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Something has gone terribly wrong on the plant floor at ACME Specialty Chemical International Inc.
Two vulnerabilities found in industrial control system software made in China but used worldwide could be remotely exploited by attackers, according to a warning issued on Thursday by the U.S. Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team ...
The U.S. government and the country's top mobile phone service providers on Tuesday launched a public safety program that will allow people to receive emergency alerts via text message.
Tucked in a dark corner of the Cebit trade show, in Hall 2, lies a mousetrap. Not just any old mousetrap, but a wireless-enabled one.
Divining a possible new market in municipal water management systems, IBM has set up a pilot project in Dubuque, Iowa, to investigate whether cities could both save money and conserve water by monitoring citizens' usage more closely.
IBM will develop technology to monitor and analyze the state of buildings, roads, water lines and other urban infrastructure in a new laboratory it is opening with Carnegie Mellon University.
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Stena Recycling has been named Sweden's most sustainable recycling company in 2019. The appointment is based on interviews with decision-makers in small and medium-sized companies in the Sustainable Brand Index B2B study conducted by SB Insight.
“I am extremely happy and proud that we have been awarded Sweden's most sustainable brand in the recycling industry. Above all, it is a receipt that our customers have understood our focus on and our ambition to recycle resources responsibly”, says Malin Baltzar, Head of Sustainability at Stena Recycling Sweden.
It is now the third year in a row that Stena Recycling is at the top of Sustainable Brand Index B2B. In 2017, the company received the same award as this year; the most sustainable recycling company. In 2018, Stena Recycling was the most sustainable brand in Sweden, all categories in B2B.
The background is a focused work with the goal of making customers in Swedish industry and other businesses more resource efficient and more circular. Distinctive are close, in-depth collaborations with many customers while the company takes up more space in important issues in the public conversation.
“In recent years, we have concentrated on highlighting all the values that resource-efficient recycling contributes to. Our salespeople and specialists have done a fantastic job of reaching out and creating a constructive dialogue with our customers. Becoming circular requires collaboration and during the year we have created more and new collaborations, in large part thanks to our initiative Circular Initiative. Receiving this award gives us even more energy in working with circular sustainable solutions”, says Malin Baltzar.
Facts: Sustainable Brand Index, the B2B study
The Sustainable Brand Index B2B has been conducted annually since 2017. The first two years, the respondent target group in the study was executive purchasing managers in large companies in Sweden, defined as companies with a turnover of more than half a billion SEK. In the 2019 study, the target group has been redefined to SMEs. This refers to companies that have from 40 up to 500 employees.

domain: news


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At the Federal Reserve’s new world “transient” inflation, Americans pay more to get less.
Retail sales rose 0.6% from May to June. According to the Commerce department, American consumers spent $ 621 billion on sales and services last month. With a large 1.7% fall in May, retail sales remained below the levels in March and April.
Meanwhile, the price increase in June was more than the increase in retail sales. In fact, they outscored summer sellers throughout the second quarter. Consumers pay more in each marketing category.
- Purchased food in stores – up to 0.8%
- Prices in restaurants, delis, cafeterias, etc. – up to 0.7%
- The price of gasoline – up to 2.5%
- Affordable good price including home appliances, electronics, autos. furniture, etc. up to 3.5%
This is the price increase in just one month. Overall, the CPI showed 0.9% month-on-month in June. So far this year, prices have risen 3.6%.
Since the stock market is expressed in dollar amounts, the price increase is shown.. That is, just because of the increase in widget dollar sales does not mean that people are buying more widgets. They may buy smaller widgets but still pay for them. This is exactly what has happened in many aspects of spring marketing. – READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below –


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OnePlus 7 series is one of the older flagship killer lineups from the Chinese OEM that comes with a bunch of premium offerings. Both these lineups are from the year 2019 and these phones must have reached enough users as of now. Software-wise these smartphones are currently running OxygenOS 11 which is based on Android 11.
Android is now even more, smarter with its new privacy and security upgrades. Based on this latest version of Android, OnePlus OxygenOS 12 will be the upcoming version for which the OnePlus fans are waiting.
OnePlus 7/7T Android 12 OxygenOS 12/ColorOS 12 update:
This is the dedicated Android 12 OxygenOS 12/ColorOS 12 tracker of the OnePlus 7 series phones which include the OnePlus 7/7 Pro and 7T/ 7T Pro, we’ll keep you posted with each and every update related to the upcoming OxygenOS version.
So, stay in touch with us to reach OxygenOS 12 for your OnePlus 7 devices. The OnePlus 7 series is expected to receive the stable Android 12 update in the first half of 2022.
ONEPLUS 7 OXYGENOS 12 LATEST NEWS:
Update 4, December 26 (11:34 ET) ― A new Stable OxygenOS 12 update
A new OxygenOS 12 update
OnePlus has now released a new stable OxygenOS 12 update for the OnePlus 9 series. OnePlus says that the update has now fixed most recent reported bugs in the OxygenOS 12 build.
Update 3, December 11 (09:00 ET) ― Stable OxygenOS 12 bugs
Stable OxygenOS 12 bugs
OnePlus has recently released a stable OxygenOS 12 update for the OnePlus 9 series of smartphones. The company has now pulled the update because of some serious issues.
Update 2, November 11 (11:40 ET) ― ColorOS 12 beta update
ColorOS 12 for OnePlus devices
The OnePlus 9 devices are now getting the new ColorOS 12 beta update, the stable update will be released on November 25. The company also started the ColorOS 12 beta registration for the OnePlus 8 series.
Update 1, October 29 (21:03 ET) ― October 2021 security patch
OnePlus 7/7T series gets October 2021 update – OxygenOS 22.214.171.124
The OnePlus 7/7 Pro and OnePlus 7T/7T Pro are getting a new Android 11-based OxygenOS 11 update with the October 2021 security patch.
OCTOBER 02, 2021:
T-Mobile has started Android 12 development for the OnePlus 7T Pro 5G.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2021:
OnePlus7 and 7T series will get the Android 12-based ColorOS 12 update in the first half of 2022 in China.
JULY 25, 2021:
- OnePlus confirms it is working on a new toggle for its “optimized mode” in response to app throttling in OxygenOS 11. This new feature won’t arrive until the release of OxygenOS 12, which is based on Android 12 and coming this Fall. Read More Here.
- OxygenOS 12: OnePlus working on a new AOD feature, more options in the Canvas AOD, and a revamped Gallery app experience with new functions. Read More Here.
- OnePlus will introduce its own theme store with OxygenOS 12. Read More Here.
*This article will be updated regularly


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Tag "Smart Home"
Smart Home Devices Forecast to Deliver Double-Digit Growth Through 2022
The worldwide smart home devices market is expected to grow 31% year over year in 2018 to 643.9 million shipments, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Smart Home Device Tracker. The entire smart home market, comprised of smartRead More
Asia smart home market to reach US$115 billion
Asia’s burgeoning smart home market will reach US$115 billion by 2030, accounting for 30 percent of the global share, according to a report released by global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney. The report forecasts the global smart home market toRead More


