text:
Lumen Technologies is working with Wyoming Hyperscale White Box to launch a development site early next year in Aspen, Wyoming. The site will be used to build a sustainably operated data center.
Wyoming Hyperscale uses a liquid cooling technology, which incorporates a bio-based dielectric fluid for heat removal, to make data center cooling more efficient and require less water. The company says that its liquid cooling technology can remove heat and transfer it without using water, fans or refrigerant.
Lumen will aid in Wyoming Hyperscale’s initiative by providing the connectivity it needs for its data center technology and deliver data on-demand to Wyoming Hyperscale’s customers. In addition, Lumen will provide dedicated denial-of-service (DDoS) technology to prevent the company from being a victim of cyberattacks that would make its data inaccessible.
Lumen, which was formerly known as CenturyLink, left the data center business in 2016 when it sold its colocation and data centers for $2.15 billion in cash and a $150 million minority stake to a consortium led by BC Partners and Medina Capital. The company used the funds from the sale of its data centers to purchase Level 3 Communications.
CenturyLink wasn't the only telco that found it a challenge to maintain and operate a data center business. Windstream also sold its data center business to TierPoint for $575 million in October 2015.
Sustainable data centers
Wyoming Hyperscale was founded in 2020 by a ranching family in Wyoming. The company is building a sustainable data center that will use its liquid cooling technology without wasting water and is environmentally sustainable. The first phase of the Wyoming Hyperscale development is expected to be completed in April 2022.
Data centers are a huge drain on energy consumption. In fact, it’s estimated that data centers account for 1% of the global energy demand, which is more than the national energy consumption for many countries.


text:
Sign up for our newsletters
Receive the latest in Footwear, Fashion, Music and Creativity in our newsletters.
Having just unveiled the new Nike Flyknit Lunar 2, Nike Running‘s Senior Design Director Rob Dolan takes us in for a closer look at the innovative new running shoe. A marriage of two of Nike’s biggest technologies — soft yet responsive Lunarlon cushioning and lightweight yet incredibly strong Flyknit — the Flyknit Lunar 2 is set to eclipse its predecessor as Nike’s premier running model. More than just a simple update of the outgoing model, the new shoe is the culmination of months of research spent determining the right amount of stretch for the upper and the ideal outsole pattern to match the foot’s natural movement. Check out the video above to hear Dolan go into detail on the shoe and look for the shoe when it reaches Nike and select stockists starting February 6. If you just can’t wait, you can customize a pair with NIKEiD now.

domain: news


text:
London Colney supermarket pledges support for community’s elderly
A SUPERSTORE has opted to adopt Age Concern in St Albans as its charity for the coming year.
Sainsbury’s in London Colney asked customers and colleagues to nominate the charities important to them to re-launch its Local Charity Partner scheme.
Age Concern was chosen because it is local, it was felt it would benefit more from what Sainsbury’s could offer and it was helping elderly people in the community.
To kick-start the scheme, Sainsbury’s has already donated �300 that will contribute towards the cost of food for those who attend Age Concern day centres during the summer months.
Stuart Priest, deputy manager of Sainsbury’s in London Colney, said: “Sainsbury’s will help with supplying food over the next seven weeks and funding for Age Concern.”
To raise funds, the supermarket has organised a barbecue and summer party during August and is arranging other events throughout the year. It will also invite members of Age Concern to a Christmas dinner, a coffee morning and a tour of the store.
Ian Woods, chair of trustees at Age Concern, said: “Age Concern in St Albans is a local charity with limited funds and are reliant on volunteers. Sainsbury’s will make a big difference.”
- 1 Seventies St Albans is backdrop to new novel about secret Nazi treasure
- 2 Extinction Rebellion protestors scale roof of Barclays in St Albans
- 3 Local restaurants snap up accolades in Curry Awards
- 4 The latest court results for the St Albans area
- 5 Batchwood Golf Course to be redesigned after houses hit by balls
- 6 1,000 new homes planned next to village
- 7 St Albans haberdashery store celebrates 50 years
- 8 Future of Harpenden Public Halls site revealed
- 9 Yellow warning for snow and wind in Herts as Storm Arwen sweeps in
- 10 Eight things we learned from the prime minister's briefing


text:
Wrangler, the leading denimwear brand for men from Arvind, will sharpen its focus on womenswear by floating a separate sub-brand for women’s denimwear with “a complete collection and unique identity”.
When enquired about strategies and plans, Anshul Chaturvedi, marketing manager, Wrangler, said: “Men’s denimwear has always been our focus and forte, although we do have products for women, too. We recently shifted focus to womenswear by putting in place a dedicated team of women merchandisers.”
“The company is working on a phase-to-phase manner to match products to the likings of modern women. Earlier, it all used to be the same – same trims and fabrics. We have changed the product detailing. The trims, branding and stitching are different, making the garment more feminine. New fits have been introduced especially for women. We now have slimmer and tapered jeans in line with international fashion trends,” Chaturvedi added.
Womenswear contributes 20 per cent of Wrangler’s Rs 65 crore sales. This has grown from around 3 per cent in earlier days. The brand plans to increase the contribution of womenswear to 30-35 per cent this year. Apart from creating a separate sub-brand, Wrangler is also toying with the idea of roping in a female celebrity for a brand fit in the future. The brand already has actor John Abraham as its ambassador.
The Wrangler brand was launched in 2000.
– Vishnu Rageev R, Bangalore Bureau


text:
Last week, GM Authority exclusively reported on rumors that the Chevy Sonic had been discontinued in Canada. Now, GM officials have confirmed as much: the subcompact sedan and hatch will be discotniued in the Canadian market following the 2018 model year.
“The change will allow Chevrolet to focus our car strategy in areas where there is more customer interest, specifically the Spark in the Small Car segment where we see volume and market share opportunities moving forward,” wrote Ester Bucci, Senior Communications Manager at GM Canada, in a statement to GM Authority.
Ms. Bucci also added that “Chevrolet is extremely confident that with one of the broadest line-ups of cars in the industry, we are well positioned to provide Canadian car buyers with a portfolio of options as diverse as they are.”
Sales Results - Canada - Sonic
*** This manufacturer is now publishing only quarterly numbers for this market. Monthly figures may be averages.
Canadian Sonic sales have dwindled in recent years. The subcompact range accounted for under 3,000 deliveries during all of 2018, a significant decrease compared to the 8,036 deliveries in 2014. Sales have all but dwindled to 37 units in October 2018 and 12 units in November 2018.
About ChevroletÂ Sonic
The ChevroletÂ Sonic is aÂ subcompactÂ family of vehicles that include a four-door sedan and five-door hatchback. HavingÂ replaced the Aveo in the Chevrolet lineup,Â the SonicÂ is currently Chevrolet's second-smallest car, slottingÂ above theÂ Chevrolet SparkÂ city car but below the compactÂ Chevrolet Cruze, midsizeÂ Chevrolet MalibuÂ and full-sizeÂ Chevrolet Impala.
The current model was introduced for theÂ 2012 model year and represents theÂ first generation of theÂ Sonic nameplate. The model rides on theÂ GM Gamma platformÂ shared with theÂ Chevrolet TraxÂ andÂ Buick Encore.
The SonicÂ was given a midcycle refresh for the 2017 model year. The 2018Â ChevyÂ Sonic represents theÂ sixth model year of the first-generationÂ Sonic. The vehicle remains fairlyÂ competitive in its segment and the 2018 model year bringsÂ a handful of changes, including a new exterior color, aÂ change to theÂ Sun and Sound Package, and the standardization of the seven-inch diagonal color touchscreen.
For the 2019 model year, the Sonic gained one new exterior color (while losing two other colors), the removal of the base 1.8LÂ naturally-aspirated Ecotec engine, andÂ several other minor equipment-level changes.
The SonicÂ isÂ assembled at the following plants:
- GM Lake Orion plantÂ in Orion Township, Michigan, USA operated byÂ GM USAÂ supplying United States and Canada
- GM Bupyeong plant in South KoreaÂ operated by GM KoreaÂ supplyingÂ Korea (previously supplied Holden Barina for Australia and New Zealand)
- GM Cairo plant in Egypt operated by GM Egypt (plant idled)
- GM Hanoi plant in Vietnam operated by GM Vietnam (plant sold and no longer producing GM models)
AÂ March 2017Â rumor statedÂ thatÂ GM wouldÂ discontinue theÂ SonicÂ as soon as 2018. As of this writing, it'sÂ unclear whether or notÂ the nameplate will see a second generation.Â In November 2018, General Motors announced that it will discontinue the Chevrolet Cruze, along with five otherÂ passengers cars. Though the Sonic was not on that list, the model was discontinued in Canada. The move leavesÂ the United States and South Korea as the only two marketsÂ where the model is currently available.
Related News & Info
- GM news
- GM forums
- Chevrolet SonicÂ information
- RunningÂ GM salesÂ results


text:
That’s the spot - rescue pets help launch charity fundraiser
- Credit: Jonathan Powemail@example.com
A group of rescue pets have been captured in a state of bliss as they enjoy a well-deserved scratch to mark the launch of a nationwide fundraising campaign.
The charity Support Adoption For Pets, the biggest funder of pet rescues in the UK, captured the content faces of dogs and cats as they got a helping hand from rescue volunteers to hit the sweet spot with a good scratch.
You may also want to watch:
Launching today and running until June 13 the charity is selling Scratch and Match cards with the chance to win one of 200,000 prizes and in turn donating £1 to the charity.
- 1 Builder took pink pill and ran naked around hotel
- 2 Norwich sees biggest rise in Covid infection rates in the country
- 3 Hotel 'nobody wants to buy' for sale as housing for £365,000
- 4 Four national high street names to move into former M&S store
- 5 Store open despite positive Covid test at town centre Sainsbury's
- 6 Fire tears through historic Thorpe pub
- 7 Vandals leave £80,000 trail of destruction in car park
- 8 Man who died in west Norfolk crash named
- 9 PM warns there will be no 'open sesame' lockdown exit
- 10 Nine Norfolk flood alerts ahead of Storm Christoph
Each donation will help Support Adoption For Pets reach its goal of raising £450,000 for local pet welfare charities.
Amy Wilson, fundraising manager, said: 'We hope these pictures make people smile. It's great to see the rescue pets so content getting a good scratch, and hopefully these images will help encourage customers to buy our £1 charity scratch cards.'
The scratch cards can be bought in Pets At Home stores and the scheme is being sponsored by Crown Pet Foods.
Established in 2006, Support Adoption For Pets helps more than 1,000 rehoming centres and animal welfare organisations across the UK.


