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The Craft Brewers Conference kicks off in Denver on Monday and it's the industry's largest U.S. gathering with 14,000 attendees expected, nearly 100 seminars taking place and at least 1,000 exhibitors sharing their latest creations. Ahead of the event, the Brewers Association released its annual growth figures and there's good news for the country's small and independent brewers. The craft beer revolution is still going strong and the industry's market share expanded from 12.1% in volume in 2016 to 13.2% in 2018. Last year, revenue also increased, growing 7% compared to 2017, to $27.6 billion. Craft beer now has a 24.1% dollar share of the U.S. beer market.
The following infographic provides an overview of industry output together with operating craft breweries and shows what a difference a decade makes. Back in 2008, small and independent brewers produced 8.5 million barrels of lager, stout, pale ale, india pale ale, porter and countless other varieties. By 2018, output climbed steeply to 25,917,766 barrels. The brewery count has been rising steadily in tandem with output and last year, over 7,000 were operating across the country. Again, that's a huge increase on where the industry was a decade ago when just over 1,500 were open. Last year, 2,594 of the breweries fell into the brewpub category, 4,521 were micro and 231 were regional.
*Click below to enlarge (charted by Statista)


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FDIC says apps could reduce need for banks
Banks could lose customers and revenue in the future as more consumers use mobile payment devices to buy goods and services, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said Monday.
Banks have traditionally served a variety of intermediary roles between consumers and merchants to facilitate non-cash payments. But as mobile payment systems take hold, non-bank mobile providers could assume those roles, the FDIC said in its latest issue of Supervisory Insights.
“Banks could increasingly find themselves displaced by non-banks in the mobile payments marketplace. Non-bank mobile payment providers are devising ways to streamline the current payments system and reduce transaction costs by limiting the role banks play in mobile payments or eliminating them from segments of the payment process altogether,” Supervisory Insights said.
The FDIC said that U.S. consumers have spent move than $20 billion so far this year by using a mobile browser or application to pay for goods or services.
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Archive for August 2022
OTC Hearing Aids Are Coming!
On August 16, 2022 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released its Final Rule for the sale of Over-the-Counter (OTC) hearing aids. Affordable hearing help has been an issue for some time and many feel that FDA-regulated OTC hearing aids are long overdue. Chances are that these devices could be available online and in…Read More


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In recent years, the once mighty Research in Motion (RIMM) has struggled to compete against Apple (AAPL) and Google (GOOG) in the highly competitive smartphone market, but so far has refused to admit defeat.
The company has placed a lot of hopes in its new Blackberry 10 operating system, and has confidently stood behind the upcoming update as the change that turns its fortunes around. Now, it seems as though the company is not as confident in its own future. It has been exploring its strategic options for the better part of a year now, and over the weekend the company's CEO, Thorsten Heins, reported that following the Blackberry 10 launch the company would consider selling its hardware division, and licensing Blackberry 10 to other hardware manufacturers.
Of course, in order for RIM to find someone to license Blackberry 10, it first has to prove that Blackberry 10 can be a success.
The possibility that the company could sell its hardware division, and license out Blackberry 10 has helped push the stock up over 9% today, but investors need to be careful. While it is possible that Research in Motion could use these strategic moves to bring value back into the company, it could also be seen as a company that is clearly in trouble.
My personally opinion is that investors should steer clear of Research in Motion. While Blackberry users are very passionate about their phones, Research in Motion just has not proven that it is able to compete in a world dominated by iPhones and Android powered smartphones.
At one point Blackberries were the phones to own, but that is not the case anymore. No matter how nice Blackberry 10 turns out to be, there is no way that Research in Motion will ever be able to win back enough of its lost customers to return the company to its previous glory.
This is definitely one stock I would keep out of my portfolio.
Disclaimer: The author of this article has a long position in Apple (AAPL).


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The $73 billion Costco is using automated systems that dial the numbers of customers to alert them about product recalls. The system was activated recently to spread warnings about salmonella-tainted peanut butter.
This tactic is hardly new, as many chains—including Price Chopper and Wegmans—have been doing this for at least a year and several very large retailers are exploring it. But Costco is the largest retailer to have launched it on such a large scale.
Craig Wilson, assistant vice president of food safety and quality assurance at Costco, said the company has been mailing product recall letters for about 10 years but activated the phone-alert system some 18 months ago. "We haven't used it all that much," Wilson said, stressing that the company only places phone calls for "Class 1" level recalls. As defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Class 1 recalls are the most severe type and involve cases where there is a potential for serious injury or death.
How It Works
Costco, upon being notified of a Class 1 recall situation, does an internal search of its CRM databases to find customers who bought the dangerous product. "Once I have that, I can pull the phone and mail lists," he said. "From there, I write a script. We have voice talent who does the recording."
The actual phone dialing is outsourced to GroupCast, a company that specializes in bulk calling and can place a half-million calls each hour, Wilson said. GroupCast CEO Robert Vogel said his company's other clients include ShopRite supermarkets and several fast-food restaurants. In addition to placing advisory calls to customers, GroupCast also telephones its clients' employees to distribute emergency messages (such as telling restaurant managers to stop making burgers from meat that might be tainted), Vogel said.
Costco requires people to obtain membership cards, and getting one involves not only the payment of a fee but also the submission of contact information. That means the wholesaler has comprehensive personal data on all of its 54 million members. Wilson insisted Costco never sells that information or even uses it for its own marketing purposes. "Some supermarkets are doing that with their loyalty cards," he said. "We don't."
Wilson said prospective Costco members are told that one of the benefits of having a Costco card is they'll be notified in the event of serious product recalls. He also stressed that the detailed nature of the CRM information allows Costco to accurately identify only the customers at risk. "We are not going to call every member," Wilson said. "We are going to call you and say, `You bought ground beef from us on Thursday. It may have e-coli.' We can laser-focus the calls and deliberately get to the four million people who are affected. You don't scare the other 50 million."
Wilson said Costco is working on augmenting the recall-alert system to also issue e-mails. "That is certainly coming," he said. "We think about it all the time: How cool it would be."
Wegmans uses information gleaned from its Shoppers Club database to identify customers who bought recalled products. "If customers have kept their contact information updated in our database, they will receive an automated phone call about the recall with steps to follow for safety and refunds," according to the supermarket chain's Web site.
It also notes that Wegmans "at this time" doesn't send recall warnings to cell phones. Wegmans spokeswoman Jeanne Colleluori said the company didn't want to use up its customers' cellular minutes. However, Wegmans—aware that some people have opted to abandon landlines and instead use cell phones as their home phones--is considering a change to that rule, Colleluori said.
Wegmans doesn't have a hard-and-fast rule about sending alerts for only Class 1 recalls. It reviews each incident and decides if it merits a phone call. Colleluori said the company purposely refrains from issuing alerts for all recalls. "We try to be very mindful of not pushing customers to recall fatigue, where they will stop paying attention to the phone calls," she explained.
Wegman's has used the phone alert system about 20 times since launching the program fourteen months ago. She said the store's customers seem to appreciate the calls.
"Of all the calls completed, meaning we reached a person or their answering machine, only 1.3 percent of those people contacted us and asked us to remove their names," Colleluori said. She noted Wegman's does not use the information gathered through its loyalty card program to otherwise communicate with its customers, nor does it attempt to use the CRM data for any personalized marketing efforts.
Although all this proactive telephony is potentially good for customer relations, it has a legal foundation, given that some retailers have been sued for not having used their CRM data to contact customers about recalls.


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Google has announced the availability of an expanded partner program YouTube video sharing for the Russian audience. Program members can upload high-quality video (up to the standard Full HD 1080p) with 16:9 aspect ratio, add to the YouTube videos without any restrictions on the length or size of the files, the use of additional design options for channels. In addition, the users participating in the program can earn revenue by displaying advertisements placed inside, on top of or next to the video.
According to Google, in 2011, the number of partners, who earn on YouTube more than $ 1,000 a month, has doubled. At present, the program involves 30 000 partners from 27 countries.