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10 June 2020
Like many businesses in the Bega Valley, North of Eden gin has had to navigate the mountainous highs and cavernous lows of the 2020 Bega Valley bushfires and COVID-19.
Owners, Gavin Hughes and Karen Touchie hope to reopen their Cellar Door in July for tastings and bottle sales. Under the current restrictions, this will mean only four people inside at any one time and 12 outside on the deck for those who don’t mind the cold and bringing their own blankets. Their much anticipated Gin School remains in an induced coma.
And therein lies the most frustrating part of their complicated journey.
“We’ve had so many inquiries from family groups or groups of friends who want to visit the region and do Gin School together, but under the current rules we can’t even take single group bookings,” said Gavin.
“It’s the same with the Cellar Door; we can have a family of five arrive in the same car but will have to ask one person to wait outside.
“The current rules around physical distancing will disproportionately impact small regional business that typically have smaller venues.
“We need the rules to make some allowance for the reality that groups who are already travelling and socialising together don’t want or need 4-square metres per person.
“The alternative is to extend our Cellar Door and bar area so we can fit more people into our venue, but there are no grants for that. And we can’t afford a COVID-19 loan as we already have a sizeable mortgage.
“There are many micro businesses like ours in the Bega Valley that will continue to suffer under the pandemic restrictions unless we get the support we need; for where we are at right now.”
Going back a few years, Gavin and Karen decided running a B&B was not for them. They spent 12 months converting an old farm shed on their Stony Creek property into a micro distillery. In October 2018 they installed three alembic copper stills and launched North of Eden gin.
Before this, Karen had been working in corporate management in Melbourne and Gavin had been running a big fuel distillery in Queensland.
It was a major unplanned change for them both, brought about by a series of random occurrences that started with a short break in the country with friends. It was time to do something different; experience a relaxed and richer quality of life, and they haven’t looked back, despite the circumstances of the past six months.
“The bushfires came too close for comfort, getting within one kilometre of our property boundary,” Karen said. “However, we decided to stay and defend our home and business.
“Our property looks out onto Mumbulla Mountain, which was burning for weeks. Even toward the end of February when the rains came through, we had one of the biggest flare-ups, which had to be water bombed.
“We very quickly built a sprinkler system for the distillery because of the obvious volatility of our product, which also meant we couldn’t operate our business at all. We had to cancel our Gin School classes, which had been booked out for months in advance, and refund deposits.
“By March we were able to get the distillery operational and were open for two weeks. We ran two Gin School classes and the feedback on those was amazing. Business was going well. Then COVID-19 hit and we had to shut shop again.”
Once again, they had to refund deposits and gift certificates; COVID-19 restrictions on distancing meant no Gin School, no tasting and no bar. Their Cellar Door is too small to fit the number of people in that they need to make it economically viable.
“The frustration is that we can be viable with eight people at Gin School, but the rules around physical distancing won’t even let us do that, even although that same group of eight can dine at a single table at a larger venue or share a holiday house,” explained Karen.
“This was supposed to be our big launch year. We recently won two medals at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition; The Classic taking out silver and The Connoisseur a bronze,” Gavin said.
“This adds to four previous medals won by these two gins; silver and bronze from London’s 2019 International Wine and Spirit Competition, and silver and bronze from the 2019 Australian Gin Awards.
“We were fortunate we still had our online business, which meant we have had some cash flow. Quietly, we were hoping people might want to stock up, like they did with the toilet paper, but they didn’t.”
During the pandemic, Gavin and Karen were approached by Dr Duncan McKinnon of Bega Valley Medical Practice who suggested they manufacture a hand sanitising product for local use in public spaces, shopping centres and supermarkets.
The couple produced and distributed their hand sanitiser at cost because they wanted to contribute to their community and play their part in this extraordinary crisis. There are now around 40 bright yellow hand sanitising stations from Mallacoota to Batemans Bay containing their product.
While their priority continues to be the supply of local public use hand washing stations, they also have five litre containers available for local retail sale.
“We’re having to rethink our business again to see what that means going forward, Karen said. “We hope to open the Cellar Door in July but can’t see how we could run the Gin School as yet.”
Despite the setbacks, Gavin and Karen have released a new gin, The Admiral. At a delightfully sinful 114% proof, The Admiral will be North of Eden’s Navy Strength gin and, according to Gavin, the couple’s best gin yet.
“Our premium gins are made in small batches of only 200 bottles at a time on Jill, our much loved 100 litre copper still,” Gavin said.
“A 100 litre still might sound big, but in the world of commercial gin production it’s actually really small and it’s one of the things that sets us apart from other distilleries.
“It’s also why these latest medals are so fantastic because they demonstrate we can produce consistently great gin using small batch artisan methods.
“We’re hoping for Gold for this one!”


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Taiwan’s Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd. has agreed to purchase a Mexican manufacturing facility for cellular phones from Motorola Inc. for an undisclosed sum as part of a deal that includes a multi-year manufacturing agreement, the company said in a document filed with the Taiwan Stock Exchange on Friday.
Motorola has been shutting down or selling off manufacturing plants in recent years to cut costs and raise its competitiveness. Most recently, the company announced plans to spin off its Semiconductor Products Sector, which makes networking processors, applications processors for handheld devices, and digital signal processors.
The cell-phone manufacturing plant that Hon Hai has agreed to acquire is located in Chihuahua, Mexico, and is part of Motorola’s Personal Communications Sector.
Details of the multi-year manufacturing agreement were not disclosed by either party, but the deal marks an expansion of an existing manufacturing relationship between the two companies. Motorola has outsourced manufacturing of some products to Hon Hai for three years and the company has agreed to purchase Motorola-branded handsets manufactured at the Chihuahua plant for several years to come, the company said.
Taiwanese companies form the manufacturing backbone for much of the IT industry, producing a diverse range of products, including servers for Sun Microsystems Inc. and personal digital assistants (PDAs) for Dell Inc.
Hon Hai is one of the largest and most important of these Taiwanese hardware manufacturers, producing desktop PCs and motherboards, among other products, under contract for some of the biggest brand names in the industry.
Hon Hai plans to acquire the Chihuahua plant, which will operate as Foxconn Mexico Precision Industry Co. S.A. de C.V., through a wholly owned subsidiary, Foxconn International Holdings Group. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Motorola said that a commitment from Hon Hai to continue providing employment for the 1,100 workers at the plant was one condition of the agreement.
The sale of the plant is expected to be completed within 90 days, according to Motorola.


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Autonomous vehicle technology is here to stay in one form or another, and according to a recent survey, U.S. automakers are falling behind their competitors in the race to mass market a self-driving car.
While Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (TYO:7201) and Daimler AG (FRA:DAI) are the top auto brands most associated with autonomous driving technology, consumers appear to rank Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) far above all auto companies, and way ahead of General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) and Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F).
“We believe that self-driving cars will be profoundly disruptive to the traditional automotive ecosystem,” said Gary Silberg, the chief author of the report, which was written by global advisory firm KPMG LLP.
The study, which surveyed drivers in Los Angeles, Chicago and Iselin, New Jersey, suggests that Nissan -- which pledged in August to launch an affordable self-driving car in six years -- is the auto brand most associated with self-driving technology.
Earlier this month, Nissan offered a sneak peek at a self-driving all-electric Leaf mini loaded with laser sensors, cameras, and radars that can identify objects up to 200 meters away in front of or behind the car, and up to 80 meters on both sides -- which is adequate for a car designed to drive at low speeds in a traffic-congested urban environment.
Leading the pack among luxury brands is Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz; Audi, which is owned by Volkswagen AG (FRA:VOW3); and BMW, or Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (FRA:BMW), in third. Cadillac, GM’s luxury brand, will release semi-autonomous systems in the coming years, too.
Basically, the survey found two main consumer details. First, passionate drivers are less interested in a car that drives itself than other drivers, and second, overall interest in the technology is growing, even though safety and liability concerns still have to be addressed.


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Where does Santa go after Christmas?
Maybe to the Hilton Garden Inn in the Northern California town of Redding, where an unidentified person paid the bills of everyone who was a guest Sunday.
Rates for a regular room at the inn range from $109 to $119, and about 50 of its 93 guest rooms were occupied Sunday, according to the Redding Record Searchlight.
"He wanted to make it anonymous," front-desk supervisor Tony Ross told CNBC on Thursday.
Though Ross said he could not provide further details, he confirmed that the story in the local paper was accurate.
(Read more: 'Layaway Santas' to the rescue!)
The hotel Santa is the latest of a number of do-gooders whose anonymous actions have come to light.
Using the Instagram handle @tipsforjesus, an anonymous person has left more than $80,000 in supersize restaurant tips—$2,000 to $3,000 a pop. In October, Starbucks launched a "pay it forward" program, urging customers to buy a coffee for another patron. And a rash of "Layaway Santas" paid off other people's Christmas gifts.
Even Beyoncé (not so anonymously) paid $50 off the bills of 750 shoppers at a Walmart in Tewksbury, Mass., just before Christmas.