text:
US-Kenya free trade agreement (FTA) discussions start today, opening the path to the first FTA between the US and a sub-Saharan African country.
The US consistently ranks as one of Kenya’s top export markets, maintaining a $1.1 billion two-ways goods trade in 2018; this was a 4.9% increase from the previous year. The East African country is also a major recipient of US foreign assistance, a hub for US security initiatives in the region, and the second-largest beneficiary of tariff benefits provided by the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
While Kenya remains a lower-middle-income country with over 80% employment in the informal sector, it has sustained average GDP growth of over 5% since 2010. Due to Kenya’s geostrategic location, it is considered a vital regional market for US investors. A potential FTA would be particularly helpful for the US to counter growing Chinese influence in Africa—despite Kenya’s efforts to diversify economic ties, China remains its largest trading partner.
Kenya’s need to balance its relations with the US with its African commitments. The East African Community has expressed concerns that the FTA may discourage intraregional trade and that it will likely set the rhythm of a process that is meant to serve as a model for future US FTAs in Africa.
To view the original article, please click here


text:
Oakhurst, CA. – The local Hallmark store and ornament collectors donated over $600 worth of the popular decorations to the Children’s Museum of the Sierra for the annual Christmas Tree Auction.
The donations came from Dave and Linda Dorsey, owners of Dorsey’s Hallmark in Oakhurst, as well as members of the H.O.L.I.D.A.Y.S. (How Ornament Lovers In Denial All Year Survive) club, a group of Hallmark ornament enthusiasts.The ornaments will be used to decorate a tree, donated by Bill and Carol Attwood, for the annual Christmas Tree Auction taking place Nov. 2 at the Bass Lake Events Center.
“Hallmark ornaments are incredibly popular, so we’re very grateful to the Dorsey’s as well as the H.O.L.I.D.A.Y.S. club for the donation,” said Jarrod Lyman, president of the museum’s board of directors. We’re sure the tree will raise a lot of money thanks to them.”
The auction is in its 11th year, and raises money for local non-profits by selling decorated Christmas Trees and wreaths along with a silent auction. In addition to the tree, the museum will also have a wreath adorned with decorations painted by kids during museum art classes.
Tickets for the auction are $30, or four for $100, and can be purchased at Sierra Telephone, Foster & Parker Insurance or on the website.
Admission includes hors d’oeuvres and complimentary champagne at 3 p.m., with bidding for the live auction beginning at 5:30 p.m. For more information, go to www.biddingforgood.com/bgcoakhurst or call 559-683-9000.
For more on the Children’s Museum, visit www.ChildrensMuseumoftheSierra.org.


text:
How do Rexnord’s valuations compare?
Rexnord (RXN) has missed four consensus revenue estimates in the last 20 quarters. Its revenue has grown at a five-year CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 1.2%. Its EPS has had a five-year CAGR of -17.9%.
The company has a price-to-sales ratio of 1.5x compared to the sector at 2.2x and the S&P 500 at 2.2x. The PE ratios of the sector and the S&P 500 are 37.5x and 22.1x, respectively. RXN has a dividend yield of 0% compared to the sector and the S&P 500 at 1.4% and 2.3%, respectively.
RXN stock has risen 14.4% year-to-date.
What contributed to the valuations?
In 2018, Rexnord has released its fiscal 2018 results and announced product launches and a divestiture.
- The company completed its acquisition of Centa Power Transmission in February. The acquisition is expected to drive revenue and cost synergies and provide multiple growth opportunities for the complementary product portfolio.
- Rexnord launched its 390 Series MatTop Chain in February for tight transfer conveyors for the beverage industry.
- It announced the Tollok TLK 136 in February, adding to its line of locking devices.
- It recorded net sales growth of 8% in fiscal 2018, driven by core sales, acquisitions, and foreign currency translation, offset by the exit of the Rodney Hunt-Fontaine product line. Its EPS grew 5% during the period.
- The company intends to divest its VAG operations by the first quarter of 2019. VAG operations catered to worldwide water and wastewater infrastructure end markets.
- It launched the 3000 series MCF Couplings in June to its line of power transmission mechanisms.
- The company announced the Dry-PT option for select MatTop & TableTop Chains in June, adding to its line of conveying solutions products.
The Horizons Nasdaq 100 Covered Call ETF (QYLD) offers a dividend yield of 9.5% at a PE ratio of 24.1x. It has 60% exposure to the technology sector. The ARK Industrial Innovation ETF (ARKQ) offers a dividend yield of 0.1% at a PE ratio of 27x. It has 50% exposure to the technology sector.


text:
Microsofts pressrelease via Maxconsole.net:
PRESS RELEASE: Xbox LIVE is Bringing Home E3 2008 with a Host of Exclusive Content and Back-Stage Access
Starting July 14, Xbox 360 fans across the globe will have the opportunity to go behind the scenes at the invitation-only E3 Media and Business Summit (E3) and see what’s being unveiled for 2008 and beyond.
Microsoft is bringing E3 home to the more than 12 million Xbox LIVE members across the globe by providing breaking Xbox 360 news directly from the event to their televisions.
Viewers will have free access to the high-definition content and highlights from the not-to-be-missed Microsoft E3 keynote, which promises a host of surprising announcements.
Additional content made exclusively available will include a daily wrap-up of all the news from the show floor, behind-the-scenes footage from E3, never-before-seen gameplay, screenshots and game trailers from some of the biggest and best games of 2008 and exclusive interviews with industry leaders and developers. Fans will also have the opportunity to customize their experience with new gamerpics and themes and have a chance to try out some of the latest games, including a downloadable demo of the highly anticipated Xbox 360 exclusive, “Too Human.”
These additions will enhance Xbox LIVE Marketplace’s growing library of premium entertainment, which already equals more than 4,800 hours of total downloadable content (HD and SD). Xbox LIVE Marketplace is the leading destination for downloadable HD movies and television content.
Don’t miss any of the news and excitement Microsoft has in store for its Xbox 360 fans by gathering everyone together in the living room to and enjoy the E3 experience with E3: Bringing It Home. To download E3 content, go to Xbox LIVE Marketplace or visit www.xbox.com/LIVE.
Forslag til innlegg:


text:
This month Northern Rock became part of Virgin Money, who are the proud sponsors of Newcastle United.
To mark this occasion, last week Virgin Money launched the world's first 270-degree 3D projection on Senate House, in London.
Virgin Group chairman Sir Richard Branson himself kick-started the launch with a fantastic 3D display on the side of the iconic building.
Tickets for Newcastle United's home game against West Bromwch Albion are now on sale online from £27 for adults & £13 for children.
Tickets for Newcastle United's home game against Swansea City are now on general sale from £27 for adults & £13 for children.
Save a massive 40% when you subscrible to the NUFC digital matchday programme.
We're running competitions to win tickets and matchday experiences. Check them out here.


text:
ByteDance short form content platform TikTok has officially announced that they are expanding their AI-powered Creative Assistance tool to Adobe Express that allows Express users to now have the ability to add the assistant as an add-on within the app, according to a post on their company blog.
“TikTok and Adobe Express are announcing a first-of-its-kind collaboration with TikTok Creative Assistant to help make creating, ideating and optimizing TikTok-first video content easier, quicker, and more effective” the company said in the announcement. “TikTok Creative Assistant is now available as an add-on within Adobe Express — Adobe’s go-to tool for digital content creation and collaboration — making creative workflows for TikTok more intuitive than ever before.”
TikTok’s Creative Assistant, which is also available in TikTok’s own Creative Center, will be available in Adobe Express as well, and it is outlined in the video below:
@adobeexpress🎉 TikTok Creative Assistant add-on is here!✨ Your new TikTok creation bestie Gain TikTok-first guidance, tackle creative blocks, generate scripts and images, discover insights from Top TikTok ads, and more all within Adobe Express.
Adobe Express users will have direct access to these tools in the app which can create new content opportunities, and expand creativity among content creators as they plan and strategize the new content they are creating.
“Creating TikTok ads that embrace the platform’s unique style is crucial for success. When brands make ads that are TikTok-first—from jumping on trends to including features like text overlays, voiceovers, and green screen—74% of viewers say they catch their attention.¹ They also see a significant lift across brand outcomes,² and drive 3.3x more action such as clicks, likes, and shares compared to other platforms.³
Over the past few years, TikTok and Adobe have helped brands seize this creative opportunity by building easy-to-use creative solutions. With the new Creative Assistant add-on, Adobe Express now supports your brand’s entire TikTok creation journey from ideation to launch.”