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December 10, 2018
Online luxury platform Farfetch has introduced a new visual search tool, the latest move by a luxury marketer to capture the attention of younger, more visually driven affluents.
Called "See It, Snap It, Shop It," the new feature has been integrated into the retailer’s mobile application. Mobile and in-app shopping continues to gain traction among luxury consumers, motivating digitally savvy brands to find new ways to innovate mobile shopping experiences.
"Visual search is valuable for Farfetch as well as other luxury brands in order to synthesize inspiration and product discovery," said Dalia Strum, educator at The Fashion Institute of Technology, New York. "It decreases friction points between street style images as well as potential purchases due to the AI technology implementation."
Farfetch’s new tool enables shoppers to upload images to identify similar products available to purchase.
Users can take their own images or upload images they have saved from Instagram, Pinterest or other sources as inspiration. Once an image is analyzed, shoppers can tap the items and find similar options from Farfetch.
Farfetch's new visual search allows users to upload phots and shop similar products.
The discovery system uses details such as an item’s color, fit and fabric to find similar items, if the exact item is not available on the platform.
From there, consumers can filter items by brand, price and other categories.
"This tool is unique because it guides inspiration down the marketing funnel slightly faster to increase potential conversions," Ms. Strum said. "Visual search provides stronger touch-points towards personalizing the customer experience since consumers are providing a valuable sense of their aesthetic.
"The accuracy element of visual search is the most important, if the search results are exact or similar to the image submitted, consumer advocacy and loyalty will increase as opposed to consumers feeling like products are just being pushed their way without purpose," she said.
Mobile shopping transactions are surging as consumers continue to reach for their smartphones instead of desktops when browsing online. According to Criteo, digital-only brands outpace their traditional bricks-and-mortar counterparts in terms of app sales, 31 percent to 21 percent (see story).
The Farfetch app already allows shoppers to create wishlists and shop items that are delivered in 90 minutes in select cities.
Mobile shopping is becoming more valuable than desktop shopping. Image credit: Farfetch
Shopping apps also give retailers more control over their brand as opposed to platforms like Instagram, which continues to push into the ecommerce space.
Instagram recently rolled out Shopping on Stories to a wider array of brands as well as testing out a Shopping feature on its Explore hub. These launches come as the brand is said to be working on a standalone shopping app (see story).
"Visual search is aligned with the way consumers discover new products today," said Arnaud Roy, chief strategy officer at Launchmetrics, New York.
"Customers no longer want to browse a product catalog on an ecommerce website; they get inspired by the lives of their peers and influencers," he said. "The ability to go from inspiration to purchasing directly with a click is echoing these new shopping behaviors."
Visual search is increasingly becoming a priority among luxury apparel and accessories companies.
Among the newer additions to Louis Vuitton’s mobile app is visual search, which enables consumers to snap a handbag or garment that catches their eye in a magazine or on a passerby to find it in the brand’s catalog. Mobile has become an important channel for reaching luxury consumers, enabling brands to engage with their clients anywhere they are.
Debuting with this app update is the LV Finder tool. Through this, a consumer can take a picture of a product to have it identified by the app (see story).
In a keynote at The New York Times International Luxury Conference on Nov. 13, the founder of Farfetch noted that as consumers are tending to move away from ownership of big-budget items such as cars and homes, they are left with more disposable income for luxury fashion apparel. Shoppers are also growing more accustomed to a multi-brand way of retail, offering another opportunity for the online platform.
Fashion labels including Burberry, Chanel and Gucci have enlisted Farfetch and its technology to better reach younger, more digitally oriented shoppers (see story).
"The truth is, to be successful moving forward, all brands must embrace the concept of visual search," Launchmetric's Mr. Roy said. "Customers worldwide are inspired by images and we must be able to engage with them in a visual way."


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Inflation is effecting consumers across the country. And as Americans prepare to gather for Thanksgiving this year, it will cost most more than it did last year.
This week, the Commerce Department showed inflation rose at its fastest pace since January 1991. Even with inflation climbing the most in 30 years, agricultural economists say your Thanksgiving meal still won’t be the most expensive ever.
Purdue University agricultural economist Jayson Lusk has dug into the numbers and done the math. Lusk says when you factor in worker earnings and median weekly salaries, the average American in 1980 would have had to work about 175 minutes, or almost 3 hours, to earn enough money to buy a 20 lb. turkey. In 2019, which is the last time the Bureau of Labor Statistics released retail turkey prices, the average American worker only had to work about 80 minutes, or 1 hour 15 minutes, to buy a 20 lb. turkey. Why? He says efficiency in turkey production has brought the price down.
“Steak is indeed expensive today relative to the past,” Lusk says. “The most recent data suggests a worker making the median wage would have to work about 102 minutes to earn enough to buy 4 lb. of beef sirloin steak at retail. Nonetheless, steak has been more expensive in the recent past. The time price of sirloin steak was higher in 2004 (104 minutes) and 2014 (103 minutes) than it is today in 2021.”
He says while the overall trend shows proteins and other food items are at record highs, the price of things like potato and bread were higher in 2008 and 2012. But when you compare retail food prices this year to last year, Thanksgiving will be more expensive. Michigan State University agricultural economist Trey Malone agrees.
“I think that the sticker shock is going to come from the comparison of what you spent at like Thanksgiving last year, versus what you're going to spend for Thanksgiving this year. That doesn't necessarily mean it's the most expensive Thanksgiving ever. But what it does mean is that at the end of the day, you're going to notice how much money you're spending at your Thanksgiving meal,” Malone says.
American Farm Bureau’s (AFBF) 36th annual Thanksgiving meal survey shows overall, the average American will be paying 14% more this year for their Thanksgiving dinner. AFBF says the centerpiece on most Thanksgiving tables – the turkey – costs more than last year, at $23.99 for a 16-pound bird. That’s roughly $1.50 per pound, up 24% from last year.


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AdNews - Oct. 25, 2016: David Jones, Country Road, Myer, Net-a-Porter, Burberry, Liberty London and ASOS are just a handful of brands using affiliate marketing, but until now there has been no official industry guidelines for the booming sector Down Under.
Case Studies from 24 Award-Winning Campaigns from Across the Globe Provide Insights into Digital’s Power to Break Boundaries
NEW YORK, NY (September 28, 2016): The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today released the “What Works & Why: IAB Global Insights Report 2016,” showcasing case studies exploring two dozen award-winning campaigns from around the world, and featuring perspectives from 28 leaders across the international digital marketing and media landscape. The report focuses on boundary breaking campaigns in interactive advertising, curated from the international IAB MIXX Awards programs and other similar honors.
In this guest post, IAB Australia CEO, Vijay Solanki, says digital transformation of a legacy company is a journey that requires everybody involved to be ultra brave…
Sydney, 22 September 2016: IAB Australia today announced the appointment of Nicole Sheffield, Managing Director of News Digital Networks Australia (News DNA) as the new Chair of its Board. Unanimously voted to the role by the IAB Australia Board, her appointment is effective immediately.
AdNews, 7 Sept., 2016: New IAB CEO Vijay Solanki has his feet firmly under the table, having made a batch of fresh appointments within the organisation's video, tech, mobile and measurement hubs.
B&T - 15 Aug., 2016: In this opinion piece by Vijay Solanki, IAB Australia’s CEO, he explores the evolution of mobile, advertising on the platform and why the industry must be ‘simple but complex’.
AdNews - Aug. 2, 2016: Vijay Solanki, the IAB's new CEO says the organisation needs more input from client-side marketers as well as agencies and media owners to inform its agenda.
AdNews - 29 June, 2016: Following yesterday's news that the IAB has named former Southern Cross Austereo chief digital officer Vijay Solanki as its new CEO, we caught up with Solanki and IAB chairperson, Ed Harrison.
B&T - August 5: This past week saw the IAB and Nielsen launch a new ratings system designed to provide a holistic view for advertisers of their digital audiences, Digital Ratings (Monthly). In this guest piece, Google’s Aussie marketer Lucinda Barlow explains why they’re critical for marketers.
AdNews, March 31: The IAB and Nielsen have finally revealed their new total audience digital measurement offering, which the pair have described as the “holy grail” of digital measurement.


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Some iPhone users complained that the Telegram app on their iOS devices are acting wonky after they updated to iOS 11.4. Unfortunately, these users could not refresh the app because Apple blocked its iOS updates. The app could not provide an update that started when the Russian government told the Cupertino company to delete the said app from its App Store. Because of the lack of update, some of the app’s features would not work, like the stickers.
“Russia banned Telegram on its territory in April because we refused to provide decryption keys for all our users’ communications to Russia’s security agencies. We believe we did the only possible thing, preserving the right of our users to privacy in a troubled country.” – Durov’s Channel
On April 16, Roskomnadzor, the Russian state communications watchdog, blocked the app because it failed to hand over its encryption keys to its service. The Federal Security Service of the said country demanded access to them. It mentioned that terrorists use it.
Furthermore, the Telegram could not comply with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation because of the block.
“Unfortunately, Apple didn’t side with us. While Russia makes up only 7% of Telegram’s userbase, Apple is restricting updates for all Telegram users around the world since mid-April. As a result, we’ve also been unable to fully comply with GDPR for our EU-users by the deadline of May 25, 2018. We are continuing our efforts to resolve the situation and will keep you updated.”
Because of the block, the app’s users were forced to use a VPN service so that they could continue using it. Russia blocked VPNs but, somehow, Russians managed to find new routes to access them.
As of today, Apple finally approved the updated version of the said app. Pavel Durov, Telegram’s CEO, announced the good news through his Twitter account. He thanked the company for allowing the latest version of the app to be available to its millions of users.
With this update, users can finally use all Telegram features. The app can now comply with the new data privacy laws in Europe.
If the block became permanent, however, the app would have security flaws, making it unsafe to be used over time.
Apple controls the apps in its App Store. Because of that, it can inspect, approve or deny each version of an app. Now, if the app’s update is spurned, it can’t be disseminated through the App Store.
When Russia blocked the popular message service, users rallied in Moscow and they called the block as Internet censorship. And the demonstration drew thousands of participants. What did the CEO do after knowing his app is blocked in the said country? He took his shirt off that revealed his ripped body. With the caption:
“My favorite movie is “300”. The story about 300 Spartans fighting to protect the freedom of their compatriots will inspire people thousands of years from now.”
The statement is a reference to the country blocking of the app and its definition of freedom.


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There's no denying the fact that Americans love to spend money. The bigger, faster, sleeker, and shinier something is, the better - and in all likelihood more expensive - it is. This line of thinking is what leads so many people into the kind of unnecessary debt that is serious enough to scare off creditors and sometimes even employers.
The nation’s economic crisis has changed how Americans think about and handle money, according to a report today in the Chicago Sun-Times. The newspaper cited an Aug. 31 survey by Peter D. Hart Associates for Citibank that shows that 57 percent of Americans believe that the economic realities of the nation have changed forever. That’s up from 51 percent in the same survey conducted a year ago.
The national phone survey was conducted within the United States by TNS on behalf of ING DIRECT USA from June 22 to June 26, 2011 and included 1,000 adults age 18+. No estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
The average consumer has a budget that is split into a large number of monthly and yearly spending. The average consumer spends $49,638 a year on a range of necessary and desired expenditures. These expenditures come out of an annual household income of $63,091 per year on average, before taxes. The average consumer owns 1.9 vehicles, and 67 percent of them are homeowners with loans. Households average 2.5 people and 1.3 earners reside in each. The largest expenditure of the average household is housing. This takes up an average 34.1 percent of the yearly budget of households. Read more....


