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Isle Tech Companies on the Move:
By Rob Kay and Jeff Bloom
There is no question that last
years wildly successful IPO of Digital Island has helped sparked an interest in the
local fledging technology industry. Though
there are dozens of Hawaii upstarts that may not be on the verge of a public offering, it
doesnt mean they arent carving out interesting niches. From time to time we like to focus in on a few of
the more promising ones.
Tucked away, literally in a corner of Manoa Innovation Center, is Guide.Net (www.guide.net) a 12-person Internet company that develops
online database applications for military and commercial clients. Founded in 1995 by Dr. Rich Halverson, a former
UH Computer Sciences professor, the company provides Web-hosting, database support and
e-commerce solutions for a variety of clients in the Aloha State.
The companys biggest customer is the United States Navy, which has contracted out
with Guide.Net to develop software agents that retrieve real time weather forecasting data
from the Internet. In addition to this, the Guide.Net has also created a unique niche
with major Hawaii advertising agencies by acting as an outsourcing operation. Heres the way it works: If an ad
agency is working on a web site for a major client they need more security and other
features than a typical ISP can offer. Guide.Net
steps in by offering high-end hosting and special database applications. Rich Halverson
explained that clients, such as Castle Resorts and Hotels (www.castleresorts.com), need customized solutions
on a case by case basis.
The value added that we provide, said the former UH Prof is taking
lessons that weve learned from the military and porting it over to the commercial
side to build better, more reliable applications.
Halverson said that working for the military, which demands robust features
and high security, means civilian customers will benefit from the technology transfer.
that has had some publicity is a company called Pacific Internet Exchange (www.pixc.com) that provides advanced data switching and
co-location services in Hawaii. Cloaked in secrecy for over a year, the company was
founded by Lambert Onuma, a former director of business development and research at
Digital Equipment Corporation and Bobby Chi, an engineer with Oracle and Unisys.
To date, Pacific Internet Exchange has garnered $12 million in seed money and expects to
raise another $50 million before the year is over. Their first site, a 10,000-square-foot space near
Honolulu International Airport, has just become operational.
Why did PIXC choose Hawaii to set up shop? According
to locally born Lambert Onuma, We could have set up this business in Silicon Valley,
but because our first market is Asia, the travel burden on our employees would have been
too extensive. Plus, we wanted the quality of
life we could only find here in Hawaii."
Their technology, known as neutral Internet exchanges, allows regional,
nationwide and global networks to interconnect with each other. According to Chi the
result is faster and reliable access to the Internet, increased network speeds and added
significant bandwidth capacity. The upshot is
that performance is enhanced while bandwidth costs are lowered for local Internet
What were addressing, said Bobby Chi, is the incredibly congested state
of todays public Internet which is kind of like the H-1 at commute time. This is
especially the case outside of North America. He
said it was his companys mission to ameliorate this problem by building exchange
facilities at key geographic points around the Pacific Rim.
Potential customers include Internet service providers, telephone companies
and Internet content providers. The company plans to launch another eleven facilities over
the next year. This includes locales such as
Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and elsewhere. According to a recent press release
from PIXC, the staff is anticipated to grow from 20 employees in Hawaii to 50 and
eventually to 150 worldwide.
According to Bobby Chi, PIXC can help put Hawaii on the map by leveraging the
Aloha States mid-Pacific location and its sophisticated telecommunications
infrastructure. Currently, said Chi, Hawaii
doesnt have a presence on the Internet. With
PIXCs technology he stated that Hawaii could become a real center for Internet
business. By streamlining and directing data
flows, Internet traffic can be easily offloaded into Hawaii from Asia. Likewise, Mainland
Internet traffic can be also offloaded into the Aloha State. What this does, said Chi, is
allow Internet content providers to be closer to customer. If PIXCs promise holds true Hawaii, the
dream of Hawaii becoming a meeting ground for East/West e-commerce could become a reality.


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The sales of GUCCI Luxury Brand in China
If there is a slowdown in China’s economy, someone forgot to tell the folks at German watch-and-pen maker Montblanc. The luxury retailer launched its biggest store in the world in Beijing this month. Inside the store, customers can perch on a replica palace throne or browse a multimedia installation featuring the namesake of the company’s new Princess Grace of Monaco-themed jewelry collection. The Chinese capital has seen many grand openings in recent weeks, as designer brands race to get in on what is soon to be the world’s largest luxury market. Consulting company estimates China’s luxury good sales will grow 18 per cent annually to reach $27-billion – earning the title of world’s largest luxury-goods market – by 2015. Already, Gucci and Prada make one-third of their world sales in China. The result is over-the-top efforts to acquaint the Chinese wealthy with foreign luxury. French design house Lanvin recently staged an opulent runway show, second only to its Paris Fashion Week show; Giorgio Armani himself came to Beijing for his One Night Only runway show and after-party in the city’s art district. The festivities come against the backdrop of a softening of China’s retail sales growth. Retail sales overall saw their slowest rate of growth last month since February, 2011, at 13.8 per cent year-on-year. Sales of garments were up 19 per cent, down significantly from their 12-month high of 27.6 per cent in September, 2011; jewelry sales rose 18.2 per cent in May year-on-year, compared to a 12-month high of 44.4 per cent in August, 2011. Slowing economic growth is part of the problem, as are shaky consumer confidence and the tendency of wealthy Chinese to buy abroad rather than paying the luxury taxes on the same, more expensive goods at home. A government-fuelled crackdown on corruption is also making its mark; according to research, as much as 16 per cent of luxury sales over all, and 37 per cent of accessories and...
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- Our Team
March 7, 2023
Inflation in the U.S. began to rise at an intensely rapid rate in May 2021, which is the point when the consumer price index dramatically increased by a whopping 5%. Investors were rattled by the circumstances, causing them to turn their attention toward inflation hedges, asset classes and investments that specifically protect against the loss associated with purchasing power.
Traditionally speaking, facets that have fulfilled that role include real estate, gold and even stocks in certain cases. That said, a more modern-day approach to defending against inflation is on the rise.
Those who support and take part in the exchange of cryptocurrency advocate for digital assets as a tool that acts as a shield, protecting people who use it from the impacts of inflation. On the other side, those who are skeptical of cryptocurrency are dismissive of cryptocurrency as a defensive strategy.
Even so, Bitcoin is by far the largest form of digital currency on the market, with many crypto advocates opting for Bitcoin over alternative cryptocurrency options. Taking it as a proxy for the crypto asset class, let’s examine the main arguments around Bitcoin as a form of inflation protection.
Those in favor of Bitcoin emphasize the finite supply of Bitcoin as a form of cryptocurrency, which is an inherent feature of its existence. With a goal of obliterating inflation as a possibility, the original coders of Bitcoin contrived scarcity as a mechanism to counter inflation in the context of the cryptocurrency.
Bitcoins are capped at 21 million coins thanks to the cryptocurrency’s own algorithm. Moreover, while new Bitcoins are always being mined, the annual rate of mining is cut in half every four years. Consequently, as of April, a total of 19 million Bitcoins had been mined, leaving no more than 2 million coins available for mining in the future.
Once those remaining 2 million coins are uncovered, every possible Bitcoin in existence will have been mined. People who view themselves as proponents of Bitcoin challenge the scarcity of Bitcoin by pairing these coins with traditional, or fiat, currencies that are both printed and regulated by the world’s central banks.
In March 2020, back when COVID-19 became an inescapable aspect of our realities, $4.2 trillion was in circulation. Comparatively, $9 trillion is exchanged as of the present day, meaning central banks have the ability to print as much currency as they wish at will, which is in direct contrast with Bitcoin, seeing as the cryptocurrency cannot deviate from nor exceed the predetermined maximum supply, valued at 21 million coins.
As intense and impactful as inflation has recently become in the U.S. as well as in Europe, local currencies have resulted in even more volatile and unstable conditions. For instance, in countries such as Turkey, hyperinflation is rampant. Due to the volatility and unpredictability of the financial aspects of these economies, Bitcoin is particularly popular, seeing as it is regarded as an accessible instrument that can offset the dwindling purchasing power of local currencies.
Not so fast
Now, skeptics of Bitcoin retort that the evidence is still far too scant to rely on its accuracy, and even if they could trust the data in support of Bitcoin as a reliable defense against inflation, there are still a number of important statistics that contradict the claim. Aside from the question of longevity regarding whether digital assets can survive, let alone thrive, for now, disbelievers of Bitcoin’s abilities often consider the recent track record of its relationships, or correlations, with other inflation-related protectors.
The recent price of Bitcoin appears to be based more so on speculation than actual, legitimate inflation indicators. For instance, when the Federal Reserve raises interest rates, as it has been doing throughout 2022, Bitcoin appears to plummet. That said, in the past few months, Bitcoin has been behaving in ways that are akin to technology or momentum stocks, which typically react most forcefully to tighter financial conditions and higher rates.
But how has Bitcoin been stacking up lately against its potential rival: gold? Comparatively, gold has been performing better than Bitcoin ever since November, with the price of Bitcoin retreating by over 65% as of June.
Gold, which is often perceived as the perennial safe haven, has held its own over the same period. Now, as a whole, Bitcoin investors do not appear to treat the commodity as faithfully as gold, which they often regard as a long-term holding for a portion of a portfolio. Instead, Bitcoin speculators pull out swiftly when the crypto asset experiences a drop in price.
In October 2021, a JPMorgan Chase report caused a stir because it suggested that crypto might be a better inflation hedge than the ever-trustworthy gold. Time will tell, but the truth remains that Bitcoin is still a very young asset and its track record is so brief; both realities make it hard to draw reliable conclusions from current data alone.
One of the main advantages of cryptocurrencies has always been that they move along a trajectory that varies drastically and remains unrelated to the paths of stocks and other investments. However, if major financial organizations increase their Bitcoin holdings, the distinction between cryptocurrencies and traditional assets will fade.
The value of Bitcoin in terms of safeguarding against inflation is a controversial topic, and cryptocurrencies continue to prove themselves to be risky. They may be right for you, but before you dive in, be sure to discuss the pros and the cons with your financial adviser.
January 26, 2024
Congratulations! You sold your business after working with a business valuation expert for years. You were able to maximize the offer because you knew the value of your business. The closing date is days away. It will be the biggest pay day of your life. Do you let this last pay day money just sit […]
January 24, 2024
At some point, every business owner leaves the company, either voluntarily through retirement or otherwise. Some businesses will outlive their founders. Others can’t survive without the continued involvement of a key owner-employee. And a few business concepts — from horse-drawn buggies to video rental stores — eventually lose relevance. Here’s an overview of the options […]


