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- Who We Are
- The SightSound Platform
- In The News
The Wall Street Journal – Thomas Petzinger Jr.
SCOTT SANDER and Arthur Hair don’t come off as entertainment moguls. Their office is next to a suburban high school. Between them they have nearly as many children-eight-as they have employees. They ooze sincerity. They live in Pittsburgh, for Pete’s sake.buy valium online
But during a lunch in a neighborhood pizza place, Mr. Sander keeps a cell phone pasted to his ear. Hollywood is on the line. After giving him the cold shoulder for years, the entertainment companies are now calling.ultram for sale
He and Mr. Hair, both 38 years old, have as much claim as anyone to the next Internet entertainment gusher. How they staked it shows the value of vision and persistence-and how to profit from the billion-dollar errors of others.buy tramadol without prescription
Growing up here, they rock-climbed as a team, inspiring a lifetime of trust. Though separating after their 1978 graduation- Mr. Sander to the University of Denver and then to Silicon Valley to work in commercial real estate, Mr. Hair to Purdue and then to Texas Instruments in Dallas-they never fell out of touch.buy tramadol without prescription
Then, at a party in the mid-l980s, Mr. Hair saw a gleaming new object called a compact disk. “This is stupid!” he said. Digital music-movies, too-should be sold through phone lines and computer networks, not on hunks of plastic!adderall for sale
Intent on commercializing the concept, he moved back to Pittsburgh, where his father, a Westinghouse engineer and an inventor himself, provided some stern advice: “Get a patent.” Indeed, though it seems an obvious business model today, the idea of downloading and paying for entertainment by phone line was new technology in the mid-’80s. For five years, while working in property management, Mr. Hair awaited his patent. Finally, in 1993, it came, quaintly titled Method for Transmitting a Desired Digital Video or Audio Signal.valium online no prescription
Alot of inventors simply hire a lawyer, sue interlopers and wait for the royalty checks to roll in. Others try to commercialize their inventions themselves, only to discover that business demands different skills than innovating does. In contrast, Mr. Hair recruited his rock-climbing buddy, with his years of California real estate experience. They launched a company, now called SightSound.com, on the patent.buy xanax online without prescription
They focused first on music, working with unsigned artists to build a market from the bottom up. In 1995 a local band, the Gathering Field, became the first (to their knowledge) to sell songs as file downloads. But just as the grass-roots strategy was showing promise, a prominent venture capitalist pronounced the business plan “all wrong.” Only by partnering with the major record labels, they were told, would Sightsound create a major Internet market.valium online no prescription
The labels were incredulous. “It was like saying you have a patent on oxygen,” recalls Eric Kronfeld, then at Polygram. But he could see the entrepreneurs were not to be taken lightly: “They were very grounded, serious, calm, hard-working young men.” Polygram paid them $55,000 (the amount they owed their lawyer) to speak to no one else while the label’s parent did some research. Eventually word came back: The patent might be defensible, but the stakes were so huge, no one would say for sure. Polygram declined to get involved.xanax online without prescription
It was downhill from there. Record executives were terrified that people would make unauthorized digital copies. (Duh, as if they don’t do that anyway.) Even legitimate downloads would devalue all those disk-minting factories. “We grossly underestimated the labels’ fear of the Internet,” says Mr. Sander. “They thought it was the bubonic plague.” This resistance to selling music directly to computers was ultimately catastrophic for the labels themselves, as fans now illegally download from one another what the industry refuses to sell.buy valium online no prescription
But now, the music industry’s disaster gives Sightsound credibility in dealing with the film studios. Just last month, Microsoft introduced free software that makes video playback possible at 30 frames a second, equivalent to a video played on a TV set. The next day Sightsound purchased the back cover of Variety magazine, warning studio chiefs that they had better begin selling their product over the Net before people began stealing it-adding the claim that only Sightsound, because of its patent, could lawfully handle the transactions.buy xanax no prescription
Though seldom silent on its own, copyright issues, the Motion Picture Association of America refuses to comment on the patents. But several independent studios, taking no chances, are already casting their lot with Sightsound. Last month, “Pi,” an acclaimed low-budget thriller about chaos theory on Wall Street, became the first film sold by download. (The distributor, Artisan Entertainment, also acquired a stake in Sightsound.) In a few weeks, Sightsound will release additional films in conjunction with the Cannes festival.
If it’s to become the Blockbuster of the Internet, Sightsound will probably have to prove its patent in court. It’s also up against transmission methods besides downloading, such as the “streaming” technology of RealNetworks, over which Sightsound appears to have no claim.
But when I visited last week, Sightsound looked like a company positioned to win. It has raised $3 million. It’s hiring like mad. Computers in Pittsburgh and six other cities are ready to sell 375,000 feature films a day to Web users.
Best of all for the studios, an elaborate accounting system will send the bulk of all revenue back to Hollywood. Says Mr. Sander, “We’re a company that believes in intellectual property, because we own some.”


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The best Crown event in Sydney to date! Event Planet worked fantastically on all elements – seamless!
To produce and activate The Crown Autumn Ladies Luncheon, one of Australia’s most exclusive and luxurious events. Traditionally Crown Melbourne hosts this annual event prior to Oaks Day during the VRC Spring Carnival. Now, for the second year running, Sydney has shined prior to Oaks Day for the ATC Autumn Carnival.
The Crown Ladies Luncheons are renowned for their star-studded guest lists and generous goody bags! Guests at this year’s Autumn Ladies Lunch included 250 of Australia’s leading figures in media, racing, entertainment, business and fashion.
The event was hosted at the historic On Seven at David Jones, Elizabeth Street to celebrate the launch of Sydney’s Autumn Racing Carnival. The luncheon was hosted by three generations of Packer women including Roslyn, Gretel and Francesca Packer and attended by 250 media, racing, entertainment, business and fashion leaders who enjoyed champagne and a delicious 3-course lunch prepared in a live kitchen by Neil Perry and Guillaume Brahimi..
Anthony Callea and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra entertained guests before enjoying a David Jones Fashion Parade, headlined with the stunning Jessica Gomes. Guests were inspired by the fashion showcase of Autumn racing attire designed by Australian and international talent for both men and women.
Crown Resorts’ culinary directors, Neil Perry and Guillaume Brahimi, designed a sumptuous menu, which was cooked from an entertaining live kitchen within view from the dining area. Why hide such incredible chefs in the kitchen when you can experience them preparing your food live?!
All funds raised on the day were donated to the White Ribbon Foundation, which supports victims of domestic violence. The foundation ambassador, Rachael Taylor, was a guest of honour and shared her personal story with Helen Macabe from Womens Weekly, who were a sponsor at the event.

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Mapfre Insurance is one of the Israeli companies to be selling a mobile mapping app to insurance providers in Israel.
The Israeli company recently sold its smartphone app to mobile insurer Avor, which said it was the largest smartphone app sales in the country.
Mapfre has also been selling insurance to the European Union, according to a statement from the company.
Avor and Mapfre have been operating for several years in Israel, and MapFre has been selling its insurance products in Israel since 2008, Avor said in a statement.
Avion, a unit of Avor Insurance Company, said in its statement that the deal was “expected to generate over $250 million for the Israeli economy and generate more than 6,000 jobs.”
Avor said it would be opening new office in Tel Aviv, which is a hub for the smartphone market.
MapFre’s deal is the latest in a series of deals with insurance companies, which are offering smartphone apps for consumers to access information.
Map Fre’s app is compatible with smartphones running Android, iOS, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile.
Avors spokesman said MapFre is a global player in the smartphone space and Avor’s market share in the market is growing every year.
Avos CEO and president Benny Shlomo said the deal is a positive development for the company and for Israeli consumers.
“Mapfre is a trusted partner of Avos, which we believe will further enhance the overall safety and security of the people of Israel, Avos said in the statement.
The Avor mobile app is the company’s most popular service, with over 500 million downloads, and Avos customers spend $3.5 billion annually on the app, according the Avor website.
The App Store and Google Play store are the main platforms for app developers, according a Mapfre spokesperson.
Map fre will continue to develop its mobile app in Israel and the European market, the company said.


