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Less than a year old, Clubhouse already ticks the boxes for being the next big thing:
a massive valuation (though it’s obviously not making any money).
Here’s what you need to know.
Why should I care?
It’s making waves around the world, from the U.S. (where the app got its start) to China, Brazil, and Turkey.
Wherever you are, you’re likely to hear about it soon.
Some of the world’s super rich and famous are already big names on the app:
Tech giants like Elon Musk and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg
rappers Drake and Kanye West
Media mogul Oprah Winfrey
And the hype and fame is bound to be followed by money: venture capitalists are already valuing Clubhouse at more than $1 billion (£0.7 billion), according to the Financial Times – quite a chunk of cash for an app that currently doesn’t make money.
How does Clubhouse work?
What sets the app apart is the lack of text, images and videos.
There’s audio only.
Also, everything happens live, in real time.
You can start a virtual room yourself or join one where other people are talking.
Usually, only a certain number of people can speak.
Everyone else only has the option to listen.
However, you can raise your hand and ask to speak.
Within the app, conversations are not recorded or made available for later playback.
So you have to listen in on everything as it happens.
What’s so good about that?
The audio-only format gives it the intimacy of listening to a podcast or talk radio show.
And although many people use the app just to talk to their friends, you can hear famous and influential people like Tesla and SpaceX billionaire Mr. Musk casually chatting as if you were in the room with them.
One potentially unforeseen benefit is that, as a new app, it has managed to circumvent the restrictions that some governments have placed on existing major social media platforms.
However, it has already been banned in China.
News site Quartz reported that Chinese Clubhouse members “use the space to talk about topics that would otherwise be censored… like democracy,” making the invite codes a hot commodity.
And already copycat apps are being launched to capitalize on this supposed uptick in social audio networks.
Can I download them now?
It is not available on Huawei, Samsung, LG or other Android phones.
And iPhone owners can’t easily join the conversations after downloading it from the App Store, either.
Clubhouse is currently by invitation only.
Existing users can only send two invitations for now.
But that doesn’t mean it won’t be coming your way soon.
The company is working on plans to open it up to the masses.
What are the downsides?
Like pretty much every social media app in history, Clubhouse has faced privacy questions.
The company says it is reviewing cybersecurity after research by the Stanford Internet Observatory (SIO) suggested that user data was routed through Chinese servers.
It’s also dealing with the fallout after someone showed it was possible to tap conversations from multiple rooms and publish them outside the app.
“Clubhouse can’t make privacy promises for conversations that happen anywhere in the world,” SIO director Alex Stamos told Bloomberg.
For most users, this won’t be a problem, since the app is all about starting a conversation and getting a large audience to listen.
But it also doesn’t stop anyone in the audience from recording the audio as it happens.
And campaigners have also raised questions about the app’s access to attendees’ phone contacts.
Will it be the next big thing?
Clubhouse has only two million active users.
It’s grown quickly.
But social media is a tricky business.
At first glance, Clubhouse seems like just a good idea with no proprietary technical tricks behind it.
And that means it can easily be copied by competitors.
Twitter is already working on its own version of spaces, called “Spaces.”
So it won’t be long before Clubhouse is adopted by established providers.


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In total, the market has received crypto market darknet billion, and represented about 80 of all cryptocurrency transactions on darknet markets last year. Last year, the blockchainresearch firm found that darknet markets as a whole took in nearly 800 million worth of cryptocurrency in revenue. By J Aldridge Cited by 8 Before being shut down by the FBI in October. 2022, this cryptomarket enabled anyone to mail order illegal drugs and other goods with anonymous bitcoin payments. In late March 2022, Dream Market, one of the oldest cryptomarkets announced that it would be ceasing its current operations on 30 April 2022. The announcement. Cryptocurrency has been used widely by criminals in the digital realm. This is especially the case in "Darknet" markets, or digital markets. On the dark web, anything goes, whether it be illegal drug sales, While bitcoin is the most widely used cryptocurrency, numerous darknet.
According to cannazon market url the Treasury, "Analysis of known Garantex transactions shows that over 100 million in transactions are associated with illicit. Cited by 16 The dependence of these markets on cryptocurrency once appeared to drive the value of cryptocurrencies, so essential for business on the dark net. However, e-. In total, the market has received crypto market darknet billion, and represented about 80 of all cryptocurrency transactions on darknet markets last year. Crypto market darknet million US dollars between December 2022 and February 2022. Keywords: Crypto currency, cybercriminal, crypto market, drug economy. 6 Darknet Markets for the Crypto Curious Sliding Into the DNMs Empire Market Grey Market Cannazon Cryptonia Tochka Apollon. There is no episode of Darknet Diaries this week. Instead we are going to play an episode from the podcast Cyber, by Vice Motherboard.
In late March 2022, Dream Market, one of the oldest cryptomarkets announced that it would be ceasing its current operations on 30 April 2022. The announcement. In total, the market has received crypto market darknet billion, and represented about 80 of all cryptocurrency transactions on darknet markets last year. As the BKA announcement points out, Hydra Market featured a Bitcoin Bank Mixer, which obfuscated all cryptocurrency transactions made on the. Germany has shut down the Russian illegal darknet marketplace called ' Hydra Market', confiscating 543 Bitcoins with a total value of around. The illegal market had seen over 320,000 transactions, with customers using 4,650 Bitcoin and 12,800 Monero for purchases. Cryptomarket users think systematically about these risks and make use of the cryptomarket/darknet infrastructure and associated systems in order to mange.
It is one of most popular the dark web links. Marketplace Crypto Market: Are you looking some other deep web links marketplace alternative then check. Named after the historical trading routes introduced by the Han Dynasty, the dark net market used an alternative payment system (Bitcoin!) and developed a. 6 Darknet Markets for the Crypto Curious Sliding Into the DNMs Empire Market Grey Market Cannazon Cryptonia Tochka Apollon. By J Buxton Cited by 116 According to an interview with Dread Pirate. Roberts, Silk Road emerged from an original idea to combine Bitcoin and Tor to create an anonymous crypto market darknet First. Hydra Market was a Russian-language marketplace that had operated via complicating crypto investigations for law enforcement agencies. Last year, the blockchain research firm found that darknet markets as a whole cannazon market darknet took in nearly 800 million worth of cryptocurrency in revenue.
Monero's community (crypto market darknet) touts Monero as "the only crypto market darknet cryptocurrency where every user is anonymous by default" and "because every. Of the 44 darknet markets analyzed by The Block Research, approximately 92 offer support for bitcoin. The average number of cryptocurrencies. Darknet Is Still A Crypto Hotbe. It found that the number of markets supporting it grew from 45 in 2022 to 67 the next year. What's more, Bitcoin still dominated the darknet. While bitcoin only managed to return crypto market darknet last year, the crypto sector's total market cap grew by crypto market darknet, with many of the top coins offering. ToRReZ Market is a wallet-less crypto market darknet means you only send funds when making an order. The market currently supports four cryptocurrencies.
Archetyp Market Url
In this paper, an overview of dark web and various browsers which are crypto market darknet used to access dark web are presented. We want to offer a market that is free from theft, fair, and with crypto market darknet the highest security, and still fast. With enough funding and community support I2P-functionality is possible to be added to Tails too. The dark web is an enabler for the circulation of illegal weapons already on the black market, as well as a potential source of diversion for legally owned weapons. Maybe all the cats have been banned from Twitter for perceived threats to Larry. These schemes are generating billions in losses for online merchants and card issuers, according to a 2016 study by credit card trade publication The Nilson Report. Although the prime reason why I said it deserves utmost attention is because of its extremely detailed F. Consumer-to-business (C2B) is a business model that is used by a consumer or end user to provide a product or service that benefits a company or related organization. An extortionist is currently targeting Empire and Nightmare, who are both in the running to replace Wall Street as the top market," he said.
“The details are unknown, but Dark_Mart rejoined the Evolution forums after a long absence spanning that crypto market darknet period with a comment about guns bringing heat on his suppliers 4, which may or may not be the FBI agent telling the truth to be safe.”
The ‘redeemScript’ is extremely important because it details the information needed to redeem funds sent to the address, which is a hash of the redeemScript. If you find yourself to be a victim of data breach, you want to make sure you contact your local Stakeholder Liaison, and I'll tell you shortly before we end this presentation on how to do that. From retail outlets announcing users can checkout using their bitcoins to El Salvador officially accepting bitcoin as a legal tender, there is no doubt that bitcoin is headed cannazon darknet market for mainstream adoption. Empire Market’s most distinguished feature is that it’s almost like a clone to Alphabay. Its interface is also simple, but the search results returned are not orderly or properly arranged as other search engines you are used to. The question is, how will the other players in the darknet react to the new competitor? GA: Grams averages around 10-12k searches a day and 6-8k unique users a day. The channel's goal is to help traders develop their trading strategy and ensure a consistent. Deep Web Search Engines (Onion Links 2020) These search engines are systems that links from the deep web, the main task of each search engine is to allow the display of hidden pages. Magdeburg - Eineinhalb Stunden dauerte am Donnerstag am Magdeburger Landgericht das Verlesen der Anklage wegen gewerbsmäßiger Urkundenfälschung.
You can follow us on Linkedin, Twitter , Facebook for daily updates.

