text:
Recently a segment on my favorite morning news program stopped me in my tracks. The young and attractive hosts (why are they always so young and attractive?) were demonstrating new appliances including a smart refrigerator. The fridge was equipped with all kinds of high-tech features including touch screen displays, a camera inside that allows you to see the contents and Wi-Fi connectivity. You can see inside your fridge while grocery shopping, how convenient! But I must ask, how secure is it?
The Internet of Things (IoT) is revolutionizing everything from home appliances, nanotechnology and cloud computing, to manufacturing. Advancements are enabling manufacturers to become more innovative, productive, efficient and globally competitive. Computers, the internet, and digital devices are positively impacting communication, operations, product developments, and more. As we increase our connectivity we must also be aware of the importance of cybersecurity for manufacturers.
Jared Newman recently wrote in Fast Company, “Smart homes and other connected products won’t just be aimed at home life. They’ll also have a major impact on business. And just like any company that blissfully ignored the Internet at the turn of the century, the ones that dismiss the Internet of Things risk getting left behind.”
The Importance of Cybersecurity for Manufacturers
Technology has evolved and empowered manufacturers in a variety of ways, and companies have become increasingly reliant on computer systems and IT. Because of this, cybersecurity has emerged as such a critical topic in the industry. Strong cybersecurity practices are crucial to:
- Defending your company’s vital data and information.
- Preventing theft or damage to your infrastructure, equipment and systems.
- Avoiding major disruptions to operations and the delivery of products.
- Protecting your employee’s personal information.
- Shielding your organization from negative publicity.
Manufacturers are unfortunately a frequent target of hackers and attackers. According to a report from the U.S. Department for Homeland Security, manufacturing is the second highest industry with the most reported cyber attacks, only subsequent to the energy sector. Foxconn, an international manufacturer of electronics, was attacked in 2012 and all of its employee’s login information was released publically. A Honda breach in 2010 resulted in the disclosure of personal vehicle identification numbers.
A Kaspersky Lab Survey of IT managers published in Virus News also found that “21 percent of manufacturers suffered a loss of intellectual property (IP) within the past year.” The most commonly cited reason was malware (computer viruses, spyware, etc.), although a host of related issues including software susceptibilities and misplaced or stolen mobile devices were listed as causes as well.
Three Tips for Improving Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is a complex issue and there are no “quick fixes” to address it. IoT has made security an even more difficult challenge. However, there are things you can do to improve your cybersecurity posture. Here are three important factors to consider:
- Be proactive about prioritizing cybersecurity initiatives: Lapses in cybersecurity are very costly. An IndustryWeek article, “Cyber Security on the Factory Floor,” highlighted studies showing that “the average cybersecurity data breach costs more than $3 million.” Don’t wait to get hit.
- Prepare for the worst: In a Manufacturing Business Technology article highlighting the 2016 biggest cybersecurity issues facing manufacturers, cybersecurity professional Andrew Ginter, said, “The biggest mistake I see routinely is an overemphasis on vulnerabilities in cyber-risk assessments, rather than attacks.” Don’t just focus on the short-term—your organization needs a developed contingency plan in the event of an attack. Conducting a simulation of an attack has been beneficial for manufacturers looking to develop a comprehensive plan.
- Communicate with employees and vendors: Human error occurs, which is why everyone from the CEO and down should be trained about cybersecurity and data protection. Include policies in your employee manuals and regularly have your staff trained on best practices.
Digital Manufacturing Pilot
NIST MEP is working to improve cybersecurity for small- and medium-sized manufacturers across the U.S. We have partnered with the Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute (DMDII) to operate a joint Digital Manufacturing Pilot. This pilot will address technical opportunities and challenges and also assist manufacturers with a basic understanding and implementation of digital manufacturing approaches.
In addition to improving cybersecurity, the partnership will address specific topics under the digital manufacturing umbrella, including innovative engineering approaches and improved supply chains operations.
As the Internet of Things evolves and becomes a fixture in manufacturing, cybersecurity will continue to be an issue that small manufacturers must address. As you connect more and more devices to the internet, ask yourself, “how secure is it?”This post was originally published on NIST’s Manufacturing Innovation Blog.


text:
Blair Robertson, Correspondent
An inside peek at Pleasanton’s Pacific Pearl restaurants and eateries
A dozen eateries have opened at this Asian food mecca, from Jinya Ramen to Snowflake Dessert House. Here's what lies inside.
First Look: Inside Saratoga’s new Hero Ranch Kitchen
The family behind Opa! has opened a new Hero Ranch Kitchen in Saratoga. Here's what it's like inside.

domain: news


text:
Dylan Kawende, British-born son of two Rwandan genocide refugees, has been forced to crowdfund his dream of a place to study.
Usd Be Crashing 21 Apr 2020. EUR/USD suffered losses in Asia and could continue to lose ground in Europe, as uncertainty triggered by Monday's oil price crash is likely to. 21 Apr 2020. Predictions for a U.S. Dollar Crash are Ramping Up Fast. Expectations of a dollar drop are rising, with analysts claiming its meteoric rise is. Ripple
An invisible roadside fence designed to reduce the number of animals being killed on Queensland roads is being trialled on the Sunshine Coast.
Bitcoin Paypal Exchange For the last several months we’ve been told by local, state and government officials to stay at home and non-essential. 27 Mar 2020. Sell bitcoin on a cryptocurrency exchange, such as Coinbase or Kraken. Cash out your BTC to fiat via bank transfer or PayPal (applicable to. Unfortunately, you will not be able to buy
Bitcoin Cash (bch) Token Distribution Bitcoin Cash brings sound money to the world. Merchants and users are empowered with low fees and reliable confirmations. The future shines brightly with. Distributed, CoinDesk’s virtual version of their annual crypto conference, is done and dusted. Read for the entire coverage. Bitcoin Paypal Exchange For the last several months we’ve been told by local,
When you are thinking about the top moments from the 2018 Cup run, don’t sleep on Games 6 and 7 of the Eastern Conference.
Compare Samsung Galaxy A8 Plus (2018) and OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G mobiles by price, specs, design, display, operating system, processor, storage, camera and much more.


text:
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is planning some of the world’s toughest auto pollution limits, designed to ensure that all-electric vehicles make up up to 67 percent of new passenger cars sold in the country by 2032, according to two familiar people. with this issue.
This would be a quantum leap for the United States Only 5.8 percent of cars sold last year were all-electric — and it would surpass President Biden’s previous ambitions to have all-electric vehicles account for half of those sold in the country by 2030.
This would be the federal government’s toughest regulation on climate, and would push the United States to the forefront of global efforts to reduce greenhouse gases from automobiles, a major driver of climate change. The European Union has already enacted vehicle emissions standards that are expected to stop the sale of new petrol-powered cars by 2035. Canada and Britain have proposed standards similar to the European model.
At the same time, the proposed regulations will be a major challenge for automakers. Almost every major auto company has already invested heavily in electric vehicles, but few have committed to the levels envisioned by the Biden administration. Many have encountered supply chain problems that have hampered production. Even enthusiastic manufacturers of electric models aren’t sure whether consumers will buy enough of them to make up the majority of new car sales within a decade.
The EPA’s action is likely to embolden climate activists, who are angered by the Biden administration’s recent decision to approve a massive oil drilling project on federal land in Alaska. Some within the administration argue that accelerating the transition to renewable energy, with most Americans driving electric cars, would reduce demand for oil drilled in Alaska or elsewhere.
It is expected that Michael S. Reagan, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, announced the proposed limits on exhaust emissions Wednesday in Washington. It was originally set for Detroit, but the agency cited scheduling conflicts in moving the location. The requirements aim to ensure that electric vehicles account for between 54 and 60 percent of all new cars sold in the United States by 2030, with that number rising to 64 to 67 percent of new car sales by 2032, according to people familiar with the matter. Details, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the information has not been made public.
Accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles in the United States requires other important changes, including building millions of new electric vehicle charging stations, overhauling electric grids to accommodate the energy needs of those chargers and securing minerals supplies, among others. Materials for batteries.
The proposed regulation, which will be subject to a public comment period and can be changed by the government before becoming final, is sure to face legal challenges. It could also become an issue in the 2024 presidential campaign, as a future administration could roll back or weaken it.
“This is a huge undertaking,” said John Bozzella, president of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents major automakers in the United States and abroad. “It is nothing less than a complete transformation of the base of the auto industry and the auto market.”
In a statement released Friday night, EPA spokeswoman Maria Michalos did not confirm the new targets but said the agency was working on new standards as directed by the president to “accelerate the transition to a zero-emission transportation future, protecting people and the planet.”
The new regulations will come on the heels of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which helped boost demand for electric vehicles by providing tax incentives of up to $7,500 to car buyers as well as billions in incentives for battery manufacturing, critical metal processing and mining.
Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gases generated by the United States, and it is the second largest polluter on the planet after China. Rapidly phasing out gasoline-powered cars along with electric models would help Mr. Biden deliver on his pledge to halve the country’s emissions by 2030 and effectively eliminate them by mid-century.
The proposed automobile emissions rule is even more urgent than the goal Biden set in a White House speech in 2021. Speaking on the South Lawn and surrounded by a line of electric vehicles, including a Ford F-150 Lightning, a Chevrolet released Bolt EV and a Jeep Wrangler, Mr. Biden issued an executive order calling for federal policies to ensure that half of new cars sold will be all-electric by 2030.
What we consider before using anonymous sources. Do you know the information sources? What is their motive for telling us? Has it proven reliable in the past? Can we confirm the information? Even as it satisfies these questions, The Times uses anonymous sources as a last resort. The reporter and at least one editor know the identity of the source.
“There’s a vision of the future that’s starting to happen right now,” Biden said at the time, “the future of the electric vehicle industry — battery electric, hybrid electric, fuel cell electric.”
But climate policy experts said the transition to zero-emission vehicles must move faster to avoid planetary catastrophe. A report released by the International Energy Agency in 2021 found that countries would have to stop sales of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035 to keep average global temperatures from increasing by 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial levels. After this point, scientists say, the effects of catastrophic heat waves, floods, droughts, crop failures and species extinction will become much more difficult for humanity to deal with. The planet has already warmed by an average of 1.1°C.
Drew Kodjak, executive director of the International Council on Clean Transportation, a research organization, said that while the market has begun the transition to electric vehicles, government action is needed to make sure the electric vehicle revolution is complete. “Everyone who has seen this movie knows that the market is volatile,” Mr. Kodjak said. “What if there is a downturn in the market? What if battery metals don’t work? Without these stringent standards that have a clear path in timing, none of the players can be sure that this will happen.”
The proposed rule would not require electric cars to make up a certain number or percentage of sales. Instead, it would require automakers to ensure that the total number of vehicles they sell each year does not exceed a certain emissions limit. This limit would be so strict that it would force automakers to ensure that two-thirds of the cars they sell will be all-electric by 2032, according to people familiar with the matter.
Experts say the proposed regulation would sync up federal action with a move by California to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars after 2035. Even manufacturers who are critical of the regulations say they would rather deal with one set of rules, rather than meet specifications from California that vary. on federal requirements.
But there are still plenty of hurdles to a smooth transition to electric vehicles. One of the biggest is the need for millions of electric vehicle charging stations. Experts say it wouldn’t be possible for electric cars to move from one place to another without making electric charging stations as ubiquitous as corner gas stations. The Infrastructure Act of 2021 provided $7.5 billion to build a network of about 500,000 charging stations along federal highways, but a January report From S&P Global concluded that millions are needed.
The shift could also spell economic disruption for American auto workers, as electric cars require less than half as many workers to build as gasoline-powered cars.
“We’ve dealt with job losses before through technology, but when you talk about the speed of that, it’s hard to understand that we won’t lose jobs,” he said. Mark Dipaoli said a United Auto Workers Local 600 leader, in a recent interview at the union’s headquarters near the Ford Rouge manufacturing plant in Dearborn, Michigan.
Auto job losses could have political consequences for Biden, who will need voters in industrial states like Michigan and Ohio if he chooses to run for a second term. As they worked on the new regulation, administration officials held weekly phone calls to union leaders in an effort to reassure them.
Mr. Biden, a self-described “car guy” who launched his campaign as “the most pro-union guy I’ve ever seen,” has repeatedly tried to present the transition as an economic opportunity, asserting that it would create new jobs in the clean energy economy.
“We will build a different future with a future — a future with clean energy and good-paying jobs,” said Mr. Biden he said in a speech last summer. “We must retain and recruit construction trades and union electricians for jobs in wind, solar, hydrogen and nuclear, and create more and better jobs.”
Mr. Biden has worked to ensure that only US-made electric vehicles qualify for the tax incentives offered by the Inflation Control Act — though the requirement for them to be collected by union workers has been dropped.
“Unapologetic reader. Social media maven. Beer lover. Food fanatic. Zombie advocate. Bacon aficionado. Web practitioner.”


