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How would you like to view beautifully designed ads every time you unlock your phone? What if you got paid to do it? Slidejoy, an intelligent Android app designed by a team of Wharton students, is built on precisely that model—and it took top honors in the 2014 Wharton Business Plan Competition last week, the school announced.
The Slidejoy team won the $30,000 Perlman Grand Prize at Wharton’s annual Venture Finals on May 1st, where total cash prizes and in-kind services topped $125,000, the school reports.
Slidejoy learns the preferences of its users over time based off of previous behaviors, which enables it to curate a more profitable and relevant user experience, explained team members Sanghoon Kwak, G’14/WG’14; Jaeho Chung, alumnus; and Robert Seo, WG’12. Slidejoy users are paid between $5 and $15 per month for using the app. In the three months since it launched, Slidejoy has had more than 20,000 app downloads and more than 26 million ad impressions delivered. Initial advertisers and merchants include Groupon, Best Buy, Adidas, J. Crew and Macy’s.
Wharton’s Venture Finals are the culminating event of the year-long Business Plan Competition, which this year drew a record-setting 181 venture concept submissions. Almost 500 individual participants from across the University’s nine schools participated, and more than 300 venture capitalists, business leaders, faculty members and students turned out.
In addition to top prizes awarded by the Venture Final judges, the competition also featured the Wharton Social Impact Prize, a new addition this year, as well as an audience vote best elevator pitch. The inaugural $10,000 Social Impact Prize went to Dana Cita, an educational lending venture designed to empower Indonesian youth by providing loans and networking opportunities to aspiring students. The People’s Choice Award, with a $3,000 prize, went to PhaseOptics.


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— Beginning today, don't be surprised if the name "Chrysler" starts disappearing a little bit from public view. The company is still here, but its formal business name (Chrysler Group LLC) isn't.
The automaker announced it is now called FCA US LLC, or Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US. The automaker said nothing else has changed, including its location, management team or brands.
The name change follows the official parent company name change in October to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V., the name listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
The "Chrysler" name won't completely go away as FCA US will still sell vehicles under the Chrysler brand. However, the public should be aware of the name change in the event any future correspondence arrives from someone named FCA US.

domain: news


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Fortnite, other Epic video games can now include real-time facial expressions
By Bob Garcia
Epic has acquired a tech startup that is going to lead to a whole new era of video game characteristics
Technology has brought consumers some amazing innovations over the years, and one of the latest advances has the potential to completely revolutionize video games, as well as the entire gaming industry. It will be courtesy of Epic Games, which has just acquired a tech startup, Hyprsense, and the possibilities are endless. Going forward, gamers who enjoy Fortnite and other titles will be able to incorporate real-time facial animation into their characters.
Epic hasn’t been vocal on the acquisition, but the concept will reportedly allow for the company’s Unreal game engine to receive a serious upgrade. Hyprsense explains, “Unreal Engine creators the ability to deploy and drive the most advanced character assets, on any platform.”
The Hyprsense software can track real facial movements and convert them for immediate use by video game characters. Considering the possibilities, this goes beyond just video game fun upgrades, but can also be incorporated into online strategy games, including poker. That would potentially bring online poker almost to the same level as its live alternative, potentially giving players the ability to read others at the table.
Hyprsense co-founder and CEO Jihun Yu says of the acquisition, “We are proud and excited to bring our character animation technology into the Epic Games ecosystem. Joining Epic gives us the opportunity to deliver new solutions and experiences on a massive scale. We are so grateful to the Hyprsense team for their tireless work to get us here, as well as our customers, partners and supportive investors.”


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LONDON (Reuters) Internet firm Google has again topped Apple for the highest spot in a global brand ranking that also sees YouTube and Wikipedia debut in the top five, a survey showed on Friday. The annual survey by online branding magazine brandchannel.com often throws up controversial results, such as in 2004, when Arabic TV station Al Jazeera was named the world's fifth most influential brand.
This year the 3,625 branding professionals and students who voted have again surprised, awarding upstart firms star status when asked: "Which brand had the most impact on our lives in 2006?".
Google, the Internet search engine that has expanded regionally and moved into online advertising, mail and blogging, seized the top spot for the second consecutive year, ahead of Apple, which again comes in second place.
More suprisingly, video-sharing website YouTube, which was bought by Google in October last year, stormed into third place. Online encyclopedia Wikipedia makes the fourth spot, pushing coffee shop behemoth Starbucks to fifth.
"The dramatic debut of these newcomers — YouTube in third and Wikipedia in fourth — is an indication of a larger trend — the growing impact of online brands built on user-generated contents," editor Anthony Zumpano said in a statement.
Other new brand winners were News Corp's online chat site MySpace, debuting in 15th place in the North America rankings, and Al Jazeera, which advances to 19th place globally having launched its English language channel in November and after its drop from fifth to 25th in 2005.
The poll does not take account of economic brand value, the murky science of assigning a financial value to brand, which regularly puts Coca-Cola Co's Coke in first place.
Neither does it ask respondents to consider whether the brand's impact is positive or negative.
Brandchannel also split the poll by regions and in the North America the rundown was similar to the global outcome, albeit in a different order, with Apple in first place, followed by YouTube, Google, Starbucks and Wikipedia.
The top five places in the European list are from homegrown corporations, with Swedish furniture giant Ikea knocking Nokia off the top spot and into third place. Skype comes in second, with fast-fashion brand Zara in fourth and Adidas in fifth.
Likewise, local firms dominate the Asia-Pacific region poll with the top five places taken by Sony, Toyota, HSBC, Samsung and Honda. Third-placed HSBC has Asian roots although it is headquartered in London.
And in a refreshing change from the high-tech brands that dominate the global poll, Latin America's top two are party beverages Corona and Bacardi, with mobile phone operator Movistar in third. Sandal maker Havaianas takes fourth place and Bimbo, the world's number three bread maker, comes in fifth.
Copyright 2007 Reuters Limited. Click for Restrictions.


