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Smart Kids TV comes to iOs devices
Subscribers to Ameba, the Winnipeg-based multi-platform digital distribution service for kids entertainment, will be able to view content through their devices' web browsers.
Winnipeg, Canada-based Ameba, the multi-platform digital distribution service for kids entertainment, has given subscribers of its Smart Kids TV service the ability to view its content through a web browser on their Apple devices.
The new support for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch gives Ameba’s subscribers a new way to vide the thousands of hours of content on the digital distribution service.
The service is currently in more than 1.5 million homes in North America through LG Smart TVs, ROKU set-top boxes, PCs and laptops.


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Quick Takes 4-15-04
Springfield entrepreneur Goldman G. Burnes's newest product, Goldman's Gourmet Marinated Chicken Breast, hits area store shelves next week. The low-carb precooked chicken breasts -- which Burnes describes as "the ultimate in palatable delight" -- join a family of products that includes his popular line of sauces.
Cub Foods will be the first here to carry the chicken breasts, starting April 22. Burnes says it took three years to get the chicken to market. "No one knows what it takes to see a product through," he says. "It's a tough thing." Goldman's Gourmet, which employs 10 locally, also plans to introduce a wing sauce and beer-and-brats mustard. And the company's busily working on other precooked entrées.
The youngest son in a family of 18 kids, Burnes launched his company in 1995, and within a few years, he was recognized by the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce as Minority Small Business Owner of the Year. A few business setbacks followed, but Burnes, 48, says he never lost confidence. It was a matter of getting the right people aboard. "What makes the difference now in my business is I have professional people here with me," he says.
EAT AND MEET
While we're on the subject of Cub Foods, the store at 2833 South Grand Ave. E. hosts a cook-out to benefit Team Unity from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 17.
Team Unity is the youth council of Unity for Our Community. Rib eyes, bratwursts, butterfly pork chop sandwiches will be sold. Deputy registrars will be present to register voters.

domain: news


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Search giant Google on Friday revealed that it will allow select Android apps to integrate with Google Now — Â the company's answer to Apple's Siri digital assistant — allowing users of services like AirBnB, Pandora, and Lyft to pull that data into Now.
Each of the new apps will be allowed to present context-sensitive information in the form of a Now card, rather than relying on system notifications. Pandora could surface music recommendations during users' commuting time, for instance, while Lyft might populate a card for ordering a ride when the user arrives at an airport.
Google product manager Aparna Chennapragada said in a blog post that the new cards would be made available over the "next few weeks." There is no word on when, or if, Google will open up Now to the general population of developers or bring the features to its iOS app.
The full list of new Now partners includes AirBnB, Instacart, Pandora, Shazam, Lyft, TripAdvisor, Kayak, eBay, Walgreens, Ford, Waze, Strava, Duolingo, Mint, The Economist, The Guardian, Bellyflop, Coinbase, Redfin, Zillow, Life360, HootSuite, Wattpad, Runtastic, Delivery Hero, Hailo, mytaxi, busuu, ESPN, Housing, Meru Cabs, Shaadi, The Economic Times, CookPad, SmartNews, Suumo, BookMyShow, and Lincoln.
Apple has long been rumored to be considering expanding the Siri API, though such a change has yet to materialize. The company did add a number of new features to Siri in iOS 8, including integration with Shazam.


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FundServ was looking
for a business process management solution that could help establish new business rules for automating additional facets of certain financial transactions. It encountered a sea of large providers, all of which lacked the type of “”focused application”” the company craved, explained Carol De Veau, FundServ’s vice-president of business development.
FundServ, the operator of a large investment fund transaction processing system, said it had chosen Sajus’ BPM solution as part of an effort to monitor and optimize business processes, particularly as they relate to nearly three million transactions that flow across its infrastructure every month. FundServ’s transaction system oversees serves nearly 200 investment fund managers, close to 500 distributors and over 40 intermediaries.
Key to the company’s operations is the ability to “”help our customers zero in on areas that can increase their automation levels,”” explained De Veau. The company hopes Sajus’ solution will provide the necessary analytical tools to figure out the business rules that drive the automation of the investment fund industry, she added.
“”There’s an understanding that certain kinds of transactions have certain business rules. And this tool helps you create (those) rules … and look at the exceptions to those rules.””
Prior to adopting BPM Suite, FundServ relied on internal program developers who may have run some analysis of transaction sets, but didn’t have an ongoing analytical tool, said De Veau. “”
By adopting Sajus’ solution, FundSERV can “”truly understand which customers aren’t taking full advantage of (automation), and then go to them to reduce the costs that they pay for transactions,”” said Matthew Smith, vice-president of sales and marketing at Sajus.
De Veau emphasized the software will not “”spit out a solution”” but will provide the company with data it can use to then steer customers toward further automation opportunities.
De Veau noted the ongoing move toward straight through processing within the retail investment fund industry. And FundServ recognizes there is room for more automation than currently exists, she said.
“”We certainly are far along in automating workflow, but in order to go further we recognize that we need to do some analysis that needs to be broad enough to cover our customers.””
Warren Shiau, research manager of Canadian software markets and directions at IDC Canada, also recognized there is room for additional automation of financial transactions.
“”Even (in areas where) there’s a lot of automation, it doesn’t always tend to be across a whole process,”” Shiau said. “”There can be automation of individual elements. And you see that even in enterprise applications. The entire process of taking an order and delivering it to the customer, all your internal accounting, your internal inventory and manufacturing control, all those pieces aren’t always linked together.””
However, Shiau said the automation of financial transactions has come a long way in the last 10 years. In 1994, if someone went to pick up a cheque from their brokerage account in downtown Toronto, “”they’d tell you to go to the cage full of a whole bunch of people typing away on machines.
“”There, you’d get a whole bunch of tickets and you’d get your cheque. Nowadays, you have your bank account tied into your brokerage account, and you can (automatically) access it right from there,”” he said.
Comment: [email protected]


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Many potato and onion growers near the Oregon-California border don't have time for the alfalfa they grow as a rotation crop. They plant and irrigate it, but don't want to harvest and market it.
And that's just fine with Tim Parks and Denis Hickey. They've built a successful custom harvesting business while marketing their customers' hay. In fact, the alfalfa's usually sold before their balers hit the fields.
Parks & Hickey Hay Sales, Merrill, OR, sells more than 25,000 tons of hay each year, says Parks. Of that, around 10,000 tons are custom harvested and another 10,000 are bought and sold. They put up nearly 6,000 tons of their own hay.
Both former potato growers, Parks and Hickey had grown weary of the risky nature of that business and started their hay operation over five years ago.
“The area we're in is small,” says Parks. “We're kind of the big fish in a little pond. There's only a couple hundred thousand acres here and we do a big part of the alfalfa.”
Their clients have their hands full with their potato and onion ventures, adds Park. “They don't want to fool with the hay. For about six months, the haying business is seven days a week, 24 hours a day, and those guys aren't set up for that.”
The growers are also happy that Parks, who handles most of the summer baling, and Hickey, who manages the trucking, have ready hay markets. After selling the hay, the custom harvesters write checks to their clients, taking out harvesting, selling and shipping fees.
“We're probably marketing 60% to California dairies, 20% for export and 20% to feed stores,” Parks says. Exported hay is handled through other brokers. “Most of the guys we sell to are from the countries we export to and they understand all the ins and outs. Exporting is a pretty complicated business.”
They market their clients' hay on test to four large dairies, with 4,000 cows or more, and about 20 smaller dairies. Their goal is to provide alfalfa in the 23% protein range. “Last year the quality was way off; we had a hot year and a lot of problems,” Parks says.
A major quality challenge, of course, is having enough water in this Klamath Falls region.
“We had a real poor winter as far as precipitation goes, and I expect to see some problems,” Parks says. “It really depends on how much water comes out of the mountains.”


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NEW DELHI - NMDC Ltd. hopes to sign a joint venture pact with Russia's OAO Severstal by December to set up a steel plant that would cost 150 billion rupees ($3.1 billion), the chairman of India's largest iron-ore miner by output said Wednesday.
Rana Som also said that the state-run company is now looking to increase the capacity of the proposed joint-venture mill, in southern India's Karnataka state, to 3.0 million tons a year from 2.0 million tons planned when the initial pact was signed in December 2010.
"Our initial study shows that a bigger-size plant will be more viable," Mr. Som told reporters after a company performance review by the federal steel ministry.
NMDC's foray into the steel sector is part of its diversification to capitalize on growing demand for the alloy from sectors such as construction and automobiles. It is setting up another 3.0-million-ton plant in eastern Chhattisgarh state.
Demand for steel in India is expected to grow 10% a year in the next decade. That has prompted local steelmakers such as Tata Steel Ltd. to expand and also attracted global players such as ArcelorMittal and South Korea's Posco to get a toehold in the market.
Mr. Som also said that NMDC and Severstal will have equal stakes in the joint venture and will appoint a senior management team soon for the project. The partners are finalizing the product mix of the proposed mill, he said.
"We have already requisitioned around 2,800 acres for the project and have also identified a water resource for it," Mr. Som said.
Separately, Mr. Som said NMDC is looking to sell at least 200,000 tons of iron ore this week through a court-mandated auction in Karnataka.
India's Supreme Court has banned iron-ore mining in three districts of Karnataka to prevent illegal mining. It also mandated an auction for selling up to 2.5 million tons of iron ore a month, of which NMDC can sell 1.0 million tons.
Mr. Som also said the company expects to sign a long-term contract for export of iron ore to Japanese and South Korean mills by December.


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The New York Times reports on Apple’s success. Charles Wolf, an analyst at Needham & Company, provides insight into the reasons for Apple’s highest 3rd Quarter earnings in eight years: “Apple’s music products ha[ve] become something of a Trojan horse for the company as the popularity of the iTunes service and the iPod are clearly helping sell Macs. ‘The Apple Macintosh is starting to be a growth story,” he said. “Music is starting to drive Mac sales.'”
Amazing, isn’t it? That sales of a sleek, well-designed portable music player could be a catalyst to drive sales of Mac computers. Who’d of thunk it?


