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If focusing on the high-volume consumer hardware market is now a route to oblivion for traditional resellers, as a seasoned distributor claims (see page 1), just where can the channel turn for a successful business metamorphosis?
This time last year, every PR flak and marketing type in the IT industry was spruiking the wonders and value-add opportunities in online procurement, B2B solutions and e-commerce in general. It's amazing what a little stock market correction can do for the process of business reinvention.
It has since been borne out that much of the Internet hype was a hoax. Channel companies which attempted to reinvent and cater to old-world corporate Internet panic will now have discovered demand has deflated right along with the bubble.
As many dot-coms bombed, the urgency of Internet projects being undertaken by corporates lessened. Consequently, the fundamental economic principle of supply and demand brought many supply-chain players to their knees, forcing them to look elsewhere for the next big thing.
Meanwhile, even the promised savings and efficiencies of online exchange-based procurement, auctions and e-tailing have failed to attract the level of punters estimated by analysts.
Resellers which identified that enterprise software applications were heading for the small and medium enterprise (SME) space would be fairing a little better. As direct-selling vendors ran out of customers at the big end of town, they quickly realised channel partners were needed and went about wooing them with good support and training as well as lead generation.
However, even this hotbed of opportunity has become muddled as every software vendor reinvents its marketing message to include acronyms such as CRM and B2B.
While it is obviously just as hazardous today as it was 12 months ago to predict where the best opportunities for channel players currently are, some markets do look rosy.
It is almost stating the bleeding obvious to say GST still presents an opportunity for the channel. While you may very well be struggling with how to deal with it in the day-to-day running of your own business, the good news is that everybody else is too and they are turning to technology for help.
I am betting on various point-of-sale solutions in retail and mobile solutions in other industries to be the biggest opportunities this year. Resellers that can evolve into these markets with their existing customers will realise there is still money in this IT channel caper.
POS computer and printer packages are hot. Internet and network-attached kiosks are going to be big and the best uses for them are yet to be discovered. Wireless workstations and remote access to corporate networks are also sure to attract attention from the business world.
The good news is that, according to those already in the game, all these areas of focus are still bringing in good margins, which of course should be the Mecca for all middlemen.
One thing is for sure - you are not going to get rich in 2001 by buying a pallet of boxes, whacking a margin on it and shifting it off to the next guy.
Feel free to tell me how your business is facing the challenges of margin squeeze and which new path you have chosen on the road to profitability. Your success stories will make good news in a year in which I suspect there will be more carnage, consolidation and gnashing of teeth for parts of the channel.