domain: news


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Mini UK coronavirus outbreaks have been prominent across news outlets in the last fortnight and only a few days ago lockdown measures have been reintroduced in Preston. The thought behind this is that small ”waves” are caused by the inability to completely eradicate the first epidemic, and not proof of a second wave, according to various experts. It leaves a lot of uncertainly and businesses are having to implement changes to support this.
Substantial fall in cash withdrawals post lockdown
It was reported last week that there was still about 11 million cash withdrawals being made each week, but after recent measures, the UK has seen a substantial fall of 60% in the number of cash withdrawals from ATM machines, although when people are making cash withdrawals these figures are now larger than previously so it appears people may now be adopting a hoarding approach to cash. One concern that is frequently highlighted is the concerns shoppers have handling cash merely because they are not sure who has come into contact with it previously.
How are spending habits changing post lockdown?
During the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown, we have seen the way people alter their behaviors when it comes to paying for goods and services, whether this is a simple trip to the local garage to purchase fuel or purchasing stock for their business.
As we come out the other side of lockdown and try to recapture a degree of normality, we’re likely to see an increase in purchases and debit and credit card transactions. Therefore, these changes can support in stemming the spread of the virus if people are cognizant of which payment methods are the most hygienic and safe.
Reducing cash usage
To protect the health of their staff, business owners have been encouraged to reduce the amount of cash being handled by their staff and employees with the ultimate goal to help reduce and stem the spread germs from person to person. Instead, they should have the option to pay using contactless technology wherever possible with the more traditional Chip and PIN method in close proximity whilst ensuring there is an infrastructure for regular disinfecting of keypads, and contactless card payments.
Cleaning payment equipment after the pandemic
Card payments have become an integral way to pay for items during the pandemic, many banks and card schemes have already put measures in place to support their use by increasing the contactless payment limit from £30 to £45, although it may take time for all retailers and card schemes to fully transition to this increase.
Like any other technological hardware devices, a credit card machine is not immortal, and with so much uncertainty globally during these uncertain times, business owners are now consciously having to implement ways to protect themselves & their staff from cross contamination with their payment hardware. The pandemic has provided unforeseen challenges for many business owners and many are having to implement ways to support their client base and staff.
A good way to keep your card machine clean of bacteria is to encourage contactless payments whilst eliminating any physical contact for customers. Whilst we know that isn’t always possible, it is strongly advised. Credit card machines although robust still remain delicate underneath their surface. Debris and every day dirt and grime that slip through the cracks between PIN pad buttons can mess with the payment software, causing sudden or gradual issues.
Also the card slot where you insert debit or credit cards for the traditional Chip & PIN transaction can accumulate dirt particles inside, which can have an impact with the card reading technology. Therefore, keeping your credit card machine spotless helps to prolong its life. If you do decide to clean any point of sale hardware always follow the manufacturer’s advice and never spray any liquid directly on to a payment card machine as it can have a detrimental consequence with the mechanical components of the payment terminal. Whether you’re using a disposable wipe or reusable cloth, ensure it isn’t so moist it can leave droplets of liquid on the terminal’s surface.
Many of the payment innovations introduced in the last decade have been with the sole intention of enhancing customers’ experience and reducing cash transactions, and the pandemic has only seen this imitative go from strength to strength. Despite less cash transactions materialising, until recently there was an element who still liked the convenience they felt cash provided, whilst emphasising the benefits to helping budget management and then there are some who like the anonymity a cash transaction can provide.
What are your experiences from the last four months both as a business owner and a customer? Please let us know your feedback or email us email@example.com


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SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — Bayer has settled one of several class action battles over claims that its Roundup products lack cancer warning labels, and will pay millions in attorneys’ fees to end a long dispute involving the company and product maker Monsanto.
The settlement approved in federal court Friday shows Bayer will pay the eight lead plaintiffs $5,000 each, plus reimbursement of $210,888 in expenses. More than 200,000 class members can submit claims to cash in on the settlement fund.
Bayer will also pay $5.75 million in attorneys' fees, a sharp reduction by U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria from the $11.25 million which plaintiffs requested last year.
A year ago, Chhabria warned lawyers looking to settle labeling claims that their class notice should “scream from the mountaintops” that consumers looking to participate won’t have to give up their right to sue if they later develop cancer.
Bayer had agreed to pay between $23 million and $45 million to resolve claims that purchasers, led by plaintiff Scott Gilmore, overpaid for Roundup because it lacked a cancer warning label.
Under the nationwide settlement, Bayer would compensate class members for up to 20% of the average retail price of up to 11 Roundup products, paying anywhere between $0.50 and $33.00 per bottle depending on the size of the product, without receipts. Proof of purchase would allow consumers to claim unlimited bottles.
But Chhabria said at the time he didn't believe the settlement conferred much of a benefit to consumers. He said that if 0.1% of class members were confused by the class notice, the settlement “would have to be rejected for that reason alone.”
Chhabria’s new order released Friday reflects a win for the class members, who submitted between 226,268 and 230,097 net valid claims worth between $12 million and $14 million.
He said he now finds the settlement fair and reasonable, as “claimants will receive more than 20% of the average retail price of products they purchased, which is more than two-thirds of plaintiffs’ expert’s estimate of best-case damages were this case to proceed to trial.”
Dismissing the case with prejudice, the judge ordered that within 21 days after all funds have been paid, both parties shall file a post-distribution accounting and post it on the settlement website. That accounting must provide information on the total settlement fund; the number of claims; the number and percentage of objections; the average, median, maximum, and minimum recovery per claimant; the methods of notice and methods of payment to class members; the number and value of any uncashed checks to class members and any amounts distributed to a cy pres recipient.
The agreement is a drop in the bucket for the billions of dollars that Bayer has already paid to settle cancer claims stemming from Roundup use.
In June 2020, Bayer agreed to pay $10.9 billion to settle nearly 100,000 lawsuits in which plaintiffs claim Roundup’s active ingredient, glyphosate, caused them to develop cancer. But Chhabria refused to approve another $2 billion deal to resolve future claims from Roundup users who have not developed cancer but may be diagnosed in the future.
Bayer has also vowed to remove glyphosate-based products from retail store shelves by 2023 to prevent future litigation, though the company has consistently said that it stands behind Roundup’s safety.
In 2019, Chhabria oversaw the first federal trial on claims Monsanto sold Roundup without a warning label, after which a jury awarded a Sonoma man $75 million in punitive damages after finding that years of Roundup use likely caused his non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The Ninth Circuit upheld the jury’s verdict in 2021, though it agreed with Chhabria that the punitive damages should be reduced to $20 million.
The U.S. Supreme Court requested input from the solicitor general in the case on the question of whether Monsanto can be held liable under California law for failing to put a cancer warning label on Roundup when it was prohibited from doing so by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, which says a company cannot put a warning on a product without the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s approval.
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Rogue robotic vacuum cleaner causes $3.5k worth of damage, tribunal hears
By Jeremy Wilkinson, Open Justice multimedia journalist of
A woman has successfully sued a retailer after her robotic vacuum caused $3500 worth of damage to her home.
The rogue vacuum started experiencing "navigation problems" within a year and started crashing into obstacles, failing to pick up debris and missing sections of the floor.
According to her claim to the Disputes Tribunal the vacuum caused $3500 worth of damage to her skirting boards and front door.
Tribunal adjudicator Elizabeth Paton-Simpson this week released her decision awarding the woman a $6000 refund to cover the cost of the machine and compensation to fix the damage it caused.
Both parties' names were redacted from the decision but representatives for the store that sold the vacuum said in submissions the vacuum lacked the force to cause the severe damage the woman claimed.
They also said that the photographic evidence the woman provided of the damage was too high up to have been caused by the vacuum.
Adjudicator Paton-Simpson disagreed and said that the woman had provided evidence that her home had been painted a year earlier and that the damage caused was more than wear and tear.
"Photographs showed the damage to be low down, around the level of the vacuum, and it seemed consistent with damage that might be expected from the problem described," Paton-Simpson said.
"The video showed the vacuum having trouble navigating back into its base, and it is unsurprising that she did not video it hitting walls, as she said she did not want it to cause further damage."
The store also tried to claim that the woman must have misused the vacuum as its technicians discovered plastic debris inside the fan.
However, the woman argued that it was sold as being a "clever machine" that would only pick up debris it could handle.
"In that light, I am unable to find that the vacuum was used in an unreasonable manner," Paton-Simpson said.
"Rather, I find that the product was not as durable and fit for purpose as a reasonable consumer would have expected in all the circumstances.
"A robot vacuum costing over $2000 would reasonably be expected to last longer than 12 months."
Last year Consumer conducted a comparison review of various robotic vacuums on the market and looked at their ability to detect stairs, floor coverage, suction, noise, scheduling and anything else that might affect their performance.
However, they also noted that robotic vacuums do collide with furniture but all of them have spring-loaded bumpers to reduce the impact.
"The more intelligent models will learn to avoid furniture, and some use cameras to identify objects to avoid," the Consumer report said.
"They are unlikely to do any major damage."


