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Listen, we all know what happened with crypto markets last year…
Investors lost their shirts. There was blood in the streets. Major news outlets declared the death of the space. But you and I both know that’s not the end of the story.
In fact, it’s only the beginning.
Bitcoin recently surged past the $5,000 mark, and the rally could soon kick into overdrive.
But price isn’t exactly what makes this new technology so special.
So, let’s take a look at why it could, in fact, be the start of a new financial revolution.
Crypto as a payment vehicle
Though crypto as a payment method is still finding its path in the world, major organizations are already getting on board. You can buy furniture, software, cars, and even a flight into outer space with Bitcoin, and that’s only a tiny glimpse at the things to come.
The payment provider BitPay has made waves in the sector, allowing small and large businesses alike to jump on board the Bitcoin bandwagon, and now the Intercontinental Exchange, the owner of the NYSE, is looking to take that idea to the next level with its Bakkt platform.
Bakkt already has Starbucks on board, meaning the dream of buying a coffee with your favorite crypto may be closer than ever. And other retailers are sure to follow.
More than that, cryptocurrencies offer a path to true financial freedom.
Cryptos are yours
One of the most troubling things about the current financial climate is that we are never truly in control of our money. It’s printed by the government, it’s held by banks and the only time you ever actually see it is when you use cash – and that isn’t even backed by anything accept trust in an entity who, if we’re being honest, most people don’t really trust.
But with cryptocurrencies, it’s different. It’s backed by code. Most cryptocurrencies feature a set supply, meaning no one can ever print more. Better still, they’re not held by any centralized government or corporation.
You own your crypto. You don’t have to pay a bank to hold or even withdraw your money. Cryptocurrencies allow users to store and use your money however and whenever you want. There are no lines or fees to deal with, no paperwork to fill out, and best of all, no one is getting rich using your money.
Everyone can use crypto
We’ve entered the age of the global citizen. In this brave new world, business deals are being sealed across the planet, more people are traveling than ever before, and you can communicate with anyone, no matter where they are, by simply opening your computer or picking up your telephone.
So why shouldn’t our money reflect this evolution into the digital age? That’s where cryptocurrencies enter the mix…
Cryptocurrencies are free and open for anyone to use. It doesn’t matter who you are. If the banking sector has turned their back on you – or if you’ve turned your back on it – you can still use cryptocurrencies. All you need is a smartphone and an internet connection. Cryptocurrencies are a global phenomenon without borders.
When we think of integrity, we don’t often think of the powers that be. These are the same institutions that created the global economic crisis of 2008 and are in the process of doing the same thing once again.
More than that, though, their sheer lack of emphasis on cybersecurity has led to high-profile data leaks, fraud, and millions lost from simply not caring about their customers. But with cryptos, everything is changing.
Cryptocurrencies place all of the responsibility on the individual user. They are decentralized open platforms that cannot be altered or fabricated. Cryptos are built as trustless systems, and at the end of the day, so long as you keep your private key under wraps, no one can misuse your funds.
While we’re talking about security and data breaches, we can’t forget about the privacy that cryptocurrencies offer.
These breaches and abusive practices from some of the most powerful corporate entities on the planet have left people on edge. But with cryptocurrencies, you are relatively anonymous. So long as you take the necessary precautions, no one will be harvesting your data to use as they see fit.
Near-instant global transactions
Typically, cross-border payments carry a hefty fee and can take days to process. This is because the transaction is processed by multiple parties and only during ‘bankers hours.’
And this is where cryptocurrencies really shine. Though cryptos come in all shapes and sizes, all of them do what banks can’t – settle transactions in seconds or minutes instead of days. Cryptocurrencies cut out the middle-men, allowing payments, no matter the size of the payment or the location of the recipient, to go through without unnecessary delays.
This is also a boon for the remittance market.
Over a half-a-trillion dollars is remitted annually, and cross-border payment providers are mopping up major profits by tacking on obnoxious fees onto money being sent by migrant workers and individuals trying to provide for their families.
But because cryptos are a global payment vehicle, users from anywhere in the world can send money back to their family or friends almost free of charge.
A financial revolution is on the horizon
Though cryptocurrencies are a new kind of money, the benefits are immense. And one of the biggest benefits is personal financial freedom.
You can travel the world without a bank, without the watchful eye of your government, and best of all – you’re in control of your funds. And while cryptos as a payment option is still catching on, it likely won’t be long before you can live ‘fiat-free.’
A financial revolution of this magnitude will take time, but at least you’ll be ready when it hits.


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- Articles tagged "consumer electronics"
The annual IFA consumer electronics trade fair officially opens on 3 September in Berlin, Germany but for international journalists, the show really begins from 1 September, when they are given sneak peeks of what would be showcased before the show. HardwareZone.com was on the fairgrounds to bring you some of these highlights.
Our coverage of the first consumer electronics trade show of the year continues with highlights from the show floors, featuring brands like NVIDIA, Mitsubishi, Shuttle, D-Link, QNAP and Zotac among others.
The world's largest consumer technology trade show officially starts 7 Jan but some of the more exciting products have been unveiled to the media in a press event. Check out our quick takes on what to expect this year at CES.
Philips has established another "world's first" with the launch of the Cinema 21:9, a Full-HD LCD TV carved to cinematic proportions. Besides this 56-inch mega widescreen TV, Philips refreshed several product lineups from LCD TVs, SoundBars and AV systems as well. Dig our spread for more on what's to come from Philips.
- 6-inch Oppo R7 Plus launching this Saturday
- HyperX adds DDR3L to Fury memory series, announces new Impact DDR4 SO-DIMMs
- LG to ship limited edition 23-karat gold Urbane Luxe smartwatch
- Lenonvo has refreshed its ThinkPad E-series corporate notebooks
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 to use neural chip to fight malware on-the-fly
- Malware has stolen 225,000 Apple account logins from jailbroken iPhones
- Guess what game sold for US$1,535?
- Apple reportedly interested in making its own original video programs

domain: news


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The Douglas Sheriff’s Office says four stores have been implicated in an investigation into alcohol sales to minors.
In a news release, the agency said it had received several tips about local businesses selling to minors, and in response, sent informants to 23 different locations during the past year.
Four stores allegedly sold alcohol to “persons under-21 working with the Sheriff’s Office,” the release said. The clerks who sold the alcohol were charged.
The stores were:
Cross Road County Store, 1480 Highway 61, Villa Rica
Corn Crib Store, 7826 Village Entrance Drive, Douglasville
Fairmart Store, 7703 Highway 78, Winston
Marathon Station, 3757 Kings Highway, Douglasville
The sheriff’s office says it will continue the operation throughout the year.


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UI study shows fruit fly is ideal model to study hearing loss in people
By: Gary Galluzzo | 2013.09.02 | 02:00 pm
Enter the common fruit fly as the proxy to better understand hearing loss in humans. The study by the University of Iowa looks at how loud noises damage the ear, by affecting the molecular underpinnings. Results published in the online Early Edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.


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Apple has won more than $1 billion in a massive US court victory over Samsung, in one of the biggest patent cases in decades -- a verdict that could have huge market repercussions.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10 tablet (front) is among the devices a jury said had copied patented ideas from the Apple iPad (rear).
It could be weeks or months before the court decides whether to ban sales of some Samsung products in the US, but the industry is already preparing for changes.
Pressure will mount on smartphone makers to create handsets that stand apart from the iPhone and deliver more choices for consumers in the $220-billion market, said analysts.
They were commenting after a jury in San Jose, California awarded $1.05 billion in damages on Friday, saying Samsung had infringed six patents for mobile devices.
The verdict strengthens Apple’s hand as it seeks to discourage Samsung and competitors such as HTC and LG Electronics from making devices that mimic the iPhone.
While it’s a blow to efforts by Samsung and its Android operating system partner Google, the outcome will probably mean a broader range of choices for consumers as rivals seek to avoid costly legal tussles, said Carl Howe, an analyst at Yankee Group in Boston.
"This is a big win for Apple," said Howe. "It’s good for innovation. It says that if you create something new, others can’t just piggyback on it."
The nine-member California jury decided the case with some 700 separate claims in less than three days of deliberations. It rejected Samsung’s patent counterclaims against Apple and its request for damages. The jury also determined that all of Apple’s patents at stake in the trial were valid.
The verdict affects patents on a range of Samsung products including some of its popular Galaxy smartphones and its Galaxy 10 tablet -- devices alleged to have been copied from the iPhone and iPad.
But some devices are not affected, including the flagship Galaxy III S recently released, although they could be targeted in separate litigation.
Samsung said the verdict was "not the final word" in this case or other similar battles around the world.
"Today's verdict should not be viewed as a win for Apple, but as a loss for the American consumer," Samsung said in a statement.
Apple could add to its victory should US District Judge Lucy Koh, who presided over the trail, decide to ban Samsung devices from the US based on the jury’s findings of infringement. Koh, who could also triple the damages awarded, will consider the injunction request at a later date.
However, some analysts believe that while the court defeat may dent Samsung's $21-billion cash pile, it could actually help cement its leadership in the global smartphone market.
The phone and tablet business accounted for 70% of Samsung's net profit of $4.5 billion in the second quarter to June 30. It sold around 50 million phones -- twice as many as Apple -- worldwide in that period.
But with its proven skill in quickly matching others' innovations, Samsung could have tweaked, non-infringing devices on the US market very soon after any ban came into place.
"Samsung has already made some design changes to new products since the litigation first started more than a year ago," said Seo Won-seok, an analyst at Korea Investment & Securities.
"With the ruling, they are now more likely to make further changes or they could simply decide to raise product prices to cover patent-related payments."
Also, Apple's demands for Samsung to pay it a royalty on its phone sales could hit rival phones using Google's Android operating system more than it hits Samsung.
If anything, the blaze of publicity from the high-profile, high-stakes US litigation has made Samsung's brand more recognisable. It already sells twice as many smartphones as Apple in China, where the Apple iPad has fallen to fourth place in the tablet market.
"The impact on Samsung will be quite limited, as affected models are mostly legacy products and its new products did make some design changes to avoid potential litigation," said D.J. Jung, a patent attorney for SU Intellectual Property in Seoul.
Even though Samsung's flagship Galaxy S III phone was not involved in the trial, the jury validated Apple's patents on features and design elements that Apple could then try to wield against that product.
In a research note before the verdict, UBS analysts said an Apple win could, in the long run, hurt the US firm "as the real threat is not a competitor beating Apple at its own game, but instead changing the game.
"The likelihood of Apple being leapfrogged or a rival creating a new category (of device) is greater if [the rival has] to think out of the box. If they just copy Apple, like Coke, Apple can claim to be 'the real thing'."
One other beneficiary of the ruling could be Microsoft Corp, which is making a major push in the mobile market based on its new Windows 8 after years of struggling.
Microsoft stands to benefit if manufacturers seek alternatives to Google's Android operating system to avoid being sued by Apple, said said Kevin Rivette, a former vice-president of intellectual property strategy for IBM.
"Microsoft is a big winner," he said. "The licensees will start moving away from Android. They’re businesspeople."


