text:
Less than three years after Stone Brewing, one of the largest craft breweries in the U.S., opened a brewery in Germany’s capital Berlin, the California brewer admitted its failure and announced to sell the site to Scottish craft brewer BrewDog.
“We invested a significant portion of a decade and significant millions building Stone Berlin. And it didn’t work out,” confessed Greg Koch, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman at Stone Brewing in a blog. Reportedly, Stone invested about USD30 million in its German (ad)venture.
Koch explained the reasons why it did not work out: “To feed a beast like Stone Berlin, we needed volume. The sheer cost of building and maintaining Stone Berlin to our standards didn’t let us grow it slowly,” Koch went on saying. “Ultimately the project turned out to be too big, too bold and too early in our growth curve in Europe.” According to people involved in the matter, the brewery has a capacity of up to 200,000 hl.
When Stone Brewing announced in 2014 to open the first American-owned craft brewery in Europe, Greg Koch saw a great potential for American style craft beer in Europe. “We started Stone in 1996 because we weren’t OK with the status quo of beer in the U.S. We felt Americans deserved better, so we brewed it for them. When we saw much of Germany stuck in a similar status quo of cheap beer, we were convinced we could help,” Koch said. “As it stands now, German beer prices are the cheapest in Western Europe. As most of us know from life, the best things are rarely the cheapest.” But in the end, he failed to convince enough consumers to pay considerably higher prices for his beers.
It’s not the first time that foreign brewers got a bloody nose in Germany. The history shows dozens of unsuccessful attempts to conquer Bierland Germany. Latest example is AB InBev, which was even unsuccessful to sell part of their German operations (inside.beer, 20.03.2019).
The reasons of failure are manifold.
Firstly, foreign brewers like Stone, misinterpret cheap German beer with bad German beer. In fact, even the cheapest German beers are considerably better than many expensive foreign brews.
Secondly, Germany has already one of the widest range of beer styles in the world. Consumers have a great selection of beers to choose from and don’t wait for new alternatives as it was the case in the U.S. in the 1990s.
Thirdly, German beer business was and is still dominated by families who run the business already for generations. Most German brewers don’t look for the quick return like financial investors or startups, which need to recover their money within a decade or two. The aim of most of those family run businesses is to preserve the business for the next generation of their family, which does not necessarily mean to earn money in the short term.
And last but not least: The structure of the German brewing industry is still very much fragmented. Even most of the biggest players still count as a craft brewer according to the standards of the U.S. Brewers Association (BA).
In addition, Greg Koch made a couple of more mistakes in Germany.
As he later admitted, it was not one of his brightest ideas, to drop a huge boulder (apparently a “stone” meant as a symbol for Stone Brewing) on top a pyramid of European pilsners and lagers. As one of the authors of beerandwhiskybros.com put it at that time: “While on the surface it seemed like a fairly harmless way to celebrate American craft beer’s first beachhead on European soil, the act of destruction may have said more than Stone intended.”
TheBeer Jesus from America, as Koch is featured in a documentary film on the project, also started selling his beer in Germany in cans, a very successful way of packaging in the U.S. Germany, however, introduced in 2003 a special levy on non-returnable packaging, often referred to as can deposit, which made products in cans very costly and which helped banning beverages in cans in the country.
People familiar to the Berlin beer scene also wondered about the location of the brewery. At the first sight, the historic old gasworks in Berlin-Mariendorf looked like the perfect location. However, it is outside the city center and not easily accessible by public transport. While this might not be an issue for most U.S. citizens, public transport is essential for a location in European cities like Berlin.
BrewDog, the new owner of the premise, is also originated in Europe and will hopefully have a better understanding of the peculiarities of the German beer market, when it takes over on May 1. The Scottish craft brewer will temporarily close the facility to “turn the building into a BrewDog space, similar to the vibe we have created at our Columbus brewery,” BrewDog said in a statement. “Once we reopen, we are looking forward to holding a huge opening party, as well as hosting an epic European AGM for our Equity Punks there later in 2019 and also making Berlin the next destination for BrewDog Airlines.”
The brewery itself is a 100hl state of the art system with both a canning line and bottling line and also a 10 HL pilot system too. The main building of the brewery campus features an amazing 2,500 square meter tap room with a 13m high glass wall to the brewery and there are also 5,000 square meters of outdoor gardens for enjoying a beer outside.
After BrewDog takes stewardship of the brewery BrewDog will continue to brew and distribute Stone beers in Europe. “The history and camaraderie of Stone and BrewDog goes all the way back to 2007,” explained BrewDog. “Since our first collaboration brew in our original brewery in Fraserburgh, we have collaborated many times: from brewing ground breaking beers, to Stone being the only brewery featured twice in BrewDog’s TV show. Furthermore, part of the reason BrewDog ended up building a brewery in Columbus was because Greg [Koch] generously shared details of locations that Stone had considered in the city with James [Watt, cofounder of BrewDog].”
“We wish our friends at Brewdog every success with the Mariendorf gasworks property,” Koch concludes. “We loved it and brought it to life, and we know they’ll do the same in their own way. They will do great things.”


text:
Gun Lake Casino in Wayland opened in 2011 and features 47 table games and more than 2,000 slot machines. Photo via fb.com
A West Michigan tribe has distributed a 24-percent higher revenue-sharing payment to state and local governments than it did in the spring.
The Gun Lake Tribe in Shelbyville — which owns Gun Lake Casino in Wayland — said last month it paid $4,731,126 to the State of Michigan, $2,117,954 to the local revenue-sharing board and $1,419,338 to GLIMI, an economic development entity supervised by the state.
The total revenue-sharing payment the tribe made this fall was $8,268,418, up 24 percent over the spring payment and 19 percent over the fall 2016 payment.
The figures are based on a percentage of the casino’s electronic gaming revenues reported from April 1 to Sept. 30.
“This is a very special distribution because of the significant increase in revenues due to the expansion, and because we have surpassed the $100-million milestone,” said Scott Sprague, Gun Lake Tribe chair. “The tribe’s reinvestment of $76 million into the casino expansion has paid off for tribal citizens, our team members and the community.”
The Gun Lake Tribe now has shared $101,636,676 with state and local governments over 14 distributions.
This is the first payment to follow the May 3 opening of the casino expansion, which doubled the size of the facility and increased electronic gaming machines by more than 30 percent in number.
The expansion opened one month into this six-month revenue sharing distribution period.
The tribe and the State of Michigan executed a gaming compact in 2007 wherein the tribe agreed to share a percentage of electronic gaming revenues with the state and local governments.
Revenue-sharing payments are distributed semi-annually under the terms of the compact.
Tribal revenue sharing
The local revenue-sharing board receives and administers the semi-annual payments.
The gaming compact prescribes mandatory funding to local municipalities for costs incurred due to the operation of the casino, public safety services and replacement of tax revenue.

domain: news


text:
Atlas is permitted to sell the new beer within its own taproom on site, but taproom sales represent only 5% of its sales, Cox says. It received more than 192,000 label applications in 2018.
US -based breweries have become an unexpected casualty of the federal government shutdown.
"It's a super competitive business right now and every dollar we can get helps keep our employees employed, keeps the ingredients flowing so the whole business stems on a myriad of things", Williams says.
All labels have to be approved by the federal government. And that's a problem for beer makers like Joe Katchever. Craig Purser heads the National Beer Wholesalers Association and says large beer makers in the USA are also anxious about the bureau being furloughed.
Pearl Street is celebrating its 20th anniversary in February, and Katchever's team brewed something special for the big anniversary party. "I think about all the spring releases that are going to be coming out soon".
China sentences Canadian to death, raises diplomatic tension
Evidence obtained by the investigators "suggests Schellenberg was involved in organized global drug crime", the prosecution argued.
Samsung bets on M series smartphones to take on Xiaomi
Two smartphones , the Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20 are expected, and Samsung has revealed that it will unveil these on January 28. In comparison, Xiaomi had a 27 per cent market share and recorded its highest ever shipments in India in a single quarter.
Cameron church celebrates safe return of Jayme Closs
Smart added that on top of the trauma Jayme has experienced, she does not have to let it define who she becomes. Patterson is expected to make his initial court appearance on the charges on Monday.
Craft breweries are in fierce competition with each other for innovative new beers.
Hooker won't mass produce the beers it needs approval on just yet.
Owners there say they have a lot to look forward to. The agency will be facing a huge backlog of applications.
Beer drinkers will not get to sample brand new creations from their favorite breweries during the government shutdown. Otherwise, the beer might just sit in the tanks. "[It] doesn't matter what the size of the company is; when nobody's answering the phone, the work stops and it really puts the beer industry at a disadvantage", Purser said. It really makes it very hard.
Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association, estimates half of the craft breweries in the USA are in a similar position. As a result, Washington, D.C., craft brewer Atlas Brew Works can't fully distribute its new apricot I.P.A., "The Precious One".


text:
Burger King's Big Mac Clone Could Be Threatening McDonald's
Published 3:57 pm, Sunday, May 4, 2014
Burger King's Big Mac copycat is appealing to cash-strapped shoppers.
The fast food chain recently reversed declining sales—thanks in part to the new sandwich, writes Venessa Wong at Bloomberg Businessweek.
The "Big King," which is strikingly similar to McDonald's Big Mac, did so well that Burger King added a chicken version.
The sandwich is also seen as a better value. At $3.69, it's priced similarly to the Big Mac. But the Big King has 0.8 additional ounces of beef.
To compete with Burger King and others, McDonald's will have to focus on promotions and value, according to Businessweek.
The Big King isn't the first McDonald's copycat Burger King has released.
The chain also released a McRib-like sandwich last year.
- Burger King's Big Mac Clone Could Be Threatening McDonald's
- 10 Reasons Chick-fil-A Is The Best Fast-Food Chain In America
- 18 Awesome Fast Food Items You Can't Get In The US
SEE ALSO: The Best Fast Food In America
Follow Us: On Pinterest.


