of OGN holders from before the rally were putting up with losses, but that figure shifted dramatically within a week. As of today, 66% of the investors are back in profit.
However, OGN is still 304.31% away from its all-time high, so it might need a lot more than just a new NFT collection to regain that level. (ref. Origin Protocol Price Action image)


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U.S. consumers added to their debt burdens modestly in January, a sign they remain cautious about spending despite sturdier job growth. Read More »
Mar 6, 2015
U.S. consumers stepped up their borrowing in December, increasing balances on credit cards and other types of loans, the Federal Reserve said Friday. Read More »
More than three in five Americans wouldn’t have money in their savings accounts to pay for an unexpected car repair or medical emergency, according to a survey released Wednesday. Read More »
The New York Fed’s latest report on household debt shows that the so-called deleveraging process, by which households reduced their debt burdens following the recession, has ended after around five years.
Tuesday’s report reveals one state where debt loads are still very high and where deleveraging hasn’t happened much: New Jersey. Read More »
Americans took on more debt in September, but sluggish growth in credit-card balances reflected weak consumer spending during the month.
Total outstanding consumer credit, excluding mortgages and other loans secured by real estate, rose in September at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.9% to $3.267 trillion, the Federal Reserve said Friday. That was up from August’s 5.2% growth pace, revised from an earlier estimate of 5% growth. Read More »
Americans grew more cautious about taking on non-mortgage debt in August.
Total outstanding consumer credit, excluding loans secured by real estate, rose in August at a 5% seasonally adjusted annual rate to $3.247 trillion, the Federal Reserve said Tuesday. That was its slowest rate of increase since last November. Read More »
Households in the U.S. borrowed more on credit cards, cars and their educations in the second quarter and their collective net worth climbed to a new record, according to a Federal Reserve report today. But the Fed report from which these numbers are drawn, known as the Flow of Funds, does not adjust for the size of the overall U.S. economy. And, after all, it’s only natural that net worth or debt would tend to grow as the economy expands.
Consumer credit grew by 3.6% in the second quarter, but that’s slower than the 4.2% growth in the overall economy. And mortgage debt has fallen relentlessly as a percent of gross domestic product in recent years.
In today’s report, household home mortgage debt stood just under 55% of GDP, the smallest since 2002, back when the credit-fueled housing bubble was in its adolescence. Read More »
Consumer borrowing accelerated in July as Americans took on more credit-card debt and other loans.
Total outstanding consumer credit, excluding loans secured by real estate like home mortgages, rose at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 9.7% in July from the prior month to $3.238 trillion, the Federal Reserve said Monday. That was up from growth of 7.1% in June and 7.3% in May, and matched April’s pace. Read More »
Real Time Economics offers exclusive news, analysis and commentary on the U.S. and global economy, central bank policy and economics. Send news items, tips, comments and questions to email@example.com.
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Renault steps up its offensive in international markets
Renault steps up its offensive in international markets. Scala, Duster, Pulse, Fluence, Koleos, Clio, new Clio Estate, ZOE, Captur, new Symbol, new Sandero, and new Logan in focus.
In the Asia- Pacific region, Renault has been doing well in Indian markets after expanding its lineup to include models like the Scala, Duster and Pulse. Inclusion of these models increases the lineup to five models which also include the Fluence and Koleos. Increase in dealerships in China allowed Renault to amass a 22.4% growth. The same can’t be said about Korean markets which saw a decrease of 45.1% due to problems arising from its sales network.
Renewed interest in global markets will allow Renault to project a 3% growth in 2013 while the European market is expected to showcase a decline by the same percentage. Launch of models like the new Clio, new Clio Estate, ZOE, Captur, new Symbol, new Sandero, new Logan, novo Clio and new Fluence will improve sales ratios as Renault pursues its sales strategy in global markets.
Email - [email protected]


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Julayna Smith has a problem. Over the years, she has accumulated eight cell phones in trying to keep up with the latest models. Her boyfriend has also started a small BlackBerry pile of his own.
"I don't know the first place to look to recycle a phone, I just have no idea where I would start," she said.
Smith, 22, of Duluth, Minn., is not alone.
States, cities and consumer groups are increasingly looking for a federal solution to the growing problem of getting rid of more than 2 million tons of used electronic gadgets each year.
Hundreds of millions of them are produced annually to meet demand for the latest smart phones, laptops or TVs. The average U.S. household owns 25 electronics products, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. But recycling them is regulated mostly by local or state governments, and rules can change from one locale to the next leading to confusion for both consumers and companies that make and sell electronics.
By recycling, Smith and people like her could help recover valuable resources such as gold and platinum that are common in many electronics, and they would help properly dispose of toxic metals like lead and mercury that also are used in electronics and can contaminate soil if carelessly discarded.
"The states are developing their own requirements for electronics recycling because there hasn't been anything on the national level implemented," said Ken Reisinger, who oversees waste, air and radiation management for Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection.
Pennsylvania is just one of 27 states that currently has no electronics recycling legislation, although it might soon leave those ranks with a proposed law requiring manufacturers to pay an annual fee and establish free collection sites.
As of June 2010, 23 states had enacted some kind of electronics recycling legislation, according to a recent report by the Government Accountability Office.
But most consumers are unaware of local laws, and states and municipalities have difficulty enforcing them because the often small devices easily fit inside garbage cans.
"The state can't stand on the curbside every Tuesday morning monitoring people's trash. That's not feasible, so we rely on public education," said California's electronics waste recycling manager Jeff Hunts.
In California, retailers collect a fee of between $8 and $25 on the sale of devices with a video screen greater than four inches in width, which includes PC monitors, laptops, portable DVD players and most TVs. The fee is used by the state to pay for the collection and recycling of old products.
Among ways to reach people, state and local officials regularly mail brochures to residents to explain electronics recycling. For consumers where it is still not required by laws, groups and websites such as Earth911.com offer help.
Jennifer Berry, a spokeswoman with the environmental group said that aside from offering general recycling information on their website, Earth911.com keeps an extensive list of over 110,000 recycling opportunities nationwide. "People simply don't know what to do with (electronics), which is why providing our directory is important," Berry said.
Like others, Berry said that while local and state efforts are steps in the right direction, the lack of a national policy makes it challenging for businesses to comply with so many rules and regulations.
In 2006, when only four states had implemented electronics recycling laws, a report by the National Center for Electronics estimated that if 20 states had laws, manufacturers and retailers could avoid nearly $57 million in costs per year under a national program.
Parker Brugge, director of government relations for Best Buy, among the world's largest electronics retailer, noted that the patchwork of regulations creates a lot of paperwork and to get around that, his company has instilled its own policy of taking back electronics and recycling them.
"We try to cut through that (red tape) with our national approach," Brugge said.
Recently, the U.S. Government Accountability Office recommended that the Environmental Protection Agency, which oversees waste management, reevaluate its efforts aimed at recycling electronics. The EPA agreed to work toward further integration of their programs to achieve "nationwide environmentally responsible management of used electronics."
Meanwhile, local governments continue to craft their own laws. California's Hunts said each of the programs has strengths and weaknesses, and officials have a lot to learn from one another.
Still, he was quick to add that, "in the long-run, the country would do well under a unified system regardless of what model it is, so that consumers wouldn't have to know what the law was in one state versus some other state, and so that manufacturers and recyclers know what rules apply."


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A Look Into The 2021 University of Alabama Homecoming Celebrations [PHOTOS]
Homecoming is exactly what it means, coming home. It is a celebration for students, alumni, future students, and supporters. UA's rich legacy and timeless traditions have been on display all week long under the theme of “Together We Rise.”
The 2021 Homecoming festivities at The University of Alabama have been amazing. From fashion shows, pep rallies, step shows, parades, the actual game, and more. It’s the whole vibe of homecoming that is attractive to many Alabama fans.


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Etihad Etisalat (Mobily)is testing its upcoming Digital Video Broadcast to Handheld (DVB-H) service, The company is trying out broadcasting eight popular satellite TV channels in Jeddah, in a joint trial with the Ministry of Culture and Information of the infant service.
Mobily said that its customers in Jeddah can now receive live feeds of Saudi TV’s Channel 1 and Sport, MBC’s 1, 2 and 3, Alarabiya news channel, CNBC Arabic and children’s favorite Spacetoon in high definition.
The company expects the project to be its next runaway hit. The trial service will not be available to subscribers of other operators.
Subscribers who have mobile TV-enabled devices only need access the main menu on the device, go to Mobile TV, and select the channels they wish to see. If all else fails, 1100 is there to lend a helping hand.
Khalid Al-Kaf, Mobily’s CEO, said that DVB-H is slowly but surely permeating the international telecom sector. He said that this project typifies Mobily’s pursuit of the latest and greatest in the sector.
He added that the company is keeping its promise to its customers of quality entertainment.
Al Kaf praised the ministry for cooperating in experimenting with new services, adding that the ministry’s choice of Mobily as its partner in this up-and-coming service will greatly contribute to setting the international standard for DVB-H.
Put simply, through DVB-H, enabled handsets can receive digital video broadcasts just like a normal TV set, but in high definition. And just like the good old TV set, there is no need for an internet or GPRS connection.
With Mobily’s test trial, the Kingdom becomes among the first Arab countries to have the technology. The service is available on a limited scale in a number of European countries, such as Spain and Italy. The UAE already has DVB-H licensing on offer to providers.
© 2000 - 2019 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)


