text: Backspace, being a prudent investor, decided to check out the prospectuses issued in the past few weeks by some of the companies that listed on Hong Kong's Growth Enterprise Market (GEM). Particularly amusing are the sections of these inch-thick doorstoppers where Pine Technology, Timeless Software and TS Telecom outlined their advantages over rivals, as well as the risks that they - for legal reasons - must admit are inherent in their stock. Pine, for example, says development of its MP3 player - the killer product investors supposedly are betting on - is at the moment wholly dependent on five Korean engineers tethered to Pine by three-year contracts. And moreover, the 12-month non-competition clause that prohibits these engineers from working on similar technology with another company as soon as they leave Pine may or may not be enforceable in all jurisdictions, the company says. That is hardly reassuring to anyone but the short-term punter. Timeless, meanwhile, gets a big chunk of its revenues from Y2K contract work, which may well dry up as soon as the New Year arrives, as pointed out by Hong Kong's resident investment contrarian, David Webb, on his Webb-site. com. Even as the company admits that 'revenues are difficult to predict because they are generated on a project-by-project basis', references to e-commerce development abound. Unfortunately, one of the few concrete e-commerce businesses mentioned is eDynasty21.com, an on-line finance and brokerage site to be launched in partnership with Hewlett-Packard. The agreement was signed just this September, so readers should not type in the URL, which will not turn up a site for viewing. TS Telecom, which makes power and telecoms-monitoring equipment, counts as one of its major assets the 'excellent' connections it has with the Government. For once, Backspace would like to see a company cite superior technology that no other company can duplicate. And this was just the first week of trading on GEM. With more listings aimed at the 'tech-oriented' market, Backspace and other nitpickers can look forward to more reading pleasure. Here is a forecast which should scare all but the most Prozac-popping Netpreneurs: respected technology consultancy, Gartner Group, says about 75 per cent of all e-business startups will fail. This is probably why Laurie Kan, veteran local IT entrepreneur and ex-Microsoft Hong Kong managing director, is spreading his bets. He is president and a director of Timeless Software and a director also at Pine Technology - both big winners in GEM's first week. Mr Kan also runs the Hong Kong office of Web portal Sina - another company looking to cash in publicly. And finally, something for the Homer Simpsons out there. Miller Brewing Company, the Milwaukee firm responsible for that most archetypal of mediocre American beers, Miller Lite, has introduced Beer Pager to help people plan their parties. Not an actual beeper but a 6 MB piece of Web software, Beer Pager lets users type in e-mail addresses, favourite pubs and bars and other party-planning notes, according to Wired News. When a page is sent, the Beer Pager automatically records the event on the calendar software of invitees and notifies the host who accepted and who declined. In accordance with US drinking laws, those entering an age younger than 21 are not allowed to download the Beer Pager, and are redirected to Disney's Go.com site instead.


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August 21, 2015 weblog
Five-minute charging for electric cars joins StoreDot agenda
An Israeli startup looks to make a real difference in working up a five-minute charging solution for an electric car.
StoreDot, which has promoted its technology that can charge a smartphone in 30 seconds, said it has technology that can now be applied to electric vehicles.
In a video, the company said an array of StoreDot cells——7000 StoreDot cells—could enable five-minute car charging, providing a range of 300 miles. "The EV FlashBattery comprises thousands of cells assembled and packed in a single battery module. When fully charged, the EV FlashBattery stores enough energy for a car to travel 300 miles (480 km) on a 5 minute charge," said the company.
To be sure, such a product would have its market. Cost, range, charging times. Once those hurdles are jumped, the electric car party can begin.
A site for electric and hybrid cars, ecomento, said Thursday that "Expanding interest in electric cars is leading to something of a golden age in battery research."
Companies are eager for breakthroughs. Paul Sawers in VentureBeat similarly observed a "flurry of activity in the battery space recently, and it's an area that could offer lucrative rewards for whoever can pack the biggest punch into as small a space as possible, in the shortest timeframe."
StoreDot's work is described by Stephen Edelstein in ecomento. He said, "StoreDot, "believes it can speed up charging by creating a new variant of the industry-standard lithium-ion chemistry. It uses nanotechnology to make new organic materials that researchers claim have lower resistance than the materials used in current lithium-ion cells. That means electricity can flow through the battery more easily."
StoreDot's team talks about its "proprietary organic compounds" which improve the performance of devices, including batteries, displays, sensors and digital memory.
These are "chemically-synthesized organic molecules of non-biological origin." The molecules have demonstrated "uniquely tunable" optical and electrochemical properties, they said. They allow for the "emission of vivid saturated colors and the enhanced performance of energy storage devices."
What stands out in contrast to competing technologies based on metals, including heavy and toxic metals, is that the team's. organic compounds are non-toxic and environmentally safe. According to the company, "The FlashBattery contains, in addition to lithium, non-flammable organic compounds encased in a multi-layer safety-protection structure that prevents over-voltage and heating, and is therefore considerably safer than traditional LiBs [Lithium-ion batteries]."
Another standout feature is cost. "The charging experience is similar to fueling a gasoline car," they said, but their EV FlashBattery cost of ownership is only "half per mile compared to existing electric-vehicle batteries."
According to VentureBeat's Sawers, StoreDot said that "Certainly, instant (OK, 5 minutes) would be a marked improvement on the current timeframe for recharging a car, which can vary from two to eight hours."
The company has been testing batteries in cellphones with some electronics companies, said Edelstein in ecomento, and it does not expect its batteries to be ready for commercial use in electric cars for at least five years.
© 2015 Tech Xplore

domain: news


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Autochek, an automotive technology company, has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in AutoTager, an Egyptian automotive company to deepen its presence in North Africa.
Autochek made the disclosure in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos.
It said that AutoTager was a venture backed startup that was removing the friction from the car buying and selling process in Egypt.
According to the statement, the company enabled easier access to vetted vehicles and financing for consumers, and connecting dealers with serious buyers and technology solutions to improve their operations.
It said that the acquisition represented Autochek’s entry into Egypt, which was Africa’s second largest economy and the continent’s second largest automotive market.
Autochek said the country’s strategic geographical position, skilled workforce, large domestic market and the successful reforms undertaken by the country’s government in recent years had enabled dynamic growth and made it one of the largest recipients of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Africa over the past decade.
“This acquisition also represents the third for Autochek in less than a year and the sixth in under two years, reflecting its emergence as the leading Pan-African automotive technology company.
“The company now has active operations in nine countries across East, West and North Africa, with a partner-led footprint of more than 2,000 dealers and workshop locations.
“This unrivalled footprint enables unparalleled insights into vehicle-related transactions and positions Autochek and its subsidiaries to deliver effective solutions for the needs of a wide range of stakeholders in Africa’s automotive ecosystem, “it said.
It said that AutoTager was founded in 2021 by Amr Rezk, a serial entrepreneur that had founded and co-founded multiple successful companies, including Fundseer, a leading private equity GP/LP coordination platform.
Commenting on the acquisition, Olajide Adamolekun, Co-founder of Autochek said that Rezk’s background and track record was impressive and the company was delighted to have him on board.
Adamolekun said his experience would be invaluable as they entered the Egyptian market and continued on their mission to improve the automotive finance value proposition on the continent and catalyse more growth across the ecosystem.
He said there were many parallels between Autochek and AutoTager and he was looking forward to building it to deliver more growth and success in the months and years to come.
Amr Rezk, the Founder of AutoTager said: “We are thrilled to partner with Autochek to pursue several sizable and unique opportunities in the automotive space.
“Autochek has deep automotive expertise and several all-weather strategies that have been tested and validated in multiple complex high growth markets.
The company’s track record of concurrently operating various business models in the automotive space is stellar and provides us with a wide menu of options and cutting-edge tools to offer AutoTager’s customers a truly unique proposition, “Rezk said.
He said that AutoTager was confident that the global original equipment manufacturer and financing partnerships that Autochek had secured would provide them with differentiated access.
Rezk said the access would allow them to lead in the space while targeting high quality top returns.