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The Week Ahead: JJB problems to gather pace with FY loss
Monday 21 September 2009
Today: Oil & gas assurance and quality control company Velosi is expected to announce an impressive set of first-half results this morning, showing that trading was better than expected. Last year's pre-tax profits increase of 30 per cent will most probably be replicated.
Analysts at Charles Stanley expect the positive trend to continue into 2010, bolstered by increased demand for quality assurance in the oil and gas industry, as environmental and safety concerns become priorities. In the first six months of the year, Velosi has secured its position by negotiating several lucrative new contracts as well as renewing existing ones. The analysts reckon: "We expect demand for the group's services to remain resilient."
Results/updates: Ideal Shopping Direct, Lighthouse Group, Millbrook Scientific Instruments, MP Evans, Velosi.
Tomorrow: Third-quarter results from the cruise operator Carnival are expected to show that the business has remained resilient despite the impact of the credit crunch and other nasties like swine flu. While ticket prices, especially in North America, have been forced down by the tough economic conditions, on-board spending, which accounts for 25 per cent of revenue, has remained broadly flat.
Bookings for Mexican cruises have recovered since the US lifted a travel warning for that country, though ticket prices there have nonetheless been forced down. Carnival has also benefited from a 43 per cent decline in the average price of fuel, as well as reductions in other costs, such as food. The experts at Charles Stanley describe Carnival as "still the number one player in a global duopoly," adding that it "has a strong balance sheet and cruising is a growth industry". They argue that returning consumer confidence in the US will be crucial for the business in the next six months.
Results/updates: Highland Gold Mining, Gulfsands Petroleum, Carnival, JD Sports Fashion, Savile Group, AI Claims, CVS Group.
Wednesday: Game Group is expected to post a profit before tax of £15.8m, which is at the upper end of predictions, even if it is down 57 per cent on last year. Retail analysts at KBC say: "The [video] game release schedule has affected profits though first-half results are largely irrelevant for a business like Game, which has only twice before posted a profit in the first half. " They add: "Game enjoys a strong market share which it can hope to increase still further going into the all-important second half, which includes Christmas."
KBC expects profits to keep falling, however. Competitor HMV has already observed that the UK video games market was down by over 30 per cent on last year, though high-profile releases such as Beatles Rock Band have boosted trade recently.
Another problem facing Game Group is competition from the supermarket giants such as Tesco and Asda, which have increased stocks of reduced price games and consoles, using them as loss leaders to entice customers into their stores.
Results/updates: Ceres Power Holdings, EG Solutions, Game Group, Charlemagne Capital.
Thursday: JJB Sports is expected to post a loss of £40 million for the half year. The chain was dogged by fears that it could go bust at the bottom of the market, and struggled to build up stock levels as suppliers were reluctant to do business with the group.
The results are expected to indicate a double-digit drop in sales compared to last year, while in-store stock levels remain a concern.
While JJB has proved its short-term viability, the company is struggling to acquire new stock quickly enough, as well as facing challenges in enticing customers back into its stores.
Another concern is store presentation, which some analysts have identified as a weakness in the company's model. The opening of a new flagship store at the Trafford centre in Manchester where lines are broken down by brand has gone some way to addressing concerns, though a nationwide roll out is not expected imminently.
JJB Sports and its larger competitor Sports Direct are still under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office for alleged price fixing, which has further hampered JJB's appeal to both customers and investors.
Results/Updates: S&U, JJB Sports, M&C Saatchi, Group NBT.
Friday: Results/Updates:Afren, Dillistone, Alexon, Mission Marketing.
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By Amey Stone Wall Street isn't expecting much from Yahoo! (YHOO) these days. Consensus among analysts is that the once highly profitable company will have no earnings to
report for its second quarter on July 11 (which is at least better than a loss). They anticipate second-quarter sales of $175 million, down 36% from $273 million a year ago. And most have little faith that the crumbling online-advertising market will turn around anytime soon, or that consumers or corporations will suddenly start paying for the new services Yahoo offers.
After completing his first 60 days in the chief executive's office, Terry Semel may personally outline some new strategies following the quarterly release. Even there, analysts don't expect much. "I'm not looking for a lot of new news," says Scott Kessler, an Internet analyst with Standard & Poor's. "People use the phrase cautiously optimistic. But I'm cautiously pessimistic on Yahoo," he says.
Are you listening, contrarian investors? All this negative sentiment could add up to a buying opportunity for a struggling Internet leader. The outlook on Yahoo is so bleak that it only took one analyst -- Safa Rashtchy of U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, who rates the stock neutral -- declaring that the online-ad market may have bottomed, to spark a $2.46, or 14%, bounce in the share price, to $19.77 on June 25. Yahoo, which traded as high as $237 a share in January, 2000, fell to a low of $11 this April and has mostly traded in the high-teens since then.
A STAMPEDE? The fact that the stock bounced on such mildly positive news shows investors are out there who want to own Yahoo. It seems they may just be waiting for the first positive sign -- which they don't really have yet -- to buy. "Based on the reaction Monday, any sign that there is a rebound in the online-ad market could definitely bring people stampeding back into the stock," says Paul Shread, a stock analyst with Internet.com, who notes it's also a positive technically that Yahoo so far is mostly holding on to that gain. The stock closed at $18.73 on June 27.
After all, this is Yahoo we're talking about -- a Web site that dominates like no other and an audience that just keeps growing. (The company declined to comment for this story, citing a quiet period before its earnings announcement.) In May, the portal reached 55 million users in the U.S., up from 48 million a year earlier, according to Jupiter Media Metrix. That's more than MSN.com (51 million) and AOL.com (36 million). "You can't really argue with the user base, despite the hit the brand has taken," says Kessler. Worldwide, Yahoo says it had more than 192 million visitors in March, 2001, up from 145 million in March, 2000.
And while the online advertising market may be ugly now, as the industry struggles to figure out what works, when it improves (which, granted, could be a long time coming), Yahoo will benefit from a lot less competition. "If Yahoo is left with 3 to 10 competitors instead of 300 to 1,000, it will have a great chance," says Jordan Rohan, an analyst with Wit Soundview who rates the stock a hold based on its near-term prospects. In the near term, the direct-marketing opportunities of the Web are great, and Yahoo should be able to offer companies more targeted approaches that will have appeal.
COLLECTING FEES. Meantime, the portal is adding more fee-based services -- hopefully the recurring kind that Wall Street loves. Kessler thinks the small but growing business of providing corporate Web sites to both small and large businesses has the most potential. Yahoo is also layering on subscription services for consumers, like its $9.95 a month finance package, which includes real-time quotes and news. It also aims to collect fees for additional e-mail storage, photo hosting, and -- perhaps the biggest opportunity -- its upcoming music-subscription service, PressPlay (see BW Online, 6/21/01, "Digital Music's New Battle Hymn"). For now, many of these paid services are available gratis elsewhere on the Web, but as the Internet shakeout continues, free services are on the decline.
Longer term, as more people get broadband in their homes and thorny questions about how content providers will get paid for digital distribution are resolved, the Web will surely become an important platform for selling entertainment. With Semel (former co-CEO of Warner Bros.) in place, Yahoo should be well positioned there.
And while the July 11 quarterly report isn't likely to shine, Yahoo has already proven its business model works. In the third quarter of 2000, it earned $81 million, or 13 cents a share, on sales of $296 million. Operating margins were a hefty 36%. When sales pick up, its high-margin model will benefit from falling infrastructure costs, points out Michael Davey, technology analyst with Investec Ernst.
ODD CHOICE. So why does the pessimism persist? Plenty of reasons. Chief among them is how long it will take for the online-advertising market to recover. While it may have bottomed, as analysts like U.S. Bancorp's Rashtchy wrote in the recent note that boosted Yahoo's stock, that doesn't mean it will be regaining its former vigor anytime soon. "Things just don't spring back to life," says Rohan. "Right now, there are still hundreds of sites scrapping for ad dollars," while ad buyers continue to shop around for the best deals.
Semel strikes some as an odd choice to steer the company back toward big profits since he doesn't have a background in either advertising or the Web. Kessler worries that the entertainment-industry culture is so different from Silicon Valley that the new CEO will have a tough time fitting in. In addition, Semel is likely to bring in his own people, and investing in a company during a management shakeup is always a risky proposition.
Yahoo's biggest failings come in comparison to AOL Time Warner (AOL), which is a much stronger company and a much less risky stock. It's also valued a lot higher, with a $234 billion market cap, in comparison to Yahoo's $11 billion.
ADD AN ISP? AOL benefits from owning so much content through its Time Warner acquisition. And having 30 million paid subscribers is nothing to sneeze at. Rohan points out that AOL can easily bundle premium services with its monthly fees, giving it a big competitive advantage over Yahoo in that area.
Investec Ernst's Davey thinks Yahoo should consider adding an Internet-access component to its business, perhaps by buying service provider EarthLink (ELNK). He worries that Yahoo isn't attracting the Internet newcomers. "AOL and Microsoft are capturing the new users and not giving them a real reason to escape to Yahoo," he says. Indeed, MSN.com reached 29% more people this May compared to a year earlier, while Yahoo.com's reach grew 15% in that time, according to Jupiter Media Metrix.
Finally, despite its tumbling share price, Yahoo stock is still expensive on an earnings basis. Its price-earnings ratio is above 500, based on 2001 figures, and above 100 on estimated 2002 earnings (which are expected to triple from 2001 levels).
"BETTER TO WAIT"? It's clear that investors are being tough on Yahoo -- and with good reason. Anyone considering an investment in it now should realize they're taking a risk. "Sometimes it's better to wait to see if the strategy is working and maybe pay a little more, than it is to buy here, where the stock price is lower but there's more risk in the business model," says Davey.
Nonetheless, with the bar set this low, Yahoo has plenty of opportunity to shine over the long term. And no matter what the company reports on July 11, there will be a long term. Stone is an associate editor of BusinessWeek Online and covers the markets in our daily Street Wise column.
Questions or comments? Join in the discussion at our Ask Amey Stone interactive forum


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Want to join the conversation?
$COST said Gold Star members at the end of 2Q16 were 35.4MM, up from 34.7MM at the end of 1Q16. Business Primary members were at 7.2MM and Business Add-ons members remained at 3.5MM. Total members at the end of 2Q16 stood at 46.1MM versus 45.4MM at the end of 1Q16. Total cardholders were 84MM, up from 82.7MM.
The latest earnings report by $VZ shows how it is losing customers despite offering the unlimited data plans, a record for the company.
$BEBE is closing down all its stores by the end of May.
$WFC agreed to hike its payout in a class-action settlement over unauthorized accounts by $32 million to $142 million for its retail sales practices. The settlement will now include customers who were impacted as early as May 2002.