text:
Verizon’s financial chief said that he isn’t concerned that recent price cuts in the cellphone service business will hurt his company in the longer term.
“There’s still a lot of room to grow,” CFO Fran Shammo said, speaking at a Deutsche Bank technology conference.
Over the weekend, both AT&T and T-Mobile cut prices or increased data amounts for some customers. Shammo noted that a similar thing happened with voice calling in the past, where minute allotments went up but service revenue for the industry continued to grow.
Shammo said that the industry has learned over and over that paying large sums to steal each other’s customers is not a good business, something he said he learned back in the days of competition for long-distance phone service.
“We’re not going to buy customers,” Shammo said. “You have to earn customers.”
Shammo pointed to opportunities with Verizon’s existing wireless customers, noting half of its customers are using either a non-smartphone or one that only operates on its older 3G network. “Our upgrades will probably go up this year.”
The upgrade rate had come down at Verizon and other carriers as they shifted to tighter rules requiring customers to wait a full two years before getting a subsidy to buy a new phone.
On the tablet side, Shammo noted only about 8 percent of its customers have a tablet attached to their account. He also noted that businesses are shifting to tablets from laptops.
Shammo noted that Verizon’s wireless unit grew 8 percent last year. He did say that growth level is unlikely to continue given that it is already a $75 billion business.
“That’s going to slow over time,” he said.
Verizon’s move to buy out Vodafone to take control of Verizon Wireless opens up further opportunities, Shammo said, noting a just-launched promotion that gives new FiOS customers a discount if they use the company’s wireless service.
Additional spectrum is going to open up new opportunities in the wireless business, including in mobile video, he said.
Shammo also downplayed moves to rely on big trade-ins on older smartphones as well as the move to no-contract plans. While Verizon has its Verizon Edge program that allows more frequent updates, Shammo said it is being limited to highly credit-worthy customers.
“There is a lot of risk with the installment sale,” Shammo said. “We’re going to take a very conservative approach here.”
Last week, Verizon’s network chief, Nicola Palmer, said that the company plans to step up its use of a second swath of spectrum in order to add capacity in highly trafficked parts of its LTE network. It will also start routing voice calls over its LTE network, which Shammo said opens up new opportunities in video conferencing.
The capabilities of LTE-broadcast could allow more TV-like video services such as pay-per-view which will open new opportunities, he said, but added “the ecosystem will have to develop here.”
Business models, in particular, need to change. There is no way, Shammo said, that a mobile video service could generate enough revenue to pay several dollars per month to ESPN and other content providers.
As for his thoughts on a potential merger of T-Mobile and Sprint, Shammo reiterated the position taken by CEO Lowell McAdam.
“We’re really happy with four competitors,” he said.
Shammo also addressed the increasingly hot topic of so-called “peering agreements” with big content players such as Netflix.
“We’re in talks with Netflix,” he said, adding he is confident the two will reach a deal. “We’re very comfortable with where we are.”
Shammo said he isn’t concerned about a Time Warner-Comcast merger, saying Verizon competes against both today with FiOS.
“I’ll just compete against Comcast tomorrow,” he said. “We’re ready to compete with whomever.”
Shammo said that Verizon hopes to be active in upcoming spectrum auctions, noting that while the company has enough spectrum to meet needs for the next three to four years, spectrum will be constrained over the next 10 years and it isn’t often additional spectrum becomes available.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.


text:
* Carnival Corp Again Shuffling Top Brand Execs
Cunard Line said today that well-known industry executive Rick Meadows will become president of Cunard Line-North America, reporting to David Noyes, CEO of Cunard Line.
Meadows will be responsible for the brand’s North American operations, effective December 1.
* Marketing - But Not to You
Starting next Monday, the World’s Leading Cruise Lines, a/k/a the nine brands of Carnival Corp, are going to begin a major marketing initiative across multiple platforms, but it’s not aimed at you, because you are already a cruiser. They are specifically targeting people who have never cruised.
The complete articles appeared in the e-mail edition of Cruise News Daily delivered to our subscribers.


text:
Alia Bhatt has turned designer with a clothing line titled 'Alia' for an online shopping portal
Actress Rekha inaugurated the Celebrate Cinema festival at Subhash Ghai's Whistling Woods academy on May 17
Ameesha Patel and Neil Nitin Mukesh were spotted at the screening of their latest film Shortcut Romeo in Mumbai on June 20. The film released today (June 21).
We may be waiting for the joyous rains, but it seems these beautiful ladies already made a splash on the ramp during a charity fashion show by designers Manish Malhotra and Shaina NC in Mumbai on Sunday (June 2, 2013).
Sunny Leone was spotted at an ad shoot for an energy drink with actor Sachin Joshi in Mumbai.


text:
Vice president of all F&B services at Sea Chefs, Rupert Kien will share his years of industry expertize at the debut Marine Catering Forum, taking place on June 19-20, 2019. Ahead of his session, 'Produce & Menus', Rupert sat down with the #MCE19 team to discuss his journey so far.
Overall, I am responsible for the operational side of the entire F&B department an all TUI Cruises' cruise ships. There are around 4000 workers onboard, and on the office side, we have around 13 positions.
Speaking with my friend and sales director at Steripower, Mr. Arno Ahrens!
A key challenge will be ensuring the supply of quality and quantity for all cruise ships around the world.
I couldn't single out one project, but we are working on some interesting initiatives. We will reduce plastic waste by 80% by 2020. Food waste will be reduced by 40% by the end of 2019. We are developing our own coffee, tea, and chocolate brands, debuting in 2020 with direct sourcing. We are also working towards providing farmers in this supply chain with better conditions.
The biggest upcoming trend will be where the goods come from and the story behind them. Also, the passengers with special dietary requirements and allergic passengers are getting more and more variety. For our market, it is also important that the passengers see that everything is freshly cooked and not too many convenience products are used.
Everything, everywhere, outstanding!
I will talk a lot about the German market.
This event is happening for the first time, so let's see what happens!


text:
Supply chain compliance is on the government’s enforcement radar like never before. If the recent Executive Order on Trafficking in Government Contracts and final SEC Conflict Minerals Rules were not notice enough, the Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) February 20, 2013 announcement of headline-grabbing charges against the two largest domestic honey processing companies eliminates any doubt that companies must carefully examine the effectiveness of their existing supply chain compliance programs.
As the DOJ press release noted, Texas-based Honey Holdings, doing business as Honey Solutions, and Michigan-based Groeb Farms, as well as five individuals, were charged criminally following an interagency global “honey laundering” sting. The detailed charges allege not only the record-breaking illegal importation of honey from China without paying antidumping import duties, but also the introduction into commerce of adulterated honey. As of today, the two charged companies entered into Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs); of the five charged individuals, three defendants have pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing, one is a fugitive and one is awaiting trial.
This exceptional case is not only the largest anti-dumping case in U.S. history, but also the nation’s largest food-fraud case, shattering the prior record of about $80 million set by the same enforcement team some two years earlier. Not only did the defendants allegedly mislabel honey to avoid more than $180 million in antidumping duties, but they also imported and sold honey adulterated with unapproved antibiotics. But the real story may be what this case signals about the federal government’s amplified focus on supply chain compliance—and the lengths it will go to in its efforts to bring a case.
Import Restrictions on Foreign Honey
In 2001, the U.S. Department of Commerce determined that honey from China was being sold in the U.S. at less than fair market value. In response, the government implemented antidumping laws imposing hefty duties on Chinese-origin honey.
Some companies, however, sought to illegally work around the antidumping laws, using one or more of three separate strategies: (1) mislabeling honey as sugar, molasses or another similar product; (2) mislabeling honey coming directly from China as coming from another country; or (3) transshipping honey from China through another country and claiming it as the country of origin. (Notably, Honey Solutions and Groeb Farms are charged with knowingly buying honey that illegally entered the country in avoidance of applicable antidumping duties under all three of these strategies.)
Meanwhile, in 2002 the Food and Drug Administration issued an alert for honey containing the antibiotic Chloramphenicol, which is used to treat serious infection in humans, but is not approved for use in honey. Honey containing the antibiotic is considered to be “adulterated.” (Honey Holdings is charged with knowingly importing and distributing such adulterated honey from Poland.)
Key Points from the Government’s Honey Laundering Sting
Supply Chain Audits Were Performed . . . and Corporate Executives’ Failure to Adequately Address the Results Led to Corporate Criminal Liability.
The two charged companies—Groeb Farms and Honey Solutions—rank among the world’s largest honey processors, selling honey to the industrial, retail and foodservice sectors. The individual defendants, in turn, are executive-level food brokers and distributors. The government alleges that from 2008 through 2012, Groeb Farms implemented first-party onsite supply chain audits and inspections of manufacturers and suppliers to insure compliance with all laws, including honey import laws. The government says these detailed audits raised substantial concerns that honey from overseas suppliers was illegally transshipped and misdeclared. One supplier even refused auditors access to facilities (a classic supply chain “red flag”).
Despite these clear warning signs signaling significant supply chain problems, Groeb Farms continued to buy honey sourced from these suppliers. Executives, indeed, even went so far as to knowingly provide false information to their Board of Directors and to market and promote the company’s business practices as compliant with applicable laws.
The company’s failure to conduct meaningful supply chain due diligence, its executives’ willful blindness toward evidence of illegality, and the resulting cover-up, resulted in the current charges.
Responsible Corporate Executives Were Charged Individually.
In a rare move, the government, as noted above, entered into two deferred prosecution agreements with Groeb Farms and Honey Holdings (and only assessed $2 million and $1 million, respectively, in fines based on both companies’ ability to pay) while simultaneously charging five individuals (one of whom is a Canadian citizen) for their roles in the illegal business schemes.
This case, therefore, stands in stark contrast to the DOJ’s trend of entering into deferred prosecution agreements with companies while leaving the individuals who actually engaged in the illegal conduct uncharged.
The Government Used an Undercover Agent Inside a Company.
In 2011, Honey Holdings began cooperating with the government in its efforts to identify others engaged in illegal importing. This included the placement of an undercover law enforcement officer in Honey Holdings as its “Director of Procurement.” But unlike other cases, this undercover officer was not inserted in a government-created undercover company. Rather, the undercover officer was placed into a real operating company unaffiliated with the government.
This style of sophisticated, aggressive and proactive investigation was once the sole province of narcotics and organized crime cases. If this case is any indication, this may well be a sign of things to come in this area.
Mandatory Corporate Compliance Program for the Corporate Defendants Parallel SEC Conflict Mineral Rules.
In addition to other significant concessions common in a white collar case—such as promising to cooperate fully with the federal government, producing all documents requested, making employees available for testimony, voluntarily disposing of the illegal honey and paying millions of dollars in fines—Groeb Farms and Honey Holding agreed to implement corporate compliance programs as part of their respective deferred prosecution agreements.
More specifically, under the agreed-to compliance programs, the companies must conduct “reasonable country-of-origin and supply chain inquiries” —thereby adopting a standard similar to the SEC’s recently released final Conflict Minerals Rules. Significantly, as part of its risk assessment—and in what appears to be a first-of-its-kind provision—the companies are required to conduct diligence on their suppliers by performing supply chain audits. Key criteria of the audits include “the willingness and extent of access granted for the audits; thoroughness, scope, and frequency of the audits; and the training, expertise, and credibility of the auditor.”
The mandated compliance program also requires the companies to educate their customers regarding (1) their policies on traceability and (2) food laws—requirements evocative of the disclosures required by other “hot topic” supply chain compliance laws and regulations, including the president’s September 25, 2012, Executive Order on Trafficking in Federal Contracting, the California’s Transparency and Supply Chains Act, and the pending Business Transparency on Trafficking and Slavery Act (H.R. 2759).
The Lesson: Supply Chain Compliance Is Serious Business—and the Government Is Starting to Treat it as Such
As previous client Updates have advised, companies should understand and mitigate the various subject-specific risks their supply chains expose them to. Because responsible, practical solutions to these challenges are as varied as the companies that must adopt them, companies should consult with experienced counsel to:
Understand (and Begin to Reduce) Your Risk Profile
Conduct an initial mapping and risk-based analysis of your supply chain.
Understand your responsibility. Transaction/business partners such as suppliers, distributors, agents, consultants and customs expediters are responsible for the bulk of compliance risks (particularly in the developing world).
Be aware of your supply chain. Suppliers who engage in trafficking or bribery likely also violate other human rights, social and environmental laws and regulations and will deceive customers.
Identify, rank and address discrete areas of greatest subject-specific vulnerability.
Conduct targeted due diligence on, and vetting of, potential “risk-aggravating” transaction partners to help avoid problems at the outset.
Root out bad actors through professional vetting and due diligence.
Control “marginal” actors through effective and focused training.
Bring your code and tailored executive oversight and training in line with best practices.
Remove bad employees and educate those on the margins.
Conduct targeted predeal due diligence.
2. Be Prepared to Address Problems
Understand and respond to the spectrum of significant risks: governmental intervention; consumer boycotts; class actions; and advocacy group pressure.
Be able to demonstrate effectiveness of efforts to government(s), consumers, shareholders and advocates.
Have a sound hotline reporting system in place.
Have experienced counsel available 24/7 to answer questions and hotline reports, address time-sensitive issues and appropriately escalate any more serious issues.
Develop an integrated crisis response approach.
Respond to allegations of serious misconduct by conducting a practical phased internal investigation.
The DOJ’s honey-laundering indictments provide companies with complex supply chains an even greater incentive to conduct appropriate due diligence and ensure that their audit results are taken seriously. The government has put companies on notice that supply chain audits originally intended as corporate shields to liability may now serve as the government’s sword to convict the corporation if the audit results are ignored or not taken seriously.


