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Trusted Reviews Awards 2021: The Rega Planar PL1 (2021) wins Best Turntable
The Rega Planar PL1 (2021) has won the Best Turntable Editor’s Choice Award at the Trusted Reviews Awards 2021.
The turntable overcame stiff competition from the Fluance RT80 and Elipson Chroma 200 RIAA BT to secure the win, having thoroughly impressed reviewer Simon Lucas during testing.
Lucas gave the Rega Planar PL1 (2021) a flawless 5/5 score in his review, praising its open and informative sound, strong focus on offering solid performance over flashy features and competitive, entry level price tag.
“It’s safe to say that Rega knows what it’s doing. The company is fast-closing in on its 50th anniversary, and in that time, it has pursued a gradual, but relentless, process of improving and finessing its turntables,” wrote Lucas in his Rega Planar PL1 (2021) review.
“There doesn’t appear to be an awful lot of ‘stuff’ here for very nearly £300 – but what there is has been thought long and hard about. As a consequence, the Rega Planar PL1 has got it where it counts, and will entertain you for years.”
The Trusted Reviews Awards 2021 are a week-long digital event where we celebrate the coolest products and most influential brands we’ve covered over the past year.
The Editor’s Choice Awards’ shortlists and winners are decided by the team of product experts at Trusted Reviews. To be considered, outside of special circumstances, for the shortlist the device must have scored at least 4/5 recommended during testing and been put forward by one of our product reviewers.
The final decision on what gets shortlisted and wins is then decided by the relevant section editor and senior editorial staff. The decision is based on numerous factors including how it performed with real world use and how it compared to the competition during technical testing.
We’ll be revealing a fresh batch of winners every morning this week, so make sure to keep checking back with Trusted Reviews regularly. You can stay on top of what’s coming up and what’s already been announced using the below schedule.
- 11 October 2021: Mobile, tablets, wearables and cameras Editor’s Choice winners revealed.
- 12 October 2021: TV and audio Editor’s Choice winners revealed.
- 13 October 2021: Homes Editor’s Choice winners revealed.
- 14 October 2021: Computing and gaming Editor’s Choice winners revealed.
- 15 October 2021: We reveal this year’s Readers Choice Award winners.


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A Connecticut woman got the scare of a lifetime when she found a black widow spider crawling around in a bag of grapes that she had just purchased from Whole Foods. Nora Weiss bought the grapes from the Fairfield Whole Foods on Monday, and took to Facebook after discovering the poisonous creature in her newly purchased snack. "AHHHHH!!! TOTALLY FREAKED ME OUT :/," she eloquently explained.
Regional spokesman Michael Sinatra said that organic produce is carefully inspected prior to being sent to the store, but small insects can be missed. "While we do comb through all the products, this was a small bug. Certain insects are indigenous to certain plants," he said. "We encourage folks to take a look through the produce when they get home and wash it."
Weiss received a full refund. No word on what happened to the spider.

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SOUTH FORSYTH – The name of an e-commerce company moving to Forsyth County has been revealed.
Sports Warehouse will relocate to Forsyth and is expected to be operational by July 2017, according to a news release from the Georgia Department of Economic Development. The business will be used as a fulfillment and distribution center and is expected to cost about $14 million in investment to move and bring over 300 jobs to the area.
“Sports Warehouse is a great fit for Forsyth County,” said Forsyth County Commission Chairman Todd Levent in the release. “Thanks to the tireless efforts and forward-thinking nature of county leaders, engaged citizens and a strong community, Forsyth County has the outstanding quality of life and public education system that will assist them in attracting executives and technical professionals to make this project a huge success.”
The company, coined as a “global retail supplier of sports and outdoor equipment,” also does business as Tennis Warehouse, Running Warehouse, Tackle Warehouse, Skate Warehouse, Inline Warehouse, Ice Warehouse, Derby Warehouse, Riding Warehouse, Art’s Cyclery, Racquetball Warehouse and Total Pickleball.
“We are looking forward to expanding our Tennis Warehouse and Running Warehouse distribution to such an active sports community. Both tennis and running participation are thriving in Atlanta, and The Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association and the Atlanta Track Club are two of the premier community sports organizations in the United States,” said Drew Munster, president of Sports Warehouse.
The project was formerly known as “Project Deuce” to keep the company name quiet until the deal was finalized. An official announcement is expected on Feb. 28.
The company will occupy a space in south Forsyth at 1295 Bluegrass Lakes Parkway and has been for sale and largely vacant for years. A post office currently operates in the building but is expected to move, and there are plans to gut and expand the structure.
Muster said the company’s “top priority is improving our customers' ordering experience.”
“The new distribution center will enable us to offer faster shipping and more convenient customer service hours to our customers in the South, Midwest and East Coast,” he said. “From our new facility in Forsyth County we’ll be able to offer free overnight ground service for most orders to Georgia and Alabama and much of Tennessee, as well other major cities such as Jacksonville and Charlotte.
“As a bonus, Atlanta area runners and tennis players will be able to take advantage of UPS’s recent addition of Saturday delivery for ground packages in the Atlanta area.”
New jobs will include positions in distribution, operations and customer service.
In previous meetings, the local school system and other amenities were listed as reasons for the company to relocate, especially for technical skills involving website and database development.
“Forsyth County has a reputation as a home for e-commerce and technology firms,” said James McCoy, president and CEO of the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce. “Our community has a world class talent pool and a critical mass of other tech firms.”
Forsyth beat out several other locations in the southeast and Metro-Atlanta.
McCoy said Robert Long, the Chamber’s vice president of economic development, began working with the company in September 2016.
“Robert facilitated dozens of meetings with state and local officials that ultimately led to Forsyth County commissioners approving an incentive package for the client,” he said.
At a meeting last week, the Forsyth County Development Authority approved an inducement resolution, the first step toward a bond for property tax, for the company. On Tuesday, commissioners moved forward with right of way abandonment for the unpaved and undeveloped portion of Jones Road.
“We had options in other states and locations,” Sports Warehouse’s Munster said, “but Josh [Stevens with the Georgia Department of Economic Development] and Robert sold us on Georgia and Forsyth County.”


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MANSFIELD, TX — (MARKET WIRE) — 01/26/2005 — Leading the pack in cutting-edge mobile technology, nTren, a small, innovative company form Mansfield, Texas, won one of the most prestigious awards at the 2005 Consumer Electronics Show. Named most Innovative Mobile MP3/Data Storage Device, the nTren MP3 watch is a sleek water resistant Quartz analog timepiece that’s a fusion of high-end gadget and vogue accessory.
Also, the nTren watch has gone to Hollywood! Lindsey Lohan will be seen wearing the nTren MP3 watch in the upcoming movie, “Lady Luck,” which she is currently filming.
“Just when most watch geeks had resigned themselves to having to strap hideously conspicuous devices to their arms in order to get their constant technology fix, nTren subverts the stereotype with what I think is a pretty darn elegant looking MP3 watch,” according to a review by WatchReport.com (http://www.watchreport.com/watch_reviews/index.html). “If you’re into MP3s, and you’re also into not looking like a geek, the nTren MP3 watch could be your next new toy.”
Stylish good looks aside, gadget gurus will be thrilled with the watch’s 128MB or 256MB of built-in USB flash memory and MP3 storage with added bonus accessories included.
“This internationally patented MP3/USB memory Solid Stainless Steel Watch is the most advanced watch of its kind,” according to a review by PositiveImagenews.com (http://www.positiveimagenews.com/product_review.html?p=Ntren%20Introduces%20An%20Innovative%20New%20MP3%20Watch ). “It is our opinion that nTren has set a completely new standard in MP3 mobile devices.”
To order, visit nTren Sound at http://www.nTrenSound.com or Neiman Marcus at http://www.NeimanMarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?cmCat=search&itemId=prod16880197. The watch will soon be available at Saks 5th Avenue. Prices range from $199 to $295 with a one-year service warranty included.
For more information about nTren Technologies, please visit http://www.ntrentechnologies.com.