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NEW YORK (Reuters) – Upscale retailer Neiman Marcus Inc reported sharply lower quarterly profit as worried consumers continued to avoid luxury items amid a slowdown the company expects will last for some time.
Sales at its namesake Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman stores open for at least a year, or same-store sales, continued to fall, dropping 14.9 percent during the quarter. Overall comparable sales, including its direct marketing segment, declined 13.7 percent.
Neiman Marcus, in a regulatory filing on Wednesday, cited “a challenging economic and retail environment” that it said would likely persist for an “extended period of time.”
The downward sales trend has continued in the current quarter, it said. Last week the company reported same-store sales at its Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman stores had fallen 12.7 percent in November, a period that includes the busy holiday shopping weekend following Thanksgiving.
Those two store chains account for about 83 percent of the company’s revenue.
Neiman Marcus said it experienced weak demand across all geographic areas and that its apparel and home decor categories were particularly hard hit.
SHRINKING SALES, PROFIT
Neiman Marcus said revenue in the fiscal first quarter, ended Oct. 31, fell 11.9 percent to $868.9 million.
The privately-held company reported a net profit of $8.5 million, down from $12.9 million a year earlier.
As has been the case with rival upscale retailers Saks Inc (SKS.N) and Nordstrom Inc (JWN.N), Neiman Marcus has maintained tighter inventory controls to avoid having to steeply discount merchandise to get it off shelves. Last year it was not uncommon to see luxury stores slash prices by 70 percent.
Neiman Marcus said its comparable inventories were 22.5 percent lower in the quarter than a year earlier.
Neiman Marcus was acquired by an investor group led by Texas Pacific Group and Warburg Pincus LLC in October 2005. (Reporting by Phil Wahba; additional reporting by Nivedita Bhattacharjee in Bangalore; editing by John Wallace)


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Delta Corporation Limited has urged the government and regulators to engage stakeholders ahead of major policy pronouncements in order to maintain market confidence in its trading update for the second quarter and half year to 30 September 2018.
The corporation urges the government as the country goes through panic buying after the Minister of Finance announced some changes in Zimbabwe’s tax from 5 cents a transaction to a 2 cents on every dollar transacted.
“Post the end of the reporting period, the fiscal and monetary policy pronouncements have been dampened by the currency policy statements which seem to contradict the previous undertakings by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe on the multicurrency framework,” Delta says in a press release.
“In addition the 2% transaction tax took both business and consumers by surprise, raising policy risks and undermining market confidence.”
Delta Corporations also says the group’s revenue increased by 33% (30% organic growth) for the quarter and 37% for the half year driven by the volume growth in the beer businesses.
The Lager beer volume grew by 52% over prior year for the quarter and is up 54% for the six months.
“The Sorghum beer volume in Zimbabwe grew by 9% above prior year for the quarter and 2% for the six months,” the company says.
“National Breweries Plc – Zambia (Natbrew Plc) recorded a volume growth of 13%, in response to the volume recovery initiatives which focus on packs and competitive pricing,” Delta goes on.
Although there has been growth in revenue, Delta’s spackling beverages volume declined by 14% compared to the prior year for the quarter and grew by 3% for the six months.
“The category (Spakling beverages) was adversely affected by the challenges in securing imported raw materials, leading to extended periods of production stoppages and out of stock situations,” Delta says.
“The production capacity for Chibuku Super is now fully extended whilst that for standard Chibuku is limited by the shortages of Scud bottles.”
Lager beer is meeting some frictional shortages of brands and packs occasioned by the limited production capacity and raw material supply issues.
Delta Corporations also says it has maintained stable retail prices since 2013 in its latest trading update.
“The business performance reflects the relative impact of the import content requiring hard currency in each business segment,” the company says. “Consumer demand has been firm due to increased economic activity in mining and agriculture, expansionary fiscal and monetary policies and the election-related spending”


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Planning underway for 2022 shows, Plus INDX Sports launching soon...
Having successfully resumed in-person shows over the summer, INDX Fashion is already looking forward to returning to Cranmore Park in Solihull for its next round of shows with the confirmed dates listed as follows:
Registration is opening soon so make sure you keep an eye on @INDXFashion for details and updates!
We are also delighted to confirm that we are adding an exciting new show to our portfolio and we will be launching our first INDX Sports & Leisure show at Cranmore Park on 1st-2nd December. Details will be released soon, so watch this space and in the meantime don't forget to follow @INDXFashion for all the latest news!


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In parts of the Southwest, as in other parts of the U.S., the homegrown produce deal is short, but produce suppliers in the region say they’re working to get all the local product they can find.
Arizona shippers, such as Legend Distributing LLC, Glendale, Ariz., say they are working to take full advantage of Arizona’s winter vegetable deal, in both conventional and organic items.
Legend says it has launched a major commitment to Arizona-grown product.
“We really are expanding and branching off into some pretty exciting directions for 2013, and we are really going to expand on local-grown,” said Barry Zwillinger, a co-owner at Legend Distributing.
It’s what many customers want, Zwillinger said.
“I’m going to some of the largest restaurant chains and independent restaurant owners in Arizona that are going to this healthy approach, and I’m saying, ‘What items are you looking for that are local grown?’” Zwillinger said.
The company is launching a new label, Four Peaks, dedicated specifically to homegrown items, Zwillinger said.
The established Legend label will be retained outside the local program, Zwillinger said.
For the local program, the company is offering conventional and organic product grown primarily in Vicksburg, Ariz., he said.
It’s a nod to the way things used to be, he said.
“Our fathers came out West, and they worked with a lot of these items that were grown locally in smaller scales, and now we focus on how to continue the quality and produce it for less,” Zwillinger said.
Legend Distributing brings in product from nearly 4,000 acres, although no acreage figures yet were available for the local program, Zwillinger said.
“Legend is going to take the scale of focus on local items and grow them for the foodservice and retail trade here in town,” he said.
It’s local product for a specific area around Phoenix, he said.
“We’re not looking to be the size or scale to handle the whole country, but we do want the local market,” he said.
Legend was on track to fill two new sales and marketing positions by the first of the year and already had hired 30-year industry veteran Lance Nichols to fill one of the slots.
Nichols came to the company after eight years as general manager of Del Monte’s distribution center in Phoenix, Zwillinger said. Nichols also had been a retail buyer for retailer Safeway.
“Lance is going to be working directly on our local grown direction from the farm here in Vicksburg (Ariz.), with our vegetables and introducing them into the retail and foodservice trade here in town,” Zwillinger said.
Legend hadn’t finalized its estimate on volume of local product for the upcoming season, Zwillinger said.
He did say the program would include squash, zucchini and other vegetables to start.
Other suppliers are answering the call for local product.
“I think more and more restaurants are putting the local on their menus, and we’re now in the height of our growing season here in Arizona,” said Willie Itule, owner of Willie Itule Produce Inc., Phoenix.
The limitations of the season do present certain problems, said Stacy Wilson, sales and marketing director for Just the Best Ltd. Co., a Santa Fe, N.M.-based wholesaler.
“The locally grown market in New Mexico is definitely increasing, but there’s not enough production for me to participate,” she said.
Utah is in a similar situation, said Murray Harris, sales manager at Condies Foods, Salt Lake City.


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Palo Alto, California: Barbie Doll Hall of Fame (Gone)
- Closed, Mattel bought collection.
Results 1 to 2 of 2...
Mattel buys Barbie Doll Hall of Fame collection
Visitor Tips and News About Barbie Doll Hall of Fame
Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.
The Mattel corporation, makers of Barbie Dolls, has paid an undisclosed amount to purchase the 21-thousand Barbies from the recently closed Barbie Doll Hall of Fame. The Barbie HofF had been kicked out of their Palo Alto, CA, location by a neighboring restaurant with plans to expand.
... [04/25/1999] Complete News Story
21,000 Barbie dolls may end up on the street
The Barbie Hall of Fame has been given until mid-April to get out of its leased space in downtown Palo Alto, CA. A fancy Mediterranean restaurant next door wants to expand, so 21,000 Barbies may soon be out in the street, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
... [03/14/1999] Complete News Story
November 28, 2015
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- The Blue Hole, Santa Rosa, New Mexico
- Deer Statues - Scioto Lounge, Columbus, Ohio
- Johnny Appleseed Grave, Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Giant Golden Ear, LaVale, Maryland
- Frostop Drive-In, Huntington, West Virginia


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✍ 30 May, 2023 - 13:03
Anuncia en El Planteo, el medio cannábico más leído en el mundo de habla hispana.
- HeartBeam, Inc. (NASDAQ:BEAT) shares are trading higher after entering a strategic alliance agreement with Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (OTC:SSNGY) (OTC:SSNLF).
- The deal extends the existing pact between HeartBeam’s recently-acquired LIVMOR and Samsung. The financial terms were not disclosed.
- Under the latest deal, HeartBeam and Samsung will assess and monitor cardiac symptoms, tapping the HeartBeam’s patented technology.
- “Our newly acquired state of the art, FDA cleared, Samsung watch-based arrhythmia detection tool, once integrated with the HeartBeam AIMIGo™ telehealth platform, presents a unique opportunity to extend our product capabilities well beyond what is currently available for cardiac patients outside of a medical setting,” said Branislav Vajdic, Ph.D., HeartBeam CEO and Founder.
- HeartBeam acquired the assets of LIVMOR earlier this year. Founded in 2016, LIVMOR developed the Halo Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Detection System, the world’s first FDA-cleared prescription wearable for continuous cardiac rhythm monitoring.
- The potential of combining LIVMOR’s technology and the HeartBeam AIMIGo system holds significant promise to address primary cardiac conditions for veterans.
- Price Action: BEAT shares are trading higher by 7.6% to $2.34 on the last check Tuesday.
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Todo el material compartido por ElPlanteo.com tiene fines únicamente periodísticos e informativos.