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Goya Foods, Inc. has recalled 12-ounce packages of Dried Yellow Potato (Papa Seca Amarilla) due to the presence of undeclared sulfites in the product, according to a notice posted by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
The problem was detected as a result of routine sampling carried out by New York State.
Goya has agreed to recall all production codes of the Peruvian import. The dried potatoes were packaged in 12-ounce plastic bags and distributed across the United States.
Individuals who are sensitive to sulfites may experience severe allergy-like symptoms after consuming this product.
The bags of dried yellow potato were available in Price Chopper and in other retail stores nationwide. Consumers should return the product to the store for a refund.


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The Latest News On The API Economy
Searching: No Search Term , Filtered By Company: "MasterCard"
Rewards programs can increase brand loyalty, customer satisfaction, and company profits. In this article we highlight ten popular Rewards APIs that can be found in the ProgrammableWeb directory in which developers could tap into to reward application users and increase engagement.
Twenty APIs have been added to the ProgrammableWeb directory in categories including Email, Real Estate, Internet of Things, and Natural Language Processing. Highlights include APIs for IP location services and an API for determining carbon offsets. Here's a rundown of the latest additions.
Mastercard recently announced the Mastercard Innovation Engine. The engine acts as a marketplace for next generation digital customer experiences. The marketplace allows Mastercard and collaborators to offer API access to customer-focused digital experiences through plug and play solutions.
Which API providers do the best job of giving their developer community the tools needed to quickly get up and running with their APIs? In this analysis of our directory, we show how our data model allows for us to query our database and find out which providers offer the most SDKs and Code Samples.
This article is part of a series about interesting APIs that were added to our directory during 2017. Finance, Payments, Blockchain and Banking APIs are covered in this segment. The APIs were chosen by our researchers, by popularity according to website traffic, and by mentions on social media.
Ten APIs have recently been added to the ProgrammableWeb directory in categories including Sales, Screenshots, Automobiles, Payments, Documents and Astrology. Also new to the directory is the Mastercard Blockchain Core API. Here's a rundown of the latest additions for developers.
Mastercard's new service, Consumer Control, enables consumers to monitor their digital footprint through understanding where their credit card credentials are stored across the internet. Mastercard is providing access to Consumer Control through an API that integrates with online banking services.
Global payments company Mastercard has announced that it will be opening up its internal blockchain API to developers. According to the company, the API, which is focused on B2B transactions, "Mastercard’s blockchain solution provides a new way for consumers, businesses and banks to transact."
Our series on getting the most ROI out of your API has looked at the business and technical decisions to make when building your API strategy. We've also made decisions around how to engage with developers and build a developer community. A key aspect to this involves creating a developer portal.
We bring you a review of the news we could cover with today's look at what is going on in the API economy. Included in this roundup is a story about MasterCard releasing several new APIs on their payments platform and Amazon's update of CloudTrail and what it means for users of the CloudWatch API.
Sixteen APIs have been added to the ProgrammableWeb directory in categories including Content Management, Telephony, and Bots. Today's highlights include some recent APIs for MasterCard app developers and Acquia Lift APIs for personalizing user experience in Drupal-based websites and applications.
This article is part of a 10-part series about interesting APIs that were added to our directory during 2016. Finance and Banking APIs are covered in this segment. The APIs were chosen by our researchers, by popularity according to website traffic, and by mentions on social media.
Mastercard, a company that once warned that the risks of digital currency outweigh the benefits, has released two new blockchain APIs to promote collaboration and innovation in the digital exchange of value. Through its Mastercard Labs arm, Mastercard has indicated the API release is just the start.
We've added 20 APIs to the ProgrammableWeb directory in categories such as Translation, Real Estate, Authentication, and Electronic Signature. One highlight today is the AimBrain API, which offers biometric authentication services to developers. Have a look at the latest offerings.
Fifteen APIs have been added to the ProgrammableWeb directory in categories including Audio, Publishing, Payments, and Chat. Featured today is the Autodata Motorcycle API, which provides model ID, manufacturer, diagnostic codes and technical data for motorcycles. Here's a look at what's new.
Mastercard has launched a new platform for developers that features 25 commerce APIs providing a wide range of capabilities across payments, data services, and security. Some of these APIs are experimental and can be used to test new cutting-edge technologies and applications.
The Automated Clearing House (ACH) system has offered larger businesses a dependable and flexible way to initiate bank transfers and requests between nearly anyone in the United States and for a fraction of the cost of card networks. This article looks at three ways to leverage that flexibility.
Several SDKs and 2 APIs have been added to the directory in categories such as Payments, Feedback and Testing. Here's a summary of the new additions.


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Vulog is not a big name in the car sharing space, especially in the US, but the French company is hoping to change that at CES 2017. Alexandre Thibault, VP of business development, said it’s the only independent company that provides hardware and software solutions to car sharing services. (The better-known free-floating car sharing services, car2go and ReachNow, are owned by Daimler and BMW, respectively.) Vulog started R&D in 2005, before the iPhone’s debut, and its technology has been deployed in car sharing services for the past three years.
It’s partly been a deliberate decision to fly under the radar. Thibault said in an interview as we drove up the Strip in Las Vegas that many of Vulog’s partners want to brand their services with their own brands. Vulog provides the means to make car sharing happen — back-end fleet management software, in-car hardware, apps, or any mix that meets the clients’ needs — but the providers run the services.
The company has thousands of vehicles using its technology, mostly in Europe and Canada so far. Its most recent deployment was with the new Emov service in Madrid. It launched on December 15, 2016 with 500 electric Citroens in the fleet, and by early January 2017, there were already 40,000 users in the city.
Vulog works with organizations that want to share vehicles but aren’t themselves car makers. The city of Montreal has been working with Vulog for some time on its electric and hybrid car sharing service, Communauto, and Evo in Vancouver, BC, has a fleet of 1000 vehicles using Vulog’s technology. Thibault noted that real estate agents and energy companies are also candidates for a shared fleet using this system.
While Vulog can provide its technology and data security and then get out of the way of the providers, it does need organizations that are contemplating car sharing to know that Vulog exists. The mashup of automotive and technology companies at CES in recent years means companies like Vulog have a chance at finding a toehold in the US market here.
Correction: ReachNow is owned by BMW, but the car sharing platform used by the service is provided by RideCell, another independent company that works with OEMs on their Mobility as a Service projects.


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Live markets, Wednesday, October 13, 2021
Tesla’s soaring stock prices did not reveal the full potential of Elon Musk’s visionary electric vehicle group, according to Australian fund manager Holon Global, who says his shares could be worth 400% more than their price of $ 805.
Holon says that an in-depth study of Tesla shows that it will leverage its first-in-place advantage and manufacturing advantage to dominate the market and leave behind rivals in debt.
“Holon values ââTesla’s current share price at US $ 3,369 using a discounted cash flow valuation approach which, if done, would make it the largest company in the world with a market cap above 3 trillion US dollars. Holon also believes Tesla has the potential to surpass a valuation of $ 10 trillion by 2050. “
Holon’s business case shows Tesla dominates the burgeoning electric vehicle (EV) market, which is expected to double to 206 million vehicles per year by 2050 thanks to the advantage of Tesla’s first motor and to what Holon describes as an unbeatable advantage in the making.
The company says Tesla shares will be worth US $ 6,244 per share by 2030.
âFew investors understand the enormous difficulty of making the switch from ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle manufacturing to electric vehicles. Tesla’s widespread adoption of automation across its vehicle manufacturing plants has resulted in significantly higher operating profitability than its largest ICE vehicle competitors, âsaid Tim Davies, research director at Holon.
Holon predicts that Tesla’s manufacturing capacity and growing profit margins will allow Tesla to continuously lower prices for electric vehicles and capture additional market share at the expense of traditional automakers late in the electric vehicle opportunity.
Davies says Tesla’s operating profit margins in the second quarter of 2021 reached 24%, which is significantly higher than its much larger competitors, which also carry more than $ 900 billion in debt.
Holon believes that few of them will generate enough free cash flow to fund their electric vehicle investment needs, increasing the likelihood that many traditional automakers will disappear over the next 10 years.
And that ignores the compelling value proposition Tesla customers can have in a fully integrated power generation, storage and transportation solution, according to Davies.
For an average family of four living in Sydney, switching from grid electricity to a solar panel and battery storage solution and using the electricity generated from this integrated system to charge your EV, will generate net present value (NPV) savings of $ 70,000 over the next 25 years, he says.
These savings can fund the purchase of a Tesla Model 2 vehicle (expected release in 2023) as well as a second replacement Model 2 vehicle in 2035 (assuming a 12-year vehicle life cycle).
âNo other automaker can offer an integrated solution that comes close to Tesla’s offering. Holon believes this substantial cost saving will accelerate demand for electric vehicles and energy products which could be significantly higher than Holon’s current estimates, âDavies said.


