text:
With today’s coffee generation we can’t deny the fact that the coffee companies today did a complex migration with their audiences. targeting the children and teens or millennial generations as the primary target audiences.
Seems, coffee drinking these days are becoming unfiltered where young people are dominating the adults, and at a very young age, they already started to drink coffee. Health experts generally aren’t happy about young people drinking more coffee, or any caffeinated beverage. The American Academy of Pediatrics says “caffeine and other stimulant substances contained in energy drinks have no place in the diet of children and adolescents.”
According to Alicia Diaz, age 2 she was sitting on her dad’s lap and stealing sips of his café Cubano. And she also remembers one time on the way to her school they stopped to get a cafe latte and split a bagel with her dad.
“When I was younger, I had a little bit of trouble falling asleep,” said Diaz, now 20. “I would never nap in kindergarten. But I never thought of this as unusual at the time.”
In a 2011 clinical guidance to pediatricians, the academy noted caffeine’s effects on anxiety, attentiveness, mood, motor activity and sleep as well as “various organ systems.”
“Most of us are drinking coffee, and younger consumers appear to be leading the charge,” said Bill Murray, National Coffee Association president, in a March 2017 press release.
In a coffee industry trade publication titled “Coffee Through the Ages,” the NCA reported “the most robust increase in coffee consumption among those 13-18.” In three years, the number of teens drinking coffee rose by 14 percent. Today, nearly four in 10 American teens drink coffee, according to the NCA’s research.
The growing number of children and teens these days drinking coffee are alarming even in some schools are selling coffee to students with in-school coffee shops, or vending machines.
Jack Bowland a student at Central Bucks High School West in Doylestown Borough always drink coffee before his most difficult classes, he said, “I am 16 years old, and I started drinking coffee at the beginning of this school year when I was 15,” he said. “I don’t currently have a set routine, but I drank coffee every morning back when I had more difficult classes.”
Jack’s mom said he drinks three to five “large cups” of coffee during weeks when he’s pushed to the limit.
“Jack will drink coffee when studying late or in the morning if he hasn’t had much sleep,” said mom Caroline Heise. “I use it as a method to stay awake to study and finish homework,” Jack said. “But I know it’s an unhealthy habit.”
In 2017, Central Bucks South in Warrington opened the Coffee Connection, a student-run coffee shop, which sells hot and iced coffee, hot chocolate, iced tea, lemonade and Arnold Palmers.
Another student from a different school at Council Rock High School South Dylan Nitka shares her reasons why she drank coffee at a young age, she said, she needs her first cup of coffee to wake up for school at 6:30 a.m.
“School being so early definitely affects how much coffee teens drink, since we aren’t able to sleep much due to staying up late doing homework and having to get up early to get ready. Some do rely on coffee to give us enough energy to get through the day.”
Dylan’s mom, Janet Nitka, said her daughter is spending too much money on coffee.
The coffee consumption among teens and children is related, to their school activities to keep them awake and focus on their studies,
The U.S. Department of Agriculture conducts biannual health and nutrition examination surveys. The data gathered was published in 2011, but the information collected in 2013 will be available in late 2018 or 2019, an agency spokesperson said.
Some of the studies conducted in 2010 for children ages 6 to 11 were getting 8.5 percent of their caffeine from coffee. Participating teens, ages 12 to 16, were getting 12 percent of their caffeine from coffee. The U.S. government clarifies that before obtaining the data, they asked parents’ permission before surveying anyone under age 18.
In medical studies, researchers have noted concerns about caffeine and sleep — something children and teens desperately needs, doctors, say. Coffee drinking of children and teens is bothering but, death on caffeine are rare, however, when it comes to younger ages too much coffee can lead to future complications.
Coffee is not the only source of caffeine chocolates, soda also, has caffeine contents which can also help provide the needed amount of caffeine to our body especially for the kids and teens. However, if we can’t avoid drinking coffee as a young individual, we should drink coffee in moderation remember that too much caffeine is not healthy for our well-being.


text:
French MNC IDEMIA Launches Incubation Program for Indian Startups
IDEMIA, a French Mutinational, a leader in biometric identification systems, secure payments and civil identity solutions, has announced the launch of iCube, an innovation and incubation program in India. The Augmented Identity group will offer its expertise and technology to support and assist Indian startups that leverage Augmented Identity.
The group defines that Augmented Identity is of rising importance in today’s fast-changing digital environment, where identity has become an indispensable building block for making businesses and cities safer and smarter in a vast range of environments and usages including financial services, healthcare, education, food sustainability, smart cities, IoT, e-Governance, e-commerce, travel and mobility, telecom, defense and more.
IDEMIA addresses these new challenges and needs with the launch of iCube, a program designed to assist and speed up startups and innovators in their product development and commercial roll-out.
Pierre Barrial, President and CEO at IDEMIA, stated: “IDEMIA has always been at the cutting edge of innovations in making the world a smarter and safer place. We are delighted to enable startups and developers to leverage the innovations we originally developed for corporations and governments across the globe. I am thrilled that the IDEMIA Innovation and Incubation program – iCube – is launched in India, one of our most vibrant markets globally. Not only do I look forward to help startups to succeed in India, but I am equally excited about taking some of their solutions to our customers across the world. I look forward to this mutually rewarding and exciting journey of co-creation.”
Sanjeev Shriya, MD IDEMIA India added, “Innovation is the core of IDEMIA’s identity. Over time, we have developed cutting edge solutions with a global impact in domains like Financial services, Citizen Identity, Telecom, IoT or M2M. Thus, we are delighted to announce the launch of iCube – the IDEMIA Innovation and Incubation program that will help build compelling solutions for a safer and better world. This program is designed to assist startups and innovators by providing them access to our expertise and technology. It aims to speed up their product development and help them get to market faster”.
To further support developers and innovators, the company has opened its application program interfaces (APIs) and launched a credit program. In addition, their engineers and industry experts will share their insights and knowledge during several sessions and talks. iCube will also work closely with corporations in curating and co-creating solutions that may be mutually beneficial.
iCube may also provide selected startups with office space in their world class incubation facility located in Noida, India. iCube has already partnered with Lumis Partners Supply Chain Labs and Freshworks to reach out to a wider range of startups and support them in their journey.

domain: news


text:
Estimations of blockchain technology’s growth potential rise and fall with the news cycle. In 2015, the World Economic Forum famously projected that 10% of the world’s gross domestic product would be stored in a blockchain by 2023. The crash in digital currency markets in 2017 caused more recent estimates to push this date back to 2027, and the true date, if it happens at all, is likely much further down the road. Despite all the uncertainties surrounding the blockchain market, one thing is clear: the international community smells an opportunity, and they want a share of whatever business distributed ledger technologies will generate. At a time when many businesses are hesitant to jump on the blockchain bandwagon, several city and national governments are jostling for position as the future home of blockchain innovation. This blog takes a look at three.
The United Arab Emirates: Smart Dubai
Dubai has one of the most widely known and ambitious smart city plans in the world, and blockchain is a major part of the city’s vision. Smart Dubai includes more than 100 initiatives to accelerate innovation and smart city solutions. Dubai intends to be the world’s first blockchain-powered city by 2020, transitioning 100% of applicable government services to a blockchain architecture. Dubai estimates that embracing blockchain could save 114 metric tons of CO2 emissions and gain 25.2 million person hours of economic productivity from process improvements. In partnership with Educhain and Dubai Blockchain Center, the city developed a guide to blockchain project implementation to connect innovators with resources and integrate blockchain innovation into municipal processes early on. More than a dozen blockchain use cases are […]


text:
Crown of Candy Crush maker King slips on first day of trading on Wall Street
More than £600million was wiped from the value of Candy Crush maker King on its first day of trading – as its chief executive sold almost £10million of shares.
The mobile games group – which markets itself as British but was founded by an Italian and has its shares listed in New York, its tech centre in Stockholm, and its tax base in Malta – raised £300million in the listing.
Part of this was from chief executive Riccardo Zacconi selling almost 700,000 of his 31million shares, raking in £9.4million, which will do little to dampen fears of an impending tech bubble.
King's Wall Street debut: The creators of Candy Crush Saga saw more than £600million wiped off the company's value
Critics said the shares were overvalued at the outset because the company is too reliant on its biggest game Candy Crush Saga, which accounts for almost 80 per cent of its revenue.
Shares floated at $22.50, but began trading at $20.50 and fell to as low as $19.08 – valuing the group at $6billion (£3.6billion).
‘Once you have a hit, it’s hard to make a string of hits,’ said Roger Kay, analyst at Endpoint Technologies. ‘How many bands were the Beatles?’
Most watched Money videos
- Could these LED lights on crossings save lives on the road?
- Aston Martin showcase the new Vantage with a top speed of 195mph
- New Jaguar I-Pace takes on Tesla in race against the clock
- Jaguar I-Pace prototype smart cones driving test in Geneva
- Car shop shows their Seat Toledo 1.6 TDI 115 Style Advanced
- Take a look at the brand new Jaguar I-Pace prototype
- Ray Massey takes Range Rover new plug-in hybrid PHEV for a spin
- British car maker Morgan shows off new Aero GT in Geneva
- Jack Whitehall stars in Jaguar I-PACE promotional video
- Tips to invest your Isa - and why it is worth doing
- Will stock markets start to rise again?
- Range Rover races through the 99-turns of the Tianmen Road


