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Microsoft News Center
Tech News Blogs
Innovation runs through everything we do at Microsoft. That’s why I’m delighted to announce the 2012 winners of Microsoft Next. When I launched this global competition last year, I wanted it to demonstrate the impact that innovative people throughout the company are having on our customers and partners. Our goal was to provide our employees with a platform for sharing their work, and the chance for great ideas to be celebrated.
With easier access to funding, technology and mentorship, the barrier to launching a startup has never been lower. However, creating a successful company and breaking through the noise has grown infinitely harder. Last Wednesday, Microsoft hosted the Churchill Club, Silicon Valley’s premier business and technology forum, for a discussion about the current startup environment.
In this edition of The Midweek Download, we’ve got stories on SQL Server 2012’s general availability, touch hardware and Windows 8, Windows Phone and the latest news from the Silicon Valley. Check ‘em out.
Live augmented reality with Kinect. Technology, Entertainment, Design released this video earlier this week and it’s circulating widely on the Web now. It shows Marco Tempest employing a Kinect sensor to deliver a live augmented reality presentation and it’s pretty dazzling stuff. It’s not immediately clear from the video what is going on but some photos from the TED blog help to explain – Marco is presenting on the TED stage and the AR tricks are projected on a screen behind him. Check out this Monday post on Next at Microsoft for the full story.
Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Jo Harlow, executive vice president, Smart Devices, at Nokia.
Today, the Nokia Lumia 900 goes on sale in thousands of AT&T stores around the U.S. As many media have already commented, this is a major milestone for Nokia, for our partnership with Microsoft and for the Windows Phone ecosystem.
There have been many milestone moments in the last 12 months.
Toward the end of this month, we celebrate one year since the partnership between Nokia and Microsoft, first announced in February 2011, was signed. In that time, we launched our first two Lumia phones, the Nokia Lumia 800 and Nokia Lumia 710, at Nokia World in October.
In this edition of Weekend Reading, we’ve got stories on the latest reviews for the Nokia Lumia 900, the out-of-this-world release of Kinect Star Wars, plus Bing, MSN, Skype and more. Check ‘em out!
The reviews are in on the Nokia Lumia 900. The highly anticipated Nokia Lumia 900 becomes available on AT&T on April 8. Curious to hear what some in the technology press are saying about the phone? Check out these reviews from CNN Money, Mashable and Gizmodo for starters, and then head on over to the Windows Phone newsroom to see more. Below is a screenshot of the Lumia 900.
Earlier this week, Microsoft and Nokia launched the Lumia 900, the smartphone that beat out the competition to win the Best at CES award. Here’s what we at Microsoft want to know: which feature on the Lumia 900 gets you the most excited?
In this edition of The Midweek Download, we’ve got stories on intelligent systems, the Windows Phone SDK, pinned sites in Windows 8 and much more. Check ‘em out.
Talking intelligent systems. Anyone who has followed Next at Microsoft knows that the blog’s editor, Steve Clayton, is fascinated by intelligent systems and what they mean for the future of computing. For the past week or two, Clayton’s been sitting down with various players in the computing space to talk about the impact of intelligent systems. Check out the video below of Clayton talking with IDC’s Mario Morales. And don’t miss this earlier talk he had with Intel’s Ton Steenman.
This week, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) branch of India’s Ministry of Human Resources and Development made a big bet on delivering a brighter future for not only India’s up-and-comers, but for the future of India itself. Recognizing that an educated population is one natural resource that increases in value as it increases in size, AICTE announced the deployment of Microsoft Live@Edu to more than 10,000 technical colleges and institutes throughout India.
Now more than ever, governments all over the world face increasingly tough decisions on how, when and where to invest for ensuring economic stability and spearheading growth. India, in particular, continues to push the envelope on innovation with its current strategy to invest heavily in education.
Xbox 360 continued to hold the number one spot in the U.S., selling more units in March than any other console. It was the Xbox 360’s fifteenth consecutive month as the best-selling console in the U.S. Below is a screenshot from "Mass Effect 3", one of the top-selling games in March.
It’s that time again – time for a little Weekend Reading. You know what to do…
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the Halo 4 soundtrack. Are you salivating over the prospect for any shred of information, no matter how minute, about Halo 4? Then check out this Thursday post on Next at Microsoft featuring two videos that give you a behind-the-scenes look at the soundtrack and the people making it happen. That’s one of the videos below, just to give you a little taste. Also, don’t miss this Thursday Next at Microsoft post about how Kinect for Windows is helping girls dress like Barbie. Finally, check out this Thursday post on The Official Microsoft Blog about the Xbox 360 maintaining its position as the top console in the U.S.
In this edition of The Midweek Download, we’ve got two behind-the-scenes stories of developers from the Windows Phone team, a story from Next at Microsoft on the blending of the physical and digital worlds and more.
Meet the team making Windows Phone faster. New models of Windows Phone will be equipped with LTE (long-term evolution) capabilities, thanks to a small team of engineers at Microsoft. The Windows Phone Customer Experience Engineering (CXE) team recently finished a project that makes Windows Phones on the AT&T network, such as the new Nokia Lumia 900 and HTC Titan II phones announced last week, LTE-capable. For more detail, check out this feature story on the Microsoft News Center. Below is a photo of Kathy Davis, one of the CXE team members.
We’ve got an action-packed edition of Weekend Reading for you today, with stories on the return of Master Chief in “Halo 4”, the latest word on Windows 8, a few tips to help you get the most out of your Nokia Lumia 900 and a wicked cool interactive comic book collaboration called "The Random Adventures of Brandon Generator".
Master Chief returns with worldwide launch of “Halo 4” on Nov. 6. The countdown has begun for the landmark entertainment event millions of fans worldwide have been anticipating for more than four years. “Halo 4,” the hotly anticipated sequel to the iconic franchise that has shaped entertainment history, will launch worldwide on Nov. 6. Set four years after the events in “Halo 3,” Master Chief returns to confront his destiny and face an ancient evil that threatens the fate of the entire universe. Read more about it on the Microsoft News Center.
In this edition of The Midweek Download, we’ve got the lowdown on the new and more powerful SkyDrive, memory usage in Windows 8, what’s next for Windows Intune and a few bits and pieces for Windows Phone developers.
Available now: A more powerful SkyDrive. Over the last year we’ve been hard at work building SkyDrive alongside Windows 8, setting out a unique approach to designing personal cloud storage for billions of people by bringing together the best aspects of file, app, and device clouds. Now, we’re excited to take another big step towards our vision by making SkyDrive far more powerful. There are new storage options, apps that connect your devices to SkyDrive, and a more powerful device cloud that lets you “fetch” any file from a Windows PC. Taken together with access from popular mobile phones and a browser, you can now take your SkyDrive with you anywhere, connect it to any app that works with files and folders, and get all the storage you need—making SkyDrive the most powerful personal cloud storage service available. Read this Monday post on Building Windows 8 to get the rest of the story. Below is a screenshot of SkyDrive across a multitude of devices.
In listening to the developer community, the Channel 9 team at Microsoft has heard the positive feedback about Visual Studio Achievements loud and clear: you want more. More than 80,000 downloads of the extension demonstrated that developers see achievement badges as a fun way to socially share the accomplishments they earn in what can sometimes be the lonely act of writing code.
New badges are available today, so now developers can unlock new achievements when using Visual Studio to write code for Windows Azure. Badges can be earned for proper cloud development usage, mobile+cloud scenarios, social gaming scenarios, or a dozen other developer-related accomplishments.
And now it’s time for a little Weekend Reading…
In this edition, we’ve got stories on the new Skype for Windows Phone app, the winners of the U.S. Imagine Cup finals, Wordament coming to Marketplace, the new Bing Desktop and more.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is HERE! Skype for Windows Phone! Following the recent availability of the Skype for Windows Phone Beta app announced at Mobile World Congress, we’ve released an official version of the Skype for Windows Phone app, which is now available in the Windows Phone Marketplace. You can also get the app directly from your Windows Phone. Get more detail about this story on The Big Blog, and take a moment to watch the video below on how the Skype app works. Also, don’t miss this Big Blog post about Skype Video and Voice calling coming to PlayStation Vita.


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Following months of anticipation, Apple has finally unveiled its souped-up 'anniversary' phone, the iPhone X.The $999 (£999 in the UK) iPhone X features an edge-to-edge display with richer colours, and facial recognition software called Face ID that allows users to unlock the phone without the need for a fingerprint reader or physical home button.
Apple has also revealed the new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, alongside an upgrade to the Apple Watch and a higher-definition Apple TV.
Apple has announced the iPhone X, pronounced 'iPhone 10', that comes with no home button.
Users have to swipe up from the bottom to unlock or to go home from an app or to multitask.
It also includes 'Face ID' that allows users to unlock the phone by looking at it.
The device which is is dust and waterproof at a microscopic level will be available in space grey and silver.
It features a glass front and back, with a band around the edge made from surgical grade stainless steel, as well as an edgeless display
Qi and AirPower wireless charging that lets you charge multiple devices at once
'Screen tap' unlock
Edge to edge display with glass on both sides of the device
Super retina display using OLED technology.
Highest ever pixel density in an iPhone
Dual 12 megapixel cameras and dual-optical image stabilisation
Tuned for augmented reality capabilities
Portrait lighting that uses machine learning to touch up photos
A11 bionic chips with six cores, can be 70 per cent faster than the previous A10 chip.
On the diagonal, the display is 5.8 inch, with over two million pixels, the highest resolution and pixel density ever seen in an iPhone.
It also features an OLED display.
The Face ID system uses a number of technologies to ensure it recognises its user.
This includes an infrared camera to see in the dark and an ambient light sensor

domain: news


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Final Note - Most Recent
Sep 4, 2013
Red honey is showing up in beehives around Utah. The source seems to be the bees, feeding off leftovers from a local factory that makes candy canes.
Sep 3, 2013
British Airways lost his luggage; he took to Twitter to vent about it. And then targeted tweets to British Airways' thousands of followers.
Sep 2, 2013
The fight between the two companies lasted a month and included a blackout of channels like CBS, CBS Sports Network and premium offerings like Showtime.
Aug 30, 2013
Kids these days are getting more than $3 a tooth from the Tooth Fairy.
Aug 29, 2013
"I would say that she certainly misrepresented its intent to encourage team support."
Aug 28, 2013
The March on Washington, in 1963, wanted the minimum wage moved up to $2.
Aug 27, 2013
Ohio State trustees will vote this week on also renaming its medical school's emergency department after retailer Abercrombie & Fitch.
Aug 26, 2013
A new app for Google Glass measures pupil dilation in reaction to advertisements.
Aug 23, 2013
Microsoft's Steve Ballmer likes to rally the troops.


