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The AI Media Group has launched The Deal Room, Africa’s first artificial intelligence (AI) focused, free investment matchmaking service which aims to connect African AI focused startups to interested investors and venture capitalists (VCs).
AI Media Group is the publisher of AI and Data Science quarterly magazine Synapse, the AI TV YouTube channel, as well as the curator and organiser of AI Expo Africa — Africa’s largest B2B / B2G trade-focused AI, Robotic Process Automation and Data Science conference — which has been a great success over the last three years.
The annual expo has seen AI Media Group amass a database of over 1000 companies, most of which are Africa-based tech startups, scale-ups or small and medium sized businesses. The company has regularly been asked by some of these firms to make introductions to investors and also observed the challenges faced by startups, such as access, transparency, intermediaries and fees.
Although AI Media Group has been able to connect some of these companies with investors in the past, the number of requests have been on the rise and the firm now wants to improve on this service in terms of scale, process formalisation and automation through the launch of The Deal Room.
The Deal Room will be hosted on the AI Expo Africa domain — www.aiexpoafrica.com — which is a popular platform for Africa’s Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) community with over 3 million hits a year allied to a vibrant LinkedIn Group with more than 4 000 members. The Deal Room’s primary aim will be to direct 4IR, AI and smart tech companies seeking funding to investors, VCs and organisations who are interested in backing firms in this rapidly growing sector.
The Deal Room has attracted six launch investment partners, namely; Cirrus AI, Cape AI Ventures, Knife Capital, E4E Africa, Britegaze & Intelligent Impact, with more set to join in the coming months.
Nick Bradshaw, CEO AI Media Group and co-founder of AI Expo Africa explained, “The main idea behind The Deal Room platform is to facilitate rapid matchmaking between an investor and 4IR / AI focused startups and scale-ups that align with the firm’s stage of growth. It’s often a minefield to find the right investor so we curated a group of like minded investors that are interested in this space or who have a track record of similar investments to date. This is a long awaited value add service for our community with no strings attached, no “middleman” and total transparency.”
The Deal Room’s launch investors cover a broad spectrum of the investment lifecycle and include; Cirrus AI CEO Gregg Barrett; Cape AI Ventures co-founder Pieter Boon; Knife Capital co-managing partner Andrea Bohmert; E4E Africa Ventures principal Bakang Komanyane; Britegaze CEO Reshaad Sha, and Intelligent Impact founder Aunnie Patton Power.
Sha stated, “BriteGaze Fund One’s primary purpose is to assist AI businesses to accelerate their growth in South Africa and across the African continent through the provision of growth funding and advisory services to expand into new verticals as well as new geographies.”
Boon stated, “We expect that the Deal Room could be a catalyst for startups in Africa!”
Power stated, “There is such a need for greater transparency for startups that are raising capital. We are excited to have this tool available to the market!”
Bohmert stated, “Investing in companies who solve real world problems applying deep AI capabilities is what we are looking for. We are very excited about The Deal Room and its ability to match startups with investors, embracing a partnership journey that is equally more about substance and less about the hype”.
Komanyane stated, “The Deal Room will help us identify new 4IR-focused companies that align with our investment goals in this sector, its a great innovation for the Africa tech scene and one we are proud to be associated with”
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Barrett stated, “The Deal Room by AI Media Group will assist in the development of Africa’s AI ecosystem and is therefore an initiative that we are enthused to support and participate in.”
Bradshaw concluded, “The Deal Room’s biggest selling point is there is no complicated paperwork, costs or loss of equity for companies looking to use the platform. They simply answer a set of confidential questions on the nature of their investment needs, details about their company, products or services and the AI Media Group then passes them on to the most appropriate investor(s). Just like internet dating, our goal is to make a perfect match and speed up the process of investment capital flowing into the African 4IR tech sector. We can’t wait to see the results!”
Startups and scale-ups looking to submit their requests for funding can do so via The Deal Room online submission process HERE
Lami, Kenya-based Insurtech secures $1.8 million to accelerate digital insurance in Africa
Lami team and press release (Source: Eva Barasa/Lami Tech/medium)
Lami Technologies, a Kenyan insurance technology (insurtech) company that aims to democratize insurance products and services for low-income Kenyans, announced today it had raised $1.8 million in seed funding.
The round was led by Accion Venture Lab’s seed-stage investment initiative that provides capital and extensive support to innovative fintech startups that improve the reach, quality, and affordability of financial services for the underserved.
Founded by Jihan Abass in 2018, Lami is a digital insurance platform that enables partner businesses — including banks, tech companies, and other entities to easily and seamlessly offer digital insurance products to their users via its API. Lami can also be used by partner businesses to manage their own insurance needs. Lami connects partner organizations, such as the e-commerce platform Jumia, with underwriters and allows them to offer a superior customer journey. Through its API, users can get a quotation for motor, medical, or other tailored insurance products in seconds, then customize the benefits and adjust the premium to suit their needs, get their policy documents instantly, and claims are paid in record time.
Lami’s services are enabled by its flexible insurance rating engine and direct integration with several parties and insurance companies. Lami co-designs innovative products with its underwriting partners to enable businesses to offer unique insurance products to their underlying customer base, with flexible options that meet their needs and cash flows, such as monthly medical policies for startup employees.
Jihan Abass, CEO & Founder of Lami (Source: Eva Barasa/Lami Tech/medium)
Jihan Abass, CEO, Lami, said: “This funding will allow us to invest in hiring more people, improving our technology, and growing our presence across Africa as we can continue to address the persistent insurance gap. At Lami, our vision is to help improve the financial resilience of millions by making insurance products more accessible and affordable for underserved populations. By enabling our business partners to offer customized insurance solutions, we are helping them provide more value to their customers while enabling large volumes of users to access insurance, often for the first time.”
Africa’s insurance market currently stands at a 3 percent penetration rate, except for South Africa, and is facing modernization and innovation challenges. Most insurance providers on the continent fail to offer flexible, affordable and tailored insurance coverage to provide a safety net for the African consumer. Low insurance uptake is partly due to the traditional distribution and administration of policies, mainly relying on brick-and-mortar channels where policies are sold and processed manually. This results in a longer processing cycle, poor customer satisfaction, and higher distribution costs.
Lami’s digital insurance platform leverages cloud computing, automation, and third-party service providers such as emergency and valuation, or identity and asset verification databases, to offer a comprehensive ecosystem for the businesses they partner with to develop, distribute and manage highly streamlined and competitive insurance products that are designed to meet their customers’ needs.
Since its inception, the insurtech startup has sold more than 5,000 policies and has partnered with more than 25 active underwriters, including Britam, Pioneer, and Madison Insurance, distributing more than 30 products available including medical, motor, employee benefits, and device insurance. As an innovator in the digital insurance space, Lami aims to continue diversifying its business by looking for new partners and building on its core technology.
Michael Schlein, President and CEO, Accion Venture Lab, said: “Ninety-seven percent of Africans lack access to insurance — a financial safety net that can help them build resilience against economic shocks. Lami helps address this need for consumers across Africa through its innovative approach that leverages technology and partnerships to help any business develop and sell insurance.”
“At Accion Venture Lab, we’re excited by how Lami is using technology to create a pathway for customers to purchase insurance that is specific to their needs. By embedding customized insurance within businesses that customers know and trust, Lami is making insurance accessible for underserved populations in Africa and enabling them to build financial resilience. “said Ashley Lewis, Africa Director, Accion Venture Lab
This investment highlights the strong commitment of all organizations to ensuring that financial services are made accessible and affordable for the underserved.
InnoPower Partners with Business Africa Online to Host Going Global Summit 2021
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – InnoPower LLC (InnoPower) and Business Africa Online (BAO) will host the Going Global Summit during the 2021 Minority Business Week presented by Eleven Fifty Academy and JPMorgan Chase, to be held June 14 – 18, 2021.
Africa is a fascinating continent. The old narrative of Africa disconnected from the global economy is fading. A wave of transformation driven by business and modernization is thrusting the continent from the world’s margins to the worldwide mainstream. There is tremendous promise in the dynamism and ingenuity of Africa’s entrepreneurs. The region’s abundant world-class innovation and talent are increasingly being harnessed to improve lives and generate wealth.
InnoPower is working to develop a stronger pipeline of awareness and access to Africa’s talent and solutions, especially in Nigeria and the West Africa region.
InnoPower’s partnership with BAO aims to develop a more robust pipeline of awareness and access to Africa’s talent and solutions, focused in three areas:
- ENTREPRENEURSHIP: providing African entrepreneurs with access to resources, training, and finance.
- CONNECTIONS: by introducing US-based businesses and service providers to Africa innovators.
- ADVOCACY: increasing the viability of Africa as a region for economic development partnership.
InnoPower is an Indianapolis-based company deliberately designed to highlight the innovations in and for Black communities, create opportunities for capacity building, and provide a platform for creative thought and innovative entrepreneurialism. BAO supports and aligns with the movement. The two organizations have come together to be the change they want to see globally, especially in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the development and growth of Africa.
“It has only been about 60 years since Blacks across the United States and Africa were provided with true independence. The U.S. with the Civil Rights Movement and Africa with the end of rule by British, French, and other European colonizers. Across the globe, Africans are now competing in the global innovation economy while still embracing the uniqueness of our culture, environment, and resources. But there is still a lot of work to be done to close the gaps created by centuries of oppression. We are excited that we can be a part of sparking and nurturing this movement. Our partnership with BAO gives a bigger voice to the work that still must be done,” said Emil Ekiyor, Founder and CEO of InnoPower.
“Our team is thrilled to be working with InnoPower on the Going Global Summit 2021. BAO is at the forefront of powering the entrepreneurial mindset and enabling businesses in Africa. We are inspired and motivated every day by the incredible African innovators within our community and their desire to impact the world positively. By partnering with InnoPower, we are now focused on connecting Africa’s entrepreneurs and businesses with US-based investors and businesses,” added Alaba Ayinuola, Founder & CEO of Business Africa Online (BAO).
InnoPower’s 2021 Minority Business Week presented by Eleven Fifty Academy and JPMorgan Chase will be held Monday, June 14 through Friday, June 18, 2021. The Going Global Summit will be held on Friday, June 18, 2021. Both events will be held virtually, and registration is free. For more information, please visit bit.ly/InnoPowerGoingGlobal2021
Mastercard and Kasha Reinforce Commitment to Empower Women and Support Micro-Entrepreneurs in Africa
Mastercard today expanded its relationship with Kasha Global Incorporated through an investment in the purpose driven ecommerce platform. The companies will continue their shared efforts to ensure women across emerging markets have essential access to health and personal care products along with the information required to support everyday hygiene needs.
Combining online and offline capabilities, Kasha’s platform allows women across rural and urban locations to make confidential personal care orders. By utilizing the full product catalogue available online, or by placing orders using basic mobile handsets, women can search, order and pay for hygiene products that are discretely delivered to them by local micro-entrepreneurs, thus also helping local store owners grow their business.
Mastercard’s investment is the next step on a journey the organizations have been on since Kasha joined Mastercard StartPath in 2019. Since joining the award winning start-up engagement program, Mastercard has worked with Kasha to integrate digital payment acceptance across its ecommerce platform, and most recently the partners joined forces to deliver virus, hygiene and protection products to families across Kenya in efforts to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“Kasha’s goal is to ensure women in emerging markets get the products, information and services they need for their health, self-care and well-being” said, Joanna Bichsel, Kasha’s Founder and CEO “I am thrilled that we are continuing our collaboration with Mastercard and that we not only have a committed investor with shared values, but also an innovative partner as we continue to take Kasha’s development and growth to the next level.”
Mastercard’s activities with Kasha directly support the company’s pledge to bring 1 billion people and 50 million micro and small businesses into the digital economy by 2025, with a direct focus on providing 25 million women entrepreneurs with solutions to help them grow their business.
“Mastercard works with governments, businesses and entrepreneurs to help them achieve their ambitions and is committed to applying its resources to drive sustainable and inclusive growth.” said, Raghav Prasad, Division President, Sub Saharan Africa, Mastercard. “Through our activities with Kasha we are leveraging Mastercard’s innovations, expertise and partnerships to help drive the empowerment of women and small businesses. This partnership is a major step in our journey to support the fundamental needs of women and drive growth across African communities.”
Mastercard’s investment will help Kasha expand its current platform offering, reaching more women, communities and small businesses than before and build’s on Mastercard’s efforts to bolster support for micro-entrepreneur and women owned small business in Africa through the Mastercard Track Micro Credit Program, known in Kenya as “Jaza Duka” (fill up your store in Swahili). By leveraging Mastercard and Kasha’s combined capabilities, in collaboration with global consumer goods and banking partners, the partners aim to positively impact historically underserved communities across Africa and beyond.