text:
Apple grabbed the attention by announcing a $100 million settlement with small app developers who have brought a class-action lawsuit against it. In addition to announcing several changes to its App Store policy.
Among the changes announced by the company, developers can now contact customers directly and get their opinion on alternative payment methods. So using data collected from their apps. Which was prevented earlier.
Read also: How developers provided alternatives to Apple’s default apps
Most experts agree that these policies are not likely to make much difference in the long term.
Apple did not provide any figures on how many of its developers fall into the category of applets that make less than a million dollars. But reports stated that they reach 98 percent, and they represent only 5 percent of the total revenue of the App Store.
Moreover, the settlement amount will not affect Apple as long as it is still able to get the 30% rate.
Read also: Apple spends $50 million on WWDC hosting every year
Apple won’t make it easy for developers
Although the company has now allowed developers to discuss alternative payment methods for subscriptions with users outside of their app using contact information obtained in the app. But if the developer wants to sell something in the app they still have to use their payment methods. Which allows her to get her commission automatically.
This point remains a major point of contention for many developers. This is because in-app purchases and subscriptions are a very profitable financial resource. Most in-app subscription-based apps are free apps. AndIt relies on customers who buy and sign up through the company’s payments mechanism.
Given the huge profits offered by the App Store, Apple is not going to make it possible or even easy for developers to alert users to alternative payment methods within their apps.
Read also: 5 ways to block in-app purchases on iPhone and iPad


text:
June 28, 2006
Broadview Networks Holdings Inc. on Tuesday announced it will acquire ATX Communications Inc., an integrated communications provider that serves business customers in the Mid-Atlantic region including Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Details of the transaction were not released. However, the transaction is expected to close in 90 to 120 days, and is subject to, among other conditions, obtaining final regulatory approvals.
Together the two companies will provide voice and data communications services to 75,000 business and 25,000 residential customers, representing more than 600,000 access line equivalents. The companies will offer enhanced and managed services, and hardware solutions to business customers. The combined company, which will be privately held, will generate annual revenue of approximately $400 million, and will be powered by a network of 10 legacy and next-generation switching centers, and more than 230 collocations, the companies said.
The combination of Broadview and ATX gives us a significant presence in 10 states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic U.S., including every major metro market, said Michael K. Robinson, Broadview CEO. With $400 million of revenue and 75,000 business customers, we are uniquely positioned to serve commercial accounts throughout our footprint.
Read more about:Agents
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like


text:
Let's say you like to buy a new car and keep it well past the last loan payment. You'll be happy to know a new study by auto research site iSeeCars.com has identified which models most original owners keep 10 years before selling. (One man who held onto his Dodge Charger for 46 years recently learned it could be worth more than $1 million as it's one of only 503 made of the model.)
The list is dominated by SUVs and minivans -- only two sedans made it into the top 10. Among the vehicles that made the top 10 list, about a fourth of the 2005 models sold recently had been held for 10 years by just one owner.
To determine which ones were most held on to, iSeeCars.com looked at all 2005 models sold in the first half of this year. It then looked for one-owner cars using data from CarFax, which tracks the history of individual vehicles. The researchers then screened those 400,000 vehicles to see which models were most often held by one owner for 10 years.
The predominance of SUVs and minivans suggests growing families hang on to their vehicles. "These are basically family vehicles, and it could be that buyers originally did research to find something reliable and long-lasting," iSeeCars.com CEO Phong Ly said.
Toyota and Honda models also predominate among these most-held vehicles. "It's not surprising that Toyotas and Hondas made the list, since they base their reputation on reliability," said Phong.
Other notable points in the report.
--Toyota Prius ranks No. 2 on the list despite earlier concerns about how long the batteries in the gas-electric hybrid would last.
--No domestic-brand models made the top 10, all of which had 23 percent or more of owners holding them for 10 years. Two large Detroit SUVs did finish just above the average of 13.5 percent of long-term holders: Chevrolet Suburban with 14.3 percent and GMC Yukon with 14.9. Chevrolet's Silverado pickup was just below the average with 13.1 percent.
--Luxury cars like the BMW5 series came in near the bottom on the list of long-term holders because these vehicles are most often leased for three years or so. Domestic models popular with high-turnover commercial fleets and rental car companies also ranked low on the list. That included Chevrolet Impala, Chrysler Sebring and the Ford Taurus.
Read on for a look at current models of the top 10 cars in order most often held for 10 years.
The CR-V was named 2015 Best Compact SUV for Families by U.S. News Best Cars. That site, which compiles a wide range of auto reviews, cited the CR-V's safety and reliability ratings, and its roomy interior space. Reviewers said it has more spacious rear seats than many competitors and a roomy cargo area as well.
The CR-V has an updated transmission for 2015 that, coupled with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, delivers an estimated 27 MPG in city driving, 34 on the highway. The CR-V comes standard with a backup camera -- a crucial piece of safety equipment. List prices range from $23,445 for the base model up to $32,895.
Despite early questions about the longevity of electric batteries in this gas-electric hybrid, 28.5 percent of all these cars on sale had been held by one owner for 10 years. That misses just by 0.1 percent topping the list. And Consumer Reports a few years ago tested a 10-year-old Prius and found no loss of battery life or power.
However, the 2015 Prius, as those before it, is described as having sluggish acceleration and not very responsive handling. But owners who love their Prius bought it for the fuel economy: a whopping 51 MPG in city driving (where it shines) and 48 MPG on the highway. "The chat forums out there are full of Prius owners talking about passing 100,000 miles and heading for 200,000," said iSeeCars' Phong.
Long-time rival to the Honda CR-V, the RAV4 combines passenger room, large cargo space and standard equipment make it an attractive package. Reviewers praise the Entune audio system, with a touch-screen that's easier to use than many others. They also like the RAV4's precise steering and comfortable highway ride.
However, they note that RAV4 has fallen behind the CR-V and other competitors in gas mileage from its four-cylinder engine, rated at 23 MPG in city driving and 30 on the highway. List prices on the RAV4 range from $23,680 to $29,850.
Highlander was named the 2015's Best 3-Row Midsize SUV for Families by the compilation of reviews at U.S. News Best Cars. Reviewers said a roomy cabin and a quiet ride combine with spacious seating in the first two rows and room for children in the third.
The base model with a four-cylinder engine is rated for 20 MPG city, 25 highway. Test drivers preferred the extra power in the optional V-6, which has a very similar MPG rating: 19 MPG city, 25 highway. List prices for the Highlander range from $29,675 to $44,140.
Long ranked as the best minivan, Odyssey has the expected spacious interior and comfortable ride. But it also handles exceptionally well for a vehicle this large, with responsive steering and strong brakes.
Its six-cylinder engine with good acceleration is rated for 19 MPG in city driving, 28 on the highway. List price on the Odyssey goes from $28,995 to $44,600.
The Sienna ranks as the No. 2 minivan behind the Honda Odyssey in the calculations by U.S. News. Reviewers like its interior with easy-to-operate controls and a responsive touch-screen for the music and cell phone system.
Sienna's V-6 engine with strong acceleration is rated for 18 MPG in city driving, 25 on the highway. List price for the Sienna goes from $28,700 to $46,250.
The Camry is the best-selling sedan in the U.S. Reviewers praise it for a quiet, smooth ride and roomy rear seats. The audio and heating/air conditioning controls are well-located and easy to adjust while driving. Standard features in the Camry include an eight-way adjustable driver's seat and a rearview camera.
The base four-cylinder engine is rated for 25 MPG in city driving and 35 on the highway, a bit lower than some competitors. List price on the 2015 Camry ranges from $22,790 to $31,370.
The Avalon is a large, comfortable sedan with some luxury touches borrowed from Toyota's Lexus division. The attractive, well-made interior and comfortable seats makes for a soothing ride.
But Avalon has power when you need it, with a 3.5-liter V-6 engine rated for 21 MPG in city driving, 31 on the highway. List prices for the Avalon run from $32,285 to $39,080.
The 2016 version of the Pilot, which has been selling since earlier this year, ranks No. 1 for affordable midsize SUVs in the U.S. News compilation. Reviewers praised the comfortable seats, with even the third row roomy enough for adults on short trips. And the Pilot boasts a comfortable ride and responsive steering.
The powerful 3.5-liter V-6 engine is rated for 20 MPG in city driving and 27 on the highway. List price for the Pilot runs from $29,995 to $46,420.
The only entry in the top 10 that's not a Honda or Toyota, the Forester was named best small SUV for 2015 by Consumer Reports. The magazine praised its combination of high safety ratings, spacious interior and reasonable price. Like all Subarus, Forester has all-wheel drive.
Its base four-cylinder engine is rated for 24 MPG in city driving and 32 on the highway. List price for the 2015 Forester ranges from $22,195 to $33,095.