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Marketing platform maker SHIFT nabs USD6 million in new, Series B funding
Real-time marketing platform SHIFT announced that it was able to obtain new funding worth USD6 million in its Series B investment round. The funding round was led by one of Europe's leading venture capital firms, DN Capital. As a result of the significant investment, DN managing partner Nenad Marovac was appointed as one of SHIFT's board directors. According to SHIFT Chief Executive Officer James Borow, the new funding obtained by the company will go towards scaling its business and improving its growth in Europe. Moreover, the proceeds of the funding will reportedly go towards the offshore expansion of its Open Marketing Cloud. SHIFT's cloud service seeks to provide access to managers to an ecosystem of best-in-class marketing apps, as said in a press release.
Borow, who is also co-founded of SHIFT, added, "2013 has been a huge year for us, we launched our platform and have grown our sales by over 300%, driven by global advertisers adopting the SHIFT Open Marketing Cloud. We are thrilled to have a partner in DN Capital who can help us hit the ground running in international markets. Their experience in helping companies scale in Europe will be integral in helping SHIFT continue to deliver brands and agencies the technology needed to break down data silos and create more efficient ways to execute marketing across organizations."
Marovac said, "SHIFT and its Open Marketing Cloud have created a transformative experience for the marketing and advertising industry," said Nenad Marovac, Managing Partner of DN Capital. "This experience is evidenced by its lucrative list of customers, which include advertisers and brands such as AMEX, SONY, AT&T, Red Bull, Marriott, Unilever and L'Oreal. We look forward to bolstering the Open Marketing Cloud and growing SHIFT's presence in Europe and beyond."
SHIFT recently opened its first office abroad in September, which is located in London. The company is expecting to reach into additional foreign markets by next year, as said in its press release.


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One of the biggest ongoing rumors supporting the expectation that the iPhone 7 will launch without a headphone jack is that Apple is developing a wireless pair of its own EarPods headphones — likely to be called “AirPods.” Further backing that claim is a new report that indicates the company is even going as far creating a custom Bluetooth chip to reduce power usage and extend the headphones’ battery life.
Citing anonymous sources, Forbes writes that Apple has been working on a wireless version of its earbud-style headphones for several years now, but the biggest hurdle has been short battery life. The new headphones are expected to debut this September, alongside the iPhone 7, but are unlikely to be included in the box with the new smartphone.
As for the custom Bluetooth chip, the Forbes report says it’s a result of Apple’s 2013 acquisition of Passif Semiconductor, a tech company that specializes in power efficient chipsets. By producing the chip in-house, Apple gets a component that meets its specific needs, and allows the company to avoid relying on third-party vendors.
As more and more companies release their own versions of wireless earbuds, including Samsung and Apple’s own Beats, the main drawback continues to be their short battery life. It seems that Apple has a goal of achieving “all day” usage with its wireless products, much like the Apple Watch, where owners only need to charge their device at night.
With the iPhone 7 expected to ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack, the other big headphone rumor these days is that Apple will also release a new pair of wired EarPods that use a Lightning connector. This would allow a pair of headphones to still be included in the box with the iPhone, without drastically increasing the price.


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New Delhi: The outspoken entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk is the richest man on the planet. A business magnate, engineer and industrial designer, Elon Musk has scripted history, as he overtook the Amazon chief Jeff Bezos, to become the richest person in the world. The information was reported by the US media on Thursday.
Musk went past Bezos on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which is a ranking of the world's 500 wealthiest people. What made him overtake the Amazon chief is the 4.8 per cent rally in Tesla's share price on Thursday. The net worth of Musk is $188.5 billion at 10.15 AM in New York on Thursday. His net worth is 1.5 billion more than Bezos, who has held the topmost spot since October 2017. Musk is a rival to Bezos in the private space race.
A Twitter account, with the username "Tesla Owners of Silicon Valley" shared the news of Musk grabbing the number one spot on the wealthiest person chart. He tagged Musk and wrote, "@elonmusk is now the richest person in the world at $190 billion."
To which, Musk replied, "Strange." Further to that tweet, he replied, "Well, back to work..."
The total combined net worth of the 500 richest men on the planet comes to $ 1.8 trillion. However, the gains were disproportionate at the top, as the top five has fortunes in excess, that is, $ 100 billion, while the other 20 people have at least $ 50 billion.
However, in just a week into the year 2021, the rankings have already been upside down by the extraordinary rallies. Zhong Shanshan of China has already vaulted past Warren Buffet to claim the sixth position, following the surge in the shares of his bottled-water company, which further added $ 15.2 billion to his already existing fortune.


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The DeanBeat: Two stories that show the opportunity and heartbreak of modern gaming
Interested in learning what’s next for the gaming industry? Join gaming executives to discuss emerging parts of the industry this October at GamesBeat Summit Next. Register today.
Yesterday, two stories told the tale of the modern game industry. On the one hand, heartbreak. On the other, massive opportunity.
Google announced that its Stadia cloud gaming service would shut down in January 2023, ending a high-profile bet to provide console-like quality games over the cloud to just about any user hardware. The company had spent a lot of money on each game it acquired (according to Bloomberg) and the masses of subscribers for the service never materialized.
Meanwhile, Savvy Games Group unveiled plans to invest $38 billion in gaming through 2030 to turn Saudi Arabia into a leader in gaming and esports. That was a stunning announcement about the confidence that the Saudis have in gaming as the future of entertainment and the key to the metaverse. Savvy will spend $13.3 billion in acquiring a big publisher, invest another $18.7 billion in minority stakes in other publishers, pour $533 million into early-stage gaming and esports companies, and then put $5.3 billion into mature companies that can be partners for Savvy.
Savvy already owns gaming and esports properties such as Nine66, VOV, ESL, FaceIt Group, and the FaceItSavvy Games Fund. The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund already has big stakes in Nintendo, Capcom, Nexon and Embracer Group. The goal is to create 250 game companies in Saudi Arabia and create 39,000 jobs by 2030.
Saudi Arabia has a lot of challenges around human rights, and it has issues as a nation, for sure. Mohammed bin Salman has a human rights problem. He was suspected of having ordered the assassination of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 in a high-profile case that led to high tensions between the U.S. and its ally Saudi Arabia. Turkish investigators and reporters at The New York Times concluded that 15 members of the Saudi hit team were closely connected to bin Salman. Some were tried and some were put to death, but a variety of authorities believed the responsibility for the murder went higher. That’s pretty horrifying, and it colors the investments that the country and its companies are making in the fast-growing game industry.
These big investments might distract people from the reputation problem, and some might say the investments are meant to create that distraction. The nation also realizes that the revenues from oil won’t last forever, and that it needs to invest for the future. It has chosen to put its money into gaming.
Game companies may have to consider the issues mentioned above when they decide whether to take that money. One consequence is that gamers may very well notice the source of the funds and bring up issues such as human rights.
But with the global economic slowdown taking root, it may be very hard to for game companies to say no. It may be difficult to find deep pockets that are willing to make the big investments necessary to lift gaming to the next level. For game companies, it is a scary time. Consolidation is accelerating and leaving behind the smallest indie companies.
Already we have seen a lot of layoffs at companies — both gaming and tech firms — that are seeking to batten down the hatches for recession. And a lot of companies — as noted, from Embracer Group to Capcom — have taken the Saudi money. Should game companies stand by their principles or run the risk of getting left behind in the race to the metaverse or massive consolidation or whatever the goal is?
How can two powerful companies see the future of gaming so differently?
Platform makers always have to puff out their chests when they’re trying to win over someone to their platform. I was there in the room at the Game Developers Conference when Google CEO Sundar Pichai and exec Phil Harrison pledged that Google was committed to gaming in March 2019. The presence of the Google CEO was meant to inspire confidence among developers, who would have to bet that Google would be committed to its Stadia platform.
Since that time, Stadia sputtered, shutting down its internal game studios relatively early. It had a delayed launch and the service wasn’t that impressive to players, either in the quality of cloud gaming or selection of games available. Worried about antitrust actions, Google did not — in contrast to Microsoft — buy a lot of studios to make games exclusive for Stadia. In other words, Google held back. It didn’t go all-in the way Microsoft is right now with its pending $68.5 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Fear of antitrust enforcement is a good reason to hold back, but it may have doomed the company’s efforts at the outset.
The outcome was predictable, as Google had nothing to distinguish its platform from the others. But in his announcement of Stadia’s demise, Harrison cryptically said Stadia team members would take their passion for games to other parts of the company. And he said the company looks forward to having an impact across gaming and other industries using the foundational Stadia streaming technology.
I take that to mean that Google proved that its cloud gaming technology could work and was valuable, but the particular business that it started wasn’t a winner. That tech could still prove useful, and Google might still look for a way back into gaming. After all, most platforms recognize how important gaming is to the future of entertainment and future versions of the internet such as the metaverse.
I’m sorry for the Stadia employees who may lose their jobs, despite Google’s best efforts to place them in jobs elsewhere. But they will no doubt have opportunities that are funded by the massive amount of money that Savvy and Saudi Arabia are pouring into the game industry. I am not saying that the game industry should collectively take the Saudi money. Nor am I suggesting that the money coming from big tech companies such as Google is the kind of money they should take. Given the size of the opportunity, I do hope that more huge sources of capital will come around to see business reasons to invest in gaming. It is ironic that Google doesn’t see the same opportunity that the Saudis do. I hope game developers will have the freedom to choose the options for jobs and funding that fit with their own beliefs and still allow them to deliver the best possible games for us.
[Updaed: 10 a.m. Pacific time 9/30/22 to expand the story and improve the wording].
GamesBeat’s creed when covering the game industry is «where passion meets business.» What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you — not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it. Discover our Briefings.