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A few media technology companies have joined the LiMo Foundation, Adobe Systems among the newest ones.more »
The 4.6 release from Qt comes with a Symbian installer, Qt APIs for mobile devices and the promised Maemo 5 port.more »
The NagAconda Python tool helps when writing plugins for the Nagios monitoring tool and is available in its first open release.more »
Linux Pro Magazine met the author of numerous standard works in informatics and the most famous Linux critic at the Fosdem in Brussels.
According to an announcement by the European OSOR information service, a group of Czech companies and individuals has offered a roughly 3,200 euro award to develop platform-independent access to the mandatory "Data boxes" email service used by government agencies.more »
The open source project Meego will see Intel's Moblin and Nokia's Maemo merge into one mobile platform.more »
The managelogs program manages the Apache Web server generated log files. For version 2.0.0 the developers made some changes to the build.more »
Version 7 of the GPL webserver introduces a monitoring application.more »
New release comes with better semantic search and improvements to Kontact.
Annual code quality report shows FOSS is more secure at all project size levels.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation has announced an even smaller version of the tiny computer that will fit into a DIMM slot.
A new class of problems lets a malicious app pre-configure an invisible privilege update.
New Hack language adds static typing and other conveniences.
New crypto policy system will offer easier configuration and more uniform security.
Ubuntu founder denounces insecurity in proprietary, close-source software blobs.
Vulnerability affects many Linux web servers
The Bavarian capital shuns Microsoft, Google, and other alternatives to implement an open source groupware solution.
Phone vendor partnerships bring Mark Shuttleworth's dream of Ubuntu on a phone a step closer to reality.


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HB Exclusive: CHLA’s Patel Discusses ‘Clean + Safe Guidance for Meetings and Events’
SACRAMENTO—The California Hotel and Lodging Association has released its “Clean + Safe Guidance for Meetings and Events,” providing COVID-19 health safety protocols for California hotels as they prepare to reopen for individual meetings and events.
The protocols incorporate recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the California Department of Public Health and Cal/OSHA, and are aligned with CHLA’s guidelines for individual travel that was issued in April.
“We put together these rules and guidance for the reopening of groups and meetings, and use them in conversations with our state and local government to hopefully affect a change,” said Bijal Patel, CHLA chairman in an exclusive interview with Hotel Business, who added, “I think it is also important to mention that 50% of our membership are independent, non-branded hotels, so we also provide advocacy and help to those who don’t have access to the brand guidelines.”
Patel stressed the importance of having one set of protocols for California. “When you speak with industry leaders or the government, you don’t want to plop down 12 different manuals—this is Hilton’s, this is Marriott’s, this is Hyatt’s. So it was important to have one set of guidelines for the whole state.”
The 11-page guidance focuses on planning ahead, enhanced communications and adaptability as hotels support customization of group customers, such as businesses, associations, religious events, charities and others. The standards include attendee arrival procedures, electronic registration, breaks for sanitation, increased use of presentation technology, use of multiple rooms for one meeting, same seating for attendees and non-contact, cashless transactions.
In a state as large as California, meetings and groups are big business, and the pandemic has taken its toll not only on the bottom line, but also the personnel that work the events.
“We have four major metropolitan areas: the Bay Area and San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Sacramento. They all rely on the meetings and events business,” said Patel. “We represent a wide range of properties—from small mom-and-pop properties all the way up to 2,000-room hotels—where the meetings business is especially crucial.”
He continued, “Right now, according to the way the laws on reopening hotels are written, they are only able to allow leisure and transient travel. So, it’s kind of limiting our markets to Friday, Saturday and Sunday business right now. We are seeing people take a little bit of a longer vacation with work from home and virtual learning but Monday through Friday, our industry needs help. Our hotels need help. We have thousands of employees in the group business sector that don’t have work. We have been able to reassign them but we can’t ignore the fact that through this pandemic, we’ve laid off close to 100,000 employees. A big part of bringing those people back online is bringing the meetings business back online.”
Patel noted that hotels aren’t the only businesses that are affected by the lack of group business. “I believe that the corporate travel business is so much more than just hotels,” he said. “You’ve got the Uber and taxi drivers. The rental car companies. The restaurants. There’s a whole economy surrounding meetings.”
While the guidance may be around for a while, Patel pointed out that the way health and safety protocols are perceived has been changed by the pandemic.
“This pandemic is not going away anytime soon, and I think we’re going to have to see these protocols for the foreseeable future,” he said. “What’s important for everyone to realize is that we in the industry have been masters of cleanliness, health and safety protocols. What has changed during the pandemic is that, pre-pandemic, we were much more discreet about everything; during the pandemic, we are being open about the protocols.”


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Feature Phone Shipments Surpassed by Smartphones for the First Time
Gartner has noted that in Q2, 225 million units of smartphone shipments were recorded, surpassing the shipment number of feature phones for the first time.
There was a 46.5 percent year-over-year increase in smartphone sales, with a 21 percent year-over-year drop for feature phones, according to Gartner.
Slalom Consulting is a Boston, Massachusetts-based solution provider. The national director of research and development at that firm, David Uhler, commented that the new information from Gartner supports the increasing significance of mobility practices.
Uhler said: “Mobile used to be treated like a second- or third-class citizen but now, especially over the last year, it is more of a first-class or even primary citizen.”
Gartner’s research vice president, Carolina Milanesi, stated that emerging markets and the lessening price gap between smartphones and feature phones are behind the increase in smartphone adoption.
Milanesi said: “Feature phones will be relegated to the very bottom end of the market as many smartphones today can reach prices as low as $70.”
Uhler said that faster smartphone adoption is usually present in areas which lack infrastructure, “but there is still a massive undercurrent [of smartphone adoption] in stable and existing markets, the U.S. being a great example.”
Computer EZ is a solution provider based in Mendon, Vermont. The president of that company, Larry Gold, said that findings from the Gartner report were expected, and companies like AT&T, Verizon and Sprint will be more impacted by it than solution providers. Email reconfiguration may be the only value-added area which was affected by smartphone growth this year, Gold added.
In the global smartphone market, Samsung is at the top with a 31.7 percent share, and has a 2 percent increase from the same quarter last year. There was a 10.2 percent year-over-year increase in Apple sales; the company has 14.2 percent of the global share.
There was not much demand for Nokia feature phones, and from last year, mobile feature phone sales fell by around 6 percent. Lumia, Nokia's smartphone line, grew 112.7 percent in Q2 as the company expanded the portfolio. Year-over-year smartphone growth of 60.6 percent was also seen by Lenovo; the company reached 11 million units in Q2.
By the end of the year mobile phone sales worldwide are expected to reach 1.82 billion units, according to Gartner. (CY) Link


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Kensington's New Power Bricks Charge Them All
Kensington claims its chargers can recognize the specific device and optimize the charge.
Accessory maker Kensington today (Sept. 20) debuted five new universal chargers that it says can automatically detect the type (and even model) of device attached to them and provide the optimal amount of power — measured in amperage — which results in a faster overall charge.
While a standard USB charger works with just about any device, chances are it is not providing the optimal amount of power, a Kensington representative told TechNewsDaily. The device might be getting too much, which can cause it to overheat and possibly damage it, or too little, taking much longer to charge than normal.
[SEE ALSO: Best Smartphone with Keyboard: Motorola Droid 4]
A chip inside the chargers will detect what particular device is attached. From there, the correct amount of power is supplied to the device’s battery.
Kensington says that its line of PowerWhiz chargers works with a range of devices including those from Apple, LG, Nokia, Panasonic, RIM and Samsung. The chargers will be available starting in October.
Kensington will sell two wall chargers, one that is made for smartphones and another that charges either a tablet or smartphone. They will retail for $20 and $25, respectively. Kensington is also offering two car chargers, again one intended for each type of device, retailing for $15 and $25 respectively.
A third car charger, selling for $30, can power up to two devices (smartphones, tablets, or one of each). However, this charger can power only two tablets on the same platform at the same time. Kensington says it is working on a model that can charge tablets on different platforms simultaneously. That will go on sale “in the near future,” the company told us.


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For those who've been wanting to try out Slay the Spire but prefer DRM-free builds outside of Steam, now is your chance as it just released on GOG.
Someone please lock away my wallet, as the GOG Spring Sale is live and it's full of discounted Linux games.
For those who love their DRM-free gaming, GOG have just recently put up their latest weekly sale with quite a few Linux games available.
For those who prefer to buy their games from GOG for that DRM-free goodness, they have a Midweek Sale on with some good Linux games in it.
The DRM-free store GOG have another addition to their Linux line-up with Slime-san: Superslime Edition now available.
GOG have another good Linux game now available, with Tesla vs Lovecraft from 10tons now up on their DRM-Free digital shelves.
Now even more can enjoy another very good retro racing game, as Slipstream has screeched over onto GOG.
While Kindred Spirits on the Roof might not be new, it was missing the Linux version on GOG which has released today along with the 'Full Chorus' DLC.
If you're in need for some fast-paced ruthless action, GOG has you covered today with their release of 10tons' twin-stick shooter Neon Chrome.
JYDGE remains as one of my favourite top-down shooters to come from 10tons and now it's also available for GOG fans.
Superhero League of Hoboken, another classic game has been packaged up nicely by GOG with Superhero League of Hoboken.
Free from the restrictions of planet Earth, the space exploration, trading and action game 'Helium Rain' from Deimos Games has officially become DRM free on GOG.
Your friendly neighbourhood DRM free store GOG has another varied selection of Visual Novels now available with Linux support.
I know a number of Linux gamers had been waiting for a DRM free release, today ATOM RPG is officially available on GOG.
While it's had Linux support for a few months and has been available on other stores, today GOG have added the action-RPG Mana Spark.
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Microsoft Posts 8% Q4 Growth for Xbox, Phone Division
During its latest investor earnings report, Microsoft announced that its Entertainment and Devices Division produced modest year-over-year growth, resulting in an 8% boost in revenue to $1.92 billion despite selling 3% less consoles (1 million) during its fourth quarter.
Xbox Live picked up the sales slack for Microsoft. The service produced 20% more revenue (compared to Q4 2012) in what the software giant characterized as a “soft console market.”
During its earnings report, Microsoft also revealed that it lost $900 million on its struggling Surface RT tablet. Despite that, the company still posted $4.97 billion in earnings from $19.9 billion in revenue.