text:
I love my G1, but I'm tired of dealing with its hobbled and derelict 528 MHz processor. Speed is the main thing holding all of the current Android handsets back, but not for very long. Snapdragon, Qualcomm's upcoming 1.0-1.5 GHz mobile platform, is coming very soon. In fact, we should see the first Snapdragon Android phone hit this fall.
Don't Miss: Today's Electronics Bargains at Woot.com
The question is, whose phone will it be? According to a Reuters interview with Andy Rubin, Google's Director of Mobile Platforms, we should see 15-20 new Android devices launch this year. Android and Me says that 15 manufacturers are working on thirty different Snapdragon devices. There's a good chance that most of those new devices will run on Android.
Android has finally started to establish itself as a major smartphone OS over the last few months, and now it's time for manufacturers to step up the game. As it currently stands, Android smartphones are locked firmly in second-tier positions in the market.
That's all going to change when the first Android mobiles with Snapdragon inside them hit stores later this year. Google will roll out Android 1.6 and Android 2.0 to bring things like 3D gaming and an enhanced UI to Android as well. With a newly-buffed OS and a lightning-fast processor, this next generation of Android phones could be the first generation of smartphones to truly qualify as 'pocket' computers.


text:
Distributor acquisitions are inevitable
The component market has always been dominated by a small group of global distributors.
The multinational’s grip on the market has steadily tightened in the years before and after the 2008/9 market downturn.
Part of this was due to the growth of the catalogue companies driven by an aggressive move to online selling sites.
Then there has been the stream of acquisitions in the last five years. Arguably the buying spree of the global broadliners started with Avnet’s acquisition of Memec in 2005 and may have ended with Arrow’s recent move to buy Nu Horizons.
But the phase of acquisitions in the component distribution market may not yet be over. Such is the pressure on the global broadliners to acquire customers in new markets to sustain their large and costly business structures.
The reason that Arrow is prepared to pay $120m for Nu Horizons is the relatively strong presence that the smaller distributor enjoys in the south east Asian markets
“This acquisition builds on our strategy to expand our global capabilities, especially in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region,” said Michael Long, CEO of Arrow Electronics.
Nu Horizons also has a significant sale operation in the UK and across Europe, and this is important to Arrow as Europe is the second fastest growing components market after China.
There is an inevitable logic in the way the big broadline distributors have steadily eaten up bigger and bigger chunks of the market over the last few years.
Size may not be everything, but it is certainly a significant part of what makes a distributor tick in what is now a global electronics supply chain.
“To compete successfully in today’s global marketplace, size and scale are very important,” said Martin Kent, CEO and president of Nu Horizons.
Kent should know the importance of global reach for a distributor. For years he endeavoured to turn UK-based Abacus into a global distributor, until it was acquired by Avnet two years ago.
But acquisitions are not only driven by a need to build sales. The broadliners use them to acquire technology lines and design-support capability.
That’s what Avnet did with Memec in 2008 and arguably it played a part in Arrow’s move for Nu Horizons last month.
It may have lost the all-important Xilinx FPGA line this year, but it quickly added Lattice Semiconductor and retained its FPGA design support capability.
I has also a strong number of wireless and analogue lines, including Marvell and Linear Technology, which it supports with local sales offices.


text:
Chipotle’s latest marketing strategy to win back customers certainly got the burrito chain plenty of attention, but that doesn’t mean it was good publicity.
The fast-casual restaurant chain, which has had a rough year of declining sales following a string of high-profile food safety issues, tweeted out a message on Tuesday that was mostly chided as a lame attempt at courting millennials, even if it did manage to go viral. Yesterday afternoon, Chipotle Mexican Grill’s Twitter account posed its more than 800,000 followers the seemingly innocuous question, “How many burritos?” But the post included a multiple-choice poll with two symbolic numerical options: a sexual reference (“69”) and a drug reference (“420,” which refers to the unofficial holiday celebrated by marijuana smokers on April 20).
More than 82,000 people had voted in the poll by early Wednesday morning while the post had been retweeted 6,000 times and “liked” 3,800 times. Still, the tweet also made Chipotle the butt of more than a few jokes, with the apparent attempt to endear the brand to young diners seen as juvenile at best, and offensive at worst. The first user to respond to the tweet advised Chipotle “you gotta chill,” while other responders disapproved of the tweet, with one likening the joke to “someone’s Dad trying to be cool.”
Chipotle has been hit hard by food safety concerns stemming from a string of E. coli and norovirus outbreaks, and the chain has gone out of its way to win back customers, with free burritos, happy hour alcohol specials, and a customer rewards program. But those attempts have not kept theChipotle’s comparable restaurant sales from dropping more than 26% in the first half of 2016, while the uptick in promotions has hurt profit margins.
Chipotle’s share price had dropped nearly 15% from the start of 2016 before receiving a bump from Tuesday’s news that activist investor Bill Ackman had taken a sizable stake and will hold discussions with executives related to governance and financial matters, as well Chipotle’s strategic plans. Ackman thinks shares are undervalued, which means he could push for major shakeups to the company’s management and its business model.
This article originally appeared on Fortune.com
- Prince Harry Breaks Royal Convention to Testify in Court
- How Safe Is India's Railway Network?
- Column: How the World Must Respond to AI
- Elliot Page: Embracing My Trans Identity Saved Me
- How a Texas High Jumper Has Earned Nearly $1 Million
- What the Debt Ceiling Deal Means for Student Loan Borrowers
- LGBTQ Reality TV Takes on a Painful Moment
- 7 Ways to Get Better at Small Talk


text:
The fitness-tracking Jawbone UP has its share of problems. (It dies!) Jawbone is offering refunds, but it also created a big opening for competitors. Like LARK, which is offering free sleep trackers to anyone willing to trade-in a Jawbone UP.
Kinja is in read-only mode. We are working to restore service.


text:
What if Disney World threw an Avatar party and nobody came? Disney’s Animal Kingdom is faring well since its Avatar-themed expansion, but that may be coming at the expense of its sister parks.
Disney (NYSE:DIS) made a big bet on James Cameron’s Avatar to drum up attendance at Disney World, and it may not be paying off. TouringPlans.com — a popular trip planner and queue watcher — just put out a report on the impact of the new Avatar-themed expansion of Disney’s Animal Kingdom on the resort’s attendance trends. Shareholders aren’t going to like what they see.
TouringPlans.com analyzes wait times across all four of Disney World’s theme parks to make a rough estimate of crowd sizes. There was naturally a spike in tourist activity around the time that Pandora — The World of Avatar opened during Memorial Day weekend. Attendance — or more specifically the hourly average number of guests at attractions, in this case — soared 18% between May 27 and June 7. However, since June 8, the hourly average number of guests at Disney World rides or attractions has risen by a mere 1,349 sun-baked park-goers, or 4%.
Fight of passage & Na’vi River JourneyThe two new Pandora attractions have an hourly capacity of 2,900 and the wait times for Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey are consistently above an hour. If the average number of guests across all of Disney World’s offerings has risen by 1,349 in recent weeks, it means that the wait times are shorter across the rest of Disney World since last summer. Park guests may be comforted by seeing shorter wait times, but it’s going to be disappointing if Disney’s massive investment in Cameron’s eco-friendly sci-fi franchise only produces a 4% uptick in turnstile clicks.
It gets worse. Folks gravitating to Disney’s Animal Kingdom are coming at the expense of the resort’s three other theme parks. Unlike rival Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA), which saw dramatic surges in attendance through Universal Orlando when it added The Wizarding World of Harry Potter attractions at Islands of Adventure in 2010 and Universal Studios Florida in 2014, Disney is just robbing Goofy to pay Pluto.
Data source: TouringPlans.com