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OMAX has scheduled its next virtual event, “The Versatile World of Waterjet”
Displaying 1-10 of 41 results for
LIMS—the Low Investment Manufacturing System—is an unassuming little box consisting of a computer with proprietary Solution Engine software and an I/O hub that plugs into a standard outlet. When wired at the edge of a piece of production equipment, it becomes a simple solution for collecting and sharing complex sensor-derived data.
There are more applications of semiconductors in hybrid and electric vehicles which are now growing significantly, with more than 1 million EVs added in the last year globally.
San Jose, Calif., company Sakuu Corp. is preparing to make its own batteries of ceramic and pure lithium and sell its AM technology later this year.
The most important step in digitizing any manufacturing or supply chain process is analysis of the ROI and business case and being able to demonstrate success to company leaders.
Thanks in part to its pro-business policies, strong workforce, and trade infrastructure, Florida ranks among the nation’s top 10 states for manufacturing.
Formlabs, known for its line of desktop stereolithography (SLA) printers, is looking to expand its 3D printing reach with availability of its new Fuse 1 benchtop industrial selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printer. Under development for nearly seven years, the Fuse 1 marks a notable change for Formlabs as they expand into a new additive manufacturing process.
Google Cloud today announced an expanded relationship with Johnson Controls that will involve the leading building technology and solutions company running SAP’s Enterprise Resource Pning Central Component (ECC) environment on Google Cloud.
PRAB Inc. has introduced the Bundle Breaker, a conveyor enhancement that preconditions stubborn metal scrap bundles for improved material transfer, processing and safety.
Laser cutting and waterjet cutting: two great technologies that go great together? Or best when they play solo? As ever, the answer is it depends—on what work a shop has coming in the door, what materials are being processed most often, operator skill levels and, ultimately, the available equipment budget.


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Mutiny’s New Browser-Based Bitcoin Wallet on Lightning Avoids App Store Restrictions
Mutiny, a Bitcoin wallet startup, released on Thursday a beta version of what it says is the first self-custodial Lightning wallet that runs on the web.
We’re thrilled to announce that Mutiny Wallet beta is now available to everyone. Getting started with Lightning has never been easier. https://t.co/1Hsrp81FVV
— Mutiny Wallet (@MutinyWallet) July 13, 2023
The wallet is browser-based, which avoids restrictions that might be placed on wallets distributed through app stores run by Apple or Google.
Apple has reportedly censored bitcoin-focused products like the decentralized social media app Damus. That app’s developer was forced to remove a bitcoin tipping feature that Apple ultimately considered a prohibited form of payment for digital content. Two of Mutiny’s founders later released a workaround for the Damus feature, known as Zapple Pay, that relies on emojis to trigger tips.
Mutiny CEO Tony Giorgio says creating a web-based wallet allows for unrestricted innovation and is the key quality that sets the product apart from its competition.
“Our main difference compared to other Lightning wallets like Phoenix and Muun is that our wallet is a progressive web app (PWA),” Giorgio told CoinDesk. “So we can ship and push updates that are not restricted to the limitations of the Apple or Google store platforms.”
One example of that innovation is what Mutiny calls just-in-time channels, which is a feature that alleviates the burden of managing channel liquidity – the ability to send and receive funds on Lightning, Bitcoin’s second layer payment network for cheaper and faster transactions.
Many experts agree that liquidity management is Lightning’s Achilles’ heel. Last month, Bitcoin developer and researcher Burak Keceli told CoinDesk, “Lightning has many problems. But number one to me is the inbound liquidity problem.”
Another notable feature is Mutiny’s social tipping capability via the Nostr Wallet Connect (NWC) protocol. This allows the wallet to easily integrate with Nostr apps like Damus to enable tips, also known as “zaps.” The functionality can be extended beyond tipping to facilitate payment for subscription-based products and services. Nostr is an acronym for “notes and other stuff transmitted by relays.”
Last week’s launch of Zapple Pay by Mutiny Chief Technology Officer Ben Carman and Chief Product Officer Paul Miller relied on a clever way to enable zaps via emojis.
The launch came after Apple threatened to remove Damus from its App Store for allowing users to tip each other on content posted in the app – a prohibited practice the tech giant reportedly considers equivalent to selling digital media.
Since Zapple Pay enables zaps via emojis and emojis are allowed on posts, Damus users can still tip on posts, despite Apple’s restrictions.
Miller says Zapple Pay runs on NWC and that it acted as a testing ground for the new wallet’s social tipping feature.
“We have a lot of NWC stuff built-in,” Miller explained. “Ben and I thought Zapple Pay would be a fun way to test it out.”
The company emphasized that Mutiny is still in beta mode, meaning there may still be bugs to fix.
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“Some lesser-known bugs exist, but we generally want to exercise caution when using this wallet for now,” the company states on its blog. “Test the wallet, let us know how it is, and I promise we will surprise you with how fast we fix your bugs and ship new features.”


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Google relaunched its Pay app last year, placing a greater focus on sending money between friends and family. Having a built-in Venmo alternative on Android is great, but users who actually want to use their newfound cash have been stuck moving balances between their virtual wallet and bank account. That's not the case anymore, as Google Pay allows you to submit any NFC payment with your account balance.
In an oddly-specific narrative published this morning, AllThingsD reported that sources close to Larry Page and Google Wallet have confirmed that plans for the physical Google Wallet credit card have been cut up, and VP of Wallet Osama Bedier pushed out of the company.
We exclusively reported on the Wallet card last November, when it appeared in a leaked version of the Google Wallet app. You could even initiate the card ordering process, suggesting the project was well on its way to completion. So, we waited. And we waited. And then we waited some more. The Wallet card seemingly went off the radar, and as Ron noted, the "new Google Wallet" sign up page still greets visitors of the Wallet site, like a big "Coming Soon" banner in front of that one restaurant that never seems to actually make progress on those renovations that have been going for like 6 months now.


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Greenpeace Tags HP Building Over Computer Chemical Concerns
Greenpeace, showing the kind of embarrassment it can cause a corporation it puts in its sights, painted giant letters spelling out “Hazardous Products” on the rooftop of HP’s headquarters.
The July 28 protest, carried out in non-toxic children’s finger paint, came as a result of HP delaying until 2011 the phaseout of toxic chemicals, including polyvinyl chloride and brominated flame retardants, from its computer equipment. The company had recently backtracked from a promise to cease using the chemicals in 2009, saying that it did not have a suitable replacement for the chemicals.
Greenpeace put the letters, which spanned over 11,500 square feet or about two-and-a-half basketball courts, atop HP’s Palo Alto, Calif., headquarters.
HP shot back that, “The unconstructive antics at HP’s headquarters today did nothing to advance the goals that all who care about the environment share,” according to BusinessWeek.
On the Greenpeace USA blog, a writer opined: “Greenpeace is tired of hearing excuses from HP. … If Apple can produce electronics that are virtually free of PVC and completely BFR-free — what is the hold-up for HP?”
The protest hearkens back to a 2005 protest, in which Greenpeace activists protested at HP’s headquarters over the same computer chemicals, floating a small blimp that read, “HP: Harmful Products.”
In this most recent protest, Greenpeace even elicited the help of William Shatner, who recorded a message to be sent in a series of robocalls to HP staffers.
In Greenpeace’s latest Guide to Greener Electronics, released in early July, HP ranked 14th out of 18 electronics makers in terms of commitment to reducing harmful chemicals from electronics.
HP reportedly will begin selling a notebook free of BFRs and PVC later this year.
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text: CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (7/8/11)--The University of Illinois Alumni Association (UIAA) and the University of Illinois Employees CU (UIECU) are celebrating the first year of the Official Visa Card of the University of Illinois. In July 2010, UIAA selected the $252.6 million-asset, Champaign, Ill.-based UIECU, which has served University of Illinois families for nearly 80 years, to provide an Illinois-branded Visa credit card to its 625,000 members. The endorsement replaced a 19-year relationship with MBNA and its successor, Bank of America. UIAA said the credit union could provide better credit card terms and service to alumni than the major banks that have traditionally sponsored such affinity programs. In the first eight months of the program, the new partnership issued more University of Illinois-branded credit cards than any college or university during the previous calendar year nationwide. As part of the program, Illinois alumni and fans may carry one of six card designs representing the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield campuses. Cardholders also have the option to enroll in a rewards program. In one year, more than 2.5 million points have been earned by the program’s cardholders--translating to hundreds of free airline flights. “One year later, our cardholders are already saving over $250,000 annually in interest expense due to our low rates,” said E.J. Donaghey, UIECU president/CEO. As part of the partnership, a royalty is paid to the university’s alumni association from the transaction fee paid by merchants when they accept the card for payment. The royalties help fund alumni association programs, communications and services that benefit alumni, students and the University of Illinois.