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The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
SHANGHAI, China — It's Qixi time again, which means the WeChat Moments and Weibo newsfeeds of people all around China will be filled with posts from women showing off the gifts their husbands and boyfriends have given them for the local equivalent of Valentine's Day.
Sometimes that item will be a hotly-anticipated, limited edition bag released expressly for this purpose. This year luxury collaboration machine Tao Liang, better known as Mr Bags, chose Chloé to be his Qixi limited edition partner with his take on the Aby bag, priced at 13,800 yuan (around $2,700) for each of the 199 available bags selling out weeks in advance of the actual holiday, which this year falls on August 7.
Prada also went big on bags, with limited editions of its Odette and Cahier styles available through an immersive WeChat mini-program in which users can stroll through an illustrated virtual garden.
Dior, YSL and Giorgio Armani's WeChat mini programs selling limited edition Qixi lipsticks | Collage by BoF
Lipsticks are always a popular Qixi gift, with a cursory search on Alibaba's Taobao platform showing Giorgio Armani, Tom Ford, YSL and Dior all rank in the top five when searching for "Qixi lipstick gift" — all in shades of auspicious red for the occasion.
All of the Valentine’s Days
Qixi Festival has become one in a parade of Valentine’s-like events in China, alongside Western Valentine’s Day in February and 520, which falls on on May 20.
It seems no coincidence that a growth of sharing on social media, and an increased desire for Chinese people generally to “show-off” their luxury lifestyles, or in this case, luxury-infused love, has coincided with a growth in the number of such festivals.
Valentine's Day first hit Mainland China in the 1990's, as the country's economy boomed and a fascination with all things Western was at its peak. Meanwhile, 520 — the numbers read in Chinese sound like "wo ai ni" ('I love you', in Mandarin) — has only been celebrated in a wide-spread way over the last few years.
At the other end of the spectrum, Qixi Festival is known as a traditional Chinese holiday, and has been celebrated in some form or another since the Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago.
In China, love has become increasingly complicated, intertwined with consumerism.
The way it is celebrated today, however, is a far cry from the original story of ever-lasting love between a cowherd and a weaver girl, or even how it was initially celebrated, with young women making offerings to the weaver girl in the legend, asking for skills, knowledge and a good husband in return.
As China’s society has become rapidly and intensely commercialised, romantic relationships too can be seen “like a commodity, traded and exchanged in the market,” claims Pan Wang, senior lecturer in Chinese and Asian studies at the University of New South Wales and author of “Love and Marriage in Globalising China.”
“[In China] love has become increasingly complicated, intertwined with consumerism, [and] in this sense you can say love is tagged with a price like other products in the market. To some people, the value of love can be measured by the price of gifts,” Wang explained.
While this can be said of some social demographics in countries across the world, there are some unique drivers to consider in China.
I Do … Not
Chinese society is changing, with marriage rates falling to a five-year low in 2018 (only 7.2 people out of every 1,000 got married in China last year, the lowest marriage rate since 2013, according to the National Bureau of Statistics and the Ministry of Civil Affairs). Meanwhile, the divorce rate has climbed every year for the past decade and a half.
Chloé and Mr. Bags' limited edition Aby Lock Bag | Source: Courtesy
As these traditional markers of commitment falter, or increasingly lose value in society, especially in China’s most developed cities (Shanghai and Beijing, unsurprisingly, have the lowest marriage rates in the country), men and women are increasingly looking at expensive gifts as a way of signifying the seriousness of a relationship.
“While people tend to get married later, they exchange gifts of love more often and longer,” says Tim Schlick, chief strategy officer at Platinum Guild International (PGI).
According to data from PGI’s 2018 China Platinum Acquisition Study, precious metal jewellery love gifting from boyfriends is becoming more popular among millennials in higher-tiered cities. One quarter of tier one millennial women received precious metals jewellery from a boyfriend last year, up from 20 percent in 2016.
“When my mother was getting married in the 1970’s,” Shanghainese teacher Zengdong Yang, 35, explains, “A man might buy them a bicycle or a sewing machine, which was then a major expense, to show that he wanted to get married. This is the same kind of idea, it’s just that the kind of presents have changed.”
Quite famously, men in China (and their parents) are under pressure to own both a home and car before a woman’s family will accept any potential marriage. But according to Pablo Mauron, partner and managing director China at Digital Luxury Group, even in cases where marriage is not immediately on the table, these signifiers of economic dependability and desirability are just as important.
While people tend to get married later, they exchange gifts of love more often and longer.
“It’s important to show some sort of financial commitment to [legitimise] a relationship and show that you are serious about it,” Mauron said.
“The romantic gifting culture, no matter whether it’s Valentine’s Day, Qixi or 520 is directly on that trend, ‘You’re going to have to show that you’re not afraid of spending money on me to show that you value and take our relationship seriously’.”
The growth of social media and digital commerce has only intensified this phenomenon. Just about every luxury brand bases their Qixi campaigns around WeChat, with an interactive marketing campaign (perhaps including some kind of clever gamification) accompanying a mini-program selling Qixi-themed limited editions.
But WeChat also facilitates women suggesting purchases from boyfriends or husbands by sending them a link to their desired gift, which can then directly be purchased by the giver within the WeChat eco-system, or financed with a digital "hongbao" (red envelope.)
In three clicks you get to show that you are serious about your relationship.
"It just makes the act of gifting so much easier," Mauron said. "[Pretty] much in three clicks you get to show that you are serious about your relationship."
Prior to WeChat, hongbao were traditionally given only on certain occasions, such as weddings and at Chinese New Year, but the ease of giving digital money within WeChat has meant that hongbao are now a common gift for all occasions.
Because of traditional hongbao gifting, there isn't the same resistance in China to giving the gift of cash as there is in the West, where it seems like a slightly unfeeling, certainly unromantic choice, and hongbao giving explodes on Qixi.
Most popular are hongbao involving the numbers 1314520, which, when read in full in Chinese sounds like, "yi sheng yi shi wo ai ni" (I love you forever.)
To Thine Own Self
As women postpone marriage to build careers and become economically independent, some brands are banking on self-gifting to be a rising trend around holidays. Why, if a single woman wants a luxury lipstick or handbag on Qixi, wouldn’t she buy it for herself?
This is a question that has occurred to Burberry, which for its Qixi campaign featured four videos exploring non-romantic versions of love, including the "significant self" as opposed to "significant other."
Though Mauron says Digital Luxury Group has also seen self-reward as an important recent trend among Chinese luxury consumers, he is not convinced that this trend “will apply to these romantic-themed celebrations” as the practice is more closely associated with personal milestones.
It seems in an age in which traditional markers of love and commitment are on the way out, there is still a great appetite for romance — a pragmatic and consumerist appetite, certainly — but a love for love nonetheless.
FASHION & BEAUTY
Youtopia by Labelhood | Source: Courtesy
Labelhood Launches China’s First Fashion Incubator and Youth Fashion Festival
After being inspired by a group of high-school students in Shanghai who were creating their own fashion shows and forums, Chinese multi-brand retailer and designer showcase Labelhood (where BoF China Editorial Director Queennie Yang also serves as chief education advisor) decided to launch the country's first fashion incubator, open to applicants from high school, as well as an advanced stream for fashion school graduates. The results of the first iteration of the program – in which young designers were mentored for three months by BoF 500 members Angel Chen and Xu Zhi Chen, as well as Yirantian's Yirantian Guo, and Pronounce co-founder Yushan Li – will be on display at the Labelhood Youtopia Youth Fashion and Arts Festival, on August 10th and 11th in Shanghai. (BoF China)
The Award for Best Brand Ambassador in China Goes to…
A report from China's Ai Man data agency, measuring the return on investment of luxury brands' collaborations with celebrity ambassadors in China has shown Chopard's partnership with Zhu Yilong, Sergio Rossi's tie-up with Guli Naza, and Versace's collaboration with Yang Mi resulted in the best commercial results for those brands. Prada's partnership with Cai Xukun and Cartier's with Song Qian were also highly rated in terms of their ROI and the stars of reality talent shows, "Idol Producer" and "Produce 101" were breakout newcomers. Yang Mi's move from repping one Capri Holdings-owned brand (Michael Kors) with great success, to another in Versace proves her appeal as a brand ambassador remains undiminished. (Jiemian)
Domestic Brands Now Account for Majority of China's Beauty Favourites
Six of the top ten brands chosen by respondents in "The 2019 National Beauty Report" released by Tencent Holdings and Kantar Group were Chinese, with Pechoin taking the top spot. Additionally, the report found that 42 percent of respondents were more likely to choose a local beauty brand over a domestic competitor and almost 90 percent said they were likely to repurchase products from a local brand. Interestingly, price wasn't the major consideration for going local, with only 26 percent of respondents citing it as a key reason for choosing local brands. More important than a brand's country of origin were effectiveness and reviews. (Cosmetic Design Asia)
TECH & INNOVATION
Xiaohongshu's user interface | Collage by BoF
Xiaohongshu Disappears from China’s Android App Stores
Seemingly without warning, the wildly popular Xiaohongshu social commerce platform vanished from Chinese Android app stores. In hindsight, perhaps the warning was its addition several weeks ago to an official government ministry list of companies collecting too much personal data. Or perhaps its disappearance is related to official criticism of fake reviews and false information on the platform, which caused it to cull the majority of KOLs who produce the content so loved by Xiaohongshu users. According to its Shanghai-based parent company, Xinyin Information Technology, the Alibaba-backed Xiaohongshu is communicating with relevant authorities to find a solution. Regardless, it seems the platform, which has built a user-base of more than 200 million since its launch in 2013, is fighting fires on several fronts. (Yicai Global)
China’s Tightening Cyber Laws Cause Concern for US Businesses
A tightening of cybersecurity rules and standards being floated by China has US businesses worried about additional barriers to the Chinese market, a concern that could complicate US-China trade talks (the latest round of which are currently underway in Shanghai). If passed, the new regulations would forbid certain data leaving China, tough rules for procuring equipment could also place foreign products at a disadvantage. Most affected would be major US tech companies, such as Cisco, IBM, Juniper and Dell. Providers of financial services and the automotive sector also could be impacted. We have not reached the pit of China-US business relations yet. (WSJ)
How China's Different Generations Use Social Media, Revealed
Kantar's 2019 "China Social Media Landscape" white paper, utilising data from CIC Intelligence, outlines the differing social media uses of Chinese generations. Whereas Gen-X have clear goals when using social media — meaning they favour information gathering platforms like Toutiao or communicating on WeChat — Gen-Y is more multi-faceted, using WeChat and Weibo, shopping on Taobao and consuming media on streaming services iQiyi and Youku. Gen-Z cares most about personal privacy and customised services, and still shop on Taobao and browse Weibo, but are also more likely to use Xiaohongshu, Douyin or Bilibili. In order to cover their bases, KOLs in China utilise at least three platforms, with content remaining pretty consistent over the three, though the impact and audience they are reaching obviously differs. (Kantar)
CONSUMER & RETAIL
Van Cleef & Arpels’ Alhambra collection | Source: Van Cleef & Arpels
Chinese Consumers Look for Lucky Luxury
In China, luxury is about more than meets the eye. When Chinese consumers search for luxury products, aside from look and quality, they actively search for "yuyi": the connotation or meaning behind an object. Chinese consumers of all ages tend to believe in the metaphysical meaning of objects, and certain luxury products have long tapped into this. Van Cleef & Arpels' Alhambra, a four-leaf-clover-shaped necklace, for example, is said to be good luck for graduate interviews; Swarovski's Evil Eye necklace is believed to chase away evil; while the Amulette de Cartier and Bulgari's Roma series are thought to be lucky charms. Even if products aren't designed with good fortune in mind, Chinese consumers will invent their own, for example, seeing Harry Winston's "HW" logo as a stand-in for "husband and wife" making the brand a favourite for engagement rings over similarly-positioned brands. (Jing Daily)
Shanghai Retail Development Shines in Developer’s Interim Earnings
Hong Kong-based mall developer Hang Lung Properties has seen its operating profit fall 12 percent year-on-year for the first half of 2019, to HK$3.432 billion ($438.58 million). The sale of non-core assets achieved a net profit of HK$3.709 billion ($473.97 million), a year-on-year increase of 22 percent. Mainland property leasing business revenue increased by 1 percent to HK$2.19 billion ($279.86 million) in the first half of the year. Shanghai's Plaza 66 development, long one of mainland China's top performing malls, saw revenue and retail sales increase 11 percent and 15 percent respectively, beating the overall 8.4 percent growth in mainland retail in the first half of the year. (Local Retail Watch)
Is Chengdu Getting an SKP Mall?
Chengdu Transportation Investment Group Co., Ltd. has revealed plans to partner with luxury mall developer Beijing Hualian SKP to look into developing a new property in Chengdu as soon as possible. There are currently two SKP properties operating in Beijing (one of China's top-performing luxury malls, with 13.5 billion yuan of sales in 2018) and Xi'an, which opened in 2018, and development is underway on another SKP mall in Kunming. Given it took 11 years for Beijing Hualian SKP to expand from one mall to two, but in the past two years has committed to, or seems to be planning to, opening another two properties, it's fair to say they feel it's time to more aggressively expand SKP's winning luxury formula. (Lianshang)
POLITICS, ECONOMY, SOCIETY
Chinese tourists | Source: Shutterstock
Beijing's Ban on Solo Travel to Taiwan Could Cost it $900 Million
On July 31, the mainland's ministry of tourism and culture announced that due to rising tensions between Beijing and Taiwan — whose governing Democratic Progressive Party takes a pro-independence stance and President Tsai Ingwen has openly supported Hong Kong's protestors — it would stop issuing individual travel permits to Taiwan effective from August 1. Though the individual travel ban doesn't preclude groups from visiting the island, experts say the ban could cause visitor numbers to drop by 700,000 over next six months and cost Taiwan $900 million by January. Tensions could still escalate: just last week, Beijing warned that if Taiwan made a bid for independence, it would be ready for war. (SCMP)
Chinese Netizens Offended by Marvel’s First Asian-led Superhero
Canadian-Chinese actor Simu Liu and Crazy Rich Asians' Awkwafina have been announced as stars of "Shang Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings", alongside veteran Tony Leung Chiu Wai. Marvel had said previously they were only entertaining ethnically Chinese actors for the lead in the much-anticipated superhero film, which will be the first to feature a prominently Asian cast. Not everyone was happy with the news, however — some netizens called for a boycott because Shang Chi is the son of Fu Manchu, a fictional character who has become a symbol of anti-Chinese discrimination. (Radii)
China’s SpaceX Successfully Launches Commercial Rocket
For the first time, a Chinese company has sent a commercial rocket into the Earth's orbit, setting up another field in which it could potentially butt heads with the US, as the two compete for private spaceflight supremacy. The US is still well ahead, to be sure, with China's nascent industry only five years old, but it took the company behind this successful launch, iSpace, only one year to develop its rocket. The company itself is not keen on the SpaceX comparisons, with a spokesperson saying: "We're still young, and we have a long way to go." (SixthTone)
China Decoded wants to hear from you. Send tips, suggestions, complaints and compliments to our Shanghai-based Asia Correspondent firstname.lastname@example.org.