text:
Cars assembled in the U.S. with lots of U.S. parts are great and all, but they're far more 'American' if consumers here actually buy them.
Where does your state fall in terms of the cost of owning a car?
California cities packed with cars and people far and away lead this list, especially in areas hard hit in recent years by foreclosures and high unemployment.
Families in need of new vehicles before the school year are looking for the most space, reliability and mileage for their back-to-school budget. Here they are.
The year is only a bit more than half over, but auto enthusiasts are already looking forward to these models showing up in dealerships for 2015.
A new report says the daytime running lights on your newer vehicle could provide a discount on your current car insurance rates.
Despite the cloud of negative publicity surrounding General Motors' recall woes, sales showed strength during the second quarter
Your car is sucking the life out of your retirement savings and anchoring you to an unsustainable future. Ditch your car and worries for the good life.
Three states, in fact, have terrifying awful drivers, by this analysis.
Global Caravan Technologies is poised to forever change the image of the RV with a high-tech, luxurious and light vacation on wheels.
Don't miss the secrets behind...
... and much more!


text:
In papers filed with the federal district court in San Francisco, consumers' lawyers allege that former NebuAd executives formed a new UK company, InsightReady, as part of a strategy to avoid damages in the lawsuit. "NebuAd has long known exactly what it would do to escape this lawsuit," the plaintiffs' lawyers allege. "From setting up the new corporate entity, to moving it to a new country, to staffing it with the same loyal executives who have been with it all along ... these are well-trod paths for the principal actors."
Last November, two days after 15 consumers sued NebuAd for allegedly violating their privacy by purchasing information about their Web activity from Internet service providers, NebuAd allegedly registered a domain name in the U.K. for a new company, InsightReady.com. The business model of InsightReady remains unclear.
The lawyers now suing NebuAd also allege that the company was itself founded by former executives of adware company Claria (formerly called Gator) -- which, they argue, shows a pattern of name and identity changes. But Claria and NebuAd were separate companies. Claria had layoffs in 2006, but continued in business as a subsidiary of the company JellyCloud until last year.
For now, the lawyers suing NebuAd are objecting to a motion by the company's attorneys to be relieved from the case. They argue that granting the motion will delay the case.
But they also appear to be setting the groundwork to argue that assets of InsightReady and/or of NebuAd's former executives, should also be available to plaintiffs in the privacy lawsuit.
If NebuAd is out of money, the plaintiffs won't be able to recover much from the corporation even if they win the lawsuit -- unless they can hold former executives personally liable, or recover assets from an entity like InsightReady. Cyberlaw expert Venkat Balasubramani says the new papers indicate that the plaintiffs' lawyers intend to try to do so. "These facts that they're laying out could lay the foundation for that type of argument," he says.
Last year, NebuAd's controversial behavioral targeting platform sparked hearings in Congress. The company purchased information about people's Web activity from their Internet service providers and then used that data to send targeted ads.
Consumer advocates and some lawmakers said that NebuAd's Internet service provider-based platform presented a more significant privacy threat than older forms of targeting because broadband companies have access to users' entire clickstream histories -- including search queries and activity at non-commercial sites. Older behavioral targeting companies only track users at a limited number of sites within a network.
NebuAd consistently argued that it didn't pose a threat because it did not know users' names, phone numbers or addresses, and did not retain copies of their IP addresses. Still, Internet service providers abandoned plans to work with the company in light of lawmakers' concerns -- and last summer, NebuAd had laid off much of its staff. At the time, the company said it intended to regroup as a more conventional behavioral targeting company, but it appears to have simply shut down operations in the U.S. instead.


text:
Medscape recently surveyed readers to examine their experiences with use of generic products. While the majority voiced support for use of generics in general, noting that they were typically safe and cost-effective, a number of drug classes were singled out for being of concern. Among others, readers voiced concern about generic antidepressants. Almost half of our survey participants indicated that they often resorted to writing "dispense as written" when ordering a branded product, though even this tactic was not always successful and many patients were dispensed generics despite dispense-as-written orders. One psychiatrist reported that, in his experience, diminished efficacy of generic antidepressants in comparison with their branded counterparts was particularly notable at higher doses. Another told a story of a previously stable patient who became suicidal following a generic substitution. Yet, a pharmacist reader noted that the change from brand to generic was often made at the request of the patient due to cost.
Medscape spoke with Gregory P. Geba, MD, MPH, Director of the Office of Generic Drugs at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Lawrence X. Yu, PhD, Deputy Director for Science and Chemistry at the Office of Generic Drugs, specifically about generic antidepressants, bupropion in particular, and the most recent data, including that gleaned through post-marketing reports, on their use.
Medscape: Dr. Geba, can you please review the regulatory history of generic antidepressants including bupropion?
Dr. Geba: Bupropion hydrochloride was first approved in 1985 under the brand name of Wellbutrin® (GlaxoSmithKline; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) as an antidepressant drug that was indicated for the treatment of major depressive disorders and prevention of seasonal affective disorder. Wellbutrin XL, an extended-release version of the drug, was approved in 2003.
The FDA has approved 5 generic versions of Wellbutrin XL 300 mg, including Budeprion XL® (manufactured by Impax Laboratories; Hayward, California, and marketed by Teva Pharmaceuticals; North Wales, Pennsylvania), which was approved in 2006. Approval was based on bioequivalence studies comparing the 150-mg strength of Budeprion XL to Wellbutrin XL 150 mg. Studies were not performed directly on the 300-mg strength of the product. The results of 150-mg strength were extrapolated to establish bioequivalence of the 300-mg Budeprion XL product. This methodology was based on the FDA's guidance at the time that the product was approved; however, the FDA has determined that this approach is no longer appropriate to establish bioequivalence of 300-mg bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets to Wellbutrin XL 300 mg.
Medscape: Can you speak to the case reports of varying efficacy between brand and generic antidepressants, including bupropion? Assuming bioequivalence between products, what are other potential mechanisms to explain these reports?
Dr. Geba: In the case of Budeprion XL 300 mg, this issue began to emerge in the first 6 months that the Impax-Teva product was on the market. From approximately January to June 2007, the FDA received 85 postmarketing reports, describing either adverse events or lack of effect after switching from the innovator, Wellbutrin XL 300 mg, to the generic, Budeprion XL 300 mg.
The reported adverse events were consistent with the adverse events noted in bupropion XL product labels. The reports relating to lack of efficacy involved lack of antidepressant effect and, in some instances, worsening of the depression symptoms following the switch from the brand name to a generic product. Nearly half of those patients who actually reported this phenomenon -- experiencing this lack of effect or adverse event upon switching to the generic -- reported some improvement in their condition when subsequently switched back to Wellbutrin XL 300 mg.
Medscape: Is it correct that the FDA initially called on the manufacturer to conduct a study and, when there was not enough participation in that investigation, commissioned one of their own?
Dr. Geba: That's correct. We discussed with both the manufacturer and marketer of the drug. Because these reports were occurring in a very small percentage of patients -- 85 reports sounds like a lot, but you have to understand that the denominator is very large -- that appeared to be particularly susceptible. The FDA suggested doing a double-blind exposure in those patients who had experienced these events to determine whether or not such differences were real. It took a little while to put a study together that could address the issue. The sponsor then attempted to conduct the trial but was unable to enroll a sufficient number of patients meeting the stated requirements.
Dr. Yu: By 2010, the FDA realized, given the difficulty in recruiting patients, that the study would be impossible to complete, and it was eventually terminated by the sponsor.
Medscape: To confirm, this study involved the 300-mg dose only, not the 150 mg?
Dr. Yu: Correct.


text:
Venturebeat - 18 Nov 2014 16:31
Google today announced the debut of a new “mobile friendly” label on its mobile search results page. The company says the change will be rolling out globally over the next few weeks, so don’t fret if you don’t see it yet. The new indicator is meant to...
How To Track Your Content Marketing Program’s Results
B2B content marketers have come a long way. They’re not writing as much “selfie” content anymore and they’re not writing unhelpful stuff, either. Sure, there might be a lot of repetitive articles for the sake of search engine optimization (SEO), but..
Content Marketing or Inbound Marketing: Which Is Better for SEO?
B2B Marketing - 18 Nov 2014 13:02
Since the Penguin Update of April 2013 , ‘Content Marketing’ has become the in-vogue phrase that SEOs have been focusing on. The idea is simple: by creating high quality content you will attract high quality traffic and people will build links to your...
Uber Denies Journalism Smear Campaign Report


text:
How do you introduce kids to 3D modeling? A new app called Doodle3D Transform promises to let users easily turn regular 2D drawings into fully fledged, 3D-printable models. And it looks kind of awesome.
After six years of service in testing systems for a future larger station, China's prototype station dubbed "Heavenly Palace" will fall back to Earth sometime in 2017. Where will it land? We don't know yet.
The technological revolution has brought some big changes, but this might be the most exciting yet for anyone fond of a good brew. Meet the Waytap, a new portable draft beer system that promises to “enhance the flavor of any canned or…
A new composter called the Biovessel wants to do away with regular indoor compost bins in favor of one run by “ecosystem engineers,” aka your garden-variety earthworms. Oh, and it's designed by algorithm.
A robotics startup has created a four-legged, direct-drive robot called the Ghost Minitaur that's capable of running and jumping on tough terrain, reorienting itself after falls, and even climbing fences.
A 3D-printing startup called Divergent 3D has just inked a letter of intent with top automaker Peugeot to bring its 3D metal printing technology to the factory floor. Its goal? To rethink the way cars are built.