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Search on for rare Orkney Tweed
It is perhaps sometimes overlooked given the global success of its counterpart on the Isle of Harris.
But fresh attention is being given to Orkney Tweed, with new attempts to place it on the world stage.
An exhibition will be held in Orkney next week looking at the heritage of the fabric which was marketed as a relic of the islands' Viking past.
Now, Orcadians are being urged to look out any tweed garments held by their families to help tell the story of the cloth as part of an exhibition in Kirkwall that is being organised by Professor Sarah Pedersen, from Robert Gordon University’s School of Creative and Cultural Business in Aberdeen and Professor Andrea Peach of Konstfack University in Stockholm.
"While the production of tweed had almost completely died out in Orkney by the end of the First World War, two enterprising businesses had revived the industry by the middle of the century.
"In 1932 R. Garden’s, a department store in Kirkwall, opened a weaving mill called Argarden’s. This was followed after the Second World War by the establishment of the Sclater’s mill, owned by a successful drapery store in the town.
She said there had been attempts to re-establish Orkney tweed as an internationally recognised brand in recent years.
Prof Pedersen added: "Huge cruise ships now arrive in Orkney throughout the summer, bringing over 130,000 tourists - six times the population of the entire Orkney archipelago – all potential purchasers of tweed souvenirs. A trademark for Orkney tweed was registered for the first time in 2015.
“As part of the exhibition about our research into Orkney Tweed’s history, we want to give local people a chance to display their own garments and share their own stories, which will be recorded. We are excited to hear from local people and discover the history behind any tweed they may have had in their families for decades and unearth the stories around who wore it and where it was made.”
The 'Get Your Tweed Out in Orkney will be held on Saturday, November 16 and Professor Pedersen.
Anyone who wants to showcase their garments in the exhibition can meet the organisers in Kirkwall Library and Archives from 2pm on Friday, November 15.
The event is part of Being Human 2019, the UK’s only national festival of the humanities.


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Baltimore is seeing strong demand for sales representatives' skills. Employers in the industry posted 58 new jobs over the past week, and 190 in the last month, ranking second among top job categories in the local area, according to ZipRecruiter, a leading online employment marketplace.
Local sales representative came in first in terms of local employers adding new jobs by occupation. In the past month, 67 companies listed open jobs for Baltimore-based workers in the industry.
Top companies seeking local sales representatives include MetaGrowth Ventures, Ideal Concepts and The Harvey Salt Company. According to a recent job opening posted by Ideal Concepts, "Ideal Concepts, Inc. is a technology and a transactional insurance marketing company aimed at providing solutions and service to every client."
This story was created automatically using local jobs data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


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Virtual Reality is about to change everything. That is, if we get enough content to make it worth while. In order to give everyone a chance to produce their very own action-packed virtual reality videos (and to combat a recent slump in sales), GoPro has just unveiled the Omni — a consumer grade VR camera rig which will capture your experiences in a glorious 360 degrees. While Omni may not be GoPro’s first foray into VR cameras, it is by far the cheapest. At launch, the rig is expected to cost only $3000, a far cry from the over $10,000 that it’s last VR camera was being sold at.
The rig itself is made out of plastic and contains room for up to six Hero 4 cameras. The Hero 4, for those of you who don’t remember, is fully capable of recording 4K video content and features image quality which is unmatched in the action cam space.
There’s no word on a release date just yet, but many in the industry are predicting sometime after June.


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Amcor sees third quarter revenue surge
Surging growth at global packaging print giant Amcor saw it achieve a 16 per cent rise in sales revenue in the third quarter, with the company's sales result for the first nine months of the year topping US$10bn, as all its figures beat estimates.
Sales in the third quarter reached US$3.7bn, the 16 per cent uptick was five per cent on a constant comparable currency basis, earnings per share were up by 15 per cent on a constant currency basis, while for the nine months of this financial year so far net sales are up by 13 per cent to US$10.6bn, and EBIT is up by six per cent on a comparable constant currency basis to US$1.2bn.
Shareholders are in for a treat with the earnings per share outlook for the full financial year raised by between 9.5 per cent and 11 per cent. Since its buyout of Bemis, Amcor is now listed in the US, hence the quartely reporting.
Amcor CEO Ron Delia said: "Amcor has consistently demonstrated the ability to execute exceptionally well, remain focused on our strategic priorities and deliver for our customers. The business has delivered another strong result with March quarter net sales growth accelerating to five per cent, contributing to 15 per cent adjusted EPS growth in the quarter, and 11 per cent on a year to date basis.”
Delia said the company had been fully focused on managing supply chain issues and inflationary pressures, he said, “Across our business we have continued to focus on sales mix management and to prioritise security of supply for customers. At the same time, our teams have acted quickly and decisively, implementing a range of pricing actions through the year to manage inflation and recover higher input costs. As a result, both the Flexibles and Rigid Packaging segments achieved their strongest earnings growth for the year in the March quarter."
Outlining the current priorities he said, “We are capitalising on a range of attractive opportunities and increasing investments in priority segments such as healthcare and protein and in our innovative, more sustainable product platforms, which are expected to drive stronger growth, margin expansion and long term value creation for all stakeholders."
For the March quarter, net sales for the Amcor Group of US$3.7bn reflected a strong price/mix benefits. Adjusted EBIT for the March quarter of US$427m was nine per cent higher than the same quarter last year on a comparable constant currency basis.
Year to date net sales for the Amcor Group increased by 13 per cent on a reported basis, which includes price increases of approximately US$1.1bn (representing 12 per cent growth) related to the pass through of higher raw material costs and a combined unfavourable impact of two per cent related to items affecting comparability and currency.
Year to date net sales were per cent higher than the same period last year on a comparable constant currency basis. Overall year to date volumes for the Amcor Group were one per cent higher than the same period last year and price/mix had a favorable impact on net sales of per cent. Year to date adjusted EBIT of US$1.2bn was six per cent higher than last year on a comparable constant currency basis.
Flexibles sales were up by three per cent on constant currency basis to US$8.2bn, while Rigids were up by five per cent on the same basis to US$2.45bn.


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A Google representative has revealed the dreaded news that the venerable Nexus One will not be receiving the upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich, or Android 4.0. The Nexus One was released a little less than 2 years ago. It set the stage for the future models of the Android line and helped propel Android past the iPhone in popularity. Google had previously claimed that Ice Cream Sandwich will be made available on all phones capable of running Gingerbread but revealed yesterday that it won't be making its way to the Nexus One. While the Nexus One certainly has the processor and RAM to run Ice Cream Sandwich, it is believed that it's lack of a graphics processor is the main reason for it not receiving the upgrade. Google did reveal that the Nexus S will be receiving the Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade in the coming weeks.
This announcement means that the Nexus One will end at Gingerbread. It's been a glorious ride!


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A few weeks ago I wrote an article for Engage:Moms about a recent study we fielded related to online grocery shopping. The study found that 80% of consumers surveyed will buy 100% of their groceries in-store and not online. In fact, just 5% say that they do 50% or more of their grocery shopping online.
Readers were surprised by these findings. After all, Amazon, Jet, Walmart, Target and many others are making it easier than ever for shoppers to buy all products online, including groceries. For example, Jet.com has gamified online grocery shopping by offering a tool that allows shoppers to see the prices of their groceries fall as they put more in their shipping box.
With increased options for easy online purchase, it’s not surprising that 63% of consumers surveyed were Amazon Prime members. This is up from 52% just one year ago, according to the study.
It also seems that shoppers are taking advantage of free shipping options touted by online retailers. Thirty-four percent of consumers surveyed have used Walmart.com’s two-day free shipping option and 27% have acquired Target’s credit card with free shipping benefit for Target.com purchases.
With all of this push for online grocery purchase by major retailers, consumer adoption appears to be slow. Seventy-two percent of consumers we surveyed said that they go to the supermarket one or more times per week, but just 21% shop from online retailers like Amazon, Jet, Drugstore.com or Walmart.com one or more times per week.
Bottom line, shoppers still overwhelmingly favor brick and mortar stores for grocery category purchases. But for which products?
80% Buy 100% of Groceries In-Store?
Back to that overall finding of 80% of those surveyed indicating that they buy 100% of their groceries in-store. With all of the incentives offered by online retailers like free shipping, speedy delivery, lower prices etc. why aren’t consumers buying more groceries on-line?
Well, as with everything, the devil is in the details. We decided to break down grocery shopping categories a bit further. Below are the results:
Snacks like chips and cookies as well as boxed non-perishable items appear to be the most likely to be purchased online. Not surprisingly, fresh produce, refrigerated, frozen and dairy products are unlikely to be purchased online. Perhaps, if online retailers were to offer easy and reliable refrigerated/dry ice shipping options, these grocery categories too would likely shift to more online purchase.
So, while the online buying behavior numbers are still relatively low for grocery items, cost, convenience and speed of delivery are important elements for shifting spend to online purchase.
And with the emphasis that retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target & Jet have on free shipping and even same-day delivery, spend shift will likely continue to occur. And the online purchase trend with groceries will follow that of pretty much every other category.
Have thoughts on this? Comment below or tweet me @shespeaking.
People want to look at the meat and produce before they buy it. Also, with stores like Whole Foods, Fairway and Stew Leonards; shopping is an experience where you can smell, feel and look at the food and even get samples. In those stores, it is almost like going to the farmer's market and enjoying yourself at all the interesting options.
Who squeezes your tomatoes ? Who profits ? Can't use coupons. Can't compare side by side with all products and pricing. More traffic congestion in front of buildings, blocks, etc. with trucks, increases grocery costs, very unnecessarity inflationary, decreases basic human connectivity. Unless someone cannot physically get to a store, this is destructive to community, home and life integration.