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Holmes Report 05 Aug 2018 // 10:00AM GMT
LONDON — Porta Communications, the owner of Newgate and Publicasity, has said in an interim results statement by chairman John Foley that its earnings for the first half of the year were “ahead of management expectations” after consolidation – the group has merged its Newgate and Redleaf businesses – and making significant cost savings as a result.
LONDON — Edelman and H+K Strategies have been announced as one of Shell’s lead creative agencies for the company’s Downstream brand and marketing communications. Both firms secured places on Shell’s eight-strong creative agency roster as part of Shell’s ‘Agency of the Future’ global creative review, will see Edelman developing brand strategy for B2C communications, while H+K works on PR and brand strategy.
LONDON — Eulogy has promoted Phil Borge-Slavnich (pictured) to managing director with responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the business. Borge-Slavnich has been with the agency for a total of 14 years, initially joining as an account executive in 2002. He left in early 2012 to take up positions at 1000Heads and Threepipe before coming back as director of the B2B team in 2014.


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MOUNTAIN VIEW (AP) - Google is cutting an additional 1,200 jobs in its Motorola division as the unprofitable cellphone maker struggles to compete.
NEW YORK (AP) - A burst of hiring in February pushed stocks higher on Wall Street.
NEW YORK (AP) - McDonald's new Fish McBites failed to hook enough diners to get the fast-food chain's U.S. sales growing in February.
NEW YORK (AP) - Americans cut back on spending in February as cold weather and economic challenges chilled their appetite for spring merchandise.
WASHINGTON (AP) - It took 5½ years.
MENLO PARK (AP) - Facebook has redesigned the main attraction of its social network to address complaints that its website has turned into a jumble of monotonous musings and random photos.
NEW YORK (AP) - A New York State Supreme Court Judge has ordered Macy's, J.C. Penney and Martha Stewart Living into mediation in a bid to resolve a dispute over a partnership with the Martha Stewart brand.
NEW YORK (AP) - The Dow pushed further into record territory Thursday, having surpassed its previous all-time high two days ago. The catalyst was the latest evidence that hiring is picking up.
WASHINGTON (AP) - All but one of the nation's 18 largest banks are more prepared to withstand a severe U.S. recession and a global downturn than at any time since the 2008 financial crisis, the Federal Reserve says.
NEW YORK (AP) - Some Taco Bell fans are angry after they couldn't get their hands on the chain's new tacos made with Cool Ranch Doritos shells a day early.
WASHINGTON (AP) - A private survey shows U.S. businesses added a solid number of jobs in February, indicating higher taxes and looming government spending cuts have yet to slow hiring.
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. orders for machinery and other factory goods that signal business investment surged in January, indicating confidence in the economy.
AMSTERDAM (AP) - The European Union has fined Microsoft €561 million ($733 million) for breaking a pledge to offer personal computer users a choice of Internet browsers when they install the company's flagship Windows operating system.
SUNNYVALE (AP) - Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer received a $1.1 million bonus for her first five-and-half months running the Internet company.
NEW YORK (AP) - Yahoo's leaked edict under CEO Marissa Mayer that calls remote workers back to the office lit the Twitterverse on fire, angering advocates of telecommuting and other programs intended to balance work and home life.
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. employers advertised more jobs in May than in any month in the past seven years, a sign that this year's strong hiring trend is likely to continue.
WASHINGTON (AP) - What you study - math and science are a plus - seems to matter more than whether your alma mater is public or private when it comes to finding a high-paying job after college, according to a report released Tuesday by the Education Department.
LONDON (AP) - They are rolling symbols of wealth and excess, starting at $263,000 a pop, with many buyers choosing custom options that can easily double the price. And they are more popular than ever before.
ST. LOUIS (AP) - One of the nation's leading gun manufacturers has reached a settlement in a nationwide lawsuit claiming a popular hunting rifle has a defective trigger mechanism that can cause injury and death.


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Apple's brand image in China is wrecked, expected to lead to big iPhone sales decline
As if Apple's troubles in the world's largest smartphone market weren't already bad enough, iPhones have been reportedly facing somewhat of an "informal boycott" from consumers in China for several months now as a consequence of a heated trade war with the US that's showing no signs of a de-escalation.
Said boycott might be ramping up as uncertainty continues to hover over Huawei's thriving global smartphone business. While it remains highly unlikely that the Chinese government will retaliate against Trump's divisive ban on US companies collaborating with Huawei by kicking Apple out of the country, analysts are predicting huge drops for iPhone sales in the region before long.
Chinese patriotism means Apple's local tale of woe will continue
a major vote of confidence from Huawei CEO and founder Ren Zhengfei, who was recently quoted as describing Apple as his "teacher", but most people in China don't exactly agree with those words of praise for a foreign tech giant. The nation's smartphone shipment charts were dominated by domestic manufacturers way before trade conflicts escalated, with Huawei in the lead back in Q3 2018, for instance, followed by Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.iPhones may get
Apple's loss will undoubtedly be Huawei's gain
Apple was ranked fifth in China between July and September last year, actually climbing a spot in Q4 2018 sales before falling back to fifth place during the January - March 2019 timeframe. More importantly, regional iPhone shipments declined throughout this period compared to the results posted in the same three quarters of 2017 and 2018. The biggest drop came in the first three months of 2019, when Apple was only able to ship 6.5 million iPhones in China, according to Canalys, down a staggering 30 percent from the 9.3 million units sold at the beginning of the previous year.
Still, certain experts claim China accounts for an important 18 percent of "all Apple sales", a figure that could soon be cut in half as even more Chinese citizens will feel the urge to turn their backs on Apple and buy "domestic mobile brands." Unlike Huawei, which seems to be maintaining and even improving its brand image in China, Apple's brand is "being damaged" as we speak, according to Citi analysts, with a particularly bad deterioration of the company's reputation noticed "very recently."
How bad could things get for Apple in China and worldwide?
Obviously, Apple doesn't stand to lose as much money and as many sales as Huawei due to all these political tensions and complications. But half of 6.5 million iPhone shipment units in a single quarter is still a lot. Not to mention half of the 11.8 million units the Cupertino-based tech giant reportedly sold in China during the final three months of 2018. Of course, the 50 percent drop is just an educated guess from a reputable provider of financial services, following perhaps an even more daunting prediction recently made by Goldman Sachs.
That 30 percent drop could be followed by an even bigger 50 percent decline in regional iPhone sales
Analysts at that particular investment firm think Apple could shed as much as 29 percent of its global profits as a result of its brand "deterioration" in China in a "worst case scenario" that's however unlikely to materialize. Probably the biggest problem is that iPhone popularity has been steadily declining in virtually all corners of the world, making Apple's mission to offset near-guaranteed regional losses one even Tom Cruise would find tricky to complete.
In Q1 2019, for instance, Apple's worldwide smartphone sales numbers dropped between 9 and 16 million units, according to different research firms, which naturally means China is far from the company's only problem right now.


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Initially starting with London, ChargedUp look to expand out of the capital from 2019
An East London-based start-up that claims to be the ‘Boris bikes’ of phone chargers has launched in the capital in over 40 locations this month with ambitions to reach 1,000 by the end of 2018.
ChargedUp has used the bike sharing model to develop a network of vending stations where, from 50p, people can charge their phones either at the station or on the go and return the charger to another location.
The chargers will cost a maximum of £3 per day to use, while those who fail to return the charger will be billed a maximum of £30 and effectively own the charger.
ChargedUp battery chargers are fully powered by green energy thanks to a partnership with the UK’s largest green energy provider Ecotricity.
Through the use of the ChargedUp app, people can locate the stations in London that are nearest to them, with the first two charges free.
ChargedUp CEO and founder Hugo Tilmouth said: “Battery life has not managed to keep up with the demands we put on our smartphones, and running low part-way through the day is a now common, and very frustrating occurrence. We also wanted to ensure that we had protecting the environment at the heart of the business, which is why all the batteries are charged using green energy from Ecotricity.”
With more than 40 locations so far, Tilmouth told Mobile News he’s aiming to significantly increase the business over the next few months.
“We’re expanding at about a rate of 10 a week at the moment and this will increase significantly over the next few months. We’re aiming for 300 locations by the end of September and 1,000 by the end of the year.”
Although no timeframe has been announced yet, ChargedUp will seek to expand beyond London from 2019.
This story was sourced by our sister publication Mobile News Magazine


