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As a raucous year in the media industry winds to a close, Puck’s streaming analytics expert Julia Alexander sat down with star media reporter Dylan Byers to exchange notes on the biggest plot lines, industrial transformations, and M&A cliffhangers across Hollywood and Wall Street.
Dylan Byers: Happy Holidays, Julia! I was reading Puck’s second annual Guide to Mirth and Merriment this week and noted that you’re an avid whiskey drinker like me, which made me wish we were in the same city and could have this conversation over a glass of bourbon. Alas! Anyway, I wanted to catch up with you on a few of our other shared interests, most notably Hollywood and the state of the streaming industry, and take stock of where things stand before we head into the holidays and the new year.
First, Hollywood’s talking point du jour: Disney, and Bob Iger’s semi-triumphant return to the Magic Kingdom. There’s a lot of speculation that he’s come back to position the company for some grand new deal. On The Town, our partner Matt Belloni’s podcast, former ESPN chief John Skipper floated a rumor about Apple acquiring Disney. I have it on good authority that that’s not on the table right now. The regulatory climate makes it impossible, of course, and Apple doesn’t want to be in the theme parks/cruise business anyway, much less manage the inexorable decline of the linear assets. But despite the rumor mill, it seems like Iger has a lot more immediate issues facing him before he can even begin to think about M&A, and most notably when it comes to the future of Hulu and the growth of Disney+. What do you make of Iger’s current predicament, and what can we expect him to do in the D.T.C. space in the months and years ahead?
Julia Alexander: Iger’s biggest problem, really, is expectations. Disney+ has seen significant growth since it launched three years ago, but so have the costs of the business. Before he left, Iger promised between 60 and 90 million subscribers by fiscal 2024. Bob Chapek, watching streaming adoption accelerate during the pandemic, increased those projections by 3-4x, vowing to onboard 230-260 million subscribers in the same period. That massive change to guidance—which was completely unnecessary when you consider that Wall Street cares far more about whether goals are hit, revenue is continuous, and costs are managed—was a sword over Chapek’s head with each subsequent earnings call, especially as subscriber growth started to slow across the industry and churn rates increased. And he hung it there himself!
Now, of course, the focus has shifted industry-wide to average revenue per user, not just growth, and even this comes with a bunch of asterisks that Iger will have to explain to shareholders and analysts. For example, the bundle. It’s a core facet of Disney’s streaming approach domestically, but we don’t really know how revenue breaks down per user. If, as Chapek said, 40 percent of new customers are choosing the bundle as Chapek said, which is great for inflating ESPN+ and Hulu numbers, the consequential question becomes simple: is the average revenue stronger or weaker than individual subscriptions, and how does that affect Disney’s overall D.T.C. bottom line?
To your point, one of the big buys on the horizon is Comcast’s stake in Hulu. That’s an easy $9 billion purchase, but it has divided analysts. Personally, I’ve argued that it’s an essential part of Disney’s bigger plan to reduce churn and increase perceived value amongst customers. Hulu with Live TV is growing as customers find their way back to live programming and it’s also a strong ad business for Disney. To be clear: Iger’s biggest advantage (outside of being the guy who ran the company for 15 years) is having the ability to watch from the outside, talk to others, listen, learn, and plan for a better approach to Disney streaming, which Chapek seemingly didn’t have the time or interest in doing.
But I feel like we can’t talk about Disney’s future streaming plans without talking about ESPN, an area you know very well. I’m curious to get your take on what may happen with ESPN and, more broadly, with sports in general, including at Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, Paramount, and newcomer giants like Amazon and Apple.
Dylan: Live sports rights really are the great X factor in this whole equation. The declining linear business is being kept aloft by sports—mainly the NFL and college football, which account for the most-watched programs every single week in the fall. But it’s such a shitty deal for the broadcasters because the leagues have all the leverage. So they have to spend increasingly astronomical sums to rent—rent!—content that they almost never recoup. Of course, football has always been a loss leader. Mediacos pay for the rights on Sunday so they can market a week’s worth of programming and pick up the revenue there. But those economics are becoming less favorable for legacy broadcasters as the audience for primetime sitcoms and morning TV shrinks. But what can they do!? They’ve never needed sports more.
The companies that can afford to pay sky-high prices for sports are, of course, the big tech firms. So with each new round of rights negotiations we’re going to see Apple, Amazon, and Google take a greater slice of the pie while legacy mediacos get boxed out. You mentioned ESPN; the current bidding war for NFL Sunday Ticket is a perfect example of an area where they just can’t compete anymore, because they can’t justify the expense. I’m now told that Apple, once seen as a frontrunner for the rights, has also backed out of those negotiations—not because they can’t afford it, but because they don’t see the logic. So it’s down to Amazon and Google, and there’s certainly a logic there for both companies: Amazon can use it to drive Prime subscriptions; Google can use it to fuel its YouTube TV business.
So, where does ESPN fit into all this? As I reported a few months back, Chapek decided to keep ESPN in the Disney portfolio after exploring the rationale for a spin-off. I anticipate Iger sees the logic in keeping it as well. It’s an incredibly powerful brand and it drives massive revenue for Disney at a time when the company really needs revenue. Nevertheless, they need to get more aggressive on the streaming side and increase the value proposition behind ESPN+, because that’s obviously the future for most consumers. But I’m really not sure how they do that given the linear commitments. And even potential growth areas like Major League Soccer are now becoming exclusive to Apple, with Fox as a broadcast partner. So there really aren’t any easy answers here.
But you’ve written some very smart pieces about sports streaming in recent weeks. What do you think?
Julia: It’s a great opportunity for the leagues more than anyone else. Access to the major American sports leagues—the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL—are growing in demand as social video platforms create year-round interest instead of relying on seasonal peaks. While the linear networks (and their parentcos) will continue to ensure they have the ability to simulcast the games and matches that they own the rights to (ESPN games airing on ESPN+, NBC games airing on Peacock, etc.), you’ll also see more of an effort to push exclusive games to streaming services. The best way to onboard new customers is to have something they need to watch. If there’s Tom Brady facing off against Aaron Rodgers, I’ll pay for whatever streaming service I need.
That increased level of demand for live sports, alongside an accelerated pace of cord cutting heading into 2023, has allowed the leagues to make the most of their content with partners. Look at MLB—some games go to YouTube, some games are on Apple TV+, some games are on ESPN, and so on. That can become frustrating for consumers. But if there are new ways to split up packages of games and train audiences on where to find them, the leagues have an opportunity to expand their audience, even as it’s fragmenting.
This isn’t something that the networks are going to want. Even with Amazon taking Thursday Night Football, it’s not like the NFL is going to go game by game and divvy up its titles. The NFL doesn’t need that. But other sports leagues can take advantage of meeting a wider spectrum of fans across platforms to create more interest in the league both on TV screens and in arenas or stadiums.
I also expect to see way, way more attempts to create year-round entertainment based on the leagues and the players that isn’t beholden to the season calendar. F1 rights jumped from $15 million in 2019 to $75 million in 2022 because of heightened interest—driven in large part by the massive success of F1: Drive to Survive on Netflix. It also creates a new inventory for advertising when the leagues are out of session.
Dylan: This, in my mind, is actually one of the most fascinating aspects of the sports-media equation: how do you build sustained interest across the year and off the field, or outside of the arena? This is really a marketing question, and despite the proliferation of documentary series like Hard Knocks and All Or Nothing, it still seems like there’s a long way to go here.
Football will certainly take care of itself, but there are less popular sports whose fates depend heavily on the marketing piece. You mentioned baseball. It may be our national pastime, but it’s withering on the vine right now, with a mostly older audience. I know the league is sort of perpetually considering rule changes, often ill-advised, to speed up the game. But what they really need to do is tell stories and establish characters who capture the national imagination. You know, there’s a case to be made that the best athlete in the world right now isn’t Brady or Messi or LeBron, but Shohei Ohtani. And yet the vast majority of Americans wouldn’t know him from Adam.
I’m also very interested in Major League Soccer’s growth potential, and curious to see how Apple harnesses the growing infusion of international talent into the league—Messi to Miami, perhaps?—to market its new asset.
Julia: This year was a big moment in advertising for streamers. Netflix and Disney+ debuted advertising tiers, following HBO Max’s move in 2021. It’s a key, pivotal period as Wall Street looks more at revenue and eventual profit instead of pure subscriber growth. What’s your take on the streamers trying to break into the ad market space, especially against competitors with strong advertising relationships including NBCUniversal’s Peacock and Paramount’s Paramount+?
Dylan: It feels like a waving of the white flag, doesn’t it? How many years did Reed Hastings offer an emphatic “No” when asked if Netflix would introduce advertising? But of course it makes total sense. A cheaper, ad supported tier significantly expands the subscriber base and provides much-needed revenue. Advertisers spent a projected $65-70 billion on TV ads this year, and will probably spend more next year. No one—certainly not Netflix, not Disney—is in a position to turn down that money.
As for the advertiser relationships? Sure, NBCUniversal and Paramount have greased a lot of palms over the years. But, advertisers go where the eyeballs are. So, I’d rather be Reed Hastings than Jeff Shell.
Speaking of Hastings, you wrote a very smart piece recently on the Netflix hit factory paradox, and the streamer’s need to create more experimental and global programming to raise engagement outside of its core audience. Do you get the sense that the folks there are aware of that challenge?
Julia: I do. Netflix had one of its biggest years on record for hits—nearly 60 percent of the top 11 English-speaking debuts premiered in 2022—but subscriber growth turned into a subscriber slump. Guidance for Q4 is also about half of what the company saw in Q4 2021. It’s a pivotal moment for the company. Big hits like Wednesday and Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story are crucial for Netflix’s global branding and maintaining those cultural zeitgeist elements. They’re also crucial from a pure engagement standpoint now that advertising is becoming a core value for the company.
But as Netflix focuses its attentions on global growth, including hyper localized hits for emerging regions, trying to scale international hits with strong travelability features (like South Korea’s Extraordinary Attorney Woo or Spain’s Elite) is increasingly important. Not only do these shows cost a fraction of a Ryan Murphy overall deal or the marketing spend on Wednesday, but they can tap into audiences that Netflix isn’t already serving. It’s a complex issue. While Netflix needs and wants more Stranger Things and Squid Games, the company also needs its smaller fare to engage high risk churn subscribers and appeal to “taste clusters” in the 200+ countries that it operates in.
Way easier said than done, but unlike others in the industry, I think if any company is in the right position to pull it off, it’s Netflix. I often think about how crucial YouTube was in helping to make anime popular stateside because people had access to large swaths of content outside of the few series licensed to American networks. YouTube also helped grow K-Pop and Latin American music in the U.S. and globally. These native efforts took years to produce a global effect. Already, Netflix is quickly seeing incremental growth in consumption of its international series. I suspect that will only continue to grow.