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Welcome to our weekly round-up of the biggest breaking stories on Driving.ca from this past week. Get caught up and ready to get on with the weekend, because it’s hard keeping pace in a digital traffic jam.
Here’s what you missed while you were away.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
This X-ray of a person who had their feet on the dashboard during a crash is a heavy reminder
An X-Ray shared by police in Wales in the U.K. tells the devastating story of what can happen to passengers who ride with their feet up on the dashboard in the event of a crash. The graphic image shows a broken femur and hip and a drastically dislocated other hip, likely caused by airbags going off during a collision, driving the passenger’s own legs back at her at speeds up to 350 km/h. Authorities call the injuries “life-changing.” So is the photo…
GM’s own pre-production C8 Corvette gets wheels pinched, left on rocks, in Detroit
The 2020 Corvette hasn’t even been delivered to owners yet and somebody in Detroit already has a set of wheels for sale. Car and Driver and Motor Trend reported a pre-production 2020 Chevy Corvette C8, owned by GM itself, had its wheels stolen and was left perched on two rocks , its lug nuts sitting right there on the snowy street. The wheels may be hard to move, but the tires – Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4s – will make a quick and dirty sale.
Quebec’s car-buying habits are similar to the rest of Canada’s — but also different
From an overall decline in sales in 2019 (3.6 per cent less versus 2018) to an uptick in truck and SUV sales, the vehicle-buying habits of Quebec’s residents are pretty similar to those of the rest of Canada.
However, where things differ, according to information published by AutoMédia , is in brand selection; in Quebec, for example, Toyota and Lexus take the top spot for most sales from any automaker, while Ford gets that honour in the rest of Canada. Click here to find out how else La Belle Province compares in how they buy cars.
Rivian suggests its electric truck and SUV may be cheaper than expected
Rivian’s CEO says its mid-range pickup will cost US$69,000, which is less than we (and the rest of the Internet) thought. Reuters reports that top Rivian exec R.J. Scaringe called the price of the 480-km-range R1T pickup at US$69,000 , with the R1S SUVs to fall around the US$72,000 mark.
The company had previously said the entry-level truck and SUV would sit around these prices — now rumour has it those may come in US$7,000 cheaper. Now all that’s left for Rivian to do is deliver on it.
Canadian Price Announcement: the 2020 Hyundai Sonata will start at $27,000
The all-new, completely redesigned 2020 Sonata has been given a price tag for Canadian buyers. At $26,999, the bare-bones car comes with a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine, LED lights front and rear and 17-inch alloy wheels, among other features.
At the top end, the $38,599 Ultimate package gets a 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder, 10.25-inch touchscreen navi, digital instrument cluster, wireless device charging and additional safety features like Remote Smart Parking Assist. Read more about those as well as the Luxury and Preferred Sport trims here .


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Pakistan is successfully manufacturing international standard, economical face shields for kids and school-going children in order to protect them against the contagious coronavirus.
For the first time in Pakistan, the company “SPEL”, has designed the face shield — which was awarded the European Union CE certification for face shields to manufacture and export the protective item.
According to a press release, Zia Haider, the designer of the shield, said that prior to the designing of these protective masks, a series of result-oriented consultations with a panel of leading medical professionals was held, as well as scores of principals were consulted, to understand the psyche of the students so that they feel comfortable while wearing shields in class and their facial expressions should be clearly visible to teachers.
Keeping in view the current circumstances, Haider disclosed that the company, on the personal request of Governor Punjab Muhammad Sarwar, has worked out an affordable price of Rs 150 for a shield so that even poor people can buy the shield.
He said that the kit is light-weight and can be washed with soap and water, provides full-face protection, is comfortable to wear, is breathable, and also provides the first level of defence against splashes and mist.
“It is made of a transparent PET sheet using indigenous technology and local resources,” the press release added.


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Vail Valley lodges expect busy, not great, holiday weekend
While hotels work to maintain confidence, some are canceling reservations
Thanksgiving has never been an all-hands-on-deck holiday for the Vail Valley. In fact, a good Thanksgiving was once the occasional product of great early snow. The holiday now is seen as a solid kickoff for the season to come.
With the COVID-19 pandemic in a fall flare-up, local lodges are still expecting good, if not great, business over the four-day Thanksgiving weekend. That business will come with some last-minute cancellations.
Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Sales and Marketing Director Heidi Miersmann said that hotel usually sells out over Thanksgiving weekend. This year, the hotel had just 13 rooms available two weeks ago, Miersmann said. But with the rise in COVID-19 cases, and the Hyatt chain’s relaxation of cancellation policies, a number of guests decided to cancel or delay their travel plans. As of Nov. 23, Miersmann said the hotel has just more than 50 rooms available for the weekend.
At the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail, sales and marketing director Scott Gubrud said weekend rooms are available. But, he added, current occupancy is similar to 2019. The difference, he said, is lead time in booking.
“Lead time is half or less of what it used to be,” Gubrud said.
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Hotels everywhere have altered their business practices, from cleaning to food service to cancellation policies.
Chris Romer, president and CEO of the Vail Valley Partnership, the region’s chamber of commerce, said all those practices are intended to bolster guest confidence.
Hotels aren’t currently operating under occupancy restrictions from public health officials. Romer said that’s because the virus has become a limiting factor on travel.
“We have natural, built-in occupancy restrictions based on demand,” Romer said. If the virus is spiking, in either a destination or a local market, it would be a surprise if lodges didn’t see cancellations, Romer said.
“The market is going to dictate that to us,” he said.
While there may be fewer guests this holiday, local hotels with food service are working to make guests feel safe.
More in-room dining
At the Park Hyatt, Miersmann said guests can pay $10 to have meals from the hotel’s restaurants delivered straight to their rooms.
In addition, the hotel has also rolled out grab and go menus for those heading up to ski.
At the Four Seasons, Gubrud said the hotel is offering a fixed-price Thanksgiving meal at Flame restaurant. The hotel’s Remedy bar is also doing a limited version of that menu, and smaller parties are being accommodated in some of the hotel’s meeting spaces.
While those spaces are operating under limited occupancy, Gubrud said in-room dining is becoming more popular.
At the Grand Hyatt Vail, hotel spokeswoman Ivie Parker said in-room dining is available, with some restaurant dining available. Guests also have options from the Gore Creek Food Truck and the Market Café, which features a grab-and-go menu.
Romer said business owners and managers have done a good job adapting to public health orders and restrictions.
The guest side of that equation is a bit harder to figure out, Romer added.
Vail Resorts and the valley’s main reservation websites prominently feature COVID-19 restrictions and rules, Romer said. But, he added, it’s less clear whether guests are getting equivalent messages from rent-by-owner or more globally-focused sites.
That means it’s important for front-line employees to understand and communicate restrictions and rules. And it’s important to keep up, he added.
“It can change really fast,” Romer said. “We need to be really diligent, individually and as organizations, to provide the best service we can t the people who are here.”
Here are the red-letter days on the ski season calendar:
• Dec: 25 — Jan. 1: The Christmas/New Year holidays
• Jan. 18: Martin Luther King Monday holiday
• Feb. 15: Presidents Day Monday holiday
• April 4: Easter Sunday


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More or less every device in your home can be constantly connected to the global interconnected networks to enable some notable tools. And not just tools for consumers: device makers are finding themselves in greater control over what they sell after they’re sold. The latest example is a consignment of Samsung TVs that the company says it will remotely deactivate after being stolen from the warehouse.
“Samsung supports looting-affected retailers,” headlined Samsung’s official press release in Johannesburg, South Africa earlier this month. It explains to the television that “consumers have obtained it through illegal means,” with specific descriptions of seats stolen from the Cato Ridge Distribution Center since July. The company added that serial numbers of stolen TVs have been recorded. If any of them connect to the Internet and Samsung’s servers, they will be remotely inactive, all electronic functions will be completely blocked.
Samsung’s report states that the remote breaking tool is “preloaded on all Samsung TV products” and that the system was being installed in South Africa and “beyond its borders”. In the event of a brake error by a legitimate customer, they can submit proof of purchase to the Samsung e-mail address to restore their purchase (from a few hundred to several thousand dollars).
The implications here are troubling for consumer rights activists. What if Samsung decides that your TV is stolen and you can’t convince them otherwise? What happens if this decision is made, say, when someone sells you their fully legitimate TV in the secondary market, or you receive it as a gift and the giver does not have the special record keeping skills? While it is good for everyone to discourage thieves, it is easy to see how shutting down real customers through an over-the-counter security measure would be more annoying than a thief who suddenly finds a useless piece of glass and plastic. Gone which they did not pay anyway.
That’s all there is to it: such hyperconnected anti-theft measures are becoming increasingly commonplace. Carriers lock stolen phones, rendering them all useless (which is why it is so difficult to sell a smartphone to a pedestrian shop). Teslas and other attached cars can be remotely disabled, and even if they are marked as stolen. With tools like My Device Find on Android and My iPhone on iOS, users can lock their devices remotely.
But it’s easy to see why this control is clearly in the hands of the manufacturer, and in fact, the manufacturer said that celebrating the potential of brick tools in a press release can be frustrating. Many online commentators have already said that this will discourage them from buying Samsung televisions in the future. If you bought a Samsung TV (from a store, not from the back of a truck) and you don’t want to have a Samsung remote kill switch, you can avoid this fate by using it as a “mute” screen. Are, and never connect to the Internet to take advantage of its smart features.


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CCC believes Benetton's 1.1 million USD contribution insufficient
One week before the second anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster, with the compensation fund still at a shortfall, global actions begin
Global actions targeting Benetton and Mango in Rana Plaza aftermath
Today marks one week until the two-year anniversary of the worst industrial accident to ever hit the garment industry, when the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh came crashing down. Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) and its trade union allies and partners mark the second anniversary of disaster with a global call to action, demanding brands such as Benetton and Mango to pay up to the Rana Plaza Donors Trust Fund.