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As the latest news in the country, it is now positive that the Indian Government will soon be launching a new product in the Indian market with a unique name “iStink”. The decision was reportedly taken after the failure of Sibbal’s effort of getting every indian an android tablet. Some also say that recent news about Steve Jobs compelled indian govt. to do something in this area. The government also thought this was a good way to reach out for people and make a move in the world of technology in which India has remained pretty low recently.
As the sources say, this product will be quite similar to the well-known iPhone 4s and will have all the features which younger generation wants. The USP of the phone is the Indian style in which it is made and the options inside. Apart from the music player, 1080p video and an 8 MP camera, the phone will offer a variety of superb options filled with excitement and knowledge about our government.
As the only genuine news reporter, we were given a special insight to the phone by the Honourable speaker herself. The phone, when switched on, started with the Italian national anthem, though we still don’t know why that happened. After the song was finished, the phone came to its normal mode. As a joke is getting very famous these days, the govt. also paid attention to that and has replaced the Silent mode option with the Manmohan mode.My favourite feature in the phone was the tabs. In the tabs you can find a “scams” tab under which all major/minor scams have been listed. This tab has three options, i.e, scams below 100 crores, scams above 100 crores and the 2G scam. Among other specialities, the phone has a wall of fame which is available on one touch for quick reference. This wall of shame.. oh sorry.. wall of fame contains the bio of all famous people like Suresh Kalmadi, A. Raja, Sharad Pawar and Kanimozhi with full details including their financials.Another feature of the phone is the baby tunes, which will turn on a nursery rhyme on a single click closing all other applications. This feature was specially installed on demand by Rahul Gandhi as he might need that frequently. The phone has many apps as well, noticeable ones among them being, “WordoMeter” which will count the number of senseless words you said in a statement, though it came with a direction that Kapil Sibbal and Digvijay singh shouldn’t use it or the app might crash. For them, instead of WordoMeter, we’ll install “Weirdo-Meter”, said the phone makers.
There is another application called iSuck, made as a gift to the cricket team of India.
Being overwhelmed by the features, our reporters took feedbacks from the indian politicians about this revolutionary step by the Govt. and here are a few responses.
“I am ashamed that my name isn’t there in the wall of fame, I am the pioneer of scams in India and I’ll be back” said Laloo Prasad yadav.
While P. Chidambaram said that he was happy to see that Kasab was featured too in the HangMan application, “I am happy that Kasab is there in the HangMan app, we all know that’s not gonna happen in real so it’s a good way to keep people busy in thinking”
Rahul Gandhi immediately went to have dinner with the phone makers to appreciate them, while Manmohan Singh decided to remain silent over the matter.
Since the phone is still not released, we hope there will be a few changes before its launch, like we would love to have an application where we can dismiss the parliament and give public some more powers.
But overall, the phone gets a 10 on rating from us, as it has all the required info about the cons of our govt. (I wanted to say pros and cons but frankly, where are the pros?)
We wish some sensible politicians (If any left) might take it as a signal and do something so that iStink can be turned into iGlow and Steve Jobs’s soul would be proud of something that we dedicated to him.
PS: Now as the article has ended, i don’t know if you liked it or not, but i remember how our spokesperson wanted to sue the websites which make fun of indian govt. So this one is more out of frustration and anger and a kinda “in your face” article.
Then again, hope you enjoyed 😛


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Some investors are bullish about Bitcoin and Ethereum for some time now. Somehow or the other though, they have missed out on buying BTC and ETH so far. Now, However, investors would like to buy them before they start feeling like they missed an opportunity.
Bitcoin and Ethereum prices have crashed 50% recently. Investors less convinced on Bitcoin and Ethereum merits may want to take a step back on learning on these.
The world of blockchain and cryptocurrencies offers endless opportunities. Despite their volatile nature and wild price swings, these digital assets have seen a monumental rise in popularity and adoption rates over the past several years.
Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) have advanced significantly to become the top two cryptocurrencies by market cap. According to industry experts and analysts, BTC and ETH are relatively safer crypto investments, thanks to their fame, size, and worldwide adoption.
Ether and Bitcoin are similar in several ways. Both are virtual currencies that are traded on online exchanges and stored in different types of crypto wallets. Both these coins are decentralized, meaning that they are not regulated or issued by any central authority or bank. Bitcoin and Ether both leverage distributed ledger technology called the blockchain.
However, there are also many distinctions between these two tokens and the factors behind their rally. Let us take a step back to examine these cryptocurrencies and understand the reasons that make now a great time to invest in Bitcoin and Ether.
Why Now Is a Great Time To Buy Bitcoin: Unique Features and Price Analysis
Bitcoin, the world's first and most successful cryptocurrency, is an "electric peer-to-peer cash system," according to Satoshi Nakamoto, BTC's anonymous creator. It is a decentralized currency that is censorship-resistant as well. Bitcoin was designed to tackle several pressing issues facing the world, such as inflation. Fiat currencies have no maximum supply. Hence, governments and financial authorities can print additional money as they deem fit.
Bitcoin does away with this problem because it has a maximum supply of only 21 million coins. The concept of limited supply was introduced to provide the world with a global reserve currency far more transparent and predictive than the other policies in place.
Bitcoin has brought various benefits to the market. For one, it is a secure ecosystem where transactions are completed in a peer-to-peer (P2P) manner. The fewer mediators involved, the faster and cheaper the transactions become. This is why Bitcoin is more inexpensive to send across countries than fiat currencies.
Users can send millions in BTC within minutes and for a part of the cost of transferring the same amount of value in fiat currency. Bitcoin simplifies international payments in a significant, previously inconceivable way. Bitcoin remittance payment centers are an example of how this digital asset has helped benefit the world.
Bitcoin is not attached to any government or authority and therefore is not subject to any restrictions or sanctions imposed on fiat currencies. People can use and spend their Bitcoin without worrying about any politics. The decentralized nature of the Bitcoin blockchain network has made it a safe haven and hedge against financial uncertainties.
The flagship cryptocurrency amounts to around 45% of the overall crypto market valuation. It kickstarted 2021, trading at $28,750. It went on to reach an all-time high of nearly $65,000 in April. Although the currency experienced some pullback, experts predict the coin to soar to new highs this year again.
Check Out: Bitcoin Trading Tips
Why Now Is a Great Time To Buy Ether: Unique Features and Price Analysis
It is almost impossible to venture into the crypto market without being aware of Ethereum. Ethereum is an open-source distributed blockchain platform that streamlines smart contract scripting. The network enables developers to build decentralized applications (dApps) that operate on blockchains. As a result, the platform has opened the world to a variety of new applications and functionalities.
Dapps are next-gen programs designed mainly to function within decentralized systems. They provide the world with multiple new opportunities and continue to be one of the fastest-growing areas within the blockchain space.
The potential use cases of Ethereum are endless and are powered by its native currency, Ether. ETH works as the fuel for running commands on the Ethereum network. Developers also use ETH to build and run applications on the platform.
Ether is mainly used for two purposes. It is traded as a virtual currency on exchanges in the same manner as other cryptocurrencies. ETH is also used on the Ethereum network to run applications. According to Ethereum, "people all over the world use ETH to make payments, as a store of value, or as collateral."
One of the most important advantages of Ethereum is its flexibility. While it is largely known for hosting Ether, the blockchain is also used for non-fungible tokens (NFTs), decentralized finance, and enterprise blockchain solutions. ETH is currently trading at $2,591, with a market cap of $300,948,674,670.
Don't Miss: What Will Ethereum be Worth in 10 Years?
Ethererum and Bitcoin: Key Differences
While both Bitcoin and Ethereum networks are powered by blockchain technology and cryptography, the two differ technically in many ways. For instance, transactions on Ethereum may contain executable code, while data affixed to Bitcoin network transactions are generally only for keeping notes. Other differences include block time. Ether transactions are confirmed in seconds compared to minutes for Bitcoin.
More importantly, the Bitcoin and Ethereum networks are different in terms of their overall objectives. BTC was created as an alternative to fiat currencies. So it aims to be a medium of exchange and a store of value. Meanwhile, Ethereum was designed as a platform to facilitate programmatic contracts and applications through ETH, its own currency.
BTC and ETH are both digital assets, but the primary goal of Ether is not to establish itself as an alternative financial system. Instead, it aims to facilitate and streamline the operation of the Ethereum smart contract and decentralized application (dApp) platform.
Read More: Better Buy: Bitcoin vs Etheruem
Why Now Is a Great Time To Buy Bitcoin and Ethereum: In Conclusion
Using cryptocurrencies is now easier than ever, thanks to more merchants and online companies adopting it. As digital assets continue to become more common, they will reach more people, leading to an increase in popularity and a surge in overall awareness.
As BTC and ETH are poised for a bull rally, it is ideal for investors to buy these assets now. An additional encouraging factor for investing in cryptocurrencies is institutional adoption. Fintech platforms like Square, MicroStrategy, and PayPal are now holding BTC on their balance sheets.
Investing in Bitcoin and Ether now is likely to generate massive returns. That said, investors are advised to perform due research before investing.
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Virtual currencies are highly volatile. Your capital is at risk.