text:
Advanced NSA Spying via iPhone Hacking Revealed
Edward Snowden’s leak of NSA spying tactics has shocked and amazed. News has come to light showing the US Government’s blatant disregard for democratic values, spying on US citizens and non-citizens alike, collecting a treasure trove of personal and private information on billions of people.
In the dying days of 2013, the German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel reported that America’s National Security Agency (NSA) has had the Apple iPhone fully hacked since 2008. The NSA’s snooping is allegedly facilitated by spyware, which can reportedly be installed on iPhones during shipping — which means they could be set up for spying before they’re even purchased.
According to the allegations, the NSA employed its highly capable TAO hacking unit to facilitate the iPhone breach. The NSA spyware, once installed, gives spies access to just about any kind of data stored on the iPhone, whether the end user realizes it’s there or not.
Leaked information claims that the NSA has a 100 percent success rate at remotely installing its spyware on iPhones.
Examples of private data collected includes:
- Contact lists: Every name, number, email address, and call log in your iPhone is tracked via NSA intrusions.
- Text messages: Every time you send and receive a text message, the message is automatically crawled by NSA computer systems to detect keywords. If your message happens to get flagged by the spy program’s software, you can expect to end up on a watch list resulting in even more intrusive monitoring of your private life.
- Voicemail messages: Your voicemail messages are monitored and like text messages can be automatically flagged when containing a spoken key-phrase that the organization considers suspicious.
- Geo-location histories: Your location is tracked at all times of the day, with a history of your every movement recorded. The NSA tracks this information by hacking into the GPS systems built into iPhone devices.
[one_third]The Government knows when your home, when you’re traveling to work, and through behavioral modeling can predict where you are heading to at what time. Often they know where you’re going each day before you’ve even tied your shoelaces to leave the house.
The NSA is able to piece together historical location data from your phone to create an accurate depiction of your daily routine. Add spying on your contact information into the equation and you’ll see that the Government also knows everyone you will meet with, when you met with them, and what you discussed.
Additional sources claim that the NSA has the ability to remotely activate the microphone and camera on any iPhone carrying its spyware. Thus, the NSA would theoretically be capable of listening in on your private, non-iPhone conversations and watching you wherever you go. Is it possible that a bright iPhone app developer is already working on mobile phone software designed to detect and remove such threats?
The revelations also fueled speculation that Apple was complicit in the development and installation of the spyware on its products. However, Apple officials moved swiftly to deny any such claims, saying in a statement that “Apple has never worked with the NSA” and that the company “care[s] deeply about our customers’ privacy and security.”
Whether or not Apple had anything to do with the NSA’s hacking activities is something we may never know. But if you’re a mobile app developer in Chicago or any other major U.S. city, take heed: privacy and security may well be major user concerns going forward.Tags: Apple, civil rights, edward snowden, government spying, iPhone, iphone hacking, nsa, privacy, spring


text:
On July 7, 2019, Nigeria signed up for the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), a continent-wide trade deal that would allow for the free movement of people and goods across borders. The program is designed to meld Africa’s 54 countries into one market and make the region more competitive in the global commercial arena.
The AfCFTA is expected to come into effect in Nigeria by July 2020. When it does, it could give Nigerian businesses greater access to a $2.5 trillion economy. It will also let businesses from other African countries operate more freely in Nigeria.
Read more about Business
The Nigerian government had initially been reluctant to sign the deal. It expressed fears that the resulting influx of goods from elsewhere in Africa would threaten local businesses. However, some analysts believe that the program also presents SMEs and larger corporations in Nigeria with the opportunity to expand into other African markets.
How Will the AfCFTA Affect Nigerian SMEs?
The trade pact is likely to have both positive and negative effects on small businesses in Nigeria. The nature of its impact on individual SMEs will depend on the sector in which they operate, and their preparedness for the changes that it will create both at home and abroad.
Small businesses won’t have to pay tariffs on the products they sell in other countries. Restrictions to entry will also be lifted, and movement between territories will be easier.
They will also be able to sell input to bigger companies on the continent and buy inputs at cheaper prices.
There’s an opportunity to access markets with higher purchasing power, and to substantially increase revenues.
Companies may have access to a greater pool of skilled workers due to the increased mobility allowed by more open borders.
In the long term, Nigerian businesses that establish a strong presence across Africa will be better able to compete on the wider global stage.
Local businesses may struggle to compete with cheaper imports for products in which Nigeria has a competitive disadvantage.
The influx of cheaper goods and lower cost, highly skilled labour from other countries may lead to the failure of many Nigerian businesses and the loss of employment for some local workers.
If the competition from foreign products is strong enough, it may lead to a contraction in Nigeria’s GDP in the short term.
Opportunities opened up by AfCFTA
Experts predict that these sectors will record increased output as a result of the deal:
Industrial chemicals and pharmaceuticals
Pulp, paper, printing, and publishing
Basic metal, iron and steel production
Food and beverage production
E-commerce and other digital services
Industries Under Threat from AfCFTA
These industries are likely to grow more slowly or contract as a result of the implementation of the deal.
Textile, apparel, and footwear
Wood and wood products
Electrical and electronic products
Plastic and rubber production
Motor vehicle assembly
Find our comprehensive listings of businesses in Nigeria here
Is Nigeria Prepared?
Nigeria has built capacity in certain sectors, especially in the financial services and digital technology industries. It will almost certainly gain on these fronts if the AfCFTA were to be implemented within the next year. However, it still struggles with infrastructure constraints that may affect the competitiveness of local businesses in major segments of manufacturing such as textile, plastics, and electronics.
Businesses will have to improve their production processes, and workers may need to sharpen their skills or acquire new ones. But the government will also have to invest in the infrastructure required for Nigeria’s SMEs to thrive in a globalized world.
African Continental Free Trade Area: Questions and Answers. Published by the African Union.
African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Treaty: Opportunities and Directions for Nigerian Businesses and Government. Presentation by Desmond Guobadia, on 7 August 2019.
Rules of origin, tariffs and the AfCFTA, by Willemien Viljoen. Published on the TRALAC blog.
Featured image source: Thebftonline
Got something you want to read about on our platform? Contact us via firstname.lastname@example.org


text:
You may have seen iPads used in kiosks or docked inside a Square cashless register stand. But Apple mobile technology is being used in a far broader number of ways. On the heels of the NRF retail show in New York, I recently saw demonstrations of how third-party tech vendors and Apple itself are using iOS technologies to streamline retail transactions.
One tech vendor, NewStore, has developed an offering that bills itself as an end-to-end platform for omnichannel retail. Using it, a retail associate can have a broad access to a range of retail information and logistics.
As demonstrated by activewear vendor Outdoor Voices, a sales associate roaming the floor can look up a customer's purchase history to make recommendations, search other local stores for out-of-stock items, and pass on a request to associates in another stores who can also pass on the request if they are with a customer. Then, the person who ultimately makes the sale can schedule a delivery within the next few hours using Uber, Dlvr or another service and provide an estimate window of the delivery of a few minutes to the customer.
In another demonstration of streamlining the sales floor experience, Florida furniture store City Furniture recounted how it engaged with IBM to develop a slickiPad-based front end to an AS/400-based back end that had been in place for decades.
According to a salesperson involved in the project, the new system allowed her to close a sale and talk about add-on services such as stain-proofing while sitting on a model of the very couch a family would consider ordering. Not only did that provide a level of comfort and context, but it also avoided a trip to the sales desk where customers are more likely to reconsider things because of the mental shift to negotiations, she said.
But not all of Apple's mobile technology will involve such in-person interactions. In yet another demonstration, eyewear juggernaut Warby Parker showed off use for the iPhone X's front-facing depth-sensing camera. While many websites, including the company's own, have long provided a way to preview glasses based on a facial photo, the additional info provided by the depth sensing allows the retailer to recommend a short list of styles that would flatter the face, according to company representatives.
And Apple itself is seeking to bolster mobile connections between consumers and businesses with Business Chat, a feature within its Messages app. Like many of the chatbot agents. However, unlike the implementations of chatbots that kicked off two years ago and haven't really taken off, the feature uses humans on the other side of the customer experience. What the Messages app brings to the table is the ability to bring rich media and interactivity and, unsurprisingly, complete a transaction via Apple Pay.
The demonstration also included a novel application of augmented reality using Apple's recently upgraded ARKit in the world of fashion. As a representative from PTC noted, it is often difficult for those planning fashion lines to have a complete line of products in front of them when evaluating which ones to move forward on in selling to retailers.
However, with ARKit, managers at the company were able to use an iPhone to visualize a closeup look at 3D-scanned dress variations on an AR-produced mannequin. While many AR demonstrations have focused on customer retail experience and I've previously written about its potential use in retail business intelligence analysis, this demonstration showed a good application of how far back in the planning process AR can have an impact.
For the first years of its existence on smartphones, mobile commerce was largely about reproducing online transactions and then about exploiting the location-aware nature of mobile to drive store traffic. But mobile platforms have become such a default platform for innovation that they are permeating both the physical and digital retail experience. Whether it be attacking issues from customer interaction to conference room, Apple is providing a slew of enabling technologies that manufacturers and retailers to deliver a more responsive, more personalized, and richer commerce experience.


text:
Well over a decade after the latest Half-life title, Valve announced Half-Life: Alyx in November last year, a full-length prequel to Half-Life 2 that's built from the ground up to be a virtual reality exclusive title. Other than a March release window, an exact launch date was not announced, but that has finally changed. Half-Life: Alyx is releasing on March 23 through Steam, just over a month from now.
Unlike previous games in the series, this VR venture will have Alyx Vance taking the protagonist role. Players will be seeing how the resistance we encounter in Half-Life 2 and episodes was formed by the Vance family in the early days of the alien invasion.
The bonuses that Valve Index VR system owners are receiving - in addition to a free copy of the game - will be rolling out during the first week of March. These include Alyx inspired Steam VR Home environments, alternate gun skins, as well as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive items. Don't forget that the game will work on every available VR solution out right now and offers a myriad of locomotion options as well for comfort.
There is currently a pre-order discount attached to Half-Life: Alyx on Steam, dropping the price by 10% to $53.99 until launch. Meanwhile, for those who aren't familiar with the series, the entire Half-Life collection on Steam is also free-to-play until Alyx releases on March 23.