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Social media is still a relatively new beast that is ever-evolving, and its constant changes have lead to a lack of consistency in reporting data. To help curb this, The Media Rating Council has created an official set of guidelines that they recently presented at Social Media Week Chicago. While there was a serious spread […]
How brands can show empathy in the wake of a crisis, and what they should absolutely avoid.
She may be from a small (tiny!) town, but Stephanie Ring, our new program manager, has worked with some big clients.
Agency lead Azra Grudic weighs in on the impact of ad blocking.
Facebook announces the launch of new search capabilities.
The annual Chicago Innovation Awards took place last week. Among the organizations celebrated was one we’re proud to call a client. AMPY was awarded in the “Up & Comer” category for AMPY MOVE. This wearable technology is a portable power source that charges as you move. Congratulations, AMPY! AMPY was also spotlighted recently for successfully […]
YouTube is rolling out a new subscription service that will give users access to its repertoire completely ad-free.


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Silver futures surged by more than 9% on Monday to $29.42 per ounce, sending silver prices to an eight-year high. “Shares of Pan American Silver surged more than 9%, First Majestic Silver rose 18.7%, Hecla Mining spiked 21.8%, and Coeur Mining soared 17.6%,” Cheddar reported on Monday. Expert and amateur stock market analysts speculated that silver’s sudden rise could be tied to the same Reddit group that sent GameStop shares skyrocketing. However, members of r/WallStreetBets say that they aren’t sold on the precious metal commodity.
Immediately following silver’s unexpected outburst, the hashtag #silversqueeze trended on Twitter. The Redditors from r/WallStreetBets were blamed for attempting to squeeze silver shorts, much in the same way they had done to heavily shorted stocks such as GameStop (GME) and AMC (AMC) in an attempt to royally screw over hedge funds, which they succeded in doing. Last week, Reddit sent GameStop (GME) skyrocketing more than 1,600%. CNN Business reported, “Melvin Capital, a premier Wall Street hedge fund entangled in the frenzy over GameStop (GME), lost 53% in January.”
There is a popular post in r/WallStreetBets titled: “There is no silver short squeeze happening. NONE. NEVER.”
“Silver might go up nicely and for a time but don’t get high on hopium, this is not gonna go in the 100s,” the post read.
— #wallstreetbets (@russian_market) February 1, 2021
“IT’S A TRAP!” one Redditor warned, according to the New York Daily News.
Another Redditor said, “The amount of fake news, trade limits, hedgies saying they covered, silver manipulation only tells me THEY ARE STILL SCARED. These tactics would not be deployed if they covered and were out.”
“By buying silver … you would be directly putting money into the pockets of the EXACT HEDGE FUNDS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF $GME,” wrote a Redditor, adding that buying silver hurts the effort to prop up GameStop stonk. “It will put you on the sidelines from this righteous and glorious war we are in.”
Cryptocurrency investor Tyler Winklevoss wrote on Twitter, “The #silversqueeze is a rage against the machine.”
Cameron Winklevoss tweeted, “If silver market is proven to be fraudulent, you better believe gold market will be next.”
If Silver market is proven to be fraudulent, you better believe Gold market will be next. HUGE implications especially for countries that have de-dollarized and central banks with large Gold holdings. #silversqueeze
— Cameron Winklevoss (@cameron) January 31, 2021
Retail sites reportedly couldn’t handle the soaring demand this weekend for silver bars and silver coins. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission said it is monitoring the silver markets, adding, “remains vigilant in surveilling these markets for fraud and manipulation.”


text: Do you like America? Good, us too. And so does Chrysler, which, as of this year, is now owned by Fiat. But the company put any worries that it would lose some of its Detroit, and by association American, pride to rest with a new commercial that is narrated by Bob Dylan. Chrysler highlights the completely new 200, which has a much more attractive look and will feature all-wheel drive for the first time ever. Enjoy the patriotism above.


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Flash memory companies continue to rake in the investment funds. Among them is Violin Memory, which today announced that it had raised $35 million in Series B funding led by Toshiba and Juniper Networks.
Toshiba, like Samsung, has been seeding the market for its own flash memory chips by investing in startups that are dependent on the low-power, solid-state storage tech. Toshiba America’s Vice President of the Memory Business Unit, Scott Nelson stated in a release, “We are pleased to expand our relationship with Violin and help accelerate the penetration of flash Memory Arrays in the performance-driven enterprise data centers.” No doubt.
Violin Memory makes a caching appliances that provide an app performance boost for businesses that want to fetch data that resides on disk-based NFS storage systems. Depending on the size of the Violin array and the total percentage of data offloaded onto its hardware, applications can see up to a 30X improvement in IOPS and latency, according to the company. Its technology can be found in the data centers of companies like AOL, Microsoft and HP.
Today’s funding news keeps alive the flash funding momentum that went into high gear a little over a year ago as data center operators turned their attention to energy efficiency. In late 2009, funding rounds, some spearheaded by big names in flash memory production like Samsung, poured millions into startups working on flash and SSD-based storage systems for data centers. Fusion-io, a maker of flash storage cards for servers, stands as a notable example of a firm that’s been riding that wave to broader market opportunities.
With this round of funding, it looks like Violin is charting the same course.
Image credit: Violin Memory


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With the artificial intelligence (AI) buzz capturing global attention, discerning investors must identify stocks with concrete revenue gains from AI. Analysts project the AI revolution as the fourth industrial revolution, foreseeing widespread applications across industries. Notable sectors like cybersecurity have successfully employed AI for threat detection, showcasing its potential beyond early adopters like Google.
That said, these innovative players, marked by market dominance and cutting-edge advancements, are poised for growth after a successful 2023. Let’s dive into the reasons these three companies remain among the top AI stocks for the upcoming year.
In 2023, Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) defied skeptics and proved to be a financial market favorite.
Bank of America’s (NYSE:BAC) Vivek Arya notes Nvidia’s robust free cash flow, providing strategic flexibility. In fact, Arya anticipates Nvidia exploring assets for a more substantial recurring revenue profile. Additionally, Wedbush’s Dan Ives is similarly optimistic. He asserts the start of a new tech bull market anchored in AI hardware industry growth.
Also, in 2023, Nvidia dominated the market for generative AI chips, propelling NVDA stock to a remarkable 269% increase. With a revenue surge of 206% in Q3, reaching $18.12 billion, Nvidia became the sixth-largest publicly traded company globally.
Nvidia boasts an 85% market share in accelerator chips. Despite challenges in the China market, NVDA remains robust with excellent fundamentals, trading at just 24-times FY2025 earnings. Therefore, expectations are positive for sustained strength in the coming year.
C3.ai (NYSE:AI) operates in the AI sector without direct competitors. While large enterprise software firms could be potential rivals, founder Thomas Siebel noted unawareness of a competitive product from Oracle.
C3.ai provides tools for optimizing operations and making data-driven forecasts. Recent agreements Nucor and the U.S. Navy, along with partnerships with Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services, and Microsoft, showcase its growing presence.
In September, Siebel acknowledged the decision to postpone non-GAAP profitability due to heavy investments in generative AI. The Q2 2024 results revealed a 17% year-over-year (YOY) revenue growth. This marks an improvement from previous quarters.
As anticipated, the company brought in a non-GAAP operating loss of $25.0 million in Q2. This was higher when compared to $15.0 million in the previous year. But for those seeking top-line growth, many look to C3.ai as an AI beneficiary that may be able to pick things up in Q1.
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)
However, 2024 brings a turnaround. The release of Instinct MI300 accelerators underscores their capability of running generative AI applications. Projected to ship 400,000 units, AMD anticipates significant revenue growth. The Ryzen 8040 Series processors for laptops add to its revenue streams.
While data center revenue remained stable, client-based revenue increased by 42%. Additionally, gaming segment earnings slightly decreased, and the embedded segment saw a slight decline.
At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, AMD unveiled new silicon for PCs, featuring desktop CPUs and the budget-friendly Radeon RX 7600 XT graphics card. This marks the introduction of the Ryzen 8000 series for desktops. And the top offerings boast dedicated Neural Processing Units (NPUs), enhancing AI-focused workload capabilities for Photoshop, Zoom, and Windows 11 apps.
With a 120% increase in the last year, AMD stock shows resilience and earns an “A” rating in the Portfolio Grader.
On the date of publication, Chris MacDonald did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.