text:
Jennifer Lopez Reimagined the 2010s Bodycon Dress With a Semi-Sheer Silhouette
If someone says "bodycon," you probably think of Kim Kardashian at a club in the 2010s, wearing a bandage dress by Hervé Leger. A decade and a half later, the controversial silhouette is ready for a resurgence, at least if Jennifer Lopez has anything to say about it. The body-skimming look finally went out of vogue.
J. Lo's clinging dress, which featured a semi-sheer silhouette reminiscent of the naked gowns that have dominated the current decade, was not only refined but also futuristic in its nude design by Magda Butrym.
Huge diamond stud earrings and a matching pinky ring completed Lopez's accessory look, which also included clear heels. The multihyphenate posted a photo of herself wearing a new style of bodycon dress to Instagram on Saturday, sharing her most recent OOTD.
As she and her husband, Ben Affleck, co-hosted a charity poker event in Vegas, J. Lo donned a bold David Koma cutout gown that showcased an asymmetric slice across her belly and a seductive thigh-high split.
Her glam consisted of a brush of nude lip gloss and a large swirl of rose-colored blush on her brown hair, which was styled in bombshell waves with curtain fringe. Despite not having a caption for her slideshow, J. Lo's fans had a lot to say about it.
Lopez had yet another amazing red carpet moment the day before, this time wearing a gown with a high slit. The bodice and hem of the black dress were adorned with crystals, and there was a built-in choker as well.
Also see Naomi Campbell Just Freed the Nipple in a Totally Sheer Rhinestone Gown


text:
Blood Music has announced the addition of Norwegian black metal icons Emperor to their line up.
"We've been working behind-the-scenes for more than a year - carefully compiling every detail of Emperor's oeuvre from the minute they began in 1991 until their final breath in 2007," says the label. "We are working directly in conjunction with the members themselves to compile the most incredible, beautiful, and archival collection one could ever imagine into a massive Complete Works box set, due to be released in approximately one year."
"This will be the first time the band's music will be properly remastered for vinyl, as well as presented in true vinyl special editions of any kind. An insane honor for us to take part in.
Start saving your money this minute. The box set will be a one-time only, limited edition pressing. There will be no copies of our records outside the box set this time. This will be a unique offering that will make a massive mark upon the history of metal and quickly vanish into thin air.
Oh, and it will be the largest metal vinyl box set of all-time (beating out our Moonsorrow set) and one of the largest vinyl box sets ever created in the history of music. So really... if you want in on this, start saving now."
An early-to-mid 2015 release date is expected.
In live news, Emperor has announced two exclusive shows in Japan. A statement from Vegard Sverre "Ihsahn" Tveitan and Tomas "Samoth" Haugen reads as follows:
"2014 marks the 20th anniversary of In The Nightside Eclipse and we are finally ready to announce that we are coming to Tokyo (July 17) and Osaka (July 18) to celebrate this occasion with you. Faust will be performing with us for the European shows, but due to visa issues he will not be able to join us in Japan. However, Trym has kindly agreed to step in and perform with us exclusively for these two shows! We have both had the great pleasure of performing in Japan previously, but never before as Emperor. Band and crew are all very excited about this and we all look forward to seeing you there."


text:
Zen Studios成员Neil Sorens解释称，“它不仅只是个平板电脑；它更像是电脑设备中的瑞士军刀。它是个适用于多种应用和目的的工具或功能——例如，运用Xbox控制器、HDMI端口以及和包括SmartGlass在内的其他微软设备连接。”
Other Ocean Mike Mika（游戏邦注：代表作是《黑暗空隙》）表示，凭借这一多变性特点，Surface将不仅只是个游戏平台，而且是个制作游戏的可行工具。
当然，通过所有这些不同功能，开发者也许会想要基于设备制作传统PC游戏，Randy Smith和《火星漫步》开发者Tiger Style表示，他很担心有人会忽略这样的事实：Surface的另一目标是成为完美的功能平板电脑。
Other Ocean Mika无疑会这么觉得：“我相信‘二强争霸原则’，这里的‘二强’将会是苹果和微软。Android将在感恩节转移至儿童平板电脑。它们将继续存在，希望能够接触更大的孩子，且从中获得广泛关注，但这将无法给它带来创收。”
和Mika一样，Zen Sorens也对微软的策略有信心，因为《Zen Pinball》在Xbox Live Arcade表现突出。在他看来，微软已充分表明公司非常注重支持游戏开发者。
Will Microsoft’s Surface matter to game developers?
by Tom Curtis
Earlier this week, Microsoft revealed that it plans to jump into the tablet market with the Surface, a new platform that promises to blend the functionality of a laptop with the ergonomics of a mobile device. According to Microsoft, the Windows 8 (and Windows RT)-powered Surface will offer a number of exciting opportunities for apps and games.
But do game developers feel the same way?
To find out, Gamasutra spoke to developers from all over the industry, and initial impressions were decidedly mixed, with a number of developers raised concerns over the device’s core feature set.
Unlike the iPad or Android tablets, the Surface hopes to stand out by offering a touch-based keyboard that mimics a traditional PC layout. While the PC-like features make the Surface unique in the tablet space, developers like BitPilot and SpellTower creator Zach Gage said the bells and whistles don’t offer anything new in terms of game design.
“I’m sure someone will do something interesting with it, but it doesn’t look particularly novel,” said Gage. “Most of the features are just features that are [already] on typical laptops, not really new technologies for the consumer space.”
iOS developer Adam Rippon (Dragon Fantasy) agreed, saying that the Surface doesn’t do anything “that other tablets aren’t already doing. I suppose I could get excited about keyboards and mice, but that’s not really new — just new to tablets.”
Simon Flesser with Beat Sneak Bandit developer Simogo echoed, “If a piece of hardware isn’t offering anything that significantly differentiates it from the rest, I find it hard to get excited about.”
But perhaps the Surface doesn’t need to enable new types of game experiences to succeed. For many developers, the device’s real draw is its multi-functionality.
Neil Sorens of Zen Studios (Zen Pinball) explained, “It’s not just a tablet; it’s more like the Swiss Army Knife of computing devices. It can be a tool or feature that is useful for many applications and purposes — such as using an Xbox controller, HDMI out, or connectivity with other Microsoft devices including SmartGlass.”
Other Ocean’s Mike Mika (Dark Void Zero) said that with such variability, the Surface could become not just a game platform, but a viable tool for game creation.
“It’s almost a throwback to the old home computers like the Commodore 64,” said Mika. “Once I unbox the tablet, I can write a game and publish it without using any other device. It’s my development hardware, my target platform, my distribution gateway, and my personal computer all in one. It’s revolutionary when you think about it.”
Of course, with all of these different features, developers might be tempted to create traditional PC titles for the device, and Randy Smith with Waking Mars developer Tiger Style said he’s worried that some might neglect the fact that the Surface also promises to be a perfectly functional tablet.
“I have a concern about the Surface’s keyboard and USB ports, specifically that its inclusion will encourage developers to do easy ports from PCs, not to think very creatively about leveraging more innovative controls such as the touchscreen for their games, and not design for the tablet demographic,” Smith said.
“Are Xbox gamers going to hook up controllers and play Gears of War in coffee shops? In their living rooms, next to their more powerful Xbox? On airplanes? The Surface has the potential to be a casual device, but I worry there’s not enough incentive for game makers to help push it in that direction.”
Will it be worth your time?
No matter how interesting or diverse its hardware may be, however, the Surface won’t mean much to developers unless they can actually make money on the platform. With the tablet market already inundated with iPads and Android devices, can Microsoft really succeed?
Other Ocean’s Mika sure thinks so: “I believe in the rules of two, and those two will be Apple and Microsoft. Android will be relegated to the kids table at Thanksgiving. It’ll always be around, wanting to play with the big kids, and it’ll get a lot of attention, but it won’t be putting the food on the table.”
With Microsoft fully backing the surface, Mika is confident it’ll get the resources and attention it needs to grow and surpass many of the other competitors already on the market.
“They are betting the farm on Windows 8. I, personally, like to team up with the one who has everything to lose, because you know there won’t be any complacency or lack of vision and purpose,” he said. “They will be the most accommodating for developers like ourselves, and they’re more willing to take risks for the sake of market share.”
Tiger Style’s Smith pointed out that the Surface could prove particularly useful for developers that support the platform early, as they’ll get a chance to establish an early foothold in a new and growing market.
“If I was just starting a new company, I would consider targeting the Surface given that there’s a chance to be a leader in a new market at its inception. Clearly the iPad has a much more saturated market, although the tradeoff is that the install base is much larger,” he said.
Like Mika, Zen’s Sorens also has faith in Microsoft’s strategy, as Zen Pinball saw strong success on Xbox Live Arcade. To him, Microsoft has already proven the company cares about supporting its game developers.
“As a developer, it’s easy to like the development environment, which has always been one of Microsoft’s strengths,” said Sorens. “Microsoft also has an excellent history of making sure that their curated stores don’t devolve into a putrid morass of cheap shovelware.”（Source：gamasutra）


text:
GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump delivered another highly questionable remark in a speech yesterday at the Liberty University. This time he brings Apple into his rhetoric.
According to Gizmodo, Trump said in his speech: “We’re going to get Apple to build their damn computers in this country instead of other countries.”
That is easy to say and falls in line with the “made in America” creates jobs idea. The reality though is that Apple is not only outsourcing iPhone manufacturing to China because of low wages. China and other Asian countries established a silicon manufacturing infrastructure that does not exist in the United States.
Trump said that he would impose a 35% tax on businesses producing goods overseas. If he indeed would become President and impose that tax, his Apple Stock would quickly become worthless. In a Facebook post in 2013, Donald Trump said that he has a lot of Apple Stock.
In that Facebook post he also gave actually great advice to Apple: “Tim Cook must immediately increase the size of the screen on the iPhone. It should be slightly larger than the Samsung screen- and they better get it right fast because they will lose a lot of business. I like the larger screen.”
Apple released the larger iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in 2014, and the iPhone was never more successful.
Originally posted in i4u News


text:
Understanding small business is tough because there are so many of them and they vary so widely. But all small businesses share certain problems, attitudes, and approaches to these problems.
Trend Smart Surfing is new security software for the Mac.
The Conficker worm has infected 500,000 of OpenDNS's more than 10 million users, making it more widespread than thought, the company said.
The Conficker worm is supposed to take active steps on Wednesday to protect itself against detection and removal. But if you use Mac OS X you have nothing to worry about -- unless you also use Boot Camp and/or Windows inside a virtual machine.
Cocktail (Tiger Edition) has been updated with trojan horse removal support.
Cocktail -- the general-purpose Unix utility software -- has been updated with the ability to eradicate trojan horses.
A new variant of the trojan horse originally reported in iWork '09 now affects pirated copies of Adobe Photoshop, according to security software firm Intego.
Symantec and SecureMac.com have both responded to the recently-announced trojan horse that affects some pirated copies of iWork '09.
Intego, makers of VirusBarrier X5 and other security-related Mac products, has discovered a Trojan Horse in pirated copies of iWork '09.
ContentBarrier X5 offers full recording of what sites have been visited and blocked as well as other online activity. On the server side, both VirusBarrier Server and VirusBarrier Mail Gateway saw updates aimed at providing virus protection on servers running Mac OS X.