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With adulteration and poor quality of food, products, medicines and construction material becoming a routine, testing them for quality has become an imperative.
Big IT companies are watching closely. Mobile applications have been growing slowly over the last decade, but mobile commerce had not, till recently.
IBM raised its 2015 revenue target for business analytics by 25 percent amid strong demand for products.
"After around 65 years of Independence, why must we still spend thousands of crore of rupees to procure defence equipment from overseas?"
Other members of the development platform called OpenDaylight include Juniper Networks, VMware, Microsoft, Red Hat, Intel and Brocade.
News that IBM will buy back more stock and raise its dividend helped pull major stock indexes out of a morning slump on Tuesday.
It is now possible for a bank to remotely store its data on the cloud and pay per terabyte of what they use.
The BlackBerry 10 operating system will now slug it out with Microsoft's Windows 8 platform to secure the No. 3 market position.
Okay, I understand the impact now. Here's what I want to do with my business model and my platforms and how I want to look moving forward.
Well, how do I manage these 6 different cloud environments in my organization.

domain: news


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While national average spot truckload prices considered for all segments in aggregate held steady during a short Thanksgiving week, van rates increased on nearly every major lane in the country, notes DAT Solutions, which operates the DAT network of load boards.
The “Black Friday” after Thanksgiving once marked the end of the retail-freight season, but last week showed how e-commerce is extending the holiday push. Rates on the 100 highest-volume van lanes rose an average of 2.3 percent, or 5 cents per mile, during the week ending Nov. 24, with 78 of those lanes moving higher, only 17 declining. The big gains were on lanes closely tied to retail.
The national average spot rate for refrigerated freight was unchanged, while the flatbed rate continued a seasonal decline.
National Average Spot Truckload Rates
**Van: $2.07/mile, down 1 cent compared to the previous week
**Reefer: $2.47/mile, unchanged
**Flatbed: $2.40/mile, down 1 cent
National Average Load-to-Truck Ratios
The number of trucks posted to DAT load boards increased 4.4 percent versus a 1 percent gain in the number of available loads last week. Average load-to-truck ratios:
**Van: 6.4 loads per truck
**Reefer: 6.2 loads per truck
**Flatbed: 15.9 loads per truck
Trend to Watch: Van demand
Van load posts on DAT load boards declined 12 percent while truck posts fell 28 percent last week, which included the Thanksgiving holiday (a 20 to 25 percent fall is typical for both). Outbound pricing reflected higher demand, including from Buffalo ($2.78/mile, up 19 cents); Charlotte ($2.39/mile, up 9 cents); Atlanta ($2.25/mile, up 5 cents); Houston ($1.84/mile, up 4 cents); Chicago ($2.57/mile, up 9 cents); and Columbus, Ohio ($2.51/mile, up 9 cents).
Market to Watch: Allentown, Pa.
Allentown is gaining traction as a freight distribution hub. It’s roughly 60 miles from Philadelphia, 100 miles from metropolitan New York, and 80 miles from the ports at Newark, N.J., making it accessible for a deep pool of carriers.
Here are two examples of average rates on key lane pairs, with Allentown as origin and destination.
308-mile length of haul, heading northeast:
**Allentown to Boston: $3.96/mile, up 19 cents
**Boston to Allentown: $2.14/mile, up 1 cent
400-mile length of haul, heading west
**Allentown to Cleveland: $1.82/mile, down 1 cent
**Cleveland to Allentown: $3.59/mile, up 10 cents
While a rise in inbound and outbound rates was a trend for most van markets last week, Allentown was exceptionally busy. It’s a market to watch as we move into December.


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Chinese revolution: Researchers at Nanyang Technological University have developed a battery with a 20-year lifespan and ultra-fast charging capability, saying it can recharge up to 70% in two minutes. The team now seeks funding to build a large-scale battery prototype, using the patented method. The technology has been licensed to a company that could bring the batteries to market within two years time.
Fuel cells for trucks: Hydrogenics presents its new fuel cell system for medium and heavy duty trucks and buses at the ‘American Public Transit Association Expo’ in Texas, USA. ‘Celerity’ is said to withstand temperatures of up to minus 40 degrees Celsius and is easy to install.
Perpetuum pedelec? Scotsman Neil MacMartin developed the Saltire Freeflow, an e-bike that never needs to be recharged, since its motor acts as a pedal-powered generator. Moreover, all electric components are invisible, as they have been integrated into the down tube and bottom bracket.
technologicvehicles.com (with video), angelsden.com
Lotus to drive Mercedes: Beginning with the 2015 season, the Lotus F1 team will be powered by the Mercedes-Benz PU106A Hybrid Power Unit. The F1 team says work on the new E23 Hybrid is already underway. The agreement with Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) ends a 20-year relationship with Renault.
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Most clicked link on Monday was Tesla’s revelation of the dual motor Model S and the announcement that safety and autopilot hardware is standard on every new Tesla.
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- Special Features
Blogs & Columns
- Fun & Games
Though cassette tapes have been pretty much forgotten about since CDs became dominant (which now feels like a long time ago thanks to digital distribution), but that didn't stop Sony from making one capable of holding 185TB of data.
The new tape will be presented on Monday at the INTERMAG Europe 2014 International magnetics conference held in Germany, according to the Los Angeles Times. IBM will also be involved in the presentation with Sony.
The 185TB of space is a huge jump from 2012 when FujiFilm and IBM teamed up to produce a prototype cassette that was capable of holding 35TB worth of data, reports Forbes. A single Blu-Ray is capable of holding up to 50GB.
The technology used to fit that much data onto the tape is called "sputter deposition," which is a complicated procedure that involves magnetic crystals, argon ions and polymer film substrate.
Sony has indicated that they wish to sell these storage tapes, though LA Times notes it would likely be more marketable at the tech industry level rather than consumer since there would be a noticeable slowdown in accessing specific data on tape than the more common hard drive.
In a press release Sony noted, "The expansion of cloud services and the creation of new markets to utilize big data have led to a growing need for a data storage media which can store large amounts of information."