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Caught on camera: Brookfield Police look for two retail theft suspects
Posted: 4:46 PM, Jul 11, 2019
Updated: 2019-07-11 17:51:03-04
Brookfield Police Department
BROOKFIELD — The Brookfield Police Department is looking for help finding two suspects accused of taking merchandise from a business Thursday.
According to police, the two entered the Burlington Coat Factory on West Capitol Drive and removed $380 of clothes without paying.
If you recognize either of the suspects, contact the City of Brookfield Police Department at 262-787-3702.
Copyright 2019 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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Greene King has seen profits from its 1,474 tenanted pubs in England and Wales slip by 3.4% in the past eight weeks as the company raised spending on rent concessions, beer promotions and other measures to revive flagging sales.
Two months ago the Suffolk-based brewery revealed 17 of its tenanted pubs had closed and publicans on short-term, easy-to-exit agreements operated a further 131. Yesterday, the company hinted these figures remained broadly unchanged, but added: "An increasing level of support is being provided to underpin licensee viability."
Before a shareholder meeting yesterday, Greene King said: "Market conditions remain challenging as consumer confidence continues to weaken and consumer expenditure continues to contract."
Analysts believe beer sales in the Suffolk brewer's tenanted pubs, particularly in lower-income areas, are under considerable pressure. Some estimates suggested they were down 7%.
Yesterday's statement from Greene King prompted some to suggest an update this morning from Punch Taverns, Britain's largest pub landlord, is likely to detail further woes being experienced by thousands of Britain's tenant and leasehold publicans.
In July, Greene King said like-for-like profits from its tenanted pubs were running at similar levels to last year - unable to improve on one of the worst summer's on record in 2007, when persistent wet weather kept drinkers out of Britain's beer gardens. Yesterday Greene King made clear like-for-like profits since its July update had begun to decline, down about 3.4%.
Greene King's tenanted pub division for England and Wales, known as Pub Partners, accounts for only 31% of Greene King's top-line operating profit despite representing 57% of the group's 2,584 pubs.
Just over half of group operating profits are generated from Greene King's managed pub division, characterised by larger, busier pubs, serving a greater proportion of food. Comparable sales for this division were down 2.8% for the first eight weeks of the financial year, but have recovered some ground in the past two months. For the 16-week period like-for-like sales were down 1.6% - better than some analysts had expected.
A good part of the improvement is believed to have come from promotions such as "the meal and a drink" for less than £6 at its Hungry Horse pub chain.
"Despite the trading challenges and lacklustre outlook for the economy, the board anticipates meeting its expectations for the year," Greene King told shareholders yesterday.


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Apple today reworked its notebook line, boosting the touch-ability of the MacBook Pro line, not by letting users smudge the screen but with an adaptable bar above the top row of keys.
The expected replacement for the row of function keys got the name "Touch Bar," without the "Magic" moniker some thought would lead of the label.
But with the new hardware came new, higher prices: Apple raised the entry-level prices of the new 13- and 15-in MacBook Pros with the Touch Bar by $500 and $400, respectively, from their bar-less predecessors. The price hikes represented increases of 39% (13-in.) and 20% (15-in.).
"This is very much a redesign, not a refresh," said Ross Rubin, principal analyst at Reticule Research. Traditionally, Apple has kept prices stable, even lowered them, when it replaces a component or two with a faster or more capable successor. Rubin's argument was that the new models went far beyond that modest swap.
Carolina Milanesi, an analyst with Creative Strategies, had similar thoughts. "Apple is repositioning the product, reinventing the [MacBook Pro]," she contended, acknowledging that the hikes were unusual for Apple. "Normally they keep the price the same, but it's not just a refresh. They're trying to find a different place in the market for the MacBook Pro."
Today was the first live event since March 2015 where Apple focused on the Mac, and it followed months of rationalizing by analysts that the long stretch since the last hardware refresh had been the root cause of a four-quarter sales slump.
CEO Tim Cook promised to make up for the omission. "For 25 years we've been defining and redefining what a notebook is," Cook said, citing the October 1991 debut of Apple's first PowerBook, a clunky, brick-thick portable. "Today, we're going to do it again."
Cook ceded the stage to others, including head of marketing Philip Schiller and Craig Federighi, the top software engineering executive: The two unveiled the redesigned 13- and 15-in. MacBook Pro laptops, then demonstrated the models' most notable addition, the Touch Bar.
The laptops are slimmer, lighter versions of their predecessors, each model dropping about half a pound and losing between 14% and 17% of its thickness. "It is the gold standard in notebook computers," Schiller asserted. "This is the thinnest and lightest MacBook Pro we have ever made."
Both the 13- and 15-in. MacBook Pros sport a trackpad doubled the previous size, and a keyboard whose underlying technology was brought over from the 2015 MacBook.
But the star of the new laptops was clearly the Touch Bar, a mutable strip above the top row of keys, where traditional notebooks feature the F1 through F12 function keys. The strip responds to the Apple-esque multi-touch gestures, and adapts to the active application. With Safari, for example, the Touch Bar shows icons representing favorite sites.
Also imbedded in that bar is Touch ID. "We're bringing Touch ID to the Mac for the very first time," said Federighi. The integrated fingerprint scanner works just like the one on iPhones; users can log in -- dropping account password typing -- and validate online transactions using Apple Pay by pressing a finger or thumb to the bar.
The Touch Bar, Apple emphasized, kept the input area near the keyboard, where the hands were, implying that's more efficient than reaching out to a touch-enabled screen. The Cupertino, Calif. company has rejected touch screens on the Mac, and defended its decision to limit that to iOS. But it's impossible not to see the Touch Bar as a touch-is-input enhancement, an addition to the well-worn Touch Pad and its library of gestures.
Whether Apple moves beyond the strip, and to the screen itself, is unclear.
"I've learned never to say never about Apple," said Milanesi. "Right now, Apple is saying that not every screen needs to be touch-enabled. But over time, perhaps this is a stepping stone."
Although Apple's own applications will have a jump on third-party software in supporting the Touch Bar, outside developers will be able to access it as well. Microsoft is working on supporting Touch Bar in its Office suite, and Adobe is planning to add support to Photoshop by year's end.
"What will be important is how much developers are going to push [supporting the Touch Bar]," Milanesi added.
Like the MacBook, the new MacBook Pros have ditched the traditional USB ports for a quartet of ports that serve multiple duty, including USB-C, Thunderbolt and charging. For many, that will require new adapters to fit existing peripherals -- external keyboards, printers and displays, for instance -- after a MacBook Pro upgrade.
Apple also dropped the 11-in. MacBook Air, leaving only the $999 13-in. version, and adding a less expensive 13-in. MacBook Pro that features the traditional function keys -- no Touch Pad -- a slower processor and only a pair of ports. The Apple online store also continued to list the 2015 versions of the 13-in. MacBook Pro ($1,299) and 15-in. MacBook Pro ($1,999) for sale.
The 13- and 15-in. MacBook Pros with the Touch Bar start at $1,799 and $2,399 respectively. Customers can pre-order those notebooks beginning today, but the systems won't ship for approximately two to three weeks, Cook said. The new 13-in. MacBook Pro sans the Bar is available immediately at $1,499.


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By Nicola HarrisonJune 10 2011
Bike retailers are beating the recession as people try to get healthy and petrol costs soar. And the success isn’t limited to the big names
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Just days after the end of a summer sale that laid bare many of Steam's issues with helping people discover new games, Valve has announced a new section dedicated to "experiments around discoverability, video, machine learning, and more".
That's the idea behind Steam Labs at least.
The new Steam Labs hub is available today. They could be tweaked, significantly changed, or outright dropped at any moment based on the whims of Valve and user feedback.
Valve also appears to appeal to developers by noting that the model does not require developer optimization, "The best way for a developer to optimize for this model is to make a game that people enjoy playing".
White House scraps proposal to lower US drug prices
Walid Gellad , director of the Center for Pharmaceutical Policy and Prescribing at the University of Pittsburgh told NPR . The administration's about-face was the second setback in a week for the president's drive to lower drug prices.
Silverstone Circuit Secures British Grand Prix Until 2024
I feel like there have been other incidents in the past, which have been less big in a way, and have been penalised. There is excitement and adrenaline going and there are pressures. "This weekend it will be closer".
Assassin's Creed and Splinter Cell might be getting exclusive VR games
Apparently, the Splinter Cell series has a new chance to return to the market: as a title for the Oculus viewers on Facebook . The Information reported the news this morning, although it didn't offer much detail about what those games would look like.
The three launch experiments are Micro Trailers, the Interactive Recommender, and the Automated Show. "While it's important to supply users with useful information about your game on its store page, you shouldn't agonize about whether tags or other metadata will affect how a recommendations model sees your game". You can peruse these new micro trailer collections for builder games, RPGs, adventure games and plenty of other genres. Steam has a gargantuan library of titles and hundreds are added each month, so you're bound to miss a few.
Perhaps the strangest of these experiments is the Automatic Show, which will procedurally build a 30-minute broadcast of footage from new and popular games, and present it all to you in a digest format.
Interactive Recommender is probably the most interesting of the experimental features Valve released today as it allows you to play around with Steam's recommendation algorithm. Instead, it works with information gleaned from the Steam community itself. With Nvidia's Turing GPUs featuring Tensor Cores, itself hardware for the DLSS machine learning feature to save on performance through AI-powered image reconstruction, what do you think of the increased use of machine learning in games? It's a hefty undertaking by Valve that's unlike anything the developer has tackled in the process just yet. Firefox has its Test Pilot program where you can try various in-development add-ons, and now Steam is getting something similar.
For additional Steam Labs experiments coming down the pipeline, you can join the Steam Labs Community Group and keep an eye on when new additions join the hub. Meanwhile, we'll be watching to see where this all goes.


