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If you don’t like change, you are going to like irrelevance a lot less. A famous quote from the former CEO of Ford Alan Mulally that is more than relevant for today’s age of incredible transformation, both for companies and for individuals.
As the Fourth Industrial Revolution is expanding at full speed more and more established enterprises are struggling to transform their existing activities into a more digital businesses.
During Webit.Festival Europe our guest had the chance to have these processes explained by the Vice President for Cloud and Mobile Technology at IBM Jonas Jacobi. His lecture walked us through the latest trends in Cloud Computing, Internet of Everything and Artificial Intelligence that are going to transform the life as we know it today.
According to him, we as users tend to hold on things, whether physical or not, for way too long. And what that does to us and our corporations and companies is that we are holding back the opportunity to realize the future.
“It is important to realize this. If you look at where you are and where you want to be make sure to let go of the past to move on to the future”, the expert said.
He reminded that Cloud Computing is actually not a new thing, but we can all give credit to Amazon for making this the number one priority for many companies today.
What is important to understand about Cloud Computing is that it is now a must have thing. The Cloud Computing era brought forward a process, called Digital Transformation. A lot of established companies now go through the rapid attempt to digitalize themselves and there is a real race to transform.
The other thing that Cloud Computing brought is the lower bar for entry in the space of technology. If we go back 10 or 15 years ago, it required a much bigger minimal investment to try to launch a service.
In the ever evolving markets there is a price war and ultimate race to the bottom. As soon as a company comes with a low price, everyone try to chase after. The markets are growing faster than we can actually imagine thanks to trends, such as IoE and AI.
“What that means for all the cloud vendors is that they have to focus on what makes them different. That is the key thing to succeed. It can not all go down to zero in terms of revenue from our services so we have to differentiate”, said Jacobi.
The important thing when we look at the things popping out on the market is that they go through some form of evaluation of the market. In the case of connected devices this process is called IoT Chasm and it follows several steps.
A new trend comes out and everybody is super excited. We start with the honeymoon period which is like coming to a new place and saying that you are going to stay there forever. Then you start noticing some functions that doesn’t suit you well. But after a while you realize that you are committed to the technology.
When a user is already committed, he starts looking not only for convenience, but for things like security of the product. Many IoE companies think of the security as of something that is going to come later. But we are on a stage of development in which someone can hack a car and steer it off the road
Once the commitment is a fact, we get into those deeper issues, and as soon as we go through them we get into the major adoption curve of a new technology.
Connected cars present a giant market opportunity. But now there are even 3D printed self-driving minivans that are with built in AI. We can talk to the bus and communicate with it. We can even ask for a good restaurant and it will take us there. Now technology is not disrupting just one business, but several at the same time.
If you can 3D print a car then you disrupt manufacturing, traffic planning, optimizing traffic fall and making it greener. This is where we are heading. Soon we will just be able to download a blueprint and go print our own personalized car in the shop.
The other giant trend in technology is the rise of Artificial Intelligence. And while many people perceive the adoption of such technology as a start of the battle between the man and machine, the reality is that AI will augment humanity and human intelligence, not replace us.
“At IBM we are working a lot with AI on healthcare. AI can help doctors reach a decision faster, get access to more information faster and anything else in the market. In this case it is an opportunity to improve and safe life of many”, Jacobi said.
He thinks that cognitive systems do not think for us, but help us do research and make better decisions.
The IBM expert said that no matter how hard we resist and try to push back change, it will inevitably come to us, so we should instead endorse it and bring it in. Because the sooner we adopt new technology, ideas and business models, the faster we can evolve as companies and individuals.
You may watch Jonas Jacobi’s full lecture here:
If you want to keep up with the latest trend in the world of digital economy and technology, then Webit.Festival is the right place for you. Visit our website and book 2 of our Super Earlybird tickets for Webit.Festival Europe 2018 for just €100.
Feel the Webit vibe with some of the best photos from this year’s event!


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When Roundup Ready soybeans were introduced, some observers thought STS beans would soon be phased out.
That hasn't happened, and Norm Husa doubts that it will anytime soon.
"The yield of Roundup Ready soybeans does not equal that of STS beans in our comparisons," says Husa.
As owner and operator of Husa Seed Farms, Barneston, NE, he produces certified seed of Roundup Ready, STS and conventional varieties.
STS soybeans are at this time "about as good-yielding as you'll ever find in our experience," he says.
Introduced in 1994, STS (sulfonylurea-tolerant) soybeans are considered the grandfather of herbicide-tolerant soybeans. Acreage has increased every year, reaching 5 million in 1997, then jumping to between 6 million and 8 million this year.
"The STS system captured more attention this year because of a 75% price cut of its partnering herbicides," explains Aaron Hager, University of Illinois weed scientist.
"From that respect, I think we'll see an increase in the number of acres planted," says Hager. "The future of it is hard to tell. I think the reduced cost of the herbicides associated with it will keep a lot of people interested."
More than 100 companies now offer STS soybean seed, and some are increasing supplies and offering new varieties.
Growers use DuPont's Reliance STS or Synchrony STS herbicide on STS beans.
"Both products control a very wide range of broadleaf weeds and tankmixing with a grass product completes the programs," says Fran Castle, at DuPont.
For '98, DuPont offered an Authority First-Synchrony copack for waterhemp and nightshade control.
Husa's problem weeds are velvetleaf, cocklebur and sunflower. He says he gets good control with one application of Synchrony. For grass control, Husa uses Fusion. This year, the tankmix cost him about $14/acre.
"With the technology fee we have to pay, the Roundup Ready system gets kind of expensive," Husa states. "There's a place for it, but not all places."
Weed control has been better than in his Roundup Ready soybeans, too.
"Sometimes you have to use Roundup twice because it doesn't offer residual control," he says.
According to Hager, Roundup isn't the best option for some weeds. For example, Reliance and Synchrony do a better job on smartweed and velvetleaf than does Roundup.
Some growers don't want the restrictions associated with the Roundup Ready system, he points out. Those restrictions don't exist with an STS system.
"I don't think STS soybeans are going to have as much of the market as Roundup Ready beans, but it's still a viable system for a lot of producers," says Hager.
Castle explains that the appeal of the STS system, from the beginning, has been the crop safety and proven yields that growers can achieve.
With STS beans and their accompanying herbicides, there's no crop injury, the beans canopy early and often yield better than conventional beans, according to Castle.
"I think the results speak for themselves," she says.

domain: news


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Following the announcement of her new album The Rarities and an upcoming memoir, Mariah Carey is also hoping to spread some Christmas cheer this holiday season.
Apple TV+ confirmed that Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special is on the way, though no release date is set yet. The service is labeling the program as an “innovative special” featuring music, dancing and animation, all of which will be “driven by a universally heartwarming story that brings the world together.” Carey will also serve as a producer on her show, along with Roman Coppola, per Apple TV+’s announcement. Hamish Hamilton (the man behind previous Oscars and Super Bowl halftime shows) will direct the special.
Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com


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Virtual Reality is something that’s incredibly interesting to me as someone who likes to play video games. It’s the first place that people saw an immediate use for the technology: achieve the immersion that game developers have been chasing for so long by literally strapping someone into the video game, Matrix style. It’s also no surprise that Virtual Reality is interesting to marketers. The ability to totally immerse someone in a world could provide endless opportunities to expose the consumer to new products, new ways of thinking, and new ways to represent your brand. We’ve seen Ford use limited VR technologies with 360 videos, and other brands have shown heavy interest Virtual and Augmented reality (don’t forget Pokemon Go and how brands everywhere tried to find the perfect way to capitalize on the flash sensation). More and more brands are finding ways to make VR accessible to people, Samsung and Google doing their part to develop ways to integrate their phones into VR headsets, while Apple seems to have a huge interest in augmented reality.
Facebook, having bought Oculus (a leading VR developer with few competitors), has made it a priority to develop the Oculus platform to provide as many kinds of opportunities and experiences for as many kinds of people as possible. Mark Zuckerberg and his team have been working on a way for brands to build full websites that work in VR, not just applications for gaming or other virtual reality experiences. This allows brands an incredible opportunity to reach their customer base and instill value, and depending on how big you want to dream, you could think about the realities of brands opening their own virtual e-commerce spots with the ability for the user to traverse the store from their living room. Facebook has also been working on developing conference rooms where you can enter via VR, and maybe have branding all around you. The frontier is largely unexplored because the technology is ever developing, but the first brand to figure out the best way to leverage VR to reach their customer base will win. Big.


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Sorin Tranca from Romanian advertising agency Friends Advertising and Cosmin Alexandru from the brand consultancy Brandivia will be speakers, Tuesday, at GOmentorship, along with the historian Zoe Petre and Mihai Stanescu, founder of RoCoach.
GOMentorship is a free event. The project with the same name started in 2007, as an initiative of Oricum Association. Today, the project is managed together with Dinu Patriciu Foundation and Bucharest University and transformed into a complex platform of non-formal education
Cosmin Alexandru is branding and strategy consultant and owns the brand consultancy Brandivia. Until 2005, he was the leader of GfK Romania, part of one of the biggest research companies in the world.
Sorin Tranca is one of the most known Romanian creatives. Although he has a journalistic formation, he chose advertising over it, and started his career as a junior copywriter at Graffiti BBDO Romania in 1998. Later on, he become a copywriter, senior copywriter and Group Creative Director at Tempo Romania. Starting 2003, he is leading Friends Advertising as Creative Director and founding partner.