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ZTE, a publicly listed global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, has made British rap star Professor Green its official ambassador for the second time. The company first partnered with the popular musician in 2011.
To kick off the renewed partnership, Professor Green featured in ZTE’s official ‘un-boxing’ video for the launch of the ZTE Grand X smartphone, which can be viewed on ZTE’s Facebook page. Consumers will soon see Professor Green imagery in retail stores and in marketing campaigns across London, promoting the ZTE Grand X. Professor Green will also be visiting the ZTE Grand Xperience stand in Westfield, Stratford City. The ZTE stand will be in place from 15 July to 11 September, showcasing the ZTE range of handset devices, especially the new Grand X handset.
ZTE is fast growing as a global handset brand, as it moves from being a major ‘white label’ manufacturer for other brands, to developing desirable ZTE branded devices for sale through major retail partners. As part of this continuing evolution, ZTE chose to partner with Professor Green again, in particular for the launch of the Grand X smartphone, which delivers a world of entertainment in a single device, with high end video and sound capabilities at a price that is well within the reach of music, video and gaming fans.
“ZTE is a great, innovative brand that is really shaking things up with their new mobile phones. With gigs and shows all the time in different countries, I am constantly on the move, so anything that enables people to watch videos, listen to music and play games on their phone gets my vote!” said Professor Green.
“ZTE mobile phones and Professor Green are appealing to a young market, so the partnership really makes sense for us. Professor Green is vibrant, hard-working, energetic and extremely talented, and these are qualities we also emulate as a brand,” said Wu Sa, director of mobile device operations, ZTE UK. “As a company, we are really looking at pushing the boundaries with our new products this year and making them accessible to our customers, and this aligns well with Professor Green’s personality. He is edgy, down to earth and likes to have fun and our products support those values.”


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“It’s time for a Herbalife victory lap,” Cramer said Thursday.
The direct seller of nutritional supplements reported a “thing of beauty” quarter on May 2. Herbalife posted earnings of $1.43 per share, a 22 cent beat on revenues that rose 28.5 percent year-over-year. It also gave upside guidance for the rest of 2011 and boosted its dividend by 60 percent.
Many on Wall Street have long accused direct sales companies of being pyramid schemes. However, Herbalife's latest quarter should prove the critics wrong and erase any doubts about this high-flying stock, Cramer said.
“This is simply a terrific company that has figured out a brilliant way to sell these health oriented products through one-on-one testimonials,” he said.
Herbalife shares soared after it reported strong earnings, which Cramer thinks is due, in part, to the company’s explosion in the emerging markets scene. Sales in India are up 154 percent and Russia is up 75 percent while Brazil and China are both up 28 percent.
Cramer’s been on the Herbalife bandwagon since November of 2009. Since then, the stock has gained 166 percent. And it’s up 40 percent since Cramer last spoke with CEO Michael Johnson in March.
So is there more money to be made in HLF? To find out, Cramer invited Johnson back on the show. To see the full interview, watch the video.
Call Cramer: 1-800-743-CNBC
Questions for Cramer? firstname.lastname@example.org
Questions, comments, suggestions for the Mad Money website? email@example.com


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By Dan Freedman and Mark D. Wilson
SAN ANTONIO — Caught in the middle between rifle-carrying demonstrators and a moms group calling for a boycott, Target on Wednesday asked customers not to openly display weapons in its stores.
“This is a complicated issue, but it boils down to a simple belief: Bringing firearms to Target creates an environment that is at odds with the family-friendly shopping and work experience we strive to create,” the Minneapolis-based company's interim CEO John Mulligan said in a statement.
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Target had been the latest in a series of skirmishes between open-carry advocates and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, which gathered 400,000 signatures in an effort to convince Target to ban guns.
Gun-friendly Texas had become ground zero in the crossfire that so far has been a rout against the open-carry side, with Chipotle, Jack-in-the-Box, Sonic and Starbucks, among others, issuing statements telling gun owners not to bring in weapons.
“Moms are thankful that Target responded quickly to the call of nearly 400,000 Americans and asked customers to keep their firearms at home,” said Shannon Watts, founder of the Moms group. “Moms everywhere were horrified to see images of people carrying loaded assault rifles down the same aisles where we shop for diapers and toys.”
Under the hashtag, #OffTarget, Moms Demand Action organized alternative shopping weekends “at stores with better gun policies in place.”
About two dozen members of the group's Texas chapter met in front of the Park North Target in San Antonio on Sunday for a “stroller jam” in response to an open-carry demonstration that had taken place there days earlier.
The demonstration hit a snag when a store manager told the group, which was asking customers to sign a petition regarding the open carry policy, to leave and threatened to call police, according to San Antonio resident Jamie Addams, the chapter leader.
The national organization released a scathing statement from Addams one day after the incident, citing other demonstrations throughout the nation and renewing its call for Target to “stand with moms and ensure the safety and security of our children.”
“We were told to leave because Target prohibits demonstrations due to its commitment to providing a distraction-free shopping experience — yet we know that just days ago, gun extremists were openly carrying guns and demonstrating in the same place,” Addams said. “We have a question for Target: How are moms and their children openly carrying strollers and signs classified as a distraction while gun extremists openly carrying assault rifles are not?”
But Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder said Wednesday that the open-carry demonstration took place across the street — off Target property. The company, therefore, had no authority to ask demonstrators to disperse.
Had the demonstration taken place on Target property, Snyder said it would have been handled the same way as Sunday's protest.
“We uniformly enforce our no solicitation policy,” she said.
In regards to its gun policy, Target previously had said that it was simply following “all state and federal laws.” Under Texas law, open display of rifles and shotguns is permitted but open carrying of handguns is not.
“Our team has been carefully listening to the nuances of this issue and (we) continue to respect the protected rights of everyone involved,” Snyder said. The ban on guns is “a request rather than a prohibition. Therefore, at this time, we don't have any plans for proactive communication beyond what is being communicated today.”
Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News


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The ultra-simple "zero character communication" app Yo, which only allows users to send the word "Yo" to each other, was hacked last week by three Georgia Tech students -- and the company has responded by hiring one of them.
As one of the unidentified students explained to TechCrunch at the time, "We can get any Yo user’s phone number (I actually texted the founder, and he called me back.) We can spoof Yos from any users, and we can spam any user with as many Yos as we want. We could also send any Yo user a push notification with any text we want (though we decided not to do that.)”
In a blog post, company founder Or Arbel wrote, "Thursday night [I] received a text message from an unknown number, asking 'Is this the founder of Yo?' I responded Yes and immediately got blasted by Yos, followed by an alert that popped in my app saying YoBeenHacked."
Arbel called the number from the text message and spoke with the hacker, who helpfully provided him with details of the vulnerability. "The issue that followed was that our database had an open access from the app itself, a fact that allowed any malicious party to read the user information. Once we learned about this issue [we] assembled a team of engineers with the hosting company, and began solving it."https://o1.qnsr.com/log/p.gif?;n=203;c=204660770;s=9477;x=7936;f=201812281321530;u=j;z=TIMESTAMP;a=20396194;e=i
Still, Arbel wrote, the breach has highlighted the app's simplicity -- the app doesn't store any information other than your Yo username, so the impact of the breach was extremely limited. If a user leveraged the optional "Find Friends" feature, their phone number would have been exposed as well.
Once the issue was resolved on June 20, 2014, the company checked with the hackers to verify that the problems had been fixed. "One of them is actually now working with us on improving Yo experience in other aspects as well," Arbel added.
What happened to Yo, Arbel noted, was pretty simple. "Yo started as a weekend project and exploded a little too soon," he wrote. "We were just finishing up re-writing the infrastructure in a proper and secure way, as suitable for production grade apps, when it suddenly blew up and went viral."
So is a breach like this a death knell for a startup that just raised $1 million, or is it the best publicity the company could have gotten?
Forbes' Gene Marks suggests it's bad news. As the members of his family began receiving dozens of unsolicited "Yos" from fake users, he writes, the application quickly became an annoyance and got deleted -- and he expects that the same thing happened in thousands of households worldwide.
On the other hand, as the Guardian notes, the app has exploded in popularity since the breach. It's now the ninth most popular free app on iTunes, and Arbel reported than 4 million Yos were sent as of June 19.
In this case, it seems, there's no such thing as bad publicity.


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Hunter’s eXtreme has been announced as the new title sponsor of the 2013 edition of the Ultimate X Games & Ultimate X Concert.
Ultimate X confirmed today the acquisition of Hunter’s eXtreme as the new title sponsor of the 2013 event, which will now be referred to as ‘Hunters eXtreme Ultimate X’.
Now in it’s fourth year, Ultimate X is regarded as South Africa’s premier action sports event. With a 60% attendance growth in 2012, the event attracts top local and international athletes as well as 6,500 spectators from across the country. The 2013 event comprises of two main elements; The Hunter’s eXtreme Ultimate X Games and The Hunter’s eXtreme Ultimate X Concert, both taking place on the 16th of February.
Features for next year include a revised Games competition with four different action-sport disciplines – FMX, skateboarding, BMX and wakeboarding which is held at the V&A Waterfront, Gateway Canal site in Cape Town. When the sun sets, things will get a little louder with the The Hunter’s eXtreme Ultimate X Concert taking place at the city’s newest nightclubbing venue, The Dragon Room. Up to two thousand revelers will be entertained by some of the country’s most popular bands and electronic DJ acts into the early hours of Sunday morning.
“Hunter’s eXtreme is all about social stamina and making the good times last longer, which is why partnering with this event suits the brand perfectly”, comments Ben van Der Merwe, Junior Brand Manager of Hunter’s SA. “Keeping our consumers refreshed is one thing, but supporting an event that promotes an active lifestyle whilst encouraging people to live life to the fullest is very exciting platform for the brand and we’re delighted to be able assist in bringing fans the ultimate in extreme sports entertainment.”
Markus Museler, owner of the event, had the following to say about Hunter’s eXtreme’s involvement: “We are super stoked that Hunter’s eXtreme has joined the Ultimate X family and will be working alongside us to help grow action sports within SA. Through our involvement in and exposure to related action sport events fromacross the globe, we are also confident that 2013 will be our most extreme spectator experience to date”.
The partnership was procured by specialist sponsorship agency One-eyed Jack.
For additional information about the Hunter’s eXtreme Ultimate X 2013 please visit www.ultimatex.co.za or for the latest event updates follow @ultimate_x_ on Twitter.