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As more and more consumers turn to natural alternatives, creating a demand that has fueled consistent high single-digit growth of the natural and organic personal care category, the pressure has been on for conventional brands to clean up their acts. Leading the crusade for awareness about the category has been the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a consumer watchdog that is demanding change from some of the world’s biggest corporations. In addition to its continued efforts to shift companies’ manufacturing practices and update cosmetic legislation, the Campaign spent much of 2012 and 2013 exposing flawed retailer practices and promoting stricter retail policies. Here, from retail policies to reformulations and legislation, we take a look back at the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics’ greatest successes of 2013.
Find our more info here: http://newhope360.com/beauty/5-biggest-safe-cosmetics-victories-2013


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Bringing the legal system to light. Our weekly newsletter sheds light on the lawsuits, people, and organizations that continually clog the legal system in Northern California.
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SAN JOSE -- After admitting it was at fault to suitors and consumers about what some expert suggest is the largest digital breach today, Yahoo now is facing a mountain of class-action litigation.


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Retail inflation for farm workers eases in October
The inflation is increased for rural workers to 12.48 per cent
New Delhi: Retail inflation for agricultural eased to 12.65 per cent in October from 12.78 per cent in the previous month, while for rural workers it increased to 12.48 per cent from 12.44 per cent in September.
“Point to point rate of inflation based on the Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL) decreased from 12.78 per cent to 12.65 per cent in October, 2013 while for Consumer Price Index Rural Labourers (CPI-RL) increased from 12.44 per cent to 12.48 per cent in October, 2013,” an official statement said today.
Inflation based on food index of CPI-AL and CPI-RL are 13.62 per cent and 13.11 per cent respectively during October, 2013, it added. The statement further said that the rise or fall in index varied from state to state.
In case of agricultural laborers, it recorded an increase which varied between 2 to 17 points in 18 states and a decrease of 1 and 4 points in two states. Haryana with 846 points topped the index table whereas Himachal Pradesh with the index level of 616 points stood at the bottom, it said.
In case of rural laborers, it recorded an increase between 2 points and 16 points in 18 states, a decrease of two points in one state and remained stationary in one state.
Haryana with 840 points topped the index table whereas Himachal Pradesh state with the index level of 651 points stood at the bottom. Agricultural laborers index for Tripura registered the maximum increase of 17 points while rural laborers index for Gujarat and Orissa states registered the maximum increase of 16 points each mainly due to increase in the prices of rice, wheat flour, fish, onion, vegetables and fruits and bus fare.
On the other hand, Maharashtra registered a decline of 4 and 2 points, respectively for agricultural and rural laborers mainly due to decrease in the prices of wheat, jowar, bajra, groundnut oil and fish, it said.


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Digitization currently covers all industries and, through technology, can accelerate processes, increase work models' effectiveness, and facilitate business strategies. Your investment can influence a 14% increase in company profits and a drop of up to 13% in operating costs, according to a study by the digital firm Avanade.
One of the clearest signs of how the technological revolution drives all productive sectors is the birth of Fintech (from the contraction of the English words finance and technology ), a current that encompasses various companies that want to participate in the financial sector and that use technologies to create innovative, practical and strategically designed products with the customer at the center (CX), understanding their behavior.
Fintech has created better contact points and services for banking customers, including other forms of payment and even currencies, which increase the transition from the physical to the digital world, democratizing money and benefiting the global economy.
A digital trend is related to the high degree of assimilation of mobile technologies that society is having. For example:
Digital Transformation in the financial sector is an exciting trend that will continue to define the coming years and decades.
Currently, the process involves increasing security, practicality, and agility and reducing typical problems in the sector, such as bureaucracy and service fees, which are essential for the coronavirus pandemic.
But what has changed, and what is expected for the future? What will be the mandatory trends and technologies to accompany this growing digitization?
It is not news that the Digital Transformation in the financial sector, as in other sectors, was mainly driven by the coronavirus pandemic. During social isolation, many financial institutions had to reinvent themselves and turn to digital to continue operations that could not be stopped even in delicate moments. At the same time, consumers were educated to accept technology as part of their routine, and thus it was not necessary to go to the bank many times; it was only enough to click.
We can say that the "pandemic effect" has changed how companies and customers act and think, revolutionizing finance and impacting the sector as a whole.
Digital and personalized service during the coronavirus pandemic and news about large banks' closure of physical branches were standard. This massive shutdown is justified by the way consumers have come to use banking services. With the support of more intuitive applications and platforms, it became unnecessary to go to branches to carry out banking operations. At the same time, getting used to technology has made consumers increasingly demand quality, efficiency, and a unique and unforgettable experience.
Given this scenario, digital service has become more critical, and many companies have begun to invest in modern and intelligent technologies focused on the Consumer Experience (CX) that provide a humanized and personalized service within the digital environment.
Among the advantages that technology brings to the financial industry, we find.
Online banking became widespread in the 2000s, and today new technologies are a daily part of companies and consumers. Furthermore, new tools are constantly being developed to boost the Fintech industry, from established banks, StartUps, and even technology organizations embarking on a new path in this area.
Among the most used advances currently are.
In the financial sector, new technologies are blockchain and cashless payments. The first is not only cryptocurrencies, which many do not trust but also the most powerful means of protecting any monetary transactions. In parallel, digital transformation is taking place in areas such as.
Many banks already allow their customers to perform most transactions remotely, without visiting a branch.
Digital transformation is also gaining momentum in the financial sector. New technologies, in particular, offer enormous efficiency potential for the future. Knowledge and old inventory systems need to be improved during implementation. Enormous savings potential can be realized with highly manual processes through simple measures.
While technologies such as RPA are already being used today, future technologies such as blockchain, AI, or big data still need some time to be fully adapted. In the long term, however, these technologies will present an entire industry with fundamental changes.
The fastest way to define your successful product execution strategy - direct from our experts.
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Advancement of Intelligent Buildings Climate change, energy scarcity, and increasing indoor air pollution have prompted
Digital transformation has profoundly impacted industries such as healthcare, banking, logistics, telecom, insurance, manufacturing
After four successful decades in a row, trends have begun to change in the consumer goods industry in recent years
Speed up your digital transformations with our proven frame work


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The upcoming reboot of Devil May Cry by Team Ninja Theory may be polarising players, but at least we can all agree that the original trilogy of DMC games were mind-blowing action porn set-pieces that paved the way for action games that featured ridiculously cool characters and insane combat.
So if you’re eagerly anticipating some stylish demon-slaying antics, then good news, as the original trilogy of cool is on its way to next gen consoles, remastered in all the HD glory that suits it so well.
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the first Devil May Cry game, Capcom is re-releasing the first three games in time for the party, but scant few details have been revealed since then. What we do know, is that the story originally surfaced after a Spanish retailer posted an ad showing off the collection, dating it for November 17.
It was titled the "10th Anniversary Collection" at the time and was dated for November 30, shortly after the first DMC’s 10-year anniversary (in North America) on October 17. This isn’t the first collection of the popular demon-slaying franchise to hit shores however, as Capcom originally released a fifth anniversary version back in 2006.
Ninja Theory creative director Tameem Antoniades told 1up last year while discussing the development for DMC, that he didn’t consider those games to be cool anymore, which isn’t a smart thing to say when you want to keep the fans happy.
"The essence of Devil May Cry is all about cool," Antoniades said. "It’s about Dante being cool and making you feel cool when you’re playing it, and so the combat and the style system and everything is integral to that. But, you know, what was cool 12 years ago, I think that was when the first game came out, isn’t cool anymore.
â€œIf Dante, dressed as he was, walked into any bar outside of Tokyo, he’d get laughed out. What Devil May Cry did when it launched was it brought everything that was great about action cinema like the fashion, music, it was like a cultural melting pot, and I feel like now, for Devil May Cry to have that same impact, it needs to draw on new things. New music, new ways of cinematography, new fashion".
So if you’re dreading what Ninja Theory has in store for the Devil May Cry franchise, at least Capcom has your precious memories in mind for the HD Re-release of their franchise. Personally, despite the odd visual style, I’m excited to see what Ninja Theory pulls off when DMC launches next year.
Last Updated: September 8, 2011