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United’s CEO Oscar Munoz Will Not Become Airline Chairman
United Airlines has announced that chief executive Oscar Munoz will not be promoted to the title of Chairman next year as originally planned.
In a proxy filing made Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission by United Continental Holdings Group, the airline said Munoz had agreed to waive a clause in his contract that had guaranteed him the title next year. Munoz also dropped a contractual option to resign as CEO if he didn’t receive the Chairman position.
United also used the proxy filing to announce that it was changing its executive compensation policy so that it is “directly and meaningfully tied to progress in improving the customer experience.”
The moves come as United continues to deal with the fallout from #BumpGate in which a paying passenger was forcibly removed from a flight in order to make room for the airline’s employees. Many considered Munoz’s original response to the crisis as tone deaf — only later did the executive issue an apology and promise a full investigation. The incident has already led United and other airlines to change their policies on denying boarding to passengers (“bumping”), as United will no longer allow passengers to be removed from aircraft in order to accommodate crew members, and Delta increased its maximum compensation to nearly $10,000 for extreme bumping situations.
But even with these changes, airline incidents continue to pop up in the news and on social media. Last week United was again in the headlines for asking a bride and groom to disembark from a flight to their wedding, and earlier today an American employee had a heated confrontation with a passenger captured on video.
H/T: The New York Times
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April 22, 2017 at 01:44PM
Kayak CEO on Giving Consumers a Choice and 10 Other Digital Trends This Week
Throughout the week we post dozens of original stories, connecting the dots across the travel industry, and every weekend we sum it all up. This weekend roundup examines digital trends.
For all of our weekend roundups, go here.
>>It’s all but certain that TripAdvisor is going to get back on TV in some form in 2017. It really needs to unless the company wants to push the launch into next year pending product changes and improvements: Can a TripAdvisor TV Campaign Be a Game-Changer? Two Views
>>The market for software to tour merchants is fragmented without a single clear leader. Yet Peek now has an advantageous position, thanks to the acquisition of the assets of one of its chief rivals: Peek Acquires Zozi’s Assets in Further Consolidation of Tours and Activities Tech Sector
>>Did the U.S. Trivago Guy just get William Shatnered? Like Shatner for Priceline.com, actor Tim Williams, who had become omnipresent on TV in the U.S. for Trivago, has hardly been seen over the last couple of weeks. It’s good for brands to freshen things up and female empowerment ads are trending: Did the Trivago Guy Just Lose His TV Gig?
>>For online meeting space booking platforms like Bizly to be profitable, they have to offer both automated purchase capabilities and chat functionality with live venue staff to satisfy the demands of enterprise clients: Bizly Wants to Kill the Traditional Booking Process For Small Corporate Events
>>Companies can now expand their use of online platforms to book small meetings in creative venues, because they now have the ability to message venues directly in real-time and integrate compliance requirements: The Future of Online Bookings for Small Event Space — Meetings Innovation Report
>>General Catalyst and Accomplice, the famed venture capital firms, join us in seeing promise in Freebird, which gives corporate travel agencies superpowers when it comes to rebooking travelers: Flight Disruption Startup Freebird Snares Funding from General Catalyst and Accomplice
>>Given all the hype about messaging, it’s eye-opening that only one out of eight American travelers say they have electronically chatted with a travel brand: Travel Habits of Americans: 87 Percent Haven’t Yet Messaged With a Travel Brand
>>Even if its growth has slowed gradually, Uber still has a huge advantage over its rivals in corporate travel. Its global scale, as well, bodes well for Uber continuing to grow as an option for international business travelers: Uber’s Growth Is Stalling Among U.S. Business Travelers
>>Facebook is challenging online advertising heavyweight Google by offering innovative products that target travel brands (and other sectors). Expect the social network to seize some market share: Facebook and Google’s Travel Ad War — Digital Marketing News This Week
>>Long-promised improvements to airport security screening and rebooking in the event of flight disruption may finally be in the offing, thanks to follow-on rounds of fundings to the startups Clear and Freebird: Screening Company Clear Raises $15 Million: Travel Startup Funding This Week
>>Hafner reveals his admiration for new acquisition Momondo Group, expresses his bother at Trivago’s ad spend, and pooh-poohs Skyscanner’s analytics approach in a frank discussion that cut to the core of what makes metasearch different: Video: Kayak CEO Says He Wants to Give Consumers a Choice
Photo Credit: Kayak CEO Steve Hafner speaking with Skift’s Dennis Schaal (R) at Skift Forum Europe in London on April 4, 2017. Skift
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April 22, 2017 at 01:24PM
Air Berlin Sees On-Time Performance Suffer in Transformation Toll
This month’s drop marks a deterioration from Air Berlin’s already patchy performance record. Air Berlin
— Sean O’Neill
Air Berlin’s service levels have fallen sharply this month in a sign that the unprofitable German carrier is struggling with the process of downsizing into a smaller network airline focused on long-haul services.
Just 56.4 percent of Air Berlin flights arrived on time through April 17, the lowest reading in at least 16 months and 30 percentage points below the peak in that period, according to data provided by flight-scheduling firm OAG. The airline blamed winter weather, air-traffic control issues and problems with a new ground-handling provider for the poorer performance, while internal tensions have caused flight attendants to voice their frustration.
Air Berlin is undergoing a radical downsizing as it cuts its mainline fleet by about half, leasing 38 Airbus SE single-aisle A320 aircraft to Deutsche Lufthansa AG and merging its leisure-travel operations with the German airline arm of tour operator TUI AG. The carrier will focus on transatlantic routes and related feeder traffic through its Berlin and Dusseldorf hubs after years of turnaround efforts and cost-cutting programs failed to restore earnings.
The transformation is frustrating and scaring employees and has caused more workers to call in sick, according to an April 10 letter from cabin-crew representatives to management. Flight attendants said conditions were “unspeakable,” with excessive workloads, nonexistent ground services at some airports and snags involving baggage-handling operators, according to the letter obtained by Bloomberg.
The airline on April 12 postponed the introduction of routes to San Francisco and Los Angeles from early May to later that month, citing performance issues with new ground-handling provider AeroGround at the carrier’s Berlin Tegel airport hub.
The bulk of delays stem from outdated equipment and a lack of staffing at the contractor, which checks in Air Berlin passengers, handles luggage and performs other services such as shifting planes on the ground, said Christian Liepack, a spokesman for the airline. Bad weather, including snowfall and fog in Munich, and strikes by air traffic controllers in Italy and France also contributed to the “runaway” drop in punctuality this month, he said on Thursday.
AeroGround has assigned 40 employees from Munich to Berlin temporarily until newly hired permanent workers can complete security clearances and take their posts, said Ingo Anspach, a spokesman for Munich airport, which owns the ground handler. It also sent extra equipment to Tegel, and performance “clearly improved” with these measures, he said.
This month’s drop marks a deterioration from Air Berlin’s already patchy performance record. The carrier ranked 96th out of 103 airlines, with a 75.6 percent on-time rate for the 12 months through March, according to a separate statement from OAG. German rival Lufthansa placed 50th, at 82 percent of flights on time, while the Lufthansa-Turkish Airlines joint venture SunExpress stood at 4th, at 89.7 percent. Service is defined as on time if a plane arrives less than 15 minutes late.
Air Berlin is scheduled to report first-quarter earnings on April 27.
©2017 Bloomberg L.P.
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April 22, 2017 at 11:02AM
The Effects of Trump’s First 100 Days and 9 Other Tourism Trends This Week
Throughout the week we post dozens of original stories, connecting the dots across the travel industry, and every weekend we sum it all up. This weekend roundup examines tourism.
For all of our weekend roundups, go here.
>>Trump slump or Trump bump? It will take more than five weeks of spending behavior to provide clearer direction: International Tourist Spending in the U.S. Is at Record High So Far This Year
>>Only time will tell whether President Trump’s policies will inflict lasting damage on U.S. travel companies and the image of the U.S. as a preeminent international destination: What Trump’s First 100 Days Tell Us About Travel’s Next Four Years
>>Chinese consumers are responsible for one-third of the world’s personal luxury spending, but the consumers are younger and more affluent than the sector is accustomed to serving: China’s Luxury Travelers Are Young and Spending More Than Ever
>>Silence is indeed golden and isolation comes at a premium as well for luxury travelers who really, really want to get away: Isolation Is the Next Big Thing in Luxury Travel
>>Los Angeles is part of a trend across major global cities as they attempt to distance themselves from less welcoming parts of their countries. Most cities can’t claim to be as diverse as Los Angeles, which helps its message appear honest yet measured: Los Angeles Wants Its ‘Everyone is Welcome’ Campaign to Connect With Global Millennials
>>All luxury is not created equal, and understanding the modern luxury travel market requires a new approach and a deep appreciation of the sophistication of modern consumers and providers: Launching Today: Skift New Luxury Travel Newsletter
>>Switzerland Tourism is employing “precision marketing” as the number of Chinese individual travelers rose last year while overall arrivals dropped. Other destinations it competes with for long-haul Chinese travelers, including the U.S., Canada and New Zealand, should take note: Switzerland Tourism Fights Rivals for Chinese Travelers With New Focus
>>UNESCO sites — of all places — should be the destinations taking leadership roles in tourism management planning as they’re often the first place many tourists think about when deciding what to do on a trip: Nearly Half of UNESCO Sites Don’t Have Plans to Manage Overtourism Challenges
>>Disney’s Animal Kingdom needed more attractions to get visitors to stay longer, but will Avatar be the key to boosting the park’s popularity? Disney’s Newest Land Is Meant to Add a Literal Glow to Animal Kingdom
>>There are vastly fewer retail travel outlets now than two decades ago, but a few creative agents are rethinking how to buy and sell travel in the real world: The Travel Agents Rethinking the Brick and Mortar Retail Experience
Photo Credit: President Donald Trump, accompanied by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt, third from left, and Vice President Mike Pence, right, signs an Energy Independence Executive Order, Tuesday, March 28, 2017, at EPA headquarters in Washington. Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press
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April 22, 2017 at 10:06AM
My MacBook: A Complete Guide for Electronics-Ban Airport Thieves
New security regulations from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.K.’s Department for Transport ban passengers flying from certain Middle East and North African airports to the U.S. and U.K. from bringing electronics bigger than a smartphone into the cabins. Laptops, e-readers, tablets, cameras, and more will now have to be checked in at the airport of origin. . . . “Bag theft goes up tremendously during these bans, as does identity theft and intellectual property theft.”
—Condé Nast Traveler.
Dear airport thief,
Welcome! Of all the laptops in all the bags checked from Istanbul to New York, you’ve stolen mine. A little about me—I am not an Emirati businessman with many Swiss bank accounts, the passcodes to which are stored on my numerous tablets. Rather, as a broke graduate student in the humanities, just months ago I spent six per cent of my annual income on this thirteen-inch MacBook Pro for my research trip to Turkey. Here is a friendly guide regarding its contents and care, before you wipe all my data and sell the computer on eBay.
“I’m With Her” sticker: Good luck scratching this puppy off! As a white woman with an American passport, the loss of this sticker is what I will most loudly lament in the Facebook post I will write about the hazards of international travel in the Trump era. The status will get three hundred and forty-seven likes and, if I’m lucky, a share by my aunt in Dallas.
Thousands of photos of my friends shoving food in their faces: See, the corn kernels on Parul’s teeth are supposed to be gold teeth! Doesn’t she look like James Franco in “Spring Breakers”? Isn’t it funny? You will find duplicates of these files—as well as many photos of Sydney licking doughnuts—on my digital camera, also now in your possession.
My Turkish-English dictionary app: Someone once told me that the Turkish word for “cucumber” is really hıyar, but that hıyar was so frequently used as dirty slang that the powers-that-be changed the name of the vegetable to salatalık. Of course, there is only one word I can remember in Turkish, and that word is hıyar. Thanks for stealing my laptop, hıyar-head!
Saved passwords: To my Gmail, my dad’s Amazon Prime, my mom’s Netflix, my mom’s Hulu Plus, my ex-Tinder-match’s roommate’s dad’s HBO Go. Please, don’t mess these algorithms up too badly. My excellent taste in television is all I have left.
“Rainbow,” the 1999 album by Mariah Carey: This is the first CD I uploaded to my iTunes, circa 2003. I know Mariah’s runs in “Heartbreaker” by heart. Perhaps you can learn the Jay Z part (“She want love in the Jacuzzi, rub up in the movies / Access to the old crib, keys to the newbie”), and we can film a heartwarming lip-synching video after you return this laptop?
Microsoft Office suite, 2016 edition: Including Excel, which has not once been sufficiently explained to me. But you still have time to learn—Excel your way out of your life of petty theft!
Abortive attempts at poetry, most about my ex Danny: DO NOT OPEN.
Abortive attempts at fiction, some about my ex Danny: See above.
My master’s thesis: A hundred pages, twelve-point type, on Syrian refugees with U.S. visas, stuck in Turkish airports. Enjoy!
April 22, 2017 at 09:52AM
American Airlines Employee Argues With Passenger After Allegedly Nearly Hitting Baby
Coming on the heels of United’s #BumpGate incident and fallout where a paying passenger was dragged off a flight to make room for employees, American Airlines is in the news now as a video has surfaced on social media showing one of the airline’s employees getting in a heated argument with a passenger after allegedly nearly hitting another passenger’s baby with a stroller.
Video of the incident, which occurred prior to take off on American Flight 591 from San Francisco (SFO) to Dallas (DFW), doesn’t show the impetus for the argument but starts with the female passenger crying at the front of the cabin while holding her child as the captain and a flight attendant look on. A male passenger, who appears to have observed the original incident, gets up to demand “the name of the guy who did that with the stroller,” referring to the male employee who had allegedly pulled the stroller away from the woman and who at that moment is not on the plane.
OMG! AA Flight attendant violently took a stroller from a lady with her baby on my flight, hitting her and just missing the baby. Then he tried to fight a passenger who stood up for her. AA591 from SFO to DFW.
Posted by Surain Adyanthaya on Friday, April 21, 2017
Later, when the employee returns to the plane, the male passenger gets up again and points aggressively at him, saying “You do that to me and I’ll pop you flat,” to which the employee angrily replies “You stay out of it!” The situation escalates when the passenger gets out of his seat and confronts the employee face-to-face, with the two of them physically threatening each other. “I’ll knock you silly,” says the passenger as the employee replies, “Bring it on… You don’t know what the story is.”
Eventually the captain and flight attendants push the two men away from each other and the passenger returns to his seat while the employee steps back off the plane. As the video ends, the woman with the baby can still be heard sobbing. According to witnesses, the woman and her family were eventually taken off the plane themselves.
“What we see on this video does not reflect our values or how we care for our customers. We are deeply sorry for the pain we have caused this passenger and her family and to any other customers affected by the incident. We are making sure all of her family’s needs are being met while she is in our care. After electing to take another flight, we are taking special care of her and her family and upgrading them to first class for the remainder of their international trip.”
While American appears to be handling this event quickly, the fact remains that grown adults crying on airplanes should not be a common occurrence. The video clearly shows a highly charged situation, one that the airline’s employee should have attempted to de-escalate rather than make worse.
What are your thoughts on this newest airline incident?
Featured image from Facebook video by Surain Adyanthaya.
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April 22, 2017 at 09:28AM
News: British Airways Gatwick traffic growth hits double figures
Over the last five years, British Airways’ operation at Gatwick Airport has seen 40 per cent more customers travel (from 4.4m to 6.2m) and an increase of 33 per cent in the number of routes it serves (from 52 different destinations in 2012 to 68 in 2017).
Sean Doyle, British Airways’ director of networks, alliances and Gatwick, said: “We’ve really focused on growing our Gatwick operation in the last five years, investing in new routes, driving punctuality and, thanks to our move to the South Terminal, delivered an improved airport experience.
“Although we have a staunch number of business travellers and destinations from Gatwick, many customers are flying for leisure, often on a BA Holidays trip. They want great prices and punctuality, and are driven by value and choice. In fact, we first launched our short-haul basic fare at Gatwick because we knew it would work for our customers before rolling it out across our network.
“We’ve seen huge demand for flights to North America driven by new destinations such as Oakland in San Francisco Bay and Fort Lauderdale and we’ve started 19 new short-haul services in the last five years to destinations such as Lanzarote, Malta, Rhodes and Limoges. We flex our schedule to make the most of seasonal destinations for our travellers, serving warmer climes in the summer and ski destinations in winter, in addition to the year-round performers like New York, Costa Rica, Orlando and Barcelona.”
“We can also offer incredibly low fares from Gatwick. Each-way prices based on a return flight to new destinations Oakland and Fort Lauderdale start from just £211 and £216 and to the likes of Alicante and Venice from just £30.
“And critically for our travellers, last year we had the most punctual short-haul operation of the three biggest airlines flying from Gatwick to Europe. In fact, according to CAA figures, across all London airports, we outperformed easyJet’s punctuality by 15 percentage points and Ryanair’s by six percentage points in 2016, and we’re continuing to invest in our operational resilience to grow that difference even more.”
British Airways’ fleet at Gatwick has grown in the last five years as the airline has introduced four more Boeing 777s (from nine to 13), increased the number of A319s from two to 11 and introduced 15 A320s, which replaced 19 Boeing 737s.
Doyle continues: “Our renewed fleet has delivered an increase in capacity of more than 10 per cent since 2012. We are refreshing our Boeing 777 fleet with new furnishings, improved IFE and in-seat power, and moving to a ten-abreast configuration in economy from March 2018. This will enable us to offer even more of our lowest fares, align our World Traveller cabin to other airlines such as Air New Zealand and Emirates and increase the size of our World Traveller Plus cabin by 28 seats to give more people the option to travel in our popular premium economy cabin.
“Our new home in the South Terminal is proving very popular with our customers – it’s easy to find, and just a short walk from the train, plus the new premium check in area, which has been designed with the same look and feel as Heathrow Terminal 5 and New York JFK , creates an elegant start to any trip. We expect customers to start checking-in a little earlier than usual to take advantage of our new lounge, which has 40 per cent more floor-space than its predecessor, sweeping views of the runway, amazing complimentary food and drink, a kidzone area and tonnes of practical features such as power sockets with UK, EU sockets and USB ports, upgraded lounge Wi-Fi and shower suites.
“We plan to carry on growing from Gatwick and will continue to explore and quickly react to any new opportunities, be they destinations or services that we think our customers will love. And it’ll all be delivered with the benefits of the customer care, generous baggage allowances, safety record and great network that our travellers know and expect from British Airways. ”
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April 22, 2017 at 09:19AM
News: KLM to launch non-stop flights to Costa Rica
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is launching direct flights to San José, Costa Rica, twice a week. The operation will commence October 31st, 2017, during the winter season in Europe.
Pieter Elbers, KLM President and CEO, said: “KLM currently brings many passengers to Costa Rica via Panama. The increasing interest of the European market in this beautiful country convinced us to start a direct flight to San José”.
Luis Guillermo Solís, President of Costa Rica, said: “This new flight, not only will facilitate visits to our country, but also thanks to KLM´s global network, this route will serve as a liaison for Costa Rica to open its doors to tourists from all Europe. This will for sure strengthen tourism in our country, generating benefits to the more than 600,000 persons who work in this activity in direct and indirect manner, and to the communities that find in tourism their opportunity to grow”.
KLM will fly twice a week to Costa Rica, Tuesdays and Fridays.
The flight will leave Amsterdam-Schiphol at 15:25 and will arrive at San José at 20:05 of Costa Rica. The return flight will leave San José at 22:05 and will arrive at Amsterdam-Schiphol the next day at 15:10.
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April 22, 2017 at 09:10AM
Disney v. Universal: Which Free Areas Are Most Worth It?
Anyone who follows me on Twitter (@JoeCortez) may recall my rather recent experience at a gaming convention in Orlando. Both the flight and hotel were an easy decision, thanks to my colleague’s tips on how to save money by being a mystery shopper and the ability to get bonuses by status matching at my hotel chain.
The one challenge I faced was what to do after I bombed out after losing straight sets.
Widely considered the amusement park capital of America, Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando headline a number of tourist attractions in the area. Most important to my quest for personal amusement were the two “free” areas of both resorts: Disney Springs and Universal Citywalk.
Separated by only ten miles, my curiosity had to be satisfied: which amusement park free area was the best? Armed with little more than a phone and walking shoes, I set out to find out.
Disney Springs: A low-cost adventure for all types of families
My first stop took me to Disney Springs, the free shopping district that is connected by bus and taxi to all of the Walt Disney World resort parks. As the hubs created to keep those staying in the Disney Resort within the resort, this shopping district did not disappoint.
With over 100 retailers in walking distance, shopping options abound for those looking for the right souvenir or memento from their Orlando trip. Furthermore, while most of the shops had some sort of Disney theme to them, not all of the shops were branded by a Disney property (now including Star Wars and Marvel). Among the offerings in Disney Springs were a cigar shop, a bowling alley and full bar, as well as restaurants ranging from fast-casual to reservations-required.
Shopping was not the only attraction at Disney Springs. The more interactive items included rides in an observation balloon with a view of the Disney theme park property. At $20 per ride, it could have been a frugal experience for one – but an expensive venture for a family.
This brings me to the one con I experienced with Disney Springs. Despite being outside of the theme park area, I found myself paying resort prices for almost everything. From the food options to even low-cost souvenirs, everything I ran across would cost nearly as much as if I were in the theme park proper.
With an interest in seeing more than met my experience, my next stop took me up the road 12 miles, and a taxi ride of $25. Lesson learned: utilize public transportation or ridesharing when in Orlando.
Universal Orlando CityWalk: Something for everyone, but geared towards adults
Competing directly with Disney Springs is the Universal Orlando CityWalk: the free area outside the Universal Theme Parks, leading directly into each. After a quick stop through a TSA-style security checkpoint, I was free to roam the attraction area outside of both Universal Studios Orlando and Worlds of Adventure.
Unlike Disney Springs, CityWalk was noticeably smaller, but offered direct access to the theme parks. While Disney Springs had a mix of stores from brands I was well aware of, Universal CityWalk offered a lesser mix of brands, from their own retail shops to global stalwarts like Hard Rock Café. When it came time to eat, I had my choice of everything from fast-casual to full-service restaurants. To my surprise, the fast food options were actually affordable, with prices similar to what I would find outside of the theme park area.
During my walkthrough, I found many of my entertainment options were limited to certain hours of the day, with many of them opening in the evening and closing around 2 a.m. Among them were a karaoke bar featuring a live band, an Irish Pub and a dance club featuring local DJs. Outside of those attractions, what was there left to do besides eat, shop, or visit the theme parks? Watch a movie, or play miniature golf at one of the two courses.
Which “free” area offers the best for my buck?
Both free areas offer something unique for different audiences. Disney Springs is definitely oriented towards family fun, offering all the shopping, attractions and performances to keep everyone amused for the day. However, Universal CityWalk was definitely geared more towards the adults, with plenty of fun for when the sun goes down and the kids go to bed.
If I were forced to stay at an amusement park with a family, Disney Springs would definitely be my first choice of amusement park area fun, while Universal CityWalk is where I would go in the evening with a group of friends. No matter which you choose, each offers at least a quarter-day’s worth of entertainment and a well needed break from amusement park overload.
Which amusement park free area is your favorite? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
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April 22, 2017 at 09:03AM
BP Gulf Oil Spill Damage Valued at $17.2 Billion as Tourism Still Struggles
Damage from the BP oil spill deterred tourists for years. Tulane Public Relations
— Sarah Enelow
BP Plc’s 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill caused damage to beaches, animals, fish and coral that the public values at $17.2 billion, according to a financial accounting released on the seventh anniversary of the disaster.
The tally, published Thursday in the journal Science, is based on a survey of thousands of Americans that asked what they’d be willing to pay to prevent the kind of impacts unleashed by the spill, which began with an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig on April 20, 2010.
The worst oil spill in U.S. history killed 11 rig workers, spewed 134 million gallons of crude, soiling birds and marine life across the Gulf. BP, which contracted the rig, was forced to sell off billions of dollars in assets to pay for damages. The latest study, ordered by the U.S. government, is the most comprehensive attempt yet to put a value on the environmental losses, said Kevin Boyle, one of the lead researchers.
“The results were eye-opening,” Boyle, an agricultural economist at Virginia Tech University, said in a statement from the school. “People value our natural resources, so it’s worth taking major actions to prevent future catastrophes and correct past mistakes.”
Brett Clanton, a Houston-based spokesman for BP, didn’t respond to phone messages seeking comment.
BP has set aside more than $50 billion for damages, which includes liabilities beyond ecological impacts, such as economic losses to the fishing and tourism industries. Transocean Ltd., owner of the rig that burned and sank, and Halliburton Co., which provided cement services for the project, also paid billions for their roles in the disaster.
The study found those surveyed would be willing to spend an average of $153 more in taxes for programs that would keep a similar oil spill from occurring. That was multiplied by the number of households represented by those who completed the survey to come up with the total of $17.2 billion.
BP replaced its chief executive officer after the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe and created a new safety office with “sweeping powers to oversee and audit its operations,” according to a statement on its website.
“Making BP a safer, more risk-aware business was the first priority” of the company’s new management, the statement says.
–With assistance from Mark Shenk
©2017 Bloomberg L.P.
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April 22, 2017 at 09:02AM