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Digitimes today reports that Compal Electronics has received an order for 100,000 netbooks from Nokia. Nokia detailed its Booklet 3G at Nokia World, Stuttgart yesterday morning and to everyone's surprise the device is priced at over $810. While this price tag is expected to be heavily subsidized by carriers, it hasn't stopped people from declaring that the device is much too expensive for a netbook.
According to Digitimes, Nokia's price point aims to avoid stiff competition presented by the already very crowded netbook space. How much would you pay for the device? Peep the specs below and let us know what you think it's worth.
*Image Credit: Digitimes


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There seems to be no shortage of opinions when it comes to Facebook’s Libra cryptocurrency. While some voices believe that Libra (trustless or not) is a good thing for facilitating cross-border payments, others are not so sure.
Many believe that a lack of trust in the giant social media corporation will be the biggest stumbling block to its release. But regulators, central banks, and governments aside, what’s the overall cryptocurrency market sentiment towards the project?
The Libra cryptocurrency is being criticised globally
There’s been a good amount of backlash and scepticism towards Mark Zuckerberg’s proposed virtual coin. As recently as Monday of this week, the European Central Bank’s legal official Yves Mersch poured further criticism on the Libra cryptocurrency, calling it “beguiling but treacherous”.
Moreover, French central bank governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau has expressed concern over how Libra will manage its AML requirements and protect consumer data.
US President Donald Trump has been equally scathing in his attacks on Libra, stating that there is “only one real currency in the USA, and it is stronger than ever, both dependable and reliable”. He also tweeted that if Facebook wanted to become a bank, it must “become subject to all Banking Regulations”.
….Similarly, Facebook Libra’s “virtual currency” will have little standing or dependability. If Facebook and other companies want to become a bank, they must seek a new Banking Charter and become subject to all Banking Regulations, just like other Banks, both National…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2019
We know that regulators and central banks around the world are far from receiving Libra with open arms. But, as the antithesis of a peer-to-peer transfer or store of value that requires no centralised authorities or capital controls, how does the cryptocurrency community feel about its impact?
When the white paper came out initially, cryptocurrency advocate and Wyoming Blockchain Taskforce member Caitlin Long weighed up the pros and cons. She started out by saying that it was clear that “Facebook completely misunderstands money” but that Libra was “a helpful detour that advances the crypto cause” and widens the conversation.
5/ …THANK YOU @facebook for widening the conversation about what money really is. That is a true service to society. #Libra is the first denationalized "money" (I'll always use quotations when referring to it as such) that billions of people in the world will encounter…
— Caitlin Long 🔑 (@CaitlinLong_) June 18, 2019
Cryptocurrency market sentiment towards Libra
A report released by intelligence agency Cindicator yesterday claims to be the first evaluation of cryptocurrency market sentiment towards Libra. The 18-page report, entitled “Libra: the race for a global currency is on, uncertainty is high”, dives into the characteristics of the proposed virtual coin as well as its technical capabilities and limitations, competitors in the crypto space, and overall market impact.
The findings were unsurprisingly mixed. Crypto analysts are split down the middle when it comes to the Libra cryptocurrency. Some 45% said that they planned to use Libra while 48% stated that they would avoid it completely. Among the most common reasons for sidestepping Zuckerberg’s creation are a lack of trust in Facebook (29%), the cryptocurrency’s inherently centralised nature (31%), and concerns over data privacy (11%).
Those in favour of Facebook’s currency believe that Libra will be the catalyst to mass adoption of cryptocurrencies in general. This, they argue, can only be a good thing for the industry at large.
Interestingly, while many remain distrustful of the social media company’s motives and the possible negative outcomes, more than 75% of respondents believe that it’s just a matter of time before another major player announces its own cryptocurrency. Some 22% believe it will be Amazon, while 14% cited Google, 10% Apple, and 8.5% Walmart.
Co-founder and CTO of Cindicator, Yuri Lobyntsev, said:
“We see that trust is the biggest issue for Libra. I think Mark Zuckerberg will get flak from everybody, including regulators and investors. He’d have to go through fire and water to keep control over his position at Facebook. If he withstands this heat and secures Libra on idealistic principles, this will be a revolution and the largest monopoly on the planet.”
Is Libra a competitor to Bitcoin?
Whether or not Libra is a competitor to Bitcoin depends on your point of view and which use cases you look at. Fundamentally, Libra is a payment system while Bitcoin has established itself as a store of value. Libra is monitored by centralised institutions whereas Bitcoin runs on a decentralised protocol. The two are different at the very core.
However, if you consider cases such as Argentina or Venezuela, it’s certainly possible that the Libra cryptocurrency will eat into Bitcoin’s market share in these regions simply for ease of use and established brand recognition. However, those analysts bullish on Libra believe that it will be the gateway to crypto for large audiences that have never used (or even heard of) it before.
Moreover, while Libra will be pegged to a basket of global fiat currencies and has an almost ETF-like structure, it certainly doesn’t present the same opportunities for investment as other cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
According to the Cindicator report, Libra’s biggest competitors are more likely to be Telegram’s mysterious TON, Binance’s Venus, TAP on MakerDAO, and even China’s central bank digital currency, as well as other potential new entrants.
Facebook’s cryptocurrency could potentially help a lot of people around the world and bring new eyes to cryptocurrencies in general. However, there are few people jumping up and down on the sidelines awaiting its arrival.
The cryptocurrency industry, just like the wider outside world, is undecided and divided, and it seems that Zuckerberg will have to do a whole lot more before Libra is accepted and welcomed.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author should not be considered as financial advice. We do not give advice on financial products.


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By Cat Zakrzewski
The next assistant in many offices could be named Alexa or Cortana.
In 2016, Silicon Valley obsessed over how text-based bots in apps like Slack could make employees more efficient, turning complicated tasks or forms into conversational texts. Now, following the success of Amazon Inc.’s /quotes/zigman/63011/composite AMZN +0.35% Alexa and Alphabet Inc.’s /quotes/zigman/59527964/composite GOOG +1.06% Google Home, people in the technology industry are increasingly thinking about how such voice-activated devices can be made useful in the workplace.
The products aren’t quite ready for office prime time yet. The workplace offers challenges that experts say intelligent assistants built for home use so far haven’t effectively met, mostly in the area of voice recognition.
Still, some potential customers aren’t waiting. Workers at Goodwinds Inc. in New York City, for example, have used an Amazon Echo attached to the office ceiling for such tasks as adding events to their calendars and setting reminders for meetings, says Vinay Patankar, chief executive of the workflow-management startup.
And sometimes they use it just for fun. When someone makes a big sale, they say, “Alexa, play the money song,” Patankar says. Then “Cash Machine” by Big Baby D.R.A.M. begins to play. Each day, the speaker also reminds everyone it’s time for lunch with the voice of rapper Missy Elliott.
Whether for work or home, intelligent assistants are part of a trend that has brought voice-control capabilities to such devices as cellphones, connected cars and certain home appliances. Apple Inc. /quotes/zigman/68270/composite AAPL -1.68% introduced voice-recognition technology to customers’ pockets with the release of iPhone 4s with Siri in 2011.
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Roger Lee, a general partner at global venture-capital firm Battery Ventures, believes that technology for the workplace has been following consumer trends, and he thinks voice-enabled intelligent assistants will be next.
Lee is an investor in Workfit, a startup that is developing an office assistant and meeting facilitator it calls Eva. Relying on voice controls and artificial intelligence, Eva aims to make meetings more efficient by, among other things, creating a searchable record of what is said, highlighting decisions and performing tasks on command such as sending slides or documents to specific participants.
Market research has shown that many workers say they are ready for an AI-based office assistant. In a 2016 survey of workers’ attitudes toward technology conducted by Dell Inc., Intel Corp /quotes/zigman/20392/composite INTC -0.43% and consultants Penn Schoen Berland, 30% of employees around the world chose “digital helper” as the potential use of artificial intelligence that they would be most excited about in their jobs.
In a survey last year of more than 560 IT professionals from Spiceworks, 52% of those who are using intelligent assistants on company-owned devices said they use Apple Siri, followed in popularity by Microsoft Corp.’s Cortana and Alphabet’s Google Now. Only 4% said they are currently using Alexa.
These products meet some office needs with varying degrees of success. Like Alexa and Siri, Cortana can help manage a schedule. It goes a step farther by integrating with a line of Microsoft /quotes/zigman/20493/composite MSFT -0.66% business apps, such as a suite of data-visualization tools. For example, users can ask Cortana to pull up data and charts to show average customer spending per city.
Most experts agree, however, that existing products, which were mostly designed for home use, tend to fall short of the workplace’s more robust needs.


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Apple CEO Tim Cook visited India within the last few week coupled with a meeting with Indian pm, Narendra Modi, discussing Apple’s involvement using this type of country later on. Apple desires to attain valuable talent pool near your vicinity and perhaps even approach manufacturing in your community.
Firms like Xiaomi and Foxconn have expressed desire for making devices in India within the last few months, so Apple’s approach is logical. Cook and Modi discussed cyber security information encryption likewise. The number one Minister detailed his Digital India initiative and objectives into the future, like e-education, health and increasing the farmers’ incomes.
Apple will need to support such initiatives, whether or not this would like to really enter the minds and hearts of people. Apple is creating a Map Development Centre in Hyderabad and Tim Cook praised a nearby app development talent. I wouldn’t go as long as to predict that Apple will open up factories in India or it really is partners will, nevertheless it could happen sometime soon. Nice to find out the Cupertino firm opening to europe in addition to China.