text:
Government pledges up to £100m to develop new technologies in battle against cyber attacks
Business Secretary Greg Clark will announce £70m of investment into better security measures for chips and hardware
The Government has pledged up to £100million to develop new technologies to resist cyber attacks.
Business Secretary Greg Clark will announce £70million of investment through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund to go towards ‘designing in’ better security measures for chips and hardware, and another £30million to ensure connected devices – such as central heating that can be controlled via smartphone – are more secure.
Around 40 per cent of businesses are estimated to have experienced a cyber attack in the past year.
Most watched Money videos
- Land Rover Defender 90 in the British woodlands
- What does the vaccine rally and US election mean for shares?
- The Shelby SuperCar Tuatara is the world's fastest road car
- Bugatti shows off its new Bolide track car in impressive footage
- Torsus Praetorian: The 4x4 all-terrain off-road bus
- Kar-go Delivery Bot: UK's first autonomous electric delivery vehicle
- Renault reinvent The Lollipop Man to test for air pollution
- SF90 Spider: Ferrari's first hybrid-powered convertible supercar
- How will stock markets handle a second wave of lockdowns?
- An introduction to the online pensions dashboards
- Capabilities of Mini Urbanaut demonstrated in promo clip
- UK's first autonomous electric delivery vehicle revealed


text:
UK – Global agriculture group Camellia has acquired Bardsley England, UK’s second largest apple grower, in an effort to diversify its product and geographic portfolio.
Under the terms of the deal, Camellia has purchased an 80% stake in Bardsley England for £15.7m (US$21.83m) and will also loan £9.3m (US$12.93m) to Bardsley, largely to cover existing debts.
Bardsley’s farming operation covers 850 hectares (ha) in Kent and includes 27 orchards growing apples, pears, cherries, plums, and grapes as well as a large grading, packing, and storage facility.
The business grows nearly 18,000 tonnes (t) of fruit a year, supplying 90 million apples a year, including Royal Gala, Braeburn, Cox and Bramley varieties.
In 2019, Bardsley started planting Chardonnay vines which are now used to make English sparkling wines. It also produces a range of juices for the UK market.
The company has however been experiencing financial challenges in the recent past, reporting an unaudited pre-tax loss of £1.7m (US$2.36m) in the year ending 31 March 2021.
Camellia’s investment will therefore be key in strengthening its balance sheet and supporting sustainable growth.
In a statement, the two companies hinted at this by revealing the new capital injection from Camellia could help the business in upgrading which process more than 35,000t of fruit a year, and extending its orchards.
Camellia which has for a long term yearned to expand its presence in the UK market will also now have an opportunity of achieving this goal.
“We have been looking for some time to increase our focus on agriculture where we have deep skills, and to increase our operations in the UK,” said Tom Franks, chief executive at Camellia.
“Bardsley helps with both. It is located close to our HQ in Kent, which is the premier region for apple growing in the country. We look forward to partnering with the Bardsley family in the future.”
Camellia’s entry is happening at a time when healthy-minded Britons are creating the biggest demand for fruit and vegetables this century.
According to a report from British retailer Tesco, since the first lockdown started last year, stay-at-home Brits with more time on their hands have been able to spend more time at home cooking leading to a record-breaking weekly demand for healthy vegetables, fruit, and salad.
The retailer notes that Apples were among the fruits with the most demand with its sales of fruit rising 10% during the period under review.
be to Food Business Africa News, our regular email newsletters with the latest news insights from Africa and the World’s food and agro industry. SUBSCRIBE HERE


text:
SINGLE-USE PLASTICS – GROUP & CHAIN QUARTERLY ROUNDTABLE EVENT
Single-use plastics are causing catastrophic environmental damage – and threatening both animal and human health. There can be few more pressing eco-challenges than reducing, eliminating and ultimately replacing them with sustainable alternatives. Hong Kong has an especially outsized plastic-waste footprint.
In our first roundtable of 2022, a trio of experts met online to share knowledge and insights, and explore solutions: Dana Winograd from Plastic Free Seas, Paul Zimmerman from Drink Without Waste and Merrin Pearse from Coordinate4U.
Heidi Yu-Spurrell, CEO of Food Made Good HK, opened the Roundtable by emphasising the importance of taking a holistic view and working collectively. Heidi also noted that “sustainability is a moving space in which things are always changing.”
“SUSTAINABILITY IS A MOVING SPACE IN WHICH THINGS ARE ALWAYS
A great turnout and discussion from our speakers and Group & Chain Members!
THE PLASTICS PROBLEM – AND SOLUTIONS
To define the problem, Heidi showed a shocking YouTube video of a scuba diver in Bali swimming in plastic-strewn water, then noted that 8 of the world’s 10 most plastic-polluted rivers are in Asia and that only 10% of the world’s plastic is currently recycled. There is hope, though, as a recent McKinsey survey reveals that most consumers globally are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging.
Heidi then shared a waste management triangle with PREVENT, REDUCE and REUSE at the top and RECYCLE, RECOVER and DISPOSE at the bottom, followed by another graphic emphasising the importance of upstream innovation. She also outlined a series of practical steps that food businesses can implement at their sites.
Recycling only looks good when you compare it to landfill. We should be preventing SUP in the first place.
Waste management triangle – reducing outputs across all waste streams to push us
closer towards a circular economy
AWASH WITH PLASTICS
The next speaker was Dana Winogard who’s been organizing beach clean-ups at DB since 2007. She helped found the charity Plastic Free Seas that has reached more than 82,000 students in HK at over 230 schools. “We love bringing children to the beach so they can see the problem themselves.” Over 110 companies are now engaged with the programme.
Dana noted that the local F&B industry is a big contributor to plastic waste in our seas and on the beaches. She emphasised the unique difficulties caused by polystyrene packaging and that all plastic eventually breaks down into micro-plastics (less than 5mm). She further highlighted that plastic extraction and production also has a major negative impact – not just its disposal.
She also talked about the recent HK Government initiatives to reduce plastic usage in the long term and stressed the importance of reuse and BYO in the short term, with disposable coffee cups being “an obvious low-hanging fruit.” She then highlighted Reuse Seattle (reuseseattle.org) as a city-wide pilot initiative that Hong Kong could learn from.
The local F&B industry is a major source of the plastic waste in our seas and beaches
REDUCING AND RECYLING DRINKS PACKAGING
Next to speak was Paul Zimmerman from Drink Without Waste, a broad coalition of stakeholders committed to reducing waste from beverages. They’ve set a target of recovering 90% of used beverage packaging in HK by 2025.
Their strategies include:
1) Reduce – installing more water and beverage dispensers where consumers can refill their own bottle and promoting the BOYB concept
2) Recover – creating a convenient collection network for used plastic bottles with a simple reward scheme.
3) Redesign – improving packaging through better regulations
4) Recycle – by building state-of-the-art recycling facilities.
During an 11-month pilot scheme they ran from Nov 2020 – Sep 2011, almost 50 million plastic bottles were recovered for recycling. The secret was incentivising Hong Kong’s army of cleaners and collectors who manage waste disposal in every building by giving them 5 cents for every plastic bottle they collected and separated. Paul argued that the city’s vast network of SMRFs (Small Material Recovery Facilities) have a vital role to play in recycling plastics.
The ‘Drink without Waste’ campaign aims to reduce waste from beverages in Hong Kong
THE IMPORTANCE OF THINKING CLEARLY
The last speaker was Merrin Pearse from Coordinate4U. He began by highlighting how we’re currently moving from a LINEAR to a RECYCLING ECONOMY. Ultimately, though we must shift to a CIRCULAR ECONOMY where we rethink what we both make and take – so there’s no refuse to be dealt with.
A shift away from a linear economy towards a circular economy
Merrin pointed out that plastic is not inherently bad and can even have environmental benefits – for example, by storing edibles more efficiently, plastic packaging considerably reduces the amount of food waste. And when recycled in a closed-loop system, plastics are considerably less harmful. However, as single-use plastics are doing enormous eco-damage, it’s important to always focus on the real impact.
He then gave the example of Melco Resorts that was able to remove 15 million plastic bottles from tables by installing an onsite filtration and bottling plant. Merrin also recommended taking into account secondary or tertiary plastics. “For example, the focus is usually on the primary product. It’s the straw, it’s the stirrer, it’s the plastic cup…But what about all the packaging that goes around these…It could be a plastic bag that’s bundled in another plastic bag.”
This was followed by a thought-provoking Q&A session. The discussion around single-use plastics is set to run and run – for this is a topic that the whole world needs to urgently engage with. Visionary activists like our three speakers are highlighting the problem and showing the way forward. However, ultimately governments and corporations must step up and create the long-term policy changes and technical solutions to tackle plastic pollution.
This content was created prior to our rebranding to Future Green, as of 28/11/22, when we were known as Food Made Good HK.
Interested in more?
6 steps to turning messy ideas into concrete next steps with The British Chamber of Commerce3rd November
From Healthy Kids Menu to Asian-Inspired Delights: SpiceBox Organics Revamps Catering Services, Championing Sustainability and Clean Eating in Hong Kong12th October


text:
UMNO's cronies.....please dont buy his products...one that you purchase, will be donated to the UMNO and Jewish fund
At its peak, four of every five cars sold in Malaysia was a Proton, but the carmaker is now in danger of slipping into third spot in sales behind Toyota and Perodua, the second national car company that has ruled the roost for over six years.
Industry sources told The Edge newspaper in an article published today that Proton saw its market share slip in December 2012 to just 17.7 per cent, with Toyota now a close third at 17.1 per cent share of passenger vehicle sales in the country.
“Perodua (Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd) is the runway market leader while Proton over the last few years has been a strong second. Now Toyota is closing in on Proton’s position,” an unnamed executive told the financial daily.
Proton is controlled by Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary’s DRB-Hicom.
Industry executives told the financial daily that Proton’s sales fell by over 11 per cent to 140,000 units from 158,000 units a year earlier, missing the company’s target of 200,000 units by a wide margin.
Proton was established by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 1983 and became a poster child of the former prime minister’s industrialisation policies.
Dr Mahathir had made it patriotic to buy a Proton, but the company has seen its sales slump in the last decade due to increasing liberalisation of the Malaysian market.
In the early days, Protons were rebadged models from technical partner Mitsubishi’s older range, which provided a solid foundation for the fledgling automaker but also limited its ability to innovate.
It later succeeded in developing its own vehicle platforms independent of the Japanese carmaker but has since gone back to the practice of rebadging with the Inspira, which is based on the Mitsubishi Lancer.
Malaysians were also unhappy with being able to afford only Protons as a result of protectionist taxes and duties meant to shield the carmaker in its early years but later became indefinite.
The backlash following the relaxation of vehicle import and local assembly rules saw buyers abandon the local manufacturer for the increasingly abundant range of foreign makes.
According to The Edge, Proton’s lack of new models bar one for 2013 will also put it under added pressure this year, given the growingly competitive market.
When a company with the support of the whole country behind it but still can not come out on top, something is seriously wrong.
Rebadged Japanese cars and called them national cars is actually a shame and Malaysia can overcome China as copy cat nation in future
Before it could happen, the ever helpful to CRONIES UMNO will come to the rescue without any hesistation - with the RAKYAT'S MONEY, AS SURE AS THE SUN RISES FROM THE EAST. How many of the Proton dealers and parts suplliers together with the middle men are non-UMNO connected?