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[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”0″ ihc_mb_template=”1″] Penalty fees paid by consumers last year took another dip. After rising predictably year/year for most of the last decade, 2010 saw the first penalty fee decline, down from$23.9B to $22.5B, with 2011 showing a further drop to $19.4B, and 2012 dropping again to $17.8 B, according to the R.K. Hammer…
Compass Plus electronic payment solutions and retail banking systems has completed scalability and performance tests on HP servers for their “TranzAxis” Open Development Banking Platform. A specialist, integrated platform created for the development and support of cards and payments, transaction switching, retail banking and other systems and applications in the domain linked to the automation of retail banking activities, “TranzAxis” was tested through a simulated issuing and acquiring setup that required it to drive 20,000 terminals (10,000 ATMs and 10,000 POS devices). TranzAxis also acted as an issuing system that included 10 million accounts with overdrafts and 10 million cards linked to them. The platform reached a sustained peak of 1066 transactions per second (TPS) during testing and remained stable at that high capacity.
Commerce Bank made available to its Visa Signature Credit Card holders more convenience and safety when traveling, launching the chip-enabled Visa Signature Credit Card. Embedded with a Europay, MasterCard and Visa (EMV) microchip, the card provides greater acceptance at international merchants where chip card terminals have become the standard. The chip-enabled credit card includes elements that offer each transaction an additional layer of security for regular purchases in stores as well as those made at unattended terminals such as automated ticket dispensers commonly found in European train stations.
Cardtronics announced the appointment of Jerry Garcia to the newly created Chief Information Security Officer position. Having spent the last 10 years designing and developing the information technology systems Cardtronics uses to run its business, Garcia will now focus exclusively on Cardtronics’ information security program as chief information security officer (CISO). Also, Mike McCarthy has joined Cardtronics as its new CIO and is to oversee the company’s IT infrastructure, design and implementation of high-availability IT solutions.
MasterCard is making some of the company’s proprietary technology solutions available to other U.S. debit networks to provide an option to support debit EMV transactions and reinforce the company’s continued support of the U.S. migration to the EMV standard. MasterCard will allow acquirers to brand transactions originating from the Maestro AID (application identifier) for all debit networks within the United States. This is part of the MasterCard initiative to advance the future of electronic payments in the U.S.
[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”0″ ihc_mb_template=”1″] American Express reported 4Q net income of $637 million, down 47% from the year ago figure of $1.2 billion. Net income from the quarter included the restructuring charge, rewards expense and cardmember reimbursements that were announced last week. Consolidated total revenues net of interest expense were $8.1 billion, up 5% from…
Onebip mobile payments service from Neomobile launched its subscription payment service for Android devices, having released its first subscription service in 2005 and has successfully managed recurring payments for top global online dating and networking sites since 2008. To celebrate this milestone, Onebip has further enhanced its offering by introducing Onebip Android in-app for subscription payments. Onebip has successfully helped merchants worldwide build their user base and monetize by optimising the opt-in user experience and recurring billing technology. Onebip’s Subscription payments allows online dating, social networking and gaming merchants and is available in more than 70 countries worldwide.
EVO Payments International announced Kevin M. Hodges is new its CFO, where he will be responsible for the company’s expanding global financial operations. He will oversee Finance, Accounting, Treasury, Tax, Human Resources, and Corporate Communications. He previously held various senior financial leadership positions at Global Payments Inc. and worked at Deloitte & Touche. Hodges holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a CPA.
VocaLink payment provider announced Nick Millar joins as Strategy and Customer Insight Director, Jim Wadsworth as Product Development Director and Phil Harrison as Commercial Director, Alternative Payments. With 20 years’ experience, Millar joins VocaLink from Visa Europe, where he was Head of Strategy. In his new role, Nick will lead the Strategy and Customer Insight team, developing VocaLink’s corporate strategy to maximise the value of core infrastructure capabilities and support emerging payment models. Wadsworth brings over twenty years’ experience working with market leaders in the payments sector and joins VocaLink from Accourt, where he led its mobile and digital payments practice and advised a wide range of international clients. Harrison joins the company from Clairmail Mobile Solutions where he was Managing Director for EMEA, bringing with him more than 25 years’ experience in retail banking and payment technologies.
[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”0″ ihc_mb_template=”1″] Average credit card APRs have held the course for the shopping season and into January at a steady 14.98% average. Slightly higher than the 14.95% average measured the year ago period, the average credit card APR has settled just below 15%. This after a nearly 0.50% jump in October and hardly…
NCR and PayPal partnered to integrate PayPal mobile payment options into the recently announced NCR Mobile Pay application and NCR Aloha Online Ordering. NCR Mobile Pay enables restaurant patrons with a smartphone to browse their bill, re-order menu items, alert their server, complete surveys and pay. PayPal appears as a payment option and allows consumers greater choice for secure payments alongside credit or debit card options. Consumers will also be able to use the PayPal mobile application to locate and “check in” at participating NCR Mobile Pay merchants to access the same functionality. Also PayPal integration gives C-Go users another easy option for paying at the pump or inside stores with their smartphone while also providing stores with valuable opportunities for targeted up selling and promotions. NCR and PayPal plan to enhance NCR’s Netkey Endless Aisle application with PayPal integration to speed up the consumer checkout process for consumers using the solution for online shopping and to integrate NCR’s Advanced Marketing Solution (AMS) loyalty and offer management system with the PayPal digital wallet.
Green Dot launched “GoBank” bank account designed from scratch to be opened and used on a mobile device. This makes it easy to send and deposit money, build a budget and find an ATM, with a massive network of more than 40,000 fee-free ATMs. Each GoBank account includes a checking account with a linked Visa debit card and a second integrated bank account called the “Money Vault” that’s designed to be an easy way for GoBank members to put money away for savings. Accounts are demand deposit accounts (DDA) with deposits insured by the FDIC and full “Regulation E” consumer protections. Available through the program is Debit Card Customization; a Fee-Free ATM Network; Remittance; Quick Account Set-Up; and the Money Vault integrated bank account, allowing members to easily put money away for savings.


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Dealer inventory is low and that doesn’t look to be changing anytime soon. If you don’t need to make a car purchase right now it’s probably wise to wait a year or more, but according to Kelly Blue Book, only 16% of shoppers plan to delay their purchase. S
Mitsubishi Ralliart has returned, bringing its signature “motors-ness” to the market in Thailand with the best pickup I’ve seen in a while, the Triton Ralliart. Mitsubishi also applied the branding to the Pajero Sport. When an iconic badge reappears with
Growing up, we’re told everyone is good at something. There’s a purpose and a hidden talent imbued in every creature, we just have to find it. Cars are like people in that way, but for two decades, the PT Cruiser has been a vehicle in search of a calling.
We should take it seriously when the boss of Stellantis complains about the costs of transitioning to EVs, but I’m not going to be surprised about it either. All that and more in The Morning Shift for December 1, 2021.Read more...


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Va. Lottery adds more tickets, prizes to New Year’s Millionaire Raffle
RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) – Virginia Lottery is making changes to one of its most popular holiday games: Virginia’s New Year’s Millionaire Raffle.
In past years, tickets were sold out well before the deadline. Now, the number of available tickets has increased from 330,000 to 500,000.
With additional tickets, comes extra prizes. These prizes will be in the mix:
- Four $1 million winning tickets
- Six $100,000 winning tickets
- 500 tickets that each win $500
Each ticket costs $20. The winning ticket numbers will be announced at 2 p.m. on Friday, January 1.
For more information and a running countdown of the number of tickets left, click here.
Copyright 2020 WWBT. All rights reserved.Virginia Lottery is making changes to one of its most popular holiday games: Virginia’s New Year’s Millionaire Raffle.
Virginia’s New Year’s Millionaire Raffle
Virginia’s New Year’s Millionaire Raffle is back….with more! This game has Virginia’s best odds to become a millionaire. Plus, we’ve added a fourth $1 million prize and a sixth $100,000 prize! Twenty dollars could get you one of the four $1 million top prizes! Here’s a chance at starting 2021 with a win!
There will be four new millionaires announced on January 1, 2021. Tickets go on sale November 3. You can get your Raffle tickets at a Lottery retailer or a Lottery Vending Machine.
Winners will be announced January 1, 2021 after 2 p.m.
How does the Raffle work?
The Lottery sells a limited number of tickets for the Raffle each year. Each ticket is printed with a number generated by a computer. Ticket sales begin in early November and continue through December 31 or until all the tickets have been sold.
How do you enter the Raffle?
Buy your ticket from a local retailer or Lottery Vending Machine for your chance to win.
Start the new year right!
Dive into 2021 by taking a chance on winning! When you play Virginia’s New Year’s Millionaire Raffle, you could begin the year with a win!
Previous Raffle results
Click on the Raffle to open up the complete list of winners. Documents are viewable in Adobe Acrobat. Download a free copy of Acrobat Reader.
Need more info? Here are the official rules for Virginia’s New Year’s Millionaire Raffle!
Lottery profits benefit public education
Since 1999, all Virginia Lottery profits have gone to K-12 public schools in Virginia. In Fiscal Year 2020, the Lottery generated more than $595 million for K-12 public schools in Virginia. Every time you play a Virginia Lottery game, you’re playing a role in helping kids have a brighter future.Virginia's best odds to start 2019 as a MILLIONAIRE! We have 508 new winners in our New Year's Millionaire Raffle!! ]]>


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06 Oct 2019
Apple's AirPods might be the most popular truly wireless earbuds, but they don't seem to fit everyone. However, the next iteration of AirPods (most likely to be called AirPods 2) may get some design tweaks to offer improved wearability.
31 May 2019
The upcoming iPhone could allow you to stream audio to two Bluetooth devices at the same time, according to Mac Otakara.
27 Apr 2019
Apple's iPhone 11 will come with a bumpy, square triple-lens rear camera setup, according to the latest renders.
20 Apr 2019
In a bid to take on competitors like Google, Samsung, and Huawei, Apple is finally pulling up its socks to upgrade the upcoming flagship phones with improved cameras.
08 Apr 2019
Days after a leaked schematic revealed a square triple rear-camera setup on the upcoming iPhone 11, a fresh leak has reiterated the same design.
29 Mar 2019
Back in January, tipster @OnLeaks had leaked an iPhone 11 prototype showing off a square-ish triple camera hub. However, that ugly design was dismissed by another prototype featuring an aesthetically pleasing horizontally-stacked rear camera.
24 Mar 2019
Rattled by weak iPhone sales, Apple is finally pulling up its socks to upgrade its upcoming flagship phone to take on competitors.
31 Aug 2018
It is official. On September 12, Apple will launch a host of new hardware including the latest batch of iPhones and revamped iPad Pros, among others.
28 Aug 2018
In a few days from now, Apple will officially unveil its 2018 line-up of iPhones along with revamped iPads with Face ID, a new Apple Watch and a host of other peripherals.
19 Aug 2018
Back in 2016, Apple ditched the headphone jack on its iPhones to take the first step towards a wireless future with AirPods.