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Inadequate business environment reducing competitiveness, investment attraction22/03/2023 32
Despite improvements in the business environment, there are still inadequacies that not only hinder enterprises from effectively operating but also prevent investment from coming to needy cases.
The State has aimed at fair treatment to all businesses; yet the reality shows that there is injustice in various aspects, at different localities, the most infamous being tax imposition.
Chairman of Le Thanh Group’s Board of Directors stated that while foreign companies enjoy 10-year tax exemption when pouring money in Vietnam, domestic counterparts are not eligible for this policy. Director of Vietsteel Machinery Co. Ltd. worried about inadequacies in implementing machine import-export tax. In particular, the tax rate for an FDI business importing full machines is 0-10 percent whereas domestic machine manufacturers are subject to a 15-percent tax when importing parts to assemble equipment of the same type.
In the education field, this injustice is even clearer in procedures to register for a business permit. An FDI company, stipulated in Decree No.73/2012/ND-CP about partnership with foreign entities in the education field, needs a minimum capital of VND300 billion (US$12.7 million) and is allowed to rent an office site to operate. Meanwhile, a Vietnamese enterprise, stipulated in Decree No.46/2017/ND-CP, needs a capital of VND1 trillion ($42.4 million) along with a minimum surface area of 5ha for constructing facilities.
Vice Chairman Truong Chi Binh of the Vietnam Association of Supporting Industries commented that the Government’s regulations on preferential policies for national and international companies show no differentiation. It is regulation implementation of localities that creates this injustice. For instance, in Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park (sited in HCMC), it takes a year for a foreign business to register and build necessary facilities for operation. The needed time for a domestic one is more than a triple.
Claudio Dordi, Director of the Trade Facilitation Program (run by USAID), informed that nearly 59 percent of Vietnamese enterprises have encountered at least one difficulty related to administrative procedures.
“This injustice might seriously weaken the competitiveness of domestic businesses regardless of their scale”, stressed Dau Anh Tuan, Deputy General Secretary of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).
Dr. Su Ngoc Khuong, Investment Director of Savills Vietnam, said that Vietnam’s export volumes mostly come from FDI enterprises. This is attributed to three factors of technology, capital, and human resources. Although the third has been improved, the first two are insufficient. To upgrade technologies needs capital, but the economic potential of the country is not high and domestic companies are even unfairly treated. The State should introduce more specialized policies to Vietnamese companies, especially small and medium-scaled ones which account for the majority of the total enterprises.
Dr. Bui Duy Tung from RMIT University commented that the high proportion of FDI enterprises’ export volumes reveals the right investment attractive policy of the Government. However, too much dependence on FDI companies gives trouble either in general decisions of the Government or the national economy when those enterprises change their investment strategies as well as manufacturing scale.
He suggested preferential mechanisms or policies for domestic businesses in the five aspects of
- agriculture, produce processing;
- supports for R&D activities of local companies and their ability to access to financial and technological aids, promotion of partnership between these enterprises and foreign investors in the fields of electronics, machine manufacturing, texture;
- investments in infrastructure and marketing to attract more tourists and increase the values of tourism products;
- concentration on domestic IT businesses so that they can provide technological solutions to both national and international markets;
- investments in renewable energies, especially solar and wind ones to reduce dependence on fossil fuel, to stimulate the growth of local industries.
Vietnam's Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises (VAFIE) last week announced its annual FDI report for 2022, themed ‘Toward Green Development and Digital Transformation’. VAFIE’s Chairman Nguyen Mai said that Vietnam is a successful case of an FDI-driven economy as it has become a center for electronic production manufacturing in the last two decades.
In 2022, despite negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam was able to attract over $27.7 billion of FDI capital (89 percent of the one in 2021). The disbursed capital reached $22.4 billion, a rise of 13.5 percent compared to the previous year. Nearly 70 percent of surveyed FDI businesses considered Vietnam as a favorable investment location thanks to low overhead costs and laborer quality, tax rates, the ability of the Vietnamese Government in coping with emergencies.
They then pointed out that corruption, complicated administrative procedures, outdated infrastructure, low public service quality are the weaknesses. Therefore, the statistics for investment registration at the beginning of 2023 are not promising with a significant reduction in additional registered capital.
Chairman Nguyen Mai mentioned a proposal of surveyed businesses that the Government should urgently review and adjust foreign investment policies to keep up with economic fluctuations in the world as well as changes in FDI attraction strategies of countries with similar conditions to Vietnam.
While the global economy is predicted to see more trouble, Vietnam might still enjoy positives because it is now negotiating large-scaled projects that can more effectively attract FDI. Many renowned international organizations and investors still forecast a high potential of the Vietnamese market as long as it applies sensible, timely, and comprehensive regulation adjustments.
- PM receives President of US Semiconductor Industry Association
- Singapore signs free trade deal with four-nation Latin American bloc to boost trade, investment
- Wide door opened for export Startups to the US market
- VN’s coffee export volume is likely to decrease due to lower output
- New approach needed to better tap Chinese market: experts


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A downwards drift at food wholesaler Booker (BOK) should interest investors seeking an attractive cash-backed income stream. Though the cash and carry operator remains highly-rated at 19.5 times prospective earnings on a share price of 126.4p, its strong cash flows and growth prospects mean the premium is more than merited.
Booker is a wholesaler of groceries, alcoholic drinks and tobacco to caterers, small businesses and retailers. Despite testing market conditions, sales grew 17.3% to £4.7 billion in the year to March. Chief executive officer Charles Wilson is targeting £6 billion revenues over the next few years.
The £2.2 billion cap has scope for growth in the UK catering market, benefiting from the trend towards eating out that is hurting supermarkets, such as Tesco (TSCO). Specialist delivered businesses Booker Direct, Ritter Courivaud, Classic Drinks and Chef Direct are all making progress, whilst online and Indian expansion add to Booker’s growth attractions.
Although weak grocery market conditions aren’t helpful, the small stores to whom Booker supplies are proving to be more resilient than bigger grocers and Booker boasts growing exposure to the discount channel through its Family Shopperfascia.
A first quarter trading statement (9 Jul) revealed robust sales growth over the 12 weeks to 20 June. Group sales – including Makro which returned to profit for the first time in several years under Booker ownership – grew 3.8% with higher margin non-tobacco lines rising 5.4%. Stripping out Makro, Booker’s same-store sales of non-tobacco lines rose by a better-than-forecast 3.6%, while a drop in Makro’s non-tobacco like-for-likes reflected the deliberate exit from non-profitable lines in a move to improve earnings quality.
Booker ended its March 2014 financial year with £149.6 million of cash. This has helped fund a £61 million (3.5p) capital return, issuing ‘B’ shares that investors were able to redeem for cash. Booker intends to repeat the trick next year.
Shore Capital forecasts a near-18% rise in pre-tax profits to £139.8 million for 6.5p of earnings this financial year ahead of respective £158.6 million and 7.4p in the period to March 2016. Based on the broker’s combined dividend forecast of 7p for March 2015 – capital return plus normal dividend – and 7.4p estimate for next year, Booker offers a highly-attractive yield north of 5.5% supported by burgeoning free cash flow.