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We use smartphones for everything from communication to finances, and we store all of our personal information on them. This makes them a valuable target for hackers.
As you know, the security of smartphones has always been a concern. According to recent research, a new attack technique discovered by researchers at a Chinese university can be used to unlock Android phones in a matter of minutes using just a $15 hack.
Researchers at a Chinese university have discovered a way to unlock some Android devices using fake fingerprints.
Researchers have found two security flaws in the fingerprint recognition systems of many Android devices. These flaws can be used to create a fake fingerprint that can be used to unlock the device.
Two essential things are required to complete this attack: a device and at least 40 minutes of continuous access to the phone. Although it may seem like a long shot, this attack makes lost or stolen phones an obvious target for attack.
The BrutePrint attack uses a fingerprint database, and the circuit boards run a direct lookup against the technical database to unlock the device.
The research team tested this method on eight different MAS devices, including Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, Vivo X60 Pro, OnePlus 7 Pro, Oppo Reno Ace, Samsung Galaxy S10+, OnePlus 5T, Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G, and Huawei P40.
The researchers concluded that the time required to unlock each phone was different. Depending on various factors, such as the number of digits stored on each device for authentication and the security framework used on the particular phone, it takes anywhere from 40 minutes to 14 hours to unlock the device.
In this case, it was the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus that took the least time (from 0.73 to 2.9 hours), and the Xiaomi Mi 11 the most (from 2.78 to 13.89 hours).
Interestingly, the research team also tested devices running the iOS operating system, specifically iPhone models with the touch id feature. iPhone SE and iPhone 7 models were tested and found that neither can be hacked using this method.


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KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is emulating developed countries which do not use motorcycle taxi services to ensure the safety of road users, says Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Ab Aziz Kaprawi.
KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 (Bernama) -- The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) and the Selangor Mufti Department have called up the individual offering the 'Valet Doa' or prayer valet service in Makkah for specific prices, and advised him to stop.
KANGAR, March 29 (Bernama) -- Although the National Fatwa Council has banned smoking, yet there are Muslims who still smoke in mosque compounds.
KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 (Bernama) -- Volkswagen Malaysia said today the five-year free maintenance only applied for all new-Passat units purchased and registered before Dec 31, 2016.
PUTRAJAYA, March 28 (Bernama) -- Venison and shellouts will be among the attractions for guests at Restoran Citra Rasa, Hotel Dorsett Putrajaya for the breaking-of-fast during the Ramadan month.
KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 (Bernama) -- Touch 'n Go Sdn Bhd (TnG) plans to launch the 'TnG e-wallet', an electronic payment (e-payment) digital application in the third quarter (Q3) of this year.
KUCHING, March 28 (Bernama) -- Local food chain The Chicken Rice Shop (TCRS) aims to open two more outlets in Sarawak and another three in Sabah in the next two to three years.


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GreenRoc Mining has been awarded a £250,000 grant from the UK’s Automotive Transformation Fund (“ATF”) to establish the first graphite processing facility outsider of China. ATF is a programme to develop an end-to-end electrified automotive supply chain for Electric Vehicles (“EVs”) in the UK.
In this latest interview with focusIR, Stefan Bernstien, CEO of GreenRoc mining, highlights that all the World’s EV battery ready graphite is currently entirely processed in China and explains to investors how GreenRoc Mining could become a significant player in the supply chain of graphite for EV batteries for the UK in terms of security of supply and achieving resilience in the EV battery sector.
In particular, Stefan explains how this grant will part-fund the Company’s feasibility study to assesses the economic viability of building a graphite spheronisation processing plant, close to sources of renewable energy, at the Company’s World Class graphite project in Southern Greenland.
Source: London South East


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One of my favorite things about fall is apple season. Apples are crisp and sweet and make for a great grab-and-go snack. They are also packed full of cancer-protective nutrients like fiber and the flavonoid quercetin, an antioxidant that has anti-inflammatory properties.
This year I decided to do something different with my bundle of apples and make homemade fruit leather. Fruit leather is a great snack for any age, but is a particularly good kid-friendly alternative to fruit rollups.
The World Health Organization is urging countries to tax sugary sodas, and other sugary drinks in order to lower consumption, which can reduce the numbers of people suffering from diabetes as well as cancer and other non-communicable diseases, according to a report they released today.
Regular consumption of sugary drinks leads to overweight and obesity, diabetes and tooth decay, the report highlights. With these their link to weight gain, sugary drinks also increase cancer risk. AICR research shows overweight and obesity increases risk of eleven cancers, including post-menopausal breast, colorectal and esophageal.
Whether it’s soda or energy drinks, teenagers consume a lot of sugary beverages. Health warning labels on sugary beverages may help sway a few teens away from these drinks, at least hypothetically, finds a recent study.


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Brighton-based 3D printed robotics company MakerClub develops educational products and robotics projects that help people learn how to work with electronics and technology and to design and code their own internet connected devices. Their innovative e-learning platform teaches the use of tech like 3D printing, connected hardware and the Internet of Things using high quality interactive content that is designed to be engaging and educational at the same time. The ultimate goal of MakerClub is to teach the next generation of inventors, makers and creatives the art of invention and problem solving.
As part of their yearly CE50 event, technology, media and business advocacy group Creative England has officially named MakerClub as one of the fifty most creative companies in the UK. Every year the group highlights the emerging talents, established creative professionals, inventive, innovative and brave companies working in the UK. The CE50 gala was held at Google’s swanky 160,000-square-foot headquarters located at the Central Saint Giles development near Tottenham Court Road in London.
The eighteen-month-old MakerClub is the first 3D printing and electronics company to make the CE50 list, and they were even invited to present at the ceremony on the need to create a ‘nation of makers’. Some of the educational projects that MakerClub has developed include a RC controlled robotic arm kit, a race car controlled via mobile device and a quadcopter kit. All of their projects are 3D printable and walk new users through the 3D design stage to coding the electronics and finally 3D printing and assembling the entire device. Additionally, all of the project tutorials are entirely browser-based and require no specialized design or fabrication software to complete.
“This really highlights how far 3D printing has come in the last few years. It’s now being recognised as a fully creative medium and we’re absolutely thrilled to be holding the baton for the UK. It’s great that Creative England has seen how skills like coding, 3D Design and electronics will be so important for the creative economy over the next 10 years,“ said MakerClub CEO Simon Riley.
The day long event took place on January 20th and included several speakers on subjects as diverse as small businesses working with large business, the new digital economy and the need for local television and film production. Google also gave two presentations, one on the intersection of creativity and business and another on using technology to share cultural treasures with new audiences. And of course it wouldn’t be a business event if there weren’t plenty of networking opportunities.
The CE50 awards were announced at the evening gala, as well as the top ten Future Leaders which included HBO producer Andrew Haigh, sound recognition platform Braci, software publisher Lockwood Publishing and social media analytics tool StashMetrics. The judges who chose the ten Future Leaders include notable business leaders like Chairwoman of MediaCom UK Karen Blackett, Enterprise Editor at the Telegraph Rebecca Burn-Callander, Channel 4 digital Shorts content commissioning editor Isaac Densu, Deloitte strategy consultant Julie Richards and Facebook Regional Director for the UK & Ireland Steve Hatch. Tell us your thoughts on this new accolade for MakerClub in the 3D Printing & Robotics Company MakerClub in Top 50 Most Creative forum over at 3DPB.com.
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Outlook and Recommendation
The incredible run by the New Zealand dollar(NZD) so far in 2012 is bound to lose momentum in the coming months as the Reserve Bank of New Zealand(RBNZ) further supports the country's economic recovery. While the RBNZ decided to leave the official cash rate unchanged at 2.5% after the latest monetary policy meeting, inflationary trends are now placed at the bottom of the 1-3%comfort zone, implying that further economic support is likely to be in the cards. Headline inflation came down significantly to 1.8% y/y in the fourth quarter of 2011, with both tradable goods and non-tradable items displaying fading pressures. Costs in externally exposed sectors have been underpinned by NZD strength, while excess capacity conditions seem to prevail in locally oriented industries. Limited signs of reinvigorating household spending have paired with reconstruction efforts in the Canterbury region adversely affected by last year's Christchurch earthquake. The fall in New Zealand's unemployment rate to 6.3% at the last reading was underpinned by a narrower participation rate, and therefore points towards remaining economic slack.
The US currency environment is dominated by the US economic outlook, flows and the broader movement of the US dollar. For the USD, the improving economic outlook and dollar positive flows stemming from the European crisis have been offset by historically loose US monetary policy that includes quantitative easing and rising oil prices. There are limits to how long the US economy can withstand a strong currency. Accordingly, we expect the USD to trend lower this year against most currencies
The New Zealand dollar (NZD) has seen movement in February mimicking that of its major currency commodity peer AUD. While the trend in NZD/USD remains bullish, the pace of gains has slowed. Investors favor NZD and are net long US$2.0 billion, however the recent rally has not allowed for a full retracement to mid-2011 highs near 0.8800.We are bullish NZD with a Q4 2012 target of 0.83.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand held rates steady in January, noting that the global economy remains fragile and risks to the outlook remain. The Bank will keep a watchful eye on the global outlook and likely stay on the sidelines until conditions stabilize. The rebuilding following multiple earthquakes will lift growth; but, with inflation well contained and downside economic risks persisting, the RBNZ is comfortable NEW ZEALAND standing firm.
Official Rate: 2.50% • Quantitative Easing: No • Last Decision: January 26, unch • Next Decision: March 8, Hold
March Major Economic Events
AiG Performance of Construction Index
Gross Domestic Product (QoQ)
Gross Domestic Product (YoY)
Employment Change s.a.
National Australia Bank's Business Con
Westpac Consumer Confidence
Consumer Price Index (YoY)
Consumer Price Index Ex Food & Energy
Gross Domestic Product Annualized
Gross Domestic Purchases Price Index
NZD/USD Pivot Points (Time Frame: 1 Day)
Name S3 S2 S1 Pivot R1 R2 R3