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Fanball deal puts Stats LLC back into consumer fantasy
Stats LLC is returning to the consumer-facing fantasy sports business after buying a majority stake in the National Fantasy Championships, a series of high-stakes fantasy games previously owned by Fanball.com.
The Liberty Media-owned Fanball.com, which included the former CDM Fantasy Sports and held an influential position in pay-to-play fantasy games, announced last month it was shutting down all of its fantasy games effective June 30, a move driven by Liberty’s desire to get out of the fantasy sports business.
Greg Ambrosius, who founded the NFC and engineered a sale of those assets from F&W Media to Fanball.com in 2009, quickly moved to buy it back from Liberty. He then struck a second deal in which the Northbrook, Ill.-based Stats will be the lead owner of the NFC and Ambrosius will become a Stats employee to operate the property.
The NFC, running competitions in fantasy football, baseball and basketball, has awarded more than $6 million in prizes since 2004 operating live, multicity fantasy sports events.
“It couldn’t just be Greg Ambrosius’ fantasy events. We needed a partner, and Stats brings in a great deal of power and stability,” said Ambrosius, who will remain based in Wisconsin, and is a former president of both the Fantasy Sports Trade Association and Fantasy Sports Association. “After more than 20 years in this business, it feels like I’m starting over again, and that’s very exciting.”
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Stats supplied back-end technical support to NFC events from 2004 until the Fanball.com purchase in 2009, with that work typical in Stats’ portfolio in business-to-business data services. Stats, however, was active in the consumer-facing fantasy space in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with partners including America Online and famed baseball historian and analyst Bill James. The NFC deal, company executives said, could be the beginning of a larger push into the consumer market.
“This is a very fertile market and obviously one where we have history, are comfortable with and know well,” said Steve Byrd, Stats executive vice president. “We don’t have any intention to get into the free, ad-supported space. That’s obviously very well staked out by ESPN, Yahoo! and others, many of which are our clients. But the pay side continues to show strong growth, and we think there’s a way for us to achieve scale there.”
The future of other Fanball.com assets, such as its series of league commissioner and draft-and-play games for baseball and football, remains undetermined. But Byrd said Stats may be interested in additional pieces of the St. Louis-based company.
“It’s too soon to say for certain, but yes, there’s potentially interest in other assets there,” he said.


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Why would anyone want to buy Yahoo? Such was the question posed by one of my Twitter followers as Thursday's bid (from private equity groups Blackstone and Bain) crossed the wires. "It's a zombie company," he said.
Indeed, Yahoo has been stumbling about for quite a few years, with nobody quite clear what its purpose is. I asked the recently departed chief executive Carol Bartz precisely that question a year or so ago, and she burbled around the answer. Really, all Yahoo is there to do is vacuum up spare display advertising while it provides a bit of news, and photography (hello Flickr!) and also be an intermediary for lots of email. Revenues are on a downward slide; Facebook and Twitter are sucking up the display that it used to thrive on.
And, er, that's it. Nobody can quite think of anything that Yahoo has done in the past 10 years that has set the internet alight. (Apart perhaps from Yahoo Pipes, which made explicit the method of connecting sites implicitly used by mashups and Web 2.0.) All of which should have newspaper and magazine editors pausing and shivering. Display adverts? News? Photography? Isn't that what … newspapers and magazines do?
Yes, and if you aren't looking to the future and doing it with an eye on the money, then your fate is going to be the same as Yahoo's, where nobody can see a good end to the story; it's MySpace or Bebo, just bigger and with its own email server. Indeed, the tale of Yahoo is really just the tale of so many news organisations, except this is played out entirely on the internet. Yahoo's top layer has always been really bad at reading the weather. One of the recurring themes that kept coming up when I was researching my forthcoming book Digital Wars (about Apple, Microsoft and Google's business battles since 1998) was how down the years Yahoo has kept screwing things up. It's like a Shakespearean supporting character, a cross between Falstaff and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern: fated to make bad choices.
For example: in 1996, two Stanford PhD students approached Jerry Yang, the co-founder and chief executive, to explain that they had developed a search engine that was even better than Yahoo's own at finding stuff on the web: the most relevant results appeared on the front page. Yang explained patiently that Yahoo didn't really want a better search engine – it made its money from display ads, so the more pages people went through, the more ads it could sell.
Yes, the PhD students were Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and their search engine would become Google.
Then, as Google was rising in 2000 to 2003, Yahoo kept failing to develop a better ad system, which cost it years and millions of dollars of lost opportunity. Then there was Microsoft's colossal $44.6bn (then £22.4bn) cash-and-shares bid in January 2008: at $31 per share, it was a 62% premium to the company's stock price. But Yahoo had devised some internal forecasts that suggested it would quickly be worth far more. It was wrong, the credit crunch came, and Microsoft walked away.
How many news organisations have been told about the internet repeatedly, but liked the revenues from display ads too much to go more deeply into this new medium? How many haven't been brave enough to test new ways of doing things, to integrate (or even devise) new technologies and ways to connect?
It took the music industry long enough. Finally, some have twigged that apps are (or can be) the new albums. Or that survival is about changing the balance in what they do, away from reissuing CDs of stuff you've sold once on vinyl, to more live tours and interactive paid-for products.
Will the news industry figure it out in time, though, as the hull of Yahoo slowly tips out of the water and the bow starts sliding under the waves? We can all complain – as Yahoo's executives might – that the formula worked really well for a while, and it's just unfortunate that it isn't doing quite so well now. Display ads aren't dead online. They're just a bit poorly. And can't get out of bed. Any more.
Except there's no reason for Yahoo not to have done what Facebook did. Lord knows how many companies have been offered up to Yahoo, only to disappear into its maw and never emerge usefully again. Its only semi-success at getting paid has been through subscriptions to its photo site Flickr (which remains a best in class).
For the rest? Yahoo offers a case study in why you must never get comfortable. It has failed to focus on the money, buoyed by its success in one narrow area. In contrast, Google has tried and tried to find new avenues for making money: it bought Android, the company, in 2005 (Page and Brin didn't tell their then-chief executive Eric Schmidt). It's tried multiple times with social networks. It's never satisfied. Yahoo, and Yang, got comfortable. That's what will kill your business.
Digital Wars: Apple, Microsoft, Google and the battle for the internet is published in March 2012 by Kogan Page


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Aska Flying Car Comes With Retractable Wing, Can Drive Or Fly You By 2025
The American startup Next Future Mobility (NFT), announced Aska, a new futuristic designed flying car that is the same size and look of an SUV but has retractable wings that can open and fly their passengers. The official testing of the Aska flying car will begin early next year and is expected to arrive in the market by 2025 with a price of $50,000.
After working on the project for two years, NFT will finally unveil their flying car model at an Israeli conference next Monday, but CNET has already managed to get, exclusive images of the vehicle and the plans of the company for their Aska flying car.
The Aska, which in Japanese means "bird," is a double transportation, able to ride the roads and literally fly to escape traffic jams. It will be the size of an SUV and can hold up to three passengers. To open their wings and fly, passengers will steer the vehicle to an open area, such as a parking lot, so the car can pull its wings. There, it will take off vertically and fly autonomously at a speed of 240 km per hour. Then it will land in another open space and the driver will be able to drive to the destination.
Unlike the initiatives of companies like Uber , Airbus, Boeing and KittyHawk, that bet on designs derived from drones, the advantage of Aska is that it can also function like a common car. The Uber solution, for example, will only be able to operate between Skyports or stations that will be integrated with the existing transport infrastructure of the city. Aska's main advantage is that it can open its wings and fly anywhere.
The main innovation is in retractable wings, which can close in car mode or open at the time of take off. As the structure requires robustness and weight reduction, Aska can support a maximum of three people, including the pilot and passengers. The company is also developing a technology to leave the car fully autonomous.
Powerful rear fans and high wingspan can allow the car to fly at greater distances than with drone-like design. With full batteries, the car has a maximum range of 563 km with one passenger or 241 km with three people on board. The maximum speed reached by Aska has not yet been announced. However, it is expected to surpass The blackfly opener flying vehicle which s able to travel 40 km at a speed of almost 100 km / h.
Building a flying car is not an easy task. It's been almost 80 years since the legendary Henry Ford wrote in 1940 that a combination of plane and a car is coming soon. But a number of regulations, which vary from country to country, and, of course, the difficulty of developing a reliable vehicle of its kind, mean that the mission can still take many years to become possible. The Aska flying aims to be the first.
\Maki Kaplinksy, CEO of NFT, believes in Aska's ability and said that they have the most efficient and comfortable way of getting into the future and that they will work on building it no matter what it takes. The Aska flying car will undergo tests starting 2020 and is expected to launch in 2025.
As of now, the Aska flying car is estimated to cost about $ 200,000, but its price is expected to fall in a range of about $50,000 as the car's technology gains scale. The company is also planning to release a monthly payment method so that everyone can get a chance to drive the Aska. NFT said that their main goals is not to build something for the rich people, but to build something that everyone can afford.