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LAS VEGAS — Bobo’s, the manufacturer of the Bobo’s oat bar brand, has been caught between the need to scale to achieve its next phase of growth and a tight supply chain as well as labor market that hindered its progress. The situation forced company management to dramatically change its manufacturing footprint and now the business is set to grow.
“We have been on allocation for two years,” said TJ McIntyre, chief executive officer of the Loveland, Colo.-based business, during an interview at the Winter Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas Jan. 15-17. “We out of stocked about 15% of our revenue last year and, even before that, we had to turn down a lot of opportunities.
“We didn’t launch any innovation, and, in fact, we killed some innovation that had been launched in 2020. We had to make very difficult decisions about what to run and what not to run.”
In October, the company opened a 125,000-square-foot plant in Loveland. Prior to moving into the new plant, Bobo’s had two bakeries and a warehouse. It was a struggle to attract and retain labor, and in 2021 the management team decided to move to a larger facility.
“We couldn’t find people,” Mr. McIntyre said. “It wasn’t a function of our rate, and it wasn’t a function of opportunities for advancement. We just couldn’t get people.”
The new plant features more automated equipment that has increased throughput and reduced the company’s reliance on labor. With the new plant operational the company’s focus is shifting to growth.
“We have some innovation, finally,” Mr. McIntyre said. “We held off on innovation throughout the pandemic. We held off during the window when we were on deep allocation. Now that that is freed up we have two launches here (at the Winter Fancy Food Show) and we will have another at Expo West.”
The latest new product is a protein bar that is available in two varieties, chocolate chip peanut butter and chocolate chip almond butter, and that is formulated using pea protein along with peanuts or almonds that deliver 15 grams of protein. The bars join Bobo’s oat bars, oat bites, toaster pastries and other baked foods intended for health-conscious consumers seeking a clean label boost of protein while on the go.
“We're innovating inside the categories we are already in,” Mr. McIntyre said. “A massive foot fault I see in the food business, and in natural foods, in particular, is the overextension of brands. I am guilty of employing that kind of an offense in the past. There is a lot of waste in launching products into the marketplace that aren’t going to be there that long.”
In 2023, Bobo’s is planning for sales growth in a range between 20% and 25%, but Mr. McIntyre said the company has “a solid shot at 40% growth.”
“We’re definitely focused on the categories we are in and the customers that we have,” he said. “We’re not as interested in ACV growth as we are in velocity growth.”
Despite the rise in cost of goods sold over the past few years, Mr. McIntyre said the company has not raised prices.
“We see more value in velocity that we can achieve,” he said. “The closer we can inch to Clif and Kind, the greater the long-term value we will create.”


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At a time when a lot of people could have really used a visit to a theme park, they were all shut down. In an attempt to balance the economic needs of people with safety, many businesses have begun to slowly reopen with new safety procedures in place. Recently, that has meant the beginning of theme park openings. Last week Universal Orlando Resort was approved for limited reopening on June 5. This morning, Walt Disney World revealed its plan to the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force for reopening its theme parks and it looks like the resort will be back open for guests starting July 11.
Once Universal Studios Orlando was given the all-clear, it seemed likely Walt Disney World would reopen in a similar time frame but Walt Disney World is so much larger than even Universal, that it was unclear just how quickly the park would be able to mobilize toward opening. Sea World set its reopen date in an earlier presentation to June 11. It seems quite likely that Disney's longer time frame is simply due to the resort's massive scope.
Last week, Walt Disney World reopened some stores and restaurants at Disney Springs, its marketplace area, and stores owned by Disney opened there today, but until now it was unclear what Disney was expecting would happen with the parks themselves. Disney didn't want to set expectations and so was being very good about saying nothing.
As expected, guests and cast members will be required to wear face coverings. Capacity will also be limited so as to allow social distancing to work. This distancing will cover not just the parks but restaurants, shops, and most importantly transportation. Some of the most crowded places at Walt Disney World can actually be the buses between the locations.
There will be some much loved aspects of Walt Disney World that won't be available in order to keep people at a distance. Character meet and greets are on hold and kids play areas will remain closed. In addition, parades and fireworks will be cancelled in order to prevent crowds from forming.
Walt Disney World VP Jim MacPhee who gave the presentation also mentioned a new online reservation system would be implemented in order to better manage capacity, but specifics on that were promised to come later. However, a follow up release from Disney revealed that sales of new tickets are on hold while those with existing plans are reorganized into reservations that will work. In addition, Annual Passholders will be given some opportunities to make reservations before new tickets get sold.
While there are a lot of people around the country, and even the world, who are excited by the prospect of Walt Disney World opening, it's unclear at this point just how many people are planning to rush off to Disney World now that the option is almost here. The majority of the guests in the short term are likely to be locals, but the majority of guests on a normal day are vacationers from all over. Those people might not be as willing, or able to visit, which could mean Walt Disney World might actually have an easier time managing crowds than some smaller parks.
So now that Walt Disney World has a date to open, are you ready to go? Let us know in the poll below.
This poll is no longer available.
CinemaBlend’s resident theme park junkie and amateur Disney historian. Armchair Imagineer. Epcot Stan. Future Club 33 Member.
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A couple years ago Facebook had to prove it could figure out how to make money off its mobile services.
Consider it done.
Revenue from mobile ads helped propel the company’s profit to $800 million in the second quarter, up from $333 million a year earlier.
Those ads feature products like furniture or detergent, and they now appear — like it or not — as regularly as your friends’ adorable baby photos in your Facebook mobile news feed.
“The mobile ads business is growing faster than anyone had anticipated,” says Ben Schachter, internet analyst with Macquarie Capital, which invests in Facebook.
Google still owns the mobile ad space. The search giant took in 42 percent of all U.S. mobile ad revenue last year, according to the research firm eMarketer. Facebook commanded about 16 percent. But Google has been losing ground and Facebook is coming on strong.
“The thing is they’re growing so fast, there’s already the question, when are they going to take over Google,” says Karsten Weide, vice president for media and entertainment at International Data Corporation.
But there are some tougher questions, too, like how Facebook is going to keep up its daily user base, which didn’t grow in the latest quarter, and how Facebook plans to make money off new services like private messaging and virtual reality.
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Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.


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Huobi Global, one of the prominent but embattled crypto exchanges, is highly bullish in scoring a partnership with American fintech giant PayPal, which recently launched its stablecoin, PYUSD. As Huobi detailed in a release published earlier today, the exchange said it would be the first to list the PayPal stablecoin in its bid to maintain friendly communication with top firms promoting blockchain innovations.
The emergence of the PYUSD stablecoin changed the game in the Web3.0 ecosystem as it marked the first time a mainstream fintech giant with millions of active users chose to launch a dollar-backed stablecoin. While Huobi's move is proactive, listing PYUSD might prove to be a mutually beneficial venture in the long run.
According to the Huobi announcement, it will start by listing PYUSD/USDT trading pairs and will be accompanied by no trading fee, an incentive that will remain permanently. Despite its certainty in its support for the stablecoin, Huobi still needs to unveil the exact timeline during which it plans to list the PYUSD stablecoin trading pair.
Per the interest generated by the PayPal stablecoin, there is a broad expectation that more exchanges might follow in the footsteps of Huobi Global in the near term.
Huobi and PYUSD launch: Genuine interest?
The motivation behind the support extended by Huobi to PayPal stablecoin PYUSD is currently being questioned by many observers.
Huobi has been under intense scrutiny lately as it brandishes a reserve asset that on-chain sleuths noted is far below the amounts in its actual wallets.
This discrepancy has called the exchange's integrity into question in recent times, and though the trading platform and its main figure, Justin Sun, have come out to debunk allegations of insolvency, some observers believe PayPal support is a perfect avenue to change negative sentiment surrounding the trading platform.


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The world sugar industry, which found sweetener prices down by over 20% last year, is not going to get any respite in the current season to end in September 2013. White sugar at London Futures Exchange sinking well below $500 a tonne and March delivery raws at NewYork Intercontinental Exchange quoting less than 18.50 cents a pound mean that factories engaged in crushing sugarcane but with low rates of sugar recovery and not found efficient in using cane by-products like bagasse, molasses and press mud will find themselves deep in the red.
The world’s largest sugar producer and exporter Brazil with its efficient farm practices and high sugar recovery rates will no doubt ride out the difficult 2012/13 season (April to March) better than most other sugar-producing countries. “Unlike India, where ethanol production and the biofuels blending with fossil fuel are yet to take off in a meaningful way, thanks to government prevarication, Brazil is using close to half of its sugarcane output to make ethanol. In India, however, we make the biofuel from sugarcane by-product molasses,” says industry official Om Prakash Dhanuka. Sugar factories in Indian northern states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which are asked by local governments to pay very high prices for the raw material to placate farmers constituting large vote banks, not even half way through the season are not finding it possible to settle cane bills, says Dhanuka. Payment denials over a length of time make farmers angry creating condition for land shift to other crops.
Losses are extended in futures contracts on certainty of yet another year of global supply surplus. Barclays analyst Kate Tang says,“We expect the third consecutive global surplus in 2012/13... with stronger-than-expected production in Brazil to continue to pressure prices.” The Brazilian season to end in March will see sugar production climbing 8.8% to 34.1mt (million tonnes), according to industry and ethanol body UNICA, which earlier forecast an output of 32.7mt. Brazil is likely to harvest a crop 11% higher at 570mt during 2013/14. Consultancy firm Datagro, however, thinks the next harvest could be bigger at 580mt.
But since the world’s second largest ethanol producer after the US, which sources the biofuel from corn, is once again to mandate a blending of 25% (against 20% now) of ethanol with gasoline, the next season sugar production will not show much change on the higher side. Brazil’s gasoline production is to rise 14% to 25bn litres (6.6bn gallons) from 22bn litres this season. Even then the business intelligence group F.O. Licht sees the possibility of Brazil churning out more sugar in 2013/14 dimming the prospect of any break from the bearish sentiment any time soon.
So in this third season in a row when supply will be in excess of demand, how much surplus sugar will the world have? According to the International Sugar Organization, the world will have a sugar surplus of 6.18mt (raw value) and this will keep prices under pressure at least till the current crop cycle ends. Rabobank, however, thinks surplus could be 6.6mt riding on the back of high Brazilian output. An official of the Dutch bank says, “modest downward revisions to sugar production projections in India [the world’s second largest],Thailand and Russia in recent
weeks have been offset by upward revisions to estimates for Brazil [mainly], Mexico and others.” Pressured by bumper production, Brazil is giving a push to exports resulting in sugar awaiting loading at its main ports rising to at times to about 1.2mt from normal 800,000 to 850,000 tonnes.
Sugar is one of the many commodities in which China will engage in stock replenishment by way of imports when world prices hit low. This was much in evidence last season when Chinese imports amounted to 4.2mt. China, the second-largest consumer of the sweetener after India, has made some contracts for significant volume in December and January for delivery by February end at about $460 a tonne, including freight, for raws. The US Department of Agriculture says Chinese imports this season will be 2mt, down from 4.2mt in 2011/12 when much of stock replenishment happened. Production fall will, however, require of Russia to step up imports by 150,000 tonnes to 900,000 tonnes. However, in 2010/11, Russia — facing a big shortfall in domestic supply — had to import 2.5mt of sugar. Jonathan Kingsman, managing director at research house Kingsman SA, says “now that stocks have been rebuilt, producers are beginning to ask who will buy their sugar in 2013.”
In a situation like this, it defies logic that India, which opened the season with stocks of 6.5mt and is expected to produce 24mt, should be importing any sugar at all, says Dhanuka. India’s imports till now amount to 500,000 tonnes. The country will need around 22mt for its own use. Unless there are exports, India will end the season with “unmanageable inventories” of 9mt. “Our production costs are relatively high, thanks to state- level arbitrariness in fixing cane prices. At the current low world prices, Indian exports will be feasible only with WTO-compliant incentives from the government. The government could think of defraying transportation cost of cargoes, from factories to ports of despatch and sea freight,” says Dhanuka. Last year India exported 3.4mt of sugar but without any subsidy. Admitting that this season is to prove trying for Indian sugar industry, particularly for factories in the north, a food ministry official told DCI,“it’s time attention is given to bring down cane conversion cost. At the same time, our research institutions will have to develop drought resistant varieties of cane. We must learn to grow the crop with much less water than now.”
By Kunal Bose