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Almost 50 percent of customers surveyed have not nevertheless heard the phrase “metaverse” and only 5% take into account on their own enthusiastic people.
All those are top rated findings of a shopper review executed by CommerceNext in partnership with Bizrate Insights, Coresight Investigation and CommX.
The February research polled mostly women and individuals of ages 18 to 59, according to a press release.
“Our survey data indicate that recognition of the metaverse is minimal general, but the likely is high,” Veronika Sonsev, co-founder of CommerceNext, mentioned in the launch. “While most shoppers ended up not acquainted with the metaverse, the ones that interact in digital worlds appeared inclined to store in the metaverse in the long term.”
Just 18% of customers surveyed have engaged with digital worlds, and of people, in phrases of engagement, 76% have performed game titles and 39% have socialized.
Whilst only 30% of the 18% shop in metaverse environments, the respondents noted curiosity in pursuits this sort of as buying in virtual malls and hoping on clothes and equipment almost when they had been asked about potential procuring-related routines in long run metaverse visits. Notably, respondents confirmed the most fascination in shopping for genuine-globe merchandise.


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This week, in MMOs, the feds began investigations into Activision-Blizzard, tested out Guild Wars 2’s second batch of End of Dragons elite specs, Funcom granted approval for a fan-led Secret World TTRPG, LOTRO gave away all the things, and Ultima Online was 24 years old. Diablo II Resurrected was also released, and it did what most MMOs do at the time: it fought.
Meanwhile, we were expecting the release of New World this week. You’ve already sorted out your server name?
Become a PatronRead on to get up to date with the best of this weeks MMO news and opinions as much as every Sunday (since 2010!) in Massively Overpowereds Week in Review!
THIS STORIES TOPS IN THE WORLD
The launch of New World in the United States is now open to all! The launch of the project is now available to everyone! And while you run around like a chicken with its +4 head cut off, New World wants you to take a moment to take a moment. Funcom gave a player group the privilege to develop a Secret World TTRPG – It’s not been the best couple of years for fans of The Secret World, due to the fact that both games are all but in maintenance mode and the community. The feds are now investigating Activision-Blizzard as the SEC subpoenas execs, including Bobby Kotick – Early in our coverage of the Activision-Blizzard sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit scandal, we observed that the company’s response took some ineffective swipes at the state of California bureau. – It’s time to launch another End of Dragonselite specialization beta! It’s a rewarding time for Guild Wars 2players, who’re looking for elite specs and looking for what they’ll be playing as. Activision-Blizzard is now being investigated by four federal and state governments as its highest legal VP departs. Yesterday, we covered the news that the US Securities and Exchange Commission is now investigating Activision-Blizzard in the aftermath of its ongoing sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit and associated scandal. Rumor: The slew of files suggests Star Citizens Theaters of War is being transformed into a standalone game – Allow us to provide a little context before we get to the news: This is the entire 20v20 mixed arms PvP mode that was first introduced. New World‘s latest trailer is an invitation to build a new destiny – We’re just six days away from the launch of Amazon‘s New World, with the hype charging waaaaay up as the MMORPG universe is getting what could well become the world’s most exciting new releases. It’s 24 years old today, and it’s 111th update as New Legacy dev goes on. Well, look what we’ve got here: Somebody’s turning 24. It’s Ultima Online, which is largely considered the genre’s grandfather and the creator of the MMORPG genre, though of the genre’s coiner. World of Warcraft replacing sexualized artwork is a little bit of a halt, so World of Warcraft has been on a tumultuous week with replacing achievement names, artwork, and so forth in recent times. The most recent changes at the moment I’m writing this. LOTRO is once again giving away 26 quest packs and selling eight more for cheap – With Gundabad fast approaching this autumn, Standing Stone Games is rolling out the red carpet for Lord of the Rings Online players who might be missing some earlier content. Today, On October 11th, Book of Travels will have early access: Quality was our deadline – Might and Delight have decided to choose a date for Book of Travels‘ early access: October 11th. “Quality was our deadline, and today we’ve reached that deadline,” Raph Koster on why avatars floating across the metaverse are a huge tech challenge – virtual worlds… how do they work? Raph Koster, the creator of Playable Worlds, has an idea or two, and he’s preparing them for a new blog series. The first section is centered on the first aspect. Blizzard launches Diablo II: Resurrected launch week woes – It’s fair to say that there’s a lot more pressure on the launch of Diablo II: Resurrected than there would be in a normal year. Blizzard was rocked by Blizzard. Guild Wars 2’s world-vs.-world system has been restructured since its inception early on, but it has a long history of difficult challenges. And then just as soon. ArenaNet said on Friday that it will be conducting an investigation. The Game Archaeologist: Tanarus, Sony Online Entertainment’s first online game – While EverQuest may be thought of as Sony Online Entertainment’s first online game, the history of the game differs. As Mythic Entertainment added many other online platforms, the company has pumped out many. EVE Online arrives at the Epic Games Store, lauds 24M players, and is announcing a new event – thanks to the game’s official arrival at the Epic Games Store, EVE Online continues to seek to break down the red carpet for new arrivals once again. The public offering was revealed in a separate article. Another outlet recently published an article on how Pokemon Uniteplayers don’t like to give up and then stated they should surrender more without “it’s all for sure.” The first strange element in TitanReach‘s story has been the game getting fully funded without a string attached by a mysterious benefactor. If that story sounds intriguing, please read it. Chronicles of Elyria’s subreddit reopens, promising no further censorship from Soulbound Studios – Chronicles of Elyria made the decision to shut down its subreddit in the middle of July this year, citing a surge of abuse and daily threats of violence that resulted in a swell of abuse and widespread violence. – Nonameplease recently published an interesting article in the Star Trek Online subreddit. “I’s normal, it’s all the rage, it’s true.” It’s apparent that most people don’t think the game itself is sufficient to be useful enough.” Perfect Ten: Ranking the Guild Wars 2 professions from best to worst – There are a lot of times when this column isn’t a ranking, when it is simply a list of things in a particular order but in a certain order. You’ll know how children’s soccer teams gather up after a match to give each other high-fives and “good games” in a show of sportsmanship – Fortnite may not be back on Apple‘s app store for five years or longer? Apple is the one kid who’s smart. We really wanted to ensure that Amazon on New World is running right this time – the multi-million dollar question of the hour is whether or not Amazon will be able to complete a comprehensive game launch. The studio has plenty of opportunities to create hope with the company. What else does Amazon Games have cooking besides New World, Lost Ark, and that unnamed game from Smed? Glowmade, a British game company, has apparently released a copy of the game. – The mobile version of Pokemon Unite has arrived as of today, and those of you who don’t have a Nintendo Switch yet wish to play will have the chance to play Pokemon Unite as a new player. Stephen Critchlow, the voice behind Count Edmont de Fortemps – The Final Fantasy XIV community is in mourning this week, as English actor Stephen Critchlow passed away at the age of 54. Critchlow was well-known for his stage presence. New World has revealed the names of its 176 launch day servers, and with less than a week to go before New World‘s September 28th launch, there’sn’t much time left for interested players to make plans for the first day of release. Diablo II Resurrected has begun preloading heres when it launches in your time zone, and Blizzard is requesting everyone to focus on it rather than its ballooning culture and legal difficulties. This afternoon, Fractured is preparing its big fall alpha phase, which starts tomorrow, September 22nd, and runs until October 13th, according to us. “The update introduces a new concept.” Choose My Adventure: The other adventures of a twin pistols gadgeteer in DC Universe Online – It’s the way to move forward, and I’m adamant that I’m completely agreeing. Jagex attributes lag spikes during Old School RuneScapes Deadman finals to direct network attacks over the previous three weeks – It’s been running its Deadman Reborn PvP competition, which has exploded this week with a finals event to determine the winner. Last week, there was a huge social media hype over World of Warcraft, as Blizzard quietly changed out a pair of obscure paintings in the game. A blurry was once again visible. Fight or Kite: Spellbreak‘s wizardry fights start with new content — It’s been a long day since I spent any time playing Spellbreak. It was a great component of my nightly gaming rotation when it first launched. It has a lot of similarities to it. As the game developed by Mythic Entertainment, it planned to include up to six capital cities that would be included in Warhammer Online: Return of Reckoning. Wisdom of Nym: Reactions to Final Fantasy XIV‘s job changes from the live letter – One of the things that excites me every time about Final Fantasy XIV is the way that the game can tell you up-front exactly what it’s going to be revealing.
THIS CLASSES & STREAMS ARE AWARDS.
Episode 339 of Massively OP Podcast: Kitchen sinks and the Tao of MMOs The Stream Team: A return to the scene of final Fantasy XIV Shadowbringers The Stream Team: Ahead of a fight with the Phaelanx in Dauntless Another attempt to get into Voidtrain‘s early access is to get a sneak peek into the network. Find out what’s going on in our MMO Week in Review every week over the MMO genres and the most recent news and OP’s top content! Want to know more about the contents? Try Friday‘s Betawatch for MMO testing highlights, Saturday‘s Make My MMO for MMO crowdfunding updates, and Sunday‘s The MOP Up, which mops up all the news we didn’t mention anywhere else.