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FILE – In this Monday, Feb. 7, 2011, file photo, Hillshire Farm products are on display in the meat case at Quality Market in Barre, Vt. Hillshire Brands is buying Pinnacle Foods, whose brands include Duncan Hines and Aunt Jemima, in a cash-and-stock deal valued at approximately $4.23 billion, the companies announced Monday, May 12, 2014. Hillshire Brandsí roster of brands include Jimmy Dean meats, Ball Park hot dogs and Sara Lee frozen bakery goods. The combined company will use the Hillshire Brands name and be based in Chicago. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File) ORG XMIT: NY110
Reports of the crash of Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo isn’t just a tragic loss of life, but for the company, too.
Investors who got greedy while others were terrified this year — especially during October — are counting their riches now.
Bank of Japan’s decision to boost its stimulus programs wasn’t the only news out of Japan to propel global stock prices higher. A giant Japanese pension fund also gave bulls reason to cheer (…)
Correction? What correction? In early trading, the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq all wiped out the big losses they suffered in the early-October swoon, a sign Wall Street bulls are back in control.
A dozen stocks that show why October is one of investors’ worst fears.
End of QE didn’t spoil Wall Street rally


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Critical acclaim for Seacrest's Typo increases chance of licensing deal with BlackBerry
In a statement announcing the suit, BlackBerry did leave the door open for the possibility of a licensing pact. The beleaguered manufacturer could use any source of revenue it can find, considering that it just wrote off more than $3 billion worth of unsold handsets gathering dust in some warehouse.
There actually is some good news for both sides here. Among the notable reviewers of the device, Walt Mossberg said that "the Typo does its job well," although he did chide the company for covering up the iPhone's home button with the case. Mossberg added that BlackBerry addicts he knows (remember, he is no spring chicken) loved the Typo.
Others reviewing the portable QWERTY also complained about losing access to the home button, and some said that Siri kept going off by accident (and if Siri sounds like your Mother-In-Law, it could drive you crazy). While there was a sour note raised by one reviewer about the $99 price, for the most part it seems like the Typo is here to stay.
Will there be copycats? You betcha. And those who are right now gearing up to produce Typo knockoffs will certainly not use the same design for the QWERTY. But as the original, Typo has some advantages. Besides, the Ryan Seacrest connection is surely worth a ton of money. All he needs to do is show it off on American Idol ("Sorry folks, I was just texting Simon") and the orders will come.
Instead of suing Typo, this would be a great time for BlackBerry to embrace the product. What is that saying? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. New BlackBerry CEO John Chen has been talking about monetizing everything at BlackBerry, so why not sit down with Typo and bring in some moola. Every Apple iPhone 5 and Apple iPhone 5s sold is a potential Typo customer. With the right licensing deal, BlackBerry could be making money from a hot handset for the first time in years.
source: Re/Code, Bloomberg, CNET via BGR
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- Camera 8 MP / 1.2 MP front
- Processor Apple A6, Dual-core, 1300 MHz
- Storage 64 GB
- Battery 1440 mAh(8h 3G talk time)
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What’s the first step in dealing with an overflowing bathtub?
That’s the question MASSPIRG legislative director Deirdre Cummings asks to make her pitch for a sweeping new bill aimed at wrangling the presence of PFAS chemicals in food packaging, car seats, cookware, firefighting foam, carpeting, and more.
“You don’t start by bailing out the water, right? You want to turn the tap off, stop it from getting worse,” Cummings said. “That’s the most important thing that this bill does.”
A host of environmental and consumer protection groups including MASSPIRG, the Environmental League of Massachusetts, and Massachusetts Sierra Club are lined up behind legislation that would take a two-pronged approach to PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances: ban their use in most products to prevent new contamination, and create new programs to clean up contamination that already exists.
The bill, filed by Representative Kate Hogan of Stow and Senator Julian Cyr of Truro, would implement many of the 30 recommendations made last year by an interagency task force the lawmakers chaired.
“This really hits everything,” Hogan said about her bill’s embrace of the task force report.
PFAS chemicals have emerged in recent years as a growing public health and environmental concern since they do not fully degrade and have been linked to serious health effects such as kidney cancer and thyroid disease.
With presence in so many types of products, the chemicals have been detected all over the place. Citing Department of Environmental Protection data, MASSPIRG said samples from at least 169 public water systems in 95 Massachusetts cities and towns demonstrated PFAS contamination levels above the state’s maximum legal limit.
Massachusetts Sierra Club Chapter Director Deb Pasternak declared that her group “considers PFAS to be the greatest toxic threat we face today.”
“PFAS are present in so many items. It is a class of chemicals that have been used to make products greaseproof, stainproof, waterproof, shimmery for makeup,” Cummings said. “It’s used in so many areas, in food packaging and cookware and clothing. It’s everywhere, and the nature of these compounds are that they don’t break down in the environment, meaning they will continue to bioaccumulate. What is 10 parts of PFAS today will continue to climb unless you remove the source.”
The bill would implement bans on many products made with PFAS chemicals, even as some manufacturers move away from the substances, and require sellers to inform customers if PFAS chemicals are present.
Firefighter protective gear, food packaging, children’s products, cookware, rugs and carpets, upholstered furniture, personal care products, and fabric treatments with intentionally added PFAS chemicals could not be sold after Jan. 1, 2026.
In 2030, the ban would extend to effectively any product to which the substances are intentionally added unless state regulators determine the use of PFAS is “currently unavoidable” and give a maximum exemption of three years.
Some products would need to be tested for unintentionally added PFAS starting in 2030.
“If we don’t prevent it, all we’re doing is identifying and cleaning up as if it wasn’t the dangerous contaminant that it is,” Hogan said. “I believe that by making prevention as important as identification and cleanup, we really are both saving ourselves, our health, and also money in the future because we’re letting those that manufacture consumer products and food packaging know that we’re serious about this.”
The bill would also direct the DEP to amend surface water and groundwater discharge permits to require PFAS monitoring, and also call on regulators to update private well guidelines to help tackle the presence of the chemicals in drinking water from those sources.
Another provision would create a PFAS Remediation Trust Fund that would steer grant dollars to municipalities and water systems to help clean up contamination in drinking water, groundwater, and soil.


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Digital cider trail launched for Virginians to explore new cideries
Published: Jul. 9, 2022 at 10:47 PM EDT
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - The American Cider Association has launched a digital cider trail for Virginia.
The trail gives cider lovers the opportunity to explore what the industry has to offer, even when you aren’t close to home.
“So cider can taste really different depending on the apples that it’s made from, or the region where the apples are grown, or the production technique or the fermented ingredients that the cider makers choose,” Michelle McGrath with American Cider Association.
Copyright 2022 WVIR. All rights reserved.
Do you have a story idea? Send us your news tip here.