text:
This story is available exclusively to Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.
- Chicago isn't known as a major tech hub, but it is home to companies like Grubhub and Groupon.
- Major technology companies, including Silicon Valley behemoths like Google, Cisco, Salesforce, PayPal, and IBM, have expanded their operations to Chicago.
- Here's a survey of what tech companies pay employees in Chicago, based on disclosure data for permanent and temporary workers filed with the US Office of Foreign Labor Certification in 2020.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
While Chicago isn't known as a major tech hub, it's home to companies like Groupon and Grubhub — and host to major regional offices of tech giants like Google.
Indeed, many major tech companies including Google, Cisco, Salesforce, PayPal, and IBM have expanded their operations in the Midwest's largest city. Consulting giants Deloitte, PwC, and Ernst & Young also have significant presences in the area. And, in a more recent twist, many employees at Silicon Valley tech companies are now working remotely from Chicago, where the cost of living is lower.
To get a sense of what tech salaries are like in the Business Insider analyzed the US Office of Foreign Labor Certification's 2020 disclosure data for permanent and temporary foreign workers to find out what tech companies like Facebook, Google, and Grubhub pay tech talent in key roles including engineers, developers and data scientists in Chicago.
Companies are required to disclose information, including salary (or in some cases, salary ranges), when they hire foreign workers under the H1-B visa program, giving insight into what these major companies are willing to shell out for tech talent.
Here's how much these top enterprise technology companies paid employees hired in Chicago in 2020:
Food delivery company Grubhub, based in Chicago, was founded in 2004 by Matt Maloney and Mike Evans. Today, it employs over 2,000 people.
Here's a selection from the 23 approved visa applications that Grubhub made on behalf of workers in the city.
Director of Data Engineering: $215,000
Senior Software Engineer: $154,000-$175,000
Senior Site Reliability Engineer: $160,000-$161,000
Senior Systems Cloud Engineer: $160,000
Software Engineer II: $94,000-$138,000
Data Scientist: $97,000-$126,250
Decision Scientist II: $110,000-$115,000
Software Engineer I: $90,000
Senior Procurement Analyst: $80,000
Data Analyst I: $75,000
Insights Analyst: $73,500
Here's a selection from the 4 approved visa applications that Facebook made on behalf of workers in the city.
Team Lead, Partner Management: $197,434
Solutions Engineer: $160,000
Team Lead, Account Management: $158,358
Investigations Analyst: $83,932
For more Facebook salaries, check out our story here.
PayPal's corporate headquarters is in San Jose, California, but it has a major office in Chicago as well. Here's a selection from the 11 approved visa applications that PayPal made on behalf of workers in the city.
Senior Product Manager: $180,000
Manager, Software Development 2: $170,800
Commerce Business Manager: $135,000
Software Engineer 3: $120,000
Integration Engineer 3: $113,000
iOS Engineer: $110,000
Software Engineer 2: $105,000
Incident Coordinator (Process Engineer): $80,700
Microsoft has a corporate sales office in Chicago. Here's a selection from the 5 approved visa applications that Microsoft made on behalf of workers in the city.
Business Operations and Program Management Leader: $179,200
Program Manager: $155,000
Premier Field Engineer: $121, 281
For more Microsoft salaries, check out our story here.
Networking giant Cisco is based in San Jose, California, but it also has an office in Chicago. It also had an office in Rosemont, a suburb of Chicago. Here's a selection from the 16 approved visa applications that Cisco made on behalf of workers in the city.
Manager, Systems Engineering: $176,800-$231,200
Systems Engineer: $92,325
Network Support Engineer: $73,341-$112,400
Technical Training Specialist: $91,667
Network Support Supervisor: $87,901
For more Cisco salaries, check out our story here.
IBM opened its Chicago regional headquarters, called One IBM Plaza, in 1971. It sold the building in 1996. In 2005, the 700 IBM employees in the building relocated to a new office in the city.
Here's a selection from the 26 approved visa applications that IBM made on behalf of workers in Chicago.
Senior Managing Consultant: $143,364
Lead QA Engineer: $141,276
Software Engineer: $127,504-$195,800
Architect Software Developer: $127,504
Software Developer: $117,408
Senior Technical Consultant: $113,630-$162,100
Senior Project Manager: $96,325-$143,052
Data Engineer: $77,438-$124,236
Package Specialist: $73,944-$133,404
Integrated Business Planning Consultant: $89,981-$131,952
Cognitive Engineer Consultant: $86,000-$178,600
Cloud Object Storage Software Architect: $81,931-$162,000
Oracle Functional Consultant: $80,652-$131,952
Senior Application Developer: $78,432-$124,236
Application Developer: $69,638-$124,236
Senior Developer: $78,432-$110,724
For more IBM salaries, check out our story here.
Amazon Web Services
Here's a selection from the 10 approved visa applications that AWS made on behalf of workers in the city.
Customer Solutions Manager III: $155,800
Professional Services II: $130,500-$151,000
Solutions Architect II: $150,000
Data Scientist: $109,400-145,000
Industry Specialist II: $135,000
Professional Services I: $102,600
For more AWS salaries, check out our story here.
Google first opened its office in Chicago in 2000, and it only housed a small sales team at the time. It then moved locations in 2015 and now has over 1,200 employees. Last year, Google opened a second office in Chicago. Here's a selection from the 30 approved visa applications that Google made on behalf of workers in the city.
Solutions Consultant: $115,000-$152,000
Hardware Engineer: $93,000-$149,000
Sales Engineer: $139,000-$142,000
Software Engineer: $105,000-$135,000
Google Cloud Sales Engineer: $134,000
Account Manager: $82,000-$120,000
Product Design Engineer: $93,000-$104,000
Sales Operations Associate: $92,500-$96,500
Sales Solutions Specialist: $95,000
Sales Representative: $89,500
For more Google salaries, check out our story here.
Employer review site Glassdoor first opened its office in Chicago in 2016. The office has about 300 employees and expects to hire up to 500 in the next few years, even as it opens a new headquarters in the city. Here's a selection from the 4 approved visa applications that Glassdoor made on behalf of workers in Chicago.
Senior Security Engineer: $150,000
Senior Software Engineer in Test: $130,000
Software Engineer in Test: $120,000
Product Manager: $118,000
DocuSign opened a Chicago office in 2019 after it acquired the Chicago-based SpringCM for $220 million. The office has about 200 employees. Here's a selection from the 6 approved visa applications that DocuSign made on behalf of workers in the city.
Senior Software Engineer: $150,000-$170,000
Software Engineer: $115,000-$155,000
Software Development Engineer in Test: $110,000-$130,000
Last year, Uber announced it was expanding its Uber Freight headquarters in Chicago, making Chicago its second-largest location after San Francisco. Here's a selection from the 9 approved visa applications that Uber made on behalf of workers in the city.
Senior Salesforce Developer: $150,000-$184,000
Manager, Customer Experience and Reporting: $106,920-$118,800
Program Manager: $77,300-$101,500
Senior Logistics and Operations Manager: $96,000-$118,000
Senior Carrier Sales Operations Associate: $81,000-$96,600
Regional Associate Partner Manager: $61,180
Shopping site Groupon was founded in Chicago in 2008, and is still headquartered there today. It has about 2,000 employees in its Chicago office. Here's a selection from the 19 approved visa applications that Groupon made on behalf of workers in the city.
Storage Interfaces Lead Software Engineer: $141,600-$195,000
Senior Network Engineer: $135,500-$174,000
Senior Manager, Product Analytics and Insights: $135,000-$178,200
Senior Software Engineer: $120,800-$165,238
Software Development Engineer, iOS: $114,000-$130,800
Software Development Engineer, Salesforce: $114,000-$127,200
Software Engineer, Data Pipeline Platform: $113,700-$152,400
Software Development Engineer: $97,800-$127,200
Software Test Engineer, Mobile: $106,000-$139,200
Software Development Engineer, Android: $105,600-$158,400
Software Development Engineer: $97,800-$152,400
Software Development Engineer, Anti-Fraud Platform: $97,800-$127,200
Senior Analyst, Product Analytics and Insights: $96,400-$126,487
Product Manager, Merchant Experience: $94,890-$115,000
Cloud Engineer, Core Platform: $84,800-$127,200
Software Engineer: $82,000-$127,200
Currently, Salesforce has two Chicago offices that will soon consolidate into one, as it proceeds with plans to build a 57-story Salesforce Tower in Chicago by 2023. The company said this would add 1,000 jobs. Salesforce now has about 1,300 employees in Chicago total. Here's a selection from the 11 approved visa applications that Salesforce made on behalf of workers in the city.
Business Value Senior Manager: $134,846
Senior Analyst, Data Quality and Governance: $120,474
Technical Architect: $96,325-$115,211
Software Engineer: $113,630
Senior Technical Consultant: $109,678
Business Architect: $96,325
Demo Engineer: $75,774
For more Salesforce salaries, check out our story here.
Enterprise software giant SAP has an office in Chicago and one in the suburb of Downers Grove. Here's a selection from the 6 approved visa applications that SAP made on behalf of workers in the city.
Business Processes Principal Consultant: $125,000
Development Senior Consultant: $122,820
Expert Support Engineer: $117,030
Data Scientist: $115,000
Product Specialist: $88,945
For more SAP salaries, check out our story here.
Based in Seattle, Expedia also has an office located in Chicago. Here's a selection from the 11 approved visa applications that Expedia made on behalf of workers in the city.
Manager, Engineer: $120,474-$165,000
Senior Software Development Engineer: $113,630-$158,620
Program Developer: $96,325-$133,900
Global SEO Senior Manager: $96,325-$115,000
Software Development Engineer: $81,931-$127,369
Database giant Oracle has three offices in Chicago and one in Deerfield, a Chicago suburb. Here's a selection from the 8 approved visa applications that Oracle made on behalf of workers in the city.
Applications Developer: $103,379-$200,534
Consulting Technical Manager: $113,630-$178,796
Software Developer: $109,678-$159,727
Master Principal Sales Consultant: $107,203-$198,661
Release Developer: $102,111-$159,727
Senior Expert Services Specialist: $76,066-$112,649
Technical Analyst: $58,507-$79,968
For more Oracle salaries, check out our story here.
ServiceNow started its Chicago team in 2018 as its first U.S. based technology development office outside the West Coast. Today, its office has about 100 employees. Here's a selection from the 4 approved visa applications that ServiceNow made on behalf of workers in the city.
Staff Software Engineer: $113,630
Senior Quality Engineer: $97,781
Senior Product Manager, Platform: $91,499-$140,000
Software Engineer: $81,931
For more ServiceNow salaries, check out our story here.