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Bitcoin continues to set records, passing US 34,000 a coin and then breaching the US $40k limit, with institutional investors helping the price to double in value in less than a month.
In fact, on January 6th a new milestone was achieved, with the total value of the cryptocurrency market exceeding the Us $1 trillion levels for the first time.
Bitcoin the best known and longest established altcoin accounts for the majority of that total, with a market capitalization close to Us 4725 billion.
There are now even some speculating that Bitcoin could become an alternative to gold, with some analysts even speculating that the price per coin could quadruple in the future.
Certainly, both share certain characteristics, namely that there is a finite quantity of both. Much as the supply of gold is limited to what can be extracted from the ground, so the quantity of Bitcoin has a stipulation in its original source code that means no more than 21 million can ever be mined. That means that both provide a hedge against inflation, unlike regular money where more can just be printed and put into circulation by central banks.
Increasingly Bitcoin is being offered as a payment method by many online retailers – a review of online casinos in Canada such as listed here provides one example of an industry that has begun to embrace the possibilities that crypto-currencies have to offer.
History suggests that Bitcoin may not continue to rise inexorably. In 2017 the cryptocurrency broke through the US $20,000 benchmark only for there to be a sharp, sudden correction and for it to fall below US $3,300.
Anybody though investing in it needs to recognize its volatility and that it may be subject to sharp fluctuations.
There are also serious issues that need to be resolved before it becomes a mainstream currency.
For example, there are major fraud and security concerns, with novice investors leaving themselves susceptible to hackers by their failure to understand that tokens need to be stored in a digital wallet.
It is also an unregulated asset. Whilst for some this is actually a plus point with any cryptocurrency because it provides anonymity, it means also when something goes wrong it is beyond the scope of any central or local government body to intervene.
Another major question is whether Bitcoin has any value at all. Certainly, major investors like Warren Buffet have been extremely negative on cryptocurrencies in general, arguing that they have no value except for the ability to sell it to somebody else.
Bitcoin has no tangible data to support its value, unlike the shares in a publicly-traded company, for example, where there are financial statements, analysts’ reports, presentations, and management commentary to help reach a consensus view as to what they are worth.
Instead, the value of any cryptocurrency is determined by those who use it, and is based on the sentiment which is ephemeral and transitory.
Currently, the mood surrounding Bitcoin is positive and helping to move it in an upward trajectory. However, that could all change tomorrow or next week.
It would be unwise to expect Bitcoin to continue moving upwards in 2021 without some form of lump at some stage.


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ET was the first to report about the company’s plan to launch a new clothing and accessories brand store chain. The first store was opened in Bengaluru and the company plans it open 30-40 stores in the next nine months and over 200 stores in three years.
“The mid- premium fashion segment is one of fastest growing consumer segments as millennials and the Gen-Z are increasingly demanding the latest of international and contemporary Indian fashion. AZORTE offers wardrobe must-haves for the fashion forward customers of new India. The store has best-in-class tech interventions that will enhance the customer journey leading to superior shopping experience,” said Akhilesh Prasad, CEO, Fashion and Lifestyle – Reliance Retail.
AZORTE will house the best of global trends and contemporary Indian fashion with an original take on style ranging from western and Indian wear to footwear, fashion accessories, home, beauty and more.
Designed with fashion-forward consumers in mind, the new store format includes several tech-enabled interventions such as smart trial rooms, fashion discovery stations, endless aisles and self-checkout kiosks that would make shopping more enjoyable.
“AZORTE is India’s first fashion NeoStore that offers high-street fashion with on-trend styles and classics reinvented – shoppers can future-proof their wardrobe with AZORTE. They can express their authentic and uncompromising take on style with the best of western wear, Indian wear, kids wear, footwear, fashion accessories, home, beauty and more,” said Rakesh Jallipally, VP & Business Head, AZORTE.
AZORTE, a house of brands with a curated collection, is the latest addition to Reliance Retail’s fashion and lifestyle portfolio that has adopted a multi-format approach to cater to all consumer segments. The elegantly designed stores will house both own and co-created lines. Shoppers will be delighted to discover the human touch with in-store fashion consultants to enhance product discovery and research.
With a store size of around 18,000 square feet, the first AZORTE store opened its doors at 1 MG-Lido Mall, MG Road, Bengaluru. The company plans to ramp up the store presence across key markets over the coming months.
Fast fashion is the fastest growing segment in apparel and lifestyle retail globally, and H&M and Zara have been runaway successes in India in the category associated with designs that move quickly from the catwalk to the showroom.
Reliance Retail is the largest fashion and lifestyle retailer in the country with a network of nearly 4000 stores across segments from ethnic and value fashion to luxury brands. While rival Tata has partnered Zara and launched an affordable fast fashion brand Zudio, Reliance runs Marks & Spencer stores in India and recently partnered Gap.


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CONSUMER'S WORLD; Only a Price Cut Gave Samurai a Push
By MICHAEL deCOURCY HINDS
Published: December 17, 1988
The jury is still out on whether the Suzuki Samurai, which has a tendency to roll over, will survive the controversy over its safety. But one thing is clear: 18,500 people were willing to risk buying the vehicle when the manufacturer cut the price by $2,000.
''It was a dangerous, terrible vehicle in June, but as soon as the rebate came on in July, people were standing in line to get the best buy in the market and nobody cared about rollover,'' said Mark Singleton, the owner of Mark Singleton Suzuki in Marietta, Ga.
During the sale Mr. Singleton put a sign outside his dealership that said, ''You'll flip over our prices and roll over our good deals.''
But when the July-August rebate, which brought the base cost down to $6,000 from $8,000, ended, so did the sales: on average, dealers have sold only 600 Samurais a month this fall at full price, and in November they had inventories expected to last 231 days.
Overall sales of sport-utility vehicles have been strong this year, showing a 24 percent year-to-year gain last month. On Dec. 9, Suzuki cut its prices by $1,000, this time to $7,000. What the Figures Mean
Consumer leaders and marketing specialists have drawn three conclusions from the Samurai sales figures:
* When a prominent consumer organization - in this case Consumer Reports magazine - raises a national alarm about a popular product, people stop buying it immediately.
* Consumers will take a risk with a tainted product if the manufacturer slashes the price.
* Consumers will ignore the product after the sale, even if a Government agency says the product is not unusually dangerous in its category.
Auto industry analysts say uncertainty over safety is killing the Samurai and could hurt sales of the Suzuki Sidekick, which was introduced this fall and appears to have a more stable design. Meanwhile, public challenges are building, not decreasing. This month, the Center for Auto Safety, a Washington consumer group, petitioned the Government to reconsider its September decision not to investigate the Samurai. And 10 Federal class-action suits filed by Samurai owners who want refunds for all owners were consolidated in Philadelphia for hearings next year. The Government, meanwhile, has agreed to consider establishing rollover limits for all autos.
The rollover story did not begin in Japan, where the Samurai has been sold for more than 10 years, but in Detroit, where the American Motors Corporation (now owned by the Chrysler Corporation) used to build the CJ-5 Jeep. Between 1971 and 1981, 451 CJ-5's rolled over, killing 449 people. The manufacturer blamed the drivers for the rollovers; the Government agreed, but in 1984 it required that the Jeep and other such utility vehicles carry a warning sticker. The sticker says that if drivers ''make sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers, the vehicle may roll over, go out of control and crash.''
In 1986, A.M.C. replaced the CJ-5 with the Wrangler, a wider utility vehicle with a lower center of gravity, and the rollover issue subsided. But the same year Suzuki introduced the Samurai, which is nearly identical with the CJ-5 in width, weight and height. Those are some of the factors related to an auto's propensity to roll over, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a Washington research organization financed by auto insurers.
The Samurai, introduced with ''never a dull moment'' as its advertising theme and ''Born to Be Wild'' as its theme song, was an instant hit, primarily with buyers under the age of 25. For two years, Suzuki could not keep up with the demand from its dealers.
Then rollover statistics began accumulating. Last February, after 8 injuries and 3 deaths had been associated with 11 Samurai rollovers, the Center for Auto Safety petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to recall the 132,000 Samurais that had been sold.
But Samurai sales continued strong, averaging 6,200 a month in March, April and May. Then sales shrank to 2,200 in June, after Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, announced that the Samurai was the first vehicle in 10 years to fail the organization's road test; it attributed the failure to the vehicle's ''unusually high propensity to roll over.''
Suzuki held a news conference and attacked Consumers Union's test procedures, and it opened a multimillion-dollar televison ad campaign. But the ads did not restore sales. In mid-July, Suzuki reduced the base price by $2,000 and sold close to 18,500 Samurais in six weeks with the rebates, which amounted to some $37 million.
Why did consumers change their minds about the Samurai? Doug Mazza, the general manager of American Suzuki, said the sales proved that the Samurai had a ''public relations problem, not a safety problem.''
But consumer specialists see it differently. ''Consumers value safety, but they also value low cost,'' said Stephen Brobeck, executive director of the Consumer Federation of America, a Washington umbrella group for 240 consumer organizations. ''Every consumer is willing to make trade-offs; otherwise no one would drive small cars that are less safe than large cars, on average.''
Another reason offered for the spurt in sales is that the discounted price was irresistible to the Samurai's target market. ''Younger buyers tend to feel more invulnerable and think that accidents only happen to other people,'' said Deborah L. Marlino, an associate professor of marketing at the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Mr. Singleton, the Georgia dealer, said Samurai buyers were impulse buyers, not ''as objective as most car buyers.'' U.S. Backing for Suzuki
Suzuki got good news in September, when the Federal highway safety agency denied the Center for Auto Safety's petition to investigate and recall the Samurai. ''The rollover crash involvement of the Samurai appears to be within the range of most other light utility vehicles,'' the agency said. But the statement did not lift sales.
Suzuki officials now say that they expected sales to diminish as the company introduced new lines, and that they are optimistic about the Samurai's future.
But market observers sound skeptical. ''I'm confident the Samurai will be out of the market by the end of the 1991 model year, or sooner if sales don't pick up quickly,'' said Christopher Cedergren, a senior auto analyst at J. D. Power and Associates, automobile industry consultants in Agoura Hills, Calif.
David Healy, an auto analyst for Drexel Burnham Lambert, had this comment: ''To put it charitably, Suzuki is whistling past the graveyard.'' 1988 SUZUKI SAMURAI $ Overall width 60.2 in. Overall Height 65.6 in. Curb Weight 2,127lbs. 1989SUZUKI SIDEKICK $ Overall width 64.2 in. Overall height 65.6 in. Curb weight 2,304 lbs.
Photos of the Suzuki Samurai and the Suzuki Sidekick; graphs of Suzuki Samurai sales, Nov. 1987-Nov. 1988 (Source; American Suzuki Motor Corporation)


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NPO Showa Gakuen (Headquarters: Tokyo, Principal: Hiroaki Ito), an organization dedicated to special support education, launched the largest pet bottle rocket (Largest water rocket) at the Hokkaido Space Port (HOSPO) in Taiki, Hokkaido on August 2, 2022. The 7.72-meter-long rocket reached an altitude of 16.78 meters, breaking the previous world record of 4.04 meters held by a Canadian TV program. They will now submit evidence to Guinness World Records™ and await official certification.
■ Experiment Overview
Showa Gakuen develops various educational programs tailored to each student’s individuality to nurture their “will to live,” and one of these programs is the creation and launching of giant pet bottle rockets.
In March of this year, they attempted a launch at HOSPO, but the rocket only reached a height of 3 meters. This time, they spent four months completely improving the pet bottle engine and the original nozzle (injection port) and made another attempt at the world record.
The rocket materials were made of styrofoam and pet bottles, and 16 students participated in its construction. The rocket measures 7 meters in length and 0.72 meters in diameter, with seven pet bottles attached as the engine.
The experiment was conducted three times starting at 2:30 pm, with the third launch being successful. When the rocket was successfully launched, the watching students let out cheers.