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Announcing new monthly Startup Tampere Meetup featuring Zoosh Ventures28.1.2019
14th of February is about friends – this year in Tampere it’s especially about making new connections for startups, investors and even tech-savvy developers. That special day marks the beginning of Startup Tampere Meetup, a monthly series of events for insights about funding related themes, best practices, concrete tips, success stories and meeting investors. And it starts with a real bang…
There are excellent networking events for startups already. But what sets the new Startup Tampere Meetup apart is clear focus on startup funding. We’ll give you four good reasons why you should drop all your previous engagements and sign up for the first Startup Tampere Meetup.
- The great new concept to improve your ability to fundraise
Startup Tampere Meetup is a new event concept with two speakers: one from investor side and another from a startup side. The idea is to share best practices, concrete tips and success stories. You will find out about different funding and networking possibilities, meet the right people and learn from each other.
Success stories aren’t the only kind that need to be revealed. Sometimes there’s more value in sharing our failures than sweeping them under the rug. Problem-sharing can easily lead to problem-solving. With the right attitude, your startup can quickly go from failure to inspiration.
- Zoosh invests in Tampere
Besides the two speakers, the first ever Startup Meetup has a special announcement by the Ireland-based international digital service and venture company Zoosh Group. With their recently announced early seed fund - Zoosh Investment Partnership (ZIP) - they are planning to invest in 15–18 companies within the next 18 months, hopefully several from Pirkanmaa area. Heads-up all B2B SaaS startups looking for pre-seed and seed funding, this is an opportunity you simply cannot miss. Zoosh Ventures also invest in experienced business founders at concept stage as they start on their product-market fit journey. And if you’re an investor, Zoosh Ventures is also looking for co-investors to partner up with.
The companies approved to ZIP will be in good hands. ”Looking back the past 5 years, our success percentage is much higher than the industry standard”, says Kimmo Arppe, co-founder and COO of Zoosh Group. “We want to be a company builder – a sort of a factory producing successful enterprises.”.
- Now hiring!
Besides ventures, Zoosh has a branch dedicated to innovative digital services, Zoosh Digital. They currently employ some 30 professionals in Ireland and Hungary. Zoosh Digital is working both with cloud/SaaS focused high-tech startups and established forward thinking companies.
Now they are launching new offices in Tampere and building a local team of 10–15 software professionals during 2019 and plan to continue strong growth after that. Developers looking for new opportunities, this is for you.
”We will offer interesting international jobs, ranging from providing our expertise to established companies and partners to high-tech startups via Zoosh Ventures””, says Juha Autio, CEO of Zoosh Digital in Finland. “We chose Tampere because there is plenty of well-educated professionals, new students moving in all the time, strong tech startup scene and innovative customers we want to work with”.
- Pizza, beer and history in the making
If these reasons weren’t enough for signing up, the first Startup Tampere Meetup will also have pizza and beer available as well as some Valentine’s Day surprises – suitable for the intended easygoing, informal atmosphere. The series of events gets a strong start, giving a real boost to the Tampere startup scene. Among the speakers will be Bert Farrell, CEO of the Zoosh Ventures, all the way from Ireland.
“Having a team in Tampere makes it a perfect location to source new founders who can benefit from the Zoosh Approach”, Bert says. “Added to this is the fact of the inherent innovative culture of Tampere and Finland which makes it a natural fit in finding our sweet-spot founders.”
Sign up now
What is 6Aika?
The project behind Startup Meetup is 6Aika – Ecosystems of Growth: Enabling the Growth of Companies through Collaboration. 6Aika involves six cities – Helsinki, Espoo, Tampere, Vantaa, Turku and Oulu. The project aims to create opportunities for startups and is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional council. In Tampere, part of the funding comes from Tampere city region economic development company Tredea Oy (Business Tampere) and the city of Tampere.


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Back in 1941 in the State of Ohio, United States, the Jeep company was founded. Known throughout the world, the classic off-road firm has not stopped in its quest to conquer the world. After demonstrating his excellent skills in the most complicated terrain and scenarios, The American brand is facing a new stage; the electrification. Joining the Stellantis Group has accelerated change plans, although not in all markets. Jeep will be electrified first in Europe and then in its land.
The truth is that the news should not catch us by surprise either. Europe is becoming the promised land of electric. The high dignitaries of the European Union have already confirmed that 2035 will be the last year for ICE cars. Gasoline and diesel will be left behind in the land of zero emissions. This change already assumed by the companies will make Jeep, and all of them, a 100% electric brand that will use everything learned to export it to your home.
In recent times we have been witnessing a partial electrification of the range. The 4xe models are already present in the entire product portfoliofrom the small Jeep Renegade to the mighty Jeep Wrangler. Plug-in hybrid technology that has allowed the brand to enter the field of electrification with good marks. However, the thing will not stop there since in the coming years the launch of more models and more forceful electrical systems is expected.
Next year, without going any further, The first 100% electric Jeep in history will arrive on the old continent. Although we still don’t know his name, the “baby Jeep”, as some know him, has already been seen in full. Its mechanical system will not be the only novelty, because with the arrival of this model, the Toledo firm enters uncharted territory for them, that of the B-SUV. The use of the e-CMP platform shared with the Stellantis Group allows you to benefit from multiple innovations. It will be the twin brother of the Peugeot e-2008 and the Opel Mokka-e. Of course, with its seven characteristic stripes on the front.
It will be a “rare” model inside the house. Although the Renegade was the first Jeep model to be manufactured outside of American borders, The first electric Jeep will be destined first for the European market. Once he completes his market exploration work, he will go to the United States. This same strategy is planned to be used for future electric launches. Europe takes the lead in that race, while the United States is relegated to the background.
Jeep’s electric transition in its homeland will be much more gradual. The Ohio brand does not want to upset its followers, so it will continue betting on thermal engines in a slow and slow electric transition. The deadlines for such a change are not at all clear, they are not going to be fast. The incorporation into the Stellantis Group has accelerated the plans, as well as the European mobility policies. Just a month and a half ago, the French division of Jeep officially announced that it was no longer selling all thermal versions of its models, focusing exclusively on 4xe models with hybrid technology.


text: Bricks are about as basic as architectural materials can get, yet these simple building blocks have hidden powers that can be leveraged to provide electricity, according to a new study. From a report: Scientists modified a common red brick — the same kind you’ll find on sale for under a dollar at your local hardware store — so that it could power a green LED light. This proof-of-concept for a “smart brick” reveals that brick technology, which dates back thousands of years, can be tweaked to have futuristic applications, including electrical conductivity and sensing capabilities. The results were published on Tuesday in Nature Communications. “We have created a new brick that can be incorporated into your house that has the functionality of storing electrical energy,” said study co-author Julio D’Arcy, assistant professor of chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis, in a call. “We are thinking that sensing applications is a low-hanging fruit for these bricks,” he added. Read more of this story at Slashdot.


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On Mar 18, Blackhawk Network Holdings, a subsidiary of Safeway , announced the filing of the registration statement for the highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO) of a minority stake. Goldman Sachs (GS - Free Report) , BofA Merrill Lynch, Citigroup (C - Free Report) and Deutsche Bank Securities under Deutsche Bank (DB - Free Report) are the joint-book running managers for the public offering.
Earlier in Sep 2012, Safeway had revealed its plan to spin off Blackhawk into a public company. According to its most recent earnings call, Safeway expected to execute the transaction in the first half of 2013.
The IPO will comprise solely of shares by current shareholders, including Safeway. However, the company is yet to decide on the number of shares and the price range for the offering.
Blackhawk provides prepaid products and payment services to consumers through a network of retail store locations in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Mexico and Australia along with various online channels. These prepaid products include closed loop (private branded) cards, open loop (network branded) cards, financial services products and telecom products.
Additionally, Blackhawk provides card production services, a secondary market for prepaid cards and has recently introduced digital wallet services. Blackhawk also has gift card businesses in UK and Australia.
In 2012, the load value of cards sold by Blackhawk increased 23% compared with 25% growth in the previous year. The company is optimistic about a strong 2013 for Blackhawk. In the interim, we will be paying close attention to the IPO. With Blackhawk’s IPO, the company’s growth profile will solely rely on its food and drug retail business.
Management seems to have chalked out a strategic working plan to support Safeway’s ongoing positive business momentum after a string of challenging quarters in the past. Following the public offering, we expect the company to sharpen focus on its mainstream retail operations and improve its competitive position against peers.
Thus, we look forward to fiscal 2013 with real optimism. Accordingly, the stock carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).