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Technologies have been gearing us up for the remote workforce for years, providing solutions that can equip employees to work from anywhere in the world. However, according to Owl Labs 2019 State of Remote Work report until now only 44% of global companies have embraced the remote workforce. The notion of work from home has never been practised to the extent that the current situation calls for it to be.
On the back of the news that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a global pandemic and President Cyril Ramaphosa setting the scene for South Africans to take precautions to protect themselves and their families from contracting the virus, drastic measures have been put in place. Businesses have responded to the news responsibly with many organisations calling for employees to stay safe and work from home.
Many employees today already have laptops, high-speed internet connectivity and access to networks via the cloud to perform their daily tasks remotely. However, are they equipped to deliver consistent brand experiences that customers have come to expect when dealing with the organisation?
Having invested significantly into their brands for years, companies need to put the best interests of their employees and customers at heart but not at the detriment of their brands. As such employees should be equipped with tools that will help them to meet customer’s needs seamlessly and deliver consistent brand experiences in every email and document sent to clients wherever they are working from.
There are several measures that companies should put in place to secure their brand and deliver a consistent experience in all customer and employee engagements whether working remotely or not.
Always on brand wherever you are
To help employees to deliver consistent experiences in every email, they must have a professional and consistent email signature that is used across the company so that all correspondence that employees send out is consistently branded.
Further, the body of the emails should be on-brand using the same font and colour across the company. It is also recommended to have pre-developed and pre-approved content available and easily accessible for employees to insert into emails while working remotely. This requires minimal input and keeps the brand integrity in every communication.
Employees should have access to the latest company letterheads, templates, documents and presentations that are required for client communication. If documents are updated while the employees are working remotely, the latest versions should be easy-to-access without the need for a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and employees should feel comfortable that they are sending their customers the most up-to-date information at all times.
Up to date employee communications
Working remotely can impact on employee communication with CoSo Cloud finding that more than half of remote employees feel disconnected from those employees working in offices.
When employees are separate from the company it is critical they are kept up to date on all important company news and information throughout the day to prevent them from becoming disconnected and uncoordinated. An employee communication tool should be used to broadcast information to employees throughout the day and keep them informed about company news.
It would also be valuable to share updates on topical issues such as the latest coronavirus stats regularly via the broadcast tool to minimise the amount of time employees would otherwise spend looking for the information themselves.
Keeping security intact
Having a remote workforce means that companies need to put stringent security measures in place that can protect their data at all times. Yet according to GetApp workers working from remote locations often receive confidential business data but less than half of these employees have received proper internet security training.
To avoid financial and brand damage, companies need to incorporate layered security to help prevent customers and employees from falling victim to email scams, particularly while working with a remote workforce. Centrally managed, tamperproof email signatures are also a first step in helping to prevent fraudulent emails from being sent on behalf of a company. Built-in email verification would also benefit the company and email recipients and give them added peace of mind that emails are authentic.
However, more than this, companies need to have segmentation of risk built into their email branding solution to safeguard customer and company information at all times, particularly when employees are working remotely. This is key to preventing security breaches.
Consistent experiences are crucial
Companies already have many of the basics in place to enable a remote workforce but they need to have measures in place to protect their employees and customer’s data and their brand. The remote workforce opens up huge opportunities for inconsistencies and uncertainty which need to be limited during a pandemic when consistency provides the familiarity customers are seeking. As such the customer experience has to be nurtured at this time and employees need to be empowered to continue to deliver on-brand experiences wherever they may be working from.
BrandQuantum is a South African company and its software solutions are available to companies worldwide. It assists companies to overcome the challenges they face in today’s digital age, with brand consistency, compliance and security. The company offers a range of brand compliance software solutions including BrandOffice, BrandMail, BrandView, BrandStream and BrandInsight.
For more information about BrandQuantum visit www.brandquantum.com
New measures as video production comes to a halt
MultiChoice has announced a range of measures to safeguard the incomes of cast, crew, and creatives, as well as the sustainability of production houses.
MutliChoice Group has confirmed that production of video entertainment has come to a complete halt in South Africa, as the industry adheres to the national lockdown.
Many sectors across the African continent are adjusting and finding ways to deal with challenges brought about by the current coronavirus pandemic. Among these, MultiChoice Group is one of the best-known brands across Africa, due to its dominance of the video entertainment sector. As a result, it says, it is acutely aware of the challenges its partners in the industry are facing.
“For many years MultiChoice has been a leader in the sector and are a leading investor in local content production,” it said in a statement on Friday. “The group has deep rooted partnerships and long-standing commitments that have grown the industry for the benefit of many, both in front and behind the camera.”
For this reason, says MultiChoice, it has decided to implement several measures aimed at safeguarding the incomes of cast, crew, and creatives as well as the sustainability of production houses.
“With these measures the group can hopefully steer the industry through this tumultuous time.”
MultiChoice announced the following measures:
- “MultiChoice has set aside R80 million to ensure that current productions are able to pay full salaries of cast, crew, and creatives for the months of March and April, by when hopefully we will have the worst of the disruptions behind us. The need to secure salaries of our creatives goes a long way in creating income stability for them and their families. We believe this to be critical for the industry and in our view simply the right thing to do.
- “Through the MultiChoice Talent Factory we will be launching an online learning portal that will support over 40 000 members of the industry to gain access to courses and online master classes, so they can continue to hone their craft whilst adhering to the public health measures of social distancing and isolation.
- “Furthermore, we have committed to guarantee the incomes of freelancers in our SuperSport Productions, who are currently unable to work due to the suspension of sport and the national lockdown. This extends to guaranteeing the income of freelancers in our broadcast technology environment.”
MultiChoice Group CEO Calvo Mawela said: “Our main concern is to ensure as much as possible that we secure the incomes of creatives, cast and crew over this period. We want to ensure that they and their families are not negatively impacted as work has come to a standstill.”
Nintendo South Africa launches online gameathon
Nintendo’s South African distributor has set up live events for virtual participation during lockdown.
Being stuck inside doesn’t mean not being with the game. Players now have the chance to meet up virtually to play Nintendo Switch Online games like Ring Fit Adventure, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and Pokémon Sword and Shield.
A daily schedule is available for each game. For example, Ring Fit Adventure has a kids challenge at 9am from Monday to Friday, while adults can join in at 2pm. The challenges are co-ordinated by a dedicated Ring Fit coach.
The challenge instructions will be available via the Discord channel. Join the channel via the invite here.
Players of all skill levels are encouraged to join. Plenty tips and tricks will be shared about the games.


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--Covidien aims to spin off $2 billion pharmaceutical unit into standalone business
--Transaction could take up to 18 months
--Move heightens Covidien's focus on bigger, more profitable medical-devices franchise
(Updates throughout with company and analyst comments.)
The company--itself a spinoff from Tyco International Ltd. TYC -- said the $2 billion drug business will have more flexibility to pursue growth goals and a better shot at bringing pipeline products to market. Covidien has been working to improve the franchise amid some growth and profitability challenges.
The spin-off transaction, tax-free to U.S. shareholders, could take up to 18 months.
"We've evaluated whether to separate these businesses for several years, due to the major differences between the medical products and pharmaceutical industries," Covidien Chief Executive Jose Almeida said. "We believe that now is the right time to do so because we have significantly improved the operations, performance and pipeline of our pharmaceuticals business."
Covidien shares rose 3.6% to $43.68 in recent trading. The move should boost the remaining company's margins and growth profile, analysts said.
A pharmaceutical-business separation was long expected amid several signs Covidien, which has been reshaping its portfolio since leaving Tyco in 2007, was placing bigger bets on devices. It has bulked up there through transactions like the $2.6 billion purchase of vascular-device company ev3 Inc. last year. Almeida, who became CEO this summer, previously ran the devices franchise.
Meantime, the pharmaceutical unit has gone without a permanent leader since late last year, when the division's president resigned and the division's financial chief became interim president. Almeida on Thursday said Covidien has picked a "seasoned executive" to lead the drug business, but the company isn't naming names yet.
Covidien said its drug business is one of the world's largest producers of bulk acetaminophen, the largest U.S. supplier of opioid pain medications and is among the top 10 generic pharmaceuticals manufacturers in the U.S., based on prescriptions. It also supplies generators used to produce medical isotopes widely used to diagnose diseases.
The drug business has about $2 billion in annual sales, while the remaining medical-products businesses--focused on commonly used operating room tools and vascular devices--would have annual sales of about $9.6 billion after the spinoff.
Covidien's device businesses have felt some pressure from a slowdown in hospital traffic because of economic uncertainty. But it doesn't compete in markets for some pricy implantable devices, such as defibrillators, which have recently contracted and caused big challenges for manufacturers. J.P. Morgan analyst Michael Weinstein said that without the drug unit, Covidien will have one of the best sales and earnings growth profiles among big device firms.
Standard & Poor's, which said the transaction won't affect Covidien's ratings, noted the pharmaceutical segment accounted for 17% of 2011 sales but only 11% of operating income. The company operates on a fiscal calendar that runs through September.
Covidien is officially based in Dublin, Ireland, for tax purposes, although the company's main office is in Massachusetts. It expects the pharmaceutical unit will remain an Irish company as well.
The company's spin-off decision follows a plan from Abbott Laboratories (ABT), unveiled in October, to separate its medical products and research-based pharmaceuticals operations.
Other health-care companies in recent years have also moved to partially unwind years of consolidation and diversification. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (BMY) has split off its baby-formula business as Mead Johnson Nutrition Co. (MJN) and shed other non-pharmaceutical assets, to hone its focus on drug research and development. In addition, Pfizer Inc. (PFE) is planning to separate its animal-health and nutrition units in transactions expected to be announced next year.
Covidien said it was too early to provide details on spinoff-related costs.