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Vendors sought for church sale
MARQUETTE — St. Louis the King Women’s Club is seeking vendors for their Spring Gift & Rummage Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 25.
Interested vendors may send an email to: email@example.com or call MaryAnn at 906-942-7624. Tables are $20 each and are six foot long.
Set up will be Friday, April 24, from noon until 7 p.m. and from 7-9 a.m. Saturday, April 25.
The event will include a rummage sale, vendors, crafts, luncheon, rada knives and baked goods.


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updated 01:45 pm EDT, Fri October 19, 2007
Apple worth double Dell's
Michael Dell's recommendation to Steve Jobs that "shut down (Apple) and return the money to shareholders" ten years ago has become increasingly preposterous. At the time, Dell had a market value of $4 billion to Apple's $700 million, but the Cupertino company's market value has since skyrocketed to $150 billion, more than double that Dell's current valuation. In fact, Apple has now surpassed Hewlett-Packard in market capitalization for the first time ever. Bloomberg reports that Apple may reveal annual revenues of more than $20 billion for the first time in the company's 31-year history when fourth quarter results are issued on October 22nd.
In early trading Friday, Apple's shares rose beyond $173, having more than doubled this year.
During the fourth quarter earnings revelation, Apple also will disclose for the first time its share of the $60 to $220 monthly in fees AT&T receives for providing iPhone service. Analysts' estimates of Apple's commission range from $6 to $15 per subscriber a month.
Analysis firm Pipper Jaffray believes that Apple will be missing a marginal amount of revenue from the sale of unlocked iPhones when it reports quarterly results for its fourth (September) quarter on October 22nd.
Meanwhile the iPod continues to account for 70 percent of media-player sales in the U.S, Mac shipments have topped 1 million units for 11 straight quarters, and Apple's PC market share in the U.S. increased to 8.1 percent from 6.2 percent in the third quarter according to Gartner Inc.


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The US based search engine giant Google has quietly retired its AI-powered camera product 'Google Clips', because the actual product listing has been removed from the companys online store.
Driven by emerging technologies including AR/VR headsets, drones, on-demand services, robotic systems, smart home devices and wearables, consumer spending on technology is forecast to reach $1.69 trillion globally in 2019 -- an increase of 5.3 per cent over 2018, an International Data Corporation (IDC) report has said.
Google has put on hold its facial recognition research for the Pixel 4 smartphone after a report claimed it was bribing the homeless to scan their faces for the price of a cup of coffee in order to improve the tech giant's facial recognition technology.
Firms like Xiaomi, OnePlus and Motorola-Lenovo are now betting big on higher-margin smart TVs.
Many expect foldable smartphones to create excitement in a product category that’s low on buzz factor globally.
After high-profile flops, Microsoft is getting back into smartphones with a dual-screen Android device that won't be out for another year.
US phone-maker said to have leased 25k sq ft space at Maker Maxity mall in the Mumbai hub.
While the govt has security reasons, manufacturers are said to be happy with the move as it will prevent resale, fraudulent activities
For most people, it's smart to stick with a smartphone that isn't compatible with speedier 5G wireless networks, which are just starting to roll out.
The move is a step-up for the Cupertino-based company in building a parts ecosystem in India, where it has so far struggled to have a wide presence.
Smartphone maker Gionee plans to develop apps in India to support mobile phone accessories and connected devices.
Xiaomi claimed that the company was the first one to achieve the milestone in any market globally.
The offer by Jio includes subscriptions to most premium streaming services with prices starting from Rs 700 a month.
The growth was attributed to ear-worn wearables, which include wireless earphones that track health and fitness or enable smart assistants.
Over 100 devices powered by the all-new 10th Gen Intel Core processors will be shipped to India this year, a top Intel executive has said.
A team of students from IIT Madras has developed a drone technology that can help in rescue and relief operations, especially after natural disasters.
Google cracks the code, reveals how an 'implant' allowed access to your iPhone's WhatsApp & iMessage chats
The implant was primarily focused on stealing files and uploading live location data.
Some market experts slash forecast for 2019 owing to likely weak demand, others monitoring situation.
The report added that the attack was updated over time for extracting information from devices running different operating systems. This was said to be done as the tech usage of the Uighur community changed.
The webstore is likely to come up over the next 3-5 months as it involves duplicating its global online store template for the Indian market, said the executives who are aware of Apple’s plans.


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Oroton’s Chinese expansion is part of its strategy to take advantage of the middle class in the country which is expected to grow to one billion by 2030.
The luxury brand debut in China in October, opening a store in Shanghai.
“We’re not looking to rollout a whole lot of our own operated stores in China, we’re really looking for a franchise partner or a series of partners,” said Mark Newman, CEO of Oroton Group, said.
“Once we do that, and depending on how quickly we find those relationships, the rollout could be quite quick after that. It’s a vast country so there’s an opportunity, depending on the availability of good real estate, to have 20 to 30 stores over the next three to five years.”
In the past three years, Oroton has opened stores in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.


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TDC's Adamo: It's A Question Of When, Not If Travel Will Rebound Agency's first-ever national virtual conference welcomes 1,000 travel professionals
Anna Kroupina, Open Jaw
Some 1,000 travel professionals from across Canada and 38 preferred partners participated in Transat Distribution Canada's (TDC) first-ever virtual conference, held online yesterday.
Throughout the conference, agents could network with suppliers and each other, as well as with members of TDC's management team, including Director General Louise Fecteau and President Joseph Adamo – in a lighthearted, pixelated game theme, complete with a surprise appearance by Mario himself. (Mario was, in fact, a client of travel agent-extraordinaire, Tommy Transat. In a traditional 8-bit game emceed by Nicole Bursey, Commercial Director for Transat Tours Canada, Tommy had to navitage Transat's policies and procedures – from OptionFlex to Transat’s Traveller Care -- to beat his opponents and win the hearts of his customers.)
"Due to the pandemic, we have experienced a lot of stress and emotions in the last few months. To lift our spirits, we have given a playful touch to this year's team with our Pacman-Mario Bros icon leading the way," said TDC Director General, Louise Fecteau.
The "Ready. Set. Go." theme for the event set the tone for an eventual rebound of the travel industry.
"Now, more than ever, it's essential for all of us to be ready for the moment when travel intentions will increase. For me, it's really a question of when travellers will be ready, and not a question of if travellers will be ready," said TDC president, Joseph Adamo, during his welcome presentation.
"The desire to travel, this need for human contact and discovery, is present in each of us and will never be stifled. For more people, it is dormant today, but no one can predict exactly when it will re-emerge."
To be ready for the eventual – but certain – restart of travel sales, he advised agents to participate in webinars to keep their skills fresh and keep in touch with customers.
The pandemic has wrought havoc on the travel industry, but if there's a silver lining to be gleaned, it's that it has brought to light the many benefits of using a travel advisor, and ultimately strengthened the TDC family, said Fecteau.
TDC is developing a comprehensive marketing campaign that focuses on the value of travel professionals, which Fecteau said will make it the first network of travel agencies to do so.
"If you remember, this was my promise at the regional conference last year. The pandemic put the project on hold, but there could not be a better time to deliver the goods, finally. More than ever, we are able to demonstrate to your customers why you are essential," she said.
"At the same time, the campaign will act as an information vehicle for all the customers who may have booked their trips alone and, in many cases, experienced incredible frustration because no one was there to help them in this unprecedented situation."
Attending the conference were also five of TDC's brand new preferred partners, all Canada-focused, signed by the agency within the past four months: CanaDream, Fresh Tracks Canada, La Forfaiterie, GVQ Travel and the most recent, HVN. They join TDC's other established partners such as Transat, Air Canada Vacations, Tours Chanteclerc, TravelBrands and WestJet.
"One of the elements that came out from almost all of these exchanges is the value of the travel professionals as we know it, and has taken on a whole new meaning through the testimonials of many travellers since March. I think the entire industry has realized it, and TDC intends to build on this in the near future," Fecteau noted in a news release.
"It's when we go through times of such adversity that we realize the strength of working together, in the same direction, while being able to draw on the resources of our colleagues that makes all the difference. This is the strength of a network, the strength of TDC, and this is the message we wanted to convey to our members at this meeting. We are there for them, whether it is the team at our head office or all their colleagues from across Canada."
AC-TS Deal "Moving Forward", Clearer Picture Expected By DEC
Adamo spoke briefly to Air Canada's proposed acquisition of Transat.
"It may seem repetitive but unfortunately, I don't have new information to share on that front. Of course, the situation we are currently going through, as you can well imagine, has delayed the original schedule," he said.
"What I can tell you is that things are moving forward. Canadian and European regulatory authorities are studying the details of the transaction, and its impact and, in all likelihood, a clearer picture should emerge by Christmas."
Anna Kroupina Journalist
Anna is OJ's newest member and she joins the team as a writer/reporter. She co-writes the daily news and covers events. Although she's new to the industry, pursuing a career path in travel/tourism has been a goal since her first family road trip to the Florida Keys sparked a desire to discover the world and this exhilarating, fast-paced industry.


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HubSpot Inbound Conference
HubSpot's INBOUND Conference started today, Tuesday, September 4th bringing a host of incredible speakers to Boston.
One of the Keynote speakers was the legendary Deepak Chopra, talking about birth, atoms, DNA, storytelling and the conspiracy of the universe. You can watch his full presentation below:
Several other amazing speakers to look out for:
The sales and marketing software of tomorrow is today. Software produced, above all, for people who believe empathy, passion, and inclusion is integral to business. HubSpot, a software marketer at the forefront of this movement, hosts the INBOUND Conference annually, bringing together an eclectic range of speakers to inspire hundreds and thousands of people to learn, get inspired, and make the future of work better.