text:
Hotelier Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG) today launched the tourism industry first integrated mobile and internet application in a bid to promote domestic tourism by improving accessibility.
The application, RTG Gateway, allows users to browse, book and pay for services such as accommodation in hotels, lodges and homes around Zimbabwe, with additional services such as paying for meals and airport transfers.
Chief executive Tendai Madziwanyika said the application targets both locals and those in diaspora.
“We are not only targeting the local market but the diaspora market as well. Statistics from the International Organisation of Immigration (IOM) estimate that 4 million Zimbabwean are living outside the country,” said Madziwanyika.
In 2014, RTG pioneered the domestic tourism drive when it launched the RTG Virtual platform. Last year, business worth $1.5 million was channelled to RTG Virtual partner hotels, with the group retaining an average of 10 percent commission, Madziwanyika added.
Payments for bookings will be processed through the Paynow platform, using Visa, Mastercard, Zimswitch cards as well as mobile platforms Ecocash and Telecash. – The Source


text:
- All Business
- Advertising / Marketing
- Consumer Research
- Direct Marketing
- Human Resources
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Network Marketing
- Private Equity
- Public Companies
- Real Estate
- Small Business
- Web sites / Internet
- Women in Business
View Releases by:
April 22, 2015 -- VisualSP hosts a no-cost webinar on Tuesday April 28 at 12 pm Eastern to discuss what to expect at the Microsoft Ignite Conference held in Chicago May 4-8, 2015.
April 22, 2015 -- Sebastian Desio, a former SVP at Ogilvy PR, has joined Greenberg as Chief Financial Officer to oversee finance and focus on key aspects of growth and efficiency.
April 22, 2015 -- 3 P's of Powerful Presentations: Professional, Promotion & Profit. Go beyond the PowerPoint to deliver high-impact business presentations.
April 22, 2015 -- The Culinary School at Eva’s Village, a Paterson, NJ anti-poverty nonprofit provides opportunities for students to enhance their skills through volunteering at The James Beard Foundation.
April 22, 2015 -- The Short Observer is a free interactive tool that allows investors and managers to monitor short selling trends in Europe.
April 22, 2015 -- App-X, leading fund management software company, partners with CRMCulture
April 21, 2015 -- Provides End Users with Unlimited Storage and Collaboration, with the Security and Control Enterprises Require
April 21, 2015 -- Meadow Burke's new Threaded Lift Pin with Socket for the precast industry utilizes true testing to clearly represent safe working loads for lifting concrete walls and components.
April 21, 2015 -- e2b teknologies, an ERP reseller, developer, and consulting company in Northeast Ohio, announced the availability of the Sage 100 ERP Resource Library.
April 21, 2015 -- Carrie Lo does big things, but keeps a low profile
April 21, 2015 -- Value of cloud services deals increased 60 percent in three years as increasingly confident enterprises moved workloads to the cloud.
April 21, 2015 -- Chairman of the Senate homeland security committee will deliver remarks to the security industry's annual policymaker gathering at the W Hotel D.C., June 8-10.
April 21, 2015 -- Cyber risk experts have begun to work on the assumption that it's impossible to keep networks perfectly free from attack.
April 21, 2015 -- Four hundred plus exhibitors will be on the show floor at this July’s GBTA Convention, the largest gathering of business travel buyers in the world. Absolute I&D will offer discounted labor rates...
April 21, 2015 -- State and local partnership retains 112 jobs
April 21, 2015 -- ITsavvy just announced that they will be joining top tier EMC partners at EMC World 2015, May 4-7 at The Venetian in Las Vegas and will be hosting a cocktail and appetizer reception on Tues. May 5.
April 21, 2015 -- During the next year R.A.K.I. will renew its R2:2013 Certification, a show of the company's commitment to responsible electronics recycling. The company will continue to improve business...
April 21, 2015 -- Awards Program Recognizes Children and Youth Who Shine in Their Schools and Communities
April 21, 2015 -- Piracle announces platinum sponsorship of NetSuite SuiteWorld 2015.
April 21, 2015 -- AvidXchange and Data Plus Hospitality Solutions form strategic partnership to deliver best-in-class AP Solutions to businesses in the hospitality industry.
April 21, 2015 -- RSC to Showcase its Rev-Trac SAP Change Control Automation and Enforcement technology with its ServiceNow enterprise cloud ITSM Solution at Knowledge15
April 21, 2015 -- Fonolo, the company that improves the call center experience by replacing hold time with a call-back, announced today that it will be exhibiting at the Contact Center Expo & Conference, May 4-7,...
April 21, 2015 -- BMOC Partners, master franchisor of Baristas Coffee Company (OTCQB:BCCI) , announced today that the Stroud Mall Food Court location of Baristas Coffee Company Cafe has opened for business with the...
April 21, 2015 -- Rockland Trust presents The Real Life MBA: Business & Baseball with former General Electric CEO and Globe Publisher & Boston Red Sox Principal Owner on April 22 at The Boston Seaport Hotel
April 21, 2015 -- Report Features Examples of How Institutions have Utilized Educational Technology to Identify At-Risk Students and to Improve Student Engagement


text:
A grandson captured his grandmothers reaction to eating pizza for the first time and the video has gone viral!
Want to get perfect and neat cake slices without making a mess? Try this incredible hack that has gone viral on Instagram recently.
This three ingredient chocolate truffle recipe is the ultimate sweet delight which is now going viral on social media. Here's the full recipe!
Shahid Kapoor posted a mimetic reel on Instagram with different clips of him making, drinking and offering coffee.
Cloud bread is the latest recipe to take over social media with its fluffy, colourful and aesthetically pleasing texture. Take a look!
Cooking Skill: Chef Kobe has become an internet sensation thanks to an Instagram account that his parents started, in order to share his adorable cooking videos.
The video went viral in no time, garnering 5.5million views, 570k views and more than 2500 comments.
An Instagram video is showing how to make crispy and cheesy papad pockets, a desi version of the famous pizza pockets
Amul has always been known for their creative adaptation of topical issues. This time it was their creative version of 'pawri ho rahi hai'.
'KGF' superstar Yash took to Instagram to share a truly endearing video of himself with his daughter Ayra having a grueling eating session with an unexpected result.


text:
By Thomas Cottereau, CEO at SightCall
Albert Einstein once said that opportunity lies in the middle of difficulty. The “new normal” of business that emerged in a highly disruptive 2020 demonstrated the growing potential to make workplaces in nearly every industry safer, more efficient and more responsive to customer needs.
There is no question we have arrived in this new era more quickly than expected. One study by management consultant McKinsey & Company noted that while roughly 33% of customer interactions were digital in December 2019, this figure had increased to 58% in July of 2020. Set against previous trends, this amounted to a three-year acceleration in just six months.
It is intuitive that if employees and workers are set to interact with more customers digitally in the future, their training should also be digital. But there’s much more to it than that.


text:
Costco has been hinting at an increase for months.
For any fans who want to eat their chicken tenders like the beloved singer-songwriter.
Grab them while you can!
The company says theft and organized crime are the reasons behind the closures.
The restaurant serves up wondrous takes on the classic.
Featuring menu items that customers "just can't stop thinking about."
Fans have a major problem with its texture and size.
The sandwich chain listened to customers' requests.
Some items are prepared long before they even arrive at restaurants.
Both have to do with the most festive fall squash: the pumpkin.


text:
Add this to the shocking information pile: mobile customers want unlimited data. This discovery was made by research firm Sanford Bernstein, which conducted a survey of more than 800 smartphone customers over their feelings on data caps, carrier choice, and pricing. They discovered that the prospect of unlimited data may be the most important criteria for users as a whole—even more than sticking with their favorite device.
The firm said that current wisdom has mobile customers being the most loyal to their favorite device—they will go anywhere as long as they can use the phone they want. (We have seen this behavior in recent years with the iPhone at AT&T, and more recently with some high-profile Android-based phones at other carriers too.) That attitude may be real, but Sanford Bernstein says that the appeal of unlimited data could override people's urge to follow the hot products.
"The new conventional wisdom is that carrier loyalty has been replaced with loyalty to the device. But high inclination to switch carriers and phones to maintain an unlimited plan suggest that perhaps the plan itself is more important than either one," equities analyst Craig Moffett wrote.
The latest tiered data plans are usually cheaper than their limitless counterparts—AT&T's unlimited plan was $30 before the company introduced a 200MB for $15 tier and a 2GB for $25 tier—but Sanford Bernstein says the savings don't matter as much as carriers would like to think. A third of those surveyed said they liked AT&T less after the company introduced its data tiers—customers would apparently rather live without the stress of worrying about their data limits, and that peace of mind is worth the premium they might pay for an unlimited plan.
Data tiers are quickly becoming the de facto standard within 3G in the US (though Verizon does still offer an unlimited plan), while the carriers are still feeling out whether tiers are necessary for 4G/WiMAX/LTE. Sprint VP of 4G Todd Rowley said recently that that Sprint is still trying to attract new users to its higher-speed network and doesn't plan to start capping downloads unless data use explodes, while Verizon said it's considering introducing speed-based plans to the LTE network it's launching next month.
Moffett said that carriers who retain an unlimited option could definitely attract more customers, but also warned that it could be a blessing in disguise. "Unlimited data plans could become a major source of differentiation, attracting customers and giving still-unlimited carriers a subscribership boost," Moffett said. "At the same time, however, carriers who maintain unlimited pricing in the face of AT&T's move to usage based pricing could self-select to the heaviest users, impairing future profitability."
Verizon users are the heaviest data gobblers, according to Validas, so this problem may already be in the process of manifesting itself. We're almost afraid to find out what will happen when Verizon finally gets the iPhone.
Listing image by Photo CC by Daniel Hsu
reader comments76 with
Share this story