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January 12, 2021
Drilling Holes in Proposed Credit Card Regulation of Gun Purchases
Shannon Watts wants to know what’s in your wallet. Even more, she wants what’s in your wallet to decide what you can buy.
Michael Bloomberg’s front woman for his bought-and-paid-for gun control group Moms Demand Action is demanding credit card companies monitor and police cardholder purchases. Specifically, she wants credit card companies to ban purchases of precursor firearm parts. Watts derides them as so-called “ghost guns” and wants to ban their sale. Her claim is that the ATF recovered 10,000 of these “ghost guns” last year, but those included firearms with obliterated serial numbers and older firearms not legally required to serialized.
Here’s the problem. It’s perfectly legal for anyone who can buy a gun to build their own at home. She’s stomping her foot and demanding that credit card companies do what tech companies are doing. She wants them to dictate law and to be the arbiters of what’s legal, of what’s allowed and what rights law-abiding citizens can exercise.
Can I Buy a Law?
Watts proposes in a Business Insider op-ed that credit card companies deny purchases of precursor firearm parts. She points to a lawsuit that her partner gun control organization Everytown for Gun Safety brought against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to force them to regulate 80 percent unfinished receivers as firearms. She conveniently ignores that the Department of Justice filed a motion to dismiss in a related and coordinated lawsuit filed by Giffords and the California Attorney General. ATF will soon file for summary judgment in the Everytown case. Among the several reasons the DOJ seeks to dismiss the case is the fact that a receiver blank is not a receiver under the law.
Once a firearm receiver crosses the so-called “80 percent” threshold for being finished, manufacturers are required by the law and ATF regulations to serialize the receiver because, under the law, it is a “firearm.” Everytown’s lawsuit wants to force ATF to define a “frame or receiver” and any part “that is designed, intended, or marketed to be used in an assembled, operable firearm.” Everytown’s definition would mean that a forging or billet, a solid un-machined block of metal with no holes drilled in it, that a manufacturer would purchase from a supplier, would itself be a “firearm” requiring the raw material supplier to have an ATF manufacturing license and mark and serialized the forging or billet with its name, location and a serial number. This, of course, is not what the Gun Control Act requires. As ATF explains in moving to dismiss the Giffords case, “Congress has defined “firearm” with specificity as, inter alia, “(A) any weapon . . . which will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive,” or “(B) the frame or receiver of any such weapon.” In doing so, Congress changed the prior definition to explicitly exclude “‘any part or parts’ of a firearm,” other than a receiver…. A receiver blank may not “readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive,” is not “designed to . . . expel a projectile” in and of itself and is not itself a “receiver.” It is therefore not a “firearm” within the meaning of the statute.”
The ATF explains that a “receiver” is “[t]hat part of a firearm which provides housing for the hammer, bolt or breechblock, and firing mechanism, and which is usually threaded at its forward portion to receive the barrel” and how it determines when something is readily convertible. A forging and so-called “80 percent receivers” are clearly not readily convertible to fire a projectile and so therefore not a frame or receiver of a firearm.
Home-built firearms have always been legal. Even before the founding of our nation, Americans were building and assembling firearms in their homes for their private use. This is perfectly legal and is the practice predominantly of hobbyists. The overwhelming majority of firearms in the United States are bought through retail purchases, which are completed with a face-to-face transfer and completed FBI background check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). This happened 21 million times last year.
Watts ignores that those who can’t buy a gun at retail also are barred from building and possessing a home-built firearm. If a person is prohibited from buying a firearm at retail, they are also prohibited from possessing a home-built firearm. If a person builds their own firearm at home and sells those firearms to be “in the business” of making and selling a firearm, they must obtain a license from the ATF. Being “in the business” without a license is a felony.
Watts attempts to make the case that there’s a precedent for credit card companies to take active role with the abhorrent comparison of lawful firearm ownership with sex trafficking and pornography. Watts’ ham-fisted attempt to denigrate law-abiding citizens is as crude as her comparison. It shows that there is no brush too wide for her to use to tar the reputation of law-abiding citizens who choose to exercise their Second Amendment rights.
Watts also shows that there’s no idea she’s not willing to co-opt to achieve her gun control agenda. This isn’t the first time the idea of having credit card companies police Americans’ private purchases was floated. New York Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin pitched the idea in 2018. He attempted to publicly shame credit card companies for the horrific crimes committed by deranged individuals.
Spokespersons for both Visa and Mastercard rejected this idea then. They would be wise to do it again.
Michael Bloomberg, who writes the check for Watts’ Moms Demand, infamously admitted during a town hall even during his failed presidential bid that he had no problem being protected by guns. After all, he’s rich. But Bloomberg has never had an issue with telling others how to live their lives. Now, he’s got Watts selling his bad ideas of getting credit card companies to climb on board with his big brother gambit.
Watts might be playing from an outdated playbook, though. This year is different. More than 8.4 million people who never owned a gun before 2020 now have one in their possession. The likelihood of those people buying guns that cost hundreds to thousands of dollars in wads of cash is unlikely. They bought them with a credit card.
Guns are just today’s cause du jour. After big tech colluded to silence dissent online, it’s not a stretch to see when those bankrolling these cancel culture campaigns move on from gun control and deny the ability to buy a fossil-fuel-powered car or purchase red meat or any other grievance they become offended by. It took a judge to stop Bloomberg’s Big Gulp ban in New York City.
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BAUFORMAT, the German kitchen specialist, has undergone a corporate identity re-branding and is now announcing the arrival of its completed sales force.
Since the relaunch of the company’s new corporate branding last year, the Baumann Group has decided to refresh the BAUFORMAT and ‘burger’ brands; in particular it has decided to focus on clean and precise lines within its logo designs – somewhat mirroring the crisp and contemporary themes of the brand’s kitchen schemes and referencing their strong ‘made in Germany’ slogan.
However, the company isn’t only attracting attention through its new logos and POS-material; attention has also turned to the group’s UK sales force; having experienced continuous growth in the past few years, the team (consisting of four highly experienced sales executives) is now complete.
Dirk Kleykens heads the team as the UK sales manager, and Barry Henwood has taken charge of the west and south-west UK.
Additionally, Julian Pringle has assumed his long standing role of sales representative for the southern and south-eastern UK area.
The most recent addition to the team is Adam Presch, who joined in January 2017. Adam has previously worked for the UK division of Rotpunkt Küchen and is now responsible for Ireland and the northern UK region.BAUFORMAT | bauformat.de/en


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WORD ON the street is the Reebok Blacktop is hot.
The outdoor court basketball sneakers are one of the latest offerings from the No. 2 athletic shoe company, and they've been spotted all over Baltimore city. They've been slam-dunking on playgrounds, running through streets and walking in malls.
And based on the demand at different sports stores, the sneakers are this summer's big hit with city youths. Athletic shoe stores are reporting brisk sales. "One of the hottest items on the market," said K.C., assistant manager at Foot Locker in Mondawmin Mall. "It's like everything else in Baltimore. One person has it and everybody else wants it."
"They still sell well," said Eddie Carr, manager of Shoe City Sports, also at Mondawmin Mall, a popular hangout for city kids. "They see the shoes promoted on TV and they figure that since the celebrity is wearing them, they should, too. Sinbad is wearing them."
Despite the popular black stand-up comic's endorsement on national television, are Blacktops here to stay? Word is, they're no big thing.
"It's just a fad," said Gerrod Maddox, 17, one of the first in his crowd to buy the shoes when they came out in May. He says the Blacktops don't have staying power because they lack endorsement from popular athletes such as the Chicago Bulls' Michael Jordan and the San Antonio Spurs' David Robinson.
"It's like a status symbol," he said of the reason he bought the shoes. "It's to be up-to-date with the newest tennis shoes that come out."
But Gerrod wears them on the playground and he says they stand up to the hard pavement pretty well.
What makes Blacktops stand apart is their sole, which is made of a hard rubber that's designed to take the wear and tear of the asphalt and cement pavement, according to a Reebok spokesman.
"The shoes are really rough and rugged-looking," said John Morgan, senior director of marketing at Reebok. "Basketball's a very different game outdoors. You have kids calling their own fouls."
The new Reebok line neither fazes nor impresses Ronnie Thomas, 16, who's satisfied with a comfortable pair of red "Airs," Nike's basketball shoe line. "Reeboks don't last too long," he said.
He's sitting on a bench, watching a basketball game at the Cloverdale Recreation Center, the site of the Baltimore Basketball League-Cloverdale Recreation Center summer tournament.
Ronnie said beside the fact that Reeboks are "ugly," the Nike Air will always reign supreme.
"The people are buying Nike airs because there are lots of colors," he said. "There are a variety of Nike Airs -- 13 of them. Plus they're cool and funky-fresh and you can play basketball in them."
"The only thing that lasts in the Reebok line is the Reebok Classic," he said of the white-striped tennis shoes. "The Blacktops are going out like Jordache."
The Reebok Blacktop series is named after legendary outdoor courts across the nation and come in three different styles: the Settlement ($64.99), a white, green-striped low-top named after the court in Harlem; the Boulevard ($69.99), a black with white trim three-quarter shoe named after the court in Boston; and the Battleground ($99.99), a black three-quarter with a pump named after the court in Detroit.
Reebok, based in Massachusetts, also markets a junior line for 8- to 14-year-olds, with prices ranging from $55 for the Settlement, $60 for the Boulevard and $90 for the Battleground. For even younger children, there's the Settlement at $43 and the Boulevard for $45.
Ronnie's friend Arnie Rafus, 16, sitting beside him, defended the Blacktops, saying "You don't know what you're talking about. I like the style. They're made for outdoor play and they're comfortable."
Yes, Arnie had bought a pair, he said. And although he was about to "run ball," or play a game, so to speak, he wasn't wearing them. He chose to play hoops in a pair of black high-top Avia Spiders, coupled with white athletic socks. "I just didn't pick them to wear today," he said.
There were others who wore the Blacktop to the Cloverdale playground, only to take them off to play in another pair. Although Anthony Brown, 15, wore the white, low-cut version, he played ball in a pair of Nikes to avoid getting scuffs on the Reeboks.
"I don't want to mess them up," he said. "Blacktops are just a pair of tennis shoes. They look nice. They look slick. They match what I have on today."
Sure, they're comfortable, he said, but "all shoes feel comfortable to me."
His friend, Darnell Chambers, 16, sported the black three-quarter version. "Reebok Blacktops, pumps, Bo Jacksons," said Chambers. "I got Air Jordans, I got Nike Airs, I got Converse. I'm spoiled. My grandma and grandpa buy me anything I want."