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Microsoft has decided to take on Apple head-to-head in the retail business, announcing that it has hired former Wal-Mart executive David Porter to spearhead a new retail storefront effort. Porter comes to Microsoft from DreamWorks Animation, but before that spent 25 years at Wal-Mart, where he was eventually VP and general manager of entertainment—and helped Wal-Mart into one of the biggest music and movie retailers on the planet.
“There are tremendous opportunities ahead for Microsoft to create a world-class shopping experience for our customers,” Porter said. “I am excited about helping consumers make more informed decisions about their PC and software purchases, and we’ll share learnings from our stores with our existing retail and OEM partners that are critical to our success.”
Microsoft has not unveiled any specifics about its retail store plans, but the company is expected to showcase its own consumer operating systems and software offerings, as well as entertainment products like the Xbox 360 game console and Zune media players. Microsoft has not announced how many stores it plans to open or where the first locations might be, but describes the retail effort as a way to “create deeper engagement with consumers.”
Rival Apple has seen strong success with its retail stores, currently numbering over 200. Although industry watchers were skeptical when Apple first started moving into high-rent retail areas, the stores have proven to be a tremendous asset for the company—so much so that Apple cited engagement with its customers through the stores as one of the reasons for backing out of the high-profile Macworld Expo in San Francisco.
However, Microsoft may face significant hurdles entering the retail space: similar retail efforts from Gateway several years ago failed, Dell’s nascent retail efforts never really took off. Similarly, the current recession will complicate any launch of new retail efforts as consumers rein in their spending: after all, Circuit City has been driven into bankruptcy.
Porter starts at Microsoft on February 16.


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Debenhams is cutting more than 1,000 jobs at its headquarters and in stores as it slims down its team in line with a swathe of store closures and new rules to control the spread of coronavirus.
The redundancies in merchandising, buying, design and other administrative functions at head office, as well as in cafes and other services in stores that will not reopen under social distancing rules, come after the British department store went into administration last month – the second time in a year.
The retailer, which shut its stores temporarily in March under the government’s high street lockdown, has confirmed plans to permanently close 17 of its 142 outlets. That includes three in shopping centres owned by the property firm Hammerson, which has signed a deal to bring Next beauty halls into the sites. Debenhams has grabbed back two of five sites originally intended for conversion by Hammerson.
Negotiations with landlords have secured agreement on retaining 120 sites, 90 of which are expected to reopen on 15 June in line with new government rules under which cafes and services involving close contact – such as makeovers and eyebrow threading. The future of an additional five stores hangs in the balance.
Two sites in Wales are also uncertain – despite deals with landlords – after the Welsh government said Debenhams must pay its business rates bill on the properties.
A spokesperson for the retailer said: “Debenhams’ preparations to reopen the vast majority of its stores from 15 June are well under way following the successful conclusion of lease negotiations on 120 stores.
“In the context of a retail industry undergoing profound change, the management team is working on the future shape of the group, with a view to exiting administration as a going concern. With a leaner and more flexible operating model, Debenhams will have the ability to adapt to what are likely to be fundamental shifts in the future trading environment.”
The majority of staff have been furloughed, although the website has continued to trade.
Like many other retailers, the department store chain, which employed more than 20,000 people before its latest administration, has been badly affected by the coronavirus lockdown.
However, even before that, Debenhams was struggling with a £600m debt pile. The group’s poor financial situation resulted in administration in April 2019, which wiped out its shareholders and transferred ownership to a group of financial investors, including the US hedge funds Silver Point and GoldenTree.
The stores closing are:


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Google paid a paltry £11.6m in tax in the UK on declared profits of £36.8m in 2012, despite claims it should have paid a further £150m.
The latest chapter in the long-running dispute between many multinational companies including Amazon and Starbucks sees Google paying what many consider to be far too little tax.
UK MPs have in the past accused Google of avoiding tax in the UK with clever accounting through its business in Ireland. Google says its UK arm, which is based in London, is used for marketing services for the firm's offices in Ireland.
However, rather than the £506m turnover Google is said to have generated in the UK in 2012, Reuters has now alleged that a further $4.9bn (£3bn) of revenue came from UK customers. But those UK and other non-US customers are billed by Dublin-based Google Ireland Ltd, thereby avoiding UK taxes. Most of the Irish income is then sent to affiliates in Bermuda in the form of intellectual property licensing fees.
Richard Murphy of Tax Research UK estimates that Google reduced its 2012 UK tax bill by around £150m through its Ireland offshoot.
A Google spokesperson quoted by The Telegraph said the firm's practices were all above board. "Like most mulitnationals we pay the bulk of our £1.2bn corporate tax bill where our business originated, in our case the US," he stated. "That's a rate of more than 19 percent, roughly what a UK-based company would pay."
V3 asked Google for comment too but had received no reply at the time of publication.
In June MPs accused Google's tax-paying methods as "deeply unconvincing", saying that the existence of Google Ireland "has no purpose other than to avoid UK corporation tax". Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt said in May that he was "perplexed" by the accusations, saying that it is up to UK lawmakers to change the rules on tax.
The leaders of G8 countries promised in June to change the law to ensure multinational companies pay their fair share of tax.
Cotton seedling freezes to death as Chang'e-4 shuts down for the Moon's 14-day lunar night
Fortnite easily out-earns PUBG, Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018
Meteor showers as a service will be visible for about 100 kilometres in all directions
Saturn's rings only formed in the past 100 million years, suggests analysis of Cassini space probe data
New findings contradict conventional belief that Saturn's rings were formed along with the planet about 4.5 billion years ago


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Netflix defended its error messages to customers that blamed Verizon Communications' network, despite a cease-and-desist notice from the broadband service provider.
Verizon Communications has threatened to sue Netflix after the video streaming company started displaying error messages that blamed Verizon for low-quality video streams.
After a comedic video about net neutrality became a YouTube hit, more than 22,000 comments about proposed net neutrality rules flooded the website of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, and the traffic locked up the agency's Web-based comment...
A U.S. lawmaker has introduced legislation that would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from reclassifying broadband as a common-carrier utility, a move many net neutrality advocates have called for.
Advocates of strong net neutrality rules are calling for the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to reclassify broadband as a regulated utility, but such a move would trigger a lengthy court fight between the agency and broadband providers, some t...
Creditors of bankrupt Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox have until Nov. 28 to file proof of their claims, according to a notice from its trustee.
Republican legislators don't even want the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to think about reclassifying broadband as a utility -- a route the regulator could take in order to reinstate net neutrality rules.
The UsFederal Communications Commission voted on Thursday to release a controversial proposal to restore net neutrality rules and seek public comment on a number of ways to proceed after a U.S. appeals court threw out the agency's old rules in Januar...
So what happens now that the U.S. Federal Communications Commission voted to release a net neutrality proposal and seek public comments?
A small band of net neutrality advocates who have pitched their tents beside the U.S. Federal Communications Commission hope that their on-the-ground activism can counterbalance well-funded lobbying efforts by large broadband providers.
The CEOs of 28 U.S. broadband providers and trade groups, including the four largest ISPs, have warned the U.S. Federal Communications Commission against reregulating broadband as a utility in an effort to protect net neutrality, saying reclassificat...
Google is buying drone-maker Titan Aerospace in a move poised to advance its airborne delivery of data services and mapping applications, according a Monday report in the Wall Street Journal.
Six major U.S. movie studios have sued Megaupload, the Hong Kong company running the now defunct file-sharing website of the same name, and its founder Kim Dotcom for allegedly encouraging and profiting from copyright infringement.
Google has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a decision by an appeals court that its collection of data from unencrypted Wi-Fi networks is not exempt under federal wiretap laws.
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First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.
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THE WHAT? Kering has beat analyst expectations with its 2021 results, reporting annual revenues of €17.6bn, a 35 percent rise comparable to 2020, and 13 percent higher than pre-pandemic in 2019.
THE DETAILS The Gucci parent company reported a sharp rise of recurring operating income, which was up 60 percent relative to 2020, to reach a new record of €5,017 million. Recurring operating margin, at 28.4 percent, retrieved a high level.
Gucci enjoyed a profitable 2021, with revenue amounting to €9,731 million – up 31 percent both as reported and on a comparable basis. This exceeded the 2019 level even as the House neared completion of the streamlining of its wholesale operations.
Yves Saint Laurent’s 2021 revenue amounted to €2,521 million, an increase of 45 percent as reported and 46 percent on a comparable basis, while Bottega Veneta’s 2021 revenue exceeded €1.5 billion.
THE WHY? Growth was driven by outstanding performances from all Houses, according to Kering.
Looking forward, Kering looks to “achieve same-store revenue growth while ensuring the targeted and selective expansion of their retail networks.”
François-Henri Pinault, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We expanded our team of talented people around the world, and I am sincerely grateful for the remarkable accomplishments of all our colleagues. We are working assiduously to meet our ambitious sustainability commitments. All our Houses are stronger than ever before, and we are confident we will extend last year’s momentum in 2022 and in coming years.”


