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Web Posted August 08, 2004
Updated August 08, 2004
Hello again worshippers of weapons and followers of fuel-injection gods. This issue is very short because of my effort to get the newsletter finally to a normal schedule and the Car Wars community has been very quiet this autumn.
The big news this issue is Gen Con is occurring next week. The highway refuse of SCAB will be in attendance to run several Car Wars events.
Several auto-combat console games are now out in the market. RoadKill, a combination of the Grand Theft Auto series and the Twisted Metal series, is a very dark and humorous post-apocalyptic adventure game. Spy Hunter 2, the sequel to the 2001 remake of the arcade classic, was released a few weeks ago. From the reviews I have read it appears to be a solid game better than its precedessor.
On December 16th a two-DVD set of Escape From New York will be available.
I do not know for certain but I would suspect this version will have the
bank robbery scene at the start of the movie where Snake Plissken is caught
by the United States Police Force. This scene was cut out of the movie
and never seen before except in a John Carpenter interview.
The new Battlestar Galactica console game was released on November 21st. I received it for a Thanksgiving gift. It is very hard (I am still on the first level) but the graphics and sound effects are great. It is not a Car Wars nor a BattleTech game but it is a great science fiction combat simulator whether or not you are a fan of the title.
Monday, December 8th and Tuesday, December 9th are the dates when Sci-Fi Channel will be airing the new four-hour mini-series Battlestar Galactica. After watching the special "Battlestar Galactica: The Lowdown" and the trailer of the mini-series found in the Battlestar Galactica console game, the mini-series looks like it will be a great production. There will be many projectile and missile weapons used in combat, therefore Car Wars fans should enjoy the production.
Battlestar Galactica Console Game
Sci-Fi Channel: Battlestar Galactica
I am mentioning I want to extend my congratulations to Francis Greenaway
of Painted Target. If you purchase the Battlestar Galactica console game,
you will see at the end of the credits, on the television screen and in
the instruction manual, in the "Extra Special Thanks" an individual named
Francis Greenaway. Yes, British autodueling legend Francis Greenaway was
part of the production of the Battlestar Galactica console game. Francis's
Battlestar Galactica Star Fleet Battles Web site was used during the development
of the console game. Please show your support of Francis's accomplishment
by purchasing Battlestar Galactica and sending him congratulations via
That is it for this issue. In two weeks another issue will be released, possibly with the first version of ACE. No, I am not to tell you what ACE is until the first pages of this ever-changing resource are launched.
ANTI-ROCKET LASER CANNON GETS FUNDING
Report: Company develops rifle that fires at right angles
The Associated Press and CNN
Wednesday, October 29, 2003
Posted: 10:27 AM EST (1527 GMT)
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israel and the U.S. are to spend at least $57 million for development of a laser cannon that can shoot down short-range missiles, an Israeli legislator and security officials said Tuesday.
A recent Israeli delegation successfully lobbied Congress to approve the new funding package for the joint U.S.-Israeli Nautilus laser weapon project, said Israeli lawmaker Yuval Steinitz, who was part of the delegation.
Israel wants the Nautilus to help protect its northern border towns from Katyusha rockets, fired by the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah during Israel's 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon that ended in 2000. Israel claims that Hezbollah now has 11,000 rockets aimed at Israel.
Congress approved $57 million to fund the project, and Israel will also contribute funding, Steinitz said, but could not say how much.
There is, however, no public record of congressional approval for Nautilus funding. It may fall under the classified portion of the 2004 Defense Authorization bill, passed by Congress and signed by U.S. President George W. Bush on September 30.
The laser beam system was successfully tested at the U.S. White Sands
Missile Range, New Mexico, in February 1996. However, since then,
development of the project had been held up by skeptics in the U.S. Congress, said an Israeli security official.
New funding is now needed to transform the technology into a practical weapon, said Steinitz, who is the chairman of the parliamentary foreign affairs and defense committee.
"Now we have to make it an efficient, compact weapon that can be used in the battlefield and in the war on terrorism," Steinitz said.
The Nautilus uses a high power radar to track and lock onto the incoming projectile. Then a Mid-Infrared Advanced Chemical Laser (MIRACL), which looks like a large spotlight, shoots out an intense beam that destroys the rocket.
The White Sands test marked the first time that a rocket has been destroyed in flight by a laser beam. The laser has also proved its ability to shoot down artillery shells.
Israeli security officials said that the potential to use this technology in the war against terrorism was a major factor in convincing Congress to renew support for the project.
"If the technology is developed, it will be applicable to many other military mechanisms," said Steinitz, "It could be a central mechanism in the future battlefield." Congress also approved a further $89 million for a second joint U.S.-Israeli project, the Arrow anti-ballistic missile system, which has already entered production, Steinitz said. The system is already operational.
Also Tuesday, the Maariv daily reported that a U.S.-Israeli company has developed a gun that can fire at right angles.
According to the report, the pistol, produced by the Florida-based Corner Shot Holdings, is being tested by the Israeli military and has already been bought by a number of special forces around the world.
A spokesman for the Israeli branch of the company refused to comment on the report.
Pictures of the weapon show a gun composed of two parts -- the front, that can swivel from side to side, containing a pistol with a color camera mounted on top, and the back section which consists of the stock, trigger and a monitor.
The unique weapon allows the soldier to remain behind cover, with only
the barrel of the rifle exposed in the direction of the hostile fire, even
at a sharp angle.
TOWN REQUIRES RESIDENTS TO GET A GUN
Residents who do not comply will be fined $10
The Associated Press and CNN
Monday, November 24, 2003
Posted: 2:44 AM EST (0744 GMT)
GEUDA SPRINGS, Kansas (AP) -- This tiny south-central Kansas community has passed an ordinance requiring most households to have guns and ammunition.
Noncomplying residents would be fined $10 under the ordinance, passed 3-2 earlier this month by City Council members who thought it would help protect the town of 210 people. Those who suffer from physical or mental disabilities, paupers and people who conscientiously oppose firearms would be exempt.
"This ordinance fulfills the duty to protect by allowing each individual householder to provide for his or her protection," said Councilman John Brewer.
"This is simply using the U.S. Constitution -- Second Amendment in particular -- to the city of Geuda Springs' advantage."
Geuda Springs has no local police force; the Sumner County Sheriff's department is responsible for policing the area. Sheriff Gerald Gilkey said the ordinance makes him concerned for the safety of his officers.
"This throws up red flags," he said.
The town's city attorney, Thomas Herlocker, also opposes the measure, which has not taken effect because it has yet to be published. He said he plans to ask the council to reverse itself on the issue. The council meets next on Dec. 1.
Whitney Watson, a spokesman for Attorney General Phill Kline, declined to comment on the legality of such an ordinance, which is similar to one passed in Kennesaw, Georgia, 21 years ago that is still in effect.
Many Geuda Springs residents refused to talk about it, and others were tightlipped, saying outsiders should stay out of it.
"It's nobody's business but our own," said Phillip Russell, who owns
a motorcycle shop in the town. "Everybody out of town is making this their
VENTURE CAPITAL: SEATTLE IS BECOMING THE BOARDWALK OF POPULAR BOARD
Friday, October 31, 2003
By John Cook
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Reporter
Airplanes. Software. Biotechnology.
Those are the industries that most frequently come to mind when discussing the Seattle economy.
But a rather low-tech consumer product is gaining a toehold here: the board game.
Three Seattle game makers -- Screenlife, Cranium and Front Porch Classics -- have raised $30 million in venture capital financing in the past six months.
That's more than double the amount that was raised by toy and electronic game companies in the entire country last year.
And it has some wondering if Seattle -- the land of lattes and high tech -- is the new board-game capital of the world.
Seattle does have some history when it comes to this. Pictionary, a blockbuster success that is now distributed by Hasbro, was created in the mid-1980s by Western Washington University grad Rob Angel.
But in the past five years, a flurry of activity has occurred, with
more than a half-dozen new board and card game companies started in Seattle.
Former Microsoft Corp. Senior Vice President Brad Chase created a word
game called Derivation; unemployed dot-commer Rich Koehler developed Burn
Rate; and former Boeing Co. technical writer Brian Pelham drafted 37 different
adult games with names such as Preposterous
Proposals and Beer! Sex! and Weed!
"Seattle is like an incubator for innovative new games," said Koehler, who is rolling out a Korean version of Burn Rate next month. "And (it) is a hot spot for new board/card game companies."
So what is driving this burst of creativity?
The gloomy weather? The entrepreneurial mind-set? The literary culture?
Frank Catalano, who has worked for the Toy Industry Association and
is currently consulting with a New York board-game company, thinks it
is a combination of those factors. But he also said it goes deeper.
"Two words: Cranium and Starbucks," said Catalano. "Basically, Starbucks
and Cranium proved that you don't have to be part of Hasbro or
Mattel to launch a successful board game. You can do it through what is not considered a traditional channel, a coffee shop."
In 1998, former Microsofties Richard Tait and Whit Alexander persuaded Starbucks to carry Cranium after they missed the primary buying cycle at a New York toy show.
Luck was on their side.
As the only board game on the shelf of the coffee retailer, Cranium became a runaway success as young professionals who frequented the coffee shops identified with an interactive game that combined elements of Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit and charades. Now more than 6.5 million copies of Cranium's games have been sold worldwide -- making it one of the most successful game franchises of the past decade.
"We really changed the rules on games distribution with our original launch partners," said Tait, who also landed Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble as partners. "In our business, distribution is very tightly held and the market is dominated by two large players so you have to change the rules to break through."
Starbucks also has played a key role in the breakout of another Seattle area game company. Last year, the coffee retailer became the exclusive retailer of Hear Me Out! -- the first game developed by ToySite.
ToySite, the retail game division of Woodinville-based Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, is expanding Hear Me Out! to major retailers this holiday season. It also has two other games -- This vs. That and Kuduuk -- that are being distributed exclusively through Starbucks.
Steve Avanessian, vice president of marketing at Bensussen Deutsch, doesn't play down the role that Starbucks has played in the success of his company's games.
"It was a great opportunity for us to find a place wh ere there is a social experience and the coffeehouse culture," Avanessian said.
While Starbucks helped revolutionize board-game distribution, it can't take all of the credit for Seattle's spate of dice rollers, card turners and trivia buffs. Several board game entrepreneurs also suggest it has something to do with the rain.
"With the weather in the city, we end up entertaining each other with fun family games," said Tait, who came up with the idea for Cranium during a rainy vacation in the Hamptons. "A lot of creativity comes from those moments."
"Seattle offers a number of great outdoor experiences, but sometimes the weather draws us indoors," he said. "Board games really lend itself to that opportunity."
New York toy and game researcher Chris Byrne doesn't buy the rainy day theory, saying there are a lot of great games developed in California "where it is always nice to be outside."
In his view, Seattle is establishing itself as a game center because of its high-tech culture.
"It is not that big of a shift of putting together code to doing a game," said Byrne, who operates The Toy Guy newsletter and Web site. "They are both very detail intensive and sophisticated disciplines."
The fact that several high-tech employees made fortunes at Amazon.com, Microsoft and InfoSpace also makes it easier to finance a game, Byrne said.
But some aren't sure if there is any reason for the recent spurt of board-game companies.
"It is not like there is a coffee shop where I get together with Richard Tait of Cranium and Craig Kinzer of Screenlife," said Steve Edmiston, a former environmental attorney who co-founded Front Porch Classics in 2000. "I think there is some serendipity that it happens to be board games."
Still, that's not stopping Seattle's investment community, buoyed by the blockbuster sales of Wizards of the Coast to Hasbro and WizKids to Topps, from taking a closer look at the category.
Maveron, the venture capital firm of Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz, participated in Cranium's $21 million financing in April.
Northwest Venture Associates recently backed Front Porch Classics, which has raised $5.6 million for its high-end wooden games.
And Seattle's network of high-net worth individuals came out in full force to support Screenlife, which raised $7 million to support the DVD trivia game SceneIt?
Screenlife co-founder Dave Long said the company appealed to investors who had been burned by Internet and high-tech investments.
"With our product they were able to see and actually play the game itself,"
said Long, a former financial analyst who came up with the idea at a Halloween
party. "And then once they started researching the game industry and how
lucrative it can be, that got their
attention." The fact that Screenlife had a major distribution agreement with Mattel also didn't hurt, he said.
Venture capitalists are accustomed to placing bets on risky endeavors. And developing a successful board game is no different, said Byrne.
"As with video games or with movies, it is very much a title driven business," said the former marketing manager at Pictionary. "For every Cranium that blows out of the water, there is another game that is not working."
For now, board games appear to be resonating with a public that is looking for ways to connect during the economic recession that followed the Sept. 11 attacks.
The entire toy industry remained fairly steady at $20 billion annually over the past four years. But the game and puzzle category increased 19 percent last holiday season.
Long, whose SceneIt? game will benefit from a major advertising campaign this holiday season, thinks Seattle game companies are poised to take advantage of the so-called "cocooning" trend.
"We go around the country to different events and it is amazing, people say: 'Oh my God there's another game company from Seattle. What is in the water up there?' " he said. "The most successful games that have launched in the last few years have come from the Seattle area."
Some of the board and card game companies in the Seattle area.
Cool Studio, "Burn Rate": www.burnrategame.com
Cranium, "Cranium": www.cranium.com
Entspire, "Derivation": www.entspire.com
Front Porch Classics, "Dread Pirate": www.frontporchclassics.com
Kheper Games, "Preposterous Proposals": www.wildpartygames.com
Screenlife, "SceneIt?": www.sceneit.com
ToySite, "Hear Me Out" : www.bdainc.com
Uberplay Entertainment, "New England": www.uberplay.com
Wizards of the Coast, "Magic: The Gathering": www.wizards.com
WizKids, "Mage Knight": www.wizkidsgames.com
P-I reporter John Cook can be reached at 206-448-8075 or <firstname.lastname@example.org>.
INITIAL D COLLECTIBLE CARD GAME
SARACEN INTERNATIONAL RAPTOR III SPECIAL ATTACK VEHICLE
GEN CON 2003
Subject: [SCAB] GenCon Car Wars
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003 13:29:34 -0800
From: Rob Hagmaier <email@example.com>
Reply-To: Southern California Auto-Dueling Brotherhood <firstname.lastname@example.org>
Okay all. Gen Con is almost on us. We'll be running Car Wars events, so be sure to be there. Don't forget that Gen Con uses pre-registration, so be sure to register now. Here is the event schedule for Gen Con Car Wars events:
Saturday, Dec. 13th 10am
Saturday, Dec. 13th 3pm
Sunday, Dec. 14th 8am
Sunday, Dec. 14th 1pm
A couple of things. First, the exact divisions have not been set. I will send a subsequent e-mail on that subject after I get some input from you guys. Second, don't <DELETED> to me about the times, especially that Sunday morning one. Not my choice. Third, you have to pay to play Car Wars (or any game for that matter). Isn't that neat? Again, don't whine to me about it.
Gen Con is trying to bring a "real" convention to SoCal. So get your <DELETED> registered and show up to at least one of the Car Wars games. SJ Games has promised decent prize support. For crying out loud, the Shat-man will be there. Set your fricken' phasers on fun. (Real sorry about that one Tom, but the rules require me to stick the convention slogan in here somewhere, LOL).
I don't want to hear that you can't make it because Aunt Mabel is having bypass surgery that day. You've got other aunts. Be there. If you can't make it to Gen Con, you have no right to call yourself a gamer. And real gamers play Car Wars. What's wrong, are you scared some 14-year old is gonna spank you? Come beat up little kids with the rest of us. If you look on the event schedule, you'll see that only one of the four duels requires actual maturity.
SCAB Mailing List