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The OTT channel has launched around the world in more than 170 territories since going live in the US last year, but had significantly not debuted in the UK despite the large sports entertainment audience in Britain.
The initial plan was to launch the channel in the UK in October, but this did not come to fruition, and the channel was indefinitely delayed just 20 minutes before another scheduled launch a month later.
This will change on Monday, January 19, when the US English-language version launches to UK consumers for £9.99 (US$15.26) per month. In Ireland, WWE Network will be available at a monthly rate of €12.99 (US$15.52).
This comes ahead of the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view event on January 25.
WWE Network includes access to all 12 major PPV telecasts, a scheduled 24/7 programming schedule including original programmes, and an on-demand library of more than 2,700 hours.
“I want to thank our fans in the UK and Ireland for their patience, and I’m confident it will be well worth the wait,” said Vince McMahon, WWE chairman and CEO.
Consumers sign up to the channel via WWE.com, and can then watch programming on multiple devices such as smart TVs, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and video game consoles.
WWE Network had initially struggled to gain traction, but subscriptions have improved recently, with the WWE claiming it had attracted 971,000 unique subscribers from launch to September 30, 2014, though the overall number was 731,000 at the end of Q3 last year.
The WWE previously forecasted the channel would lose money until hitting one million subs, but expected “meaningful returns in 2015”.
It has also introduced the monthly price plan akin to Netflix or Amazon Instant Prime Video after initially requiring an initial six-month commitment.


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Blockbuster has added video games to its rent-by-mail service, giving shoppers access to more than 3,000 titles on game platforms including Wii, Xbox and Play Station.
The retailer — which has been shedding brick-and-mortar stores and focusing more on its mail-order service as it competes with Netflix Inc. and Redbox — said it is now the only major service to offer video games by mail. It is offering games for Xbox, Xbox 360, PS3, PS2 and Wii consoles.
New customers can rent games for $8.99 per month with no limit on the number of games rented in a month. Video game rentals can be managed just like DVDs at the company's website.
Customers can keep games for as long as they want with no late fees as long as they remain a subscriber, and have multiple games out at a time, based on their rental plan.


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MediaVest - Kraft/Starbucks
Finalist - Consumer Magazines
MediaVest: Robin Steinberg, senior vice president, director of print investment & activation; Jennifer Chatham, activation director; Rebecca Schwartz, activation manager; Arielle Wolovnick, connections manager. Kraft: Melissa Laux, senior media planning manager; Pat Gliniecki, senior media buying manager; Steven Shames, senior brand manager; Brett Hartmann, associate brand manager. Starbucks: Gary Jones, category manager. DraftFCB: Jennifer Cordery, account executive; Noah Davis, senior vice president, creative director; Rob Rooney, senior vice president, creative director; Dexter Cruz, associate creative director.
In a print-magazine first (and perhaps a last, since Condé Nast has rebuffed other advertisers looking to duplicate this feat), MediaVest and DraftFCB created a special masthead for the May issue of Bon Appetit to promote Starbucks coffee sold in grocery stores. On a page adjacent to the real masthead, the standard design listing the names and titles of Bon Appetit staffers was transformed into what looked like a hand-written Starbucks chalkboard menu. The execution showcased Starbucks' variety of grocery store blends and implied the endorsement of Bon Appetit staffers, who were quoted on their favorite Starbucks blends and food pairings. Results: The ad drew industry and consumer buzz, and according to Vista research increased purchase intent by a whopping 44 percent.


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When coronavirus hit the nation, nobody could have foreseen this grim reality. Everyone’s life has been uprooted and affected by working people, unemployed youth, students, or even young kids. While some suffer less than others, everyone has had to make necessary changes in their lifestyle as we learn to live in these new standard masks.
But one section of India that has suffered deep wounds that might take years to heal is the small businesses. According to a survey, 70% of Indian companies will take more than a year to recover from the lockdown and reach a pre-pandemic state.
We need to understand how small businesses and startup companies are going through this crisis. 90% of India’s workforce right now is at high job risk and insecurity. And it is no secret how many have been laid off during the last year.
Who comes under small business?
Anyone self-employed can come under a small business owner tag. Be it the street food vendor near your house who couldn’t open his shop for a year. Roadside jewellery or inflated pool sellers. Instagram shop owners or anyone who has no essential service employment. The lockdown has inarguably hit them the hardest and deepest. Even today, as the nation stays indoors, there seems no exact date in the future when they can get their businesses up and running again.
Although people came together in helping their house help such as drivers, maids etc. By paying them their salaries. Nothing majority was done to help those with a business in crisis and no source of income.
Most popularly, clothing and shoe businesses have suffered a lot. With clothes being a non-essential item, not many people have been up to going and shopping in these times. Small business owners speak about their problems; many had to stop producing new collections, and shop owners who bought a massive quantity of material face losses. Not only this, those who have been able to get orders are unable to ship their products. Most clothing businesses rely on shipping companies such as FedEx or partnership with Amazon/Myntra. With the government restricting the sale of non-essential items on these apps, small businesses have faced many hardships in making ends meet.
The exact number of self-employed small business owners isn’t available, making it harder to grasp how serious this problem is. 51% of Indians are self-employed, according to a 2014 report, out of which 95% are disorganized and unable to make well profits. The pandemic has made it even more challenging and grimmer.


