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'Delete' isn't always fail-safe on old cell phones
Secrets linger on old cell phones
You can try to erase personal info and juicy texts, but 'delete' isn't fail-safe
WASHINGTON - Don't tell your cell phone any secrets. It might not keep them.
Secondhand phones purchased on the Internet surrendered credit card numbers, banking passwords, business secrets and even evidence of adultery.
One married man's mistress sent a text message to his cell phone: His wife was getting suspicious. Perhaps they should cool it for a few days.
"So," she wrote, "I'll talk to u next week."
"You want a break from me? Then fine," he wrote back.
Later, the married man bought a new phone. He sold his old one on eBay for $290.
The guys who bought it now know his secret.
The married man had followed the directions in his phone's manual to erase all his information, including lurid exchanges with his lover. But it wasn't enough.
Selling your old phone once you upgrade to a fancier model can be like handing over your diaries. All sorts of sensitive information pile up inside our cell phones, and deleting it may be more difficult than you think.
A popular practice among sellers, resetting the phone, often means sensitive information appears to have been erased. But it can be resurrected using specialized yet inexpensive software found on the Internet.
A company, Trust Digital of McLean, Va., bought 10 phones on eBay this summer to test phone-security tools it sells for businesses. The phones all were fairly sophisticated models capable of working with corporate e-mail systems.
Curious software experts at Trust Digital resurrected information on nearly all the used phones, including the racy exchanges between guarded lovers.
The other phones contained:
•One company's plans to win a multimillion-dollar federal transportation contract.
•E-mails about another firm's $50,000 payment for a software license.
•Bank accounts and passwords.
•Details of prescriptions and receipts for one worker's utility payments.
The recovered information was equal to 27,000 pages — a stack of printouts 8 feet high.
"We found just a mountain of personal and corporate data," said Nick Magliato, Trust Digital's chief executive.
Many of the phones were owned personally by the sellers but crammed with sensitive corporate information, underscoring the blurring of work and home.
Often change handsExperts said giving away an old phone is commonplace. Consumers upgrade their cell phones on average about every 18 months.
"Most people toss their phones after they're done; a lot of them give their old phones to family members or friends," said Miro Kazakoff, a researcher at Compete Inc. of Boston who follows mobile phone sales and trends. He said selling a used phone — which sometimes can fetch hundreds of dollars — is increasingly popular.
The 10 phones Trust Digital studied stored information on flash memory chips, the same technology found in digital cameras and some music players.
Flash memory is inexpensive and durable. But it is slow to erase information in ways that make it impossible to recover. So manufacturers compensate with methods that erase data less completely but don't make a phone seem sluggish.
Phone manufacturers usually provide instructions for safely deleting a customer's information, but it's not always convenient or easy to find. Research in Motion Ltd. has built into newer Blackberry phones an easy-to-use wipe program.
Palm Inc., which makes the popular Treo phones, puts directions deep within its Web site for what it calls a "zero out reset." It involves holding down three buttons simultaneously while pressing a fourth tiny button on the back of the phone.
But it's so awkward to do that even Palm says it may take two people. A Palm executive, Joe Fabris, said the company made the process deliberately clumsy because it doesn't want customers accidentally erasing their information.
Trust Digital found no evidence that thieves or corporate spies are routinely buying used phones to mine them for secrets, Magliato said. "I don't think the bad guys have figured this out yet," he said.
'An acid bath'Executives at Trust Digital agreed to review with the Associated Press the information extracted from the used phones on the condition the AP would not identify the sellers or their employers. They also showed the AP receipts from the Internet auctions in which they bought the 10 phones during the summer for $192 to $400 each.
Trust Digital said it intends to return all the phones to their original owners and said it kept the recovered personal information on a single computer under lock and disconnected from its corporate network at its headquarters in northern Virginia.
Peiter "Mudge" Zatko, a computer security expert, said phone owners should decide whether to auction their used equipment for a few hundred dollars — and risk revealing their secrets — or effectively toss their old phones under a large truck to dispose of them.
What about a case like the Lothario whose affair Trust Digital discovered?
"I'd run over the phone," Zatko said. "Maybe give it an acid bath."


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E-House China Holdings Ltd (EJ.N)
17 Apr 2014
|Market Cap (Mil.):||$1,439.74|
|Shares Outstanding (Mil.):||137.91|
BEIJING, March 21 - China's largest internet company Tencent has agreed to spend $180 mln on a 15 percent stake in online services provider Leju Holdings, stepping up its rivalry with fellow online heavyweight Alibaba Group.
BRIEF-Xinhu Zhongbo in strategic agreement with E-House China, IT firms on property sales, e-commerce
* Says signs strategic cooperation agreement with E-House China and two information technology companies on real estate sales and e-commerce platform
|Hopefluent Group Holdings Ltd (0733.HK)||HK$2.44||+0.01|
|Jones Lang LaSalle Inc (JLL.N)||$120.76||-0.91|
|CBRE Group Inc (CBG.N)||$26.96||+0.09|
|IFM Investments Limited (ADR) (CTC.N)||$1.26||0.00|
|Sohu.com Inc (SOHU.OQ)||$61.75||+0.61|
|SouFun Holdings Ltd (SFUN.N)||$13.57||-0.10|
|Syswin Inc (ADR) (SYSW.N)||--||--|
|Savills plc (SVS.L)||613.00p||-0.50|
|UGL Limited (UGL.AX)||$7.00||+0.10|
Earnings vs. Estimates
Analyst Research Reports
Provider: Pechala's Reports
E-House China Holdings Ltd: Business description, financial summary, 3yr and interim financials, key statistics/ratios and historical ratio analysis.
Provider: Reuters Investment Profile
Provider: Thomson Reuters Stock Report
Provider: ValuEngine, Inc.
"The Economy Matters" Report for EJ: the economy's impact on EJ's price and risk, featuring the powerful Economic Climate Rating
Provider: MacroRisk Analytics/EconomicInvestor
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. NASDAQ delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.

domain: news


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E3 video blog: 'A tidal wave of exclusives'
As the dust settles on the E3 video games expo's press day, arguments are set to rage between the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 faithful over which console's line-up of titles came out on top.
It was certainly a closer-run matter than last year's event, when Sony trounced its American rival.
The BBC's North America Technology correspondent Richard Taylor takes an opinionated look back at the day's events in Los Angeles.
You can follow Richard on Twitter @RichTaylorBBC.
10 Jun 2014
- From the section Technology


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Consumer confidence rose again in September for the second consecutive month.
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index is now at 104.1, up from 101.8 in August. The two components of the index rose inched up as well. The Present Situation Index, measuring current conditions, rose to 128.5 from 125.3. The Expectations Index, measuring the outlook six-months out, rose to 87.8 from 86.1.
Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators at The Conference Board, said, “Consumer confidence increased in September for the second consecutive month and is now at its highest level since the recession.”
Franco said present-day conditions improved primarily because of a more positive view of the labor market. Looking out six months, Franco said consumers are more upbeat about the short-term employment outlook, but somewhat neutral regarding business conditions and income prospects.
“Overall, consumers continue to rate current conditions favorably and foresee moderate economic expansion in the months ahead,” Franco said.
In the latest survey, which had a cutoff date of Sept. 15 for preliminary results, respondents who said conditions are “good” fell to 27.4 percent from 30.3 percent. But those who said conditions are “bad” declined to 16.2 percent from 18.2 percent. The respondents’ appraisal of the labor markets were more positive, with those stating that jobs were “plentiful” increasing to 27.9 percent from 26.8 percent.
In the expectations component, consumers who said business conditions would improve over the next six months fell to 16.5 percent from 17.6 percent. Those who said conditions would worsen slipped to 10.2 percent from 11.4 percent. Their outlook on the jobs front were more upbeat, with those expecting more jobs rising to 15.1 percent from 14.4 percent, and those anticipating fewer jobs falling to 17 percent from 17.5 percent.


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The new theme for the interactive one-day workshop opener at Petfood Forum 2016 will be Meat & Novel Proteins.
The workshop will debut on Monday, April 18, 2016. It will feature a themed program focused on meat and alternative protein ingredients, which are the leading growth category in pet food and treats.
Functionality, sustainability and safety challenges businesses face in creating successful high impact meat and novel protein products will be the main topic of the workshop demonstrations. Companies such as Extru-Tech Inc., Sonac, Sensient, F.L. Emmert Co., APC and VIDEKA will show how meat and other proteins react with other ingredients and binders, the effect that meat has on nutritional value and how technology can be utilized to address food safety challenges.
Petfood Innovation Workshop will again feature a hands-on format for participants. Registrants will be transported to the Kansas State-Olathe Food Innovation Accelerator Lab, where they will rotate amongst different stations and engage in the creation of new types of protein-based pet food.
“The Petfood Innovation Workshop and Kansas State University partnership produced two highly popular and successful events in 2015, as the opportunity to create new pet food and treat products hands-on is not something you get to do every day,” said Steve Akins, vice president and publisher of Petfood Industry.
Petfood Forum 2016 is to be held April 18-20, 2016, in the heart of the animal health corridor, Kansas City, Missouri. For more information on Petfood Forum 2016, visit: www.PetfoodForumEvents.com