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Welcome to Transportation & Logistics Briefing, a new M-W-F morning email providing the latest news, data, and insight on how digital technology is disrupting transportation and delivery, produced by BI Intelligence.
Have feedback? We'd like to hear from you. Write me at: email@example.com .
UBER SETS ITS COURSE TOWARD IPO: Uber’s board agreed to several new resolutions this week to steer the world’s most highly valued startup towards its much-anticipated IPO:
- Uber’s board resolved to go public by 2019. Last month, new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said that he would aim to go public in the “next 18 to 36 months,” but the board’s new decision provides a more concrete target. Khosrowshahi also said that Uber must cut its losses before going public, so it will need to significantly improve its finances in the next year to meet its 2019 target for an initial public offering (IPO).
- The board also cleared the way for a massive investment by Japanese tech conglomerate SoftBank. The previously reported investment could be worth more than $10 billion, according to media outlets. That will include a direct investment of around $1 billion by SoftBank and partner Dragoneer Investment Group, Business Insider reported. Beyond the direct investment, SoftBank and Dragoneer will purchase shares from existing investors and employees to up their total stake in Uber to about 15%.
- The board also made significant changes to the company’s governance. Those changes included expanding the existing number of board seats from 11 to 17. Additionally, the board annulled the special voting privileges associated with the “supervoting” shares belonging to the company’s earliest employees, including controversial former CEO Travis Kalanick. That move diminishes Kalanick’s control at the company, where he and his close associates still held major sway after he stepped down from the CEO role thanks to their supervoting shares and board seats.
The announcements come just a week after Reuters reported that rival Lyft is exploring hiring an advisory firm to help with its own IPO. Uber likely does not want to IPO much after its competitor at the risk of driving up interest in Lyft among investors seeking to get an early jump in the expanding ride-hailing industry.
The SoftBank-Dragoneer investment and governance changes should help the company move towards its IPO goal. One early investor announced plans to launch a class action lawsuit against the company for stripping the privileges around supervoting shares. However, decreasing Kalanick’s influence was likely necessary to convince potential investors that Uber is turning the chapter on its past controversies and making serious changes to its much-criticized culture. Meanwhile, the new investment gives Uber some extra funds to invest in defending its declining market share in the US while it fills vacant executive positions and formulates a strategy to balance its finances before its IPO.
AMAZON TESTING NEW DELIVERY SERVICE: Amazon is trialing a new service on the West Coast called Seller Flex, which provides deliveries for third-party merchants that sell goods on its platform, according to Bloomberg. The e-commerce giant, which started testing the program in India two years ago, plans to expand the trials throughout the rest of the US next year.
Seller Flex takes delivery decisions out of the hands of third-party merchants and puts them into the hands of the e-commerce giant. Amazon already operates its own logistics network for third-party sellers, known as Fulfillment by Amazon, which allows sellers to store their goods in Amazon warehouses and choose between different logistics providers — including UPS and FedEx — to get their goods to customers. With Seller Flex, Amazon picks up the goods from sellers’ warehouses, and then decides the best way to route the goods to the customer. Amazon could route the goods through its own logistics network, which includes 16 planes, 76 warehouses and thousands of delivery trucks, or to turn the deliveries over to FedEx or UPS.
While Amazon has denied that it wants to build a full-scale logistics business that could rival UPS or FedEx, taking more control of its sellers’ deliveries is certainly a step in that direction.
- It’ll help the company deliver more of the goods sold on its platform faster. The primary purpose of Seller Flex is to allow third-party sellers on Amazon to deliver their goods to customers as quickly as possible. Gaining a greater expertise in quickly delivering greater package volumes would be essential if Amazon wanted to rival UPS or FedEx.
- Amazon will start taking ownership of more of the delivery process. The company will be picking up goods from sellers’ warehouses, an important first step of the delivery process. Expanding its control over that part of the process is a natural step towards becoming a full-fledged logistics provider, as Amazon could theoretically provide deliveries for other businesses then that don’t sell on its marketplace.
- Additionally, Amazon will be able to analyze vast amounts of information related to Seller Flex deliveries that can help it optimize the scheduling, routing, and costs for its own logistics network. That could also help Amazon become less reliant on its existing logistics partners like UPS or USPS — the data could be used to identify more opportunities where it makes sense for Amazon to handle fulfillment using its own service.
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HOW MOOVEL’S APP FITS INTO DAIMLER’S MOBILITY STRATEGY: German auto giant Daimler is positioning itself for the disruption of car ownership by turning its Moovel app into a one-stop shop for urbanites' transportation needs, Business Insider reports. Moovel, Daimler’s mobility services subsidiary, originally launched in the US in April 2016 after Daimler merged the subsidiary’s RideScout route planning services business, with a Portland, Oregon-based mobile ticketing service called GlobeSherpa. It also houses Daimler’s Car2Go car-sharing service.
Since that launch, Daimler has grown the Moovel app’s utility by incorporating an increasing variety of transportation options, including public transportation, ride-hailing, and car- and bike-sharing services. That allows users to combine these different options — taking a Lyft part of the way then taking a subway train, for example — to get to their destinations quicker. Users can plan their trip and pay for all of these different options within the Moovel app, and Moovel takes a cut of ticket sales. Additionally, Daimler can offer its own urban mobility services like Car2Go and its MyTaxi ride-hailing service within the app.
Moovel’s app still has a small user base though — numbering 3 million across the US and Germany — and it faces significant challenges to growing that base. Right now the service has 16 public transportation partners across 11 cities, and growing those partnerships to expand the service to new cities has proven challenging, according to Moovel CEO Nat Parker. Many public transit agencies are starting to see ride-hailing and other mobility services as a threat to their own business, as some startups, including Lyft, launch shuttle services for transporting larger numbers of riders. Moovel, however, offers its public transit partners important data around its users’ trips, helping those partners see popular locations for pickups and drop-offs.
Building its mobility strategy around offering a useful and competitive app is a smart move though for Daimler. Many automakers, including Ford and GM, have launched mobility services to attract urban consumers. These services are dwarfed though by popular ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft. As automakers grow their mobility services, those services will come into more direct competition with those ride-hailing companies, which have millions of monthly active users. In order to gain mainstream adoption for their mobility services, automakers will need to offer apps that differentiate themselves from ride-hailing apps and entice people to download and use them. Turning its Moovel app into a one-stop shop where users can access many different transportation options — including the popular ride-hailing and public transportation services they already use — is a clever way for Daimler to wedge itself into the future of urban mobility.
In other news…
- The Senate Transportation Committee sent a bill regulating self-driving cars to the Senate floor for a vote, according to Engadget. The bill is very similar to legislation recently passed by the House of Representatives. If passed and signed by President Donald Trump, it would make the guidelines issued last month by the Department of Transportation legally enforceable regulations. The Senate has yet to schedule a vote on the bill.
- Cruise Automation, GM’s self-driving car division, has more than doubled the total number of self-driving cars it’s testing over the past three months, according to Fortune. Many of these new vehicles are being deployed in San Francisco through a trial ride-hailing service for Cruise employees, where the sloping, windy roads can be a challenge for the cars’ self-driving systems. However, mastering this challenging environment can accelerate technological progress, and could help GM become one of the first companies to deploy self-driving cars in a commercial capacity, as Deutsche Bank predicted last month.
- Voyage, a self-driving car startup founded earlier this year by several former employees of computer science education firm Udacity, is testing its self-driving cars in a retirement community in San Jose, California, according to TechCrunch. The company could be targeting the community for an eventual commercial launch of a self-driving taxi service, as a number of residents can’t drive and might be willing to pay for self-driving taxis for mobility purposes. Additionally, smaller deployments in limited, specialized settings like college and retirement campuses are a natural first step for deploying autonomous mobility services before expanding them to serve the general population.