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Every meteoric rise brings with it doubt, and the IPA is no exception. Is it worth all that hype? Didn’t it feel more like a craft beer insider’s treasure before you overheard your mom’s friends talking about it? Surely it’s a trend that can’t last forever, right?
Over the last three decades, the IPA has gone from niche to respectably mainstream to a near monopoly. According to this hop trend examination from The Daily Beast, brewers joke that “IPA” stands for “Increases Profits Automatically,” “I’ll Pour Another” for bartenders. The Brewers Association reported that in 2016, IPAs alone accounted for a quarter of craft beer volume, with pilsners, golden ales, and pale lagers combining to equal one third. Beer Connoisseur published findings from Chicago marketing research firm IRI for 2016, as well, which listed the sales in dollars of different beer styles in supermarkets, convenience stores, and big-box stores. IPAs topped all lists. Just last week, the Brewers Association officially recognized “hazy or juicy” pale ales and IPAs as a distinct style of beer. (Three styles actually.)
This kind of popularity makes the IPA especially vulnerable to criticism. The most common refrain is that the IPA’s total dominance is killing creativity in craft beer, stomping out the opportunities for any other beer style to be experimented with and embraced. People love IPAs, though, plain and simple. So, what does the future of the IPA look like? Is there room for it to evolve, can it foster instead of kill creativity in beer? Is there any opportunity for other styles to shine, and how would those styles relate to the hop craze of beer in America? We turned to some experts — a brewer, a bar buyer, and a hop grower — to find out.
Why does the IPA seem so especially popular now?
It’s easy to forget that IPAs were a modestly popular and steady choice for over thirty years when, more recently, our Instagram feeds filled with can hauls of hoppy beer. Breweries are now garnering cult followings with limited releases that people line up around the block to score. Founder and president of New Jersey’s Magnify Brewing Eric Ruta points to Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale as one of the longest-running go-to’s in hoppy beer, and that particular offering debuted in 1981, in a time when it wasn’t yet appealing to use the term IPA. Similarly, first brewed in 1975, Anchor Brewing Co.’s Liberty Ale was an early IPA that chose to forego the moniker in favor of the accessibly simple “Ale.”
So, why now? With IPAs having been on the scene for decades, what’s behind the more recent total takeover?
“IPAs three or four years ago weren’t so drinkable. You know, 100 IBU, super bitter,” Ruta says. “People have always gravitated toward hoppiness but the trend now is approachability, which is pretty cool.”
Darren Stankey, Market Research Analyst for hop growing firm Hopsteiner, explains what that shift in feel and flavor means for brewing.
“[The New England IPA] has really challenged traditional hopping methods. Instead of adding hops in the kettle for bittering, they rely almost solely on late kettle/whirlpool hop additions for flavor and aroma and substantial dry hopping for intense hop aroma. So what the drinker gets is a hop bomb with very little hop bitterness.”
Kevin Brooks is the buyer and manager at Top Hops, a craft beer store and bar in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. He rounds out the reasoning that increased approachability is to thank (or blame, depending on your prerogative) for the IPA going from team player to spotlight-stealer. He says that as long as he’s been in beer, the IPA has been the flagship beer of almost every brewery he deals with. The decrease in bitterness and the increase in juiciness is what’s gotten the attention of people who wouldn’t have chosen an IPA before. That might mean, however, that a whole new substyle is forming, branching off from IPAs.
“It’s absolutely true that IPAs becoming more approachable and losing the very things that make it an IPA, like bitterness, are exactly why they’re such an especially huge trend right now,” said Brooks. “Now it’s the New England IPA substyle, and I think that was done in part to separate it from other IPAs, but now I think there are hallmarks of the IPA style being left behind.”
Are IPAs a bubble that can and will burst?
“I think a lot of the line-being-on has a lot less to do with beer and a lot more to do with FOMO, and with people thinking, ‘Oh, this is something that’s hot and I want to be a part of it,’” said Brooks.
The can release culture could possibly be its own trend, one about the thrill of the acquisition, comparable to sneaker culture. When the writers behind “end of days for IPAs” pieces theorize about the bubble bursting, it’s more likely that 4AM lineups for four-packs is the bubble, rather than an entire beer style that’s been popular for decades and that continues to evolve and innovate.
Short of a crystal ball, no one can confidently predict where IPAs will be in two, five, or 10 years, but there’s no evidence they won’t still be a favorite in some iteration.
“I don’t think hop people think there’s a bubble, and I hear that a lot with IPAs,” Ruta says. “Hoppy beer is not going anywhere. The style might change. Hazy is now the style and I’m not saying hazy will always be the style. If you look at what breweries’ flagships have been over the course of the last 20 years, the stuff that sells the most and that people latch onto is hoppy beer.”
Are IPAs killing creativity in craft beer?
Far from being a bubble, there’s no reason for IPAs to lose their position as a top choice in beer styles. That leaves infinite time for experimenting with different sub-styles and brewing methods, which addresses another refrain of the hand-wringing IPA think pieces that make the rounds: that IPAs are a nail in the coffin of creativity in craft beer. Just like there’s no sign of IPAs going anywhere, there’s no sign of creativity slowing for IPAs or beer in general. Take just a few of Ruta’s offerings, for example. His breakfast DIPA series includes the “Strawberry Short Stack,” brewed with oats, strawberry purée, maple syrup, and lactose, and “Frosted Flakes,” brewed with oats, vanilla, and lactose. Their “Keep It Mello” series, a collaboration with SØLE Artisan Ales, consists of three marshmallow-celebrating DIPAs: “Fluff,” “S’mores,” and “Ambrosia.” Ruta doesn’t see any limit to what can be done with an IPA, and therefore no risk to creativity drying up in craft beer.
“Just because you throw different hops in a beer doesn’t mean that’s all you can do. We’re never going to stop being creative and we’re always going to push the boundaries,” said Ruta. “So when people say it’s the death of creativity in craft beer, they’re thinking very one-dimensionally. How exciting is what’s going on at Tired Hands? I just saw that they’re releasing an ice cream sandwich double IPA, that sounds fucking awesome.”
Stankey agrees that there is no limit to the possibilities for IPAs, seeing the infinite options from the most basic, important level: the hops. “There are over 100 hop varieties out there that give off different aromatic and flavoring characteristics; the combinations for what can be done are endless,” said Stankey. “With the now popular addition of fruits and herbs in the brew kettle and the process of dry and wet hopping, it really is quite fascinating how creative brewers are.”
Stankey points out that hop growers themselves are continuing to think up new approaches, too, laying the groundwork for the never-ending bank of ideas.
“What first starts in ground as a plant has now worked its way into processing facilities that are able to harness concentrated forms of the plant in essential oils, extracts, and resins. These concentrated forms open an even wider range of possibilities for brewers, not to mention our breeding program is heavily invested in the discovery of new hops,” said Stankey. “We have three new experimental varietes (#04190, #06297, #09326) and seven proprietary varieties that we’ve taken to full commercial production.”
Brooks sees creativity with IPAs as a double-edged sword. He thinks that sub-styles like the New England IPA becoming so massively popular means that every brewery will feel compelled to have one on rotation, leading to a lack of diversity and fresh options. However, he points out that breweries have no choice but to get creative if they want their version of that New England IPA to get drinkers’ attention.
“Every brewer is trying to make the same beer, the hazy juice bomb IPA. When everyone is doing the same thing, there is an immediate lack of creativity. But then it means that in the field, you have to be creative and at least a good marketer to stand out,” said Brooks.
Where do IPAs go from here?
Endless possibilities aside, the safest bet is that IPAs will simply continue as one of the most popular choices in beer. IPAs, themselves, are not a fad, but the can release culture could die down, or the pendulum may swing back to straightforward flavors rather than fruit- or adjunct-enhanced. Alongside their portfolio of boundary-pushing IPAs, Magnify maintains a stable of more classic IPAs, too. Across the industry, for every triple dry-hopped, lactose-brewed DIPA, there’s a basic IPA that’s well done, remaining just as appealing. Wherever the juice bombs go, the dependable IPAs aren’t going anywhere.
“They’re what I call modern IPAs, unfiltered or featuring juicy hops like your Citra and Mosaic, but still having bitterness balanced with those fruit flavors,” Brooks says. “Barrier ‘Money,’ Grey Sail’s ‘Captain’s Daughter,’ Cigar City ‘Jai Alai,’ Ithaca ‘Flower Power.’ These are beers that I think have a foot in the past and are stepping into the now, with better brewing. It’s the classic IPA with more hop flavor.”
Can any other styles steal the IPA’s thunder?
With such a strong base of straightforward IPAs and such endless potential for new twists, it seems that few other styles have enough of a perfect storm of characteristics to pose a threat to the IPA reign. Even other styles that are up-and-coming or holding steady as tap-list favorites relate back to what makes the IPA a crowd-pleaser. Stankey points to the quiet resurgence of pilsners, and how they have a hoppier profile than traditional American lagers, meeting the needs of people who want a beer that is light and sessionable as well as hoppy. He also names the sour beer as a style on the rise, explaining that, like the IPA, there is a wide range of possible flavor profiles, potential for unique iterations, and the presence of dry-hopping. Ruta echoes this assertion, also able to draw a line between sours and IPAs.
“What do you get from hazy IPAs? Approachability, citrus, and tropical fruit notes, and here you’re literally getting a base from the sour beer with a ton of fruit. It’s like slightly alcoholic fruit juice,” said Ruta. “It’s a branch off from the IPA style, in terms of what people are looking for.”
As if to prove that no style is safe, Brooks specifically calls out sours as not being the next big thing, explaining that as much as we might hear about exciting offerings here and there, they’re still a niche of a niche. While it’s an exciting time for pilsner fans, we probably shouldn’t expect to see anything resembling a craze — at a panel for this year’s NYC Beer Week, brewers from Other Half Brewing, Interboro Spirits and Ales, Fifth Hammer Brewing, LIC Beer Project, and Hudson Valley Brewery spoke about how expensive pilsners and lagers are to make. Consumers have an expectation for them to be the cheapest beer styles, but considering how long a pilsner takes to make, they’re simply not economical. The takeaway might be to stop worrying about the state of craft beer, because the people behind it are confident in the possibilities, and to keep enjoying your IPAs whether they’re balanced with bitterness or brewed with astronaut ice cream.
“Who could say what could replace IPAs?” Brooks asks. “It’s some iPhone beer that isn’t here yet.”


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Sooner or later, Google had to prove if its popularity as a search engine could keep growing, even in a recession.
It cannot. Its first quarter revenue was 6.2 percent higher than a year ago, but it fell 3 percent from the last quarter. It is the first time Google has failed to show growth in consecutive quarters.
CEO Eric Schmidt blamed the recession.
"We're still basically in unchartered territory, the current economic environment remains tough," Schmidt said during a company webcast.
Google makes most of its money from online advertising. When a person uses Google to find something, it delivers relevant ad links. And it gets paid by advertisers if and when the person clicks.
"Users are still searching, but they're buying less, more window and comparison shopping, purchasing lower priced goods, in other words, users are doing the right thing," Schmidt said.
Despite that, the recession is exactly why the gift web site, Beau-coup.com, boosted its online ad spending.
"We consciously made a decision to increase our spending in this channel in particular," company founder and President Polly Liu said.
Liu says $35,000 in Google ad spending is paying off.
"We've actually doubled our spending in AdWords alone, and we've doubled our revenue and our orders, so it's done great for us," Liu said.
That is keeping 30 employees shipping unique gifts at a time when other companies are laying off.
However, Google and other online sites are getting more aggressive to sell ads and to generate revenue. San Francisco's Mortar Agency places online ads for clients.
"We're getting a lot more calls from online properties generally, and we're enjoying a lot more visits from the media rep's with cookies and stuff like that, they're a lot more aggressive about courting our business," co-founder Mark Williams said.
Google gets over 70 percent of all ad dollars spent online. Yahoo is a distant second. Yahoo's quarterly earnings come out on Tuesday.


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adidas Yeezy Boost 380 Released in "Covellite" Colourway
The next updates on the adidas Yeezy Boost 380 "Covellite" came faster than expected, but here are the official images of the new Yeezy. The release date reportedly remains March 15th.
Original article 22.02.2021
adidas and Kanye West will be launching a new colourway in just a few weeks. Images of an adidas Yeezy Boost 380 "Covellite" with a black makeover have surfaced on the net. Take a look at the new version here.
Similar to the adidas Yeezy Boost 380 "Onyx" that debuted last year, the "Covellite" also has a dark upper. However, the small changes on the upper make the sneaker look very futuristic.
Just like the mineral, the "Covellite" has impressive accents that look very much like stone. The base is a camo-knit upper with black, grey, and blue details. Next to it, the mesh stripe flows over the sides and the black laces tie up the sneaker. Finally, a translucent rubber midsole wraps the Boost cushioning to complete the overall design.
Don't Miss the Release of the adidas Yeezy Boost 380 "Covellite"
There is reportedly already a confirmed release date for the adidas Yeezy Boost 380 "Covellite". It is expected to drop on March 15th at adidas, selected retailers, and Yeezy Supply for 230€.


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The PYMNTS team caught up with experts in the payments field to ask them their views on industry trends, predictions for the future and what their ideal payments system looks like. Here’s what Adam White, Vice President and Product Manager at Coinbase, had to say. PYMNTS: In 2015, what have the big trends and opportunities […]
Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.pymnts.com
Adam White discusses why #bitcoin works so well. Going into 2016 new apps will arrive.


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The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) was present at the latest edition of the SiGMA Europe exhibition, held at the Malta Maritime Hub in Marsa, November 13 - 17. Recognized as one of the leading expos in the gaming industry, SiGMA Europe attracts approximately 25,000 attendees and over 750 gaming operators.
MGA CEO Carl Brincat said: “The Authority’s participation in such events solidifies the MGA’s commitment to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the industry. On that front, we are proud to be the first gaming regulator to be looking holistically into the sustainability of the gaming industry, having last week published a voluntary ESG Code of Good Practice.”
The CEO was invited to discuss the regulatory landscape of Malta and the EU at the opening of the SiGMA Europe Panel, hosted by WH Partners. During the SiGMA Conference, MGA was also represented by Odhran Griffin, Technical Analyst, as well as Brandon Debattista, Deputy Chief Regulatory Officer.
Speaking at a panel on Monday discussing cryptocurrencies, Odhran said: “While proactive in developing our DLT policy, we have kept the reputation of our license as our number one priority. Our goal is to empower licensees with innovative technologies while ensuring they uphold the trust of customers and key stakeholders.”
On Tuesday’s panel, Brandon reiterated that the MGA’s decisions are data-driven ones, highlighting that as an Authority, "we have always been at the forefront of the adoption of innovative technologies, and that such decisions not only make us competent regulators but leaders in our field."


text: Art a couple of months ago Share Tweet Pin Share This past Monday, KAWS went on Instagram to tease a new Companion figure that is essentially a smaller-scaled version of his large-scale CLEAN SLATE sculpture currently on display at Phillips’ Plaza in New York City. Although an official release is currently in speculation, the Brooklyn-based artist shared another post this Tuesday, showcasing the figure and its graphics-adorned packaging during a studio visit with A$AP Ferg and pop expressionist painter, Jay West. The collectible features a Companion carrying two smaller Companions in KAWS’ signature grey tones. If you’ve seen these figures pop up before — perhaps as early as 2014 — you may have mistaken them as official releases when they are unfortunately fake copies. Stay tuned for updates such as edition size and pricing. View the teasers below. In case you missed it, KAWS was recently spotlighted in Juxtapoz’s 25th-anniversary issue. Bonus: Want to stay up to date on our latest Rare Norm news ?