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Reporter Austin Alonzo writes that Marjorie Adair foresees the alternative energy company expanding through acquisition.
Marjorie Adair is now working for Kansas City-based Brightergy LLC.
The CEO of KBP Foods, a massive fast-food franchisee, says the push for healthier eating hasn’t really changed the menu that much.
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The industrial, construction and medical services sectors are most in demand
Officials: Lack of awareness, shortage of cadres, and high costs are the main challenges of "3D printing"
3D printing will have a major role in the future of many sectors, such as construction, medicine, and aviation.
Photography: Ashok Verma
Experts and officials specialized in the 3D printing sector stated that the industry is currently facing several challenges that hinder the spread and appropriate expansion of its use, pointing out that the most prominent of these obstacles are the lack of awareness of institutions of the importance of using these technologies, the lack of specialized cadres locally and regionally, and the high cost of use.
They indicated to "Emirates Today" that the industrial, construction and medical services sectors are the most in demand for these technologies, and that the UAE is currently considered a regional center for 3D printing technologies, with the support of the presence of a large number of local and international companies, and the rapid growth of demand for use annually compared to the countries of the region. Noting that the markets are expected to witness during the coming period a gradual growth in the use of these technologies, with the recent decline in the prices of raw materials and manufactured devices globally.
In detail, Haider Al-Haidari, the project manager at MIT company, said, “The 3D printing sector faces several challenges that prevent the necessary proliferation, and the most prominent of these obstacles are the high cost of use compared to traditional methods, in addition to the lack of awareness among companies and investors of the benefits of using printing. Three dimensions, and the lack of expertise and specialized human cadres, which makes a large part of accreditation in the sector through international companies.
He added that «the high cost is expected to decline gradually during the coming period, with the technology used is still modern and takes time to reduce its cost, which indicates expectations of demand growth in greater proportions during the coming period, especially if private and public companies’ awareness of the benefits of using With these technologies », pointing out that the construction, engineering, industry and medical services sectors are among the sectors most in demand for these technologies at the present time.
For his part, Executive Director of Emansa, Fahmi Al Shawa, said that “despite the fact that the UAE is leading the region in adopting the 3D printing sector, both in terms of the number of local and international companies present in the market or through the annual growth in the use of some printing technologies. , However, the field still faces several challenges that impede its expanded expansion, which are concentrated in the high cost and lack of awareness of its benefits, in addition to the lack of specialized cadres in the sector. ” .
In turn, the director of projects in the "Beyond 3D" company, Johnny Dela Cruz, said that "3D printing, despite being one of the areas of global competition today, being one of the main pillars of future industries, is still facing several challenges that hinder its proper spread in the country." And the region, including the lack of awareness and expert cadres in the field, ”pointing out that“ prices were one of the challenges, but recently it has witnessed signs of decline at the international level in the prices of raw materials and manufactured devices, indicating the possibility of overcoming this obstacle and increasing future demand for that industry. During the coming period, more ».
Benefits and potentials
Benefits and potentials
He added that “the benefits of 3D printing are multiple and support the development of various industrial and technical sectors. For example, through 3D printing, it is now possible to form alternative peripheral devices, with greater professionalism and accuracy for individuals who suffer loss or amputation of their limbs for various reasons, and instead of the prevailing trend of using a piece One as a uniform prosthesis for a person, it has become possible to accurately tailor a piece that matches his size and length with different materials, in addition to that it can be more easily integrated with artificial intelligence techniques and linked to the body and brain sensors, making it more like natural.
Cruz explained, “3D printing supports innovation in all industries, and as soon as any piece is designed to be installed with devices, it is formed according to its engineering drawing, in addition to that it eliminates previous challenges by not having specific spare parts for cars with the possibility of forming them in any material through 3D printing devices. ».
He added that «the sectors most in demand for 3D printing technologies in the country and the region are the sectors of industry, medical services, engineering designs and constructions».
The CEO of the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Complex, Hussein Al Mahmoudi, said, “3D printing is an important future sector in which global companies compete to take the lead in it, as it is one of the basic industries on which the elements of the fourth industrial revolution are based. An exhibition for 3D printing in the region with its affiliated halls during the beginning of October and continues during the month of November. It includes the various sectors covered by that industry with the participation of a number of local and international companies. It is also concerned with providing the necessary ingredients for the development of this industry in cooperation with different companies.
He added that «the UAE is one of the first countries in adopting 3D printing techniques, which made many international companies prefer working in the country, especially with the presence of some gradual demand indicators compared to many countries in the region.
He pointed out that "the 3D printing industry is currently facing some challenges, including the lack of awareness among companies of the importance of using these technologies, which requires the existence of incentive policies to support their use more during the coming period."
He explained that "3D printing will have a major role in the future of many sectors, such as construction, medicine, aviation and others, as products are manufactured using 3D printing technology."
The CEO of the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Complex, Hussein Al Mahmoudi, said that “3D printing keeps pace with the aspirations of the UAE in various sectors, including space, while providing the necessary capabilities for future industries,” noting that “the UAE has witnessed experiences of 3D printing in different sectors. The "complex" provides, through specialized companies, the possibility of three-dimensional printing of all materials, with the availability of more diverse devices and the availability of suitable laboratories that can be used to support the development of different products for that industry.
He pointed out that “the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Complex attracted, during the year 2019, international companies specializing in the construction of buildings using 3D printing technologies, as the first house was built with a heritage architecture based on these technologies.”
"We are working in the complex with our partners from all over the world, to transfer expertise in the field of 3D printing, which is expected to contribute to supplying the global economy with 300 billion dollars by 2025, which provides opportunities that await all those involved in advanced technology," he added.
The UAE is a regional hub for 3D printing technologies, supported by local and international companies and the rapid growth of demand.
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Retail stocks slipped 0.8 percent Wednesday as investors continued to search for direction following weeks of turmoil, when the U.S. recovery was called into question and Europe’s debt crisis was watched nervously.
The S&P Retail Index fell 3.49 points to 438.20, its first decline for the week.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average spent most of the day in the red, but ended ahead 4.69 points to 10,409.49. Energy stocks rallied on news that BP would suspend its dividend and set aside $20 billion to help victims of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. priced the secondary public offering of 9 million shares owned by chairman and chief executive officer Ralph Lauren at $81 a share. The stock had been trading above that, but fell 2.8 percent to $80.12 Wednesday.
J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs & Co., Deutsche Bank Securities and UBS Investment Bank are underwriting the offering and have a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1.4 million shares of Lauren’s personal holdings. Polo also is buying 1 million shares from Lauren at $81 apiece.
The stock offering could raise $919.4 million for Lauren, who will continue to control the company.
Shares of Quiksilver Inc. rose for the second straight day, perking up 1 percent to $4.89 following word Tuesday that the company inked a $75 million debt-for-equity exchange with private equity firm Rhône. Moody’s Investors Service put the firm’s “B3” corporate family credit rating and its “Caa2” senior unsecured note rating on review for possible upgrade Wednesday. The debt watchdog said it would consider the impact of the deal and headway the firm has made in its gross margins.
European investors pushed the CAC 40 up 0.4 percent to 3,675.93 in Paris, as the FTSE 100 rose 0.4 percent to 5,237.92 in London and the DAX advanced 0.3 to 6,190.91 in Frankfurt.
The Nikkei 225 shot up 1.8 percent to 10,067.15 in Tokyo and the Hang Seng Index inched up 0.1 percent to 20,062.15 in Hong Kong.
In Washington Wednesday, the Labor Department said the Producer Price Index prices for U.S.-made apparel were flat in May compared with April and rose 0.2 percent from a year earlier.
Women’s apparel prices were also flat in May compared with a month earlier, but declined 0.3 percent year-over-year. Men’s apparel prices dropped 0.1 percent month-to-month, but rose 0.8 percent from May 2009.
Falling energy and food prices drove the overall PPI for all goods and services down a seasonally adjusted 0.3 percent in May. The so-called core index, which excludes volatile food and energy figures, rose 0.2 percent.
“Inflation is not a concern right now — deflation remains the primary risk,” Nigel Gault, chief U.S. economist at IHS Global Insight.
The PPI for apparel is not a true indicator of industry price fluctuations because the vast majority of clothing sold in the U.S. is imported. The Consumer Price Index, due out today, is a more accurate measure because it reflects the prices of all goods sold at retail.
Domestic prices for women’s knit shirts and blouses, suits and pantsuits and tailored jackets and vests were all flat in May. Knit shirt prices declined 2.7 percent, while suit and pantsuit prices were flat and tailored jackets declined 0.1 percent.
Men’s work clothing prices declined 0.1 percent in May, but increased 2.7 percent from a year earlier. Knit shirt prices were flat month-to-month and were up 1.8 percent compared with May 2009. Prices for men’s suits increased 0.6 percent in May and advanced 1.5 percent year-over-year.
“These collections continue to build on that vision, empowering differently abled adults to express themselves through fashion,” said @tommyhilfiger of his line of adaptive apparel, which launches today. The line consists of 37 men’s and 34 women’s styles based upon the pieces from the spring Tommy Hilfiger sportswear collection. #wwdnews
“Stranger Things” is getting a new cast member for season 2. Meet @sadiesink_, the 15-year-old who will be joining the Netflix series for its new season. You may recognize her from “The Glass Castle” with Brie Larson and Woody Harrelson, but the Texas native’s next role goes in an entirely different direction. She describes her character, Max, as “a rough and tumble skater girl [who] becomes friends with the boys at school.” The second season debuts on October 27. (📷: @jgreenery) #wwdeye
Amid the Harvey Weinstein controversy, there’s another sector that’s being put under the spotlight for sexual abuse: the modeling industry. While rumors about abuse and sexual harassment of female and male models — and the photographers, agents and others who perpetrated it — have circulated within the fashion world for years, model @cameronrussell started posting stories from models on Instagram last week about abusive situations they’ve encountered — from sexual harassment and molestation to attempted rape. Over 75 have weighed in so far. Read more on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdnews
To celebrate its 16th anniversary, @dylanscandybar tapped designers and celebrities to create mosaics out of candy. The mosaics will be auctioned off to support the philanthropic cause of each participant’s choice. Pictured here is the mural created by @aliceandolivia's Stacey Bendet. For a first look at some of the other artwork being unveiled tonight, go to WWD.com. #wwdeye
The annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in Pacific Palisades this weekend drew Kate Hudson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Laura Dern and more. See pictures of the star-studded event on WWD.com. (📷: @chelsealaurenla) #wwdeye
In his new book “Hollywood Royale,” Andy Warhol’s Protégé Matthew Rolston celebrates the Eighties revival of Hollywood glamour. Featuring more than 100 portraits taken by Rolston from 1977 to 1993, the book contains photos of icons like Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and @drewbarrymore, pictured here in 1991. “Hollywood Royale,” out today, will be accompanied by an exhibition opening at Los Angeles’ Fahey/Klein Gallery on March 1. #wwdeye
"Nowadays when life is not so happy with everything going on in the world, I think people come to me for a little bit of whimsy and color and fun." - Designer Rebecca De Ravenel on her cult-favorite jewelry line. (📸 : @vsteves) #wwd40
“Everyone is talking about how the retail industry is struggling, but I think it’s an incredible time because brands who are doing something different and innovative are setting themselves up for the future,” said @adamgoldston, who founded the luxury athletic brand @apl with his brother @ryangoldsten. The Goldston’s are part of WWD’s 40 under 40: a group of industry notables. See the rest of the list on WWD.com. (📷: @vsteves) #wwd40
@eyeswoon blogger Athena Calderone debuted her first-ever cookbook, “Cook Beautiful,” which is heavily centered on the presentation and visual expression of food. Pictured here are her miso glazed carrots from the book. Get the recipe on WWD.com. (📷: @johnny_miller_) #wwdeye