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BOSTON — The pandemic is turning expectations of how we work upside down.
More people are interested in working from home or being their own boss. And in some cases, both of the above.
A new bill filed on Beacon Hill would make it easier for cooks and bakers to prepare and sell their creations from their own kitchens.
That includes Liron Pergament-Gal who is something like Needham’s Willie Wonka.
She runs her gourmet chocolate company out of her home.
It’s a radical departure from her previous job as a software engineer specializing in cybersecurity.
Making chocolate has always been a hobby for Pergament-Gal. “Last year when the pandemic started, I found myself spending a lot more time at home and I was making chocolates thru out all this time.”
But her output exceeded what her family could eat so she started to give the surplus away. “It just grew organically, word of mouth.”
Now Choc Allure is her full-time job.
Pergament-Gal was able to test-drive her concept from home because she lives in Needham which is one of the communities in the state that allows home cooks to sell their products, so-called “Cottage Foods”.
“The existence of the cottage law really allowed me to start this business,” Pergament-Gal explained.
Examples of other common cottage foods are cookies, bread, pickles, and spice mixes.
“Home cooks, unfortunately, face a lot of excessive barriers and procedures in order to sell their low-risk food products,” State Representative Erika Uyterhoeven of Somerville said.
She’s filed a bill to make cottage food laws standard across the state. “The biggest thing that we’ll do is remove the health permitting process... because at the moment they are regulated the same way as restaurants, catering operations, as well as food trucks.”
Lisa Mackin of South Boston is also selling food from her home.
Every cupcake she makes in her kitchen is a little work of art that resembles a flower. She puts a collection of them together to create a colorful, and sweet, bouquet.
“During COVID, I was in the kitchen baking, experimenting, and on Instagram a lot. I saw a woman in the UK making these bouquets out of cupcakes and I thought that it looked like a fun project.”
After a career in e-commerce and design, Mackin is now making Boston Baked Blooms her full-time job. “I’m creating a pretty good livelihood right now and I am happy.”
Mark Josephson, co-founder and CEO of Castiron, a website that helps food artisans launch businesses, said it’s 100% possible for folks to start a successful business today selling food. “It’s more possible now than ever before with the advent of social media, and the internet and e-commerce, and the ability to reach customers.”
Josephson offered these tips to budding entrepreneurs. “First, is to make sure you’re being safe. Understand your cottage food laws, your food handling requirements.”
He advises clients to start small. “Create your products. Test them. Sell them to friends, family, people in your neighborhood to get feedback.”
Finally, he says to really understand pricing. “This is where a lot of folks make mistakes.”
But if you get it right, the two women we spoke with say it’s one way to really make life sweeter.
“Its people find a passion and realizing that you don’t have to fall into that conventional lifestyle that we’ve fallen into,” added Mackin.
The sponsors of the bill feel it could really help women and people of color because these two groups have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
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Thursday, January 17, 2008
MPA: Mags Must Adapt Or Die
BoSacks Speaks Out: Pages Vs. Revenue
Beneath this MPA review is the last quarter results of the PIB statement. I'm so tired of this reporting structure, that I just can't take it any more. It is cow pie like this that brings that question of accountability to question. Every quarter it's the same damn thing - pages are dropping but revenue is up.
"The difference between reality and unreality is that reality has so little to recommend it."
MPA: Mags Must Adapt Or Die
by Erik Sass
MAGAZINES ARE WELL-POSITIONED TO COMPETE in today's media landscape, but must adapt quickly or face losing ground to new types of content publishers--be it the Internet or elsewhere. That's according to John Griffin, the president of the National Geographic Group and the new chairman of the Magazine Publishers of America.
Speaking at the University Club in New York, Griffin said one of the keys to success in the Internet era is more precise measurement of the audience's size, characteristics, and engagement with specific magazines. This will help level the playing field with the Internet, where digital technology allows a variety of measurements seen as more precise by media planners.
Specifically, Griffin called for a reliable way to measure the accumulation of audience for each issue of a magazine over time. Some work has already been done by Mediamark Research and Intelligence, which last year introduced its issue-specific Readership Study, based on single-source surveys of its panel of about 200,000 magazine readers.
The data, collected as a supplement to MRI's "Survey of the American Consumer" through online questionnaires, documents the accumulation of audiences for specific issues of magazines over time, giving publishers and media buyers a view of issue-to-issue changes in magazine readership.
The Audit Bureau of Circulations has also introduced a new "Rapid Report" feature that allows magazine publishers to deliver circulation data to media planners and advertisers within weeks, rather than months, as previously.
The Internet itself is key to magazine strategy, with Griffin outlining a model for magazines as multi-platform content purveyors, delivering to desktops and mobile devices. However, he cautioned against any strategy based on online subscriptions, noting that the overall trend is toward free content. For example, in the newspaper industry, one of the last bastions of paid content--The Wall Street Journal Online--may lower the subscription barriers in the next year, according to its new owner Rupert Murdoch
Final 2007 Report: Magazine Ad Revenues Grow, Ad Pages Dip
Celebrity titles buoyed by Britney; newsweeklies continue to struggle.
By Dylan Stableford
Total magazine rate-card-reported advertising revenue for consumer magazines grew 6.1 percent in 2007 when compared to 2006, according to year-end Publishers Information Bureau figures released this morning. But total ad pages-considered the more telling statistic, given the unaccounted rate card discounts doled out by publishers-declined about a half a percent (-0.6) over the same period.
Nine of the 12 major advertising categories-comprising more than 85 percent of the $25.5 billion of total magazine ad spending-showed increases. Eight categories bought more ad pages in 2007 than in 2006. Drug companies spent the most on advertising in magazines, according to PIB.
"In the face of a weakened economy, lowered consumer confidence and tighter ad budgets, magazine spending held steady in 2007, and even posted a stronger finish in the fourth quarter," Magazine Publishers of America executive vice president and chief marketing officer Ellen Oppenheim said in a statement accompanying the PIB release.
Some magazines had markedly strong years, in both ad revenue and, to a lesser extent, page gains. Reader's Digest Association's Every Day with Rachael Ray took in $78.3 million in PIB advertising revenue in 2007-an increase of 283 percent over 2006-on 717 ad pages, a 59 percent increase over the previous year. (RDA's flagship title, Reader's Digest, fared closer to the industry average, up eight percent in revenue, down roughly one percent in pages.)
New York magazine had yet another good year, up 16.3 percent in ad revenue and 4.3 percent in ad pages, overtaking the New Yorker in total reported ad revenue ($227.3 million to $226.2 million) for the first time.
Britney and Brangelina made their presence felt, too, as celebrity magazines saw increases in spending. In Touch (up 31.6 percent in ad revenue, 20.2 percent in ad pages) Life and Style (up 67.6 percent in revenue, 39.8 percent in pages), OK! (up 110 percent and 44 percent, respectively) all had productive PIB years.
The newsweekly category did not fare so well. Newsweek (down 1.8 percent in ad pages, 6.7 percent in pages), Time (down 18 percent in ad revenue on 6.9 percent fewer ad pages), and U.S. News & World Report (up one percent in ad revenue, down 4.6 percent in ad pages) continued to struggle as news-and marketers' interests-continued to shift online. Only Felix Dennis' The Week-the magazine he left out of the sale of his U.S. magazines-registered significant growth, up 15.8 percent in ad revenue and 5.3 percent in ad pages.
Other notables: TV Guide-sold for $2.8 billion in December-saw solid PIB gains (up 33.5 percent in revenue, 23 percent in ad pages); Best Life continued to climb, up 61.1 percent in ad revenue (to $35.4 million) on 584 ad pages-a 37 percent increase; and Portfolio tallied $28 million on 656 ad pages in its first nine months in existence.


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As anyone who's spent much time in American supermarkets will be aware, this kind of supersizing is hardly unusual. It seems to have evolved in response to two common features of American grocery shopping: people drive to the stores and they have the kitchen real estate to store things. And it has its advantages: if you do go through a consumable quickly, then buying the big jar gives you a better value per ounce and less packaging waste.
However, the sheer amount of American food waste--perhaps a quarter or a third of the country's consumable food --suggests the illogic of this approach. After more than a century of shrinking, the size of the average American household is growing again, partly because people are consolidating due to the recession. Still, it's very few of us who live with a clutch of hungry farmhands. And regardless of how big our cars or our refrigerators are, most of us go to the grocery store routinely to buy perishable products like fruit and vegetables. Some decisions are based on cost per unit, but others aren't and shouldn't be. If you only need a few units of a product it's better (and, often, less expensive) to buy what you need than to get the big jar and bin most of it, which is certainly what will happen to this mayonnaise.
I think there is a market for "right-sized" groceries, for this and other reasons--notably health, which is why we've seen a lot of companies come out with portion-controlled servings (100-calorie snacks, 8-ounce sodas). Interestingly, some companies are also downsizing for their own reasons, on the premise that if you reduce the content but not the packaging they can save money on supplies while still charging the same amount for the product. I'd rather they shrink the packaging too. Some customers will care--the woman cited in the New York Times story at the link has nine children--but some won't notice, and some might even prefer it.


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King Features’ Carla Silva talks milestone brand anniversaries, upcoming retail programmes and driving to
Bits + Pixel’s Su-Yina Farmer on how licensees and retailers can get an idea
King Features’ Carla Silva talks leveraging Popeye’s 9m+ fanbase on social to secure new dea
Product available for the hit video game includes money boxes, drinks coasters, bottle openers, p
Bulldog will build on programmes for Popeye, Betty Boop, Cuphead, Flash Gordon and The Phant
Including Sanrio striking a deal with Liverpool FC for an exclusive Hello Kitty range.
Including Allison Watkins joining Coolabi as director of CP and TV distribution.
Including Allsorts Licensing to handle gaming brand Cuphead in the UK and ROI.


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Shares of Wix.com (WIX 0.76%) fell 17% on Wednesday, following the release of the website builder's first-quarter results.
Wix's revenue rose 41% year over year to $304.1 million. The gains were fueled by a 28% increase in creative subscriptions revenue, to $226.4 million, and a 97% surge in business solutions revenue, to $77.7 million.
"Wix is taking a leading role in facilitating the global shift online and changing the way web presences are built," CEO Avishai Abrahami said in a press release. "We strive to be a horizontal platform that offers the best solution for any type of user and any type of business to not only create but also grow and succeed online."
To bolster its revenue growth, Wix spent heavily on marketing, product development, and customer support services. These costs weighed on its profitability. The company generated an adjusted net loss of $30.2 million, or $0.54 per share, in the first quarter.
However, Wix's cash generation remained solid. Its operating and free cash flow came in at $18.5 million and $14.6 million, respectively.
Wix also raised its full-year financial outlook. Management now expects revenue to rise roughly 30% to $1.29 million. "Following the strong start to 2021, we are excited about the remainder of the year ahead," the company said in its earnings release. "As the need for an online presence continues while businesses increasingly require online commerce capabilities, we believe our growth will continue throughout the year."
Yet despite this optimistic forecast, investors appeared to focus on Wix's decision to no longer provide user growth figures. It's a somewhat worrisome move, as management teams sometimes chose to cease disclosing certain metrics when they no longer paint the business in a favorable light. To account for this risk, many investors decided to sell their shares of Wix.com on Wednesday.