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By Sharon Love, CEO of TPN
The latest statistics indicate 60 percent of digital consumption now happens on mobile devices, globally, so it's no wonder that mobile has the power to change customer behavior and expectations, but only if it enhances or positively transforms the customer experience.
Here at the 2015 Mobile World Congress, the theme is "The Edge of Innovation." It's a fitting catch-all that captures all the exciting sub-themes being discussed, debated and shared in Barcelona.
Co-innovation, connectivity, context and disintermediation (giving the user direct access to information that would otherwise require a mediator, like a bank teller or sales person) are among them, and are all pieces of the new ecosystem being created by the growing mobile lifestyle.
From a retail perspective, co-innovation and the work around common requirements for retailers, device manufacturers, telecommunications companies and mobile software platforms is leading the charge in mobile retail innovation. None of those entities can do it alone, so they are coming together on behalf of the shopper to make all aspects of the mobile retail experience seamless.
Whether it's payments, bar codes, NFC, couponing or loyalty programs, there is an urgent need for fluency across the stores, apps and mobile devices in order to deliver against customer experience expectations.
Dynamic retail happens at the intersection of traditional retail and emerging commerce and we have watched as shoppers have migrated from cash to plastic and now, increasingly, to mobile. With this evolution, improving security has been a key for the digital and mobile aspects of payments—and for the mobile financial services segment—but headway is being made around ensuring secure mobile identity, and here at MWC we've seen examples around this progress.
One company demonstrated using a person's electrocardiogram as proof of identity on their mobile device and allowing it to unlock their payment capabilities.
Apple Pay is co-innovating with McDonald's to bring mobile pay to their customers, using military precision and operational excellence to convert the drive-thru payment kiosks at their restaurants in the United States. Within 60 days, all locations will accept Apple Pay. The customer demand for this kind of payment is growing quickly and McDonald's recognized they needed to be out in front, and the need for a partner to do it.
Connectivity and personalization are obvious attributes of the mobile lifestyle. The behavior is centered on small devices that one can easily carry with them all day and, not far off, even while sleeping. Consumers' growing dependence on these devices is increasing the pressure on retailers and manufacturers to make sure they are delivering products and services that enhance the experience.
During a session at MWC on personalization, Telefonica's managing director of digital commerce called the smartphone "the remote control of the connected life." Echoing the sentiment was McDonald's Zaki Fasihuddin, global head of business development, digital, who noted how the consumer's mobile "remote control" can bring more connectivity and convenience to the restaurant experience.
From a retail perspective, the connectivity pertains to how (and how easily), when and in what context consumers and shoppers are linked to the goods and services they desire. Personalization is one of those ways, and brands and retailers are using apps and loyalty programs enabled through mobility to deliver it. Beacon technology enables a similar ability to personalize, contextualize and drill down to the individual shopper in a retail environment.
Arlie Sisson, Starwood Hotels and Resorts associate director of mobile product strategy, explained the success they are having around the Starwood mobile app. By using their smartphone, Starwood Preferred guests are able to customize their rooms prior to check-in, choose personal amenities like pillow style, room location, toiletries and download a room key.
More and more, shoppers now expect these kinds of personalized, connective experiences from brands and retailers as we increasingly live in a digitally-enabled, mobile-delivered world.
At MWC, there is a lot of buzz around the Internet of Things (IoT), which showcases how easily and effortlessly connectivity can happen. Wearable devices (Swarovski Crystal has a jewelry fitness tracker called Shine, that looks like a high-end, diamond necklace), smart homes, connected toothbrushes (which not only tell you how long to brush your teeth, but send the data to your dentist), connected tennis rackets (capture data on your game—serve, spin, velocity, etc., and can send it to your trainer or coach's mobile device) and, of course, connected cars.
Machine-to-machine connections are predicted to be 10 percent of the global mobile connections by 2020.
Ultimately the opportunity for brands and retailers in a world where the ability to transfer data will not require human-to-human or human-to-computer connections, will lie in adding high-touch value within this high-tech environment. Regardless, the end goal remains to enhance the customer experience.
Technology, and mobile, specifically, remains an enabler of a better, easier, more connected life. But knowing where and how best to deploy it will still take smart human interactions.
Sharon Love is CEO of TPN, a dynamic retail agency. Sharon has worked with top brands and leading retailers for more than 25 years to create strong bonds and conversations with shoppers and consumers and delivering on the agency promise to Reimagine Retail. Understanding and anticipating consumer and shopper behavior is more than a lifelong career; it is a passion and expertise.


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22 Aug 2006
AA Business Services (AABS), the corporate wing of The AA breakdown company, has warned employers that staff are increasingly involved in illegal ‘point-swapping’ scams to avoid licence penalties and driving bans
19 Jul 2006
Full benefits package would differentiate firms from competitors.
5 Jul 2006
Employers are being warned that they must start tracking the working hours of fleet drivers after the first successful UK health and safety prosecution of its type.
4 Jan 2006
IT consultancy predicts move to users providing their own computers for work, has happened with company cars in the 1970s
9 Dec 2005
Employers must balance cost and business efficiency with corporate responsibility and employee aspirations as the debate about the merits of the company car as a benefit intensifies
16 Sep 2005
Employers with fleets of company cars should set up procedures that will help them to manage fuel costs, motoring experts have advised
12 Aug 2005
Rising fuel prices could cost UK businesses at least an extra £333m each year in fuel for company car fleets, according to estimates
13 Jul 2005
Seventy per cent of companies offer employees the choice between a company car and a cash allowance.
12 Jul 2005
Employees who have opted out of company car schemes in favour of ‘cash for car’ programmes may be using unsafe vehicles for business.
8 Jun 2005
Claims for suits and vet's bills win prizes for Personnel Today readers
7 Jun 2005
Ever since we switched directors over to car allowances, there’s an increasing variety of metalware at the posh end of...
6 Apr 2005
Healthcare plans and additional holiday have overtaken company cars as the most popular employee benefits, research reveals.
9 Feb 2005
Any changes to the tax-free mileage allowance for employees in the forthcoming Budget could leave more than 2 million employees out of pocket, according to accountancy firm Ernst & Young.
16 Nov 2004
Beleaguered HR professionals may feel that IT is valued more highly than them in business – and this latest revelation...
17 Feb 2004
As well as keeping them happy, rewarding staff can help organisations with retention and development.