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The craft brewery many see as the next big thing is about to take the next big step.
Berryessa Brewing is in the final stages of getting its labels approved and will soon begin canning and bottling.
A retail presence on store shelves from Sacramento to San Francisco will give this rural brewery on the outskirts of Winters far more exposure to beer enthusiasts, will lead to more beer, more jobs and, if it all pencils out, larger profits and further growth.
Since the brewery opened in May 2011 and began lining up retail accounts, the number of craft breweries in California has nearly doubled. Beer is big and getting bigger fast – on the West Coast and throughout much of the continent. Despite the competition, Berryessa has flourished, as beer-savvy consumers rave about brewmaster Chris Miller’s talent and range.
In 2012, the brewery opened a taproom at its production facility, a converted fruit packing warehouse on the outskirts of Winters. Scores of devoted fans and newcomers alike have flocked there for what many consider some of the best beer going – unfiltered, full of flavor, impeccably balanced.
But the beer only has been available in Winters and at select restaurants and bars, mostly in Sacramento and, more recently, the Bay Area. In about six weeks, that will change as Berryessa rolls out its first two beers – California Common and Whippersnapper – in 16-ounce cans, followed by its Separation Anxiety IPA in 22-ounce bottles. More styles are sure to follow.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Chris and his team,” said Chris Tucker, beverage director of the popular midtown Sacramento bar and restaurant Hook & Ladder, which was one of Berryessa Brewing’s first wholesale keg accounts. “The guy is wonderfully talented and has a very creative palate. The beers are all very good, to the point where you’d say, ‘Dude, why aren’t you making more of this?’”
Miller, 36, trained as an artist before breaking into the business washing kegs. He then worked his way up to brewing award-winning beer in Seattle. He has always been averse to being ordinary or predictable. To date, he has created 70 beers in a range of styles.
“We definitely don’t mind going for it,” Miller said. “ … We experiment a lot, and we love using seasonal fruit.”
In the past few years, as ambitious new breweries raced to start bottling and line up distribution deals, Miller seemed almost uninterested in riding that wave to prosperity. While his mind raced to create new and exciting beers, he and wife, Lori Nicolini Miller, who oversees the taproom, were reluctant to watch their brewery grow faster than they could manage.
“We could have tripled our capacity last year, but we wanted to take it smooth and grow organically,” Miller said. “We’ve just been waiting because if we don’t have enough beer to can – or if we’re canning beer we could be selling in kegs – it just becomes a complicated thing. Now we’ve got a few more tanks, and we’re seeing where it’s going.”
Berryessa’s relative baby steps with canning and bottling might seem too conservative for a brewery in such high demand. But Miller, who obsesses over the quality of his beer, says it’s more important to get answers to countless questions. How would the beer taste in cans or bottles after a week? A month? Would retailers commit to showcasing their beer exclusively on refrigerated shelves rather than at room temperature, which could hurt freshness, especially with hoppy IPAs? Would bottles and cans in stores in Sacramento, San Francisco and elsewhere cut into the steady crowds at the taproom?
And more than anything, would growth of the brewery mean this husband-and-wife team might see their hands-on, personal touch fade as things get bigger and busier?
“I worry about it every day, but I’m still going to be brewing,” said Miller, who moved with his wife and young son from Washington to open the brewery. “We’ll be as local as possible until the time comes. I could send every drop of beer we make to Washington and it would be gone. But we’re just getting started with this. We just got into the Bay Area, and it’s gobbling up our beer.”
While Berryessa Brewing has a stellar reputation for its beer, it could take a hit if it grows too fast and fails to keep pace with demand or if quality falters. It’s a common scenario with fledgling breweries aiming for quick success.
“They make some fantastic beers that have been very well received,” said Tom McCormick, executive director of the Sacramento-based California Craft Brewers Association. “Taking that to the next level comprises a number of challenges for any brewery. As soon as you put product into a can or bottle, it becomes a very different challenge.”
McCormick noted there will be several new issues and concerns to address, from fill levels and air levels to lining up distribution and managing wholesalers.
Many of Berryessa’s most coveted beers, like one dubbed Fruity Rebels, are made with so much fresh fruit grown in local orchards, and are so labor intensive to make, that it would be cost prohibitive to attempt to brew them year round.
“We have some beers that just beat us down as humans,” Miller said with a shrug. “Fruity Rebels is 300 pounds of fruit that we purée ourselves with a food processor. For Pumpkin Death, we use 650 pounds of smoked pumpkins – and those pumpkins don’t smoke themselves.” Miller and his tiny staff use machetes to hand slice the pumpkins, which smoke all night.
Berryessa may be best known for several of its hoppy IPAs, the most popular style in craft beer. But Miller doesn’t want to be pigeonholed as a hop-centric brewery and continues to push the boundaries. He tends to favor low-alcohol, full-flavored and less-bitter brews known these days as session beers. But Berryessa’s release of Separation Anxiety IPA should generate plenty of excitement, especially among beer geeks. To date, this beer has been available exclusively at the taproom.
At Corti Brothers, beer buyer Todd Fancher welcomes the news about Berryessa’s canning and bottling. Fancher promises to make room for Berryessa’s beer as soon as it’s available. He speaks for many retailers when he sings praises about the beer.
“Berryessa is a brand I have loved and supported since Chris opened,” Fancher said. “I have been flying their flag and waiting for them to start bottling. Now that they are, I’m spreading the word and letting everyone know. I remember the first time I tried Double Tap (a double IPA). I was blown away by how good it was. They are one of our crown jewels.”
Call The Bee’s Blair Anthony Robertson, (916) 321-1099. Follow him on Twitter @Blarob.


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There’s a common saying about competition that all of us are familiar with. It’s “if you can’t beat them, join them.” Apparently, that isn’t the way that other tech and social networking companies feel about TikTok. They’ve been trying to find a way to either replicate or derail the Chinese-owned super-app for more than two […]
Social media for many of us has become an essential part of our daily lives. Whilst social media has many positive attributes, it can be a very toxic environment at times. This was recently exemplified by retired French footballer Thierry Henry quitting social media due to cyberbullying and racism.
Instagram is hands down one of the largest social media platforms, with many user accounts. If you use this platform, you understand the essence of having a lot of followers and likes on your posts. Getting any of them depends on your popularity. The more popular you are, the more followers and likes you will […]
FactSparrow enables any user to summon documented facts while in the middle of an online conversation.
The startup announced its US expansion during CES 2021
This employee social media policy guide will help you design a policy that encourages employees to share in a way that’s authentic and appropriate.
For a long time, we’ve known that Facebook’s data handling policies leave a lot to be desired. There have been numerous scandals involving the social media company’s handling of private information in recent years, and these debates aren’t likely to end any time soon.
CLEVELAND, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The social media landscape is ever evolving and with COVID-19 forcing the world to get digital, we have seen a tremendous amount of growth in this sector. Laura Alexandria Marketing (“LAM”) is a social media marketing agency that specializes in social media management and growth. Ashley Rector, Founder of LAM, has tips and tricks […]
Non-profits in the US and Canada are reaping the rewards from GoPoolit – the world’s first social media for good – which has launched today.
FN Media Group Presents Microsmallcap.com Market Commentary


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Travelling for the Thanksgiving holiday can be a nightmare. The day before and the days after are fraught with massive amounts of travellers, terrible weather, delays, traffic and crowded airports.
This morning Cricket Wireless announced their Black Friday deals for this year and one of them in particular is a doozy! Customers who bring their number to Cricket anytime between now
AT&T is first again in getting a new device. Most recently they got the LG Urbane Watch 2nd Edition in before all other carriers, and now they will be offering
The LG Urbane Watch 2nd Edition was announced just over a week ago, and what makes this watch unique is, it is the first Android Wear device to get LTE
One of the more intriguing phones of 2015 was recently announced just over a week ago, the Android powered Blackberry device called the PRIV. AT&T is the first U.S. carrier
AT&T on Monday confirmed the availability and pricing of the HTC One A9. Reaching retail stores on November 6, the latest HTC hero smartphone can be had in a variety
If you’re on a data-limited carrier plan, chances are that you’ll want more data. If you’re on AT&T, you’re in luck. AT&T has introduced a new service called ‘Data Perks’
LG has been gearing up for a substantial Fall launch. The V10 was announced about a month ago, aiming at a November release in the US. So the time has come to know when
Samsung completely revamped its entire Galaxy smartphone line this year, focusing on premium build materials. Its sales numbers have been dropping off in the recent past with the Galaxy line, especially in
AT&T is now selling the waterproof Kyocera Hydro Air as part of its GoPhone prepaid service. Priced $99, the phone runs Android 5.1 Lollipop and features a 5-inch qHD (960×540 pixel)
Gearbest.com is currently running a Xiaomi promotion all week and is kicking off your work week with a Monday night special on the Xiaomi MI4 4G unlocked smartphone. In order
AT&T today announced NumberSync, a new feature that will let users share one phone number with other connected devices. Because it stinks to give friends and family a new phone
Finally after being on Android 5.0.1 for many months, the AT&T Note Edge and Note 4 are now receiving Android 5.1. I can confirm this information as I just downloaded
The 4th largest smartphone supplier in the USA, ZTE, revealed that the ZMAX 2 entry level phone is now available from AT&T, and will be part of their GoPhone line.
HTC posted a page on their website explaining how Android Pay will work with their devices, along with a list of phones that are supported in the US. In order