text:
The Realme C3 comes with the specs of a midrange handset along with a price that will blow your mind.
24 Feb 2020 8:04 AM
Starting from 12 noon on February 14th, 2020, realme C3 is offering customers a discount of Rs 1,000 on exchange of smartphone on Flipkart.
14 Feb 2020 11:10 AM
realme C3 features 5000 mAh battery, 6.52-inch HD+ Mini-drop Fullscreen, and world’s first MediaTek Helio G70.
06 Feb 2020 1:41 PM


text:
Snap Inc. (NYSE:SNAP), the company behind Snapchat, just launched a major update that brings its highly anticipated “World Lenses” feature to the masses. The technology is similar to the augmented reality (AR) used with Nintendo’s Pokemon Go game for mobile devices. World Lenses take this a step further by letting the user access AR objects they can interact with behind the camera and that anyone in the frame can also interact with.
The feature was designed to be easy to use, letting people launch the app and immediately start playing around with the new objects. Using the feature doesn’t require any additional hardware or special cameras. Placing an object works similarly to using some of the selfie filters that already exist in Snapchat. Once the digital 3D objects are placed, you can walk around the objects and see their backside.
The new World Lenses feature is accessed from the home screen when the app is opened. When using the rear camera, you can tap anywhere on the screen to bring up the World Lenses list at the base of the app. There won’t be any sponsored third-party World Lenses at launch, but that is likely to change in the future.
Snap didn’t harp on the augmented reality part of World Lenses in its announcement, instead choosing to focus on the fact that it is a new Lenses offering. Snapchat’s Lenses have drawn an avid base of users and has helped propel new forms of digital advertising.
Snap went public last month, but the company’s stock has fallen as Facebook and its many brands have copied the features that made its platform unique. Facebook recently introduced a user interface that resembles the camera-first interface pioneered by Snapchat. Facebook, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp all now have a feature that mimics Snapchat Stories. Last week, Instagram said that 200 million people were using its Stories feature each day.
The imitations are at least partly responsible for Snap’s share price dropping from a high of $27 to a low of about $19. Snap reports its first earnings as a public company next month. Investors are looking for evidence that Snap can be more innovative than its competitors. The Facebook clones are very likely to be a concern for shareholders.


text:
“Have you been physically or emotionally injured by Duolingo?” asked the attorney, who promised to get victims millions in compensation.
It wasn’t a real TV ad from a scummy lawyer, but an April Fool’s prank released earlier this month by Duolingo, the popular education app known for its gamification of language learning and for its passive-aggressive reminders (“It would be a bummer to lose that 7-day streak. Just saying.”)
In the past, Duolingo has said that its guilt-laden nags get better results. In tests, the company reportedly found that customers are more likely to open emails with the subject line, “You made Duo sad????”
“Specifically, when we’ve tested other options, we’ve found them to be between 5% and 8% less effective at getting learners to take a lesson,” a spokesperson told Debugger.
Increasingly, the company has leaned into its reputation as sort of a bully in its marketing efforts. (“Beg for your life in German!” one user joked on Reddit.) On TikTok, the company’s mascot, Duo, a cute green owl with a mischievous streak, has become like the modern version of the Kool-Aid man. But instead of unexpectedly busting through walls, it’s twerking in the office, getting inappropriate with the photocopier, expressing its love for Dua Lipa, and holding the office dogs hostage until you do your Spanish lesson.
And it’s working for Duolingo. Since 2021, the company has grown its TikTok audience to 4 million followers and routinely fetches more than 1 million views per video. At the same time, it’s become one of the most popular educational apps with more than 500 million downloads and $250 million in revenue in 2021, up 55% from 2020.
Of course, Duolingo isn’t the first brand to gain followers by being funny and irreverent on social media: Brands like Wendy’s, Innocent Drinks, and Steak-umm have seen their controversial takes—and brutal roasts of people on Twitter—get attention. But the company definitely stands apart in the e-learning industry, where competitors like Rosetta Stone and Babbel are often more serious and professional, and tend to focus their social media marketing on sharing content about the subjects they teach.
TikTok users follow Duolingo because its posts are funny. But some research suggests that an irreverent approach also comes across as more authentic to consumers than traditional marketing and can significantly impact the perceived value of a company’s products and the perception of a brand’s trustworthiness.
Regularly using the Duo owl mascot as the butt of the joke is disarming, and pointing out that it’s a brand using social media to reach customers helps the company come across as more genuine. As a result, the dialogue feels like a shared joke, and that’s particularly entertaining, even if Duolingo’s mascot is making fun of itself, its employees, or its customers.
The caption for the post reads: “We only say gay rights in this house,” a signal that the brand is liberal and understands the cultural lexicon but is not afraid to ostracize people.
Granted, Duolingo’s social media approach isn’t one that most brands can pull off. Being silly on social media is risky and can backfire if not done with intention, buy-in from leadership, and self-awareness. What works for Duolingo is the brand’s tone of voice, which is comedic, deliberately self-referential, opinionated, and, above all, consistent, which is critical to being believable and memorable.
One recurring story line features the Duolingo lawyer on TikTok pretending that the mascot’s actions on social media have gotten the company in legal trouble. This series is refreshing, as it’s a reaction to the company’s content being considered “unhinged,” so it’s attempting in real time to make fun of social media discourse on social media. Because it’s a funny, unexpected topic to harp on, each addition builds camaraderie between the brand and its followers as they’re part of a developing inside joke.
Brian Honigman is a marketing consultant, adjunct professor, and LinkedIn Learning instructor.


text:
Living brief: May 1
ASHLAND -- The Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center's 11th annual "Cruise-In" will be held Saturday on the school grounds on state Route 60 just north of Hayesville.
This year's event is for all makes and models of vehicles and will run 11 a.m.-2 p.m. DJ Rockin' Bob will provide music from the '50s to the '70s while Celebrations by Sallie will be the Cruise-In food vendor. Students from Graphic Communications will sell T-shirts with heat transfer graphics. Proceeds from the T-shirt sales and the $5 car registration donations will go into SkillsUSA club accounts and be used in the programs.
Four trophies will be given out for best interior, best paint, best bike and best in show and the students will do the judging. Students also did all the soliciting for the trophies and more than 90 door prizes as well as the "goodie bags" and dash plaques that will go to the owners of the first 100 cars registered. CarQuest Auto Parts is sponsoring the trophies and dash plaques this year while at least 10 other businesses contributed items for the goodie bags.


text:
The debut is set for March 5 and teaser photos released by Dodge last month already give a good indication of what’s to come. Sales won’t start until late this year, meaning we’ll likely see the car arrive as a 2025 model in the U.S.
The design was previewed by the Charger Daytona SRT concept unveiled in 2022. Like the concept, the car seen in teaser photos is a two-door, though a four-door is also thought to be in the pipeline.
Dodge has gone with a hatchback body style, Matt McAlear, Dodge’s sales and marketing chief, said during last week’s J.D. Power Auto Summit in Las Vegas, Automotive News (subscription required) reported.
Dodge Charger Daytona Concept
McAlear reportedly also said the car will feature the Charger Daytona SRT concept’s Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust, a sound generator designed to react to revs in an attempt to simulate the variable sound of a gas-powered exhaust. According to McAlear, the car will be just as loud as the Hellcat versions of the Challenger and Charger. We’re talking up to 126 decibels.
Buyers will have various power options to choose from, including some potentially offered as upgrades via the Direct Connection parts program. The concept featured an all-wheel-drive powertrain Dodge said would be good for up to 800 hp, as well as a “multi-speed” transmission to provide distinct shift points like an internal-combustion car. It’s unclear if all of these features will make it to the production version.
The platform is thought to be Stellantis’ STLA Large design, a dedicated EV platform capable of supporting gas engines. For EV power, the platform supports batteries up to 118 kwh in size and 0-62 mph times in the two-second range.
Dodge is rumored to also offer a gas option in the Charger successor. Don’t count on a V-8 being offered, at least from the factory. Stellantis is phasing out the V-8 across its lineup. The most powerful gas engine will likely be Stellantis’ twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 known as the Hurricane, which may be paired with a hybrid system to take power levels beyond that of the current Hellcat supercharged 6.2-liter V-8.