domain: news


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Intel's upcoming Haswell CPU line-up has been leaked. According to a report by VR-Zone, the line-up for the 22nm desktop processors would initially be 14 CPUs spanning the Core i5 and Core i7 brands. The processors will be using a new CPU socket, the LGA 1150, on Lynx Point chipset motherboards. They are also split into six standard power SKUs and eight low power SKUs.
The most powerful CPU in the lineup seems to be the Intel Core i7-4770K. It will have a base clock speed of 3.50GHz across four cores and eight threads. It will also have a 3.9GHz boost speed, along with an 8MB cache. The on-board graphics processor will be Intel HD 4600, which has a maximum dynamic frequency of 1250MHz.
The Haswell line-up has been leaked
All of the Core i7 processors in the line-up will have four cores and eight threads, with 8MB of cache. The Core i5 processors seem to have four cores and four threads, with a 6MB cache.
Intel introduced the 4th generation of Intel Core processors— codenamed Haswell—back in September during the opening keynote of the Intel Developer Forum. During the opening keynote, Intel Corporation's Chief Product Officer, Dadi Perlmutter, described how its low-power processors, starting with the 4th generation Intel Core processor family, will aim to set a new standard for mobile computing experiences and innovative Ultrabook, convertible and tablet designs.
Speaking at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, Perlmutter said that Intel has reduced the platform idle power of its new processors by more than 20 times over the 2nd generation, while delivering better performance and responsiveness. He also said Intel will add a new line of even lower-power processors based on the same microarchitecture to its roadmap starting in 2013.
"The 4th generation Intel Core processor family and our new line of low-power processors will usher in an era of unprecedented innovation in mobile computing," Perlmutter said. "Our focus to deliver even lower power with the great performance that our processors are known for is as fundamentally significant as when we shifted our development focus beyond sheer processor speed in 2001. As a result, you'll see our customers delivering sleek and cool convertible designs, as well as radical breakthrough experiences across a growing spectrum of mobile devices."
Graphics benchmark demos shown during the keynote demonstrated Haswell's 2x performance jump over Ivy Bridge. Interestingly, the demo also showed how scaling performance down to Ivy Bridge levels could halve the power consumption in a Haswell-powered system, showing off the amount of performance headroom the chip has and how it can do really well in burst-mode scenarios.
Perlmutter refused to commit to a specific launch date for Haswell, but insisted that by 2013, the 4th Generation Intel Core Processor family, will be enabling lighter, thinner, cooler, faster and more secure systems with great graphics performance.
Published Date: Dec 13, 2012 07:14 pm | Updated Date: Dec 13, 2012 07:14 pm