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HARRODS has revealed a new line-up of rising young designers. Making their retail debut this month are J JS Lee, British-born Nicole Murray, Hasan Hejazi and menswear label Baartmans and Siegel.
"There is never a shortage of design talent in London," said Marigay McKee, Harrods' fashion and buying director, "but it is often a challenge for emerging designers to start off in the business. Nurturing and promoting young talent is crucial to the future of British fashion, I am thrilled that the second season of this exciting initiative will allow Harrods to continue to build on our offering of young designers, recognising new stars and giving them a global platform to launch their careers."
British-born, London College of Fashion graduate, Nicole Murray couldn't he happier with the decision. Her Thirties inspired collection features a series of feminine, silk pieces in a colour palette of nude, petrol and navy.
"For my MA graduate collection to be stocked exclusively by a major fashion retailer such as Harrods, is an honour, an excellent introduction to British fashion," said Murray. "I believe that my collection will compliment the Harrods clientele due to its simplicity, elegance and sophisticated techniques. All pieces in the collection are 100 per cent silk and hand fringed by trained artisans."
The designers' collections will be available online today. For more information see www.harrods.com
YOU SHOULD SEE: Mohammed Al Fayed on why he chose to sell Harrods...
YOU SHOULD SEE: Marigay McKee reveal the secrets of her success...


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Maruti Suzuki India Limited posted total sales of 108,064 units in July 2020. This is a growth of 88.2% over June 2020 and a fall of 1.1% over July 2019.
Having witnessed a month of zero sales due to the countrywide lockdown, automobile OEMs are now looking at better days as sales start to pick up. Maruti Suzuki’s sales figures from July appear similar to those from the same month last year, with positive growth in domestic sales year-on-year. The total sales of the company stood at 1,08,064 units in July 2020, which is degrowth of 1.1 percent over July 2019 but an 88.2 percent growth compared to June this year. This includes domestic sales of 1,00,000 units and 1,307 units for other OEMs in the domestic market. In addition, the Company exported 6,757 units in July 2020.
The entry-level cars from Maruti Suzuki report a good growth pattern having sold 11,577 units in July last year and 17,258 in July this year. The segment comprises of the Alto and S-Presso (which was launched in September 2019).
The compact car segment comprising of Maruti Suzuki WagonR, Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Baleno, Dzire, and Tour S registered a drop of 10.4 percent in July compared to the same month last year. Sales of the mid-size sedan Maruti Suzuki Ciaz have dropped tremendously by 45.6 percent (2,397 units in July 2019, 1,303 units in July 2020).
Utility vehicles that include Vitara Brezza, XL6 (launched in August 2019), Ertiga, S-Cross, and the Gypsy show signs of healthy growth. The segment sold a total of 15,178 units in July 2019 and 19,177 units in July this year, thereby growing by 26.3 percent.
Passenger vehicle sales for Maruti Suzuki stood at 96,478 units in July last month and 97,768 units in the same month this year, amounting to a 1.3 percent growth. The company’s exports dropped from 9,258 units in July last year to 6,757 in July 2020 – a 27 percent drop.
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Dozens Of State AGs Preparing Concerted Google Antitrust Probe: Report
More than half the U.S. states could soon launch antitrust investigations into Google's business practices, likely in coordination with federal regulators from the U.S. Justice Departments antitrust division
Google, already bracing for a new probe from U.S. regulators, will likely soon also have to contend with dozens of individual states scrutinizing possible antitrust violations, according to a report published Tuesday by The Washington Post.
The attorneys general in more than half the 50 U.S. states will steer their offices toward investigating the Internet giant's business practices in accordance with their states' antitrust laws, likely working in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice.
Those investigations could be announced at a news conference on Sept. 9 in the nation's capital, Washington D.C., by a handful of such state officials, the newspaper reports, citing three people "familiar with the matter" not authorized to talk publicly.
Federal officials have not commented on whether they would join their state counterparts at any coming event, but Makan Relrahmi, the U.S. assistant attorney general who heads the Justice Department's Antitrust Division, said last month his office is coordinating investigatory efforts with more than a dozen states.
In May, The Wall Street Journal, also citing anonymous sources, reported that the Justice Department's antitrust arm was preparing to examine Google's practices related to search and "other businesses" within the Mountain View, Calif.-based internet giant.
Those sources told the Journal that the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department had recently held talks coordinating which agency would oversee the Google probe, and the commission ceded control to the DOJ.
During his nomination hearings in January, Attorney General William Barr told senators, without prompting, that he's interested in exploring the idea of scrutinizing big tech companies for antitrust violations.
"I think a lot of people wonder how such huge behemoths that now exist in Silicon Valley have taken shape under the nose of the antitrust enforcers," Barr said.
Google made it through an antitrust probe conducted in 2012 by the FTC without incurring any punitive fines.
At the time, FTC regulators argued that following its acquisition of Motorola, Google sought or threatened injunctions against competitors' products through the International Trade Commission, despite prior promises from Motorola to license relevant patents. A settlement reached at the start of 2013 required Google to meet prior commitments to license key patents under fair, non-discriminatory terms.
In August of 2018, Orrin Hatch, at the time a Republican senator from Utah, wrote the FTC urging regulators to investigate potential anti-competitive practices in Google's search and digital advertising businesses.
Hatch, then chairman of the Senate Finance Committee who has since retired from politics, said Google once placed restrictions on publishers' displaying search advertisements from its competitors, but loosened some of those restrictions when faced by the FTC and European Commission complaints.
Any new federal or state probes add to a series of investigations and regulatory actions that Google is grappling with from the European Commission, the European Union’s regulatory watchdog.
Google was hit with a massive $5.05 billion fine from the European Union in July of 2018. The company violated antitrust rules by imposing "illegal restrictions" on Android device makers and mobile network operators, allegedly aimed at bolstering Google's search engine, the EU concluded in a decision that's been appealed.
A few months later, in October of 2018, Delrahim told a Senate committee he couldn't rule out the possibility of an inquiry into Google's Android business, according to a report in the New York Post.
Earlier this summer, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, an Irish regulatory body that serves as the European Union's watchdog for upholding personal data protections, said it would examine whether Google Ad Exchange tracked users or stored data in violation of the GDPR law that went into effect one year ago.
The European Union’s antitrust chief, Margrethe Vestager, wouldn’t rule out European regulators breaking up Google, in comments she made in March of 2018.
“Google's services help people every day, create more choice for consumers, and support thousands of jobs and small businesses across the country,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement. “We continue to work constructively with regulators, including attorneys general, in answering questions about our business and the dynamic technology sector.”


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Tesla buys land for first Chinese factory
Factory will open in around two years, and can make up to 500,000 cars annually
Tesla has announced the purchase of 860,000 square metres of land from the Shanghai government for a new Gigafactory.
From earlier reports, the new factory has an estimated cost of around US$2 billion, which Tesla intends to raise in Asian debt markets.
In a statement from July to Electrek, when Tesla signed a preliminary agreement with the Shanghai government, the company stated it hopes to begin production within two years of gaining all the necessary construction permits and approvals.
The factory will reportedly have annual production capacity of around 500,000 cars. Tesla claims it will then take a further "two to three years [after opening] before the factory is fully ramped up".
Above: Tesla and Shanghai officials at a signing ceremony. Top: Nevada battery Gigafactory.
Once the factory is up and running, Tesla will be available to avoid a 40 per cent import tariff on locally-produced cars. It will be the company's first production site outside the USA.
Earlier this year, China eased its rules regarding foreign ownership of vehicle manufacturing facilities, allowing electric vehicle plants to operate without a local joint venture partner by the end of 2018.