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Have you registered for our free one-on-one online coaching? Businesses from across the state have been involved and we have received some great feedback.
The coaching is available through stage 2 of the Tourism Industry Business Capability Development program, which is funded by the Queensland Government and supported by the 13 Regional Tourism Organisations.
Businesses can register to receive a minimum of one 60-minute coaching session and up to a maximum of four 60-minute coaching sessions. Registrations are open from now and up until May 2021, or until spaces are filled. With over 300 businesses already registered be sure to register now!
“By being involved in the coaching, we are taking an opportunity to look inwardly at our offering to figure out what is working best for us in the current market.
“Having an outside (and professional) opinion has been so valuable in identifying our ‘wow’ moments and using that to shape new offerings.
“As a direct result of our first coaching session with Amanda from Success Matrix, we developed our ‘Jellurgal Little Explorers’ workshop which was aimed at primary-school-aged children,” said Michelle Reid, Communications Officer – Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre.
The online coaching is unique to your business with the flexibility to choose your coach from the list available here. Coaches can help:
- redevelop existing business plan
- identify new revenue pipelines
- update trade rate sheets
- update development of trade sales material
- new packaged itineraries
- working with new trade partners
- negotiating new contracts
- redevelop sales strategy and marketing plan
- online engagement


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Corrects Nasdaq’s weekly loss to worse in 17 months.
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — The U.S. stock market pared most of its gains Friday after an early morning rally following generally positive consumer spending data petered out by mid-afternoon.
The Nasdaq Composite saw the worst week in 17 months, after a week-long selloff in biotechs dragged the index down.
The S&P 500 SPX, -0.65% ended the day 8.58 points, or 0.5%, higher at 1,857.62, and recorded a 0.5% loss for the week. With only one trading session left this month, the benchmark index is set to finish March roughly where it started.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, -0.42% closed up 58.83 points at 16,323.06 and is 0.1% higher on the week.
The Nasdaq Composite COMP, -0.46% finished the day up 4.53 points, or 0.1%, at 4,155.76. The tech-heavy index is down 2.8% for the week, its worst performance since Oct 2012.
“Today’s economic data was as expected, but compared to the last few months there is an improvement, suggesting that the economy’s slowdown this year is weather-related and temporary,” said Kate Warne, investment strategist at Edward Jones.
“This was enough good news for stocks to go higher this morning,” Warne added.
Consumer spending rose in February at the fastest rate since November as Americans spent more on health care and utilities, but in a negative sign, purchases of big-ticket items fell for the third straight month. Personal income also ticked up in February.
Next week will offer a barrage of economic data, which are expected to have less weather-related distortions and provide a better view of the economy.
Separately, consumer sentiment declined to a final March reading of 80 -- the lowest level since November -- from a final February level of 81.6, according to a Friday report on a gauge from the University of Michigan and Thomson Reuters. A preliminary March reading pegged the level at 79.9. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected a final March level of 81. Economists watch sentiment levels to get a feeling for the direction of consumer spending. Read: Spotlight on the economy.
IPOs see mixed action; Biotechs slide
Heavy losses among biotech stocks dragged the Nasdaq Composite down. The Nasdaq Biotechnology index fell 2.8%. Biogen Idec, Inc. BIIB, -0.91% and Gilead Sciences, Inc. GILD, -0.03% were among the top five losers on the S&P 500, falling 5% and 4.9% respectively.
In corporate news, BlackBerry Ltd. US:BBRY shares slumped 7% after reporting an adjusted per-share loss that was less than expected. The company said it anticipates maintaining a strong cash position and is targeting break-even cash-flow results by the end of fiscal 2015.
Finish Line Inc. US:FINL rose 2.2% after the athletic-gear retailer reported its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings rose 25%.
Amazon.com Inc. AMZN, -0.89% shares gave up earlier gains and closed flat after reports that the company plans to offer free streaming television and music videos to its customers. The firm had previously planned to charge for the members-only service, reported The Wall Street Journal. Amazon has denied the reports.
Shares of Restoration Hardware Holdings Inc. RH, -1.70% jumped 13% after the high-end home furnishings retailer topped Wall Street estimates and issued a healthy outlook.
There were also a number of initial public offerings, with some more successful than others. CBS Outdoor Americas US:CBSO rose 5.4% on the first day of trading, but Everyday Health, Inc US:EVDY fell 3.6% on debut.
Asian and European shares rise
Elsewhere, Asian markets ended the week mostly higher, while the positive mood also helped lift European equities SXXP, -0.06% with all major national benchmarks trading in positive territory. Gold prices were under pressure again, oil prices rose CLK24, -49.95% while the dollar DXY, -0.05% moved slightly higher.


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INSURANCE guru Peter Wood says his company's new city centre offices are the best in the country.
At the official opening of the Quay Street base for esure and First Alternative, Mr Wood, who built up Direct Line from scratch for the Royal Bank of Scotland - earning bonuses of é50m - said looking after employees is something many companies fail to do, at their cost.
The multi-millionaire, who launched esure in 1991, with the backing of HBOS, said: "Most businesses put shareholders first, then customers and then their staff and I think they have got it wrong.
"We try to do it the other way around and put people first and keep customers happy."
With this in mind he said a number of former colleagues from Direct Line had joined him at esure and First Alternative.
"The guy in charge of the Royal Bank now is focused on costs, I like to put staff first. Cost cutting may work in the short term, but long term I believe it does not pay off."
Mr Wood said around é4m had been spent on the fit out of the office, which is home to sales and claims staff.
It features "break-out zones" for staff to relax in, offers free tea and coffee and a large restaurant with a giant TV on the wall showing sports news.
"We had been looking for a location for a while. We out-grew the esure site in Cheadle, which was an old office owned by the Bank of Scotland, and we are really delighted with the Meridian building.
"Manchester is a vibrant city, the people are good too."
Mr Wood believes the First Alternative concept, which offers insurance to drivers of performance cars or who have fallen foul of the many speed cameras on the Britain's roads, will be a success.
Despite business opportunities presented by the rising tide of speed cameras, Mr Wood feels motorists are being give a raw deal. He said: "I think the cameras are being used as a way of boosting revenues rather than improving road safety. When you hear of people getting done going at 33 in a 30 limit I think it's going overboard."


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Black Friday debut for Wii U launches next-gen gaming war
Thursday, November 22, 2012 - 02:15
Nov. 22 - Nintendo's new Wii U console is racking up stellar sales. But with tablets and smartphones now competing for the same audience, the big console makers will have to up their game. Jon Gordon reports.
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The SAB Goblin Kraken story
First owners receive their helis
And finally: SAB Goblin Kraken is now released officially. The most anticipated helicopter is now ready to go to the new owners. The "launching SAB Goblin Kraken" story got to its end.
Everything to know about Kraken
The story began in early 2018 when Stefano Baiardi and Enrico Bernabei sat down to re-invent the term: RC helicopter. First black prototype was done and introduced to the luckiest ones at the SAB on the Grand Opening Day in Italy on 26th May 2018.
Few days later Tareq Alsaadi published a bit foggy video on Youtube about the early tests. The last video was published about the helicopter in early June. Then silence for 7 months.
Rchelicopter.hu broke the silence, when we asked SAB to tell us something about the helicopter. We are not sure it was accidental or intentional, but we got informed the helicopter will be presented to the public at Rotor Live 2019 in Germany. Because we weren't told to keep it secret, the announcement went live on the website on 22nd January, this year. This article was read by more than 1000 times in two weeks, the Facebook post has reached about 5000 people. SAB's big bang has arrived.
From this day the events got quicker and quicker. More posts, more details and breadcrumbs got published, but still not enough to know what it is exactly. The RC heli community was excited and starving for knowing more.
And the big bang happened again. First pictures were published on Facebook by Markes Hugo from Iffezheim on Friday evening. Next day was the first day of Rotor Live and the public could see the helicopter in real life first time by Dunkan Bossion and Tareq Alsaadi. Both pilots made a really big show.
Until this point everything went really well with no mistakes and no problems. But SAB informed us in January,
and because of the high demand - this date had to change. SAB has set up a date to open pre-order, which was 22nd April. But they made a mistake and all key data got published. Few of the retailers didn't respect SAB rules - they have listed the Kraken on their webshops and opened the pre-order. SAB reacted as quickly as they could and the pre-order got open in the very next morning.
SAB has made a really bold step, because the short time between pre-order and final release was intentional: controlling the high demand caused by publicity through online and social media and preventing delays. There was 4 weeks between the pre-order date and final release date, exactly twice as long as the planned one.
But SAB made it, and all kits are produced now, few kits left in the shops only, but no waiting list.
Finally just days before the final release date, which was 2nd of May, SAB had to postpone that again. The reason was some logistic issues to more dealers - not all of them. But to remain correct and fair, SAB instructed all retailers to hold all kits back until 9th of May, today. All customers are receiving their kits at the same time about on this way. Bert Kammerer told the details of this issue in the most recent BKPodcast.
And not to forget SAB Goblin Kraken in virtual edition. AccuRC has released the version 2.0.8 containing the Kraken - among others. On 5th of May all AccuRC owners could fly the new flagship of SAB in the simulator. If you know AccuRC: that heli does not look like a Kraken, that IS the Kraken in virtual format.
The best campaign ever in the RC helicopter industry
If the helicopter wasn't enough to make it successful, this campaign has finished the job extremely well. Getting people excited - perhaps this was the motto. And yes, they could. Everybody was speaking about this helicopter in the last 3-4 months. A little bit sour to other brands, but their - also great - brand new products could not get as much publicity as SAB.
During this period we have published 54 articles about this helicopter. We have got hundreds of photos and many videos as well. We hope we could contribute in the big success of Goblin Kraken. All together, it is a bit sad, this journey ends now, but happy also, because this helicopter is out and available to everyone from now.


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Epic demoing Infinity Blade: Dungeons at the third-generation iPad event in March.
(Credit: Donald Bell/CNET )
The work-in-progress game title used to demonstrate the graphical power of Apple's latest iPad may not be ready until Apple debuts the iPad 4.
Infinity Blade: Dungeons, the top-down, dungeon exploring meets finger swashbuckling hybrid that Epic Games demonstrated live on stage at the third-generation iPad's unveiling in March, is now said to be in ongoing development, with no firm release date.
The reason? Developer Impossible Studios, which Epic put together in early August from former employees of Big Huge Games, has been "busy adding their great ideas to the game," according to an interview with All Things Digital.
The title was demoed on stage to show off the graphical prowess of Apple's third iPad, which quadrupled the number of pixels from the previous generation machine, and added a quad-core graphics processor. At the time, Epic said simply that it was "coming soon."


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Building a shop in seven days might sound ambitious but Salon Services claims to have made it a little easier with the European launch of its Equipment Direct range. Products can be ordered from the store or online for delivery within seven days — with same-day collection on some items. Everything from styling chairs and units to child seats, nail stations and facial seamers are available. The new range also includes bespoke options, where Salon Services specialists can help create your ideal salon environment and a leasing option which means those on a budget can spread the cost and have the flexibility to upgrade equipment.
Warren Scarr, COO at Sally Europe says: “Our customers can now have the work environment of their dreams, without the wait. We also know that all professionals and businesses are different, which is why we’ve made it as flexible as possible; offering lease to buy options for those on a budget and bespoke designs for those looking to create something unique.”
Check the range here.