text:
Unprecedented move designed to demonstrate unwavering support and commitment to businesses of all sizes during coronavirus crisis
ALBANY, N.Y. – Stuyvesant Plaza, the Capital Region’s premier lifestyle shopping center for more than 60 years, today announced that it will waive rent payments for all retail and restaurant tenants for a two-week period effective Friday, March 20.
This policy applies to the shopping center’s 60 retail tenants, including all small businesses and restaurants, regional and national companies.
The announcement comes in response to the unforeseen challenges and losses encountered by businesses as a result of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) global health pandemic.
“Our success as a shopping plaza, which dates back more than half a century, is predicated on the success of our tenants. During this unprecedented time of crisis, it is our responsibility to do all that we can to support our retail and restaurant partners and provide them with some relief while we continue to work through these challenges together,” said Stuyvesant Plaza President Ed Swyer. “I am tremendously proud of the innovation our tenants are showing to continue to operate and serve the community, and I encourage everyone to do whatever they can to support their neighborhood businesses. By doing so, we will emerge from this crisis stronger than ever.”
Since opening in 1959 with 18 tenants, Stuyvesant Plaza has grown more than threefold to become the Capital Region’s premier lifestyle shopping center. The Plaza, which opened just 12 years after the nation’s first outdoor shopping center in Los Angeles, is currently home to nearly 60 shops and restaurants.
Stuyvesant Plaza is closely monitoring the latest developments related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) and is taking necessary precautions to protect shoppers at this time.
In addition to following guidelines and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and International Council of Shopping Centers, Stuyvesant Plaza is enhancing the daily cleaning of all spaces, including an amplified focus on high-touch surfaces, handles and restrooms with a CDC-approved disinfectant spray.
Stuyvesant Plaza’s current published operating hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m.
Hours for individual shops and restaurants will vary during this time while several restaurants will offer takeout and delivery. Dine-in will be closed in accordance with state regulations. Shoppers are encouraged to contact each store or restaurant for details.
For more information, call 518-482-8986 or visit StuyvesantPlaza.com.
About Stuyvesant Plaza
From one-of-a-kind shops to the finest nationally known names in retail, Stuyvesant Plaza is home to nearly 60 unique shops and restaurants in a spectacular open-air setting. 2019 marked Stuyvesant Plaza’s 60th anniversary as the premiere lifestyle shopping center and professional office park in the Capital Region.


text:
KIA is working hard on plans to release the pint-sized Picanto hatchback in Australia next year as a rival to the Mitsubishi Mirage.
To slot underneath the lightly revised Rio seen for the first time at the 2014 Paris Motor show, the Korean-built supermini is charged with attracting new and younger buyers to the badge.
“We are seriously looking at the Picanto again,” Kia Motors Australia PR boss Kevin Hepworth told us in Paris.
“We have an innovative marketing plan ready, because sales in the micro-car segment are so restricted. We think we can create a market for it.”
While Hepworth refused to confirm variants or specification details, he promised that, if given the green light for Australia, it would arrive with a five-star ENCAP safety rating.
It most probably would be a facelifted version, since the existing model is now two years old.
The Picanto news comes just days after Kia announced a ground-breaking seven-year unlimited-kilometre transferable warranty on all new vehicles sold in Australia from October 1 this year.
It kicks off a busy next 12 months for the company, with the facelifted Rio (basically bumpers and trim updates) here from November, followed by the third-generation Sorento SUV (another Paris debutante) and Carnival people-mover landing in January.
The next-gen Optima is expected to debut at the Chicago motor show in February of the New York motor show in April, ahead of an Australian release later in 2015.
Look out for a frugal diesel-hybrid version, previewed in the current Optima at Paris as the T-Hybrid.
It features a 1.7-litre turbo-diesel mated to a 48V lead-carbon battery, electric motor and an electric supercharger for significant power and emissions benefits.


text:
Byron Beede makes the leap from Call of Duty to Battlefield, as a strategic factor to grow the war saga of Electronic Arts in the long term.
Electronic Arts’ plans around its Battlefield saga are coming to light, little by little. The franchise left us a couple of great games with Battlefield 1 and Battlefield V, although it has been losing ground to Call of Duty Warzone and different annual releases of Activision’s IP. Now, with Battlefield 6 they want to mark the rebirth of one of the most famous war sagas in history.
Yesterday we told you that Battlefield 6 will be announced on June 9, during the Summer Game Fest celebration . This decision goes hand in hand with a recent appointment: that of Byron Beede as the new general director of the Battlefield saga . His experience in an identical position within IPs as prominent as Call of Duty or Destiny ensure a good future for the franchise, without a doubt.
Specifically, and according to the official statement from EA, Byron Beede has joined the company as vice president and general director of Battlefield , stating that “it signals a long-term strategic commitment to the growth of the franchise .” Beede was general director of Activision for the Destiny and Call of Duty sagas, being a key piece in authentic successes such as COD Warzone or COD Mobile.
Beede’s appointment is just one more step to lift the Battlefield saga against its greatest rival, after a few years of absence. In addition to the aforementioned Battlefield VI, which will be released later this year , several EA studios are developing a new mobile title . And it will not be the last revelation about the saga, because everything is part of a strategy to relaunch its war IP … perhaps together with EA Play and Xbox Game Pass.
According to IGN, EA’s approach with Byron Beede goes through a long-term project, beyond Battlefield VI and the new title for mobile devices. Beede will also collaborate with Respawn Entertainment (Apex Legends), and also with the DICE (Star Wars Battlefront) teams , although as we say at the moment there are no more details about this new project.
At the moment no more details of this addition have been shared with EA, nor what policies Byron Beede will follow in the coming years with Battlefield. The first step will begin on June 9 , when EA officially announces Battlefield 6 for PC and consoles. The intentions are to launch a delivery with a durability greater than one year, such as “game as a service”
Battlefield VI will be announced next week, on June 9 , and everything indicates that it will go on sale in the final stretch of this 2021. In the absence of official confirmation, the new delivery will be released on PS5, Xbox Series X | S, PS4, Xbox One and PC.


text:
The first smartphone to run the BlackBerry 10 operating system will go on sale in October, reports have claimed.
The under-fire Canadian company will make an announcement in August with the device reaching customers just a couple of months later, inside sources have told BlackBerry news site N4BB.
Earlier this year, new RIM CEO Thorsten Heins pledged to launch the initial device(s) in the "later half of 2012," but the company is yet to be drawn on an official release date.
BB10 (formerly known as BBX) is largely seen as a last chance for RIM to hold onto its existing user-base and recapture some of the market share lost to Apple and Android in recent years.
Not a lot is known about the eagerly-awaited software at present, but its is thought that BB10 will combine the best aspects of the existing BlackBerry 7 and the QNX OS which appeared on the BlackBerry PlayBook.
That first device is widely believed to be the BlackBerry London, which will reportedly boast a much-altered candybar form-factor, a metallic casing and a full touchscreen.
However, N4BB reckons the first slider device to retain the famous QWERTY keyboard (sported on signature devices like the Bold, Torch and Curve) will arrive in the early part of 2013


text:
The team did away with the traditional nozzle design, which uses a “pinch-wheel” mechanism to feed through the plastic, replacing it with a screw mechanism that turns within the printhead.
Although 3D printing can speed up production times and make it easier to create products and components from scratch, MIT engineers are taking it one step further. The team has developed a new desktop 3D printer that performs up to 10 times faster than existing commercial counterparts.
Most common desktop 3D printers are able to print a few centimetres-sized blocks in an hour. However, the new design can print similar sized objects in a matter of minutes.


text:
Is Confidence in Air Travel Diminishing? One-third of travelers say they will avoid flying for both leisure and busines in the future due to fears of catching COVID-19, according to a survey by IATA (International Air Transport Association). Other key findings from the 11-country survey, whose results were recently released, include the following:
When asked to rank the top three measures that would make them feel safer, IATA heard this:
—37 percent said Covid-19 screening at departure airports;
—34 percent agreed with the mandatory wearing of facemasks; a
—33 percent said social distancing measures on aircraft.
—45 percent of passengers surveyed indicated the they would return to travel within a few months of the pandemic subsiding—a significant drop from the 61 percent recorded in IATA’s earlier April survey.
—Other concerns raised by passengers include travelling on an over-crowded bus or train on the way to the aircraft, queueing at the airport, using toilet facilities at the airport and on the plane and ‘breathing the air on the plane’.
“This crisis could have a very long shadow,” said IATA’s director general Alexandre de Juniac. “Passengers are telling us that it will take time before they return to their old travel habits. Many airlines are not planning for demand to return to 2019 levels until 2023 or 2024. “Numerous governments have responded with financial lifelines and other relief measures at the height of the crisis. As some parts of the world are starting the long road to recovery, it is critical that governments stay engaged.”
In this study, 4,700 panel members from eleven countries (Australia, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, India, Japan, Singapore, UAE, UK and USA) who traveled since July 2019 took part in the survey.
UK Travel Companies Get Their Knuckles Rapped for Handling of Refunds—the 70 Best and Worst Firms for Travel Refunds. A new survey by MoneySavingExpert—MoneySavingExpert.com is a popular British consumer finance information and discussion website—put Virgin and Loveholidays near Ryanair near the bottom of its list for their rating in the way that they have handled refunds during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Three big names did particularly poorly,” said MSE, noting that “Ryanair continues to live up to its customer service reputation, scoring the worst of the major brands at a net score of -89 percent (worked out as the 1 percent who rated it ‘great’ minus the 90 percent who deemed it ‘poor’). It’s now joined by Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays on -88 percent and Loveholidays on -81 percent.”
(See the methodology discussed following the two tables below.)
“Unsurprisingly,” said MSE “these three firms were also among the worst at refunding people, with 4 percent or less of their customers saying they’d had a refund to date. A majority of Virgin Atlantic and Ryanair customers also said they’d been waiting more than two months for a refund since first asking”.
MSE cautioned that, “While not a statistical random sample of the UK public, this huge survey does paint a strong picture of what’s going on in travel refunds. Here are the detailed results.” Below, INBOUND has tables of the Top Ten and Last Ten of MSE’s ranking of 70 travel companies.
The survey ran between Tuesday 30 June and Monday 6 July and had 77,101 individual responses about travel firms. The aim was to find out how people felt about their “refund experience” by asking them to rate it as “great,” “OK” or “poor,” and whether they actually got one.
Net score is calculated by subtracting the percentage of respondents who rated their experience as ‘poor’ from the percentage who rated their experience as “great.” The number who rated their experience as “OK” is not factored in.
MSE allowed users to include firms that weren’t in our initial list of options and have put them in the table if we received more than 100 responses for that particular firm. The 100-response threshold is why most of the firms included are national brands, rather than smaller, independent companies.
*Asterisks denote firms that weren’t included in MSE’s initial lists.