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Demand for Green Cars SoarsBy Motoring.co.uk, PRNE
Saturday, May 21, 2011
LONDON, May 23, 2011 -
The demand for greener and less polluting vehicles has reached an
all-time high, according to new research by Motoring.co.uk, the UK's leading
motoring website for new car search.
Since the end of 2010, there has been a 28% increase in motorists
searching for greener new cars (December 2010 - April 2011) at a time when we
have seen the highest fuel prices on record with diesel passing the 140p a
litre mark for the first time.
Sales of the Toyota Prius 2011 have shot up 51.5% in the first three
months of 2011 and Nissan recently launched its eco friendly electric
vehicle, the Leaf in the UK and the company states that it already has 550
Chris Green, Co-Founder and Sales Director of Motoring.co.uk, comments:
"Our research on the growing demand for greener new cars backs up the recent
SMMT's figures on 11-plate new car registrations, which shows that less
polluting cars dominate new car sales in 2011, so far.
"The demand for green cars is on the increase and this is partly due to
the improvement of reliability and performance. A number of manufacturers are
investing heavily in hybrid electric vehicles, as consumers becoming
increasingly keen to reduce their motoring costs by cutting down on fuel
consumption and qualifying for lower tax bands.
"In the future, we will see more and more people opting for cars that are
cheap to maintain rather than splashing out on models to impress the
neighbours! We estimate that demand for greener cars will increase
dramatically over the next 18 months."
There has never been a better time to buy a fuel efficient low emission
car. There are incentives for low carbon cars including road tax, company tax
and London congestion charges. 2011 brings a wide range of low emission cars.
Car buyers can compare and contrast the cost of buying and owning a new
car with a Car Finance Calculator. This allows users to look at two vehicles
side by side, with at a glance data on MPG, road tax, annual mileage costs,
monthly finance payments etc. There is also a new forum where users can
connect with each other for advice and support, and a huge selection of car
reviews and videos, to help car buyers make the right choice on their next
For further information, please visit www.motoring.co.uk.
For further information, please contact: Karen Hughes, Tel: +44(0)20-7025-8044, Email: karenh at thedrumconsultancy.co.uk
Tags: London, May 23, Motoring.co.uk, United Kingdom


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AS INFLATION continues to rise, some consumers have expressed their frustration over the pressure to tip at coffee shops and fast-food restaurants.
Some customers are frustrated with having to pay more in tips when they buy food, something that may be caused by inflation[/caption]
With the increasing adoption of digital payment methods, customers are frequently prompted to leave a tip, sometimes as high as 30%.
Oftentimes, this occurs at places where they normally wouldn’t tip so much, according to Associated Press.
“I just think for a takeout item, you should not be paying anywhere near, or tipping anywhere near, 20%,” a West Palm Beach resident said
However, some customers disagree.
“I honestly think we need to make it a lifestyle to tip our employees at the restaurants and even, like, Door Dash, anything that’s service industry,” another consumer said.
For those with a limited budget, leaving a tip every time they order a coffee or snack can be difficult.
Etiquette expert Thomas Farley believes that the etiquette of tipping is simple.
“When it comes to doing walk-in and walk-out food service, so somebody is handing you a can of soda from across the counter, someone is handing you a cookie that you ordered at a bakery,” Farley said.
“There is absolutely, positively no requirement — no etiquette requirement — that you provide a gratuity,” he added.
“The idea of gratuity as it really evolved in the United States is for people who are making sub-minimum wage,” he said.
Ries agrees with Farley, stating: “TIPS is actually an acronym and what it means is ‘to insure prompt service.’”
“That’s where the word tips comes from, and a tip is not something that should be on the automatic level. A tip is earned.”


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In short: Apple is reportedly working on a new version of its HomePod speaker as part of an updated smart home strategy. Well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that an upgraded HomePod with a built-in 7-inch display may be introduced as early as the first half of 2024. Kuo said Tianma Microelectronics Co. will be Apple’s exclusive supplier for the displays used in the new HomePod. .
Cupertino apparently hopes that the HomePod with the screen will increase its versatility, leading to closer integration with other hardware products.
Apple introduced the first HomePod 2017 and launched it in February next year. Initial reviews were mixed, which immediately led to low sales. This eventually prompted Apple to discontinue the device in March 2021 after the launch of the smaller and more affordable HomePod Mini.
However, Apple was not going to abandon the full-size HomePod. Earlier this year, the company released a new version of its smart speaker with a 4-inch woofer with a 20 mm stroke, as well as an array of five horn tweeters (each with its own neodymium magnet) and a built-in low-frequency calibration microphone for automatic bass correction. The second-generation HomePod also includes four microphones in the far zone for Siri access and supports spatial sound via Dolby Atmos. It costs $ 50 less than the original — $ 299.
Kuo thinks that Tianma has a great opportunity. Assuming that everything goes well with the displays for the HomePod being developed, the supplier can be asked to provide panels for future iPad models.
Kuo didn’t mention it, but it’s not hard to imagine that a HomePod with a display will support multitouch and will probably be equipped with at least one camera. If it comes to fruition, it could challenge similar devices like the Amazon Echo Show and Meta Portal for market share.