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Mobile threats are on the rise, with more mobile malware coming from lookalike banking apps, adult-only entertainment apps, targeted Trojan viruses and spyware, according to a new report from security solutions provider McAfee Inc.
The report measured the number of mobile threats in the second quarter of 2013, gauging that among web threats like cyberespionage, phishing, and ransomware, the biggest shift this quarter was in mobile malware.
Between 2011 and 2012, the number of mobile threat samples leapt dramatically from less than 5,000 mobile threats to 35,000. So far, at the halfway mark of 2013, there have been about 32,000 threats collected. At that rate, the final count will almost definitely surpass 2012, with McAfee collecting 17,000 more samples of malware to its database from Android’s operating system (OS) this quarter alone.
McAfee found Android is the worst offender as a hotspot for mobile malware because of the openness of its ecosystem, with retired Symbian and Java ME trailing far behind.
“The percentage of users using Android has gone up dramatically, so that’s where [hackers] have focused their malware,” says Doug Cooke, director of sales engineering at McAfee Canada. “And they’ve been very successful in planting their malware into the various areas where users are getting their applications. So not just in the Android marketplace, but other areas that are more dubious.”
Compared to Apple Inc., which has much more stringent rules on what kinds of apps can be added to its App Store, not as many apps are vetted before they reach the Android OS, Cooke adds.
Among the mobile malware types out there, the most prevalent came from sources like banking apps. In Europe and Asia, when users log into their banking systems, they also receive a text from their bank with a code. They then enter the code online to be able to access their accounts.
What hackers do is steal the username and password from a user’s computer, and then they get the user to install malware through their texts. More sophisticated hackers can even replace a bank’s official app with a fake copy, so they can log into users’ accounts and get texts from their banks.
Malware in adult entertainment apps has also spread, partially because law enforcement doesn’t police these apps nearly as often as they would in other sectors. This type of malware is typically spam, but there are some more dangerous types of malware that encourage users to download other pieces of malware that do steal users’ personal information while pretending to be an adult entertainment app.
There are also targeted Trojans, which copy legitimate apps and ride on their popularity and brand name to gain users’ trust. For example, some attackers have been making counterfeit versions of the Kakao Talk app, similar to WhatsApp and hugely popular in Asia.
And then there is mobile spyware. One common type pretends to be a legitimate font installer app, but instead sends users’ location, call logs, texts, and data to a hacker. Another kind pretends to sync users’ phones, but instead sends their personal information to hackers’ servers. This type can even record calls, McAfee researchers found.
Mobile malware in general has increased because hackers tend to migrate towards the newest developments, seeing it as the path of least resistance, Cooke says.
And on the flip side, consumers tend to be less concerned about protecting their security when they’re experimenting with something new, he adds.
“What the malware writers do is that they always move towards the newer platforms, where there’s less sensitivity about it,” he says. “And when users get a new toy… you’re learning to use it. The last thing you think about is security.”
To protect themselves against mobile threats, users need to be careful when downloading apps, Cooke says. For example, they should stick to legitimate sources like Google Play, as opposed to other sites that simply offer apps on download.
Users also need to learn to watch for signs that an app could actually be malicious, he says. For example, if an app asks for permission to access a user’s contacts, that could be a red flag that it is really malware. They can also buy programs that will scan for malware, like McAfee’s Mobile Security tool.
For small to mid-sized businesses and enterprise, concerns surrounding mobile malware are pretty much the same, Cooke says. Yet IT administrators need to ensure their employees are well educated about the dangers of downloading mobile malware, especially if they’re downloading apps to corporate devices, he adds. He recommends IT administrators have the ability to wipe corporate data from their employees’ devices, especially when employees leave their companies.