text:
The race of megapixels has just slowed down but is not done. Last year, the industry reached the milestone of 200 megapixels thanks to Samsung. But still, there is no company that had landed any smartphone with a 200MP camera. But the latest reports are claiming that Xiaomi would be the first to install a new sensor in its smartphone. Most probably, it will be Xiaomi Note 11 who will get the honour to be the first phone with a 200MP sensor.
Xiaomi Note 11 Could be the First Phone with 200MP Sensor
Last week, OmniVision presented its 200 megapixel OVB0B sensor. We are not surprised that a short time after its announcement, predictions appeared that a smartphone with this sensor could be the first to be released by Xiaomi. The source recalled that at one time Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro / Xiaomi Mi Note 10 was the first device on the market to offer a 108-megapixel sensor. So there are more chances that the company will do the trick again to impress the record-hungry public. There is already an assumption who may have a 200-megapixel camera. One of the models of the Xiaomi Note 11 series can receive it.
Remember that the OmniVision OVB0B sensor has a 1/1.28 optical format and each pixel is 0.61 m in size. Because of the pixel binning technology, it allows you to snap clear and detailed photographs in the dark with a resolution of 12 megapixels. It’s also the first image sensor that employs the whole image sensor for smooth and quick autofocus.


text:
The future is here — at least, the future as it pertains to games for the next twelve months. With mere days to go before E3 2014 kicks off in Los Angeles, speculation abounds — some rooted in reality and some pure fantasy — about what industry power players like EA, Sony, and Microsoft have in store.
With all eyes in the game world firmly planted on the LA Convention Center on press conference day, there's a lot riding on the annual industry gathering. Whether you're on the ground, watching the Sony presser from your local movie theater, or following along online, the coming year in gaming is all riding on these three days. Are you ready to finally see if there's any truth to all those rumors? Plus, you finally get to see the official Battlefield: Hardline trailer. Some people even like the pressers better than actually playing the games — to each their own.
Register for E3 and keep up with all of the breaking developments here. The future of gaming is now.


text:
The Singapore government’s taxation agency has put forward a proposal to remove goods and services tax (GST) from cryptocurrency transactions that function or are aimed to function as a medium of exchange.
The news was published in a draft e-tax guide by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) stating that the supply of digital payment tokens in exchange for fiat currency or other digital payment tokens will be exempt from GST. Therefore, the supply of such tokens will not contribute to annual taxable turnover for the determination of liability for GST registration.
The agency has stated that the effort to end GST liabilities on cryptocurrencies follows worldwide development and growth within the crypto space, which has in turn led various jurisdictions to have reviewed their stance. Similarly, the IRAS has decided to review its GST stance to keep up to date with these developments.
Under the current legal framework, the supply of digital payment tokens is still seen as a taxable supply of services.
“Therefore, the sale, issue or transfer of such tokens for consideration by a GST-registered business is subject to GST. When the tokens are used as payment for the purchase of goods or services, a barter trade resulting in two separate supplies arises — a taxable supply of the tokens and a supply of the goods or services.”
The proposed exemption, if approved, will come into effect on January 1, 2020. The IRAS is currently receiving public comments from crypto-related businesses, which need to be submitted by July 26th.
According to the proposal, the following changes to taxation rules will take effect once it is approved:
- (i) The use of digital payment tokens as payment for goods or services will not give rise to a supply of those tokens
- (ii) The exchange of digital payment tokens for fiat currency or other digital payment tokens will be exempt from GST.
The draft further defines digital payment tokens as having the following characteristics:
“(a) it is expressed as a unit; (b) it is fungible; (c) it is not denominated in any currency, and is not pegged by its issuer to any currency; and (d) it is, or is intended to be, a medium of exchange accepted by the public, without any substantial restrictions on its uses as consideration.”
The agency cites Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Dash, Monero (XMR), XRP and Zcash (ZEC) as examples of digital payment tokens. Notably, IRAS excludes fiat-pegged crypto assets such as stablecoins from its definition of a digital payment token and will continue to be taxed under GST after January 2020.
Meanwhile, Singapore is not the only country considering exempting cryptocurrencies from GST taxes. In October 2017, lawmakers in Australia passed a piece of legislation to end what was called double taxation, exempting the liability for paying goods and services tax (GST) on cryptocurrency purchases.


text:
- News tagged "mobile phones"
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
It's official this time. NPD's latest smartphone market survey has revealed that there are now more Android mobile phones in the U.S than the iPhone.
Friday, 7 May 2010
Not surprisingly, Samsung has just unveiled their first mobile phone with 3D display, the Samsung W960, which is currently only available in South Korea.
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
MasterCard announces new NFC mobile payment solution for multiple handsets. MasterCard Worldwide is collaborating with Gemalto to pilot a Near Field Communications (NFC) device equipped with the Gemalto Upteq N-Flex Solution which supports MasterCard PayPass.
Thursday, 29 Apr 2010
HP and Palm today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which HP will purchase Palm for US$1.2 billion.
Wednesday, 28 Apr 2010
Competition has heated up as Android has pushed past iPhone OS in the US.
Tuesday, 27 Apr 2010
Two new BlackBerry entries have just been unveiled - the BlackBerry Bold 9650 and Pearl 3G, the latter available with either a traditional SurePress 20-key or numeric 14-key version.
Monday, 26 Apr 2010
It has been a quiet period for Nokia, but if you're itching for some news regarding its 12-megapixel camera phone with the revamped Symbian^3 OS, check out a sneak peek at Mobile Review.
Thursday, 15 Apr 2010
A section of Apple's new developer agreement appears to hobble third-party ad networks.
Wednesday, 14 Apr 2010
With reports that Palm may be putting itself up for sale, there has been much speculation about prospective buyers. But what exactly would one be getting by acquiring Palm?
Tuesday, 13 Apr 2010
Sony Ericsson announces the Sony Ericsson Zylo and Sony Ericsson Spiro, the latest additions to the iconic award-winning Sony Ericsson Walkman phone legacy.


text:
The European manfacturers of luxury and sports cars were out in force with shiny new models.
Glenda Kwek is a business reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald. Email or tweet her with your news tips.
Glenda Kwek The Australian dollar on Friday rose above US90¢ for the second time this week.
Glenda Kwek The unemployment rate has risen to its highest level in more than a decade.
Glenda Kwek The jobs market is fast becoming the "Achilles heel" of the Australian economy.
Glenda Kwek The jobless rate has shot up to its highest level in more than a decade, underscoring the weakness in the labour market.
Glenda Kwek Concerns about weakness in the Australian jobs market are dampening consumer confidence, even as the local currency rose towards its high for the year on positive US and Chinese news.
Glenda Kwek Australians are increasingly less confident about the future, despite low interest rates that are pushing up the value of their houses.
Glenda Kwek The Australian dollar has lifted towards its high for the year on Wednesday.
Glenda Kwek Business conditions soared to their highest levels in almost three years in January.
Glenda Kwek and Clancy Yeates ANZ chief Mike Smith urges governments to provide tax breaks to businesses setting up in regions hit by the exodus of car manufacturers.
Glenda Kwek, Clancy Yeates ANZ chief Mike Smith has urged governments to provide tax breaks to businesses setting up in regions hit by the exodus of car manufacturers, amid fears the loss of tens of thousands of jobs in...
Glenda Kwek Manufacturing policy needs to be about more than the here and now, say economists.
Glenda Kwek Business conditions soared to their highest levels in almost three years in January, led by a sharp improvement in a manufacturing sector now reeling from Toyota’s exit from local production.
Glenda Kwek The Australian dollar has once again been blamed for the demise of a local manufacturer, but analysts say a weaker exchange rate would have only delayed the inevitable for Toyota.
Glenda Kwek Strong January jobs data will be needed to take the Australian dollar past US90c.
Glenda Kwek The Australian dollar has posted its best weekly performance since mid-October, after the Reserve Bank of Australia moved away from its call for a weaker exchange rate.
Glenda Kwek Economy moves away from a dependence on mining investment.
Glenda Kwek A boost in Australia's trade figures has lifted the dollar to its highest level in three weeks, as another decent batch of retail sales figures and further improvement in business confidence...
Glenda Kwek A strong rise in exports has pushed Australia's trade balance into a surplus for the first time in two years.
Glenda Kwek Reserve Bank's shift in monetary policy stance sparks rally in the Australian dollar, but analysts say the currency could weaken again this year.
Glenda Kwek The Reserve Bank's shift in its monetary policy stance has sparked a rally in the Australian dollar, but analysts say the currency could weaken again this year.


text:
Lack of action on supply chain will make 'empty shelves the norm,' say Conservatives
Grocers report worsening supply issues since vaccine mandate for truckers went into effect
The federal government must take stronger and more decisive action to repair Canada's supply chains and keep food on grocery store shelves, Conservative MPs say.
The MPs sent a letter to Transport Minister Omar Alghabra Friday urging action ahead of the government's National Supply Chain Summit, which is scheduled for January 31.
"We are closely monitoring the supply chain crisis that Canada finds itself in, with particular attention on the exacerbating effects your government's policies have had on the crisis," says the letter.
The Conservative shadow minister for transport, Melissa Lantsman, was among the six Tory MPs behind the letter urging Ottawa to increase the "resiliency" of Canada's supply chain.
The call for action comes just days after the federal government's vaccination mandate for truckers went into effect on January 15.
The Conservatives have in recent days highlighted reports and images of sparsely stocked shelves at grocery stores, which some in the industry describe as a growing problem.
Giancarlo Trimarchi is chair of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers and president of Vince's Market, a southern Ontario grocery chain. He said grocers started noticing a reduced supply of certain items "about a week or so ago."
"We are experiencing product shortages with regard to cross-border shipments. It's already starting to ramp up," he told CBC News.
Thousands of unvaccinated truckers forced off the roads
Trimarchi said he and other independent grocery store operators have been told that Canada's ongoing trucker shortage and the new vaccine mandate are factors in the shortages, though it's still not clear if the new mandate has contributed to the problem.
"There's a multitude of different things here," Trimarchi said.
According to the Canadian Trucking Alliance, Canada was facing a shortage of some 20,000 drivers before the vaccine mandate went into effect.
The CTA and its U.S. counterpart have estimated that 26,000 of the 160,000 drivers who regularly make cross-border trips would be taken off the road due to the mandate. Washington will introduce its own mandate for truckers crossing into the U.S. starting on Saturday, Jan. 22.
The Conservatives and some industry groups have lobbied aggressively for the federal government to loosen those vaccine rules but Ottawa has not budged.
"We have been working extensively with the trucking industry and we know that the vast majority of their workforce is vaccinated," said Alghabra's office in a statement.
"The biggest threat to supply chains is COVID — and our best tool is vaccines."
The government said it is working to address supply chain issues but did not offer any specific new measures. The statement also described supply chain struggles as something "regions across the world are dealing with."
Conservatives say policy will cause food insecurity
The Conservatives, meanwhile, have been quick to blame the Liberal government for worsening the situation.
"At a time when grocery stores are seeing shortages of basics like meats, fruits, and vegetables, your government's policy will undoubtedly cause unnecessary harm and food insecurity, and have the potential to make empty shelves the norm in grocery stores across Canada," the letter reads.
But Trimarchi said images of empty shelves are being hyped — and Canada's food supply generally remains in good shape.
He said the current supply issues might result in some products, such as certain brands, becoming temporarily unavailable, but they're unlikely to cause widespread shortages.
"I do not think Canadians need to be overly concerned that they will not have food supply," he said.
He agreed that Ottawa should reconsider its vaccine mandate for truckers given the supply issues that do exist. The Conservatives also have noted that truckers working alone would be unlikely to transmit the coronavirus.
A change to the policy could relieve pressure on the supply chain, Trimarchi said.
"Do we as a membership point the finger at the federal government and say this is your fault, what's going on right now? Absolutely not," he said.