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February 7, 2014 – Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced its 2014 motorsports strategy and initiatives for expanding the popularity of motorsports.
Since the days of its founding, Honda has always considered racing as a key driving force, tackling motorsports challenges across the globe and achieving a wealth of victories along the way, while using racing as an experimental plot for technologies that would sow the seeds of the company’s overall growth. The racing spirit fostered in this process is alive today in all of Honda’s products and technical development.
Honda’s corporate slogan is “The Power of Dreams.” Honda will realize these dreams together with its customers by putting more power behind its motorsports activities so that through racing it can bring fun, joy and excitement to more people around the world.
Honda has announced their motorsoprts plan for 2014 today. More than 100 reporters and global medias attended.
There were a lot of riders and drivers such as former F1 driver – Vitantonio Liuzzi and MotoGP World Champion – Marc Marquez at Honda HQ in Tokyo.


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American Eagle Outfitters Inc. on Thursday named Roger Markfield, former chief merchandising officer and co-chief executive officer, to the newly created position of vice chairman and executive creative director. Markfield, the merchandising guru who helped the Pittsburgh-based company identify its target customer, most recently was vice chairman of the AEO board.
Markfield’s appointment is another example of companies looking to saviors to lift stock prices and restore confidence in jittery investors. Some are dusting off retired executives, others are giving trusted board members full-time responsibilities and yet other firms are handing over the reins to founders who had stepped back from day-to-day activities.
Hermès is launching a Laundromat pop-up shop in NYC - dubbed Hermèsmatic - where customers can bring their old scarves to be dip-dyed by an expert. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews (📷: @donstahl)


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Boosted by sales of €27m over two days at the annual flagship Orby thoroughbred yearling sale last October, Goffs recorded “a significant turnaround in its performance” last year, according to chairwoman, Eimear Mulhern.
The accounts are for the year to the end of Mar 31 this year (2013) and in her statement, Ms Mulhern said: “We have seen an increase in turnover and profitability, further improvement in the debtor book and continued stabilisation in costs.”
Daughter of the late Charlie Haughey, Ms Mulhern said the board is recommending the payment of a modest 2c per share this year based on the improved financial position.
The dividend is to be approved at the group’s AGM on Oct 21 and will be accounted for in the current financial year (end Mar 2014).
Ms Mulhern said that “cash flow is €2.14m positive for the year, reducing the group’s reliance on bank funding for its working capital requirements.”
On the bloodstock aspect of Goffs business, Ms Mulhern said: “The year past has been a very encouraging one on every level. It has seen a significant return of confidence by the industry in the company and increased support by vendors for our sales.”
Ms Mulhern said the group is well structured “to grow market share in all sectors in the year ahead”.
Goffs group income last year rose 14%, from €9.8m to €11.1m, with group operating profit up 75% from €781,000 to €1.36m.
Goffs’ chief executive Henry Beeby said in his statement: “This has been a positive year for the group with excellent growth in Ireland, strong actions in the UK and the continuing brand building of our property firm, Goffs Country.”
Mr Beeby said that ring turnover has increased by 46% in the past two years, 26% last year alone.
This year’s Orby Yearling sale takes place next week and last year a son of Gallileo topped the two-day sale when €800,000 was paid for the colt.
Sales at the Orby sale last year represented a 33% increase in revenues on 2011.
The group’s shareholder funds stood at €22.34m, including €7.1m in accumulated profits.
Staff costs last year dropped marginally from €3.8m to €3.7m with remuneration for directors increasing from €801,000 to €852,000.
Ms Mulhern said Goffs is continuing to secure planning with partners Applegreen for a Motor Services Area (MSA) on Goffs lands adjoining the N7.


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Apple announces the new improved iPhone (optimized for video). YouTube adds video editing. Thom York of Radiohead claims the music industry is dying. Kevin recaps his show opening for the British new wave group, Wang Chung. The Podcasters discuss last weeks semi-explicit interview with Martin Atkins. Plus, calls and emails from our totally rock’n audience.
Don’t forget to call or Email with your questions for Tom Jackson (Interviewed in Episode 43)
Leave a message: 206-426-5683 Or email us: firstname.lastname@example.org


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Arcadia sees profits dive
Arcadia, the Top Shop to Burton fashion group, today reported a heavy slump in full-year profits but said recent sales had picked up.
Britain's second biggest clothes retail group, which said it suffered a 'dreadful' first half of the year, said sales during the second half of the year had improved despite tough high street conditions.
Chairman Alan Broadbent said: 'Overall our brands have performed well in what has been a difficult and challenging year for the clothing market.'
Like its bigger rival Marks & Spencer, Arcadia had suffered from the unseasonally warm weather in September, but the autumn range was proving a hit, especially among women.
Sales in the seven weeks since the financial year-end on August 28 were ahead of last year.
The £151 million acquisition of the former Sears womenswear chains Wallis, Warehouse and Miss Selfridge from retail entrepreneur Philip Green was integrating well.
The merger process was on track to bring in the targeted £13 million of annual savings, Mr Broadbent said.
Meanwhile, new brands such as the Denise Van Outen range of Top Shop bikinis had been well received by shoppers.
Pre-tax profits for the year slumped from £81.1 million last time to only £47.8 million.
Sales were up from £1.45 billion to £1.5 billion, while the total dividend will be frozen at 11.7p.
Arcadia, created when Burton Group split from Debenhams last year, said there had been more price cutting in promotions than last year in order to shift stocks.
On an approximate like-for-like basis, stripping out new store space, total womenswear sales were 0.4% ahead over the year, while menswear was down 1%.
But the second six months of the year saw an improved performance, with sales from its stores, currently numbering 183, up 7.2% on the previous year's second half.
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Joel Rosenblatt, reporting for Bloomberg:
Google Inc. is paying Apple Inc. a hefty fee to keep its search bar on the iPhone.
Apple received $1 billion from its rival in 2014, according to a transcript of court proceedings from Oracle Corp.’s copyright lawsuit against Google. The search engine giant has an agreement with Apple that gives the iPhone maker a percentage of the revenue Google generates through the Apple device, an attorney for Oracle said at a Jan. 14 hearing in federal court.
It’s not surprising at all that Google is paying Apple for the benefit of being the default search engine on iOS, but this is the first time it has been confirmed, and a dollar figure provided. But it is also an awkward revelation for Apple, which has recently started to more aggressively position itself as the company that protects its user’s privacy. Remember Tim Cook’s note on “Apple’s commitment to your privacy”?
A few years ago, users of Internet services began to realize that when an online service is free, you’re not the customer. You’re the product. But at Apple, we believe a great customer experience shouldn’t come at the expense of your privacy.
Our business model is very straightforward: We sell great products. We don’t build a profile based on your email content or web browsing habits to sell to advertisers. We don’t “monetize” the information you store on your iPhone or in iCloud. And we don’t read your email or your messages to get information to market to you. Our software and services are designed to make our devices better. Plain and simple.
Apple’s subtle (or perhaps not so subtle) privacy dig at Google looks a bit absurd and hypocritical in light of this court transcript. Apple may not build a profile on its users to sell to advertisers, but it lets Google do that (by default) and then profits from Google’s actions.
Unsurprisingly, Google and Apple weren’t happy about the disclosure by an Oracle attorney and sought to seal and redact the transcript. As Bloomberg reports;
The specific financial terms of Google’s agreement with Apple are highly sensitive to both Google and Apple,” Google said in its Jan. 20 filing. “Both Apple and Google have always treated this information as extremely confidential.”
The transcript vanished without a trace from electronic court records at about 3 p.m. Pacific standard time with no indication that the court ruled on Google’s request to seal it.


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Windows 10 Mobile Build 14287 screenshots has been leaked been leaked after some hours of Windows 10 Mobile Build 14286 screenshots spotted online. Microsoft has already pushed the Windows 10 Mobile Build 14283 to Windows Insiders in Fast Ring for brand new Lumias. For those who are interested, you can read our in-depth review of Windows 10 Mobile Build 14283 running on Lumia 640 and hands-on video review of new mobile build on a Lumia 640 also.
Now, again screenshots of Windows 10 Mobile Build 14287 leaked. But, this time the screenshots reveals some changes and leaker also posted the possible changelog of this new build 14287.
- Now you can open PDFs from Microsoft Edge
- Updated application alarm name field moved down the list and choose an hour does not obscure the information below now.
- Updated applications are but these can not be seen eg. From ringtones
- It includes the option to join Windows Insider Program from Windows updates, settings
It could be possible that Windows Insiders will get Windows 10 Mobile build 14287 or higher build starting this week or more even later. Do let us know which feature, you would like to see in next updates in comments below:
Thanks Lehman for telling us about the screenshots!