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Italian luxury fashion group Ermenegildo Zegna has agreed to merge and go public with a US special purpose acquisition company. The transaction brings the company’s corporate value to US$3.2 billion and reverses the consolidation trend that has swept the luxury industry.
Zegna is a family business since its establishment in 1910. space Initiated by Investindustrial, a European private equity group, it is chaired by Sergio Ermotti, the former CEO of UBS.
Part of the funds raised will be used to help Zegna invest in its menswear business, and give it firepower to find other brands to acquire. Its $500 million acquisition American luxury brand Thom Browne in 2018.
Gildo Zegna, the 65-year-old chief executive, told the Financial Times: “We could have been independent for another 100 years. But the timing was right, the world has changed a lot, and luxury goods have become very challenging. Sex.”
Zegna, Who was interviewed before the pandemic Zeng said that he was not interested in making the business public, and added: “The opportunity has come and we have seized the opportunity. Scale is becoming more and more important… With the right partners… If they show up, we can catch them. Doing a great job in taking up new opportunities.”
The decision to go public is in stark contrast to the path of many independent, family-owned luxury brands—even before the pandemic wreaks havoc on the industry—to larger conglomerates or private investors.
The family-run Italian luxury brand Etro will become the latest brand to follow this trend on Monday, and it is expected that the brand will confirm the sale of a majority stake in its business valued at 500 million euros to LVMH-backed private equity group L Catterton.
According to the terms of the Zegna transaction, the family will sell some of its shares and retain 62% of the combined company. The company’s equity is valued at US$2.5 billion.
The proceeds include approximately $400 million raised last year by Investindustrial Acquisition Corp (the New York-listed entity that Zegna will merge with) and $250 million from private investors who declined to be named.
After the transaction is completed, Investindustrial, an investment company run by Andrea Bonomi, will provide another $225 million. Bonomi himself is the heir to an Italian industrial family. Since January, after months of negotiations, he has been wooing Zegna, hoping to reach an agreement.
The investment in Zegna will enable Investindustrial to acquire 11% of the company’s shares, as well as the shares acquired as a Spac sponsor. Investindustrial has promised to lock up the shares acquired through its investment for three years.
Zegna was founded in the northern Italian town of Treviso by Ermenegildo, Gildo’s grandfather, as a luxury textile supplier.
The company has been known for its exquisite men’s suits since the 1960s, and was one of the first luxury goods groups to enter China in 1991. It has established brand awareness very early and, importantly, in the largest market at present Established a strong relationship with the owner.
In recent years, as the demand for men’s suits has declined, the company has shifted its focus to what Gildo Zegna calls “high-end leisure” and invested in its “from sheep to shopping” supply chain, while other companies have sold factories to specialize in Focus on design, marketing and sales.
Since the acquisition of Thom Browne, Zegna told the Financial Times that the group has further promoted the brand to the high-end market, and sales have doubled. Zegna, with more than 6,000 employees, also has close ties with Chanel, Tom Ford and Gucci to provide fabrics for them.
Gildo’s cousin Paolo, sister Anna and two sons Edoardo and Angelo also work for the company. When asked whether the decision to list its shares meant that executives outside the Zegna family might eventually succeed Gildo, Bonomi replied that the next CEO to become Zegna is “the right thing,” but it will It boils down to merit.


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Citroen says it has completely reinterpreted the idea of a small car by producing the Survolt concept
– an electric vehicle that fits the size parameters of a small car but not the two-box look of a hatchback. Speaking at the Geneva International Motor Show this week, the company says its supermini is unconventional, aggressive, exciting and vibrant and is what the small car sector has been looking for.
According to Citroen, the Survolt meets the size, environmental and safety requirements of cars in its class but isn’t a boring rehash of existing vehicles.
The Survolt is the continuation of Citroen’s exploration of distinctive and original electric vehicles, starting with the Citroen Revolte concept car revealed at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. Survolt is a blend of high-fashion glamor and extravagance with motor-racing punch.
Citroen says it has deliberately broken with convention, shaken up the rules and shifted the borders in its continuous and passionate quest to develop innovative objects ahead of their time. Survolt, it says, is one of these. It takes the genetic material of Revolte and adds an extroverted sports dimension to the mix.
The compact Survolt – 3.85m long, 1.87m wide and 1.20m high – has a look and personality of its own embedded in this concept.


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Samsung regularly hosts such events which may entice app developers and help the company bring these developers on board for its Android devices. The company has launched $800,000 ‘Smart App Challenge 2013’ focused on getting top-quality apps for Galaxy S4.
The competition comes with a number of strict rules, which must be adhered to by the participating developers. For instance, all such developers who decide to participate in it must make use of Samsung’s Chord SDK, a special software interface which has been specifically developed for Samsung devices.
At the same time, all participating apps must be sold at ‘Samsung Apps.’ The company has stated that it will be judging the entries on the basis of their uniqueness, design and commercial value. For those of you who aim to be a part of this competition, you must send in your entries from June 20 to Aug 31.
The grand prize is $200,000, whereas three runner-ups will get $100,000 each. Finally, six developers who are lucky enough to be in the third position will each receive $50,000. Not only that, Samsung promises that the winning entries will be eligible for investments from the company’s venture department.
It remains to be seen how successfully this App Challenge spices up the interest of the developer community on Galaxy S4. The company’s aim, in bringing together this event, is to essentially crowdsource great apps for the handset as well as divert the attention of the developers, at large, towards it.


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HC plastic mesh News: Plastics and Rubber is the most important modern industry one of the four basic materials, applications far beyond the daily necessities, packaging products, Electronic Range of electrical enclosure, and further extended to the automotive, construction, medical and aerospace, development of various industries play an active role. But the outside world is generally agreed that the use of plastic and rubber would cause great environmental pollution, in fact, with the technology, green rubber machinery rubber material and energy research and development and has reversed the old days of high energy consumption, high emission, degradation The nature low, and the use of advanced equipment can simply rubber Chemical industry Procedures and reduce the consumption of raw materials, manufactured to the practice green and save resources, environmental philosophy, ecological sustainable development and to help develop recycling Economy .
Environmental development to meet the overall direction of the plastics industry in the “12 5” period, increasing input from different areas to make the industry sustainable development. China Plastics Processing Industry Association Liao held in Beijing to attend the “CHINAPL AS Chinaplas 2010 “news conference, said the” 12 5 “period, the plastics industry to actively optimize product design, saving timber, such as insulating products controlled by optimizing the design and wall thickness, and to encourage domestic Plastic Machinery Relevant enterprises to increase the development of energy saving products to the plastics industry sustainable development. In addition, the industry will strengthen the recycling of plastic waste products, recycling economy and sustainable development path; while also increasing research and development of degradable plastics, as soon as possible to its industrialization.
Together with the plastics industry growth “CHINAPLAS Chinaplas” also seize the pulse of the industry, the upcoming April 19 to 22 in Shanghai New International Expo Centre, the 24th show will be “green manufacturing Total plastic Future “, held a series of exciting activities related to environmental protection. Organisers Exhibition Services Ltd, said Stanley Chu, chairman, to promote green plastic machinery and environmental protection role and contribution, “CHINAPLAS2010 Chinaplas” will show the first three days (April 19-21) held a series of ” Green Rubber Industry Forum “, the green industry from around the world supplier of the Association of experts, users will come together on the industry in promoting sustainable development strategy for the valuable exchange of views and sharing of green rubber science and technology in the automotive, construction, packaging, electronic information and the application of electrical and other industries and the successful cases. Invited speakers, including industry associations: China Plastics Processing Industry Association, China Plastic Machine Industry Association, China Rubber Industry Association, the European plastics and rubber industry machinery Manufacturers Association, American Plastics Industry Association, the Japan Plastics Industry Union; well-known exhibitors: BASF, DSM, Haitian, Bayer MaterialScience, DuPont, etc.; industry users: Shanghai GM / Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center, Shanghai Double Deer Electric Appliance Co., Ltd., Wuhan Zhenbang Food Packaging. In addition, the exhibition site added more than “green gas station” to demonstrate the most advanced environmentally friendly exhibitors rubber products and technology, encouraging industry suppliers and users to adopt more environmentally friendly rubber technology, allowing viewers to understand energy conservation, environmental protection, recovery and regeneration technology, the latest developments. SABUNG AYAM


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Morrisons is hoping its staff can help it drum up new shoppers by giving 5%-off vouchers to their friends and families.
The under-pressure retailer is giving each of its 134,000 employees three of the vouchers, making a total of more than 400,000, as it looks to new ways to boost its flagging sales.
“It’s a great way to give occasional Morrisons shoppers extra incentive to shop with us more often,” said a Morrisons spokesman. “Hopefully, they’ll be persuaded by the great value and great service we offer to become loyal fans and advocates.”
In a separate move the retailer this week also rewarded staff with three days in which they could get double their normal 10% discount. Staff were able to claim 20% off on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Some staff had suggested this was by way of compensation for the theft and leak on to the internet of staff bank details earlier this month. However, the spokesman told The Grocer that the discounts had been planned well before the incident.
A Morrisons employee has been arrested in connection with the leak.


