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Eric Schmidt (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
While many experts and economists worry of a potential "unemployment hangover" lasting even after the economy is reopened, Schmidt believes it can be avoided through job retraining and reskilling.
"One way to think about it is that there are jobs being created by virtue of the digital platforms, as well as there are jobs being lost because of the loss of faith in the analog system because your retail stores and so forth are shut down," Schmidt said. "So the society just needs to change more quickly to this new paradigm."
In order to do that, Schmidt believes that larger companies like Amazon, Walmart, Costco and Target, who have all seen "very significant growth" while other retail companies and brands have been hurt, need to lead the way by hiring individuals displaced by the virus.
"It appears as though the distribution infrastructure, the networks, the winners are winning the majority of the share and the lesser parts of the infrastructure are suffering as a result," Schmidt said. "As you get a more networked society, you tend to produce network winners, which become the distribution platforms, the branding platforms and so forth, and they need to be the ones hiring."
Ticker Security Last Change Change % AMZN AMAZON.COM INC. 2,283.32 +114.45 +5.28% WMT WALMART INC. 129.00 +3.70 +2.95% COST COSTCO WHOLESALE CORPORATION 314.14 +14.52 +4.85% TGT TARGET CORP. 108.38 +3.70 +3.53% CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC COULD PUSH GLOBAL ECONOMY INTO WORST RECESSION SINCE GREAT DEPRESSION, IMF SAYS
In terms of actually reopening the country and restarting the economy, Schmidt said that both the health problem and economic problem need to be solved at the same time, but that we have very few tools at our disposal to actually do that.
"We don't have mathematical models that understand the network paths that people follow," Schmidt said. "We didn't take the time in the last month or two to collectively figure out what the contact points of everyone are. That's a lost opportunity."
He added that the most likely scenario to reopen would be a "series of unlocks" with social distancing in stores and restaurants that will last for much longer than most people think.
"This will change our society for much longer than we think," Schmidt warned. "It's not going to be a quick recovery back to the hugging and kissing in restaurants and all the kind of behaviors that were perfectly fine before the pandemic. People will remember, and until there's a broadly available vaccine and herd immunity, it will be dangerous to engage in some of those activities, especially if you're older. " THE CORONAVIRUS ECONOMIC RECOVERY REOPENING WILL BE FRAGILE, PARTIAL, AND SLOW
He expects that each state will have a different process and timeline for reopening but is worried that states don't have the tools to make the decision to reopen accurately. Instead it would require collective action to get the technology and models funded and built.
But rather than involving big tech companies, Schmidt believes there are plenty of people within each state who are just as capable.
Ticker Security Last Change Change % GOOGL ALPHABET INC. 1,265.23 +54.82 +4.53% AAPL APPLE INC. 287.05 +13.80 +5.05% "If I were the governor of a state, I would go to the university and all the people that I know and I'd say I want the 50 smartest technical people in my state," Schmidt said. "Every one of them has a smart university full of smart, smart folks there, and I want you guys to build me a model of how I can reopen my economy with the least risk to health. "
Schmidt said the model would be used to assess the "incremental danger" of the coronavirus, providing governors with exact information on how many people would be infected if they opened up schools, for example.
FED OFFICIALS SEE RISKS IN REOPENING ECONOMY TOO SOON, BUT ACKNOWLEDGE NEED TO MOVE
He believes the hardest decision to make will be when to open schools, primarily due to the difficulty for public schools to practice social distancing and because we "don't fully understand the transmission path with kids and their parents and especially their grandparents".
Despite a model like that being nonexistent, Schmidt said it's a decision that only the states will have to make, even with a lack of information.
"If I were the decision-maker, I would say I'm flying blind," Schmidt said. "How could you possibly expect me to make the right decision? Probably the most important decision that I'll make in my political career from the standpoint of serving our nation, and I don't have that information. That's a problem that I think can be solved at a state level."
FAUCI: AMERICA STILL MISSING TESTING, DATA NEEDED TO REOPEN ECONOMY
In terms of testing, Schmidt said that while we don't have to test everyone, uniform testing across all states is the only way to get an accurate picture of how every person is being impacted by the virus.
"We don't know how many asymptomatic carriers there were, we don't know how many people got sick and got better and we're never in the testing pools, we don't know how to count them," Schmidt said. "We don't know the transmission rate within families, although we have estimates broadly. So we're going to have to make some assumptions."
While many people are concerned about opening before an official vaccine is on the way or PPE has reached a sufficient amount, Schmidt warned that in another month or two, a prolonged shutdown will lead to a "very significant bankruptcy cycle in many industries" and that once that cycle starts, it will become very hard to restart the economy.
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While Schmidt acknowledged America has been behind on dealing with the coronavirus, he believes that America can lead in the effort to find the vaccine if we give more money to scientific research.
"We are late to this party, but if we got our act together with respect to research in these areas and these mechanisms for social distancing that I'm describing, we could ultimately become the leader because all the other countries have the same problems with respect to a resurgence of the virus and so forth," Schmidt said. "Those ideas could become adopted by our democratic partners and friends who are struggling." President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the Rose Garden of the White House, Tuesday, April 14, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Schmidt's comments came the same day that President Trump announced that some portions of the country could reopen sooner than the end of the month.
Trump said he will be reaching out to various companies in the coming days to gain insight on their individual situations and find out if they are ready to reopen the economy.
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SEOUL, April 30 (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics 005930.KS said on Friday smartphones based on its own operating system bada would amount to one-third of its total smartphone offerings this year.
“Customer response for bada-based smartphones is very strong,” a Samsung executive told analysts.
Earlier on Friday the world's No.2 mobile phone maker said more than 50 percent of its smartphones would be based on the popular Android operating system developed by Google GOOG.O.
Reporting by Miyoung Kim; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

domain: news


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Xerox reports that two recent signings provide further evidence that its channel partners are finding growth opportunities with Xerox’s Managed Print Services (MPS).
Category: Managed Print & Document Services
Clover’s Axess is said to provide dealers with the tools to sell, implement and manage a successful managed print services (MPS) program with their customers, providing dealers with training, monitoring, and management of MPS.
On April 18th, MPS Monitor SDS, the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution for remote management of printers and for managed print services, released a new version that’s said to revolutionize technical-support services for HP printers and copier/MFPs.
Advertisements Xerox reported today that is managed print services (MPS) customers will now have the opportunity to contribute to the...
The agreement is said to make it simple for agencies to purchase Xerox offerings ranging from single-function desktop printers, to high-end digital presses, managed print services (MPS), software offerings, centralized print services, and workflow automation solutions. The National IPA agreement extends through February 2021.
Security expertise will be the leading supplier selection criteria in 2025, according to 58 percent of organisations, increasing from 43 percent in 2017.
Founded in 1999, Novatech has 12 locations and revenues of $83 million. It sells Konica Minolta and Canon copier/MFPs and printers, as well as portable 3D scanners; HP Inc. Multi Jet Fusion 3D printers; and Marketforged 3D printers.
The report valued the global managed print services market at $28.63 billion in 2016.
“These new A3 products will not only strengthen our relationships, but have a direct, positive impact on our portfolio of solutions we can offer our clients.”
Xerox notes that many federal government agencies close budget gaps with spending cuts. However, it says federal agencies can “save millions” by looking in an unexpected place – document management.
Advertisements Xerox reported today that the United States Air Force has awarded Xerox a five-year contract for supplying copier/MFPs and...
Advertisements Xerox reported today that U.S. federal government agencies can soon hire Xerox knowing its Managed Print Services (MPS) solutions...
The company whose products are largely tailored to make users accountable for their printing says its mission “is to save the office equipment industry” . . .
Creating account “stickiness” with Managed Print Services.


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The Iberian peninsula (Spain and Portugal) is viewed as the last major underdeveloped car market in Western Europe. Seeing the potential, US carmakers are staking out their claims. Ford Motor Company has been operating a car-assembly plant near Valencia, south of Barcelona on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, since 1976; and General Motors has just launched a new automobile plant in Zaragosa in northern Spain.
Ford also is debating a plan to build a car-assembly plant in Portugal with a capacity of up to 200,000 cars a year.
Both US auto giants see not only a big market in Spain and Portugal in the late 1980's and beyond, but other major benefits as well:
* Wages are still low as compared to wages in other European nations;
* Other European small-car markets are not too far away;
* Both Spain and Portugal expect to join the European Common Market by the mid- to late-1980s and thus win tariff-free entry into the richer markets of northern Europe; and
* A potential rising demand for new small cars, particularly in Spain, even though the market now is delayed by the worldwide downturn in consumer demand.
Spain now has an ownership ratio of 212 cars per 1,000 population, compared to 391 per 1,000 in West Germany.
This glowing prospect was enough to persuade GM, which, while profitable, isn't exactly laughing all the way to the bank, to spend more than $2 billion to develop its all-new Opel Corsa, plus a new assembly facility in Zaragosa in northern Spain, new engine and transmission plants in Austria, and new components facilities in other parts of Europe.
None of the Zaragosa output is scheduled to come to the US.
Spain has used a hefty 36 percent tariff on imported cars to force companies to build cars in the country instead of importing them.
Ford Motor Company saw the ''Spanish opportunity'' a long time ago when in 1976 it opened its car-assembly plant in Valencia to build the Ford Fiesta. In 1982 Ford captured 16.5 percent of the Spanish car market. Last year the US company built some 200,000 Fiestas in Valencia, plus 100,000 Escorts, with the majority shipped to other markets in Europe. [Spain requires that carmakers export two-thirds of all output.]
Despite its underdevelopment, Spain today is the fifth largest car market in Western Europe and ''offers the greatest potential for growth,'' says Roger B. Smith, GM chairman, who adds that ''Spain is, or soon will be, the fourth largest producer of cars in Western Europe.'' GM made the decision in 1979 to significantly boost its car-production capacity in Western Europe, which indicates GM's plan to do battle with Ford Motor Company in a region in which Ford has long beaten ''Mr. Big.''
Ford, in fact, had for some time been as dominant over GM in Europe as GM was over Ford in the US.
The new highly automated GM plant in Zaragosa was sufficiently important in job-short Spain to persuade King Juan Carlos I to cut the ribbon.
''At full production the plant will produce 75 Opel Corsas an hour, or 270, 000 units per year,'' reports GM chairman Smith.
SEAT, the Spanish auto manufacturer with about one-quarter of the Spanish new-car market, is owned by the Spanish government but since 1950 was jointly run by Italy's Fiat till it recently pulled out of the deal because of internal problems of its own.
Now SEAT is tied up with West Germany's Volkswagenwerk AG and will build the VW Polo, smaller than the Rabbit and not sold in the US, as well as the 4-door Quantum.
The rest of the Spanish car market is controlled by the imports. France's government-owned Renault has one-third of the market and Ford Motor Company 16.5 percent.
SEAT will continue to build 80,000 Fiat Pandas a year in Spain, at least till 1986, despite the fact that Fiat has withdrawn its technological support. The cars will be shipped to Fiat dealers in Western Europe.
SEAT also will begin selling its midsize Ronda hatchback automobile throughout Europe.
Looking ahead, GM's chairman, Mr. Smith, expects the European new-car market to rise from its current sales rate of 10 million units a year to 11.5 million in 1985 and 13 million by 1990.