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Motorists urged to avoid panic petrol buys
SHAUN LOWTHORPE Motorists were last night warned not to panic buy fuel before Christmas after it emerged that shortages were forcing sporadic closures on some forecourts.
Motorists were last night warned not to panic buy fuel before Christmas after it emerged that shortages were forcing sporadic closures on some forecourts.
Yesterday Sainsburys in Pound Lane, on the outskirts of Norwich was shut because supplies of unleaded and diesel had dried up and the supermarket giant had also closed its forecourt at North Walsham.
Shortages had occurred across the board with BP stations affected and garages in Attleborough.
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But industry insiders said that the shortages were only temporary caused by a combination of a disruption to supplies following a refinery fire in October and increased seasonal demand.
Customers were also urged to shop around and not panic buy.
- 1 £6.1m shopping street revamp will take half of 2022 to complete
- 2 Family forced to live in tent after maggots and rats found in home
- 3 Councils could spend millions to buy former Aviva office for new HQ
- 4 Five former MoD homes go up for sale near Norwich
- 5 MP and parents concerned over traffic and parking chaos outside school
- 6 Christmas Lights Walk with toasted marshmallows coming to garden
- 7 Roof collapses into home after major blaze engulfs it
- 8 Seven cosy pubs to visit in Norfolk this winter
- 9 Man arrested on suspicion of stalking after notes left on women's cars
- 10 City keeper diagnosed with testicular cancer
Chris Hunt, director general of the UK Petroleum Industry Association, said the blaze at Coryton refinery in Essex, was continuing to affect supplies.
“There are the odd disruptions at one or two service stations, but it's now coming back again,” he said. “While it's been out of action we've been shipping in to the refinery from the continent and we had a half a day delay with a shipment.
“There's no panic, no shortage, nothing to worry about,” he said. “At this time of the year there is an increase in demand and sometimes petrol stations forget to put in their extra order in, so you find forecourts running out.
Philip Dingle, an executive member of the Petrol Retailers' Association, stressed that despite the odd blip, supplies were still reaching the pumps and urged customers to fill up responsibly.
“What petrol companies are trying to do is eke it around,” he said. “It's all now starting to settle down. It's not that there isn't any fuel, it's that everybody isn't getting it at once.
“We were out on Friday but back up on Saturday and we are all right again now.”
“If everybody starts filling up there could be problems,” he added. “If that triggers panic buying then all hell could break loose. Once it kicks off it's very hard to catch up again.”
A BP spokesman said: “We are continuing to experience some shortages of product following the fire at Coryton Refinery, which serves our sites and BP customers in the South East of England.
“The shortages of product are as a direct result of the refinery still not operating to its full capacity since the fire on October 31. We continue to be reliant on importing both petrol and diesel in order to ensure continuity of supply in what is extremely busy time of year for us. We apologise for any disruption this is causing for BP customers.”
A Sainsbury's spokeswoman said: “We are doing everything we possibly can to ensure our customers have petrol. Supplies are likely to return to normal tomorrow.
The news comes amid two reports warning that rising fuel prices could keep motorists out off the road at Christmas and that prices were likely to remain volatile.
A survey by the RAC found that 58pc of drivers were less likely to travel to reach loved ones this festive season compared with last year.
And with average petrol prices now at more than £1 a litre 49pc of drivers are predicting they will spend less time on the road this Christmas than last.
The AA's Fuel Price Report for mid-December shows average UK petrol prices have reached 102.81 pence per litre, up 1.3p on last month, and diesel 107.95, up 2.51p. Strikes in French refineries and military action on the Turkish-Iraq border suggest that prices could remain volatile in the short-term.


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|Bid||13.85 x 800|
|Ask||14.10 x 1400|
|Day's Range||13.97 - 14.10|
|52 Week Range||11.96 - 14.45|
|Beta (3Y Monthly)||0.31|
|PE Ratio (TTM)||24.41|
|Forward Dividend & Yield||0.49 (3.51%)|
|1y Target Est||N/A|
LSE: NPSN) after the listing of Naspers’ subsidiary, NewCo, on the Euronext Amsterdam (with a secondary listing on the JSE), which, as announced on 25 March 2019, is expected to be implemented no earlier than the second half of 2019. NewCo, a new global consumer internet group, will comprise all Naspers’ internet interests outside of South Africa.
Naspers Limited announced today an exchange of its interest in MakeMyTrip Limited for a 5.6% stake in Ctrip.com International Limited , a well-known provider of online travel and related services headquartered in China .
Moody's Investors Service has assigned an A1 senior unsecured rating to Tencent Holdings Limited's proposed medium-term notes drawn under its USD20 billion global MTN program. "The proposed notes will further enhance Tencent's already strong liquidity position, and enable it to sustain steady growth in revenue and cash flow," says Lina Choi, a Moody's Senior Vice President. "Moreover, the company has maintained its prudent financial discipline and maintain a solid credit profile while expanding its business profile.
Moody's Investors Service says that Tencent Holdings Limited's (A1 stable) 2018 results were in line with Moody's expectations and will not affect the company's A1 issuer or senior unsecured ratings, or the stable outlook on the ratings. "We expect that Tencent will continue to grow its revenue and cash flow through increasing business diversifications over the next 12-18 months, maintain its prudent financial discipline, and keep a credit profile commensurate with its A1 ratings," says Lina Choi, a Moody's Vice President and Senior Credit Officer.
Naspers to form a new group (“NewCo*”) comprising its international internet assets. NewCo to be listed on Euronext Amsterdam and also secondary, inward-listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. NewCo likely to become the largest listed consumer internet group in Europe by asset value.
The talks between Uber and Bangalore-based Bundl Technologies Pvt, which owns the Swiggy brand, are progressing and a deal could be sealed within the coming weeks, said the person, who is privy to the discussions but asked not to be identified because the negotiations are confidential. Swiggy spokesman said by email that Swiggy doesn’t comment on “market rumors or speculation,” while Uber didn’t immediately respond to email and WhatsApp messages seeking comment on Sunday. Uber started its food-delivery business in India in 2017 with much fanfare and a huge marketing budget.
Uber Eats, the food delivery arm of ride-hailing app Uber Technologies Inc, is close to a deal to sell its Indian business to Bengaluru-based Swiggy, the Economic Times reported https://bit.ly/2SRZnNb on Friday. The share-swap deal is expected to close by next month and will give Uber a 10 percent stake in food delivery service Swiggy, the paper said, citing people privy to the development. Separately, the Times of India reported https://bit.ly/2GSIfQm that Uber was considering the sale of its food delivery arm in India and has been in talks with Swiggy and Gurugram-based Zomato.
Through its Classifieds business OLX Group, Naspers is investing US$1.16 billion in Avito, acquiring an additional 29.1% stake and bringing its ownership to 99.6% on a fully diluted basis.
“ECOMMERCE UNITS DELIVERED STRONG PROFIT CONTRIBUTIONS, NASPERS WELL-POSITIONED TO DRIVE GROWTH,” CONFIRMED BOB VAN DIJK, GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE.
Several Nuveen closed-end funds have declared additional cash distributions with the record, ex-dividend and payable date outlined below.
LSE: NPSN) today announced its intention to list its Video Entertainment business separately on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and simultaneously to unbundle the shares in this business to its shareholders. The new company will be named MultiChoice Group and will include MultiChoice South Africa, MultiChoice Africa, Showmax Africa, and Irdeto.
Moody's Investors Service says that Tencent Holdings Limited's (A1 stable) operating results for the first half of 2018 were in line with expectations, and have no impact on its rating or outlook. "Benefiting from increased revenue diversification, Tencent was able to offset the volatility and near-term weakness in its games business," says Lina Choi, a Moody's Vice President and Senior Credit Officer. Moody's expects Tencent's revenue to rise 25%-35% in the next 12-18 months as the company continues to expand its internet products and services and monetize its large Weixin and WeChat active user base, which reached 1.06 billion monthly active users as of 30 June.


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The Government of Canada has announced proposed regulatory amendments, which include changes to the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations for iconic icewine.
Under the amendments, the mandatory labeling information on wine bottles and boxes will be displayed in a single field of vision enabling to view the label without having to turn the container.
The proposed amendments are expected to allow wine exporters to have market access without having to redesign their labels for the requirements of each individual country.
As part of the amendments, the mandatory labeling information on the container pertaining to common name, net quantity, country of origin and alcohol content by volume will be retained to ensure that Canadians can make informed decisions.
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said the proposed changes will harmonize Canada’s definition of icewine with the World Wine Trade Group’s Agreement on Requirements for Wine Labelling.
"The proposed regulatory amendments will also benefit exporters by allowing greater market access," Ritz added.


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From The Daily Charge: A defense of this really disturbing sounding concept.
Whether you're an incoming freshman or plagued by senioritis, these apps will prepare you to get back to school.
Setting up Google Docs for offline use is now a breeze. But you'll need the Chrome browser.
Awesome perks from Apple, Amazon, Groupon, Spotify and more.
Technology can save you money without sacrificing your style.
It impacts all Windows systems using Intel and AMD processors since 2012.
Google Play isn't the only app store for Android. There's an open-source alternative.
After a 30-year run, the software magazine is coming to an end.
Everything you say to Google Assistant and your Google Home speaker is recorded. Here's how to delete all your voice activity data.
It takes AI to know AI.
The device will reportedly use the same tech as Facebook Portal.
The virtual reality developers conference returns to San Jose in September.
Sublime suburban chariot
High on style and technology, the 2019 Volvo XC90 is an incredibly satisfying everyday crossover.