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This "social magazine" iPad app works best when the reader-generated material is actually interesting
Sony Ericsson's T715 mobile phone is an inexpensive, entry-level slider handset with built-in Twitter and Facebook apps
A social-networking aggregation application for the iPhone, Vodafone Update combines Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitpic accounts into one interface.
twitter in pictures
You probably either love Twitter for its quirkiness and brevity or see it as a pointless waste of time. After nearly a decade on the social scene, Twitter still needs to improve its user experience and fill in notable gaps in the service. These seven problems are long overdue for a fix.
Everyone knows a lot of people tweet on Twitter each day and even more post to Facebook, but the by-the-minute usage numbers for these eight leading social networks will likely surprise you.
Coming soon to a Twitter timeline near you, these nine new features, which are expected to roll out during the coming year, put a new focus on video, direct messaging, alerts and notifications, and more.
From Apple to Amazon to Microsoft to Twitter, the names of some of the world's most popular tech companies tend to have interesting and significant backstories.
Twitter has announced more than 50 premium content deals in the Asia-Pacific region, including 10 new and extended deals in Australia with Seven, SBS, Domain, Sony Music, NRL, Fox Sports and more.
The US House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on Tuesday to take testimony from Facebook Inc, Alphabet Inc's YouTube unit and Twitter Inc on whether social media companies are filtering content for political reasons, the committee chairman sa...
The persistent rise of cryptocurrency is changing the internet in a variety of ways, and although its relatively early days there has already been some high profile cryptocurrency fraud incidents.
Twitter's keeping more data about you, for longer, but offering more granular privacy tools in return.
Twitter has announced that it will be launching a new always-on TV service that covers an array of programming, from live sports to breaking news, concerts, and fashion.
You can finally request that coveted blue verified Twitter badge that has eluded you for seven years. Here’s why and how you should get verified and let you followers know you are the real deal.
Instagram cut ties with Twitter this week, which means your photos will no longer display properly. Here are two workarounds that ensure your Instagram tweets will post unaltered.
When I signed up for a Twitter account in the summer of 2009 I spent some time thinking about whether or not I should protect my tweets. As a novice Twitter user, I had to decide whether the benefits of protecting my tweets outweighed the drawbacks. ...
In Australia, if you have a social networking account such as Facebook or Twitter, or if you use Internet message boards or forums, you are bound by this country's laws when you post material or express yourself. This issue has become readily apparen...
Despite sharing every banal aspect of my life in mind-numbing detail, I remain some way short of 150,000 Twitter followers.
Twitter has been a nonstop news machine during this year's contentious presidential election, but will the popular social network even exist the next time Americans hit the polls?
Twitter will not host its annual Flight developer conference this year amid speculation and uncertainty about the company's future. Its bruised relationship with developers may be a sign of what's to come.
Twitter passed its first big live-football test last Thursday, but the social platform must cultivate much more unique value for NFL viewers if it hopes to steal them away from traditional TV broadcasts.
Have you ever ignored the person you are with, be it a boyfriend or a friend, in order to look for a suitable #quoteoftheday (with just the right mix of inspiration and cute) to wow your hundred-something Instagram admirers?
How Apple can help Taylor Swift do damage control and make Notes the go-to app for sharing more than 140 characters.
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Where Are Ford Broncos Made
May 30, 2023
In the realm of legendary sport utility vehicles, few names evoke as much nostalgia and admiration as the Ford Bronco. With a rich heritage spanning decades, this iconic off-roader has forged a path synonymous with adventure and resilience.
Even though the new Bronco has been around for a better part of three years, not many people know where it comes from. So, where are Ford Broncos made?
Where Are Ford Broncos Made
The US Ford Bronco has always been manufactured at Ford’s Michigan Truck Assembly Plant located in Wayne, Michigan. This means that the 1965 to 1996 Bronco was also assembled here as Wayne, Michigan is the true home of the Ford Bronco.
The Bronco Sport is being manufactured in Ford’s Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly factory in Sonora, Mexico.
Is the Ford Bronco Coming to Europe?
In the summer of 2022, Ford officially came out and said that the new Bronco was finally going to reach the European market, but in strictly limited numbers.
Initially, everyone thought the demand for the new Bronco simply wasn’t there, but it seems like there are many people in Europe who would love to get their hands on the new Bronco.
It’s worth mentioning that Ford won’t be making any right-hand drive models which means that the UK won’t be getting a Ford Bronco. The reasoning behind this is that the expected profit from offering a right-hand drive Bronco wasn’t large enough to outweigh the development costs.
Is the Ford Bronco Coming to Australia?
Currently, there are no plans to bring the Ford Bronco to Australia, but Ford did say that they are open to the idea if the market demand reaches a satisfactory number.
Ford initially wasn’t planning to bring the Bronco to Europe either, but two years into the production of the Bronco, it seems like that is finally going to happen.
New Zealand also isn’t getting the new Bronco and the same goes for the rest of Oceania.
Is the Ford Bronco Coming to China?
The latest news development regarding the export of the Ford Bronco came about Auto Shanghai in April 2023 when Ford said that the new Bronco is going to be exported to the Chinese market.
This makes perfect sense as the Chinese market is experiencing a huge boom in foreign automotive demand which is why so many brands are slowly turning to China as one of the most profitable markets globally.The price of the new Bronco in China is going to be substantially higher because the production is set to remain in the US which is partly what pushes the final costs both for Europe and China.
What Does Ford Build at the Michigan Assembly Plant?
Currently, Ford makes the Bronco and the Ranger in Wayne, Michigan, but this plant used to manufacture a whole host of Ford models such as the Ford Fiesta, Ford Kuga, and the Ford Transit.
Ford did expect the demand for the Bronco to be very high, but no one really thought that demand is going to be as substantial as it actually is.
Therefore, the Wayne. Michigan plant is set to continue building the Bronco and the Ranger for a considerable future.
The reason why the new Bronco is being manufactured next to the Ranger is that they share the same chassis/underpinnings.
The largest Ford manufacturing plant is the Ford Kansas City Assembly Plant which stretches 4,700,000 square-foot or 1,270 acres.
It employs more than 7,000 people and is one of the largest industrial complexes in the entirety of the country. Ford’s River Rouge complex is also one of the largest as it measures over 900 acres


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FARMFOODS shoppers can currently nab huge 5.5litre tubs of Carte D'Or ice cream for a bargain £3.99.
Normally, you can expect to fork out from £2 per 1litre of Carte D'Or ice cream in supermarkets – so you'll be getting 5.5 times as much for just double the cash.
If you bought the same amount of ice cream in smaller pots, you'd have to pay £11 for 5.5litres – meaning you're saving a tasty £7 with the deal.
Farmfoods couldn't confirm the measurements of the giant tubs though, so just make sure your freezer is big enough to store them first.
The tubs, which look like the size you'd expect to see in ice cream shops, were shared by a shopper in the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group on Facebook.
The post has racked up comments from keen ice cream fans, with one user simply saying: "They're huge and taste lush."
While another added: "Wish I had a bigger freezer as would be getting my ass down to Farmfoods."
And a third one said: "Saw these in our Farmfoods. Blooming huge container, good buy if you have the room in your freezer."
Farmfoods told The Sun the tubs are currently available in most of its shops but only as long as stocks last.
The retailer has more than 300 stores across the UK. You can find your nearest one by using its store locator tool.
Flavours up for grabs include mint chocolate, triple chocolate, rum and raisin, vanilla chocolate cookie, Greek yogurt, coffee and pistachio.
Some shoppers said they've also spotted the tubs in Herons Food stores for a £4 price tag.
Last month, B&M sold 5.5litre tubs of caramel and mint chocolate flavours for £4 too, but it hasn't yet confirmed whether it still has any stock.
None of the three retailers offer online shopping, so you'll need to pop by your nearest shop to get your hands on the ice cream.
In comparison, Tesco is selling 1l litre pots of Carte D'Or ice cream for £2, while Asda and Morrisons charge £2.50 and Sainsbury's charges £3.50.
The calorie amount will depend on which flavour you pick up, but the rum and raisin version, for example, contains 95 calories per 100ml.
An adult man should eat around 2,500 calories a day while it's 2,000 for a women, according to NHS guidelines.
In June, B&M rolled out giant 4.5litre tubs of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for £3.50.
Meanwhile, Farmfoods recently started selling Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream sandwiches for 99p.
And earlier this year, Farmfoods sold five-packs of Creme Eggs for 99p – working out as 19p per Creme Egg.
Source: Read Full Article


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China’s Digital Currency (CBDC), also known as the digital yuan, has emerged as a significant player in the global financial landscape. This article delves into the geopolitical implications of China’s digital currency, exploring its rise, challenges, and impact on the world stage. Go yuan-globalize.com/, if you are serious about investing in Digital Yuan and want to take your skills to the next level.
The Rise of the Digital Yuan
China’s journey towards launching its digital currency dates back to its desire to modernize its financial infrastructure and reduce its reliance on the US dollar. The digital yuan project gained momentum in response to the rise of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and the potential threat they posed to China’s monetary sovereignty.
Key Features and Technical Aspects
The digital yuan is a government-backed digital currency designed to mimic physical cash. It is issued and regulated by the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) and operates on a centralized ledger. Unlike cryptocurrencies, it does not rely on blockchain technology. Key features include its offline capabilities, traceability, and programmability for targeted fiscal policies.
Adoption and Pilot Programs
Within China, the digital yuan has been rolled out in various pilot programs, covering major cities and regions. These trials have included scenarios like salary payments, transportation, and retail transactions. The goal is to familiarize Chinese citizens with digital currency and gather data on its usage.
China has ambitious plans to internationalize the digital yuan. It has begun testing cross-border transactions using digital currency, aiming to reduce the reliance on the US dollar in international trade and finance.
Challenges and Concerns
The digital yuan has the potential to challenge the dominance of the US dollar in global finance. If widely adopted, it could facilitate international trade conducted in yuan, reducing the need for dollar intermediation. This could weaken the dollar’s status as the world’s primary reserve currency.
Privacy and Surveillance
Critics have raised concerns about the digital yuan’s surveillance capabilities. As a centralized digital currency, it enables the Chinese government to track transactions, raising privacy issues and fears of government overreach.
The global adoption of CBDCs raises regulatory challenges for governments and international bodies. Coordination and cooperation are needed to establish a framework for the use of digital currencies in cross-border transactions.
China views the digital yuan as a strategic tool to enhance its economic and geopolitical influence. By promoting its digital currency, China can challenge the dominance of the US dollar and exert more control over its financial system.
Impact on the US Dollar
The digital yuan’s success could lead to a reduced role for the US dollar in global trade and finance. This would have far-reaching implications for the United States, potentially affecting its economic power and influence.
Global Trade and Finance
The adoption of the digital yuan could reshape global trade dynamics. Countries that participate in China’s Belt and Road Initiative may be more inclined to conduct trade in yuan, strengthening China’s economic partnerships.
Alliances and Partnerships
In response to China’s digital currency efforts, countries may form alliances and partnerships to counterbalance China’s influence. This could involve collaborations on their own CBDC projects or strengthening existing economic ties.
Global Responses and Strategies
Reactions to China’s Digital Currency
Many countries are closely monitoring China’s digital currency developments. Some are exploring the creation of their CBDCs to maintain control over their monetary systems and prepare for potential changes in the global financial landscape.
Central banks worldwide are researching and experimenting with CBDCs. The competition is fierce, as countries aim to develop digital currencies that meet their specific economic and geopolitical objectives.
Collaboration and Competition
The digital currency space is characterized by both collaboration and competition among global powers. Nations are exploring partnerships to facilitate cross-border transactions and establish common standards while vying for a position of influence in the emerging digital currency ecosystem.
The Future of CBDCs
The future of digital currencies remains uncertain. It is unclear whether a single global digital currency will emerge or if a multipolar digital currency landscape will develop. CBDCs may coexist with cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and traditional fiat currencies.
The adoption of CBDCs will have profound implications for financial institutions and businesses. It may necessitate changes in payment systems, monetary policies, and international finance practices.
In conclusion, China’s digital currency, the digital yuan, has far-reaching geopolitical implications. Its rise challenges the dominance of the US dollar, potentially reshaping the global financial order. The world is witnessing a race to develop and adopt CBDCs, with countries navigating the complex terrain of digital currencies to secure their positions in the evolving financial landscape. As this competition unfolds, the geopolitical consequences will continue to shape international relations and the future of global finance.