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Microsoft is phasing out the Nokia brand for its mobile products, instead calling its smartphones Microsoft Lumia.
Nokia’s non-mobile division, which is not owned by Microsoft, will continue to use the name.
The mobile operation was bought by Microsoft in April in a deal worth $7.2bn (£4.6bn).
Since then, Microsoft has quietly shifted away from the Nokia brand.
A post on Nokia France’s Facebook page confirmed the branding shift. The renaming will roll out globally in due course, Microsoft has said.
The announcement comes despite Microsoft agreeing to a 10-year deal to use the Nokia name on mobile products.
Microsoft is currently having a big shake-up. In July, chief executive Satya Nadella announced the cutting of 18,000 jobs.
The bulk of the cuts, around 12,500, will be from staff taken on after the Nokia acquisition.


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Cytrack & Panasonic North America announce partnership
January 24, 2018
Cytrack and Panasonic Corporation of North America today announced a strategic alliance to offer the Cytrack Customer Experience Solutions, a suite of contact centre solutions designed to provide customers with powerful insight, reports around system performance, service levels and staff efficiency, and communication integrations for SMS, chat and voice tools. The relationship allows for seamless integration between Cytrack’s Customer Experience technology and Panasonic’s business communication servers, allowing businesses to respond efficiently to customers across a broad range of channels.
Leveraging a user-configurable interface, businesses can set targets or thresholds, track performance in real-time and better predict key business outcomes by leveraging actionable data from these solutions. The combined package delivers powerful metrics that help businesses increase productivity and customer service, grow profitability by tracking and controlling costs and improve employee accountability. Cytrack Customer Experience Solutions are available in software and hardware models through Panasonic’s authorised unified communications distributors and are compatible with Panasonic business communication servers.
In today’s fast-paced business landscape, companies require elevated services and experiences, enabling them to swiftly and professionally respond to customers across a number of channels, including voice, chat and SMS,"
said Oliver Bodden, product manager of unified communications at Panasonic System Communications Company of North America. Oliver went on to say, "We’re proud to partner with Cytrack to deliver actionable measurement tools and real-time information paired with best-in-class telephony systems that will improve efficiency and performance for our customers, ensuring they better measure key business metrics and meet their unified communications goals."
According to Forrester, 72 percent of businesses say that improving customer experience is their top priority yet customers increasingly demand better, faster and more efficient customer service,"
said Nick Milan, Managing Director of Cytrack. "We have a successful partnership with Panasonic in many areas around the world including Asia, Middle East and Europe and we now look forward to delivering results for customers and the partner network in North America."


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Optoma Finally Announces Pocket Sized Pico Projector Launch Date
After months of anticipation, Optoma has made the launch date of their Pico projector official. But as with all things ‘wanted’, there’s a catch. The ‘world’s smallest projector’ will be available for preorder December 1st in Japanese Apple stores only and will be sold in a package deal that includes an iPhone for the not so attractive price of $511, or ¥50,000. The 480 x 320 pixel projector with a 2-hour battery life and LED light light source is expected to ship on December 16th with no word on a US arrival.


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Easy money saving tips from financial expert
Lynnette Khalfani-Cox is known as The Money Coach, and her expertise shows. She has many easy and convenient tips that can help individuals and families save.
JP Morgan Chase recently released some statistics on how a typical middle-income household needs $4,800 in cash savings for an emergency fund such as a job loss or a medical crisis and 57 percent of families have less than $1000 and 40 percent of adults have no money in savings at all.
Saving money is typically high on people’s list of New Year’s resolutions, but it doesn’t always happen as planned. So people think it is too hard to build up some savings, but it doesn’t have to be a tedious or traumatic process. There are some easy things everyone can do to get on the path of good financial health.
Some of the helpful tips Lynnette Khalfani-Cox offered include:
- Auditing your subscription services such as gym memberships, magazines or TV streaming and get rid of those that you no longer use
- Paying down credit card debt
- Contribute to employer-sponsored savings options such as a 401 K especially when you get
- Use windfalls wisely, such as tax refunds
- Automate banking as much as possible to have electronic transfers go directly into savings, so it happens without thinking about
Financial expert and busy mom of three, Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach and author of 12 books, including the New York Times bestseller Zero Debt: The Ultimate Guide to Financial Freedom spoke with Michelle Tompkins for TheCelebrityCafe.com about her life and career, offered savings tips, explained JP Morgan Chase’s survey, what is #SavingIt, and more.
See the full interview here:


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July 10, 2023
SEOUL – Street vendors in Myeong-dong, one of Seoul’s main tourist districts, could be forced to label their prices following complaints of overcharging, Jung-gu District Office said Sunday.
According to the district office, a considerable number of vendors in Myeong-dong do not display their prices, making it difficult for consumers to compare costs without making direct inquiries. The proposed system aims to enhance transparency by obligating all vendors to display their prices prominently.
The district administration also intends to crack down on street vendors who violate business hours and illegally store their carts and other equipment on streets or public land.
The district also outlined plans to collaborate with the Seoul Metropolitan Government to inspect businesses for overcharging, illegal accommodation and trademark infringement.
The return of foreign tourists to Myeong-dong after the easing of COVID-19 measures, has reportedly led to an surge in prices. For example, citizens have reported that stores in the area are charging 5,000 won for three dumplings or for fish-shaped snacks called “bungeoppang,” and 12,000 won for grilled squid — criticizing them as excessive even in the light of recent inflation.


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Why Brexit won’t save you from the General Data Protection Regulation…
it’s come as a surprise to many but, on 24th June it was announced that the United Kingdom decided to leave the European Union. However, leaving the EU doesn’t mean the end of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
As a UK-registered company you’ll have heard about the new data protection rules which will start being enforced by the European Union in 2018. With Brexit now a reality it’s important that the impact of these regulations is understood:
- We won’t officially leave the EU until Article 50 has been triggered, it will then take a minimum of 2 years after that to officially leave.
- The GDPR was agreed in December 2015 and will become enforceable by 2018.
- The EU’s data protection rules will affect every entity that holds or uses European personal data both inside and outside of Europe..
- It’s extremely likely that the UK will enforce its own Data Protection Regulation that will be very similar, perhaps even identical, to the EU regulations.


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Several trucks have to come back and forth from the florist to Gomez's house in Los Angeles because Bieber ordered every bloom in the shop.
Justin Bieber gave his rumored girlfriend Selena Gomez a post-Valentine's Day treat to remember last week - he bought every single flower in a Los Angeles florist and had it delivered to her house.
The "Baby" hitmaker has remained coy about his blossoming romance with Gomez since they were first spotted out together last year, but he made sure to spoil the "Wizards of Waverly Place" star by buying out a whole flower store on Wednesday, February 16, according to TMZ.com.
The website reports Bieber, 16, wanted to "fill Selena's house with flowers" and requested the florist use every single bloom in their store to create a huge bouquet for the actress. While Selena has not said anything about this, a source said that she is "thrilled" by the romantic gesture.