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The latest distribution numbers are in — Android 7.0 has surprisingly jumped more than a percent since last month. That is a stark contrast from the meager advances it has usually made since its release at the end of August.
The post Android 6.0 Marshmallow chugs along to reach 15.2 percent of all Android devices appeared first on Digital Trends.
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WYOMISSING, Pa. - Two Philadelphia women are behind bars in Berks County after, police said, they shoplifted from multiples stores and then led officers on a chase that involved several drivers being run off the road.
Sheila Jenkins and Erica May stole hundreds of dollars worth of items from The Children's Place, Charming Charlie, and the Express Store at the Shoppes at Wyomissing on Woodland Road on Sunday, police said.
When the women were confronted, they took off in a minivan and led officers on an 11-mile pursuit, running 10 cars off the road and failing to stop for six red lights and four stop signs along the way, according to police, who ultimately managed to stop the women by using a device to deflate their tires.
May, 29, was charged with retail theft, receiving stolen property, fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, reckless driving, 10 counts of recklessly endangering another person, and multiple counts for the red light and stop sign violations. She was committed to the Berks County Jail on $50,000 bail.
Jenkins, 50, was charged with retail theft and receiving stolen property. Her bail was set at $20,000.
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25 August 2015
Maker Faire Rome figures enter EU 2015 policy paper
While waiting for the 3rd edition of Maker Faire Rome, the European Commission is recognizing the potential of the Maker Movement by promoting and supporting its objectives and the rise of a new economic model.
Maker Faire Rome and its role in the European maker movement
Maker Faire Rome is the largest maker exhibition after the one in the Bay Area and the World Maker Faire in New York and it represents Europe in the field of innovative technologies, digital culture, and individual and collective entrepreneurship.
Its objective is to bring hundreds of inventions in one place in order to show visitors what makers are capable of – create, produce, and share new forms of digital manual creativity.
It is an event meant for everybody, not only experts in this field. Even children will get closer to digital fabrication thanks to workshops, contests, and hands-on sessions organized in a fun, informative, and interactive way.
The numbers of the first two editions prefigure a huge success and participation at this year’s Maker Faire in October 16-18.
In 2013, over 30,000 visitors joined the event, hundreds of workshops were held, and plenty of educational programs were organized for children who realized over 3,000 inventions and technological games.
Remarkable names participated, such as Massimo Banzi, co-founder of Arduino and curator of Maker Faire Rome, and Dale Dougherty, founder of Make Magazine and creatore of Maker Faire, who were as surprised as everybody else was by the great participation and collaboration of thousands of people of every age who embraced the Maker Movement for the day.
In 2014, numbers triplicated: 90,000 visitors attended the event with 360 laboratories for 15,000 children and 120 workshops organized.
This year’s Maker Faire in Rome will be held at the Sapienza University. It is organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Rome and sees a line-up of notable partners such as Intel, DWS, Microsoft, Trotec, and many more.
The success of Maker Faire Rome and the other small-scaled Fairs in Europe is accompanied by the development and establishment of FabLabs and Makerspaces in every country – places where people collaborate by sharing their knowledge, expertise, and experience.
They are creating a new economic model, which is based on what Peter Troxler calls lateral connections: the systems based on hierarchical power are being disrupted by the FabLab model based on collaboration among individuals and, therefore, on lateral power.
European Institutions have acknowledged the importance of the movement and see in it a big potential for a new economic model for emerging and established enterprises.
European Union Policy Paper 2015
The European Union is playing an important role in the diffusion of digital fabrication as it has been supporting it through a wide range of funding programs and initiatives.
In 2011, Social Innovation Europe (SIE) was established. Funded by DG Growth, this platform has become a community of more than 3,000 people across Europe that works on understanding the context of social innovation in different countries. It is a meeting place, a hub, where innovative thinkers come together to create and develop the practice of social innovation field in Europe.
Thanks to the events that SIE organizes, social innovators, academics and practitioners meet up to discuss the best way to scale social innovation and how the EU can support its development.
In the policy paper of May 2015, Making Good our Future: Exploring the New Boundaries of Open & Social Innovation in Manufacturing, three dimensions have been identified for innovation in European manufacturing:
1) A horizontal dimension, Democratization of making: manufacturing becomes a participatory process in which the domain of big companies is replaced by the participation of regular individuals. The latter, through the use of CNC machines, are no longer mere consumers, but producers as well, de-monopolizing the 20th century industrial complex;
2) A vertical dimension, Supply chain for good: companies are more influenced by their impact on society and are promoting transparency throughout the supply chain;
3) A transversal dimension, Corporate Citizenship: social and environmental concerns are now situated at the center of enterprises’ business strategies and decision-making processes.
The paper then goes on analyzing how the three dimensions have already entered the business model of successful companies. Among them OpenDesk is also mentioned – a global platform specialized in workspace furniture.
Everybody can download CAD files made by an international network of designers, and can produce the furniture by building it themselves or by hiring local makers.
The company strategy has the objective of creating a new way for designers to sell at their own prices and, at the same time, it offers consumers a way to buy affordable furniture without the brand mark-up.
Maker Movement as mean for a new economic system
The policy paper recognizes the revolution that the Maker Movement has made in terms of economic models and strategies. Peter Troxler, Research Professor at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and board member of the FabLab Benelux Foundation, stated on this regard:
“The established system probably has developed over the past twenty, twenty-five, thirty or forty years. What we call the Second Industrial Revolution has very much been about globalization, about centralization of decision power with big corporates, big companies… Very much a top-down approach.
What we see in FabLabs is a contrary movement which is bottom-up. But corporates are not stupid, they quickly notice that this bottom-up trend has a lot of power.
[…]I think in manufacturing, in the FabLab world, we have at the moment this bottom-up movement and we have to be really, really alert to any attempt to centralize and move that into the hand of top-down corporations.”
Thanks to the work of FabLabs, Makerspaces, and Maker Fairs, the maker movement has officially entered the European economic vision. Through the policy paper, the EU acknowledges the potential and principles of the Maker Movement and declares its commitment to sustain it in order to create and develop a new economic system that can positively affect the established enterprises in terms of social innovation.


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Agriculture is an important industry for everyone. It’s a life-sustaining industry and necessary for our survival. Maintaining a successful farm or crop takes a great deal of hard work and talent, especially when it comes to battling weather challenges and pesky pests.
Every crop is susceptible to problems from pests, whether rodents or insects and the farming industry is always looking for ways to combat the problem. There is also much controversy over the use of insecticides on agricultural crops and the harm they can cause us. It’s a serious concern and why thousands of farmers have switched to an organic farming.
In Louisville, Georgia this month a mother lost her life from the misuse of an agricultural insecticide. A family member had misused the dangerous chemical to combat a pest problem in the family’s house. The product labels warn against using the product in the home and the danger signs are prominently displayed.
Tragic stories like this bring more focus to the need of organic farming. According to the Organic Farming Research Foundation, organic farmers are not allowed to use synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. All kinds of agricultural products are produced organically, including produce, grains, meat, dairy, eggs, fibers such as cotton, flowers, and processed food products.
How important are organically grown products for your family? Would you choose an organic product over traditional farm products?


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Market Analysis Articles
Raw Material Prices
China sees poor order intakes
For the first two months of 2019, vessels of a combined 6.37m dwt were delivered from Chinese shipbuilding industry, down by 3.9% year-on-year, the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI) has recently announced. C...
Yards see poor NB order sales in Feb
It turned out that, for the first two months of 2019, 101 vessels of combined 8.5m dwt and 3m cgt were contracted in the world, representing a 41% year-on-year decline in dwt terms. According to Clarkson Research, such a huge downturn in globa...
184% up in Japan's ship export deliveries
Japanese shipbuilders have seen a 20% year-on-year decrease in their new orders for exports last February, with a total of 13 vessels (710,000 gt, 280,000 cgt) awarded. Last month, according to the Japan Ship Exporters' Association...
Korea dominated February amid market slowing down
The Korean shipbuilding industry dominated February’s shipbuilding order intake with 90% of market share, while the overall global ordering growth is slowing down. Clarksons Research reported that among 700,000-cgt (15 units) of newbuildings...
Korean ship exports down in Jan-Feb
Korean ship exports reached KRW 2.011bn and KRW 1.317bn in January and February this year, respectively, down by 17.8% and 46.5% year-on-year. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) of Korea, such a decline...
Japan sees 46% upturns in ship exports
Shipbuilders in Japan posted 14 units of a combined 670,000 gt (280,000 cgt) in their new export orders in January 2019, up by about 46% year-on-year in gt terms. For the last month, according to the Japan Ship Exporters' Association (JSEA), s...
42% of global orderbook to be delivered in 2019
Global newbuilding orderbook recorded 206.3m dwt (79.6m cgt, 3,111 units) at the end of January this year, which is 4% lower compared to a year ago in terms of cgt. Of the current orderbook, 42% in cgt terms is scheduled to be delivered by the en...
Korea ranked No.2 in NB orders
While the growth of new order intakes in global shipbuilding industry slows down in January 2019, prices of vessels in which Korean shipyards have strength (including LNG carrier) continuingly rise. According to Clarkson Research, ...
"Shipbuilders' recovery continued in 2018"
It turned out that a recovery trend continued in global shipbuilding industry last year, after hitting rock bottom in 2016 when shipyards suffered from order drought. Steve Gordon, Managing Director of Clarksons Research, has recently ex...
2018 global NB orderbook sees 4.6% downturn
Global newbuilding orderbook stood at 3,118 units, 207.8m dwt (79.9m cgt) as of the end of December last year, showing a decrease of 4.6% against a year ago in dwt terms. As of the end of December in 2018, according to Clarkson Research, the b...
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Older Americans are increasingly shunning retirement to start companies because they see job opportunities limited after age 55, don't have enough savings to retire comfortably or want to work for themselves.
'You’d have to be an idiot to turn your back on this humongous growth market,' says one expert. But marketers still haven't cracked the code in how to cater to Boomers
Baby Boomers may be looking to trade their traditional single-family homes for the convenience and comfort of the condo craze, but a mass exodus is likely still a long ways off
What if you are longing to do some of that travel you planned for retirement? Some financial industry experts say it might be better to spend now if it means you work longer
It turns out not everyone drowning in credit card debt has a stack of student loan bills. Here's why people over 50 are facing an even steeper road to financial freedom
Boomer consultants have helped employers absorb the shock of a one-time mass exodus of their most experienced workers, but danger lies in 'hidden pensioners'
Baby Boomers are increasingly buying up franchises or considering buying some type of business to shore up their financial plans for retirement
Baby Boomers seem intent on staying in their homes as long as they can, but advisors say that doesn't always make financial sense
Baby Boomers selling out of their family homes is one reason supply, demand and prices for condos in this country may continue to rise, says Jason Heath
Tony Wanless: Boomers are more likely to leave their full-time corporate jobs and take up some form of entrepreneurship or self-employment after they reached traditional retirement age
Professional archaeologists such as Grant Aylesworth have become a crucial part of the permitting process on natural resource projects
It’s almost fall, which means tech companies are gearing up to release their newest products. Here is what to expect
We’re pumpkin obsessed: U.S. pumpkin-flavoured sales jumped 14% to about US$308M in 2013 — helping push pumpkin prices up 11%
Professional social situations can be awkward. Here are the most important tips on how to introduce yourself, how to dress and more
Claudia Cattaneo: The Middle East is convulsing and oil demand is expected to grow, but prices are hobbling near a seven-month low