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Finally an update on the Oculus Rift Kickstarter. The head mounted display that’s been… er… turning heads… has been teasing us with an upcoming Kickstarter campaign. The original plan was for it to go live in the middle of June but some exciting developments have happened since then. The Kickstarter was delayed due to these developments, but it’s actually been thanks to good news rather than bad — one bit of which is a lower price.
Posts Tagged ‘vr
Tags: diy, doom, doom 3, doom 3 head mounted display, doom 3 hmd, gadgets, gaming, head mount, head mount display, head mounted display, hmd, john, john carmack, oculus, oculus rift, oculus rift head mounted display, oculus rift hmd, oculus rift kickstarter, oculus vr, oculusvr, palmer, palmer luckey, palmertech, target price, technology, virtual reality, vr, vr gaming
The Latest on Google Glass: Early Technical Details, Pre-order Units Made Available to I/O Attendees for $1500
Tags: ar, augmented reality, gadgets, glass explorer edition, google, google glass, google glass explorer edition, google glasses, google goggles, google project glass, pre-order, project glass, project glass explorer edition, technology, virtual reality, vr, wearable computing
Yesterday I showed you Google’s incredible live Glass demo where they took Project Glass on a skydiving adventure. Today I want to compile all of the Project Glass info that came out of Google I/O 2012 in one place. Below is the very latest info about Google Glass.
Oculus Rift Units to Arrive Earlier than Planned, “Really Big Names in the Game Industry” Getting Involved!
Tags: ar, augmented reality, augmented reality gaming, delay, field of view, fov, head mounted display, hmd, kickstarter, oculus, oculus rift, oculus rift kickstarter, oculusvr, palmer luckey, palmertech, virtual reality, virtual reality gaming, vr, vr gaming
The VR community seems to be holding its collective breath to see what impact the Oculus Rift head mounted display will have on the future of virtual reality gaming. Patiently folks are waiting for the Kickstarter funding round to start and I’ve learned today that it has been delayed two weeks. Don’t fret though; Palmer Luckery, the brains behind the project, says that the delay “is not actually bad news at all.”
Right now the Oculus Rift project is at the center of my attention. If you haven’t read up on it, see here. In short, I’m hoping that this is the first major step in bringing virtual reality to mainstream gaming. With that in mind, I wanted to point out the first glimpse of specs for the Oculus Rift as well as an official site made by Palmer Luckey (aka PalmerTech) who is responsible for the project.
I’m away from a full blown computer this weekend, so please excuse the brevity of this post. I’m writing from my phone because I wanted to share some brief but exciting information regarding the Oculus Rift that I wrote about the other day.
Continue reading ‘Oculus Rift HMD Kickstarter to Begin no Later than June 14th’
Tags: 90 degree fov, 90 degrees, doom bgf, field of view, fov, gadgets, games, gaming, head mounted display, hmd, hmds, id, john carmack, oculus, oculus rift, palmer, palmer luckey, palmertech, palmertech oculus rift, technology, video game, video games, virtual reality, virtual reality gaming, vr
While Sony’s HMZ-T1 and Silicon Micro Display’s ST1080 have made a major splash in the world of head mounted displays by bringing high resolution and (relatively) low cost products to market, a key issue still remains — field of view. Field of View (FoV) describes how much of your vision is taken up by a display. Increasing the FoV means that more of your vision is taken up by the display and this often leads to a much greater sense of immersion. Most of the HMDs available on the market have FoVs of 30 or 45 degress. This isn’t much different than sitting in front of an HDTV that’s across the room. However, over at the MTBS3D forum, user PalmerTech is working on a project to crowd-fund a head mounted display with an impressive (and immersive) 90 degree field of view though Kickstarter.
The Verge recently took a prototype version of the ‘Oculus Rift’ (as PalmerTech is calling it) for a test drive thanks to John Carmack (of Id fame) who has taken great interest in the project. Mainstream immersive virtual reality gaming is coming, and this might be the first big step.
I wrote a few months back that augmented reality needed to prove itself. While I still think this is the case, I’m happy to report that top minds are working on just that. Some genius folks from MIT have created ‘T(ether)’, an amazing system which allows a user to interact with an augmented reality world by reaching out and manipulating it with their hands.


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Tests of the most extreme version of the Ford Ranger revealed on videoJanuary 27, 2018
The pickup Ford Ranger will receive a hardcore modification of Raptor, the premiere of which will be held February 7 in Bangkok
The company Ford has published a video pick-up Ranger Raptor, which shows the testing of the new version of the model off-road. The public premiere of the novelty will be held February 7 in Bangkok.
According to preliminary data, the Ford Ranger Raptor will receive a two-liter turbodiesel that will be lighter, but more powerful than the current 3.2-liter gasoline engine. According to another version, the new product will be equipped with a 2.7-liter V6 supercharger with a capacity of more than 300 horsepower. The engine will be combined with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
The pickup Ford Ranger Raptor will be equipped with an upgraded suspension with special settings, off-road tires, more efficient braking mechanisms, and enhanced underbody protection.


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Shop Local and Support Small Businesses
Nearly a year since the COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses from bars and restaurants to boutiques and hair salons to lock their doors, Chicago’s business community is still reeling.
Businesses have faced an evolving patchwork of restrictions since Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a statewide stay-at-home order that took effect March 21.
Scores of workers have been laid off amid the uncertainty, with bars and restaurants hit particularly hard. Illinois has lost more than 500,000 jobs since 2020 began, according to data from the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Nearly 43% of those were in the leisure and hospitality sector, which saw employment drop by 215,800 jobs year over year as of the end of January.
When you buy local, your money does much more for your community than it does when you shop at national chains. Three times more money returns to the local economy when you shop locally, while eating at locally owned restaurants brings in two times more money, according to a series of independent-business impact studies conducted by Civic Economics, a consulting firm for local businesses.
It’s no surprise that the best way to support small businesses (including those that make and sell) is to buy their goods and services. But you don’t always have to spend cash in order to show your support. Here’s how you can help the hardworking members of your community every day of the year.


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Sony to restore PlayStation network, Qriocity in Japan
Sony said Monday it would fully restore all PlayStation Network and Qriocity online distribution services in Japan on Wednesday, after shutting them down in April due to hacker attacks.
Except for Japan, the Japanese electronics giant had already restored the services in all other countries and regions where they operated before the shutdown, including the Americas, Europe, Hong Kong and South Korea.
The hacking attack on Sony compromised personal data from 100 million accounts. Sony later suffered attacks on websites including in Greece, Thailand and Indonesia, and on the Canadian site of mobile phone company Sony Ericsson.
The technology giant faces a battle to regain the trust of millions of consumers after the attacks on networks integral to its strategy.
Analysts say the breach could cost it around $1 billion, but that attacks threatened deeper damage to Sony's brand image and its efforts to link its gadgets to an online network of games, movies and music.
(c) 2011 AFP


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Quigley Celebrates Startup Day Across America with Visit to Chicago Incubator, mHUB
CHICAGO – Today, in advance of Startup Day Across America, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) visited mHUB, a Chicago incubator of forward-thinking startups. Marked annually on August 1, Startup Day is a bipartisan, bicameral effort to generate support and awareness for startup communities in districts across the country.
“Seeing the creativity and ingenuity of these companies firsthand serves as a great reminder of the bounty of innovation happening in workspaces across Chicago and the country,” said Rep. Quigley. “Whether they are housed in a Maker Lab, a factory, or a home garage, startups led by ‘think-outside-the-box’ entrepreneurs are the future of our economy; and there’s nowhere better for them to be creating than right here in Chicago. Washington can—and should—tap into these companies’ imagination and inventiveness to help address some of our nation’s biggest challenges.”
“We’re proud of the many startups at mHUB and welcome the opportunity to introduce them to local government leaders, like Representative Quigley,” said Haven Allen, executive director of mHUB. “We’ve proven that there is a demand for manufacturing entrepreneurship through continued community growth. This manufacturing revitalization is already leading to new companies delivering true job creation.”
Inside mHUB’s 65,000-square foot facility, emerging companies have access to ten production labs with focuses ranging from 3D printing to a wood shop, where they can turn their prototypes and designs into a reality. At mHUB, the companies are also able to work alongside fellow new entrepreneurs and gain invaluable advice from expert mentors. Rep. Quigley met with several startups, listed below, creating Internet of Things (IoT) connected devices and discussed ways the government can better champion startups and other small businesses as owners build their brand, sell their products, and contribute to our national economy.
“We are excited to be here today at mHUB with U.S. Representative Mike Quigley for Startup Day Across America,” said Mitch Carrel, CEO of Proxfinity. “Entrepreneurship and innovation are the backbone of our economy. Having the full support of our elected officials, like Representative Mike Quigley, provides exponential opportunities for early stage companies to generate local growth and employment opportunities.”
Proxfinity creates wearable smart badges to foster relationship-building at business networking events; GE Fuse is GE’s open innovation platform that helps accelerates the development of new products; Vivotronix is making a new system of wearable technology to be used in the collection of biomedical data; and software-defined radio and broadcast data company, Outernet, is working to expand access to internet.
As an active member of the New Democrat Coalition, Rep. Quigley has been a strong supporter of advancing high-tech entrepreneurship and its growing private sector industry. In December, Rep. Quigley’s bipartisan SEC Small Business Advocate Act was signed into law by President Obama. The law establishes a new office at the SEEC to provide hardworking small business owners with an advocate to help them explore new concepts and further spur innovation. More recently, he re-introduced the bipartisan Stopping Trained in America Ph.D.s from Leaving the Economy (STAPLE) Act, which helps foreign-born individuals who have earned an American Ph.D. in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) continue to stay and work in the United States, helping us maintain our position as a global innovation leader.