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Breaking News Emails
Retail sales slipped last month, pulled down by sharply lower gas prices, and Americans spent much less in January than previously estimated. The figures suggest that consumers remain cautious about spending despite steady hiring.
Retail sales fell 0.1 percent in February, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. Excluding the volatile gas and auto categories, sales rose 0.3 percent. Overall sales were revised sharply lower in January, from a 0.2 percent gain to a drop of 0.4 percent.
Americans' reluctance to open their wallets could hold back growth in the first three months of this year. Economists had hoped that solid hiring and lower gas prices would entice consumers to spend more, yet Americans seem to be pocketing much of the savings from cheaper gas.
The weak data could make it more likely that the Federal Reserve will hold off on raising the short-term interest rate it controls. Most economists have reduced their forecasts for rate hikes this year from four to two. Fed policymakers are meeting Tuesday and Wednesday.
"Today's report is decidedly negative for both the economy and the probability of a near-term rate hike from the Fed," said Bricklin Dwyer, an economist at BNP Paribas.
Sales were generally weak across the board: Auto dealers, electronics and appliance stores, grocery stores and department stores all reported lower sales. Gas station sales plunged 4.4 percent.
Americans even cut back on online shopping, a rare occurrence. A category that includes catalog and online sales slipped 0.2 percent, its worst showing in 13 months.
Shoppers did spend more in some areas: Sales at home supply, clothing, and sporting goods stores all rose. And people are still eating out. Sales at restaurants and bars jumped 1 percent.


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Fueling the gains in October was a 1.8 percent increase in spending on single-family houses and a similar boost in building schools.Read More »
Tag Archives: Mesirow Financial Inc.
Yellen: Monetary policy can do only so much
Fed chair says interest rates aren’t best tool to curb financial excess.Read More »
Subprime borrowers with good scores denied help
A refinancing program in Oregon aimed at helping home owners refinance loans not guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac may become a model for other states as prospects for a program on a national level remain low.Read More »
Beige Book: Growth ‘modest to moderate’ in June
The Federal Reserve said the economy expanded at a “modest to moderate” pace in June and early July, as retail sales and manufacturing cooled in some regions.Read More »


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A focus on retroFather and son Orely and Nick Mortensen have combined their respective business talents to open a store with a one-two punch.
By: Jon Swedien, The Republican Eagle
Father and son Orely and Nick Mortensen have combined their respective business talents to open a store with a one-two punch.
The result is Retro-Specs.
Located on the second floor of the Pottery Place Mall, Retro-Specs is one part antique store, one part eyewear specialty shop.
“If they’re looking for something from the ‘50s or ‘60s period, I can do that,” Orely Mortensen said. “I got eyewear from 150 years ago to present-day frames.”
Orely Mortensen said Retro-Specs sells antique and unique frames and will also set lenses in frames that customers bring in. He said he ran his own optician’s office in Cottage Grove, Minn., for over 30 years.
Nick Mortensen had been selling his antique items on the third floor of the Pottery Place. But when a bigger space opened up last spring, he and his father decided to go for it.
“Basically we wanted to expand,” Nick Mortensen said.
The duo opened Retro-Specs in June.
Nick Mortensen says running an antique shop was his way of turning his hobby into a career.
The store houses numerous types of antiques, including Red Wing dinnerware, books, coins, model cars, beer glasses and memorabilia.
“I guess it’s the hunt for a bargain,” he said, explaining, in part, what draws him to antiques.
His father, however, may have inspired him also. Orely Mortensen said during Christmas time his children were given one regular present and one antique.


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SANTA MONICA, Calif. — October 28, 2009 — Edmunds.com, the premier resource for online automotive information, has determined that Cash for Clunkers cost taxpayers $24,000 per vehicle sold.
Nearly 690,000 vehicles were sold during the Cash for Clunkers program, officially known as CARS, but Edmunds.com analysts calculated that only 125,000 of the sales were incremental. The rest of the sales would have happened anyway, regardless of the existence of the program.
Ironically, the average transaction price for a new vehicle in August 2009 was only $26,915 minus an average cash rebate of $1,667.
"This analysis is valuable for two reasons," explained Edmunds.com CEO Jeremy Anwyl. "First, it can form the basis for a complete assessment of the program's impact and costs. Second—and more important—it can help us to understand the true state of auto sales and the economy. For example, October sales are up, but without Cash for Clunkers, sales would have been even better. This suggests that the industry's recovery is gaining momentum."
"Our research indicates that without the Cash for Clunkers program, many customers would not have traded in an old vehicle when making a new purchase," Edmunds.com Senior Analyst David Tompkins, PhD told AutoObserver.com. "That may give some credence to the environmental claims, but unfortunately the economic claims have been rendered quite weak."
To conduct the analysis, the Edmunds.com team of PhDs and statisticians examined the sales trend for luxury vehicles and others not included in Cash for Clunkers, and applied the historic relationship of those vehicles to total SAAR to make informed estimates. These estimates were independently verified through careful examination of sales patterns reflected by transaction data. Once the numbers were determined, Edmunds.com's analysts divided three billion dollars by 125,000 vehicles to arrive at the average $24,000 per vehicle.
Of course the pres the congress and their supporters are arguing that cash for clunkers was an enormous success and Edmunds was invaded by the GOP. But now the pres will give mega bucks to the smart grid for dumb Americans. How many dumasses will rid themselves of six TVs, three refrigerators, and their 2,000 watt hair dryer just because they have a smart meter that the utility company will install on their incoming electric line. Why don’t we just charge more for electricity, more for gasoline, more for natural gas and give the added money to folks who actually will help save the planet? Who are these people? They are children who need a real education and may not be as dumb as the generation of adults who bought SUVs, large houses miles from nowhere, and have to have six TVs and three refrigerators for their beer to watch TV. Let’s get real big brother does not need to watch an electric or gas meter spin, it needs more of your money. It should just admit that a $10 per million BTU energy tax is needed. We use 80 quadrillion BTUs of fossil fuel and doing the math the government can raise $800 billion a year right there to pay for real education for the future generation that will also need to be good at breathing carbon dioxide.


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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Buffalo-based company that prides itself on "doing good" has reached a milestone, 26 Shirts announced it has now donated $1 million to those in need.
The company is based in Buffalo but also has also sold limited-edition sports themed t-shirts to benefit those in need in Chicago, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
"For every shirt sold, a donation is made to a specified family in need or charitable organization. Our primary focus is needs associated with health/medical concerns, or unexpected family emergencies," the 26 Shirts website reads.
For each shirt sold $8 from the purchase goes to the corresponding cause and $1 goes to the contributing artist who designed it. More information on 26 Shirts can be found here.
The announcement was made on Twitter Monday morning.


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Russell Brand has slammed Uber in his latest online rant, claiming it poses a threat to the London economy.
In his new Trews video, entitled Support Cabbies vs Tax Avoiding Uber, the comedian and activist chats to black cab driver Courtney Connell who has been taking bookings in the city for years.
"Uber, a multi-billion dollar corporation, part-owned by Goldman Sachs, part-owned by Google, that skims off all its profit and puts it into foreign bank accounts," he said.
"It's more money being siphoned out of our country. If you get a black cab that money stays in our country, stays in our economy. That's one clear advantage."
Russell likens the service to Amazon, Starbucks and Tesco - even though he admits he uses all of those like the rest of us. Sigh.
"Of course we all use Tesco, Amazon and Starbucks, they're unavoidable and we're just human beings," he said.
"But be aware of what we're participating in because once these people have got us monopolised, I've got feeling that they're in this for profit so prices might start going up.
"So many of our problems are as a result of centralised corporate interest that don't pay taxes locally and don't invest in community, they just siphon profits up to the top. You're not going to get that with a cab driver."