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Yahoo! New Zealand today announced Spark PHDIQ as the winner of the fourth quarter Digital Strategy Award for its Unilever Dove Makeup Remover campaign. Judges commended PHDIQ for its digital strategy that successfully infiltrated key online beauty environments bringing Dove Makeup remover to the forefront of the skincare category.
“The agency understood their audience implicitly; how they interacted with digital media to research beauty products and how important this was in the purchase decision process,” says Laura Maxwell-Hansen, general manager of Yahoo! New Zealand.
“Rather than a mass media campaign, they selected niche digital sites with already highly engaged and influential beauty consumers and engaged them to grow product credibility and maximise visibility across all key beauty touch points.”
To announce the arrival as the latest “must have” product, contextual targeted online display and takeover placements were utilised across high traffic online beauty environments. All display media directed people to the Dove Facebook page where a makeup remover promotion was run to further engage consumers with the Dove brand. The campaign went one step further by putting the product directly into the hands of the most outspoken and connected beauty opinion leaders. They then shared their written and video reviews with their extensive online networks.
“By enabling beauty consumers to try the product, and share their ‘real world’ reviews, Dove was not only able to be at the centre of conversations, but it was able to crowdsource content to use in the supporting paid media and editorial,” says regular DSA judge Helen Baxter, director of Mohawk Media.
The campaign also included online reverse makeup tutorials, which allowed people to deconstruct the looks of celebrities, helping demonstrate the critical role the product plays in the perfect beauty regime. Overall, this strategy generated more than 285 positive consumer reviews which were in turn shared with over 7,500 people. Facebook fans to the Dove page increased by a whopping 89 percent and both sales and market share increased over the campaign period.
“This is a story of the power of digital word of mouth,” says Q4 guest judge Catherine Collins, Head of Retail and CRM Communications at Vodafone. “By engaging with the right online networks, Dove was able to successfully launch its Makeup Remover into an extremely competitive market.”
PHDIQ is the final quarterly winner of the 2011 Yahoo! New Zealand Digital Strategy Awards and is now joining Draft FCB in the final award ceremony at Snapdragon on 12 April for the announcement of the overall victor.
Launched in April 2010, the awards focus on the key role media strategy plays in the success of digital campaigns.
More information can be found here.


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Activision plans to take the Chinese on-line gaming community by storm with the incoming Call of Duty Online launch in China. To dodge government regulation, the video game publisher teamed up with China-based Tencent Holdings Limited to promote its game that is now open for beta tests.
The two companies launched the public beta testing for the on-line game and a free-to-play version for Windows. The shooter is now available to play for hundreds of millions of gamers residing in the People’s Republic of China.
To promote the on-line shooter, Activision and Tencent developed a short promotional clip featuring Chris Evans, former Captain America, and a team of Chinese gamers that get somehow into a live Call of Duty mission to fight hordes of zombies and an alien/genetically-mutated behemoth (see trailer)
The Santa Monica-based game publisher said that the on-line version of its billion-dollar franchise was developed by Raven Software, a game division that has developed previous Call of Duty titles. Call of Duty Online blends maps and modes taken from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Black Ops. The game to be launched in China would also involve Cyborgs, Activision said.
Call of Duty Online is a top tier game developed by an elite team and we are honored to bring this highly anticipated title to the Chinese players,”
said Steven Ma, Senior Vice President of leading Chinese Net company Tencent.
Eric Hirshberg, chief executive of Activision, said that Call of Duty Online took three years to be developed and was now open for public beta-testing in China.
We have been going through this very intense testing of the game under larger and larger audiences of consumers. We wanted to make sure it was sticky and compelling … and it was a fun, easy experience for anyone to pick up and play and have a good time with,”
Mr. Hirshberg also said.
Teaming up with Chinese tech giant Tencent was the right thing to do since it is very hard to get alone on the Chinese market as a Western company. China has biggest gaming market in the world. However, the market faces serious legal restrictions. For instance, gaming consoles have been banned from China since 2000, although the Wii, the PS3 and the Xbox 360 are made in China.
In 2000, the Chinese government banned consoles to protect the youth from wasting their minds on video games. As a consequence, online gaming skyrocketed. In just a year, the market reached a value of $100 million.
Currently, Sony and Microsoft are negotiating with the Chinese government to get their consoles back on the market. PS4 was scheduled to be launched on January 11.
Image Source: Techandle


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E&K, LLC to produce advanced aluminum, copper battery cable systems
DETROIT – E&K, LLC, a new joint venture to produce world-class quality aluminum and copper battery cable systems designed to meet current and future needs of a rapidly evolving automotive industry, was unveiled today at the National Minority Supplier Diversity Council 2017 Conference in Detroit.
E&K combines the unbeatable quality and customer service of long-time certified minority automotive supplier EDS Manufacturing, with the engineering capabilities and resources of global manufacturer Kyungshin Holdings America. The new company includes a global footprint that spans Arizona and Michigan in the United States to Mexico, Korea and China.
“This new joint venture combines the diverse talents and expertise of two companies with a deep commitment to innovation, quality, customer satisfaction and the engineering resources for strong, ongoing research and development,” said Luis Moreno, E&K’s president. “Our combined strength provides OEMs and Tier suppliers a trusted minority business that can deliver the highest quality aluminum and copper battery cable systems and more at the most competitive prices.”
The need for lighter, more flexible products that are durable and easy to install is expected to become even more essential every step of the automotive supply chain, especially with the drive to connected and autonomous vehicles and growing fuel efficiency standards. E&K, LLC was created to help meet those needs with the latest, cutting-edge technologies in aluminum and copper battery cable systems.
“From design to delivery, we’re built to have a level of engagement, quality and service that sets us apart,” Moreno added. “This will allow our customers to have their wiring and battery cable needs met in one place from a well-established, proven minority supplier.”
The company has already been selected by a major automotive manufacturer to be a future supplier of battery cable systems.
To learn more about E&K, LLC and their products or engineering and manufacturing processes, visit www.edskyungshin.com or stop by Booth 1308 at the NMSDC 2017 Conference.


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A new digital telephone announces earthquake warnings issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The system utilizes a standard telephone line and an included Local Area Network wireless terminal.
The fixed-line cordless phone from Sanyo automatically receives and loudly announces Urgent Earthquake News Flash alerts. Additionally, the 1.7-inch liquid crystal display backlight on the handset displays a red warning, a light on the handset blinks, and the LAN terminal lamp flashes red. The phone lamp also acts as a flashlight.
Emailed earthquake alerts can be sent to registered email addresses. When mail is transmitted within about 30 minutes after the earthquake warning is received, the content of the "Safety Confirmation Mail" is automatically transmitted to a maximum of three pre-registered email addresses.
An internet connection is required. The monthly service charge for the quake warning service is JPY 525, in addition to standard ISP charges and phone line fees. An Internet Protocol version 6 internet connection is also required. IPv6 allows more versatility in the transmission of data and is the successor to the current version 4.
Sanyo TEL-LANW60(W) about JPY 20,000-40,000 depending on number of cordless handsets.