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McDonald's (MCD) reported better-than-expected February sales, sending shares to an 11-month high Friday.
The world's biggest restaurant chain said global sales at established restaurants fell 1.5% vs. a year earlier, less than the 1.63% drop that analysts had expected. But comparable sales actually rose 1.7% after adjusting for February 2012's extra day due to the leap year, McDonald's said.
Shares rose nearly 2% to 98.71 on the stock market Friday. That's the best since April 2012.
Same-store sales in the U.S. fell 3.3% — flat adjusted for the leap year. Europe's comps fell 0.5% — up 2.7% adjusted. Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa dipped 1.6% — up 1.5% adjusted).
"We remain confident in the fundamental strength of McDonald's business," President and CEO Don Thompson said in a statement.
McDonald's had said March 1 it will drop its Fruit & Walnut Salad and Chicken Selects from U.S. menus. It's still mulling whether to keep its "premium" Angus burgers.
The moves come as rivals Burger King Worldwide (BKW) and Wendy's (WEN) have followed their larger rival's lead in expanding menus.
McDonald's shares enjoyed a strong run from early 2009 to early 2012. But they sold off for much of last year, hitting an intraday low of 83.31 on Nov. 16.
That came amid weaker financial results. After double-digit earnings per share gains in every quarter of 2010 and 2011, McDonald's reported EPS year-over-year changes in 2012 of 7%, -2%, -1% and 4%.
For Q1, analysts expect EPS to rise 3% to $1.27, with sales edging up 1% to $6.63 billion. But Wall Street sees 8%-11% gains in subsequent quarters.
McDonald's February sales are evidence that consumer spending at restaurants is holding up.
The Retail-Restaurants group is ranked 63 on IBD's list of 197 industry groups, up from a middling 92 rank eight weeks ago and 136 a quarter ago.
Elsewhere in the group, Yum Brands (YUM), No. 2 by sales, rose less than 1%. Shares have been trending higher since hitting a 52-week low Feb. 5. That nadir came as the parent of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut chains warned that ongoing food safety concerns were badly hurting KFC sales in China.
Burger King and Wendy's shares also rose less than 1%.


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MANCHESTER — The Planning and Zoning Commission has received an application from a property developer to convert the former Sam’s Club property into a furniture warehouse and retail store.
The owner of the property, Grossman Cos. Inc., requested a special modification to use 129,145 square feet of the building’s total 139,145 square feet for wholesale, storage and warehousing, the application says. The remaining 10,000 square feet will be dedicated to retail sales.
A traffic report included in the application indicates that the former Sam’s Club warehouse will be converted into a furniture warehouse and retail store.
Massachusetts-based Grossman Cos. bought the former Sam’s Club property last July for $6.75 million, property records show. The company had planned to reuse it for industrial use, according to the company that helped broker the sale.
The Grossman Cos. website. describes it as a real estate investment and lending company. It also provides brokerage and property management services to its clients.
The Sam’s Club building, which was built in 1991, has been vacant since the business closed in 2018. Sam’s Club is owned by Walmart.
Jake Grossman, who is the president of Grossman Cos. Inc., said the property is in a “great location,” with convenient freeway access. The building’s physical structure is also “really good for a lot of different kinds of uses,” Grossman said.
“There would be momentum there,” Grossman said. “But most relevant to the public is that the value of the building would go up and the taxes would go up.”
Austin Mirmina covers Manchester and Bolton.


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LAHORE: Three more smartphone manufacturing plants would be set up in Pakistan in the near future, Industries & Production Minister Muhammad Hammad Azhar said on Saturday.
Talking to media, the minister said that a smartphone manufacturing plant set up in Lahore would produce six million handsets annually.
“An increase in smartphones’ production will result in a decrease in the prices of smartphone handsets in the country,” he opined, adding that the government has taken solid steps to curb the smuggling of smartphones.
The minister noted that the coronavirus was spreading at a fast pace, and urged the people to follow safety precautions and get inoculated against the virus.
Earlier in December last, Hammad Azhar said that VIVO, one of the world’s most popular smartphone brands, would be setting up a manufacturing facility in Pakistan.
“Int’l smartphone brand VIVO has decided to establish a smartphone manufacturing facility in Pakistan. Land purchased. Deployment of DIRBS eliminated smuggled phones. It was followed up by the Mobile Manufacturing Policy. Revenues already doubled & now local manufacturing is taking off,” the minister had said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, it was also reported that tech giant Samsung was also planning to set up a smartphone assembly plant in Pakistan.
“Smartphone production in Pakistan is multiplying following DIRBS [Device Identification Registration and Blocking System] implementation and Mobile Policy launched recently,” Azhar had tweeted after meeting with the Samsung Pakistan MD and CEO.


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One sign athleisure is more popular than ever? There’s evidence more people world-wide are getting “work” done... just to wear workout clothes.
Earlier this week, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons correlated the U.K.’s 12% spike in liposuction procedures between 2017 and 2018 to the prominence of active wear trends. That spike had come after a few years of double-digit declines for the procedure. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has reported a 5% spike in lipo on this side of the pond during that same period.
Former BAAPS president Dr. Rajiv Grover, who still audits the association each year, wrote that, “The rise comes at a time where a fashion trend for women is athleisure clothing, showing what kind of physique you have rather than covering up.”
Plastic surgeons interviewed by MarketWatch report seeing the correlation firsthand in their own practices. As U.S. active-wear apparel has expanded beyond Nike
A Manhattan woman in her 50s, who asked to remain anonymous, told MarketWatch that she got liposuction (which involves breaking up and removing fat deposits) on her outer thighs just over a month ago in part to better fit into athleisure styles.
“I wear Lululemon leggings all the time, I wear a lot of sports clothing, and that’s really form-fitting,” she said. “It’s also just about feeling good about yourself. I’d had these lumps on my outer thighs, even after exercising and losing weight, that I just wanted to get rid of. Now I’m so happy.”
Her surgeon, Dr. Melissa Doft, has seen a “huge spike in liposuction patients due to leisure wear, as well as the warm weather approaching,” she said.
“As more and more women wear leisure wear not only for the gym, but also around town, they are more conscious of their figures and any bulges. A little extra fat makes a difference when you wear a more fitted dress, skinny jeans or tights.”
A Santa Monica woman, who asked to go by Marie, told MarketWatch that she added liposuction to her recent breast augmentation to keep up with the fitted tights, high-waisted shorts and crop tops that other California girls are flaunting.
“I’ve always tried to be active, but I had a stubborn stomach ‘pooch’ all of the time, I had love handles and a square abdominal area … and it made me feel very insecure,” said Marie, 27. “I’d wear boxy blouses and I wouldn’t wear anything tight, and that’s really hard in California where it’s always summer.”
So she spent $15,000 on breast augmentation to boost her bust, and liposuction to smooth her flanks and abdomen, at Dr. Daniel Barrett’s Beverly Hills office.
“You want to wear what people are wearing around you, and we’re showing more of our bodies,” she said. “Now I finally feel confident enough to wear tights and form-fitted clothes, which is great.”
Dr. Barrett said that while he hesitates to say that Lululemon
Of course, sculpting one’s body to find that perfect “fit” doesn’t come cheap.
The national average fee for liposuction is $3,518, but that does not generally include anesthesia and operating room fees, so the tag can hit $10,000 when factoring in those costs, especially in expensive markets like L.A. and New York City.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian butt lift, which involves using lipo to transplant fat from an area of the body where it’s unwanted, and using it to round out the patient’s derriere, has an average cost of $4,341 in the U.S., though it, too, can run up to $10,000 depending on the market and the facility. The procedure is more professionally known as “buttock augmentation with fat grafting” and has ballooned 19% between 2017 and 2018.
Americans spent more than $16.5 billion on cosmetic plastic surgery and minimally invasive procedures in 2018, a 4% increase from the year before.
“We are a country of indulgence, so liposuction has always been a very popular procedure. And the Brazilian butt lift is a double-whammy — if you have a lot of flank fat, and you want to take that out anyway, you can inject it into the posterior portion of the buttocks so that when you put on leisure wear, like leggings, your butt will really stand out,” said Dr. T.Y. Steven Ip, a plastic surgeon with medical practices in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach. He estimates he’s seen a 15% uptick in both lipo and butt lift procedures over the past few years.
Both the U.S. and U.K. cosmetic surgery organizations note that the majority of liposuction patients — and most people getting plastic surgery, period — are women, although the rate of American men getting lipo increased 23% in the five years before 2018.
The surgeons all caution that liposuction isn’t a shortcut to weight loss, or a magic bullet for obesity. “The best candidates are not patients who are overweight; they’re fit and exercising and working on their diet, but they just have a stubborn trouble area, and liposuction does the job of contouring that spot,” said Dr. Ip. “The most you are really taking with liposuction is around five liters of fat, which sounds like a lot, but it only translates into about 10 pounds. If you are 30, 40 or 50 pounds overweight, taking 10 pounds doesn’t really do a whole lot.”
Plus, if you don’t eat well and exercise often, the fat will just stack up in areas where you haven’t had lipo. A 2011 study found that women who had liposuction on their thighs and gained weight in the year afterward saw the fat accumulate on their upper abdomen, arms and shoulders, instead.