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This article is more than 1 year old
Biden attacks Big Tech's data addiction, wants more protection for kids
Old man yells at cloud, literally
President Joe Biden in his State of the Union Speech on Tuesday evening called for the passage of legislation to stop technology companies from harvesting children's data and to generally limit broader information collection.
"It's time to pass bipartisan legislation to stop Big Tech from collecting personal data on kids and teenagers online, ban targeted advertising to children, and impose stricter limits on the personal data these companies collect on all of us," Biden said.
The White House elaborated on this theme in a policy statement outlining the administration's goals by calling for stronger data privacy and platform transparency for all Americans, and for algorithmic transparency, a cornerstone of the proposed AI bill of rights.
In response to Biden's call to ban targeted online advertising directed at children, digital advocacy group Fight the Future urged the administration to go further and extend tracking protection to everyone.
"The best way to protect our kids online is to protect everyone online," said Evan Greer, its director said in a statement. "We should start by outlawing the harmful and predatory commercial surveillance practices that are at the root of Big Tech’s harm."
"That means passing a strong Federal data privacy law that prevents tech companies from collecting so much sensitive data about all of us in the first place, and gives individuals the ability to sue companies that misuse their data."
Greer added that antitrust reforms to foster competition are also necessary, something Biden also advocated.
The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB), an ad industry lobbying group supported by Google, Meta, Microsoft, and many others, offered a more cautious endorsement of Biden's call to protect children online. The group endorsed the idea of a federal data privacy law that preempts state laws – some of which are stronger than the industry would like.
"Punishing bad actors is a must, and IAB supports stronger laws to protect kids, but blaming data and technology for complex problems, and restricting or eliminating digital advertising, could severely diminish the benefits of the internet for everyone," said IAB EVP for public policy Lartease Tiffith in a canned statement.
Is it all moot?
Privacy legislation, if a bipartisan bill can actually be passed, may not be enough. A report released on Tuesday by the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania suggests that Americans don't understand privacy well enough to make informed decisions about how their data gets handled.
The report, penned by UPenn professors Joseph Turow, Yphtach Lelkes, Nora Draper, and Ari Ezra Waldman, spells out the problem with privacy in its title: "Americans can't consent to companies' use of their data."
Simply put, privacy rules in the US and elsewhere depend upon the idea that data usage should be allowed when a person has given voluntary consent. But, according to the report, people can't meaningfully consent to what they do not understand.
"What we find now definitively negates the idea that Americans feel that they can adequately understand and consent to marketers' data-gathering regime," the report says. "It also indicates that Americans do not have even the basic knowledge to benefit from such a regime. At this point in the development of the internet, individual consent is unworkable."
- Break up Google now, says US govt in ad monopoly lawsuit
- Chinese surveillance balloon over US causes fearful gasbagging
- US environment agency says it can regulate crypto farms - are datacenters next?
- White House pushes for total ban on US exports to Huawei
Turow, a UPenn media studies professor and lead author of the report, told The Register that "the ideas of consent, often what the [advertising] industry want to push in national legislation, are just unacceptable anymore."
Turow cited the report's finding that 77 percent of Americans failed – scored 53 percent correct or less – a survey posing 17 questions about privacy, surveillance, and technology.
"These were not the hardest questions in the world, and they're not unimportant questions," said Turow. "So we argue that the best way to realize a fair and safe web for individuals is contextual advertising."
Contextual advertising refers to ads that are based on the context in which they are presented – e.g. food ads in a supermarket – rather than based on someone's personal data.
"I think contextual advertising is a great solution," said Turow. "The thing is, we've had 30 years of this creeping ability of companies to create a sea of, of tracking underneath everything that we do, and I'm not sure we want our grandkids to have even more of it."
Turow argues the invasiveness of ads will only get worse if something isn't done, pointing to the potential to have spam targeted not just by demographic data, but by biometric and biological data – voice, face, and so on.
He said we never should have gone down the road of targeted advertising and marketing surveillance. "There were people even in the 1990s, including some of the most important people dealing with the internet like Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn, who warned against this," he said. "It doesn't have to happen."
The question now is can it be undone? ®


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This is the potential launch year of the new Honda Civic 2022 in Pakistan, but nothing has been confirmed yet. However, there is a strange rumor circulating in the local market. And the rumor is that Honda Atlas has started booking this upcoming sedan. Surprisingly, similar reports emerged before the launch of Honda City’s 6th Generation. Those reports even claimed that the company booked around 7,000 units of the City, even before showing anyone.
What our Sources Say?
Now, our sources have claimed that the booking of this new Honda Civic has started. “The booking amount of the car is Rs. 13 lacs and Rs. 15 lacs,” the sources said. They further added that although there is no official communication from the company, the dealerships are taking the orders.
In some cases, the booking amount is of the new Civic, but the information is of the old Generation on the invoice.
Expected Launch and Delivery of Honda Civic 2022
Our sources have provided additional information about the launch and delivery of this upcoming sedan. “The company will display/launch the car this March, and delivery will start from April/May 2022,” the sources claimed. Although it doesn’t seem too far but as nothing is confirmed, keep your fingers crossed and wait.
Company Stance on Honda Civic 2022 Booking
PakWheels.com contacted Honda Atlas official to know the company’s stance. The official categorically denied these reports saying, “It is not true.” It means the company has not started bookings of the car.
Our Suggestion to Consumers
After the comment from the company, we would like to request the consumers to remain careful. Don’t give your hard-earned money to any dealer for the booking. Wait for an announcement from the company and then book a car. In case of such bookings, there are high chances of fraud, so, again, beware and wait.
Are you waiting for the new Honda Civic 2022? Have you booked the car? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section.


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A majority of businesses are optimistic of recovery from the devastating effects of the novel coronavirus by the middle of 2021, the latest survey by the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has shown.
The survey, which was aimed at assessing the impact of COVID-19 on businesses in Ghana, revealed that about 80 percent of firms across the manufacturing, services and construction sectors expect to recover by June 2021.
About 40 percent of the firms said they are likely to invest in the next six months. However, chances of employment in the next six months remain low, given that only 26 percent of firms are likely to hire additional workers.
Given that the number of COVID-19 positive cases in Ghana has been on the rise in recent weeks, about 45 percent of the firms indicated in the survey that they are likely to implement a plan to lay off between 25 percent and 50 percent of their current employees, if the crisis persists till next year.
Speaking during a discussion of the findings of the survey, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AGI, Mr. Seth Twum-Akwaboah, said “tax waivers or temporary tax breaks, stimulus package from government, reduction of corporate tax, flexible loans from commercial banks, electricity and water subsidies are in this order the most important things firms expect to alleviate the impact of COVID-19.”
Mr. Twum-Akwaboah added that firms across the various sectors need timely support to increase production, as most of them are currently operating below their normal capacity.
“Government must make a dedicated effort to scale up and ensure policy-driven local content in contracts and procurement across key sectors. This will help stimulate demand for goods and services to speed up recovery while developing local supply chains,” he said.
The construction sector, it was revealed, was affected more by the pandemic compared with the services and manufacturing sectors. In terms of company size, small and medium companies bore the brunt of the pandemic compared with large firms.
However, the CEO noted that in quarter three, a significant improvement was observed across sectors and groups of companies by size.
“The services sector is recovering faster, with 33 percent of businesses moving out from worse-than-normal situation—and same for the medium size companies,” he said.
Source: Business 24


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SAN FRANCISCO, CA (CelebrityAccess) — Google's video streaming service YouTube has reached an agreement to acquire the popular video game streaming website Twitch in a deal reportedly worth more than $1 billion.
According to Variety, the all-cash offer is expected to be officially announced soon. If it comes to fruition, the acquisition will be the largest in the history of YouTube since the company was acquired by Google in 2006.
Based in San Francisco, Twitch allows users to stream and monetize video game content, with revenue from advertisements and subscriptions to individual channels. The company reports more than 45 million users with more than a million active streamers uploading videos each month, as well as distribution deals for content produced by partners such as CBS Interactive’s GameSpot. While perhaps a niche market, Twitch generates 1.8% of peak US internet traffic, coming in ahead of sites like Hulu, Facebook, Valve, and Amazon, among others.
Twitch is a central component to the growing world of professional competitive video gaming, or 'e-sports.' While the appellation of a sport might be a matter of some debate, the growing popularity of this market is not and one live tournament, the World Championship Final for Riot Games' "League of Legends" sold out the Staples Center in Los Angeles last October in about an hour. – Staff Writers


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- 21 July 2021
- Transport / Logistics Services
Royal Mail has seen strong revenue and volume growth in the financial quarter ended June 2021 but is cautious about the coming months as pandemic restrictions are lifted and the market faces change as shoppers have the opportunity to return to their old habits.
Royal Mail Group saw revenue grew by 12.5% over that of Q1 2020-21. Keith Williams, Chair, commented: “The first quarter saw a strong revenue performance across the Group, with both Royal Mail and GLS reporting higher revenues than the prior year.”
Royal Mail (domestic mail and parcels) revenue in the first quarter increased by 12.2% year on year, and 13.4% over two years. Williams continued, “For Royal Mail, as expected, parcel volumes decreased and letter volumes increased compared to the exceptional period last year encompassing the UK’s first lockdown, when non-essential retailers closed for the first time. We are starting to see evidence that the domestic parcel market is re-basing to a higher level than pre-pandemic, as consumers continue to shop online.”
GLS revenue growth of 12.4% and also benefitted from improved prices and higher freight revenues “For GLS, as expected, parcel volume growth continued albeit at a slower rate, due to the exceptionally strong comparators from the same period in 2020-21,” commented Williams.
Williams concluded, “As pandemic restrictions continue to ease there is still uncertainty about levels of COVID transmission, the impact on consumer behaviour and economic factors such as GDP growth and inflation, all of which will impact on future performance. We continue to expect fluctuations in volumes as we emerge from COVID restrictions, which we will need to manage accordingly. Nonetheless we are encouraged by the revenue performance across Royal Mail and GLS in the first quarter, and notwithstanding the current uncertainty, remain confident about the full year.”