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It was an evening of affection and excitement as VisitBritain brought the travel trade, international businesses and Commonwealth Games honchos to the chic 1 Hotel Toronto.
There is nothing like an international sports competition to get folks revved up – and when it’s the Commonwealth Games, known as the “Friendly Games” it’s a welcome chance to travel, cheer on all the athletes and visit a very special part of Britain.
Chair of VisitBritain, Dame Judith Macgregor, told the audience of some 200 that “Canada is important to us – in 2019 almost 900,000 Canadians visited the UK – spending UKL 60 million.” This massive event will, she hopes, introduce visitors to another side of Britain, while at the same time giving them the chance to enjoy the celebrations and buzz around the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee: “A unique time to visit our country,” as she put it.
There was even a special guest of honour: the Games Baton, which left Buckingham Palace in October and is spending 4 days in Canada on its sojourn through the Commonwealth – 62 countries so far, with Gibraltar its next destination. A special message from the Queen, concealed in the baton, will be read at the opening of the Games, which take place JUL28 to AUG08. An estimated 5,000 athletes from 72 countries will compete in over 20 sports, from athletics to wrestling. So far, a million tickets to events have been sold.
Carl Walsh, Director of Travel Trade North America, told Open Jaw about some of the charms of Birmingham, which is in the West Midlands. “It’s really in the heart of England, just 90 minutes by train from London or Manchester. There are more canals than Venice – thanks to the early industrial development and need to transport goods – as well as a wonderful multi-cultural vibe, five Michelin-starred restaurants, Stratford-on-Avon is close and there’s nearby Cadbury World, the home of Cadbury chocolate, where you can create your own chocolate bar!” A holiday on a sleep-aboard narrow boat, touring the canals in lazy fashion, is a great option for holidaymakers, he told me.
According to Walsh, tourism is absolutely booming in the UK – and not just inbound travel, but domestic (remember there are about 54 million people in the UK, many of whom have decided since COVID to vacation at home). “Being so busy is a good challenge to have, but travel advisors should strongly counsel their clients to book and pay in advance for any timed attractions such as the Tower of London, the London Eye, National Trust properties and Royal Palaces.”
Mayor of West Midlands Andy Street is clearly a huge booster of his town and the Games. “I live in the heart of Birmingham, where the canals are genuinely lovely. They are the centre of our regeneration and focal point of civic pride.” As far as the Games go, he’s most keenly anticipating watching Women’s Cricket, the first time it’s on the slate for a Commonwealth Games.
Sam Effa, the Canadian team’s proud Chef de Mission, is a perfect example of a Games visitor from Canada. As he told the crowd: “I can’t wait to see the canals in Birmingham, Shakespeare country, Cadbury World – oh, and of course the Games!”


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Startup company Atomera believes its silicon enhancement technology can help semi makers optimize power management chip cost and performance, without having to upgrade production processes.
Department of Energy mandates for lumen efficiency will result in the phase-out of incandescent and halogen bulbs by 2023.
I have some awesome news for anyone who has been following my HRRG Computer project over the years… we’re back at work with an FPGA implementation on the horizon!
Get ready for FDA’s evolving stances on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity for medical devices.
While more consumers are buying high-tech items such as electronics and automobiles online, their suppliers maintain physical stores to help market their products.


text: Customers rushed into our participating BB restaurants earlier this month in celebration of BB’s “Mexican Day of the Dead” promotion. From Thursday 31st October till Sunday 3rd November customers tried 6 of our HOT & SAUCY Inferno Hot Wings for just $2 and put their mouths to the test! Customers who survived the deadly 6 wings were rewarded with a free drink, but not many prevailed. Many customers were defeated by BB’s Inferno Wings and restaurants witnessed customers buying multiple drinks and requesting buckets of ice to cool their tastebuds. The BB team want to thank everyone who participated during this HOT event!


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For many in the travel sector, 2022 began with a sense of optimism. Having been grounded for two years, travellers the world over began rebooking at a rapid pace, keen to make the most of open borders. This incredible demand for travel services has pushed travel tech further into the spotlight in the first half of 2022.
Here's a snapshot of the travel tech news highlights for H1.
Against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, continued Covid impacts and global inflation concerns, travel tech stocks remained relatively stable compared to the broader market. TNMT reports that travel investors have shown faith in the sector, with many smaller stocks weathering the poor market conditions well.
Czech start-up kiwi.com reported a private investment of €100m in June 2022, one of the largest of its size in a Czech start-up. The online travel agent (OTA), which focuses on low-cost travel, says the capital will support continued growth as kiwi.com bolsters its position in the global travel industry.
Capital secured from some of the world’s leading tech and growth investors, including Lazard Asset Management, Stack Capital Group, NEA, Temasek, and funds managed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, bolstered Omio’s position by US$80m in FH2022. Omio CEO and founder, Naren Shaam, says the funds will allow the business to pursue its vision of a globally unified transportation network on a single digital platform.
Optibus has become the first unicorn dedicated to the public transportation sector, after closing USD$100m in Series D funding. Optibus provides an end-to-end software platform for public transportation planning and operations. The latest round of financing brings Optibus’ total funding to $260m and its valuation to $1.3bn.
Aviation investment firm, 777 Partners, recently acquired two travel technology companies – AeroCRS and WorldTicket – with a view to “democratize aviation”. The two companies join a growing portfolio of airlines and travel tech firms, including Air Black Box, Bonza, Flair Airlines, and the Value Alliance supported by the firm, which has committed USD$100m to “delivering disruptive travel technology solutions that create new commerce channels and improve next-generation retailing, distribution, interlining, and passenger connectivity”.
Looking to the future, Holisto, which uses artificial intelligence to allow travel agents and providers to plan trips across multiple inventory sources, announced it is planning a public listing through a business combination with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Moringa Acquisition Corp.
According to a statement, the business combination values Holisto at $405m with the deal expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022. Eran Shust, CEO and co-Founder of Holisto, said:
“Our combination with Moringa and access to public markets will allow Holisto to continue to aggressively leverage our technology by scaling our platform and infrastructure and expand our customer acquisition and brand awareness.”
Eran Shust, CEO and co-Founder
Southeast Asia’s biggest online travel startup, Traveloka, is rumored to be in talks for another round of funding of more than $200m. The online travel unicorn has so far raised a total of $1.2bn in funding across six rounds, the latest being the $250m led by Qatar Investment Authority in July 2020. Traveloka planned to go public through a special acquisition company last year, but pulled out of the arrangement amid speculation it was aiming for an IPO in the US later this year.
Mergers and acquisitions
In January, Clear, a private biometric screening company that lets paying members bypass certain security lines at busy areas including stadiums and airports, announced it had acquired Whyline, whose remote queueing technology is employed across a number of partners including Newark, LA World and Charleston International airports. Clear says it will leverage Whyline’s technology and platform to “bring innovation into routine but time-consuming activities, giving people more control of their day-to-day experiences.”
Hospitality management platform, Cloudbeds, has made its third acquisition in six months, acquiring LA-based Whistle. Earlier this year, Cloudbeds acquired AdsHotel from Italy-based D-Business and Odysys, an Oregon-based hospitality marketing platform. Cloudbeds says it has nearly tripled in size over the last year and will roll out more solutions in the third quarter of 2022.
Sabre Corporation announced its acquisition of Nuvola, a prominent provider of hotel service optimization and guest engagement software to hoteliers worldwide. The transaction includes Nuvola technology and guest enablement software, as well as the integration of Nuvola employees to Sabre. Sabre expects the acquisition to advance its retailing, merchandising and fulfilment capabilities.
Two of Europe’s tech platforms – Orchestra, the leading platform on the French market, and Traffics, the leading independent travel SaaS platform in Germany – confirmed they were joining forces to form a market leader on the Continent. Christian Sabbagh, founder and chairman of Orchestra, said: "The combination of the two creates a player with critical mass that will benefit from the accelerated technological transformation underway in a tourism sector that is experiencing a strong upturn momentum.”


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As soon Nokia filed the lawsuit against Apple, the company has reportedly started pulling its Nokia-owned Withings products from its stores, be it online or retail. The health related iOS compatible products including the Body Cardio Scale and Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor are now not available for sale.
The Cupertino giant has also effaced all naming of Withings and its product line from its official online store. A quick check shows text autofill no longer identifies “Withings,” “Body Cardio Scale,” “Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor” or “Smart Body Analyzer,” all products that were in the system prior to the abrupt policy change.
FYI, Withings is a French consumer electronics company headquartered in Issy-les-Moulineaux, France, with offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and Hong Kong, distributing products worldwide. Withings is known for design and innovation in connected health devices, such as the first Wi-Fi scale on the market (introduced in 2009), an FDA-cleared blood pressure monitor, a high-definition wireless security camera, a smart sleep system, and a line of automatic activity tracking watches.
Having received numerous awards for its products and innovation, including CES awards, Withings was a flagship company of the French Tech community until it was purchased by Finnish company Nokia on 26 April 2016.
Besides, within a week after this suing, the Finnish company has again filed a lawsuit against the Cupertino giant for violating ten more patents that include RF technology, Find my iPhone feature used in Siri and much more.
Nokia Corp says that Qualcomm made the RF part that has been embedded in iPhone 6s which infringes the patent. In addition, the manual provided by the iPhone maker that instructs users to use 247 Accused Products also breaks the patent.
Another major patent breach is a feature of Siri, like Find my iPhone. Nokia says, the way Apple has implemented it and the interaction of virtual assistant with Music and Mail violates patents taken by the Finnish mobile maker.
A feature in iOS 10 is also under the radar and astonishingly the rear camera cut-out on iPhone has been patented long ago by the Nokia, says lawyers of Nokia Corp.
Nokia has jumped into a legal battle with the largest smartphone company and it has resulted in fall of shares by 5 percent. Nokia can ask Apple to take all of the infringing devices from the market if it wins the battle. However, it is very unlikely and in the case of a win, Finnish company can ask Apple to pay a royalty. However, in the case of failure, Apple can file a defamation case on once market leader Nokia.