text:
LeapRate Exclusive… LeapRate has learned via regulatory filings that FCA regulated Forex and CFD brokerage GCM Prime Ltd has named Levy Benarroch as its COO. Mr. Benarroch has also been added to the company’s board.
Levy Benarroch joined GCM Prime via its acquisition late last year of CMS UK / CapMarFX, where he was Compliance Officer. Prior to that Mr. Benarroch was COO of FX liquidity and technology solutions provider Finotec.
GCM Prime Ltd used to be known an AlumFX, an inactive retail forex broker which was acquired in 2015 by forex entrepreneur Salvatore Buccellato, via his US holding company Prime Trading Holdings Corp. GCM Prime was then relaunched in late 2015 as a service provider to Retail Forex brokers, providing liquidity solutions, full white label broker solutions, and Prime of Prime services.
Mr. Buccellato hired FXCM (now Global Brokerage Inc (NASDAQ:GLBR)) veteran Adam Toro, FXCM’s VP Institutional Sales and Business Development from 2003-2015, to be CEO of GCM Prime.
Salvatore Buccellato continued to run his own offshore retail forex brokerage called Gallant Capital Markets Ltd, based in the British Virgin Islands. Gallant filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month in the US.
During 2016, Mr. Buccellato’s Prime Trading Holdings put another £4.2 million of capital into GCM Prime, to maintain its cash flow.


text:
In a longer square covering a streaming radio and video ambitions of Apple, Alibaba, Facebook, and Google, Fast Company suggests Apple is stealthily posterior strange radio programming deals that would settle it as a vital actor in a party industry.
Apple is pronounced to be seeking deals with “triple A-list” talent to emanate a full register of shows to put it on standard with Netflix and Amazon, both of that have successfully launched renouned strange radio shows like House of Cards, Jessica Jones, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Sources that spoke to Fast Company contend Apple is aiming to run several vital shows during once, maybe as partial of a vital launch.
At final year’s Sundance Film Festival, Apple combined an iTunes Lounge where it hosted private invitation-only events for film makers, producers, and other talent. At a event, described as neat and understated, attendees pronounced Apple was “definitely articulate to a talent.” As has been formerly rumored, Apple execs also trafficked to Los Angeles to hear ideas for strange radio shows, with Apple’s strange programming efforts being led by Robert Kondrk, clamp boss of iTunes Content.
The iTunes Lounge was in fact partial of a privacy bid by Apple to settle a new, some-more active purpose in delivering entertainment. In a weeks that followed, Apple execs were in Los Angeles conference pitches for strange TV array that it skeleton to launch on an “exclusives” app on Apple TV and within iTunes. Apple wants to work with “triple A-list” talent, according to a source, and build adult a register of must-see shows accessible usually on a platform. Naturally, a talks have been potential in a pinnacle secrecy. Producers who have met with Apple will impute to it usually as a United Fruit Company.
Given Apple’s certain repute among creators, Apple has a pull to attract peculiarity talent and a money pot to account high sheet shows. Content creators are pronounced to be “so excited” about a probability of operative with Apple that people are “throwing [ideas] opposite a wall with them, to each border possible.”
According to 5 sources who spoke to Fast Company, however, Apple is “disorganized” and “hasn’t presented a awake strategy” for a radio plans. The association is reportedly holding a “two-lane” proceed to strange radio programming, producing a array of brief films, documentaries, and song videos to foster Apple song while concurrently building full Netflix-style strange programming.
Apple already has dual famous radio projects in a works. The first, that has not nonetheless been strictly announced, is pronounced to be an Apple Music-related project called Vital Signs, that is a dim semi-autobiographical play starring Beats co-founder and Apple executive Dr. Dre. The second, that was announced in March, is a non-scripted radio uncover that will “spotlight a app economy.” Apple is operative with Will.i.am, Ben Silverman, and Howard T. Owens on a series.
Alongside a proclamation of a a App Store radio series, iTunes arch Eddy Cue cautioned a uncover is not a vigilance Apple is delving deeper into strange radio and streaming video, notwithstanding rumors to a contrary.
“This doesn’t meant that we are going into a outrageous volume of film prolongation or TV prolongation or anything like that,” Cue pronounced during a time, though he did contend Apple would try identical disdainful projects. Hollywood sources told Fast Company that Apple is coming a radio ambitions with counsel and that Cue’s matter is “merely tamping down expectations.”
This entrance upheld by a Full-Text RSS use – if this is your calm and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, greatfully review a FAQ during fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.


text:
In 2017, Lee Valley Tools, an Ottawa-established specialty retailer focused on woodworking and gardening tools, entered its 40th year of business. But its customers, who were typically in their mid-50s to mid-80s and largely retired and experienced hobbyists, were shopping less at the store. “We were under immense pressure as we faced a core customer base that was aging,” explains Jason Tase, president and chief operating officer.
Tase knew the company was not keeping up with each emerging generation of shoppers—and how they preferred to shop—because its marketing model was based on catalog distribution. The retailer needed to attract more 25- to 45-year-olds to grow its customer base and remain relevant.
Lee Valley’s executive team decided to engage an outside company specializing in digital rebranding to research their target customer base. They found that their existing website could be perceived as “intimidating and overwhelming” by demographics that were largely new to the products Lee Valley sold. At the time, it was text-heavy and required product knowledge. When customers visit the site, they’ll see items like the Made-in-Canada Hand Plane, which is ideal for experienced woodworkers—but most everyday shoppers won’t know how to use one.
In September 2019, Lee Valley relaunched its website to attract younger customers. The website was now image-rich, more attractive to beginning hobbyists. The home page has instructions for novice projects that can be completed in a weekend, such as the cedar planter. The company also ran video campaigns—including a holiday commercial inspiring people to create and give personalized gifts—on social-media platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest.
The relaunch of the website came at the right time. When the pandemic hit, Lee Valley was well equipped to meet the demand of customers taking up new home hobbies such as gardening. “We saw a triple-digit increase in online activity,” Tase says. Lee Valley also saw a 200 percent increase in new customers from April 2020 to the end of 2021.
To maintain the interest of its new customer base beyond the pandemic, Lee Valley initiated several strategies. In June 2021, the company launched video content in the new “Discover” section of its website through partnerships with influencers popular with Millennials and Gen Z, such as Canadian chef Matty Matheson, who is known for his farm-to-table cooking. tips, and Halifax-based horticulturist Nicky Jabor. In January 2022, it introduced Make It Yourself kits aimed at newbies; They contain all the tools, parts, and video instructions needed for a specific project, such as a charcuterie board.
In the first half of 2022, the company increased its Instagram followers by 134 percent. (Sixty percent of its total Instagram followers are now in the 25 to 45 age range.) Sales to customers aged 18 to 24 saw a 61 percent increase in 2021 compared to 2020. The business plans how it will continue to engage this demographic. Partnerships with TikTok and Instagram influencers will further target younger shoppers, and post-purchase emails, such as instructions on sharpening chisels, will help the company stay in touch with buyers. The virtual workshops will also teach new skills to the customers.
Tasse cautions other retailers eager to attract a new group of customers that the process can be long, slow and sometimes inconvenient. He encourages brands to research their existing and potential customer bases before making any decisions. “Don’t make guesses about who your customers are,” says Tase. “The data is richer and more accurate. The more you know your customer, the more accurate you can be.”


text:
If you have been looking out for the news over the earlier month or close, you have seen a story about cryptocurrencies. This crypto-currency was a top pick among the shippers and those attempting to meet a propensity without the public power. Over the long haul however, cryptocurrencies are now noticing their heading and are prepared to be a surefire elective as opposed to government. In any case this is a reliably making protections trade for cryptocurrencies, which will make clever accommodating financial allies a fortune. Permit us to take a gander at under so you can see the worth in why you need to buy cryptocurrencies now. A broad number individuals that decide to get cryptocurrencies achieve for the endeavor regard. A cryptocurrencies were worth around 40 bucks each. The money is holding reliable in the reach, and showed at a record-breaking high at around 206, a month back.
The cryptocurrency downsized burst which has frightened off a beginner monetary help regardless, this is an occasion. The focal issue is that each time that the money recovers, it jumps to a value. Its problematic regardless satisfying. Also, with different cryptocurrencies in presence the value is relied upon to keep on moving for what is to come. It is theory, this could make cryptocurrency fall like so many of old events. Cryptocurrency drives forward through and continues making since it is seeing course of action on the web. This is bound to express outlets. Paypal is endeavoring to discover a way to deal with oversee perceive cryptocurrency into its model, and this may show that right hand eBay is anything but far behind. This will achieve an impact of cryptocurrency use on the web. All markers feature the money seeing skips and execution in the not far-disposed of future.
The cryptocurrency that you should huong dan trade binance at any rate is that currency is on the ground floor. Those that are placed assets into Cryptocurrency news, and the ones that jump in during the current second, stay to see returns. The coordinated piece of the essential change from cryptocurrency as a reformist, elective store of colossal worth which exists past the money related space to being joined into the particular foggy financial plan is its capacity to be tormented from the genuine experts it was made to keep away from. The inward income administration picked it needs its cut and that is the last tough spot that will be persevered. The IRS has verbalized cryptocurrency as property rather than cash and is in peril to land laws instead of currency laws. An online cryptocurrency wallet engages the IRS to get their arrangement while legitimizing the prerequisite for a central market.