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Newspaper Article 17/04/2023
There is no doubt that technology will change human futures; some will be more challenging than others; the newest-on-the-bloc is Artificial Intelligence (AI). As China and the US seek to dominate this new-age interest, Muhammad Faizan Fakhar argues how countries in South Asia can hope to benefit from this burgeoning industry of opportunities for its peoples and economy.
The 21st century has been dubbed the ‘age of artificial intelligence’, and for good reason. The development and deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies has the potential to transform almost every aspect of human life — from healthcare, defence, communication and transportation to finance and entertainment. However, as AI becomes increasingly important, another competition is emerging between the United States and China, known as the ‘AI Race.’
The AI Race is to the 21st century what the Nuclear Race was to the 20th century — a competition for technological supremacy that will impact global socio-economic and geo-political dynamics for years to come. With Biden’s CHIPS (Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors) and Sciences Act (2022) aimed at curbing China’s access to advanced semiconductors, and China’s commitment to become world leader in AI by 2030, this competition for technological leadership is gaining momentum with each passing day. Superiority in AI will not only generate domination and influence, but more importantly, also give a clear lead in the military domain. As this competition between global behemoths plays out, other (developing) countries are finding it challenging to navigate this great tech war whilst protecting their own national interests; South Asian countries are no exception. Before discussing the complex ramifications of the US-China AI competition for South Asia, it is important to understand the contours and components of the evolving AI systems, and the primacy of the US and China in particular domains.
Advancement and superiority in AI systems is mainly dependent upon sophistication and perfection in two critical areas — hardware and big data resources, which play a crucial role in different aspects of AI technology. Both China and the US have their own strengths and weaknesses in these two domains.
Significance of Chips’ Supply Chain
Hardware required for any AI system is fundamentally dependent on the core component of electronic systems — semiconductor chips. Almost every aspect of modern life revolves around semiconductor chips as they are used in a wide range of electronic devices, including smartphones, computers and automobiles. Semiconductor chips also play a vital role in the development and implementation of AI systems in terms of memory capacity, computational power, and parallel processing.
However, semiconductor chips used for AI systems are highly advanced and socialised with a grading of below 10nm. The US holds a clear lead over China in the domain of these semiconductor chips as the majority of the semiconductor supply chain is currently dominated either by the US or its allies including Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Netherlands. This gives the US a significant advantage in the development and production of AI hardware.
Semiconductor supply chain consists of several components, including raw material, chip design and manufacturing/FABs (fabrication facilities), testing, packaging and distribution. A break-down of each of these components shows that the US currently dominates the global supply chain of the semiconductor chips as listed below:
- Raw Materials: Raw materials for semiconductor chips include silicon wafers, chemicals and gases. The industry is led by companies such as Shin-Etsu Chemical and Sumco Corporation (both in Japan) and Air Liquide (France, but also has a significant presence in the US) are major suppliers of these materials.
- Chip Design: The US is ahead of everyone else in chip design, with companies such as Intel, AMD and Qualcomm (all in the US) leading the way.
- Fabrication: AI systems require the most advanced (below 10 nanometres) semiconductors which are manufactured through a process known as Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography. Netherland’s ASML is currently the market leader in lithography equipment, with a market share of around 85 per cent. On the other hand, Taiwan has the biggest manufacturing capacity of nano-chips with a market share of 92 per cent while South Korea has the remaining 8 per cent. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is the world’s largest semiconductor foundry.
- Testing and Packaging: The testing and packaging of semiconductor chips is also led by companies based in the US and its allies. Advantest (Japan) and Teradyne (US) are major players in the chip-testing industry, while ASE Technology (Taiwan) and Amkor Technology (US) are the big ones in the chip-packaging industry.
- Distribution: The distribution of semiconductor chips is a global industry, with companies based in the US, Europe and Asia. Arrow Electronics and Avnet (both in the US) are leaders in the distribution industry.
Semiconductor chips (essential for AI systems) rely upon three things: EUV lithography equipment, chip designing, and fabrication units. All three are being closely monitored and guarded by the US at the moment (as also evident by the US CHIPS and Science Act (2022) mentioned above), which is a new US export control measure aimed at limiting China’s access to semiconductors. The Act imposes restrictions on foreign semiconductor manufacturers from selling certain chips, designs, software and EUV lithography equipment to China, and simultaneously encourages foreign manufacturers to invest in US facilities by providing up to US$280 billion in finances to companies.
Access to Data Resources and AI
While semiconductor chips form the core component of AI systems’ hardware, big data serves as the key to AI training and optimisation. Access to data resources is, therefore, equally important in creating superior AI systems. China has a population of 1.4 billion people, generating a massive amount of data every day, giving Chinese companies and government agencies access to a large pool of data. The Chinese government has made significant investments in developing data infrastructure, including building data centres and promoting data-sharing, thus creating a favourable environment for AI development; companies like Alibaba, Baidu and Tencent have access to large amounts of data from their vast consumer base, giving them an advantage in developing AI algorithms and applications. China has also made progress in developing AI-ready data for specific industries like healthcare, finance and transportation, which can provide insights into complex real-world problems.
Similarly, as part of the Digital Silk Road initiative, China is investing in the development of digital infrastructure such as fibre-optic cables, data centres and other digital platforms in countries along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This infrastructure is designed to facilitate digital trade and investment. China’s investments in digital infrastructure along the BRI can also enable Chinese companies to gain greater access to data from around the world, which could provide insights into local consumer behaviour, market trends and other valuable information. Access to such unique data resources can ultimately give an advantage to China in training and optimisation of AI systems.
At the same time, the US also has access to high quality data with many of the world’s leading AI companies (like Google, Amazon and Microsoft, all based in the US). The US also has a significant amount of publicly available data, such as government data and academic research, which can be used to develop AI algorithms and applications.
In this game, China might have an advantage in terms of access to a larger volume of data.
Potential Risks, Challenges and Benefits for South Asia
This AI race between global giants poses significant socio-economic and security challenges for developing nations. Countries that fail to keep up with emerging AI-driven trends are likely to face setbacks that could hinder their progress. There is, however, a silver lining in this competition as it offers numerous lucrative opportunities to countries in South Asia, particularly India and Pakistan.
South Asia is home to a quarter of the world’s population, with a combined population of nearly 1.9 billion people. India has become a critical strategic ally of the US in the region, while Pakistan also has a long-standing history of diplomatic, strategic and economic relations with both China and the US. Emerging strategic alliances in the Indo-Pacific (such as QUAD and AUKUS) have brought the US-China competition to the forefront of South Asian politics.
India and Pakistan have the potential to gain multiple benefits by positioning themselves as part of the global supply chain of microchips and data resources. As mentioned above, China and the US are actively pursuing tech superiority, creating a high demand for advanced technologies to satisfy the needs for AI systems and big data analytics. By developing capabilities in these areas, South Asian countries can become valuable contributors to the global tech ecosystem, creating jobs and improving the quality of life for their citizens.
India’s Ingress in the Semiconductor Supply Chain
India has already launched a number of policies and initiatives aimed at tapping the supply chain of semiconductor chips. In November 2020, the Indian government announced the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme under which it was announced that India would invest US$963 million to incentivise semiconductor manufacturing in the country. Similarly, in January 2021, it launched the Semiconductor Fabless Accelerator Lab (SFAL) initiative, with the aim of promoting domestic design and development of semiconductor chips.
Overall, India’s strong domestic demand, skilled workforce, favourable government policies, strategic location, and low labour costs are several factors that can help the country become a significant player in the global semiconductor supply chain. Foreign investments are also playing a key role in India’s semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem with companies such as Intel, Qualcomm, Samsung and TSMC pouring billions of dollars into India.
However, India will have to address several key challenges related to infrastructure, skilled manufacturing manpower, costs, and research and development in order to realise the goal of becoming a self-sufficient semiconductor manufacturer.
Potential of Pakistan
Pakistan has not yet entered the AI market in terms of semiconductor supply chain and data resources. Pakistan imports most of its semiconductors and has no indigenous FAB unit. The country recently unveiled its semiconductor roadmap (the Pakistan National Semiconductor Plan (PNSP)) in January 2022. Under this plan, Pakistan has aimed to position itself as a potential centre for chip design and light fabrication. Although a few chip design houses are based in Pakistan, lack of skilled human capital and intellectual resources currently impede the development of top tier designing capabilities in the country. But this is precisely where a country like Pakistan can benefit from tech cooperation with China- and US-based design companies. Pakistan has surplus human capital with 25,000 engineers graduating each year in the country. With further training, these engineers could become a considerable part of the chip-designing process and could help meet the critical workforce needs in China and the US.
Similarly, testing and packaging of semiconductors could be the most significant opportunity for Pakistan to enhance its standing as a major contributor to the global supply chain of semiconductors. Testing and packaging is cheaper, suits the market trends in Pakistan and involves different skills as compared to manufacturing.
Companies such as AltaNova are already offering semiconductor testing services in Pakistan. In order to further expand testing and packaging operations, the country will need to collaborate with prominent testing and packaging companies of the world, and encourage regional companies to invest in the country.
Further, Pakistan’s diaspora working in different foreign companies could also play a key role in bringing tech expertise back home. Developing skills and capabilities in any component of semiconductor supply chain could also help solve some of the key economic issues faced by Pakistan, as the chief architect of PNSP, Dr Naveed Sherwani predicted: ‘the industry could bring up to US$4 billion in Forex to Pakistan each year if the country can get 100,000 semiconductor talent involved in the next 5 to 6 years.’
Finally, Pakistan also has the potential to become a key data resource, particularly since it is a part of China’s Digital Silk Road Initiative. But the country has to strengthen its domestic digital infrastructure and data privacy measures. It also has to improve its regulatory environment to attract foreign investment, and promote greater cooperation with other countries in the region. By doing so, Pakistan can leverage its strengths to become a significant player in the Digital Silk Road, and contribute to the development of a more connected and digitally integrated Asia.
The AI race between the US and China has significant implications for South Asia, for both its socio-economic and geo-security landscape. While the ongoing competition may pose certain challenges for India and Pakistan, there are also numerous opportunities for these countries to leverage the race to their advantage. By positioning themselves as important players in the global supply chain of microchips and data resources, both nations could capitalise on the lucrative opportunities that the AI race offers. The ultimate gaol should be to create channels for global tech cooperation and hardware openness in order to avoid monopoly and possibility of tech colonialism.
However, to fully realise these goals, developing countries will need to formulate comprehensive policies and strategies that enable them to build and enhance their domestic semiconductor capabilities, attract foreign investment and foster regional cooperation in the tech sector. Countries like Pakistan and India also have to strike a balance in their foreign relations with China and the US in order to avoid being caught in any crossfire. Ultimately, the US-China AI race will continue to shape the global technology landscape, and South Asian nations must be prepared to navigate and adapt to these changes in order to remain competitive and relevant in the years to come.
Note: This article appeared in LSE, dated 17 April 2023.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are of the author and do not necessarily represent Institute’s policy.


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Updated: 12/26/2013 5:14 PM
Created: 12/26/2013 3:25 PM WDIO.com
By: Travis Dill
Many Northlanders got shiny new gifts for Christmas, but holiday shopping didn't stop just because Christmas has passed.
A flood of shoppers hit Miller Hill Mall on Thursday to scoop up after Christmas deals and exchange those gifts that didn't pan out.
“Get up early so we can do our exchanges before all kinds of people show up,” Jacqueline Crackel said.
She needed to exchange some jeans for a better fit, and her daughter returned a bright new ring to cover the cost of a Kindle e-book reader.
“I wanted something because I'm going to college next year. Something that I can read boos on and stuff like that,” Lydia Crackel said.
Other shopper put their electronics to work to get even better after-Christmas deals. Nicole Huber didn't fuss with cutting coupons. She said a smartphone application got her discounts at just about any store.
“Yeah, you just have to redeem it and they can just scan it on their computers,” Huber said.
She said that stretches the gift cards she got for Christmas.
“They got us like almost $200 from different stores so it's been a big help,” Huber said. “Deals have been really good so that definitely helps on top of free money from gift cards.”
A rush of shoppers arrived after lunch, but the deal hunters said there was less stress at the mall after Christmas.
“I think that before Christmas it's such a rush to get everything done, and so today is just about relaxing and shopping and not having to worry about getting things at the last minute,” Kris Henry said.
Shoppers said they did find up to 70 percent off at some stores, but with smartphones those deals could be hiding right in the palm of your hand.
Northlanders Work To Improve MN Child Protective Services
After a Minnesota boy died despite 15 reports of child abuse, Governor Mark Dayton organized a task force to improve the system and protect our kids. The group visited Duluth Wednesday for input from people in northeastern Minnesota.
Minnesota 'On the Edge' of Controlling Zebra Mussel Spread
The Department of Natural Resources has been working to stop the spread of zebra mussels in Northland lakes for years, and one local expert says they're on the edge of success.
Request Denied to Remove Judge on Peterson Case
A prosecution request to remove the judge handling the felony child abuse case against Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson has been denied.
Bilingual Signs on FDL Reservation Preserve Anishinaabe Culture
Two new bilingual signs have been put up in St. Louis County, to show the English and Ojibwe names of lakes.
Wade Stadium Gets New and Improved AstroTurf
New AstroTurf has been installed at Wade Stadium, and crews will be finishing up the final touches in the coming days. The turf means there won't be the need to water and fertilize the field next year.