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From: Linda (firstname.lastname@example.org)
Date: Fri Sep 29 2000 - 05:51:18 PDT
[Rather undesirable news following Intel's earnings warning. The
Markets are in an unforgiving mood. Apple's stock is down
over 40% in pre-market trading, and it looks like most PC stocks
are moving down in sentiment.
Apple's Fall Shaking Up the PC Tree
By Thomas Lepri
9/28/00 9:27 PM ET
That story about the turtlenecked marketing genius who brought an
upstart and innovative company back from the brink of extinction --
you won't be hearing that again for a while.
Not after Thursday night, when Apple (AAPL:Nasdaq - news) warned after
the bell that fiscal fourth-quarter earnings would fall "substantially"
short of expectations. The company said it expects to earn 30 cents to
33 cents per share, leaving it well short of the 45-cent
First Call/Thomson Financial consensus. Apple forecast quarterly
revenue of $1.85 billion to $1.9 billion, up from $1.83 billion in
the third quarter.
That indicates extremely modest sequential growth, even as shareholders
have been betting demand will rebound in the second half of this year
as Apple rolled out the new product line it unveiled this summer at
Now, many investors may have to consider the possibility that the
strong boost the company got from the introduction of the colorful
iMac in 1998 may not be sustainable. For unlike Intel (INTC:Nasdaq
- news), Apple didn't blame the euro, saying instead that sales were
weak across all geographies. It noted slow sales of its new G4 Cube
and a sluggish education market, which has historically been a strong
point for Apple.
In a press release, CEO Steve Jobs said: "Though this slowdown is
disappointing, we have so many wonderful new products and programs in
the pipeline, including Mac OS X early next year, and remain positive
about our future." But investors just don't care. Apple last traded at
$29.13 on Island, down 46% from New York trading close.
'Wonderful' The iMac brought Apple back from the depths. What can the
new products do?
"It's a shocking preannouncement because it's so bad," says Jeff
Matthews, president of Connecticut-based hedge fund Ram Partners,
which, quite luckily, is short Apple. "But it's not shocking in the
context of Eastman Kodak (EK:NYSE - news), Intel and Dupont
(DD:NYSE - news). The most interesting thing Apple said was that
there was a sudden slowdown in all geographies all over the world.
That's exactly what Eastman Kodak said the other day. I think
we're having a slowdown worldwide right now."
Fears about weakening worldwide demand for PCs, sparked by downgrades
of big chipmakers and deepened by Intel's revenue shortfall, conspired
to take about 20% off Apple stock this month. Interestingly, the shares
rebounded Thursday, rising $4.56, or 9.3%, to $53.50 ahead of Apple's
It's not clear how investors will extrapolate Thursday's news to the
rest of the sector. Because Apple's machines use a proprietary
operating system and proprietary microprocessors, Wall Street has
resisted treating the company as a bellwether for the other boxmakers,
whose products run on Microsoft's Windows and chips made by Intel or
Apple's competitors have each offered different assessments of demand
since Intel's warning. But Dell (DELL:Nasdaq - news), Gateway
(GTW:NYSE - news) and Hewlett-Packard (HWP:Nasdaq - news) have each
said they were on track to meet forecasts for their current quarters,
while Compaq (CPQ:NYSE - news) has said that Europe was tracking within
Apple hasn't been saying any of those things, mind you.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Sep 29 2000 - 05:53:02 PDT


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London marks progress towards becoming a Fairtrade city
London's real progress towards becoming a Fairtrade city has been announced by Deputy Mayor Nicky Gavron, but the message resounding through City Hall is that more must still be done to secure the title.
This week two more London boroughs, Kingston and Lewisham, announced that the Fairtrade Foundation had granted them Fairtrade Borough status, allowing them to join existing London Fairtrade Boroughs, Croydon, Lambeth and Camden to take the capital’s total up to five.
“London is doing well but we have a lot more to do in order to meet the criteria that will make us a Fairtrade City,” London Mayor Ken Livingstone stated. “But I congratulate all those working hard across the capital to move the campaign forward. By choosing Fairtrade, London’s consumers can have a real impact on the lives of many farmers and communities in the developing world.”
Ms Gavron reinforced the Mayor’s message, calling on all of London’s councils, retailers, businesses, schools, colleges and the public at large to choose Fairtrade products wherever possible.
“The developed world dominates markets and dumps its subsidized agricultural produce at below cost,” she explained. “Fairtrade is about levelling the playing field. It helps producers in developing countries to lift themselves, their families and their communities out of poverty. London’s Fairtrade City campaign should send a clear message to boost support throughout the UK and beyond.”
London’s announcement falls against the backdrop of Fairtrade Fortnight 2005, running from 1-13 March this year, and stresses its call to consumers across the UK to Check out Fairtrade and find out more about it, the only independent certification scheme guaranteeing a fair deal for farmers in developing countries.
New figures show growing interest in the scheme as the value of UK Fairtrade sales rose by 51% between 2003 and 2004, making it worth around £140 million. The number of certified Fairtrade products has also risen from 150 in 2003 to 834 today, with core products including coffee, tea, bananas and chocolate, as well as newer products such as flowers, wines and oils.
Harriett Lamb, executive director of the Fairtrade Foundation, said that the London Fairtrade campaign was unique, with challenging targets having been set to match the size, profile and complexity of the city.
“We are confident our targets can be achieved, enabling London to be declared a Fairtrade City,” she commented. “But we need every shopper, every schoolchild, every workplace or business and every community group to play their part. By simply choosing products guaranteed by the Fairtrade Mark, Londoners can be confident that they are transforming the lives and opportunities for thousands of hardworking communities in 49 poor countries around the world.”
London’s fairtrade progress announcement was made at a reception sponsored by the Co-operative Group, which welcomed council leaders and chief executives, London Assembly members, and representatives from London’s business, higher and further education, trade union and voluntary sectors.
Two Ghanaian cocoa farmers from the Kuapa Kokoo cooperative, which owns The Day Chocolate Company, joined speakers at the reception to bring the Fairtrade message to life and share their experiences. Anna Awere, from the Western Region in Ghana, told delegates:
“We are very glad to see that Fairtrade is important here in London. Our message is that if it weren’t for Fairtrade we wouldn’t be able to feed our families or send them to school. Carry on buying Fairtrade – it really makes a difference!”
By Jane Kettle


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"INTEL SAPPHIRE RAPIDS CPU" content on TweakTown - Page 1
We found 4 items for the tag: INTEL SAPPHIRE RAPIDS CPU
Intel's new Sapphire Rapids HEDT CPU: cya Core-X, hey Xeon Workstation
Intel Core-X naming dropped for its next-gen Intel Sapphire Rapids-X platform, with the company leaving its Core-X branding.
Intel's next-gen Sapphire Rapids for consumers teased + W790 chipset
Intel Sapphire Rapids HEDT platform for consumers leaked for Q2 2022: new W790 chipset for Intel's next-gen HEDT platform.
Intel confirms Sapphire Rapids CPUs will use HBM, drops in late 2022
Intel has now confirmed that its next-gen Sapphire Rapids CPU will have HBM memory in late 2022, after previous rumors teased it.
Intel Sapphire Rapids Xeon CPU spotted: MCM design with 80 cores
Intel's next-gen Sapphire Rapids Xeon CPU teased with MCM (multi-chip module) design with up to 80 cores -- but we'll never see it.


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Toyota's New Mirai Looks Gorgeous, Hybrids Get Battery Warranty Boost
Lexus and Toyota hybrids will get their battery warranty pushed from eight years and 160,000 km to 10 years or 240,000 km.
Toyota has just shown off a new version of the Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell sedan. Say goodbye to “I’m from the future and I’m here to help” styling and say hello to a stunner. Plus if you’re looking at one of its more conventional vehicles, Toyota and Lexus have given the hybrid battery warranties a big boost for 2020.
The Mirai fuel-cell vehicle first went on sale in North America back in 2015. The name means future in Japanese, and the car certainly looked it. Like a sort of angry Prius, loaded with massive gills, sharp angles, and wheels that look positively tiny. Any sales issues were more likely due to availability of both the cars and of hydrogen fuel, but if you had an issue with the styling of the old one we doubt you will now.
Instead of a front-drive platform, the new Mirai is a rear-driver. And it gets proportions to suit. A very long hood hosts headlights that stretch back to the wheel’s centres. The cabin is very far back, with a coupe-like roofline that could nearly be a hatch. This looks far more Lexus LC than Toyota Prius, and they likely share the same plaftorm.
“We have pursued making a car that customers feel like driving all the time, a car that has emotional and attractive design appeal, as well as dynamic and responsive driving performance that can bring a smile to the faces of drivers” said Yoshikazu Tanaka, Chief Engineer of the Mirai. “I want customers to say, I chose the Mirai not because it’s an FCEV, but because I really wanted this car, and it just happened to be an FCEV.”
Like the outside, the inside will be more conventionally luxury-car handsome, but Toyota says there will still be some future touches for the model.
The new car will get an improved fuel-cell system when it bows at the Tokyo Motor Show. With a target of 30 percent more range. That’s about 650 km since the current one just tops 500 km. It can drive emissions free with a five-minute fill of hydrogen, though currently the only stations in Canada are in Vancouver and Quebec City.
In slightly more conventional car news, Toyota is charging up the warranty on its hybrid models for 2020. All 2020 model year Lexus and Toyota hybrids will get their battery warranty pushed from eight years and 160,000 km to 10 years or 240,000 km.