text:
Six Canadian startups are headed to General Assembly this month. Part of an initiative by the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, these Canadian companies will be placed in the brand new Canadian Technology Accelerator in New York City, the first project of its kind.
"The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service is pleased to launch a first ever Canadian Technology Accelerator (CTA) initiative in New York City, a hot-bed for technology entrepreneurship and world capital for advertising, media, commerce, and innovation," a statement reads.
Toronto's Engagio is one of the six startups, which were required to be "product-ready with high growth potential." The others have not yet been revealed.


text:
The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. TGODF announced Friday that it secured a cannabis supply agreement with Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis, expanding its Western Canadian footprint.
This deal was negotiated in collaboration with Velvet Management and provides a fully integrated national sales and distribution platform for TGOD’s cannabis products, according to TGOD.
AGLC, under the brand Alberta Cannabis, is the region's legal, non-medical online cannabis store.
Why It's Important
Alberta is a key market, TGOD CEO Brian Athaide said in a statement.
"With our production facilities in Hamilton, Ontario, and Valleyfield, Quebec coming online in phases, we are thrilled to start distributing TGOD's premium certified organic cannabis to AGLC."
TGOD is the largest Canadian producer of 100-percent certified organic cannabis flowers and oils, according to Friday's announcement.
TGOD said it will continue with its planned operations, focusing on medical cannabis markets in Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Canadian adult-use market.
TGOD is constructing facilities with a planned capacity of 219,000 kgs and said it's building 1.6-million-square-feet-plus of cultivation and processing facilities across Ontario, Quebec, Jamaica and Denmark.
© 2022 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Meet the biggest cannabis industry players and make deals that will push the industry forward.
Featuring live company presentations, insider panels, and unmatched access to networking, the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference is where cannabis executives and entrepreneurs meet.
Join us April 11-12, 2023 at Fontainebleau Miami Beach in sunny Florida.


text:
Is Japan replicating China and the EU in tightening the screws on tech giants?
- In its latest move to strengthen its oversight of big tech companies as the likes of China, the Japanese government has apparently asked Google, Meta and others to register their overseas global headquarters in Japan, on top of their local units.
- The government is also looking to protect customers and small businesses that deal with tech giants by being thorough with registrations, and by keeping tabs on their activities.
2021 was, without a doubt, the global tipping point for the reining of tech giants. For the first time ever, so many countries, including China, moved with such vigor almost simultaneously, to limit the power of Big Tech. Although their motivation varies, no single industry has had their hands tied down with such urgency and breadth. Japan, is among the countries like the US, China and Europe, that are gradually heightening their crackdown on tech giants.
A recent report by Nikkei indicated a latest move by Japan to strengthen its oversight of big tech companies, including its government requiring tech giants like Google, Meta and others to register their overseas global headquarters in Japan, on top of their local units.
“Japan’s corporate law requires foreign enterprises that operate continuously within the country’s borders to register their overseas headquarters, but many tech companies have registered only their Japanese arms despite this rule,” the report stated.
Basically, without registering, the government finds it difficult to understand the activities and determine appropriate taxation of tech giants, “since they are able to provide services from anywhere in the world through the internet, even without actual offices,” Nikkei noted.
To be precise, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications have asked Facebook’s owner Meta to register their overseas headquarters by the end of March, or to provide explanations for why they cannot by mid-April which is anytime now.
However, a Meta spokesperson actually told Nikkei that they “are not in continuous business in Japan”. Google on the other hand, declined to comment while Twitter was unreachable for a comment. The Japanese government is basically looking to protect customers and small businesses that deal with big tech companies.
Companies that fail to comply with the rule can be fined up to 1 million yen ($7,900). This small penalty, as well as the burden of having to announce financial results upon registration, may have contributed to the neglect of registrations.
To recall, in 2020, Japan’s parliament enacted a law requiring major technology companies to be more transparent, falling in line with other countries in toughening regulations on industry giants such as Google and Amazon. The law, passed in mid 2021, requires companies that operate e-commerce websites and apps to submit reports on their business practices every year to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
The law by Japan mimics almost that of the European Union’s and China. The EU has long been leading the way in addressing these issues, by leveraging its antitrust laws to redistribute market power and enhance consumer welfare. Interestingly, over the past decade, it has concluded three antitrust investigations against Google alone, resulting in almost US$10 billion in fines.
China, too, has been undergoing a monumental shift in its approach to the tech industry. The local government has been increasingly turning its attention to tech giants and fearing that they are growing more powerful than the state, the government, every now and then, through various actions and legislations, would remind them who is ultimately in charge.
- Ethical AI: The renewed importance of safeguarding data and customer privacy in Generative AI applications
- How Japan balances AI-driven opportunities with cybersecurity needs
- Deploying SASE: Benchmarking your approach
- Insurance everywhere all at once: the digital transformation of the APAC insurance industry
- Google parent Alphabet eyes HubSpot: A potential acquisition shaping the future of CRM


text:
Proton looks to Indonesian partnership
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP):
Malaysia's struggling national carmaker Proton inked an agreement Friday to help Indonesia study the possibility of developing and manufacturing its own national car.
The signing of the memorandum of understanding with PT Adiperkasa Citra Lestari was witnessed by visiting Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Proton said in a statement that the two companies will conduct a feasibility study and explore areas of cooperation in the Indonesian car project. If the study shows the project is feasible, the companies will sign a joint venture agreement, it said.
Proton Chairman Mahathir Mohamad, who is a former Malaysia prime minister, said the study is expected to be completed in six months. He said there is great potential in the Indonesian market, with auto sales exceeding one million vehicles last year and annual sales of four million vehicles conceivable in the long run.
"We would like to make use of the joint venture with Indonesia to expand and become an ASEAN car," he said, referring to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The concept of an ASEAN car will involve investment by other regional countries and see manufacturing facilities.
PT Adiperkasa's CEO Abdullah Mahmud Hendropriyono said it will be a major development for Indonesia, helping to spur its automotive industry and increase the country's technical know-how. PT Adiperkasa is a private company backed by the government, Mahathir said.
Because of Indonesia's huge market, the proposed project could give a lifeline to loss-making Proton, which is struggling to boost sales after its fortunes dwindled because of greater foreign competition.
Once the king of the road in Malaysia, Proton's share of domestic car sales has plunged from about 50 per cent a decade ago to about 21 per cent last year. Proton's exports have been lacklustre, with sales hindered by perceptions of poor quality and bland models.
Mahathir, who founded Proton in the early 1980s during his rule, said Proton would have to invest in the Indonesian project and may not make money at first, but it will benefit once the car is accepted and sales pick up in Indonesia.
He said Proton will study the Indonesian market to see if it can modify any of its current models for assembly there, before delving into designing and manufacturing a truly Indonesian car.
If the project is successful, he said, there should be some form of tariff protection to enable Indonesia's auto industry to grow.
Countries such as Japan and South Korea protect their auto industry and "we should adopt some of their strategies", Mahathir said. "It will not be unusual for Malaysia and Indonesia to consider protecting an infant baby," he added.
Widodo, who arrived in Malaysia on Thursday for a three-day official visit, earlier toured Proton's manufacturing plant, and was impressed with Proton's expertise, Mahathir said.