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Have a job interview coming up, but aren’t sure what to wear?
Students are invited to come to JCPenney at Arden Fair Mall on March 10, where American River College Career and Pathways Support Services will be hosting a Suit Up Event to help prepare students to be career-ready.
The event will run from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the JCPenney store and will be an opportunity for students to shop for professional attire at a discounted price in addition to other perks.
Laura Adams, a student personnel assistant for CAPSS, said current students and alumni of the Los Rios Community College District are all welcome to attend, but are asked that they bring their student ID or transcripts in order to receive benefits and discounts.
“We have a partnership with JCPenney,” Adams said. “They’ve been doing this with other colleges throughout California, so we reached out to them to see if we can do that … with our Los Rios Campuses.”
Adams said the purpose of the event is to get students to prepare and look professional for their job hunting.
“We arranged this to be a month before our Career Expo event that’s coming on April 3 and 4,” Adams said. “The Suit Up Event is one of our preparation events to try and get our students engaged, so if they were also coming to the Career Expo they would have something nice to wear for that.”
CAPSS invites students to bring along friends and family, promising an event of shopping, food, and music.
Adams said guests are invited to come early as food trucks, including Yolanda’s Tamales and Bubble Cone, will arrive in front of JCPenney at 5:30 p.m. A section of the store will be cleared with tables and chairs so students are able to sit and eat before the doors of the event open at 6:00 p.m.
A student from the American River College music department known as DJ Riktor will be performing music for the event.
Students will be offered a 40 percent discount on career dress and apparel, however all purchases must be made on one transaction to assure that the coupon provided will not be used twice. Additional tailoring services will also be offered at no charge.
Adams said there will be free mini makeovers and samples available at the Sephora booth, and an in-store salon will be offering a free hair consultation. Professional headshots will also be available for purchase starting at $29.99.
Every half hour throughout the course of the event, CAPSS will raffle off $50 JCPenney gift cards, in addition to two giveaways from ARC with gas cards and school merchandise. Two winners will be drawn for the giveaways during the event.
Student Services Supervisor Breanne Holland said she hopes the Suit Up Event can be held every semester.
“If it’s successful, we’d like to make this a recurring thing. Sacramento State University has done this event as well, and they have great success with it,” Holland said.
Holland also said that part of the money generated from the food trucks will go towards scholarships.
“The food trucks have agreed to kick back a portion of their sales to us to put together a scholarship from that money,” Holland said. “In the future, we can advertise the scholarship as one that is funded by those food trucks.”
The CAPSS invites students to follow them on social media for more updates.


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Martha Stewart Offers Business Advice to Cannabis Industry Leaders in Saint John
Food and lifestyles guru Martha Stewart says the recipe for success she has followed throughout her career also applies to cannabis companies – offer quality products at fair prices.
Stewart spoke to about 650 cannabis industry leaders Tuesday at the World Cannabis Congress in Saint John, N.B.
In February, Stewart joined Ontario-based Canopy Growth Corp. in an advisory role to help develop a new line of products.
– Read the entire article at Global News.


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Last week, Ninkasi Brewing Co. happily announced the hire of Jon Rogers to lead the brewery’s marketing department as chief marketing officer. Since 2006, the brewery has committed to hiring experienced professionals to build teams in-house and create a competitive job market in its home base of Eugene, Ore.
Rogers joins Ninkasi with a wealth of high-level experience in brand management and strategy at well-known entertainment companies like Lucasfilm Ltd. and The Walt Disney Co., where he managed programs in global marketing, strategy and franchise management. Earning a degree in political science from Hobart College, post-graduate certificates from Stanford University’s Mass Media Institute and the London School of Economics for International Business Management, and an M.I.L.R. from Cornell University, Rogers began his career in politics as a speechwriter and press secretary for Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge. Rogers made the transition to brand management as a strategy consultant for Booz | Allen | Hamilton, where he specialized in change management and brand rejuvenation.
In 2004, Rogers joined Lucasfilm as manager of global marketing and led global promotional campaigns for Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. In 2005, Rogers joined Walt Disney Studios as director of global marketing and, in 2009, was named the vice president of global franchise management. In this role, Rogers led a 12-person team to execute strategies and development plans for Disney’s live-action film brands and Muppet Studios.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to build our company with the help of someone as talented as Jon,” said Nikos Ridge, CEO and co-founder of Ninkasi. “I think it speaks highly to our existing team and culture, as well as the current trends and excitement around craft beer, that we were able to attract and bring his talents here to Eugene and to Ninkasi.”
Starting immediately, Rogers will lead Ninkasi’s marketing department, which includes in-house design, public relations, its Beer is Love donations program and a recording studio for its work with partner artists, all based at the brewery. In its eighth year, Ninkasi continues to be privately owned and employs more than 100, offering company-paid insurance for full-time employees, paid cell phones, profit sharing, merchandise credit and more. The brewery has been named one of the “100 Best Companies to Work for in Oregon” two years in a row by Oregon Business Magazine.


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Baahubali was not just a hit in the theatres, but also on Facebook, recording over 10 million interactions on the platform, in a span of just five months. Given the growing popularity of the movie and to take the fan engagement a notch higher, Facebook decided to add new animated Baahubali stickers in its Messenger app.
Available in store for download starting May 23rd Baahubali, Kattapa and the rest of the gang are there to make your Messenger conversations with friends and fellow Baahubali fans fun and more visual. From the launch, the sticker pack has been quite a hit with 13.4 million downloads within a week’s time.
To create more buzz on the platform, a marketing campaign was designed to run exclusively on Facebook, around #WKKB (Why Kattapa Killed Baahubali). This was also the theme of the Messenger bot – another promotional tool used to keep the fans engaged. Audiences landing on the bot got an opportunity to engage in a fun quiz to know more about the characters and stand a chance to win exciting gifts. The bot was available in 5 languages, to appeal to global audiences and was hosted on both Baahubali & Kattapa pages.
Over the course of the movie’s marketing campaign, there has been 7X increase in the total number of interactions on Baahubali’s FB page, increasing from 1.5 million in Nov-Dec, 2016 to 10 million from Jan-May, 2017. More people have joined the conversation around this movie than any other Facebook has measured.
The Baahubali team also used Facebook Live to officially announce the movie release date, music launch and other key events during the promotions. Prior to the release, native trailer launch of the movie, on its official Facebook page, in four languages, garnering around 45M interactions in total, with over 22M views.
Lastly, Baahubali profile frames were also introduced on the launch of the movie and as part of expanding the Baahubali franchise, while staying connected with their beloved fans and followers, the team also launched the Baahubali comics using Facebook canvas.


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April 3, 2000 - Industry News
Ozark Motor Lines is raising its salary cap for company drivers from 35 cents to 37 cents a mile. Local news sources also report that the company will adjust its pay scale for new drivers to give credit for new hires
March 31, 2000 - Industry News
The Surface Transportation Board has asked for comments on modifications to rules governing mergers of major railroads
Freightliner will temporarily stop importing Mexican-built Class 8 FLD models for sale in the U.S., but DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz plant in Santiago Tianguistenco will continue to build some Freightliner Business Class medium duty trucks for sale here,
Sweden's Volvo, which is reportedly in a final phase of bargaining to acquire the commercial truck assets of France's Renault, remains interested in buying the commercial truck and diesel engine assets of Chicago-based International
The Illinois Department of Transportation last week announced that two construction hot spots are shifting into high gear this month
Computrucks.com, previously an online used-truck locator, is adding new trucks to its lineup
United Parcel Service has settled a dispute with the Teamsters over creation of jobs called for in the union's 1997 contract
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Research and Special Programs Administration has asked for comments as to whether or not federal hazardous materials transportation law preempts New Mexico rules regarding the transportation of liquefied petroleum gas and compressed natural gas.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has launched an inspection program in Illinois, Wisconsin and Ohio aimed at increasing safety for workers and motorists in construction zones
More than half the trucks on the New Jersey Turnpike will use the new E-Zpass automated toll system when it goes online in August. That’s the word from Turnpike Authority’s executive director, Ed Gross, who has overseen the much-delayed E-Zpass installation
March 30, 2000 - Industry News
The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to re-issue storm water multi-sector general permits for 29 sectors of industrial activities, including some trucking facilities
Here comes Linux.
No, not the cute “Peanuts” kid with the blanket. That was Linus. Linux is the name of a free, open-source PC and server operating system that has been nibbling at the edges of the
Two new studies, unveiled at the Truckload Carriers Assn.'s annual meeting last week, show that the high turnover is costly to both carrier and driver
Swedish truck maker Volvo is reportedly in an advanced stage of talks with France's Renault, according to a Swedish newspaper
Part of Peterbilt's new e-commerce initiative is eBilt, a new computerized truck configurator for Peterbilt sales representatives
The Teamsters union and Associated Wholesale Grocers are both gearing up for a strike this weekend after negotiations over AWG's transportation business have gone nowhere
The American Trucking Assns. is nearing a settlement in its suit against Idaho's weight-distance tax
International Truck and Engine Corp. demonstrated advanced "green diesel" technology during the Mid-America Trucking Show last week in Louisville, KY
International Truck and Engine Corp. is making it easier for customers to find the right truck with a new truck locator on its web site at www.InternationalDelivers.com.
Starting May 15, Volvo's redesigned web site at www.volvotrucks.com will make it easier for customers to spec a truck online
Landstar System is moving Landstar Ligon headquarters from Madisonville, KY, to Landstar's headquarter in Jacksonville, FL
March 29, 2000 - Industry News
Dean Cannon says third party logistics companies already pose a danger to small carriers. Now their monster web sites, presumably intended to help carriers, may actually swallow them up.
Cannon is President and CEO of Cannon Express,
Kenworth will furlough or reassign 401 workers at heavy-duty truck plants in Renton and Seattle, WA, beginning this Monday, sources disclosed to Stark's News Service Interactive
Ford Motor Co. reportedly may purchase Swedish commercial truck-maker AB Volvo to protect the Volvo brand name
Freightliner displayed a Century Class S/T equipped with the latest and near-future high-tech, in-cab entertainment at its booth last week during the Mid-America Trucking Show
We offer e-newsletters that deliver targeted news and information for the entire fleet industry.
The expert, Mark Betner from CITGO, will answer your questions
The expert, Rence Oliphant from Hendrickson, will answer your questions
FourKites Offers Free Load Tracking to Brokers
FetchDesk Enables Self Brokering for Shippers
Waste-Haul Tire Designed for Retreadability
Webasto HVAC System Adds Heating, Cooling Capacity for Vans