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Over the past month or so, a lot has been going on at Konami. Hideo Kojima has been removed from everything Metal Gear, Kojima Productions appears to be moving away from Konami, and the new Silent Hill has been officially cancelled. It doesn’t end there though. Apparently Konami delisted itself from the New York Stock Exchange. The reason for this decision is because 99.71 percent of Konami’s stock traded over the past year was done in London and Japan and it costs a minimum of five million dollars a year for U.S. regulatory compliance. Still the timing seems very strange.
In other Konami news, apparently Wayforward wasn’t the only company to pitch a Silent Hill game for the DS. According to Renegade Kid’s Jools Watsham, The Ward was pitched to Konami as a Silent Hill game back in 2007. Watsham spoke with IGN about how this went down at GDC 2007:
Our goal was always to release The Ward as an original game, but we were also open to the idea of turning it into a licensed horror game and approached Konami to see if they wanted to work together to mold it into a Silent Hill game for the Nintendo DS. They were kind enough to meet with us, but the meeting only lasted a few minutes and ended with their [representative] saying they wouldn’t let a team like us handle the Silent Hill license.
It’s a shame that Konami turned down so many Silent Hill pitches for DS. It’s also a shame we’ve had the most recent Silent Hill game cancelled as well. It’s a shame that all of this stuff is happening at Konami. Who knows what will happen now. I guess only time will tell what happens with Konami.


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Skip researching via thousands of manufacturers for the proper e-cigarette necessities. We offer you everything you need to vape, from unimaginable merchandise to knowledge of the vaping trade. Nobody related with the tobacco trade is allowed within the constructing.
Vape, Vape Juice, Pod Systems, Mods And More
A examine within the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2015 discovered a connection too. Researchers surveyed 2,500 Los Angeles highschool students who had never smoked. They found that kids who used e-cigs had been more likely than non-users to smoke cigarettes or different tobacco merchandise over the next 12 months. “If there was good evidence that individuals have been utilizing e-cigarettes simply to stop smoking, there would be broad assist,” Benowitz says.
The Framework document says governments “have to be alert to any efforts by the tobacco industry to undermine or subvert tobacco control efforts” and should limit their contact to the absolute minimal. Activists now take this to mean there have to be an impenetrable wall between themselves and anybody in any method connected with tobacco. Glantz turned an icon of the anti-tobacco movement after he received four,000 leaked paperwork from Brown and Williamson, then the US’s third-biggest tobacco firm, in 1994. They proved the business knew that smoking caused most cancers and had hidden it. Since then, Glantz has all the time objected vigorously to any compromise with the business. In 1997, a deal was broached with the tobacco trade by Matt Myers of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
Liquid Nicotine Can Poison Folks
That will always be the case when the well being of our youngsters is on the road,” introduced the San Francisco city lawyer Dennis Herrera in an announcement after the ban was handed by the town legislature last June. He was scathing concerning the FDA’s failure to regulate e-cigarette gross sales. If the federal authorities just isn’t going to act to protect our children, San Francisco will,” he mentioned. Behind the outright ban on gross sales of e-cigarettes in San Francisco is a panic about youngsters vaping.
- The FDA is engaged on several options to stop youth access to e-cigarettes, such as current legislation to raise the minimum age for the sale of tobacco products.
- The FDA has the authority to manage all tobacco merchandise, including e-cigarettes.
- In the UK, anti-smoking campaigners and health experts counter that for many adult people who smoke, vaping offers one of the best hope of avoiding a premature death.
- The most necessary points to know are that the long-term health results of e-cigarettes are nonetheless unknown, and all tobacco merchandise, including e-cigarettes, can pose health dangers to the consumer.
It would have introduced in tight federal regulatory management of cigarettes, prohibiting the sort of advertising and advertising that is still ubiquitous within the US, in addition to gross sales to kids. But Glantz was against any deal that might allow cigarette manufacturers to proceed in enterprise. Myers was stymied by his personal allies, and the US nonetheless doesn’t have the anti-tobacco laws which are common in Europe. Anti-tobacco activists – whether they are for or against e-cigarettes – imagine they are defending the positive aspects they’ve made in the battle towards smoking. Vaping’s defenders say the tobacco corporations are diversifying into a product that gained’t kill their customer base. Hardline opponents are satisfied e-cigarette gross sales will maintain the hated tobacco firms in business. In the UK, the NHS continues to edge as shut as it can to approving the usage of e-cigarettes to give up smoking.
Vitamin E acetate should not be added to any e-cigarette, or vaping, merchandise. Additionally, folks should not add any other substances not meant by the manufacturer to products, together with products bought via retail institutions. If you’ve by no means smoked or used different tobacco merchandise or e-cigarettes, don’t begin. Scientists are nonetheless studying in regards to the short-time period and lengthy-term health effects of HTPs, but the out there science exhibits they comprise dangerous and doubtlessly dangerous components. Youth use of any tobacco merchandise, including heated merchandise, is unsafe. The use of any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes, is unsafe for younger people.


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Belgium issued nearly 400 product recalls and warnings in 2022, down from the previous year.
Businesses must inform consumers if a product has entered the market and poses a risk in consumption. This happened 394 times in 2022, compared with 492 in 2021, the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) said.
More than 8 out of 10 product recalls in 2022 are due to detected chemical or microbiological risks.
In 2022, 289 products were recalled by consumers. The reduction of 98 recalls is directly related to the ethylene oxide issue, which has largely been resolved in 2022. However, recalls are still happening in 2023, mainly in France but also in Germany and the Netherlands.
In 2021, 55% of recalls in Belgium were related to the presence of ethylene oxide, which is not allowed in Europe. This percentage drops to 13% in 2022.
In September 2020, ethylene oxide was detected in sesame seeds from India. The substance was later found in other raw materials such as herbs, spices and locust bean gum, a thickening agent used in ice cream and other foods.
In summer 2021, European countries move from a zero tolerance to a fine-tuned approach to products containing the substance. When ethylene oxide is found in raw materials, companies must check whether it is also present in the final product. Only final products containing ethylene oxide above the limit will be recalled by consumers.
Other reasons for warning
may exist like 2022 Quarter One of the product recalls was caused by Listeria, Salmonella or Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC).
Nearly six out of 10 recalls were made after companies or authorities detected chemical risks, such as excessive levels of pesticide residues or the presence of unauthorized additives.
A total of 41 recalls were due to foreign object contamination such as metal fragments
For each recalled product, posters were posted in stores and posted on FASFC’s website and social media Post details on. The purpose is to inform consumers who may have purchased the affected product.
As in 2021, 105 allergy alerts must be issued in 2022. The vast majority are concerned about the lack of information on one or more allergens on the packaging.
Companies must report to FASFC any problems that may affect other companies or consumers. In 2022, the agency received 1,342 notices from companies, down from 1,557 in 2021. With each notification of a potential problem, FASFC investigates and may deem it necessary to request a company to issue a product recall or warning.
The number of alerts involving Belgium in the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) continues to rise, reaching 749 in 2022.
(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)


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Bad Robot and Abrams will fulfill their obligations to Paramount and Disney.
Update (9/12/2019): Variety is reporting that Bad Robot's deal with WarnerMedia is valued at $500 million. It's not all good news for those connected with the company, though. Variety is also reporting layoffs at Rooster Teeth, which is owned by WarnerMedia subsidiary Otter Media.
An internal memo obtained by Variety reveals that 13% of Rooster Teeth's employees have been laid off. The cuts amount to 50 people, with layoffs touching nearly every part of the business. This follows WarnerMedia's decision to close Machinima earlier this year, though some of its programming was brought under Rooster Teeth's umbrella.
Original Story: J.J. Abrams’ multimedia production company Bad Robot has signed an exclusive partnership with WarnerMedia to produce original content across television, movies, and games.
The deal builds on the duo’s 13-year relationship that covered television only. The new agreement expands that and will see Bad Robot create programming in a variety of genres and formats for every medium and broadcast option WarnerMedia offers.
This includes basic cable, premium channels like HBO, on-demand services like HBO Max, and broadcast networks. The deal also includes Bad Robot Games, led by David Baronoff, who has been with the company since 2006 (coincidentally, when Bad Robot first signed with Warner Bros. Television Group).
The Tencent-funded venture was announced in 2018 and is focused on “large-scale and indie titles for the mobile, PC and console markets.” At the time, Bad Robot Games hinted at a project connected with Abrams’ Cloverfield franchise and a partnership with Epic Games and Chair (Infinity Blade, Shadow Complex) called Spyjinx.
Spyjinx was first announced in 2015, but not much has been seen of it since then. In fact, all we know about the game is the same thing the official website offered nearly four years ago. “Powered by Unreal Engine 4, SPYJINX is a unique mix of action strategy gameplay, dynamic world building and RPG character development – all set in a thrilling, treacherous world of espionage,” the marketing blurb reads. The game was announced for PC and mobile devices.
Epic has confirmed to GameDaily that Spyjinx is still in development.
For comparison, Fortnite was revealed on Game Informer’s May 2014 cover (the first free-to-play game to get that honor). Fortnite’s player-versus-enemy mode, “Save the World” game out in April 2014. Fortnite Battle Royale, which propelled it to worldwide phenomenon status came out in September 2017. That is to say that Epic isn’t known for rushing its games out the door.
As part of the WarnerMedia arrangement, J.J. Abrams will fulfill his obligations to Disney directing Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker. Bad Robot will continue to honor its commitments to Paramount including its work on the Mission: Impossible franchise.
Given Bad Robot’s experience across mediums and the multi-format nature of this arrangement, there are some interesting opportunities here. It’s not absurd to consider that the company will leverage its storytelling experience and interactive media know-how to give Warner’s HBO Max a fighting chance against Netflix, Disney+, and other subscription services.
Netflix has started experimenting with interactive programming. Charlie Booker’s Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, Bear Grylls’ Man vs. Wild, and four other interactive titles are available now. Among them is Telltale Games’ Minecraft: Story Mode (currently delisted on every other platform). Interactive content on subscription services is a bulwark against mega-success games like Fortnite, which Netflix warned investors about as a key competitor.
Leveraging Abrams’ Bad Robot to program against Netflix, which already has a head start, would be wise. It would also give Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment some potential options as we enter a new console cycle, typically the friendliest time for new IP. But even if WarnerMedia doesn’t have aspirations of combatting Netflix’s foray into accessible interactive programming, locking up Bad Robot with an exclusive deal is going to give HBO Max and the rest of Warner’s distribution outlets a shot in the arm.
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A couple weeks ago there were leaks about ten new characters coming to Apex Legends. According to a recent report, there has been a rough image of a new legend surfacing on Instagram and Reddit. The users being childz_pl4y & Beartoots and the image they shared was the same and it looks to be Octane. See the image below:
There was another image found with Octane’s abilities shown and here they are:
Launch Pad (Ultimate)
Deployable jump pad that catapults users through the air.
Swift Mend (Passive)
While not taking damage, Octane restores health over time.
Adrenaline Junkie (Tactical)
Move 30% faster for 6 seconds. Costs 10% health. Immune to slows while active.
Leaked image below:
The first Apex Legends Battle Pass comes out March 12th and with Octane being confirmed to be joining the game, Daily Esports reports that he will launch with the pass. They’ve also found a clearer image of the new legend.
It was recently revealed that Apex Legends hit over 50 million users worldwide across PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC within the first month of release. That beats Fortnite’s record with them getting 45 million users in just 16 weeks.