text:
In its evolution from online payment platform to lifestyle app, Alipay sees nothing but opportunity in China’s nascent love affair with Australian brands.
The growing demand for Australian-made goods from Chinese consumers is fuelling
the expansion of Alipay, a mobile payments platform. Likened to a Chinese version of PayPal, Alipay is China’s leading third-party payment platform and is also used in 24 other countries. Alipay opened its Sydney office in 2014.
Two years later, Alipay Australia is on a mission to recruit more small-to-medium enterprises to meet China’s love of quality Australian products. The most popular Aussie goods purchased by Chinese consumers are food and beverages, nutritional supplements, mother and baby products, organic products and natural cosmetics. Chinese consumers who are increasingly leaning towards natural, organic products, perceive Australian goods to be clean and green.
At home and abroad
This strengthening demand for Australian brands is at the heart of Alipay’s foray into Australia. The company also aims to cater to Chinese travellers in Australia, the company’s Senior Manager of Corporate Affairs, Miranda Shek, says.
“We are targeting Chinese who travel in Australia and Chinese consumers who shop online at Australian sites like Pharmacy Online and Chemist Direct,” Shek says. “Alipay has evolved into a lifestyle app and we would like to provide the same kind of experience for Chinese people when they are travelling overseas.”
Australia in the top 5
To secure more Australian businesses and merchants and give them access to Alipay’s cross-border payment solutions, the company will team up with its joint-venture partner, Paybang.
Shek says Alipay representatives began to approach offline merchants in late 2015.
“In the future, we are looking to work with more local partners in providing a similar experience to local users,” she says.
Alipay’s 2014 launch in Australia came after the company’s statistics revealed just how popular Australian products are: Australia is the fifth most sought after market for online products by Chinese buyers using Alipay.
Popular way to pay
More than 60 per cent of Alipay’s transactions are carried out on mobile devices, but Shek says the company is strengthening its offline presence. “In addition to online payment functions such as online shopping payments, money transfer and utility bill payments, Alipay is expanding to offline payments both inside and outside of China,” Shek says.
“Over 600,000 brick-and-mortar merchants and over a million taxis now accept Alipay
as a payment method across China.”
With more than 450 million registered users, 190 million of them active, Alipay is taking the world by storm. As part of the company’s aggressive expansion plans, it has just launched in Europe.
Alipay’s technology has evolved from a digital wallet to a “lifestyle enabler”, Shek says. “Users can hail a taxi, book a hotel or buy movie tickets directly from various modules within the app and purchase wealth-management products such as Yu’e Bao.”
Biggest IPO ever
Alipay is operated by Ant Financial, an offshoot of e-commerce giant Alibaba, which was founded in 1999 by Chinese tech entrepreneur and now billionaire, Jack Ma. Ma’s fortune is largely attributable to Alibaba’s most popular online marketplaces Taobao Marketplace and Tmall.com.
Ma has announced plans to bring Alipay to the Chinese stockmarket this year, in what is speculated to be China’s biggest initial public offering since 2010. The IPO will be keenly watched after Alibaba’s listing on the New York Stock Exchange claimed the record as the world’s largest IPO in 2014.
Alipay’s debut in Australia was timed well. In the same year the company opened the doors of its Sydney office, the Australian and Chinese governments signed off on a historic free trade agreement. The agreement, which came into force from December 2015, means more than 85 per cent of Australian goods exported to China will enter duty free. It was a boon to Aussie exporters who will collectively save millions in tariff payments.
Opportunity for Aussie retailers
The China-Australia Free Trade agreement also gave consumers access to Tmall.com and Taobao Marketplace. It also offered small-to-medium enterprises a chance to expand their markets thanks to China’s population of almost 1.4 billion people.
trading partner, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In 2014, Australia’s trade in goods and services with China reached $152.5 billion up from $125.7 billion in 2012.
In the same year of Alipay Australia’s launch, Australia Post agreed to stock, sell and distribute prepaid Alipay purchase cards by June this year. The cards will enable local customers to purchase goods from Tmall.com and Taobao Marketplace.
A growing range of Aussie brands are signing up to sell at both Tmall.com and Taobao Marketplace, including big names such as wine label Penfolds, clothing store Jeans West, baby food manufacturer Bellamy’s Organic and A2 Milk. Small businesses are also eager to jump on board. Sydney’s Olive Oil Skin Care Co and Melbourne beauty subscription service Bellabox
have set up shop in Australia Post’s Tmall store.
Shek says Alipay has no current plans to open further offices in Australia. If the company’s phenomenal growth overseas is anything to go by, Australia could soon be welcoming more Alipay locations.
This article represents the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of BPAY.
Published by BPAY Pty Ltd. BPAY is offered by over 150 Financial Institutions. Contact your Financial Institution to see if it offers BPAY and to get the terms and conditions. This is general advice – before using BPAY please review the terms and conditions and consider whether BPAY is appropriate for your personal circumstances.


text:
Roambee Corp. helped a British multinational chemical company streamline and improve visibility of a substantial railcar fleet, resulting in dramatic savings. A finalist in the Supply Chain Innovator of the Year Award competition sponsored by SupplyChainBrain and CSCMP.
Vidya Subramanian, vice president of products with Roambee Corp., describes a case study involving a British multinational chemical company that needed to acquire better understanding of its rail fleet.
First, the company need to be able to tell accurately when its railcars would be delivered to customers. Second, it needed to understand precisely when customers were using the product, so that it knew when to bring the cars back. And third, it needed to ensure that the right product was always being loaded into the right silo, to avoid the time and cost wasted by improper matching.
In short, says Subramanian, the company “needed to ensure the constant flow of railcars, to make sure it knew when a car was empty, available and clean.”
The solution lay in adoption of a sensor device, attached to the railcar by a magnet, that could accurately transmit the location of the equipment at any time. In addition, the technology involved the use of a lock that can only be opened through the cloud, pursuant to confirmation that the contents of the railcar match the sales order given to the customer.
Before implementing the technology, Roambee spent a year and a half examining a fleet of 600 railcars to understand exactly how they moved. Because freight often takes a back seat to passenger rail, lengthy and unpredictable delays in moving product are frequent. “We had to take all that data and make it predictable,” says Subramanian.
Before, there would often be a period of two to seven days within which a railcar might arrive at the customer’s destination. “We got down it to under 12 hours,” Subramanian says, adding that the new system saved between 20 and 25 days of equipment idle time.
Timely, incisive articles delivered directly to your inbox.


text:
Raymond James analyst Tavis McCourt is up first, reiterating a Strong Buy rating and $675 price target on the stock, as he notes that the Street is underestimating the sustainability of the company's business, the benefit it will see from new carriers, and the likely spate of upgrades coming as the anniversary of the iPhone 4s introduction approaches, which should prompt many existing customers to switch to one of the new iPhone 5s.
He also writes that the Street is being too modest in its expectations for iPhone demand:
Our iPhone estimate for the December quarter is 56 million, which appears to be significantly higher than consensus. Rather than backed by supply chain channel checks, this figure is derived through the logic of end market demand. Demand for the iPhone 5s benefits from at least four unique factors this December quarter. First, the launch of China three months earlier than last year. Second, the addition of NTT Docomo as a carrier. Third, the substantial acceleration in U.S. smartphone sales due to "zero down" plans and "trade in" promotions. Finally, the two-year anniversary of the surprisingly successful iPhone 4S, which should lead to a much greater number of iPhone customers globally at the end of two-year contracts than in any previous year. In this note, we attempt to quantify these impacts, which on a combined basis lead us to believe there should be demand for 56 million iPhones in the December quarter.
In addition, McCourt writes that it doesn't matter if Apple can't keep up with demand—iPhone users have proven so loyal that they are willing to wait a few extra weeks to upgrade even if phone aren't in stores.
Susquehanna Financial Group's Chris Caso struck a similarly bullish tone, maintaining a Positive rating on Apple and $625 price target. His checks on Apple suppliers are encouraging, he writes, and greater demand for the higher-priced 5s model should boost margins.
Although demand for iPads is not as strong as he initially estimated, Caso notes that these are not nearly as important to earnings as the iPhone.
There is no significant change to our total iPhone unit production forecasts for 3Q/4Q vs. our last update - we expect 31-33 mln iPhone production in C3Q and 51-53 mln iPhone production in C4Q, and our build forecasts are largely in-line with consensus sell-through estimates for 3Q/4Q. However, the mix appears to have shifted somewhat, with more 5s in production vs. the 5c compared to our earlier expectation (we now expect 26 mln 5s production in 4Q vs. 24 mln previously; 20 mln 5c vs. 22 mln previously), which has positive GM implications. Our view is that this shift is likely due in part to higher demand for the 5s, but also due to a pushout of 5c production for China Mobile into 1Q. With respect to iPad, we are forecasting 14-16 mln iPad production in 3Q and 20-22 mln in 4Q, below our earlier estimates. We note the 20-22 mln production forecast for 4Q is well below consensus sell-through of 25 mln (and our 27 mln estimate), suggesting some risk to 4Q iPad sell-through estimates. However, it is important to note that there is a product transition happening in 4Q (we expect a refresh of the 10" iPad and a new iPad mini in C4Q), and our production forecast is likely to get fine tuned as we get closer to those launches.
He also writes that a larger screen iPhone, expected next year, will be another strong catalyst for the stock.
On Tuesday Cantor Fitzgerald also reviewed strong demand for the iPhone in China.


text:
FOX Business: Capitalism Lives Here
Economically-sensitive stocks took the hardest hit as Wall Street skidded on Thursday as traders reviewed mixed data and earnings.
Continue Reading Below
As of 12:25 p.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 198 points, or 1.2%, to 16417, the S&P 500 dipped 24.7 points, or 1.3%, to 1864 and the Nasdaq Composite tumbled 57.9 points, or 1.4%, to 4043.
Wall Street failed to hold record highs on Wednesday, falling solidly into the red after a reading on inflation came in markedly higher than economists expected. On Thursday, cyclical stocks, were the biggest losers. Those sectors include consumer discretionary, energy, financials, health care and materials. Meanwhile, defensive plays like utilities and telecommunication stocks performed the best.
Early on, the focus was on corporate news. Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO) revealed better-than-expected results, sending shares of the networking giant flying higher. However, Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) posted a sizeable miss, blaming bad weather. Shares of the world's biggest retailer stumbled on the news. Both stocks are Dow components.
In economic news, the Labor Department said the number of Americans filing for first-time unemployment benefits fell last week to 297,000 from an upwardly revised 321,000 the week prior. Wall Street was looking for claims to rise to 320,000 from an initially reported 319,000.
Another report from Labor showed prices for consumer goods rose 0.3% in April from the month prior, matching Wall Street’s estimates on a rounded basis. Excluding the food and energy components, prices rose 0.2%, slightly more than the 0.1% increase economists expected. The Federal Reserve has been working to boost inflation as it chops down unemployment.
A report from the New York Federal Reserve showed manufacturing in the Empire State region surged in May, with its business conditions gauge jumping to 19.01 in May after nearly stalling at 1.29 in April. Economists expected a reading of 5.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Home Builders’ gauge of homebuilder sentiment fell to 45 in May, from 46 in April, while Wall Street expected the gauge to rise to 49.
Last on the heavy economic calendar, the Philadelphia Fed’s gauge of manufacturing activity in the mid-Atlantic region rose to 15.4 in May from 16.6 the month prior. The May reading surpassed Wall Street’s expectations of 14.
The economy has been recovering from a harsh winter that swept across large swaths of the U.S. and severely suppressed activity.
Elsewhere, U.S. crude oil futures fell 41 cents, or 0.4%, to $101.96 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline prices were little changed at $2.969 a gallon. Gold dipped 70 cents, or 0.05%, to $1,305 a troy ounce.