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Symantec is overhauling its Norton security software, going from nine products to just one as the company turns its attention to smartphones and connected devices.
The new product, called Norton Security, doubles down on the company’s renewed focus on subscription models. In its most recent quarter, when Symantec reported a $236 million profit on a 2% gain in revenue to $1.74 billion, the company said it planned to optimize the Norton business while streamlining product support.
Norton Security, which goes on sale Sept. 23 and costs $80 a year, will combine all of the antivirus, spyware, spam-monitoring and other features scattered across various versions of Norton AntiVirus, Norton Internet Security and Norton 360. It most closely resembles the Norton 360 Multi-Device offering that previously had cost $100 a year but is now $70.
The new product can be used across a family’s Windows and Mac computers, as well as their smartphones running iOS and Android. It includes other services, such as a password keeper, and offers cloud-backup storage starting at an additional $10 a year for 25 gigabytes.
The one-size-fits-all approach to PCs makes sense for Symantec at a time when security concerns are broadening beyond the traditional battlegrounds to smartphones, tablets and other connected devices, Fran Rosch, Symantec’s executive vice president in charge of the Norton business, said in a briefing with The Wall Street Journal.
People who want a premium version of Norton Security and Antivirus on an Android phone today have a choice: pay $30 for an in-app purchase, or buy the larger subscription and log in as a premium user. (People using iOS can’t buy the premium version through the app.)
The free version of the Android app scans downloads for malware, while the full version includes antitheft controls, backup, call blocking and an app monitor that looks for suspicious or “unnecessary” activity, such as personal data getting uploaded to the cloud.
While Symantec is putting all of its Norton products under one PC roof, it will continue to have separate smartphone apps that perform specific tasks.
Norton apps are available for iOS, but Mr. Rosch said Symantec isn’t focusing on iPhones and iPads. The way Apple controls its mobile OS and app distribution makes the platform less of a security challenge, he said. There is more opportunity on Android, which is considered a more “open” OS.
Perhaps the best news for consumers: As part of the transition, Symantec is easing back on preinstalled promotional software that many PC buyers have come to label “junkware.” Mr. Rosch says the placement isn’t worth the cost. To make the same profit as it does on one direct-subscription sale, he said, Symantec needs to convert about five of the trial software users. The company declined to say how much it pays to place trial versions of its software on PCs.
That doesn’t mean Symantec is walking away from its core PC audience. It is working on a touch-friendly Windows 8 app, which could give Norton more visibility in Microsoft’s Windows App Store. Thirty percent of Norton’s users are running the software on Windows 8—but only in the classic desktop version, not the touch-friendly version, the company said.
The other area Symantec is turning its attention to is the “Internet of Things,” Mr. Rosch said. Symantec is working with manufacturers to lock down the connected devices they build. Tiny gadgets built for specific purposes usually don’t have the horsepower or battery juice to scan for viruses, Mr. Rosch said, but Symantec has software that can help “white list” appropriate programs to safeguard them from malware.
Symantec isn’t completely ruling out an Internet of Things product of its own in the future, Mr. Rosch said. It already prototyped a “home security system” device—complete with a camera—but isn’t ready to release it at this time.


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Epic Games has released a new update to its Easy Anti-Cheat software to support Linux and Mac operating systems.
The European Union is proposing new legislation enforcing USB Type-C as the default charging port on all mobile devices moving forward.
Kioxia shares details of the company's upcoming PCIe 5.0 drive from the CD7 series of data center SSDs.
If you’re a fan of Portal, you’ll appreciate this motion-activated turret project by maker TinkerTurtle, featuring a Raspberry Pi Zero inside.
At Dell, the Alienware m15 R6 with a powerful RTX 3060 GPU is now over $300 off — taking the price down to just $1,179.99!
Gigabyte has updated its workstation PC lineup with the latest AMD Ryzen and Ryzen Threadripper processors.
TeamGroup has introduced its new family of SSDs that are equipped with a dedicated all-in-one liquid cooling system (LCS).
Thai Modder Suchao Prowphong has created this gaming room diorama as as prize in an Intel Gamer Days contest.
AMD CEO Lisa Su and Nvidia chief scientist William Dally joined the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
Valve has today posted a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to help answer the concerns of gamers.
Changing your password in Windows 11 is a simple process, provided that you’re using a local account.
At Newegg, the EVGA X17 gaming mouse is now just $29.99 after a huge $50 price cut — that’s a 63% discount!
JamHamster is at it again with this gorgeous all-in-one Raspberry Pi arcade joystick controller project.
The Surface Pro 8 has slimmed down bezels and a higher thermal envelope, making it a reinvention inside and out.
Microsoft has announced the Surface Go 3 with 10th Gen Intel processors, and is adding a cheaper, Wi-Fi only version of the Surface Pro X.
Microsoft's Surface Duo has 5G and stronger performance due to the Snapdragon Qualcomm 888 processor. That's on top of several minor changes to make it feel more premium.


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LOS ANGELES, Dec. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As Johnson & Johnson's flagship product, talcum powder has become an integral part of the personal care culture in the United States. Yet many consumers are unaware of talcum powder's dark history, and the potential risk of ovarian cancer it poses to the women using it daily.
MedTruth has created a one-minute video to summarize the potential risks, research and litigation surrounding talcum powder and cancer, in addition to a petition demanding Johnson & Johnson add warning labels to their talcum powder products.
Johnson & Johnson faces more than 14,000 claims that its baby powder causes cancer. Following media reports of internal documents indicating company knowledge of the dangers of their powder, thousands of plaintiffs now accuse J&J of knowing about the potential cancer risks.
The short video, "Take Action: Talcum Powder Cancer Warnings | #TruthonTalc" concisely outlines the major developments surrounding this decades-old secret. In 1971, British researchers found talcum particles "deeply embedded" in 10 of 13 ovarian tumors. In 1982, the link between long-term talcum powder use and ovarian cancer was statistically proven and published in the medical journal, Cancer.
Since then, multiple studies have identified an association between talcum powder and ovarian cancer. The research has emerged from organizations and publications like Obstetrics & Gynecology, The National Toxicology Program, Jersey Journal, American Journal of Epidemiology and Health Canada.
In a 2018 study titled "Perineal Talc Use and Ovarian Cancer," results indicate that perineal talc use is associated with a 24-39% increased risk of ovarian cancer.
"The confirmation of an association in cohort studies between perineal talc use and serous invasive ovarian cancer is suggestive of a causal association," according to the study authors.
"The research is there, but the findings haven't been considered significant. More recently, stronger research has indicated a causal relationship," said Ashley Lombardo, managing editor at MedTruth, who has been reporting on talcum powder risks since 2016. "Let the consumer decide."
MedTruth is calling on health organizations and consumer advocates to sign and circulate the petition. Please email [email protected] to get involved.