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Auto sales for February are out, and the data shows buyers are getting back behind the wheel. Forget about those persistent and pernicious high gasoline prices, people are driving to the lot with the old, and leaving with the new.
Ford (NYSE:F) reported a 14% in February year-over-year sales, while General Motors (NYSE:GM) posted an increase of only 1% — though that bested expectations for a February decline. And both Honda (NYSE:HMC) and Toyota (NYSE:TM) posted 12% monthly year-over-year gains, respectively.
The upward-trending sales numbers in February, along with the positive metrics in the space in 2011, suggest a marked resurgence in the industry that’s liable to have legs. It’s also a positive harbinger for the future, because the bigger the profits now, the more these companies can expand and improve their offerings to consumers.
Part of the improvement in cars these days is the degree of technology even the most modest new models offer. Thanks to new GPS navigation technology, batteries for hybrid cars, new software systems and many other developments, technology is the new horsepower of auto world. Innovations such as helping to avoid traffic jams, reserving parking spaces and even driving themselves all will be attributes of the autos of tomorrow. Here’s a look at six companies building these cars of the future:


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The UK’s regulations must change if we want to ensure that China remains a destination for UK material, says Simon Ellin, chief executive of The Recycling Association. Having just returned from visiting China, he he sees the need for a more global approach to quality legislation
I was recently invited to China by Cycle Link International to see first-hand why the issue of quality is becoming such a problem for Chinese buyers.
Cycle Link hosted a two-day conference on quality with officers from China Inspection and Quarantine (CIQ) in attendance, while I also had the opportunity to see UK and global material arriving at the port. I also freely inspected bales of cardboard (OCC), mixed paper and sorted office paper (SOP) at the Zhejiang Ji-an Mill in Jiaxing. Ji-an, like Cycle Link, is owner by Anhui Shanying Paper Industry Co.
It is clear that China is getting stricter on its requirements, with its 1.5% limit on out throw increasingly becoming a specification, rather than it being a nice to have, as it might have been perceived by some in the past.
When comparing Japanese material for example with UK material, as I did at the mill, it is clear that some countries are producing bales that easily meet this Chinese specification.
Even when comparing UK bales, from different sources it was obvious that some UK material is of the highest quality, and frankly some of it was unacceptable. In one case, I saw a nappy in a UK bale.
A nappy should never be considered a paper, but it also isn’t right that we are exporting contamination like this. It is the responsibility of the supply chain from the householder, the local authority, the waste management companies and the MRFs to ensure nappies and other sanitary products are never mixed with paper bales and exported to other countries.
Clarity & Conformity
But one of the problems we face in the UK is that our own rules and regulations on what can and can’t be exported are not clear. The MRF Code of Practice for example, does not require material destined for export to meet the EN643 standard that calls for this 1.5% maximum out-throw level that the Chinese are enforcing.
The problem is further exacerbated because the UK environment agencies are yet to produce clear guidance on what is and what is not allowed in terms of contamination levels. By contrast, we are in a situation where they are able to threaten prosecution to legitimate export businesses who find it difficult to operate under such ambiguous conditions, while failing to crack down on the genuine illegal operators.
That is why, as part of The Recycling Association’s Quality First campaign, we are calling for adoption of the EN643 standard and this 1.5% out-throw limit for paper so we know where we stand and meet the standard required by one of our major markets.
Eventually, we’d like to see implementation of other material standards for export too.
A Question Of Contamination
Furthermore, we’ve got to get away from the situation where the enforcement agencies in the UK take a hard line approach against businesses that are unclear on the law.
I recently heard of a situation where a UK enforcement agency officer was ripping out the plastic lining of jiffy bags, and the windows in envelopes and adding this to the pile of contamination in order for them to justify a prosecution.
This shouldn’t be seen as a problem caused by the exporter, but by the entire supply chain. We’ve got to educate the householder on what can and can’t be recycled, but also the product designer, the retailer and manufacturer to ensure the material is recyclable.
But first and foremost, we have to get clearer regulation, then at least as a recycling industry, we know the rules we are playing to.


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By JOE McDONALD, AP Business Writer
BEIJING (AP) — Real estate agent Du Xuekun’s sales usually jump after the Lunar New Year holiday. But this year, Du has been at home for a month with no income after vast swathes of China’s economy were shut down in a sweeping effort to contain a virus outbreak.
Du, who lives in Jiaozhuo, near the central city of Zhengzhou, is one of millions of people who are bearing the soaring cost of the most extreme anti-disease measures ever imposed. Some businesses are reopening, but Beijing has told the public to stay home if possible.
“People will buy food and clothes online but for sure won’t buy an apartment without seeing it,” said Du.
Industries from auto sales to travel to retailing effectively shut down after curbs were imposed starting Jan. 23 with the suspension of most access to Wuhan, an industrial metropolis of 11 million people at the center of the outbreak.
Travel restrictions expanded to cities with more than 60 million people, while curbs on business spread nationwide. The Lunar New Year holiday was extended to keep factories and offices closed. Nationwide, thousands of restaurants and cinemas have been shut to prevent crowds from gathering.
The rising losses threaten to become a political liability for the ruling Communist Party. Local officials have been ordered to revive business activity but are moving cautiously.
By Sunday, some 1,665 deaths and 68,500 cases had been reported in the two months since the first infections in December.
Economists warn optimism that the disease might be under control is premature. Even if auto manufacturing and other business resumes as planned, activity won’t be back to normal until at least mid-March.
Losses are expected to be so large that forecasters have cut estimates for China’s economic growth.
Forecasters including Capital Economics say growth, already at multi-decade lows, might fall to 2% in the three months ending in March, down from the previous quarter’s official figure of 6%.
“If the economy really gets into a tailspin, the challenge for the party will be substantially increased,” said Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies.
Locking down Wuhan might have hurt more than it helped by causing panic and was “very damaging to the economy,” said Tsang.
“They will have to rethink the lockdown approach,” he said.
The ruling party has responded to the mounting economic pressure by promising tax breaks and subsidies to companies hurt by the anti-disease measures.
The government needs to “maintain stable economic operation and social harmony,” President Xi Jinping said Wednesday.
On Friday, the Ministry of Finance announced that companies with monthly sales below 100,000 yuan ($14,000) will be exempt from value-added and other taxes. It said companies that cannot repay loans might be allowed to invoke “force majeure,” a last-resort legal measure that can waive obligations in disasters.
Travel and hospitality were hardest-hit after the government canceled group tours and told businesspeople to put off travel. Airlines canceled thousands of flights and hotels closed.
The manager of a travel agency in Shenyang, the biggest city in China’s northeast, said its monthly revenue, usually 100,000 yuan ($14,000), fell to zero. He said the agency still is paying rent and wages of 20,000 yuan ($2,800) a month.
“We don’t expect to see a recovery until May or June,” said the manager, who would give only his surname, Xu. “We do hope the government can give us a tax exemption or reduction, but we still have seen no subsidies.”
Property sales have fallen to almost zero over the past three weeks. The industry employs millions of people and drives demand for appliances, furniture and other consumer goods.
Du, the real estate salesman, said he usually closes two sales a month and earns 7,000-8,000 yuan ($1,000-$1,100). He needs to make a 3,000-yuan ($430) monthly loan payment whether he works or not.
“I have no base salary and live on commission,” said Du, 27. “Without sales, there will be no income.”
Chinese leaders already were struggling to shore up economic growth that slowed to 6.1% last year thanks to weak consumer demand and a tariff war with Washington. Some economists, citing industry surveys and other data, say real growth already was much weaker than that.
The anti-disease measures closed factories that supply the world with smartphones, furniture, shoes, toys and household appliances. That sent shockwaves through other developing countries that supply industrial components and iron ore, copper and other commodities.
South Korea and other economies that rely on China as an export market face potential job losses.
E-commerce companies are hiring extra workers to cope with a flood of demand as families stay home and buy groceries online. But streets in Beijing and other major cities are still empty and eerily quiet.
Auto sales plunged 20.2% in January from a year earlier, deepening a 2-year-old decline in the industry’s biggest global market. Sales fell 9.6% last year to 21.4 million, well below their 2017 peak of 24.7 million.
That is squeezing global automakers that look to China to drive revenue as they spend billions of dollars to develop electric vehicles to meet government sales targets.
“Enterprises are under huge pressure,” said a statement by an industry group, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
China rebounded relatively quickly from its 2002-03 outbreak of SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, but economic conditions now are less rosy.
SARS struck when China was entering a history-making boom powered by construction and exports. Growth peaked at a blistering 14.2% in 2007. By contrast, the latest virus hit in the midst of a slowdown.
In smartphones, Apple, Huawei and other brands face a potential hit because China is both their No. 1 market and global production base.
Shipments might fall as much as 50% this quarter compared with the final three months of 2019, according to research firm Canalys.
There is a “high risk” that component suppliers, with factory workers still stranded in their hometowns by travel bans, “will not be able to ramp up to normal capacity if the outbreak is prolonged,” Canalys said in a report.
Apple and other global vendors face a “serious impact” if the virus spreads and those suppliers close, the report said.
“The current situation will likely lead to some of the worst ever shipment numbers,” it said.