text:
If you think of celeb-loved or celeb-run shapewear lines, the ones that come to mind are likely SPANX or SKIMS. However, in light of Kim Kardashian’s recent harsh comments about women in business, some people might be looking elsewhere for a brand to support. Luckily for all of us, Lizzo has a shapewear line on the way — Yitty — and it’s set to be inclusive and body positive.
What is Yitty?
Yitty is Lizzo’s childhood nickname, and the Grammy-winner has said that Yitty will be for everyone.
“This is *not* an invitation to change who you are… this is an opportunity to BE who you are on your terms. I don’t know about y’all — but I’m sick of people telling me how I’m supposed to look and feel about my body,” she wrote on Instagram. “I’m tired of discomfort being synonymous with sexy. If it’s uncomfortable TAKE IT OFF. And if it makes you feel good PUT IT ON. @YITTY isn’t just shapewear, it’s your chance to reclaim your body and redefine your beauty standard.”
You may also like: Lizzo gave an epic history lesson with a ‘Twerk Talk.’
Through a partnership with Fabletics, the line will carry items like bras, leggings and more, and come in a wide range of sizes, from XS to 6X. The brand is also carbon-neutral and eco-friendly with over 65 per cent of the pieces being made with recycled fibres, and its fully recycled packaging, according to People.
View this post on Instagram
“I’m selling that more than I’m selling thongs, more than I’m selling bodysuits or I’m selling shapewear,” Lizzo told the New York Times. “I’m selling a mentality that ‘I can do what I want with my body, wear what I want and feel good while doing it.’”
Knowing Lizzo, the line will be empowering, comfortable and perfect for any and all twerking sessions. The collection will be available online on April 12.
You may also like: Sign up for the Slice newsletter.


text:
For over 40 years, the month of January has brought automotive enthusiasts to Scottsdale, Ariz., for the
In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Hexagon has announced that it will cease selling new cars to focus entirely on classic-car sales through Hexagon Classics and the newly formed Hexagon Modern Classics.
The 2014 Amelia Island Concours d’Eelgance is set to take place March 7 through 9 on its namesake coastal island near Jacksonville, Fla.
In 2012, the Aston Martin Owners Club formed AMOC Racing, an organization that holds races throughout England to provide
It may not have a 188 mph top speed like the
The all-wheel-drive Nissan GT-R has received a makeover for the 2015 model year—and a bump in starting price for the base
The BMW i8 Electric Concept Car is the company’s alternative-fuel successors to the H car, the short-lived Hydrogen 7 that was introduced in 2007.
Following the success of last year’s 805 Maserati Edition loudspeaker, the British audio company Bowers & Wilkins has
Mercedes-Benz has developed a tendency to make bold promises with its concept cars.
Sunday marked the conclusion of the 2014


text:
Standard Chartered Bank said that today's banking industry is facing transformation and development, digital transformation and financial technology applications are the general trend of development.
Zhang Xiaolei, president, president and vice chairman of Standard Chartered Bank (China) Co., Ltd., said: FinTech is changing the ecosystem of the entire financial industry, and the company needs to integrate the resources of internal employees, external customers and innovative companies in an open manner. The bank's own digital innovation and innovation culture promoted the reshaping of bank genes, and Standard Chartered Ventures was an attempt by Standard Chartered Bank for this purpose.
- 2019 Global Enterprise Blockchain Benchmark Study Report (Full Text)
- People's Daily article: How big is the prospect of "blockchain + finance" (financial staff)
- Digital Money and Electronic Payment: Opportunities and Challenges for Global Governance
- Weekly: BTC plunges to drive down the market, blockchain project equity investment
- Industrial blockchain enters the market, 2020 may usher in an inflection point
- Why give up big exchanges and invest in small exchanges? Game Da Yao Guo Haibin summed up the five future investment tracks of the blockchain
Therefore, the launch of Standard Chartered Ventures in Shanghai not only marks the official launch of Standard Chartered's investment, support and cooperation for foreign financial technology projects, but also opens up financial services for Chinese customers, science and technology enterprises and Standard Chartered's more than 60 markets worldwide. The connection of resources.
Standard Chartered Ventures consists of three parts: the Innovation Lab , the Venture Capital Fund and the Business Incubator .
Among them, the Innovation Lab is one of the important projects of Standard Chartered Ventures, which aims to accelerate change and provide excellent services to customers. So far, more than 1,800 innovative solutions have been collected from employees around the world.
Under the venture capital fund and business incubator, Standard Chartered Ventures has made strategic investments in several financial technology companies around the world, mainly involving digitalization, innovative technology development and blockchain applications.
In the blockchain application, Standard Chartered began to use blockchain technology to handle cross-border payment in 2016. In early 2018, it established a financial technology investment department, invested in Ripple coins, and cooperated with Siemens Financial Services Group and TradeIX to launch the industry. A smart guarantee based on blockchain technology that digitizes the entire process of trade finance.
In terms of digital technology, the data conversion service provider Paxata is invested to provide a self-service data adaptive analysis platform to help users convert raw data into analyzable data.
Secure news and content sharing platform provider Symphony Communications also received an investment in Standard Chartered, and this strategic investment also provides Standard Chartered with a deeper understanding of the future of corporate communications and workflow collaboration spaces.
In terms of digitization, Standard Chartered successfully tested and launched the first digital retail bank in Cotedia in 2018, launching similar models in Uganda, Tanzania and Ghana.
In fact, before Standard Chartered Ventures landed in China, Standard Chartered Bank has made many attempts to develop and actively participate in many financial technology projects.
Standard Chartered Bank and Ant Financial Co., Ltd. use blockchain technology to launch real-time cross-border money transfer services for individual customers in Hong Kong and the Philippines, while ensuring transaction security, greatly reducing the time and cost required for remittances; opening the bank platform to enterprises The API interface enables it to call the required financial products and services anytime and anywhere, improve the efficiency of cooperation between banks and enterprises; integrate with Lianyi, optimize the enterprise credit evaluation model and improve financing efficiency through blockchain technology, and optimize supply for large enterprises. Chain transparency allows small and medium-sized suppliers to enjoy more favorable financing rates; as the only foreign bank to participate in the development of the “Bay Area Trade Finance Blockchain Platform”, helping large enterprise customers and their small and medium-sized suppliers to more effectively with banks Docking and financing.
Edit | C Uncle
Source | This article was written by IPO (ID: ipozaozhidao), the text is for reference only.


text:
It looks like RadioShack customer data is going to be safe—for now—but the issue of whether company data is a sellable asset at bankruptcy remains open.
As nerds everywhere mourned the February announcement of RadioShack’s intention to file for bankruptcy, the tech industry paid particular attention to one aspect of the process. RadioShack said it would sell off its customer data, which includes personal information on some 117 million customers, writes CNN Money. This data includes information such as customer names, phone numbers, mailing addresses, e-mail addresses, and, in some cases, purchase history.
In fact, RadioShack’s customer data was named first under the company’s list of assets to be auctioned. “Customer File: Over 13MM E-Mail Addresses, Over 65MM Customer Name and Physical Address Files,” the list notes.
In case you weren’t one of the geeks who used to lurk around the retailer’s strip mall locations, you should know that back in the day, RadioShack was actually on the leading edge of what we now call Big Data. You couldn’t even buy a battery from the company without giving them your name and address.
But do such policies still apply when a business goes bankrupt? “Any promises made by the RadioShack entity are as good as their promises to pay their creditors: that is to say, pretty much null and void unless the presiding judge and or creditor’s committee agrees to honor them,” writes Paula Rosenblum in Forbes.
The selling of this data had implications for consumers who would undoubtedly be getting junk mail and spam from would-be buyers of the information. But vendors that sold products in RadioShack stores also worried that their data might be available to competitors. For example, AT&T objected to its customer data being made available to Sprint, which was named as a potential purchaser of some of the stores.
Moreover, AT&T contended the data didn’t even belong to RadioShack. “Given that RadioShack was acting as a selling agent for AT&T and other mobile phone providers, is the data even theirs to sell in the first place?” Rosenblum writes. “AT&T argues no. It’s a really murky issue.”
In addition, people were concerned that the data could be used for identity theft. “If this data ends up in the hands of hackers, it can be used to launch phishing attacks, leaving customers exposed to malware by email, phone and text, in order to steal more personal and financial information,” Adam Levin, founder of IdentityTheft 911, told ABC News.
RadioShack’s privacy ombudsman—yes, it had one—soon weighed in on the issue, noting that at least for the time being, personal information wouldn’t be sold, and that the company would alert the bankruptcy court if that changed.
So it looks like the data will stay with RadioShack. The hedge fund purchasing some of the chain’s assets, Standard General, agreed not to buy the data so the sale could be completed by April 1, thus avoiding paying an additional month’s rent on the stores, writes Korri Kezar for the Dallas Business Journal. However, she warns, the ownership of the data isn’t yet settled.
Moreover, the data ownership issue remains worrisome for other companies. Retailers such as Sears, Kmart, and Macy’s are also expected to close some stores this year, notes US News and World Report. And what would happen to user data should a Google or Facebook go bankrupt, asks the Washington Post.
“This is an interesting object lesson for retailers,” Rosenblum notes. “My partner Brian Kilcourse has said for years that retailers really need to start thinking about their ‘information assets.’ Technology companies generally have clauses in their contracts that prohibit assignment of ownership to another party except during a merger or acquisition. In other words, they protect themselves.” The data, though, are subject to no such rules and regulations, she adds.
In addition, the Federal Trade Commission has gone back and forth on the issue in the past several years, depending on the business the company was engaged in.
It didn’t allow the sale of information from Toysmart (particularly because some of the customer names were children), but did allow the sale from Borders, under certain conditions, writes Joshua Brustein for Bloomberg. Numerous other companies that have gone bankrupt have also sold off their data without fuss, write the Motley Fool and Advertising Age.
In any event, if you’re involved in big data at all, raise a glass to RadioShack: This is where the data collection craze was born.
Simplicity 2.0 is where we examine the intricate and transitory world of technology—through a Laserfiche lens. By keeping an eye on larger trends, we aim to make software that’s relevant to modern day workers, rather than build technology for technology’s sake.
Subscribe to Simplicity 2.0 and follow us on Twitter. If what we’re saying piques your interest, head over to Laserfiche.com where you’ll see how we apply the lessons learned on Simplicity 2.0 to our own processes, products and industry.