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Upfront Central: Complete coverage from B&C
In its upfront presentation to advertisers Tuesday (April 20) Scripps Networks made a "360" approach to branding, touting its lifestyle category dominance on TV, online and on other platforms.
The company kicked off the presentation with its latest addition, Travel Channel, before delving into home improvement and gardening networks HGTV and DIY Network, music channel Great American Country, mainstay Food Network and the upcoming Cooking Channel.
Scripps made product integration a focal point of the presentation, using the tagline "Our Brands For The Life Of Your Brands." The company also made its "360" degree reach a recurring theme across the networks, with each promoting their online and mobile platforms, as well as other platforms like Food Network Magazine, in addition to the bread and butter television product.
Food Network used the example of how it integrated Viva paper towels into a program starring Sunny Anderson, then extended the campaign to its online and print products, with Anderson still attached.
HGTV and DIY previewed their vast new slates, with HGTV debuting 14 new series this year, seven of which are design shows. DIY has 17 new programs on tap.
For the upcoming Cooking Channel, Food Network president Brooke Johnson announced that Rachael Ray, Emeril Lagasse and Bobby Flay would be producing and starring in shows for the channel, with the "in the kitchen" atmosphere that helped Food Network establish a foothold on the cable scene.
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Audi has announced the introduction of the A3 TDI Sportback to the 2014th edition of the New York Auto Show.
Audi is getting ready to introduce the new A3 TDI Sportback to the United States, just when we were ready to say “farewell” to the diesel hatchback in this country. The carmaker has recently announced the launch of the model but before this will become available to its future customers, the company will be making its debut at the 2014 New York Auto Show. The C-segment hatchback has coupe-like styling and the utility of a crossover, or at least this is what Audi is saying.
The model will become available with the company’s MMI infotainment system, with the 4G LTE connectivity, Audi drive select and a Bang & Olufsen audio system. Power will be provided by a 2.0 liter clean diesel engine, which is producing a total output of 150 HP. The six-speed S tronic transmission will be offered in standard. Figures such as the fuel economy or the pricing haven’t been announced yet so keep a close eye on its official introduction at the 2014 New York Auto Show in order to find out more about it.


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HONOR, the brand that was once a subsidiary of Huawei, made an indirect announcement recently that Google Mobile Services will indeed be returning to its devices. According to the brand, the first device that is set to reflect the return in a post-Huawei world is the HONOR 50.
Confirmation of GMS’ return to the brand’s upcoming device was done via Twitter, through the brand’s official German account. The tweet is no longer available, but as per Android Authority, it came as a reply to one user’s query. In addition to GMS, HONOR Germany also confirmed that the phone will retain Magic UI, which is technically an off-shoot of Huawei’s own EMUI.
As a quick primer, news about Huawei potentially selling off HONOR first cropped up in November last year. Back then, it was reported that the Chinese telecommunications and smartphone brand would sell its sister brand to a Shenzhen-based consortium for a sum of US$15.2 billion (~RM63 billion). Within a week, the sale was confirmed.
As for the hardware powering the HONOR 50, we know that the phone will be one of the first devices to be fitted with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 778G 5G SoC, while the Pro version of it should house the top-tier Snapdragon 888. Camera-wise, the phone is expected to feature a 50MP main camera reminiscent of Huawei’s alleged main camera design of the P50. It will also reportedly include a 13MP ultrawide and 8MP ultrawide.
— HONOR (@Honorglobal) May 21, 2021
In addition, the phone is expected to sport a 6.79-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate.
(Source: GSM, Android Authority)


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In a pivotal announcement at the Reuters Events Automotive USA 2023 conference in Detroit, executives from Volkswagen outlined their ambitious plan to introduce an under $35,000 electric vehicle (EV) to the U.S. market within the next 3-4 years. Concurrently, Chinese automaker Nio expressed deliberation over a potential entry into North America by 2025, citing considerations tied to infrastructure and partnerships.
Reinhard Fischer, senior vice president and head of strategy at VW Group of America, reassured stakeholders that Volkswagen remains resolute in its commitment to advancing EV plans in the U.S. market. Fischer disclosed that changes in geopolitics and global supply chains have prompted the company to explore diverse options for manufacturing the sub-$35,000 EV, including existing VW plants in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Puebla, Mexico, as well as a forthcoming South Carolina assembly plant for VW subsidiary Scout.
Notably, Fischer indicated Volkswagen's exploration of localized battery pack assembly as a strategic move to qualify for additional incentives under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act. The German automaker had previously announced intentions to manufacture battery cells in Canada, underscoring its commitment to sustainable electric mobility in North America.
In contrast, Ganesh Iyer, CEO of Nio USA, shared insights into Nio's cautious approach to entering the North American market. Iyer emphasized the need for infrastructure development before the introduction of Nio's electric vehicles, expressing openness to various partnership possibilities.
As both automakers navigate the dynamic landscape of the electric vehicle industry, their strategies reflect a proactive response to the evolving geopolitical and economic factors that shape the automotive landscape.


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Ng Khai Development Corporation, a Cebu-based IT solutions provider, has officially become a premier certified affiliate of Dell PartnerDirect Program in the region.
Announced during the October 1st press conference at Cebu Radisson Blu hotel, the partnership is formed to boost Dell’s commitment to achieve the hyper-growth in the southern part of the Philippines.
“Ng Khai has been in the industry for 17 years now and we have been impressed with their track record in the advancement and promotion of IT solutions in Cebu. We are optimistic that this partnership, Dell will be able to address the growing demands of the local and neighboring business communities across all industries for high-end technology offering and solutions,”
Dell Small and Medium Business country manager Chris Papa said.
|Dell – Ng Khai Partnership Press Con|
|Charlz Adano, Dell Phils. Marketing Communications Manager|
|Christopher “Chris” Papa, Dell SMB country manager|
The Philippines is the largest Dell territory in South Asia Developing Group. Being an IT hub in the South East Asia, Cebu and its nearby cities boast large-scale manufacturing companies, BPO, IT parks and complexes, as well as other small and medium enterprises and home offices. But not all of these businesses are equipped with sophisticated IT solutions. With the new partnership, Ng Khai Development Corporation would be able to provide the IT needs of these prospective customers.
“Technology can sometimes be complicated, and having strong local presence and more responsive support for Dell for a local company like Ng Khai will be perceived positively, and will enable customers to buy the products with more confidence. Moreover, Ng Khai has always been a leader in solutions, and support, as well as user education, and we believe that our relationship with Dell will also result in many educational seminars to our people which will allow them to become more exposed and savvy on the various technology solutions available in the market,”
Ng Khai Development Corporation Founder and President Wilson Ng said.
|Wilson Ng, Ng Khai Development Corp. President|
Dell PartnerDirect Program was built to help partners like Ng Khai significantly reduce costs and increase channel partner sales and profitability. Through the alliance, Ng Khai would be able to deliver greater value and choice to the customers in the southern Philippines.