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CX, media and advertising agency, AFFINITY, has completed an 18-month-long global rebranding for ASX-listed engineering company Worley. The rebrand reflects Worley’s commitment towards being a leading force in sustainable change.
According to the company, Worley, a global provider of professional services in the energy, chemicals, and resources sectors working across six continents, has set out on a significant journey to redefine its business. The rebranding initiative comes as part of Worley’s broader strategy to become a global leader in sustainability solutions, with a target of 75% revenue from sustainability-related projects by FY2026 announced by Worley CEO Chris Ashton.
“Worley’s rebranding journey isn’t just about a new logo or a tagline; it’s about articulating their commitment to sustainability and social responsibility,” said Luke Brown, AFFINITY’s CEO.
“It’s not often you get to shape a brand that’s truly looking to change the world. Worley’s doing some incredible work, and now they have a brand that reflects this.”
The brand transformation aligns with Worley’s purpose and values, and follows a lengthy consultation process that engaged Worley’s people from a variety of levels and disciplines. This was a critical part of the process to ensure the new direction was more than just cosmetic.
Fiona Low, Worley’s group director/VP, global marketing, said: “Worley has over 50,000 of the world’s best and brightest working on solutions that are delivering sustainable change. Our new brand has been inspired by our people and our portfolio of work, and we believe it represents a step change for the category. It’s been a real privilege to lead this.”
Low added: “AFFINITY worked closely with us to get under the skin of the business, to really understand who we truly are. Our new brand aims to set a precedent in the industry. We want to create a powerful, resonating brand that not only signifies Worley’s strategic direction, but also inspires people to talk about why they choose to work in our industry. To talk about what it means for them personally and the imprint they want to create.”


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5G is here
At this year’s Mobile World Congress, 5G took center stage with all the latest industry trends present and on show, including plans, modems, devices, spectrum, and trials.
On the eve of the event, Huawei unveiled Balong 5G01, the first commercial 5G chipset supporting the 3GPP standard, and the first commercial 3GPP-based 5G device empowered by the chipset, giving us a glimpse at the astonishing possibilities for technological development that it will bring in the future. According to Richard Yu, the CEO of Huawei’s Consumer Business Group, “Huawei’s first 3GPP-standard commercial 5G chipset and device is a key breakthrough for the global 5G industry. It means the 5G era has arrived.”
5G networks and devices are the two basic requirements for 5G commercialization. And when it comes to devices, chips are central to the industry’s development and maturity. Balong 5G01 makes Huawei the first company to smash through the bottleneck to 5G commercial use, making a significant contribution to the growth of the 5G industry. It also makes Huawei the first company with capabilities in 5G chipsets, devices, and networks, and the first that’s able to offer an end-to-end 5G solution.
As we approach 2020, the growth of 5G-based enhanced mobile broadband networking (eMBB) and IoT applications will skyrocket, including VR/AR apps, industrial Internet, driverless technology, and the Internet of Vehicles.
Huawei began researching 5G in 2009 and has so far invested US$600 million in 5G R&D, establishing 11 5G research centers around the world and partnering with over 30 telcos on 5G, including China’s big three plus Vodafone, SoftBank, T-Mobile, BT, and Telefonica. In 2017, Huawei was the first company to launch pre-commercial 5G networks with its partners. And in 2018, Huawei will push forward the completion of the industrial chain, complete interoperability testing, and support the first round of commercial 5G network launches.
The future is partnerships, the future is 5G.


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Legoland Windsor to open epic new land, Lego Mythica, in 2021
Legoland Windsor Resort has announced that it will open a multi-million-pound new land where mythical Lego creatures come to life – Lego Mythica.
Opening in spring 2021, Lego Mythica: World of Mythical Creatures will feature thrilling new attractions and experiences, including a never-before-seen U.K. ride. This new theme park land marks the Resort’s single largest investment since it opened 25 years ago.
You can check out the teaser video for the land below:
The Legoland Windsor team worked in partnership with Kids Industries to create the new land, spending a year discussing and testing ideas and concepts with 7-11-year-olds and their parents. These discussions influenced everything from the final ride experiences, names, and characters.
“What better way to celebrate our 25th birthday than by unveiling a completely unique experience like nothing else we have launched at the Resort since we opened,” said Thomas Jellum, divisional director at Legoland Windsor Resort. “At the heart of Lego Mythica: World of Mythical Creatures will be epic rides, including a U.K. first, and breathtaking mythical creatures designed to capture children’s imaginations and inspire them to build and play. Our new land has been two years in the making and co-created with families to make sure it delivers what children and their parents want from a theme park in 2021. We can’t wait to share more details soon.”
Lego Mythica: World of Magical Creatures is currently under construction and scheduled to open in spring 2021. The new land will be located between Heartlake City and the Resort’s Lego-themed hotels.
To learn more about Legoland Windsor Resort and Lego Mythica, visit Legoland.co.uk/Mythica.


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Yes, you read that headline correctly.
Read This Article
Audi is preparing to bring the Allroad moniker back to the United States for the 2013 model year, and those interested can price one out now.
The Chevrolet Volt has officially been put on watch.
Recent trademark registrations by Audi may signal upcoming models.


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Updated to include comments from CFO at Piper Jaffray.
The high-end department store is fresh off a stunning first-quarter earnings miss and ugly guidance reduction. First-quarter earnings came in at 26 cents a share against forecasts of 46 cents. Sales tallied $3.19 billion compared to estimates for $3.28 billion. Comparable-store sales fell 1.7%.
Nordstrom lowered its full-year profit outlook to $2.50 to $2.70 a share, down from previous estimates of $3.10 to $3.65.
Last year was nothing to write home about either. Profit plunged 17% and same-store sales rose a meager 2.7% as the company battled fierce competition online and sluggish traffic to its bricks-and-mortar locations.
During a presentation Wednesday to investors at Piper Jaffray, Nordstrom's CFO Mike Koppel pointed to several explanations for the company's weak sales.
"Clearly there has been a shift in how consumers are allocating their dollars," said Koppel, acknowledging consumers are spending more on durable goods such as appliances and other home goods as opposed to designer apparel. Koppel added that sales are being hindered by a lack of exciting new fashion and the rapid shift to online shopping.
The brutal results prompted Nordstrom to make several cost-cutting measures, surprising in the sense the company is supposed to be in a constant state of success from hawking $500 stiletto pumps to those with higher incomes.
A messy women's shoe department has become the norm at Nordstrom, believe it or not.
In February, Nordstrom -- which has invested billions of dollars in e-commerce and into sprucing up its stores in recent years -- said it will rein in its tech spending in order to cut costs. Then, in April, it announced it would slash 350 to 400 positions, mostly at its headquarters and within its regional support teams. Nordstrom expects the layoffs to be completed by the end of the second quarter. Savings this year are pegged at about $60 million.
None of the cost-saving moves have caused investors to regain confidence in Nordstrom's near-term profit outlook.
Shares have nosedived about 50% in the past year compared to a 1% decline for the S&P 500. The lone win for Nordstrom in the past year -- signing a new partnership with Tesla (TSLA) - Get Report that will bring a showroom for the electric car maker's Model X to the company's store at The Grove mall in Los Angeles. According to Koppel, Tesla approached Nordstrom and will lease space from the retailer.
"We have a high degree of customer overlap," said Koppel, who stopped short of saying there will be additional showrooms.
In light of the company's seemingly endless wave of bad news, TheStreet visited a Nordstrom store in Westbury, N.Y., to see if there was something in particular killing the company. The answers became pretty evident as soon as walking in and bypassing the messy ladies shoe department (see above).
No, this is not a Nordstrom Rack.
Too Much Inventory
Nordstrom's inventory ballooned 5.3% year over year in the first quarter as same-store sales declined and badly missed plan. Despite a decent U.S. economy and resilient stock market, the reality is that the upper middle income shoppers who once frequented Nordstrom's stores are no longer doing so consistently. Nordstrom executives have to get out of the mindset that it's the rip-roaring 2007 credit boom U.S. economy and start planning inventory more in line to sluggish sales trends.
Data suggest planning inventory correctly remains a major issue at Nordstrom. The company's inventory turnover ratio, which measures how fast it turns over its inventory within a year, has slowed for five consecutive years.
Ultimately, rows of unsold inventory send a message to consumers that they should never pay full price at a Nordstrom store and might as well just wait for a great deal. Boy, are those deals on offer right now.
Nordstrom's apparel departments are overrun with discounts.
Deals, Deals, DEALS!
Nordstrom's current excess inventory issue seems to span the women's shoe department all the way to the men's shirt section. In fact, our walk through this particular Nordstrom store had us thinking it resembled Nordstrom Rack, which is the company's off-price chain.
As a result, the discounts are hot and heavy at Nordstrom, which is disconcerting from two standpoints. First, the company is just about midway through the second quarter, and seeing rows of discounted items suggests that sales trends haven't improved much from the first quarter.
Second, excessive discounting at a high-end department store -- which has been the case Nordstrom during its stretch of weak performance -- erodes the value of the brand in the minds of consumers.
In effect, Nordstrom is training customers to expect discounts at its full-price stores, which is a major faux pas.