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BTC Media, the owner of Distributed.com, as well as a conference series and other media properties, announced the return of its Distributed: Markets event, a presentation of blockchain use cases and advocacy designed for executives in the financial industry and the digital disruptors who are adding transparency and efficiency to their operations through distributed ledgers.
The event will take place on April 23, 2018, at the Navy Pier in Chicago.
With financial services companies leading the way in the rush to incorporate blockchain technology into their practices, Distributed: Markets comes at a time when those in fintech want to hear from first adopters about what has and hasn't worked as they seek to solve industry problems with the immutability, automation and accountability of distributed ledgers. It will build on the conversations and connections made at last year's conference.
"The inaugural Distributed: Markets conference was the first of its kind, bringing together the most forward-thinking financial markets experts with the world's leaders in blockchain technology," said David Bailey, CEO of BTC Media, per a press release announcing the event. "We're thrilled to provide a dedicated space for that community to learn, connect and collaborate as the momentum around blockchains in fintech and the wider financial markets industry grows."
From July 22–23, BTC Media, along with co-host SixThirty, asked
developers and entrepreneurs from around the country to participate in a
24-hour hackathon in anticipation of its Distributed: Trade conference in St.
The hackathon challenged participants to use blockchain
technology to develop novel solutions to persistent problems facing the global
trade or supply chain industries.
the last four weeks, Distributed’s series
“Driving the Future of Blockchains” has explored the critical ways that
blockchain technology is poised to, or has already begun, reshaping the
automotive industry. If you missed any articles in this series, click on the
the evolution of cars into mobile
fundamental changes to the mobility
the rise of ride sharing and the advent of
blockchains will play a big part in how we get from point A to point B in the
future. These developments are taking place all over the world and through the
efforts of many different industry players. One of the earliest entrants into
the blockchain insurance market is Gem. The Los Angeles-based startup’s partnership
with the Toyota Research Institute (TRI) to facilitate usage based insurance,
is one of the first examples of enterprise grade blockchain insurance solutions.
It represents a paradigm shift in building entirely new insurance models built
on data collaboration and sharing.
When the Linux Foundation introduced Hyperledger, an
open-source blockchain project, it aimed to propel distributed ledger
technology across the world.
The project took a major stride in that effort today when it
announced the general availability of Fabric
1.0, a production-ready blockchain framework that allows users to develop
full-fledged distributed ledger applications to solve whatever problems they
identify. It is a culmination of more than a year of public collaboration among
over 150 participating developers. Engineering was contributed by the likes of
the DTCC, Digital Asset Holdings, SAP, IBM and more.
In an announcement that signals not only how far blockchain technology for advertising and media has come, but portends its influence in the industry’s future, a groundbreaking blockchain consortium focused on ad tech has been launched.
The AdLedger Consortium will consist of leaders in advertising and publishing who aim to utilize blockchains to address the ways that the internet has changed their industries, increase transparency and security and prepare for the future in media. The group is hosting its inaugural meeting in New York City today.
Among the founding members of the consortium are IBM, MadHive and TEGNA, companies that have taken the reigns in guiding blockchain adoption in media. With a commitment to collaboration, they hope AdLedger can become a forum to discuss the benefits and roadblocks that a blockchain ecosystem presents to ad tech. Representatives from various ad tech companies will also be attending to learn more, including Integral Ad Science.
“The overarching goal of the consortium will be to harness the potential of a real-time, blockchain-based, peer-to-peer network to lower costs for publishers and increase ROI for advertisers,” per a press release announcing AdLedger. “AdLedger’s mission is to bring together advertising industry players to collaborate on creating standards to the end of improving transparency and data portability throughout the supply chain. Ultimately, the consortium aims to transform the advertising industry with blockchain-powered solutions.”