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It feels good to finally know
We finally know. Nintendo kicked off the Switch event by answering the biggest remaining question marks: When it comes out and how much it costs.
Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima revealed that the Switch releases on March 3, 2017 at a price of $300. That date applies to the United States, Japan, major countries in Europe, Canada, Hong Kong, and “other territories.” The price in Japan is 29,980 yen; Kimishima told European audiences to check with their local retailers.
There you have it, folks. Three c-notes and it’s less than two months away.


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Chatbots, an automated messaging technology that can respond to a variety of inquiries, have certainly given the news industry a lot to talk about. The emergence of digital and mobile apps has made a big splash—and a lasting impression—on the news business. Through utilizing these platforms, chatbot technology has the potential to create engagement and a new experience for readers. In April, Facebook gave developers the tools to build their own custom chatbots that can then operate within the Messenger app, making it easier for publishers to utilize this technology. With the proliferation of chatbots, publishers will have to determine how, and if, this technology will work best for them.
Typically prompted through a messaging app, a chatbot can helpfully assist users by performing tasks and offering more information in ways determined by the chatbot’s creators through programmed artificial intelligence. The technology runs the gamut across industries from news media-related bots by The Wall Street Journal to securing an Uber ride, both directly through Facebook Messenger. And their presence, and influence, is growing.
According to data from MediaPost, there are approximately 3 billion monthly active messaging app users compared to 2.5 billion users of social media apps. Consumers utilize these messaging apps, such as the ones through which chatbots can be activated, approximately nine times each day, which is five times the average for all mobile apps.
Chatbots and the technology behind them have certainly come a long way. One of the first “bots,” ELIZA, was created in 1966 by MIT computer scientist Joseph Weizenbaum and answered questions based on parsing inquiries and delivering back a matched, scripted response. ActiveBuddy’s SmarterChild similarly provided both conversational dialogue and real data, such as weather and stock information, from partnered service providers.
Now, this technology has the capability to offer a lot more to the news industry, allowing them to learn more about their audience and fostering engagement. Seeing what content users engage with or seek out gives publishers the opportunity to learn more about their users while utilizing that data to continue to provide a better, more tailored experience. Publishers could forward users links to related content while testing out new media initiatives or story forms and gauging feedback based on received responses.
Take, for example, the CNN “news bot” unveiled back in April. This chatbot allows users to directly communicate with CNN, requesting specific information on topics of interest while also receiving top stories daily and others news related to the user’s interests learned over time. Another example is startup ReplyYes, which helped online vinyl store The Edit sell $1 million in records by suggesting daily record recommendations via text while cataloging feedback for future suggestions. Users were also presented with links to easily purchase records depending on their feedback to the chatbot technology.
A key benefit of chatbots is that they are all housed under the same messaging apps. This makes it convenient for consumers to directly interact with businesses and industries without having to singularly download each app, a point expressed by Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg.
Chatbots can offer an easy, efficient and personal way to reach and service users, yet only if makes sense for publishers and their audience—and if it’s done right. Microsoft experienced firsthand how this technology may not always create a positive user experience when its Twitter-based chatbot, Tay, began learning negative behaviors from other users based on its algorithm and soon began to tweet out inappropriate posts.
It’s important for publishers to consider if the resources and data they have would be best showcased using bot technology. The success of a chatbot hinges not only on how well built it is, but how well it services and resonates with users.
With chatbot technology, the news media industry has the opportunity to experiment with new ways of engaging with their audience—in both fun and useful ways—while streamlining processes and learning more about user preferences. As the relationship between technology and news becomes even more entwined, publishers must consider how these advancements best fit with their mission and journalistic product.
Members of the News/Media Alliance staff have contributed to this post.


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It’s time for an update from us and we come bearing our favourite kind of news – a new client update!
To say we’ve been ‘busy beavers’ is an understatement. It seems with the turn of the season, comes with it some fresh new projects and more exciting news at littleBIG HQ.
This month we welcome Dolomiti electric bikes to the fold. Dolomiti is home the widest selection of electric bicycles in Melbourne. With an enormous showroom in Ivanhoe and an online store, it’s easy to check out the latest range of electric bikes available on the market. You can also have discovery sessions with Dolomiti experts, learning the benefits of cycling and how electric bikes can bring in a complete change to your health and lifestyle. Keep your eyes our in the media for all things Dolomiti electric bikes!
Also this month, Snazzipants join us! We are publicising the launch of Snazzipants cloth nappies into the Australian market, what apt timing given our Sal’s bundle of joy who will be joining us in the world next month. It is a little known fact that there are many financial and environmental benefits to switching to cloth nappies and we look forward to spreading the word over the next couple of months.
We also welcome a new team member! Welcome Jarryd! You’ll be learning more about him as time goes on!
The littleBIGs x


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The Cape Time’s “selfies” advertising campaign, which used manipulated images of famous people appearing to take pictures of themselves, has won two international advertising awards this year – and more accolades could be ahead.
The campaign, designed by Low Cape Town, could add more silverware to its haul next month when the winners of the prestigious Cannes Lions festival in France and the D&AD awards in London are announced. The campaign recently won a silver award in the print category of the recent Clio awards in the US.
These annual awards reward global creative excellence in advertising, design and communications. It won another silver award at the One Show Design awards in the US. “We are very proud of the Lowe Cape Town team and of the Cape Times ‘selfie’ campaign, which is clever, quirky a nd intriguing. Lowe Cape Town has shown that creati9ve South Africans can take on the best in the world.” Said the executive editor of the Cape Times, Alide Dasnois.
The campaign ran from December to January in the Cape Times, and was also featured in The Big Issue and on posters in St George’s Mall. The print adverts showed icons, such as Jackie Kennedy and Winston Churchill extending their arms so that it appeared they were taking self-portraits or “selfies”. Below the pictures a short text read: “Every story feels like a first-hand account. Get closer to the news with the Cape Times.”
Kirk Gainsford, executive creative director of Lowe Cape Town, said the agency designed the campaign to emphasise the importance of accuracy in newspapers. “You could get a no more accurate account of an event that that of a ‘selfie’, “ he said. Gainsford said the campaign used simplicity to get its message across. “(In advertising the simpler you can go, the better the piece of work will be.”
Gainsford said the agency was now focused on the upcoming “big two” awards: The D&AD in London and the Cannes Lions in France. Winners of both awards will be announced next month. He said the number of different awards won by South African agencies this year showed how competitive the local industry was.
– Jan Cronje –


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Kingspan’s Romanian subsidiary slightly defers new EUR 20 mln factory for early 2025
Initially scheduled for completion in the second half of 2024, the new sandwich panels factory developed by TeraSteel, the Romanian division of the Irish group Kingspan, will eventually be ready in the first quarter of 2025, according to the latest data reported by Ziarul Financiar.
The greenfield investment will strengthen the company’s position in the southern area of Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine and help it to streamline logistics costs, TeraSteel CEO Cosmin Pătroiu said recently. But the clarity on markets remains blurred by the war in Ukraine and the industrial slowdown in Europe.
The industrial/logistics real estate market, the main target customer for TeraSteel, is negatively impacted by economic and political uncertainty in Romania as well as in its trade partners, the company’s CEO explained.
“[Smoothing] discontinuities in supply chains and mitigating price fluctuations in the final price of products is a priority for us,” he assured.
The EUR 20 million plant at Lehliu Gara (Calarasi county) will be TeraSteel’s fourth production unit, after the two located in the northern part of the country at Bistrita Nasaud and a third in Serbia. With a production of 1.8 million square meters of sandwich panels, the plant will use various types of insulations in addition to polyurethane – including thicker mineral wool panels used in larger projects with tighter requirements.
(Photo source: Facebook/TeraSteel)


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Articles about Airtel Internet TV
11 Feb 2022Technology
Hundreds of users of Airtel from various locations in India Friday took to social media to complain that both its broadband and mobile data services were down.
27 Aug 2019Business
The rise of video-on-demand services has driven the TV-watching population towards online content. Most users now opt for subscription plans with bundled OTT services and buy set-top boxes that enable internet connectivity as well.
17 Aug 2019Business
This week Reliance Jio announced Jio Fiber, its fiber-based fixed-line broadband service that will offer upto 1Gbps of speed. But the gigabit-class internet is not the only highlight.
16 Aug 2019Business
Just weeks after reducing the prices of its HD and SD set-top boxes, Bharti Airtel has slashed the prices of its Internet TV by Rs. 1,230, bringing it down to Rs. 2,269.
08 Jun 2019Technology
The rise of video-on-demand services, like Netflix and Hotstar, has driven the TV-watching population of the country towards online content.
13 Apr 2017Business
Bharti Airtel in a bid to increase its subscriber base and bolster revenue has now come up with an internet-based set-top box powered by Google's Android TV operating system.


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A haul of cocaine with an estimated value of £6 million has been seized by Border Force officers in Portsmouth.
They discovered the packages of cocaine in a refrigerated container which had been unloaded from the vessel ‘Star Quality’ at Flathouse Quay around 12pm on Friday 8 February.
The boat, which had come from Turbo, Columbia, via Antwerp, was carrying a load of bananas. The cocaine was found in 50 wrapped packages which had been hidden in the container. It is estimated the drugs, weighing around 60 kilos, could have had a
potential value of approximately £6 million when cut and sold on the street. No arrests have been made but investigations are ongoing.
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People could suffer vision loss or infection from the lenses, which are often sold illegally online, in shops and on market stalls.
Between 2011 and 2014 reports of self-harm among British girls aged between 13 and 16 rose by 68%, according to new research.
Vehicle imports and exports could be seriously affected by a no-deal Brexit scenario.