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400 bitcoin atm dubai - Aplicação de associação chi sigma iota
There has been a report that 400 cryptocurrency ATM s arrived in Dubai; these are exciting times for the city if these reports are true. King Salman World Chess Championships. OneGram Initial Coin OfferingICO) Onlycoins are available in total. In the UAE commissioning of three substations , testing , associated works for the Dubai Electricity , installation, Shamal Development , Water Authority, supply, orders have been clinched for design . DED Officials Say Otherwise. How to use the Bitcoin ATM. Yusupov értesülései szerint a gépek már a helyükre is kerültek, de működésüket csak az elkövetkező két hét folyamán kezdik meg. But many observers expect the New Yorker to go further and try to match.The company wants to add the Bitcoin feature to existing ATMs in shopping malls supermarkets, hotels . Dubai is one of the 7 emirates or provinces of the United Arab Emirates.
UAE residents looking forward to an army of bitcoin ATMs being installed in Dubai may be disappointed to find out that its not happening. 2 дня назад Free bus shuttles to Burj Khalifa additional parking slots and emergency services available onsite. This appears to be a private venture with no involvement from
Dubai gets 400 BitcoinATM s in two weeks. Назад Looking to retire on a high, Leahy is seen keen to sell at least as many aircraft as the 700 jets Airbus expects to deliver in after revising the internal target up from 400 earlier this year when the industry was slowing sharply. Does this mean that there is a massive support.
If the platform is adopted. The tweet was simple welcome toDubai but 400BitcoinATM are already here and will be activated in.
Given Dubai s ability to deliver on hyperbolic promises over the past 20 years functioning, it would be wise to believe that claim even before the machines are installed filmed. Bitcoin or Broke Newsweek Middle East 16 мар. The company s employee initiated his personal interest and was developing.
At least for now. 400 bitcoin atm dubai. Japanese ATM manufacturer Oki is going to launch a new line of Bitcoin ATMs.
Source: Startups. There s one close to where I live but they charge a hefty premium to convert fiat to bitcoin. History of Bitcoin ATMs. India World Sports Science Business Real Estate.
Dubai may see the installation of 400 ATMs across the emirate in April according to a popular reddit post. L T wins250m business in Saudi Arabia UAE India. After encryption is completed KeRanger would demand a ransom of 1 bitcoin about400. Bitcoin ATM makes an appearance in Dubai.
400 Bitcoin Atm Dubai The Peoples Medium of Exchange The Affluence Network. You Get A Bitcoin ATM YOU Get A Bitcoin ATM. With the United Arab.
It is mentioned in a later tweet that the ATM s are one way meaning cash goes in Bitcoin comes out. Weeks ago, it seemed that Dubai may have been turning into a major Bitcoin hub. On this page you may find the list of countries with Bitcoin ATMs locations and number of Bitcoin ATMs. Bitcoin ATM coming to Dubai. First Ever Bitcoin ATM in the East Midlands Can Be Found At This.After revealing its first Bitcoin enabled ATM in Dubai Media City in April, Dubai based IT start up Umbrellab said it plans to activate 400 cash machines to dole out the virtual currency across the UAE. Not enough demand to justify anywhere near 400 ATMs right now. However this fact grows dimming as Sergey Yusupov claims that Dubai will have a system out of 400 units leaving all previous experiences behind. Dubai Has a Chance to Receive the Biggest Bitcoin ATM Network in. 400 Bitcoin Atm Dubai The Affluence Network: The Future of Digital. According to Yusupov the machines are already being installed but they will only start working during the next two weeks. Bitcoin atm machines in dubai Bitcoin machine winnipeg The first Bitcoin ATM was the Robocoin ATM and was available for. Назад This is to be one of the longest lines in the Kingdom, with a route length of more than 400 km. Bitcoin ATM: Arrived in Dubai Cryptocoinsinsider. UAE residents looking forward to an army of bitcoin ATMs being installed in Dubai may be disappointed to find out that it s not happening. YouTube As news that 400 Bitcoin ATMs may soon be gracing the byways highways of Dubai it s interesting to.
Sergey a posztjában képeket is közöl, egyiken. Episode 46 Yellen spikes treasury yields Doge.
400 bitcoin atm dubai. Have spent a while living in Dubai there are only a few large shopping malls a population of just 2 million people. Like this: Like Loading. Chess in Arabia: Minds compete in lavish hospitality.
These follow a post on twitter by Sergey Yusupov stating that he has imported 400 machines, to be operational as early as April. 400 bitcoin atm dubai. Video: Dubai Multi Purpose ManGo Kiosk Serves as a Bitcoin ATM. TechCrunch 24 мар. According to Twitter user Sergey Yusupov, a whole lot of Bitcoin ATM s are about to be rolled out activated very soon. Welcome toDubai but 400. A twitter felhasználó Sergey Yusupov úgy döntött a közösségi hálón teszi közhírré, hogy Dubaiba 400 új Bitcoin ATM érkezik. Két héten belül 400 új Bitcoin ATM Dubaiban.Some time ago, Twitter user Sergey Yusupov posted a tweet that sparked discussion in bitcoin circles on a number of social media websites. Airbus sprints from behind in bid to upset Boeing order lead. 400 bitcoin ATM s to be deployed in Dubai.
Dubai start up plans to introduce 400 Bitcoin enabled ATMs. Bitcoin ATMs: What Are They.
Bitcoin ATM Locations Worldwide Bitcoin ATM Map Bitcoin ATM have been installed at locations in many countries. Dubai in specific should be relatively easy, as there are plans to add 400 ATMs. CoinReport Bitcoin ATMs in Dubai. The first Bitcoin. DED Officials Debunk Bitcoin ATM Speculation in Dubai CoinDesk 25 мар. The tweet was simple: welcome toDubai but 400BitcoinATM are already here and will be activated in 2 weeks. Bringing Bitcoin to the Middle East Cointalks Dubai Bitcoin Magazine 15 апр.
Dogecoin community is raising funds to advertise on a NASCAR team. Last week, there was speculation on social media that 400 ATMs had arrived in Dubai. Sources say there are 400 bitcoin ATMs sitting ready to go online in Dubai.
Magyar Bitcoin Portál 19 мар. Bitcoin AnnouncementsBitcoin BusinessNews Dubai Could Have 400 Bitcoin ATMs Drew Cordell. We are not Bitcoin ATM and didn t even plan to become one. This suburb is lucky to have the first ever bitcoin ATM in the East Minlands.
RTA, Dubai Police reveal plans to beat New Year s Eve traffic in Dubai. Dubai 400 Bitcoin ATMs in 2 weeks Bitcointalk I don t see the value in deploying so many Bitcoin ATMs in one city unless there s a lot of demand for it. Dubai could have 400 fully operational Bitcoin ATMs in the next two. Bitcoin ATMs Everywhere. However later that week the.
Atm Uae 3 дня назад Jul 31 At present, are completely decentralised , are not regulated by global governments , other such cryptocurrencies, their respective central banks Closer to home, there are no Bitcoin ATMs located in the UAE It is important to point out that Bitcoin the UAE Central Bank is reviewing. The Twitter user Sergey Yusupov used the social platform to announce the arrival of about 400 Bitcoin ATMs in Dubai.
Share this: Email Twitter Facebook Google. Dubai is Launching 400 Bitcoin ATMs In The Next Two Weeks Coinoid 18 мар. First, let it be said that the market for bitcoin ATMs is a little frothy. Ethereum is an unbelievable cryptocurrency platform however, if growth is too quickly there may be some problems.
Is bitcoin the future of currency. Arab News 2 дня назад For the first time in Saudi Arabia, the world chess championships kicked off on Tuesday at the APEX Convention Center with the participation of 400 international players Photo courtesy: SPA. Since then placed it in Dubai Media City, Umbrellab, built the country s first bitcoin ATM machine where users can deposit cash into theirbitcoin wallet.
Nobel Laureate Economist Predicts a Bitcoin CrashWon t Go to Zero, It; Nobel Laureate Economist Predicts. 400 bitcoin atm dubai.
First ever Bitcoin ATM in the East Midlands was installed at a convenience store in Allenton, Derby. Arab News 1 день назад Hosting over 400 international chess players the center was abuzz with excitement competition.
In response to an earlier BitAccess announcement, Sergey. To verify the information all news agencies are waiting to explore one of the 400 units on the streets of Dubai. Bitcoin Reddit 18 мар. We would like to thank you for coming to TAN in your search for400 Bitcoin Atm Dubai” online. Business Line Indian political news sports news, international news, top news headlines, world news, India news, breaking news, top news, international business, science news real estate. Yellen sends mid term treasuries to higher yields. A Bitcoin ATM is a machine that works just like any other ATM it s a device that allows you to buy sell Bitcoins with cash without the need of a human. IO Official Blog 24 апр.
As news that 400 Bitcoin ATMs may soon be gracing the byways highways of Dubai, it s interesting to note the rise in actual cryptoATM activity in recent months what exactly is happening in this space. Mtgoxfinds” some bitcoins.
Is There A Bitcoin ATM In Dubai s Media City. Coin summit in San Francisco happening this week.
Sergey s tweet shows a warehouse full of Bitcoin ATMs that will. Bitcoins in Dubai has already been a heavily discussed subject, with 87% of the population constituting migrant workers. This story has recently broken after the pictures of some ATM s were posted on a twitter page owned by Sergey Yusupov. 400 bitcoin atm dubai.
Dubai could have 400 BitcoinATMs. Allenton is a suburb of the city of Derby England situated about three miles south of the city centre. Bitcoin and Litecoin Exchange South. The hype of 400 Bitcoin ATMs being installed in Dubai were dimmed by the UAE Department of Economic DevelopmentDED) who have not agreed to licensing yet. DED Officials Debunk Bitcoin ATM Speculation in Dubai CoinAlert 25 мар. Umbrellab is the company that will.
You Get A Bitcoin ATM YOU Get A One News PageUS] VIDEO As news that 400 Bitcoin ATMs may soon be gracing the byways , highways of Dubai it s interesting to. Edit: For those who are under the impression that Bitcoin is useful for migrant workers Dubai already has plenty of First bitcoin ATM in the Middle East open for.
In the far corner with pillows floor settings so visitors could get a taste of. Not only are people fascinated. 400 bitcoin atm dubai. As news that 400 Bitcoin ATMs may soon be gracing the byways highways of Dubai it s interesting to. An image released on various social media platforms news sources depicted upwards of 400 Bitcoin ATMs in a warehouse with headlines likeDubai About to Roll Out 400 Bitcoin ATMs. The tweet shows a warehouse stocked full of the ATM s. A subreddit for those who live in used to live in want to visit Dubai. Dubai CCN Tag: dubai. In a statement sent to this website ManGo Point Services said ManGo Kiosks are never been planned to be used for bitcoin none of the kiosks had this service. Rumours abound that some 400 Bitcoin ATMs are about to arrive in Dubai, UAE. No Bitcoin licence issued in Dubai: DED official Emirates 24.
The whole center was turned into an Arabian mirage with traditional red Saudi textiles and coverings. I read somewhere that there was a guy standing near the ATM offering to sell bitcoins cheaper than the ATMs.
Money Spinners: This Week s Bitcoin ATM News Jamaica live tv 21 мар.
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Therefore, Bitcoin ATMs are not like traditional cash machines; you can t withdraw bitcoins and spend them at the. Tel Aviv to get first Bitcoin ATM in Middle East which is cash out capable The first 2 way Bitcoin ATM in the Middle East will be launched in the start up city of Tel Aviv on Wednesday by Bitbox.
Until now, all transactions had to either go through a bank or through private trading, which lacked credibility.
Bitcoin price in Shekels Wednesday morning. What is important and exciting is this is a.
ARⅥ Bitcoin mining ubuntu 12 Ketnet 18 дек. PressReader Qatar Today WHAT CAN BITCOIN MEAN.
You might not have heard of Umbrellab but you couldn t have missed the story that sent the global Bitcoin community into frenzy a few weeks ago Dubai was to soon have 400 bitcoin ATMS deployed around the city; news so incredulous that it was dismissed as rumour.


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HoYoVerse has recently released the official teaser video for Genshin Impact new Diluc and Fischl outfits.
Update 2.8 is launching soon and with it new content is going to be introduced. One of the newest content that fans will be looking forward to are the new outfits that fan favorite characters Diluc and Fischl will be wearing when they redeem them in the game.
Diluc and Fischl are two of the oldest characters in the game and possibly one of the earliest ones to pull in a banner. So you know the reason for the big hype for the fans when these two new outfits were finally revealed. They have been speculated for a long while and now a new teaser trailer gets released, showcasing just a bit of what to expect with the new outfits.
Diluc’s new outfit is called Red Dead of Night and based on the teaser trailer, it seems he was wearing this outfit a long time ago. Many have commented that his signature weapon, Wolf’s Gravestone, perfectly matches with the new outfit. It will introduce new special effects to his combat animations in battle. He also has a new idle animation.
There have been leaks saying that this new outfit will be quite pricey. They say that it will cost around 2500 Genesis Crystals, which is more or less $40.
Fischl, on the other hand, can be obtained for free as part of the upcoming events. Her outfit is quite cute and perfectly matches her “royal” look as she feels like a princess with this new outfit.