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Yahoo’s third-quarter profit more than tripled even though the Internet company’s quarterly revenue fell by at least 12 percent for the third consecutive time.
The earnings improvement reported Tuesday was primarily driven by extensive cost cutting that has eliminated more than 2,000 jobs during the past year.
But the Sunnyvale, California-based company is still struggling to lure back advertisers that have clamped down on their budgets during the recession and shifted some spending to other up-and-coming Web sites.
Yahoo says it earned $186 million, or 13 cents a share. That compares with income of $54 million, or 4 cents a share, at the same time last year.
Revenue fell 12 percent to $1.58 billion.
- Digital coin miners purchased more than 3 million graphics cards in 2017
- Facebook use has already dropped 50 million hours — but no biggie, it says
- 50 Cent made thousands, not millions, from Bitcoin — and doesn’t have any of it
- AMD and Nvidia report strong revenue amid still sky-high GPU pricing
- Hackers are now favoring ransomware over personal data theft


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Uchumi Supermarket is working to regain its market standing by, among other things, offloading its assets to improve liquidity and its working capital.
Uchumi CEO Julius Kipng’etich said the recent closure of its operations in Tanzania and Uganda, as well as some local outlets, is part of a wider strategy to ease the strain on cash flows.
The retailer is also engaging its suppliers to negotiate trading terms, which will allow for longer repayment periods.
“One of our greatest challenges as I came in was supplier debt, which we are addressing. A majority of our suppliers are back, and the platforms we are currently providing should be sufficient to ensure all our stakeholders are happy,” Dr Kipng’etich added, speaking after paying a courtesy call on Standard Group CEO Sam Shollei.
He emphasised proper systems have been put in place to ensure the retail chain’s turnaround of the business, including retraining its staff in a bid to regain shoppers.
“We are also moving our local stores to better locations as the clean-up exercise of some of our stores continues. I want to assure our customers and all other stakeholders that Uchumi will be the Walmart [US-owned multinational retailer] of Africa. Our dreams are valid.”
Kipng’etich, who was appointed in August to help revive the retailer, added that Uchumi will partner with Standard Group to run a Christmas campaign later this month.
“Uchumi has its fair share challenges, but Kipng’etich has what it takes to turnaround the business. He has a wealth of experience, especially in strategy, and I have no doubt his leadership will lead to the success of Uchumi,” Mr Shollei said.
The firm that was once Kenya’s largest retailer is in a struggle for survival following mismanagement that has twice sent it to the brink of collapse. Just months ago, the board of directors fired top managers over what they termed gross mismanagement and conflict of interest, as some had doubled as key suppliers.
“There is really nothing wrong with us, except that it was a company that was badly managed,” Kipng’etich said.


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By Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Business
Walgreens and other retailers have replaced see-through refrigerator and freezer doors in thousands of stores, instead adding opaque doors with iPad-like screens showing what’s inside. Some clients are really, really not into it.
the screens, which were developed by startup Cooler Screens, use a system of motion sensors and cameras to display what’s inside doors, along with product information, pricing, offers, and what’s inside. that attracts brands the most, paid ads. Technology provides stores with an additional revenue stream and a way to modernize the shopping experience.
But for customers who just want to peek in the freezer and grab their ice cream, Walgreens might piss them off by solving a problem shoppers didn’t know existed.
The company wants to involve more people in advertising, but the reaction so far has been annoyance and confusion.
“Why would Walgreens do this? » a confused shopper who encountered the screens posted on TikTok. “Who on God’s green earth thought that was a good idea?”
“Walgreens’ digital cooling screens had me watching an ad before it let me know which door had the frozen pizzas in,” noted someone on Twitter.
Another echoed: “@Walgreens NO ONE needs a TV screen to replace your cooler aisle doors…. Stop.”
Retailers are eager to add new experiences to their physical stores. But many consumers aren’t keen on changing their habits – and they’re certainly not used to watching freezer ads.
“People really enjoy their routines. They’re not always looking for excitement,” said Julio Sevilla, an associate professor of marketing at the University of Georgia who studies consumer behavior.
Digital screens, he said, can add uncertainty and physical barriers to a simple and literally transparent process: reaching a glass refrigerator.
Sevilla does not believe that consumers are looking for novelty when visiting a grocery store: “We all like walking into a supermarket and knowing exactly what we are getting. I also know exactly where things are. For this type of utility-related framework, people love their certainty and simplicity. »
Still, Walgreens and Cooler Screens are forging ahead. Walgreens began testing the displays in 2018 and has since expanded the pilot to a few thousand locations nationwide.
Several other major retailers are launching their own tests with Cooler Screens, including Kroger, CVS, GetGo convenience stores and Chevron gas stations.
“I hope we can one day expand into all parts of the store,” Cooler Screens co-founder and CEO Arsen Avakian said in an interview with CNN Business.
Currently, the startup has about 10,000 screens in stores, which are viewed by about 90 million consumers per month, according to the company. Avakian said the company aims to bring its digital displays to a wide range of retailers, including beauty, consumer electronics and home improvement.
A Walgreens spokesperson said in an email that Walgreens is “committed to exploring digital innovation in [an] efforts to provide new and different experiences to our customers.
The spokesperson said the displays add value because they give customers relevant product information to help them decide what to buy, and that Walgreens is evaluating the pilot to decide whether it should expand further.
‘Moment of truth’
Although not all Walgreens customers are fans, the Cooler Screens concept has attracted top brands like Coke, Pepsi, Nestlé, Kraft Heinz and Monster. It has raised over $100 million from backers including Microsoft and Verizon.
Cooler Screens CEO Avakian said he developed the concept after seeing customers in stores pull out their phones to find product information and reviews. Traditionally, in-store advertising was limited to options such as signs, promotions and prominent shelf placement. But Cooler Screens’ targeted digital ads are delivered at the “moment of truth,” Avakian said, just when consumers are deciding which product to take out of the refrigerator.
Brands can place ads spread across multiple freezers, ones that display product nutrition labels, or ads triggered by weather or time of day. An ice cream company might want to run ads when it’s hot outside, while a coffee brand might be rushed in the morning.
The setup aims to help stores generate high-margin advertising revenue to offset their low-margin retail business. Businesses pay Cooler Screens to run on-screen ads, and retailers get a cut.
“There’s a big movement in retail right now to create what’s called a ‘retail media network,’ which leverages all the ways brands can interact digitally with that retailer,” said Chris Walton, former Vice President of Target who runs the retail blog. Omnitalk.
“It was not a problem”
Cooler Screens claims that 90% of consumers surveyed prefer its digital screens to traditional refrigerators, and that the screens increase store sales. (Walgreens did not comment on this.)
But beyond confusing social media posts, the technology has also attracted misinformation and conspiracy theories. Politifact last month demystified a viral video on Facebook that claimed “Walgreens refrigerators scan shoppers’ hands and foreheads for ‘the mark of the beast’.”
Avakian insists the technology is “identity-blind” and protects consumer privacy. The freezers are equipped with front-facing sensors used to anonymously track shoppers interacting with the platform, while interior-facing cameras track product inventory.
Some customers expressed frustration with the experience. People don’t know whether to press screens or talk to them. The items on display do not always correspond to what is inside because the products are out of stock.
Henry Brewer, who recently encountered one of the digital screens at a Walgreens in Chicago, said the technology was “highly visible” and “intrusive.”
“We see ads literally everywhere and now I have to go see it on the cooler?” he said. “It doesn’t just seem necessary, and I think it’s a diversion for the consumer when it wasn’t an issue.”
For Avakian, it’s simply expected growing pains. Cooler Screens plans to educate customers on digital screens and launch features like voice recognition, so shoppers can ask questions about prices or item locations.
“It’s the future of retail and shopping,” Avakian said.
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia company. All rights reserved.


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Ensuring successful serialisation data management ahead of the EU FMD
Traceability and serialisation have been the talk of the industry for many years, with regulatory bodies worldwide starting to introduce legislation that will help to eradicate counterfeit medicines from the supply chain.
Despite this, it has not been top of the agenda for many pharmaceutical supply chain partners given the complexities that serialisation introduces, meaning that many marketing authorisation holders (MAHs) and contract manufacturers (CMOs) are now facing an uphill battle towards compliance.
Following the announcement that the active enforcement of the US Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) for pharmaceutical manufacturers has been delayed due to a lack of readiness, it is vital the industry prepares for serialisation compliance not only in the US, but also in Europe. But what are the biggest challenges that companies face? And, what can contract partners learn from the DSCSA enforcement delay ahead of the EU Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) deadline in February 2019?
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Frost & Sullivan reports strong IaaS growth in Australia
- 04 February, 2015 15:28
The Australian infrastructure-as-a-service market grew 43 per cent last year, according to Frost & Sullivan.
The analyst firm is predicting that the IaaS market in Australia will hit $439 million by 2018.
The forecast is contained in a new report published by Frost & Sullivan, Australian Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Market Report 2014.
The report said that consolidation is likely in the IaaS market over the next few years, with profit margins shrinking in the public cloud space.
"In the consumer market, there is strong demand from use of data intensive services, such as videos, social networks and online gaming, especially through mobile networks," said Phil Harpur, senior research manager at Frost & Sullivan's Australia & New Zealand ICT practice
"Demand in the corporate market is being driven by access to information through a growing range of data intensive business applications, such as data mining and data analytics," the analyst said in a statement.
"An increasing number of business transactions and new sources of information such as social networks require dedicated big data solutions. Easier access to these applications via cloud computing is witnessing demand growth, which in turn is driving demand for cloud computing."
Earlier this year Gartner predicted that the overall public cloud services market in Australia will hit $4.15 billion this year. The figure represents almost 24 per cent year-on-year growth compared to 2014, according to the latest figures from Gartner
The growth in the Australian public cloud services market will outstrip the other countries in what Gartner describes as the 'mature' Asia/Pacific and Japan region (Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea).
Gartner predicts that in 2018, total public cloud services spending in the mature APJ nations will rise to US $11.5 billion.