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release date Leaks
Is Bloodborne Remastered arriving on PS5 soon or is even an announcement happening in the coming days?
There have been frequent and persistent rumors since 2020 about an upcoming remaster for PS5 followed by a PC port.
Insider Nick Baker has confirmed from his sources that Sony’s PlayStation Showcase event will take place on Thursday,
Bloodborne official story trailer

domain: news


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MONTREAL, Canada--ProDrive Systems Inc., a company that develops high-performance upgrade turbines for leading brand handpieces, has announced the release of the Midwest XGT ProDrive Upgrade Turbine.
With the release, a total of nine models now are available. ProDrive turbines are currently available for:
* Kavo models: 632, 633, 635, 642 and 645
* Midwest models: Tradition Push Button, Tradition Lever and XGT
* Star 430
The patented ProDrive System improves handpiece cut speed, provides smoother cutting and accuracy in cut when compared to the same handpiece with a traditional friction grip turbine.
Extensive engineering tests demonstrate that Kavo, Midwest and Star handpieces upgraded to ProDrive provide substantially improved performance and significant efficiency improvements to the dentist.
"The early response from our customers is overwhelmingly positive. We receive passionate feedback daily from dentists who realize how much we can enhance their existing handpiece. This ongoing positive feedback demonstrates the performance improvements measured in our test-labs and translate into major benefits to dentists in their everyday practice," said Richard St. Pierre, COO, ProDrive Systems Inc.
After 4.5 years of extensive research and development, and widespread field trials across North America, ProDrive products were commercially launched in January 2009.
ProDrive products are currently available through Atlanta Dental, Goetze Dental and Iowa Dental, and will be available through other American Dental Cooperative members throughout 2009.
Visit ProDrive Systems for more information.
To read more about ProDrive, go to ProDrive Systems.
To comment on this product, go to PennWell Dental Community site.


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Bragg Gaming Group appoints former 888 US chief Yaniv Sherman as new CEO
Sherman joins the business from 888, where he most recently served as the operator’s senior vice president and head of US.
In that role, Sherman oversaw the creation of a 15-year joint venture which allows 888 to use the Sports Illustrated brand in the US. He also signed new partnerships with the Delaware Lottery and Caesars Entertainment, and developed 888’s US customer support and online marketing teams.
In addition, Sherman also headed 888’s bingo-focused B2B arm Dragonfish, before facilitating its divestment from the business in 2021.
Prior to his role as head of US, Sherman was SVP and head of commercial development at 888, during which time he oversaw corporate development, gaming content and electronic payments partnerships, as well as market research and competitive intelligence.
Yaniv Sherman: “I am honoured and excited to join Bragg’s strong and deep leadership team and help drive the company’s ongoing growth.”
Commenting on Sherman’s appointment, Bragg chairman Godfrey said: “We’re delighted to welcome Yaniv Sherman to Bragg Gaming Group as our new chief executive officer.
“His extensive industry experience and strong record of success, including many years of senior management leadership and accomplishments for a leading global iGaming operator, makes him ideally suited to lead the company’s ongoing execution of our successful growth initiatives.”
Sherman added: “I am honoured and excited to join Bragg’s strong and deep leadership team and help drive the company’s ongoing growth.
“Bragg’s business momentum reflects consistent execution on its strategic growth initiatives, including its successful entry into new European regulated iGaming markets since the beginning of 2021.
“In addition, the recent additions of the Spin Games and Wild Streak Gaming studios represent an attractive opportunity for growth and continued expansion of Bragg’s offerings in the North American market, as they integrate their content, products and services with the core Bragg team and platform to offer a differentiated, best-in-class online gaming proposition to existing and future partners,” he added.


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DENVER, Aug. 24, 2016 – Northstar Commercial Partners held a successful groundbreaking ceremony of a 5.00-acre vacant parcel of land in Golden, CO set to become the “Avalanche Harley-Davidson” retail sales facility.
The facility will feature a single-level +33,080 SF building and a +29,930 SF full basement. Located at 18420 W. Colfax Ave, the Avalanche Harley-Davidson development will be the first development on the 22-acre Gateway Village site owned by Northstar Commercial Partners. Well-known as the closest commercially zoned land to Red Rocks Amphitheater, the site offers Harley-Davidson bikers and visitors expansive mountain views, outstanding outdoor activities, and convenient access to major highways.
“We have absolutely loved working alongside friends at Harley-Davidson to bring this classic American icon to Gateway Village inGolden,” said Brian Watson, Founder & CEO of Northstar.
“For decades, Harley-Davidson has been synonymous with freedom, the American spirit, and adventure. This also taps into the fiercely independent identity of Coloradans and Northstar can’t wait to foster more of this with Avalanche Harley-Davidson as we come together to create new opportunity in the area.”
Northstar was joined by the team from Harley-Davidson, commercial brokerage NavPoint, constructors Golden Triangle Construction, and other friends of the project.
“As the sales and leasing firm for Gateway Village at Red Rocks, the entire NavPoint team is thrilled to have Avalanche Harley-Davidson coming to this premiere I-70 site,” said NavPoint Principal, Matt Call. “We have no doubt that the myriad deals we’re currently finalizing will make this project a focal point in the West Denver market over the next several years.”
Avalanche Harley-Davidson is currently the #3 dealership in the country for new bike sales by volume and with their new facility at Gateway Village they hope to see that trend continue.
“The team at Avalanche has worked so hard and come so far. You could never find a more dedicated team with so much passion for what they do. I feel like things could not be more aligned for us,” said Harry Sherrell, General Manger for Avalanche Harley-Davidson. “We have one of the most powerful brands in the world leading the way. Timing, hard work and opportunity have all crossed paths…The dream of being the destination store at the gateway of the Rocky Mountains is now under construction!”
Avalanche Harley-Davidson will be built on the northernmost lot of Gateway Village and will create opportunity for the site’s remaining 15 acres currently available for purchase, along with retail space for lease. In addition to a Harley-Davidson bike giveaway that happened at the groundbreaking, there will be additional bike giveaways from now to the end of the year for brokers who meet various goals.
The Avalanche Harley-Davidson development is yet another endeavor to revitalize vacant and unproductive land. Part of its ongoing commitment to strengthen communities and open the door for new opportunity for businesses and individuals, Northstar Commercial Partners purchased Gateway Village in 2013 and has since installed road and utility infrastructure.
About Northstar Commercial Partners
To learn more about the positive vision along with the current work and initiatives of Northstar, please visit northstarcommercialpartners.com and view the new video on our homepage. Should you have any deals or if you would like to lease office, industrial, or retail space from Northstar Commercial Partners in Denver or throughout 17 states across the U.S., send us a note here: www.northstarcommercialpartners.com/contact/. We’d love to hear from you.


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Beginning in fall 2003, Americans will have more colorful bills filling their wallets. The new bills, code-named Nexgen, are intended to deter counterfeiting, according to the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve.
The colored bills will initially be in denominations of $100, $50 and $20. The new bills will remain the same size and use similar portraits and historical images as current ones, but will include subtle background colors. The color itself is not an anti-counterfeiting device, but provides the opportunity to add additional features that will make fake bills more noticeable.
"We all want to stay ahead of the technology curve by working together to introduce security features that enhance securities of United States currency," according to Marc Connolly, special agent at the Secret Service.
The Nexgen series of currency will retain security features of existing federal notes, including watermarks, security threads that glow under ultraviolet light, micro-printing, and color-shifting ink that changes color when the bill is twisted.
The new security measures are needed to thwart home-grown counterfeiters taking advantage of inexpensive computer and desktop printing technology. "Because of advancements in technology, we'll have to redesign currency every 10 years," said Jim Hagedorn, spokesman for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.


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denim brand Archives
Meet Unspun, the innovative brand using 3D tech to create custom-fit jeans
Unspun is a robotics and digital apparel company based in Hong Kong and San Francisco that builds custom jeans for each ...
Q&A: Par Lundqvist, Neuw Denim
We chat with the creative director about how he began his career in fashion.
Q&A: Here’s how to be global and act local
We chat with Jack and Jones country director Rikke Dahl-Thorup about the lessons she’s learnt since working at global fa...
Denim brand launches Japan e-commerce
Los Angeles based premium denim brand Citizens of Humanity will launch an e-commerce offer in Japan. The website will in...