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The US patent and trademark office (USPTO) has given one of the iPhone design patents a non-final rejection, adding another chapter to the drawn-
out Apple vs Samsung lawsuit that’s been going on for years.
Spotted by FOSS Patents, one of Apple’s many patents (D’677) was put forward for a re-look at its validity and this ‘non-final rejection’ decision may impact on the US$548m in damages that Apple was expecting from Samsung.
The patent has been rejected twice for “obviousness”, with a problem for the Cupertino company being that it’s “not entitled to benefit of the filing date” of two previous Apple design patent applications because the design at issue was not disclosed in those earlier applications.
As you can see from the image below, the D’677 patent request (right) is different to its predecessors, and therefore not approved in sync:
Apple vs Samsung
“The design in this patent is different from that of the earlier applications in that the new claim includes a front surface entirely covered with translucent black surface without colour contrast,” reads the USPTO’s assessment.
“[And it] excludes the surface within the round home button, while including the entire capsule-shaped speaker opening.”
“When a design is changed, the result is a new and different design.”
Last month it appeared some of the biggest companies in Silicon Valley, including Facebook and Google, backed Samsung in the patent battle.
Along with Facebook and Google, Dell, HP and eBay issued a joint ‘friend of the court’ briefing asking the US Federal Appeals Court to look again at the ruling that Samsung should have to pay out profits as part of the recent Apple patent case.
Main image via Shutterstock


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FORD ENCOURAGES DEALERS TO GO GREEN
The Ford Motor Company has boosted its credentials as being the world's leading major ‘green' car manufacturer by encouraging its dealers to learn more about electric vehicles and energy efficient technology.
Under new rules, showrooms selling Ford's electric models will be required to install at least two charging stations on-site, and employees will have to take part in a specially designed in-house programme to help them discover new ways of lowering carbon emissions.
On top of this, 80 per cent of salespeople of Ford's electric models must complete an intense training certification programme, and dealers will need to have at least one of the vehicles available for demonstration at all times.
Although the guidelines currently only apply to dealerships in the US, there can be no doubting that new Ford vans around the world are leading the way in terms of modern, environmentally friendly commercial vehicles. High quality electric vans are definitely the future of the fleet industry, and Ford is largely to thank for their continued increase in popularity.


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The holidays are long gone, but many people are still dealing with the effects of their holiday spending. According to a new Ipsos poll, seven in 10 Canadians said inflation impacted their holiday shopping, and 57% had difficulty covering the cost of gifts.
This overspending continues to negatively impact their lives months later. Over a third of survey respondents said it would take them until April to recover financially.
Inflation Hits Parents the Hardest
The majority of holiday shoppers said inflation affected their spending, but parents with kids were hit the hardest. Over half of the parents surveyed said they blew their holiday spending budget by an average of $614.
It wasn’t just gifts that were hard to cover — parents actually spent the most on experiences with family and friends.
The problem with overspending is that it causes a ripple effect that can last long past the initial purchase. Holiday spending set many parents back, and 49% estimated it would take until April or later to get back on track.
The survey also asked respondents what they would do with an extra $5,000. 35% of all respondents said they would pay down debt, 31% said they would save the money, and 16% said they’d treat themselves with the funds.
How to Lessen the Impact of Inflation
As of January 2023, inflation is at 6.41% — down from a high of 9.06% last summer but still high enough that many consumers are feeling the pinch on their finances. Here are some strategies you can use to meet your daily needs despite inflation:
- Create a budget: Coming up with a budget is the best way to track your expenses and identify areas you can cut back in. Budgeting is always a good idea, but it’s especially important during inflationary periods.
- Buy in bulk: Buying items in bulk can be a good way to save money on household items and non-perishable foods. You can buy in bulk at wholesale retailers like Sam’s Club or Costco.
- Shop around for goods and services: Shopping around is another good way to save money. This may involve comparing prices at different stores or looking for retailers that offer the best deals and discounts.
- Prioritize your spending: If your finances are tight, you need to prioritize your spending to focus on buying the items you really need. Focus your spending on necessary items like food, housing, and healthcare, and look for ways to reduce your discretionary spending.
The Bottom Line
Inflation is slowly beginning to improve, but it’s still causing financial challenges for many consumers. The best way to deal with inflation is by budgeting and prioritizing your spending. By taking steps to track your expenses and cut your discretionary spending, you’ll be better able to protect your finances.


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Do the terms “falling furni”, “DTTF” and, perhaps with a knot at the pit of your stomach, “autokick”, ring any bells?
If so, it’s more than likely you’re one of the millions of teenagers of the early-to-mid noughties who were sucked into the online virtual world of Habbo Hotel, which marks 15 years of continued service this weekend.
Although the popularity of the free-to-play game cum teenage social network has waned substantially over the past few years, in wake of scandal and an ever-evolving online environment, Habbo (‘Hotel’ was dropped from its official name some years ago) still attracts over three million active users per month, drawn to its creation tools, roleplaying elements and chatting features.
“Habbo means different things to different people, but we can all agree it is a very special place,” said Antti-Jussi Suominen, CEO of Finnish owners Sulake.
“We’re thrilled to have hit the 15 year mark that so few games manage to reach, and we’re looking forward to seeing what the next 15 bring!”
Over the past six weeks, Sulake has been holding a massive prize giveaway in honour of the milestone, made up of 15 million items – both physical and virtual. A grand prize worth €4000 is set to be awarded on August 28.
Originally set up as an online chat room for a Finnish music band, Habbo now lays claim to over 300 million registered users, with over 5 million app downloads. Do you have any fond, or repressed, memories of the world of Habbo Hotel? Let us know in the comments below.


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Fortune Global To Ramp Up Technological Innovation In Energy Logistics
…To showcase logistics services at OTC 2018 In keeping with its strategic objective to not only remain a dominant player in indigenous oil and gas logistics but also on the world stage, Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited is set to align its logistics services with cutting-edge technological advances in the global oil and gas industry. As such, the company will join over 70,000 industry professionals and exhibitors to brainstorm on scientific and technical developments for offshore resources, and showcase its diverse range of logistics services to the global audience at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) scheduled to hold in Houston, Texas from April 30 to May 3, 2018.
Since its incorporation in 2006, Fortune Global which also has offices in Houston has leveraged its membership of renowned international networks to gain a competitive advantage over local players and multinationals in the logistics industry. In 2010, the company made its foray into oil and gas logistics and port operations, where it has made its mark by providing marine support services for ambitious multinational initiatives such as the SPDC Forcados Yokri Integrated Project (FYIP) and Total’s EGINA FPSO Project, among others.
Managing Director/CEO, Fortune Global and Shipping Logistics Limited, Mr. Eric Opah, a notable advocate for local participation in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, explained that the company’s participation in OTC 2018 is hinged on its strategic intent to continually push the frontiers of innovation, provide premium logistics services to its clients in the oil and gas sector and raise the profile of indigenous industry players on the world stage.
He said: “Our enviable track record in the industry is hinged on the twin pivot of local competitiveness and international relevance which always breaks new ground for our business. OTC 2018 provides the platform to continually innovate our service mix on the home front, and also showcase the depth of our potential in the oil and gas logistics subsector to a diverse global audience.”
In 2013, Fortune Global emerged the 10th fastest growing company in Nigeria for redefining the Nigerian supply chain landscape by dint of international freight forwarding expertise, depth of portfolio and transparency. The company is tipped to continually consolidate its strategic logistics partnership with reputable players across the oil and gas value chain in years to come.


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Economy - - Dec 23,2016
There were no signs of a Brexit-linked slowdown in the UK economy as it grew by 0.6% in the third quarter, more than previously estimated.
Growth for the third quarter – July to September period – was previously anticipated at 0.5% by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It also said that the annual rate of growth had eased to 2.2 percent due to some other reasons.
The latest data report suggested that the country’s economic dependence on consumer spending was greater than firstly thought in the three months to September as it offset a markedly worse picture for trade. ONS data indicated that the business and financial sector was more active than previously estimated.
However, the ONS cut down its expectations of growth in the first and second quarter of this year. It revealed that the economy grew by 0.3 percent in the first quarter as compared with an earlier figure of 0.4 percent and trimmed its estimate for second-quarter growth to 0.6 percent from 0.7 percent.
In addition, separate figures from the ONS report depicted that the UK's current account deficit rose back towards record levels in the third quarter, with few signs that the fall in the pound in the wake of the Brexit vote has helped to boost exports. The gap widened to £25.494bn for the period, from a deficit of £22.079bn in the second quarter. This was, however, lower than economists had expected but it caused the deficit to rise to 5.2% of GDP from 4.6%.
Consumer spending is also set to face a tougher test in the upcoming year as inflation have risen to two-year high and is predicted to climb further as imports become more expensive. This will squeeze the household spending as rising costs become more likely to be passed on through new supply contracts.


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In excess of 50 % of motorists with older vehicles are holding on to them for more time due to the fact of the cost-of-living disaster.
New investigation from Motorpoint has revealed that for 57% of individuals with cars and trucks around 10 years outdated, anxieties around the existing money circumstance indicate they will keep their car for for a longer time.
Nonetheless, working an more mature car or truck has in some cases triggered some motorists economical anguish, reported Motorpoint, as the analysis also highlighted some mend payments have run into the hundreds (10%).
Virtually one in 10 admit they aren’t even totally absolutely sure how much their ageing motor vehicle has established them back again.
And extra than a fifth (21%) consider they’ve spent additional on repairs in any provided year than they feel their full automobile is truly truly worth.
Practically two thirds (64%) mentioned unforeseen automobile restore expenses cause them worry, even though 44% experienced knowledgeable two or far more surprise costs around the very last 12 months.
Additional than four in 10 (43%), acknowledge they suspect it could be more inexpensive to obtain and operate a newer car or truck, than continue to keep keeping their more mature one particular.
Mark Carpenter, CEO at Motorpoint mentioned: “It’s significant when budgeting for a new car to consider servicing charges, which will be required all through its existence.
“In the existing local weather, quite a few motorists will appear to weigh up the pros of hanging on to an more mature automobile, which they may well individual outright, with financing a more recent just one that may perhaps fulfill their desires for added area, reduced emissions, enhanced financial state, and protection devices.
“For these with a car that has turn out to be unpredictable, or changing requirements such as a increasing loved ones, it is vital to fully grasp the solutions obtainable this sort of as a mounted month-to-month payment and a auto with guarantee security to deal with restore payments, and to be absolutely sure this is cost-effective.”
More than a single in three (36%) claimed a lack of consciousness of car finance selections has witnessed them hold on to an aged car or truck.
Practically half of motorists polled (46%) strategy to switch their automobile within just the next three many years, and 25% say they will use finance to order it.
But, 26% are not positive irrespective of whether they will spend cash or use finance to unfold the cost.