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(VOVworld) – A workshop to discuss new models of cooperatives in the current phase of development for the 2015-2016 and 2017-2020 period opened in Hanoi on Saturday.
Participants discussed plans and roadmaps for developing new models of cooperatives over the next 5 years and the role of state management in this matter. Vuong Dinh Hue, head of the Central Economic Commission, said it is essential to increase public awareness of the position, role, and significance of the collective economy and cooperatives in the socialist-oriented market economy: “It is necessary to improve awareness of the collective economy and differentiate old and new models of cooperatives. It’s also important to implement policies concerning cooperatives.”
President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Nguyen Thien Nhan said new models of cooperatives will create momentum for agricultural growth.
Đăng ký: VietNam News


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Judging by patents and trademark applications throughout the years, Samsung has been considering expanding its wearable device portfolio through a smart ring for a long time. Nothing palpable has come of this, but in 2023, Samsung appears to have accelerated its smart ring project, with many more leaks and rumors lending more credibility than ever to the possibility of a so-called Galaxy Ring.
Rumors and leaks are piling up faster than ever, and according to new bits of information from @UniverseIce on the Chinese social media network Weibo, Samsung will reveal its smart ring alongside the Galaxy S24 series next year.
The Galaxy S24 lineup will supposedly be announced in January 2024, and the first Samsung smart ring will be there on the same day. The leaker implies that this new Samsung wearable might steal the spotlight from the upcoming flagship phones.
Story continues after the video
A dozen possible names for Samsung's new wearable device
For convenience's sake, over the past few months, everyone has been referring to the mysterious Samsung smart ring as the “Galaxy Ring” on account of a trademark application that mentioned this moniker.
Since then, however, Samsung trademarked a dozen names for its smart ring, including:
- Galaxy Ring
- Galaxy Glia
- Galaxy One
- Samsung One
- Galaxy Rhythm
- Samsung Pulse
- Samsung Insight
- Samsung Index
- Galaxy Circle
Regardless of what it will be called, not much else is known about the Samsung smart ring. But it's been a while since the Korean tech giant entered a new market segment, and many people are looking forward to something new.
In theory, the Galaxy Ring should offer health and fitness tracking functions through Samsung Health, similar to a Galaxy Watch, except it will be more compact and not as feature-rich as the wrist wearable. It probably won't have a display, for starters.
But what might be a huge boon for the Galaxy Ring is that it could become a Galaxy Watch alternative for people who want fitness and health tracking without giving up on their classical watches.


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Kim has the low-down on Nectarine’s new launches, spanning from super hot products for men (important to note: the men’s grooming market was valued at $6.3 billion in 2015 and will continue to grow) to lovely new fragrances for both men and women. Order now through Friday, March 4 to receive 10% off of our Beard … More Our latest arrivals – it’s time to get inspired!
Americans spend around $20 billion on Valentine’s Day — so, you don’t want to miss out on this major gift-giving holiday. With that in mind, we have gorgeous gift ideas for you this year, and to make the holiday extra sweet, we are offering 10% off of our picks. From luxurious bath gels, to perfume … More Valentine’s Day gift ideas your customer will fall for!


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At her home on the outskirts of Beijing, Yang Hongxia is busy preparing dinner. She makes noodles as her mother-in-law watches on.
For Hongxia, 39, life is pretty tough.
Her husband, Zhang Yansheng, 41, is in the room next door watching TV. He is suffering from a brain tumour and cannot walk or talk.
Like more than 95% of the population he has some form of government health insurance. But the schemes do not cover all the costs.
His wife works as a bus conductor. But she spends her entire salary, around $600 (£388), on paying for her husband’s medication.
The family only survives with hand-outs from relatives.
“When my husband fell sick he was a young man,” said Hongxia. “We didn’t have a lot of savings. It’s a huge burden for us.”
As Beijing expands provisions for healthcare, government spending is soaring.
It was estimated at $385bn (£249bn) in 2011.
It is expected to more than double by the end of the decade, according to a report by the consultancy firm, McKinsey.
The government has made clear that reform is required to rein in costs. It is starting with the drugs industry – investigating possible price-fixing in up to 60 foreign and Chinese companies.
Last month a detained executive from the British firm GlaxoSmithKline confessed on state TV that his company paid bribes.
The firm has said it appears some of its local staff acted outside the company’s “processes”.
Five employees working for other foreign drugs firms have confirmed to the BBC that corruption is a problem.
One of the salesmen said his company paid about $1,000 (£647) to get its product back on the shelves at one hospital.
“I don’t deny [giving money to doctors] happens in foreign companies,” the sales representative said.
“It is rare though and only very few people get it,” he added.
In a system overwhelmed by patients, corruption is an open secret.
We filmed touts illegally selling appointments outside a Beijing hospital. They are so well established they even have business cards.
One tout told us if we paid him $50 (£32) he would get us appointment that afternoon. Otherwise you would have to wait for weeks.
Families here spend a huge chunk of their savings when they get sick. By tackling corruption the authorities hope to make healthcare cheaper.
In doing so, Beijing hopes to boost domestic consumption.
“We’ve had the gold rush here and now the current economic model is unsustainable,” says James McGregor, a business analyst.
“In order to build a consumption-driven economy, consumers need to be confident in the future, the government and their healthcare.
“And that may be why the government is going after all these pharmaceutical companies, because they’ve got to build confidence among the people.
“You can’t order people to take money out of their pocket and spend it – you’ve got to lure them to do it because they’re happy with the way things are.”
Back at her home, Yang Hongxia and her family are finishing up dinner.
For Hongxia any thoughts about holidays or new furniture remain a distant dream.
Every penny she has goes on paying for her husband’s medical bills. Until drugs get cheaper, the best they can hope for is to just scrape by.


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Archive for category Facebook
To describe the growth of the internet in India as explosive probably downplays the rate of change taking place.
Every second three more Indians come online for the first time, adding another 10,000 people every hour to the country’s online user base.
So it’s no surprise that internet firms – particularly those of a social nature – are working hard to overcome barriers to access that range from low-powered phones to 2G connections to very little data. Read the rest of this entry »
Last week I happened upon a live performance by the London Contemporary Orchestra of Steve Reich’s hypnotic and moving Different Trains.
Broadcast via Facebook Live from Edge Hill station in Liverpool, the stream – which can be viewed at the end of this post – attracted around 1,800 viewers from around the world, and has so far been viewed over 143,000 times. Read the rest of this entry »
UK millennials are Europe’s heaviest users of social media, according to new research by comScore.
The research company takes a pretty broad definition of the generation that currently fascinates advertisers the most, bracketing them as 18-34 year olds. Read the rest of this entry »
The impact of Facebook’s new Graph Search feature will likely take some time to appreciate, not least because it is currently in “very limited beta”.
The initial launch is restricted to just four areas – people, places, photos and interests – but already it feels like the feature is intended to be all things to all people.
Indeed, the disparate suggestions from the social network on how Graph Search could be used, ranging from dating to music suggestions to restaurant advice, give an indication of the scale of Facebook’s plans, if not users’ actual desire to search their friends’ information on such a fine level.
The magazine got a gentle redesign in September and, in keeping with this, I started taking a longer, more thoughtful look at issues in Digital Intelligence.
The digital pharma news that previously made up the Digital Intelligence section can still be found online in the Digital Intelligence blog and, playing around with Delicious tag bundles, links to blog highlights are featured each month.
There’s no shortage of global ambitions at Facebook, but the changes it’s due to make next week look set to catapult the social network into a whole new imperial phase.
It has always had a rather bullish attitude to both competitors and, somewhat more surprisingly, its own users.
You are currently browsing the archives for the Facebook category.
- Dominic Tyer is an editor and journalist specialising in the pharma and biotech industries, healthcare and digital media.
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- Sanofi launches French eHealth laboratory 39BIS December 12, 2017
- New alliance launches to usher digital therapeutics into the mainstream December 11, 2017
- MSD outlines its AI needs in tech start-up programme December 6, 2017
- Akili to submit video game ADHD treatment for US approval in 2018 December 4, 2017
- Roche offers diabetes digital health programme to UK patients December 1, 2017
- J&J launches digital skincare challenge November 30, 2017
- The 3D-printed ‘living’ tattoo that could enable next generation wearable sensors
- Digital music roundup: Alphabet funding for United Masters, Musical.ly sold and Pandora suffers
- Building trust to defeat fake news
- Looking into our online lives with The Glass Room
- Mapping social media’s ‘conversational networks’, the Conversation Prism gets an update


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Millennials and Gen Z are continually turning to investments quite different to those traditionally favoured by their parents' generation. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency are the obvious examples of 'modern' investment assets and have exploded in popularity, in part led by celebrity endorsements.
The same buyers are turning to non-traditional luxury assets, such as handbags, as investment pieces. More culturally significant than traditional stocks and shares, a growing number of buyers are investing in iconic designer items. Andrew Shipilov, professor of strategy at Insead, recently described the sector as "Covid-proof…the sector that people spend money on when they cannot spend on travel. It’s one of the winners” [of the pandemic]. Indeed, the luxury goods market in China grew 48% last year, with domestic spending boosted by travel disruptions (according to a December report from Bain & Co).
It comes, then, as no surprise that Sotheby's and Christie's are looking to luxury goods as an antidote to the COVID-led economic downturn. This week Christie’s launches its New York auction of Handbags & Accessories, where nearly 200 pieces from the world’s top luxury fashion houses will be featured. Leading the sale is a Himalaya Birkin 35 (with an estimate of USD 80,000 - USD 100,000).
Interest in luxury bags is nothing new, but the cult built around, for example, the Birkin bag (spurred by pop culture icons such as Cardi B and the Kardashians) is making more traditional businesses take notice. The draw of limited-run luxury goods has long been a part of the culture of clothing 'drops' which initially were limited to specific accessories such as expensive trainers. This culture has now expanded to more accessible price ranges such as the Telfar shopping bag which became the 'it' bag of 2020, according to Vogue.
The draw of the 'limited run' good also has its dark side, such as when it was revealed in 2018 that Burberry had burned £28 million of stock. As reported by Forbes, brands are focused on preserving IP and profit margins and want to avoid goods entering the black market or going for cheap online.
In any case, auction houses have taken note and the culture around the luxury accessory will only continue.
The stock market feels like “someone else’s game” to young people, says Gerome Sapp, co-founder of sneaker investment startup Rares. “So when you offer them alternative asset investments, whether it be handbags, music rights or sneakers, they gravitate towards it.”