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A few weeks ago, we talked about cryptocurrency strategy; about how forward-thinking loyalty programs with their finger on the pulse might look at integrating cryptocurrency rewards into their loyalty programs. Why? Because cryptocurrencies are endowed with a burgeoning customer fascination — and anything that is fascinating for customers should be fascinating for brands as well.
Sure, we talked about strategy. But without real action, a great strategy is nothing more than words on paper. To contextualize the hype around cryptocurrency loyalty implementations and help visualize what a successful program might look like, we scoured the industry and unearthed some cutting-edge tactics which utilize these revolutionary new payment platforms.
Landry's and NYDIG Announce Bitcoin Loyalty Rewards
There’s got to be a first time for everything. That’s what makes the partnership between Landry’s — a restaurant operator whose roster includes more than 60 award-winning brands such as Saltgrass Steak House, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. and Rainforest Café — and NYDIG, a leading bitcoin company, so appetizing. The partnership, touted as the first of its kind in the hospitality industry, will allow members of Landry's Select Club to earn bitcoin as points when dining at any of its 500 locations nationwide. The offering will be powered by NYDIG's secure, regulated, full-stack platform. The program, in its current iteration, offers one point back for every $1 spent, with 250 points translating to a $25 reward. Customers that opt-in now can receive points that track the value of bitcoin and can be redeemed in $25 reward increments based on the market price of bitcoin at time of redemption. These bitcoin loyalty points may only be redeemed for Landry's Select Club rewards and will not be transferrable outside of the program.
Why It’s Worth Watching
- Built into the program format is a value-appreciation factor for customers' bitcoin points, increasing their relative buying power as they mature as members.
- The program provides an interesting testcase to potentially prove the power of bitcoin made readily available in exchange for quick-access consumer goods like food.
- The fact that Landry’s Select Club members comprises of patrons from many different brands provides a fertile wellspring of data to better understand how different demographics and audiences respond to cryptocurrency rewards.
Mastercard to Allow US Partners to Offer Crypto Loyalty Rewards
For countless loyalty vendors across the country, Mastercard is a critical component that fuels their reward fulfilment. Now, this fuel is on the cusp of becoming supercharged: this October, Mastercard has announced it is preparing to integrate cryptocurrencies into its loyalty program offerings for United States-based banks, merchants, and fintech firms on its payment network. It works like this: Mastercard will be working with digital asset platform Bakkt to allow its customers based in the United States to trade digital assets through digital wallets, while also enabling cardholders to earn and spend rewards in crypto instead of traditional loyalty points, and accruing or redeeming tokens for purchases.
Why It’s Worth Watching
- Mastercard’s diversification in many different industries provides visibility into how different sectors and their respective target audiences may react to crypto loyalty rewards.
- Mastercard’s integrity, history, and the authority of their brand name brings a sense of reliability to the cryptocurrency sector, which can help assuage the concerns of some customers who are wary about security.
- The flexibility and widespread adoption of Mastercard means that many, many more customers than ever before will soon be exposed to the nuances, flexibility, and freedom of cryptocurrencies.
What do these programs prove? Well, we already know that cryptocurrency is quickly becoming a reflection of the zeitgeist; a recent Bakkt Survey of 2,000 US Consumers revealed that nearly half (48%) of respondents reporting purchasing crypto in the first half of 2021, while 32% of those who didn’t are either very or somewhat interested in doing so before year end.
But more than evidencing its popularity, pioneering programs such as these demonstrate that activating a brand-new technology doesn’t have to be a blind risk. With enough strategic foresight, tactical innovation in your loyalty can be a natural extension of your brand and its inherent strengths.


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For the Macintosh launch, Apple released their historic 1984 ad during the Super Bowl. The premise was that Steve Jobs’ vision of personal computing was a direct challenge to IBM’s bland corporate offering. The individual, rather than institutions, would be empowered.
Soon after, both companies had near-death experiences. IBM was almost broken up, but emerged as a global leader in corporate services. Apple became nearly irrelevant before the return of Steve Jobs and a shift from computers to personal devices.
Today, both companies have sharpened their visions. IBM has mostly abandoned the consumer market, while Apple has become almost as much of a media company as it is a technology company. So the partnership the two companies recently announced is big change, to say the least. Why is the uber-hip Apple getting in bed with Big Blue?
Businesses used to be tied to their communities. Local store owners would know their customers and their families by name. They would go to the same social and religious events. Many firms had operations rooted in their communities and so had incentives to invest in them.
Globalization and the rise of professional managers changed all that. Production was outsourced to faraway places. Big Box retailers replaced mom and pop shops. Managers, driven by the need to create shareholder value, looked to spreadsheets, rather than their communities, for guidance.
Yet as Marshall McLuhan predicted a half century ago, we are now living in a global village. Corporations and other institutions must relearn to connect with their communities on a personal, rather than a wholesale basis. Anonymity has become a pipe-dream and a dangerous one at that. Those who do not effectively engage will pay a hefty social tax.
It seems that not a week goes by these days that we don’t hear about another massive data breach. From large-scale retailers like Target to money center banks like JP Morgan, cybercrime runs rampant, violating our privacy and exposing our financial information.
The costs are enormous. A recent report by the Internet security company McAfee estimates that security breaches cost us over $400 billion globally, but that’s just a small part of the story. Our data, when combined with advanced algorithms, can reveal our most intimate secrets.
So it is curious, to say the least, that we don’t seem to care very much. While there was a spike of concern following the massive Edward Snowden leaks, years of warnings from industry groups and government organizations have mostly gone unheeded. Even now, despite the uproar during the Snowden affair, the fervor has mostly died down. Why is that?
Hundreds of consumers standing in line at your local Apple store. Thousands of protesters rushing to flood the streets of Kiev, Istanbul or Hong Kong. Millions of fireflies blinking on and off in complete unison. These are all synchronized systems.
Our hearts are synchronized systems too. They rely on millions of pacemaker cells to coordinate every second of our lives. If they falter even once, we cease to exist. Yet they rarely do. They continue to carry out their mission, with little conscious effort to organize them on our part.
So why is it that the institutions we build—and put so much effort towards managing—are so rarely able to synchronize? Despite our best efforts, most organizations are highly dysfunctional. Fortunately, research into network science has begun to shed light on how synchronization happens and how we can make our enterprises function more effectively.
Even among the sordid histories of Eastern Europe, Ukraine is particularly tragic. In just the 20th century, it was starved by Stalin, decimated by Hitler, subjected to seventy years of incompetent Soviet rule, looted by its own government and, most recently, invaded by Putin.
Ukraine’s situation today remains desperate. It is in dire financial straits, dependent on financial assistance from the IMF, US and EU. Crimea has been annexed, the eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk are caught in a frozen conflict and its chief antagonist, Russia, controls its gas supply.
Yet still, Ukraine is not without promise. While much of its Soviet era industry lies dormant within the conflict zone, its tech industry is booming. I recently talked with Yevgen Sysoyev of AVentures, a venture capital firm in Kyiv, and he thinks that we may be seeing the birth of a new Ukrainian renaissance. While that may sound crazy, he might very well be right.
Every story is a caricature, especially a Hollywood film. Some details are omitted to maintain the flow, while others are added to sharpen one aspect or another. The truth is always multifaceted and even the most faithful telling cannot capture any narrative in its entirety. I think it’s best to see the new movie Foxcatcher in those terms.
The film boils down nearly a decade’s worth of events to a little over two hours. It tells the story of Dave and Mark Schultz, two of the best wrestlers the USA has ever produced and focuses on their dysfunctional relationship with John du Pont, a scion of one of America’s most prominent families.
Foxcatcher is based on Mark Schultz’s life story and is mostly told from his perspective. It portrays two brothers taken in by the twisted psyche of a coddled aristocrat who wants to buy his way into their world of elite accomplishment. Yet the most disturbing aspect of the story is not about du Pont or the Schutz brothers, but the part the rest of us played in it.
It doesn’t seem so long ago that the best way to get instant access to content was to stop by a newsstand and handover a few dollars for the publication of your choice. You could also fill out a little card and receive a subscription for a discounted price. Either way, you paid for the privilege.
Yet now, everybody expects to get content for free from their phone, tablet or laptop and publishers don’t like it. They think that if consumers paid then, they should pay now and have come up with a variety of schemes, such as paywalls, to get them to pony up.
The truth is that it doesn’t really matter if consumers are willing to pay for content or not. As long as the economics favor free distribution, consumers will favor products that they don’t have to pay for. And that, for the most part, is the market reality today. Publishers, for their part, need to stop whining about it, and start innovating their business models.
Alexandre Dumas is thought to be the first person who said that “nothing succeeds like success.” Yet hard to know who really said it first. It’s one of those aphorisms that seems so obviously true and it’s been repeated so often, by so many, that it’s become almost an integral part of the lexicon.
Failure, on the other hand, is the mark of a loser. Nobody brags to friends, “my son dropped out of college today,” or “my 6th startup went bust!.” Failure is something that you are supposed to crawl away from, try to forget and do your best to avoid next time around.
Nevertheless, not everyone treats failure that way. Thomas Edison, when asked about his many unsuccessful attempts to create the light bulb, insisted that he never failed, he just found 10,000 things that didn’t work. The truth is that some of the most important ideas get uncovered that way, when something we thought was right ends up being very much wrong.
As of 2011, only 67 of the original Fortune 500 companies were still in business. Meanwhile, Gartner estimates that by 2017, 50% of the applications for the Internet of Things (IOT) will come from startups less than three years old. We live in a truly disruptive age.
The truth is that success often breeds failure. A young company will develop core competencies, build out a distinct model and begin to prosper. Then the market environment shifts, new firms take the lead and the old dogs find it hard to learn the new tricks. Eventually, every business model fails.
Yet Arrow Electronics is living proof that it doesn’t have to be that way. Starting out as a small electronics shop in 1935, it’s seen every stage of evolution in the technology industry since its inception. Yet each time its business was threatened, Arrow saw opportunity and found a way to thrive. The story is an important lesson: Disruption can be beat.
In the early 1970’s, the financial industry was transformed by a strange confluence of events. In 1973, The Chicago Board of Trade opened the first options trading floor and, almost as if on cue, a month later the Nobel prize winning Black Scholes options pricing model was published.
Soon after, Hewlett Packard introduced a pocket computer small enough for traders to use on the floor and that, combined with a glut of engineering talent made available by the closing of the Apollo space program, created a wave of revolutionary change that is still being felt even today.
Almost overnight, finance was transformed from a clubby world of cozy relationships to a mathematical one of complex securities, abstract formulas and computing power. Now, a generation later, the financial industry is about to be remade once again, except this time, it is not obscure financial securities that are being transformed, but very nature of money itself.