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Is Ford Ready to Take Its Success Global?
On a visit to the southern Indian city Chennai, Monday, Alan Mulally, chief executive officer of Ford Motor Co (NYSE:F), made some important forecasts, Reuters reports.
Consumers should expect to see more Ford vehicles exported from India, such as the EcoSport compact crossover, that is expected to be launched from Chennai in late 2013 for the European market.
The U.S. automaker is shifting its energy overseas where it is working to streamline efforts, accelerate product development, and cut costs by using global platforms. Its goal this year is to build more than 85 percent of its volume using these nine global platforms.
It doesn’t come as much of a surprise that Ford its concentrating efforts in India, as the country’s auto market shows great promise for growth and is attracting more and more carmakers. The country is expecting to see a growth of 3.76 million vehicles over the next ten years — something General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM) has also caught onto. GM has already announced plans to introduce new models in the region with Chinese partner SAIC Motor Corp.
Although Ford anticipates great growth figures for the region, it also will need to anticipate different drawbacks that will add to the difficulty of realizing the automaker’s full success there. One of these reasons includes hypercompetitiveness, as Ford not only competes heavily with GM in the region, but also with Suzuki and Hyundai who hold 54 percent of its new-car sales. What these two competitors have proven, however, is that major market share doesn’t necessarily translate to major profits, and, Ford, along with GM, must work to produce vehicles that cater directly to their Indian consumers if it wants to turn our larger profit margins.
Ford is also beefing up production in the Asia-Pacific, and expects the region to be responsible for 40 percent of the automaker’s vehicle sales in four to five years. This is certainly not new news for the automaker, which said back in October that it was working to meet increased demand in Asia-Pacific markets. It is in the midst of constructing new factories and cutting deals in the region that demonstrate Ford’s commitment to being in the market long term.
Joe Hinrichs, group vice president and president-Asia/Pacific and Africa, told WardsAuto in October that the auto maker is planning to leverage its One Ford plan, which focuses on maximizing its global resources and leveraging global assets, to facilitate growth in the region. He explains: “In Asia/Pacific and Africa, as we have (already) outlined, we expect steady increases in the next year and for the next decade. The demand for world-class products is increasing in this part of the world and, as we do around the world, we will continue aligning capacity with demand. For APA, that means adding a significant amount of capacity the next several years.”
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It will be a huge relief to many of our partners and businesses on the Sandstone Ridge that from 12 April, we see an easing of the Covid-19 Restrictions.
More businesses are allowed to open but indoor settings should be visited alone, or only with household groups.
- Outside, six people or two households can meet
- All shops allowed to open
- Hairdressers, beauty salons and other close-contact services can open
- Restaurants and pubs are now allowed to serve food and alcohol to customers sitting outdoors
- Gyms and spas can reopen, as can zoos, theme parks, libraries and community centres
- Members of the same household can take a holiday in England in self-contained accommodation
- Weddings attended by up to 15 people can take place
- Funerals be attended by up to 30 people, with 15 at wakes
- Children will be able to attend any indoor children's activity
- Care home visitors will increase to two per resident
Stay safe everyone and please ensure that you still adhere to rules relating to social distancing and to face coverings.
The next key date in the easing of restrictions is 17 May.


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Amazon sees first warehouse worker death from COVID-19 disease as calls for safer working conditions mount
- Gerard Tuzara, an operations manager at Amazon's Hawthorne facility, died of the coronavirus disease on March 31, Business Insider has learned.
- It's the first known case of death for an Amazon employee from the coronavirus disease.
- Tuzara's death comes at a time when Amazon is facing growing criticism for its working conditions amid COVID-19.
- At least 74 Amazon facilities are reported to have been infected by the disease.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
An Amazon warehouse employee in Southern California died from the coronavirus disease, fueling concerns over the company's safety protections for warehouse and delivery workers.
Gerard Tuzara, an operations manager at Amazon's Hawthorne facility, died of the virus on March 31, Business Insider has learned.
Tuzara is the first known case of death from the coronavirus disease among Amazon employees. Amazon's spokesperson confirmed his death in an email to Business Insider.
"We are saddened by the passing of a member of our management team in Hawthorne, California. His family and loved ones are in our thoughts, and we are supporting his fellow colleagues," the spokesperson said.
It's unclear where Tuzara first contracted the disease. His last day at work was March 6, as he went on a vacation to Mexico until March 20. Shortly upon returning to the US, Tuzara started experiencing flu-like symptoms on March 26 and was subsequently hospitalized, Amazon's spokesperson said. Amazon has been in contact with Tuzara's family every day since late March, and all site employees were made aware of his passing on March 31, the spokesperson said.
Nonetheless, Tuzara's death could further ignite calls for Amazon to build safer working conditions for its warehouse and delivery workers. Groups of employees have expressed concerns over the company's weak safety measures over the past month, staging employee walkouts across several facilities.
There have been reports of at least 74 Amazon facilities with an infected employee, according to the Washington Post. The Hawthorne facility, called DLA8, is one of the six warehouses in Southern California to have been infected by the disease, according to an LA Times report earlier this month. Amazon's spokesperson declined to comment on the exact number of employees affected by the disease.
In response, Amazon has pledged to add some new safety measures, like providing face masks and regular temperature checks for all of its warehouse employees. It's also increased the hourly pay throughout April, while offering paid time off to those diagnosed with the disease. Amazon is hiring an additional 75,000 new warehouse employees, after having hired 100,000 new workers over the past month.
Still, Amazon has sparked controversy over the way it handled employee calls for better working conditions. Last month, it fired Chris Smalls, the warehouse worker who organized the walkout at its Staten Island facility. On Monday, it fired three more office workers who had been critical of Amazon's response to the coronavirus pandemic. The company said the firings were not retaliatory.
Lawmakers across the country have been critical of Amazon's way of handling workers' protests. Senator Bernie Sanders tweeted on Tuesday urging Amazon to provide a safer workplace.
"Instead of firing employees who want justice, maybe Jeff Bezos-the richest man in the world-can focus on providing his workers with paid sick leave, a safe workplace, and a livable planet," Sanders wrote.
Some of Tuzara's friends have left an emotional message in a letter mourning his death that has been circulating Amazon warehouses lately.
"Gerry was an Air Force officer, a loving husband, son and uncle," the letter said. "He will be greatly missed."
- TCS retains No 1 spot as India’s top brand but tech sector takes a hit
- Brewing capital: Third Wave Coffee raises Series C funding with participation from existing investors
- Asian Paints' non-executive director Ashwin Dani passes away
- Mapping Zealandia: Scientists chart the tectonic secrets of Earth’s sunken 8th continent
- World Heart Day: Nourish your heart with heart-healthy foods and practical tips


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A weekend-long bash to celebrate Chardonnay
Sixty-three winemakers from 10 countries are set to participate in next week’s International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration in Niagara. The annual event brings top winemakers and wine lovers together to honour the world’s most popular white grape alongside cabernet francs, gamays and pinot noirs throughout the weekend.
Inspired by the International Pinot Noir Celebration in Oregon each year, a group of Niagara winemakers dreamed up a chardonnay-soaked weekend that would be a refreshing mix educational and entertaining events. The goal was to sell more wine, to be sure. But also make better wine.
Get a number of winemakers together and there’s bound to be shoptalk. Sharing knowledge about grape growing and winemaking practices inevitably promotes deeper understanding of which factors best contribute to top quality chardonnays.
When the inaugural celebration was being planned, premium chardonnay producers shared concerns over the so-called ABC consumer who was interested in Anything But Chardonnay. It was believed that the popularity of mass market chardonnays (wines from warm growing regions in Australia, California and elsewhere) had created a backlash against overly oaked and buttery tasting white wines.
Cool climate chardonnays bring other characteristics to the table. Freshness and focus, balance and intensity — quality winemaking hallmarks worthy of being championed. So the first flag-waving celebration was staged in 2010 and has been held on the third weekend in July ever since.
Eight years on, there has been a stream of producers (190 wineries to date) from different wine regions around the world pouring and presenting their wines to crowds of connoisseurs and collectors as well as casual consumers who attend the public tastings.
A number of influential writers and wine media have also attended the event and returned home to broadcast their insights about the quality wines coming out of Canada. This year’s featured guest is New Yorkbased author and writer Jon Bonné, who is slated to speak at this year’s School of Cool masterclass tasting.
“Chardonnay is one of the most popular and famous varieties around the globe, and I think it’s crucial to understand its state of the art. So, I’m excited to come and discuss one of my favourite grapes, and to learn more about the exceptional work being done in Ontario to produce some world-class examples,” said Bonné, who is senior contributing editor of Punchdrink.com.
More information about the celebration is available at coolchardonnay.org


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Govt invited top execs of leading retail chains to a meeting with secretaries of ministries of consumer affairs & agri to share their views & help contain spiralling prices.
We have branch offices across 15 top cities & plan to have a foothold in three other cities. Our staff strength is around 85 & 42 dealer networks.
The private sector lender Kotak Mahindra Bank today said it has set up a total of 24 ATMs across the 12 stations of the city's newly launched Metro.
The sops being given to the IT firms in metro cities should be extended to companies in tier 2 and 3 cities to boost growth, Nasscom has said.
Six designers from Idiom — which has also worked with India’s Future Group — will redesign the metros to draw more commuters into the stations.
Sensing huge opportunity, large retailers have already started taking big steps to bolster their presence and reach in the category.
The company plans to launch this mPOS solution to metros like Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chandigarh.
They're more than just cases that store your cash and cards while on the go. Wallets are statement accessories. Choose from this wide range.


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Frontier Developments has collaborated with Complex Games and Games Workshop on Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters, a new turn-based tactical RPG set in the Warhammer 40K universe that was showcased at the PC Gaming Show.
Players will command the renowned Grey Knights against the forces of Chaos as they battle a galaxy-wide scheme to infect worlds with a cosmic sickness. It’s a story almost as ancient as the Imperium of Man itself, but this one has a twist: Aaron Dembski-Bowden, the author of several Warhammer 40K books, wrote it.
Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters is set to release on Steam and the Epic Games Store in 2022. The “full cinematic announcement” is due in August, but in the meanwhile, you can keep up with what’s going on at chaosgate.com.