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TIME IS MUMMY: New research shows banks are creating barriers for Mumpreneurs
52% of the 1,500 UK mums polled by APS financial1 said the top three reasons for not starting a business were:
- It seemed like too big of a risk (47%)
- Not knowing how to get started (43%)
- The admin and financial aspects involved (35%)
Meanwhile, those who currently own a business (23%) and previously owned a business (25%) named the top challenges they faced when they set up shop:
- Having enough time to do everything (40%)
- Managing the business while raising children (29%)
- The amount of red tape they went through as a start-up (29%)
- Finding a bank who’d support them financially (22%)
These Mumpreneurs also found financial service providers as being far from flexible:
- 41% said that the process of setting up a business bank account had taken longer than expected
- 38% thought it had been a ‘long and slow’ process
- 38% found the rates and fees were not transparent enough
Worryingly, more than one in ten British Mumpreneurs (12%) admitted they had shut down their businesses due to lengthy admin tasks such as sorting out tax returns, talking to their bank, and, problems with keeping track of business costs and expenses.
Perceived costs of establishing a dream business were also dramatically different from the reality, indicating education about start up fees could be far better. While over a third of those who’d gone it alone had invested up to £1,000 (36%), most of those who’d held back thought an investment of between £10,000 – £50,000 was necessary (23%).
APS financial offers small businesses the chance to get their digital, current accounts up and running within 6 minutes of starting their application. Businesses are provided with a personalised account number and sort code once the account has been approved, helping to get them trading faster. This is in stark contrast to research commissioned by APS financial previously, which revealed that over 15% of UK small businesses had to wait more than 26 days before they were granted access to their business bank account.2
APS financial prides itself on providing one of the fastest, easiest platforms to set up a business account in the UK and has helped nearly 80,000 start-ups and small businesses, including nearly a quarter of female entrepreneurs, over the past five years. APS financial also provides businesses access to finance through a suite of credit products and overdrafts, lending up to £2,000, if eligible, which can help fund the cost of starting up a business.
CEO Rich Wagner said:
“We should be empowering all small businesses, but especially mothers working to set up a business to thrive in our economy by offering fast, easy ways to open up bank accounts and manage cashflow, not throwing up barriers. It is worrying to think that it is fears about admin and financial hassle that stops entrepreneurial mothers going it alone and our experience shows that grassroots entrepreneurs don’t need traditional banks to ‘bank'”
1.Survey conducted by Onepoll.com in March 2017. Total number of respondents: 1,500 UK mothers
2.Survey conducted by Onepoll.com in August 2015. Total number of respondents – 500 UK adults, either self-employed/sole traders or intermediate/higher managers in businesses with 1-250 employees.
For more information, interviews, photography or further commentary please contact Niki Wheeler, Alex Black or Alice Carr 020 7758 3900 or [email protected]
Notes to Editors
With over a third of Mumpreneurs (38%) claiming they haven’t set up a bank account for their business, APS financial are on hand to offer fast, simple and intelligent banking solutions to efficiently manage finances and business cash flow. As a leading challenger to banks who has helped nearly 80,000 start-ups and small businesses in the past 5 years, since launching their business services, APS financial know what works for entrepreneurial Mumpreneurs.
Advanced Payment Solutions Ltd (APS), trading under the name “APS financial”, is a data-driven digital banking services pioneer, which aims to transform the UK’s banking sector and be the first choice digital challenger to banks for SME and consumer customers. Recently nominated as a finalist for Best Business Account for 2017 by Business Moneyfacts Awards, over the last 10 years, APS has developed a wide range of digital banking products. Through its proprietary technologies, award winning products and superior in house data analytics, APS is able to offer nearly a million customers fast, simple and intelligent banking solutions to efficiently manage their finances and business cash flow.
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, APS has a full permission credit licence for consumer credit activities (FRN 671140). A subsidiary of APS, APS Financial Ltd (“AFL”) is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 for the issuing of electronic money (FRN 900002).
AFL was the first non-bank issuer to gain Mastercard membership and is a member of both the Electronic Money and Emerging Payments Associations.
Terms and Conditions apply, including applicants being resident in the UK & aged 18+ and, if relevant, businesses being based in the UK.
For full website terms including information on Cashplus Bank, Mastercard and use of Trademarks, please see our full legal disclosures at https://www.cashplus.com/legal/.
Advanced Payment Solutions Limited (APS), trading as Cashplus Bank, is registered in England and Wales at Cottons Centre, Cottons Lane, London SE1 2QG (No.04947027). APS is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under Firm Reference Number 671140.
APS provides credit facilities subject to approval and affordability, and where accounts continue to meet APS credit criteria.


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The General Administration of Customs of China, on Wednesday, Apr 20, published exported and imported data for the first quarter.
China’s alumina exports to Russia surged over 90 times in March from a year earlier. China shipped 9,949 tonnes of alumina to Russia, up from 104.5 tonnes.
Reuters reported that earlier, Australia banned exports of alumina and aluminum ores to Russia. This is a part of Western-led sanctions against Moscow after the country invaded Ukraine.
Chinese customs data also showed a rebound in trade with North Korea. Chinese exports to North Korea jumped to 57 million dollars from only 13.0 million dollars a year earlier for March alone.
Edible oil and wheat flour were the top export items to North Korea.
Recently, North Korea continued ballistic missile launches. The United States urged the United Nations Security Council to impose additional sanctions on the country as a result.


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Consumption of meat is declining in large parts of the world, while we are eating more plant-based foods. Virus outbreaks and pandemics seem to be accelerating this development, says Warp News Food Tech expert Daniel Skavén Ruben.
The technology we use in our food production is becoming increasingly advanced. So advanced that we are now entering a new paradigm. Now, in the 21st century, we have therefore also begun to use a new word to describe this technique.


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Company also took part in holiday stocking decorating contest to benefit patients at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Leading mattress manufacturer MLILY USA surprised the workers at the city’s 911 call center with gifts of more than 100 pillows to say thank you for working tirelessly behind the scenes for the community.
Dispatchers serve as the critical link between people in distress and the emergency services they need. It is a high-stress position known to take its toll on these public servants. MLILY USA has been a leader in educating consumers on the importance of sleep and the impact a restorative night’s sleep has on performance, which is why the company donated the pillows.
“This time of year is the perfect time to thank all types of service members, the kind stranger at the grocery store or even the wait staff at your favorite restaurant,” said Stephen Chen, president MLILY USA. “We try very hard to be a good corporate citizen in the communities where we live and work, and this is one of several initiatives we support to live up to those values. Dispatchers at the 911 center always need to be sharp and perform to their fullest. We wanted to do something that would express our gratitude and help them in return. They are tasked with an incredibly difficult job that not many people can handle. We simply wanted to say thank you and let them know we appreciate what they do.”
The company recently participated in a holiday stocking decorating contest to benefit patients at the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. The company’s corporate employees in Knoxville and Los Angeles competed by decorating innovative holiday stockings and stuffing them with gifts that will be placed at the foot of children’s beds before they wake up on December 25th. The stockings included gifts such as playing cards, crayons, coloring books, stuffed animals and other fun items the children can play with and enjoy.
Giving back is an integral part of MLILY’s corporate ethos. The company has consistently donated to other organizations such as The House That Mercy Built, a safe place for women suffering from drug or alcohol abuse and Haibu, whose purpose is to educate posterity on global efforts for wildlife conservation. The company is also an ongoing supporter of Special Spaces, a non-profit organization that transforms the bedrooms of terminally ill children.
MLILY USA is the North American mattress and pillow company of Healthcare Co., Ltd. Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, the company manufactures mattresses, pillows and sleep accessories in state-of-the-art factories located in China, Thailand, Serbia, Arizona and South Carolina, which span more than 7 million square feet. With products sold worldwide, MLILY also holds a unique global strategic partnership with Manchester United, the leading sports brand and popular soccer team located in the United Kingdom. As part of the partnership, MLILY provides the team’s training complex with mattresses and other sleep products. For more information, visit www.MLILYUSA.com.


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Motor Trend's Car of the Year award goes electric
Posted by Chelsea Watt
Well, it's unanimous. Motor Trend has named their annual Car of the Year, and it's a first.
In the 64 years that Motor Trend has selected Car of the Year, it's the first time that the winner hasn't had a good old-fashioned internal combustion engine. And it's the first time the judges were unanimous in their choice: the Tesla S luxury sedan beat out competition from Porsche, BMW, and Lexus, to name a few.
It's one more sign that electric vehicles are making pretty big inroads (pun intended) in North America. Although the Tesla isn't your standard commuter vehicle, with a price tag over $58,000, it's impressive to see that plug-in vehicles are becoming more commonplace.
Charging stations are becoming more commonplace too
While the Tesla is clearly a luxury model, more and more customers are choosing consumer electric vehicles like the Nissan LEAF or the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. And municipalities are responding, offering more options to charge vehicles.
Metro Vancouver is offering businesses new incentives to install charging stations. And last year, rebates for charging stations were introduced for all B.C. residents who own electric or hybrid plug-in vehicles.
Considering a plug-in vehicle but wondering where else you can charge them? Check out the charging information in our electric vehicles section.
Where to purchase vehicles, get more info
If you're considering making your next car an electric model, be sure to check out Clean Energy Vehicles BC. In 2011, the B.C. government introduced rebates of up to $5,000 on qualified electric vehicles.
See types of qualified clean energy vehicles and participating dealers.
How BC Hydro is preparing for more cars like the Tesla
As more customers opt to plug in their vehicles, we're working to ensure that the electric grid will be ready to handle the demand for more power.
In the near future, it's expected that a standard electric vehicle could draw as much as 7kW — about the same as an electric stove with all the burners and the oven on.
We've been working with vehicle manufacturers, municipalities and other partners to study electric vehicles and test them in our fleets.
Our team is closely studying the rate of adoption and regions of B.C. most likely to adopt more electric vehicles. BC Hydro is paying close attention to our distribution network to ensure we have the proper infrastructure in place to deal with electric vehicles.
Chelsea Watt is a writer/editor at bchydro.com.


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Bank of England predicts 1% growth for 2011
The Bank of England has cut its 2011 growth forecast to 1% and warned the economy could stagnate until the middle of 2012.
The governor of the Bank of England, Sir Mervyn King, advised the outlook for world growth has 'worsened' and predicted activity to be flat until the middle of next year. Growth in the next few quarters is likely to be worse than previously predicted in August, he said today.
The Bank of England’s November Inflation report stated CPI inflation rose to 5.2% in September, and continued to reflect the effects of the past increase in the standard VAT rate to 20% and in energy prices and other imported goods and services.