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As texting 911 capability expands, more can call for help without making a call
Google buys Divide in effort to expand corporate usage of Android smartphones, tablets
Parents have ways to fight back against the problem of inappropriate pictures and texting.
Google and Apple reach an agreement on smartphone patent disputes
4 major phone carriers providing text-to-911 in push to improve US emergency dispatch system
Cuba's first mobile email experiment causes chaos, widespread problems with cell-phone service
Parents enforce rules for their children about bedtimes, diet, chores and more, but a parenting expert says it is important to mandate how they spend time with electronics, too.
Review: Roku stands out among streaming sticks, at half the price of full-fledge devices
HEALTHBEAT: Virtual house calls via webcam, smartphone? Study examines telehealth effects
Reaching 911 will get a little easier with the implementation of the text-to-911 program.
It's graduation season and some tech gifts can be the right tools to help graduates watch TV, exercise, cook and communicate.
Minnesota enacts nation's 1st law requiring smartphone disabling capability as theft deterrent
Yahoo acquires self-destructing mobile messaging app Blink
BlackBerry launches new Z3 smartphone designed specifically for Indonesia
When you are talking to someone, do you ever pull out your smartphone and, while still maintaining eye contact, select the incoming email or text, look down and respond?
AT&T's vision for a connected car attempts to integrate many aspects of a driver's world, providing a safer, more productive, entertaining ride.
HEALTHBEAT: Parkinson's exams at home via webcam? Study examines telehealth effects
Growth of texting as crisis negotiation tool challenges police accustomed to taking voice cues
Hi: 48 °F | Lo: 32 °F


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Aberdeen, N.C. – June 22, 2015 – Meridian has named Bob Hubert as its new Manager of Design Engineering. Hubert will lead Meridian’s team of design engineers as well as play an integral role in its UL self-certification process at Meridian’s global headquarters in Aberdeen, N.C.
Hubert has over 20 years of experience in product development and manufacturing. He comes to Meridian from Culer, Inc. (formerly Auramist, Inc.), a global consumer products company that specializes in personal cooling devices. At Culer, Hubert managed all aspects of product development, from initial concept through production. He was directly involved in the company’s setup and review of all manufacturing processes and procedures.
“Design Engineering is critical to Meridian’s concept to completion model,” said Meridian CEO Chris Gilder. “Bob understands that form and function are equally important to our producing the best solutions for our customers.”
Hubert and his family relocated to Sandhills of North Carolina from Cocoa, Florida, where they had spent the last 20 years. “I’m used to a 60-plus mile commute to and from work every day,” said Hubert. “It is amazing to be able to live in such a great place and Meridian is just down the road.”
Hubert began his engineering career at Play Pal, Inc., a provider of custom made playgrounds used in parks, schools, restaurants and private homes. Initially hired as an assembly technician, Hubert transitioned into the world of design after only 18 months.
“Bob is the best kind of guy to lead a team,” said Meridian President Buck Warren. “He has made his way through the ranks; but it all began with the end product in mind – our engineers have to have that mindset. That’s why we are excited to have him leading that team.”
“I am excited to be part of such a talented team here at Meridian,” said Hubert. “It is impressive work that has been done to get the company where it is today. I am looking forward to making the team stronger and surpassing even our own expectations.”


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In the last year, the need for connection and information has increased, according to the New Media Adoption study, carried out by the media agency Spark Foundry, a member of Publicis Groupe Romania. Compared to previous years, Romanians used the online to a greater extent: they were more present on platforms (53%) and social networks (48%) and made more payments (55%) and online shopping (52%). At the same time, the restrictions and limitations of this period determined them to read news online more frequently (48%) and to watch movies and series more often (43%). The new study is part of Focus On: New Media Usage, a series of reports that monitor the evolution of media consumption behaviors, based on quantitative studies.
„With this new set of data we can draw our first conclusions about trends in New Media consumption. We were pleasantly surprised by the sign of maturity given by the 18-34 segment where we see an increase in trust in the information received on TV, given that searching for news on the Internet is the activity with the highest increase compared to the previous wave of data. Another interesting aspect is that, TikTok, the social media platform with the highest dynamics, shows a decrease in the notoriety of Influence Media campaigns in the conditions in which the pursuit of celebrities / influencers is the reason for using the platforms with the highest growth vs. previous wave. We have a confirmation that when the subject is serious, even the younger generation resorts to classical and regulated media. We also have confirmation that not every Influence Media campaign is a guaranteed success; as in any communication activity there must be a strategic red thread in the execution for it to have the desired effect”, explained Valeriu Galani, Managing Director Spark Foundry.
The reasons why Romanians use social media
In the context of the pandemic, urban Internet users accessed social media especially to spend their free time, to relax (65%), but also to keep in touch with loved ones (64%), reasons found especially in adults over the age of 45. Adults also use social media to a greater extent to keep up to date with news from the lives of family members, friends and colleagues.
Younger generations have a more active behavior on social media. They look for diversity in content, look for information about different products or brands they want to buy, post photos or videos, join different communities, and follow celebrities or influencers.
The most accessed social media platforms
Facebook continues to be the most popular social media platform, with 93% coverage among Internet users in urban areas, being used by all age groups, but especially by people over 55 (98%). People between the ages of 25 and 34 are more attracted to platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest, while young people between the ages of 18 and 24 prefer TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit or even LinkedIn. People over the age of 45 prefer to access Twitter.
Favorite online content
Images remain the most popular type of social media content, for all age segments, with a coverage of 78% among the audience. While young people (18-24 years old) prefer videos (72%) or stories on Instagram (45%), people aged 35-44 are more attracted to live streaming (19%), and those aged between 45 and 55 years old are interested in posts made by their favorite brands (44%) and 360-degree images and videos (29%). At the same time, articles (61%) and audio content (33%) continue to be more appreciated by people over 55.
Activities on Instagram
Regarding the activities on Instagram, there are no significant differences compared to the May study. There are small changes among people aged between 35 and 44, changes most likely generated by the holiday period, when they posted more content. In parallel, young people use the platform to click on labels in stories or posts (to go directly to the brand’s page / store), to react to surveys or to swipe-up stories.
TikTok and influencers campaigns
Although the number of people using TikTok is growing, awareness of influencer campaigns is lower, which is most likely due to increasingly diverse content on the platform. The top campaigns with influencers include campaigns related to music (60%) and beauty and fashion (57%), while the campaigns with the highest increase compared to the previous wave, in addition to those related to music, were related to tourism (55%), culture (39%), DIY (33%), interior decoration (41%), social campaigns (44%), personal / professional development (51%).
Audio content, an authentic way to connect with others
The platforms that have exclusively audio content register a significant increase among Romanians, compared to the results of the study in May. These platforms are considered to be a new and authentic way to connect with other people (79%).
Live streaming for entertainment
The number of urban internet users watching live streaming events on social media has decreased, most likely due to the holiday season. Both data from May and September show that music was the star of live streaming (71%). Concerts (47%), personal and professional development courses (43%) or live streaming gaming (40%) decreased significantly compared to the previous wave.
E-commerce through social media
8 out of 10 urban internet users think that the tag function used by brands for e-commerce is useful because it reduces the product search time (74%) and provides all the details about the price, without having to access the website (78%).
Among those who have undertaken gaming activities in recent months are both young people and adults. People between the ages of 45 and 55 downloaded and played smartphone games to a greater extent than in the previous wave (61%), and those between the ages of 35 and 44 played online games with strangers (39%).
The popularity of the game, the graphics / design of the game, the narrative thread, but also the recommendations of the influencers are the main reasons why people aged between 18 and 24 try a video game.
Urban Internet users continue to join online communities to find people with similar interests. Compared to the previous wave, this wave was more about benefits within brand communities and less about brand proximity.
The 34-44 age segment was most interested in the events organized by the brands, and those aged between 25 and 34 were the easiest to convince to go to the events.
Media consumption with family
64% of the respondents watch TV with their family, and 41% of them confessed that in the last year they watched more TV or online programs for children than they did before the pandemic.
In fact, TV remains the main source of information for 43% of Romanians, who say they prefer to watch the news rather than read the information online. Young people aged 18-24 spent more time in front of the TV, an activity that brought them closer to their family.
The study was conducted by the media agency Spark Foundry, through online interviews, on a sample of 805 people, female and male, over 18 years old, internet users, from urban areas, between September 8-15, 2021.


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By Graciela Ibanez
Chilean beverage company and Coca-Cola bottler Embotelladora Andina SA (AKOA, AKOB, ANDINA-B.SN) launched a new $575 million international bond due 2023 with a yield of 237.5 basis points over comparable U.S. Treasurys, according to a term sheet provided by an investor.
Andina, Latin America's third-largest Coca-Cola bottler by volume, plans to use the proceeds to pay for the acquisition of Ipiranga, a Brazilian Coke bottler with operations in the states of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais.
The Chilean company, which agreed to purchase Ipiranga for 1.22 billion reais ($554 million), will also use the funds for general corporate purposes.
The bonds were rated A-minus and triple-B by Fitch Ratings and Standard and Poor's, respectively.
J.P. Morgan, Itau BBA and Santander are managing the transaction, expected to close later Thursday.
Andina has operations in Chile, Brazil and Argentina, and it expanded to Paraguay after merging with another Coca-Cola bottler last year. It bottles and distributes Coca-Cola and other soft drinks, fruit juices, beer and mineral water.
The Chilean beverage company reported a net profit of 14.11 billion Chilean pesos ($27 million) and sales of CLP326.66 billion in the second quarter.
-Rogerio Jelmayer contributed to this article
Write to Graciela Ibanez at firstname.lastname@example.org


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Dallas, TX (PRWEB) June 11, 2015
Intellectual property attorney Darin Klemchuk says aspiring entrepreneurs and start-ups should take several measures to protect their ideas in order to avoid losing all or a sizeable portion of their businesses.
As corporate America continues to downsize, small businesses and start-ups have picked up the slack. Today, small businesses employ nearly half of the U.S. workforce, and popular T.V. shows such as “Shark Tank” and “The Profit” fuel the fires of aspiring entrepreneurs who hope to make it big. “Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs don’t take the steps necessary to successfully protect their big ideas,” Klemchuk says.
In his new article, 5 Vital Steps Entrepreneurs Must Take to Protect Their Big Ideas, Klemchuk, founder of Dallas intellectual property law firm Klemchuk LLP, offers helpful insight on topics including patents, copyrights, trademark protection and overall business strategy.
Regarding patents, Klemchuk says, “I get it, you have a great idea, but cash is tight right now. However, are you willing to forgo getting a patent and risk someone with plenty of cash taking your idea and fast tracking it to market? Failing to get a patent isn’t something money will fix later.”
Entrepreneurs should also focus on executing their business strategies with precision from day one. According to Klemchuk, “One of the biggest reasons new businesses fail is when entrepreneurs fail to execute or manage a company well. Many of the people who get shot down on “Shark Tank” don’t get a deal for that very reason.”
Klemchuk also encourages entrepreneurs to assemble a solid team and not stretch themselves to thin. “Hire the best you can afford when you secure financing, so you have time to focus on the areas of the business where you excel the most,” he says.
About Klemchuk LLP
Based in Dallas, Texas, Klemchuk LLP is a full-service Intellectual Property (IP) and Technology law firm. Klemchuk LLP offers comprehensive legal services including litigation and enforcement of all forms of IP as well as registration and licensing of patents, trademarks, trade dress and copyrights. Klemchuk LLP also provides a wide range of business and technology services including General Counsel Services, Business Planning and Dispute Resolution and Negotiation. Klemchuk LLP represents clients in the Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas, as well as throughout the country. Additional information about the firm and its attorneys may be found at http://www.klemchuk.com.