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It’s no secret that the music industry has been mired in controversy for raking in profits mostly for producers and record labels then leaving very little to artists themselves. This has been a prevailing issue, even as the rise in music streaming has offered more convenient and streamlined ways to listen to songs.
Even Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has spoken up about this issue when it comes to Apple’s streaming services and has protested against Spotify’s music streaming terms. Bitcoin enthusiasts say that the cryptocurrency might be able to solve all this.
Bitcoin and Music Streaming
“It’s a typical collective-action problem, where everybody is benefiting in a small way from the inefficiencies in the way things are done,” said D.A. Wallach, a Spotify resident artist of four years. He posted a suggestion to incorporate bitcoin in the music industry through a blog post on Medium entitled “Bitcoin for Rockstars.”
In his entry, he shares that the cryptocurrency can be used for a blockchain-based distribution system. Blockchain refers to the public ledger of bitcoin transactions, which is updated by a network of computers solving complex algorithms to make verifications.
To apply this in the music industry would require the creation of a system that tracks when music is played and who


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Lithium-Ion Battery and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Semi Trucks Are the Future of Heavy-Duty Transport
The semi truck is king of the road.
Weighing in at over 33,000 pounds, these beasts are nearly 10 times heavier than a small passenger car.
Driving on the road with these monsters can be anxiety inducing. No one likes being stuck driving between two semis.
Sometimes it can be downright aggravating. You can't see around them, they're slow to take off... you know the deal.
But trucking is truly important. Everything is shipped via truck: clothing, food, furniture, electronics, even truck parts. Chances are you couldn't find a consumer product in your house that wasn't shipped via truck before you bought it.
The American Trucking Association estimates 71% of all American freight tonnage is shipped via truck. Basically, nothing gets delivered without a truck of some sort somewhere along the way.
There are more than 15.5 million trucks on American roads today, and 3.6 million of those are heavy-duty semi trucks.
That means just as many jobs and a huge contribution to the GDP overall.
The U.S. Department of Commerce reports that spending in the American logistics and transportation industry totaled $1.4 trillion in 2016, 7.5% of U.S. GDP that year. And that doesn't include the contribution of jobs to the economy at large.
No doubt, trucking is a huge industry. And amid the low-emission vehicle revolution, trucks have not been completely overlooked.
Major automakers like Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) and Toyota (NYSE: TM) are currently developing low-emission heavy-duty semi-trailer trucks. Both have even already produced prototypes.
Tesla unveiled a prototype of an all-electric battery-powered Class 8 semi back in November 2017. The company expects production of the vehicle next year.
Meanwhile, Toyota revealed a testing model for a hydrogen fuel cell-powered semi-trailer truck a few weeks ago.
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|The Tesla Semi||Toyota's Project Portal Hydrogen
Fuel Cell Class 8 Truck
Both Tesla's battery-powered semi and Toyota's fuel cell truck have comparable driving ranges — between 300 and 500 miles. But that's just a fraction of the range of a traditional diesel-powered semi-trailer truck with full tanks.
With dual 150-gallon tanks and an average of 7 MPG, a diesel semi-trailer truck has a nonstop range of more than 2,000 miles.
Nevertheless, we should expect the driving ranges of Tesla's and Toyota's semi-trailer trucks to increase over time, as both companies continue developments in their zero-emission projects.
But Toyota is a step behind Tesla in the zero-emission truck department. And that's due to the technology.
Hydrogen fuel cell technology is not as far developed as the tech inside Elon Musk's battery-powered cars. That means costs of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are still very high.
To date, less than 7,000 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have been sold globally
Toyota hopes to turn this around with continued development and lowered costs. The company has been producing a hydrogen fuel cell passenger car called the Mirai for retail. But both production and sale have remained very low. To date, Toyota has only sold about 3,000 Mirais.
The company expects, however, to be in full-scale commercial production with its fuel cell passenger cars and heavy-duty trucks by 2025.
Drawn in by the sheer size of the opportunity, smaller vehicle manufacturers are also dipping their toes in the zero-emission trucking waters.
Hydrogen-powered semi truck startup Nikola Motor Company (private) is developing electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell trucks for the commercial market.
The company has secured hundreds of millions of dollars in financing and already has a deal with Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD) to deliver up to 800 zero-emission big rigs beginning in 2020.
Nikola says its trucks have a range up to 1,200 miles. That's more than both Tesla's and Toyota's trucks, but still far below the range of a traditional semi with full tanks.
Still, all of these companies remain ahead of the curve in regards to zero-emission vehicle production. And heavy-duty transport remains mostly overlooked by investors in the EV market.
When we think of automakers, we first tend to think of passenger cars. And that's expected. For most of us, that's what we're used to using every day.
But as we've already talked about, trucking is a huge part of the transportation industry. And as low-emission regulations expand all over the world, companies with developed zero-emission trucking solutions will be default leaders in the industry.
Until next time,
As an editor at Energy and Capital, Luke’s analysis and market research reach hundreds of thousands of investors every day. Luke is also a contributing editor of Angel Publishing’s Bull and Bust Report newsletter. There, he helps investors in leveraging the future supply-demand imbalance that he believes could be key to a cyclical upswing in the hard asset markets. For more on Luke, go to his editor’s page.
Energy Demand will Increase 58% Over the Next 25 Years
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January 17, 2013
Building on the success of the ad campaign for Fall/Winter 2012, KENZO and its Creative Directors Carol Lim and Humberto Leon are once again excited to announce their collaboration with world-renowned artist Jean-Paul Goude for Spring/Summer 2013. The ‘X Campaign', as…
KENZO Spring/Summer 2013 ‘X Campaign' by Jean-Paul Goude is a post by Brian Farmer on Highsnobiety.
Read entire article on High Sonobiety


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The growth of global brands in India is not limited to gaming companies only. International brands in the business of gaming peripherals like joysticks, gamepads, gaming keywords, chairs, wireless gaming devices and others are also taking India seriously, thanks to the increasing number of gamers in the country. Image: Shutterstock
As the Indian gaming market matures both from a demand and supply perspective, global brands that set shop in India are working on a detailed roadmap for the market. From introducing Indian characters in their games, to designing market specific campaigns and amplifying mergers and acquisitions-the focus on India is stronger than ever before.
Alongside being home to successful gaming companies, India is fast becoming one of the most important markets for global players.
“Home to an incredibly passionate and ever-growing gaming community, India is a vital market for Riot Games,” says Ashish Gupta, marketing lead, India and South Asia at California based Riot Games.
Localization in content
Just a couple of months back, Riot Games introduced their first Indian agent, Agent Harbor, aka Varun Batra for Valorant. In an outdoor campaign following the launch, they also unveiled a 8,400 sq ft long mural art and over fifteen billboards spread across the country to celebrate the success of its first desi agent.
“Hyper localization is a key component in our player-focused mission and keeping that in mind, we recently introduced a new map in our latest VALORANT episode, Lotus. The location and the design of the map has been inspired from traditional Indian stepwells, rock-cut architecture and Dravidian style structures,” Gupta added.
Strengthening local partnerships
A recent report by Lumikai Investment Advisors says that India’s gaming market hit $2.6 billion in FY22 and is projected to reach $8.6 billion in FY27. At 17%, the country had the highest share of game downloads globally in the year gone by. Naturally, global brands with Indian outfits are strengthening their presence in the country. For most of these brands, one of the key ways to gain a foothold in the country is by partnering with homegrown companies in the space.
Riot Games for instance for their desi character launch initiative tied up with a host of gaming and esports companies and teams in India. Orangutan is one of them.
Partnership initiatives are mostly in the form of joint campaigns, launches or strategic investments.
KRAFTON, Inc for instance has invested over $100 million in the Indian market across fields of interactive entertainment, gaming, Esports platforms, technology, and other community platforms. Some of these companies are NODWIN, Loco from the gaming ecosystem, Partilipi and KukuFM on ideas and content, and other companies such as Nautilus Mobile and LILA Games that are game developers.
“KRAFTON, Inc. sees immense potential in Indian IPs not just for growth within India itself but globally as well,” says Sean Hyunil Sohn, CEO, KRAFTON, Inc. India.
We will continue to foster the development of the Indian gaming industry by strategically investing in India’s IT and media ecosystem and creating employment effects,” he added.
Growth of ancillary businesses
Marketers across categories can hardly ignore the 507 million Indian gamers in the country.
The growth of global brands in India is not limited to gaming companies only. International brands in the business of gaming peripherals like joysticks, gamepads, gaming keywords, chairs, wireless gaming devices and others are also taking India seriously. Thanks to the increasing number of gamers in the country.
To increase visibility, reach and recall they sponsored esports teams such as Orangutan and Revenant and will be venturing into sports IPs soon.
The company is spending heavily in influencer marketing and also tweaked their launch strategy as compared to their Canada and Middle East launches. Alongside launching with their original collection they also put together a special edition of vintage chairs to suit the Indian clientele's taste.
“For customer acquisition acquisition, we are offering 0% - 6-month financing and other tactics such as cash backs. Overall, we have to spend money to acquire our customers, but despite the price point, we have seen a double-digit consumer return rate,” says Krutik Patel, Founder & CEO, Cybeart.
While there is an affordable range too, Cybeart gaming chains can go up to Rs 42,000.
Mergers, acquisitions and funding programmes
The last two years put the Indian gaming industry on the global investor’s itinerary. Lumikai reports say, funding in 2022 was up 380% as compared to 2019 and up 23% against that in 2020 with Indian gaming companies raising a total of $2.8 billion in the last 5 years.
Leading global funds such as Makers Fund, Tiger Global, Play Ventures and Griffin Gaming Partners funds are actively investing in the Indian gaming business. Some of the beneficiaries in these fundings were Dream11, WinZo, Loco, Stellar Play, Games 24X7, MPL, All Star Games, Stellar Play and WinZo.
Alongside fundings, there were M&A deals signed too. Sweden's MTG acquiring Karnataka based Indian PlaySimple Games for $360 million is one such example. Then there was QYOU Media Inc acquiring a majority ownership stake in Maxamtech Digital Ventures. While the purchase price has not been disclosed, the company has announced their target of complete takeover in the coming quarters.


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‘MultiVersus’ Shutdown Until 2024 Sparks Fan Backlash
Player First Games has announced that its 2022 fighting game MultiVersus is shutting down until 2024, claiming the game’s open beta has come to an end.
The news was announced by Player First Games co-founder Tony Huynh, who spoke to fans through the below video.
In the video, Huynh shared that MultiVersus had remained in open beta since it launched in July 2022. However, that’s coming to end on June 25, 2023, as Huynh outlined plans to take the game offline until 2024.
“Our Open Beta has been an important learning opportunity for us and a stepping stone to the next phase of MultiVersus,” said Huynh. “As a result, we have a clearer view of what we need to focus on, specifically the content cadence of new characters, maps and modes to give you more ways to enjoy the game, along with updated netcode and more matchmaking improvements.”
“To do this the right way, we will be closing the MultiVersus Open Beta on June 25, 2023,” announced Huynh. “As part of this process, we’ll be pausing updates and taking the game offline as we prepare for the launch of MultiVersus, which we are targeting for early 2024.”
Hunyh explained that “all online modes and features” will be unavailable until MultiVersus‘ relaunch. Meanwhile, a FAQ on MultiVersus‘ website has confirmed that players will not be offered refunds for their in-game purchases, which will instead carry over to MultiVersus‘ launch next year.
The announcement from Player First Games has been met with anger from fans. Some have pointed out that players who purchased in-game cosmetics or Founder’s Pack editions – which ranged from £32.99 to £79.99 in price – will have their purchase taken away from them until 2024.
Feels weird when ppl actively spent money on the game 💀
— GamesCage – Hype Guy (@OnTheDownLoTho) March 27, 2023
Same. I bought the $100 founders pack too. Didn’t realize I was paying for temporary beta access.
— VADO (@vadorant) March 27, 2023
Due to this, players have called for fans to request refunds via their platform’s publisher.
Others have claimed that Player First Games lacked transparency, and sold microtransactions without being clear about its intention to take MultiVersus offline. Meanwhile, some players were just surprised that MultiVersus was still in beta.
AINT NO WAY THIS GAME WAS IN BETA LOL
— Johnny 🔥 (@JohnnyLockson) March 27, 2023
Back in 2022, Huynh said the game’s open beta would “hopefully be permanent” unless the studio found “some really awful bugs”.
Despite still being in beta, MultiVersus won Best Fighting Game at The Game Awards 2022.
The Insidexpress is now on Telegram and Google News. Join us on Telegram and Google News, and stay updated.