text:
Exclusive: Long John Silver’s switches up Lent strategy, operations
Like other seafood restaurants, Long John Silver’s is using Lent (which runs 10 February through 24 March) to springboard marketing efforts that will sustain the brand throughout the year.
This year, the 1,100-restaurant chain is featuring a major “Fish You Were Here” sweepstakes, along with its Hand-battered cod entrée with hush puppies and another side for USD 5.99 (EUR 5.47).
LJS opted to promote
The restaurant chain sells around more 20 million pieces of fish during Lent, Nicholson said. In addition to the cod special, Nicholson expects shrimp, crab
LJS also offers Baked Cod and Baked Shrimp entrees, which are served with rice and vegetables. “It is a healthier-for-you option that is not fried. We are an expert in fried seafood, but realize it is not for everyone,” Nicholson said.
Meanwhile, LJS’s national sweepstakes, which launches 8 February, invites customers to take selfies in its restaurants or with its products, and then upload them to a
The major marketing push around Lent is just part of the vision of CEO James O’Reilly, who came on board last February, after a tumultuous time in the company’s history. “O’Reilly brought on a new leadership team that is grounded in QSR and has a passion for the brand. From a business standpoint, we have had five periods of positive same-store sales growth, and wound up 2015 in a real good spot,” Nicholson said.
The fact that LJS now owns 44 of its 1,100 restaurants will also help the chain, according to Nicholson. “We have a greater sensitivity to what our franchisees go through, including issues such as


text:
world of warcraft
Last Thursday, World of Warcraft’s Warlords of Draenor expansion brought long-time MMO fans back into the fantasy reality of the Warcraft Universe.
Blizzard has reminded everyone that they still make the best video game cinematics in the industry. The one for Warlords of Draenor may be their best yet.
If you’ve been waiting on the release date reveal for World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor, Blizzard just announced the date for when the release date …
Greg Street, better known as “Ghostcrawler,” announced this morning that he is leaving Blizzard Entertainment. He will be pursuing a “great opportunity for something new …
The biggest news coming out of BlizzCon 2013 was the announcement of the next World of Warcraft expansion, Warlords of Draenor.


text:
Charlotte Lee, the New Balance designer, who also led the creation of the 327, designed the New Balance XC-72. Dressed in a familiar Orange and Green color scheme that was used on the original Casablanca x New Balance 327 styles, which complements White leather and Grey suede overlays. A large “N” branding on the midfoot, co-branded tongues atop a White midsole, and a Green rubber outsole completes the design.
The release date of New Balance XC-72 is not known yet.
For Further Updates
At a time when the sneaker game is rapidly gaining popularity, and more and more resellers and collectors are becoming a part of this ecosystem, The lack of a proper Authentication system and resale forums have caused inconvenience to a lot of enthusiasts; but not…
As we step into 2022, the past year hasn’t exactly been a cakewalk. The virus continues its presence with habitual lockdowns and strict norms all over the country. Despite this, the sneaker culture slowly but surely experienced a good number of new collaborations, album releases,…


text:
Two Bay Area congresswomen have helped introduce a bill that would permanently guarantee consumers can unlock their cell phones, tablets, and other mobile communications devices in order to switch carriers.
H.R. 1892, the Unlocking Technology Act of 2013, would give consumers new avenues to unlock their devices and media under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act in ways that don’t infringe on copyright.
“This bill reflects the way we use this technology in our everyday lives,” Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, who introduced the bill Wednesday, said in a news release. “Americans should not be subject to fines and criminal liability for merely unlocking devices and media they legally purchased. If consumers are not violating copyright or some other law, there’s little reason to hold back the benefits of unlocking so people can continue using their devices.”
Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act currently forbids sidestepping technical measures that prevent modifying copyrighted works – such as “jailbreaking” a tablet to run third-party apps, going around digital rights management for archiving or disability access purposes, or unlocking a cell phone – regardless of whether there is any actual copyright infringement.
The U.S. Copyright Office can add restrictions or remove exemptions under Section 1201 every three years; it created an exemption for cell phone unlocking in 2010, and then took it away again in 2013, making cell phone unlocking illegal once more. Most other proposals in Congress would just extend the prior cell phone unlocking exemption for another three years.
This new bill would make it permanently legal for consumers to unlock their mobile devices, and consumers would not be required to obtain permission from their carrier before switching to a new carrier. It also would allow the use and sale of tools – like software apps – that enable unlocking for uses that don’t infringe on copyright. The president would be required to ensure that international trade agreements reflect the new law.


text:
Google’s workforce can’t catch a spoil this yr. Regardless of forged evaluations (us incorporated), the corporate’s new Pixel 2 handsets had been plagued through system defects, together with a buzzing sound heard in the ear piece all the way through phone calls.
An organization rep issued a brief reaction to a long thread about the problem on Google’s Pixel Consumer Group board, noting that the corporate will get started rolling out an over the air software replace geared toward solving the factor in “the coming weeks.”
The buzzing problem isn’t an remoted factor for the telephones. Overdue ultimate month, the corporate promised a software replace designed to handle the phone’s colour calibration — a mindful selection on the corporate’s phase that left many customers chilly. Google additionally promised to release an investigation into a burn-in factor with the display.
Past that, court cases have ranged from dangerous sound recording on movies to wonky touchscreens. After which there’s the complete privateness problem with the House Mini the corporate needed to patch, to not point out quite a lot of bluetooth syncing problems with its first-gen Pixel Buds, that have been met with lukewarm to unfavourable evaluations ultimate week, in spite of a lot of preliminary pleasure round the product.


text:
On our post about 7-Eleven earlier this morning, a reader left a link to a new petition ...
Per the petition:
Zip code 10003, which we all know as the East Village, now has the most national retail stores of any zip code in nyc (except for one that has a huge shopping mall). This means Subway instead of CBGB, 7-Eleven instead of your friendly neighborhood bodega, Starbucks galore, and more banks that any human possibly needs.
It's time to stop the madness. It is time to say no to giant corporations and to gentrification. It is time to save whatever is left of this neighborhood's character.
Back in November, The Center for an Urban Future released its fourth annual study ranking the national retailers with the most store locations in New York City. The 10003 Zip Code, which includes Union Square and parts of Fifth Avenue, came in third for most chains overall in New York City with 169.
Meanwhile, you can find the petition here.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Zip Code 10003 has 169 chain stores


text:
Growth in the European ETF industry is being held back by too much private trade over the counter
If asked whether exchange traded funds are traded on exchange, you’d probably say something like “Yes, obviously. It’s in the name.” Well here’s a crazy thing: it turns out the majority of ETF trading in Europe is actually done off exchange.
It is estimated around two thirds of the market is done in private ‘over the counter,’ where typically an institution phones up a market maker to get a good price for buying a huge amount of ETF shares. This might not sound relevant for most of us smaller retail folk. And the techy speak can be a bit off-putting.
But actually, it does affect us, because it means we might not be getting the best price out there. It’s also holding back the growth of the European ETF industry.
Under the surface a lot of trades are being done that we are unaware of
For the one third of the market which is traded on exchange, these trades are ‘reported’. This means investors can see how much an ETF is being traded and the prices investors are getting for buying or selling.
Generally, the more an ETF is traded, the tighter the pricing tends to be, meaning it should be lower cost. And if an investor sees a good price, the more likely they are to trade on exchange.
But when buying or selling an ETF is done in private over the counter, it’s not obvious to any of us how much is being traded and what prices investors are getting.
So this means when you look on a stock exchange to get this information, what you’re seeing is only the tip of the iceberg. Under the surface, there’s a whole load of trades being done that we don’t know about.
The problem with this is big investors who look on exchange and don’t think an ETF is being traded that much will be more likely to join in with transacting over the counter, to get a better deal.
If you’re still thinking “well, this doesn’t sound like a problem for me, I’m only a small investor,” think again. The more investors trade, the lower the cost of buying shares in an ETF can be.
This is because the bid-offer spread is generally tighter. This spread is the difference in the price of buying and selling these shares.
Much like buying and selling currency when going on holiday, you tend to end up paying a bit more to buy the shares and get slightly less when selling. For example, if the offer price I can buy at is 101p at best, and the bid price I can sell at is 99p, then the spread is 2p. So once you’ve bought it at 101p, you need to see the price you can sell at go up by 2p.
Those ETFs which are traded more have lower bid-offer spreads as it is efficient to find a buyer and a seller, making the transaction cost to make the match smaller. Conversely, a more niche, less traded ETF will likely have a much bigger spread.
But there’s another element to consider, that can make the spread bigger. This is based on the actual asset the ETF is tracking. If you buy an ETF tracking the FTSE 100, for example, the underlying shares are heavily traded and very liquid, meaning the fund tracking these shares is likely to have a tighter spread.
However if you go for a frontier market ETF, these shares are harder to trade, as there are all sorts of issues to consider, from corporate governance problems to political risks. This means there’s likely to be a wider spread when buying and selling the ETF.
So getting a tight spread is important in lowering your overall costs. And if big institutional investors can play a part in this by trading on exchange, then the market should be encouraged to move in this direction.
There has been talk of developments in European regulation which could require over the counter trades to be reported, which would give everyone a better idea of what is going on. However, whether this comes into action and has such an impact remains to be seen.
At the same time, the more retail use ETFs the greater the volume of trading done on exchange, as in the older US market. And with more UK investors across the board adopting ETFs, this trading issue should improve.
Still, it just goes to show, despite the name of any investment, it’s worth digging under the surface to understand what’s really going on.