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Dubai: Whether or not fireworks will light up the world’s tallest tower on New Year’s Eve, revellers are assured that they’re in for another dazzling show to ring in 2018.
Organisers of the annual festivities have taken to social media to appease netizens, following speculations that there will be less funfair in Burj Khalifa this time around.
Gulf News also contacted a spokesperson for Emaar but the developer would not confirm nor deny that the pyrotechnics display has been cancelled.
“We have several surprises in store this year. We’re lighting up the sky and celebrating the New Year with an innovative performance that will dazzle the world and put the global spotlight on the UAE and Dubai,” a post by Downtown Dubai reads.
Reports that a light show will replace the fireworks display at Burj Khalifa to ring in the New Year have sparked mixed reactions from UAE residents.
There have been speculations that there will be no fireworks display at the world’s tallest tower to welcome the New Year. Instead, residents and visitors will be treated to a light show, something that Emaar described as a “never-before-seen spectacle.”
While some people welcome the news, citing that it will reduce traffic woes, others have expressed concern that pulling the plug on the tradition could impact Dubai’s tourism sector. This is considering the fact that thousands of visitors travel to Dubai just to witness the fireworks at Burj Khalifa.
“Wrong decision not to have fireworks on Burj Khalifa this New Year,” said Joevy Lanuza. “You don’t know how many hotels, airlines, travel agents, shopping malls will be affected by this decision. Thousands of tourists from around the world are eager to come to Dubai just to witness the fireworks.”
Each year, hundreds of thousands of spectators descend on Downtown Dubai, home of the world’s tallest tower and largest shopping mall, to enjoy the festivities. Back in 2013, nearly two million people converged to watch the show.
Other residents said the decision to cancel the fireworks is something to be happy about because it will not only ease traffic congestion, it will be a cleaner and greener way to usher in the New Year.
“That means the skies this year will not be choked, and so do we,” said Farhaan Mohammed.
“Great news. [That] means no huge traffic on New Year’s Eve,” said Habibty Yumi.
Premjit Bangara, general manager for travel at Sharaf Travel Services, said the cancellation of fireworks will not impact the local tourism industry because the UAE has a lot to offer - more than just a pyrotechnics display.
“This will certainly not deter tourists from coming in to Dubai as, primarily, they have booked their travel and hotels well in advance and Dubai offers the whole package with events, resorts and shopping festivities happening during this period,” Bangara told Gulf News.
“While the fireworks display is a top draw for residents and tourists too, we believe that this has not impacted our inbound arrivals as Dubai has a whole lot of events and activities planned during this winter and that will certainly be a positive factor in maintaining the feel good factor with our tourists.”
In a statement issued last week, Emaar said it will be welcoming the New Year with an all-new theme, “Light Up 2018,” with festivities spanning Burj Khalifa and water-music performances at the Dubai Fountain. The façade of Downtown Dubai’s iconic buildings will serve as a canvas for a “spectacular show” that will be coordinated and produced by a team of world-class experts.
Contacted by Gulf News, a spokesperson for Emaar declined to confirm that that Burj Khalifa fireworks has indeed been cancelled. But the developer’s social media posts have hinted that the celebrations will be taking on a different tune.
“Say goodbye to the old and hello to the new as we #LightUp2018 in Downtown Dubai this #MayDubaiNewYear,” Emaar’s social media post reads.


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1. Despite car and truck sales that motored past 16 million for the first time since 2007, recalls dominated the news for most of the year. General Motors GM 1.42% held center stage, dealing with cascading revelations about faulty ignition switches and recalling millions of vehicles. While GM opted for something approaching full disclosure of its missteps , publishing an report into company-wide fumbles, Japanese airbag maker Tanaka chose to stonewall. It left any remedies up to its beleaguered customers, notably Honda and Toyota. They are the ones who deal with the fallout of exploding safety devices that fatally fired shrapnel throughout the passenger compartment.
2. 3. You support the teams that I support.
3. A few recent scientific papers say that such long-lasting kinks in the jet stream have become more likely because global warming is rapidly melting the sea ice in the Arctic, but many leading scientists are not convinced on that point.


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Nearly half of the UK’s small to medium enterprises (SMEs) do not understand their responsibilities for enrolling staff in a workplace pension scheme, reports the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
The FSB, which polled more than 1,000 small business owners during November and December, found that 45% of SMES were unclear on the rules while 25% were doubtful whether their business could cope with the extra costs of funding employees’ pensions.
The UK government launched auto enrolment duties requiring firms to enrol employees in a workplace pension scheme in 2012, beginning with the largest businesses. To date, 5.4m workers have been enrolled.
From last November firms with 30 staff or less have started enrolling their workers, including firms with no more than one staff member, although the majority will reach their staging date between now and February 2018.
The survey found that one in four respondents did not know when their own firm’s staging date was, although the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) launch an advertising campaign last October to alert firms to their auto enrolment duties. Three in four business owners complained that the government’s new rules put “too much pressure” on SMEs.
The FSB also found that firms aware of the requirement to introduce auto-enrolment scheme typically underestimated the cost of doing so. On average they estimated the overall cost to be £903, although firms that have already go ahead with workplace pensions report the average cost to be £1,436.
“Our message for small employers is auto-enrolment is coming and will affect your business – and the sooner you get to grips with what you need to do the better off you will be,” said John Allan, the FSB’s national chairman.
“Most of the businesses which have already set up a workplace pension told us they found the process fairly straightforward, but we know many remain concerned about their ability to cope. These businesses should feel reassured that there is plenty of information and support available to help them through the process.
“The government must continue to monitor the roll-out of auto-enrolment closely and take steps to lessen the burden on smaller businesses where possible.”
The top five sectors Asian fintech investors are interested in are data analytics, blockchain, lending, payments and regtech, according to Gary Hwa, EY regional managing partner.
On the third day of the Singapore Fintech Festival conference, there was a focus on specific applications of fintech innovation. One was trade finance, which is clearly is ripe for a revolution.
Kicking off day two of the Singapore Fintech Festival, Deloitte Chairman David Cruikshank said that fintech is significant for three reasons. First, customer expectations of services are higher than ever. Second, barriers to entry are lower than before. And finally, financial institutions (FIs) face a threat of what a competitor might do.
The EU and US’ shift in accounting standards may bring balance sheet losses and increase credit risk, according to James Elder, director of risk services at Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Global.