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An upscale children’s clothing store is opening in the Castro.
Called Mini-Chic, the shop will sell new and gently-worn clothes for children, including infantwear and apparel for kids as old as 12. The boutique will only carry European labels like Bonpoint, Tartine et Chocolat, Catimini, IKKS, baby Dior and others.
In addition to petite fashion, Mini-Chic’s associates have partnered with another European brand, Turkish Modern, to offer shoes and custom-made furniture.
Coralie Tran founded Mini-Chic over a year ago, and Marie Lamy joined the team just within the past few months.
Prior to their 18th Street location (which has been vacant since 18th Street Cleaner’s closed this past January), the two French natives hosted various pop-up events around the Bay Area to build Mini-Chic's brand and clientele.
“This shop will be our long-term store,” Lamy said.
Parents can go to the shop to trade in mint condition, second hand clothes to receive either 35 percent of the items' cash value or 50 percent store credit. (The boutique won't buy clothes that are stained, have holes or are missing buttons, and all trade-in items must arrive washed and ironed.)
“We pay a lot of attention to the condition of the clothing we buy,” said Lamy. “We want everything to look new.”
People don’t necessarily associate the Castro with children’s clothing, but for Tran and Lamy, 4011 18th St. is ideal for a number of reasons, including its proximity to Dolores Park and other French businesses Tartine and Le Marais Bakery.
“It has the European atmosphere we were looking for,” Lamy said. “We wanted to be in this area because it’s a really nice neighborhood and family-friendly, so for us, it was love at first sight.”
The Bernal Heights resident said she's passionate about children’s fashion, specifically the slow fashion movement.
“For children, they grow up so fast,” Lamy said, “and buying new clothes when the old ones get too small, we don’t think it is the way it should be.”
According to her, the practice of buying back gently-worn clothes is more environmentally-conscious than throwing away garments and buying new ones.
“If it was worn just a few months,” she said, “it makes more sense to help parents build a community that can reuse the clothes so there’s no waste.”
Lamy said she became interested in the slow fashion movement thanks to her 16-month-old son.
“It’s important for me,” said the Cannes native.
In addition to children's clothing, Mini-Chic partnered with Turkish Modern to sell handmade leather shoes and furniture made in Istanbul.
Currently, Turkish Modern operates an online store and has shared space at local pop-ups alongside Mini-Chic, selling high-end, custom-made items from Istanbul.
“We want our store to be a concept store and showroom with European brands and flair,” said Lamy.
Mini-Chic will open next week, and a grand opening celebration is scheduled for Saturday, November 18th from 5-8pm. French vendors will be on hand for the family-friendly event, and there will be a candy station, drinks and raffle prizes.
Mini-Chic is located at 4011 18th St., between Noe and Hartford streets.


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- Dropbox priced its IPO above expectations on Thursday night.
- The new price values the company at over $8.2 billion.
- The company $756 million in the biggest tech IPO since Snap's last year.
Dropbox priced its IPO above expectations at $21 per share on Thursday night, setting the stage for the software company's stock to hit the public market on Friday.
The company sold 36 million shares, and a source told CNBC that the offering was 25 times oversubscribed. Dropbox, which raised $756 million in the largest tech IPO since Snap last year, will trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker "DBX."
The pricing gives the company an initial market capitalization of over $8.2 billion, lower than the $10 billion valuation it received in a 2014 private funding round.
The cloud storage company's IPO has been highly anticipated despite an especially challenging week for tech stocks after Facebook's recent data scandal. Its success could be a sign of the strength of tech "unicorns," young companies valued at more than $1 billion.
Dropbox reported more than $1 billion in 2017 revenue and 500 million registered users when its plans to go public were unsealed in February.
The company posted a net loss of $111.7 million in 2017, a narrower loss than $210.2 million a year earlier.
Dropbox competes with Box as its main cloud storage rival, as well as consumer cloud offerings from Apple, Amazon and Google. The company also lists Atlassian as a competitor in the area of worker collaboration.
Dropbox was also a CNBC Disruptor 50 company five times.


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Motorola India is all set to launch the Moto Edge 30 smartphone on May 12, 2022. The company has been teasing the device on its official Twitter account. The smartphone is claimed to be the world's thinnest 5G and India's lightest smartphone in the segment. The device has also been listed on Flipkart, which confirms that it will be available for purchase through the e-commerce platform. Moto Edge 30 India Launch Confirmed for May 12, 2022.
Ahead of its launch, the price and bank offer have been leaked online by tipster Abhishek Yadav. According to the tipster, Moto Edge 30 will retail at Rs 27,999 for the 8GB RAM and either 128GB or 256GB internal storage. In addition to this, there will be a bank offer of a Rs 2,000 discount/cashback, which will bring the price down to Rs 25,999.
#FindYourEdge by capturing sheer brilliance with the new #motorolaedge30! It comes packed with a Flagship 50MP Quad Function Camera for pro-level clicks every time. Launching on 12th May on @Flipkart & leading retail stores.
— Motorola India (@motorolaindia) May 10, 2022
Moto Edge 30 will get a 6.5-inch FHD+ OLED display with a refresh rate of 144Hz. It will come powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ SoC coupled with 8GB of RAM and 128GB/256GB of internal storage. For optics, the device will come equipped with a 50MP primary lens, a 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 2MP depth shooter. Upfront, there will be a 32MP snapper for selfies and video calls. Moto Edge 30 will run on Android 12 based on the MyUX custom skin. Connectivity options might include G SA/NSA, Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, USB Type-C port and NFC. Moreover, the smartphone will also get stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support and USB Type-C audio.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 10, 2022 01:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).


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The FTSE 100 managed to start the new year on the front foot on Wednesday, ending in positive territory after being weighed down early on by disappointing economic data from China.
London’s top flight ended the day up 6.1 points, or 0.09%, at 6,734.23.
However, it spent most of the day in the red as investors were spooked by a further slowdown in the world’s second largest economy.
David Madden, analyst at CMC Markets, said: “The FTSE 100 has a relatively large exposure to commodity companies, so the worry that China is cooling has hit mining and energy stocks hard.
“China is a major importer of minerals and oil, and dealers are wary their appetite for commodities will fall further.”
Data out overnight showed the Caixin survey of Chinese manufacturing fell to 49.7, its first contraction since May 2017. A reading above 50 indicates growth, a reading below, contraction.
It comes amid simmering trade tensions between the US and China, adding to negative sentiment about the global economy.
Miners bore the brunt of the pain early in the day, with the likes of Anglo American and Glencore among the biggest fallers, shedding 37.4p to 1,710.4p and 8.85p to 282.5p by the close respectively.
But a late surge in oil prices saw Royal Dutch Shell and BP shares benefit, helping drag the FTSE 100 into calmer waters.
Also lending a helping hand were retailers following decent figures from John Lewis.
A surge in shoppers looking for last-minute gifts helped lift sales at department store chain over the festive period with sales up 4.5% in the week to December 29.
The retailer said it was boosted by shoppers buying last-minute Christmas presents, adding it experienced “very strong sales on Christmas Eve and a confident start to clearance sales both online and in shops”.
A bellwether for the sector, it helped catapult Next to the top of the FTSE 100. Shares in the clothing chain, which reports to the market on Thursday, ended the day up 186p, or 4.66%, at 4,177p.
Ocado was also up 20.6p to 810.6p by the close.
The pound, meanwhile, came under more selling pressure as Brexit fears once again came to the fore.
Sterling was down 1.2% versus the US dollar at 1.258. Against the euro it dropped 0.4% to 1.108.
It came as fresh data showed that British manufacturers are stockpiling goods at near record rates in preparation for a calamitous no-deal EU exit.
The Markit/CIPS UK manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) showed a reading of 54.2 last month, higher than the 53.6 recorded in November, and a six-month high.
But rather than being cause to celebrate, IHS Markit said the numbers reflect a build up of “safety stocks to mitigate potential Brexit disruption”.
In Europe, Germany’s DAX rose 0.18% while France’s CAC40 was down 0.8%.
A barrel of Brent crude was trading at 55 US dollars in a volatile session that saw it rebound from 52.5 US dollars amid oversupply fears.
The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were Next up 186p at 4,177p, Fresnillo up 28p at 888p, Paddy Power Betfair up 180p at 6,580p and Wood Group up 13.4p at 519.6p.
The biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 were Glencore down 8.85p at 282.5p, Johnson Matthey down 76p at 2,723p, Informa down 16p at 614.2p and Rolls Royce down 20.6p at 809.4p.