text:
It turns out the story didn’t end there. After Tan made Ninja City owner Bac Nguyen’s response public, Nguyen sent a video on September 10 via Facebook apologizing for his actions.
Bac Nguyen’s colleagues were also cced in the email. (click to enlarge)
Things could’ve been all good from there, but Nguyen and his team started using Tan’s full name as hashtags in their social media posts.
From there, Tan sought Yelp’s help in getting the owner to stop using his name. (click to enlarge)
While Tan has apparently sent multiple requests for Nguyen and his associates to stop singling him out, from the looks of it, it seems like the posts have continued well into the middle of this month, including posts that refer to Tan as “fraud boi.”
According to Tan, the posts with his name have been deleted. He currently helps run a Facebook group calling customers to boycott the restaurant. The page’s about section reads:
“On September 8, 2014, Bac Nguyen sent messages threatening and personally attacking customers, in retaliation for an unflattering Yelp review of his restaurant Ninja City Kitchen and Bar. He did not send an apology until the victims stated they would otherwise go public with the messages. However, even after the apologies, Nguyen continued to harass and taunt the victims. Nguyen’s bullying tactics and complete unprofessionalism hurt more than the individual customers. They hurt the country’s perception of Cleveland. This is a group devoted to holding Bac Nguyen accountable for his actions and promoting a safe and tolerant environment for Cleveland consumers.”
Ruchu Tan told NextShark that in the end, his aim isn’t to try and put Nguyen’s restaurant out of business, but to simply get him to publicly apologize and stop his behavior. Regardless though, Bac Nguyen gets brownie points for his clever usage of the Pusheen cat emoji.


text:
On Thursday, Apple filed a motion to vacate the court order compelling the iPhone-maker to create a hackable version of iOS that the FBI can use to break into the iPhone of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook.
In the filing, Apple’s main argument is that its software is protected speech, and that the government asking the company to fabricate software that goes against its beliefs is a violation of its First and Fifth Amendment rights.
We read through the 65-page filing, and spotted the following revelations.
1. GovtOS would take 10 Apple engineers four weeks to create
Apple outlined all the resources required to create the hackable version of iOS, which the company refers to “GovtOS.” Because such software does not currently exist, Apple will have to create it from scratch, as opposed to simply tweaking its latest version of iOS. That will require six to ten Apple engineers and employees working for at least two weeks—but more likely up to four weeks. Apple will have to write new code, design and test new functionalities, and prepare documentation and procedures.
Furthermore, Apple will either have to create a brute-force tool to enter passcodes, or help the FBI build it. Once GovtOS is created, the software will have to go through Apple’s quality assurance and security testing. And Apple will have to record exactly how all of this was developed in case it ever comes up in court. To top it off, “if the new operating system has to be destroyed and recreated each time a new order is issued, the burden will multiply.”
2. Congress has said that companies like Apple are actually excluded from the All Writs Act
The government is citing the All Writs Act of 1789 in its court order, but Apple is claiming its use here is unjustified. In another pending case regarding a drug dealer’s iPhone, the judge said that the All Writs Act cannot be used to give the government this type of authority without approval from Congress. Apple is arguing that Congress actually gave the company protection in 1994 when it enacted the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA).
“Congress declared via CALEA that the government cannot dictate to providers of electronic communications services or manufacturers of telecommunications equipment any specific equipment design or software configuration,” reads the filing.
3. This order is like forcing a pharmaceutical company to create a lethal drug
Apple claims that the FBI’s order creates an “oppressive burden” on the company. According to the filing, it’s comparable to the government forcing a pharmaceutical company to create a lethal drug to carry out lawfully issued death warrants or ordering a news publication to publish a fake story to lure out criminals.
Sign up for CIO Asia eNewsletters.


text:
WILLIAM CLAY FORD JR., the great-grandson of Ford Motor Co. founder Henry Ford, will become chairman of the company on 1 January 1999.
Ford, 41, will succeed Alex Trotman, who will retire after six years as chairman, president and chief executive officer. Jacques Nasser, the No. 2 executive who has led Ford's financial turnaround, was named president and chief executive officer.
Trotman said the board has 'concluded that the roles of the chairman and of the chief executive officer should be separated.'
'My vision for the company is product leadership, the highest quality and customer satisfaction, and environmental leadership,' said Ford, who has held a variety of posts within Ford Motor Co.


text:
Samantha Bosa is used to dealing in threes.
She has three children and six months ago the West Vancouver resident opened three new businesses on Marine Drive.
Well, the trio is more like one, Bosa explains, a gym, a fitness apparel store and her own athletic clothing line all under one roof — Forma Athletics.
“I have ADD big time, so I dabble in everything,” Bosa jokes. “It is way more work than I thought it would be, but I am driven.”
With a background in fitness training – and after her third child, becoming the trainee – Bosa knows exactly what she wants from a gym and the clothing she puts through the paces.
Struggling to find what she needed, she decided to create them herself. So far it’s paid off.
Clients ranging from teens to those in their late 70s are turning out for fitness classes, which include everything from personal training to stretch classes and a kid fit program for girls and boys ages 7 to 11 and 12 to 16.
The fitness studio comfortably fits 10 to 12 people, which means class participants get lots of individual training, explains Dustin Ellsworth, Forma Athletics and Apparel’s retail manager.
“It is more like personal training put into a group setting,” he said.
Bringing the gym into the 21st century, participants wear a monitoring belt which relays their heart rate onto a large projector screen. Not only does this help instructors watch trainees’ intensity level live, but the technology also emails individuals a graph of their body’s workout rates and tracks improvements.
As for the fitness boutique, over the past three months, Bosa’s sold more than 200 tights from her clothing line — Forma Apparel. By mid-February, Bosa hopes to launch Forma Apparel’s first batch from a new line.
“It is all about how it looks on the bum,” she half jokes.
Bosa says she was sick of the limited workout clothing options in Vancouver, so besides her in-house brand, the store sells gear from names like Under Armour, Icebreaker and Arc’Teryx.
Opening the facility in West Van’s commercial heart made sense, she says. It’s close to her children’s school and an area she knows and loves.
“Starting Forma Athletics has been a huge endeavor,” Bosa says. But, she says she wouldn't have it any other way.
For more information on the gym, store or clothing line visit
www.FORMAathletics.com or call 604-922-8884. The studio is located at 1455 Marine Drive.