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68% of Bulgarians Prefer Junk FoodSociety | June 4, 2009, Thursday // 08:59| views
A poll, led by the Synovate, showed that Bulgarians are so tempted by junk food that they cannot control themselves. File photo
Bulgarians are the biggest fans of fast food and 68% of them cannot resist its temptation.
A poll, led by the Synovate, showed that Bulgarians are so tempted by junk food that they cannot control themselves, the Pari Daily reported.
For comparison, in the US only 44% have stated the same.
On the contrary, merely 19% of Swedish people prefer fast food, while in Malaysia the percentage is 20.
The reason for the results is that Americans' attitude towards fast food is divided. We like it, but we know it is not healthy, North Americans say.
The poll was held in February in twelve countries around the world, Vesty.bg reported.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!


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Search Result For
Result(s) found: 61
Design & development of healthcare PPE
The COVID-19 pandemic has put personal protective equipment (PPE) in the spotlight and made PPE a common term among the public, say Rajanna L Gotipamul and PV Kadole.
B&R's APROL process control system
In order to fully protect manufacturing systems against cyberattack, B&R has further enhanced the user management features of the APROL process control system.
PLI scheme a shot in the arm for MMF & tech textiles
On November 11, 2020, the Union Cabinet gave its approval to extend the PLI scheme to textile products along with nine other new sectors entailing additional financial outlay of Rs 1,460 billion over a five-year period.
E-commerce during COVID-19
In many nations including India, people will continue to adhere to social distancing measures and be avoiding crowded places for retail therapy post the Covid-19 pandemic, writes Leo Shastri.
Embracing natural dyes
The virus has severely hit the global supply chain and has even more extensively hit the manufacturing sectors all around the globe. But not all businesses have been disrupted. Some business opportunities are rolling forward along with new strategies or new business model, write Kumar Vikas.
HeiQ x HCAP Sharks bare their teeth defiantly
Standing strong in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hockey Club Ambrì-Piotta protects its fans with branded, antiviral face masks, in time for the upcoming reopening of hockey stadiums in Switzerland.
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San Diego restaurateur Joe Vaught, a Northern California native who moved to the city just shy of 30 years ago, is comfortable with risk.
He has to be: He recently listed his four-bedroom house in Bay Park for the equivalent of $2.5 million in bitcoin, the digital currency. If a buyer comes through, it would be the first sale of its kind — in more ways than one.
Spurring talk of a potential bubble, though, have been the dizzying swings in the cryptocurrency’s value, which has risen by roughly 1,700 percent in the past year; speculation of its future value ranges wildly, from zero to more than $1 million.
Vaught, 56, and business partners Mark Cirillo and Eric Lingenfelder run the Verant Group, which owns and operates a handful of bars and restaurants in San Diego, including True North Tavern in North Park and Barleymash in the Gaslamp Quarter.
“I’m building a $6 million bar on the beach right now,” said Vaught recently, sitting on a stool at his made-for-entertaining home. “You have to take chances, at least I do. If it’s not risky, it’s not fun.”
His latest project is Waterbar, a beachside eatery which opened Dec. 22 steps from Pacific Beach’s Crystal Pier where Joe’s Crab Shack was formerly located.
Unlike your typical business owner, however, while shepherding that to fruition, he was also making financial moves based on the belief that Bitcoin — and other cryptocurrency systems made up of digital units distributed on computer servers around the globe, rather than by any bank or government — is the future of finance.
“I believe this is going to be truly, truly the next currency out there,” Vaught said. “This is going to open the door to a different way of being able to transact business.”
And he wants to show the “haters” how it’s done.
An Attractive Alternative
Vaught says his gut tells him a bitcoin will be worth $50,000 by the end of 2018, driven by increasing interest from the people who aren’t yet familiar with the concept; once they are, he believes, many more will buy in, further driving up the value.
Satoshi Nakamoto the mysterious creator of bitcoin, capped the total that can be created, or “mined” through complex computer calculations, at 21 million. More than three-fourths are already out in the world, although not necessarily in circulation, since some have been lost or destroyed.
As the system becomes more mainstream, Vaught doesn’t discount the possibility of a short-term correction, but is bullish in the long run. Indeed, shortly after saying as much, prices fell below $15,000 from nearly $20,000 on Dec. 15, compared to less than a week prior, and it wasn’t immediately apparent why — just like the run-up that preceded it. Sites such as CoinDesk.com track cryptocurrency prices.
Bringing in Big Financial Players
But even a few major financial institutions are no longer dismissing digital currencies outright: investment banking giant Goldman Sachs is considering establishing a new trading operation for them in 2018.
Still, some local finance experts urge caution.
Jaemin Kim, a finance professor at San Diego State University, called bitcoin “extremely speculative.”
Kim said when he studies the price of company stock, he can explain what it is: a claim on a portion of the cash the company makes.
When it comes to cryptocurrencies, “if you ride the wave correctly at the right time, then you make a lot of money; there are teenage millionaires,” he said. “But what are you really buying and selling? It is not a currency … if it is anything, it is an extremely risky asset.”
In his view, the riskiness stems primarily from the fact that the nature of the item is unclear, but people are still buying.
The frantic nature of the sudden desire for decentralized assets is reminiscent of the dot-com bubble of the turn of the century, Kim said, although he added that if it pops, it won’t have as broad an impact on the economy.
“When we talk about (General Motors) stock, even if it is volatile, you know what it is: a claim on equity,” said Kim, who has taught at SDSU for about 15 years. “We look at GM’s profitability, how many cars they are selling … there is a basis for this asset. But for bitcoin, there is no such thing.”
Real estate agent Coki Saldarriaga, 48, with La Jolla-based brokerage Willis Allen Real Estate, listed Vaught’s 3,378-square-foot home for sale in December. The remodeled four-bedroom, three-bath house is made for socializing, with a custom kitchen, full bar and underground wine cellar, plus an outdoor area with a gazebo, fire pit and grill. Vaught has lived there for 28 years.
The $2.5 million bitcoin equivalent price tag takes into account the unconventional request for cryptocurrency as payment; Zillow estimates the property at $1.4 million, and few others on the block would, if sold, break $1 million, according to the real estate site’s estimate.
Saldarriaga, who has a background in finance, is, like Vaught, a Bitcoin believer. The transaction, he said, were it to go through, would be the first residential real estate deal he knows of conducted entirely in cryptocurrency. He is working with Bitpay, a company which processes bitcoin transactions, on the logistics.
First of Its Kind
San Diego has never seen such a sale; Vaught and Saldarriaga are looking to blaze that trail. (That being said, $2.5 million in cash wouldn’t be turned away, they said.)
In 2014, a 1.4-acre home site in Lake Tahoe sold for the equivalent of $1.6 million in bitcoins. Then, that totaled 2,739 bitcoins. However, had the sale taken place in mid-December of 2017, when the value of a bitcoin spiked near $20,000, the land would have changed hands for fewer than 100 bitcoins.
Such has been the wild rise of the cryptocurrency, which has inspired some to invest in the unstable asset, and others to sound the alarm about a potential bubble.
But Vaught and Saldarriaga are among those who believe the value is in bitcoin’s status as a potential alternative to currencies printed by governments.
“Initially it was a speculative move, but the more we look at it the more we see it as a conservative hedge against the devaluing dollar,” Saldarriaga said. “We have more certainty 10 years out on this thing than in the next couple months.”
Were demand to increase significantly, the limited supply would drive up the price, he believes.
However, SDSU’s Scott McGann, who also teaches finance, said were the dollar to be significantly devalued, other government-issued currencies would be better alternatives than cryptocurrencies. And for those concerned about the value of those currencies, there are precious metals.
“I think it’s just an asset bubble that’s inevitably going to pop,” he said. “A lot of people are buying into it, but they don’t really know what it is. … This is the classic kind of mentality that emerges before every crash we’ve seen.”
Further, McGann said most people aren’t paying attention to bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, which limits its value as an alternative currency to mainstream options.
“In order to be money, it has to be available for transactions, and that’s not really happening,” he said.
But an evolution from fringe digital asset to viable currency is what Vaught believes will happen, and a change for which he wants to be at the forefront.
Recently he installed bitcoin ATMs at the Verant Group’s establishments, hoping they will draw enthusiasts locally and from afar.
And those same early adopters are at whom Vaught is aiming his offer of a home in sunny San Diego for a bundle of bitcoin.
Of the people who bought bitcoin in its infancy and have held onto it, a few must now be looking to sell at least some so they diversify their holdings, he said. Why not a sumptuous residence in San Diego?
In addition to sudden bitcoin millionaires, Saldarriaga said he believes the listing will appeal to international buyers, who perhaps live in areas where doing big real estate transactions using the local currency is tricky. Willis Allen’s partnerships with global brands such as Christie’s International Real Estate will also put the property in front of prospective foreign buyers.
If such a purchase does take place, “all the nonbelievers out there that don’t understand it, this will just open up their eyes even more,” Vaught said. “It’s really going to be a true currency.”
INFOBOX: WHAT IS BITCOIN
Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency system. Bitcoins – pieces of software code — aren’t processed through a bank or any other authority. People called “miners” solve complicated mathematical problems via computer to get the code, which is stored simultaneously on computer servers around the world.
The infrastructure that underlies the Bitcoin system is called blockchain, the shared digital ledger on which transactions are recorded. Since Bitcoin was invented, dozens of other digital currency systems have cropped up, including Ethereum, which uses units of cryptocurrency called “ether.” The most popular digital currencies have seen wild gyrations in value in recent weeks, with bitcoin leading the way.