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Amazon Counterfeit Removal Platform Amazon Seller Central
Amazon.com is increasing a program to eliminate counterfeit goods from its website(s) in coming few months as part of a broader push to guarantee brand owners that the Amazon.com is an ally rather than a danger. Amazon Counterfeit Removal Platform Amazon Seller Central
As early as next month, any company can register its logo and property with Amazon.com so the eCommerce company can take down listings and seller’s accounts when counterfeits are marked flagged, Peter Faricy, vice-president of Amazon.com Marketplace, speaks in an interview on Monday. Amazon Counterfeit Removal Platform Amazon Seller Central
The so called brand registry, which was in a test phase, will be far and wide available for free in North-America, Faricy speaks in his speech on Tuesday at the commerce conference in Vegas. Amazon Counterfeit Removal Platform Amazon Seller Central
The move imitates Amazon.com efforts to court gradually important third party sellers. The Seattle based organization takes a commission for retail dealings it enables, and it retails profitable fulfillment and marketing services to third-parties. Amazon Counterfeit Removal Platform Amazon Seller Central
Fraudsters have sold faulty or discounted varieties of reliable goods on Amazon.com, prompting lawsuits, including one of them from Apple Inc. against sellers on the website. Amazon Counterfeit Removal Platform Amazon Seller Central
Some other sellers have said they are afraid Amazon.com controls too much of the sales procedure and makes its own private label copies of top selling items to sell to buyers at a low prices.
“The data does not prove it,” Faricy speaks on the allegations that Amazon.com is jeopardizing sellers. Third-parties have grown to account for about 50% of units sold on Amazon.com, he said.
Access to Amazon’s more than 300 million customers permitted 100000 sellers to make at least US$ 100,000 each through the company last year, Faricy told, and its fulfillment services have made costly daily delivery reasonable for small sellers.
Shoppers, brands or Amazon.com itself can flag counterfeit goods through the brand registry, which Amazon.com developed in 2016.
Amazon.com is also offering brands a program called “Transparency,” which give them label packages with a pass code so buyer can cross check their product against official information.
Faricy said hard work against counterfeit products are at an initial stage.
“I do not think it is the kind of thing where you ever sense like there is a clear ending, he said.” It is a journey.


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Crelate CEO Aaron Elder. (Crelate Photo) In a startup environment where heavy funding, bold bets, and rapid growth are the norm, stands out for its modest, slow-and-steady approach. The recruiting software startup just raised $5.3 million from Five Elms, a venture capital firm in Kansas City, Mo. Crelate develops tools to help recruiting agencies manage their pipelines of talent and job opportunities. The four-year-old startup just crossed 900 customers. “There’s definitely different approaches to building a business,” said Crelate CEO Aaron Elder. “There’s the burn fast and either get really big or burnout. I’m operating more under the continuous improvement, high probability of success.” The new funding builds off of a $1.2 million round the company closed in early 2017. Crelate plans to grow its 21-person team and double down on sales with the fresh cash. “We see a lot of demand and need for our product,” Elder said. “The industry is growing and they have some very specialized needs.” Crelate is headquartered in Maryland but its engineering operation is in Kirkland, Wash. Elder, who is based at the Kirkland office, said he picked the Seattle suburb because “the tax climate is more friendly to business” and “it’s a little bit cheaper.” Crelate is that have set up outposts in the Seattle area to mine the region’s tech talent.
, the Seattle-area indie game developer and publisher of titles such as Hello Neighbor and Rapture Rejects, has raised a $15 million investment to fuel growth. Founded eight years ago, tinyBuild partners with third-party studios to turn small game prototypes into full products. It started with games such as No Time to Explain, Party Hard, and Clustertruck. Its most recent title, Hello Neighbor, was tinyBuild’s first franchise that spawned multiplayer spin-offs, prequels, and a book series that just crossed 1 million in sales. The 27-person company will use the fresh cash to hire in Seattle and Amsterdam. , co-founder and CEO, told GeekWire that tinyBuild plans to grow with what he described as a “dynamic structure.” “We don’t necessarily hire for specific roles, rather build roles around people’s skills — and when the industry changes, morph those roles into whatever is relevant at the time,” he said in an email. “I strongly believe it’s dangerous to build companies in the games industry that rely on a strict structure with specific roles — the industry is dynamic, and so is tinyBuild. The flip side of this is that it can often feel like everything is on fire. Organized chaos is what I call it!” Nichiporchik declined to provide details about investors in the round. The company previously from Makers Fund. According to the Washington Interactive Network, is home to roughly 400 video game developers, representing around 23,000 jobs and over $28 billion in annual revenue. Related:


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It’s a preference during slightest one Kansas rancher says is good news for a state. A few pivotal factors set a theatre for a tough duration dairy producers are facing.
The past 36 hours has positively finished a lot to lift a blood vigour of many plantation and commodity organizations.
News of a intensity presidential movement to repel from NAFTA progressing gathering a Mexican and Canadian currencies lower. That means dozens of dairy farms in a U.S. will no longer have a divert processor as of May 1.
“Canada, what they’ve finished to a dairy plantation workers is a disgrace”.
Wisconsin cultivation officials pronounced Grassland cancelled divert contracts with roughly 60 farms.
Every notation some-more than one million dollars in products cranky a Canada-U.S. border. Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. have plants in Mexico and Canada, and many of their vehicles are exported to a United States. It would alsohit US rural exports hard.
Trump should wish to make certain he preserves and strengthens America’s attribute with Mexico, while opening adult a markets in Canada, Vilsack said. One of a biggest producers is Grassland Diary Products, formed in Wisconsin.
“So they asked me to renegotiate”.
These products are “the barometer for what’s going on in universe markets”. Every year somebody tries to trade something into Canada, Canada tries to find a approach to criticise those exports from a U.S. This can not continue.
Unpredictability is built into a dairy market, solely in Canada.
The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board is now enlivening people to intentionally buy Wisconsin dairy products, present to a Great American Milk Drive, that gives divert vouchers to needy families via Wisconsin, and to buy and present dairy products to food banks as a approach to lift demand.
The White House pronounced a phone conversations were “pleasant and productive”. The law Congress upheld to order a trade agreement competence sojourn in place, forcing Trump to contend with lawmakers and lifting questions about a president’s management to lift tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports. “We don’t have that”.
Canadian dairy-industry groups and farmers already inside a complement have fought to keep this system, though it’s a source of a satisfactory volume of discontent.
U.S. President Donald Trump got accurately what he wanted when he threatened to lift a block on NAFTA, and that is coercion in starting talks to renegotiate, a timely feat he so sorely needs. Yet, once an agreement is in place and worldwide trade is built around it, unilaterally dropping out of a agreement would do some-more mistreat than good. But there’s zero new about nations adopting policies that preference domestic industries.
Because it’s located outward Wisconsin, Minerva can’t simply have a artisanal butter graded by state inspectors.
– Green Leader Andrew Weaver took Christy Clark to charge over a liquefied healthy gas guarantee she done in a final election, observant a attention she envisioned hasn’t materialized. Residents who suffer Kerrygold Irish butter have sued a state over a change. It is also cheaper and some-more fit to boat than tender milk.
The minute Grassland sent to a dairy farmers it is dropping indicated that it would stop purchasing their divert as of May 1.
Farms in NY and Minnesota were also influenced by a change.
“Our concentration has been on a farms being impacted”, he said. In an talk with Reuters, Trump also pronounced that his pursuit was harder than he initial imagined.


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Ford and Volkswagen Partner for Electric/Autonomous Vehicle Development
Volkswagen joined Ford as an investment partner in autonomous technology company.
Volkswagen joined Ford in investing in Argo AI, the autonomous vehicle platform company. The alliance will allow both automakers to independently integrate Argo AI’s self-driving system into their own vehicles.
Working together with Ford and Volkswagen, Argo AI’s self-driving system (SDS) is the first with commercial deployment plans for Europe and the U.S. Plus, being able to tap into both automakers’ global reach, Argo AI’s platform has the largest geographic deployment potential of any autonomous driving technology to date. Volkswagen and Ford independently will integrate Argo AI’s SDS into purpose-built vehicles to support the distinct people and goods movement initiatives of both companies.
Argo AI’s focus remains on delivering a SAE Level 4-capable SDS to be applied for ride sharing and goods delivery services in dense urban areas.
Ford and Volkswagen will have an equal stake in Argo AI, and combined, Volkswagen and Ford will own a substantial majority. The remainder will be used as an incentive pool for Argo AI employees. The full transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and closing conditions.
Ford and Volkswagen are Merging?
No. This will be a strategic partnership, not a merger.
Ford President and CEO Jim Hackett made that point very clear in his statement concerning the partnership.
“While Ford and Volkswagen remain independent and fiercely competitive in the marketplace, teaming up and working with Argo AI on this important technology allows us to deliver unmatched capability, scale and geographic reach,” Hackett said. “Unlocking the synergies across a range of areas allows us to showcase the power of our global alliance in this era of smart vehicles for a smart world.”
Quite simply, each company held exclusive access to resources the other needed.
Ford committed to investing $1 billion over 5 years in February 2017. That agreement gave Ford licensing control.
For its part, Volkswagen had already invested close to $7 billion since 2016 in it’s own electric vehicle platform ID and Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB). Volkswagen had also formed an AV technology of its own, Autonomous Intelligent Driving (AID) company valued at $1.6 billion.
As part of the deal, AID will become part of Argo AI.
Everyone Gets What They Want
In any industry, research and development costs can represent a huge risk to growth.
With EV and AV technology, the outcomes must work. Poor performance of AV systems could prove disastrous. Automakers understand they have to get AV right the first time. Otherwise, an already skeptical consumer market could be turned off.
Argo AI provides a close-to-market ready AV platform. Unlike VW who formed their own autonomous vehicle, Ford took advantage of the Argo AI’s need for investment to continue development.
Volkswagen meanwhile already had a fully developed EV platform ready for production. For VW—in order to take make the MEB platform profitable—scaling production to reduce production costs became a priority.
Now Ford gets access to VW’s MEB. VW gets access and partial ownership of the latest and greatest AV technology. Argo AI gets much needed investment and market reach.
Volkswagen and Ford Banking on EV/AV — At Least in Europe
Ford plans to design an all-new, MEB-platform-based EV model, which starts arriving in 2023, in Köln-Merkenich, Germany. Volkswagen will supply MEB parts and components as part of the collaboration.
Both companies also will continue to target additional areas where they can work together on electric vehicles – a key strategic priority for both companies as they drive to accelerate the transition to sustainable and affordable mobility.
The agreement with Ford is a cornerstone in Volkswagen’s electric strategy, supporting the growth of the e-mobility industry and facilitating global efforts to reach the Paris 2050 Agreement.