domain: news


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Muhammad Ali NFT Minted 50 Years After ‘Fight of the Century’ With Joe Frazier
Muhammad Ali is being memorialized in non-fungible token (NFT) form 50 years on from “The Fight of the Century” in which the boxing icon faced Joe Frazier in New York City. Ali lost the fight to “Smokin’ Joe” on March 8, 1971, but went on to win two subsequent bouts in 1974 and 1975.
The digital collectible is hitting the market as NFT mania reaches fever pitch. NFTs are digital assets that represent a wide range of unique tangible and intangible items, from sports cards to virtual real estate. Unlike bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, whose units are meant to be interchangeable, each NFT contains distinguishing information that makes it distinct from any other NFT.
Underscoring their current popularity, last week a bidding war over an NFT of an early tweet by Jack Dorsey reached seven figures.
Related: Crypto Lending Platform BlockFi Attacked With Flood of Fake, Abusive Sign-Ups
The legendary pugilist’s NFT is coming thanks to a partnership between Ethernity Chain and the Muhammad Ali Center, the museum dedicated to Ali’s life and career located in his hometown of Louisville, Ky.
“The Ali Collection” is designed to celebrate the boxer’s life and legacy, featuring famous photographs of Ali and Frazier taken in 1971 by Sports Illustrated photographer Neil Leifer.
Dubbed the “first historically significant NFT” by Ethernity, the token will drop in late March with a portion of the proceeds going to the Ali Center, according to a press statement.
Founded by early bitcoin investor Nick Rose Ntertsas, Ethernity Chain aims to explore the application of NFTs for artistic and philanthropic purposes through celebrating famous pop culture figures and events.


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LVMH are being very, very nice to Celine and Hedi Slimane. The group just handed over the former Dior Homme boutique on high-traffic corner of Paris' rue François 1er and rue Marignan to Celine for a new store.
The Spanish retail group has recently signed a new partnership with online marketplace Lamoda for its Oysho and Pull&Bear brand as part of CEO Pablo Isla’s ambition to make all its brands available online by 2020.
Piper Jaffray has released the results of its 36th “Taking Stock With Teens” study, showing that Gen-Z girls are now spending three times more on beauty than accessories, while streetwear still dominates apparel trends.
According to the financial press, the French brand, owned by LBO France since 2015, looks to have reached an agreement with its creditors, in the form of a deal by which they would become the label's new owners.
In honor of the NBA regular season opening on October 16, Foot Locker and Nike have partnered for a basketball-themed pop-up shop and interactive scavenger hunt under Foot Locker's House of Hoops brand.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Alibaba’s 11.11 shopping festival and the Chinese e-tailer is celebrating the occasion with 180,000 brands, 200,000 offline smart stores and a ‘see now, buy now’ fashion show.


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The third store within Cartagena’s Old City stands out for its architectural features and local artwork.
Cartagena, Colombia – As part of its expansion plan, Alsea – Starbucks licensed business operator in Colombia – today announced that it has reached 59 Starbucks stores in the market with the opening of its Starbucks Casa Badillo store. Located on First Street of Badillo K7, this store marks the fifth café in Cartagena and the third store in the Old City.
“We are proud to continue growing Starbucks presence in the market, bringing the Starbucks Experience to even more customers in Cartagena,” said Juan Pablo Castaño, Market Manager of Alsea Colombia. “Since our arrival in the department of Bolívar, we remain committed to being a meaningful addition to the local community, creating job opportunities and economic advancement. This opening represents an important milestone for us, and we see a vibrant future for Starbucks in the beautiful city of Cartagena.”
About Starbucks Casa Badillo
The new 292 sqm café Starbucks store in Cartagena has a seating capacity of more than 80 people. Located near universities and libraries, the store was inspired by the local colonial architecture and the eclectic vibe of this part of the historical quarter. It was designed to preserve and incorporate the existing architectural elements of the building such as raw wood ceilings and concrete columns. To modernize the existing look and feel of the structure, store designers added contemporary furniture, intentional lighting, and white oak cladding. The use of warmer textures and tones, like the natural “al temple” paint on walls and ceilings add depth to the design. Details like the custom front-bar inspired by Spanish colonial furniture, elevate the design and showcase the craftsmanship of local wood artisans.
Finally, original hand painted murals by Colombian artist Alejandro Paucar create a special moment in the store by telling the coffee story, evoking the care and passion of local coffee growers.
Starbucks in Colombia and Bolívar Department
Since Starbucks arrived in Colombia in 2014, the brand has reinforced its commitment to the market and community. Today, Starbucks Colombia employs more than 600 partners (employees), more than 40 of whom are local talent from Cartagena and serve our stores on Avenida San Martín, the Mall Plaza shopping center and in the old city in Plaza Bolívar, the center commercial Serrezuela and in the new store Casa Badillo.
“We are happy to introduce a new location to meet our customers’ needs of convenience, connection and personalization,” added Cielo Morera, director of Starbucks Colombia. “The Casa Badillo store creates a warm and welcoming place for customers to enjoy their favorite handcrafted beverage and connect with others over a cup of coffee.”
Starbucks welcomes its customers at the new location Monday to Sunday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.


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California Avocado Commission expands focus to sandwiches
10/19/2014 8:41:28 PMANAHEIM, Calif. — With the start of the 2015 season, the California Avocado Commission plans... Read more.
Fresh broccoli markets to tighten by holidays
10/17/2014 3:48:48 PMCalifornia broccoli supplies should tighten heading into the holiday season. Mother Nature is one reason why,... Read more.
Systems approach proposed for Chilean kiwifruit
10/17/2014 11:10:41 AMUnder a new proposal, kiwifruit imported from Chile would not have to be fumigated with methyl bromide. In... Read more.
Florida’s weather woes send tomato markets up
10/16/2014 4:41:49 PMHeavy rains in Florida and an early end to California deals should keep tomato markets very strong... Read more.


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Hong Kong Wenhui News According to China News Service, Yang Jinlong, president of the Taiwan regional bank
announced yesterday that he has urged the financial company to work with the bank to plan a mobile phone number cross-bank transfer service to enhance the mobile payment experience and to use the mobile phone number on the ATM. Complete the transfer.
Yang Jinlong mentioned in the financial information system financial conference annual meeting that the people used bank transfer to remember the status of the account
and pointed out that in recent years, the world has successively launched the use of the recipient’s mobile phone number as the identification information of interbank transfer, the bank also The financial company has been urged to work with the bank to plan mobile phone number interbank transfer services.
He explained that the current payment systems of Taiwan’s electronic payment and ticketing agencies are closed systems and that inter-agency transfers cannot be made. In order to comply with international trends, the authorities have developed to open the inter-institutional exchange of funds, electronic payment and The ticket institution is the direct participant of the financial company system.
Yang Jinlong also believes that in the foreseeable future, cash will not disappear
As long as there is still demand for cash, banks will have obligations to provide according to their duties. In order to improve the mobile payment layout, it is also necessary for a non-bank payment institution to join the QR code common standard to be complete.
It is understood that there are already banks that test their own mobile phones for self-transfer. According to the plan of the financial company, banks can transfer money by mobile phone number as long as they participate. Not only mobile Internet Banking can transfer money by mobile phone number, but ATM can also be applied, but system adjustment is still needed.