text:
- Quigler 1.0, a new app released today, creates a checklist of every task an agent must complete to usher through a successful deal, and notifies consumers as progress ensues.
- The status of the items can be changed in real time, and the system aims to replace time-consuming agent "update letters."
- The regular yearly price for agents to participate is $599, but Quigler wants to get the ball rolling in 1,100 U.S. markets. So, the company is offering a 50 percent discount with a special subscription called "Early Adopter Founding Agent."
The agreement between real estate agent and client calls for a hefty dose of trust that the professional in the room has his or her responsibilities covered.
“If you were able to look at any of the National Association of Realtors surveys over the past 30 to 35 years, the No. 1 complaint of consumers with agents is that ‘I don’t know what my agent is doing, I haven’t heard from them, or I don’t know where they are — they seem to be lost in action,’ ” says Quigler founder David Michonski.
Michonski says this issue is what lead him to create Quigler 1.0, a new app released today, which creates a checklist of every task an agent must complete to usher through a successful deal, and notifies consumers as progress ensues.
The product takes a granular approach with the goal of eliminating client blind spots — meaning there are 14 steps (68 actions) for sellers, and 9 steps (57 actions) for buyers, based on industry best practices, regulations and The National Association of Realtors’ Code of Ethics.
Michonski’s right-hand woman, Barbara Fairfield, who compiled the list of steps and actions, says the list reminds agents and Realtors what they should be doing and provides consumers with a baseline for the quality of service they should be receiving.
“At the least, this should be a minimum standard of service,” says Fairfield. “If you’re not performing on this level, you should be concerned and the consumer should be concerned.”
Michonski says there are other things, such as experience, wisdom, judgment and prudence, that an agent can be judged on and that makes a difference in the overall experience.
“There’s still plenty of realm for agents who have those qualities to shine,” he says. “But we’re trying to make sure that everybody who deals with a consumer is meeting the minimum quality standards set forth by the industry.”
The status of the items can be changed in real time, and the system aims to replace time-consuming agent “update letters” — which traditionally are used for marketing, progress and price adjustments — that keep clients in-the-know about the biggest purchase of their life, but perhaps not at the speed they would like.
One of the app’s main purposes is to foster heightened levels of communication and increased transparency. In addition, Quigler 1.0 will act as a review service by assigning agents a letter grade based on how many actions within a step are completed.
Michonski realizes that agents may be uncomfortable — or even fearful — of receiving grades from buyers and sellers.
“We are a consumer app, period,” he says. “We will always be on the side of the consumer.”
But he hopes this real-time feedback will encourage agents to raise the bar on their service, and help clients better understand and appreciate the service that great agents give.
For now, the Quigler 1.0 is available free for consumers on iOS. Quigler will later launch an Android version as well as a website connected to the app.
The regular yearly price for agents to participate is $599; however, Quigler wants to get the ball rolling in 1,100 U.S. markets.
So, the company is offering a 50 percent discount with a special subscription called “Early Adopter Founding Agent.”
To partake, agents must complete an 80-item Ethical Checklist on industry best practices and receive their first grade before their name will show up in the app’s search functionality.


text:
Chinese Patent Medicine
In July, 1997, I saw a press release that looked like a news article splashed across the front page of a newspaper announcing in big headlines "DRUG-FREE HEALTH CARE DEBUTS HERE" Included was a photo of a happy looking Caucasian couple, one of whom was described as a native of New Mexico.
Acupuncture and herbal medicine were listed under the treatment modalities offered. The article noted that very often acupuncturists recommend herbs in conjunction with acupuncture adding that herbs are used more extensively than acupuncture in China.
"Drug-free health care" that uses Chinese herbs? I don't think so, and I don't think that the Chinese do either. They always refer to them as "medicinal herbs" and "tradtional medicine".
Presently in the United States medicinal herbs and botanicals drugs are classified as "dietary supplements". That means that they are unregulated by any government agency and can be legally sold as long as manufacturers and salespeople don't make drug claims for them. (Go Here)
According to a front page article in the June 19, 1997, issue of USA TODAY, China is cracking down, requiring prescriptions for herbs that are sold off the shelf in the U.S. They quote Michael Hanna who manufacturers and sells dietary supplements under the name of "Arizona Natural" as saying that, "Unless I make a health claim, the FDA can't even look at it. In Singapore I have to fill out 20 to 30 pages about what's in it."
Testimony presented to the President's Committee on Dietary Supplement Labels shows that people in public health are very disturbed by what is sold as Asian patent medicine in this country.
Deborah Orr, a pharmacist and drug control officer with the State of Florida, submitted a report stating that they have Chinese grocery stores all across her state in which there are shelves full of traditional remedies imported from China. Most of the ingredients listed on the labels are in Latin or Chinese.
"Testis et Penis Canitis", one of the ingredients in Gejie Nourishing Kidney Pills, translates to dog testicle and penis.
Other medicines contain tiger bones, deer placenta and crocodile penises. In addition to being disgusting, there is the risk of an infection being passed from a sick animal to a person consuming it. Both California and Florida have lists of natural toxins such as toad venom which are commonly found in Asian patent medicines.
Orr's report also contains case reports of adverse reactions, including deaths, attributed to these remedies. Before the passage of DSHEA (Go Here), her department purchased and analyzed such products. They discovered that many things sold as traditional medicines contained heavy metals as well as potent western prescription drugs like morphine.
When they found a botanical spiked or adulterated with regulated pharmaceuticals, they removed it from the shelf only to find the same thing surface again somewhere else with a new name. Shopkeepers could not be prosecuted because it was impossible to prove intent to commit a crime.
Unfortunately, Florida's experience is the norm not the exception.
Dr. Richard Ko of the California Department of Health Services writes of similar findings in a letter to The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 339 # 12, September 17, 1998, p. 847. Of 260 products analyzed, he found that 82 contained pharmaceuticals or dangerous levels of heavy metals such as lead, arsenic and mercury.
These products are widely available in California being sold in herbal stores and are accepted by many Americans as an "alternative" form of medicine. Dr. Ko concludes his letter by saying that, "The remaining products, which contained no detectable adulterants, cannot be assumed to be safe and free of toxic ingredients, in view of their batch-to- batch inconsistency, as well as limitations in our detection methods."
In "Monitoring the Safety of Herbal Medicines", DRUG SAFETY 1997 Oct. 17 (4) p. 209-15, Thomas Y.K. Chan, a Hong Kong pharmacologist notes that out of about 7000 species of plants used in China as herbal remedies, only 230 of the most common ones have been the subject of "in-depth pharmacological, analytical and clinical studies." Chan adds, "Even these studies cannot provide all the necessary safety information, for several reasons.
Toxicological studies in animals do not necessarily reveal all human hazards. Clinical trials in human volunteers are often small and adverse reactions may be poorly documented. Adverse effects that have a long latency period such as carcinogenicity and teratogenicity will pose special problems." Teratogenicity refers to substances such as thalidomide that cause abnormal growth and development which results in birth defects in the fetuses of pregnant women who consume them.
In "Chinese herbal medicines revisited: a Hong Kong perspective" in the LANCET Vol. 342 Dec. 18/25, 1993 p.1532-4 Thomas Chan notes that while very few "acute medical admissions" in his study were caused by Chinese remedies, there have been reports of severe and fatal poisonings. He says that of 150 species of commonly used plants, 10 are toxic. I think that "known to be toxic" would be a better way to put it.
In an article entitled "Adulteration by Synthetic Therapeutic Substances of Traditional Chinese Medicines in Taiwan" by Weng F. Huang, et. al. that appeared in 1997 (J Clin Pharmacol 1997;37:344-350) the authors report on a study they conducted on 2,609 samples of traditional Chinese medicines collected at eight major hospitals in Taiwan. 23.7% of the samples were found to have been adulterated with synthetic drugs not listed on the labels. Of those 52.8% contained two or more adulterants.
If the Chinese believe that "natural is good and synthetic bad" as western promoters of botanical drugs would have us believe, you have to wonder why they adulterate those fine old traditional remedies with those nasty new synthetics. You also have to worry about the safety of the patients unknowingly consuming them.
Indian Herbal Medicine
Site Index | Argyria Photos | Silver Fraud | My Story | Naturopaths | FAQs | Links | E-mail
SITE DESIGN | JOHN MAHONEY


text:
Fairfield, New Jersey (PRWEB) May 25, 2016
With growing concerns about data breaches and cloud security, Quikteks, a New Jersey IT support services company, is calling on businesses to take a more proactive approach to securing their sensitive data.
According to Andrew Rich, owner and CEO of Quikteks, high profile security breaches such as the 117 million passwords stolen from LinkedIn continue to compromise privacy and security. “Hackers aren’t stealing passwords so they can peek at your LinkedIn preferences,” he said. “One, of many, ways stolen passwords are used is to log into other sites. So many people use the same credentials, or slight variations, across all of their online and cloud accounts.”
A recent Skyhigh Networks analysis found that just over 17 percent of all data stored in Microsoft One Drive and SharePoint is considered sensitive. 9.4 percent is confidential data such as banking information or protected health information.
Though Microsoft includes security controls in its Office 365 product, Skyhigh noted that users share the responsibility of data security.
“If an Office 365 user uses the same weak user name and password combination across the board, it’s easy to see how a hacker could enter an enterprise Office 365 system,” Rich said. “From there, unencrypted data is easy pickings.”
Moreover, Skyhigh found hundreds of files, on average, in enterprise One Drive accounts containing the word “password” in the file name.
“Imagine an employee creating a Microsoft Word document and naming it ‘QuickBooksPassword.docx’ or ‘WellsFargoPassword.doc,” Rich said. “If you were a hacker, these are probably the first files you’d grab.”
Quikteks offers several security solutions to neutralize these threats including enterprise firewalls, content filtering, antivirus and anti-spyware software, password managers, data encryption, hosted security, and anti-spam tools. Rich noted that no matter how much network security an enterprise has in place, weak links, like weak or compromised passwords, can be exploited.
“We offer the full spectrum of data security solutions starting from addressing risky user behaviors and intrusion detection to comprehensive data backup and recovery systems,” Rich explained. “Our information security technicians proactively monitor networks and promptly respond to threats and intrusions.”
Schedule a free data security assessment by visiting Quikteks.com or calling 973-882-4644.
Based in Fairfield, New Jersey, Quikteks delivers cutting-edge, reliable and cost-effective business technology solutions to small and medium-sized businesses in the Tri-State area. The company’s computer solutions include 24-hour tech support, help desk support, computer support, consulting, and storing valuable and confidential data in a secure cloud.
For More Information:
Phone (973) 882-4644