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The Highwood City Council has voted to sell the former fire station at 428 Green Bay Road to Preservation Properties Group for conversion into a coffee house and shared office space.
The proposal from the Highwood-based rehabilitation firm won out May 16 over a proposal from Lorenzo DiVito to create the DiVito Family Winery. The winery would have included a wine production facility, tasting room and bar. Both prospective buyers had offered to pay $300,000 for the fire station.
City Manager Scott Coren said it was a difficult choice for the council.
"I think the council loved both concepts, because both really would have made great contributions to the city of Highwood," Coren said. "Both were sales tax generating businesses and both were unique for Highwood. We don't have a coffee shop or a winery."
Impressed with both proposals, the council decided May 2 to ask community members to weigh in prior to the council's next meeting. Of the 71 people who expressed a preference, 63 favored the coffee house concept and eight favored the winery, Coren said.
"Once we received a very large response in favor of a large coffee roaster in town, that made the decision a little easier for the council," the city manager said.
By a 4-1 vote, the council directed Coren and the city attorney to draft a redevelopment agreement to sell the 6,000-square-foot, two-story fire station to Preservation Properties Group, a Highwood-based firm headed by Michael Koenitz-Hudac. The resolution said the city desires to "sell this property to become the home of a thriving business, contribute to the tax base and be brought back to life to serve the community."
The redevelopment agreement will require separate approval by the council. The agreement will spell out the approval process through the Planning and Zoning Commission with deadlines to ensure the process moves quickly. Coren said the agreement also will put some restrictions on how the property may be used in the future.
"We want to make sure that if someone down the line wants to use the property for something the city doesn't want, that we have control over that," Coren said.
Koenitz-Hudac emphasized his company's local ties.
"The community of Highwood has been extremely supportive, which is even more fantastic being that we are a Highwood-based development company and we have this opportunity to work on an historic building," he said.
Koenitz-Hudac is in discussions with Tala Coffee Roasters to create a coffee house in part of the ground floor space, and is looking for other retail uses for the mixed-used development.
Tala is a new coffee roasting and packaging firm based in Libertyville. Ryan Hickman, president of Tala Coffee Roasters, said the Highwood location will be the company's flagship cafe location where customers gather and enjoy the firm's specialty coffees.
"What we are trying to do is provide the freshest coffee possible by roasting and packaging it at our roasting facility and presenting it in an approachable manner," Hickman said.
Part of the company's mission will be to educate people on what specialty coffee is, similar to how craft beer brewers build a following for their varieties, he noted.
"We want to be able to bring it to people without any pretentiousness," Hickman added.


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Bob Mansfield, a longtime hardware engineering executive at
"Bob is no longer going to be on Apple's executive team but will remain at Apple working on special projects reporting to Tim," Apple spokesman Steve Dowling said today.
Mansfield’s photo and biography were removed from Apple’s leadership page in the last few days, prompting speculation that he had left Apple. Mansfield, who has worked on hardware engineering for Apple's top selling products including the iPhone, iPad and Mac computer, announced his retirement in June 2012. But two months later, he was back with a continued role on Cook's leadership team, which also includes longtime design chief Jony Ive and marketing chief Phil Schiller.
In October, Mansfield was tapped to lead a new group called “Technologies” as part of a shakeup led by Cook that included the ouster of iOS chief Scott Forstall and retail head John Browett. Mansfield’s new group combined all of Apple’s wireless teams across the company in one organization, and was also responsible for the semiconductor teams working on chips.
Apple had nothing to say about who might be replacing Mansfield as head of the Technologies group -- or whether the group continue on its current form.
Related on Forbes:


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One of the stars of the reality TV show Duck Dynasty, Phil Robertson, has been suspended by A+E. He made antigay statements in an interview with a magazine. Duck Dynasty is a huge media property, with a hit TV show that has been spun off into publishing and merchandising.
Deconstructed salads and nachos go in hexagonal bowls that mimic the layout of the German board game with a cult following. Cookbook author Chris-Rachel Oseland says that the recipes are perfect for die-hard players with dietary restrictions.
Right in the middle of holiday shopping season, some 40 million credit and debit card numbers were stolen in a major breach of Target customer data. The thefts occurred in stores, not online. Target says it's working with a forensics company to investigate and prevent similar data thefts from occurring in the future. Security experts say one way to limit them is to switch from magnetic stripes on cards to embedded chips.
When you give to WAMU, your tax-deductible membership gift helps make possible award-winning programs such as Morning Edition, All Things Considered, The Diane Rehm Show, The Kojo Nnamdi Show, and other favorites.


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The coronavirus pandemic has forced several countries into lockdown in order to contain the spread of virus.
Amid lockdown, people have been taking to creative ways to help each other without coming in direct contact.
In one such incident, a man named Pete Farmer from Northamptonshire in UK, delivered toilet roll to his sister using a drone. He sent toilet paper to his sister who lives two streets away from his home for “a laugh”.
Pete, who works for Morrisons distribution centre, said his sister asked for toilet rolls and he thought it would be funny to send it using a drone, reported news agency South West News Service.
Pete went on to add that people should not opt for panic-buying as the stock is enough for all.
“There is no shortage of toilet rolls or food, the warehouse is full and we are working long hours sending out supplies to the stores 24/7,” he said.


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APPLE DID a strange thing at its latest hardware launch and unveiled a small, cheap version of an already popular expensive thing.
The iPhone SE has lovely iOS features like touch log-in and all the App Store stuff, but Apple fans and new buyers will have wanted a bit more. Maybe something bigger, shinier, a bit more exciting.
A small form factor phone isn’t setting anyone alight. Some people will queue up to buy one on 28 March, but we suspect more out of habit than need.
The iPhone SE is a more compact version of the iPhone 6, a phone that has been celebrated for its large screen. Perhaps Apple has sensed a trend for small pockets, perhaps a lot of people just have tiny hands. Whatever the market, Apple has met it with the iPhone SE.
“The iPhone SE is an exciting new idea. We started with a beloved, iconic design and reinvented it from the inside out. The result is the most beautiful and powerful phone with a 4in display in the world,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, with all the enthusiasm you might expect.
“The iPhone SE is packed with a stunning 4in Retina display, advanced 64-bit A9 chip with M9 motion co-processor, longer battery life, 12MP iSight camera with True Tone flash, Live Photos, 4K video, faster LTE and WiFi, and Touch ID with Apple Pay. Everyone who wants a smaller phone is going to love the iPhone SE.”
So that’s settled, then. It’s for people who want a smaller phone. Simple when you look at it that way, and perfect business sense. We should say here that Apple normally hires somewhere for its launches but did this one at its own campus, which probably should have suggested a low-key affair.
A new iPad was also ushered forth which Apple described as “a new generation of iPad that is indispensable and immersive”. It sounds alright, but again it’s a smaller model of an existing thing. So we are not putting it on top of any pedestals.
Schiller, again, explained it all (he could make a living out of this kind of thing). “It’s incredibly fast, extremely portable and completely natural to use with your fingers, the Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard. And now it comes in two sizes,” he said.
“The 9.7in iPad Pro has a new Retina display with True Tone technology, four-speaker audio system, blazing fast A9X chip, 12MP iSight camera, 5MP FaceTime HD camera, faster wireless and support for the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. It is the ultimate upgrade for existing iPad users and a replacement for PC users.”
If you ask us, they are both a bit ‘whatever’. But ask us what we were expecting, and to be honest we haven’t got much to say. How much further can you take a smartphone without actually embedding it in someone’s skull, and how many sizes of tablet screen does a planet need?
More sage thinkers have sager things to say, and some reckon that the cut back phone is a wise move. Apple already has its big ticket items, and the lower cost SE can get itself into the small hands of even more punters, and perhaps take back some of Android’s market share.
Android phones typically come in a range of prices, and are often a much cheaper alternative to an iPhone. Apple has at least addressed this in some way with the £360 16GB model.
In case you were thinking that we missed anything really exciting at the Apple show, we should point out that the firm announced new nylon straps for the Apple Watch … and that people clapped at the news.
The thing is, there’s a heck of a lot more going on at Apple than the size of the next phone screen, and it’s possible that Tim Cook, who is currently struggling under the weight of self-borne Atlas-like privacy pressure, had a whole heap of other stuff on his mind and really couldn’t be bothered to put another spin on the Apple phone wheel.
Maybe these disappointing items are just incremental releases, like a director’s cut of a DVD. Perhaps Apple and Tim Cook are just looking busy while their privacy provisions and stance topple down around them. µ