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India’s Current Status on Cybersecurity & Cyber Hygiene
The ongoing pandemic has kicked the life out of gear for most people and brought in a new norm. Almost everything ranging from work, education, socializing, shopping and payment of utility bills have now gone online. With these changes, cyber crimes in the cyber landscape have shot up multi-fold too. It’s estimated that around 4 lakh malware and 375 cyber attacks are occurring daily across the country. And this is aside from the voice-based frauds that people have been falling prey to.
The sudden move towards digitization by the new internet users, especially from the rural and sub-urban areas, has made them more vulnerable to frauds, phishing and data breaches. There is a strong need for citizens to become aware of the dangers of enticing click-baits; these are linked to malware that extracts valuable information from internet users.
Cyber hygiene refers to the steps and precautions taken by internet users to improve their online security and keep sensitive data safe. Practicing cyber hygiene and not clicking on unknown links is the best solution to staying safe.
Cybersecurity on the other hand refers to a body of technologies designed to protect internet-connected systems and programs. These include keeping software, hardware, and data from unauthorized access and cyber threats. For example, businesses will implement such services as it consulting and tech support to help them with cybersecurity to make sure that they are secure and safe with a minimal chance of a breach on their systems.
People are easily falling prey to cyber crimes through various portals including security flaws in video conferencing apps and ransomware or malware attacks on digital payment portals. There is a greater need to create awareness about the constant threat in the digital environment for cyber attacks and the need to be constantly on guard when online. Cybersecurity needs to be given the same kind of attention as physical disasters and physical asset management.
While cybersecurity is an ongoing priority, there is now a renewed focus on this sector at the state and central government levels. New policies will soon be coming through to strengthen digital identity protection, data security and transactional security. With this, India is expected to enter an era of cyber resilience and better cybersecurity, be it with help from comparisons of Alert Logic vs. Tripwire or with its own internal software packages.
This aggressive move in the field of cybersecurity and cyber hygiene tools is important as people are getting increasingly dependent on computing equipment and smartphones for communication and online banking systems.


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End users control sensors, reporting data from one location
April 12, 2020
CO2 Meter Inc. released its new multi-sensor system: the CM-7000. The new monitoring system provides restaurants, breweries, laboratories and agriculture facilities with the ability to monitor as many as 12 sensors from a central 8-inch, touchscreen control panel, the company says.
In the fast-paced beverage market, safety, accuracy, flexibility and sustainability are of utmost importance. For industries such as food and beverage where manufacturing processes must be contamination-free, as well as quick and accurate, increasing demand for products filled by automatic filling machines rather than by humans is projected to grow the automatic filling machine market.
Beverage companies are looking for ways to eliminate ink chemicals, reduce mess, improve mark appearance and reduce the cost per mark. But the printing style, or ink requirements in the case of industry-enforced MEK-free inks is only part of the coding story.
Packaging machine designed for hot- and cold-fill products
July 17, 2018
The compact, economical and simple-to-operate machine is 100 percent servo controlled and is ideal for pilot plants to establish filling characteristics, test market samples and in-plant production runs, the company says.
PROCESS EXPO will take place Sept. 15-18 in Chicago’s McCormick Place. The show will feature more than more than 1,000 solution providers that offer the most innovative processing and packaging equipment for the global beverage industry.
The Denver Beer Co. was co-founded by Charlie Berger and Patrick Crawford in August 2011. The company was born in the founders’ garages, with what they describe as “a few batches of homebrew and a love for the craft of brewing.”
Pack Expo International 2013, which took place Sept. 23-25 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, was the trade show’s largest event in Las Vegas yet, according to PMMI, the Reston, Va.-based host of the event. In fact, in early estimates, the association for packaging and processing technologies reported an attendance increase of 7.4 percent to 27,759 attendees, a 15.5 percent increase in exhibitors to 1,788 companies, and a 14.7 percent increase in net square footage to 722,437 net square feet, all compared with the 2011 show, which also set event records.
The May 2020 edition dives into where beverages fit in the future of cannabis. Readers also can find out how beverage market and retailers are adjusting to handle coronavirus. Additionally, this issue highlights the latest trends impacting protein and sports drinks, fiber and probiotics, packaging design and much more!


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Apple MacBook has had issues like sticking and non-responsive keys, backlight issues in display and the company also acknowledged the same. Today,... ...https://www.fonearena.com/blog/285237/apple-macbook-pro-15-inch-free-battery-replacement.html
el to Cut 9th Gen, 8th Gen Core CPU Prices by Up to 15 Percent as AMD Launches New Competitors: Report Intel has promised that its 14nm CPU supply... ...https://gadgets.ndtv.com/laptops/news/intel-price-cut-9th-gen-8th-gen-core-cpus-amd-competition-2057133
New Delhi: Caught in the crossfire of global geopolitics, Huawei on Thursday said things have started looking up for the company with the signing... ...http://www.sify.com/finance/huawei-positive-about-future-after-winning-key-5g-deals-news-corporate-tgvkQPjghbegc.html
Dell Technologies Inc, HP Inc, Microsoft Corp and Intel Corp on Wednesday opposed U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal to include laptop... ...http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/INbusinessNews/~3/T21dU2t4j00/dell-hp-microsoft-intel-oppose-proposed-tariffs-on-laptops-tablets-idINKCN1TK347
San Francisco: After a month of disappearing from the Microsoft Store, laptops from Chinese technology player Huawei have made a comeback on the... ...http://www.sify.com/finance/huawei-laptops-re-appear-on-microsoft-store-news-technology-tgsmVAaabfefg.html
Mac-intel Solutions is a complete...
Master Software Technology
For many years, Hewlett-Packard or...


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Will Doig's work has appeared in New York, Men's Journal, The Daily Beast, Salon, The Advocate, Out, and Highlights for Children. He lives in New York.
Thanks to Sandy, New Yorkers have created an informal network of public phone-charging stations. But why did they have to?
New York is in the midst of two energy crises: the old-fashioned, Carter-era gas-shortage kind, and a very Millennial kind, in which personal gizmos are dying as their owners helplessly cradle them.
The fuel emergency is for the officials to solve. But the question of how to revive ebbing smart-phones and iPads in a city where hundreds of thousands remain without power has largely been left to the public. In Midtown Manhattan, where the lights are still on, residents have strung extension cords out to their stoops. A pizza shop made power strips available, whether or not you were buying a slice. Con Edison's 14th Street headquarters opened its doors and its outlets to the public. "Now we're standing around the electrical plugs like cavemen around fire," one iPhone charger told Vice magazine.
It's all very inspiring, if not a little third-world. And it makes you wonder why, in the year 2012, we're still crawling under tables in coffee shops and reaching behind couches in hotel lobbies, searching for outlets meant for vacuum cleaners and lamps, when it's painfully obvious that what people need are convenient, accessible power sources for their many portable devices. "Common sense says that at one point electricity was expensive and unreliable, and you wouldn't just let anybody walk up and use yours, but these small electronic devices use such a small load," says Malcolm McCullough, professor of architecture and information design at the University of Michigan. "Recharging is becoming a basic infrastructural need in cities, like subways or lights."
Few cities have taken steps to facilitate this new reality. John Cassavetes shot his first film, Shadows, on the streets of New York by knocking on doors and asking strangers if he could plug in his lights. Half a century later, with a smart-phone in every pocket, life isn't much different. "Every day, millions of people are finding themselves scurrying about in search of wells of electricity," wrote the New York Times in 2005. Sporadic attempts to solve the problem have fizzled. In 2007, plugfinder.com (now defunct) tried to bring order to the chaos by mapping publicly accessible outlets online. Seattle's alt-weekly The Stranger recently published a similar guide for that city. But these were just tips for semi-legal power-sipping, not proposals for a saner system.
If you assume that the average person doesn't want to steal power from a lamppost (or have to buy a coffee from Starbucks when all they really need is juice for their laptop), a more cohesive network makes sense. Earlier this year, New York took a baby step in this direction, installing 42 electrical outlets throughout Bryant Park, making it the first fully-wired public park in America, according to the city. As of now, there are no plans to expand the initiative, despite its getting raves from the park's visitors -- one woman told the Daily News it gave her "a sense of security, running around the city, to know that you can charge your phone."
The low cost of electricity may be why corporations have been equally slow to get in on the game -- installing the hardware costs money, and how much will people really pay to charge their phone on the fly? A company called goCharge tried to solve this problem by putting 50 kiosks in New York bars last year, most of them offering a free phone charge in exchange for looking at ads for tequila. It's a very Bloombergian model, like the city's forthcoming Citibank-sponsored bike-share system. But the kiosks are awkward and ugly, more suited to bars and airports (which have had them for years) than parks and sidewalks. And the less conspicuous ones, without the ads, which cost two to three dollars per phone charge, only get about one-tenth as much use as the free ones, says goCharge founder Paul King.
"Ideally a city would call us and say, 'Let's put these all around town,'" says King. "That hasn't happened yet." He says New York briefly expressed interest in a pilot program, but "nothing has come to fruition."
If cities are to install public outlets that cost the taxpayer nothing and don't have advertising plastered all over them, they might need to look beyond the outlet itself. Sony is developing technology that would identify the user of the device being plugged into any public outlet, and charge their credit card automatically for the use of that power source. Not surprisingly, not everyone is in love with the idea. "Just what I've always wanted: the ability to hinder even the most ubiquitous convenience in modern civilization," wrote one commenter on a story about the prototype.
But while electricity may be ubiquitous, running through virtually every urban surface, it's already hindered by a lack of access points, a dilemma that cities oddly choose to ignore. "More flexible electricity infrastructure will be a positive development, especially if it shifts focus away from cities designed to facilitate the circulation of personal automobiles and toward cities designed to circulate humans and their gadgets," wrote Zack Denfeld in his 2007 graduate thesis that laid out the plans for plugfinder.com. Five years later, little has changed. As wifi hotspots multiply and the work-from-anywhere lifestyle goes mainstream, the missing piece of the puzzle remains both all around us and just out of reach.
Top image: People stand around a table that a store placed outside with power bars for cell phone charging, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in New York on Nov. 1. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)