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Dow Jones futures jumped Monday morning, along with S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures, with a better-than-expected Trump-Xi meeting fueling the stock market rally. President Donald Trump said he would ease the Huawei ban to revive China trade talks. Huawei chipmakers such as Micron Technology (MU), Qualcomm (QCOM) and Intel (INTC) are rallying. The China trade war cease-fire also lifted Apple stock as well as U.S.-listed Chinese companies such as Alibaba (BABA) before the open.X
President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to a cease-fire on new tariffs, which is largely what the stock market had expected. But Trump agreeing to reduce the Huawei ban was somewhat of a surprise.
"U.S. companies can sell their equipment to Huawei," Trump said. "We're talking about equipment where there's no great national security problem with it."
It's not clear what technology will still fall under the Huawei ban. Alphabet (GOOGL)-unit Google likely will be able to provide Android operating software for Huawei smartphones. Chipmakers such as Micron, Qualcomm, Broadcom (AVGO), Intel and Xilinx (XLNX) should benefit from resuming some shipments to Huawei.
However, aside from Trump's U.S. concession on Huawei and the renewal of China trade talks, it's unclear how close a trade deal is. Trump hiked China trade tariffs in May after he and other U.S. officials accused Beijing of backing away from agreed-to provisions. There was no indication that Xi was returning to those tentative agreements as part of a China trade truce.
Get exclusive IBD analysis and action news daily.
Dow Jones Futures Today
Dow Jones futures rose 1% vs. fair value. S&P 500 futures leapt 1.1%. Nasdaq 100 futures vaulted 1.75%. Remember that overnight action in Dow futures and elsewhere doesn't necessarily translate into actual trading in the next regular stock market session.
As investors return Monday morning, they may question if there's a real path to a China trade deal.
Current Stock Market Rally
The Trump-Xi meeting outcome was mildly better than expected — and avoided the low risk of rapid China trade war escalation. That should be good news for the stock market rally, which paused last week awaiting the Trump-Xi meeting.
The Dow Jones fell 0.45% last week, while the S&P 500 index and Nasdaq composite 0.3%. Among the best ETFs, the Innovator IBD 50 ETF (FFTY) slid 0.2%. The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV) fell 1%.
The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) rallied 2.8% last week. Chip stocks rallied following better-than-expected Micron earnings. The memory-chip giant also saw signs of improving demand as well as announcing the resumption of some Huawei shipments, even before Trump's Saturday reprieve.
A wider Huawei ban reprieve should be good news for Micron stock, Qualcomm stock, Broadcom stock, Intel stock and other chipmakers. Micron leapt 6% before the open, Broadcom, Qualcomm and Xilinx ran up more than 5%, while Intel advanced 3%.
Chipmakers were big losers during the May stock market correction, as the China trade war escalated and the Commerce Department imposed the Huawei ban.
Micron stock, Xilinx stock, Broadcom stock and Qualcomm stock all have proper bases, but are still quite a distance from proper buy points.
Apple stock should benefit from at least a delay in sweeping new China tariffs that would hit the iPhone for the first time. China is a massive market for the Apple (AAPL) iPhone. A healthier economy and less risk of a Chinese backlash vs. U.S. brands is good news for Apple stock.
Apple stock has a 215.41 buy point in a big cup-with-handle base. Shares are still working their way up the deep handle, closing Friday at 197.92. Apple stock rose nearly 2.5% in the premarket.
U.S.-listed Chinese companies should benefit from less pressure on the Chinese economy. Alibaba stock is in a proper base, though still a ways off from a buy point. Shares rose 3% before the open. E-commerce software company Baozun (BZUN), an IBD Leaderboard watchlist stock, is near a buy point. Baozun stock shot up 4.5% early Monday, signaling a move into a buy zone.
Fed Rate Cuts
A China trade war truce and buoyed stock market rally could curb expectations for multiple Fed rate cuts. But that's a good problem to have — that the economy and Wall Street don't need lots of new monetary stimulus. Also, Fed officials last week sounded cool on a big 50-basis point cut in July.
In some ways, a mildly positive Trump-Xi meeting could be ideal. It could boost the stock market rally as well as some key techs in general, but still keep a Fed rate cut on track in July.
Also at the G-20 summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman agreed to extend OPEC+ crude oil production cuts through the end of 2019 and possibly into 2020. Several other OPEC nations came out in favor of extending cuts through Q1 2020. The biannual OPEC meeting is on July 1-2.
U.S. crude oil futures rose 3% to just above $60 a barrel on plans for extended OPEC production cuts and optimism surrounding the Trump-Xi meeting.
Please follow Ed Carson on Twitter at @IBD_ECarson for stock market updates and more.
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Uber to Pay Big for Two Class Action Lawsuits
Ride-sharing service Uber will pay up to $100 million dollars to settle two class action lawsuits.
The lawsuits were brought on by drivers unhappy with the company's business model.
The money will be paid to 385,000 drivers based on the number of miles they've driven. Those who have driven more than 25,000 miles will get about $8,000 dollars each.
Drivers will also be allowed to post signs in their cars explaining that tips are appreciated, but not required or included.
A judge must approve the settlement.


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in this issue
People & Business :: Companies
PotashCorp reports drop in earnings, sales due to weak overseas potash demand
October 25, 2012 | Lindsay Frost
PotashCorp reported a drop in third-quarter earnings—down 22%, to $645 million, or 75 cts/share. Reported adjusted earnings per share of 74 cts/share were lower than analyst estimates of 78 cts/share, according to Thompson Reuters (New York). The company says volumes in North American potash hit a record high because of strong third-quarter shipments in areas less impacted from the drought, PotashCorp says. Sales for the quarter hit $2.1 billion, down 9% year-on-year (YOY). The company says offshore investments in Arab Potash Company (Amman, Jordan), Israel...
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It seems that Google is about to discontinue the Pixel 4a 5G just to replace it with Pixel 5a.
Apparently, the phone is no longer available on contract in the UK and in the US, it has vanished from Amazon and Best Buy. B&H Photo and Video shows the phone as being discontinued
The phone is still available on Google Store.
Although Pixel 4a 5G's disappearance from digital shelves in no way confirms that the phone will be discontinued soon, it does seem. Because the Pixel 5a could launch in late July or August.
If a report is any indication, Google has been affected by the global chip Shortage and it's also allegedly the reason why the Pixel 5a will only be released in two markets everywhere else the Pixel 4a might continue to be sold which came out in November 2020
You can check out my coverage on pixel 5a


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In the past, Ford had a few glitches with it SYNC infotainment software and in-car infotainment systems. Ford switched to QNX for Ford SYNC 3 but is now partnering with Microsoft for Ford’s Cloud Connected Services including over-the-air (OTA) software updates, vehicle status reports, remote scheduled start and vehicle finder.
The Ford Service Delivery Network architecture will help Ford owners stay up to date. Microsoft Azure offers a global common cloud platform that allows Ford to deliver services worldwide.
Powered by Microsoft Azure, customer deployment of the Service Delivery Network will start later this year and be incorporated into SYNC 3.
Microsoft notes that the service will enable Ford to bring new connected features to market faster and offer flexibility in the future. Microsoft’s cloud platform also offers Ford the scale and commitment to security.
According to Don Butler, executive director of connected vehicles the vehicle data is owned by the customer but is stored on Ford’s secure servers.
The software updates will not be performed overembedded modems. The wireless updates will be available when the car is connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi or a Wi-Fi hotspot. SYNC 3 has a built-in Wi-Fi connection. We recently attended a Ford EcoBoost Challenge and took many Ford models on test drives, we wish in the future that we could also try out SYNC 3.
Since the Sync 3 infotainment system does not have a modem, we suppose the all the functions will be delivered to the on board computer via Wi-Fi. Those of us with a car parked in a garage far from the Wi-Fi router may want to get a Wi-Fi extender for the garage of street parking.
SYNC 3 will replace MyFord Touch and MyLincoln Touch starting this summer with some 2016 model. All Ford and Lincoln cars in the U.S. will use SYNC 3. Ford vehicles globally will be updated to Sync 3 by 2018.
Ford considered recommendations from drivers, researchers and testing while developing SYNC 3 while making it optimized for hands-free use Life360, MinuteCast, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, NPR One, SiriusXM Radio and iHeartRadio Auto all work with Ford SYNC 3.
In January Ford announced that announced it is rolling out Ford SYNC AppLink 3.0 next year, giving customers the ability to access their favorite compatible navigation app much as they do on a smartphone on in-vehicle touch screens.
AppLink is part of the Ford SYNC system. SYNC allows drivers to pair their smartphones with a car and control the radio, make and receive calls, and operate more features hands-free using voice controls.


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Variety was the spice of my sixth week at Q Advertising, because I got to do a bit of everything and had a bunch of great new experiences; such as, a pitch, looking at Roy Morgan research and the company’s monthly lunch. My days have moved from Monday and Tuesday to Thursday and Friday for the time being.
Roy Morgan research have this week released results for Australian newspaper readerships for the last 12 months as at March 2016 and it’s no surprise that major mastheads around the country have fallen in readership.
This week’s Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating discusses the topic of ‘Consumer Confidence Public Opinion’. The report is based on 1,301 face to face interviews conducted Australia-wide with men and women aged 14 and over last weekend (October 5-6, 2013).
The report is aimed at taking a snapshot of the levels of consumer confidence within Australia. The report revealed consumer confidence has received a substantial increase following the Federal Election – reaching its highest point of 124.1. This figure dropped after the new Coalition Government was sworn in. The figure remained steady at 119.8 (down 0.4%) after the RBA left Australian interest rates unchanged at 2.5%.
The report also highlights that Australians are relatively more confident about their personal finances compared to this time last year and 51% of these people say now is a good time to purchase large household items. 32% of Australians say that they are in a better financial position, with only 24% (down 1%) saying they are worse off financially that this time last year.
With a new political party elected back in September, 34% of Australians predict good times for the country’s economy; compared to 19% who feel there are worse economic times to come.
Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating, October 8th 2013, Finding Number: 5235, Topic: Consumer Confidence Public Opinion
We hope you enjoy reading the Queensland Advertising blog. For more information please visit our full website www.qadvertising.com.au