text:
In June 2021 alone, over 34.3 thousand mobile applications were released in the Apple App Store. According to Statista research, the mobile application industry would hit a staggering $808 billion by 2022. Apple’s latest report for the results of Q3 in 2021 reveals indeed very interesting numbers.
Instantly, Apple reports an exciting revenue record: $83.4 billion, with international sales accounting for 67% of it. In other words, app development is a fast-paced and hypercompetitive industry. Singapore has always been at the forefront of the industry and we, as an experienced mobile app development company in Singapore, always try to stay ahead of the curve.
Being one of our core services, iOS app development poses a series of challenges. Hence, it’s very important to be aware of the latest iOS app development trends not only to stay relevant but to provide the highest value for clients. With this in mind, we’d like to take a closer look at some of the trending topics in the field of iOS app development in Singapore and abroad.
Trend 1: Swift Programming Language
Since its introduction in 2014 to replace an outdated Objective-C, Swift has undergone a series of improvements to make it inherently safe, simple, and fast. It remains one of the most in-demand languages of 2021. Swift isn’t just for Apple hardware. It is available for developing apps that target Windows 10 as well as Apple’s Arm-based Macs, Linux servers, and AWS’ Lambda no-server platform. The last iteration promised to bring even more changes to the table:
- Expand the software ecosystem by improving compatibility with different platforms and cultivating open-source libraries;
- Enhance development experience through accurate diagnostics, responsive code completion, and reliable debugging;
- Refine language capabilities to allow uses in services and machine learning.
Some of the changes have since been incorporated in version 5.5, while others are still in development. Yet, as is common in mobile app development for iOS or Android, the upcoming changes will require some adaptation before the developers can benefit from them.
However, there are two most significant features in Swift that benefits it among other programming languages:
It refers to the set of regulations and rules which emphasize the order, as well as inter-dependencies of words, within any programming language. Although Swift has been a segment of objective C, you will come across several differences when it comes to the conditions, invocation methods, cycles, classes, enumerations, and declaration of constants. You will be able to prosper your business by offering an out-of-the-box user experience.
It happens to be the incorporation of open-source libraries containing the solutions for routine jobs and enabling the reduction of application size, thus saving lots of space in the devices’ memory.
For now, Swift has been listed in 15 the most popular languages in September 2021. So, keeping an eye on Swift’s evolution is essential for making a smooth transition and building superior products in the future.
Trend 2: 5G Technology
The topic of mobile app development trends cannot be discussed without mentioning 5G technology. Despite being around for numerous years, 5G has not yet become standard in many areas, but it will by 2022. This will be the next generation of mobile technology, replacing 4G.
According to the most recent data, Apple took the top spot among vendors in the global rankings for 5G smartphone shipments, with 40.4 million units shipped in the first quarter of 2021, and the forecast number of 5G subscriptions worldwide by 2025 will be 3billions.
Besides, the network has lower latency, further ensuring seamless connections. In the mobile app development industry, 5G’s faster connection speeds open up endless possibilities. When 5G becomes more widely available, apps that depend on technologies that require faster connections will receive a much-needed boost. Mobile app development can use this technology in different industries like AR/VR, Smart Cities, IoT, Supply Chain, and Transportation.
Trend 3: Security Enhancements
The standard definition of online security calls it the mix of rules that are followed and actions that are taken to make sure cybercriminals don’t compromise online user data and privacy. Striving for data security is a never-ending pursuit, with new vulnerabilities being discovered faster than the known ones are being fixed. So, in addition to issuing regular security updates, Apple also introduces tweaks that create a more secure environment. It provides many different ways to protect your information while using an iPhone or iPad, but on iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 were added even more features designed to be more safe and secure. The email address and internet activity can be hidden, tracking of app permissions are allowed, unsecured passwords monitoring added, and much more. However, while some of these measures will work throughout the system, others may need to be incorporated during development.
These are some of the things that are new with iOS app security:
- Stable Work: Latest security tools make mobile apps much more stable by enabling users to access them quite often.
- Increased Confidence: The latest tools of Apple make App Store applications quite secure, which helps attract a larger customer base.
So, for an iPhone app, the development company that considers its products safe, taking into account such features is not just a viable option but a part of core responsibilities. The apps development company in Singapore learned many tricks about developing safe and friendly applications in order to avoid all cybersecurity risks.
Trend 4: Privacy Enhancements
Along with security, privacy has become one of the main concerns for users and developers alike. Apple, which was not exactly an example of transparency early on, has since exhibited quite a commitment to privacy throughout its products. The latest version of iOS boasts an impressive list of precautions intended to protect personal data from leaking to external parties:
- Mail Privacy Protection allows you to hide your IP address and load remote content privately in the background so it is harder to track an Email activity
- App Privacy Report gives you more control over permissions, and the power to revoke them where needed
- Precise Location allows apps to use only your approximate location
- Apple’s iCloud Private Relay – a VPN-like service routes your web traffic through multiple servers and keeps your location private
- HomeKit lets you store encrypted video footage in iCloud
For users, these are all welcome changes that strengthen confidence in their device and apps installed on it. However, from the mobile app development perspective, certain requirements should be fulfilled to enjoy these benefits. For instance, if your app is designed to gather data, you are expected to describe how exactly you are going to use it. There is an entire list of requirements to this information:
- What type of data the app is collecting
- Whether the data can be linked to a specific device or identity
- Whether app design adheres to App Store Connect privacy practices
- Does the app use third-party code
Likewise, the permission to track the user’s location is managed on the level of the AppTrackingTransparency framework, which aims to make the prompt as clear and reliable as possible. Again, in the long term, these changes are equally beneficial for developers and users, so acknowledging them early on is necessary for fostering trust with the audience (and avoiding issues during release).
Trend 5: AR and VR Integration
The global augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) market is forecast to reach 30.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, rising to close to 300 billion U.S. dollars by 2024. These technologies will become excellent and part of the great turn in raising gaming and entertainment mobile apps. As you might expect, such a lucrative opportunity is already being noticed by device manufacturers, who are adding the support of technology to their products. Apple is not an exception: their ARKit framework provides a way to integrate iPhone’s camera and motion sensors into an AR-capable application.
The most recent version of the framework takes this concept to a new level by leveraging the hardware potential of the latest iPhone and iPad revisions. In the context of AR, this means the more accurate placement of virtual objects, creating a more believable image.
The new version offers several improvements to iOS 15:
Thanks to the location anchors you can for example place the names of the monuments of a city in their exact position and in Augmented Reality. Also, the user can move around the object and visualize it from all angles.
The use of Augmented Reality allows displaying items without having to download an actual app.
It is possible to track and detect faces to place virtual content on them and even create real-time facial animations.
In ARKit 5 this feature has been improved, allowing now to better capture body gestures and poses, as well as providing improvements in accuracy and distance.
In other words, an iOS mobile app development company that wants to create a top-tier AR application should be familiar with these features.
Trend 6: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Automatic face identification is no more a feature – it has become a standard. Filters and funny stickers were one of Snapchat’s expert drivers. As machines can identify images and process the natural language, AI-powered specializations in apps should and will develop.
AI applications differ depending on the context. It may be a speech recognition feature, smart filters implemented in the camera, or even an automatic assistant setting up the camera before taking a shot. Apple’s Siri and Google Assistant are amongst the most-known examples of AI-powered mobile apps, but the chances for applying AI in custom mobile app development are limitless.
Also, it is possible to use the smartphone to analyze a working industrial machine’s sound to spot the signs of approaching failure – sometimes the machine’s sound changes only lightly, in the way the human ear cannot stain, but the device is. As has been said, AI is one of the hottest mobile app development trends.
Nevertheless, making an app that would exceed user expectations is a recipe for success. Thus in iOS app development, machine learning (ML) is probably the most effective way of doing it. Apple has long focused on innovation, perhaps with the launch of the very first iPhone. Now, we can see the company adapting to the growing demand for AI and ML technology with the Core ML framework.
With Core ML, the app can use data from various ML models in a unified manner and incorporate new user-generated data entirely on the user’s device. The framework can also leverage available hardware resources to optimize performance or fine-tune data from other libraries. Something to be on the lookout for in the dawn of AI-based products.
Trend 7: IoT and Connectivity
The Internet of Things (IoT) has already permeated the consumer segment and is now conquering the enterprise segment. Still, recently the technology came into the customer market with smartwatches, smartphones, smart home devices, and smart fridges. The IoT market is set to be deserving of up to $1,319.08 Billion by 2026.
Merging the Internet of Things with smartphones makes it possible to provide advanced tools to control their machinery. Smartphones and apps are currently the intelligent centers of intelligent devices to be in the nearest future. Many new mobile devices will force the cross-platform mobile development paradigm in many software development agencies. To build an app running on both a smartwatch and a mobile phone, in the same way, is not that easy.
Still, the Internet of Things is used in logistics, Smart City systems, agriculture to monitor soil conditions, Apple Watch to assist diagnose heart problems, and so on. So that is a promising direction to explore for iPhone application development that can play out well in the long term.
Trend 8: Wearables
By now, mobile app development has gone far beyond the screens of your iPhone. Wearable devices are gaining more traction by the minute – and are expected to grow even more in the oncoming years at a CAGR of over 15%. Apple is actively contributing to this effect with the Apple Watch and its ever-expanding list of apps.
The latest iteration of its operating system, watchOS 8, expands an already impressive feature list:
- Portrait mode photos from iPhone
- The photo collection from your Memories is displayed in a unique mosaic grid
- Photos sharing via messages or mail
- Smart home control
- Security cameras monitoring
- New contacts app
- Focus syncs across your Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, and Mac
- Mindfulness app
- Sleeping respiratory rate
- Fall detection for workouts
- Audio controls
On top of that, it contains some privacy tweaks like an indication of microphone use. Even so, developers should look after the powerful new SwiftUI Canvas API that lets you take advantage of the GPU in Apple Watch for rich programmatic drawing. That being said if your company is not targeting the wearable market directly, being familiar with these features certainly helps with making the app more responsive, informative, and convenient. Wearable technology offers enormous opportunities and we are talking not only about watches, but about bracelets, and even jewelry. With some creativity, it can even be utilized in iPhone game development to create a truly unique experience.
Trend 9: iBeacon and Mobile Commerce
Bluetooth-powered beacons are not new technology itself, but they increase attention, as they enable the connection between the online and offline worlds. The beacons’ functioning concept is such that at regular intervals, they broadcast Bluetooth signals to devices (tablets, phones, etc.) within their range that are Bluetooth Low Energy compliant. According to Grand-view research, the Bluetooth beacon business will be worth $58.7 billion by 2025, with an expected Compound Annual Growth Rate of 95.3%.
For example, the user passes by the business, ignoring the advertisements. The store’s sensors connect to their device and deliver a notification to the user at this point. It can include any type of content, call to action, or basic knowledge. The business can benefit from beacon technology by getting information such as the number of times a customer visits the store or what are his likes. Below you may see the whole process in steps:
|A small wireless device called a beacon periodically transmits a radio signal||The signal is detected by nearby devices by Bluetooth||The device identifies the beacon by its ID number||The server checks the action assigned to this ID and responds||The user receives a personalized offer or message|
As a result, iBeacon is a new trend in iOS app development that helps businesses to enhance marketing in modern ways.
The same situation with M-Commerce (Mobile Commerce) – very beneficial for businesses. It usually uses native mobile apps and should not be confused with e-commerce, which uses mobile web pages. Using a mobile device, consumers or businesses can buy or sell goods and services. Mobile commerce is ready to reach $22 billion by 2022, so the mobile app development industry will focus more on making native apps as the market grows. M-commerce is one of the most promising trends in mobile app development, touching almost all retail industries. According to a study, 71 out of 102 respondents (approximately 69.61%) said that they are using online mobile shopping apps not websites to buy things so there are enough users for new applications to develop. As more consumers switch to mobile shopping, m-commerce apps will become more popular in 2022.
Trend 10: Cloud-based Applications and Blockchain
No list of trends would be complete without a mention of the cloud. Cloud-based mobile applications use cloud computing technology alternatively of the device’s hardware. The operating system no longer restricts you. It may be more comfortable to create a cross-platform application this way. Your mobile device does not need to devote too much production, thanks to cloud storage and processing abilities. In Apple’s ecosystem, it is represented by CloudKit, which provides an easy way to move data between apps and iCloud containers.
Aside from an impressive 1 PB of storage space for each app, the main strength of CloudKit is simplicity: with the CloudKit dashboard, the developer can monitor activity and manage database schema. Moreover, with the spread of 5G Internet, cloud-based mobile applications will outclass non-cloud applications. Nonetheless, the number of iCloud users growing year on year may be firmly regarded as another major iOS mobile app development trend. And it is a very exciting trend since this enables the program to be more lightweight while ensuring the security of users’ information and as we all know privacy and security are the top priority.
And if your main idea is to build a decentralized database – the blockchain is the answer. These decentralized databases do not require a gatekeeper to be a single service provider or company. Due to this, apps using this technology are more secure since no one individual can access sensitive user data by altering databases so no one would change or delete its records. So what are the main advantages of such a database?
- The high level of user trust: no one can modify the databases in an attempt to get access to sensitive user data
- Easy to develop: no need to re-create the app structure, just adapt ready-made properties to project requirements
Thus blockchain technology will become an essential part of mobile application development in 2022 as security becomes more critical.
These are the top 10 development trends to look up for in 2022. The list is not very long, there are a lot more trends to look after. Development trends are changing quickly, and everyone involved in iOS app development needs to stay tuned for regular ones. One of the iOS development trends that would never lose its relevance would be privacy and security topics.
As the customers would always want their data to be secure and all the activities to be done highly safe and secure. There are more things to consider, but be ready to keep up with the trends that will appear soon or you may not stay as competitive as the market is. If you need a tailored and customized iOS app development, we’ll be happy to discuss your project!