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Fred Vettese delved into the world of mutual funds and deferred sales charges and is shocked at what he found
Paul Yoannou, 53, was initially charged with misappropriating $6.6-million from 31 individuals including Investors Group clients
A decision by Investors Group to lower management fees on two-thirds of its funds has thrown a spotlight on other independent fund managers
Barry Critchley: Of seven analysts who have updated their one-year price targets for IGM stock, six have lowered them
Fears of an economic disaster are driving valuations of many dividend-yielding companies to outrageous levels relative to the overall market historically, according to Dom Grestoni, portfolio manager of the $13.5-billion Investors Dividend Fund
'Everyone is different. But everyone ages one year at a time,' says Gaetan Ruest, and they need to plan their finances and RRSPs accordingly
Finding herself jobless with few savings, this 29-year-old learned a big lesson: 'There was no way I ever wanted to be in a vulnerable financial situation again'
Here's a sampling of reader feedback on the last week's worth of blogs and columns on mutual fund fees in Canada, as exemplified by Investors Group
Has there been a sea change in consumer attitudes to fees or are we happy to pay big dollars to others to make our decisions for us. Follow the debate over fees here:
By Jonathan Chevreau I recently wrote a column questioning how sincerely the financial industry wants its customers to be financially literate. I mentioned an Investors Group poll that found Canadians average a “B” in financial literacy. I said it was lucky for them we didn’t average “A” grades because if we did, we could liquidate […]
Jon Ronson, author of 'So you've been publicly shamed,' discusses what companies should do when they’re bombarded with online criticism or calls for an employee’s head
As the Apple Watch lands in consumers hands this Friday, Google's Android Wear smartphone operating system is going on the offensive
Getting bumped from a flight is a fairly common occurrence, but you will need to push the airlines for what you are entitled to. Here's what you need to know
Thanks to the proliferation of smartphones and innovations in delivery and data, the retail landscape is evolving like never before. Here are 25 companies upending the industry
Brainsights is taking a scientific run at solving an old marketing quandary: 'Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half'


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Hoosiers can expect to pay a bit more for Thanksgiving dinner
The turkey might gobble up more of the Thanksgiving meal budget, but the rest of the holiday dinner should cost about the same as last year.
The overall cost of a turkey and all the trimmings for a traditional Thanksgiving meal for 10 people will average about $50.33, according to Indiana Farm Bureau’s annual shopping survey. This is $3.40 higher than last year’s estimate and $2.21 higher than in 2013.
But it’s still only slightly more than $5 per person.
The largest cost increase, according to the informal survey, will come from the turkey. However, the increase might not be as high as originally predicted.
An outbreak of avian flu this summer led to a loss of 48 million turkeys, chickens and other birds across the nation, according to the Indiana State Board of Animal Health. It led to a spike in poultry and egg prices.
But the industry has managed to make somewhat of a recovery, said Kathleen Dutro, of Indiana Farm Bureau, in a phone interview.
Turkey prices are dropping as the holiday approaches. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s national retail report on turkey found the price of frozen turkey hens dropped 18 cents per pound in the last week, from $1.08 to 90 cents.
An economist for American Farm Bureau Federation even says there is a possibility prices could fall below last year’s prices, Dutro said, explaining, “It’s quite common to have some marketing centered around turkey.”
Unlike other grocery price reports, the Farm Bureau survey doesn’t collect statistical data on wholesale costs. Instead, the results were compiled from price information 31 volunteer shoppers collected at local grocery stores across the state earlier this month. The shoppers were required to look for the best possible prices without taking advantage of special promotional coupons or purchase deals, such as spending $50 and receiving a free turkey.
Other food items on the list that rose in price included a dozen brown-and-serve rolls; a 14-ounce bag of stuffing; a package of two frozen pie crusts; a half-pint of whipping cream; and a 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie filling mix.
Items that declined in price were 3 pounds of sweet potatoes; a 16-ounce bag of frozen peas; a gallon of whole milk; and a collection of miscellaneous items including coffee and ingredients necessary to prepare the meal such as butter, evaporated milk, onions, eggs, sugar and flour.
Small decreases were also recorded for fresh cranberries and a 1-pound relish tray of carrots and celery.


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Homepage for the best 3D templates
Scan across the web for STL files with a single click
by Productions Diratia
In contrast to an FDM 3D printer, which extrudes melted plastic through a heated nozzle, a liquid 3D printer uses a UV light to solidify photopolymer resin. The result is a much finer resolution, but it comes at a cost. Read this article to find out more!
By working with 3D printing technologies, Proterra has been able to save costs and speed up the production of its zero-emission battery-powered buses. Proterra is looking to speed up its zero-emission bus mission by working with 3D printed parts. The Silicon Valley start-up focuses on solving public transport by developing electric buses that run without […]
In a unique marketing campaign for the superhero movie Black Panther, Pepsi partnered up with the manufacturing service provider Protolabs to create a collectibles kit that featured five special edition soda cans fitted with 3D printed Black Panther masks.


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Article in Mobile Future, eReaders & ePublications, Mobile, Tech Industry, Technology, iPhone, iPad, Android categories.
THE BIG PRODUCT OF 2013 – PHABLETS, GANGNAM STYLE
Bigger than smartphones and smaller than tablets, phablets are hybrid devices sized between five to seven inches. Phablets first came out about three years ago…
Bigger than smartphones and smaller than tablets, phablets are hybrid devices sized between five to seven inches. Phablets first came out about three years ago and have received great success. While not fitting well in many pockets, they are still portable and serve most functions that smartphones and tablets do.
According to Barclays, these supersize handsets are expected to see as much as 70 percent compounded annual growth in the next three years and a boost in their value up to $135 billion by the end of 2015.
Barclays also noted that the stretch of the global LTE 4G network could raise the bandwidth for faster multimedia mobility, which would further increase the popularity of phablets and change the competitive dynamic of the mobile device market.
Samsung, one of the world’s top maker of smartphones using the Android OS, appears to be the early winner in the phablet market. After it released its 5.5-inch Galaxy Note 2 last October, it had sold five million units worldwide within the first three months since launch. As Barclays predicted, the Samsung will ship more hybrid devices to retailers and remain the top maker in this category. The number of units sold is expected to spike up to 97 million.
Another consumer electronic giant in South Korea, LG, is also in the game of coming up with the best hybrid device. Last year, it released the LG Optimus VU to compete with the second generation Samsung phablet. This week, at the CES 2013 in Las Vegas, the LG Optimus VU II phablet was finally introduced to the smartphone buyers in the U.S.. This 5-inch LG device has a very unusual ratio of display, and has not earned itself many endorsements thus far. And yet, LG is determined to give it another try and hoping to win the competition against Samsung.
Apple, who introduced the revolutionary iPhone and iPad to the smart device market, launched its 4-inch iPhone 5 last September. Although this newest generation iPhone has a bigger screen than all its predecessors, it’s still smaller than most phablets in the market. Will Apple make the jump into the phablet market? The answer to that question is still yet to come.
Who knows what the future holds for phablets in America? If they follow the Gangnam Style trend, their foreign popularity may soon be taking our country by storm.


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Setting the meatballs rolling
A new Carnitech line is to be installed at one of Scotland’s premier food processors, following an announcement that Baxters is to introduce a new meatball preparation system.
The announcement follows several months of consultation between Baxters, Carnitech and the Interfood Group, Carnitech’s representative in the UK and Ireland.
This capital investment is part of Baxters’ ongoing revitalisation of the Fray Bentos name, best known for its range of canned pies, in both the UK and international markets.
At the heart of the new meatball line will be a Carnitech 280mm Combigrinder, one of a new generation of Carnitech machines developed with ‘a renewed focus on hygiene, throughput, product quality, safety and energy efficiency’.
From the combigrinder, the meat will be transferred automatically into a Carnitech 3,000-litre mixer/grinder where water and further dry ingredients will be added to Baxters’ own recipe. The line will be capable of producing in excess of four tons of meatballs per hour.
“I am delighted to be working with Carnitech again,” says John Campbell, MD of Baxters. “ Their attention to detail will be a real asset to us in our meatball production.”


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SA’s currency strengthens for a second day, trailing only Mexico’s peso in global currency gains against the dollar.
SA’s Reserve Bank sees the bar for interest rate cuts as high, says Deputy Governor Daniel Mminele.
SA consumers are showing significant appetite for mobile money solutions, says Sandi Madikiza, chief executive of FNB eWallet Solutions.
AP Moeller-Maersk’s container line is reportedly eyeing South Korea’s two biggest shipping firms.
With speculation mounting that Twitter will soon have a new corporate owner, the face of the social-networking service may change dramatically.
Microsoft partners with Adobe Systems to offer cloud-based products to their large mutual customer base.
Drug manufacturer Pfizer decides not to split into two separate companies after an “extensive evaluation”.
African Development Bank teams up with World Economic Forum to help attract investors to bankroll 2 200km railway line.
Jacob Zuma has less than three weeks to either sign the Financial Intelligence Centre Amendment Bill or return it to the National Assembly.