text:
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Technology research firm Gartner Inc. IT, +0.17% on Thursday raised its 2005 personal-computer shipment forecast to 202.1 million units, a 10.2% increase over 2004. Gartner had previously forecast PC shipments to rise 9.9 percent, but raised its outlook due to strong sales of mobile computers. The company esitmates that mobile PC sales will rise 26.5% over a year ago, while desktop PC shipment should rise 4.6%.
Gartner Inc. raises PC shipment forecast


text:
Charlie’s Auto Service offers personalized car care
AMHERST – Ever since Wesley DeLoid was old enough to “tinker around with stuff,” cars have fascinated him.
As he grew up, he was able to turn that passion into a career and now owns Charlie’s Auto Service in Amherst with his wife, Lisa DeLoid.
Even now, more than two decades into owning the business, “it feels like more than a job sometimes,” he said, explaining that he still finds the fun in working with cars.
“It’s the coolest job because every day something comes in broken and it leaves fixed,” he said.
Everyone in the shop – everyone in the business, DeLoid said – have the same passion for it.
“We’re all car guys,” he said. “Your heart has to be in it.”
In part, this is because “you deliver bad news every day.” Nobody wants to hear they need to pay hundreds of dollars to have a car part replaced, but working at Charlie’s, DeLoid said he at least knows he’s providing the best service he can and is being honest with his customers.
“I don’t want to have to hide from people in Shaw’s,” he said.
Part of the success of his business, which he bought in 1994 from Charlie Baldic, who had owned it since 1976, is the personalized service.
“The customer can talk right to the mechanic and know their pay doesn’t depend on a sale,” he said.
Charlie’s Auto Service is a “one-stop shop,” Lisa DeLoid said, with full-service, major engine repair, computer diagnostics and more. They are check engine light specialists and also have experience working with classic cars. The only thing they don’t do is auto body repair.
“We’re mom and pop, but we’re extremely technical,” Wesley DeLoid said, adding that watching the evolution of technology since he started at Charlie’s in 1983 has been one of the best parts of the job.
A typical day can vary from up to 100 oil changes or one or two cases of more serious repair work.
Either way, “it’s never not busy,” Lisa DeLoid explained, which is why they encourage
Charlies Auto Service is located at 102 Route 101A and is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 603-889-2376 or visit www.charliesnh.com.
Hannah LaClaire can be reached at 594-1243 or email@example.com.


text:
Jamieson Wellness (TSE:JWEL) had its target price hoisted by Royal Bank of Canada from C$23.00 to C$24.00 in a report released on Friday morning. The firm currently has an outperform rating on the stock.
Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of Jamieson Wellness from C$22.00 to C$26.00 in a report on Friday. CIBC upped their price objective on shares of Jamieson Wellness from C$20.60 to C$22.00 in a report on Friday, February 16th. Canaccord Genuity restated a buy rating and set a C$24.00 price objective on shares of Jamieson Wellness in a report on Monday, October 30th. TD Securities upped their price objective on shares of Jamieson Wellness from C$22.00 to C$24.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, November 13th. Finally, National Bank Financial upped their price objective on shares of Jamieson Wellness from C$22.25 to C$24.75 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, January 5th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, The stock has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of C$23.96.
Jamieson Wellness (JWEL) opened at C$20.55 on Friday. Jamieson Wellness has a fifty-two week low of C$16.44 and a fifty-two week high of C$22.90. The stock has a market cap of $782.95 and a PE ratio of -13.70.
About Jamieson Wellness
Jamieson Wellness Inc is a Canada-based company, which operates as the health and wellness company. The Company develops, manufactures and markets brand of vitamins and natural health products. The Company offers vitamins, minerals and supplements (VMS) products and certain over-the-counter remedies through Jamieson and LVHS brands as well as sports nutrition products through Progressive, Precision and Iron Vegan brands.
Receive News & Ratings for Jamieson Wellness Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Jamieson Wellness and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.


text:
First, the good news: Sirius-XM will finish 2008 with over 19 million subscribers, which is up 10% from about 17.25 million, and revenues of around $2.4 billion--up 14% from $2.1 billion according to CEO Mel Karmazin, who engineered the two satcasters' controversial merger earlier this year. Karmazin also remains positive about the future, forecasting a total of 20.6 million subscribers and revenues of approximately $2.7 billion by the end of next year. Those are increases of 7.8% and 12.5%, respectively.
Satellite radio is a niche medium, and may be somewhat immune to the sharp downward trend in the economy at large. According to Big Research, the average satellite radio customer is relatively well-heeled, with an average household income of almost $80,000 versus a national average of about $45,000, so satellite subscribers may have more of a cushion for discretionary expenditures.
However, Karmazin's optimistic forecast for 2009 was based in large part on subscription sales to new vehicle owners, with an expected "uptake" rate of about 50%. This means that half of new vehicle owners opt to subscribe--roughly the same proportion as 2008. But even relatively well-off consumers are cutting back on big-ticket items like cars.
In 2008, the company added 500,000 new subscriptions through vehicle sales, despite the "dramatic" slowdown in the automobile industry, accounting for about 30% of all new subscriptions. At Sirius, the proportion was even higher during its last pre-merger quarter, with 87% of new subs coming from new vehicle sales, and roughly half of its total subscription base generated from this source.
The company is counting on continuing vehicle sales to bring in an equivalent proportion in 2009, in part by installing radios in a higher proportion of vehicles than before.
For example, satellite radios are now installed in about 90% of new Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The company has deals with virtually every big carmaker, including Honda and Toyota, but that may prove meaningless if car sales drop precipitously. Sales plummeted 37% in November, and will likely sink lower if the general economic situation worsens in 2009.
Beneath the positive outlook, the satcaster has moved aggressively to limit costs since its merger. According to Karmazin, the merged company cut 22% of its total workforce, which went from about 2,050 to 1,600 in the second half of the year.


text:
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a powerful collective of oil-producing nations that has a significant impact on global oil prices. Recently, OPEC made the decision to increase oil production, which is expected to have far-reaching consequences for the global economy. In this article, we will explore how OPEC’s decision will affect global prices and what it means for consumers and businesses around the world.
Understanding OPEC’s Decision
OPEC’s decision to increase oil production comes as a response to rising oil prices and increasing global demand. The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the oil industry, causing a sharp decrease in oil prices as travel restrictions and lockdowns reduced global demand. As economies began to recover and demand for oil picked up, prices started to rise again. In an effort to stabilize prices and meet growing demand, OPEC decided to increase production levels.
Impact on Global Prices
The decision by OPEC to increase oil production will have a direct impact on global prices. As more oil is brought to the market, the supply will increase, leading to a potential decrease in prices. This is good news for consumers who rely on oil for various purposes, such as transportation and heating. Lower oil prices translate into lower costs for individuals and businesses, providing some relief in a time of economic uncertainty.
However, the impact on prices is not immediate. It takes time for increased production to reach the market and influence prices. Additionally, other factors such as geopolitical tensions, weather events, and changes in global demand can still influence prices, making it difficult to predict the exact outcome of OPEC’s decision. Nonetheless, the general expectation is that increased production will help stabilize prices and prevent any significant spikes in the near future.
Implications for Consumers
For consumers, lower oil prices mean lower fuel costs. This is particularly beneficial for industries that heavily rely on transportation, such as airlines and shipping companies. Reduced fuel costs can lead to lower ticket prices, making travel more affordable for individuals. Additionally, lower oil prices can also result in lower prices for goods and services, as transportation costs decrease, and businesses pass on the savings to consumers.
Implications for Businesses
Businesses across various sectors will also be impacted by OPEC’s decision. Industries that rely on oil as a raw material, such as plastics and chemicals, may benefit from lower oil prices as their production costs decrease. This can potentially lead to increased profitability and competitiveness. Additionally, businesses that heavily depend on transportation, such as logistics companies, may also experience cost savings, which can be reinvested or passed on to customers.
However, not all businesses will benefit from lower oil prices. Oil-producing countries that are not part of OPEC may face challenges as their revenue decreases due to lower prices. This can have a significant impact on their economies and potentially lead to budget deficits and reduced government spending. The ripple effects of OPEC’s decision will be felt across the global economy, creating winners and losers in different sectors and regions.
In conclusion, OPEC’s decision to increase oil production will have wide-ranging implications for global prices. While it is expected to lead to lower oil prices and benefit consumers and certain businesses, the exact outcome remains uncertain due to various factors that influence the oil market. Nonetheless, the decision is a significant development in the global economy and will shape the future of the oil industry for months to come.