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The launch of Open Banking at the weekend is clearly an important milestone in opening up the UK retail banking industry to much-needed competition.
We're not expecting a lightning strike or epiphany, but the gates are now open to allow innovation to thrive and drive this competition.
The initial experience for early adopters is likely to be less than seamless and the initial scope only covers current account data (personal and business) with credit cards, e-wallets and pre-paid cards being added gradually in the next few years.
Five of the big banks have been given extra time to comply and Nationwide has announced that it will delay its Open Banking launch by two months.
Customers have now been given control of their data and we expect the early adopters to benefit from the services of aggregators (such as HSBC Beta or ING's Yolt) and improved switching services.
The key is for this trickle of early adopters to be converted into a flood of mass-market users. We are expecting this in the next few years, but to achieve this there is concern related to fraud risks and data-privacy fears which is overshadowing the benefits of cheaper, bespoke, convenient banking services.
Popular consumer finance champions – such as BBC Radio 4's Money Box programme and Martin Lewis – have given the recent roll-out only a guarded welcome. Despite the great work of Imran Gulamhuseinwala and the Open Banking Implementation Entity, we believe the mainstream banks could do much more to allay the privacy concerns of the general public.
The irony is that in many cases, the API and fresh processes of the FCA-regulated fintech providers are more robust than the legacy systems still employed by traditional high street banks.
In addition, older customers – often only just getting used to online banking and dangers such as push-payment fraud – are the demographic who stand to benefit from lower costs by abandoning brand loyalty (in banking, utility provision and insurance) and adopting the switching habit. Once this concern around opening up your bank data is overcome, Open Banking can help simplify the switching process for these customers. We believe that if you ran a survey of these hesitant customers, they would unanimously agree that bank margins should be reduced (and many are likely to already be comfortable using Nectar and Clubcards when shopping).
In general terms, those who are opting-in are putting their hand up for alternative banking providers. This will benefit challenger banks, and those providers whose savings rates appear at the top of comparison charts can deliver to these open-minded customers.
The Nesta's Open Up Challenge innovation foundation has seen 20 fintech providers competing for a £5m prize. One of the finalists Funding Options helps SMEs open up their business account data to counterparties and lenders, removing the absurd legacy requirement of scanning paper bank statements only for the data to be re-keyed by the banks' underwriters. Challenger banks looking to engage with these SMEs and offering scalable, quick, efficient, robust loan offers are set to gain from this Open Banking innovation.
It is only a matter of time before the major tech companies utilise the Open Banking API to provide banking services without actually having to become a bank. For example, Facebook/WhatsApp users executing payments via messaging or direct payments for Amazon goods rather than through a PSP.
As revolutions go, this is indeed a quiet one, but it will prove significant in the long-run. Lots more work needs to be done – by all participants – to reassure the hesitant adopters regarding data privacy and fraud. It will be very interesting to see the opt-in rates and demographics after the first quarter.
Temenos partners with ClearBank for cloud payments
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Unity Trust Bank registers 34% rise in profits
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Believe the hype – why explainable AI is a trend that’s here to stay
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Piloting tech updates: ‘The bigger the bank, the harder it is to get anything done’
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Masthaven launches digital Women in Leadership programme
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Confused about which Isa to choose? Hopefully this mini-guide will help…
We are now firmly in Isa season, so you’re likely to read multiple articles about the most competitive Isa products in the market and how best to make the most of your Isa allowance before the end of the tax year...
Garden shed entrepreneurs contribute £16.6bn to the UK economy
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Mass. bans dumping of computer monitors, TVs
BOSTON -- With electronic equipment becoming obsolete at an increasingly rapid rate, Massachusetts is instituting the nation's first ban on the disposal of computer screens, TV sets and other glass picture tubes in landfills and incinerators.
Environmental officials say they are trying to head off a flood of potentially toxic electronic junk.
''It's a good public health and environmental move,'' said John McNabb, solid waste policy director at Clean Water Action of New England. ''We hope that it is replicated nationwide.''
The new regulations take effect Saturday and mean individuals can no longer simply throw their computers and TV sets in the trash.
Instead, the state is setting up six collection centers to handle the items, and cities and towns must transport the items to those centers. From there, they will either be refurbished or sent on for recycling.
The focus of the new regulations is cathode ray tubes, which is the technical name for the glowing screens used in televisions and computer monitors. The average cathode ray tube contains 5 to 8 pounds of lead that can seep into the groundwater under landfills or, if the tube is incinerated, get into the air.
Jeff Fowley of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's New England office said it is already illegal throughout the country for businesses to throw their computers in the trash, but Massachusetts has broken new ground by barring individuals from doing it.
''At the federal level, we don't regulate homeowners. However, we encourage the states to put in appropriate additional restrictions,'' he said.
Though the regulation focuses on the CRTs, Massachusetts environmental officials say they expect people to recycle the entire computer. And they are happy about that, because computers' printed circuit boards can also contain toxic chemicals.
A major wave of electronics trash is being forecast nationwide in coming years as people buy newer, cheaper computers.
''The pressure's on to get the latest model and the prices are getting so low,'' McNabb said.
The Chicago-based, nonprofit National Safety Council has estimated that 20.6 million personal computers became obsolete in 1998 alone, with about a quarter of them being thrown out.
Waste management officials are also worried that millions of people may buy new TVs when television networks switch to digital transmission signals later this decade.
Nationally, business, government and other officials are searching for answers to the electronics junk problem through the EPA-financed Electronic Product Recovery and Recycling Roundtable.
Some activists and public officials, while welcoming government recycling efforts, have argued that companies should be responsible for taking their products back once they have become obsolete.
But Alec Rosen, a spokesman for Apple Computer Inc., said: ''I don't think that's realistic. It's about as realistic as Detroit being responsible for taking cars back.''
He suggested people donate their used computers to schools or charities.
''All of them would love to take a good computer off of someone's hands,'' he said. ''There are a lot of good uses for old computers, Macs and PCs.''


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Brand new software delivered new indicates having daters to put their tastes and also to signal so you’re able to prospective matches exactly what the beliefs and you can government entail. Daters with the OkCupid can now select the way they identify from more than just 20 sexual orientations and over twenty-two sex selection; pages can make multiple options boost them as much because the they had including.
OkCupid ‘s the only significant relationship app in the industry you to also provides users that it amount of selection predicated on personal and you may governmental values
The platform likewise has rolling away ‘badges’ – signs you to pages can decide to demonstrate on their users one to suggest, for example, that they’re pro-solutions or which they believe in fighting weather changes. In reality, Hobley claims, profiles can choose from an expansive list of problems that count on it – and also score the goals – of a long list of products between reproductive liberties and you will immigration to racial equity and you may firearm manage. Definitely they’re able to along with opt out completely otherwise like perhaps not to generally share the leanings which have prospective suits.
An interesting observance the organization has made would be the fact weather changes is one of constantly very-ranked concerns to possess OkCupid profiles around the world – not simply one of the socio-political activities but certainly one of all the matchmaking-related concerns and you will opinions. “Weather alter is among the most stuff one across any issue – eg take a trip, shopping for or perhaps not finding kids – gets certainly one of users’ finest around three, regarding Delhi, to help you Detroit, so you can Melbourne in order to Paris.”
Hobley provides partnered this new brand’s horse compared to that work on permitting daters to fit with other men and women according to a variety of issues. It actually was evidenced in the usa paign, hence featured iterations for example ‘DTFour Twenty,’ ‘DTFocus Back at my Chakras,’ ‘DTFight In Recommended Site regards to the President’ and ‘DTFilter The actual Far Correct.’ Hobley says releasing the new provocative promotion is actually “the fresh scariest matter” she would actually ever done in the lady occupation.
Because the promotion is actually ambitious – as well as controversial – it had been together with enjoyable, which has worked about brand’s like. “OKCupid has actually put alone apart with the irreverence and not delivering something therefore undoubtedly because rest of the classification looks for meaning – Bumble heading bigger than dating in order to marketing, Hinge claiming it is indeed there becoming erased and you may Matches attending to nearly to your relationships prospective, just relationship,” Philip Gerica says to The latest Drum.
A fearless new world of relationship
On 2 yrs before, the company began ed up with Mekanism to release the very first-actually around the world venture, featuring regionally-particular introspective questions paired with engaging animated graphics locate single people convinced on what issues really on it whenever choosing a romantic date or someone. The fresh new ‘Ask yourself’ campaign seems to have made an association: the fresh application keeps viewed significant development of the user base inside the brand new places international.
Anywhere between , OkCupid spotted good 700% upsurge in schedules, each revealing because of the Fortune. Although that growth rate wasn’t sustained over the next seasons and a half, app-depending matchmaking remained the high quality form out of dating and you will Matches Class filed list one-fourth through to number one-fourth.
Amid the newest increase, Hobley along with her party demonstrate no sign of reducing. From inside the , the company rolled out their current effort – their irreverent and you can very inclusive ‘Every single Person’ strategy featuring imaginative produced by sculptor Maurizio Cattelan and you will photography Pierpaolo Ferrari. Produced in relationship which have Mekanism, the latest campaign was an organic term of the brand’s purpose to help you feel a deck in which people are anticipate to get whom he is and vocalize whatever they have confidence in. Hobley claims one to if you’re OkCupid’s strategies – and especially the ‘Every single Person’ force, that has taglines such as for example ‘Every solitary vaxxer’ and you can ‘Every solitary pansexual’ – has “ruffled particular feathers,” they’ve sooner turned out sensible and you may assisted the brand introduce a powerful brand name identity and you can experience with an increasingly competitive sector.