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The UK saw stable port freight tonnages overall in 2018, the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Annual UK Port Freight Statistics show.
Data for 2018 shows stable port freight tonnages overall, with only a 0.1% difference on the previous year at 483.3m tonnes, said the British Ports Association (BPA). The figures detail 95% of UK physical imports and exports, which are facilitated by ships using British ports.
Phoebe Warneford-Thomson, policy and economic analyst at the British Ports Association, said: “Despite a temperamental global trading climate and the uncertainties created by Brexit, 2018 was a steady year for port operators.
“Overall port freight figures remain constant although there is plenty of port capacity in the dry bulks, project cargo and particularly in the container sectors, meaning shipping companies have plenty of choice. This means competition between ports, which drives efficiencies and innovation.”
The BPA noted that statistics for the fourth quarter of port freight tonnage showed an exceptionally high growth of 6% to 121.8m tonnes, which it said is consistent with suggestions that UK manufacturers were ‘stockpiling’ inventory ahead of expected Brexit-related trade disruptions in quarter one and two of 2019.
The data for UK major ports (ports handling over a million tonnes annually) in 2018 show that the UK continues to import more than it exports. A total of 252.4m tonnes were imported, compared to 130.5m tonnes exported. More goods were moved between UK major ports and the EU than any other region in 2018, accounting for 44% (206.2m tonnes) of total major port traffic. Container units increased to a record high of 6.0m units.
Volume growth for the collection of Humber ports including Grimsby, Immingham and Killingholme contributed to an overall increase of market share to 17%, maintaining its position as the busiest regional trade gateway in the UK.
The Port of London ‘complexes’ increased its market share to 11.3% from 9.4% in 2015, maintaining its position as second in the UK market.
Issues at the Port of Felixstowe, the UK’s busiest container port, throughout 2018 resulted in a 1.2m tonnes (-15.6%) decline of tonnage in the fourth quarter, and inward units handled declined by -18.2% across the full year. Most of this traffic was switched by the deep-sea shipping lines to other UK ports such as Liverpool and London Gateway.
Source: Port Strategy


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This year's list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants was just released.
The list is determined by the Diner's Club 50 Best Restaurants Academy, which is made up of close to 1,000 restaurant industry leaders from around the world.
The 50 winners span the globe from Mexico City to Hong Kong, but the #1 spot was given to Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy.
Keep scrolling to see the other restaurants that made the list.


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Most of the time, companies develop new Tech products that we fall in love with, so much so, that we’ll sometimes pay the introductory high price for them because we just can’t wait. Other times, they just get it so wrong and it turns out to be a complete disaster. Let’s check some of these out.
Technology is awesome and last year bought us so many cool products but sometimes some companies just get it wrong and I’m about to name and shame them. Let’s get right into the biggest Tech failures of 2016.
Samsung Galaxy Note7
You all probably thought of this one as soon as you saw the word ‘failure’ and I’m not surprised.
Samsung revealed the latest addition to the Note collection in August, released it in September and buried it in October. It didn’t even last a day when 30+ Note7 devices were reported to have exploded. Due to the significance of this issue, a recall took place, hitting billions of dollars. These things happen right? Maybe once but not twice; Samsung failed big time when even the replacement Note7’s were exploding. The phone didn’t even last a month before Samsung had to take it off the market; unbelievably disappointing. It’s a real shame because I was a Note7 owner and it was the best smartphone I had my hands on; it was definitely the best Samsung and Android device ever made.
Hopefully, Samsung have learnt from their gigantic mistake and will give us a device even better this year.
Surprised to see this on the list? Apple are one of the best Tech brands out there; they produce amazing quality products but they do disappoint, very rarely in my opinion.
Apple introduced the AirPods in September, at the same time as the iPhone 7/7 Plus. They had given us a date of, actually they didn’t even give us a date, but mentioned the AirPods will be available to purchase in October. That didn’t happen. They informed us that the delivery of the AirPods will be late but, Apple being Apple, didn’t given us an exact date but we had to just expect it in ‘a few weeks’.
Whilst it’s annoying that they didn’t give us a date, it’s kind of a good thing because they’re saving themselves from disappointing further if they don’t make it to that date. On a completely different side of things, the AirPods don’t even look cool. They look a bit silly just hanging off your ears, with no cables to attach the two together but I’m sure they sound good. I just cannot justify the price (£159) so these, along with the iWatch, are two products of Apple’s that I will never buy (happy to receive them as gifts though) 😛
GoPro Karma drone
GoPro’s Karma folding drone came into the market as a competitor to DJI’s very own Mavic Pro. With both brands being very well-known, the competition game was strong but it seems DJI got the upper hand in the end as the Karma Drone units were recalled. Oh dear.
It turned out that (a limited) number of the drones lost power during flight, causing the drone to fall out of the Sky. No injuries were reported and do damage either, which is lucky, but the recall is something GoPro had to do, for safety reasons. Whilst this is super annoying for the customers who purchased this, GoPro plan to continue selling the drone, once the issue has been resolved.
It takes a lot of work for these Tech companies to produce the products we use and love on a daily basis and it must really hurt when things go wrong. Whilst recalls can be inconvenient for consumers, it’s great that these companies react quickly and call for a recall as soon as possible.
Sadly for Samsung, the Note7 recall was the biggest disaster and this biggest disappointment too as it could have been the best smartphone to date, in my opinion. The worst part is that its success lasted less than 30 days but it cost them billions of dollars. That must really hurt.
Whilst Apple were late with a product no-one has introduced before, I think it’s safe to say they performed some intense quality testing before launching them as they were basically two months late.
The GoPro Karma, on the other hand, has taken a sad departure to the house of Recall. I think this will have probably put a lot of people off it but also led to an increase of sales for the DJI Mavic Pro. Even though it is said to go back on sale, once the power issue has been resolved, there is that risk of it not being as successful.
As they say, we’re only human. You just tend to expect more from such large companies but let the above be a lesson learned and, hopefully, 2017 will bring us awesome tech with 0 recalls. What do you say?
Thank you for reading.


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Ain't no thing like me, except me. I am 50% of the awesome people behind this website. I enjoy writing about my deep love for (J)RPG's, fighting games, and Destiny. Really do not like Call of Duty and Battle Royale games. Absolutely love Sushi and Burgers.
IDW has been working on a crossover comic that brings the world’s most popular fighting game and America’s fighting elite together in Street Fighter X G.I. Joe, which will release in stores later this month.
Capcom has released a couple pages for you to sneak a peek at and more info on the six-issue series below. The pages feature fiery fights between C. Viper and Snake Eyes, Rufus getting roughed up, and Ryu delivering a bunch of hadoukens.
Street Fighter X G.I. Joe will be a six-issue miniseries beginning in February 2016. On a hidden island in international waters, 16 combatants enter a secret tournament… one that pits Street Fighter vs. G.I. Joe! M. Bison and Destro have joined forces, and taking them down will require the world’s finest warriors: Ryu, Snake Eyes, Guile, Scarlett, Chun-Li and Duke.
New challengers Aubrey Sitterson (Hulk, Superman, Tech Jacket, Worth) and Emilio Laiso (Hack/Slash: Son of Samhain) bring the visceral combat of the world’s most popular fighting game series and the real world military action of America’s fighting elite together for the first time.
The first issue of the six-part series drops later this month, with a trade paperback expected by the end of the year. Each issue will run for $3.99, and will be available at all comic book shops, as well as IDW’s online shop, starting February 24, 2016.


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Easter Food Rush!
OLYPHANT, Pa. -- It is a busy time of year at Bosak's Choice Meats in Olyphant, as people gear up for Easter celebrations. There are tons of kielbasa to make, dozens and dozens of hams to sell, and lots of deliveries. "We have deliveries with kolaches and peanut butter eggs, coconut from National Bakery, kolaches, breads," said Tammy Bosak.
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Ultra is the new Pro and ZTE is looking to join Samsung, Xiaomi and other premiere phone makers with its own Axon 30 Ultra. The flagship is set to debut on April 15 and after teasing its triple camera setup consisting of three 64MP sensors, ZTE is now sharing a look at the front of the device in a series of video ads.
The first ad showcases the phone’s camera prowess and its varying zoom lengths ranging from 0.5x to 5x optical and 20x digital. The video also shows the phone’s curved screen with a centered punch hole cutout on the top.
The second video also focuses on the rear cameras showing the rectangular cutout which comes with its own night scene mode. At the end of the video we can spot the device’s profile from the front.
The third ad exhibits the video stabilization and night mode while also giving us a look at the display of the device towards the end.
The ZTE Axon 30 Ultra will bring the flagship Snapdragon 888 chipset alongside a 120Hz refresh rate display and 55W fast charging. With just three days to go until the launch, we should be seeing some more teasers which would hopefully reveal more key details.


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The List Experts releases the Americans Walking for Health list
The List Experts has released the Americans Walking for Health list.
These health-conscious consumers understand the benefits of exercise, and walking is one way they choose to stay in shape. Whether they're walking to lose weight, lower their cholesterol, control their blood pressure, or simply because they love it, these active consumers are not couch potatoes. They are open to anything health and fitness related including health fundraising offers, apparel catalogs, spa packages, vacation and travel offers and magazine subscriptions.
The 1,033,429 universe list is available for $80.00/M.


text: 1980 -- With inflation raging, gold hits a record price of $850 per ounce. In the jewelry district along 47th Street in Manhattan, people wait excitedly to sell their rings and bracelets for cash. Gold dealers predict that the price will hit $1,000 per ounce by July, and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury G. William Miller has just announced, "At the moment, it does not seem an appropriate time to sell our gold." As Fort Knox remains fully laden with its 220 million ounces, it turns out to be the best time in history to sell gold: On January 22, the gold price falls by $145, and by 1991 it is below $600 per ounce. By 1985, the price of gold has slumped to around $300.