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Katy Perry’s segment for Sesame Street has been yanked faster than Lindsay Lohan’s freedom.
The clip which appeared online this week of Katy singing a version of her hit ‘Hot and Cold’ with Elmo, had Perry wearing a low-cut green dress which showed off a bit of cleavage.
To be fair, she was wearing a flesh colored shirt that went up to her neck, but it was practically see through. You can see the clip here.
The segment was set to air on a New Years Eve Sesame special, but after parents became outraged by the singers chest, they have decided to scrap it from the show.
As if any child who is fascinated by boobs still watches Sesame Street…


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The Register reports that Napster has won the backing of the UK's Association of Independent Music (AIM) trade organisation with a deal that will allow the digital music download service to offer 50,000 songs from 50 independent labels on a worldwide basis. Meanwhile, UK-based Napster rival Wippit announced yesterday that it has added Sony to its roster of major label content providers. AIM accounts for over 25 per cent of UK music sales and has over 800 members, only a fraction of whom provide tracks through Napster. AIM said it expects many other members to begin licensing their content to Napster in the coming months. Those licences will be administered by Rightsrouter, a company launched by AIM earlier this year to bring copyright holders and digital music services together and to manage the administration of those licences in the digital domain.
Wippit's deal with Sony will provide the download service with "tens of thousands" of tracks, according to sources close to the company though, as with Wippit's arrangement with BMG, signed earlier this year, it can only supply them to buyers in the UK and Ireland. The BMG deal brought 10,000 songs to Wippit's catalogue. Wippit said it expects to make the tracks available "this summer" ― presumably after Sony has opened its own European online music store, Connect, on 7 June. Connect launched in the US earlier this month.
The IPKat notes the momentum which is sweeping digital rights management (DRM) to the fore of music delivery and wonders how entrenched the operation of DRM systems will be before the European Commission’s attempts to control DRM come into fruition as part of its Information Society policy.
Association for Independent Music here, not to be confused with the now defunct US body (AFIM) of the same name.
Sony Connect here; Only Connect here, here and here
Thursday, 13 May 2004
Posted by Jeremy at 09:40:00


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Ambitious retailers don’t want to stay locked in one lane, but rather to spread to new audiences, new product types and more — and payments-powering companies are stepping up to give them the lift they need to reach these expansion dreams.
The December edition of the PYMNTS Payments Powering Platforms Tracker™, a WePay collaboration, features the latest insight from the CEO of AmeriCommerce, a major player in the eCommerce platform space, and the latest headlines from the space.
News from around the Payments Powering Platforms World
Spurred by demonetization, major payment players are piling into India, hoping to be consumers’ rebound now that cash has fallen out of official favor. PayPal, for example, which was once only an enabler of cross-border transactions for Indian merchants and consumers, recently launched efforts to enable domestic payments as well.
PayPal isn’t the only one, though. Google is also vying for a foothold in India’s domestic payments market, which is largely dominated by Paytm at present.
Recent studies indicate there’s an appetite for the solutions these companies are producing in the Southeast Asia region. A recent survey of 2,000 consumers in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka found a strong willingness to embrace new digital payment methods in these markets. Out of 2,000 respondents, 78 percent said they were highly inclined to use new modes of digital payment, and 70 percent said they use cash less often.
In the U.S., Walmart Pay’s star continues to rise as the firm’s usage rate edges in on that of Apple Pay, a more senior player in that space. Walmart’s QR-based payment platform also appears to be showing a higher adoption rate than that of Samsung Pay and Android Pay combined.
eCommerce platforms power up merchant ambitions
In today’s digital world, it’s not enough for merchants to have a product or service to sell. For rising merchants — as well as major retailers already at the top and eager to stay there — it’s important to be able to sell goods across multiple virtual storefronts, accept all kinds of payments, offer tailored pricing and more, said Ed Sturrock, CEO and co-founder of eCommerce platform AmeriCommerce, in a recent interview with PYMNTS.
Sturrock discussed the multistore model and why for mid- to large-sized B2Bs or B2Cs, pricing flexibility and payments acceptance power are key.
“[For example, for wholesalers] it’s a race to compete against pricing and it’s a margins game,” he said. “What they have to do is tweak their pricing, have quantity-based pricing, customer-type pricing.”
To read the feature story, along with the latest Payments Powering Platforms headlines and trends, and rankings of 87 industry providers, download the Tracker below.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To download the latest edition of the PYMNTS.com Payments Powering Platforms™, a WePay collaboration, please fill out the form below.
The PYMNTS Payments Powering Platforms Tracker™, a WePay collaboration, serves as a monthly framework for the space, providing coverage of the most recent news and trends along with a provider directory highlighting the key players contributing across the segments that comprise the payments-integrated platform ecosystem.


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There’s no bigger fan of spicy food then Aarón Sanchez, who zips from coast to coast to sample America’s most mouth-burning plates on Food Network’s “Heat Seekers.”
Now, the celebrity chef is bringing his love for all things spicy to Stamford.
Sanchez plans to open Alegre — a high-end restaurant and cocktail/wine lounge — in Harbor Point’s Waterfront Square this spring or summer, according to a report from CT Bites.
The restaurant will take over the 6,000-square-foot glass building from the Beer Garden @ Harbor Point, which is closing.
Alegre is the latest establishment to stake a claim in Stamford’s burgeoning South End. World of Beer, a national franchise offering upwards of 50 rotating taps and 500 bottled brews, is also set to open in the neighborhood, as is Bareburger, an organic burger bar.


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Internet crime: scarier than mugging?
The British public fear phishing and 419 scams more than car theft, burglary, and even mugging. according to figures unveiled by government-backed campaign Get Safe Online.
Speaking at the London launch of its first annual report, Get Safe Online MD Tony Neate told The Register: "It's bizarre, but it's what we've got to work with now."
At The Register.
[ Read more ]
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AB Foods is set to enhance its agri-food division with a substantial investment of $60 million. The renowned company, known for its ownership of Primark and its significant presence in the sugar, food, and ingredients industries, has announced its acquisition of National Milk Records (ASE:NMRP), a dairy technology firm, for a sum of £48 million ($59.7 million).
Although AB Foods (LON:ABF) is widely recognized as the parent company of the popular fashion retailer Primark, which generates almost half of its impressive £17 billion in revenue, it is important to note that AB Foods is also a prominent player in the UK’s food production sector. Moreover, the company operates one of the nation’s largest animal feed enterprises.
AB Foods unveiled its plans on Tuesday, revealing that the integration of NMR’s dairy expertise would contribute to the growth of its agriculture business. This strategic move would provide valuable data and technology platforms to support farmers in maximizing profitability, initially within the United Kingdom.
Jose Nobre, the head of AB Foods’ AB Agri unit, expressed his enthusiasm, emphasizing the immense value that NMR brings to the dairy industry. Nobre stated, “NMR is a high-quality business which is extremely complementary and additive to our dairy strategy and offering.”
The board of NMR has wholeheartedly recommended ABF’s cash offer of 215 pence per share, a proposal that AB Foods proudly disclosed had already garnered the support of investors holding approximately 69% of the company’s shares. This level of endorsement brings the deal close to the required 75% threshold for approval.
The completion of this agreement is anticipated to take place in the third quarter, providing both AB Foods and NMR with an opportunity to collaborate and unlock their shared potential.
(Note: The conversion rate used is $1 = 0.8035 pounds)


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Flickr, the photo service owned by Yahoo!, will now give all users a terabyte of data – that’s one photo every hour for 40 years at least. The move, along with the purchase of Tumblr, ups the competition with Facebook, owner of Instagram.
Australian money management start-up Pocketbook has won the right to pitch to top financial services industry professionals in Dubai.
Microsoft is to open two data centres in Australia for the first time to support an expansion of its Windows Azure cloud computing services.
Google+ is losing the battle as a social network but is closely integrated with search and Google Maps, making it a must for any business’s digital strategy, according to Simon Small of digital creative agency Visual Jazz Isobar.
A Swedish co-founder of file-sharing website The Pirate Bay has gone on trial, charged with hacking and stealing data from an IT services company with ties to the Swedish tax authority and other government agencies.
Yahoo said it is buying blogging service Tumblr for $US1.1 billion cash, giving the struggling internet pioneer a much-needed platform in social media to reach a younger generation of users.
A lack of transparency and unwillingness to engage with local media organisations has been cited as key reasons why Chinese technology giant Huawei failed to gain the trust of Australia and the United States.
Westpac is planning to monitor its customers’ internet habits on Westpac sites to gain insights onto products it can offer them, says head of customer relationship marketing and digital Karen Ganschow.
Carsales is considering selling parts of its technology platform to classified sites around the world as it looks to build on recently acquired stakes.
If you’re keen on ramping up your cooking prowess, there are a number of apps out there that can help you become a culinary superstar.


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Announced last year already as a “Game Changer“, Behringer now have let us know that the X32 Digital Console will be available worlwide on (or just before) July 27th.
The company has already ramped up production to meet the tremendous amount of pre-orders and commitments from its dealers and distributors. Almost three years in the making, the design of the X32 is a major collaboration between BEHRINGER and MIDAS. Featuring 168 assignable inputs with 32 fully programmable high-end mic preamps and 16 configurable mix buses, the X32 is one of the world’s most affordable full-function digital mixing consoles, and is ready to take on even the most challenging gigs.
When asked about the X32, MUSIC Group CEO, Uli Behringer had this to say, “We are very proud of the X32. It is the first joint effort between BEHRINGER and MIDAS, and it provides performance venues and audio engineers with an amazing amount of class-leading technology, versatility and much more, in an easy to use mixing console that will certainly re-energize the digital age. The X32 is a real ‘Game Changer!’”
MSRP: $2899.99 (USD)
Visit behringer.com for more information and a downloadable brochure.