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Seat has adapted its range of vehicles in recent years. Just seven years ago, the Spanish-born brand didn’t have any crossover or SUV options, but today there are three such models to choose from, ranging from the compact Arona to the seven-passenger Tarraco.
Despite this commitment to SUVs, Seat has not forgotten its core models, including the Ibiza , a vehicle that has sold more than six million units globally since its debut in 1984. This hatchback opened the door to the brand in the Mexican market.
“Seat has achieved that this car has an organic integration with the new generations. The design has evolved and has been coupled to the time. In fact, in its recent facelift (update), the design was practically not touched and rather updates were made inside, “said Juan Pablo Gómez, director of Seat in Mexico.
With a sporty appearance, a 355-litre trunk and plenty of space in the rear, this model has managed to remain one of Seat’s sales pillars. In 2021 it was the best-selling model of the Spanish brand now owned by the Volkswagen Group. “More than 50% of the brand’s sales volume is concentrated in Ibiza,” explained Gómez.
Ibiza is one of the few hatchbacks to remain bestsellers in Mexico, amid an avalanche of SUVs and crossovers taking over sales floors. However, the model has an equivalent crossover: Arona .
The model went on sale in 2017 and is the smallest SUV in the Spanish brand’s range. It sits below the compact Ateca and the seven-seater Tarraco, and features the same sharp styling cues that are common across the Seat range. Although it is mounted on the same platform as the Ibiza, unlike the hatchback, the Arona is eight centimeters longer and almost eleven centimeters taller.
Arona is the second best-selling model of the brand in Mexico. “It represents about 30% of our sales in the market,” said Gómez.
For Seat, having two bestsellers based on the same platform, one higher than the other, is a winning formula. A few extra inches of height motivates buyers to spend several thousand pesos more. While Ibiza costs 299,900 pesos, the price of Arona starts at 379,900 pesos.
Both models, in addition to the renewal of the Leon compact hatchback , boosted the brand’s sales in 2021.
“But the beginning of the year is costing us a lot due to complications at the international level,” said Gómez. “(Inventory of) Seat Ibiza is arriving, although not enough as we wanted. We used to sell more than 1,000 a month, in the best of times. (In the last three months the average monthly sale is 700 units). But little by little more product will arrive. And we expect the same from the Seat Arona”, he added.
The manager said he is confident that in the coming weeks he will have “a robust inventory.” “It hasn’t been easy, if it’s not one thing, it’s another, and that’s complicating the offer,” Gómez said.


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The White House has made a new offer to Democrats of $1.8 trillion in a bid to break months of deadlock over a stalled stimulus bill.
Luxury Supercar Rentals Dubai is bringing accessibility to those that want to stand out from the crowd
Luxury Supercar Rentals Dubai has risen to prominence in 2020 thanks to its unique offer of luxury cars to the local and international business community.
Entrepreneur Jeff Lopes inspires next generation of business leaders with new Podcast Show
Jeff Lopes’ new Podcast series The Jeff Knows Inc. Show is helping the next generation of entrepreneurs succeed in business.
Yogisuperpug becomes global TikTok sensation after being bullied by other dogs
Yogi is setting Trends on TikTok through his Yogisuperpug channel following a difficult upbringing where he was badly bullied by other dogs.
Valencia becomes a top European destination for American entrepreneurs and families
Americans are increasingly looking toward some of Europe’s top destinations including Valencia in Spain to re-locate and invest in overseas real estate.
Forbes Lister CEO Has the Best Advice for These 12 y/o YouTubers
Jake Nelson and Calum Bryant are the 12-year-old go-getters behind the JC TeaTalks podcast on YouTube.
Trump Red Biden Blue campaign seeks to empower activists ahead of November election
Trump Red Biden Blue, a grassroots campaign set up by author John Michael Carroll, is seeking to swing the vote in crucial key states ahead of election day with the #30DaysToWin challenge.
Noyette unveils sustainable clothing range and size inclusive dresses
California based clothing brand Noyette has unveiled its latest size inclusive dresses made with sustainable fabrics.
Lady Gaga wins Artist of the Year at 2020 MTV Video Music Awards
Lady Gaga stole the show at this year’s VMA’s, taking home the Artist of the Year award.
How UltaHost is providing affordable VPS web hosting to businesses
UltaHost, one of America’s leading VPS hosting companies has launched a number of new services to help business owners get off the ground to launch their websites and applications.


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Amazon’s biggest sale of the year, Prime Day, is going on right now, and gamers can get a steal on one of the more popular video games that launched this year. The Last of Us 2 is currently available on Amazon for PS4 gamers for $40. That price is reportedly the lowest since the game launched in June.
Players who aren’t particularly into multiplayer gaming online, I particularly enjoyed the game because it has a long single-player story. Those who buy the game and are PlayStation Plus subscribers and intend to get a PS5 will be able to play the game on that console as well.
The game is one of many that are backwards compatible with the PlayStation 5. That is assuming players purchase the version with the physical drive, which will be needed to play disc-based games.
A digital copy is also downloadable on the PlayStation 5. Many excellent deals are going during Prime Day, and it’s a great time to stock up for Christmas right around the corner. Prime Day is technically over, but the game is still available at this low price.


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BOISE, Idaho — If you’re looking for a new ride, get ready to visit the car lot virtually. COVID-19 has forced many auto dealerships to pivot to new ways to sell their stock, including through online sales.
Rebecca Barr from the Better Business Bureau says many manufacturers are still catching up on the COVID standstill they experienced in spring. Local dealerships and car lots have been busy with people spending stimulus checks on a new car. People are also choosing to get their own car instead of using public transportation and ride-hailing options due to health concerns, leading to a supply-and-demand issue.
Barr says while you may not be able to find the make or model of a car you want. You may also not be able to negotiate a price. Now, many are looking to purchase a used vehicle instead of a new version, and they’re looking online to do so.
Low inventory and social distancing have created an unprecedented shift in buying vehicles online, opening the door for scammers. Many platforms are rife with ads of cars, trucks, vans, and RVs for sale for low prices. Sellers are offering to make third-party delivery arrangements if the buyer pays via an escrow account. Unfortunately, neither the automobile nor the escrow company exists — leaving the buyer without their money or their vehicle. This has resulted in thousands of consumers falling victim to this vehicle escrow scam, with losses totaling millions of dollars.
Before you buy your new ride online, remember these tips:
· Research a trusted seller. Know the reputation of the dealership you are buying from. Read reviews and complaints to learn what other customers have experienced. This is especially important if you are not able to see the car in person.
· Watch out for too good to be true deals. Con artists are notorious for putting up fake ads on third-party websites with low prices. They often copy and paste vehicle photos and post them in different cities around the country.
· Get a vehicle history report. Check to see if the title is marked “salvaged.” This is especially important right now in the middle of hurricane season to make sure you aren’t getting a car that could potentially have flood damage.
For more tips on buying a car online, click here. You can always find other resources to help keep your financial information safe here.


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A Canadian restaurant chain that operates over 20 restaurant brands has suffered a country-wide outage of its IT systems over the weekend in an incident it described as a "malware outbreak."
The company is Recipe Unlimited --formerly Cara Operations-- which operates restaurant brands in North American, but mostly in Canada.
The mysterious malware outbreak happened last Friday, September 28. Not all restaurants were affected, but only those operating under brands such as Swiss Chalet, Harvey's, Milestones, Kelseys, Montana's, Bier Markt, East Side Mario's, The Landing Group of Restaurants, and Prime Pubs, according to a press release the company shared with ZDNet.
The company says that as soon as it learned of the incident it immediately took a number of IT systems offline and suspended internet access to affected locations.
The immediate impact of this decision was that affected restaurants were unable to process credit and debit card transactions, something that several users complained about on social media [1, 2, 3, 4].
However, the situation appears to have been worse for a small number of affected locations, where, for reasons yet to be specified, central management decided to temporarily close the restaurants.
In a photo posted on Facebook on Monday, October 1, a note taped to one of the affected restaurant's doors blamed the IT outage on "a computer issue with the Head Office." The note also said that 1,400 restaurants were closed for the day because "the Head Office computer was hacked."
Similarly, an image of another note taped on another restaurant's door called the IT issues a "Canada wide outage," revealing details about the true scope of the incident.
Recipe Unlimited said it's working with third-party security experts and internal teams to resolve the issue.
"We maintain appropriate system and data security measures and as per standard operating procedures, conduct regular system back-ups to enable us to restore impacted systems," said the company.
It is unclear if this is the case of an incident involving ransomware, POS malware that steals payment card data, or something else. A Recipe Unlimited spokesperson did not return a phone call requesting more information about the malware attack before this article's publication.
UPDATE [October 3, 07:35 ET]: This incident has been confirmed as a ransomware infection. CBC has obtained a copy of the ransom note, which appears to be from the Ryuk ransomware.
The 15 top malware threats facing you and your organisation
READ MORE ON CYBER CRIME


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Within four years, approximately two-thirds of Americans will own iPhones.
That’s the projection from Asymco analyst Horace Dediu, who s out with a new report on Apple’s market growth in the United States.
Dediu’s estimates are based on comprehensive analysis of the domestic smartphone market among other factors pertinent to Apple.
Following the completion of his mathematical equation, Dediu’s conclusions suggest that Apple is poised to reach a new level of market dominance in the United States.
If the numbers projected go on to manifest, approximately two-thirds of Americans will own and use an iPhone by 2017. That amounts to roughly 180 million Americans using Apple’s iPhone within four years.
To review Dediu’s calculations and corresponding projections, click here.