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The tech giants that already know everything about you, and now they want to be your banker, too. What could possibly go wrong?
Both Facebook and Google announced plans to jump into the finance business on November 12.
Facebook, already reeling from its much-criticized—though still kicking—Libra cryptocurrency kerfuffle, announced Facebook Pay. That payment service will roll out on both the social media network and its Messenger app this week, with the WhatsApp messaging service and Instagram gaining access “over time,” said Deborah Liu, Facebook’s vice president of marketplace and commerce, in the statement.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported that Google is teaming up with Citibank and a small Stanford University federal credit union to offer checking accounts directly to consumers through its Google Pay digital wallet.
The announcements signify Facebook and Google “are ready to take the war for payments to the next level,” said Mati Greenspan, senior analyst social trading and brokerage firm eToro. “Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, they all just want to be like messaging giant Tencent, [whose WeChat Pay service] has been dominating Chinese payments for nearly a decade.”
These moves are the latest example of big tech’s push into the banking business, said Igor Pejic, author of “Blockchain Babel,” and head of marketing for BNP Paribas Personal Banking.
The announcements by Facebook and Google are just more proof that “Silicon Valley giants have had payments on the top of their agenda for quite some years now,” Pejic told Modern Consensus via email.
The reason, he said, is simple.
The payments business “is the window to the $134 trillion finance industry,” said Pejic. “It is the number one interface people have with banking—they [use] it multiple times a day.”
What’s happening, he added, is that “[t]ech firms are targeting the end of the supply chain—the customer interface—[which] is the most profitable part. Thus, banks risk being pushed to backend suppliers that in the future can partly be replaced by new technology.”
That is where blockchain comes in, Pejic said.
“In a first step, they try to take the customer interface by collaborating with banks,” he explained. “This establishes them as a viable and trusted finance player in the eyes of customers and regulators. Also, they collect experience in the industry and get a better feeling for the market.”
At the same time, “they are working on blockchain technology,” said Pejic. “When the technology is mature enough to do parts of the functions banks do today, they will be able to insource these parts of the value chain. Thus, banks risk becoming redundant.”
The big question surrounding Facebook Pay, Greenspan pointed out, is that it is “still unclear whether this is supposed to be a pilot for Libra or a complete replacement.”
Pejic’s money is on replacement.
“Though Facebook Pay and Libra are technically separated, I believe the former is a market test for the latter,” Pejic said. “Before Facebook takes on the seemingly insurmountable regulatory backlash against Libra, it seeks to gauge the need and acceptance of the product.”
If Facebook Pay is successful, said Pejic, the company might “try to enhance profitability by implementing their own cryptocurrency and getting rid of financial providers such as credit card companies.”
Google, however, is actively trying to be a good partner to banks. For now, anyway.
Google executive Caesar Sengupta told the Wall Street Journal that the bank brands will be front-and-center on the Google Pay checking accounts. Beyond that, he said Google was open to adding more bank partners to what it is calling Cache accounts.
Still, Google will likely run into the privacy concerns that elected officials, regulators, and customers around the world have expressed about Facebook’s Libra stablecoin. Government pressure forced Facebook’s biggest financial Libra partners—including Mastercard, Visa, and PayPal—to withdraw from the project.
That said, Google’s reputation on privacy is far better than Facebook’s, according to an October survey by McKinsey & Co. It showed 58% of Americans would trust Google to handle their finances, while barely a third felt that way about Facebook.
Sengupta was clear in the Journal interview that Google won’t sell Cache checking account data for advertising, noting that it doesn’t mine its current Google Pay customer data for advertising.
Not everyone buys that.
“All Google is really interested in is your financial data,” said Greenspan. “[F]or that, I’m sure they’ll be willing to slap a kickass [user interface] and possibly a bit of value add as far as fees and rates are concerned.”
He pointed to a Tencent earnings report also released on November 12. It “seemed to contain just as much valuable insight into the Chinese consumer [as] it did the actual company,” Greenspan said.
For his part, Pejic said Google’s promise not to sell individual customer data is irrelevant.
“They can analyze anonymized, aggregated data,” he pointed out. “Combine that with data on search behavior, data from Google maps, etc. and Google knows more about [banks’] customers than [they] do.”
Then Google can use that data “to build an unbeatable sales machine and cross-sell other products to customers,” Pejic said. “This is not the often-quoted ‘end of banking,’ but it [does] eat away a sizable chunk of their profit margins.”


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While many American companies are wringing their hands over everything from the fiscal cliff to Obamacare, a surprising segment of the population appears to be quite optimistic about the future: Chief Financial Officers. A recent survey sponsored by American Express shows that CFOs are surprisingly upbeat (and contradictory in some respects) about what 2013 holds in store for business, and much of the news bodes well for expansion of cloud-based expense management, e-procurement and other services.
Approximately 52 percent of responding CFOs felt certain that the fiscal cliff issue would not be resolved before the end of the year, with 79 percent believing the surge in taxes would have a negative impact on their companies. Despite that, CFOs remain optimistic about how their own companies are likely to fare in 2013 even as they express concern over America’s economic outlook as well as that of key markets across the globe, most notably in Europe. 84 percent of respondents felt confident that their own companies would reach goals set for 2013.
If business travelers are wondering whether this means 2013 will be a busy year for them, indicators point to “yes.” 61 percent of CFOs expect to spend the same amount or more on business travel in the coming year, in an effort to support building new business and maintaining existing relationships. Though business travel investment will remain steady, 64 percent anticipate stricter controls on spending in an effort to reduce costs. This is likely to prompt further expansion of cloud-based expense report software as more companies rely on technology to red-flag inappropriate spending and help enforce travel policies.
“Road warriors can expect to keep visiting new prospects and current customers in 2013 because these are the kinds of trips that drive sales,” said Darryl Brown, President, Global Corporate Payments – Americas, American Express. “Businesses will be looking to manage their travel programs with a focus on holding down costs through negotiated discount rates and a strategic emphasis on high value trips.”


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Fyffes has confidently predicted that it will be the direct producer of 50 per cent of the pineapples it markets by 2010 following the purchase of a 450ha plantation in Panama.
In a statement, the Ireland-based fresh produce company said it had sealed the purchase of the plantation and related production assets from Agroindustries Golden West SA (GOPA) in Panama for an estimated US$8m.
Combined with its existing pineapple farms in Costa Rica, Fyffes said that it expected to be the direct producer of approximately half of all the pineapples in markets by 2010.
Fyffes chairman David McCann said: “This acquisition is an important step in increasing and securing the supply and quality of our Fyffes Gold pineapples.
“The further integration of production, shipping and marketing is a positive development for Fyffes and its customers.”
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Even for those readers who are not aware of the latest litigation between Apple and Samsung, it will come as no surprise that Apple is (once again!) attempting to sue Samsung over the supposed similarity between the iPad and the Galaxy Tab.
There are a number of things we could write about in relation to this action. Firstly, as we’ve already written about, the never-ending filing and counter-filing of such suits every time a new product is released is good for little other than the bank balances of lawyers. Secondly, it runs counter to common (and legal) sense that very similar, if not identical, proceedings are brought in multiple jurisdictions and different decisions may be reached in each one. In these cases involving global entities, there is a real temptation to argue for an International Civil Court, which, despite initial difficulties, would be beneficial in the long run. Thirdly, there is a strong argument that intellectual property law in the US, UK and Europe could benefit from some serious reform.
However, one of the most interesting aspects of the case came after the judgement itself. Following the judge’s decision that Samsung’s tablet is “not as cool” as the iPad, and thus does not infringe Apple’s patents, he went on to grant Samsung’s request that Apple pay for adverts in a number of national newspapers and magazines stating that Samsung’s product does not copy the iPad. While this is not the first time such an order has been made, it is a relatively rare occurrence and its inclusion in the order sparked a number of headlines.
There are several points to consider in relation to this. First of all, as considered in the judgement itself, there is the potential for an odd situation given that this was only a High Court decision and Apple have stated that they intend to appeal. This means that Apple may have to run adverts stating that the Galaxy Tab is not similar to the iPad, only to win their case at the Court of Appeal several months down the line. Perhaps the Court of Appeal could then order Samsung to take out adverts noting that they did infringe Apple’s patents? It would be one way to help prop up the slowly dying print industry.
Secondly, there is an argument that having to pay for such adverts could act as a strong deterrent against companies such as Apple bringing lawsuits so frequently. This is not to say that intellectual property rights should not be strongly protected, but it is clear that the sheer volume of lawsuits mean that the current system needs reform. While the legal costs of such actions might dissuade smaller companies, the most profitable company in the world is not going to struggle to pay its legal bills. What might affect its behaviour, however, is damage to its reputation — especially its status as “cool”. Apple prides itself on its image, and a large part of the success of its products relies on the zeitgeist deeming them the cool products to own. It seems unlikely that Apple would be able to maintain such an image if it is constantly required to run adverts about other companies’ products.
Having said that, perhaps the head of marketing at Apple is missing a trick here. If Apple is required to run adverts saying that Samsung’s Galaxy Tab is nothing like the iPad, perhaps they should follow it up with adverts noting exactly how the iPad is different, focusing on its better attributes such as the screen resolution (and the fact that it is cooler!).
Finally, the idea that a court can order a company to pay for adverts raises some interesting suggestions for further development. One area that such adverts could be utilised to great effect is defamation. While publications are often required to print a retraction and apology when they are found to have defamed someone, these retractions are usually buried deep inside the paper with no attention drawn to them. This is in stark contrast to the kind of headlines and photos that usually accompany “sensational scoops”, and does little to make it clear to the readers that the publication was wrong to make the accusations that it did. How many newspapers would be more hesitant to run scurrilous exposés if they knew the cost of publishing a false story would be a front-page headline saying “We were wrong and apologize to Mr Cruise” (for example)?
And that’s not mentioning all the other people that could do with apologizing…Londoners are waiting Mitt!
- Apple ordered to run adverts stating Samsung did not copy iPad (guardian.co.uk)
- UK Judge says Galaxy Tab ‘not as cool’ as iPad, awards Samsung lawsuit win (engadget.com)