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Twitter hires Google exec to run retail ad unit
- Vincent Lara-Cinisomo, Web contributor
Hirschle was head of Google's media and entertainment advertising division. He'll lead Twitter's team responsible for selling ad products to retail companies, according to a Twitter spokesman.
Hirschle is expected to start work on Oct. 28.
It's the latest in a spate of hirings at Twitter as the company prepares for its IPO. Earlier this week, the social media firm nabbed former NBC News digital chief Vivian Schiller as the head of its news operations.
Company: GOOG, TWTR
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Nvidia, the leading chipmaker, reported exceptional third quarter earnings on Tuesday, surpassing Wall Street expectations once again. The company’s adjusted earnings per share came in at an impressive $4.02, exceeding analysts’ projected $3.36. Additionally, Nvidia generated revenue of $18.12 billion, outperforming the estimated $16.1 billion.
The demand for Nvidia’s chips continues to grow as the artificial intelligence (AI) boom thrives. The company’s revenue guidance for the current quarter is equally optimistic, with expectations set at $20 billion, plus or minus 2%. Analysts had previously predicted fourth quarter guidance of $17.8 billion.
Nonetheless, the stock market response to these results remained relatively muted due to the announcement of new restrictions on chip exports to China, which will impact Nvidia’s sales. Colette Kress, NVidia’s CFO, explained that sales to China and other affected destinations, which typically account for 20-25% of Data Center revenue, are expected to decline significantly in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024.
However, Nvidia anticipates that the decline in sales from these regions will be offset by strong growth in other areas. The company’s solid performance in the data center segment, including AI chips, contributed to its success in the third quarter. Data center revenue reached $14.51 billion, surpassing analysts’ expectations of $12.82 billion.
In terms of gaming revenue, Nvidia reported $2.86 billion for the quarter, exceeding the projected $2.7 billion. Despite these positive results, Nvidia’s stock experienced a slight decline of approximately 1% after hours on Tuesday.
Nvidia has played a significant role in driving momentum within the stock market this year, gaining substantial value alongside other major tech players. As a key member of the “Magnificent Seven” stocks alongside industry giants such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Tesla, Nvidia’s influence has been unquestionable.
While the company’s stock experienced a slight dip ahead of the earnings release, it closed at a record high of $504.09 per share on Monday. Investors are closely observing Nvidia, especially given the ongoing hype around AI and the recent news of Sam Altman’s departure from OpenAI to join Microsoft.
As the AI boom continues to shape the technology sector, Nvidia’s strong performance in the market remains undeniable. Despite the challenges posed by new chip export restrictions, the company is expected to navigate these obstacles and continue its growth trajectory.
1. What were Nvidia’s third quarter earnings?
Nvidia reported adjusted earnings per share of $4.02 and revenue of $18.12 billion for the third quarter, surpassing analyst expectations.
2. What impact did the chip export restrictions have on Nvidia?
Nvidia expects a significant decline in sales to China and other affected destinations due to new chip export restrictions. However, the company believes this decline will be offset by strong growth in other regions.
3. How did Nvidia perform in the data center segment?
Nvidia’s data center revenue, which includes AI chips, reached $14.51 billion in the third quarter, exceeding analysts’ expectations.
4. Did Nvidia exceed expectations in gaming revenue?
Yes, Nvidia reported gaming revenue of $2.86 billion for the quarter, surpassing the projected $2.7 billion.
5. What is Nvidia’s position in the stock market?
Nvidia has been a driving force in the stock market this year and is considered a key member of the “Magnificent Seven” stocks, alongside Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Tesla, among others.


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Premiere Eastern, which has turned its significant expertise and local business knowledge into a highly profitable Chinese petrochemical supply business, is in discussions to acquire a string of retail petrol stations in its Guangdong Province stronghold.
The company's Non-Executive Chairman, David Wheeler, said the Chinese retail petrol sector is viewed as a major growth market opportunity.
"With a growing Chinese middle-class, buying more and better quality motor vehicles, there has been a real surge in demand for quality retail petrol outlets," Mr Wheeler said.
He noted that with the rapid growth of a number of major cities, there has also been a strong recent move to locate petrol stations on new road transport hubs outside of those centres.
"Premiere Eastern has identified a number of ideally located retail outlets that we are interested in acquiring," Mr Wheeler said.
The acquisition of these key infrastructure assets will require Premier Eastern to go to the market to raise some additional capital.
"We have received strong interest from the bond market and we are in the process of deciding the most suitable funding mechanism that will allow us to proceed with this initiative," Mr Wheeler said.
The Premiere Eastern Chairman also revealed that the company, which only listed on the ASX in February this year, is already looking at a dividend payment plan.
The company recently announced it had made a profit after tax of A$33.3 million for FY2014, an increase of 11.7% increase from its FY2013 result. Revenue for the year grew by 9.2% to A$926.9 million compared to AUD$849.2 million in FY2013.
"This is a very strong, cash generating business and we are excited about the direction we are heading in," Mr Wheeler said.
To view the video interview:
About Premiere Eastern Energy Limited
Premiere Eastern Energy Limited (ASX:PEZ) is a leading integrated supply chain manager of petrochemical products in the PRC based in the Guangdong Province, PRC. As an integrated supply chain manager, it engages in the wholesale distribution of petrochemical products including sourcing, storage, shipping, sales and marketing and after-sales services of petrochemical products in the PRC.
The Group's business focuses on the wholesale supply of Refined Petroleum and Other Petrochemicals used mainly in automobiles. The Group owns a petroleum storage facility located in Longkou City, Shandong Province, PRC with a total petroleum storage capacity of 13,500 m3 (equivalent to approximately 9,000 tonnes), comprising four petroleum storage tanks with 3,000 m3 each and three petroleum storage tanks of 500 m3 each.
Professional Public Relations (PPR)
Premiere Eastern Energy Limited


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For Miami-based Bermello Ajamil & Partners Inc., whose roots are in Florida, business opportunities have sprung up sporadically in Latin America, but the company's real focus is now a half-world away at ports in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (See related story on Page 48).
"No company has the luxury of defining itself too narrowly," says Ray Fernandez, who oversees architecture at the firm's New York office. "Economies change and we, like everyone else, have learned to adapt."
Location, Location, Location
The majority of the top Hispanic-owned exporters are monitoring the world from a key location – Florida.
Companies from the Sunshine State continue to dominate our list, although there were four fewer Florida companies this year (23) than last. Still, the $3.5 billion in exporting revenues from Florida account for 92 percent of the total exporting revenues on the list, thanks in large part to Brightstar.
Texas was second on this list with six companies, while California and Illinois tied for third with four apiece. (SEE By State Chart below.)
The rest of the Top 50 suggests new trends as other states made rare appearances, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Colorado, and Arizona. There are 15 states represented this year, compared to 10 last year.
Only one company in our top eight – HUSCO International of Waukesha, Wisconsin – is located outside of Florida. HUSCO, a manufacturer of hydraulics and electrohydraulics used for vehicles in the building infrastructure, maintained its No. 3 spot on the list, and its $100 million in export sales, by continuing to do almost half of its business abroad
A weak dollar has helped European sales and research and development costs, much of it incurred in India, "but it's also a problem when we want to purchase components abroad," says Jim Gannon, HUSCO's CFO and executive vice-president.
The wholesale sector is the overwhelming leader on the list, claiming 23 of the 50 companies and accounting for 92 percent of the total exporting revenues for the list. (SEE By Sector Chart below.)
The makeup of the Top 50 Exporters, compared to last year's list, shows many similarities. Most notably, the top four companies – Brightstar, Quirch Foods, HUSCO, and Precision Trading – finished in the same order. Among all the companies on this year's list, on average 46.8 percent of their revenues came from exports, essentially even with the previous year's 45.6 percent. But growth in overall export sales revenue was down, from the 58.6 percent seen between 2004 and 2005 to 42.6 percent from 2005 to 2006.
The exporters on the 2007 list reported sales from exports of more than $3.82 billion. That's a 48.3 percent increase from the top 50 companies on the 2006 list, whose exports reached nearly $2.58 billion. While that's a huge jump, most of it comes from the rapid export growth of the No. 1 company on the list both years, Brightstar.
The importance of exports to individual companies varies across the list.
Lopez Foods Inc., an Oklahoma-based company that ranks 34th on our list, generates less than 1 percent of its revenue from exports and there are no plans to try and increase that number. It also imports a small amount of lean beef from Australia.
The company, a provider of sausage to McDonald's, sends small sausage shipments to Hong Kong. "By the time we deal with tariffs and compete with inexpensive labor, we've lost any price advantage we might have otherwise," says Ed Sanchez, president and CEO. "From all indications, we will continue to be a domestic operation."
But Andes Chemical Corp., which is No. 6 on our Top 50 Exporters, is a 20-year-old Miami company whose business depends entirely on exporting. CEO Fernando Espinoza says Asian producers are now able to match and sometimes beat American-based companies' prices – even after paying transocean freight costs.
"Don't ask me how they do it, but they're undercutting us on some goods," says Mr. Espinoza, whose firm's exports of 2,000 chemical epoxy and resin products rose 7.8 percent to $34.78 million in 2006. The lesson, he says, is that seemingly small details such as currency fluctuations and tariff changes can make "all the difference in the world."
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The New Orleans Creative Glass Institute (3924B, Conti St., 482-6003; www.nocgi.org) is holding its second annual Holiday Glass Blast on Saturday, Nov. 24, from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Shoppers will enjoy glass blowing demonstrations and significant savings — as all glass pieces, including bowls, sculpture, vases, picture frames and blown-glass ornaments, will be on sale.
Buffalo Exchange (3312 Magazine St., 891-7443; www.buffaloexchange.com) is partnering with the Humane Society of the United States for its annual Coats for Cubs campaign. Now through Earth Day (April 22), you can donate your real fur apparel — including trims, accessories and shearling —at Buffalo Exchange. Used furs — whether in good or poor condition — will be used to provide bedding and comfort to orphaned and injured wildlife. For more information, visit www.humanesociety.org/coatsforcubs.
Stop into Rubensteins (102 St. Charles Ave., 581-6666; www.rubensteinsneworleans.com) to see the newly renovated first-floor men's department complete with Venetian plaster facades and walnut woodwork. The Ladies' Shop on the second floor remains open and will be part of phase two of the store's $2.5-million renovation project next year.
M.S. Rau Antiques' (630 Royal St., 523-5660; www.rauantiques.com) special-edition fine jewelry catalog is now available online at the store's Web site. The catalog features 240 pieces of jewelry set with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, pearls and other gemstones.
Send information about trunk shows, new product lines, sales and in-store events to Kara Nelson at email@example.com, call 483-3107, or fax 483-3116. Information should be received 10 days prior to publication.


text: USA Today writes Gov. Phil Murphy on Friday signed a bill to create a report card that is designed to give New Jersey’s expectant parents more insight into the quality of their hospitals’ maternity care. The report card is expected to take into account the number of cesarean deliveries and the rate of complications. The New Jersey Report Card of Hospital Maternity Care will be developed by the state Department of Health. It will appear on its website and be updated annually.