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By Sacha Robehmed
Berlin Geekettes is delighted to announce it will be hosting a ‘Women in Tech’ panel at Campus Party Europe. Hosted by Jess Erickson, founder of Berlin Geekettes, the panel will feature a cross-section of women from the Berlin tech scene. With entrepreneurs and company founders Zoe Adamovicz of Xyologic and Daniela Schiffer of Changers, alongside Caroline Drucker, Etsy Germany Country Manager and Ruby on Rails developer Joan Wolkerstorfer of Mediapeers, each woman brings a unique perspective to the panel discussion. Support and watch the Berlin Geekettes panel on August 23rd, from 11am to 12 pm at the Social Media stage.
More Berlin ladies will be speaking at Campus Party Europe, including Stefanie Hoffmann, cofounder of Luoi Apps which recently launched the iOS application Gabi, and Tiffany Conroy, front-end developer and interactive designer at Soundcloud. Lydia Pintscher of Wikimedia Germany will be discussing free software, while Creative Commoner and Berlin resident Michelle Thorne of Mozilla will also give a talk. Berlin Geekette from Lübeck, Nicole Simon, will be discussing social media. Caroline Drucker, Daniela Schiffer and Joan Wolkerstorfer of the Berlin Geekettes ‘Women in Tech’ panel are also scheduled to give individual presentations. There’s also the opportunity to learn Ruby on Rails with a workshop by Rails Girls Berlin.
Campus Party Europe is will be held at Tempelhof from 21st to 26th August, just six weeks away. An annual, week-long, 24-hours-a-day technology festival, the conference will bring together 10,000 hackers, developers, gamers and geeks. Key speakers include the inventor of the World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, with a comprehensive lineup covering everything from astronomy, nanotechnology and gaming, to software, design, and entrepreneurship.
Come and join us at Campus Party Europe by entering the raffle, with the chance to win one of twenty free tickets!


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Aereo's case for disrupting cable TV
Aereo CEO Chet Kanojia has the argument and technology for disrupting cable television, bringing you broadcast stations on your computer. But will it hold up in the Supreme Court?
Putting Trump's 'animals' remark in context
Does Giuliani have a press strategy?
Trump targeting Amazon -- and the Post?
'Flipping the script' after mass shootings
Are Michael Avenatti's 15 minutes up?
Stelter asks Conway: Where is Trump getting his info?
Daymond John: Failure is a necessary process
Why are the French always striking?
Why JCPenney is in serious trouble
How Walmart is taking on Amazon
These companies are trying to win back your trust
See Cal Ripken's Maryland Estate for sale
An outrageous card offering 0% interest until June 2019
7 outrageous credit cards if you have excellent credit
5 cards charging 0% interest until 2019
Pay off credit card balances faster using this method
Trump can't block users on Twitter, federal judge rules
Victoria's Secret customers are buying bras online ... and that's a problem
Elon Musk wants to rate journalists. He'd call his site 'Pravda'


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By Shelby Stewart
In the midst of protests against police brutality, some Black-owned businesses have flourished.
Today is not to be confused with #BlackoutTuesday where you saw black squares across your Instagram timeline back in June.
Texas-based Activist Calvin Martyr has spent the last few months promoting the campaign on social media, and CNN reported that Martyr likened the campaign to the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955. When he introduced the idea on social media back in May, he said in a video, “the only way we’re going to get change is when they fear hurting us like we fear hurting them.”
The overall objective for #BlackOutDay2020 is to force companies to end racist policies and practices that have done more harm to the Black community. The initiative has garnered tons of support on social media. More than 13,000 people joined a Facebook group about an entire “blackout week.”
The campaign started in early May following the killing of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, and the police shooting of Breonna Taylor in Louisville. It was about a month before the death of George Floyd.
Since these traumatic events, cities across America have introduced potential legislation to defund and restructure police departments and their budgets. In addition, major corporations have set aside funds for social justice causes, and adjusting some of their systemically racist practices.
According to a study conducted to Neilsen, Black Americans spent $1.3 trillion on consumer goods in 2018. In 1990, it was just $320 billion, and between 2000-2018, Black buying power rose 114%.
While today’s movement targets the Black community specifically, it also welcomes allies to join in as well. Major companies and brands including Proctor & Gamble and Cisco Systems have publicly announced their support of the campaign.
In Houston, we’ve seen artists like Slim Thug and Bun B support the initiative on social media. Radio station 97.9 The Box released a statement stating that “Urban One, through all of its platforms, is committed to supporting Black businesses, championing Black causes and remaining ‘unapologetically’ in service to the African American community.”
The Houston community has been supportive of Blackout 2020 as well. There have been numerous tweets mentioning Black businesses in the Houston area.
There are multiple ways to support the cause here in Houston. Black-owned businesses here in the city range across all industries. Houston is home to Black-owned bookstores, bestaurants, banks, gyms and more.


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Sea freights for route from Asia to Europe and US to rise
Reported the world's major shipping companies planned to lift sea freights on the routes from Asia to Europe and Asia to the US since March 1st and March 15 respectively.
The carriers said that the average utilization rate of shipping space was at around 90% after the implementation of new tariff on the routes from Asia and Europe.
Currently, the sea freights for the route from Far-East market to the European ports are about US$1,400/ TEU.
However, the shipping companies said that they still can’t make sure to gain profits after the price hike in March. Thus, they are planning to raise the sea freight further by US$400/TEU in April.
News Date 14 Mar 2012 13:15:31 reported by Elaine Lin


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According to a report published on August 8 by The Korea Times, Korea’s central bank is testing
a digital currency using Galaxy smartphones from South Korean multinational tech giant
Back in May, the Bank of Korea announced that it would hold a bid to select its CBDC
technology supplier. The contract was awarded to Ground X, whose Klaytn platform will host the
CBDC, despite stiff competition. Ground X is a blockchain subsidiary of Kakao, a Korean
CBDCs are digital currencies backed by central banks. A CBDC’s goal is to offer a digital
alternative to a country’s traditional fiat currency. Some are built on blockchains, while others
are simply “inspired” by them. Most countries are currently investigating CBDCs, most notably
South Korea’s rival China, which has been testing its digital yuan since last April.
The Bank of Korea’s pilot, which began on June 28 of this year, aims to test the feasibility of
digital payments using Galaxy phones.
According to an unnamed bank executive, the pilot programme aims to determine whether it is
“possible to conduct payments via mobile phones using the digital currency with no internet
availability, or to send CBDC remittances to other mobile phones or to other connected bank
The first phase of the pilot will last until December and will assess the technology’s suitability. In
phase two, which is scheduled to begin in January and continue into the following year, the
Bank of Korea will investigate the practicality of expanding the bank’s services to include
If the pilot is successful, South Korea will be among the first to offer a CBDC alternative to
services such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, which enable contactless phone payments without
the need for an internet connection.
#Bitcoin #samsung #Cbdc #Wazirxwarriors


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Samsung’s been on a roll working rather hard lately making sure they update all their devices to the latest and greatest versions of Android. Earlier today we reported Jelly Bean was rolling out to more Galaxy S III phones, and now it appears a minor update to 4.1.2 JB has leaked for the international 4G LTE capable Galaxy Note II.
The Galaxy Note II thankfully comes out of the box with Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean, but today a leak of their minor update to 4.1.2 has appeared on the internet for those interested in giving it a try. The exact model is the Galaxy Note II LTE (GT-N7105) which is the European 4G LTE model, not to be confused with what we have here in the US.
Most likely however this means the update is coming along rather nicely, and we should see it roll out to multiple devices and carriers soon enough. I’m hoping US carriers just skip this and go right to Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, but that’s wishful thinking.
Today’s update is an unofficial leak provided by Samsung-updates.com according to Android Central, and is available as we speak for those daring enough to give it a try. It was actually leaked late last week, but now users are just starting to take notice. Android 4.1.2 enhances a few issues with JB, improves the expandable notifications, but is mostly just a mild update without too many changes. Give the leak a try yourself, but do so at your own risk.


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AIB and Bank of Ireland will shortly introduce additional security measures in a bid to eliminate fraudulent use of credit cards over the internet.
The initiative, 3D Secure, will be rolled out in the next three months and the banks expect it will provide a fillip for e-commerce.
Realex Payments, the Dublin-based company, has been helping the banks to implement the process, and is confident it will be a catalyst for more firms and individuals to trade over the internet.
Colm Lyon, the managing director, said that the risks associated with accepting and processing payments online had been too high, which discouraged many merchants from going online. He identified the risk to online merchants of payees using someone else’s card without permission. Where this happened,…


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Fairphone, a company that wants to offer devices that are ethically made from recycled and sustainable materials, has just released its Android 10 update for a phone released in 2015. If Fairphone can update its 6 year old phone to Android 10, so can other OEMs, and so can Google.
The Fairphone 2 launched in 2015 with Android 5.0 Lollipop and received several new versions of Android, the last being Android 9 a while ago. With the upcoming 7th birthday, the company is offering the Android 10 Beta with a larger rollout at the beginning of next year.
That’s not all. The company also plans to beta test an Android 11 update for the Fairphone 3 and 2020 Fairphone 3 Plus to show that older phones can still receive multiple updates.
Don’t get us wrong, Android 10 is over two years old and most manufacturers are preparing to release Android 12 for smartphones and tablets. However, even brand new phones like Google’s new Pixel 6 are only guaranteed for three years of software updates and two more years of security updates. That means this phone has had a longer endorsement period from 2015 than the latest and greatest from Google.
Our 6 year old Fairphone 2 is being updated to Android 10. That’s 7 years of software support! An industry first for an Android device! 🙌 We developed the operating system together with the open source community. Proof that it is possible to put sustainability at the heart of technology. 🌿 pic.twitter.com/TuUjJWTi5J
– Fairphone (@Fairphone) November 23, 2021
To make matters worse, many other Android manufacturers struggle to offer everything after two major software updates, and phones are often forgotten after 2-4 years. So if a company with big bags like Samsung, Motorola, LG, or even Google can’t offer such long updates, but Fairphone can, one wondering what’s going on.
A big part of the problem is hardware and chipset companies like Qualcomm and how hardware plays with new software. What makes Fairphone’s update even more impressive is that they don’t get any help from Qualcomm. Instead, the software team and volunteer help put hours and hours into making sure that older smartphones stay updated, secure, and work well past other devices’ expiration dates.
It’s worth noting that Samsung now supports almost all of its phones with three Android upgrades and four years of security patches, and Google’s newest Pixel 6 has been supported longer than Google’s previous devices. But when a small group like Fairphone does this, it raises the bar and hopefully other Android manufacturers will take notice and follow suit.
over the edge
This article was previously published on Source link