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A public comment last week by a federal antitrust official may have killed a potential merger between Sprint and Bellevue-based T-Mobile nearly before it has begun, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal quoting anonymous sources.
Reports started surfacing last year that Sprint’s parent company was in talks to acquire the now-public T-Mobile and merge the two wireless carriers. But there have been questions all along about whether the Federal Communications Commission and antitrust regulators would approve the merger, especially now that T-Mobile has began to differentiate itself from its competitors in a meaningful way and has attracted millions of new customers as a result.
“The question is whether or not a merger will make them better able to compete,” said Ankur Kapoor, a partner and analyst with Constantine Cannon, a law firm that focuses on antitrust litigation and counseling.
When the Justice Department considers a merger that would bring the competitive environment from three companies to two, it will almost certainly step in and stop it, Kapoor said. If it’s going from five to four companies, the department is unlikely to stop it. But when the merger would result in three companies instead of four, it’s a bit of a toss-up, he said.
There definitely would be benefits for T-Mobile if the company merged with Sprint, including more than doubling the number of customers the company has. But the two companies primarily use different spectrum bands, which has raised questions about how well the two networks would combine. (They do use the same 1,900-megahertz band for LTE on Sprint and HSPA+ on T-Mobile.)
Sprint has run different spectrum bands before; the company acquired Nextel, which used a different spectrum, in 2005 in what has been called a “disastrous” merger and eventually killed off the band. Meanwhile, T-Mobile is currently merging MetroPCS’s spectrum into its own, a process that could speed up the combined companies' LTE service.
If Sprint and T-Mobile do merge and are able to combine their spectrum offerings, Kapoor said he sees an advantage in merging the brands, as well. “I could see value in consolidating under one brand,” he said. Their combined power would help in negotiations with the hardware companies that produce handsets and could mean that T-Mobile and Sprint would get Apple’s new iPhones and Samsung’s Galaxy phones at the same time Verizon and AT&T do.
But the big question in this region is what would happen to T-Mobile’s 5,000 Bellevue employees after a merger. Labor groups have already warned that the merger would result in job losses. “The parties haven’t announced what they might do in terms of efficiencies,” Kapoor said, “but it often does happen in a merger that it means the loss of jobs on one side or the other.”
T-Mobile is the smaller company, which traditionally would mean more losses for that company. But T-Mobile’s West Coast headquarters is in a strong physical location, Kapoor said, which could help mitigate losses.
The two companies, and their parent organizations, will likely spend the next few weeks working out whether to propose the merger. After that, regulators will have an opportunity to review the deal. Kapoor said he expects we’ll know more by April.
Emily Parkhurst is editor in chief of the Puget Sound Business Journal.


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stp80ne03l.pdf Components Transistors stp - Service manuals, schematics, documentation, programs, datasheets, electronics
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DAEWOO SENS SERVICE MANUAL
LANOS ELECTRICAL DIAGRAM
LANOS ELECTRICAL SHEM 1
CHIPLOADER 1 6 LITE
Electronisc World Hot News
OLED industry shipped 72.1M units in 2006
OLED shipments in 2006 reached 72.1 million, up 29 percent, and revenues recorded $475 million, down 3 percent y-o-y, according to DisplaySearch. Details...
NEC closes 8inch line, exits structured ASIC
NEC Electronics Corp. announced last week a three-year restructuring plan that included the exit from the structured ASIC and single-chip cell phone sectors. Details...
Microchip authorizes Tecnomic as India distributor
Microchip Technology Inc. has announced the appointment of Tecnomic Marketing Services Pvt Ltd, as its newest authorized distributor in India. Details...
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The announcement earlier this week that Tag Heuer was designing a luxury cellphone didn't inspire shock as much as a raised eyebrow, but Biggs the watch fetishist over at Crunchgear dug through his old archives and found this rendering. Dated January 18, Dialaphone.uk found these renders of a possible Tag Heuer cellphone watch that's both classy and able to call people. Whether this is the actual Tag Heuer phone is uncertain and unlikely, but we'd actually really love a cellphone watch that doesn't look like something we'd wear in the third grade. [Dialaphone via Luxury Launches via Crunchgear]
Kinja is in read-only mode. We are working to restore service.


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According to a report which has been released out by the Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes, it is regarded that the iWatch will be officially announced in a year’s time from now. Over the year previously there have been several reports citing the arrival of this wearable gadget and now presently we have lowdowns that highlight that the new innovation will be unveiled in the second half of 2014.
Based on current itemizations, it is reported that the iWatch wwill be priced between $149 and $229 and ODM Inventec, the Taiwan-based contract manufacturer will be bestowed with sixty percent of iWatch orders. This is the estimation released by an CIMB Group. Additionally, this growth is expected to drive about nineteen percent of Inventec’s profits in 2014. Continue reading


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Owner, Shop Operators Concerned About Future of Binghamton Plaza
People who own businesses in the Binghamton Plaza are worried about the fate of the North Side shopping center that opened nearly six decades ago.
Several tenants still occupy the West State Street plaza. The last big store at the site - Kmart - closed its doors in December 2016.
The vast empty space where Kmart operated now is being used for storage. Up until a couple of weeks ago, the place was filled with tons of hemp that had been abandoned by a business that had planned to process the stuff.
Mayor Jared Kraham has said he wants to use eminent domain to seize the property for back taxes.
Property manager John Tokos said the plaza owners now have paid the back taxes. He said the buildings at the plaza are structurally sound, although some renovations are needed.
Galesi Realty of New Jersey, the property owners, have come up with redevelopment plans that include the possibility of a veterans center at the site. That project would have involved a partial demolition of an existing portion of the main plaza complex.
Tokos said representatives of the owners and plaza tenants are planning to attend a meeting at Binghamton City Hall next Tuesday to discuss the future of the property.
Small business operators in the plaza are concerned about the mayor's threat to have the place torn down.
Tokos on Thursday showed a reporter several occupied and vacant spaces throughout the plaza, noting they are in good condition. He noted the two-story "Executive Office Building" on the north end of the property needs a new roof but is otherwise in good shape.
Tokos said many parents use a childcare center located at the plaza. He said many vendors sell items at weekend flea markets which operate at the complex.
Here are 50 of your favorite retail chains that no longer exist.
LOOK: Famous Historic Homes in Every State
CHECK IT OUT: Here Are the 77 Most '70s Things About 1977


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Shares in the software supplier to the digital marketing industry have dropped more than 4% to 52p on Tuesday. That's a seemingly weird response to full year results (to 30 June) showing revenues up 26% to £26.9m and adjusted EBITDA up 17% to £8m. For the record, pre-tax profit at a fraction more than £6.2m implies an 18.5% increase year-on-year.
You can't even criticise DotDigital's (DOTD:AIM) cash generation, an area where many software companies fall down. Cash generation is strong and getting better, recording an £8m cash inflow from operations, funding net tax and interest charges of £0.3m, capex of £2m and dividend of £1.1m. After £0.8m of share issue proceeds DotDigital ended the year with a £17.3m debt free cash pile, up from £11.9m at the end of fiscal 2015.
DotDigital provides SaaS (software as a service) solutions and managed services to digital marketing professionals. The company’s core SaaS technology, dotmailer, provides marketers with a single solution to engage customers through email, mobile, social media and landing pages. The solution can be integrated with CRM, e-commerce and other third-party applications.
One area of perceived weakness is in the US. Even the company itself reckons it's been a slow start despite revenues jumping 43%, from $3m to $4.4m, or £3.6m from £2.45m in pounds, for consistencies sake. Now with a New York office that will act as a hub across the States, new staff hires, and a strengthened partner network, the US has the potential to put up big growth numbers down the line.
The other potential sticking point for investors is the shares' already beefy rating. Based on the 54.38p share price pre today's results the implied PE rating for June 2018 was around 20, so a fair bit of excitement is already in the price.
But we can think of many technology companies trading at far heftier ratings than this, many of them without the growth profile, cash generation or dividends of DotDigital. By the way, there's also a full year 0.43p per share ordinary payout topped up with a 0.41p special dividend. Sure that's just a 1.6% yield, but this is a genuine growth stock.
Small cap fund manager Philip Rodrigs, of River & Mercantile, is a long-run fan, which you can read about here.


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Facebook has revealed plans to produce its own TV shows, talking with Hollywood studios and willing to pony up $3m per episode in order to get in on some of that exclusive TV-show goodness. According to Sky News, two shows are already in the works; a game show and a relationship drama.
VentureBeat claims to know the specs of the upcoming Galaxy Note8, and this one’s a doozie. Launching at €1000, this makes it the priciest Samsung launch to date, and within spitting distance of the €1020 iPhone 7 plus (128). That much money buys a phone with… a better screen, 6gb RAM, unspecified storage and dual back cameras. The phone is expected to launch late September.
Reuters reports that Facebook is tweaking its mission to focus on groups, the Facebook feature that creates online communities. This is an excellent choice, as it is well known that building online communities increases stickiness. This allows Facebook to try to dissuade people from leaving it for new social networks.
German manufacturer ThyssenKrupp has released a video (embedded above) demonstrating their new vertical-slash-horizontal dynamic elevator system, MULTI. This is effectively a set of self-driving elevators, where each cabin has its own electric motor. It is due to be installed in a development called East Side Tower in Berlin, Germany. The tower is due to open in 2020.
Amazon’s rollout of its store and store tracking technology might just become faster with the purchase of Whole Foods, the upscale grocery retailer. They are keeping the current CEO, and expect to close the deal in the latter half of this year, so there is little information on their current plans.
Forget driverless cars, the next attempt at sending out hype is captainless ships! According to Bloomberg, the Oslo-based Yara International claims that it will have this ship ready to sail on its own by 2020. Since I had never heard of it, I had to look it up, and Wikipedia had some interesting things to say…