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I’m an admitted Anglophile, watching lots of BBC mysteries and following UK politics. The three-year chaos that is Brexit has launched a powerful messaging campaign unlike anything I’ve seen.
The idea for Led By Donkeys began in December 2018 by four guys drinking in a London pub. Their guerilla campaign uses tweets from politicians to ‘remind the public of promises made to us’.
They call it a tweet you can’t delete. Simple, and so effective. It went viral, and they launched a crowdfunding campaign to expand.
From Wired.com article:
Richard (a LBD founder) says that the effectiveness of the group’s tactics has something to do with relationship between offline and online speech. “We discovered that if you take a digital format, a digital message and you put it up on a six-meter-by-three-meter billboard in a town centre, in a physical space, it forces that politician to own those words,” he says. Bringing an online quote into the offline world seems to overcome the internet’s ephemerality; it makes a statement more substantial.
They were anonymous, but just recently revealed their identities.
Their most dramatic statement was a showstopper – a quote from Brexit supporter David Davis, blown up to massive size and unfurled over the thousands of protestors gathered in London’s Parliament Square. Held high over their heads, it was filmed with a drone and sent worldwide.
It read, “If a democracy cannot change its mind, it ceases to be a democracy”. Bravo — Much adieu, Karen


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Some 22 percent of those who answered the poll cited the Wolfsburg-based carmaker as their favourite German company, displacing rival auto manufacturer Daimler, which topped the list for the previous two years.
Daimler, which makes Mercedes cars, came in second place with 15 percent in the poll conducted last week across the country.
“Volkswagen has become an all-German brand,” Professor and PwC board member Norbert Winkeljohann said in a statement. “Among high school graduates and university alumni, Volkswagen is absolutely without competition. Thirty-two percent of entries from this target group show that the company is best positioned for the future.”
Meanwhile manufacturing conglomerate Siemens remained in third place for another year with 11 percent of the vote, followed closely by carmaker BMW. Audi, Opel and Porsche filled five through seven, respectively.
Despite the financial crisis, poll results don’t show reduced trust in German companies. In 2008, some 72 percent said they had lost trust in German companies. But only 65 percent of the 1,003 participants had the same sentiment for 2009. The most critical participants were Berlin residents and 30 to 39-year-olds, who suffered from what the statement called a “crisis of trust.”
The study also asked participants to rate foreign companies, with Microsoft taking the lead. The US software company was followed by Sony, Toyota, Nokia and newcomers Samsung, Apple, and Phillips. Old favourites Ikea, CocaCola, and Honda slipped out of the top 10, the report conducted by social researcher Emnid on behalf of PwC said.


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New Delhi: Days after the norm for private telecom firms to source locally made electronic equipments was put on hold, electronics manufacturers body Elcina has asked the government to remain firm against international pressures.
"We urge the government to stand firm against international pressures which are largely due to short-term commercial interests of a few powerful lobbies," Elcina (Electronic Industries Association of India) General Secretary Rajoo Goel said in a statement.
Prime Minister Office last week announced to put on hold Preferential Market Access (PMA) Policy, particularly part of the policy related to private procurements, amid concern by raised by certain sections.
The move has been appreciated by leading trade body US Trade Representative.
"The recent decision by the government of India on PMA to hold in abeyance, review it and potentially modify that is positive signal," US Trade Representative Michael Froman said in Washington.
The Cabinet has last year approved PMA policy which called for "preference to domestically manufactured electronic products, in procurement of those electronic products which have security implications for the country and in Government procurement for its own use."
Goel said: "How blocking implementation of a policy will enhance security of the country when the very purpose for its formulation was to enhance national security."
Any rethink or signal of hesitation from the government at this stage can cause immense damage to the momentum created by recent policy announcement by government to boost manufacturing in the country, he added.
Following announcement of PMA Policy and National Policy on Electronics and National Telecom Policy, government has received investment proposal of around Rs 4,600 crore for manufacturing.
The government has set target of attracting Rs 25,000 crore investment in the sector.
The government has received proposal for setting 12 new electronics clusters, which are like zones that will focus house manufacturing facility along with technical institutions required for complete development of product.
ELCINA has also proposed to set-up a cluster and said that PMA policy provides a level playing field to manufacturers across the world and would be compatible with World Trade Organisations norms.
First Published: Sunday, July 14, 2013, 15:46


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South African designer, Jacques Cronje’s combination of design sense, use of digital technology and his love for working with wood has earned his brand, Minima, prestigious awards and a vast number of adoring clients locally and farther afield.
Since launching Minima Design in 2014, the brand has created incredible birch-ply and bamboo collections of digitally cut wooden lighting and furniture.
Minima recently launched a new addition to their woven bamboo lighting range, which will be exhibited later this year at Maison & Objet 2018 in Paris. The introduction of Echo, Cubic and Mosaic lights have added a fresh and modern geometric texture to the elegant minimal, sleek and simple appeal that Minima is known for.
Cronje says, ‘I enjoy pushing the boundaries of what I think timber can do. By manipulating arcs and angles I can produce interesting lighting effects, which naturally sets the tone in a space.
‘In nature trees bend and twist in order to reach the light; I use simple geometry to reflect and filter light. With my first love being architecture, and more specifically designing timber homes and buildings, including lighting and furniture in my portfolio has been a natural progression for me.’
The new lighting creations are made from digitally cut bamboo flexi-ply. They are hand-finished and coated with a low VOC water-based polyurethane sealer to make them eco-friendly.
Unlike the previous designs, metal clips have been added to the Echo, Cubic and Mosaic lights that connect the flat panels once interwoven to form a double curved shape.
Since 2014 Cronje’s work has been showcased at the biannual SARCDA event twice, Design Indaba, 100% Design as well as Maison et Objet in Paris in 2016 and yet again in 2018.
Cronje recently appeared alongside well-known South African timber designers such as James Mudge, Andrew Dominic and David Krynauw in an initiative called Seeds for Seat. The initiative demonstrates how good design and American hardwoods can leave a light environmental footprint.


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After anti-germ fans, smart water and anti-bacterial paint it's the turn for light bulbs to flaunt their 'cool quotient'. The bulbs from Halonix and Crompton have a tale to tell.
We at afaqs! recently spotted a couple of ads for bulbs from two different electrical brands that are little more than just producers of light. The first one has been 'recommended' by the Indian Medical Association for its bacteria-killing properties and the other has 'Radar' in its name. The former is the new Anti-Bac LED Bulb from Crompton and the latter is the new Radar Bulb from Halonix.
As per Crompton, its innovation is equipped with Envirosafe technology that helps provide dual benefits to consumers - delivering regular LED light and also killing up to 85 per cent germs. The ad film for the new product features an expecting mother who adds to the overall anti-bacterial, health angle. "Having launched revolutionary products like the Anti-Dust fan range and the Tricool Window cooler, we are elated to be the first company to create a new category within the lighting segment with the launch of the Anti-Bac LED bulb and growing the range that fulfils the brand's promise of making the home a great place to hang out," says Mathew Job, CEO, CGCEL (Crompton Greaves).
ALSO READ: Havells Fans: Winds of change
The bulbs are currently available in Cool Day White Light with a range of two wattages -7W and 9W at Rs 180 and Rs 190 respectively.
The Radar Bulb from Halonix has very little to do with scanning airspace for intruders or predicting the weather. The 'one-of-a-kind motion sensor bulb' called "Radar" detects human movement. It automatically turns on when any motion is detected within a fifteen-foot radius and turns off (within one minute) as soon as the motion subsides. The bulb is being boosted by a two-ad campaign crafted by Enormous Brands. Priced at Rs 349, the 'Radar' bulb is available in electrical stores across the country as well as on Amazon.
Rakesh Zutshi, MD, Halonix Technologies, mentions in a media release, "We found in our consumer research that consumers often left the bulb on in places in the house that they did not frequent. They also wanted the convenience of an auto-on, auto-off bulb, especially with kids and the elderly at home. Lastly, they also wanted a bulb that could keep their home secure from the outside by lighting up whenever there was movement. The Halonix Radar bulb and its ads were developed, keeping these consumer needs in mind."


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Following on from last week’s announcements by Tesco and Milk Link that they would increase their autumn milk prices, Robert Wiseman Dairies and Arla Foods have become the latest to announce autumn price rises.
Wiseman confirmed today (7 October) that its farm gate price would increase by 1p/litre from 1 November 2008, taking a standard litre to 27.2p/litre. The company said it would also increase prices during October, once negotiations with customers had concluded – thought to be within the next fortnight.
Meanwhile, Arla said it would increase the price for milk supplied by members of its dedicated supply group, Arla Foods Milk Partnership (AFMP), by 1p/litre, with effect from 13 October 2008.
That increase would take its standard milk price to 27p/litre and was in addition to the volume bonus announced at the beginning of October.
“The 1p/litre increase will go some way towards restoring the premium for liquid milk, and instil continued confidence in our supply base,” Wiseman’s milk procurement director, Pete Nicholson said.