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Ulrik Bengtsson quits Betsson AB role
Shares in Betsson AB are up 1.10% despite the unexpected news that president and CEO Ulrik Bengtsson has left the company with immediate effect. Bengtsson, who has been at Betsson for five years only took the reins of the top job last year. The company have not revealed the reasons for his shock departure.
Betsson AB are the largest internet company on the Stockholm Stock Exchange and have over 1800 employees. Founded in 1963 they originally supplied fruit machines to business premises in Sweden.
Betsson would later enter the online gaming market and own over 20 brands such as betsafe, casinoeuro, Europe-bet.com and nordicbet. In the last published company accounts, Betsson had a revenue of over €400 million with an operating profit of €95.8 million.
Bengtsson was seen as an ideal fit for Betsson due to his background in digital consumer services. For three years Ulrik was CEO of the Pay-Tv Emerging Markets division at Modern Times Group which oversaw the merger of Nova TV and Diema TV, which created Bulgaria’s second largest commercial TV operator along with various new channels in Denmark, Russia, Sweden and the Czech Republic. Bengtsson has also worked for the Telenor group (TV, internet and mobile provider) and IBM.
Bengtsson oversaw Netplay acquisiton
Earlier this year, Betsson AB announced they had acquired interactive gaming operator NetPlay TV in a £26 million deal. Netplay assets included many brands familiar in the UK such as Jackpot247 and Vernons.
The deal to purchase NetPlay TV had been subject to the UK High Court of Justice giving the go-ahead for the deal. Betsson proposed several changes to NetPlay operations and management including taking ownership of NetPlay TV customer service and payment operations which had previously been outsourced to cut costs. The acquisition would also see Betsson and NetPlay offices merged to centralise operations.
Many British punters will remember Vernons as they ran a football pools service that started in 1925 and was second only to Littlewoods in the UK market. In 1994, the football pools were at the height of their popularity and over 10 million people regularly played, but the introduction of the National Lottery saw player numbers plummet to about 700,000. In February 1998, Vernons stopped offering a pools service and today Vernon’s website resembles many other sportsbooks with very little indication of its past.
The CEO duties of Betsson AB will be performed by Chairman of the Board Pontus Lindwall until a replacement can be found. In a statement released by Lindwall, he said:
Ulrik Bengtsson has done a good job for Betsson during the five years he has been employed by the Group. He has clarified the strategy and implemented significant product launches. On behalf of the Board and myself, I would like to thank Ulrik for his efforts.– Pontus Lindwall, Betsson Chariman


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Debunking 5 Myths Within the P&C Sector
Indeed, the responses in the Americas region indicate that the migration to online exchanges, in terms of insurance, is moving at a glacial pace. And even then, customers want to maintain a channel with personal interactions.
Twenty-three percent of customers in the Americas are currently using a range of online channels, including providers own websites and blogs, to research purchases. However, compared to other areas, the use of online channels is relatively low across the region. In Europe, 32 percent of consumers are already using online sources for research, and in Asia-Pacific, the mark stands at 39 percent.
The Americas region also lags when it comes to the percentage of people purchasing insurance through online channels: Seven percent in the Americas versus 14 percent in both Europe and Asia-Pacific. Even within the Americas there is some discrepancy: Consumers in Latin America are on average 20 percent more likely to consider buying through an online site than their counterparts in the United States and Canada.
The report suggests that because of the well established direct channels that already pervade the U.S. and Canada markets, newer, online channels arent being turned to as quickly. Perhaps this is why the report also emphasizes the fact that personal contact is still essentialespecially when it comes to claims, as 50 percent in the Americas want personal contact throughout the claims process. As a result, the report advises insurers to integrate online and offline communication channels while adapting to customer expectations across multiple platforms.
While price remains a key driver for purchasing decisions, younger consumers are increasingly concerned with the stability of a companys brand (i.e. well-known, trustworthy), even if it comes at a premium cost. The third key driver overall was customer service.
Across the Americas, a bad claims experience doesn't mean a customer will leave (respondents were roughly split on whether they would consider leaving), and conversely, a good experience doesn't guarantee loyalty. As was mentioned in the previous slide, other factors are creeping up in importance as generations transition.
However, there is substantial opportunity for improvement in claims services in Brazil. Within the Americas region, in the United States, 71 percent of consumers said they were satisfied with their claims experience, followed by Mexico (68 percent) and Canada (66 percent). But in Brazil, satisfaction stands at 31 percent, which indicates an opportunity for entrants to gain competitive advantage.
The report found that customers actually prefer to buy multiple products from the same provider because it just makes it simpler (65 percent), its cheaper (51 percent) and they think it will lead to better service (36 percent).
Among P&C insurers, customer retention effortsincluding the cost-to-serve of different customer segments and channels, and the predictive models that will enable insurers to effectively use that informationneed to be more proactive, including targeted efforts and loyalty programs.


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The day before California-based Tesla Motors was to unveil its upcoming Model X electric crossover SUV, shown here, I landed at at Los Angeles International Airport and took the wheel of a Natural Gas-powered Honda Civic, the car that would carry me to Tesla's big party.
My experience in the Honda Civic CNG, and a later conversation with an engineer at Toyota's U.S. headquarters, got me thinking. Why all this attention to a luxury-priced electric SUV -- and to electric cars in general -- and so little attention to other cars that could be reducing our dependence on gasoline?
The fact is, it isn't all about EVs. There are other "green car" options out there that have a role to play -- and in some cases a bigger role than the pure-electric plug-in car, for the foreseeable future.
Tesla Motors unveiled a new SUV that the automaker plans to put into production by 2014.
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With a reported 85 million Filipinos "unbanked", living across the 7,000+ islands that form the Philippines, there is a real opportunity to deliver innovative financial services over the coming decade to meet the expected demand.
A few innovative FinTech companies have began deploying online solutions to bring borrowers and lenders together in this digital age.
Once such company rising to meet the demands is Rush Money, an innovative FinTech company based in Cagayan de Oro. With the recent launch of Rush Money's lending platform, borrowers now have unprecedented access to a variety of lenders across different verticals including auto, home (mortgage), personal, OFW, business and credit cards. Borrowers can now complete online applications, submit documents securely and engage with lending offi...
So excited to announce that we just launched leads.com.au for the Australian market to help businesses generate more customers! We have developed a network of geo & services based websites which will provide very targeted customers for those businesses looking to grow!
I often get asked about "leads" and "lead generation" by people wanting to expand, as customers churn, new customers are required to either maintain business or expand it!
What is lead generation? How did it came to be?
What is the importance of leads?
What makes a valuable lead?
How fierce is the market competition regarding capturing important leads?
What are the advantages and how important is buying and selling of leads
Over the years of commerce, mass communication has undergone a drastic improvement. Th...
NameBrokers.com has developed a suite of tools that enables domain brokers to more effeciently manage and market their clients domain names. Namebrokers beta launched in December 2014 and over the past 15 months, has been working closely with independent brokers to develop a technical solution that resolves many of the challenges that brokers face, particularly around scale, portfolio and lead management.
Troy Rushton stated "We believe strongly in this broker model, through the network, brokers can collaborate with each other, access quality inventory and leverage our productivity tools, ultimately to drive more domain sales".
An Independent broker can now launch a branded website in minutes, create a blog, manage client inventory, generate leads, create brochures and track email marketing result...
LifeMeds, the Australian based distributor of natural alternate medicines for cancer, pain and prevention, has secured an exclusive distribution deal with the makers of Celltramax. Celltramax is created and produced in the US by Shawn Mitchell, who is currently seeking a patent for his protocol which is based on the Budwig Diet.
The Budwig Diet was developed by Dr Johanna Budwig, a German biochemist who researched the impact of fatty acids. She developed the Budwig protocol, a purported anti-cancer diet, in 1952. It is a lacto-vegetarian diet that is probably harmless.The signature piece is freshly ground flaxseed or flaxseed oil, mixed with cottage cheese or quark. It emphasizes meals high in fruits, vegetables, and fiber, preferably raw or lightly cooked. It avoids sugar, refined grains, animal...