text:
Intel is developing a tool that will make it easier for developers to port iPhone applications to Intel-based smartphones, tablets and other devices, a company executive said Tuesday.
Skype may finally be available to all Android users after months of Verizon-only exclusivity, but so is FringOut, an alternative contender that offers many features Skype doesn't.
A report released by Canon has shown that the television market is stronger than ever, with sales rising and viewers spending more time in front of the screen each day.
Cisco today announced a multi-function security appliance that combines a firewall with VPN support, plus an intrusion-prevention system (IPS), to reach speeds up to 20 Gbps with 10,000 VPN connections and 350,000 connections per second. Apple posts ...
HP this week rolled out new and enhanced products and services across its networking, security and computing portfolios designed to improve the performance and delivery of application services to businesses.
Microsoft's Internet Explorer, which has dominated the Web browser market since blowing by Netscape in the late 1990s, last month fell below the 50 per cent market share level for the first time in years.
How widespread is business use of cloud computing? The results of one survey published Tuesday suggest use of both public and private clouds has real momentum in the United States, with private cloud computing appearing to be more popular.
Cisco Tuesday announced a doubly powerful Catalyst Ethernet switch, a condensed edge router and a slew of other new and enhanced products designed to help companies extend more powerful networking services to branch offices and beyond.
The No. 1 reason why friends dump friends on Facebook is when they get fed up seeing too many useless posts, according to new research out of the University of Colorado Denver Business School.
Symantec today announced that its mobile device management software now supports Apple iOS and Google Android, via Microsoft's Enterprise ActiveSync protocol, which both platforms support. The release is part of an expanded push by the security vendo...
The organization in charge of defining security for the payment-card industry's merchants and service providers Tuesday issued two guidance papers, the first on end-to-end encryption and the second on payment card technology used more commonly in Eur...
Android is the most popular mobile operating system among consumers who bought a smartphone in the past six months, according to new research from Nielsen.
RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook, unveiled last week, is the latest entry in what has become a rapidly growing field of iPad competitors. But unlike most upcoming Android tablets -- the big exception being Cisco's Cius -- the PlayBook isn't meant to compet...
Lenovo originally designed its compact ThinkStation C20 workstation for financial markets, where both the number-crunching power of the system and the amount of space it saves are important. However, the ThinkStation C20, released in June, can also ...
Iran today made its strongest statement yet that it believes a Western plot is behind the Stuxnet worm that has infected tens of thousands of computers in the country, including some at its sole nuclear power plant.
Hisense designs premium products that are made for living in today’s world.
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Panasonic Ultra HD OLED TV Review
- 2 Oppo A77 smartphone: Full in-depth review
- 3 Huawei GR5 phone: Full, in-depth review
- 4 Ring Video Doorbell review
- 5 Sony Bravia 2017 TVs: Full, in-depth review
Join the newsletter!
- Fullbright Founders To Headline Melbourne International Games Week 2017
- Nest jumps into home security with Nest Secure
- Google kicks off Android One in the U.S. with the Project Fi-equipped Moto X4
- Shopping site leaks Microsoft Surface Pro LTE price, features, and December ship date
- Spoiler alert: Google's Pixel event will still be more exciting than Apple's iPhone X reveal
PCW Evaluation Team
The print quality also does not disappoint, it’s clear, bold, doesn’t smudge and the text is perfectly sized.
The Huddle Board’s built in program; Sharp Touch Viewing software allows us to easily manipulate and edit our documents (jpegs and PDFs) all at the same time on the dashboard.
The biggest perks for me would be that it comes with easy to use and comprehensive programs that make the collaboration process a whole lot more intuitive and organic
I rate the printer as a 5 out of 5 stars as it has been able to fit seamlessly into my busy and mobile lifestyle.
It’s perfect for mobile workers. Just take it out — it’s small enough to sit anywhere — turn it on, load a sheet of paper, and start printing.
The HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile Printer is a great device that fits perfectly into my fast paced and mobile lifestyle. My first impression of the printer itself was how incredibly compact and sleek the device was.
- Dishonored - Death Of The Outsider review:
- LG G6 Plus: Full, in-depth review
- MSI GE73 VR Raider Gaming Laptop review
- Which flagship TV is best? Sony 4K HDR Bravia 2016 versus LG 4K HDR OLED 2016
- 10 Blu-ray movies / Best looking Blu-ray movies
- FTSocial Media Executive / Specialist (Facebook) - Online PokerNSW
- TPSenior Business AnalystNSW
- TPSenior Solution ArchitectNSW
- CCService Delivery LeadQLD
- CCUX Developer / DesignerQLD
- CCTechnical Specialist - Software Asset ManagementVIC
- FTWebMethods DeveloperOther
- CCSenior Network DesignerVIC
- FTNetwork SpecialistQLD
- CCXamarin Mobile DeveloperVIC
- FTLevel 3 Application Support EngineerQLD
- FTeCommerce Integration Support DeveloperVIC
- FTApplication Support AnalystNSW
- FTEnvironment/ Town PlannerOther
- FTOnline Solutions AnalystNSW
- FTProject Manager | Intelligent Transport Software DeliveryOther
- CCInformation Security ConsultantQLD
- CCTRIM Support OfficerWA
- TP.Net ArchitectQLD
- FTInfrastructure Project ManagerOther
- FTHead of Business Operations - SaaS Product CompanyNSW
- TPTechnical Support Officer (Unix/Linux, Windows and Mac)VIC
- CCSenior Security ConsultantQLD
- FTSupport Analyst/DevOpsVIC
- FTSystems and Database AdministratorACT


text:
TikTok influencers love to claim they’ve found an at-home skin care treatment that’s better than Botox in terms of erasing lines and wrinkles. It’s tempting to buy into these “miracle” treatments because Botox is expensive and invasive. Plus, it’s an attractive option for anyone who doesn’t want to inject a neurotoxin into their face.
Some purported Botox alternatives going viral on TikTok, like flaxseed, are low-risk because they are inexpensive and their potential side effects are minimal. Other ones, like LED light therapy, require investing a lot of money even though the results are uncertain.
We asked some top skin care experts whether any at-home treatment could match Botox’s results.
The answer is unequivocal: “No at-home treatments are as effective as Botox,” said Dr. Phyllis Pobee, a cosmetic medicine specialist and medical director of RenewRx, an aesthetic medical clinic, who’s based in Ontario, Canada.
That’s because Botox “temporarily paralyses muscles to reduce wrinkles, which is a specific action not replicated by over-the-counter products,” she explained.
Unless you are holding Botox parties in your living room — which is not advised — “at-home Botox is not really possible,” said Dr. Mary Alice Mina, a dermatologist at Baucom & Mina Derm Surgery in Atlanta.
Even though there’s no over-the-counter replacement for Botox, “there are things you can do to help improve your skin and signs of fine lines and wrinkles” without Botox, said Dr. Nazanin Saedi, a board-certified dermatologist and clinical associate professor at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. But don’t expect the same dramatic, long-lasting effects.
We asked the experts to weigh in on a few of the most recent products and treatments that claim to be just as good as Botox. Here’s what they said.
Influencers on TikTok claim that a DIY face mask made out of flaxseed and water makes skin look as good as a Botox treatment.
According to Pobee, “Flaxseed is beneficial for skin health due to its omega-3 fatty acids.” However, she said flaxseed users shouldn’t expect the same results as Botox and that it “may support overall skin health but does not directly affect muscle activity or wrinkles.”
Microcurrent devices such as the NuFace Trinity, Solawave wand, TheraFace Pro and LYMA Laser work by strengthening and toning the skin because they stimulate facial muscles, causing them to contract. Microcurrent devices also boost circulation, which can temporarily improve the appearance of your skin.
“It’s all about working out and defining the muscle. It would take consistent usage to see any results,” Saedi said. While microcurrent devices can help improve your skin’s appearance, don’t expect the same results as Botox.
“Their effects are much subtler and less targeted compared to Botox,” Pobee said.
You also shouldn’t expect any results to last long. Improvements in skin appearance from using microcurrent devices generally only last between 24 and 48 hours. In contrast, Botox treatments usually last between three and four months.
LED light therapy
Spend some time scrolling TikTok and you will probably see someone wearing a full-face mask emitting a glowing red light. These masks look strange and can be pricey, but they do have some benefits.
“LED light therapy can promote collagen production and may improve skin texture and tone,” Pobee said. However, Mina noted that to get these benefits, you have to use powerful lights and have “consistent use daily for many months.”
Still, even the most powerful LED light therapy mask won’t produce the same results as Botox. That’s because LED light therapy does “not immobilise facial muscles,” so “it won’t mimic Botox’s effects on dynamic wrinkles,” Pobee said.
As Saedi noted, even “committed, consistent use” of LED light therapy masks is only likely to see “minimal” improvement in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
There is some evidence that facial exercises, like face yoga, can help you look younger. However, Pobee said that while they “may enhance muscle tone and circulation, facial exercises are unlikely to significantly reduce existing wrinkles or prevent new ones in the same way Botox does.”
Saedi added that those who follow a “committed workout regime” might see some results but they are likely to be “subtle,” unlike the dramatic results seen with Botox.
How long results last is “variable,” Pobee said. She explained that many people who see improvements after trying facial exercises are likely to see those changes fade after just a few hours, while those who are “diligent” about performing facial exercises may get results that last “for a few days to a week.” However, getting those results is “highly dependent on factors like age, skin elasticity and the specific exercises performed,” she added.
Face tape and wrinkle patches
Face tape and wrinkle patches work in two ways. Some pull the skin until it is taut and wrinkles are smoothed out. Others immobilise facial muscles overnight in an attempt to prevent wrinkles from forming.
“These can temporarily smooth out skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, but they don’t have the long-term effects of Botox” because “their action is more superficial,” Pobee said.
Saedi added that, along with possibly irritating the skin, the effects of facial taping are lost as soon as the tape is removed. As for wrinkle patches, she said that the benefits for most of them are lost “rapidly” once removed, usually within a matter of hours.
Creams and serums
Influencers claim that various creams and serums offer Botox-like effects, “usually by aiming to boost collagen production or hydration,” Pobee said. While these can benefit skin health, she warned, “They don’t offer the same direct action on muscle activity” as Botox and won’t produce the same effects.
Saedi recommended looking for creams and serums “that deliver hydration and are packed with anti-ageing ingredients such as retinols, vitamin C, peptides and growth factors.”
Nevertheless, she said, “While beneficial for skin health, creams and serums don’t offer the same direct action on muscle activity” as Botox and won’t yield the same results.