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In an unexpected decision, California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a dealer protection bill unanimously passed by the California State Legislature. The sticking point was a 'complex formula' for determining dealer reimbursement on warranty and recall work.
October 1, 2018
While the bill further strengthens dealer protections and updates others, several protections aimed at future services and opportunities for automakers to serve customers directly were stripped out of the bill prior to last Thursday’s unanimous vote by the California Legislature.
September 5, 2018
New legislation aimed at strengthening dealer protections under California’s franchise laws will have its first committee hearing on Monday. One of its provisions specifically addresses the disclosure policy General Motors issued last summer regarding the sale of non-GM service contracts.
April 19, 2018
TrueCar has agreed to switch California auto dealers from a pay-per-sale to a flat-fee subscription model and double their indemnity to $50,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by the California New Car Dealers Association.
December 15, 2017
General Motors dealers who sell non-GM service contracts, parts and accessories must now disclose to their customers that the products are not backed by the automaker. Dealers who don’t comply face possible termination of their franchise agreement.
August 24, 2017
The original lawsuit, filed last May, charged TrueCar with acting as a dealer and a broker when it does not have a dealer or broker license. The new amendment asks the court to declare that TrueCar continues to act as a 'dealer' and 'broker” without license.
January 6, 2016
In response to the state dealer association’s claims that Tesla Motors is in violation of state and federal advertising laws, the state DMV issued a warning to electric vehicle makers about adhering to such laws.
October 30, 2015
The state DMV confirmed today that it is ‘looking into the matter,’ almost month after the state dealer association called on the agency to investigate whether the program violates the state’s ban on ‘bird-dogging.’
September 24, 2015
The California New Car Dealers Association has called on the California Department of Motor Vehicles to investigate Tesla Motors’ referral program, which the trade groups said constitutes “bird-dogging.”
September 1, 2015
In a regulatory filing this week, TrueCar said it considers a federal antitrust case against dealers to be closed. The FTC was looking into whether dealers refusing to do business with the car-shopping site back in 2011 and 2012 violated the FTC Act.
August 13, 2015
The firm that filed a mass action lawsuit against TrueCar in March has filed a second suit against the car-shopping site, this time on behalf of current TrueCar subscribers.
August 4, 2015
The California New Car Dealers Association filed a lawsuit against TrueCar last Wednesday, alleging the that the shopping site is not in compliance with certain sections of the California Vehicle Code — a claim TrueCar has denied.
May 21, 2015
The California New Car Dealers Association filed a lawsuit Wednesday against TrueCar, alleging that the shopping site is not in compliance with certain sections of the California Vehicle Code.
May 20, 2015
First introduced in February, the bill would increase disclosures, improve safety and provide additional cost protections for consumers who purchase or own used recalled vehicles, according to the California New Car Dealers Association.
March 19, 2015
The California New Car Dealers Association has reached an agreement with bipartisan legislators to author legislation that will increase disclosure of recalls and improve safety.
February 12, 2015


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Google got kicked off the iPhone by Apple with the release of iOS 6. Apple has now its own Map apps. Apple's Maps app is not mature yet as consumers found many map errors. iPhone users want the Google Mapsapp back and Google is busy making that a reality soon.
According to the Wall Street Journal
, Google is already distributing test version of the new Google Maps app to outside testers. This would imply that a release could still happen this year. It would be nice christmas gift from Google for iPhone users.
reports that the new iOS Google Maps app will have turn-by-turn navigation.
Citymapper, the London-based journey-planning app company, has integrated taxi app Hailo into its offering, obviating the need to switch between apps to order a taxi ride. With Uber integrated into Google Maps, GetTaxi is now without a ... Source: All Things Digital
Full article at: All Things Digital
Jul 18 2014, 6:01am CDT
Google has released an update of its Google Maps client for iOS, adding several significant features. When searching for places, for instance, results will now appear directly on a map. Users can switch between this view and a m ... Source: MacNN
Full article at: MacNN
Jul 11 2014, 12:16pm CDT
With the Android Wear SDK now available, app developers are busy updating their software to support the new smartwatches, and new versions of PayPal, Pinterest and Google Maps have already arrived.The post PayPal, Google Maps and Pinterest among the first Android ... Source: Digital Trends
Full article at: Digital Trends
Jun 28 2014, 7:39am CDT
Live operators and configurable workflows use video surveillance to improve response to access control events, push event alarms to security officers in the field and attach surveillance media to incident reports and dispatches—all from the Google Maps-based D3 ONE platform(PRWeb June 23, 2014)Read the full story at http: ... Source: PRWeb
Full article at: PRWeb
Jun 23 2014, 6:35am CDT
Waze is getting better and
smarter with version 3.8.0 rolled out on Wednesday. Stay connected with friends and family, keep safe while on the road, and let your personal GPS voice assistant do the work until to reach your
I found out earlier this month that the company disabled the Group feature that allows me to share my current traffic information and track my…
Continue reading Waze loaded with new and improved features for on the road escapades
Related posts: ... Source: AppleTell
Full article at: AppleTell
Jun 19 2014, 9:11pm CDT
Luigi Lugmayr Luigi Lugmayr (Google) is the founding chief Editor of I4U News and brings over 15 years
experience in the technology field to the ever evolving and exciting
world of gadgets. He started I4U News back in 2000 and evolved it into
vibrant technology magazine.
Luigi can be contacted directly at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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The Trump administration is hoping a proposed border adjustment tax (BAT) will help towards lowering the U.S. corporate tax rate and ease the U.S. trade deficit, but opponents say the tax—which could impose de facto import tariffs up to 20 percent—is in violation of the World Trade Organization’s rules.
Under the proposed BAT, companies could no longer take a tax deduction for costs associated with imported goods or inputs, while export revenue would be exempt from corporate income tax calculations.
The goal is to boost U.S. manufacturing. However, a recently formed coalition of businesses and trade associations, called Americans for Affordable Products, claims the BAT would “significantly hurt” American consumers and employers by raising the cost of everyday products like food, gas and clothing by up to 20 percent, while a large U.S. company could avoid paying corporate taxes “simply because it exports products.”
Many international trade lawyers are doubtful the proposed BAT would comply with the WTO’s rules.
“It would be plainly WTO-inconsistent,” said Philippe De Baere, co-managing partner at Van Bael & Bellis. “It has manifest violations which could even justify the use of the expedited procedure for dispute settlement in the WTO.”
According to a CNBC report, other lawyers said the “destination-based cash flow tax” would fail WTO rules on more than one legal basis. In fact, “So serious were the breaches that any challenges might be handled under WTO mechanisms that allow legal processes, which normally take years, to be short-cut,” the report explained.
Republican Kevin Brady, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, dismissed concerns about the legality of the BAT, stating that there were “1,000 different opinions on whether this is WTO compliant,” and that he was confident it did comply with WTO rules.
Either way, legal experts say if the BAT was challenged at the WTO it would rank as the biggest dispute the global trade body has ever considered, since it could potentially involve all products imported into the U.S. and all exports as well.
The Americans for Affordable Products coalition said that while it supports tax reform aimed at lowering the corporate tax rate, the BAT would cost U.S. consumers at least $1 trillion over the next 10 years and could force many retailers to “downsize or close their doors altogether,” in turn impacting millions of other jobs in logistics, technology and manufacturing.
In addition, the coalition warns that U.S. trade partners could impose a slew of retaliatory duties on U.S. exports. China’s massive state-owned enterprises could easily adopt a “Buy No America” policy, for instance, while Mexico has previously levied retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods over a NAFTA dispute involving cross-border access for commercial trucks.
Meanwhile, the chief economist with Belgium’s Federation of Enterprises said that if European companies started to lose U.S. contracts and shed jobs as a result, Europe could also take action.
“The political pressure would be really strong to go for an all-out trade war. It’s a bizarre idea, to be involved in a trade war with Europe’s closest ally, but political pressure would grow,” he said.
So, who’s for the BAT?
On Feb. 13, the American Made Coalition released a partial list of companies that support the border adjustment tax (BAT). The export-heavy companies charge the BAT is “essential to leveling the playing field for American-made goods and services and encouraging American jobs, investment and manufacturing.” Some of the biggest names in the coalition are:
- Blue Diamond Growers
- The Boeing Company
- Caterpillar Inc.
- Cook Medical
- The Dow Chemical Company
- Eli Lilly and Company
- Johnson & Johnson
- McIlhenny Company
- Merck & Co., Inc.
- Raytheon Company
- S&P Global
- United Technologies Corporation
- Varian Medical Systems


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Apple Inc.(NASDAQ:AAPL) has opposed the settlement proposal of the US Department of Justice in a legal memo on Wednesday. The proposal would require the company to take apart its present e-book business structure with three publishing houses.
paidContent was the first one to report Apple’s filing. It was a response to a recent DoJ note in support of a planned settlement that asked the New York district court to put down a decision without any future hearings. The government has placed an argument that a quick fast judgment would be the best decision that can be taken in interest of customers as well as the settling parties as they would not be required to pay fees for ongoing lawsuit.
Apple’s counsel expresses disagreement by writing that the proposed judgment would put an end to Apple’s bargained-for contracts. The decision made by the court would be ultimate and irreversible as the company would not be able to reinstate terminated contracts if it had to win a lawsuit in future.
Get Complete Live Rumours On AAPL
The issue seems to be the agency model of Apple that allows a publisher to set e-book pricing in a favorable agreement that forbids the company to offer the same content to other resellers at a lower cost. As per DoJ, Apple and its publishing partner has used the business plan to fabricate inflation of e-book rates. This has hurt consumers.
Apple thinks that a settlement would illegally penalize the company. It is seeking more relief than a negative post-trial outcome would generate.
Apple mentioned that it thinks it is all a big conspiracy to compel Amazon to adopt the agency model.
Two book publishers, who were names in the settlement, has also filed opposition petitions on Wednesday with Penguin taking help of sales figures that support the agency model.
Of late, DoJ has dismissed 868 public comments that were made in favor of Apple’s e-book sales model.