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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- It was a tough day for Netflix and CNet after both companies reported disappointing quarterly results.
It was a harsher day for Netflix
Relative to Netflix, CNet's
But compared to other online advertising-dependent companies, CNet's sales aren't growing as quickly as some analysts expected. CNet shares lost 11 percent to $8.26, after the online media company reported a 22 percent rise in quarterly sales.
They're in different businesses, but both companies do represent the challenges faced by niche companies on the Web, despite having established leadership in their respective businesses.
CNet has one of the most extensive online content properties focusing on technology. It drew 25 million unique visitors in September, placing it in the No. 15 position in top Web site traffic.
CNet reported a profit of $1 million on sales of $70 million in the third quarter. Interactive sales rose 33 percent. But the online advertising sales didn't meet some expectations.
"Despite our full year 2004 expectations of 27 percent year-over-year growth in Interactive revenues (excluding the Webshots acquisition), CNet's overall top-line growth for the year is just 18 percent (or 16 percent excluding Webshots) versus the 24 percent average revenue growth of our group," wrote Anthony Noto, an analyst at Goldman Sachs.
CNet, which derives the bulk of its sales from online ads placed by technology companies, is trying to build upon its roots as a provider of tech-product reviews and technology news. It wants to be an ad destination for the Procter & Gambles or Cokes of the world by broadening its content and services with entertainment and online games.
CNet is still in the early stages of this transformation into a place on the Web where people can learn and experience digital lifestyles, and therefore traditional advertisers haven't yet fully embraced CNet's properties as a place to put their ads. Meanwhile, CNet still relies on corporate technology companies' ads. Yet these customers are tough to rely on. "The enterprise category remains a challenge," said CNet CEO Shelby Bonnie.
CNet's challenge underscores how long a process it takes to transform a media outlet's image from a niche-focused content provider to something broader.
Netflix's drastic measures
Netflix is a different story altogether. Its niche business is gaining so much traction that rivals are circling in. Smaller companies often don't have the leverage to compete, so they sacrifice profits to defend themselves.
That's what's happening with Netflix, a company that CEO Reed Hastings said grew from $5 million in sales to $500 million in five years.
But Netflix told investors late Thursday that it expects to break even in 2005. Analysts expected the company to earn $1.22 next year.
The reason for the evaporating profits is that Netflix plans to spend like crazy to fend off the likes of Amazon.com and Blockbuster.
Hastings told CBS MarketWatch that he expects Amazon.com to enter the DVD rental business within the next six months. Amazon.com told CBS MarketWatch that while its customers want this service, it had no announcements to make at this time.
Netflix is also dropping its price to $18 a month, down from $22, in order to maintain its subscribers and reach its goal of 4 million customers by the end of 2005.
Blockbuster plans to spend a lot of money to be competitive with Netflix, said Hastings. But in doing so, it will also be cannibalizing its own rental business, Hastings added. But as MarketWatch's Herb Greenberg observed, at least Blockbuster has another business -- video-store rentals -- that's bringing in sales as it ramps up online operations. Netflix doesn't. See Greenberg's column.
As for Amazon.com, it's spent time and money to expand beyond books and attract millions of customers around the world.
Netflix has reached a point where it has to spend to keep what it has built up.
Unfortunately for investors, they priced in all the upside into Netflix shares without considering the high cost to maintain leadership in a booming opportunity.
Google at $180?
You can receive this column via e-mail. Sign up for Bambi Francisco's newsletters.
You can also subscribe to Net Sense, her weekly commentary.


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Dundee-based Ace Aquatec, the aquaculture technology company, has secured an investment from cleantech investor Earth Capital Limited (ECL) to grow its current portfolio of products and markets.
Ace Aquatec said ECL joins existing investors Aqua-Spark, one of the biggest blue growth investment funds, “with a shared mission to move the aquaculture industry towards more healthy, sustainable, and affordable production.”
Ace Aquatec specializes in acoustic systems for marine and aquaculture application and electric stunning systems for fish farms.
“The group will benefit from ECL’s experience and support with senior investment manager, Bradley Jones, joining the Ace Aquatec board,” said the Dundee firm.
Wider changes to the Ace Aquatec board see Chris van der Kuyl appointed chair and Nina Santi joining the board as a non-exec director.
Van der Kuyl is principal of existing investor Chroma Ventures and Nina Santi is also a senior advisor at INAQ AS, a business strategy advisory firm specialising in the seafood industry.
The Dundee firm has raised more than £10 million since its series A investment with Aqua-Spark and Chroma Ventures.
Ace Aquatec has offices in Scotland, Norway, Canada, and Chile, and is now a team of 30.
ECL’s Jones said: “We are excited to be partnering with Ace Aquatec, a key player in the aquaculture industry, on the next stage of its development journey.
“Championing sustainable practices and setting high welfare standards paves the way to ensuring that seafood farming becomes one of the biggest opportunities to responsibly feed a growing population.
“Sustainable farming aligns perfectly with Earth Capital Limited’s mission to advance technology within the energy, food, and water sectors while driving towards a net-zero future.”
Ace Aquatec CEO Nathan Pyne-Carter said: “Earth Capital Limited shares our outlook and passions – namely, the critical importance of technology to drive sustainable food production.
“Together we can tackle one of the world’s most pressing issues by providing sustainable and responsible protein for a growing world population.
“The team’s support and expertise will help us scale the business and take another huge step forward in the development of high-welfare products for the global seafood industry.
“We are also excited to welcome Bradley Jones to our board, whose deep knowledge and strategic insights will be invaluable in guiding our future growth.”
Josien Bakker, investment manager at Aqua-Spark said: “Since our first investment in Ace Aquatec, we’ve known they had the vision to transform the sector by developing products that make fish farming more humane while protecting the environment.
“They have built a well-known brand, due to the company’s accessibility and scientific evidence.
“Its growth since then is proof that breakthrough technologies are being embraced by farmers, processors, and supermarkets pushing for improved fish welfare across the entire industry.
“We’re looking forward to partnering with Earth Capital Limited, a fund committed to sustainable technology that will spotlight how much we can do to improve the welfare of fish across the industry.”
Van der Kuyl said: “On behalf of the board, I am delighted to welcome Nina to Ace Aquatec.
“Nina is an accomplished and transformative executive with extensive experience in operations and technology management within the aquaculture sector.
“The board will also benefit from her strong scientific research capability and innovation experience.”
Santi said: “I am excited for the opportunity to join the board of Ace Aquatec. They are a great team dedicated to the support of the company.
“Ace Aquatec provides key solutions that the industry really needs and is well positioned for further growth.”


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The Cleantech Group today unveiled 10 trends to watch in 2010. The company helps spur the development and marketing of environmentally friendly technologies.
They predict that global venture capital and private equity in the sector will exceed 2009 levels by a "healthy margin." Venture capital flows slowed this year to roughly 2007 levels, they said.
The company also listed nine other trends to watch. Among them: rising concern about constraints on resources, such as lithium needed for batteries used in electric vehicles.
Still, unprecedented levels of “green and clean” stimulus money means cities, states, provinces and countries are now competing to grow cleantech businesses, to bring innovation to market, to attract inward investment and to brand themselves as hubs of cleantech growth.
"It’s no longer about trading our way out of the carbon crisis, it’s about inventing new industries," the prediction says.
Elsewhere, they see greater investor focus on waste-to-energy, geothermal and better fish-farming methods.
“With current approaches to aquatic farming proving largely unsustainable, and increasing concerns over ocean toxicity and species imbalance, new thinking and technologies are emerging about how to sustainably harvest food from the sea,” their forecast states.
“We believe aquaculture is poised to become a breakout agriculture category, in much in the same way biology-based natural pesticides have become an important area of focus for innovation and private investment,” they conclude.
Cross-posted on E2-Wire.