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A new generation of IP-aware YouTubers? Online video creators urged to embrace positives of brand protection 19 Jul 16
A couple of months ago, YouTube reached the milestone of 2,000 channels with over 1 million subscribers. On top of that, there are thousands more with subscribers in the six-digit range. A high percentage of these are independent creators boasting growing entertainment brands with paid sponsorships, merchandise and other revenue streams. Despite the commercial nature of many YouTube channels, a significant number lack any trademark protection for the name or logo of their channel – although that could change, with one expert telling us that “in a couple of years you won't be able to find popular YouTubers who don't have a trademark”.
Just a year ago there were only 1,250 YouTube channels with over 1 million subscribers. That figure has nearly doubled in a year, demonstrating the growing reach and influence of YouTubers in shaping pop culture and online discussion. There is money to be made too, of course. One YouTuber, OlgaKayGames, has over a million subscribers (spread across five channels) and reportedly makes $100,000 to $130,000 annually through advertising and merchandise. The most popular independent channel on YouTube, PewDiePie, has a staggering 46.5 million subscribers and earns up to $16 million a year. This money is made through the adverts run before or during videos, sponsorships, merchandise sales, and crowdfunding efforts on websites such as Patreon.
This is all made possible, ultimately, because these YouTubers create content that users want to watch and, in turn, have forged their own personal brands. Many are keenly aware of this – the aforementioned PewDiePie, for example, has an extensive online store, millions more followers on various social networks and his own best-selling book. On top of that, he has at least two registered trademarks (in the US and the EU) for his channel name, displaying a high level of awareness of the value of his brand. However, that is not the case for a large proportion of YouTubers that make the bulk of their income from their channel.
Ryan Morrison, founding partner of New York-based IP firm Morrison Lee, has worked with a number of YouTubers in IP-related disputes. He suggests that the reason many have not invested in registered trademark protection is because, unlike more traditional commercial businesses, they have not been advised to do so: “These people have become rich, successful and popular in very non-traditional ways,” he explains. “That means the usual agents – such as legal representatives – that would be taking a share of their money and advising them properly just haven’t been around or aware that they exist. But brand recognition is a huge reason these stars can keep a following, and a trademark protects that.”
Where there has been a focus on trademarks and IP, this has often been discussion of the negative wielding of rights. For example, in recent months there has been the controversy sparked by the Fine Brothers’ channel (which has over 14 million subscribers) after the creators attempted to trademark the term REACT. More recently, an individual fraudulently filed a trademark for the term DRAMA ALERT to ‘troll’ controversial YouTube user Keemstar. In fact, Morrison Lee recently set-up – in partnership with YouTube channel H3H3 Productions – the Fair Use Protection Account (FUPA). This came about following a recent copyright lawsuit against H3H3 creator Ethan Klein and a subsequent crowdfunding campaign that has raised close to $200,000. The FUPA was initially formed to fund legal defences for YouTubers who are “victims of an unfair copyright takedown” or “have been sent an unfair cease and desist”. However, the fund also covers trademark issues, says Morrison: “It is more of an overall ‘don't mess with our intellectual property, but also don't mess with our proper use of your intellectual property’ – so from brand protection to justified fair use, we have your back.”
What can YouTubers do to protect their brand right now?
Another IP lawyer who has worked extensively with YouTubers is Pete Lewin, an associate at Purewal & Partners in London. He says that, ultimately, YouTube channels that do or plan to commercialise (be it through advertising, merchandise, sponsorship or any other revenue stream) should have brand protection at the front of their mind. However, he acknowledges that cost can then become an issue. “A first time YouTuber might only begin thinking about filing a trademark once their channel has started gaining some decent traction (such as consistent video views or subscription count). A number of other factors may then can come into play, including settling on the channel name or logo and, importantly, whether the financial resources allow it. Because of the international nature of YouTube, it is often advisable to seek registration across multiple jurisdictions at once (particularly the EU and US) and, depending on the scope of the trademark, registration fees can quickly add up. Furthermore, it is important for channels to think about filing for trademarks not only in relation to their current activities (eg, online entertainment services), but also for those areas of business they may be involved in later down the line (eg, merchandise, product lines).”
Beyond the attainment of trademark protection, Lewin advises YouTubers to take IP enforcement seriously too. “One of the most effective ways a channel can protect its brand and preserve its value is to actively monitor for and take appropriate action against infringement – including other YouTube channels, trademarks, websites, domains, video content and merchandise [using their channel's brand elements in an ingringing way]. It is also recommended that channels register any website domains and social media accounts for their channel name as soon as possible, even if they do not intend to use them immediately, to prevent possible problems later down the line regarding domain or account squatting.”
For brand protection to improve on YouTube, Lewin notes that word needs to spread on why it matters. “Although many YouTube channels have built incredibly successful businesses off the strength of their personal brands, there’s certainly scope for improving general awareness regarding the importance of brand protection,” he explains, highlighting a key area that the IP community, and associations such as INTA or the newly-formed Internet Creators Guild, could play.
Nonetheless, most YouTubers are already aware of the importance of branding (hence the existence of their own unique logos and video openings), and it could be just a matter of time until that awareness translates into tangible legal protection, according to Morrison. “A YouTube channel echoes a lot of other startup businesses, where it's smart to protect your brand as early as possible but you also have to justify the cost,” he concludes. “Your brand is important on the internet and a trademark is one of the most powerful ways to truly protect it – especially on YouTube. [Legal representatives] are coming on the scene more and more right now, and in a couple of years you won't be able to find popular YouTubers who don't have a trademark.”
Until that time, the trademark community would do well to raise awareness of the importance of brand protection and other issues that independent YouTubers could face.
Shortly after the publication of this article, a YouTuber got in touch to offer their perspective. Kim Justice publishes original long-form documentaries, and currently has close to 18,000 subscribers and over 2 million video views.
She admits that, as a “small-time YouTuber”, a lack of specific knowledge on how to effectively protect her growing channel’s brand is an issue – and this is the same for most small-to-midsized YouTube channels. “It is all a bit of a learning process, but yes - the ‘Kim Justice’ name, logos and so forth are something that I wish to be consistent over all of my various social media channels and anything else that I may produce.” And, in terms of the consideration of seeking registered trademark protection, she added: “It's something to give thought to, but being as the whole thing is an ongoing learning process, I admit to being unaware of the general processes involved with a trademark application. I suppose it also depends on just how far one wants to expand.”
Looking more broadly, she admits that “there is certainly an anti-IP sentiment” on YouTube. “One of the keys to YouTube has always been a certain illusion that everyone on there is an amateur video producer who is purely making stuff for fun. As time goes on and these channels become larger, this is frequently not the case, so things like trademarks and whatnot interfere with that ‘amateur’ image. The rise of YouTube has certainly been rapid over the decade it’s been around, but factors such as education can only truly be measured in real-time; a lot of the reason why trademarks don't get filed is simply because a lot of people don't really know about it or care to. As the site and its creators become ever more professional, it'll happen more often.”
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Sennco Solutions, a leader in retail security, is pleased to announce Brian Connors has joined the team as Director of Business Development. This is another key leadership role Sennco has created .
Brian has over 15 years’ experience working with major consumer electronic brands and national retailers, carriers, and distributors. He has held executive positions managing resellers and sales teams with Tech Data Corporation, Brightstar Corporation, Jabra and others. Brian holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Arizona State University and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the Keller Graduate School of Management. Brian’s greatest passion is his family; he is married with four children (3 daughters and a son).
“We are excited for the experience and expertise Connors brings to the team,” said President Chris Marszalek. “His knowledge of the retail industry and longtime relationships is a perfect match.” The retail industry relationships that Sennco Solutions has carefully cultivated contribute to our ability to create security solutions that meet the needs and exceed the expectations of our customers.
Connors’ hire comes on the heels of three critical roles added in early 2019. Chris May joined Sennco as vice president of operations, Brian Peacock stepped into the role of vice president of sales, marketing and innovation, and Jenn Byham assumed the role of director of marketing and product development. All three leadership members come with diverse backgrounds in nationally and globally recognized organizations.
Sennco strives to maximize security and operational excellence for the products on retail display, while also elevating sales through functional and innovative solutions. Their unique approach to retail security and management has positioned Sennco as a thought-leader in the evolution of retail asset protection. Sennco Solutions is based just outside of Chicago, IL and has been in the retail security industry for over 18 years.