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And what a show it was! The second time for SouthMACH under new ownership of XPO Exhibitions was a ‘blockbuster’ in 2017.
Held at the Horncastle Arena, Christchurch on the 24th and 25th of May, the Mainland’s largest event for the manufacturing, engineering and technology industries has been deemed a great success by both visitors and exhibitors. Here are just a few comments;
- “2015 was great but 2017 even better full credit to all organisers, Well done”
- “Great show good to see it changing with the times”
- “SouthMach was a great show and we had excellent sales from it, so thank you!”
(3D Printing Systems)
- “We really enjoyed the show and are happy with the results” (Global Shop Solutions)
- “Thank you and your team for delivering another good show” (Baskiville)
Attracting more than 100 international and local exhibiting companies across a range of industries and a strong attendance of industry visitors, SouthMACH 17 has once again proven the South Island “Heartland of Manufacturing” is in good shape.
Exhibitors, although still following up on their leads have acknowledged the high calibre of the visitors with genuine buying interest. The organisers advise that audited visitor numbers of trade attendees will be available in a week or so from the Circulations Audit Board – however it’s the excellent quality of visitor that has resonated with exhibitors.
The show delivered a broad spectrum of new products and innovations – a mix of kiwi made/designed and/or internationally sourced. On display was a showcase of the latest in CNC machinery (and of particular note this was the highest number of CNC machines ever seen at the show), Industrial Automation and 3D printing technology.
A very busy industry led seminar program touched on all the current worldwide industry topics from Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things to Advanced Manufacturing.
Kiwi Designers and Manufacturers came together and showcased their World Class products as perfect examples of industrial collaboration. Caliber Design (Stabicraft), Locus Research (Ubco 2 x bike) and Motovated Design & Analysis (Peter Caugheys Jet Sprint Boat) are companies that are leading this innovation and all shared their successful insights with many hundreds of SouthMACH’s visiting professionals.
The Competenz Apprenticeship workshop and Speed dating session, which attracted a large group of motivated high school students looking at starting a career in Engineering / Manufacturing and supported by renowned Kiwi businesses such as Hamilton Jet & Metalcraft, is a great new initiative that will be continued going forward.
The event has literally shown our youth how exciting and rewarding a career can be in the manufacturing industry – and the event organisers are only promising to grow on this at future events.
The organisers are now ramping up for EMEX, New Zealand’s largest national technology trade show for the manufacturing, engineering and electronics industries – the show is already 80% booked and promising to be their largest show yet. Those claims are big boots to fill when the previous EMEX in 2016 included 160 exhibitors and was attended by over 5,000 visitors, the highest in a decade.


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Taiwan Bicycle Export Expands in Value and Volume
TAIPEI, Taiwan – The export of bicycles and bicycle components from Taiwan surged by 16.2% to just over 3 million units in the first three quarters of 2015 compared to 2.65 million in 2014. According to the latest statistics of the Taiwan Bicycle Association (TBA), the industry is recovering after several years of declining export.
In volume as well as value, the export shows a substantial increase by 15.3% to 1.27 billion euro from January to September this year. Except for China, all main markets imported substantially more bicycles from Taiwan.
Average price stable
“We see a significant increase in the number of people and countries where people start cycling for sports, leisure and to commute,” said TBA chairman and Giant Global Group CEO Anthony Lo at the presentation of the industry sales statistics. “The average unit price of Taiwan made bicycles went down only slightly by 0.8% to 411 euro. The average export price for MTBs is now 618 euro and for road race 628 euro.”
Anthony Lo pointed out the importance of the cycling experience to get more people cycling. “As bicycle industry we are proud that we are also exporting the cycling experience today. The Velocity conference which will take place in Taipei just before the Taipei Cycle Show is a fine example. Taiwan converted from cycling island to cycling paradise. Only ten years ago people called Taiwan the cycling dessert.”
The market for Taiwanese bicycles in China declined by 33% to 79,000 units. Though not yet that big, the Chinese market was seen as a main growth market for several years. That development has come to a full stop thanks to the economic decline in China.
The US is still the biggest single market for Taiwan made bicycles with 570,000 units between January and September this year, an increase of 26.3%. Export to the UK surged by 26.8% to 552,000 units and to the Netherlands by 17.3% to 316,000 bicycles.
Next to bicycles, also total bicycle components export expanded by 7.01% reaching a value of 723 million euro.
More on this topic in the November issue of Bike Europe.


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Plastic Bag Ban Goes into Effect in Aug.
TOWNSEND — Of the many legal actions voted on by residents during the over five-hour Town Meeting, a surprising one came in the final minutes.
Effective Aug. 1, Townsend will ban thin-film single-use plastic bags from being sold or distributed at any retail or grocery store in town. Those types of bags will still be allowed to be used to hold dry cleaning, newspapers, produce, meat and bulk food. The ban is meant to lessen the bags’ negative impact on the environment
The main issue cited with thin-film plastic bags is how they aren’t biodegradable yet frequently disposed of.
Bags can be found in the ocean with fishes getting tangled in them or even choking on them. The bags can also clog storm drains and require barrels of crude oil to be made.
Andrew Shepherd, 24, was the local resident who put together the petition and presented it to the town during the meeting. Speaking over the phone last week, Shepherd said he came up with the petition nearly five days before the deadline for petitions on March 1.
“It came to me while I was shopping at Hannaford and I thought, ‘The town can do better with handling plastic bags,’” Shepherd said. “This is a big problem society is facing due to our actions that my generation is going to have to deal with.”
Shepherd said that he talked with residents and members of the town Board of Health while putting the petition together. He noted that some people had concerns, including how short the timeline was for the ban to go into effect and how effectively the town would enforce the ban.
“I think with the passage of this article, the townspeople have made a great note of caring for our environment,” he said.
Jon Winkler: jwinkler@nashoba valleyvoice.com