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|By PR Newswire||
|December 3, 2012 10:43 AM EST||
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla., Dec. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Dynasty Limousine, Inc. (PinkSheets: DNYS) is pleased to announce the Company has completed an acquisition of Cyber-Thingy, Inc., a custom kiosk and tablet distribution company offering numerous online transaction and fee based financial products within a proprietary software platform. Cyber-Thingy's diverse online product offerings, places the company in a few explosive industries that have a combined global industry revenue of over 250 billion dollars.
DNYS issued Cyber-Thingy 100 million shares of restricted Common stock as part of a share exchange, Cyber-Thingy has agreed NOT to effect any reverse splits on the Common stock of DNYS for at least One (1) year.
The share structure of the Company's Common Stock currently is 114,539,275 issued and outstanding, 2,946,272 in the float, and 111,593,003 restricted shares of stock. DNYS entered into an agreement with the largest free trading shareholder who controls approximately 600,000 shares of free trading Common stock. The agreement was executed to restrict their sales of DNYS to 10,000 shares per day for 90 days following the closing. The amount may increase to 20,000 shares per day should the volume reach 500,000 shares for 5 consecutive trading days.
DNYS has divested itself of Dynasty Holdings, LLC, the company created to hold the Assets and Liabilities from the Limousine operations. Currently DNYS has no long term or short term loans or notes. The Company carries NO convertible debt and has NO intentions of engaging in that type of transaction.
As part of the transaction the Flemings have given the Company all the assistance needed to create a due diligence package from the beginning of the Company and Pierce Fleming has agreed to assist the Company in getting its financials audited. Cyber-Thingy has agreed to use its best efforts to change the name of the Company and obtain a new ticker so it can release the name "Dynasty Limousine" back to the Flemings.
About Cyber-Thingy, Inc.
Cyber-Thingy, Inc. provides attractive internet based, multi-functional kiosks and tablets for the Domestic and International markets. There are various types of branded kiosks to choose from; free standing kiosk, counter top kiosk and wall mounted kiosk. Each kiosk comes with a digital advertising screen and a main screen that can be customized with any number of transaction or fee based programs to fit its revenue generating and demographic requirements.
The Cyber-Thingy business model is adaptable and really very simple. The Company distributes Company owned kiosk machines and tablets to earn residual revenues and/or sell kiosk machines to earn up-front and residual revenues. Cyber-Thingy's multiple streams of revenue comes from several transaction and fee based programs running within the kiosks such as; Digital Advertising, Mobile Phone Top-up minutes(reload), Online Bill Pay, Sweepstakes Games, Events-Sports-Movie Tickets, Gift Card Programs, Prepaid Cards, Digital Lottery and New Product Launch (ALL with immediate purchasing options). Each Kiosk machine comes with a cash bill acceptor and a credit card reader for ease of payment. Tablets are connected to existing POS systems. These multi-functional kiosks and tablets not only earn Cyber-Thingy, Inc. residual revenues but create residual revenue opportunities for several companies involved.
The target market for placement of the Cyber-Thingy kiosks and tablets is wide open due to the large number of residual revenue generating programs offered. Ideal placement locations are: supermarkets, gas stations, truck stops, convenience stores, business centers, malls, movie theatres, colleges, airports, banks, check cashing stores, restaurants, bars, internet cafes, sweepstakes rooms, private clubs, hotels and stadiums. Cyber-Thingy's kiosks and tablets along with our proprietary advertising and multi-function program software are the perfect solution for generating additional revenue for any business that has a large concentration of customers. Cyber-Thingy, Inc.'s strategic business relationships and new public presence will help the company grow its international reach into many countries.
The foregoing press announcement contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by such terminology such as "believes," "expects," "potential," "plans," "suggests," "may," "should," "could," "intends," or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. In particular, management's expectations could be affected by, among other things, uncertainties relating to our success in completing acquisitions, financing our operations, entering into strategic partnerships, engaging management and other matters disclosed by us in our public filings from time to time. Forward-looking statements speak only as to the date they are made. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.
SOURCE Dynasty Limousine, Inc.
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Internet-of-Things discussions can end up either going down the consumer gadget rabbit hole or focused on the sort of data logging that industrial manufacturers have been doing forever. However, in fact, companies today are already using IoT data both to optimize their operational technology and to improve the experience of customer interactions in novel ways. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Gordon Haff, Red Hat Technology Evangelist, will share examples from a wide range of industries – includin...
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Realme Buds Q could be the next true wireless earbuds from the Chinese smartphone maker. To recall, Realme Buds Air was introduced in December as the first true wireless earbuds from the company. However, it has been known for some time that the company is preparing to expand the product lineup with new models. Realme Buds Air Neo is expected to be one of those models and Realme Buds Q could be another addition. The Buds Q has been spotted on the Indonesia telecom certification website. Also Read - Realme Narzo 10 with Helio G80 goes on first sale today at 12PM: Should you buy?
Realme Buds Q launch soon: Here’s what we know so far
Realme Buds Q has appeared on the certification website, which hints at an imminent launch. It is not immediately clear whether Realme Buds Air Neo and Buds Q are different products. The certification site shows that the TWS earbud has been certified in Indonesia with the model number Realme RMA215. The certification of the device does not reveal the specifications and features of the TWS earbuds. However, it does confirm that such a moniker exists and could become official in the coming days. Also Read - Realme C3, Realme C2 price changed in India: Here's everything you need to know
Realme has announced a big event in China on May 25 where it is said to unveil a total of 8 new products. We might see the Realme Buds Q launch at this planned event next week. At this event, Realme is expected to launch the Realme X3 and X3 SuperZoom smartphones. It is expected to be joined by true wireless earbuds, power banks and other devices. We already know that Realme X3 series is coming to India soon and CEO Madhav Sheth has made it clear via his official social media handles. Also Read - Realme X3 Super Zoom, Realme X3 and Realme TV spotted on brand's support page
Realme Buds Air, the first true wireless earbuds from the company, is six months old. With Xiaomi Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 launching in India this month, there is a possibility that Realme will mount another challenge. Realme Buds Air has an edge with its cheaper price and support for features like wireless charging. However, the new true wireless earbuds from the Chinese company might ditch fancy features to reach a more affordable price point.


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AWS launches C5 instances for EC2 alongside new 'cloud-optimised' hypervisor
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced the availability of C5 instances, aimed at more compute-intensive workloads for the EC2 cloud.
The C5 instances – three from the sharp end in Amazon’s compute class, behind G2, P2 and F1 – were introduced as the newest iteration back in November last year at the company’s Re:Invent show. The C5 promises 3.0 GHz Intel Xeon Scalable processors and double the vCPU and memory capacity – up to 72 vCPUs and 144 gibibytes of memory – when compared with previous C4 instances.
Applications the C5 instances are better equipped to handle include batch processing, distributed analytics, high performance computing (HPC), ad serving, video encoding, and multiplayer gaming. The instances will be available in three regions; US East (N. Virginia), US West (Oregon), and EU (Ireland), with support for additional regions in the pipeline.
Alongside this, AWS dropped a few customer names into the mix. One customer is particularly well-known – having been analysed by this publication on several occasions – and is arguably the poster child for AWS itself. Netflix said it saw up to a 140% performance improvement in industry standard CPU benchmarks compared with C4.
For the high performance computing side, Alces Flight offers researchers on demand HPC clusters, or ‘self-service supercomputers’ in minutes. The company, a member of the AWS Marketplace, said C5 had a ‘direct benefit’ for its user base ‘on both price and performance dimensions.’
The press materials also made mention of a new hypervisor which AWS is rolling out for C5 instances to ‘allow applications to use practically all of the compute and memory resources of a server, delivering reduced cost and even better performance.’
According to this page, accessed by CloudTech earlier today (screenshot), and first spotted by The Register, the new hypervisor for Amazon EC2 “is built on core Linux Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) technology, but does not include general purpose operating system components.”
KVM’s best known user in this sphere is Google. In January this year, the search giant issued a blog post advocating seven methods they use to security harden the KVM hypervisor. As Ariel Maislos, CEO of Stratoscale, pointed out in this publication last year, AWS has long been partnered with Xen for its hypervisor needs.
The FAQ page added that all new instance types will ‘eventually’ use the new EC2 hypervisor, but for now some new instance types will use Xen ‘depending on the requirements of the platform.’ Yet, as The Register reports, references to KVM have been disappearing from the company’s pages.
Interested in hearing industry leaders discuss subjects like this and sharing their experiences and use-cases? Attend the Cyber Security & Cloud Expo World Series with upcoming events in Silicon Valley, London and Amsterdam to learn more.
- » How AI is bringing a new dimension to software testing
- » China cloud infrastructure services grew 67% in Q419 says Canalys – as Covid-19 response praised
- » Hyperscale operators invest hard in data centres amid modest overall capex, says Synergy
- » Microsoft to acquire Affirmed Networks to get onto AWS’ wavelength
- » Gartner’s cloud AI developer services Magic Quadrant sees AWS edge out Microsoft and Google


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Published on : Wednesday, March 11, 2020
The tourism minister Melanie Joly, Canada projected to lose millions of dollars in tourism revenue to COVID-19. Joly also said that tourism sector in Canada is already feeling the impact of reduced tourism, and is projecting millions of dollars in lost revenue by the summer.
Joly, who spent time in Vancouver and Victoria this past week, said she saw the impact of Chinese tourism to Canada already declining, as a result of COVID-19. She said that Chinese tourists visiting Canada amounts for an average of $2 billion in tourism revenue each year, and the current downturn is forecasted to result in a loss of $550 million by June.
As well, with more and more coronavirus cases being confirmed in European destinations, Joly said she’s anticipating Canadian airline carriers will also be feeling the impacts of fewer tourists travelling abroad.
In response, and in an effort to support the Canadian tourism sector, Joly said that after meeting with Destination Canada—the federal agency focused on promoting Canadian travel—some short term changes are coming to their strategy due to the global spread of novel coronavirus.
Among the measures being taken by the Chinese government, it is going to be encouraging Canadians to explore their own country, diverting tourism promotion dollars towards domestic travel instead of continuing to target big international markets like China.
Compounded with Global Affairs Canada’s rolling updates on travel advisories, a minister suggesting that international travel is risky and major travel insurers no longer covering trip cancellations, Joly is encouraging Canadian vacationers to “please think of Canada.”
Though, the number of cases within Canada are rising and the federal government continues to face questions over why more strict travel restrictions or quarantines for returning travellers haven’t yet been imposed.
Joly said for now, the government is increasing the information travellers receive when crossing the border and that’s suitable for the current risk level for contracting COVID-19 in Canada, which remains low.