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Google's purchase of Fitbit propels Google into the wearables business, but how effectively can it compete with Apple in the category?
Google is buying Fitbit for $2.1 billion, or $7.35 a share, which is a 30% premium over Fitbit's 20-day moving average.
Google has historically not had much success with hardware.
Now, it's looking to get into the wearables space, a segment (Wearable, Home and Accessories) where Apple just beat quarterly revenue expectations by posting sales north of $6 billion, representing impressive 54% year-over-year growth.
"[The deal] gets [Google] into an area of the market where they don't have a strong presence, wearables, health-related devices, which is an area where Apple does have a huge presence," said Nelson Wang, TheStreet's tech editor.
"So it's a way for the to get into this area in a strong way." TheStreet's Tech Reporter, Annie Gaus, breaks down the key factors in determining Google's likelihood of succeeding with wearables.
"The pro here is that Fitbit already has good market penetration in this market -- there are about 28 million active Fitbit devices, so this deal would give Google instantaneous access to that.
On the other hand, Google doesn't have the greatest track record when it comes to hardware, nor do they really have much of a presence in health or wellness related services the way Apple does." Gaus also noted that Google's data presents an opportunity to realize synergies with the product, but that it may run into concerns that the company hasn't been fully transparent with its data practices.
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From slow fashion to LGBTQ+ activism, Kayla Wong’s projects aren’t in short supply. Wong runs an ethical fashion brand called Basics For Basics, takes beautiful photographs of queer couples and helps out experimental event space The Wild Lot with creative direction and more.
With the pandemic seemingly on the retreat, Kayla Wong has a lot to look forward to, including her marriage to partner Elaine Chen-Fernandez, founder of The Wild Lot, and adding some international travel to her schedule. TMS sat down with the artist and entrepreneur to chat about her advocacy, her projects and how she made a life for herself as a queer child of a celebrity couple in Hong Kong.
Living queer in Hong Kong
Depending on where you live, LGBTQ+ rights might be winning or lagging. Wong and her fiancé, Elaine Chen-Fernandez, must travel to the United States to get married. She spoke with us about what it’s like to live as a queer woman in Hong Kong.
“Hong Kong right now is kind of backward," says Wong. “There definitely have been a lot of people in the past couple of years, including myself, that were really trying to push for equality and champion marriage equality. There were some wins. I would say the community is pretty safe in the city. You don’t really get harassed, or you don’t really get violently attacked. But at the same time, there’s that very underlying Asian culture where it’s like a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ kind of situation.
“A lot of people are still very much in the closet with their family members, especially with their older family members," says Wong. “I think that’s just a very ingrained cultural thing that might change over the years. And obviously, on the legal side, I think we’re very, very far away from getting the rights that we want. My partner and I are getting married this year. But we can’t do it here because we won’t be recognized."
Although recent years have seen some small wins in Hong Kong courts when it comes to granting rights and recognition to same-sex marriages legally performed in foreign countries, same-sex marriages as a whole are not legal or recognized in the city. In fact, homosexuality was only decriminalized in Hong Kong in 1991.
Wong’s celebrity parentage, Chinese-American actor Michael Wong and model Janet Ma, meant coming out couldn’t be a private experience. Living in the limelight made it virtually impossible. But Wong found a way to come to terms with the publicity.
“[My girlfriend at the time and I] got caught by the media," Wong recalls. “We were canoodling or whatever. They followed me, which I was very not aware of and was not expecting at all. So it was quite traumatizing at the moment because it was nighttime, and they literally had their cameras flashing in my face. It just felt very much like an invasion of privacy.
“But I actually had already come out to my parents a couple years before that," says Wong. “So instead of letting the media turn it into some crazy, dramatic new show for them, it turned out to be quite a positive experience. Because when they asked me, I just straight up told them. I was like, ‘Yeah, this is who I’m dating.’ It became a very family-oriented thing. And I think a lot of people weren’t expecting that. I am grateful for that experience I had. I can’t say that most Hong Kong artists and celebrities would have had the same fate as I did."
Basics For Basics, Intimacy by K and The Wild Lot
Wong grew up surrounded by the world of fashion. With a model for a mother, it only made sense for Wong to pursue a career in the fashion industry. Concerned about the impact of fast fashion, she made it her mission to found a brand focused not only on style and success but education. Wong’s slow fashion brand Basics For Basics does just that by prioritizing sustainability.
“As I grew older, and after going to college and being in a job where I did a lot of CSR, I wanted to create a brand that had meaning," says Wong. “I wanted to take small steps to try and make the fashion industry a little better. And throughout the journey, obviously I figured out the effects of the fashion industry, how polluting it is, and all the ugly things behind the scenes that happen, and so I just decided to go down that route."
But Wong’s creativity only begins with fashion. She also recently launched a photography project called Intimacy by K, depicting quiet, romantic moments between queer couples in their homes.
“My dad used to always have a camera with him when we were growing up," says Wong. “He would take pictures anywhere and everywhere. And I think that kind of inspired me, and when I got to high school, I always had a camera around me. I wouldn’t say I’m super professional at it."
She may not claim to be a “professional," but Intimacy by K is more of a passion project for Wong. “I like to shoot from the heart," she says. “That’s kind of what I try to portray in my photographs. It’s more of a feeling.
“And obviously with the intimacy project, it’s more about portraying women and love and what that looks like for everybody. We all crave that intimacy with somebody, and at the end of the day, it all kind of looks the same, but we all interpret it differently."
When it comes to The Wild Lot, Wong’s background in marketing gave her the tools she needed to boost engagement and coordinate events with her partner’s space.
“Elaine started the Wild Lot because she had this vision of bringing together local talented artists or creatives in Hong Kong," explains Wong. “She wanted the space to be a safe space for them to create whatever they felt like they wanted to and let their imaginations run wild.
“And so [in] my background, I did a little bit of marketing. And even when I was working in corporate, I also did marketing. So that was kind of my strong suit. So for the Wild Lot, that’s kind of what I did," says Wong.
“In the beginning it was really just trying to push the concept out there," she recalls. “Get people to understand what we are, who we are, what we do. Throughout the journey, you know, I’ve also helped create events. Just kind of everything and anything because we are a small women-led team, so we try to help each other out wherever we can, and it’s very much like a team group effort."
So, what’s next for Kayla Wong?
Wong, her partner and team have plenty of new projects on the horizon. During Pride Month, The Wild Lot will be hosting events for the community, like “Ride or Pride," a “one-of-a-kind, rainbow unicorn-biker-themed block party" all day on June 25. Basics For Basics has also released a limited-edition collaboration with another local Hong Kong brand, with 10% of all sales going to a local LGBTQ+ organization. But, that’s just a short list of things we can expect to see coming soon from this creative mind.


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Nokia working on an 8-inch tablet due in early 2014
We've already seen some of the major features of the Windows Phone 8 GDR3 update being put into action. The new Surface tablets and upcoming Nokia devices are all set to take advantage of new support for quad-core processors and 1080p displays. But, despite rumors of a Microsoft Surface Mini in the works, we've yet to see a big name device taking advantage of support for smaller tablet sizes.
You can count the Nokia Lumia 1520 phablet if you'd like, but most would consider that a large phone and not so much a small tablet. But, a new report says that Nokia does have plans to launch an 8-inch tablet early next year; and, the rumored tablet even has a codename: the Illusionist. Evleaks has confirmed the name, and The Verge is confirming that the device will ship with Windows RT 8.1 and a Qualcomm processor, although it's unclear what processor it will be exactly.
The word has it that Nokia is working towards releasing the device, but it is unclear if it will actually see the market because of its potential to cannibalize sales of the Surface Mini, which is planned for release in the same window. Assuming the acquisition of Nokia does go through, it's hard to say if Microsoft would release both tablets.


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LAS VEGAS — The National Independent Automobile Dealers Association (NIADA) presented Billy Threadgill with its President’s Ring and officially opened his term as president during last week's NIADA Convention and Expo.
In his address at the banquet, Threadgill told attendees that he is focused on making sure dealers understand the value of NIADA membership.
"I often get asked about the value of joining the NIADA and the state IADAs (Independent Automobile Dealers Association). I give them the facts — once they are a member, the benefits are endless,” Threadgill said. "For example, the NIADA Convention. It doesn't matter if you are a traditional used-car dealer, a buy-here, pay-here dealer, a lease-here, pay-here dealer dealer, in the rental business or a wholesaler, the education from this conference can only make you want to be a better and more successful dealer."
Threadgill is a second-generation dealer who serves as president of Van’s Auto Sales in Florence, S.C., the dealership his father first opened in 1975. He also runs a related finance company, a U-save auto rental franchise and a subsidized transit company.
Threadgill has been on the NIADA executive committee since 2009, according to NIADA. He has served as secretary, treasurer, regional vice president, senior vice president and president-elect. He also served as president of the Carolinas IADA and as chairman of the NIADA State Presidents Council.


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Latest information released by the British Trust for Ornithology shows that more birds than ever are visiting gardens in their droves. This evidence is backed by the sales figures from Gardman.
The BTO says that the current cold snap could not have come at a worse time for birds. Natural foods are scarce – seeds and fruits stores have been depleted over winter, while many insects are yet to appear.
The result is that consumers have come to the birds? rescue.? During the first quarter of the year Gardman?s overall wild bird care sales have soared by up to 17% compared with the same period last year.? Feed sales have been boosted with energy suet type products showing the highest growth, proving that consumers understand that birds need high energy products in cold weather and when snow covers the ground. The significant increase in bird feed sales has also had a halo effect on feeder sales which experienced a 7.5% rise over last year.
?With no indication of more seasonal temperatures any time soon, sales are likely to continue to remain buoyant in the immediate future so it?s an opportunity for garden centres and other retailers to ensure that they have in depth stocks of a good range of feeds and feeders, particularly high energy feed products,? says Jane Lawler, marketing director at Gardman.
Top sellers in the first quarter at Gardman have been 12.75kg and 2kg Seed Mix, Flip Top Feeders, 2kg Peanuts and 50 x Fat Balls.