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- Environmental consciousness is increasing among generations and industries, pushing governments towards a circular economy model.
- In the last decade, policies like the 2020 green investment plan have stressed the need to evolve towards a sustainable banking landscape.
- ESG in finance poses challenges and opportunities for banks to improve brand, customer experience, impact on society and the environment.
- Financial institutions can now help their customers understand their spending emissions and offset them, on top of reducing emissions internally.
The undeniable potential of sustainable banking
As the practice of incorporating environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into banking operations and decision-making, sustainable banking, or green banking, paves a multi-strategic road. It has become an approach that cannot be disregarded anymore, not only in light of the consumers’ demand in its direction, but also considering the wide range of benefits that it entails for banks and financial institutions:
- Positive impact on society and the environment: sustainable banking helps promote environmentally-friendly and socially responsible projects and initiatives, with a positive impact on society and the environment.
- Customer attraction and retention: banks adopting sustainable banking practices are more appealing to customers who are interested in the social and environmental impact of their financial decisions.
- Improved reputation and brand image: banks that are seen as leaders in sustainable banking practices will enjoy a better reputation and stronger brand image in a whole world striving for sustainability.
Regulatory framework towards a circular economy
ESG in finance is a matter that has gotten to the top of the regulatory agenda, as fears that industries would lose sight of it due to the COVID-19 pandemic are fading. The crisis has highlighted that different levels of society are vulnerable, business sectors are deeply interconnected, and, as a main priority, the planet needs to be saved. Let’s look back to what happened in the last decade:
- In 2015, international agreements were concluded with the adoption of the UN 2030 agenda and sustainable development goals and the Paris climate agreement. The Paris climate agreement, specifically, includes the commitment to align financial flows with a pathway towards low-carbon development.
- In 2019, the Commission presented the European green deal, a growth strategy aiming to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.
- Right before the start of the pandemic, as part of the green deal, the European Commission presented the European green deal investment plan, which will mobilize around €1 trillion of sustainable investments over the next decade. The goal of this plan is to create a favorable environment to stimulate the public and private investments needed for the transition to a climate-neutral, green, competitive and inclusive economy.
In the regulatory landscape and in the socio-economic one, there is growing momentum to make financial services evolve towards a more sustainable model. In this context, financial institutions and banks need to find new ways to balance improving their ESG approach with the need to survive the impacts of the ongoing crisis.
Green banking: opportunities and challenges
In the wake of businesses and governments, an increasing number of financial institutions and investors have started to identify the circular economy as a favorable framework to address global issues. ESG in finance has a promising record in terms of benefits related to compliance with laws and regulations: banks that adopt sustainable banking practices may be better positioned to comply with regulations and laws related to ESG issues. However, as reported by EY, financial institutions have struggled to progress on offsetting their emissions, and in disclosing the data on financed emissions (the emissions attributable to companies that are financed by financial services firms). Between 2018 and 2021, out of 226 banks that signed up for the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF), only one-third reported their numbers on the PCAF site. Without a doubt, more consistent methodologies and better data will enable financial institutions and banks to take bolder steps towards improvement, and meet the growing needs of their consumers for a greener future.
Why partner with a sustainable fintech
Green banking recognizes that new technologies are essential drivers of the transition to sustainability. It encourages innovation to solve problems, and ensures that financial institutions apply technologies responsibly to enhance the quality of people’s lives and the wellbeing of their environment. Sustainable fintech companies have technologies and innovative business models that help banks improve their operations, reach all customer segments effectively and generate new revenue streams:
- Meeting customer demand: consumers are becoming more conscious of the social and environmental impact of their financial decisions and are looking for sustainable financial products and services. Banks that partner with sustainable fintech companies can help meet this growing demand.
- Improving risk management: sustainable fintech companies often have expertise in identifying and managing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks, which can help banks improve their risk management practices.
- Generating new business opportunities: sustainable fintech companies can help banks identify and invest in new business opportunities in sectors like clean energy, green infrastructure and sustainable agriculture and forestry.
- Last but not least, keeping up with competition: as more and more financial institutions adopt sustainable banking practices, those that don’t will likely fall behind in terms of customer acquisition and retention, and will miss out on the new business opportunities that sustainable finance is generating.
Banks that visualize and execute their sustainability agendas now will have a first-mover advantage in the race to meet their sustainability goals. And the good news is, we can partner up with you to kickstart the process.
Strands, connecting data for a sustainable banking future
Aside from offsetting CO2 emissions internally, banks and financial institutions are putting in place approaches that help their customers understand their carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable future. With our carbon footprint tracking solution, you can help your customers become even more environmentally friendly by helping them offset their emissions by up to 40% How?
- Analyzing your customers’ transactions to convert their spending into an overview of their carbon footprint
- Offering a seamless and easy to navigate overview of their consumption
- Providing actionable insights, suggesting green banking services, compensation activities and promoting local businesses to help them offset their emissions
Are you looking into helping your customers with their sustainable goals?
Let’s build a greener future together.


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There are over 12,000 freight
brokers in the U.S. For more than 50 years, oversize/overweight loads
have been primarily booked through these brokers via phone, fax and email. To illustrate, 42 percent of truckers surveyed have used traditional brokers. Of those, three in four classified their experience as positive, but almost the same number indicated they are interested in different ways of finding and booking loads. According to Matt Kropp, CEO of FR8 Revolution, freight marketplaces – licensed broker
exchanges that connect carrier directly with shippers to bid and book loads – represent a huge opportunity to address truckers’ biggest needs, identified in the survey as: higher rates per mile; faster payment; better information about trips and/or loads; and reducing time to find and book the next load. “Technology is advancing at an unprecedented rate in the open deck freight industry,” explains Kropp. “This survey found that nine out of ten truckers are tech savvy, suggesting the myth of the anti-tech trucker is just that – a myth. The research findings also detail how heavy haul truckers are shifting their behaviors to ensure operations are conducted in the most efficient and profitable manner possible.” Increased focus on efficiency and profitability is apparent in survey responses about permitting.
More than 35 percent of open deck loads require permits, which cost nearly $285, on average. Nine in ten respondents preferred to have any required permits paid for by the shipper or broker directly. When faced with handling permits themselves, 53 percent indicated they were difficult to obtain, while 47 percent weren’t always certain their permits were going to be correct when starting a trip. “Nearly half of the survey respondents believe their oversize/overweight trip loads will increase in the next two years, which means they’ll need to alleviate the time and complexity of securing permits to maintain operating efficiencies,” said Laurie Eldridge, senior vice president of regulatory and compliance services at Comdata North American Trucking. “Comdata provides these open deck truckers the ability to easily secure permits connected to a FR8Star load, as well as a flexible way to send and receive payments through our Comchek Mobile integration in the FR8Star system.” The survey showed that truckers who recognize the importance of technology are open to an online freight marketplace as a business tool. Among the 78 percent of respondents who have not yet used an online freight marketplace, four in five truckers said they would be likely to try it. Of the 22 percent of respondents who have worked with online freight marketplaces like FR8Star, over three-quarters recommended the experience and three in five indicated it helped them make more money compared to other methods.
About FR8 Revolution Founded in 2015, FR8 Revolution develops cloud-based, data-driven tools that improve efficiencies, reduce costs and provide unparalleled transparency in the open deck freight transportation industry. The FR8Star.com marketplace enables shippers to move legal and oversize/overweight loads with reliable pricing estimates, optimal shipping routes and real-time freight tracking. Specialized open deck carriers can easily develop quotes and bid on high-value loads using a free freight rate calculator that factors all third-party expenses including state permit and escort costs.


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(Bloomberg) -- German car-parts maker ZF Friedrichshafen AG aims to grow sales in China to benefit from the country’s rapid shift to electric vehicles, WirtschaftsWoche reported.
The company wants to generate around 30% of its total revenue in China by 2030, up from about 18% last year, ZF management board member Stephan von Schuckmann told the publication. Revenue is expected to grow as more Chinese automakers export their vehicles abroad, he said.
Chinese carmakers are “very technology-savvy and use the latest technologies with courage and speed in order to differentiate themselves,” he said.
China dominates the EV race and now accounts for an 80% share of the world’s lithium-ion battery capacity and has huge leads in most other critical components. Local champion BYD Co. is challenging Tesla Inc.’s rank as the world’s biggest EV company and several Chinese auto brands are currently pushing into Europe.
Read more: How China Carmakers Came to Dominate the EV Industry: QuickTake
The Chinese auto expansion is also intensifying competition in the parts sector as these brands are bringing their local suppliers with them, von Schuckmann said.
“It can be assumed that today’s competition from China will also spread to Europe,” he said. “You have to take this development very seriously and adapt in order to survive.”
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.


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A bill prohibiting local governments from placing encroaching regulations on vaping and alternative nicotine products without state authorities’ approval passed through the Montana House of Representatives.
Now, it advances to the State Senate.
Marshall, a former co-owner of a small chain of vape shops throughout Montana, secured its passage by 62 votes in favor to 37 votes against, with one representative absent to offer their vote.
“This bill is saying that the small guy, the little business owner … can sell a legal product licensed by the state of Montana,” Marshall said on the House floor last Friday, “Have a business license with the town, have a product that’s geared toward adults who are trying to get away from combustible tobacco.”
According to the Helena Independent Record, HB 137 will redefine state law prohibiting local governments from regulating alternative nicotine and vapor products like traditional tobacco products. Similar to legislation proposed and implemented in states across the US, such as Arizona, HB 137 would retroactively strip local governments’ regulations on tobacco products by redefining this alternative, tobacco-free product category as away from the state’s overall definition of “tobacco.”
By doing so, vapor products cannot be taxed or regulated like cigarettes. The legislation is expected to pass through Senate with ease, despite a promised organized opposition from state and local-based tobacco control organizations that wrongfully consider vaping products as more or as equally as harmful as cigarettes.
John Engen, the mayor of Missoula, has lobbied the House to postpone any further action on HB 137 until its better defined and equitable. A spokesperson for the city, Ginny Merriam, told the Independent Record that the city opposes the legislation because it strips it of the control of crucial public health regulations such as tobacco taxation.
Bill information from the Montana Legislature indicates that HB 137 has an expansive stint of process remaining before it becomes law. Vaping Post reported earlier that HB 137 comes as city and county government officials in and around Missoula wish to extend the current ban on flavored vapor products throughout specific areas in the county.


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The AG Is No Economist
Talifaitasi W. Satele
Assistant Attorney General Kornegay says that “the raising of these prices for necessities harms the people of American Samoa and its economy”. He argues that his statement is a “fact”. However, Jerry Taylor and Peter Van Doren of the Cato Institute argue in their essay, Let ’Em Gouge: A Defense of Price Gouging, that “price gouging — like spinach — may be unappealing at first bite but it’s good for everyone in the long run”.
Obviously, there are economists who would beg to differ with Mr. Kornegay.
However, my concern is less about the economics of it all and more about the lack of recognition by our government that these storeowners have done nothing wrong. Their alleged crime: ask for a higher price for their property, their merchandise after a natural disaster.
If we are all free men, then we assume that everyone’s rights are respected and protected by the government and that we only trade with one another on a voluntary basis. That basis then is our own self-interest with the seller seeking the highest price possible and the buyer shooting for the lowest. Where the two meet in the middle is a voluntary transaction between two free individuals, a.k.a the market price.
It should be no more a crime for a storeowner to be able to charge a million bucks for something after a natural disaster than it is for customers to get discounted prices, or even for free, from a storeowner who’s going out of business. Yet when the entrepreneur goes out of business and has to get rid of his inventory to discontinue his overhead costs, no one sheds a tear for him as his customers walk away with dead giveaways.
Is it because there are less storeowners than there are shoppers (meaning voters) that his predicament is of less concern to our majority-rule government and grandstanding politicians? Are his rights worth less because his vote won’t help win an election?
None of us have a right to our property when the government can dictate the price at which we can sell it. And government doesn’t fulfill its role of protecting our right to private property when its own law doesn’t even respect the very idea of it.
Mr. Taylor and Mr. Van Doren go on to say that “gouging… sets off an economic chain reaction that ultimately remedies the shortages that led to the gouging in the first place”. While protecting our right to price our own property (regardless of the circumstances) helps more than harms our economy, it is absolutely necessary for a free society to exist.