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E-commerce markets are growing at noticeable rates. The online market is expected to grow by 56% in 2015–2020. In 2017, retail e-commerce sales worldwide amounted to 2.3 trillion US dollars and e-retail revenues are projected to grow to 4.88 trillion US dollars in 2021. Traditional markets are only expected 2% growth during the same time. Brick and mortar retailers are struggling because of online retailer's ability to offer lower prices and higher efficiency. Many larger retailers are able to maintain a presence offline and online by linking physical and online offerings.
There are plenty of guides to marketing. From textbooks to online video tutorials, you can really take your pick. But, we felt that there was something missing — a guide that really starts at the beginning to equip already-intelligent professionals with a healthy balance of strategic and tactical advice. The Beginner’s Guide to Online Marketing closes that gap.
Brand awareness has been proven to work with more effectiveness in countries that are high in uncertainty avoidance, also these countries that have uncertainty avoidance; social media marketing works effectively. Yet brands must be careful not to be excessive on the use of this type of marketing, as well as solely relying on it as it may have implications that could negatively harness their image. Brands that represent themselves in an anthropomorphizing manner are more likely to succeed in situations where a brand is marketing to this demographic. "Since social media use can enhance the knowledge of the brand and thus decrease the uncertainty, it is possible that people with high uncertainty avoidance, such as the French, will particularly appreciate the high social media interaction with an anthropomorphized brand." Moreover, digital platform provides an ease to the brand and its customers to interact directly and exchange their motives virtually.
One small business owner Chad White, the owner of Class-Tech Cars, a Virginia-based small business that sells reproduction automotive parts online, recently testified before Congress that he has a part-time employee who — before the Wayfair decision — was able to collect and remit all applicable sales taxes in just a few hours each week. However, White said the ruling in the case “gives me, and millions of small businesses across the country, pause as we consider what lies ahead for Internet-enabled entrepreneurs.”
E-commerce brings convenience for customers as they do not have to leave home and only need to browse website online, especially for buying the products which are not sold in nearby shops. It could help customers buy wider range of products and save customers’ time. Consumers also gain power through online shopping. They are able to research products and compare prices among retailers. Also, online shopping often provides sales promotion or discounts code, thus it is more price effective for customers. Moreover, e-commerce provides products’ detailed information; even the in-store staff cannot offer such detailed explanation. Customers can also review and track the order history online.
Jim Boykin blows my mind every time I talk to him. I have been doing SEO for 15 years and yet I am amazed at the deep stuff Jim comes up with. Simply amazing insights and always on the cutting edge. He cuts through the BS and tells you what really works and what doesn't. After our chat, I grabbed my main SEO guy and took him to lunch and said "you have to help me process all this new info..." I was literally pacing around the room...I have so many new ideas to experiment with that I would never have stumbled onto on my own. He is the Michael Jordan or the Jerry Garcia of links...Hope to go to NY again to Jim's amazing SEO classes. Thanks Jim! Michael G.
Once the company has identified the target demographic for its Internet marketing campaign, they then decide what online platforms will comprise the campaign. For instance, a company that is seeking customers from the 18 to 33 demographic should develop a mobile application that raises awareness about the product, such as a game, a news feed, or a daily coupon program users can download for free.
To the great disappointment of many small business owners and supporters of federalism, the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Wayfair v. South Dakota opened the door for states to impose an internet sales tax, even on businesses that have no physical presence in their borders. Because Congress has the constitutional authority to regulate interstate commerce, it is now considering ways to address this newfound taxing authority. Congress must take this opportunity to use its power to protect small businesses from these taxes and perhaps to at least work to slow the process down while a long term solution is explored. The strength of the American economy depends on it.
One simplification is already in existence. It has been suggested by a previous Marketplace Fairness Act to expand an existing organization to help keep the process of collecting internet sales taxes fair. This non-profit organization, called Streamlined Sales Tax (SST)was created in 1999 as a way to i "simplify and modernize sales tax administration." At present, 44 states have agreed to participate, with centralized administration and reciprocity agreements, standardized tax rates, and uniform tax bases.
Still, before we get there, there's a whole lot of information to grasp. As an online marketer myself, it's important that I convey the truth about the industry to you so that you don't get sucked up into the dream. While there are legitimate marketers like Sharpe out there ready and willing to help, there are loads of others that are simply looking to help part you from your hard-earned cash. Before you do anything, gather all of the information you can.
For traditional businesses, one research stated that information technology and cross-border e-commerce is a good opportunity for the rapid development and growth of enterprises. Many companies have invested enormous volume of investment in mobile applications. The DeLone and McLean Model stated that three perspectives contribute to a successful e-business: information system quality, service quality and users' satisfaction. There is no limit of time and space, there are more opportunities to reach out to customers around the world, and to cut down unnecessary intermediate links, thereby reducing the cost price, and can benefit from one on one large customer data analysis, to achieve a high degree of personal customization strategic plan, in order to fully enhance the core competitiveness of the products in company.
Cross-platform measurement: The number of marketing channels continues to expand, as measurement practices are growing in complexity. A cross-platform view must be used to unify audience measurement and media planning. Market researchers need to understand how the Omni-channel affects consumer's behaviour, although when advertisements are on a consumer's device this does not get measured. Significant aspects to cross-platform measurement involves de-duplication and understanding that you have reached an incremental level with another platform, rather than delivering more impressions against people that have previously been reached (Whiteside, 2016). An example is ‘ESPN and comScore partnered on Project Blueprint discovering the sports broadcaster achieved a 21% increase in unduplicated daily reach thanks to digital advertising’ (Whiteside, 2016). Television and radio industries are the electronic media, which competes with digital and other technological advertising. Yet television advertising is not directly competing with online digital advertising due to being able to cross platform with digital technology. Radio also gains power through cross platforms, in online streaming content. Television and radio continue to persuade and affect the audience, across multiple platforms (Fill, Hughes, & De Franceso, 2013).
“After I made my comments earlier this year I had the opportunity to talk to several retail stakeholders and realized that by not collecting these taxes we were creating an unfair disadvantage to main street businesses in West Virginia,” said the Governor in a statement released by his office. “By collecting sales tax on transactions with out-of-state internet retailers we level the playing field for our local businesses.”
But South Dakota, as well as a number of other states, asked the high court to overturn Quill, targeting the online home-goods retailer Wayfair and two other large online retailers with millions of dollars of sales to South Dakotans businesses, arguing that the state was missing out on revenue from online transactions, even though the companies have no physical presence in South Dakota. The Court agreed that the large retailers who were targeted by South Dakota were not protected by the Quill physical presence standard, but in overturning precedent the Court may expose millions of that protected small businesses to the from taxing authorities in other states.


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Carriers from coast to coast are touting their efforts to shrink their carbon footprint with electric vehicles (EVs) and self-driving trucks. But a report from the U.K. says there’s a simpler way to cut emissions: by using two wheels instead of four.
If delivery companies switched to using cargo bikes instead of diesel vans for the first and last mile of a package’s journey, it would save the British National Health Service (NHS) and other government services some $5 billion, according to the analysis from Pedal & Post, an Oxford, U.K., startup that uses cargo bikes to make urban deliveries.
Those estimates are derived from savings from reduced congestion, decreased air pollution, better health outcomes for riders, and fewer accidents and greenhouse gas emissions, Chris Benton, CEO of Pedal and Post, said in a release. The study cited research finding that the hidden social and environmental costs associated with diesel vans total $3.1 billion in London alone and that 33% of all urban deliveries could be done by cargo bikes or e-cargo bikes.“The potential to clean up our air and grow the U.K. economy is huge,” Benton said in the statement. “Pollution from diesel van deliveries costs the NHS nearly $31,000 across the lifetime of the van, compared to around $186 for an electric cargo bike. We also know that cargo bikes can deliver more parcels per hour than the average van and produce 92% less greenhouse gas emissions per delivery, so it really is a no brainer to make the switch.”
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Next week, at the WWD Apparel & Retail CEO Summit in New York, McKinsey & Co. Inc. reports findings from an executive survey that sheds light onto the importance of speed to market, improving the supply chain and leveraging consumer data and insights. Preliminary findings of the report showed that 64 percent of respondents cited improving omnichannel capabilities and supply chain efficiencies as a "top priority."The survey, done in partnership with WWD, also stressed the importance of "wiring" consumer insights and data into the business of a brand or retailer."Just as important as gathering the data and deriving insights is making sure the insights are actionable to the business, and as such are tied to specific decisions within the business," researchers of the report noted. "Oftentimes the amount of data available can be overwhelming to business users."The report went on to state that the "breadth of applications from data and insights into product decision-making are broad" and also includes product development and design platforms as well as solutions that can be used for "sharper forecasting and better downstream inventory management.""For example, StitchFix is using consumer insights-driven algorithms to design new clothes, while Victoria’s Secret runs panties on a speed program to be able to read initial sales results for test products in store and be back in-stock in 15 to 25 days," authors of the report noted.Participants of the survey also shared their perspectives on adopting these technologies with several noting that while leveraging insights and data as well as improving speed to market is necessary in today's market, maintaining the "DNA of the brand" as well as focusing on offering compelling products to consumers should remain a priority.Jennifer Schmidt, senior partner at McKinsey & Co., said companies are adapting and making changes in regard to improving the supply chain and increasing speed to market, but it is taking time. “Brands and retailers are figuring it out, but with the supply chain many are still tethered to a single model — and it is a model that results in long lead times.”Schmidt also said companies have spent a lot of time optimizing for cost. But consumer demands are now forcing brands and retailers to “optimize for speed.”
@moncler unveiled its latest project, #MonclerGenius, yesterday at Milan Fashion Week. The Italian outwear maker gave show-goers a preview of the monthly collections – which were created by eight designers and creative talents including Pierpaolo Piccioli, Simone Rocha, Craig Green and more – that will start rolling out in the summer.
In honor of Rihanna’s 30th birthday, we took a look back at an interview with the Barbados-native when she was just 18 years old. Here, she talked about her second album, “A Girl Like Me” in 2006. “I want to be me. I want people to fall in love with who Rihanna is, and that’s why I want the album to be about me so people can really find out who this girl Rihanna is, because they only know the ‘Pon de Replay’ girl.” Fast forward 12 years, and she’s released six more albums and has become a powerhouse in both the fashion and music industries. Happy birthday, @badgalriri 🎈(📷: Pavel Antonov) #wwdarchive