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Broke Barça is spending wild
Also in today’s edition: Ad fuel worsens tech fire; Russian salve for Indian inflation; US breathes down Huawei’s neck; Anglo satellite operator receives French signal
Good morning! The country with the world’s highest incarceration rate is giving former prisoners a second chance. Scratch that, it’s US corporations that are giving them a second chance. CNBC reports that the Second Chance Business Coalition—comprising JPMorgan, PepsiCo, Walmart, Microsoft, Slack, and more—are helping the formerly-incarcerated transition from prison to the workplace. Business with a heart, sure, but also a way to find workers in this dreaded economy.
🎧 Jailbirds are getting a second chance as techies in the US.
The Market Signal*
Stocks: The past one was a good week for global and local equities. Indian indices cast off earlier gloom and rose over 4% in the past few sessions. Signs of inflation slowing down with oil prices off their highs, and corporate earnings in the US coming in better than expected lifted sentiment too. Several biggies, including Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, GE and GM, will report earnings in the coming week. The most awaited event will, however, be the US Fed’s rate-setting meeting.
Early Asia: The SGX Nifty declined 0.44% at 7.30 am India time. The Hang Seng Index (-0.68%) and Nikkei 225 (-0.76%) lingered in the red.
BUSINESS OF SPORT
Barça’s Survival Tiki Taka: Sell Its Soul
FC Barcelona is broke AF. We’re talking €1.5 billion ($1.53 billion) in debt, with player salaries alone accounting for 103% of its income. The Catalan football club’s management also spent over $109.96 million in this year’s summer transfer window.
Out of pitch: Barcelona sold 25% of its La Liga TV rights to US private equity group Sixth Street for the next 25 years. Then there was Spotify Camp Nou, and the club opening up membership to welcome everyone. Last year, it secured €525 million ($536 million) in debt from Goldman Sachs, which was extended this year.
Payoffs? These deals are attempts to bring in more money for the club, which famously did not have a shirt sponsor until 2006. But as the saying goes, it’s the hope that kills. And it’s going to need more than just Polish footballer Robert Lewandowski, who just transferred to FC Barcelona for a whopping $61 million.
🎧 Debt-ridden FC Barcelona is trying to get on track. Dive in.
India Fights Inflation With Russian Imports
Crude oil isn’t the only Russian import India’s been stocking up on. During Q1 2022, Russia also emerged as India’s largest fertiliser supplier. Fertiliser imports (7.74 tonnes in April-June at lower costs) from Russia shot up to 20% of the total imports compared to 6% earlier.
Buffeted by inflation and shortages, India ramped up imports from sanctions-hit Russia which is willing to sell its wares at rates much lower than that in the global market. Other items include coal, soybean, sunflower oil, and non-industrial diamonds. Bilateral trade is expected to jump 40% this year.
Why this matters: While shunning Russian goods led to a cost of living crisis in western countries, buying more from Moscow helped India slow the pace of price rise. India-Russia trade also got a boost when the RBI allowed international rupee invoicing. It helps avoid spending in foreign currency which erodes rupee’s value. A weakening rupee contributes to inflation.
Sunil Mittal-Backed OneWeb Gets A White Knight
French satellite operator Eutelsat is set to take over OneWeb, a UK government company.
Ownership: Eutelsat, owned by the French government with the Chinese sovereign fund as an investor, already has a 24% stake in OneWeb. Indian telecom Czar Sunil Bharti Mittal is a 30% owner too.
Deets are not known but Financial Times reported that a deal could be announced today.
Satellite broadband is ideal for countries such as India, which should urgently connect its far flung villages as the government increasingly leans on technology to deliver services to citizens. Underground cabling has been painfully slow. Using low-orbit satellites is a promising but expensive proposition. With the deal with Eutelsat, OneWeb hopes to be able to defray capital costs across multiple stakeholders. Europe is not alien to the collaboration model; Airbus and Arianespace, for instance.
OneWeb has 428 satellites up and running but operates on dated technology, according to the FT report. It is up against deep-pocketed rivals Starlink (owned by Elon Musk) and Project Kuiper (founded by Jeff Bezos) who have cutting edge tech. In India, it will have a powerful new competitor in Reliance Jio as well.
OneWeb had once gone into bankruptcy but was rescued by the UK government, reportedly ignoring experts’ advice. Mittal contributed half of the $1 billion pumped into the company last year.
Battle Between US And Huawei Intensifies
Once again, the US government is cracking down on Huawei. The FBI fears that Huawei equipment installed on cell towers, particularly in the rural Midwest, is capable of disrupting communications from nearby military bases and missile silos.
What’s going on?: An ongoing investigation by the US Commerce Department is still examining whether action needs to be taken to remove the Chinese technology provider from American networks. There’s no proof yet that Huawei’s equipment is transferring sensitive information about US national security to China.
Not the first time: The US had first accused Huawei of using its equipment to spy on communications in 2018, following an export blacklist. Some critics, however, claim xenophobia, while Huawei maintains that it cannot access the spectrum for defence communication.
Act Two Of The Tech Bloodbath
It's not looking good for social media companies, particularly those that hitched their business model to (mostly) online advertising. For now, we’re talking Snap and Twitter, both of whom reported disappointing revenue numbers. Facebook could be next.
The Snap ripple effect: While Twitter missed sales estimates, Snap’s results roiled its own stock, sinking 39% to its lowest levels since March 2020, pulling down others too. The Snap-led social media stock selloff wiped out $130 billion in market value from Meta, Alphabet, and Pinterest.
Ouch! Elon Musk’s now-withdrawn takeover attempt has cost Twitter $33 million.
Hard times: Online advertising is being squeezed from multiple sides. A challenging economy means ad spends are being cut on smaller platforms in favour of the bigger ones, while rivals such as TikTok are eating into ad dollars. Apple’s app tracking transparency, which was flagged as a major industry-wide disruption, is also having an impact.
Spread: India’s fourth monkeypox case is a New Delhi resident with no history of foreign travel. Over the weekend, the World Health Organisation designated monkeypox as a global public health emergency.
Added to cart: Edtech unicorn upGrad has snapped up online upskilling platform Harappa Education for ₹300 crore.
Off you go: Blake Lemoine, the Google software engineer who claimed that the company’s conversational AI (LaMDA) is sentient, has been fired.
More moolah: Amazon's Prime Day event was also a bonanza for its small but growing advertising business. Advertisers spent three times on Prime Day "as on an average day."
Staying listed: Beijing and Washington appear to be closer to thrashing out a way to avoid mass delisting of Chinese companies from US exchanges.
Third wheel: Google's Sergey Brin filed for divorce from his wife citing incorrigible differences earlier this year. Tesla CEO Elon Musk may have something to do with it.
Lost soles: The demand for limited edition sneakers is cooling off. Prized kicks are selling for 30% less than a few months ago. Even Kanye West’s Yeezys, which once set the sneaker market on fire, aren’t reselling like they used to. Some think a price correction was long overdue, but sneakerheads looking to flip valuable collections aren’t seeing the silver lining.
Game theory: South African startups are dreaming of a future where game meat continues to be a mainstay on the table, without the hunting. While Mogale Meat Co is developing wildebeest and impala meat, Mzansi Meat Co. has already cultivated beef patties. Completely lab-grown. The companies may face regulatory hurdles before the meats go to market in a few years.
Pun calendar: Turns out Japan’s unofficial food holidays have little to do with a love for specific grub and more to do with Japanese language wordplay. Take Banana no hi or Banana Day; ba-nana breaks down to eight-seven, or the seventh day of the eighth month (7th August). Read on to figure out the puns behind Curry Day, and much more.
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PrancingHorse Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Japanese carmaker Nissan has revealed its future game plan for the Indian market. The company announced plans to launch around 10 new offerings here by 2016. First up will be the Micra CVT which will come with the same petrol motor that powers the manual variant. The X-Tronic CVT gearbox will do duty instead of the five-speed manual transmission. The Micra CVT will compete with the likes of the Ritz automatic and Brio automatic. Next in line will be a version of the Sunny equipped with the X-Tronic CVT gearbox. Expect Nissan to price the Sunny CVT below the badge-engineered Scala CVT. When launched, it is likely to compete with the likes of clutchless versions of the Vento, Rapid, Verna and the City. The third offering from Nissan will be for the compact SUV segment. This will be Nissan’s spin on the Renault Duster. However, the new SUV (Codename: NH87) will be more than just a re-badged Duster and will have some significant sheet metal changes as well. As seen from the brand hierarchy, we can expect Nissan to price the NH87 below the Duster. It is expected to enter showrooms end of 2013. Nissan will bring the low-cost Datsun Brand to India in 2014. Autocar India was the first to break the news about Datsun’s comeback in the June 2011 issue. For India, two Datsun hatchbacks are planned, both of which will slot below the Nissan Micra. The first model will be a Rs 4 lakh hatchback (code: K2) based on the two-generations old K11 Nissan Micra. Believed to incredibly spacious for its size, the K2 will feature an all-new ‘top hat’ and will come with a 1.0-litre petrol engine. A cheaper Rs 3 lakh model (code: I2) is also being developed to compete with the Maruti Alto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Get alternative transportation news and reviews on green commuting, electric cars and hybrid vehicles.
Shell's futurists spin scenarios of a worldwide turn to electric vehicles and hydrogen power.
Outdoor air pollution has now been classified as 'carcinogenic to humans' by the United Nations.
open your mind.
China is already moving on electric bicycles and scooters. We've been slow to catch up, but it's happening. E-bikes as moving vans and pizza delivery vans? You bet.
The 7,500th vehicle to join the fleet is a Chevy Express van that runs on compressed natural gas.
Video: The sky’s the limit for one young man who has dreamed of a career in aviation ever since a chance meeting with a JetBlue pilot. Now, the 2 have reconnected and the pilot, Captain Eric Scott, is acting as his mentor.
Federally supported ECOtality is bankrupt, and its big charger network is up for auction. The whole mess shows why electric vehicle charging needs to be open source and accessible to everybody.
Video: The Los Angeles Police Department is testing electric motorcycles. They're much quieter than the gas-powered version, something police say can work to their advantage.
This new hybrid shows off the limits of what can be done with a lightweight carbon fiber structure, a tiny diesel engine, and a hybrid system.
A new survey of 2,000 women judges supercar drivers as 'arrogant,' and Toyota Prius or Nissan Leaf owners as 'conscientious,' 'intelligent' and 'safe.'
We're crawling on antiquated highways. We need modern people movers, and the ultra-fast train has the momentum, with both crowdsourcing and crowdfunding.
While the fuel efficiency information is a boon for consumers, questions linger as to whether used car dealers will make it available.
Video: Electric vehicle fans kicked off 'Charge Across Town' EV Week in a city already enamored with the plug-in cars. San Franciscans bought 1 out of 5 purely electric cars in the country this year.
After 63 years, Volkswagen's potent symbol of the 1960s is finally disappearing. But it can — and should — come back, in full retro glory. This is a car that people don't even know they want.
It's now OK for companies like Lyft and Uber to be the middlemen between enterprising car owners who want to give rides and people who need them.
As electric cars become increasingly mainstream, they're starting to build up a charge on social media around the world.
New York Times contributor blogs about cars and other interesting ways of getting around.