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Uganda’s two largest telecom firms, MTN Uganda and Airtel Uganda, said they will reintroduce charges on mobile money transactions starting Tuesday, ending the zero-fee charging structure announced in March.
A joint statement by the two companies said that mobile money transactions on the same network and mobile to bank transactions “will be gradually reintroduced at a 50% discount to standard tariffs for a period of 30 days.”
However, transactions on the mobile money platforms between customers and merchants “will continue to attract zero transaction charges for the next 30 days,” the statement added.
In March, the two companies removed charges on mobile money and mobile to bank transactions to encourage use of the platforms over physical exchange of currency notes. This was due to public concerns that the coronavirus could be transmitted by cash — although “scientific evidence suggests that the probability of transmission via banknotes is low when compared with other frequently-touched objects, such as credit card terminals or PIN pads.”
According to its financials for 2019, MTN Uganda has a 54.7% market share and closed out the year with 12.6m subscribers. It recorded an 18.8% year on year increase in mobile money subscribers to 7.4m, and a rise of 25.6% in fintech revenue — which includes mobile money, insurance, airtime lending and e-commerce — to 1.6bn rand (Shs417.3bn).
|Active data subscribers*||2,236||3,402||52.1%|
|Mobile money subscribers*||6,264||7,441||18.8%|
|Market share (%)||53.8%||54.7%||0.9%|
Uganda is one of only two African countries — the other is Gabon — where Airtel’s mobile money penetration exceeds 50%, according to recent results released by the London-listed Airtel Africa. The results, for the year ending March, show that mobile money subscriber penetration in Uganda increased to 56.6% from 53.4% the previous year.


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BlackArrow joins Ericsson in TV Anywhere monetization
November 12, 2013 12.00 Europe/London By Julian Clover
BlackArrow is joining Ericsson in a new venture designed to offer content providers and pay-TV operators a comprehensive advertising and audience data platform to enable coordinated advertising campaigns across all devices.
The two companies have already worked together with a Tier 1 provider in North America to deploy dynamic ad insertion capabilities for VOD and are currently working on a number of other projects.
“Ericsson has a proud history in enabling advertising, most recently recognized with a prestigious technical Emmy for our pioneering development of dynamic advertising insertion for video on demand (VOD) content. Through our partnership with BlackArrow, we are empowering TV service providers to not only provide personalized TV experiences on any screen, but also enabling them to monetize these new experiences,” said Ove Anebygd, Vice President and Head of Solution Area Media at Ericsson.
By integrating the delivery and monetization capabilities of each company’s products, service providers can grow new revenue streams by leveraging dynamic ad insertion and addressable advertising for video delivered to new platforms and devices.


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Vietnam Drug Makers Hurt By Ban On Retail Price Increases
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Vietnam's drug-making industry is feeling the pain of the government's ban on price increases at the retail level. Drug manufacturers as well as importers, said an industry member at a Drug Administration of Vietnam conference, are being hit by high inflation and an ever-changing exchange rate at the same time. Many drug makers, he said, are forced to use the black market to get the foreign currency they need to buy drugs from abroad. Another noted the price of raw materials needed by local drug makers cost as much as six times more than a year ago. (Click here for more
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The U.K.â€™s chief statistician said he wants the countryâ€™s main inflation measure to include housing costs, backing an index thatâ€™s been stripped of its quality mark.
In a letter to the Statistics Authority, John Pullinger said CPIH â€” consumer prices index including owner-occupiers housing costs â€” should be the â€œpreferred measure of consumer inflation.â€
He said itâ€™s important that housing is included in any gauge of price changes for consumers.
The letter is the latest part of an long-running examination of the quality of U.K. statistics, including debates and consultations on the best measure of inflation.
CPIH was stripped of its â€œnational statisticsâ€ status after issues relating to the quality of some data sources. Pullinger said the Office for National Statistics will work on this and he expects to report back in September on standards.
The Bank of England uses the consumer prices index to set monetary policy, targeting an inflation rate of 2 percent. â€œCPIH does not currently meet the standards for a national statistic,â€ the Treasury said in a statement. â€œThe inflation target remains unchanged.â€
The latest data put CPI inflation at 0.3 percent in January, while annual price growth based on CPIH was 0.6 percent.
Pullinger also criticized the retail prices index, saying itâ€™s â€œnot a good measure of inflation and does not realistically have the potential to become one.â€


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There’s been no stalling in moves to reach an accommodation for traders displaced when a section of Lisburn Market is closed for renovations in Lisburn Square.
The new owners of the Square, together with Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council have worked to ensure the displaced traders could be accommodated in the Smithfield car park section of the weekly market.
Lisburn Square said they were pleased that the market traders had been found a new home by the Council.
Nicky McCollum said: “Having engaged with Lisburn Council, we are pleased that they have been able to relocate the market traders to a location in the adjacent carpark.
“We will continue to provide a service to the traders in the form of the delivery and collection of the stalls each Tuesday to and from their new home within the carpark.
“This relocation allows us to push ahead with the Enhancement Programme at Lisburn Square, compliant with Health and Safety legislation, to ensure we are ready to market Lisburn Square to new tenants as quickly as possible.
“Our commitment to make Lisburn Square a positive driver for economic success within Lisburn and the surrounding area is paramount.
“We would like to thank the council for their help in resolving the issue so quickly and thank the market traders for their patience.”
Alderman Allan Ewart, Chairman of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s Economic Development Committee, this week confirmed that the council had made arrangements to facilitate those market traders who have been temporarily displaced from Lisburn Square due to renovation and upgrading work scheduled to take place.
“Since we were notified by traders last week of Lisburn Square’s decision taken to suspend the market temporarily, elected members and council officers have been working to try and find an alternative for these market stall holders and the potential to include them within the Smithfield Square area of the Market.
“Following discussions with Lisburn Square Management we are very pleased that we can temporarily accommodate all of the market in Smithfield Square with the least possible disruption to traders and customers alike until the renovations are complete and the Market can return to Lisburn Square.”
Lagan Valley MLA Edwin Poots has welcomed the accommodation of Lisburn Market traders who use Lisburn Square adjacent to the existing market traders. “On the back of letters being issued to traders last Tuesday that they couldn’t trade in the Square for 10-14 weeks as improvement work was commencing, I was contacted on Tuesday evening. We contacted Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council on Wednesday and by Thursday evening an accommodation was identified. I commend Suzanne Lutton and the council team who responded quickly and with a lot of common sense to resolve the issue.
“The Market was buzzing on Tuesday in glorious sunshine with many visitors from further afield as well as locals enjoying the atmosphere. Traders and consumers alike are delighted that the Market is going strong and the Council are working to accommodate them.”
Mr Poots said that “it was important as we look to the future we identify how best we can maintain and support the Market. Lisburn has still one of the larger markets in Northern Ireland and brings many people and their business to the area. It is important that we sustain and promote it. I also welcome the improvements being carried out at Lisburn Square, it is good to see investment going into the area after many years of non investment and any initiative to make the area vibrant once again can only be good for the City.”
The new arrangements will be in operation immediately and the Council has been in contact with stall holders to advise of the new temporary arrangements.


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The Parents’ Jury calls for end to junk food involvement in junior sports
Parents angry as McDonald's begins junior football program.
In response to the launch of McDonald's Mac Pack program in Victoria, The Parents' Jury Manager Corrina Langelaan said:
"This kind of program has no place in sport. It creates an unwelcome connection between physicalactivity and junk food and simply builds the brand of the company in the minds of children.
"Parents already have to fight the daily battles with their kids, who believe the marketing hype of the food industry. Now parents are being further undermined through stealth marketing under the guise of community sporting events targeting children.
"AFL players are massive role models for kids and they should not be promoting fast food. Sports and sporting events should be about healthy living, not a showcase for junk food."


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Shares in a record 13 companies were suspended from trading on the Alternative Investment Market yesterday after having failed to get their interim or annual financial results published on time.
Among those on the list were World Travel Holdings - the company that bought Sir Bob Geldof's deckchair.com operation as well as the London-based delivery business Room Service. "It's very simple. Annual results have to be published within six months of the year-end while interim results have to be published within three months," a spokesman for the London Stock Exchange said.
"If you don't publish [the financial results] within the stipulated time-frame, you're suspended but as soon as you have published, you're reinstated," he added.
The beginning of July traditionally witnesses a rash of suspensions since many companies have a September or December year-end meaning that 30 June is a popular deadline and a year ago nine companies were suspended from trading on AIM. But this year there are more companies listed on AIM - around 700 in total - than ever before. "[Small to medium-sized enterprises] are having a tough time in this economic climate. And, when times are difficult, many companies find it more difficult to put out their results," one market source said.
The rules on publishing financial results are designed to protect shareholders by ensuring they have up-to-date information on the businesses they have invested in. Similar rules govern companies listed on London's main market.
The LSE said 12 of the 13 companies were suspended for missing the six-month deadline for filing 12-month figures while one company, Vianet, was suspended for missing the three-month deadline for filing its six-month figures.
By the end of trading yesterday, however, two of the 13 companies - a recruitment firm Constellation and a production firm Equator - had published their figures and their shares were trading on the market again.Reuse content