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Posted on January 9, 2022 at 6:11 PM
The FBI has warned that threat actors are sending malicious USB flash drive devices via mail to different US firms to plant ransomware ad carry out attacks.
As super-fast 5G networks are springing up and the use of online devices surges, hackers are taking the opportunity to infiltrate systems and steal sensitive information, As a result, many companies are now offering rewards to ethical hackers who can successfully dislodge their security systems before black hackers do.
Based on the report by BleepingComputer, the FBI warned that the threat actors named FIN7 are sending malicious packages to different computers, with each of the packages containing malware-spreading flash drives.
The Hackers Pretend To Be From U.S. Agencies
Additionally, the FBI also noted that the threat actors are pretending to be from the e-commerce giant Amazon or the US Department of Health and Human Services. They trick their targets into receiving the ransomware packages.
The FBI also discovered that that the package the threat group has been delivering to their targets includes a bogus letter on the guidelines for COVID-19 from Amazon online gift cards or the HHS. The Bureau also confirmed that the hacking incident has been ongoing since August last year.
Also, it has received reports that several packages containing USB have been delivered to US businesses in the defense, insurance, and transportation industries. According to the FBI, the suspicious packages are delivered through the United Parcel Service or via United States Postal Services.
Apart from the letters of impersonation, the Bureau noted that the packages also contain a Lily Go USB hard drive that could be used to install ransomware to the computers of targeted users.
Additionally, the USB drive on the package can be used to execute a BadUSB attack when they are connected to the targeted computer.
The report also noted that the threat actors use a thumb drive on the BadUSB attack to install itself in the system and act like a keyboard device rather than a USB flash drive. Afterward, it can launch attacks on the infected computer when it carries out automated keystrokes.
It then proceeds to download and install malware on the targeted computer, and subsequently attack the entire network connected to the computer, leading to another successful attack.
The BadUSD Delivered Some Of The Most Notorious Ransomware
The FBI also noted that the BadUSD attack is responsible for delivering two of the most notorious ransomware out there, namely Revil and Black matter to the networks of the targeted victims.
The attackers are hoping that their targets will be deceived to stick the ransom USB stick into their systems, which creates the opportunity for ransomware attacks or the deployment of other malicious software.
These threat actors delivering the malicious sticks have done their homework to make sure that they look genuine. As a result, the FBI has warned
FIN7 is a notorious sophisticated cybercriminal gang that has reportedly stolen more than $1 billion through various ransomware ad financial-hacking schemes.
It has also been linked to popular ransomware families in the past. Cybersecurity researchers have also stated that the threat group has gone as far as establishing fake cybersecurity companies to recruit IT talents for its malicious operations.
Most researchers have described them as innovative, and always change their attack methods to have more opportunities to deceive their targets.
Users Have Been Warned To Be Very Cautious
Although it may seem absurd for anyone to plug a ransom USB stick into a computer that is exactly what several people do when they have the opportunity. In some instances, a threat actor may knowingly leave a malicious drive in a company’s parking lot with the hope that someone with less security consciousness would pick it and plug it into the computer’s drive.
This is not the first time threat actors have used USB as a vector for ransomware attacks. In September last year, some ransomware groups approached workers of some organizations ad tried to unleash ransomware on their computers to gain more access to their company’s servers. Just like the latest act, they used sticks in the hope that the employees will plug them into their computers. There have been other recent similar developments, and employees have been advised to be vigilant against these forms of attacks.
Security researchers other agencies have warned users not to accept gifts from strangers. Also, if they are not sure where a USB stick came from, it’s better not to plug them in their system to avoid infecting their system with malware.


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Advanced software trends are made things very simple.
Not only has software development affected how we engage with technology, but it has also altered how we live. In the past, software was employed for simple tasks like data processing. It has recently developed into a potent instrument that aids in organizing, analyzing, and comprehending challenging tasks. The opportunities it presents grow as the software does. Whether you are a software engineer, software development company, or tech enthusiast, keeping yourself updated with the changing software trends becomes extremely important. The following software trends are anticipated to have a greater-than-usual impact on how we interact with technology in 2023.
In 2023, a dynamic interaction of new trends will influence the landscape of human resources software. These developments represent a digital transformation that is streamlining HR activities more than ever, from the incorporation of AI-driven recruiting tools that improve candidate sourcing and screening to the growing deployment of remote work management platforms enabling smooth collaboration. As tailored learning paths and wellness apps become essential components of HR suites and analytics-driven insights enable data-informed decision-making, the employee experience takes center stage. Blockchain-powered solutions are becoming more popular for boosting security and transparency in HR processes in the midst of these seismic developments. To fully realize the potential of their organizations’ human capital management in 2023, HR professionals must adopt these trends.
Earlier, businesses needed an on-site IT department and a storage system in order to store data. But now, thanks to cloud computing, all the business needs to access its data is a monthly or yearly subscription and an internet connection. They will benefit from this, and it is economical. They don’t need to buy their own infrastructure and can scale up without any issues. Anyone who has been given permission can view the data at any time without having to contact the IT team and wait for a response.
Businesses and governmental organizations began embracing cloud computing in 2022. Now, in 2023, more businesses are realizing the value of multi-cloud computing as well as the worldwide significance of cloud computing. Businesses are transferring to many cloud providers, which encourages security and flexibility.
Moreover, 2023 may be the year of the commercial breakthrough of cloud gaming. Because Google Stadia requires high-speed internet, the majority of people couldn’t utilize it in the past, but things have changed with the advent of the new 5G network and other technology.
The fifth generation of mobile networks is known as 5G. Virtual links between machines, objects, and devices will be possible. In 2023, 5G is anticipated to be fully used, giving businesses additional opportunities to collect data from various sources and use analytics. Moreover, it will support greater connectivity, lower latency, and higher speeds up adoption. Consumers will also profit from this since they will have smoother gameplay, faster downloads, and better audio and video streaming. Finally, 5G will assist in cutting down on energy use and improve coverage for isolated and rural locations.
Using the Edge
The upcoming significant software trend is edge computing. It is a strategy that places computation and data storage close to the users, enabling real-time data processing independent of the cloud. Businesses profit from this technology’s decreased latency and enhanced performance. They will be able to handle data more rapidly and arrive at better judgements thanks to edge computing, which can enhance customer service. Because the data would remain on the company’s network, edge computing will also make it possible for more secure data storage. Edge computing will make it simpler for IoT devices to connect to the cloud, enabling more connected experiences.
Internet of Things (IoT)
An developing technology called the Internet of Things (IoT) links actual physical objects to the internet. It enables remote monitoring, management, and control of these items. IoT will grow in importance even more in 2023. It will be used by businesses to get client feedback and enhance their offerings. Additionally, they will leverage IoT to automate procedures and duties to increase their effectiveness and efficiency. Additionally, they will develop new goods and services using IoT, such as connected autos and smart home technology. Companies can gain a deeper understanding of their clients and enhance the customer experience by utilising the data received through IoT devices.
Internet of Behaviour (IoB) The IoB is a new software trend that has the potential to change how businesses engage with their clients. It uses machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) technology to evaluate client behavior and produce individualised experiences. Companies caBehavior more individualised services by using IoB to acquire insights into client preferences and habits. As businesses explore ways to improve their interactions with customers and the experiences they receive, IoB will spread even farther in 2023. By the use of IoB, businesses will be able to learn from client input to develop better products and services.
More Python Usage
Python is a potent programming language that is frequently used in the creation of software. Its use is anticipated to increase in 2023 as developers explore ways to make software that is better, faster, and more effective. Python’s libraries and frameworks can assist developers in swiftly producing effective applications, and its syntax is simple to master. Python is a crucial tool for organisations because it can be used to create applications for machine learning and artificial intelligence. In 2023, Python will be a required language for software development due to its rising popularity.
Hybrid apps have always defeated native apps because they’re cheaper and easier to make. In 2023, app developers will realize Nativity’s potential.
Native development involves creating mobile apps for a specific platform and OS. Native programming lets developers create fast-responding apps with a better user experience. In 2023, more companies will use native development to optimize their apps and devices. Apps that interact with voice assistants and linked home systems will be created using native programming.
Virtual, mixed, and augmented reality
In 2023, augmented, virtual, and mixed reality applications will continue to gain popularity. Companies can use these technologies to create immersive experiences that blend the real and virtual worlds. Augmented reality (AR) can be used to incorporate digital content into real-world settings. VR may be utilized to create completely immersive experiences. In mixed reality (MR), people can engage with both real and virtual objects, giving them the best of both worlds. By 2023, these technologies will be employed to provide more immersive experiences in both gaming and retail environments. These technologies will help businesses stand out from their competitors by providing individuals with more intriguing experiences.
AI just saw a boom in popularity and will continue to generate attention in 2023 as it infiltrates our daily lives. No one can disagree that AI has the potential to revolutionise the world, for better or worse, despite its poor reputation among creatives. AI finds extensive application across diverse industries including, but not limited to, entertainment, healthcare, and education. A notable example of its educational application is the AI essay writer, which is particularly beneficial in enhancing academic writing. It will be much more common in 2023 as individuals utilise it to automate repetitive chores, improve customer service, and develop new goods. A good example is the AI code review tool, which assists developers in testing software code more quickly and efficiently.
The availability and usability of AI-enabled and 3D product configuration will increase, products will increase, enabling businesses to provide more specialised services. Also, AI will be able to handle data more quickly and effectively with the advancement of 5G and edge computing. By 2023, AI may have fully incorporated itself into our daily lives as it continues to advance.
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Britons’ holiday money goes further
BRITISH tourists are finding their holiday money going further not just in the eurozone but in many other destinations as well, according to a survey. Around 80 per cent of world currencies are now weaker against the pound than they were last year, the survey from Post Office travel Money found. Brazil, South Africa and Mexico are among the holiday spots where sterling has strengthened the most over the last 12 months. Other currencies which have crashed against sterling include the Polish zloty, the Hungarian forint, the Czech koruna and the turkish lira.


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Asda will open a new home-delivery hub in August to serve north London, creating 100 delivery driver jobs.
The supermarket giant, which recently announced its intention to acquire rival Netto, has signed a 15-year lease at the Acentrum Park distribution site in Enfield.
"This is an innovative system for home shopping. Rather than filling out customer orders in-store, Asda colleagues will now pick efficiently and quickly at the site, completing twice as many orders per hour," a spokesman for Asda tells Roadtransport.com.
A total of 300 jobs will be created, including the 100 delivery driver jobs. Recruitment is ongoing and applications can be made via Job Centre Plus in Enfield.
Asda says its fleet procurement process for 2010 is complete, so no new vans will be purchased.
Abington, South Lanarkshire general haulier Reive and Grossart has joined the Palletforce network, covering the KA and PA1 to PA19 ... more
Sumo Heavy Haulage has taken delivery of two Euro-6 Mercedes-Benz Gigaspace 2551 trucks from Hull-based Northside, that are claimed to be ... more
Palletline has launched Plus Logistics in response to fierce competition within the pallet network sector, which is driving prices down at a ... more