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Article - Pet owners face £20,000 fine for using electric collars
Electric collars that shock wayward cats and dogs into submission have been banned for the first time in Britain.
Wales has become the first part of the UK to outlaw the use of collars, which deliver a shock of electricity to the animal's neck.
Some are activated by the owner, who simply pushes a button on a remote control when their pet misbehaves.
Owners who break the ban face a fine of up to £20,000 or six months in prison.
Pet welfare groups, including the RSPCA and the Kennel Club, say the £100-plus electronic devices cause unnecessary pain and suffering and want the ban extended across Britain.
Electric collars that shock pets into obedience are banned in Wales | Mail Online


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With record output making it the world's number one auto maker per capita, Slovakia almost doubled car production in 2007, the Slovak car industry association announced in a news conference on April 8.
"Car production in Slovakia reached a record 571,071 in 2007," association director Jozef Uhrik said, adding that the average of 105.7 cars manufactured for every thousand inhabitants put it in first place worldwide for production per head.
Slovakia hosts three car manufacturers, Volkswagen, PSA Peugeot Citroen and South Korea's Kia.
The steep rise in production last year was largely due to the launch of production at Kia's plant in the northern town of Zilina at the end of 2006 and rising output at Peugeot Citroen's plant in the western town of Trnava.
The pace of the production rise is expected to slow in 2008 with the association giving a "conservative" estimate of 640,000 cars rolling off production lines by the end of the year. "Slovakia and the Czech Republic manufacture more than 2 million cars a year already," Uhrik pointed out.
Russia, Ukraine and also Belarus are likely to become growing exports markets for Slovak produced cars, he added.
Uhrik underlined better education of auto workers, who must be trained by their employers because the current education system does not prepare them, a change in migration policy which would allow foreigners to be recruited for unfilled jobs and the completion of key national motorways as priorities for the industry.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2008


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Hootsuite is a Canada-based firm. It is considered as the most widespread social media platform. Hootsuite is in fact a social media consulting and analytics firm. It is known for providing an easy to use social media platform that enables users to post and monitor content for their Twitter and other social media accounts. This “dashboard” service has gained about 10 million users and that amount includes more that 740 of the Fortune 1000 companies.
The company has recently raised an additional investment revenue of $60 million which brings its estimated value at $1 billion and total funds from investment to $250 million. The investment financing was raised from some of their existing investors such as Insight Venture Partners, Accel Partners, OMERS Venture and Silicon Valley Bank. Ryan Holmes, Hootsuite’s Chief Executive is confident that this additional financing will them to innovate their products and get a bigger grip on the global market.
New projects are certainly expected from Hootsuite in the months to come. The company has also acquired a social telephony firm, Zeetl with the aim of integrating a new voice technology to its existing platform. Zeetl basically enables companies to communicate with their consumers and to respond to them via social media. The service offers a privately shared voice channel that can be used over Twitter and Facebook.
With the newly raised funds and with this new acquisition, we can expect to hear from Hootsuite again soon with a possible launching of a new product inspired by Zeetl’s technology.


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UK’s internet use surges to record levels
UK adults are now spending more than a quarter of their waking day online – the highest on record – with services such as TikTok and Zoom seeing unprecedented growth, according to Ofcom’s latest study into the nation’s online lives.
- Adults spending record 4 hours a day online on average, as coronavirus changes communications
- Twice as many using video calls to keep in touch during lockdown
- One in three now watch online video more than traditional TV, with two in five making videos themselves
- But nine in 10 online adults have concerns around video-sharing sites and apps
Ofcom’s annual Online Nation report reveals that in April 2020, during the height of lockdown, UK adults spent a daily average of four hours and two minutes online – up from just under three and a half hours in September last year.
With people seeking new ways to keep connected, informed, entertained and fit during the pandemic, emerging video-sharing and video-calling services are surging in popularity.
TikTok, which allows users to create and share short dance, lip-sync, comedy and talent videos, reached 12.9 million UK adult visitors in April, up from just 5.4 million in January. Twitch, the popular live streaming platform for gamers, saw visitors increase from 2.3 million to 4.2 million adults.
The proportion of UK online adults making video calls has also doubled during lockdown, with more than seven in 10 doing so at least weekly. Houseparty, the app which combines group video-calls with games and quizzes, grew from 175,000 adult visitors in January to 4 million in April. But the biggest growth was seen by Zoom, the virtual meeting platform, which grew from 659,000 UK adults to reach 13 million adults over the same period – a rise of almost 2,000%.
Latest News from
Best and worst telecoms customer service revealed24/08/2020 10:25:00
New research published by Ofcom highlights which phone and broadband companies are setting the industry standard for good customer service.
Ofcom appoints two new members to the Advisory Committee for Scotland11/08/2020 13:15:00
Ofcom yesterday announced the appointment of two new members of its Advisory Committee for Scotland.
Lockdown leads to surge in TV screen time and streaming06/08/2020 12:15:00
A surge in screen time during lockdown saw UK adults spend 40% of their waking day watching TV and online video services, Ofcom has found in its annual study of the nation’s media habits.
Ofcom confirms plans for spectrum auction early next year04/08/2020 13:15:00
Ofcom yesterday confirmed plans to auction important airwaves to help improve mobile broadband and support the rollout of 5G.
Broadband customers to save millions following Ofcom review29/07/2020 12:15:00
Broadband customers who are out of contract are set to benefit from a package of pricing changes and commitments from their providers, following a review by Ofcom.
Ofcom awards three new community radio licences in Northampton23/07/2020 13:15:00
Ofcom yesterday announced the award of three new community radio licences in Northampton.
Royal Mail fined £1.5m for missing 2018/19 delivery target13/07/2020 15:15:15
Ofcom recently (10 July 2020) fined Royal Mail £1.5m for failing to meet its regulatory first-class delivery target in 2018/19.
UK regulators join forces to ensure online services work well for consumers and businesses01/07/2020 15:15:15
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and Ofcom have set up a new forum to help ensure online services work well for consumers and businesses in the UK.


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- Riester Admin
Report: $2 billion in economic impact for Arizona leafy greens
Doubling previous informal estimates, a new study says Arizona’s leafy greens industry delivers $2 billion in annual sales.
The study, by researchers at the University of Arizona’s Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, estimated a sales contribution of $2 billion for the Arizona leafy greens industry.
Read the full story: https://www.thepacker.com/article/report-2-billion-economic-impact-arizona-leafy-greens


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The global 360-degree camera market was valued at USD 437.9 million in 2018 and is expected to reach USD xx million by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 25.9% during the forecast period. Increasing popularity of AR-VR content and growing requirement for security & safety in public places are expected to drive the growth of the 360-degree camera market.
The surge in the usage of 360-degree cameras in public security & safety is accentuating the growth of the market and is expected to continue driving the market during the forecast period. Public safety professionals require a trustworthy digital evidence capturing management & control system. In developing economies, in-car video recording systems and body mounted 360-degree cameras offer digital evidence collection which improves public safety and security. A secured cellular connection can help upload all captured footages to a mobile computer and then those can be shared with appropriate agencies or authorities instantly.
Get Sample Copy Of This Report: https://www.alltheresearch.com/sample-request/267
The upsurge in the usage of 360-degree cameras in the automotive industry and the benefits of deploying these cameras for numerous applications are some major factors in driving the growth of this market. In some countries, a reversing camera has already been made compulsory, although car manufacturing companies such as Audi, Nissan, and others are now adopting the emerging technology by offering a virtual 360-degree view or panoramic view of the car surroundings for viewing any obstacle when reversing.
Some industry verticals that have benefited from the usage of 360-degree cameras in virtual reality (VR) are tourism, real estate, and media & entertainment. Buying and experiencing a property for international investors have become less time consuming due to virtual reality. People also wish to experience tour locations before booking a trip, or sometimes, they can buy a virtual reality experience for a costly concert rather than attending it. These applications of 360-degree cameras in virtual reality will create more opportunities for the market in the coming years.
Based on connectivity, the wireless segment is expected to grow at the highest rate owing to the increasing usage of Wi-Fi-enabled cameras in many industry verticals.
Based on industry verticals, the media & entertainment segment is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period.
North America accounted for nearly 35% share of the global 360-degree camera market in 2018.
In October 2019, Ricoh Company, Ltd. released a new feature in Ricoh THETA (a 360-degree camera product). The product can now be plugged in with smart devices such as Amazon Alexa, where Alexa can take photos and videos by using the auto mode or voice command. The image or video files can be uploaded to cloud storage when the session is completed.
In October 2017, Samsung Electronics launched a 360-degree camera for streaming and developing high-quality 3D content. The product is ideal for customers who demand a superior or more enhanced virtual reality (VR) experience.