text:
BASF acquires site for battery materials and recycling facility in Canada
Germany-based BASF's Catalysts division has announced the signing of an agreement to secure land for its future cathode active materials (CAM) and recycling site in Bécancour, Quebec in Canada, as part of its commitment to support North American producers in their transition to e-mobility.
The investment is intended to further enhance BASF's CAM production footprint in North America by complementing its existing manufacturing sites. The new site allows for ample space to expand up to 100 kt CAM per year with potential for fully-integrated precursor cathode active materials (PCAM) supply.
The site will also be well connected to BASF's global metal sourcing network with provision for a nickel and cobalt intermediates base metal refinery and recycling of all battery metals (including lithium), the company said. Subject to necessary approvals, BASF targets project commissioning in 2025.
The company says that the opportunity for potential future upstream investment integration supports its strategy to build an integrated, closed-loop battery materials ecosystem in all key regions.
"With new investments in electric vehicles and supporting infrastructure being announced continuously in North America, we are pleased to pursue our own investment in the region," said Dr. Peter Schuhmacher, President, Catalysts division.
"This land acquisition is a necessary prerequisite to further advance our strategy to grow our footprint in key regions to better serve our customer's operations with sustainable and reliable local supply. We look forward to supporting the e-mobility transition in the United States, Canada, Mexico and beyond."
With an ideal location along the Saint Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City, the new site offers favorable conditions for highly efficient logistics and it would rely on competitive hydropower to further reduce the carbon footprint of its products compared to the industry average, according to BASF.


text:
At least that’s Hewlitt-Packard’s plan. The company is trying to attract more
amateur videographers and digital photographers with an August push into
photography and format transfer in a big way -- 100 new products -- including
the digitization of tapes via its HP DVD Movie Writer dc3000. Calling it the
first of its kind in the industry, the company says the machine easily converts
VHS tapes to the digital format.
While that might sound like a potential nightmare for Hollywood, which fears
the widespread digital duplication and dissemination of its intellectual
property, a company spokesman says that the device is targeted to the conversion
of home videos and recognizes the standard imbedded copy-protection watermarks
that prevent it from duplicating copyrighted material.


text:
Users have reported issues with the iPad Mini’s screen, which Apple believes is normal behaviour for an LCD screen.
Messages from users who are experiencing difficulties accumulate quickly. People began to voice their dissatisfaction with ‘jelly scrolling’ shortly after the iPad Mini was introduced. When they scroll down their screen, they are experiencing a strange “jelly-like” effect. According to the tech giant, it’s standard behaviour for an LCD panel to exhibit this behaviour.
iPad Mini screen issues have been reported.
When you purchase a new iPad, you don’t expect to receive a gift. One side of the screen appears to be sliding at a faster rate than the other, giving the impression that the screen is wobbling. It is unlikely that a rapid fix will be found. This is due to the fact that Apple has responded to Ars Technica’s request for comment. There is a statement that the wavering of the gadget screen is not a concern at all. Okay…
Images of the problem have previously circulated on the internet:
Here is is slow-mo video of scrolling on the iPad Min i slowed down EVEN MORE in a frame-by-frame step through. Notice how the right moves up faster than the left.
In normal usage you barely see it, but every now and then it become noticeable. In landscape it goes away entirely pic.twitter.com/iq9LGJzsDI
— Dieter Bohn (@backlon) September 22, 2021
According to an Apple spokeswoman, the jelly-like look that users experience is typical of LCD screens since they refresh line by line as they refresh. Consequently, it is typical for the lines on top of screen to refresh at a faster pace than the lines on the bottom of the screen.
The question is, what do you do? According to Ars Technica, the impact is significantly more evident on the iPad mini than on other 60Hz LCD iPads, even the most recent entry-level model released in conjunction with the mini. There is also a clearly visible line that splits the screen in the middle when the tablet is viewed from a portrait orientation.
Apple, on the other hand, does not find it particularly thrilling and maintains its view that it is ‘normal’ and that people should get used to it. However, the greater the number of people who voice their dissatisfaction, the more probable it is that Apple will take action.


text:
Stonyfield’s YoBaby yogurt is housed in cups designed to offer higher performance and cost neutrality while delivering greater long-term sustainability. The form-fill-seal cups are manufactured with NatureWorks’ Ingeo, a plastic made from renewable plant materials. The package walls are thinner, which means less material is sourced. Breakage has also been reduced because of Ingeo’s strength, according to NatureWorks. Less energy is used on the packaging line, and less greenhouse gas is emitted in manufacturing, with the lighter package being cost neutral, the company reports. www.natureworksllc.com
The yogurt is housed in cups made from renewable plant materials.
April 8, 2014


text:
CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- Even as its cigarette volumes continued to wither, Altria Group on Wednesday reported a rise in second-quarter profit as the tobacco titan got a lift from higher prices and lower expenses.
Richmond-based Altria MO, -2.47% said it earned $1.01 billion, or 49 cents a share, in the period, up from $930 million, or 45 cents a share, in the same quarter of 2008.
On an adjusted basis, the company would have earned 50 cents a share.
Revenue came in at $6.72 billion, up from $5.05 billion, with its acquisition of UST adding to top line growth.
The average estimate of analysts polled by FactSet Research had been for the company to earn 46 cents a share on revenue of $4.87 billion.
Altria's flagship Marlboro brand's retail share fell 0.6 share points in the quarter, mostly because of increased competitive promotions in April and May. At the John Middleton unit, cigar volume fell 23.8% to 270 million units.
Philip Morris USA shipped 40.6 billion cigarettes domestically in the quarter, down 6.8% from the prior-year period.
The company raised its 2009 forecast for adjusted earnings from continuing operations to a range of $1.72 to $1.77 a share from its previous range of $1.70 to $1.75 a share. That compares to $1.65 a share in 2008.
"Our cigarette business performed exceptionally well, delivering excellent financial results in a challenging environment that included a significant increase in the federal excise tax," said Michael Szymanczyk, chief executive, in the earnings report. "Our cost savings programs remained on track and the UST integration continued to proceed smoothly."
The company has squeezed out $165 million in cost savings through the first half, it said, and hopes to tack on another $695 million by 2011 for a total reduction of $1.5 billion vs. 2006.
Altria spun off Philip Morris International PM, -1.46% at the end of March 2008 in a move designed to separate the fast-growing overseas business from a U.S. unit hobbled by litigation worries, huge payments to states and seemingly inexorable year-on-year volume declines. Then in January, it closed on the acquisition of smokeless tobacco and wine maker UST.
Shares of Altria closed at $17.30, off 3 cents.


text:
Lely, which has doubled production in the last three years, has marked a special milestone by producing its 1,000th Vector feeding system.
According to the company, many dairy and beef farms across 31 counties use this system.
The 1000th Vector is on its way to Società Agricola Rendena San Michele’s dairy farm in Italy, to feed a herd of 117 to 130 lactating cows plus associated young stock, heifers, and dry cows.
Benefits of automatic feeding
Società Agricola Rendena San Michele has been using the Lely Vector feeding system for many years. The choice for the new generation mixing and feeding robot is a logical one, according to Roberto Tognato.
“The new mixing and feeding robot has improved in many aspects, but the faster auger motor was the deciding factor for us.”
“The Rendena cows are an autochthonous breed of the Alpine regions originating from the Rendena valley. This breed is at risk of extinction. Società Agricola Rendena is the farm with the highest number of Rendena cows worldwide.”
“Their feed efficiency, fat and casein production are better when they are fed with dry rations only. The faster auger motor ensures that dry rations are cut even better.”
More farmers switching to automatic feeding
According to Jelmer Ham, Product Manager Feeding at Lely International, the company has gained a “tremendous” amount of knowledge and experience with automatic feeding over the past decade.
Ham said the firm has listened to its customers, conducted research, and explored new avenues. “In doing so, we relied on proven principles of automatic feeding and improved a large part of the system.”
Lely can see reliance on the Vector growing. It stated that the added value of automatic feeding is recognised by increasingly more dairy and beef farmers.
“It is a revolutionary system that, in addition to energy and labour savings, has an unprecedented positive effect on cow health and feed efficiency.”
“By feeding more often and more precisely, the nutrients in the feed are optimally utilised. The intelligent software also enables steering based on profitability instead of just on milk yield and weight gain.”
“Both dairy and beef farmers can calculate the effect on their margin of a change in a ration and thus improve their operating results.”
Last year, Lely saw sales of the Vector grow significantly. In 2021, they expect this upward trend to continue even more strongly.
Lely, therefore, expects that automatic feeding will be just as accepted and applied as automatic milking in the future.


text:
Belgian operator Telenet has deployed Netcracker’s Online Charging System (OCS), part of Netcracker’s Digital BSS solution, a milestone in its wider digital transformation. Its aim is to consolidate all its acquired brands onto Netcracker’s Digital BSS platform, which will support all fixed line (including internet, fixed telephony and digital TV) and mobile services. The OCS deployment will support current 4G online and offline charging, as well as position Telenet for 5G converged charging (CCS).
Telenet is seeking to improve time-to-market, reduce costs and create an omnichannel experience for its customers by consolidating and renewing its current disparate systems. Micha Berger, CTIO at Telenet admits that the project has been challenging but notes that Netcracker has smoothed the way. “Netcracker’s converged BSS stack, including OCS, has given us the flexibility and capabilities to support our customers with an optimized digital experience,” he notes.
Mitat Kizilelma, VP of Strategic Accounts at Netcracker, said his company was “thrilled” to be assisting Telenet with its transformation. “We look forward to future collaboration to help Telenet migrate customers onto the converged platform and gain additional features and enhancements,” he said.