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The iPhone has evolved from a casual smart phone into one with the potential to serve businesses across the globe. Its latest iteration, the iPhone 3GS, comes packaged with an encryption feature supposedly perfect for sensitive information stored on the device.
- Booktopia CX chief: Getting to know the customer better
- News Corp, realestate.com.au partner on audience data sets
- Blockchain pitched as answer to influencer marketing management
- Developing brand experiences that stick: Harvard neuroscientist reveals clues
- Fairfax calls in Google for adtech, digital audience efforts


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Being a single mother is no doubt a tough job. Some may struggle, but many find a way to become successful. Many have continued to follow their dreams and built successful careers. Meet these single mothers that created some of the most successful websites and blogs. [Read more…]
Johnny Ward caught the travel bug at an early age and quickly learned how to turn it into a career. [Read more…]
The Russian blogger charged for playing ‘Pokemon Go’ inside of a church is back in the headlines as he finally goes on trial for his charges. [Read more…]
Darkstore, a new same-day delivery service in California, is aiming to provide producers with an alternative to firms such as Wal-Mart and Amazon. The company is hoping it’s ability to put marketing and sales data back in the hands of producers will prove an alluring aspect of its new service.
Darkstore was founded by entrepreneur Lee Hnetinka in San Francisco in May of 2016 by entrepreneur Lee Hnetinka. Since its inception, the firm has expanded to include major hubs in New York and Phoenix. The firm provides same-day delivery for its partner companies in urban areas – third party storage facilities are used to store products and a range of shipping providers are contracted for deliveries. Darkstore views themselves as a next-generation solution for high-speed shipping. [Read more…]
Azerbaijani authorities continue to deny release of blogger of press freedom advocate Mehman Huseynov. [Read more…]
Fitness bloggers love to showcase side by side transformation photos, but one blogger is showing how easily we can be deceived. [Read more…]
Milo Yiannopoulos made breaking news today with his announcement to resign as senior editor at Breibart. [Read more…]
The world is starting to realize that Facebook is much more than an entertainment source. This social media giant has become pretty powerful. In fact, some rely on the site for their wellbeing. So, what happens when Facebook decides whether to build or destroy your career? [Read more…]
Hannah Lyson was a young blogger with beauty and brains, but her bravery is what she will be remembered for.


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The indigo-themed Innehållsrik collection is spearheaded by the Swedish brand's IKEA Social Entrepreneurs initiative – a programme set up in 2013 to establish long-term partnerships with social enterprises that help marginalised people all around the world.
For the latest edition of Innehållsrik – meaning "comprehensive" in Swedish – IKEA Social Entrepreneurs worked with two social enterprises in India, called Rangsutra and Industree.
Both Rangsutra and Industree work with artisans in India to nurture local handcraft traditions. Rangsutra employs over 3,000 skilled artisans, 500 of which are engaged in the production of the IKEA collections.
Meanwhile, Industree supports the livelihoods of around 600 artisans. Of these, 510 are engaged in the production of the IKEA collections and 80 per cent are women.
The production of the Innehållsrik collection provides work for the skilled female artisans, helping them to improve their everyday living standards and move from dependency to independence.
The collection was designed by product developer Stina Engler and designer Sarah Fager, and developed together with the artisans at Rangsutra and Industree.
As well as the banana fibre baskets, it includes handwoven and hand-embroidered blankets, towels and cushion covers.
"We'd already decided that we wanted Innehållsrik to have a beachy theme with a blue colour and natural materials, but it wasn't until we travelled to New Delhi that the collection really came alive," said Engler of the design process.
"We saw these amazing blue patterned textiles which just spoke to us straight away. And then meeting the artisans, we were able to bounce ideas off each other, decide on embroidery and what type of weaving to use."
Since 2013, the number of IKEA social enterprise partners has grown from four to 17. Today, IKEA says it contributes to the livelihoods of more than 10,500 people through its partnerships with social enterprises.
"To support the development of our social enterprise partners and to help them grow, we work closely together to share knowledge about design, production, environmental management, export and much more," said IKEA.
"Most importantly, the social enterprises gain access to a global marketplace – the IKEA stores and online platforms – providing a strong foundation for self-sufficiency and independence."
The Innehållsrik collection is made up of 18 products that will be sold at select IKEA stores.
The handmade items are priced in line with the rest of IKEA's affordable mass-produced items. An Innehållsrik throw costs £25, the bath towel is £12.50, while a set of textile-lined boxes with a lid are £7 each.
IKEA, which ranked at number one on Dezeen Hot List 2017, now has a whole host of philanthropic ventures under its belt.
The most high-profile of these are its refugee shelters, designed to offer an alternative to the unlockable tents that are more commonly used to house victims of displacement. Despite some setbacks, including concerns about the product's vulnerability to fire, the project won the Design of the Year prize in 2016.
Last year, the Swedish brand announced that it would employ refugees at production centres in Jordan as part of a long-term plan to create employment for 200,000 disadvantaged people around the world through social entrepreneurship programmes.
And, in 2016, the company worked with the Red Cross to build a replica of a real Syrian home inside its Norwegian flagship store. It was intended to give customers a realistic glimpse of what life is like in the war-torn country.


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Cash-strapped Nakumatt Supermarket has issued a new statement regarding the payment of staff salaries for the month of June.
Nakumatt issues new directive on staff salaries
The supermarket chain has issued a new statement regarding payment of staff salaries.
The supermarket chain, which runs the highest number of outlets in East Africa, had delayed payment of the May salaries citing cash-flow problems.
Whilst 100 workers were sent on compulsory leave another 1,500 employees were left without basic pay to cover rent and bills with the supermarket “promising” to settle the wages as soon as possible.
And amidst all these salary issues, the Nakumatt management has now announced plans to pay its employees June salary arrears in three installments spread over three weeks.
In a memo addressed to its staff, Director Mr Atul Shah noted the delay in salaries was due to “financial and operational constraints.”
“The company has reviewed salary payment plans with an intention of ensuring that every employee gets a percentage of his/her salary every for a total of three weeks in a month.” read part of the memo.
That will see the new pay scale for June 2017 salaries issued in the following order:
The decision by the country’s largest supermarket chain to settle the salaries in installments comes barely days after it shut down three branches in Uganda, at Acacia Mall, Village Mall and Victoria Mall.
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:


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Mr Porter puts focus on French brands with capsule lines
From June 20, the menswear arm of Net-A-Porter, Mr Porter, will present a new initiative titled 'Vive la France'. To mark the event, the online retailer has invited 14 French brands to collaborate on individual capsule collections. Overall, the lines feature 147 pieces (clothing, shoes and accessories), designed around four major themes: 'Savoir-Faire', 'Parisian Street', 'Nouvelle Vague' (New Wave) and 'Bleu de Travail' (Workwear Blue).
The luxury and ready-to-wear worlds collide with a mix of French-founded brands such as AMI, Officine Générale, Hartford, Maison Kitsuné, Holiday Boileau, Arpenteur, J.M. Weston, Lacoste, Armor Lux, Bleu De Chauffe, Husbands, De Bonne Facture, Maison Labiche and Le Mont Saint Michel. The last four will make their debut on Mr Porter, as a result of the collaboration.
"Following the success of our 'Made In California' capsule collection in 2017, the next natural step was to shine the light on another key market for Mr Porter and the decision to pay hommage to France was obvious. Our market share in casualwear has only grown over the years and this is largely due to the incredible French brands coming to the market," said Toby Bateman, the luxury retailer's managing director.
Accompanying the release of the capsule series, Mr Porter's international campaign will kick-off mid-June, with content planned for different communications channels including newsletters, magazines and other publications The Daily, The Journal and The Mr Porter Post.
Copyright © 2023 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


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Tucker Carlson reportedly struck an ad deal with Public Square – a conservative “pro-life, pro-family, pro-freedom marketplace.
Public Square has doubled its number of users over the past month following the boycott of Bud Light over their spokesperson Dylan Mulvaney.
News of the contract comes just days before Public Square (PublicSq.) goes public.
Yahoo Finance reported:
Anti-woke marketplace Public Square (PublicSq.) has inked an advertising deal with Tucker Carlson’s new Twitter show just days before the former company goes public on the New York Stock Exchange.
PublicSq, which is merging with Colombier Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: CLBR), has reached a deal in the seven figures with Mr. Carlson’s show, people familiar with the matter confirmed to IPO Edge. CNBC was first to report the news.
The deal appears to be one of the first for Mr. Carlson’s show, which has drawn enormous audiences in its first several weeks. Mr. Carlson left Fox News, owned by Fox Corp., after many years of hosting the network’s top program, Tucker Carlson Tonight.
PublicSq. joined an IPO Edge Fireside Chat last week for an hour-long interview (available here) to discuss its business model and going-public transaction with CLBR. The company has amassed tens of thousands of merchants and nearly one million active customers since its founding a year ago.
The Daily Mail reported:
Tucker Carlson has struck an ad deal worth more than $1million with an online conservative marketplace as he seeks to build his new media venture.
Under the agreement, Carlson will begin airing commercials for PublicSq on his Twitter show beginning next month, after the online marketplace goes public.
The deal marks Carlson’s first commercial agreement since he was abruptly fired from FOX News in April, where he brought in $77.5 million in advertising revenue just last year.
He now plans to build up his own media empire, and Omeed Malik, the chief executive of the board of the blank check company that plans to take PublicSq public this month, is also planning to invest seven or eight figures in Carlson’s venture through his private investment firm, 1789 Capital.
But Carlson continues to face legal action from his former employer, which argues his $20million-a-year contract includes a non-compete clause until after the 2024 election.