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Jessica Simpson just gave birth to daughter Baby Maxwell a few weeks ago, but already she is on the move with a new venture–a maternity line! The new mother announced the line, titled Jessica Simpson Maternity, just this morning.
The clothes are described as including “breezy, everyday pieces aimed at the modern mom-to-be who wants to maintain her fashion edge throughout her pregnancy,” according to a news release. The singer said in the release:
“I’m so excited to partner with Destination Maternity to design a collection of fashionable styles that make you look and feel great. You want to wear clothes that are flattering to your baby bump; you want to show your bump off.”
The line boasts a vintage 70s feel, and will include printed tops, maxi dresses, jackets, blazers, sweaters, knits and denim, starting at $36. Jessica Simpson Maternity will be available at Destination Maternity, Motherhood Maternity and Macy’s stores this fall.
I’m not pregnant and I want these clothes! It’s great that Jessica is putting out stylish clothes for mommies-to-be to still look amazing and feel sexy in. Can’t knock the hustle!
Photos via Us Magazine & Destination Maternity


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Fiesta Mart, founded in Houston four decades ago to cater to Hispanic grocery shoppers, has had to fight for market share in recent years amid fierce competition for those same customers.
Now, in a deal that could reinvigorate the aging retail icon, an out-of-state investment firm has purchased the chain with the announced intention of "building value."
Little is known about the new owner's specific plans for the stores or what is ahead for the some 8,000 Fiesta Mart employees. The buyer, Washington, D.C.-based Acon Investments, declined to be interviewed about its plans for the 60 Texas stores it acquired, including 34 in the Houston area.
But in a statement, founding partner Ken Brotman said the company "looked forward to building value in a business that is very well positioned for continued growth."
The company purchased the stores from Houston's Levit family, which less than six months ago sold its wholesale business, Grocers Supply, to an East Coast supplier.
Acon has scored a "real coup" in acquiring Fiesta, said Burt Flickinger III, managing director of Strategic Resource Group, a New York retail consulting firm.
He said the store's new owner, which has had success with grocery investments in Latin America, is well positioned to increase sales in the fast-growing Texas markets, even with competition from the region's biggest grocers: H-E-B, Walmart and Kroger.
"If Acon provides sufficient investment capital to Fiesta to expand, it should be very successful," Flickinger said. "If Acon is at all shortsighted about investing in Fiesta and tries to harvest professional fees and limit capital investment, as a few private equity firms have done in the U.S., it will limit Fiesta's future potential."
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. In 2013, Grocers Supply reported revenue from all sources, including Fiesta Mart, of $3.5 billion.
More target Hispanics
For years, Fiesta Mart was the only game in town when it came to Hispanic markets, said Jason Baker, a principal at Houston retail brokerage firm Baker Katz.
That's changed over the last decade as grocery operators have entered or expanded in the Houston market targeting the growing population of Spanish speakers.
H-E-B's Mi Tienda and Joe V's Smart Shop and Aldi are all going after the Fiesta customer, Katz said.
"There is more competition in their space than any time before," he said.
Houston retail expert Ed Wulfe said Fiesta has a special niche, but "the challenge of the independent grocer is great. They are competing with all the big guys."
One of Fiesta's newer stores was a recent casualty of the local cutthroat grocery industry.
Last year, the company closed a store in Sugar Land it had open less than one year. The location had offerings such as in-store yogurt and coffee shops to appeal to a wider customer base.
While the Levits had owned Grocers Supply for more than 90 years, the family bought Fiesta in 2004.
The grocery chain was founded by Donald Bonham and O.C. Mendenhall in 1972.
Bonham, who had lived and worked in the grocery business in several countries in Latin America, saw a need in the United States for supermarkets catering to Hispanics nostalgic for items from their home countries. He partnered with Mendenhall and opened a store in the Near Northside.
Grew in the 1980s
By 1982, Fiesta had opened eight stores, including one spanning 100,000 square feet on Bellaire and Hillcroft. That store and the company's others drew customers from many backgrounds and the company began offering more international products.
In the 1990s, Fiesta expanded into the Austin, Dallas and Fort Worth markets. Today, the company has 34 stores in the Houston area, including one Fiesta Fresh Market; two in Austin; and 24 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including two Carnival stores.
Mike Nichols, former chief operating officer of Grocers Supply and now a consultant to the Levit family shareholders, said the sale of Fiesta was part of the Levit's strategy to sell its operating businesses and move into real estate.
The family owns buildings, warehouses and shopping centers that hold Fiesta stores or Grocer Supply operations. He declined to say how much.
Earlier this year, the Levit family sold stores affiliated with an earlier acquisition of Gerland Corp.
Founded in 1996, Acon manages private equity funds and partnerships that invest in various businesses in the United States and Latin America.
The company has experience investing in the supermarket business, including Latin American retailers Carulla and Vivero. The two companies later merged.
Last year, Acon purchased Katy-based Igloo Products Co.
At the time, the company said it planned to expand sales of Igloo coolers and other products around the globe.
Other local investments
Acon has invested in other consumer-oriented businesses, such as Spencer's specialty gifts and Spirit Halloween. It is also involved in the energy sector, most recently investing in Houston-based Sequitur Energy Resources last year, and Mariner Energy a decade ago.
For its Fiesta acquisition, Acon has hired grocery executive Michael Byars as president and CEO of the grocery chain.
Flickinger said Fiesta has had strong leadership and that it remains a "formidable competitor."
"Fiesta has a very strong following from Spanish-speaking shoppers to students to seniors to people from every neighborhood and economic background throughout the greater Houston market place," he said.
Erin Mulvaney contributed to this story.


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In today’s increasingly connected world, opportunities to create products and solutions for the Internet of Things are everywhere. Verizon answered this call for innovation with a developer workshop at Rev1 Ventures in Columbus, OH on September 24.
The workshop was part of the Verizon Partner Program (VPP), which helps businesses, startup companies and developers learn how to connect their technology with the Verizon network. Verizon regularly seeks out engineers and innovators across Ohio who are interested in taking their wireless solutions to the next level.
During the half-day event, Verizon experts sat down with Columbus developers to walk through the full development cycle from ideation to iteration. Developers learned about topics relevant to their inventive solutions, including hardware design, certification, implementation and product launch.
One of these developers, Rob Lowry, came to the event to learn more about connecting his concept through the Internet of Things. Rob has developed a unique idea for a locator solution. He sought out the Verizon experts to help him bring his product to market.
“I’ve been kicking the idea around for about two years,” said Rob. “When I told the Verizon experts I didn’t think they had a device for me because what I had seen was too big for what I have planned, they listened and just kept coming back with ideas. Then they told me about the developer workshop. We came with the expectation there may be a solution that fits our needs, and we think we found it today.”
Rob Lowry (left) and Bill Gamber of Commercial Control discuss Verizon’s location tracking services.
Workshop attendees also had the opportunity to meet Verizon’s current partners and get hands-on experience with a variety of hardware tools. Verizon partners, including Sierra Wireless, Multi-Tech, Nimbelink, Cradlepoint, Janus, Connected Development, Taoglas and Digital Highway, spoke one-on-one with developers and answered questions about the Internet of Things, hardware and data solutions, network activity and their personal advice on bringing a solution to market.
Tony Morgan, an embedded systems engineer with Priority Designs, attended the Columbus workshop and found speaking with the Verizon partners one of the most beneficial parts of the day. Priority Designs is a product development firm in Columbus. The firm works with clients from a wide range of industries, including sporting goods, home solutions, medical devices and industrial application.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="421"]Tony Morgan from Priority Designs stops to try out the Verizon connected photo solution by Twine It.[/caption]
“The partners at the event were great,” said Tony. “They offered a lot of possibility around the range of options. It was a good introduction to these partners and their solutions. We’re just getting our feet wet when it comes to mobile broadband connectivity, learning who’s out there and who we can partner with from chip design and embedded design, to antenna and RF design.”
If you’re interested in connecting your innovative idea with the Verizon network or want to attend the next developer workshop in Pittsburgh on October 21, check out the Verizon Partner Program website.
For more Verizon Wireless news, subscribe via RSS feeds in the right rail.


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A seventh grade student of Jackson, Miss. becomes one of Apple's youngest app developers. Charley Hutchison, 12, worked for months to create FriendsForFlickr, an iPhone friendly app that updates Flickr photos with mobile contacts.
The app store contest is both a marathon and a sprint. Today's race is just the latest lap around the "software store" track. My advice to the digital consumer is to play the field, don't bet on a single runner, enjoy the spectacle and always download wisely.
As the mobile revolution continues to expand, smartphones are quickly replacing computers as primary content consumption devices. Yet, if you take a look at the millions of websites across the Web, only a fraction of publishers even bring their content to the mobile device.
A sarcastic yet smart name-generator website has surfaced recently, taking a stab at the biggest problem iPhone game developers face when crafting the next big thing: generating stupid, yet accurate names.