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Edinburgh is driving a rise in luxury home sales in Scotland, with the number of properties selling for £1 million or more up 21% year on year in the first half of 2019.
The rise in Scotland was much greater than that across the UK, which was up just 5% in the same period, according to Bank of Scotland analysis. Scotland's capital city was behind the increase, with sales of £1 million-plus homes up 41% - 18 houses - in the first half of 2019.
Of the 94 such properties sold in Scotland between January and June 2019, only 32 were sold outside of Edinburgh, meaning the city accounts for two-thirds (66%) of all these sales across the country. Another area of growth in the high-end property market in Scotland was East Lothian, where five £1 million-plus homes were sold in the first half of 2019, up from one in the first six months of 2018.
Aberdeen sales also grew, with four luxury homes sold in the first six months of this year, up from two in the same period the previous year. However, elsewhere in Scotland recorded falling sales in the high-end market, with two such homes in Glasgow being sold in the first half of 2019, down from five in the same period in 2018.
In Fife, eight luxury homes were sold in the first six months of this year, down from four between January and June 2018. The number of properties that sold for more than £1 million in East Dunbartonshire also halved, dropping from six to three, while sales in East Renfrewshire fell from three to two.
Louise Santaana, head of private banking, Bank of Scotland, said: "Whilst the high-value property boom the UK experienced over the last decade has slowed over the past 12 months, sales of million-pound homes in Scotland have continued to increase, with the most transactions taking place in Edinburgh. The Scottish capital continues to be a sought-after destination for those looking to invest in million-pound houses."


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Colin Kaepernick's face is everywhere this week, thanks to Nike's latest "Just Do It" campaign, featuring the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback.
From a huge billboard in Union Square to the Twitter-sphere, it's nearly impossible to avoid the Nike ad, which depicts a serene Kaepernick in black-and-white with the text "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything." Nike also released a commercial starring the football player-turned-activist, set to air throughout NFL games this season.


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Budget supermarket Iceland is selling Britain's cheapest ever lobster - at just 4.99. The gourmet dish is normally associated with high-end restaurants and sky-high prices and can sell elsewhere for up to 48.
The Canadian whole lobster can be bought for under a fiver from Iceland while a similar sized crustacean at a fine food specialist will cost almost four times that. Iceland's 350g lobster is already cooked and is caught using pots and traps in the North West Atlantic. SEE OUR COPY FOR DETAILS.


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Facebook Messenger has supported sending money for a bit of time now, with group payments getting support earlier this year.
But if you use PayPal to manage payments and other online money-related needs, then this latest announcement may be just for you. Today, PayPal and Facebook announced that their combined efforts are expanding to handle peer-to-peer money transfers. Messenger has supported PayPal for online purchases since last year, so this is indeed a natural extension of the partnership and a logical next step.
Facebook Messenger and PayPal allow for direct one-on-one transfers to a contact. According to PayPal, the feature also supports group chats, which it says will help handle bills and more. To make it work, there is a new blue “+” icon, that, when pressed, will bring up a green payment button. Once a user touches that, simply follow the onscreen instructions to send money.
“We’re excited today to announce an expansion of our relationship with Facebook with the addition of PayPal as a funding source for peer-to-peer (P2P) payments, right in Messenger. People will have the option to send and request money using their PayPal account, and this integration in Messenger is starting to roll out to U.S. consumers today.”
If a user does have multiple means of payment attached to their PayPal account, from credit/debit cards and bank accounts, the user will be able to choose which one they want to pull from to send funds to their desired recipient.
What’s more, there is a new PayPal-specific customer service Messenger bot that will begin rolling out today as well. With it, Messenger users and PayPal account holders will be able to get support for their account without leaving the Messenger app. This will even let users reset their password if they feel the need to.
Facebook and PayPal P2P money transfers arrive ahead of Apple’s own effort, called Apple Pay Cash. The company showed it off earlier this year as part of features built into iOS 11, but, since then, iOS 11 users have been left waiting for the feature to arrive. It’s unknown when Apple plans on launching it, but rumors have suggested it could arrive with iOS 11.1.
Do you think you’ll use the new P2P feature in Facebook Messenger from PayPal?
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A recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of shrinking gross domestic product (GDP). The United States experienced four consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth from the third quarter of 2008 through the second quarter of 2009, a bona fide recession. But even after the GDP began to increase, worrisome global economic conditions -- high U.S. unemployment, the European debt crisis, threats of runaway inflation at home and abroad, the Gulf oil spill and more -- left many wondering if the recovery would be short-lived.
By the summer of 2010, prominent economists and media commentators were predicting a double-dip recession, a situation where the economy begins to recover from a recession, then plunges right back in. For the record, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) doesn't recognize the term and economists debate whether the dreaded event has ever happened [source: Tseng]. The top contenders are the back-to-back recessions of the early 1980s and even the Great Depression, which some argue was a recession that began to improve in 1937, but double-dipped when interest rates got out of hand.
Something all economists can agree upon is that consumers play a critical role in ending recessions. Consumer spending accounts for at least two-thirds of the total GDP in the U.S. One of the warning signs of a double-dip recession is stagnation of consumer confidence in the economy -- even in the face of a burgeoning recovery. The Consumer Confidence Index, as calculated by the non-profit Conference Board, bottomed out in February 2009 at 25.3 [source: Rooney]. (A reading above 90 shows economic stability; a reading above 100 is a sign of economic growth.)That number climbed as the economy recovered, but then took a precipitous drop in June 2010 after a series of poor jobs reports. Low confidence in the economy usually means that consumers tighten their purse strings and cut spending.
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, however, consumer spending actually increased at a modest rate over the second half of 2010, even as disposable consumer income decreased in some months. The Federal Reserve also did its part to stave off a double-dip. In an effort to keep interest rates low, it bought hundreds of billions of dollars of Treasury securities [source: Chan]. Historically, low interest rates have spurred corporate and household borrowing, and the cheaper dollar has been a boon to exports. Slimmed down corporations also had a great finish to 2010; 359 of the S&P 500 firms beat earning expectations in the fourth quarter [source: Newman].
The double-dip scare seems to have faded for now. GDP grew by 2.6 percent and 3.2 percent in the third and fourth quarters of 2010 respectively [source: Bureau of Economic Analysis]. But after a decade humbled by more than its fair share of economic crises, we can be forgiven for thinking the next dip is just over the horizon.
For lots more about recessions, depressions and the Fed, take a look at the links on the next page.


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From left to right: Roy Yamaguchi, Roy’s; Ed Kenny, Town Kaimuki;
Mark Pomaski, Roy’s; Pablo Mellin, Roy’s; Dave Caldiero, Town Kaimuki.
It was only fitting that amid the dozens of special meals held as part of the 2011 Pebble Beach Food & Wine extravaganza, the one that focused on sustainable seafood was also the one that shone a light on our region’s home team of talented chefs and vintners.
Representing the Monterey Bay area for the featured lunch, “Sustainable Delicacies from the Sea,” held on Friday, April 29, were Jeff Rogers, the Monterey Bay Aquarium executive chef, and Ted Walter, chef of Passionfish in Pacific Grove. And present to introduce his wine was Randall Grahm, founder of Bonny Doon Vineyard of Santa Cruz.
Ted Walter and Randall Grahm
What’s more, Roy Yamaguchi, who is more often at his namesake restaurant in Honolulu but also owns a Pebble Beach outpost at Spanish Bay, the very location of the event, was also on hand to cook.
Like chefs living next to any ocean fishery, the Monterey Bay chefs have watched from front-row seats the devastation of sea life that has made sustainability an issue.
When Passionfish first opened in the late 1990s, “we got 80% of our fish from the Bay, and had 10 different fish dishes on the menu,” Walter said after the lunch.
“Now sometimes we have as few as five on the menu and nothing from here,” because at times so little fish that meets the restaurant’s strict standards for sustainability can be found—or it is simply too expensive for customers to stomach, Walter said.
Indeed, in her remarks at the lunch, Sheila Bowman, senior outreach manager for the Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, noted that 90% of popular, large predatory fish like salmon and tuna have already been lost.
The Aquarium has responded to the crisis on several fronts, including research, lobbying and the outreach programs run by Seafood Watch, which promotes awareness of the plight of the oceans and ways to help. (The Aquarium has also has for 10 years been organizing its own local food and wine event, Cooking for Solutions, which is devoted exclusively to sustainability and will take place this year from May 20–22.)
But the mood at the lunch was anything but gloomy, and the chefs managed to come up with an array of delectable and inventive fish dishes to pass Seafood Watch’s muster.
“It’s not about giving up seafood,” Bowman said. “It’s about making the right choices.”
“This is the first year that we did something to highlight the hard work that [the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the participating local chefs] do all year long, nationally, all from our own backyard,” said David Bernahl, co-founder and partner of Coastal Luxury Management, the event organizer. “These guys don’t just do this now because it’s topical.”
While winds kicked up whitecaps on the ocean below, the lunch started with appetizers prepared by the Aquarium’s Rogers on the sunny terrace outside Roy’s. Among them, spot prawns were served in tiny cups of fragrant saffron-fennel broth, and olive oil–poached Pacific cod became the succulent star of tiny tostadas.
Ed Kenny of Town Kaimuki in Honolulu followed up with buttery local Morro Bay black cod—and paired it with his own local Hawaiian hand-pounded pa’i ‘ai, or hand-made poi, a food which has become something of touchstone in the movement to reclaim Hawaii’s culinary heritage. The dish also included limu, an algae that has been used as a seasoning in Hawaiian cooking since ancient times.
Walter’s offering, which he developed especially for the Pebble Beach event, combines delicate Alaskan halibut with bright spring vegetables and an Asian-inflected, explosively vibrant sauce. The recipe, which gets its pop from tamarind, tangerines and ginger, can be found below.
For his dish, Yamaguchi served swordfish over a rich Chinese-style pepeiao mushroom and pork shank cassoulet. To ensure that the dish was sustainable, he brought his fish along with him from Hawaii.
“Sustainability is extremely important to me. What we’re trying to do is make people more aware of sustainability,” Yamaguchi said.
Yamaguchi noted that sustainability was actually a big part of traditional Hawaiian culture, reinforced by Ahupua’a, or traditional triangle-shaped subdivisions of land that created communities which lived in harmony with nature and, because they ran from the sides of volcanoes down to the sea, included all the resources and climatic zones needed to be self-sufficient.
“Culture, food and sustainability were all tied together,” he said.
Yamaguchi believes that culture and food continue to be inseparable, and he’s seeking to help showcase and revive traditional ways through the first Hawaii Food & Wine Festival, which he’ll co-chair in September.
Looking ahead, Passionfish’s Walter fears that the day could come when the decline of wild fish populations and subsequent price hikes could force restaurants like his to stop serving wild fish entirely.
But there is also good news. Each year brings improved legislation and there is better knowledge of fishery management than there used to be, Walter said. Marine sanctuaries are also helping to revive fish stocks.
And locally, organizations like the Aquarium and restaurants like Passionfish will continue to do their part.
Cindy Walter, Ted’s wife and the head of the restaurant’s business operations, spearheaded the passage of a sustainable seafood ordinance in Pacific Grove and remains a passionate advocate for improved fisheries legislation at the state and national level.
And the Walters would rather serve something else than purchase wild fish unless it comes from a healthy fish stock and was caught with a method that neither damages ocean habitat nor inadvertently destroys other kinds of sea life.
The efforts have won the Walters accolades for their public service as well as their cuisine and wine list.
“I’m hoping we maintain our fishery so we’re able to enjoy it in the future,” Walter said.
HALIBUT WITH SPRING VEGETABLES AND TANGERINE-TAMARIND VINAIGRETTE
Courtesy of chef Ted Walter
Passionfish, Pacific Grove
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1-inch knob of ginger, chopped
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon tamarind paste*
1/2 cup tangerine juice
1 cup tangerine segments
4 6-ounce portions halibut
1 cup snap peas, diced
1 cup asparagus, diced
1/2 cup radishes, chopped
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
For the sauce, combine first seven ingredients in a blender. Season to taste.
Grill the halibut until done. Season. While the halibut is cooking, boil the chicken broth and then add the vegetables and butter. Cook just until just heated through. Season.
Divide vegetables between four plates, placing them to one side of each plate. Place sauce next to vegetables and position fish on top. (See accompanying photo.)
*Walter uses block-style, Dragon 88 Brand seedless tamarind to make his tamarind paste. He first soaks the tamarind in warm water, and then works it into a soft paste. Various brands of cellophane-wrapped blocks of tamarind, also known as “wet” tamarind, can be found in Asian markets. Avoid using bottled tamarind paste or bottled tamarind concentrate, as their flavor and color are very different from the freshly prepared. If bottled must be used, it will also need to be diluted and should be used sparingly and added gradually.