text:
Online bus ticketing platform redBus has introduced a pre-registration feature that helps users keep track of the opening of their desired bus routes amid the prevailing uncertainty over permit for inter-city operations.
In a statement, the company on Monday said that the concept emerges from the need to keep anxious travellers informed of available options.
"Demand for inter-city bus travel has been building up steadily since India's nationwide lockdown began, with millions of travellers seeking to reach their desired destination. In a survey conducted by redBus, 59 per cent of travellers indicated that they are planning an outstation travel within one month of travel restrictions being lifted," it said.
It, however, noted that the opening of the road transport corporations (RTC) and private bus operators of each state is likely to occur at varying times depending on their control over the COVID-19 pandemic.
"To help users skip the tedious task of keeping a watchful eye on the resumption of bus services by independent operators and states, the pre-registration feature from redBus, offers convenience through notifications, once the route they seek to travel opens up," said the company.
To register for this service, users will have to provide basic contact details, including phone number and e-mail ID, along with the desired route they seek to keep track of, on a single-page document.
Once registered, users can also share this feature across various social media platforms with friends and family looking for similar long distance travel. Registered users will immediately be informed through e-mail, SMS, and push notifications upon resumption of services.
Travellers will soon also be able to avail the pre-registration feature through the redBus app and website, where they will receive a 'Notify me' button when the buses on their desired or searched routes are not available.
Prakash Sangam, CEO, redBus, said: "As we near the end of the nationwide lockdown, we strongly believe that the 'pre-registration' feature will go a long way in helping anxious travellers be informed on the opening up of their specific routes and enable them to book tickets conveniently at the earliest possible time."
"This pre-registration service coupled with the steps taken by our bus operator partners to ensure safety measures during travel, from sanitisation of the bus to physical distancing, is sure to help bus travellers undertake their intercity commute in a safe and convenient manner," the CEO said.


text:
Inspired by the restaurant classic, Kellogg claims that the new Pringles Wavy Deep Fried Pickle flavour ‘packs dill-pickle tanginess and savoury-fried satisfaction into’ in an easy-to-eat format.
Gareth Maguire, senior director of marketing for Pringles, said: “The Pringles brand prides itself in delivering insanely accurate flavour combinations that are both familiar and delicious.
“With the debut of Pringles Wavy Deep Fried Pickle, fans can experience their favourite, iconic fried appetizer flavour in an entirely new, easy to snack form. Paired with other Pringles staples, these snackable, stackable crunchy crisps are an absolute must-try.”
The limited-edition Pringles Wavy Deep Fried Pickle will be exclusively available at Dollar General stores nationwide from April 2021.


text:
NEW YORK, April 22 (UPI) -- Apple's iPhone and Google's Android phone regularly track a user's location and send it back to those companies, raising privacy concerns, experts say.
The companies are gathering location information as part of their efforts to build massive databases capable of pinpointing where phone users are -- databases that could help them tap a market for location-based services expected to be worth $8.3 billion in 2014, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
Research by security analyst Samy Kamkar found an Android phone recorded its location every few seconds and transmitted that data to Google several times an hour along with the name, location and signal strength of any nearby Wi-Fi networks as well as a unique phone identifier, the newspaper said.
Cellphones collect location information to provide services such as local-business lookups and social-networking features, and some location data can also help cellphone networks route calls more efficiently.
The location tracking is raising questions from government officials and privacy advocates who say they're concerned about who has access to what could be sensitive information about the location and movements of a phone user.
On Wednesday, Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., sent a letter to Apple asking why the company is storing customer-location data on its phones.
"Apple needs to safeguard the personal location information of its users to ensure that an iPhone doesn't become an iTrack," Markey said in a statement.


text:
The following is a report from SeekingAlpha.com.
Winnebago Industries (WGO) is weathering the post-pandemic storm with the stock price holding steady over the last few years. Despite facing an industry-wide drop in RV sales, the company’s growing market share and a more diversified profile following a string of strategic acquisitions have helped to support overall solid fundamentals.
We last covered WGO back in 2021 taking a bullish view, citing the positive trends at the time. Frankly, we’re a bit surprised that shares have delivered a positive return over the period considering conditions have evolved mostly weaker than we expected.
Indeed, our update today highlights that while the macro picture has improved compared to the headwinds of 2022, a recovery in the RV market still faces significant uncertainties. Our call here is for investors to proceed with caution when looking at WGO with 2024 likely being another challenging year.
WGO reported its Q1 fiscal 2024 results back in December covering the three months through November 25th. Non-GAAP EPS of $1.06, missed the consensus by $0.11 and fell by nearly half from $2.07 in the period last year. Revenue of $763 million was down by -20% year-over-year but did come in above estimates closer to $723 million.
The story here considers the sharply lower unit sales with dealers essentially pushing back on new orders while moving through existing inventories.
Across the portfolio, “Towables” have been a strong point with unit deliveries up 9.1% year-over-year, even as segment net revenues fell by 5% given discounting and promotional activities.
On the other hand, the core “Motorhome” RV group saw a -31% decline in unit deliveries while revenues fell by -28% considering efforts to maintain premium pricing. There is also the smaller “Marine” business with brands like “Chris Craft” and “Bartella” where boat deliveries fell by -34% y/y.
The top line weakness translated to a lower gross margin of 15.2%, down 160bps from the period last year. Similarly, the adjusted EBITDA margin at 7.1% was down from 10.2% in Q1 fiscal 2023.
To place these figures in context, consider that the industry faced major supply chain disruptions between 2020 and 2021 leading to widespread shortages and low inventories.
Fast forward and the comparison period from last year fiscal 2023 still captured some of that momentum as Winnebago worked through the record backlog at the time. By this measure, the headline numbers reflect a combination of an industry downturn as well as exceptional volatility over the last few years.
Read the full report from Seeking Alpha here.


text:
Another GMO goods import claims revealed in northwestern Turkey
ISTANBULTurkey’s Customs and Trade Ministry announced they had received information about another importation of genetically modified organism (GMO) goods in the northwestern province of Tekirdağ, after 21,000 tons of GMO rice were recently seized in Mersin province.
Customs and Trade Minister Hayati Yazıcı said they had investigated other ports and they were informed that GMO imports had been made from Tekirdağ. Prosecutors have begun an investigation into the case, he added.Tat Bakliyat, Tiryaki Agro Gıda and Göze Tarım are the companies whose imported rice was seized due to GMO allegations. However, they denied claims.
A court has decided to arrest six people, including Tat president Şerafettin Memiş, after 21,000 tons of GMO rice were seized in Mersin province.


text:
Former SRT Head Honcho Ralph Gilles certainly thinks that the 2016 Chrysler 200 is the reincarnation of that boy racer Dodge Neon SRT-4. Ralph definitely has a point.
It’s been over 11 years since the last Dodge Neon SRT-4 rolled off the assembly line in Belvidere, Illinois, but cruise on over to your local car meet and you’re bound to come across this turbocharged boy racer in the hands of some hot shot millennial. Now that most of that early 2000 tuner bunch have a bit of disposable income under their belt, you’d think there’s nothing on the market that could satisfy that Neon SRT-4 itch.
But according to current head of Global Design of Fiat Chrysler Ralph Gilles (more synonymous with SRT then anything,) Ralph thinks that the 2016 Chrysler 200S might be the spiritual reincarnation of that overpowered front-wheel drive Neon from a decade ago. According to one of his earlier Instagram posts earlier this week, Gilles brought up some valid points that are worth the read.
Here’s the tail of the tape.
[table id=1 /]
Obviously both cars come from different classes and serve different purposes. One is an econobox turned FWD hot-rod while the other is a mid-sized sedan with a bit of sporty-handling made to compete with the likes of the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord.
But you have to admit, if you’re looking for a four-door sedan that’ll do the grocery run but will still give you a kick in the pants on that Sunday drive up Mulholland for a reasonable price, the 2016 Chrysler 200 just might be your ticket.


text:
Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos and his wife Mackenzie are getting a divorce after 25 years of marriage.
Bezos and his soon-to-be-ex made the announcement in a joint statement on Bezos’ Twitter account.
The statement said the decision was made after “A long period of loving exploration and trial separation.
The couple married in 1993, six months after she reportedly first him out to lunch.
Since then, Bezos – who also owns the Washington Post – has become the world’s richest man.
Three months ago, Bezos took Bill Gates’ place at the top of Forbes’ year list of the richest Americans.


text:
An overwhelming majority — 87.5 percent — of small business owners say they’re investing more in their business in this year than in 2015, and most are borrowing funds in order to do so, according to a study published today by fintech company BizFi. More than 9 in 10 said they would borrow money to invest, with 38 percent planning to borrow more than $40,000.
The survey results painted an optimistic picture in terms of small business growth; 42.9 percent of small business owners said they are looking to expand locations in 2016 and 63.1 percent reported plans to hire new employees. In addition to hiring and expansion, business owners cited marketing and inventory as other critical areas they plan to deploy capital this year.
The survey also noted that small business owners are increasingly leaning toward alternative financing sources — just over two-thirds said they preferred working with an online lender to secure financing versus traditional bank loans.


text:
Apple has confirmed to builders of Mac apps that they are going to be capable of make use of the additional show room on both facet of the notch on the brand new mini-LED MacBook Professional, and that there is a new device to cease any content material being obscured by the digital camera housing.
In a brand new developer doc Apple acknowledged:
On Macs that embody a digital camera housing within the display screen bezel, the system offers a compatibility mode to stop apps from unintentionally placing content material within the area the housing occupies. When this mode is energetic, the system adjustments the energetic space of the show to keep away from the digital camera housing. The brand new energetic space ensures your app’s contents are all the time seen and never obscured by the digital camera housing. The system solely prompts this compatibility mode whereas an app that requires it runs within the present desktop area.
Apple’s new MacBook not solely consists of new Apple silicon with the M1 Professional and M1 Max chips, it additionally features a new Liquid Retina XDR show that makes use of the identical mini-LED expertise from the M1 iPad Professional (2021). It additionally features a new bigger show and thinner bezels, with a notch left to accommodate the brand new 1080p FaceTime digital camera:
The show options even thinner borders and extends up across the digital camera to supply customers with much more room for his or her content material. Whether or not customers are watching a film or grading 8K video, the brand new show gives a fantastic cinematic viewing expertise.
Apple marketed the brand new MacBook Professional’s additional display screen actual property as the proper dwelling for the menu bar and standing icons just like the battery indicator, very similar to the iPhone 13 and its different latest greatest iPhones. This new developer device confirms that builders will be capable of use the whole lot of the MacBook Professional’s show and that there isn’t any threat of any content material being obscured by the notch.
We might earn a fee for purchases utilizing our hyperlinks. Study extra.