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Only tracking your finances online is a good way to lose track of your finances.
Money is like time – we often wonder just where it goes! If you’re asking that question because you’re spending it faster than you make it, that’s one thing. But if you’re wondering where your cash is because you have trouble keeping track of your online accounts, then that’s something else altogether.
Most financial institutions today encourage their clientele to manage their funds, statements, bill payments and other transactions via in-house online systems. Others have migrated these services to “the cloud”, where customer data and applications are stored on remote Internet servers. There are definite advantages to these “anywhere-anytime” financial management capabilities. But, there are also some downsides to relying entirely on online tools to monitor your balances.
According to an expansive study conducted by Pitney Bowes, printed statements or bills receive more attention than their web equivalents1, a conclusion that supports the existence of a phenomenon that Douglas Rushkoff calls “Internet ADD”. Mr. Rushkoff, a New School University professor and author, argues that we tend not to read things in depth online and therefore can fail to assimilate key information.2 Jakob Nielsen, a web-usability expert and author specializing in how people interact with technology, agrees and adds that this more superficial processing of information can lead some to lose sight of the long-term impact of their spending habits.” 3
This may partially explain the noted preference of many people for keeping printed copies of the financial records, such as bank statements. According to Emmett Higdon, senior analyst of e-business and channel strategy at Forrester Research, only about 24% of U.S. bank account holders have given up paper statements and 37% of those who receive a paper statement today say they will never abandon paper in favor of online statements.4 Investors in the U.S. feel similarly, with only about 10% adopting electronic delivery of their statements and other financial documents over the last three years. Ask them why and they’ll tell you they simply prefer paper!5
The digitization of programs like Social Security has seniors in the U.S., whom are not Internet savvy, very concerned about their finances. Starting in 2011, new recipients no longer had the option of printed statements or paper checks, which have been replaced with either a pre-loaded debit card or direct deposit. Advocacy groups argue that many recipients are profoundly uncomfortable with their ability to cope with the new process.6 Meanwhile, other citizens who do not have access to the Web or even own a computer, are equally unhappy about the U.S. government’s decision to stop mailing out tax forms, worrying they may miss key deadlines because they can’t obtain the proper documents.
While paper has proven a reliable method for tracking finances since time immemorial, many questions have been raised about the security of strictly online money management. As with any computer-based system, transactional technologies can fail. Servers can go down, cancelling out that acclaimed on-demand accessibility. As protected as they may be, servers can always technically be hacked into – and you could lose everything. Not having the benefit of human intuition, online systems don’t necessarily signal or react to process changes (like a new address for a payee) and could stop paying your bills – which is clearly a problem...
Most institutions keep computerized records for only a limited amount of time, some only a few months, a fact that organizations such as the IRS or credit card companies are unlikely to sympathize with should an issue arise. Plus, while institutions process millions of transactions a day, people typically have only about 60 days to report discrepancies, which aren’t always obvious on an online statement. This, of course, assumes that you’ve seen your statement and it hasn’t been lost in an overflowing email box or sifted out by an anti-spam program.
The experts advise people to remain vigilant in monitoring their Web-based accounts even if online financial services providers assure that everything is taken care of. Mike Herd of NACHA, the electronic payments association, cautions that even after you sign up for online banking or automatic bill-paying you should still make sure to review your statements on a regular basis.8
On the one hand, technology can make managing our finances faster and more practical. On the other, tracking our funds exclusively online can make it more difficult to keep a firm handle on our spending. It could even have unwanted impacts such as being charged late penalties or not recovering funds that have been sent to the wrong place.
And isn’t it already hard enough to know where our money goes?
1 Are we paying attention? A study of the attention span given to bills, statements, official correspondence and direct marketing. Pitney Bowes, 2007
2 Rushkoff, Douglas. The Decade Google Made You Stupid. www.thedailybeast.com, December 13, 2009
3 Kiviat, Barbara. What Gets Lost When our Finances Go Paperless. www.time.com
4 Koa, Beth. Will Paperless Payments Take Off? High Beam Research. May 1, 2011
5 Investors: I Still Want My Paper Statement; This Mindset Caused in Part by U.S. Regulations That Favor Paper Delivery. Dalbar Press Release, July 26, 2011
6 Paper Checks for Key Government Services Fill an Important Role
7 Study highlights importance of paper statements. Post and Parcel. September 16, 2010
8 Goldwasser, Joan. Electronic Bill-Paying Snafus: Online banking is convenient but not foolproof. Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, December 2006


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Youth E-Cigarette Use Is Up, Vaping Industry Really To Blame?
The Center for Disease Control recently released a statement on their findings of their annual youth smoking survey, and they revealed some surprising, and perhaps not so surprising, facts about tobacco and e-cigarettes use among today’s teens and adolescents. The survey showed that 4.5% of high school aged teenagers had used an e-cigarette product at some point within the last month; this figure is up from 1.5% in 2011 and 2.8% in 2012. This rise in use among youth has many e-cigarettes critics up in arms, as they believe it proves what they have always feared, that e-cigarettes are designed to be more attractive to teenagers and adolescents.
There are many reasons that opponents of vaporizers find disconcerting when it comes to e-cigarettes. For one, companies can still advertise e-cigarettes on TV; something traditional cigarettes haven’t been able to do since 1971. Between the years 2011 and 2013, e-cigarettes ads have increased at a rate of 256%. According to a study published this summer in Pediatrics more than 3/4ths of teen’s exposure to e-cigarette advertising comes from ads on cable television. In addition, e-cigarettes are also able to advertise through product placement. Just a few months ago, SmokeStik, a Canadian e-cigarette brand, made headlines by paying for placement in a Hollywood movie. In the film adaptation of William Shakespeare's Cymbeline one of the characters is seen enjoying an electronic cigarette throughout the movie; this is the first time a “tobacco” company has been allowed to pay for placement since 1998. Critics are concerned that the overexposure on television and in movies is glorifying e-cigarettes and making them more attractive and acceptable for youth to use.
Kristin Noll-Marsh is vice president of the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association. She claims that despite the exposure to the youth population, these ads and placements are not designed to lure kids into smoking. Commercials for e-cigarettes include celebrity endorsements, but they are honestly older and less relevant stars like Stephen Dorff and Jenny McCarthy. “These aren't young, sexy, hip, today, A-list celebrities,” Noll-Marsh points out, “What 13-year-old knows who Stephen Dorff is?”
In addition, the movies that feature e-cigarettes are not glorifying the habit, nor are they movies that are made for a teen or adolescent audience.
However, opponents are still concerned with other aspects of e-cigarettes mainly that the advertising and manufacturing of a variety of sweet flavors, is designed to entice teens to purchase the product. Erika Sward, assistant vice president of the National Advocacy for the American Lung Association, believed the flavors are clear signs of the e-cigarette companies intentions, “It's pretty clear to the Lung Association that cotton candy e-cigarettes are not targeted at adults.” Many critics truly believe there is an effort to ensnare the younger population in an e-cigarette addiction, however offering variety to adult consumers does not equate to an intention to specifically target a youth population.
Perhaps critics have a right to harbor some concerns, as e-cigarettes are still easier for youth to obtain than traditional cigarettes. Youth in 8 different states are still allowed to purchase e-cigarettes. In Massachusetts, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Texas the sale of e-cigarettes to minor is not currently outlawed, though business owners can reserve the right to refuse sale to minors and many do.
The increase in teen e-cigarette usage could be attributed to advertising, ease of access, or to enticing flavors, however if one looks at the whole picture it seems this increase is just a societal trend. Use among adults in e-cigarettes has risen in the last few years as well too. Youth issues often mirror those of adult usage. If more people in general, are using e-cigarettes, it’s likely that more teenagers will too.
In addition, the CDC survey also revealed that smoking traditional cigarettes was down since 2011 as well. In 2013, the percentage of high school aged youth who smoke traditional cigarettes was 12.7%, this was down from 15.8% in 2011. This difference of 3.1% could be attributed simply to less kids smoking traditional cigarettes, or perhaps this difference is in part to youth deciding to smoke e-cigarettes, instead of their combustible counterparts.
Michael Siegel, a professor at Boston University’s School of Public Health believes that the candy flavors may actually be a benefit and inevitably prevent teenagers from “real” smoking. If a youth becomes an e-cigarette users they would become used to sweet-tasting nicotine, “The idea of smoking a Marlboro just doesn't appeal to them, and if they try it, it'll taste more disgusting than it normally would.” No one wants any youth to begin smoking, whether it is traditional cigarettes or vaping; however the lesser of two evils is clear in this scenario. Any product that contains nicotine carries risks and these products should be kept away from teenagers and adolescents. That is not a statement either side of the debate would disagree on. However, turning e-cigarettes into the bad guys is not the answer.
The trends of the teenage population are simply mimicking that of the general population around us. With sales of e-cigarettes growing at a rate of approximately 25% each year, and this growth rate expected to continue until 2018, clearly the use is up among adults as well. Blaming e-cigarettes, simply because they are more enticing, for the rise in youth use, could only come as a result of a short-sighted analysis of the given facts.
It is important for the e-cigarettes manufacturers and distributors to be sensitive to their advertising and distribution efforts, and ensure that there is never any intention to encourage youth to pick up vaping as a habit. In order to keep e-cigarettes available to the general adult population it is important for the industry to remain socially responsible. E-cigarettes truly stand to be more than just a hobby device. E-cigarettes stand to be a significant public health benefit, saving people’s lives and changing the world. That is if they aren’t cut down before they really getting started.


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S Korea hits brakes on rapid wage gains as economy sputters
SOUTH Korea slammed the brakes on ambitious pay raises at the centre of President Moon Jae-in's growth strategy Friday as the vulnerability of an economy struggling with slumping exports and growing joblessness hit home.
Minimum pay for workers will rise by 2.9 per cent to 8,590 won (S$9.91) per hour in 2020, following hikes of 10.9 per cent this year and 16.4 per cent in 2018, according to Minimum Wage Commission chief Park Joon-shik, who was speaking on Yonhap TV.
Mr Moon had pledged to raise the minimum wage to 10,000 won by 2020 when he ran for office two years ago, with a promise to stoke up domestic demand and wean the economy off its dependency on exports.
The steep hikes in the first two years of his presidency largely backfired as data showed a widening income gap and job losses in some sectors.
The sharply lower minimum wage gain for 2020 shows the government switching to a much more cautious stance as it views an economy that is just too vulnerable to forge ahead with higher pay as exports continue to plunge and popular support for raising the minimum wage continues to weaken.
"It shows the government is worried about the economy and has come to grips with reality," said Park Jeong-woo, an economist at Korea Investment & Securities.
Business representatives had initially demanded a 4.2 per cent cut, while their labour counterparts sought a 19.8 per cent rise.
In an apparent struggle to reach middle ground, the commission missed a legally set deadline of June 27 to submit the wage proposal.
Within the commission, the so-called public-interest commissioners - appointed by the president and labour minister - usually hold sway when labour and businesses disagree.
The decision comes with South Korea's economy showing signs of strain. The economy contracted in the first quarter, with a dismal run of falling exports extending to seven months in June.
The unemployment rate has now hovered around a relatively high 4 per cent for the longest period in almost two decades.
The outlook doesn't look much better. The ongoing trade war between the US and China is exacerbating slowing global growth and a tech slowdown is continuing to batter South Korea's chip and smartphone makers.
A trade spat that erupted this month with Japan also threatens to crimp production of some of South Korea's key chip and panel products. BLOOMBERG


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The press release says that -
The concept of Canadian tourism emerged during the early nineteenth century. Improved modes of transportation, such as new railways stretching across the country, facilitated leisure travel and offered people the chance to witness some of the nation’s greatest marvels and modern achievements.
'Photographs were the ideal medium with which to attract potential visitors, and photographers were hired by transportation companies to produce images of majestic scenery that would promote destinations. Later rivaled by amateur picture-takers, eager to create their personal holiday mementos, these photographs were a vital component of the burgeoning tourist industry. The imagery created during this period helped to characterize the country, establishing a sense of national identity by introducing viewers to iconic images of Canadian scenery'.
The website is at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lac-bac/sets/72157650719659971/
And for people who will travel to Ottawa in the coming months, visit the National Gallery of Canada to see the photos exhibit from March 6 to August 30, 2015.