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Stelantis will start production of Fiat Skudo light commercial vehicles in Russia by the end of 2022, the car manufacturer announced.
Photo: Shutterstock / Antonello Marangi
The fifth largest automotive group in the world, with 14 brands in its portfolio, plans to produce Fiat vehicles at a car factory in the Russian city of Kaluga, reports Raa Tudej.
The plant is a joint venture between Stelantis, which owns 70 percent, and Japan’s Micubii Motors, which owns the remaining 30 percent.
It is planned to turn the plant in Kaluga into an export center that will produce engines and vehicles for export to the markets of Europe, Latin America and North Africa.
“I am pleased to announce that next year the Fiat Professional car brand will be added to the Peo, Citroen and Opel brands produced in Kaluga,” said Xavier Diman, Stelantis’ senior vice president for Eurasia, Reuters reported.
He added that in the future he sees this as “the beginning of a long history of a new brand in Kaluga”.
Ten years ago, the factory in Kaluga produced Fiat’s Dukato model, but ended production by terminating the partnership between Fiat and the Solers Group.
The factory now produces Peo 408, Citroen C4 sedan, Opel Zafira, Micubii Autlender and Micubii Pajero Sport, as well as several models of Peo and Citroen vans.
The factory has two assembly lines, which allows it to produce up to 125 thousand vehicles a year.
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LOWELL -- Two area women are accused of going on a Valentine's Day shoplifting spree, looting DVDs and VCR tapes from the Billerica Public Library, stealing bottles of perfume from Walgreens and stuffing frozen shrimp into a pocketbook.
In Lowell District Court, Sheila Ann Dunbar, 53, of 110 Delmont St, Apt. 3, Lowell, and Joanne Miele, 48, of 40 Goodhue Ave., Dracut, were summonsed into court. They pleaded not guilty to charges of theft of library property and larceny over $250 (perfume). Dunbar is also charged with shoplifting shrimp.
The two women were released but ordered to stay away from the library, Walgreens and Market Basket.
At a pretrial conference Wednesday, a judge set a compliance date of Nov. 8.
According to court documents, Billerica police allege that officers responded at 6:36 p.m. on Feb. 14 to Walgreens on Boston Road for a report of a past shoplifting. A store manager reported that about an hour earlier, two women came into the store to exchange a hair-care product. After they left, the manager notice that six boxes of perfume -- Lovely, Vera Wang, Hugo Boss and other brands -- were missing from their boxes.
The manager noted that the two women left in a brown Cadillac. He was able to provide a partial plate number. The 2005 Cadillac is registered to a man known to police. The owner's girlfriend is Dunbar, who is known to drive the car, police said.
About an hour later, police located the Cadillac in the parking lot at Treble
Police asked Dunbar for identification. When she opened her pocketbook, officers could see a large bag of frozen shrimp. Dunbar allegedly said, "You got me."
Police said she then admitted, "Everything we stole is in the car." Scattered throughout the car were items including the bottles of perfume. Police found 35 DVDs and VCR tapes from the library in the trunk of the car, police said.
When an officer asked about the library's limits on the number of video rentals, Dunbar allegedly said, "We stole them, we didn't rent them."
Follow Lisa Redmond at www.twitter.com/lredmond13.


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Gong Cha, Heinz launch ketchup-flavored ‘boba’ in Singapore
Gong Cha Singapore has teamed up with Heinz to introduce ketchup-flavored “boba.”
The tomato drinks – which are served without pearls – ar...
Gong Cha names former Five Guys chief as new global CEO
International bubble tea chain Gong Cha has named former Five Guys CEO Paul Reynish as its new global CEO, replacing Gong Cha Group founder...
Australian couple who bonded through boba marries in Gong Cha shop
An Australia-based couple delighted social media users after sharing their recent wedding at a bubble tea shop in Brisbane on December 8th.
Gong Cha Customer Finds Cockroaches in Fruit Tea
A Filipino customer of a popular fruit/bubble tea brand took to social media to express his disgust after finding three small cockroaches in...


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As we continue to follow along with Walt Disney World’s phased reopening, new reopening dates have been listed for Disney’s All-Star Movies, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
As updated on the Walt Disney World website:
We previously shared the exciting news that All-Star Movies Resort was scheduled to reopen beginning February 9, 2021. It looks like the update now shows that reopening date has been pushed back to March 22.
Disney’s Beach Club Resort is listed to reopen to on May 30, 2021. Until May 30, Disney Vacation Club guests can stay at the Beach Club Villas. We’re excited to see Beach Club will reopen to all guests beginning May 30.
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is listed to reopen to on June 6, 2021. Until June 6, Disney Vacation Club guests can stay at the Boulder Ridge and Copper Creek Villas.
For a no obligation, FREE Quote with new bookings contact our sponsor Magical Vacation Planner by calling: 1(407)442-0289
Or for a free no obligation quote with new bookings you can fill out the form by Clicking HERE!
We’re excited to see the resorts reopen to all guests soon enough! We’ll keep you posted as we learn more details.


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JEFFERSON CITY — A lack of eye-popping jackpots put a dent in Missouri Lottery revenue in the first five months of the fiscal year.
Since July 1, overall sales are down 3.1%, or $20.3 million, after the Powerball and Mega Millions games failed to produce the kind of jackpot that creates big, snaking lines of players hoping to cash in on a nine-figure payout.
“It is of a concern to me,” Lottery chief May Scheve told members of the state lottery commission Wednesday.
Missouri isn’t alone in feeling the pinch. Massachusetts, West Virginia and Arkansas are among states also affected by a drop-off in sales.
Scheve told members of the Lottery Commission Wednesday that many people aren’t motivated to buy tickets until they see jaw-dropping jackpots.
“Nobody wants to win $40 million anymore,” she said.
After two big jackpots last year, sales of both multistate games are down 49.1% in Missouri, which amounts to a nearly $50 million decrease in sales.
“We’re trying to figure out what we’re going to do about it,” Scheve said.
Typically, the state brings in an average of about $2.5 million per week in Powerball and Mega Millions sales. The weekly average this year is running at about $1.8 million.
The lack of jackpots is just one pressure facing the Lottery, which has a goal of transferring $323 million in revenues to help finance elementary, secondary and higher education next year, up from $306 million in 2018.
Missouri lawmakers cut the Lottery’s advertising budget by 70% in the fiscal year that began July 1. In response, the Lottery is only running television ads in the St. Louis and Kansas City markets.
Nancy Rollins, chief marketing officer at the Lottery, said the decrease in ad spending from $16 million to $5 million has made a “huge” difference in sales, especially in rural areas.
And, unregulated and untaxed slot machines have begun spreading across the state, potentially siphoning off Lottery sales as players turn their attention to video gambling.
In October, Scheve sent letters to thousands of retailers who sell Missouri Lottery tickets, warning they could face prosecution if they allow slot machines on their premises.
“Sales of games through illegal gambling devices hurts legal lottery sales and profits for public education,” Scheve wrote.
Missouri lawmakers have filed legislation that could legalize video gambling in bars, truck stops and convenience stores. They’ve also introduced bills that would ban it altogether.
The House and Senate return to action on Jan. 8.
Daily updates on the latest news in the St. Louis business community.


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Net Steers Car Buyers to Dealers
Though Jupiter data suggests nearly one-third of new car sales will originate online by 2006, other research points to a more tepid market.
Will the internet put an end to the time-honored consumer tradition of going to a car dealer, kicking the proverbial tires and taking a prospective purchase out for a test drive? Jupiter Media Metrix suggests that a few years down the road, this might be the case, at least in the US. In December 2001, with the heyday of the internet economy long past, Jupiter predicted that by 2006, 32% of all US new car sales ? totaling 5.7 million vehicles ? would take place online, up from an estimated 13% in 2001. In similar fashion, the used car segment is predicted to undergo extensive changes, with online sales tripling from 4% of the total in 2001 to 12% in 2006.
Ample evidence exists that consumers go online at the beginning of the car shopping process. The Vividence Corporation found that 94% of US car buyers went online as a first step, versus 82% who visited specific automaker websites and 67% who went into an actual dealership. The primacy of the internet at this stage of purchasing is unsurprising. Consumers can avail themselves of numerous websites offering vehicle reviews, model comparisons and reliability data. In addition, on most automaker websites, they can configure the desired model with preferred options and features and ultimately come up with a price.
Quality and satisfaction rating firm J.D. Power and Associates came up with results similar to Vividence in a survey of 27,383 consumers who purchased a car in 2002. It found that 60% of the respondents used the internet when shopping for a car. Of these roughly 16,000 consumers, 88% of visited automotive websites before physically going to a car dealership for a test drive, no doubt in large part to narrow down their brand and model choices. Overall, J.D. Power estimates that 4% of all new-vehicle buyers in the US used the internet as a purchasing tool in 2002, considerably below the figures quoted by Jupiter. Likewise, an annual global e-commerce survey by research firm Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) found that consumers in the US lag far behind those in Germany in terms of buying cars online.
The TNS findings suggest that European consumers and those elsewhere in the world are perhaps farther along in their use of the web as an automobile purchasing tool. However, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young?s ?Cars Online 2002? report, a study of consumer car-buying habits and preferences around the world, offers a divergent conclusion. The eight-country survey, which polled 2,500 consumers in the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Benelux and Japan, as well as 10 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and 100 dealers in each nation, found that 80% of buyers continue to rely on visits to traditional franchised dealers as their main source of automotive information, with the test drive still the most important factor in the buying process. Less than 20% cited the internet as their main source of information.
With these findings in mind, Ernst & Young?s conclusion that the internet has had a ?negligible? impact on actual car purchasing is unsurprising. The survey found that the internet accounted for just 0.7% of overall car sales. However, a significant percentage of the consumers surveyed said they would consider buying a car online, whether directly from an OEM or dealer website or through an independent internet dealer. For now at least, most dealers view the internet as a source of opportunity for their businesses, as opposed to a threat.
In automotive as with many other retail categories, the internet has helped consumers to research and refine their purchase decisions. However, it looks as if kicking the tires still holds considerable appeal, as does the ability to build a relationship with a dealer. Until these criteria shift dramatically, the internet is likely to remain an auxiliary rather than the main sales channel for car buying.