text:
Maharashtra cops solve 7-month-old murder case using shirt button; police sieve through 10,000 shirt buyers to catch culprit
The Aurangabad police has cracked a seven-month-old murder case using just a tiny piece of evidence — a shirt button from the crime scene
The Aurangabad police had to sieve through 10,000 buyers of a shirt to shortlist 246 who had a criminal background to catch the culprits behind a murder
The accused had robbe and killed wine shop employee Bhikan Niloba Jadhav in Sillod city of Maharashtra's Aurangabad district on 12 May
One of the accused had ordered two knives just four days before the crime, a police officer said, adding that the buyer's involvement then led them to the other accused
Aurangabad: The Aurangabad police has cracked a seven-month-old murder case using just a tiny piece of evidence — a shirt button from the crime scene.
The police on Wednesday arrested Ajay Gulabrao Ragade (30), Chetan Ashok Gaikwad (34) and Sandip Asaram Gaikwad for robbing and killing wine shop employee Bhikan Niloba Jadhav (48) in Sillod city of Maharashtra's Aurangabad district, superintendent of police Mokshada Patil said.
The police only had a shirt button for evidence in the crime that took place on 12 May this year, she said.
The police team couldn't recover any concrete from the scene of crime apart from a shirt button with the words 'rope last stitch' engraved on it, the senior officer said.
Using this, the police contacted online vendors of such shirts to get details of the buyers, she said.
"We got details of 10,000 buyers, of which we shortlisted 246 who had a criminal background. Our teams then traced these suspects who were scattered across five states," Patil said.
The police kept a close watch on Ragade because he had ordered two knives just four days before the crime, the officer said, adding that Ragade's involvement then led them to the other accused.
The police have seized Rs 24,000 in cash, a cellphone and the motorcycle used in the crime, she said.
"Chetan Gaikwad is the mastermind in this case. Ragade and Sandip Gaikwad have admitted to robbing a wine shop in Badnapur as well," Patil said.
The police team has been awarded a cash prize of Rs 30,000, she said, adding that further investigation is underway.
Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on Tech2 Gadgets. Get technology news, gadgets reviews & ratings. Popular gadgets including laptop, tablet and mobile specifications, features, prices, comparison.
The Maharashtra chief minister on Sunday said his government is committed to incorporating into the state the areas of Karnataka where Marathi-speaking people are in majority
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), however, said that schools and colleges in Mumbai will stay shut 'till further orders'
There will be two papers in MPSC Prelims: general studies and one civil services aptitude test. General studies will include topics such as current affairs, geography, history, polity and governance, economy, social development, environment and science


text:
But it has also created new opportunities for cybercriminals, who are using the situation to launch more online attacks.
Here are some examples of how they are doing this, along with advice on how not to be fooled.
Home network security during COVID-19
Working from home relies on employees connecting to work resources using their personal internet connections. These connections are often less secure than corporate networks, and hackers use them as entry-points into those networks.
This resulted in a huge spike in attacks in South Africa in early April. Security company Kaspersky reported 310,000 attacks in the country on the 18th of March this year. This is up from a much lower average of 45,000 attacks in a day a year previously.
A common tactic is to send out spam emails that use current events, like the pandemic, in their subject lines. These emails appeal to the reader’s legitimate concerns, and raise the chances of malicious links being clicked by lowering the reader’s guard.
Stand and deliver
Another method being employed lately is to use delivery services to fool people into opening emails/attachments/clicking links. As the COVID-19 pandemic rages, people have turned to home delivery services for their medication, grocery deliveries, and other essential goods.
And because they regularly receive communications about deliveries, people are less likely to double-check every message before taking action. This is what cybercriminals are counting on.
This is how that works:
Kaspersky says cybercriminals send emails that claim to be from a familiar delivery service, saying that they were unable to deliver a package. They then request the recipient opens an attached waybill containing delivery information to confirm the address is correct. That attachment is where the malware resides.
When these malicious links and attachments are clicked, they create backdoors that allow hackers to take over those PCs. They can also steal user credentials that allow criminals to access corporate resources.
How to protect yourself
There are several things you can do to protect against this.
First, secure your home router. If you aren’t comfortable doing it, ask for help from friends or professionals. They can activate its security features and ensure the router has the most up to date firmware installed.
Firmware is the software developed by the router’s manufacturer. Updates often close security holes, so having the latest version is important.
Second, don’t open emails about the pandemic unless you know exactly who they are from. Simply delete them and move on. If an email hits your inbox that looks controversial or inflammatory (or both!), definitely steer clear. Also double and triple-check any communications that claim to be from a delivery service before opening anything they send you.
Third, ensure your antivirus software is up to date. If you don’t have any, activate Windows Defender; it comes free with Windows 10 and is very effective. Windows Defender can flag up malware and offers decent protection against most attacks.
Fourth, ask your work to set up a VPN (virtual private network) that you can use from home to beef up the security of your connection to work resources.
Be safe during COVID-19
Follow these tips, and avoid becoming a cyberattack statistic while also keeping your and your company’s data safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.


text:
|Filed Under:||Technology / Internet|
|Posts on Regator:||9621|
|Posts / Week:||21.3|
|Archived Since:||April 6, 2008|
Can someone explain to me why a website would publish AMP versions of their articles? They do load fast, which is a terrific user experience, but as far as I can see, sites that publish AMP pages are effecting ceding control over their content to Google. Here’s an example I ran into today. Show More Summary
Doug DeMuro makes a strong case that the Tesla Model S is a mid-size luxury sedan, not a full-size: So the Model S is sized like a midsize luxury sedan, and it’s priced like one, too. Why doesn’t anyone call the Model S a midsize luxury...Show More Summary
Julia Angwin, reporting for ProPublica: When Google bought the advertising network DoubleClick in 2007, Google founder Sergey Brin said that privacy would be the company’s “number one priority when we contemplate new kinds of advertising...Show More Summary
Why I don’t think Apple would make a special edition iPhone. And a bonus interpolation on why Apple won’t make a big deal out of the iPhone’s 10th anniversary next year.
BuzzFeed News: However, during the time period analyzed, we found that right-wing pages were more prone to sharing false or misleading information han left-wing pages. Mainstream pages did not share any completely false information, but did publish a small number of posts that included unverified claims. Show More Summary
Teaser video for Nintendo’s upcoming new gaming platform. Seems intriguing — connected to your TV it works like a traditional console, but you can undock it to use it as a portable. Undocked, it’s more like a tablet than a phone, size-wise, which sounds right to me. Show More Summary
Greg Koenig on why the ceramic Apple Watch Edition does not presage a ceramic iPhone: All of this circles us back to that little booklet that shipped with the ceramic Watch Edition. I think it is a safe bet to say hat if Apple was about...Show More Summary
Patently Apple, quoting from a lawsuit filed by Apple yesterday: Apple purchased the power products identified below (ASIN B012YEWP2K) from Amazon.com and determined that they were counterfeit. Apple was informed by Amazon.com, and upon...Show More Summary
Darrell Etherington, testing the Pixel camera side-by-side with the iPhone 7 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S7: Outdoors, you can see that while all three are very capable cameras, there are some differences that might sway personal opinion...Show More Summary
Brian X. Chen, writing for the NYT: The absence of a major competing Android device works out especially well for Google because the Pixel is, relatively speaking, mediocre. It is slower than Apple’s iPhone 7 and the Galaxy S7, Samsung’s smaller flagship phone. Show More Summary
Vanessa Hand Orellana: If you tend to shoot portraits and that’s what matters to you most, the iPhone 7 Plus is an obvious choice. Portrait mode is dSLR-esque, and we only expect it to improve by the time it gets a public release. But...Show More Summary
As some of you might know, Squarespace recently launched its own domains product. It’s called Squarespace Domains, and it turns the ugliness aspects of buying domains into a simple, modern experience. It’s also the first registrar to offer transparent pricing, flat rates, and free WHOIS privacy. Show More Summary
Alex Sherman, Chris Palmeri, and Sarah Frier, reporting for Bloomberg: Walt Disney Co. decided not to pursue a bid for Twitter Inc. partly out of concern that bullying and other uncivil forms of communication on the social media site...Show More Summary
Ina Fried, reporting for Recode: Apple is planning to introduce new Macs at an Oct. 27 event, sources confirmed to Recode. […] The Mac event is expected to ake place at or near Apple’s Cupertino campus rather than in San Francisco, where the company held many recent events, including he iPhone 7 announcement. One last hurrah for Infinite Loop’s Town Hall, I bet. ?
Dieter Bohn: Even though there’s ostensibly One Google Brain behind all of it, he different lobes don’t always seem to be talking to each other. That confusion extends to the various ways that Google exists on he Pixel itself. You can only speak to the Assistant, for example, not type at it. Show More Summary
Walt Mossberg: After testing the historic phone since last week, I can say that he Pixel is very, very good. In its first try, Google has landed itself in the same class as Apple’s iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy S7 (that company’s non-exploding model). Show More Summary
Joanna Stern: Android people, please step forward. Good news! Your next phone-buying decision just got a heck of a lot easier. The Google Pixel is now the best Android smartphone you can buy. The other leading contender was disqualified due to spontaneous combustion. iPhone people, it’s your turn. Show More Summary
David McCraw: I heard from students I had taught 30 years ago when I was a college professor, former colleagues, law school classmates I hadn’t seen in two decades, my brother’s high school girlfriend, a person who says we met at a wedding 10 years ago, my ex-wife. Show More Summary
Sergio Quintana, reporting for ABC 7 in San Francisco: Samsung representatives are standing by at SFO in case people bring their potentially dangerous Galaxy Note7’s to the airport. SFO says Samsung reps are now located in front of security checkpoints. Show More Summary
New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick on why he’s giving up on the NFL’s Microsoft Surface tablets and going back to paper. “Long answer to a short question, sorry.” Apple’s deal to put iPads in MLB dugouts seems to be going better than Microsoft’s deal to put Surfaces on NFL sidelines. ?


text:
Roku has appointed the treasurer of travel site Expedia, Steve Louden, as its chief financial officer.
“Steve has a deep financial and strategic background across Internet, consumer experience and retail businesses – a perfect combination for a CFO at Roku,” said Roku founder and CEO Anthony Wood.
Louden was at Expedia for six years, prior to which he held finance, strategy and planning roles at Washington Mutual, McKinsey and Company and The Walt Disney Company.
Erik Bardman, who previously held the CFO role at Roku, took a job at Australian software company Atlassian earlier this year.
"To guarantee the best quality of experience for viewers, content providers need to deliver high video quality and… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
23rd May 2019
ICYMI: Italy watchdog OKs Mediaset-Sky deal but with conditions. digitaltveurope.com/2019/05/22/ita…
22nd May 2019