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Security challenges, business data and information architecture are on the rise as hackers and ransomware creators are becoming more efficient than ever before. In short, the days when a simple corporate antivirus solution would be adequate are over. With so much of your data resting on potentially vulnerable networks, a professionally managed security solution may be required. Read on as we detail in the importance of an IT security solution and the outlook for cybersecurity for 2017 and beyond.
Last year, Ginni Rometty, president and CEO at IBM, said, “Cybercrime is the greatest threat to every company in the world.” She was right. In the coming years, cybercrime may become the greatest threat to every person, place and thing in the world.
Small business owners may think they’re protected against computer viruses and cybersecurity breaches, but that may not be the case. In fact, too many small business owners do relatively little to protect themselves at all. There are often so many details that come with running a business that it’s easy for tasks like securing IT infrastructure to be deferred. That said, the typical IT security problem can cost a small business thousands of dollars to correct, and an untold amount of lost work time per year.
Few businesses can afford such an incident. Even if your company’s infrastructure only consists of a few laptops, its security should be a top priority. While enterprises are more likely to experience a cyberattack, small businesses have seen an increase in attacks in recent years. That’s probably because most cyber criminals don’t really care who they target so much as what they target, which is almost always money.
Hackers often target smaller businesses and startups because those businesses don’t typically have the sizable security budgets that big corporations do. If your company has yet to develop a comprehensive cyber security plan, it may be time to reassess the situation.
According to CSO, there are five major cybersecurity trends that are prime to continue through 2017 and beyond:
- Cybercrime damage costs to hit $6 trillion annually by 2021. It all begins and ends with cybercrime. Without it, there’s nothing to cyber-defend. The cybersecurity community and major media have largely concurred on the prediction that cybercrime damages will cost the world $6 trillion annually by 2021.
- Cybersecurity spending to exceed $1 trillion from 2017 to 2021. The growing rate of cybercrime has pushed cybersecurity spending on products and services to more than $80 billion in 2016. Global spending on cybersecurity products and services are predicted to exceed $1 trillion over the next four years.
- Unfilled cybersecurity jobs will reach 1.5 million by 2019. There is a severe shortage of global cybersecurity talent. There were an estimated 1 million cybersecurity job openings in 2016, and that figure is expected to reach 1.5 million by 2019. As a result, the cybersecurity unemployment rate has dropped to a fraction of a percent.
- Human attacks to reach 4 billion people by 2020. As the world goes digital, humans have moved ahead of machines as the top target for cybercriminals. Microsoft estimates that by 2020, 4 billion people will have access to the internet, which means twice as many potential targets for hacking than there are today.
- Up to 200 billion IoT devices will need securing by 2020. Cisco and Microsoft have both predicted 50 billion devices will be connected to the Internet by 2020. That means that the amount of digital attacks will expand over the next five years.
What does it all mean?
Learn about trends in cybersecurity to help you protect your resources. Cloud business applications typically have excellent surveillance for intrusion, controlled access, auditing and strong perimeters that keep cyber criminals at bay.
At MDL Technology, we have proven experience in providing security management solutions. We understand what can go wrong and we know how to take proactive steps to ensure that corrective action is taken. With our experts on your side, you can concentrate on the critical aspects of your business and leave IT security to us.


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Harley bikes may get costlier worldwide to cope with inflation
- Wall Street closes higher with Nasdaq boosted by tech rally
- Apple (AAPL) Gets a New Street High Price Target, Morgan Stanley Says iPhone Supply and App Store Could Fuel December Quarter Beat
- 'No Rival to Get Even Close' - Tesla (TSLA) Shares Soar as UBS Raises Price Target by Nearly 40%
- Intel (INTC) Shares Surge on Plans to Take Mobileye Public, Morgan Stanley Says Move a Significant Positive
- Digital World Acquisition Corp. (DWAC) Stock Jumps As U.S. Congressman Nunes Leaves to Head Trump Media
FILE PHOTO: The logo of U.S. motorcycle company Harley-Davidson is seen on one of their models at a shop in Paris, France, August 16, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer//File Photo
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By Abhijith Ganapavaram
(Reuters) -Harley-Davidson Inc said on Wednesday it was exploring imposing surcharges on its motorbikes worldwide next year in a bid to cope with inflationary pressures, even as it reported better-than-expected quarterly profit and revenue.
So far, Harley's surcharges were applicable only in the United States, its biggest market, where the company raised them to 3.5% in the third quarter from 2% in the second to offset some higher raw material costs.
Many companies, including consumer products giants Unilever and Procter & Gamble, have also passed on higher costs to customers.
Harley's main raw materials include steel, whose prices have surged in the United States this year. In some cases, the company also sources parts from a single supplier, potentially making it vulnerable to supply chain pressures.
Despite surcharges, customers queued up for Harley's motorbikes such as its Pan America 1250 model in the quarter as demand for socially distanced recreational outdoor activity remained high, which led to inventory shortages at dealers.
"We are working to align supply with demand," Chief Financial Officer Gina Goetter said during a conference call with analysts.
Goetter's comments mark another turning point in the company's fortunes, whose sales have risen for three consecutive quarters after falling for two years.
Shares of Harley were up 8.4%, on course for their best day in nearly six months.
The Milwaukee-based company reset its strategy in 2020 to focus on selling its high-margin Touring, and large Cruiser and Trike bikes to older and wealthier customers in markets like the United States and Europe. That bet appears to be paying off.
Retail sales in the United States rose 1.2% to 31,699 units in the third quarter from a year earlier.
Sales from motorcycles and related products jumped 20.4% to $1.16 billion, beating estimates of $1.14 billion.
Excluding items, profit was $1.18 per share, above expectations of 70 cents.
(Reporting by Abhijith Ganapavaram in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
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A SIGNIFICANT number of people in Southland choose to travel to airports outside the region to board flights, an air travel survey conducted by Venture Southland and Invercargill MP Sarah Dowie has found.
The online survey, undertaken last month to gain a better understanding of the issues and opportunities associated with air travel to and from Invercargill Airport, attracted 651 responses.
The total number of return flights taken by respondents in the past two years was estimated at 6835, of which 2939 (43%) were flights which departed from other airports, 61% from Queenstown Airport and 36% from Dunedin Airport.
Respondents cited the price and availability of connecting flights among the most common factors they considered when deciding which airport to depart from.
“We should not be driving for hours to simply catch a flight when we have a fully functioning airport and demand to fill services,” Ms Dowie said.
“We need to make our city more accessible if we want to continue to grow… it is time Air New Zealand and other airlines acknowledge local demand for more cost-effective flights and linked services.”
Suggestions provided by survey respondents to improve air travel services in Southland included offering cheaper airfares, airline competition, adjusting travel schedules and direct flights to Auckland and Australia.
Venture Southland group manager, business and strategic projects Steve Canny said the survey findings would form the basis for a more detailed investigation into Invercargill air travel by Impact Consulting and enable Venture Southland to better advocate for improved air travel services for the region with Air New Zealand and those considering establishing an operation in and out of Invercargill Airport.
The Southland Regional Development Strategy (SoRDS) highlighted the need to enhance and grow the Southland economy and tourism industry, he said.
“A principal way this will be achieved is by making Invercargill more accessible through the development of our air travel services.”
SoRDS governance board chairman Tom Campbell said as long as there were no direct flights from Invercargill to Auckland, people were bound to choose to travel to Queenstown or Dunedin to board direct flights.
“From SoRDS’ perspective, we are more concerned about where tourists are arriving from. The main thing is to encourage Air New Zealand and others to improve the service out of Invercargill. I emphasise, others.”
Invercargill Airport chairman Tommy Foggo said the board was aware there was some “slippage”.
“Obviously we would like people to be travelling through our facility, but we have no real control over scheduling and pricing.”
Mr Foggo said the newly renovated airport had been built with capacity for the next 20 to 30 years.
“We could cater for whatever schedule is thrown at us,” he said.


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freedomone mobile, a new company from sourcevolution
This new company will be dedicated to marketing and selling freedomoneTM , a revolutionary product which offers enormous potential for mobile communications.
Montreal, November 14, 2011 – sourcevolution, the Montreal-based IT company which specializes in business intelligence, architecture and development, as well as mobile solutions for enterprises, announces the creation of a new company – freedomone mobile Inc. This announcement follows the March 2011 launch of the freedomoneTM solution, a mobile communication platform enabling organizations to optimize business operations – bi-directionally, contextually, in real time – across multiple channels. The mission of freedomone mobile is to internationally market its breakthrough solution freedomoneTM and to help organizations enter the mobile market with a flexible and sustainable approach.
freedomone mobile is wholly owned by sourcevolution and will focus its efforts on the Canadian, U.S. and European markets. Initially, freedomone mobile will comprise some 40 employees, with that number set to double before the end of the current fiscal year. Growth objectives are forecasting an eventual workforce of 200, which could grow to as many as 500 within five years. According to Yves Perron, President and CEO of sourcevolution, and president of the new company, “Montreal is an ideal location for developing innovative and profitable new products, because we have a strong pool of local talent working in the mobility and technology sectors.”
Entirely developed in Quebec, freedomoneTM is a groundbreaking and patented product that stands out for its multi-channel context aware communication and integrated business intelligence features. This product can be used in the cloud or as “software as a service” (SaaS), which helps organizations to easily implement the solution and quickly get maximum results. freedomoneTM is also compatible with all available mobile platforms (Android, Blackberry, iOS, etc.) and communication channels (Web, voice, email, SMS, mobile). Built on the IBM WebSphere foundation, freedomoneTM is strategically positioned in a $5 billion international market – as the solution can be applied to any and all sectors. In fact, pilot projects have already been successfully completed in the banking, transportation and health sectors.
“freedomoneTM introduces a unique concept to the market and can deliver considerable value to organizations,” explains Perron. “This solution provides complete access to traditional technological environments via mobility; thus enabling companies to benefit not only from the advantages of mobility but from all other communication channels, including the Web.”
“With freedomoneTM, organizations can benefit from an evolved business intelligence platform, which in turn increases the possibilities of actions for users – clients, employees and partners. This solution also permits preferences to be customized to user needs or to adapt to business growth. By creating a company that is exclusively devoted to freedomoneTM, we are helping our clients world-wide fully benefit from this product’s vast potential,” concludes Perron.
Before launching this product and creating a company entirely focussed on its marketing and sales, sourcevolution waited until the team had developed a fourth version. By adopting this approach, management sought to launch a product that is truly world class, and exceptional for its performance, flexibility and security.
About sourcevolution and freedomone mobile
Founded in 2003, staffed by over 150 employees and anchored by offices in Montreal, Quebec City and Toronto, sourcevolution is an IT company offering innovative business solutions built around concrete and measurable objectives. Following numerous successes and major investments in its mobile solution over the last three years, sourcevolution has been able to launch a new company – freedomone mobile. And thanks to its breakthrough freedomoneTM product, this new company can provide medium- and large-sized businesses with the mobile foundation they need in today’s business environment.