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In the smartphone operating system market, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iOS and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android enjoy a comfortable lead at the top. For the most part, these two companies, led by Tim Cook and Larry Page, respectively, are beating the heck out of one another as they attempt to gain ground.
New findings from Juniper Research show that the smartphone operating system market is going to change in the years to come, thanks to emerging newcomers including Asha and Sailfish.
New players have come and gone before. The real question is this: can any of these companies realistically dent the market that is currently led by Apple and Google?
The report feels that these contenders could focus on key areas, such as cost innovation and local knowledge.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Samsung Still Leading
The Apple iPhone, with its iOS operating system, as well as Samsung, and its Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android operating system, are still dominating the global market.
As noted by Juniper, the two companies are expected to ship “17 percent more smartphones in 2018 than were shipped globally by all vendors in 2012.” In other words, there is no reason to believe these two companies are going to slow down at any point over the next five years.
The report also notes that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is poised to make up ground in emerging markets, thanks to its expected announcement of a cheaper smartphone.
Last year, Apple and Samsung shipped 677 million smartphones worldwide. A big number indeed. Juniper feels that there is even more room to grow, with the two companies hitting nearly 800 million shipments by the end of 2018.
Remember, when you talk about Samsung’s dominance in the smartphone market you have to give Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) a lot of credits. Its Android operating system is one of the main reasons why Samsung has been able to rise up the charts and go against Cupertino head to head.
While these companies continue to dominate and are expected to do the same going forward, don’t sleep on the up and comers. They could disrupt the industry big time.
For those who are expecting big things from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), thanks to a cheaper device, Josh Lowensohn of CNET explains the ins and outs in greater detail.
How do you think Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) feels about a cheaper iPhone?
The video below talks about iOS in greater detail:


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Matthew Schieffer started out at the University of Florida with an eye on a career in healthcare. A little over four years later, he’s making people feel good in an entirely different way, through good coffee as one of the owners of Rome’s newest coffee shop, Lumina.
“I really had a passion for innovation, for entrepreneurship,” Matt says. “I decided I wanted to start my own business.”
The first decision showing signs of good business acumen was consulting with his father, Mike Schieffer, who had a long career with Starbucks.
“He started when there was 163 stores, he left when there was 18,000,” Matt says. “He had an amazing 18-year career with them. So after about six months I decided the answer was really right in front of my face and that was the coffee business.”
The idea for Lumina came out of Matt’s desire to be different.
“I divided it into four parts — the product, the people, the environment and customer service,” Matt says. “Lumina is the plural of lumen being a measurement of light. Our whole vision is to lighten people’s day.”
The shop at 640 Braves Boulevard has just been open since late January but Matt says it has already exceeded expectations.
“It’s been a huge learning experience but I really can say I’ve enjoyed it. I’m honored and blessed to be part of such an amazing organization,” Matt says.
He expected to see a lot of college students, and does get a lot of Berry students, but sees a tremendous variation in the demographics, particularly in the afternoon.
Matt has lived in Rome for about a year and a half. Definitely different from Gainesville, the University of Florida where he got a degree in finance, and the Fort Lauderdale Miami area where he lived for about seven years before going off to college.
“Rome is such a unique town and such a friendly place as well,” he says.
The Lumina coffee is sourced primarily from South America, Africa and Indonesia.
“We source a lot of organic rain-forest, fair trade coffee’s, a lot of it gives a lot more money back to the farmer which helps a lot of these (developing countries),” Matt says.
Like many young entrepreneurs, being very socially conscious and environmentally friendly is high on Matt’s list of priorities. He’s very concerned about a higher transparency to the farmer, to ethics and how coffee is sourced and produced.


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Come here to get the latest news on Godox company, Godox new products as well as Godox technichal developement.
Godox Attended PMA 2010 Exhibition
2011/5/25/22:45 by Godox
PMA, Photo Marketing Association Annual Convention and Trade Show, is an annual grand event in photography, which is viewed by the insiders as the Oscar in imaging industry. The show is held in Los Angeles, USA from February 21 to February 23, 2010.
At this exhibition, we not only acquired many new customers, but we also promoted the GODOX brand to prospective new customers from many emerging, high-growth markets.
Godox, as one of the leading photo equipments manufacture in China, has obtained significant recognition for its proprietary technology and customized development of new products. The attendance of Godox at this exhibition produced very positive and satisfying outcomes. (Source: Godox Photo Equipment Co., Ltd)


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ITV has made its ITV Player streaming service available on Windows Phone 8 devices.
As well as this, you’ll also be able to stream live TV on the go, effectively turning phones with high resolution screens into portable HD TVs.
As well as live TV and catch-up, you’ll also be able to tap into a ‘Don’t Miss’ curated playlist and a ‘Most Watched’ stream.
ITV Player joins BBC iPlayer, 4oD and Demand 5 apps on the Windows Phone Store, letting British buyers get the full complement of PSB catch-up services on their phones.
Paul Kanareck, Director of Online and Brands at ITV, said: “We are very excited to have launched the ITV Player app on Windows Phone 8 devices. Mobile is becoming an increasingly important route for audiences to access our content with over 50 per cent of long form requests for the ITV Player coming from mobiles and tablets in 2013. We will continue to expand our reach across suitable devices going forward.”
ITV Player apps for iOS and Android are also available, but note that not every Android device out there has been tested.
Sky Go and Virgin TV Anywhere have yet to launch on Windows Phone and according to Virgin Media, TV Anywhere won’t be coming to the third biggest mobile platform anytime soon.
You can download the ITV Player app from Windows Store now.


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LVS mulls billion-dollar resort in Vietnam
Published on Dec 21, 2011
Ho Chi Minh City could be the venue for Southeast Asia’s next major integrated resort. Las Vegas Sands (LVS) is contemplating plans for a US$2 billion resort in Vietnam that would match the scale of its Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore. The proposed tourism venue will reportedly include hotels, restaurants, exhibition and conference venues, shopping centre, and a variety of other entertainment and recreational facilities. Investment analysts at Trefi s called the proposal “a good strategic move” that would provide LVS a first-mover advantage as the first of the prominent casinos to have a presence in Vietnam.
Brought to you by TravelDailyAsia.com


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The first deliveries of the all-new, sixth-generation 2021 Ford Bronco are scheduled to bring this summer in the U.S., but that won’t be the only country where customers can purchase a new Ford Bronco. In fact, as we recently reported, those in the Middle East will be able to buy a Bronco this summer as well. And now, Ford has confirmed that the 2021 Bronco will launch in Brazil this May, too.
The news comes to us via a new teaser video that was recorded in the city of São Paulo. The theme of the teaser revolves around the origin of the Bronco’s name – the wild horse that has long roamed North America and has proven difficult to tame. The video depicts the arrival of a new horse at the family stable before cutting away to that familiar, shadowy front end of the 2021 Ford Bronco the automaker previously used in its U.S. teasers of the SUV.
The timing of the Bronco launch in Brazil is curious, given the fact that no other market (as of this writing) is expected to take delivery of the model until summer. Plus, as we reported last year, Job 1 2021 Ford Bronco production is currently scheduled to begin at the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant on May 3rd. However, early Bronco production for models that will be used as dealer demos and press vehicles is scheduled to begin on March 29th.
Of course, as is always the case, these dates are subject to change. And since we’re in the midst of a global semiconductor chip shortage and various COVID-19 related production issues, that’s quite likely to happen. Regardless, at this time, it does appear that Brazilian residents will be among the first to take delivery of the new Bronco.
We’ll have more on the Bronco very soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Bronco news and around-the-clock Ford news coverage.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the ford plants in brazil start making the bronco. I wouldn’t be surprised if in a few years broncos will be produced only outside the US, the move to produce so much of the ford product to mexico (for the last decade) is a harbinger of things to come. Oh, let’s not forget ford’s best new buddy-china.
Ford ended operations at its factories in Brazil in January this year. It will only act as an importer. In addition, it has already produced an off-road vehicle more suited to Brazil, the Troller T4, which uses the chassis and engine from Ranger. Ford is looking for buyers for this brand.
Watching the video, I think they will launch Bronco Sport first. Since a product of greater appeal to the public, and Ford is trying to reverse the damage caused by the abrupt closure of its factories in Brazil.


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The iconic Kowloon in Saugus has a big plan for the restaurant when restaurants begin re-opening. Kowloon still offers takeaway, curbside pickup, and delivery currently but they hope to transform their parking lot (especially the back lot) into a car hop and use the space with outdoor service, live entertainment and a giant big-screen TV with drive-in movies.
Owner Bob Wong says that he envisions servers on bicycles serving up cocktails and food while classic movies like “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Grease” play on a huge screen via a projector. People could bring lawn chairs or just watch (and eat) while inside their cars.
He hopes to get this going, if approved, this summer. “Say Anything” and Saugus Wings? I’m in!