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- By Alex Gaw
- March 7, 2023
MessageGears: Consumers Want Fewer but More Personalized Marketing Messages
Consumers are annoyed when brands inundate them with messages that do not reflect their interests, and they are far more likely to engage with brands that recognize them on a personal level, reveals a new study from Atlanta-based customer engagement platform MessageGears.
Many consumers are also unhappy with the tactics employed by brands in their messaging strategies. At least 51% of consumers say they receive messages from brands that are not personalized, and 62% get duplicate messages on different channels. Moreover, 70% report receiving too many messages, and 49% are irritated by large national brands communicating in a generic way that does not reflect how the consumer interacts with the brand.
The medium and frequency of communications also matter. Email is preferred by 51%, while 41% do not want SMS text marketing at all. About 30% favor receiving messages on a weekly basis, compared to 21% who want them monthly. And to know the customer is to earn their business, the report shows, with 66% saying that brands able to create a personalized experience are more likely to win their patronage and support.
“In the current economic climate, it’s more important than ever for brands to listen to their customers and engage with them in a way that makes them feel recognized,” says Will Devlin, vice president of marketing at MessageGears. “As market conditions change, brands need to make sure their marketing is aligned with consumer expectations around when, where and how to engage.”
Qualtrics: Customer-Facing Employees Struggle Most with Tech Changes at Work
A new report from experience management provider Qualtrics shows that depending on their industry, employees have varying experiences with the technology they use at work and how well it meets their needs. The findings from the report are based on a study of more than 33,000 employees from 25 countries conducted in the third quarter last year.
A key finding sheds light on how the overhaul of systems or the introduction of new technologies interrupts work. The employees affected most by this type of disruption are those who work in customer-facing industries, including retail, hotels and restaurants, and leisure. In contrast, the employees least affected are those working in IT and software, the report shows.
Another key finding notes that midsize companies are able to find the sweet spot with technology, while both small and extra-large businesses share similar struggles. Workers at midsize companies with 5,000 to 9,999 employees fare best with their workplace-provided tech, and are much more likely to say that their technology exceeds expectations. System-wide changes are also less likely to affect their ability to work, as 60% say they are rarely disrupted by such changes.
Meanwhile, employees at small organizations with fewer than 500 employees, as well as those employed in extra-large establishments counting more than 50,000 workers, have comparable experiences with workplace technology. Less than one in four employees say their technology exceeds expectations, and more than half are impacted on their work because of system-wide changes to their technology.
Amdocs: Purely Digital Consumer Interactions with Providers Are Few, Contrary to Claims
While communications service providers claim that 65% of customer journeys and interactions are digitalized, a survey of nearly 10,000 consumers across nine countries found that just 13% of customer interactions with providers are completed in purely digital ways through self-service tools like chatbots, apps, and websites, with no human involvement at play, according to research published by Amdocs, a major provider of software and services to communications service providers (CSPs). The low percentage of digital interactions is in stark contrast to the high rates of digitalization and automation reported by decision-makers at provider firms.
The research also reveals that consumer demand for digital channels is twice as high as current usage, suggesting a mismatch between customer preferences and the ability of providers to meet them. And in 56% of cases, it is the consumer’s decision to switch from digital to human channels during an interaction.
When executed properly, digital channels can be a substantial differentiator, with 42% of consumers saying they would likely switch operators if another provider offered a significantly better self-service experience. Providers say, however, that implementing AI or machine learning remains a major challenge and that the technologies currently do not have a significant impact on their customers’ engagement with digital channels.
Instead of AI, human agents will have an important role in service provider CX for the foreseeable future, the research suggests. The findings underscore the ability of human agents to act as brand champions by generating high levels of customer satisfaction, and recommend that agents receive continuing investment, support, and upskilling to maximize their effectiveness, working in harmony alongside digital channels to drive a superior overall CX.
Nosto: Online Shoppers Abandon Search Bar Because of Poor Experience
New research from Nosto, the Helsinki, Finland-based commerce experience platform provider, shows that even though 69% of consumers go straight to the search bar when they visit an online retailer, 80% admit to leaving because the on-site search experience failed to meet their expectations.
Based on a combination of surveys of 2,000 North American and UK consumers, along with 308 senior eCommerce professionals at retail brands, the findings indicate that merchants are losing potential sales because search experiences fail to meet consumer expectations.
A key shortcoming of retailers’ on-site search capabilities is the inability or inadequacy of the search functionality to deliver relevant results. The shortcomings are especially galling in the current economic downtown to consumers because many rely on comparison shopping to get the best deal possible in the face of rising inflation, the report states.
Besides relevance, shoppers are unhappy with their search experiences for various other reasons. At least 27% have left a site because their queries produced too many results and appropriate filters to narrow search results were missing, while 26% cite out-of-stock products, and 25% say results were too slow to load. Brands are aware of the problem, but many feel stuck with their current technology. The top issue for brands is the lack of advanced product data processing capability in search, which renders their solutions incapable of resolving complex queries and providing relevant matching.
LivePerson: Sharp Disconnect Between Brands and Consumers on CX and AI
Large gaps exist between how brands conceptualize and execute customer engagement strategies and what consumers actually want, a new report from conversational AI software provider LivePerson discloses. For instance, brands think they will get a break when times are tough, but customers are in fact getting more critical.
The disconnect between brands and consumers extends to many areas, according to the 2023 State of Customer Engagement report, which surveyed more than 2,500 consumers and 1,000 brand executives. For example, 57% of consumers say long wait times matter more to them now than they did a year ago, but 77% of brands believe the opposite is true. Consumers, especially Gen Z, will spendmore when they get personalized experiences, but the traditional personalization methods of brands turn them off.
Consumer sentiment toward messaging and AI is highly positive, but brands have yet to fully capitalize on the opportunity.And when it comes to preferred channels, 75% are more likely to purchase if they can message with a brand rather than call.
On top of that, all age groups say experiences driven by automation and AI increase their loyalty. An all-time high number of consumers (62%) feel positive about engaging with chatbots, and 68% say that communicating with automations to resolve issues more quickly increases their loyalty to a brand. Interestingly, 60% of the 18–24-year-old group would rather interact with a chatbot than with a human to find a product.
Brands appear to understand all this and say they are working toward improving these experiences. Yet brands appear to be giving themselves better marks than their consumers do. When asked how mature their company’s use of AI is today, 78% rated themselves excellent or good. However, only 43% of consumers can say that brand chatbots are easy to use.
Market Drivers and Barriers, Market Sizing and Forecasts, and Case Studies
CX in the Healthcare Industry
Patient Experience Management and Patient Engagement: Best Practices, Key Market Trends, Case Studies, and Market Forecasts
CX Market Forecasts
Customer Data & Analytics, Customer Relationship Management, Contact Center, Personalization & Optimization, Customer Data Platforms, Customer Insights & Feedback, and Employee Experience
Customer Insights & Feedback
Market Drivers and Barriers, Key Industry Players, Market Sizing and Forecasts, and Case Studies
Qualtrics X4 is Back
- By Sherril Hanson March 8, 2023
Qualtrics X4 has returned after a 3-year hiatus with 10,000 experience professionals converging on Salt Lake City. The company is leaning into a few areas, and has been highlighting its capabilities with AI, its solutions to support frontline…Read More
Research Points to the Importance of Online Reviews
- By Sherril Hanson March 6, 2023
Two reputation management companies recently released data pointing to the importance of online reviews as part of the brand-customer experience. Reputation management and brand intelligence provider Chatmeter conducted a survey in January 2023…Read More
CX Innovators: Ken Peterson, QuestionPro
- By Clint Wheelock February 20, 2023
Ken Peterson, President, Customer Experience at survey software company QuestionPro, provides insights on using CX to provide “empathy at scale”.Read More
Insights and Feedback News: Gainsight, Lexalytics, Productboard, Qualtrics, Review Trackers, SkyTeam
- By Sherril Hanson February 1, 2023
Customer Insights & Feedback market sector updates: product launches and enhancements, partnerships, and investment news.Read More