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Premier financial information company ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX) this morning announced that it has entered into a licensing partnership with The Bad Crypto Podcast to redistribute Chinese translations of the podcast’s most popular interviews on www.NewCoins168.com. “Since it first aired in July 2017, The Bad Crypto Podcast hosted by Joel Comm, Bitcoin Evangelist and Travis Wright, Blockchain Entrepreneur, has become a worldwide phenomenon with over 150 episodes for curious individuals trying to figure out cryptocurrency, blockchain and the future of digital payments,” Warren Wang, CEO of CIIX, stated in the news release. “We are confident that this lighthearted, entertaining programming offered in Chinese will be well received by viewers looking to expand their crypto knowledge whether they are newbies or more experienced crypto investors.”
To view the full press release, visit http://nnw.fm/9LhlL
Founded in 1999, ChineseInvestors.com endeavors to be an innovative company providing: (a) real-time market commentary, analysis, and educational related services in Chinese language character sets (traditional and simplified); (b) advertising and public relation related support services; and (c) retail and online sales of hemp-based products and other health related products. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ChineseInvestors.com
More from NetworkNewsBreaks
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.
For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com


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Meta, the parent company to the social media giants – Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram – saw its net profit plunge by more than 50%, and the company's shares fall nearly 20% in after-hours trading as global economy slowed down, inflation soared and investors began paying more attention to costs.
The company's overall stock has plunged more than 60% this year.
The Big Tech firm released its financial earnings for the third quarter of 2022 with dreadfully poor figures as reveneu got hit hard by its increased spending on the metaverse and its slowing growth in social networking and digital advertising struggles to compete with TikTok.
Meta, after its name change from Facebook, a rebrand that saw the company focus on building the "metaverse," a shared virtual environment that it bets will be the successor to the mobile internet, has pillowed billions of dollars into the emerging technology causing the company's expenses to spike.
In its third-quarter report for 2022, cost and expenses grew 19% YoY, from $18.6 billion to $22 billion which was largely driven by its increased spending on the metaverse.
Revenue also stood at $27.71 billion, a decrease of 4% year-over-year from $29 billion the previous year, as advertising revenue also took a dive.
With the surge in spending and falling revenue, the Silicon Valley giant's net income sat at $4.4 billion, down 52% from the $9.2 billion in the year prior.
Meta's Third Quarter 2022 Financial Highlights
Meta is now forecasting revenue of approximately $30 billion in the fourth quarter, a sigh from the earnings from a year ago.


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Tevva Motors will head to Freight in the City Expo next week to demonstrate how its range-extended 7.5-tonne to 14-tonne trucks offer a viable alternative to OEM electric offerings. The Chelmsford, Essex-based technology firm wants to set itself apart from the pure electric battery-powered trucks emerging from mainstream commercial vehicle manufacturers. It claims its range-extended technology offers operators a range of benefits over pure electric trucks, which need to accommodate a larger battery than its own. These include additional payload, […]
TfL will hold its third and final public consultation for its Direct Vision Standard (DVS) in January 2019.
2020 may be the year when battery electric vehicles come of age and what have been until now largely prototypes start to become mainstream, according to speakers at the 2019 Freight in the City Expo (FiTC) at London’s Alexandra Palace yesterday (6 November).
With only a fortnight to go until the inaugural Freight in the City Expo at London’s Alexandra Palace, we’d like to hear from freight operators about the key challenges when delivering goods into urban environments.


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Total POL sales during February 2020 dropped to a record monthly low in a decade of 1.11 million tons, posting a massive decline of 23 percent on year-on-year basis. High Speed Diesel (HSD) demand took the biggest hit as it dropped by 38 percent to 0.37 million tons while Motor Spirit (MS) sales fell by 11 percent to 0.55 million tons. Even on a sequential monthly basis, total sales have declined by 18 percent due to dampened demand across all major fuel segments (MS down by 10 percent, HSD down by 22 percent and FO down by 33 percent).
During the first eight months of current fiscal year FY20, the only product to witness any sort of growth has been MS which inched up 2 percent on year-on-year basis. However, the 13 percent decline in HSD demand and 23 percent fall in FO demand culminated in total demand falling by 8 percent to 11.22 million tons. While FO sales have been declining in Pakistan due to the ban on FO-based power generation, the fall in HSD sales implies that the economic slowdown is still very much prevalent.
"Though some attrition in sales for the month had been expected after supply disruptions owing to the gas leak at Karachi Port, the actual figure is well below our expectations," Ali H Zaidi at JS Global Capital said. To give perspective, total sales for February have averaged at 1.51 million tons from FY10 to FY19, 36 percent higher than the sales recorded during February 2020. Similarly, HSD sales during February 2020 were 28 percent lower than the FY10- FY19 average February sales, he added.
Company wise, Hascol Petroleum Limited (HASCOL) posted the largest year-on-year decline of 61 percent in total sales led by a 70 percent dip in HSD and a 43 percent fall in MS sales. Pakistan State Oil (PSO) saw a 25 percent dip in total sales, mostly on the back of weak HSD demand. Shell Pakistan Limited (SHEL) had a similar case with a 24 percent decline in total sales.


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It is no surprise that a significant number of consumers intend to cut back on their spending during these uncertain times, but the question is whose custom will they retain? New research suggests trusted and established brands stand to gain.
Survata, a research firm based in San Francisco, recently polled 1,016 US adults on their shopping behaviour and brand expectations and found a strong preference for established brands over private or generic labels in a range of product categories.
As revealed by Search Engine Land, which first reported the Survata findings, the survey established that consumers appear much more likely to choose familiar brands in the categories of cleaning products, frozen food, coffee, soda and packaged goods.
However, a higher proportion of consumers also said they were are opting for generic or private label brands in the non-prescription medicine and personal care categories – most likely to save money.
The Survata research also explored consumer expectations of brands and what messages they wanted to hear and found the communication that cut through involved commitments to product availability (36%), a brand’s employees (25%), product safety (24%) and controlling price/costs (14%).
Importantly, brand trust was found to be the most significant factor influencing purchase decisions for 40% of respondents, although other considerations included price as well as the source of regional products, such as whether they come from a virus-impacted area.
Finally, when asked where they’re looking forward to spending money when the lockdowns end, the survey respondents strongly favoured dining out in a restaurant, followed by travel/vacation, retail shopping, personal recreation and sporting events.
Commenting on the findings, Survata CEO Chris Kelly said: “Consumers are clearly very cognisant of a brand’s message right now. While we know consumers expect a brand to be responsive to the current times, it was surprising that so many consumers felt that the most important thing brands should communicate to them was a commitment to their employees.
“There might be a sense of American ‘in-this-together-ism’ when you unpack that, but it’ll be important for brands to measure the tricky balance of putting out the right messages.”
Sourced from Search Engine Land, Survata; additional content by WARC staff


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Microsoft has released a new Xbox app for mobile devices in beta form, with a completely rewritten infrastructure plus the addition of Xbox console streaming as a feature for all users.
Windows 11 22H2 build 22621.160 (RTM) gets File Explorer Tab navigation
tabbed file explorer
Windows 11 in the Dev Channel fixes Windows Security app issues, and more
windows 11 insider preview
Xbox console streaming RSS
Microsoft today announced that Xbox Console Streaming, the feature that lets you stream your games from your console to your phone, is now available in preview in all Xbox One markets.
Microsoft has started rolling out the Console Streaming feature to Xbox Insiders in the Omega ring, meaning it's now available on for all Insiders. It's currently limited to the U.S. and UK, though.


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By Corina Vanek | Phoenix Business Journal
Many times over the past few years, Carlos Munoz, founder of Pimmex Contracting, had been approached by general contractors looking to joint venture with him to do more development on tribal land.
“I knew it had to be the right one, the culture of the company had to fit,” Munoz said. “So after thorough vetting, I’m proud to say Pimmex and Chasse (Building Team) are creating a new joint venture. I thought, why reinvent the wheel when there is someone out there with the know-how already?”
Read the full subscription story from the Phoenix Business Journal.