text:
Quartz recently crunched the numbers on the benefits and drawbacks of organic food and came up with a pretty simple conclusion: it’s a rip-off. Taking prices, health effects, and farming practices into consideration, it turns out you’re getting swindled on all those trips to Whole Foods to buy your way into an organic lifestyle. Let’s break down the three major ways you’re getting hustled.
Anyone who’s been to a health-food or natural-food store can tell you that organic food is expensive. On average, organic food costs 47% more than the same product without the certified label. Logically, you’d assume it costs about that much more money to make the organic food. Not so fast. “As a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found, the ‘premium’ markup on organic food is 29-32%, when only a 5-7% markup would be needed to break even—making organic farms more profitable than conventional ones,” according to Quartz.
Everyone is greedy, and you lose. But you’re still happy to pay, as long as you get the health benefits that come from your organic kale, right?
Wrong. “Any health benefits from organic produce are teeny tiny,” reports Quartz, “and any differences in nutrition are relatively insignificant.” Vegetables are good for you, no matter how they’re grown. In fact, within the study, it was found that the majority of the pesticide-grown produce that we’ve been taught to fear comes in at less than 2% of the allowable pesticide levels. But you already knew that; you buy organic because it’s better for the environment. Yeah, that’s it.
Wrong again. Large-scale organic famers don’t skip pesticides and fertilizers, “they just use natural options, which are hardly risk-free,” writes Quartz. Here’s some even more concerning news for all you organic diehards: A recent study found that because organic farming is now being done by gigantic corporations (think: “Walmart organic”), the heavy machinery combined with lower yields means that “organic farming can release even more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than conventional farming.”
So what do you do, now that the $6 organic strawberries at Whole Foods are looking slightly less appealing? “Bottom line: If you want to know more about your fruits and vegetables, buy them at the local farmers market, organic or not,” advises Quartz. “The prices are often competitive with supermarkets, the in-season goods will be fresher than those shipped long distances, and any questions you have on production practices can be asked and answered on the spot. If you can’t make it to the farmers market, don’t waste your money on that little label.”
Words of wisdom, produce lovers. And here’s a handy beginner’s guide to navigating the farmers market for all you novices out there.


text:
Today, we can reveal the three projects worthy of an accolade in the rebadged mass-market category, which brings together the previous consumer and telco and media categories.
Fitting of the new decade, the category is one of the most distinct in this year’s awards, spanning vastly different areas like government, media and entertainment, retail, and telco.
Stay tuned over the coming days as we announce the finalists in the remaining 11 categories, including finance, federal government, diversity, sustainability and young leader.
Also keep an eye out for the first of our case studies on the finalists in the run up to the awards gala dinner on March 5 at KPMG’s Sydney Office in Barangaroo, where we will crown the teams behind the winning projects.
But before that happens, here are the finalists in the mass-market category.
iTnews Benchmark Awards 2020 Mass-market Finalists
Transport for NSW: Opal Connect
Opal Connect is a recently introduced account-based ticketing platform from Transport for NSW that provides a new way for customers to transfer between different modes of transport.
The single digital account helps commuters keep track of all their public transport payments, whether this is via Opal smartcard or contactless credit or debit cards, and receive travel credits.
It is key to the government’s planned digital opal card, which will be trialled later this year, as well as the foundation to eventually offer Netflix-style subscription service for transport.
Transport minister Andrew Constance first raised the prospect of such a model last year, whereby commuters would pay a weekly or monthly fee to use public transport.
In this future, this has the potential to cover not only public transport journeys, but trips through ride sharing platforms like Uber, taxis, parking and tolling.
Aussie Broadband: MyAussie App
The MyAussie App is the main way for Aussie Broadband users to manage their account, look after bills and payments, view data usage and request technical support.
Available through Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store, the app also offers users a number of innovative features for managing their service. There’s a matching online portal.
This includes allowing users to ‘kick’ - or restart - their connection all the way through the network, view known outages in the area and perform a series of connection tests.
The app was built by Aussie Broadband’s in-house development team in just 45 days using PHP, Laravel, Vue and Cordova and has already paid for itself after 91 days of use.
9Voyager is Nine’s new self-service, automated buying platform that aims to democratise TV advertising for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
The platform, which was launched in July 2019, offers SMEs an easy way to advertise across Nine’s, including on Channel 9 and its on-demand platform, 9Now.
Users can use 9Voyager to choose every aspect of a campaign, from when it will run and the campaign budget to the market segment the SME wants to reach.
The platform, which has been built in-house at Nine, also has an integrated payment gateway that allows users to pay in one simple transaction via credit card or bank transfer.
It can also be used by customers without a pre-prepared TV commercial, with a fully integrated creative service that will shoot, produce and deliver the commercials.


text:
This Reliance-backed startup will soon let you pause a movie and buy what the actor is wearing
- Reliance-backed fashion e-commerce platform
Fyndhas launched a chrome extension called Fynd now.
- Through this feature, you can just hover on any image on the world wide web and find similar products on Fynd’s platform.
- Fynd was founded by Farooq Adam, Harsh Shah, and Sreeraman MG in 2012 and was also backed by Google. In August 2019,
Reliancebought an 87.6% stake in Fynd for ₹295 crore.
Pretty soon you can actually do that. Reliance Industries-backed fashion e-commerce platform Fynd launched a Google Chrome extension called Fynd Now. Through this feature, you can just hover on any image on the world wide web and find similar products on Fynd’s platform.
Fynd was founded by Farooq Adam, Harsh Shah, and Sreeraman MG in 2012 and was also backed by Google. In August 2019, Reliance bought an 87.6% stake in it for ₹295 crore.
AdvertisementInstead of vague keyword searches to find an item or spending time searching through countless catalogs, Fynd Now helps you find a similar match with just a click. They will soon extend the visual recommendation search engine feature to video and streaming services.
“What this extension does is, it makes your online world shoppable. We are starting with images, will extend it to videos and soon in streaming services, pretty much everything can become searchable and shoppable,” said Farooq Adam, co-founder of Fynd told Business Insider.
Fynd started in 2015 when the founders were trying to solve how to offer better recommendations using images.
“It took over two years for the technology to mature for us and later we started making automated catalogue systems and building automated tages using images. We perfected all of this tech by the end of 2018 and realised how cool it would be if you can find any item on the net by just looking at it,” he said.
The impact of a feature such as this is huge, as it could change the way brands reach out to their customers via media. Gone are they days were just “fashion partners” for movies, they will soon have to vouch for their presence which will bring consumers to them directly. It will help create direct business opportunities for Instagram influencers as well.
Given how much we are inspired by clothes worn by actors and influencers, Adam is confident that a product like this will take off.
Advertisement“More and more of what we are seeing is that people are looking for inspiration to buy – today Instagram has become like a catalogue. And this tech allows for anyone today to make their content shoppable,” he said.
Fynd currently has 19 million customers with a majority coming in from Tier 2 and 3 cities.
Reliance backed Fynd launches retail solution for shopkeepers to sell online with their own website and app
AdvertisementAmazon rushes to bring Kishore Biyani’s Future Group online, days after Mukesh Ambani’s JioMart launch
Popular on BI
- Charanjit Singh Channi to be next Chief Minister of Punjab
- iQOO to launch its new smartphone AiQOO Z5 in India soon at ₹30,000
- India may soon reopen its doors for foreign tourists as COVID-19 cases decline in the country
- Airlines can now operate 85% of pre-Covid domestic flights, says Aviation Ministry
- Yes Bank-DHFL case: No sympathy, says court, Rana Kapoor's wife, daughters remanded to judicial custody


text:
Shares of retailers and other consumer-services companies slipped amid mixed signals for the economic recovery.
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday said it was committed to providing more support to the economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, and projected it wouldn't raise interest rates through 2022.
Meanwhile, U.S. consumer prices dropped for a third straight month in May as the coronavirus pandemic kept shoppers and travelers at home, but the rate of decline in inflation eased as the cost of groceries, rent and medical services rose.
The consumer-price index, which measures what Americans pay for everything from alcohol to lawn mowers, fell a seasonally adjusted 0.1% in May after comparable declines of 0.8% in April and 0.4% in March, the Labor Department said.
Companies continued to detail their strategies for reopening.
Starbucks said it would close some traditional cafes and open more to-go locations as the chain known for spreading coffee shops across the globe bets more on convenience and speed. Shares fell 4% Wednesday as the company also detailed the financial impact from Covid-19 and updated its quarterly and annual outlook.
Zara-owner Inditex said it is permanently closing as many as 1,200 stores-16% of its global outlets-and will pivot more aggressively toward selling online, as the fast-fashion giant maps out its post-pandemic future.
Ulta Beauty, a cosmetics chain that is a staple of shopping centers across the country, is undertaking a "clean sheet" review of its stores, exploring whether to close, move or remodel its hundreds of brick-and-mortar locations in light of pressures facing retailers, including the coronavirus pandemic.
Volkswagen on Wednesday said its flagship electric car model, the ID.3 hatchback, wouldn't be delivered to customers until September, several months later than originally planned after software glitches delayed production.
Meanwhile, Tesla investors pushed the auto maker's stock to more than $1,000 a share Wednesday, lifting its valuation closer to Toyota Motor Corp.'s, after Chief Executive Elon Musk told employees it was time to begin volume production of the company's long-promised, all-electric semitrailer truck.
Write to Rob Curran at firstname.lastname@example.org