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Almost every year, there is a major debate as to whether antivirus software is still relevant. Incidents of hacking and threats from Trojans, viruses, malware and adware question the very need of investing in antivirus software. The idea of antivirus software goes back to 1987, and since then this technology has improved continuously to fight new threats and viruses. In spite of regular updates and improvements, the basic approach of this technology has remained the same: it continuously looks for ‘signatures’ in the incoming data from downloads, removable media, and other sources. Signatures are patterns of characters that indicate the presence of malicious files. Whenever a signature is identified, it is quarantined to prevent compromise of the system.
Until recently, antivirus software could for the most part identify major security threats, which is why it was considered the mainstay of security efforts for most businesses and home users. However, today, not only can a new virus spread at a speed that is difficult for vendors to fathom, but virus authors have also learned to produce variants with changes in their signature to easily evade antivirus programs. Moreover, with malware variants made easily available in kit form, it is fairly simple to create a malware variant and get it out to the internet. It is because of such developments that many question the very future of the antivirus software market.
So, is the market for antivirus software dead?
In spite of several shortcomings, it would be impractical to believe that antivirus software packages do not have a future. This software does help in the basic detection and removal of bots, viruses, keyloggers, worms, Trojans, and spyware by scanning the entire hard drive. It also performs network scanning, reduces the chances of data theft and alerts the user about a virus before it causes damage to the computer.
In fact, there are several antivirus software packages that are specifically designed for Android and iOS users. Therefore, it would be far-fetched to assume that antivirus software has no advantages or has become completely obsolete. Vendors are including features like remote detonation, whitelisting, sandboxing, and privilege restriction to their products. Even industry experts believe that malware virus creation is an ongoing process, therefore what is required is regular the regular upgradating of arsenals against these threats.
After taking various industry drivers and challenges into account, market analysts at Technavio predict the global market for antivirus software packages to grow at a CAGR of around 10% by 2020. With growing dependence on the internet, increase in the number of online transactions, and rise in cyber crime, the demand for antivirus software is sure to increase further. Vendors like Microsoft, AVAST, McAfee, and Avira have already created highly improved versions of antivirus software for personal as well as business purposes.
Want to learn about the latest trends in the antivirus software market?
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For years now, UK department store John Lewis & Partners has released an annual Christmas advertisement that’s always something creative and special for the holiday season.
This year, in a departure, the ad spot features a real person – music legend Elton John – in a story about the power a special gift can have..
Titled, “The Boy and the Piano,” the 3 minute video shares how the most beloved Christmas gift he ever received – a piano from his mother and grandmother – inspired, changed and influenced his life.
Beginning in present day with Elton sitting at his piano at Christmas, the ad time travels backwards through his mega-career using his classic hit, “Your Song,” as the musical foundation. All of the different versions of the song used in the spot are actual recordings by Elton through the years.
As the ad journeys through time, several different actors portray the superstar at various stages wearing replicas of his famous fashions.
We end up on that magical Christmas morning when he received the gift that would change his life.
Over 1.6 million views in less than a day.
Gay Star News reports that this year, John Lewis shoppers will be able to walk through the sets used in the advert at the chain's flagship store on Oxford Street in London. Plus, the costumes from the video will be available for fans to try on.
The spot arrives ahead of the upcoming Elton John biopic, Rocketman, and his 2019 farewell tour.
The holiday spots have become an eagerly-awaited tradition in the UK as each year the creativity and story-telling explore new ways to celebrate the meaning and magic of the season.
Reading the comments on the YouTube page, most were touched by this year’s edition saying it made them cry.
But others felt Elton overwhelmed the magical sense of Christmas the spots usually deliver.
If you’re not familiar with the annual videos, check out a few more from years past.
As you'll see, the styles and creative approach to storytelling have varied a lot over the years.
Share your favorite in the comments section.


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A lot of people think that virtual reality (VR) is going to be a big factor in the world moving forward, especially when it comes to entertainment, even when it’s on your smartphone. For example, HTC recently jumped onto the VR bandwagon when it announced the Vive headset. Now OnePlus wants to get in on the fun, too, but in a slightly different way.
The company has just announced that the debutÂ of the OnePlus 2 will be very different from past product launches, as this one will put a big focus on virtual reality and bringing in an even bigger crowd. According to the forum posting, the OnePlus 2 will be announced in a VR environment, and for those that choose to stream the event, they’ll be able to “stand next to our team and our fans as we unveil our new flagship.”
The post indicates that those that are streaming the event will be able to look around at the auditorium and experience the event in an entirely different way.
On top of that, OnePlus is also debuting its own Cardboard effort. The company says that they didn’t cut any corners in developing the headset, and even freely admit that they are “losing money” on the thing, but that OnePlus wants to share them with everyone. That headset will be available soon for $0.00, according to the official landing page, which OnePlus just launched.
So, mark your calendar: The OnePlus 2 will be unveiled on July 27 beginning at 7:00 PM PT. Are you looking forward to it? At this point, we only know what the USB Type-C cable looks like, so the unveiling of the actual handset should be something to look forward to.


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This article is more than 1 year old
Nintendo games seized in Chinese piracy raids
This latest batch of raids - on factories in the Guangdong province, which borders the notorious piracy hotbed of Hong Kong - marks one of the most successful operations ever against Nintendo pirates. Last year over a million counterfeit Nintendo games were recovered over the course of 135 raids.
Nintendo estimates that it lost around $649 million worth of sales last year through counterfeiting of its products, much of which takes place in China. The company has traditionally been heavily targeted by organised pirates, although it's not thought that any piracy groups have yet managed to duplicate GameCube discs successfully - choosing instead to focus on the significantly easier to duplicate GBA cartridges.


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Google will hold hardware events at the end of this month and is expected to launch a number of devices, including nest audio, chromecast and Google TV dongle, as well as a new pixel phone。 Nest audio, the brand's upcoming smart speaker, will replace Google home, which has been leaked many times. This time, a group of pictures of the device has been exposed.
It's worth mentioning that Google also shared photos and preview videos of the speaker with some publications in advance, and the dismantling of Google home app earlier this month almost confirmed the new name. Then there was a media rendering leaked, confirming the size and color of the upcoming smart speaker.
Nest audio will be covered with fabric, which helps improve audio quality. It is also significantly larger than the original Google home and should help with bass and sound quality. There will be four LED lights on the front, similar to the nest Mini. The front touch control will allow playback / pause and volume control. Nest audio will be equipped with a proprietary connector instead of the standard micro USB or usb-c.


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Buybacks have gotten a bad rap from both Republicans and Democrats. But stocks would be trading at a massive discount without them.Marketsread more
The president's state visit comes amid tensions with carmaker Toyota over potential auto tariffs. Trump has repeatedly threatened Japanese and European carmakers with tariffs.Traderead more
The IRS is about to release a new draft of Form W-4, which will more closely reflect the changes stemming from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. For workers, that means they'll need...Personal Financeread more
The Mega Millions jackpot has spilled over $400 million. It would be the ninth largest winning since the game began in 2002.Personal Financeread more
Trump was speaking at a meeting of Japanese business leaders in Tokyo during his state visit to Japan on Saturday.Marketsread more
When commercial real estate investor Manny Khoshbin spent $2.2 million on the fastest production car in the world, he had no idea it would very quickly also become the...Autosread more
The biggest U.S. gasoline price surge in years is running out of steam just in time for the start of the summer driving season.Energyread more
The federal minimum wage has remained $7.25 per hour since 2009. But several states, and even some companies, have since taken matters into their own hands to pay employees a...Workread more
Stocks rose on Friday, but notched weekly losses as investors worried the U.S.-China trade war is hurting economic growth.US Marketsread more
The combination of mounting recession fears, bets on a more cautious Fed and a regular uptick in market volatility could spell more losses.Marketsread more
Starbucks is jumping on the cryptocurrency bandwagon.
The Seattle-based coffee giant is working with Microsoft and a leading global exchange on a new digital platform that will allow consumers to use bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies at Starbucks.
Starbucks along with Intercontinental Exchange, Microsoft and BCG, among others, is working to launch a new company called Bakkt that will enable consumers and institutions to buy, sell, store and spend cryptocurrencies on the global network by November. The platform with convert bitcoin and other cryptocoins into U.S. dollars that can be used to buy a Cold Foam Cascara Cold Brew, Matcha Lemonade or anything else at Starbucks.
"As the flagship retailer, Starbucks will play a pivotal role in developing practical, trusted and regulated applications for consumers to convert their digital assets into US dollars for use at Starbucks," Maria Smith, vice president of partnerships and payments for Starbucks, said in a statement. "As a leader in Mobile Pay to our more than 15 million Starbucks Rewards members, Starbucks is committed to innovation for expanding payment options for our customers."
Cryptocurrency skeptics have challenged its use for payments because of its volatility. Bitcoin for example, has dropped by roughly 50 percent this year, and its value often changes by hundreds of dollars in a single day.
But with Starbucks taking cryptocurrency seriously, it could help bitcoin break through as a mainstream currency. It could also be bullish for prices, which have struggled to find footing since the end of 2017.
"It's very big news for bitcoin because people say, 'Where can you spend it?' Now at every single Starbucks," said Brian Kelly, founder and CEO of BKCM. "Starbucks is seeing some kind of demand for acceptance of crypto and bitcoin, and to tie up with a huge regulated institution like the ICE is really positive for the space."
Starbucks would not be the first retailer to accept digital assets. was the first to accept bitcoin in 2014. Expedia, Shopify and CheapAir have also said they accept cryptocurrency as a form of payment.