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A craft brew beer company and an ad agency have come up with a brilliant solution to problem of plastic six pack rings. What is the problem with six pack rings, you might ask? The plastic rings that hold six cans of soda or beer together in a standard six pack are so common, they are barely noticeable, and yet every year millions of birds, fish and turtles get caught in the clear plastic after the rings are discard in rivers, bays, and oceans. And the problem is huge. Americans drank 6.3 gallons of beer and around 10 billion gallons of soda, roughly half of which was in cans.
One approach to the addressing the problem is to make the rings solid, clipping over the top the cans. While that solves the problem of animals getting caught, the new solid caps are cumbersome and use more plastic. While they are designed to be recycled, it hard to say how many simply end up in landfills or the ocean. Roughly 80% of the plastic humans throw around away the world ends up in the oceans. Even if birds and turtles do not get caught in the rings, the plastic is still a threat. According to Greenpeace, approximately 70% of seabirds and 80% of sea turtles are now ingesting plastic. One study predicts that at current rates, by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans.
Now, We Believers ad agency and Saltwater Brewery in Delray, FL have come up with a brilliant solution. They have devised and have begun manufacture of six pack rings that are not only bio-degradable, but are also completely edible, safe animals and humans. The rings are made from beer brewing by-products and are said to be as strong and efficient as plastic packaging. The only downside so far is that the edible rings are more expensive than the plastic variety. Six pack rings that feed marine animals rather than kill them seems to be well worth a bit more per beer.
As reported by Amazyble.com: At present, the brewery is in the process of patenting together with a small startup of young engineers in Mexico. The social entrepreneurs believe that edible six-pack rings will have a huge impact on the CPG and Food and Beverage Industries. Of course, their number one goal is to save thousands of marine lives. The company writes: “For brands to be successful today, it is no longer about being the best IN the world. But rather, being the best FOR the world and take a real stance.”


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Bank of Ghana Governor Ernest Addison has said the launch of the GhanaPay mobile wallet on Wednesday, 15 June 2022, “marks yet another milestone in the digitisation of the financial system”.
Speaking at the launch, Dr Addison said: “Banks in Ghana are re-inventing themselves and have continued to respond positively to the competitive nature of the payment systems, characterised by increased consumer preferences for convenience and frictionless payment options”.
“This collaborative effort of a common electronic wallet would enable economies of scale through pooling of resources. By establishing this common GhanaPay mobile wallet, the cost of testing any new technology for each bank is reduced and allows new ways of doing business. Indeed, this is an exciting development for Ghana’s payment systems landscape and demonstrates how collaboration with the banking sector can proffer solutions for the transformation and deepening of the payments ecosystem”.
Read Dr Addison’s full speech below:
1. Let me specially thank His Excellency, the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Dr. Alhaji Mahamadu Bawumia for gracing this special occasion. We acknowledge your contributions over the years and continued support towards the digitalisation agenda of the Country.
2. Ladies and Gentlemen, today’s launch of GhanaPay mobile wallet, marks yet another milestone in the digitisation of the financial system. Banks in Ghana are re-inventing themselves and have continued to respond positively to the competitive nature of the payment systems, characterised by increased consumer preferences for convenience and frictionless payment options. This collaborative effort of a common electronic wallet would enable economies of scale through pooling of resources. By establishing this common GhanaPay mobile wallet, the cost of testing any new technology for each bank is reduced and allows new ways of doing business. Indeed, this is an exciting development for Ghana’s payment systems landscape and demonstrates how collaboration with the banking sector can proffer solutions for the transformation and deepening of the payments ecosystem.
3. The banking sector demonstrated its resilience with the ability to offer critical support to businesses and households during this pandemic. The sector’s push for electronic payments, especially during the critical lockdown times, enabled businesses and the public to make and receive payment using digital wallet. We also witnessed the banks’ support to borrowers including moratoria, while ensuring that depositors funds were not compromised. These interventions were underpinned by past reforms to strengthen and retool the banking sector, alongside enhanced compliance, and regulatory standards.
4. Ladies and Gentlemen, Ghana’s progress in migrating to electronic payments has been laudable. In less than a decade, GhIPSS Instant Pay transactions valued at GH¢420,000 in 2016 surged exponentially to GH¢31.4 billion in 2021. In tandem, both the value of mobile money transactions and registered mobile money agents also increased thirteen and four folds, respectively in 2021. Another key development was that Ghana’s cash usage measured by Currency in Circulation as a ratio of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) declined from 6.8 percent in 2016 to 4.7 percent in 2021. In addition, Ghana’s cheque usage per capita, which was 25.67 in 2016 declined to 18.9 in 2021.
5. The emergence of new business models in the banking sector, together with partnerships with financial technology (FinTechs) companies in offering of payment-related services, have also helped to bridge the financial inclusion gap. Beyond the opportunity to compete directly on product offerings and quality of services, the bank-FinTech collaboration would help in the realisation of common objectives and enable participants achieve economies of scale in the expansion of the payment networks, as well as reach critical mass of financial inclusiveness in the country. This collaboration is commendable and should therefore be sustained since payments represent an indispensable activity for businesses and individuals. Improving efficiency in financial transactions through electronic payments would not only increase productivity, but also minimise costs. Beyond this, and at the macro level, migration to electronic payments also has the potential to improve Ghana’s competitiveness and efficiency in cross-border transactions. The benefits from a successful migration to electronic payments in terms of efficiency, gains, and cost savings, are enormous and should be encouraged.
6. Today’s launch of GhanaPay is one of such innovations in the financial sector that seeks to address some of the challenges associated with the current bank centric models by providing an open application that leverages on network infrastructure of the entire banking industry. With GhanaPay, merchants do not necessarily need to maintain banking relationships with several banks to receive bill payments from other bank customers. In addition, customers only need to maintain an account with a bank to make bill payments to the entire network of customers and merchants registered with GhanaPay. GhanaPay, therefore, facilitates resource pooling from the entire banking industry and reduces duplication. It is expected that the industry will be guided by this innovation and continue to retool and respond to the changing environment.
7. Beyond the tremendous success at making payments convenient and accessible to consumers, cash payments and cheques usage remain prevalent, while electronic payment adoption is uneven across regions and segments of the population. In this regard, there exists opportunities for more inclusive and broad-based adoption of electronic payment. With the introduction of GhanaPay, the banking sector can address this market gap through continuous collaboration to expand merchant acceptance with greater focus on lower tier merchants. There is no doubt that the appropriate support for the payment systems value chain and public education, infrastructure light solutions such as the GhanaPay, can boost electronic payment acceptance.
8. The introduction of the GhanaPay is laudable, but there is still more room for expansion and banks must step up efforts to digitise the value chain for both merchants and users through digitisation of payments to distributors, wholesalers, and retail outlets.
9. Another important consideration is to enhance public confidence in the electronic payment systems to boost inclusive finance. Payments data provides deep insight in the consumer and merchant behaviour. Bank’s have an enormous responsibility to ensure that data is not unsecured or mishandled. Data security, integrity and privacy form the basis of trust which is crucial for functioning of financial system.
10. Ladies and Gentlemen, going cashless is more than electronic payments. It should be about putting the consumer at the centre of innovation for greater value creation in e-payment products that are competitively priced and frictionless. While standardised and interoperable systems may enhance competition and efficiency, it may also bring new forms of risks on account of the interlinkages. Banks must ensure operational resilience and constantly strengthen the cyber security of market infrastructures and endpoints against cyber-attacks.
11. To conclude, Ladies and Gentlemen, the introduction of GhanaPay complements the measures to accelerate Ghana’s migration to electronic payments and we encourage the banking sector to collaborate and further explore more pioneering ways to attain greater efficiency in the payments ecosystem. On this note, let me congratulate GhIPSS and the banking industry again on the development of GhanaPay. It is my fervent hope that this collaborative spirit will be sustained and enhanced to move the country towards a successful migration to electronic payments and an efficient and effective payment system.