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Jan 11 (Reuters) - British cinema operator Cineworld Group Plc said on Wednesday full-year group revenue rose 8.3 percent on a constant currency basis as movies such as “Star Wars: Rogue One”, “Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them”, and “The Jungle Book” drew record number of viewers to its screens.
Group box office revenue increased 7 percent in the year ended Dec. 31, while admissions rose in its key UK & Ireland market and others, including Poland, Hungary and Israel.
The company, which operates 226 sites with 2,115 screens across nine countries, said it would add 13 new sites in 2017, including six in the UK.
Cineworld’s retail revenue, which comes from sales of items such as popcorn and soft drinks, rose 12.7 percent.
The company, founded in 1995, has grown through a string of acquisitions like the bolt-on purchase of five UK cinema units from Empire Cinema Ltd for 94 million pounds in July last year, which included a nine-screen multiplex at Empire Leicester Square in London’s West End.
The operator said the film slate for 2017 was “exciting” with releases like “Justice League”, “Fast and Furious 8”, and “Dunkirk”.
Separately, the company promoted Deputy Chief Financial Officer Nisan Cohen as CFO with immediate effect. (Reporting by Rahul B in Bengaluru; Editing by Sunil Nair and Subhranshu Sahu)


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NVIDIA, one of the largest manufacturers of graphics cards on the planet, has managed to enter the top 6 of the companies with the best market capitalization in the world, thanks to the sales of its new chips oriented to artificial intelligence (AI).
In it report For the first quarter of 2023 revenue published on May 24, NVIDIA reported earnings of nearly $7.9 billion, an increase of 19% over the previous quarter. This increase allowed NVIDIA’s market capitalization to reach over USD 940 billion, placing it as the sixth most valued company in the world.
The increase is not accidental, since the company has focused its efforts on its new A100 chips, oriented to the field of AI. This type of GPU is exclusively for AI training and use. It is estimated that ChatGPT, the most famous and most widely used AI of the moment, uses between 10,000 and 30,000 of these A100 GPUs to operate.
For years, NVIDIA obtained good returns thanks to the cryptocurrency sector. In May 2021, CriptoNoticias reported that the company’s profits had doubled thanks to the sales of GPUs, the demand for which came from Ethereum mining, and to a lesser extent other cryptocurrency protocols, such as Ethereum Classic, Ravencoin, among others. others.
However, due to the Ethereum Merge, which put an end to mining on the network, the company saw cut sales of up to 50% during the end of 2022.
That is why the company has set its sights on AI. NVIDIA’s own CTO sees the potential of AI for society. In his own words, he suggests that “cryptocurrencies offer nothing to society, AIs do”, in relation to the high consumption of GPUs that both technologies require.


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Due to the overwhelming response to the inaugural Northern AV Show 2022, the organisers have decided to make it an annual affair.
The niche event is brought to Penang by the Penang Convention & Exhibitions Bureau (PCEB) in collaboration with the organisers, Gryphon Productions Sdn Bhd.
Present at the launch of the event was State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy, YB Yeoh Soon Hin, PCEB chief executive officer, Ashwin Gunasekeran and Wilson Teoh, director of Gryphon Productions.
“We hope to bring in more international brands with high-impact exhibitions. This niche market conference can bring high value to the state and its economy.
“There can also be high-end music products being manufactured in Penang as a spinoff of this event in the future,” added Ashwin.
New range speakers on show
Meanwhile, Yeoh added that currently the HiFi industry is concentrated in Kuala Lumpur but Penang has the potential to develop this industry with the vision of building a hub in this region.
Teoh expressed his surprise at the overwhelming response from members of the public and described it as “beyond expectation”.
He also added that the show has an inventory of more than RM10 million worth of equipment to showcase.
Guests can also experience the RM1 million worth of sound systems from the United States for their listening pleasure.
There are some 22 local manufacturers exhibitors while representatives from Singapore and Australia are also making their presence. Among the products include music servers, amplifiers, headphones and other gadgets.
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Yesterday’s announcement by Steve Jobs, the founder and CEO of Apple, that he was retiring effective immediately had a ripple effect that went far beyond Cupertino. Apple products have gained a wide following in China in the past year and the news became a hot topic on Internet forums. From CNN:
Not long after the news of Jobs’ retirement broke out in China Thursday morning, it became a hot topic on Sina Weibo, China’s top social media site.
A typical message said “three apples have changed the world. One seduced Eva, one awakened Newton, the third one is in the hands of Jobs.” Another message posted by @ Jinzheng said “no matter what happens to the third Apple, the world became wonderful because of your (Jobs) existence.”
For many senior managers in Chinese high-tech companies, Jobs is a role model. If a CEO wears jeans with T-shirts tucked in instead of a suit and tie, said one Chinese observer, his sartorial taste will likely to be called “Jobs style”.
And the Wall Street Journal’s China Real Time Report translates more examples of popular opinion of Jobs expressed online:
In an unscientific Weibo poll that had attracted roughly 4,000 responses by Thursday afternoon, users were split on how Mr. Jobs’s decision would affect their view of Apple. Slightly more than a third said they would continue to support the company, while nearly a quarter wondered whether Apple would continue to be Apple now that its founder had stepped away.
In a separate user poll attracting nearly 5,000 responses, 20% said they would stop buying Apple products with Mr. Jobs no longer at the helm, while 49% said they would at least buy the iPhone5.
At least one commenter was convinced the company would be OK. “I believe that in the last few years, Apple has already developed its own soul as a company,” wrote a Weibo user going by the name Big Boy Playing with a Remote Control Car. “It’s the same as with a prosperous nation: You can’t rely solely on one generation of leaders. You need to tap the soul of the people.”


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In January 2020, everyone set huge goals for the year. We all jumped into the new year thinking it would be special, but unfortunately, the coronavirus changed our plans.
There was the pandemic, curfew restrictions and school and restaurant closures. Masks became mandatory, and the list goes on. The handshakes, hugs, kisses that seemed so natural before were all forgotten. Many people aren’t even able to visit their loved ones.
Regarding the labor market, the situation doesn’t seem to be any better. Plenty of people have lost their jobs because of COVID-19 from restaurant jobs to desk ones. Many companies are struggling to survive and pay their employees from their last savings.
We at OptiMonk consider ourselves very lucky. Since we operate in the online world and our main target group is the e-merchants, we had no reason to shut down.
We’re seeing a huge change in shopping habits. More people are buying online. Several statistics show that in the first half of 2020, online stores faced an unprecedented increase in traffic. In 2020, the traffic on the first half of the year also surpassed the traffic of the winter holidays. These are amazing numbers!
Our main goal was to help webshops experience these changes and provide the best possible experience for their visitors.
Although the work did not stop in 2020 for us, we still had to adapt. But we brought out the best in everything and turned these changes to our advantage.
This year our team expanded at an unprecedented rate. And thanks to that growth, we accomplished huge things.
So, let’s see our favorite moments of 2020!
1. Exhibition and presentation at the Ecommerce Expo
In January, over 2,000 e-merchants gathered at the Lurdy House at Hungary’s largest e-commerce conference. And of course, we didn’t miss it either! Not only did we exhibit at the Ecommerce Expo, but our CMO Judit Pál gave a presentation on cart abandonment.
We love attending conferences because at these events we can meet people in person. We stumble upon many of our clients at these events. For example, in the image below, we recorded when we ran into the Praktiker team.
2. We celebrated OptiMonk’s 6th birthday in February
It’s unbelievable that the OptiMonk journey started more than six years ago, with the first couple of users. And today it is used by over 65,000 websites worldwide.
We’ve had lots of memorable moments together over the years, and we hope to collect more memories together for a very long time!
3. We opened our new office in Budapest
In February, we hired our first colleague from Budapest: Dóra Bali strengthens our team as a UX Researcher. At the same time, OptiMonk’s Budapest office was opened. We had only one colleague there in February, but you don’t have to worry about Dóri, she is not lonely anymore, as we are constantly expanding the staff in the Budapest office.
The following colleagues have joined the team: Áron Erdős (Sales Executive), Andrea Sipos (Product Manager), Réka Árvai (Customer Service Specialist), Gábor Horváth (Developer), Hajnalka Mester (Customer Service Specialist), Krisztina Szilágyi (Customer Support Team Lead) and András Hajgató (Designer).
4. We implemented home office full-time
With the coronavirus outbreak, the OptiMonk team also implemented a full-time home office in March. And since the summer, everyone is free to decide whether they want to work from home or in the office. Since then, we’ve held every meeting online, and while we’re sorry we don’t meet as much in person as we used to, our enthusiasm hasn’t dropped a bit!
5. Our team expanded with international colleagues
We hired our first international colleague in May: Nissar Ahamed joined the marketing team as a Content Writer. Since then, we have expanded our team with 2 more foreign colleagues: David Harrington strengthens OptiMonk as a Content Editor and Dimitri Grigoriev as a Sales Executive.
6. Joint webinar with Reflexshop
In May, we had a conversation with Attila Ádám, the CEO of Reflexshop, as part of a 60-minute webinar. Reflexshop is one of the most popular board games ecommerce store in Hungary, and it was one of OptiMonk’s first customers. The company’s results are getting better every year with OptiMonk.
During the webinar, Attila shared his experiences and tips with us and presented his favorite OptiMonk campaigns.
A lot of you were interested in the webinar and we received a lot of feedback on how useful it was. For example, one of our clients attached the image below that his dog enjoyed the show just as much as he did. 🙂
7. Ecommerce Revolution shook our world
We dropped a bombshell in June when we announced that the first online business reality show, Ecommerce Revolution, will be on air. The application process started on June 29th, and it was a great pleasure for us that over 300 Hungarian e-merchants showed us their trust and placed the optimization of their web store in our hands.
After the application phase, we started processing the submitted questionnaires and held Zoom interviews with the owners of the web stores.
And after the selection, the filming phase started! We’ve been filming the Ecommerce Revolution all summer and we have been working on improving the websites, hoping that you’ll be just as excited about the show as we were about making it happen.
8. We took time for team building
In 2020, we had very few personal meetings and unfortunately, we had to give up the regular team buildings we’ve held previously. So, we couldn’t wait to travel to Győrtelek for three days in September.
Of course, we took care of each other and we took every precaution during our trip! 🙂
9. We won Bronze Stevie® awards in the Company of the Year category
We are delighted to say that we have won bronze medals at the Stevie® Awards in the category “Company of the Year”. The Stevie® Awards have been held for 17 years now and over 3,800 companies have been nominated at the awards ceremony in some category.
We work hard every day to provide the best possible service to our customers, and such awards prove that we are on the right track!
10. Ecommerce Revolution and Customer Value Optimization
On October 5, the first online business reality show was launched in Hungary. In the series, the hosts of the show helped the online stores that were feeling stuck getting back on track. The ruthless experts took over the management of four websites during the show, and we were able to follow them for six weeks, as they confronted the problems regarding these businesses.
During the show, we were introduced to a modern, customer-centric approach called Customer Value Optimization. We could also see the great results the stores were able to achieve by letting go of aggressive and annoying sales methods.
For example, the BioZoo web store, which sells organic and natural products for dogs and cats, increased its revenue by nearly 2 million HUF in 26 days, while providing a better journey for its visitors.
Customer Value Optimization is not a trend, not a piece of software that you set up to your site in one night. It’s a long-term approach that says goodbye to traditional conversion optimization strategies in order to create real value.
In 2020, the main goal of OptiMonk was to provide e-merchants with all the tools they need for Customer Value Optimization, so we also launched a lot of new features:
- The “Embedded Content” is a new type of campaign that you can place directly on your website.
- We renewed the targeting based on the website’s pages so you can even set your message to appear on all product pages.
- With the help of our product recommendation algorithms, you can show personalized offers to your visitors dynamically.
- With our revamped Teaser page, you can reach your visitors more effectively.
And these are only a few of the many new features. (If you would like to try them, sign in to your OptiMonk account.)
11. Meetings in English
As our international team grew, we decided in October that it was time to hold our monthly corporate meeting in English. Although we were a little excited, the meeting went great. And it turns out that word-wits work just as fine in English 😉
12. International partner webinars
This year we not only surprise our Hungarian customers with useful webinars, but teamed up with ReferralCandy and Recart at the end of the year to help our international clients increase their revenue during the holiday season and prepare better for 2021.
+1 Weddings and Babies
We are thrilled to share some personal news with you, too. In 2020, our team expanded with a newborn “OptiMonk baby.” And there was no shortage of weddings either, as four of our colleagues got married this year. Congratulations to the newlyweds!
We hope that you will also be with us next year, and that everything will finally get back to normal in 2021!
Happy new year!
The OptiMonk Team