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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have released a detailed draft risk assessment aimed at reducing Listeria monocytogenes in deli products reaching consumers’ plates. The 179-page document, posted online Friday evening, outlines several ways retail delis can reduce the risk of Listeria contamination. Listeria has proven to be a tricky pathogen for public health to tackle. While listeriosis, the disease caused by Listeria, is rare, its fatality rate is high. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 1,500 people fall ill with listeriosis each year. Of those, nearly all will be hospitalized and 260 patients will die. Around 16 percent of listeriosis patients will lose their lives, while for the all-too-common salmonellosis, the fatality rate is about half of one percent. While there is plenty of data on the deadliness of listeriosis, little is known about the transfer of the pathogen at the retail level, according to the government. The U.S.-focused study released last week, which quantitatively links certain deli practices to potential public health outcomes, is “the first of its kind,” according to the agencies. The study was designed to apply to all sizes of retail deli establishments, from small independent operations to the deli departments in large supermarkets. “The risk assessment will be a tremendous asset in our efforts to reduce the 1,600 illnesses and 260 deaths attributed to this pathogen annually,” said USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elisabeth Hagen. “Essential information has been gained from these findings, including the fact that once Lm (Listeria monocytogenes) enters a retail environment, it has the potential to spread due to cross contamination. This assessment highlights the importance of our work to prevent Lm from entering the retail environment in the first place, and provides a significant tool towards this effort to protect consumers and prevent foodborne illness.” The study reinforces the fact that FDA’s Food Code recommendations can help operators of retail delis reduce the risk of L. monocytogenes contamination, say the agencies. The study found that there is no single preventive practice that retail delis should employ, but a combination of several best practices can significantly reduce the risk of contamination:
- Storage temperature. If all refrigerated, ready-to-eat foods are stored at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below, as the FDA Food Code recommends, at least 9 of every 100 cases of listeriosis caused by contaminated deli products could be prevented.
- Growth inhibitors. If all deli products that support Lm growth were reformulated to include growth inhibitor, 96 of every 100 cases of listeriosis caused by contaminated deli products could be prevented. While this finding is significant, the actual benefit may be smaller in part because growth inhibitor may be used in concentrations not effective throughout the shelf life of a food, and it can affect the flavor.
- Cross contamination. The predicted risk of listeriosis dramatically increases in retail delis as a result of cross contamination, with slicers remaining a particular challenge. Cross-contamination is particularly difficult to eliminate, but the study shows proper cleaning and personal hygiene make a difference.
- Contamination of incoming product. If current levels of Lm in ready-to-eat foods received by the retail deli from processing establishments were reduced by half, 22 of every 100 cases of listeriosis caused by contaminated deli products could be prevented. This finding suggests that continued efforts to prevent low levels of Lm contamination during processing, even on products that do not support growth of the pathogen, reduces the risk from these products and other ready-to-eat foods that can be subsequently cross contaminated in the retail delicatessens.
FDA offers a number of food safety resources for retail delis online and FSIS said it is planning to provide outreach materials for retailers that handle ready-to-eat meat and poultry products. The agencies are holding a joint meeting to discuss the new study on May 22. Those interested in attending can attend register here.


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Those who watch the book deal emails from Publishers Lunch know that Chad Harbach, an editor at n+1, recently sold his first novel, The Art of Fielding, but a Bloomberg article today reveals it went for an eye-popping $650,000. The book centers around baseball at a fictional Wisconsin college, and Bloomberg pegs the deal as “one of the highest prices for a man’s first novel on a topic appealing to a male audience.” Possible buried lede: n+1 compatriots Benjamin Kunkel and Keith Gessen saw their first novels sell 48,000 and 7,000 copies respectively, according to Neilsen BookScan.
The novel might not be dead, but some independent bookstores are struggling to stay alive. Last week, we reported that America’s oldest LGBT bookstore, Giovanni’s Room, is closing soon. Now, America’s oldest black bookstore, Marcus Books, has received an eviction notice. The 54-year-old bookstore is a mainstay of San Francisco’s African American Fillmore District but hasn’t been able to pay its rent for a while.
Just in time for the new season of Mad Men, The Paris Review unlocked their interview with Matthew Weiner from the new issue. The showrunner talks, among other things, about his father’s love of Swann’s Way and his own adolescent love of Winesburg, Ohio. You could also take a look at our own Hannah Gersen’s list of books to read when the season winds down.


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With the vast geography of Canada, and the decline of the local mom-and-pop soccer shops, Soccer Express saw a need to revamp its business model to focus online. However, its disparate technology systems were holding them back from going full speed into omnichannel success.
“We had a tremendous amount of manual and duplication of work,” said Andrew Veer, Chief Operating Officer at Soccer Express. “We used to have two people dedicated for reentering orders from one system to another.”
In order to scale operations for growth, Soccer Express replaced Sage (ERP) and Adobe (ecommerce) systems with NetSuite’s unified cloud commerce solution -- spanning ecommerce and in-store point of sale (POS) across four stores, inventory management, order management and ERP. Since going live with the NetSuite solution, Soccer Express has increased revenue by 25 percent and dramatically evolved the customer experience.
Delivering personalized, digital-first shopping experiences
Growing its ecommerce business also means catering to its target customers of 13-24-year-olds – a generation of buyers who grew up with digital devices and expect to purchase from mobile phones and tablets.
SuiteCommerce Advanced provides a mobile optimized site using responsive web design. This has led to a 24 percent growth in mobile users and 30 percent increase in sales.
The flexibility of SuiteCommerce Advanced allows for unique features to support their business, including the ability to customize merchandise with names and numbers as well as display tier quantity pricing.
The website caters to individual soccer enthusiasts as well as soccer clubs by offering customized, private club stores. Each club store has its unique merchandise, pricing, and real-time inventory availability. Because club purchasing happens at the start of the season, it was important for Soccer Express to have a platform that could scale to meet the ordering and fulfillment spikes.
“We support more than 150 soccer clubs across Canada and wanted our customers to feel like they were shopping on a local online store,” said Veer. “We now have a platform that can scale and meet the demands of our business.”
Improved customer service
Before implementing NetSuite, Veer said customer service reps were constantly getting the question, “What’s going on with my order?” Now they rarely get a phone call.
Soccer Express has all of its customer information captured in a single repository, providing a 360-degree view of all customer activity, including purchases, returns, exchanges, store visits and marketing campaigns. This allows customer service reps to provide better service and information to customers. Online shoppers also receive email updates on every stage of their order from processing to shipping and delivery.
When shoppers are in a Soccer Express retail store, sales associates can access the same information with NetSuite POS which provides shoppers with a seamless experience across all sales channels.
Customers are also getting their orders faster. Orders that used to take six days to ship now go out in 24 hours or less because inventory and order management has been centralized. Soccer Express now has real-time insight into inventory across its two distribution centers and retails stores. They are able to utilize inventory in store to ship ecommerce orders as well as ship from their suppliers.
“NetSuite has given us the ability to scale our business and improve processes,” said Veer. “By removing the burden of manual tasks, we’ve saved time and given our employees the ability to focus on our customers.”


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Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) have been passing ships since the dot-com bubble burst 13 years ago. Apple has gone on to innovate in that time with the iPod, iPhone, and iPad to become the world's largest consumer electronics company. Microsoft has handed over the market cap crown.
Microsoft investors aren't exactly smarting lately. The shares recently hit a multi-year high of $41.66, but that still isn't an all-time high. Even after adjusting for all of the dividends that Microsoft has paid out in recent years it is still trading just shy of its peak in 1999.
Microsoft is a bigger company these days in terms of revenue and profitability. It just had a ridiculous and ultimately unsustainable valuation at the sudsy peak of the dot-com froth. However, now that Microsoft is starting to gain momentum -- the stock has risen 17% over the past year -- it may be a good time to stack the two companies side by side. Some of the metrics may surprise you.
- Despite activists and CEO Tim Cook prodding Apple to return more of Apple's wealth to its stakeholders, its yield of 2.1% is dwarfed by Microsoft's 2.7% payout.
- As a result of Apple's stock soaring 44% over the past year -- a time when earnings growth on a trailing basis has declined to $37.7 billion over the past four quarters from $39.6 billion during the previous four quarters -- the iEverything's earnings multiple has expanded. Both Microsoft and Apple trade at 15 times trailing earnings.
- Analysts see one company growing its revenue at an 11% clip this fiscal year, and accelerating to 16% the year after that. The other company is growing slower at a projected 6% pace this year and less than 7% the following year. You may be surprised to know that it's Microsoft -- not Apple -- growing in the double digits.
Apple fans can argue that profitability is expected to grow faster than Microsoft this year, but keep in mind that the Cupertino, California rock star is coming off depressed profitability in fiscal 2013 as net income fell to $37 billion from $41.7 billion the year before.
This doesn't necessarily mean that Microsoft is the better value. For starters, a lot of Microsoft's top-line growth is coming from low-margin hardware in the form of the Xbox One and Surface tablets. Looking out to fiscal 2015 when Apple isn't playing against the sandbagged profits of fiscal 2013, Wall Street still sees earnings growing faster than revenue. The same doesn't hold true for Microsoft.
Apple also has the more likely chance of putting out a new product that could move the needle. It's in Apple's DNA at a time when Microsoft has had its share of hardware flops in the Zune, Kin, and the original Surface RT.
Both companies face margin-chomping challenges as well-financed competitors put out cheaper solutions to the things they do best. However, Apple and Microsoft have responded in ways that find companies growing on both ends of the income statement again.
This has never been a race, but it's true that Microsoft commands the fatter yield despite growing its revenue at a healthier pace than Apple. However, if Apple has solved the rut that saw profits and margins go the wrong way last year, it's the one better positioned to continue faster growth on the bottom line.