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Chinese communications giant Huawei says it managed to ship 34 million smartphone in the first half of the year. Shipments rose 62 percent year on year.
Huawei shipped about 21 million smartphones in Q2. The company's target for 2014 is 80 million units and it says it is on track to hit its target.
Huawei posted some encouraging financials last week, but now it has backed them up with additional data and a regional breakdown of its smartphone shipments. Although Huawei is usually seen as a China-centric vendor, in reality the company shipped about 20 million phones and tablets in China. The remaining 14+ million were shipped elsewhere.
"We recorded faster growth in areas such as Middle East and Africa and Latin America, with 275 percent and 550 percent year-on-year growth in the second quarter, respectively," VP of marketing Shao Yang told Reuters.
Huawei is not the only smartphone maker based in mainland China that seems to be on a roll this year. Xiaomi recently announced that it has managed to quadruple smartphone shipments this year. It shipped 26 million handsets in H1 2014.


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The latest tidbit comes courtesy of MCVUK, who claims Microsoft has told developers its next-generation Xbox console will be disc-less. In other words, no disc drive. While the announcement was suppose to be kept secret for now, someone obviously broke the NDA on this one.
It’s been said that the rumored “Xbox 720” will support “some sort of interchangeable solid-state card store,” similar to the PS Vita, though it’s unclear whether this will be the Xbox’s proprietary format. That only adds to the rumors of Microsoft leaning towards ditching “physical formats” in favor of digital downloads through its Xbox Live service.
On top of that, Microsoft vaguely told the site it’s also working on something new. Based on the statement it left, sounds like some sort of new peripheral could be in the works, or another digital partnership:
“Xbox 360 has found new ways to extend its lifecycle like introducing the world to controller-free experiences with Kinect and re-inventing the console with a new dashboard and new entertainment content partnerships. We are always thinking about what is next for our platform and how to continue to defy the lifecycle convention. Beyond that we do not comment on rumors or speculation.”
Expect Microsoft to clear all rumors come E3 2013, and we’ll be right there to report on it.


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By Bob Davis
May 4, 2015 10:40 p.m. ET
SPARTANBURG, S.C.—Milliken & Co., one of the largest U.S. textile makers, has been on the front lines of nearly every recent battle to defeat free-trade legislation. It has financed activists, backed like-minded lawmakers and helped build a coalition of right and left-wing opponents of free trade.
With Congress now gearing up for another trade fight, this time over whether to give President Barack Obama authority to negotiate sweeping trade deals in Asia and Europe, Milliken is in an unfamiliar place. Its executives are urging lawmakers to support the free-trade measure.
The about-face by the family-owned company followed the 2010 death of Roger Millken, its chairman and former chief executive, at age 95. Mr. Milliken, who set the strategy for nearly everything at the company, had railed for years against what he considered China’s pernicious trade practices.


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Super Monday Night Combat developer Uber Entertainment, has concluded its Kickstarter founding round at $2.2 million.
"We're excited to be able to bring back a genre that wouldn't have been funded through traditional means," Uber Entertainment CEO Bob Berry told us today.
Uber hit its initial goal of $900,000 with 15 days to spare, since then it's been adding other bonus milestones, with the $2 million mark promising a full orchestral soundtrack for the game.
"Our Kickstarter page says July 2013, so we'll be shooting for that timeframe," Uber executive producer Chandana Ekanayake said when asked about a release window for the game. "We're still amazed at the reception to the Kickstarter and very thankful for all our supporters."
Kickstarter recently declared 2012 as "the year of the game" at the crowd funding site. Planetary Annhilation was the latest of seven Kickstarter projects to surpass $1 million in funding this year.


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The way Looni sees it, a vital next step in addressing these problems is cleaner and safer solutions for menstrual health–designed by period-havers. “Most solutions on the market had been developed by people who haven’t had periods and therefore don’t understand the symptoms that we as women suffer from, such as mood instability and tender breasts,” explains Steel. “We saw a strong need for research-backed solutions and education, alongside a team that wasn’t afraid to tackle outdated taboos.” Developed alongside a team of female practitioners–including Felice Gersh, an integrative gynecologist, and Jaclyn Tolentino, a functional medicine doctor specializing in hormone optimization–from both a conventional and holistic perspective, Looni’s debut product is Balance Beam Mood Complex, a plant-based supplement designed to target the hormonal fluctuations of the menstrual cycle. “When your hormones are balanced, you experience fewer mood swings, cravings, and overall irritability,” says Leyland. All of its ingredients are backed by clinical research, including vitamin B6, which has been shown to treat PMS; L-theanine, a known stress-reliever; and 5-HTP, made from the seeds of the African Griffonia simplicifolia plant, which increases serotonin levels and promotes healthy mood balance. On the horizon is the brand’s Cycle Soothe Breast Balm, which will help ease tender breast pain with tension-relieving arnica and anti-inflammatory terpenes and phytocannabinoids. “After more than 70 years of the same old blanket pharmaceutical solutions, women deserve better, more thoughtful solutions,” says Steel of the mission at the heart of Looni’s debut offering and what’s coming down the pipeline. “It’s time for the products and research being done within the category to be led by those actually experiencing the issue,” adds Leyland.
Marrying radical candor, integrative expertise, and cutting-edge science, Looni is already making good on its aim to fight society’s long-held stigmas and “push the needle forward” for menstrual health. “Most women are operating from a knowledge deficit about their bodies,” says Steel. “We hope to provide access to every woman looking to achieve complete body literacy and unlock [their] full potential. It’s a hefty task, but one that we wake up excited to fight for every day.”


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Amazon India’s wholesale business has received Rs 160 crore in capital infusion, according to latest filings. In September too, Amazon Wholesale (India) Private Limited received a tranche of Rs 115 crore from the parent company.
The online marketplace’s wholesale arm, which started in 2013, runs AmazonBusiness – a business – to – business (B2B) selling platform – in Bengaluru and Mangaluru which includes fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), food and beverages, office supplies, IT products, health and personal products and cleaning supplies. Apart from selling FMCG, the platform also serves as a marketing and distribution channel for brands such as Coolpad and Motorola that do not have offline channels. Amazon Wholesale has started shipping smartphones of these companies to other locations including Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Telangana where it is yet to start its FMCG and other category play.


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By Chris Tribbey
LAS VEGAS — For all the talk about ATSC 3.0, 4K and high-dynamic range (HDR) video delivery, drones and virtual reality, advances in watermarking aren’t getting much in the way of headlines ahead of the NAB Show.
That should change before the week is over.
“As the release windows of worldwide TV content distribution continue to shrink, it is more important than ever to reduce the complexity behind the deployment of watermarking throughout the distribution lifecycle,” said Harrie Tholen, managing director of Civolution’s NexGuard. “With HDR on the way, the value of each asset increases tremendously, and content owners need to be safe in the knowledge that pre-release content is secure throughout the typical delivery chain that includes subtitling, dubbing and localizing partners, as well as potential licensees, marketing agencies and press.”
NexGuard and video software and hardware company Telestream are using the show to demo a solution that sees NexGuard forensic watermarking technology integrated into Telestream’s encoders, giving content and media companies the ability to watermark their content early on, at the encoding and transcoding stage. The two plan to update the solution with support for high dynamic range content later this year.
“At NAB, we will reaffirm the importance of utilizing an effective method to deter piracy at the source for content owners, producers, providers and all their partners,” said Paul Turner, VP of enterprise product management for Telestream.
Ahead of the NAB Show, MediaSilo announced it was launching an on-demand, real-time watermarking service, dedicated to securing video content online. Dubbed SafeStream, the service allows content providers to quietly tie in personal information like subscriber IDs, emails, and IP address to a viewer, using custom watermarking.
“MediaSilo makes it possible for us to have screeners available at a moment’s notice. And, now we can feel even more confident with an extra level of security provided through SafeStream,” said Ryan Snowden, manager of originals operations at Hulu, a MediaSilo client.
MediaSilo is showing off the solution at NAB, and Kai Pradel, CEO and founder of the company, said SafeStream works for any size video clip, and integrates with users’ existing tools and workflows. “By adding user-specific information into a stream, you introduce accountability into the supply chain. Whether cuts are sent for legal review, for dubbing, or executive viewing, each copy is unique and can be traced back to a specific user. This keeps honest people honest and prevents unauthorized sharing of content,” he said.
There will also be demonstrations at NAB showing the watermarking capabilities of ATSC 3.0, allowing for more personalized services to viewers. The technology would watermark signals from broadcasters that can be reliably detected by receivers, and offer everything from alternate captioning and alternate audio, to targeted advertising.
“Open watermarking standards power content discovery, advanced advertising and audience data opportunities across distribution paths,” said Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV, a consortium of the nine largest broadcast companies in the U.S., covering more than 200 TV stations. “It is a central enabler with the potential to allow local broadcasters to realize substantially increased revenue in the years following broad deployment.”


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During the November lockdown, see-through pods have sprung up at Shropshire hotel and restaurant to bring a whole new meaning to dining out.
Bookings have been flooding in for the igloo-style pods ahead of the Sweeney Hall Hotel reopening on Wednesday.
The outdoor dining pods are the latest initiative by owner Sean Evans, who, like others in the hospitality industry, has had to think outside the box to cope with the tough coronavirus regulations.
Over the last month the hotel has been offering a popular take-away menu.
But Sean has also been busy putting together the pods on the hotel terrace.
He said: "We have had unprecedented interest in the pods. We launched an online competition for a festive afternoon tea in one and received over 2,500 likes and more than 13,000 comments or tags.
"Hospitality has been absolutely decimated during the pandemic and we are doing everything we can to welcome people back."
The pods are decorated with an alpine theme with heating and music and will seat up to six people.
They hotel also has a covered outside decking which is also heated.
Meanwhile its inside restaurant will be open for customers from one household while Shropshire remains in Tier 2.