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Zanoprima Lifesciences announced the commercial production of its SyNic brand of synthetic (S)-nicotine. The company said SyNic is produced using a patented process that does not involve the use of tobacco or any synthetic racemic mixture. The company manufactures “high purity (typically 99.9 percent), synthetic (S)-Nicotine for commercial use” that is free of tobacco-specific nitrosamines(TSNAs), toxins, carcinogens, odor and harsh taste.
“This is a landmark development for the trillion-dollar tobacco industry and its 1.3 billion consumers as it heralds the arrival of a superior, substantially lower-risk, cost-effective, and greener alternative to a global industry that is arguably the single biggest avoidable cause of death globally, a press release states. “SyNic Protonated (S)-Nicotine e-liquid for e-cigarettes is without any potentially harmful ingredients such as organic acids and propylene glycol. It is pure, stable and has a long shelf life. E-cigarettes that use SyNic offer a smooth taste and enhanced nicotine experience, a distinct advantage given the nicotine limit guidelines/rules in e-liquids in the EU and other geographies.”
SyNic (S)-nicotine conforms to and exceeds European Pharmacopeia (EP) and United States Pharmacopeia (USP) specifications. The company states that its “Green Chemistry” principles compliant production process minimizes the environmental impacts of nicotine production. Applications include:
Zanoprima owns patent applications or registration for its revolutionary manufacturing process in several countries, including the United States, Europe, Great Britain, Australia, China, India and others, according to the release.
SyNic is also available in products such Znus, a tobacco-free white snus that is completely sodium and tobacco-free and next-generation chewing gum and lozenges that “contain a new proprietary nicotine complex with superior bioavailability and taste,” according to the release.
The company has also announced it will soon release tobacco-free heated nicotine products unlike existing tobacco-based heat-not-burn products and skin-friendly transdermal patches for use with Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. As a responsible synthetic nicotine (SyNic) manufacturer Zanoprima will distribute SyNic in strict compliance with regulations in each of its markets, globally.
“Zanoprima offers the entire range of products including SyNic (S)-nicotine bitartrate (Nicotine Bitartrate Dihydrate), SyNic (S)-Nicotine polacrilex resin/Nicotine resinate and its novel proprietary (S)-Nicotine complex,” the release states.


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Barking Birthdays shop to close within a week
The Birthdays store in Barking is set to close within a week, administrators confirmed today (Friday).
Zolfo Cooper said a further 122 Clinton Cards and Birthdays stores not included in the sale of Clinton Cards to Lakeshore Lending Limited earlier this month are to close by Thursday June 21.
The 8,000-staff chain went into administration in May with accumulated costs and debts of more than �130million.
Eight staff are based at the store in Vicarage Field Shopping Centre, Ripple Road, Barking.
On 7 June 2012, it was announced that the brands and assets of Clinton Cards, including 397 stores, had been purchased by Lakeshore Lending Limited (Lakeshore), a subsidiary of American Greetings Corporation.
However, 330 stores were not included in the sale and remained under the control of the administrators. 43 of these stores were closed on June 8 and now a further 122 stores will cease trading by June 21.
At the time of going in to administration the group had 750 stores and 2011 revenues of over �360 million across its two retail brands.
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A buyer is still being sought for the remaining stores.
Are you affected? Call the newsdesk on 0208 477 3804.


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Further bad news for those who are awaiting the white version of the Apple iPhone 4. After the initial delay to July and then to the end of 2010, the phone has been delayed further into the start of 2011.Apple spokeswoman Trudy Miller said “We’re sorry to disappoint the customers waiting for the White iPhone again.” But she declined to comment on the cause for the delay.
Apple has always just said that the White version was more challenging to produce but never gave a proper explanation. Some rumours indicate that it is because they aren’t able to match the colour of parts-that the companies producing the front faceplate and the home button can’t make the same colour shade.
Anyway it’s been delayed to the beginning of next spring and we guess most people wont be bothered with it since the launch of the next generation iPhone would be shortly after that.


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Taste of North Fort Myers
It’s a great opportunity for people to get a good taste of North Fort Myers – literally.
The Shell Factory & Nature Park once again will be the venue for the Taste of North Fort Myers to be held on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The event, now in its third year and hosted by the North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, will feature great food from more than 10 local eateries, business vendors and live entertainment.
Rick Tupper, marketing director and CFO of the Shell Factory, expects this to be the best Taste event yet.
“We’re going to have live entertainment and a band for the first time. We have more restaurants signed up this year than I’ve ever seen as well as business vendors,” Tupper said, adding his team will offer up some pulled pork.
The Country Express Band and the Calendar Girls will take the stage, and there will be a raffle for a new bike, as well as 50/50 raffles throughout the day to support the Chamber Foundation and Scholarships.
But the big stars will be the food, and the opportunity to sample dishes from some of the best restaurants in North Fort Myers, and even visit with some area business vendors.
The roster of restaurants includes Anthony’s Kettle Corn, Applebee’s, Capt’n Fishbones, Dugout Sports Bar & Grill, Edible Arrangements, Everglades BBQ, Gulf Coast Fudge Company, Heron’s Glen, Nauti Parrot, Snow Dreams, and Taquizza’s.
“Everyone will be cooking up their signature dishes, and to get a good flavor for what the businesses are in North Fort Myers. It’s a good time to do it because we are promoting a renaissance,” Tupper said. “Local people and those outside the community can see these places.”
The Shell Factory retail store, nature park, fun park and outdoor bars will all be open, with a family fun package at the fun park being offered once again. There will also be a free petting zoo and games and activities for the kids,
You can even bring your four-legged friend and visit the Dogbones Cafe.
Admission is $3 per person, with children 10 and younger admitted free.
For more information, call the Shell Factory at 995-2141 or go to: shellfactory.com or tasteofnorthfortmyers.com.


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Victoria Beckham has shared what it's really like getting ready to go out in the style-conscious Beckham household.
The fashion designer - who is currently promoting her new range for US brand Target - revealed that husband David Beckham recently told her she should dress more bygone times when she was fond of fitted silhouettes and mini dresses.
"And I was just wearing a sweater," Beckham recalled to The Telegraph. "I said [to David], 'Do you honestly think I'm going out like this? I haven't finished getting ready.'"
She added that the former footballer also once compared what she was wearing to the elves in Harper's school play.
"I took that as a compliment, but it's true, there are definitely things I wear that he doesn't understand," she admitted.
The star also said that daughter Harper often advises her on what style of shoes to wear on the school run, and disclosed what son Cruz has said his favourite look of hers is.
"The last time I went out, I wore tracksuit bottoms and a coat and Cruz said, 'Mummy, you look really nice…' Baseball caps and beanies, those are the only things, really, that the boys fight over."
And on her inspiration for her ever-expanding fashion empire, the former Spice Girl said: "I've learnt so much about how to get dressed over the years. Are there pictures of me in regrettable outfits?
"Plenty. But I think other women relate to that'."
Beckham recently revealed that Big Little Lies star Nicole Kidman will be modelling her Autumn/Winter VB collection.
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Despite higher revenues, Angie's List loss widens
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Angie's List Inc. gained hundreds of thousands of new subscribers to its online business reviews and ratings but posted an increased loss in the third quarter from big advertising spending.
The Indianapolis Business Journal reports Angie's List (NASDAQ: ANGI) shares rose $1.21, more than 13 percent, to $10.30 each Wednesday. The stock had closed the regular session down 9 cents, at $9.09.
The Indianapolis-based company said its total paid memberships for the period ending Sept. 30 reached 1.66 million, an increase of 68 percent, according to the report. Angie's List customers get access to consumer ratings on local businesses.
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Google is accused of abusing monopoly powers by the U.S. government, hackers are using cyber crime for good, and Microsoft debuts Azure – in spaaace.
The EU is investigating Instagram for allegedly exposing the contact data of up to 5 million underage users, you will soon get a phone single on the moon, and Google launches it’s ‘hum to search’ feature.
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A billionaire is indicted on charges of tax evasion and wire fraud, Zoom launches a new service, and a report shows Oracle’s CEO donated $250,000 to a super PAC supporting Sen. Lindsey Graham shortly after the TikTok deal.
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Apple’s new iPhone 12, Prime day kicked off the holiday shopping season, and Disney is going to be making a historical change
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It’s no secret that CBD oil is currently booming as an industry. But this sudden flood of newbie manufacturers into the marketplace means more than just more choices for consumers: it means buyer beware. By now you may have seen CBD companies promoting their “pure” CBD oil, but what exactly does … [Read more...] about What is “Pure” CBD Oil?
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