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Micro-blogging service Twitter will celebrate its third birthday in March and may have a revenue model to support the company over the long-term. Last month Twitter CEO Evan Williams told Kevin Maney of Porfolio.com the company will kick off new revenue streams by March 2009 to avoid raising another round of venture capital funding. Twitter’s deeply engaged community would love to see a sustainable business develop around the site, its services, and the community. In this post I will take a deeper look at Twitter and its revenue potential as publicly hinted by its founders.
What is Twitter?
Twitter is a hosted blogging platform that limits blog posts to 140 characters or less. Short Twitter messages were designed as an archived status message communicated to friends via instant message, text message, or even radio bursts. Twitter’s 140-character message fits within a SMS message’s 140 octets for UTF-8, a design contraint that has spurred new content creation with little effort.
Twitter builds feed reading directly into the blogging service. Members subscribe to other Twitter accounts (“follow” in the Twitter vernacular) to receive updates in a centralized timeline. Twitter members create new posts referencing other members and their posts or comment privately via direct message, creating a publishing system that feeds off each uniquely assembled list of content.
Twitter also operates a near real-time search engine against its public content. The search engine receives direct updates from the Twitter blogging service over a streaming API interface nicknamed “the firehose.” Twitter currently allows trusted external partners to consume this full streaming update of its data. Other consuming clients are limited to a public timeline snapshot of 20 Twitter updates every 60 seconds.
Twitter Services Inc.
Technically there are two Twitters on record with the state of California: Twitter Inc. and Twitter Services Inc. The difference may be a remnant from Twitter’s beginning in incubator Obvious Corp. or it could be a sign of the company’s plans to operate its services business separate from the blogging platform.
Twitter currently pays vanity short code fees and SMS fees for mobile-terminated and mobile-originated messages in the United States and Canada. Twitter accepts mobile-originated messages to a long number in England. An intermediary such as Sybase 365 sits in between Twitter servers and the cellular networks of AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, Bell Canada, Rogers, and more. A subset of Twitter users take advantage of SMS update notifications but this feature is currently a drain on Twitter cash reserves.
SMS fees typically reverse at volume, with carriers paying application providers for SMS revenue generation. A carrier such as AT&T might charge 5 cents per SMS and pass a fraction of a cent per message to large applications such as Yahoo! or Google. Twitter could be approaching a SMS volume that provides bargaining power with carriers for mobile-terminated and mobile-originated message revenue domestically and mobile-originated message revenue internationally. New hire Kevin Thau, Twitter‘s Director of Mobile Business, will likely be creating closer partnerships with mobile carriers to lower Twitter’s SMS spend and possibly extract revenue from this feature.
Twitter has publicly mentioned future revenue extraction opportunities from businesses on Twitter. Dell directly measures revenue generated by its multiple Twitter channels. Comcast offers “digital care” for its customers through a special Twitter account. Whole Foods discusses groceries with over 22,000 subscribers. Twitter has yet to extract value from the thousands of brand connections it currently enables. Brand monitoring will likely be the first corporate product from Twitter.
Brands monitor conversations on Twitter through specially-crafted search queries. Jet Blue might track all conversations around its brand, for example, likely leading to customers or potential customers experiencing issues in need of real-time solutions or clarity. Twitter does not currently provide much information about the people behind such brand mentions directly in search results, leading to a extra required steps for brand managers. What might brands want in real-time brand management dashboard for Twitter?
- Better context around the person behind each brand mention. Who are they, where do they live, and how many people subscribe to their updates on Twitter?
- Easy integration with existing CRM and customer support systems. Companies should be able to track existing customers on Twitter by importing a list of e-mail addresses.
- Brokered communications channel (direct messages) to Twitter members who are not already subscribed to the brand’s Twitter account. Similar to LinkedIn‘s paid inMail feature.
- Account analytics. Twitter does not currently share the number of times a particular message or profile was viewed, even in channels it controls such as web or widget views.
- Sponsored account suggestions. Twitter suggests other members you might want to follow. These suggestions appear, or have appeared at some point in the past, on the Twitter homepage, public timeline, and individually-tailored suggestions. Twitter has even experimented with small textual call-outs linking to another account in every member’s sidebar. These sponsored listings are currently untapped, under-marketed, or both.
The limited data sharing of full Twitter updates limits the open competition to data services developed by Twitter in-house. Nielsen BuzzMetrics, Biz360, TNS Cymfony, and many others currently tap into broad social media streams for brand insights. Twitter could compete with these dashboards in a more real-time environment, resell their solution to larger monitoring firms, or both.
Twitter plans to roll out revenue-generating services to serve corporate customers within the next two months. The company is also rumored to be raising additional capital that could extend its runway before Twitter needs real revenue under its wings. I believe SMS revenue-sharing and brand monitoring will provide Twitter revenue in 2009 with additional paid features made available to enthusiast users later this year. Twitter’s best path to realized revenue may be an acquisition but large companies always like a bird with wings.


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Betway and Dafabet have enhanced their Spanish La Liga sponsorship portfolios after signing deals with Celta Vigo and Cádiz FC respectively.
Dafabet will become the main sponsor of Cádiz FC for the next two seasons, and will become the team’s front-of-short sponsor as well as featuring on its training and travel clothing.
John Cruces, Dafabet’s Head of Sponsorship, stated: “We must congratulate Cádiz for their return to LaLiga, and for those who represent our first steps in Spanish football. This alliance will help us to strengthen our global footprint, starting from the union with the important Cadista fans.”
Manuel Vizcaíno, President of the Cádiz Football Club, also highlighted that he is ‘proud that Cádiz is the club that opens the doors of Spain to Dafabet’, whilst also recognising that the step will also ‘reinforce the internationalization project of the brand, which has no borders’.
Meanwhile Betway will become Celta Vigo’s official bookmaker, while also acquiring a range of in-stadium advertising rights.
Additionally, the operator and Celta will work alongside one another to create promotional content ahead of upcoming La Liga matches.
Ricardo Barros, Celta Vigo’s Vice-President, said: “In RC Celta we are very satisfied with this agreement, since it is very important for the sport that a brand of international prestige offers his support in a few especially complicated moments.
“It is not easy to obtain this type of support in the current circumstances, with so much social and economic uncertainty, and for that reason in the club we value this agreement very positively, which allows us to continue growing as an entity and brand, and to continue advancing in our international expansion.”
The sponsorships come at a turbulent time for gambling sponsorships in Spain. Last month, the Spanish Ministry of Consumer Affairs confirmed that it is considering proposals to toughen up regulations on betting companies, including restrictions to sponsorship agreements and advertising exposure.
Under the new proposals to amend the Royal Decree, Spanish Minister of Consumer Affairs Alberto Garzón has altered the wording of the ruling to state that “sponsorship in sports T-shirts or equipment will not be admissible”, with gambling companies already banned from featuring on youth shirts.


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North-east business chiefs have launched a month-long survey, with the aim of better supporting companies in the wake of the pandemic.
Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber Of Commerce (AGCC) is hoping to learn about firms’ plans for economic recovery in the months ahead.
The organisation has today opened a 10-minute questionnaire, asking about the challenges currently being faced by business owners.
It also asks for information on their future priorities and opinion of the AGCC and the services it offers.
The survey is due to close on April 26 and can be accessed by visiting agcc.co.uk or scanning a QR code.
It is being conducted by independent firm Research
Resource, with all responses confidential and anonymous.
A spokeswoman said: “Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber Of Commerce is keen to understand the key issues, challenges and opportunities that businesses in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire are facing at this critical time for the region’s economy.
“Having real-time information about your organisation’s short and long-term plans for economic recovery and sustainability in the wake of the pandemic will help AGCC better identify what support is needed by local companies and provide the focus for its future direction and activity.”


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EndoChoice yesterday priced its initial public offering at $15 per share, the low end of the range, raising $95.2 million for its Fuse full-spectrum endoscope.
EndoChoice shares are due to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the “GI” symbol today, the company said.
Alpharetta, Ga.-based EndoChoice had said it planned to float 6.25 million shares at $15 to $17 each, for a midpoint raise of $100 million. The company filed confidentially in January for an IPO worth up to $115 million, scarcely 2 months after pulling down a $57 million funding round for its Fuse full-spectrum endoscope.
J.P. Morgan and BofA Merrill Lynch are acting as joint book-runner, with William Blair and Stifel as co-managers for the offering, EndoChoice said.
In early March , the company raised $57 million from Ally Bridge Group, Rock Springs Capital, Deerfield and Sequoia Capital. EndoChoice tapped ex-Volcano CEO Scott Huennekens as chairman in April.
EndoChoice has said it plans to use the IPO proceeds to expand the commercial footprint of the Fuse device, which features 3 small cameras designed to provide a 330° view; the company claims is nearly double the range of typical colonoscopy devices.
Fuse won FDA 510(k) clearance in the U.S. in June 2013. EndoChoice also makes the Fuse gastroscope, which has 2 cameras designed to expand the field of view from 150° with standard gastroscopes to 245°.
EndoChoice also said it’s being sued by Medigus (TLV:MDGS) for patent infringement. Medigus alleges that the Fuse device infringes its patent covering “Multiple view endoscopes,” EndoChoice said, noting that the patent “requires a specific configuration for objective lenses (which could be cameras or other objective lenses of optical channels) utilized as part of an endoscope that we do not believe is characteristic of the Fuse system and, therefore, we believe the technology utilized in Fuse clearly falls outside of the claims” of the Medigus patent.
“Accordingly, we and our counsel believe that Medigus Ltd.’s assertions are without merit and intend to vigorously defend any claims or suits brought against us related to the Medigus Ltd. patent,” EndoChoice said. “We have concluded that a loss from this matter is remote and therefore have not recorded a loss reserve. In addition, we maintain a $5 million insurance policy to cover costs and damages related to assertions of intellectual property infringement against our Fuse endoscope system.”


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We recently just met Brent Dewar at the 2009 LA Auto Show during the launch party of the Chevrolet Cruze, but like most GM executives these days, Dewar isn’t sticking around for much longer. Susan Docherty, GM vice president Sales, Service and Marketing announced today that James M. Campbell, 45, has been named general manager – Chevrolet, effective immediately.
“Jim has a strong track record of building relationships and partnerships with dealers and customers, and deep Chevrolet experience,” Docherty said. “His energy, drive for results and willingness to take risks are great assets for leading the growing global Chevrolet brand.”
Campbell will replace Dewar who decided to retire effective April 1, 2010. Dewar will stick around for the time being to ensure smooth transition at Chevy.
“During his 31 years with GM, Brent made a difference in multiple assignments, including key roles in Brazil and Europe, launching the award-winning American Revolution campaign and applying his environmental passion to drive the very successful gas-friendly to gas-free marketing strategy,” Docherty said. “We respect his decision to retire early next year to spend more time with his family, and want to thank him for all his contributions. He will be missed.”
Dewar, 54, was appointed to the job by former CEO Fritz Henderson in July after serving as GM Europe’s vice president, sales, marketing and aftersales.
– By: Omar Rana