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Macau authorities have announced that they have not restricted daily cash withdrawals for Chinese gamblers, after a report to the contrary sent shares in the area’s major casino operators tumbling.
The South China Morning Post (citing an financial industry source) reported yesterday that China UnionPay (the largest provider of bank cards to Chinese citizens) cardholders would have the maximum amount they could withdraw from ATMs in the region halved to 5,000 patacas ($626).
The Macau authority countered the story, confirming that it had limited withdrawals to 5,000 patacas per transaction, but had not limited the number of transactions card owners could make per day.
Shares in gaming corporations with prominent business in the region, including Melco Crown Entertainment, Las Vegas Sands Corp and Wynn Resorts fell more than 10% when the South China Morning Post story broke.
Most Chinese gamblers do not use bank cards to withdraw money to gamble, with privacy concerns being the main reason for this, it is more the threat of further scrutiny on the gambling industry in Macau in general that had alarmed the markets, rather than the potential immediate loss of revenue.


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After much speculation, Asus' latest smartphone-tablet hybrid, the Padfone mini 4.3, is now official. Asus launched the Padfone mini 4.3 at an event in Taiwan. The device has been priced at 11,990 New Taiwanese dollars, which translates to roughly Rs. 25,000.
As of now, the Asus Padfone mini 4.3 will be available in Taiwan only, and there is no word on the availability of the latest Padfone in other regions. However, Engadget claims that the Padfone mini 4.3 is expected to be rolled out in China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Russia, and Singapore.
The Asus Padfone mini 4.3, much like its predecessor the Padfone Infinity, comes with a tablet docking station, which in this case features a 7-inch HD (720x1280) Super IPS display. Like previous iterations, the smartphone fits into the tablet dock, powering the tablet with its hardware.
The Padfone mini 4.3 runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box, and comes with dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) functionality, which makes it the first smartphone-tablet hybrid from Asus supporting dual-SIM.
It sports a 4.3-inch qHD (540x960) Super IPS display which boasts a pixel density of 256ppi. Internally, the Padfone mini 4.3 packs a 1.4GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 (MSM8226) processor along with 1GB of RAM. It sports an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and also includes a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. The Padfone mini 4.3 comes with 16GB inbuilt storage and can be expanded up to 64GB with the help of microSD card. Connectivity options on the Padfone mini include WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, AGPS, GLONASS and 3G.
The Asus Padfone mini 4.3 smartphone packs a 1500mAh battery, while the 7-inch tablet dock equips a 2200mAh battery. Interestingly, the smartphone can be charged by docking into the station. The Asus Padfone mini 4.3 will be available in Black, Pink and White colour variants.
In September, Asus launched the refreshed version of the Padfone Infinity.
Mobiles launched in December 2013


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The world's most expensive car: 3 Ferrari 250 GTOs for sale at more than $55 million each
In 2014 a Ferrari 250 GTO sold for a world record price at auction of $38.1 million, though there have been rumors of private sales well above that figure. Now it seems that three of the 39 extant cars are for sale. Two private sellers are both asking $57 million, while British prestige car specialist Talacrest has another with a price tag claimed to be $55.8 million.
Each time one of the world's 100 most desirable cars comes to auction, it tends to break the price record because the market is rising relentlessly. The seemingly simple concept of the world's most expensive car is also made more problematic by the question of whether it's the one with the highest price tag (sell price) or the one that sells for the highest price (buy price).
We track confirmed auction sales, but there's a huge invisible market of private and dealer sales where prices are rarely made public, instead being whispered and even then, those prices are invariably only ballpark.
Fortunately, the world's most expensive car is the same no matter which rules you apply right now and the answer is the Ferrari 250 GTO ... and three of the 39 in existence are for sale at present.
Three Ferrari 250 GTOs for sale
Talacrest operates at the extreme high end of the market and has previously been involved in eight Ferrari 250 GTO transactions, so it is no surprise it is handling a car with a chance at the record. If that does happen though, it is just as likely to remain an unconfirmed sale as Talacrest operates with extreme respect for client privacy.
Thirty-three GTOs were made in 1962 and 1963, and in 1964 a "Series II" was introduced, which had a slightly different look. Three such cars were made, and four older "Series I" were given the "Series II" body and three "330 GTO" specials with a larger engine were also made. It brought the total of GTOs produced to 39. The Ferrari 250 GTO won the World title both seasons in succession.
The Ferrari 250 GTO was developed for the FIA Group 3 Grand Touring Car category and the GTO in the name stands for "Gran Turismo Omologato," Italian for "Grand Touring Homologated." It's a race car built for the road to get around those pesky racing rules and it won the championship both years it contested.
It's one of those cars that's just right. It stops, it handles well and power from the 3.0 liter Tipo 168 V12 is claimed to be 300 hp (220 kW) though typically they produce slightly more horsepower than that when they've been rebuilt. This is a real drivers car, and the indications are that most of those who own them drive them regularly.
Only one Ferrari 250 GTO has ever sold at auction and it holds the world record price for a car at auction, having sold for $38.1 million in August 2014.
The only other cars to have ever sold for more than $25 million at auction are a Ferrari 335S Spider Scaglietti that sold for US$35.7 million, Fangio's 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 Silver Arrow ($29.6 million), a Ferrari 290 Mille Miglia ($28.0 million), a Ferrari 275 GTB/4*S NART Spider ($27.5 million) and a Ferrari 275 GTB/C Speciale ($26.4 million).
Ferrari made just four 335S race cars, Mercedes-Benz made 14 W196 Silver Arrows (10 exist, the other nine are in museums or owned by Mercedes-Benz), there were only four 290 MMs made, 10 275 GTB/4*S NART Spiders and three 275 GTB/C Speciales were produced ... and 39 GTOs.
Theory suggests scarcity is supposed to drive value but with a relatively plentiful supply in comparison to the other most valuable cars, the GTO is defying marketplace gravity.
The race car's curse
Hindsight is 20:20 vision and although race cars are now treated with respect in their retirement, it hasn't always been so. Once a racing car's racetrack competitiveness falls away, its value also drops away and for much of the 1970s, a GTO could be procured quite cheaply. Legend has it a GTO changed hands in 1969 for $2500. Once vintage racing began to become popular though, those old racing cars came out of the shed and the price began to appreciate rapidly and the conflicting issues of supply and demand have conspired to drive the price ever upwards since. Several of the cars on our top 100 most valuable cars were abandoned during their lifetime, one supposedly dumped on the Hollywood Freeway. That's Graham Hill (Damon's dad) punting a GTO in period above.
When new, the GTO commanded an $18,000 purchase price in the US, and buyers had to be personally approved by Enzo Ferrari and his North American agent, Luigi Chinetti.
GTOs don't usually go to auction. They change hands privately and they keep pushing the unofficial world record price for an automobile ever skyward. As the people that own them are watching their beloved cars appreciate in value, the amount of money required to get them to even consider parting with their cars has grown dramatically.
Though there is no "official" way of verifying this, the prices achieved by private sales of GTOs are increasingly being reported in the media.
According to media reports, in February 2012, a 1964 Ferrari 250 GTO became the most expensive car ever sold, fetching $32 million. Then, just a few months later, a 1962 GTO sold for $35 million. Then more media reports indicate that a 1963 GTO sold this time last year for $52 million.
The owners of GTOs these days are hyper-enthusiasts and hyper-wealthy. Among them are fashion designer Ralph Lauren, American communications magnate Craig McCaw, Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, S. Rob Walton (Walmart Chairman), Jon Shirley (former Microsoft president), Baron Bamford (knighted at 45 years of age and owner of JCB a multinational), Greg Whitten (former chief software architect at Microsoft), Chris Cox of North Carolina has two GTOs, and Baron Laidlaw (105th richest person in the UK). The above image is from one of the regular tours organized for GTO owners by the Ferrari factory, several of which the Talacrest car has participated in.
A few years ago, UK radio and TV personality Chris Evans wrote a rather prophetic newspaper article entitled, "Why the Ferrari 250 GTO is the best possible investment."
Evans subsequently purchased a GTO, then sold it for a reported $18 million a few years later, enabling him to replenish the cash reserves and subsequently pick up the (then) world's most expensive car ever to sell at auction (a Ferrari California Spider once owned by Hollywood actor James Coburn) a few years back.
Is this the world's most valuable car?
No. It just happens to be the most valuable car to be put up for sale recently. There are more than a few 250 GTOs out there, and there are much rarer, more valuable cars which may never be sold at auction.
If the Bugatti Royale Kellner Coupe (above) which sold for $8.5 million in 1987 ever went to auction again, it would immediately jump to the top of the list ... for a while. It was the most valuable car in the world for 21 years before being swamped by the marketplace, with five new records in six years. There will be more records and they won't all be 250 GTOs.
In May 2010, Gooding & Company handled the private sale of a 1936 Bugatti 57SC Atlantic for more than $30 million, which at the time, was believed to be the highest private price ever paid for a car. Neither the exact price nor the buyer were disclosed, and it's interesting to note that so beloved are many of the cars in the collector stratosphere that owners would often rather see the car go to a good home than to the buyer with the most money.
The Atlantic was derived from Bugatti's fabled prototype Aerolithe Electron Coupé, which was shown at the 1935 Paris Auto Salon. Only three Atlantics were made, and only two still exist, with one owned by fashion designer Ralph Lauren. That's an Atlantic in period above – only slightly less rare than a unicorn.
Several Bugatti Aerolithe Electron Coupé concept cars are believed to have been built, but no-one knows where they are, or at least they're not telling anyone. If one of those surfaces one day, it would command a world record price.
So while the GTO is the world's most valuable car ever sold at auction, and also believed to be the most valuable car ever sold privately, there will be other makes and models that take those records in time.
Right now there are three cars vying for the outright price record for a car ... but we may never know the result.


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ActionLeisure has sold XM, its marine division for £7m in cash.
This will eat into the PLC’s £24.5m. ActionLeisure’s board want to reduce
gearing (as measured by net borrowings divided by the Group’s net assets) from
220 per cent to less than 50 per cent, by 31 December 2001.
As a smaller outfit Actionleisure is to come off the ‘official list’ and, from June 21st, its shares will instead be traded on the Alternative Investment Market, which is less expensive than full stock market listing.
The PLC has also released its preliminary accounts for the year ended 31 December.
At Crabtree Sports and Leisure Limited, sales increased by 7 per cent over 1999.