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MHS Acquires Equipment Makers A2i Systems and VanRietMHS Acquires Equipment Makers A2i Systems and VanRiet
July 9, 2018
Systems integrator Material Handling Systems Inc. completed its acquisition of integration and equipment providers A2i Systems (A2i) and VanRiet Material Handling Systems, the Louisville, KY firm announced on Monday
“Our vision is to create a best-in-class provider of automated technology across parcel and warehouse and distribution, providing our customers with the capability to efficiently deliver packages to consumers worldwide,” MHS’ chief operating officer, Scott McRenyolds, said in a statement. “With this acquisitions of A2i and VanRiet, MHS has significantly expanded its global reach, warehouse and distribution expertise, and automated product portfolio.”
A2i, based in Alpharetta, GA, are providers of racking and material handling solutions in manufacturing plants, warehouses, and distribution centers and provide systems integration services. The company has over $150 million in sales, according to its website, serving customers in a diverse array of industries including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing in North America, Europe, and China.
Dutch pallet handling, order picking, sorting, and transport systems firm VanRiet has a presence in the U.S., UK, China, Poland, and the Netherlands. Centering its efforts on end markets like parcel services, e-commerce, and warehouse and distribution, the firm also is a systems integrator and offers after-market services.
Financial terms of the transactions were not revealed.
For more news headlines, articles, and equipment reviews, visit our Equipment Zones
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“There are only two types of companies: those that have been hacked, and those that will be.”
Robert Mueller, FBI Director, 2012
Cyber Espionage: a form of cyber attack that steals classified, sensitive data or intellectual property to gain an advantage over a competitive company or government entity: Russians influencing the election, spying on the DNC. (carbonblack.com)
Cyber Warfare: virtual conflict initiated as a politically motivated attack on an enemy’s computer and information systems. Attacks disable financial and organizational systems by stealing or altering classified data. (techopedia.com)
Hacktivism: the practice of gaining unauthorized access to a computer system and carrying out various disruptive actions as a means of achieving political or social goals: a hacker tries to alter or deface a website. (dictionary.com)
- An attacker resides within a network for an average 146 days before detection.
- A University of Maryland study found that hackers are attacking computers and networks at a “near-constant rate”, with an average of one attack every 39 seconds.
- 43 percent of cyber attacks against businesses worldwide target small companies.
- According to a CSID survey, 52% of small businesses don’t invest in cyber risk mitigation, believing that they don’t store any private information. However, 68% at a minimum store email addresses, which is one potential entry vector for hackers.
Worried about your security? We have tools. We can help.
Keeping Your Data Safe!


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Ancora Acquires New Presort Customers
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Ancora, San Fernando, CA, said the partnerships with the two mail shops would help it diversify and expand its client base to include mailers of various volume sizes and industry segments, as well as expanding its geographic reach.
Ancora will provide presort services for Barton & Cooney's customers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania with annual volume of more than 100 million pieces. Ancora will process another 100 million pieces of mail annually under its partnership with CMS.


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Jobs family have not paid off a fee designer.
Venus, ships super sophisticated and minimalist late founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, was confiscated because the ship designers claim the Jobs family have not paid off a fee.
Philippe Starck, designer of the [...]
Besides Z10, BlackBerry also launched Q10 series is still equipped with its flagship QWERTY physical keyboard. What is interesting about the BlackBerry Q10?
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Increasingly sophisticated technology. Now charger technology created without cable. Wireless Charger technology names.
Another name Wireless Charger is Inductive Charging. This technology utilizes magnetic force to deliver power between the two objects.
The talk on social networking Twitter.
A photo cards appalling universe of cyberspace, especially on social networks. From the photo clearly visible a business card Apple Canada to that of a man named Sam Sung.
A business card is interesting when related [...]
Through Vietnam blog site, Tinthe.vn, it was reported that the latest generation iPhone that was allegedly named the iPhone 5S will have a 12 megapixel camera.
In addition, Apple also improve low-light photography feature so image quality in low-light [...]
Many people who do not want to buy a ring tone as their smartphone. But not a few who complained about the use of the song into ringtone is quite disturbing.
The most easy and free way to make ringtone for your iPhone is using iTunes as reported from [...]
Good news for you gamers fans of Assassin’s Creed. The latest series of the popular game will be back for the Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii U.
Quoted from IGN, Friday (3/1), as the publisher and developer Ubisoft game plan will reveal the details of the [...]
Google has finally released Google Now app for Apple devices, the iPhone and iPad.
Quoted from Techradar, Tuesday (30/4), as a whole, Google Now in the both iOS device that is very similar, and no different with the launch for Android.
For those who [...]
Have you ever imagined playing your favorite PC games with an XBOX controller? If so, your dream might come true with the release of some updates from XBOX. As confirmed by XBOX official website, now it is possible to use an XBOX controller on our PC [...]
Japanese game producer, Sega, has released one of the legendary game, Sonic the Hedgehog, for the Android platform.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Friday (17/5), this game is available on Google Play for $2.99 U.S. dollars.
Taking into classic version is, of [...]
The name is usually known as a popular browser, Firefox, is now present as the operating system of a smartphone made by Alcatel.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Monday (2/25), in the event Mobile World Congress 2013 Barcelona, Alcatel introduced a product called [...]


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News struck fans last night that Battlefield 2042 was, in fact, delayed. While it’s luckily only a few weeks, it’s a worryingly familiar scenario.
EA pushed Battlefield 2042 from its October 22nd release date to November 19th, confirming the rumours that spread this week. This pits its release right inbetween Call of Duty Vanguard and Halo Infinite. And while many fans will be relieved to see the game remain within 2021, it feels like history repeating itself.
Devs have claimed these extra few weeks are to polish the game, but a very similar statement was made for Battlefield V.
HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF?
Back in 2018, Battlefield V faced a near identical delay from October 19th to November 20th. General Manager of Development at EA, Oscar Gabrielson stated that the delay was “adjusting the gameplay tempo, improving soldier visibility, and reducing player friction”. However, when the game released, many issues remained, and Battlefield V had a troubled launch.
I was quite big fan of Battlefield V. However, it took some time before it felt aligned with what EA promised. Many of those signs are beginning to flag up with the release of Battlefield 2042. Pushed back an entire year, supposedly to benefit from the power of next-gen, Battlefield 2042’s problems are surprising.
SHOULD EA HAVE BEEN UPFRONT?
Prior to its reveal, Battlefield 2042 was said to have the “franchise’s earliest Alpha”. EA has even pushed the next Need for Speed back so that Criterion can focus on Battlefield alongside DICE and DICE L.A. However, despite early progress on the game, players have still gotten very little information.
We got some details on the scale of its multiplayer, and its Portal mode looks excellent. However, outside of leaked gameplay, we have yet to see unedited footage. And one of the game’s three pillar, Hazard Zone, has yet to even be revealed. Citing the pandemic and working from home as the root of the problem is fair enough.
However, I think most Battlefield fans would have appreciated EA being upfront about how the game’s development was going. It’s why many weren’t shocked by Horizon Forbidden West’s delay, as Herman Hulst had claimed he “wasn’t quite certain” on whether the game would launch in 2021.
I really hope Battlefield 2042 has a solid launch. It’s been one of my most anticipated games of this year, way before it was even properly announced. However, it is uneasy to see that so many issues with the game have managed to run right up to release. Hopefully on the other side of the beta, which EA has promised will be detailed this month, I’ll feel more confident on the matter.
How are you feeling about the launch of Battlefield 2042 now that its been delayed? Let us know over on our social channels!
Don’t forget you can find great games and more on the GameByte Shop! Our store is stocked up with the latest games, merch and accessories. We might even have a new-gen console or two! Sign up to our newsletter to be notified of our console drops, deals and more. Please note the GameByte Shop is available for UK customers only.
Featured Image Credit: EA/ DICE


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June 22, 2022
ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Bay Point Advisors has provided a $10 million line of credit to Reveam, formerly ScanTech Sciences. This is a follow-on transaction to a $5 million term loan provided in 2019. Reveam recently received USDA certification at its McAllen, TX facility for use of its proprietary Electronic Cold-Pasteurization™ (ECP)™ technology to treat fruit and produce flowing through Texas border crossings along the Rio Grande Valley. This chemical-free, heat-free process eliminates harmful pests and deadly pathogens while extending shelf life at the peak of freshness.
Reveam CEO Dwayne House said the certification represents the next stage in the company’s growth. “Achieving USDA certification is a credit to all members of the team who have dedicated so many hours to the pursuit of safer and better tasting fresh fruit and produce. I’m proud of the pioneering work our team and technology has achieved and look forward to a safer, healthier and more sustainable future. Now is the time to scale our commercial operations and accelerate growth.”
“We are excited to support Reveam as they commence commercial operations,” said Mitchell Dagley of Bay Point Advisors. “We believe this technology will replace dangerous chemicals and outdated treatment methods in treating fruits and produce crossing the US-Mexico border.”
Reveam is dedicated to replacing dangerous chemicals and outdated treatment methods by providing a proprietary solution to the food industry and beyond. Operating out of its Atlanta, GA headquarters and Rio Grande Valley, TX Electronic Cold-Pasteurization™ (ECP™) processing facility, the company works with growers, customs brokers, wholesalers, distributors, food service providers and retailers to improve safety and quality across the produce supply chain. Patented ECP™ and comprehensive logistics services enable Reveam to eliminate harmful pests, extend product shelf-life, enhance fresh food taste and appearance and reduce compliance costs.
Learn more at: www.reveam.com
Bay Point Advisors
About Bay Point Advisors
Established in 2012, Bay Point Advisors LLC is a privately held firm based in Atlanta, Georgia specializing in customized, secured lending solutions across real estate and other industries, including entertainment, aviation, and natural resources. Since its inception, Bay Point Advisors has originated over $1 billion of privately negotiated loans.


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Retail Shopping Is Returning to “Pre-Pandemic” Levels
Things are slowing returning back to normal since the beginning of the COVID-19 shutdown, and this also includes shopping in person!
According to a report by the Associated Press, retail purchases saw an increase of 1.2% in July, which marks the third straight month in a rise in retail shopping. This comes after seeing a huge drop in March and April when many states shutdown in hopes to slow the spread of COVD-19. It is believed that most of that spending has come from the $1,200 stimulus check as well as the $600-a-week federal unemployment check and State benefits.
Uncertainty surrounding job and income prospects could weigh on consumer confidence and spending going forward, especially now that enhanced unemployment insurance measures which provided critical support to households have expired - Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics.
Experts do not believe this will remain this way however, as the $1,200 stimulus check unlikely to be repeated as well as the expiration of the the extra $600-a-week unemployment checks. Most retailers have stated that the supplemental unemployment aid has helped the additional sales of clothes and non-essential items.