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Killer Instinct is a fighting game developed by Rare Ltd. and released on Game Boy, Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The game has spawned a reboot in 2013 called Killer Instinct (2013) which will be a free-to-play exclusive for the Xbox One.
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What cars has Boris Johnson owned?
Ever wondered what cars the current UK Prime Minister had?
For those of you who aren't aware, Boris Johnson has been the UK Prime Minister since July 2019 and he has forever been trying to sort out the mess we call Brexit ever since he was elected as PM by members inside his own party.
Moving away from complicated British politics, Johnson has more to do with cars than you think. Before he started with politics, Johnson was a fully fledged journalist for British newspapers The Daily Telegraph and The Times.
He also tried his hand at motoring journalism where he described the Ferrari F430 as this: "It was as though the whole county of Hampshire was lying back and opening her well-bred legs to be ravished by the Italian stallion.” Blimey.
Let's just get into his car collection:
When Boris Johnson got a chance to drive the world's ever fully electric sports car, it's no surprise to why he immediately agreed to test drive it at a climate change event. This car is particularly important to Tesla as this was one of the first ever Roadsters made. Lucky Boris...
The maiden Roadster looks very much like a Lotus. It was a coincidence then that the car was built in the Lotus factory in Norfolk. This car ultimately led to the multitude of success that Elon Musk had with his fully electric brand. The 0 to 60mph acceleration time was 3.9 seconds for the Standard model and 3.7 seconds for the 2010 V2.5 Sport Edition.
Why electric? London is one of the world's most busiest cities and one of the most congested capitals in the world. Over the last few decades, drastic measures have been taken to significantly reduce the amount of C02 produced in London. This Nissan Leaf was gifted to Johnson after Source London introduced a network of integrated charging points across London in a bid to ‘go green.’
The first generation Nissan Leaf was expertly designed so that it was as normal of a car such as petrol powered Golf would be. The headlights are specially designed to divert airflow away from the wing mirrors to reduce outside noise. Its 110bhp motor was not particularly amazing and it did have quite a long charging time as well as the battery degrading very quickly. It was a zany alternative to a Prius but it did come at a price, nearly £40,000. Ouch.
Toyota Previa GX
For those of you who aren't avid readers of The Daily Mail, this is a car that Boris has supposedly neglected in recent times. News reports came out that he had various bits of rubbish in the back of the car such as: discarded tops, books, empty shopping bags and even discarded coffee cups. Yikes.
The Toyota Previa GX is a car that you wouldn't normally expect a Prime Minister to own. The way the Previa corners is quite impressive. You would obviously not expect it to be drifting in a cloud of smoke but it really does manage its weight better than its rivals at the time, namely the Renault Espace.
The 0-60mph time of 11.3 seconds isn't alarming but it does get 8 people, at maximum capacity, to where you need to go. Ample leg and headroom were complimented by extra luggage space, all of which are welcome. It’s easy to see why this egg-shaped model appealed so in the mid-90s.
You would naturally expect a car like this, with its small turning circle and rather punchy engine to be driven in the twisty city streets of London but no - it's at his farmhouse. This car, in particular a 1995 model, had 94 raging French horses under the bonnet which housed a 1.4-litre diesel engine. This was a proper rocket compared to its rivals. The much loved Citroën Saxo was the successor to the AX.
The AX was launched at the 1986 Paris Motor Show; its predecessors were the Citroën Visa and Citroën LNA. Late 1991 saw the range revised, with a heavily face lifted tailgate and interior being the most notable changes. The front bumpers were also changed to a more 'conservative' design. Excuse the political joke.
It seems like a recurring theme that Boris always gets to drive very exclusive and in this case rare cars. A deal was made between Toyota and Transport for London that they would hand over 10 hydrogen powered Mirais.
It was also expected that after driving it at the Toyota HQ in Japan, he also got a customary Mirai to keep in his diverse collection. At at a rather dear price of £66,000, the Mirai is expensive but does have its advantages when it comes down to C02 emissions.
Johnson was on a three day trade mission in Japan during his time as the Mayor of London and had many discussions on how alternative fuelled cars may be the future for transport in London. The Mirai, which translates from Japanese into English as 'the future', is only available to very small groups of people as 15 units are available per year to the UK market.
I guess it's safe to say that Mr Johnson owns his fair share of interesting and rare cars. But if you were in his position would you go for something flamboyant or something sensible? Let me know in the comments section below.


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'Mittengate' garners award for Wisconsin tourism agency
The Michigan and Wisconsin departments of tourism have received a national award for turning a controversy into a hand-holding opportunity of goodwill.
The departments won a U.S. Travel Mercury Award at the Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations in Boston for their handling of the "mittengate" controversy, according to a news release issued Wednesday.
The dispute started last winter when the Wisconsin tourism department posted a picture of Wisconsin designed to look like a mitten on its website. Michigan residents revolted, claiming they live in the original mitten state.
The states jokingly egged on the controversy, resulting in $17 million worth of free media coverage, according to the release. They organized “The Great Lakes Mitten Campaign," collecting 3,100 warm items of clothing for Wisconsin charities.
In the end, I guess you could say the states are a matched pair.
Associate editor Stacy Vogel Davis covers banking, financial services and retail for The Business Journal. She also covers restaurant news through her Table Talk blog on The Business Journal website.
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California-based Apple Inc. has officially confirmed the retail arrival of its long-awaited iPhone handset on June 29 through three television commercials touting the phone's looks and features, including its large touch screen display and multimedia (video, music, image) playback capabilities.
The iPhone will cost $500 or $600 for the 4GB and 8GB respectively and will be sold through the online and physical stores of Apple and AT&T Inc. which is the exclusive service provider for two years. The June 29 release date currently only applies to the United States, with no concrete date outside the US yet.
Apple rumors blog, Think Secret, has also revealed iPhone-related details like the lack of an insurance plan offered for the iPhone. However, an AppleCare plan for the iPhone is in the works similar to AppleCare for iPod. Also yet to be confirmed are reports from sources that say Apple will allow iPhone activations through iTunes for customers who purchase it through Apple's Web site.
The iPhone could be a serious contender in the mobile phone arena and will arrive as a direct rival to Nokia, Motorola and others who are already coming up with competing products. However, there is some criticism concerning the iPhone's high price label and the fact that it will function on GSM wireless technology, which is slowly being replaced with the new much faster 3G networks.