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Nine in ten parents want tighter rules on business advertising in schools, research by the Consumers' Association has found. They are worried that companies are trying to exploit "pester-power" by advertising in schools.
The recent explosion of business involvement in schools has opened up opportunities for firms eager to tap into the children's market. Many companies - including Alton Towers and British Nuclear Fuel - produce branded curriculum materials for teachers.
Parents want to prevent companies having too much power and influence in schools; to stop commercial exploitation of children; and to ensure that the "right sort of companies" are involved. But the Consumers' Association found that parents are in favour of business involvement where it enhances education. The full report will be published next month.
Cadbury produces "The World of Chocolate" for key stages 2 and 3 and "What makes the potato tick," is available courtesy of the Potato Marketing Board.
However, the educational value of some materials has been questioned. McDonalds attracted criticism when its music packs suggested that pupils make up lyrics to Old McDonald had a store.
Juliet Wells, the association's consumer education officer, said: "Are companies getting involved because it is an untapped marketing opportunity? There is a great deal of material around which has very little educational value."
Existing guidelines are produced by the National Consumer Council. A spokesperson for the Department for Education and Employment said: "We support the NCC guidelines, but it is up to schools how they interpret them." Analysis, 20


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A new Freedonia Group analysis finds that sales of frozen meat, poultry, and seafood packaging spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, with demand in 2020 nearly 6% high than in 2019.
Tag: seafood industry
AquaBounty Technologies announced Pioneer, Ohio as the location for its planned large-scale farm for the Company’s proprietary genetically engineered salmon.
Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for aquaculture estimated at US$113.2 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$138.7 billion by 2027
The canned seafood market is expected to grow by USD 7.60 billion, progressing at a CAGR of 4.28%. New product launches are one of the major driving factors.
NEOGEN Corporation partners with the Center for Aquaculture Technologies, delivering high-quality genotyping services customized for aquaculture producers.
The North America frozen seafood market reached a value of US$ 13.4 Billion in 2020. Looking forward, the North America frozen seafood market to continuously grow during the forecast period (2021-2026).
I don’t usually think of seafood as artery-clogging but right now the pathways of America’s seafood industry are being blocked at seaports by import bottlenecks.
FMI—The Food Industry Association just released its 2021 Power of Seafood report. Their findings say that seafood was a major player in increased grocery sales during 2020.
The Associated Press reports that Friday two fishermen were injured off Mexico’s Baja California coast when they rammed their small boat into a larger vessel used by Sea Shepherd, a group that works to protect the endangered vaquita porpoise.
The European Union parliament handed American lobster fishermen an early Christmas present just now by passing a mini trade deal drops lobster tariffs for five years.


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Terror Squad leader Fat Joe has refused to keep silent on his issues with 50 Cent and explained why he says the G-Unit frontman is not only a liar but a has-been rap star.
From Joey Crack’s perspective, 50’s brand has continued to diminish since his 2003 debut, Get Rick Or Die Tryin’, which sold over 11 million copies worldwide.
“When he did that first interview dissing Fat Joe with you [Sway], with the candlelights and all that, he lied,” Joe said in an interview. “When he said no one knows Fat Joe in Africa, I saw that interview from Africa and I had 70,000 people out there. There isn’t a country I ain’t touch in Africa…You talk about album sales — he went from selling 10 million albums to not even going gold this last album. So, he lost nine-and-a-half-million fans in four years. I don’t really trip off him…The latest one he’s going at: Puff Daddy. He has beef with Jadakiss, he has beef with Cam’ron. Anybody we consider dope in New York, he has went at them. There ain’t nobody he ain’t touch. Fat Joe ain’t out here trying to battle-rap everybody in the world.” (MTV)
Earlier this week, 50 released a video mocking the rapper’s speculated Darkside, Volume 1 first-week album sales.
“I just listened to Fat Joe’s record and this is all I have to say.” 50 then puts up a copy of Fat Joe’s Darkside, Volume 1 which has an animated smiley face crying with tears pouring down its face. “I didn’t mean to do this to you Joe.” 50 then proceeds to mock his rap rival with footage of a woman and men crying, all taken from different sources. The video concludes with a message reading: “Only 5,000 copies sold…d*mn Joe!” (This Is 50)
Despite Fif’s prediction, Joe’s latest solo LP went on to sell over 12,000 copies.
“Re-Tweet: E1Music Congrats to @joeycrackts for selling 12,320 copies of The Dark Side this week & being the #2 indie album!!!”
“”Why they mad at me for putting out good music real music music they can’t make!!! DARKSIDE!!!” (Fat Joe’s Twitter)
Last January, 50’s Before I Self Destruct was certified gold by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for shipping out over 500,000 copies to retailers.
50 Cent has another Gold certified album on his hands. The rapper’s 2009 effort “Before I Self Destruct” was recently certified Gold by the RIAA due to sales in excess of 500,000 copies. Led by the single “Baby By Me,” 50 Cent’s “Before I Self Destruct” closed out a strong decade of hit albums and singles for him. (Examiner)
Check out Fat Joe speaking on 50 Cent below:


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We have already talked about this great classic retro game over the past couple of weeks a few times. Well the good news is, if you have been waiting to play Dizzy: Prince of the Yolkfolk, then you're in luck as it is now available on the Android Market for download.
Well it's Day 4 into Google's 10 day celebration of 10 billion downloads on the Android Market and we have a whole new selection of titles available for a measly dime. Yesterday's selection wasn't too bad but today's list of available games and app for $0.10 is pretty stellar.
We have seen a few small clips of what Shadowgun would look like a few weeks back when we were reporting on all the Tegra 3 gaming news. The difference in detail and how the water looked alone was impressive even for the short few second we saw it. nVidia has released a new preview via Twitter showing more of what to expect.
Polarbit has really decided to jump into the celebratory mood with the Android Market breaking the 10 billion download mark by discounting not just a few of their games, but all of their titles. While some are actually a part of the $0.10 deals like Toki Tori, Polarbit has went ahead a dropped their pricing.
Spacetime Studios has just announced that is has done a world's first when it comes to cross-platform mobile/PC MMORPG titles but placing the entire population onto a single server. This means that people, for example, in Germany will now be able to play against people in North America or any other locations. This also marks the official launch of Star Legends and Pocket Legends for PC through Google Chrome.
Today sees another wondrous title released from Glu Mobile called Cut The Cheese: Fudge Dragon. Essentially a Fruit Ninja clone, at least in terms of game mechanics, this new game by Glu will appeal to that lowest common denominator in your sense of humor.
We haven't heard much from the fine folks over at Camel Games in while. We thought perhaps they were taking a break, having an extended beer or something but apparently they have actually been hard at work on their new title which just got released today called Little Empire.
We have reported on this title a few times and now it seems that it will finally be making a debut onto the Xperia Play as a temporary exclusive next week. The PSN title, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light will be landing on Xperia Play devices early next week.
Well we can safely say this, "Let the games begin". It appears as though Amazon has been watching the popularity of the $0.10 sale Google is doing on the Android Market to celebrate 10 billion downloads as they are now matching it as well with the same apps and games for the most part.
Following up on the OnLive news of the day, we already hinted at something regarding L.A. Noire in our previous article announcing OnLive's service launching today. Well one of the major titles you can look forward to showing up with custom touch screen controls is Rockstar's and Team Bondi's hit game.


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MPs in call for Govt job ads to go online
By Our Parliamentary correspondent, campaignlive.co.uk, Thursday, 05 November 2009 06:00AM
LONDON - A former Labour minister has launched a drive for all public sector vacancies to be advertised online in a move that could lead to deep cuts in central and local government spending on press ads.
Tom Watson, the former minister for digital engagement with responsibility for COI, tabled a Commons motion calling for "a common, open standards format so that any citizen, company or voluntary organisation can easily use the data on their own digital platforms". His call has been backed by 27 other MPs, 18 of them Labour members.
Watson's move is designed to cut unemployment faster as Britain emerges from recession, by ensuring people know about vacancies in regions other than where they live.
His proposal also has far-reaching implications for a public sector recruitment ad budget estimated at £400 million a year. It will be considered in a review of the Government's use of the internet by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the man who invented the web.
Labour ministers have adopted a softly, softly approach to switching job ads online to ease the squeeze on the newspaper industry, but admit privately that many will eventually go online.
This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk
- Mid Weight Planner - ATL Daniel Marks London £30-£50K + Excellent Benefits, Central London
- Senior Digital Marketing Executive PFJ £25000.00 - £35000.00 per annum, City of London
- Copywriter Blue Skies Marketing Recruitment £25000 - £40000 per annum, Derbyshire
- Senior Designer Major Players £50000 - £60000 per annum, London
- Senior Web & ECRM Executive PFJ £25000.00 - £30000.00 per annum, London
- OgilvyOne loses BA business
- Campaign Viral Chart: Pepsi tops Coke with Jeff Gordon test drive
- Iris and Cheil big winners at MAA Best Awards
- Twitter attracts more ads, but rates tumble 67%
- Greenpeace protests outside Saatchi & Saatchi London office
- Facebook research finds 42% switch device mid-activity