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Issued on: 06.10.2021 – 04:38
Petra (Jordan) (AFP)
Herds of industrious donkeys once carried hordes of tourists on the rocky trails of Jordan’s Petra, but visitor numbers plummeted amid the pandemic and the loyal animals are unemployed.
“Before the coronavirus, we all had work,” said Abdulrahman Ali, a 15-year-old donkey owner in the old, rock-cut desert town, where the sure-footed animals carry tourists up steep paths in the blazing sun.
“Petra’s Bedouins made a living and fed their animals,” he said, waiting for food to be handed out by a charity, explaining that many owners today struggle to pay the cost of feeding.
In 2019, the number of visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage exceeded the million mark for the first time.
But in March 2020 the famous tourist destination was closed and the crucial income for tourists dried up.
– Depending on tourism –
“When tourism stopped, nobody could buy food or medicine,” said Ali, who could earn up to $ 280 on a good day and support his mother and two brothers.
“If you have a little money, you can now spend it on your own food, not on your animal.”
Before the pandemic, tourism accounted for more than a tenth of Jordan’s GDP, but revenue plummeted from $ 5.8 billion in 2019 to $ 1 billion last year, according to government figures.
Tourist numbers have been slowly recovering since Petra reopened in May.
Only about 200 visitors a day come to Petra, compared to more than 3,000 before the pandemic broke out, said Suleiman Farajat, head of Petra’s regional development and tourism agency.
Farajat said about 200 guides used up to 800 animals – including horses, camels, and mules, and donkeys – for tourist drives across the desert.
The economic effects of tourism were widespread.
“Before the crisis, 80 percent of the region’s residents were directly or indirectly dependent on tourism,” said Farajat.
“Not only livestock owners were affected by the pandemic, but also hotels, restaurants, those with souvenir shops or shops and hundreds of employees have lost their jobs.”
Many donkey owners turn to a clinic supported by the animal rights organization PETA, where veterinarians treat abused and malnourished donkeys free of charge.
“Before the coronavirus, my family and I owned seven donkeys that were working in Petra,” said Mohammad al-Badoul, 23, as he waited with four other donkey owners to fill a sack with animal feed.
“We had to sell them for lack of income. Now we only have one and I can barely feed it.”
– ‘To starve’ –
Egyptian veterinarian Hassan Shatta, an equine surgery specialist who runs the PETA clinic, said he started a donkey feeding program late last year.
“During the lockdown of Covid-19 and the lack of tourism, people could no longer afford to feed their animals,” said Shatta.
“Some of them starved to death and we picked them up and brought them here,” he added, noting that around 250 animals were treated, with around 10-15 cases a day.
PETA has historically treated animals with deep cuts by beating or mistreating them, but Farajat of Petra’s Tourism Bureau says the donkey’s working conditions are “not so bad” now.
But there are plans to replace some of the traditional donkeys with a new system of 20 electric cars that will be introduced by the tourist board next month.
The cars are “driven by the animal owners,” Farajat said.
Farajat hopes that the switch to electric cars will put an end to criticism of the mistreatment of animals.
© 2021 AFP


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Hatchback, Mazda2 Black+ Edition
Hatchback, Fastback, Sport Black
Compact SUV, Mazda CX-3 Sport Black+
Mazda MX-5 RF
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With the support of Mazda UK, the current championship leaders of the British Racing and Sports Car Club (BRSCC) MX-5 Championship, the 750 Motor Club 5Club MX-5 Cup and the BRSCC MX-5 Supercup have secured fully funded trips to Barcelona in Spain to test the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Global Cup racecar and compete for the opportunit...
For the second year running Mazda will bring live music to the world’s most prestigious motoring festival. Celebrating the delight of roof down motoring, this year’s ‘Raise the Roof’ will take place within a unique backstage inspired open-air space in the Laundry Green area of the Goodwood Estate.
Free and open to everyone...
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The lightest MX-5 since th...
With the European debut of the all-new Mazda MX-5 RF as the focal point, Mazda will celebrate the past, present and future of the MX-5 at the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Having made its global debut at the New York Motor Show in March, the RF ‘Retractable Fastback’ will take centre stage on the Mazda UK stand this June...
With one of the youngest ranges in the industry combined with low CO2 emissions, Mazda’s stylish and good to drive model line-up is set to drive further fleet growth in 2016, following a trebling of corporate sales in the past three years.
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Mazda has produced the one-millionth MX-5. This landmark car was built at Ujina Plant No.1 in Hiroshima on the 22nd April. The one millionth MX-5 rolled down the line 27 years after Mazda began manufacturing this iconic roadster, which still holds the Guinness World Record for the best-selling two-seater sports car of all...
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The MPG figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results obtained through laboratory testing. These are provided for comparability purposes only and may not reflect your actual driving results.


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Chain saves £50m a year in energy bills but other stores fear for sales if produce is shut away
Supermarkets are replacing the open refrigerators in their stores, which chill milk, meat and shoppers alike and which waste huge amounts of energy. The Co-operative, which already has 100 stores with...
Government countryside assessment paints a ‘grim picture’ with key species such as hedgehogs, dormice, birds and butterflies all continuing to decrease in number
Falling costs of renewables and batteries will boost EV market over next 20 years and have huge impact on wider global economy, BNEF paper argues
For the first time batteries will play a key role in helping to balance energy supply and demand on the UK grid
Forget your MakerBot. The Department of Energy has a plan for a new production paradigm


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Record label 4AD released a 59-song Grateful Dead tribute album last week with covers by Mumford and Sons, Bon Iver, the War on Drugs, Flaming Lips, Lucinda Williams and dozens of others, curated and produced by Brooklyn indie rockers the National. Proceeds from album sales benefit the Red Hot Organization, a nonprofit that raises HIV/AIDS awareness through music and pop culture. But wait, it gets even better! Following in the proud, storied tradition of beer-meets-band collaborations, Park Slope’s own Threes Brewing is currently canning its brand-new tribute brew (tribrewt?), set to launch tomorrow.
Clocking in at 6.9 percent ABV and featuring notes of pineapple and spruce tips, Day of the Dead IPA, Threes’ first canned release, is a delicious homage. Brewery partners (and friends of the National) Josh Stylman and Justin Israelson couldn’t be more excited to send this beer off into the world with these sentiments:
“We hope the Day of the Dead beer is worthy of its namesake. The process was collaborative and improvisational, and the result is a nuanced, juicy IPA meant to be enjoyed in good company.”
Stylman (who saw the Grateful Dead live 25 times) adds, “I’m always skeptical of tribute albums, but this one was an exception. Somehow they stayed true to the spirit of the Grateful Dead while carving out an entirely new space. I’m hopeful that this record will be a huge generational bridge.”
Threes isn’t the first to honor the Grateful Dead with hops and malt, but hey, it’s not a contest (and if it was, consider the fact that the National’s bassist, Scott Devedorf, regularly DJs a “no-cover, good-vibes” Grateful Dead night at the brewery). In 2013, Dogfish Head launched its limited-edition American Beauty pale ale and invited fans to vote for the secret ingredient. It was granola, not weed, sorry — yay weed, though!
Buy the album for the Deadhead in your life, crack open a cold Day of the Dead and prepare for some jammy frolics. “The rendition of ‘Mountains of the Moon’ is wonderful and has reignited a love of that tune for me,” says Stylman.
“Something like ‘Playing in the Band’ always hit a chord because of the collaborative message it sends. And it’s so damn catchy,” adds Israelson.


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By Stephen Dowling
BBC News Online entertainment staff
It is small. It is expensive. And it will change the way the world listens to music.
The Sony TPSL2 Walkman ushered in a new way of listening to music
No, not a description of the gadget-du-jour iPod, but what could have been a tagline for its prehistoric predecessor - the Sony Walkman.
The venerable cassette player that its creators said you could take anywhere has marked its 25th year. In that time, many millions have been sold around the world.
A half-decade before CDs ushered in a digital age of music, Walkmans became an iconic object whose influence went far beyond their ability to play cassette tapes in the great outdoors or on the move.
Their effect is being felt today in the shape of the Discman - the portable CD player that updated the Walkman's go-anywhere capability.
It also led to the new breed of even-smaller digital music players which Sony has belatedly entered into with its iPod rival, the NW-HD1, unveiled on Thursday.
The Walkman was rolled out on 1 July 1979 by Sony, after its design had been championed by Sony's Japanese co-founder Akio Morita.
He had noticed young people's insatiable desire for music morning, noon and night - and that they would listen in cars or take heavy tape players with them to enjoy it.
Sony was already working the portable stereo system that became dubbed the "ghetto blaster", but Mr Morita believed there was a huge market for something much smaller.
Sony's tape player division had designed a device, the TPS-L2, which was simple and robust. Mr Morita immediately saw huge potential.
The only problem was what to call it. Sony initially had different names for the player in different territories - everything from the Sound About in the US to Stowaway in the UK.
Stereo Walky was also suggested - but electronics rivals Toshiba had already taken the name for their brand of portable radios.
The Walkman's arrival led to a raft of imitations
Walkman had been suggested but Sony in Japan were afraid the name might sound too much like a bad translation of a Japanese phrase into English. But in the end, to give the player a universal name, it was chosen.
Within two years two dozen companies were making rivals for Sony's portable system - one which cost US$200. As the years followed, cheaper and more disposable versions followed.
Earlier this year, Sony's famous design was the subject of a court battle, with the company paying several million euros to a German inventor, Andreas Pavel, who said he had invented the machine in 1977.
Alex Pell, the deputy editor of technology magazine Stuff, said the Walkman changed the way people related to music.
'Defining youth culture'
"Young people interact with music much more personally than they do with films or picture-taking," he said. "The Walkman gave them a way of experiencing music on their own terms."
He said that the Walkman also allowed people who could not afford expensive stereo systems a way to enjoy music. Another factor was that "the entry was so cheap. There was a wide range, with differing sound quality, but they all used the same kind of tape.
"Sony deserve great credit. The Walkman helped create the defining youth culture of the late 20th century," he said.
The latest Walkman takes the name into the digital age
Technology and design writer Liz Bailey echoed the Walkman's importance.
"The iPod may be beautiful and sexy but it was the Sony Walkman that
paved the way for the iPod's iconic success.," she said.
"The Walkman's design utterly changed the way we view electronic media - without it we might never have had the minidisc or the MP3, much less the
digital camera, the handheld personal organiser or the mobile phone.
"But what the Walkman really changed was the culture of music: you could now listen to what was effectively the soundtrack of your own life, starring you as yourself," she said.
The launch of the new Sony digital player could herald the second age of the Walkman, she said. Sony, which has left it rather late to take on the likes of the iPod, must certainly be hoping so.