text:
Video store magic
Don's Video in Fort Smith keeps movie rental business alive
Kevin Mills remembers the seemingly countless times he, as a young, energetic child, would sprint into Don's Video Movie Rental in Fort Smith.
The Hackett resident was unable to contain his excitement each time he, his brother and their mother would make a trek to the store to rent one of the latest action-packed films. Being one of the many customers at Don's Video was part adventure, part badge of honor, according to Mills.
"I remember I would run into this store when I was little, and I'd be hoping to God that the movie I wanted to see would be in here," he said while grinning and standing near the entrance of Don's Video. "This place, oh wow, it is just incredible."
Located at 1508 S. Greenwood Ave. and operated by Keiko Hopson and her family, Don's Video continues to serve hundreds of area customers. Blurays and DVDs of new releases and older titles decorate the many display shelves inside the business and continue to be a hit with younger viewers and adults, Hopson said.
"All of the 'Avengers' titles are popular, and 'Fantastic Beasts' is something people like," she said. "We have 6,000 — or maybe we have 7,000 — movies to rent. People like variety, and we have variety."
Rental cases for "Creed II," "Bohemian Rhapsody," "A Star is Born," "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom," "Johnny English Strikes Again," "God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness," "Justice League" and "Thor: Ragnarok" can be seen alongside the "Jason Bourne" and "Spider-Man" movies, "The Matrix," "Blade" and its sequels, "Interstellar," "Ted 2," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Step Brothers" and about a dozen Tyler Perry titles, among others inside Don's Video. The visual image of seeing so many organized DVD and Bluray boxes is part of the thrill of being inside a move rental store, Cruz said.
"People like coming in here and seeing other people here, too," she said.
The interior of Don's Video also includes large spaces that house VHS tape rentals and video games.
"A lot of people will rent Blurays, but some of older people, they like to rent the VHS tapes," Hopson said. "We have a lot of classics here from the 1950s and 1960s, even going back to 'Gone with the Wind.'"
According to Hopson and Cruz, video rental stores offer a more personal and rewarding experience compared to the act of renting from a Red Box machine or watching a streamed movie online. Cruz remembers when she was a little girl and how she would pretend Don's Video was a play fort with endless possibilities.
"I'd be running around and getting into stuff, and the owner, Don Ledbetter, would yell at us," she said with a laugh. "We would be eating candy in here. It was a lot of fun."
For Mills, renting movies from Red Box and streaming films online can never match the "magic" and "greatness" of walking into a video rental store, interacting with others and finding that desired rental perched on a shelf.
"A rental store is so much better," he said. "Renting at Don's Video is so much better than just sitting down and watching a movie on your phone."
Like Mills, Fort Smith resident Mike Boze holds brick-and-mortar video stores in high regard. Just before Christmas 1982, Boze rented one of the first VHS copies of the original "Star Wars" movie from a rental store location that is now home to Fort Smith Blueprint Inc., 2001 Rogers Ave.
"It seems to me that the deposit to rent 'Star Wars' back then was $75," he said as his eyes widened. "When my brothers and I went to see the movie, it was at the old Temple Theater. The moment the Empire's Destroyer ship passed over the screen while firing at Princess Leia's ship, I said to myself, 'I need to see this again.'
"I was so thrilled to watch the movie again on VHS; I rented it and took it to my parents' house to watch it," Boze said before laughing. "My dad fell asleep about halfway through. I was shocked that he found the movie to be so boring."
Nostalgia is a big portion of what fuels the public's ongoing interest in movie rental stores today, according to Amy Smith, an assistant manager at Movietown, 8434 Phoenix Ave., Suite A.
"People come in and they can look for movies; they get to look at the movie case, and they like that," she said. "Some people have technical issues with streaming. They don't have those issues if they come in and rent the disc from us."
Popular TV series such as "Game of Thrones," "The Big Bang Theory" and "The Walking Dead" often dominate the most-rented list at Movietown, Smith said.
"Me personally, I'm a big fan of comedies and the superhero movies," she said. "And the new 'Fantastic Beasts' movie just came out, and it's a big deal. It's helped make 'Harry Potter' really popular again."
Hopson said many people still like to share the video renting experience with family members and close friends.
"People tell us that they like being a customer here," she said. "If something goes wrong with a Red Box, there's no one there to fix it. Here, we can fix things. If you rent a DVD that won't play, we will replace it with another one. We take care of our customers here."
After making his purchase inside Don's Video, Mills smiled at Hopson and Cruz before heading to the door.
"I love this place," he said. "But you guys have to get the 'Lego Batman 2' video game. I am hoping you guys can help me out with that. I am really needing to play something new, please."


text:
Turn 7 closing its doors at Moorestown Mall, but for how long?
MOORESTOWN – One of the largest tenants at Moorestown Mall is closing its doors.
But Turn 7, which specializes in liquidation merchandise, will reopen after a weeks-long break for restocking, a store representative says.
Shoppers at the store are greeted by window signs that read "Closing for the season liquidation" and offering 50 percent discounts
Turn 7 opened in early December in a 121,000-square-foot location that most recently held a COVID-19 vaccination. The site previously held a mall anchor, Lord + Taylor, that closed in January 2020.
“Our fall/spring liquidation inventory has gone down,” Turn 7 operator Rick Forman said in a statement.
He said the store expects to receive “hundreds of trailers” in May with merchandise that’s become available “due to the supply chain problem and cancellation.”
The store will close on May 9 "to the bare walls," with restocking to take place over the next several weeks.
It will re-open “sometime in June,” the statement said.
Turn 7, which also has an outlet in Northeast Philadelphia, discounts merchandise, including items returned to retailers, at prices from $1 to $100.
Jim Walsh covers public safety, economic development and other beats for the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal.
Support local journalism with a subscription.


text:
Gingham blankets and wicker baskets at the ready – Monday marks the start of National Picnic Week.
With the weather set to make a dramatic U-turn, there’s no doubt people will be out in force at parks and beauty spots, enjoying food and drink in the sunshine.
But if you don’t fancy making your own sandwiches, Pret has launched a new range of products, ahead of the week-long celebration.
The chain has brought out three new picnic products: a smoked salmon and avocado platter, a Ploughman’s platter and a humous and crudités platter – all designed to be shared between two.
The £8.99 salmon and avocado box features Scottish smoked salmon slices, avocado, creamy soft cheese, cucumber, red onion and lemon wedges. It can be purchased in either the ‘Brunch Bundle’ – which comes with orange juice and baguettes – or in a ‘Picnic Bundle’ which includes crisps, baguettes, Pure Pret Still drinks and brownies.
The £8.49 Ploughman’s platter, on the other hand, is made up of Wiltshire-cured ham, mature cheddar, roasted tomatoes, free-range eggs, cucumber, baby plum tomatoes, Pret pickle and mixed salad leaves.
Whereas the £7.29 humous and crudités platter – as you might expect – includes cucumber and red pepper crudités, baby plum tomatoes and humous. This is also available in a ‘Picnic Bundle’, with additional snacks.
Hannah Dolan, global head of food innovation at Pret said: ‘We know that many of our customers are meeting up with family and friends in the park or in their gardens, after months of being apart, and our team of chefs wanted to create something to help celebrate that moment.
‘Our range of picnic platters take the fuss out of hosting and buying individual items. Go one step further and order a bundle via one of our delivery partners, and you’ll be the envy of the park.’
Each platter is now available in Pret stores nationwide, or via delivery on Deliveroo.
Have you got a food story to share?
Get in touch at [email protected]
Source: Read Full Article


text:
19 Nov 2020
Google Pay gets major redesign; here's what has changed
The Google Pay app has been redesigned with a special focus on personal finance.
29 Aug 2018
New Google Pay app to offer Indians quick loans
On Tuesday, Google announced that it would be partnering with a bunch of Indian banks to bring instant quick loans to the masses as part of its Next Billion Users initiative.
26 Jun 2018
Neighbourly: Google's answer to Facebook, WhatsApp in India
Google's latest, tailor-made app for India, Neighbourly, is part of the tech giant's latest attempt to be the go-to platform in India, taking on rivals such as Facebook and WhatsApp.
25 Jun 2018
WhatsApp Pay to offer 24-hour customer support in India
WhatsApp is setting up a 24-hour customer support for WhatsApp Pay, its UPI-based payments service that allows users to send and receive money through the chat app.
30 May 2018
You may get WhatsApp payment feature next week
Earlier in February, WhatsApp did an initial roll-out of its payment feature in India which allows users to send and receive money through the chat app.
17 Apr 2018
WhatsApp Pay beta-rolls out Request Money feature on Android
WhatsApp recently beta-launched its UPI-based digital payments feature WhatsApp Pay in India that allows users to send and receive money through the chat app.
07 Mar 2018
Google rolls out chat feature to digital payments app Tez
Google is adding a chat feature to its India-exclusive digital payments app Tez.
01 Mar 2018
Missed the Paytm KYC deadline? Here's how to do it
Yesterday was the deadline to update the Know Your Customer (KYC) details on Paytm and other mobile wallets.
25 Feb 2018
A step-by-step guide to using WhatsApp Pay
WhatsApp is testing its payment feature in India which will allow users to send and receive money through the chat app.
20 Feb 2018
Google Tez now supports bill payments for over 80 billers
Google's Tez payments platform now allows users to pay utilities and several other bills in just a few taps through the Tez app.
13 Feb 2018
Paytm, Google Tez, WhatsApp: Which wallet should you opt for?
WhatsApp's peer-to-peer payments system using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has been recently launched, but for now it is invite-only.
11 Feb 2018
How to send and receive money on WhatsApp
Earlier this week, WhatsApp started testing its Unified Payment Interface-based payment service in India.
10 Jan 2018
"Google Pay" launched; will arrive on India's Google Tez, too
Google has announced it is integrating all its digital payments services, including the Android Pay and Google Wallet, under a new, unified one called "Google Pay".
30 Oct 2017
Airtel Payments Bank gets UPI-integration: All you need to know!
India's largest telco Bharti Airtel, which forayed into banking to launch Airtel Payments Bank earlier, recently integrated Unified Payment Interface (UPI) on its payments bank platform.
22 Sep 2017
Paytm, BHIM, or Google Tez? For digital payments, choose wisely
Due to demonetization, several Indians were forced to opt for digital payment options, as cash transactions had come to a halt.
18 Sep 2017
Google Tez UPI-based payments app: All you need to know
Google has finally launched its UPI-based payments app in India, called Tez. This standalone app can be used to pay bills, movie tickets and for other online transactions.
14 Sep 2017
Google to launch digital payment service in India next week?
If reports are to be believed, Google is launching a localized digital payment service in India as early as next week.