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ATLANTA -- Inconsistent raw supply and a lack of automated technology are two major stumbling blocks for processors on the road to bringing precut fruit into supermarkets.
At a packed-house session of the International Fresh-cut Produce Association's convention here, an international panel of speakers acknowledged that the precut fruit business, despite all the hype, still has a long way to go before catching up to its older and highly successful sibling, precut vegetables.
"The question used to be, 'Where's the beef?' Now, it's 'Where's the fruit?' " said Chris Nelson, executive vice president of Ready Pac Produce, Irwindale, Calif. and president of the company's fruit division.
"We're all talking about it, but there's been very little to show for it yet in the marketplace," said Nelson, who moderated the panel session.
Some projections peg all precut produce, including fruit and vegetables, as growing to a $19 billion industry by the year 2000, from about $5 billion now, he said. "I think it's going to be hard to make those kinds of projections."
New products are needed to drive the category, and fruit would fit the bill.
"Just as our growth has come from innovation and new products to this point, future growth is going to have to come from fresh-cut fruit, for one," he said.
Fresh-cut fruit products are available today, but the melon slices, fruit salads and other items out there are generally done in the back rooms of supermarkets.
"What we bring to the party are going to be labor savers," he said. "We've got to drive the cost out of that category, and we've got to give retailers true labor savers. If we can provide them with fresh-cut products, that's going to free labor up for the front of the stores," he said. However, a caveat to that progress is the need for automation at the processor level, which is an expensive proposition, he said.
"It's a chicken and egg problem. We can't take on any more business because we're not making any money. We're not making any money because we're not automated, and we're not automated because we're not doing enough business. That vicious circle is a hard problem to solve," he said.
Ready Pac faces another challenge in trying to smooth out the supply chain, Nelson said, using the off-season melon deal as an example.
"We got so spoiled, being in California and being no more than a few hours away from our supplies and raw materials," he explained.
"Jumping into fruit, we hit the winter time in December, and I flew down to Honduras," where Ready Pac sources melons. "I turned my watch back 50 years." The problem was that the conditions there were primitive compared to U.S. agriculture standards, he said. In fact, lack of automation and inconsistent supply has kept at least one regional processor, Prema Pak, Smyrna, Tenn., from expanding its retail base.
"The response to our retail program has been exceptional," said Leigh Rainey, marketing director for Prema Pak. "We receive calls weekly for new business, but we've maximized our capacity."
Prema Pak is supplying 175 Kroger Co. stores in the South with its "Heart Garden" line of precut fruit.
"A tremendous learning curve was necessary for the development of our fresh fruit program," said Rainey. "Product specifications were determined in theory, but almost impossible to accomplish in today's melon market. "The melon market is geared towards grocery expectations, with the outward appearance and smell. It is not concerned with how large the inside cavity of the melon is, or the taste and sweetness factor," she said. Sourcing is no cakewalk either, she said. "Off-shore melons have been another problem. With the volatility of pricing and the varying raw quality, we had a very large learning curve on this type of procurement," she said. Processing equipment has been yet another challenge. "As with vegetables in the beginning, fruit equipment was almost nonexistent. We started our program by hand-cutting, and just now are beginning to see equipment come into the mainstream," she said. After dealing with those obstacles, processors still need to convince shoppers that precut fruit is worth the added expense, she said. Prema Pak tried working with several consumer focus groups to ensure the company was offering the right products, the right packaging and the right price.
"Consumers gave us their ideas of what they thought were the proper price points for product lines," she said. "Now, without scaring you, I will say it was far less than what is needed to make any money at this."
To Rainey, that signals a problem with the perception of value. "We need a large amount of consumer education. We feel we are definitely getting the hard-core convenience shopper, but to get the majority of the retail population, we will need to educate and show the value of the product," she said. In Europe, meanwhile, price is still an issue despite the market's longer history of processing fresh produce for retail use, according to two international panelists at the session.
Michel Bicheron, a partner in the processing company Scalime, based in France, and also president of Alimentec, a technical society, warned that quality is still not up to snuff. "The average product is of decent, but only average, quality. It is not super yet," he said. "How much more can we ask the consumer to pay for fresh-cut fruit?"
To help ensure quality, French fruit processors have voluntarily reduced the shelf life of their products, he said.


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Uber files much awaited IPO, reveals loss of $1.8B in 2018
In one of the most awaited IPOs of the world, San-Francisco based ride-hailing giant Uber announced what could be one of the biggest IPOs of all time. The offering could value Uber at a whopping $100 billion. Shares will begin trading from May on the New York Stock Exchange.
Reports suggest that this share sale would make it the biggest since China's Alibaba Group began trading on the New York Stock exchange five years back. This valuation would put Uber's value more than double of FedEx and over four times that of United Airlines' parent.
Uber, however, hasn't disclosed the valuation it is seeking from the public investors. The company was last valued at $76 billion.
Dara Khosrowshahi, during a visit to India
The company's filings also revealed that it made a loss of $1.8 billion last year on a revenue of $11.3 billion. In a letter, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi wrote accompanying the prospectus, he said:
"We will not shy away from making short-term financial sacrifices where we see clear long-term benefits."
Although it is a privately held company, Uber also disclosed its quarterly results for two years 'to bring in clarity and visibility'. Its filings also reveal that it made a profit of $997 million in 2018.
Earlier this year, Uber's US competitor Lyft, another loss making company, went public at the valuation of $24 billion. However, its shares dropped by more than 7 percent after Uber's valuation news hit the market.
Additionally, social media company Pinterest, a company losing money as well, has set a price range for its public offering below its last valuation.
Late last month, Uber acquired Dubai-based Careem with a combined cash and convertible deal worth $3.1 billion.


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Sky News understands that Russell Hamblin-Boone, who joined the Consumer Finance Association (CFA) as its chief executive in 2012, is to leave in the coming months.
His departure will be announced later this week, according to City sources.
Mr Hamblin-Boone, who is expected to hand over responsibility to an executive drawn from within the CFA ranks, will depart after a period in which his members became some of the most vilified participants in the UK financial services sector.
The body's members include some of the most recognisable names in the short-term credit industry, such as The Money Shop, Payday UK and QuickQuid.
Wonga, which for several years was the biggest player in the market, is not currently listed as a CFA member.
The sector has seen the number of companies providing so-called payday loans shrink substantially since the Financial Conduct Authority introduced a cap on the cost of borrowing.
The CFA is headed by Caroline Walton, who runs the corporate affairs function at Dollar Financial UK.
Dollar's operations - which in the UK include the Money Shop brand - are in the process of being broken up and sold off by its controlling shareholder.
It was unclear on Tuesday when Mr Hamblin-Boone, who previously worked for the Energy Retail Association and the British Retail Consortium, would step down.
The CFA declined to comment ahead of an announcement about the change of leadership.


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The v34 update has a new folder animation, better adaptive icon support, and more.
A little less than a month ago, Action Launcher v33 was released with a highlight feature called "AdaptiveZoom." AdaptiveZoom is a new app-opening animation that gradually fills your phone's screen with the background color of each app icon, and with v34, there's a new zoom animation that perfectly compliments it.
New features, bug fixes, and a bigger focus on performance/stability are in store with Action Launcher v31. The Google Play Store is filled with third-party launchers to tweak and customize the look of your phone, but one that we ke...
The new version 32 update for the popular Action Launcher has a bunch of new features, plus many bug fixes and improvements.
Action Launcher received an update today to v31 that includes a number of new features. In a blog post detailing the update, developer Chris Lacy showed off the launcher’s new adaptive folders and full support for the Essential Phon...
Facebook has released an update for its Android app that gives users of its Home launcher access to folders, one of its most requested items. The release of this feature,... Keep reading ?


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Microsoft has issued instructions on how to fix its Zune device after mass crashes of the media players.
The problems emerged earlier this week when users began to report that players were freezing and could not be accessed. The issue was limited to the 30GB Zune 30 model manufactured in 2006.
The issue was soon traced to a bug in the player's internal calendar components. Because 2008 was a leap year, the players were unable to adjust the calendar when switching into 2009 and crashed on new year's eve.
The bug brought back memories of the Y2K fiasco, when many feared that the inability of computers to readjust clocks for the new millennium would lead to worldwide system failures.
Fortunately for Microsoft and Zune owners, the problem is now easily fixed. As of noon GMT on 1 January 2009, the player will reset its calendar and operate normally.
The company is advising users who have not already done so to leave the frozen players activated until the battery drains and the player shuts off. The Zune can then be connected to a PC or AC power adapter when it will reset and operate normally.
Users are also being advised to re-synch their Zune with a PC in order to fix any digital rights management compatibility issues caused by the crash and reset.
Australian government to require technology and communications companies to provide access to messages
New bill avoids demanding 'backdoors' in encryption, but includes measures to compel companies to provide access to encrypted communications
Indonesian overclocker Ivan Cupa (with the aid of a lot of liquid nitrogen) achieves record overclock on AMD's latest Threadripper
Ssupermassive black hole is so big it corresponds to four per cent of the galaxy's total mass
Imminent attack will target a single bank with cloned cards used to fraudulently withdraw millions over one weekend


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Another day, another series order from Apple for its video streaming service, Apple TV+. This time around it’s another drama series based on a novel. And this is just the tip of the iceberg, as usual, as we’re nowhere near a release date announcement just yet.
Today, Apple has announced that it has given a series order to a new drama called The Changeling. This new series will star LaKeith Stanfield (Knives Out, Judas and the Black Messiah), and it’s based on the novel of the same name written by Victor LaValle. Stanfield will also be serving as an executive producer on the project, which will be written and adapted by Kelly Marcel (Venom, Venom: Let There be Carnage, Cruella), who will be another executive producer and the series’ showrunner.
The series already has a director attached as well, with Melina Matsoukas (Queen & Slim) ready to sit in the chair. She’ll also be serving as an executive producer as well.
The Changeling is billed as quite the unique story. It’s a “fairytale for grown-ups” and a “horror story, a parenthood fable and a perilous odyssey through a New York City you didn’t know existed.” Apple Studios is teaming up with Annapurna for production duties. From today’s announcement:
Megan Ellison, Sue Naegle, Patrick Chu and Ali Krug will executive produce on behalf of Annapurna. Matsoukas will executive produce through her De La Revolution Films, and Khaliah Neal will co-executive produce.
And that’s all we have to go on right now. This sounds like it could be one of Apple TV+’s most unique entries to date. Unfortunately, we don’t know when that will be. But with only the lead actor set as of right now, along with the creative team behind the camera, we’re probably a ways out. As soon as we know more about the cast, though, we’ll be sure to pass it along.
If you read the novel, are you looking forward to this adaptation?