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Mast Consultant’s New App To Promote User Experience
As there are millions of start-up companies rising in this time of the century and most of those companies are successful. One such successful company is Mast Consulting. Mast Consulting Group is a home-grown start-up and it is a UAE-based holding company. The company has announced the launch of its Customer Intelligence and Analytics App or CIAA. This has been introduced to provide a seamless ecosystem to consumers as it has become a part of their life to interact with various brands as well as with their service partners.
The app has the feature of a strong ecosystem that enables customers to easily connect with brands to manage their assets, and also receive post-sales service support. The app has been designed in a way to provide the customers completely personalised user experience and to become their innovative digital solution.
This app is not only beneficial for the customers who want to maintain their relationships with various brands but brands can also take up the necessary steps through this app to maintain their relationship with customers. Brands can monitor the overall performance of their service partners and ensure a higher level of consumer satisfaction. This will assist the brands to function their operations successfully. This will help to maintain the service partners and to check if there are any revenue leakage in their services. This will also help them to provide services in a transparent manner to their customers.
The founder and CEO of Mast Consulting Group, Abhay Pandey has said that CIAA has already proven efficient its customers excellent services, building brand affinity, and aligning themselves with ‘Towards the Next 50’, Which is the main goal of the company.
He has also added “Being a home-grown start-up, we understand the needs of UAE based customers. With the launch of our Customer Intelligence and Analytics App, we look forward to connecting customers, brands, and their partners on a single digital solution, which ensures the best user experience for all stakeholders”.
The company has also said that the app has already established a secure channel for consumers to share their data, provide feedback, and also rate the quality of products and services. As this app is powered by analytics and consumer intelligence, this app is capable of providing a smooth service to the customers. This app also promotes the right kind of experience, increase engagement, and learn what their end-users truly desire.


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Former 49er Bruce Miller Charged With 7 Felonies Former San Francisco 49ers fullback Bruce Miller was charged Thursday with assault and other felonies in connection with an incident at a Fisherman's Wharf hotel.
Burglar Nabs Ivory Figurines Worth $210,000 From Fisherman's Wharf Art GalleryThe suspect was able to enter the gallery, then forced-open cabinets and lockers containing the ivory figurines.
Robbery Of Fisherman's Wharf Camera Store Caught On VideoPolice in San Francisco are searching for suspects who were caught on surveillance video breaking into a camera store near Fisherman's Wharf after backing their van into the front of the shop early Tuesday morning.
Best Creme Brulee In San FranciscoAlthough there are several outstanding places across the City by the Bay for crème brûlée, here are just 5 of the very best.
Bay Crabbing Season Still On Hold As Fishermen Await Quality TestingAfter months of delay, Bay Area crab fishermen on Friday were finally allowed to set their traps off the coast. But other issues are leading those fishermen to stay on shore rather than rushing out to make up for lost time.
Madame Tussauds Unveils Stephen Curry Wax FigureOpposing NBA teams will be able to face off against a version of Golden State Warrior Stephen Curry that they can actually contain once the new wax figure unveiled by Madame Tussauds is installed at the Fisherman's Wharf location of the museum.
Best Seafood Cities In AmericaA brief profile on seven of the best seafood cities in America
Car Burglars Big Fans Of San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf AreaRecent data from San Francisco Police shows that auto break ins are on the rise, up 31 percent – and one of the city’s most popular spots with tourists is one of the worst hotspots for burglaries.
Crab From Oregon, Washington May Be Too Little, Too Late For SF Seafood Sellers' Bottom LinesBay Area crab lovers are getting a small bit of hopeful news, as the ban on Dungeness crab has been lifted for Oregon and Washington and the increased supply is causing local prices to drop.
Shopper's Guide To San FranciscoGuide to best neighborhoods for shopping in San Francisco...
Best New Year's Day Sales In San FranciscoThe first day of January is a big shopping day, and there's more to celebrate in addition to the arrival of 2016. That is, parking meters are out of action in San Francisco on New Year's Day. Park for free if you're out for the day.
Proposed Marijuana Dispensary At Fisherman's Wharf Draws Opposition From Neighboring BusinessesThe Fisherman's Wharf neighborhood could start attracting medical marijuana patients if the San Francisco Planning Department approves a proposed cannabis dispensary in the neighborhood.
Tourist Robbed Of Camera Near Fisherman's WharfAn out-of-towner who was robbed of camera equipment in San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf neighborhood on Thursday night is the latest camera-toting tourist to be targeted in the city in recent months.
Dungeness Crab Season Threatened By Toxic Algae Bloom Along Pacific CoastThere's a large toxic algae bloom out in the Pacific and fishermen at San Francisco's Pier 45 are worried it could do serious damage to this season's Dungeness crab catch.
SF Fisherman's Wharf Employee Tied Up, Robbed At GunpointAn employee at a store in San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf area was tied up and robbed at gunpoint early Friday morning, according to police.


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A few days ago, Dell published a note on its site which suggested that Ubuntu was more secure than Windows. Questions were raised about whether or not the long running relationship between Microsoft and Dell was suffering.
Now, the statement: “The vast majority of viruses and spyware written by hackers are not designed to target and attack Linux” has been watered down to read, “According to industry reports, Ubuntu is unaffected by the vast majority of viruses and spyware.”
Dell has been a little quiet about why it changed the webpage. Smart money is that a nice man from Redmond explained the concept of security to Dell. Namely that it is nice to have job security in this particularly harsh world.
What is interesting however is that Dell did not kill off the fatal phrase.
It seems that Dell remains committed to Ubuntu Linux on its laptops and netbooks and will not allow itself to be bullied too much.


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Frankfurt 2009: Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid Concept Recharges in Just 90 Minutes
Until now we weren’t overly impressed with Toyota’s idea for a plug-in Prius hybrid, along the lines of the Chevy Volt. There’s still a lot we don’t know (including, hopefully, a lower price point), but today at the Frankfurt Auto Show, Toyota announced that the Prius Plug-In Hybrid Concept would be able to recharge fully in just 90 minutes – using a conventional household outlet.
The car has a zero-emissions electric mode that will allow it to travel up to 12 miles before the gasoline engine kicks in. This is considerably less than the Volt’s 40 mile claim.
Using Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive and lithium-ion batteries, Toyota says the Prius PHV will be able to reach highway speeds on pure electric power. Engineers at the Japanese automaker are also looking beyond lithium batteries for future energy solutions.
Later this year Toyota will deliver 500 Prius PHV vehicles, 150 of which will be sold in the United States.
In Europe Toyota is looking to start raming up interest in its hybrid models and start a new program called “2010 Toyota Drive,” which will get potential customers into Toyota products.


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Wednesday, January 03, 2018 12:52 IST
Superstar R Madhavan gives a shoutout as Amazon India's upcoming next titled Breathe teaser is just 3 days away.
The actor recently took to his social media unboxing the parcel which unveiled the logo of Breathe, the much-anticipated next Indian Amazon Original slated for a 2018 release only on Amazon Prime Video!
R Madhavan has now given a shoutout by uploadinga a picture captioning, "Get ready for a breathless experience. #BreatheTeaser in 3 days! @BreatheAmazon @AmazonVideoIN".
The picture showcases a drowning man who is unable to breath.
After the huge success of Inside Edge, Amazon is all set to launch its next original show Breathe.
It would be a sure shot visual treat for the masses to witness Madhavan who is venturing into digital series for the first time.
Breathe is India's next Amazon Prime Original, produced by Abundantia Entertainment and directed by Mayank Sharma.
- Friday, January 19, 2018 Neeraj Pandey's 'Aiyaary' shot on real locations
|Neeraj Pandey's upcoming espionage thriller 'Aiyaary' is shot on real locations across Delhi, Srinagar, and London...|
- Friday, January 19, 2018 Sunny Leone to set Delhi on fire!
|Madame Tussauds Delhi announced Bollywood superstar, Sunny Leone will be joining the heroes and icons at Madame Tussauds...|
- Friday, January 19, 2018 Shraddha Kapoor's commitment to work!
|Shraddha Kapoor who is currently shooting for her horror comedy 'Stree' has flown down from Bhopal to attend a brand event...|
- Friday, January 19, 2018 Farhan Akhtar set to collaborate with international artists!
|The multi-talented star is currently on a performing spree as the new year commenced. Farhan Akhtar who has a heart for music...|