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Washington area consumers are playing an average of 20 to 25 percent more for many fresh vegetables and citrus this week because of the freeze that struck Florida in mid-January.
Green beans, squash and tomatoes have nearly doubled in price at some stores. Temple oranges have climbed 25 percent, and large grapefruit 15 percent. Some types of lettuce, such as romaine and chicory, registered increases of 10 percent.
Besides the sharply higher prices, shoppers have found reduced supplies of some fresh produce items. Some Giant and Safeway supermarkets, for example, had no summer squash yesterday. And officials indicated that their seasonal supply of tangelos and tangerines could run out a week earlier than usual.
The quality of some of the vegetables that survived the freeze also has suffered. Richard S. Hallinger, a regional produce specialist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said that the small amount of yellow summer squash that has reached the Washington area market is in poor condition. And one store produce buyer described green beans as mediocre.
Actual price increases made since the freeze ranged from store to store and from product to product. Sue Portney, a representative for Giant, the area's largest supermarket chain, said its citrus and vegetable price increases have increased about 25 percent. She said it is too early to predict whether there will be any more increases.
Here are examples of retail price increases made since the freeze:
Green beans: 99 cents a pound yesterday at Magruder's, compared with 50 cents a pound before. The Safeway and Giant price yesterday was 98 cents a pound, compared with 89 cents a pound before.
Summer squash: 79 cents a pound yesterday at Magruder's, compared with 49 cents a pound before.Safeway's price yesterday was 98 cents a pound, compared with 89 cents a pound before.
Tomatoes: 79 cents a pound at Magruder's, compared with 49 cents a pound before. Yesterday's price was 98 cents a pound at Safeway and Giant, compared with 69 cents a pound before at Safeway and 79 cents a pound at Giant.
Lettuce: 98 cents a pound yesterday for romaine and chicory yesterday at Safeway, compared with 89 cents before the freeze.
Grapefruit: 45 cents each large grapefruit yesterday at Safeway; 39 cents before.
Produce prices tend to fluctuate seasonally, depending on the supply. So when freezing temperatures left icycles on Florida's oranges and frost on its vegetable crops, it led to a burst of frenzied trading among wholesalers confronted with higher grower prices and a shrunken supply of merchandise.
"The freeze dried up the market [supply]," said Stanford Steppa, produce buyer for Magruder's. "So even though it is near the tail end of tangerine season, absolutely none are available.And any coming in are leftovers."
Steppa said that squash, green beans and tomatoes -- along with citrus -- had been hit particularly hard by the price increases.
"Normally, squash this time of year is inexpensive. Normally, Mexico and Florida fight over which will be cheaper and which will sell more. Now Mexico has all the market and it is sky high."
The wholesale price for green beans, he said, is $25 for a 27-pound box -- nearly $1 a pound. "We were lucky to get beans at all and they are of mediocre quality," Steppa said.
Tomatoes, however, are "magnificent," he said, "and very, very, expensive."
Larry Johnson, a representative of Safeway, said that the resumption of citrus shipments from Florida this week will enable his chain to reduce prices for some products soon. He said, for example, that the company plans to feature Temple oranges in its weekend specials for 10 for $1. Since the freeze, those oranges have been selling for 8 for $1.
The Florida freeze is not the only weather problem to strike produce.
Because of last summer's drought, potato prices have increased 29 percent at some Washington area stores in recent weeks. A five-pound bag now costs $1.79 at Safeway, compared with $1.39 earlier in the month.


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Dr. Roger Swain, a retired Florida veterinarian, has found a second career, and his timing couldn't be better. He has started a franchise that establishes a chain of euthanasia "clinics" that fill a unique but widely needed service; putting senior citizens out of their misery.
"Since the banks pay seniors ½ percent interest on their savings while investing the same money and making six times that, and healthcare options are evaporating, many seniors have decided to just get it over with," said Dr. Swain, in a interview outside the franchise's newest location; a beat-to-hell trailer in the center of a scalding abandoned parking lot in Tampa, Fla.
"I spent a career putting down everything from birds to monkeys to horses-I even put down a giraffe once. Now, that was a tall order," he joked.
"So, by the time the bucket of breathing tubes comes a' wheeling through the door of the clinic, we pretty much know what to do. To preserve the old folks' dignity, every 'Dignity Room' is decorated with bright colors like a kindergarten class and every old timer is talked to like they were one year old.
"We even have a photo room where a client can take one of them old-timey photos where they dress up like a cowboy or showgirl. That way the family has something to remember them by," explained Dr. Swain.
"So how do you-you know-do it?" asked Tawdry Soup. "We have a menu that offers a variety of ways to go," detailed the Doctor. "Our budget package is $28.50. That's where we push a pillow over your face and Dorita, who does the books in this office, straddles it. It takes a little longer than some of the other methods, but Dorita used to ride ponies on the rodeo circuit, so she knows what she's doing.
"If you're a "tuber" and happen to only have 178.50, we remove the tube and let you die from starvation or lack of water-it's the same method currently used in most hospices because it's painless-or so they say. But, instead of a dignity room, this package offers a community room where clients dwindle away with others seniors. You know how all old people automatically like each other."
"On the other end," Dr. Swain went on, "for $7500.00, we offer the Sleepy Peepy, which is a bowl of ice cream laced with enough barbiturates to kill an elephant. I know it's a shameless plug, but please let your readers know we now include funeral services."
"You can even shop for a casket before you go." Dr. Swain motioned toward a rustic Ford Torino station wagon with something in the back resembling a casket stuffed full of old newspapers and fast food wrappers. A back tire looked like it went flat three or four years ago.
Revenues at the Final Destination chain of euthanasia clinics are growing by leaps and bounds due to the ridiculously low overhead and no government oversight, and are expected to top $1 billion this year.
Lobbyists for the company are currently helping Republican senators write a bill that will send the company federal dollars, once used for Medicare.
The money will be used to rapidly expand the franchise to every city in the U.S. so the government can "stop subsidizing someone else's problems," according to one GOP senator.


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Watts Commercial Finance crowned Commercial Mortgage Introducer of the year at the 2018 Business Moneyfacts Awards
The winners were announced to 700 of the industry’s finest, by awards host Claudia Winkleman on 21 March 2018 at the Royal Lancaster London.
The Business Moneyfacts Awards celebrate the top brokers, lenders and individuals in the business finance market, which saw Watts Commercial Finance take home one of the industry’s most prestigious awards.
Commenting on the win, Phil Gray, Managing Director of Watts Commercial Finance said:
“Building on our Highly Commended award in 2017, the team has worked extremely hard over the last 12 months and I am delighted that our hard work has been rewarded by winning this award. I am tremendously proud of the team at Watts for their continued dedication and exceptional customer service.
Watts Commercial Finance has had an exceptional 12 months – brokering and securing competitive products for our customers whilst growing our team by 45%. Winning this prestigious award is testament to our commitment to help secure appropriate commercial finance solutions for our clients and allowing their business to prosper.”
Lee Tillcock, Editor of Business Moneyfacts, said:
“Another year of political uncertainty has not stopped the continuing revival in the business finance sector.
The last 12 months has proven to be more profitable for many businesses, and as the appetite for funding grows, brokers and providers have embraced the opportunity to boost trading and growth levels.
An air of confidence has been apparent in the business finance sector, and the eighteenth annual Business Moneyfacts Awards ceremony has once again celebrated and rewarded those who have offered the best products and services throughout the last year.
The worthy finalist and eventual winners of these awards continue to support this vital sector and will undoubtedly face any future challenges head-on.”


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Here are some interesting facts from MobileBeyond:
- The mobile transaction market is so huge it offers room for multiple players. Yearly worldwide electronic transactions total $7-$10 TRILLION
- Competitors are generally local to each country or region leaving plenty of open territory for mobile payment service and technology companies. Companies that win in their markets will be those that understand customer needs.
- PayPal in the U.S., which has traditionally catered to merchant accounts, most likely will adopt a similar mobile strategy. (Both Obopay and PayPal are service providers–not technology companies like Fundamo in South Africa that provides software solutions for service companies.)
- “The competition is cash”–not the other players in this market space
- In five to ten years, mobile payments will achieve high adoption among consumers in developing and developed countries.
- Brazil, Russia, China and Mexico offer growth opportunities for players that understand these markets
- According to Portio Research, by 2011 mobile commerce payments are estimated to climb to $86.6 billion
- Nielsen predicts 27% of all U.S. payments by 2012 will still be cash
The following are the developments in UK from Computer weekly:
Some forms of mobile payments already exist. Phone applications like PayPal Mobile support person-to-person (P2P) payments. SMS-based transactions are used for car parking tickets and mobile commerce allows online shopping through mobile phone browsers.
Contactless cards are also in circulation for credit cards, transport tickets and are used in some food stores. The industry is looking next at near-field communication (NFC) mobile handsets. NFC allows 'tap-and-go' style payments using mobile phones at in-store terminals by incorporating contactless card technology into handsets. Alternatively, micro-SD cards with NFC-enabled chips can be inserted into mobile phones.
The Global System for Mobile Association (GSMA) has launched a Pay-Buy-Mobile project to enable consumers to pay for goods and services via their mobile phones. "By storing a consumer's credit or debit card within the SIM card and employing NFC technology, the mobile phone can be passed near a contactless Point Of Sale (POS) terminal to complete transactions," said Nav Bains, GSMA's senior director of mobile money.
GSMA has been collaborating with standardisation bodies; the European Payments Council, EMVCo, which manages card specifications and smartcard infrastructure standards body, Global Platform. The consortium is developing the Trusted Service Manager requirements document and a certification process to accelerate the commercialisation of mobile NFC services. But some experts believe NFC is a long way from a mass market roll-out in the UK.
The biggest breakthrough in the mobile payment market have been in developing countries, providing bank services via mobile phones for people who have traditionally not had bank accounts. Visa Europe recently launched Europe's first micro-SD based mobile payment systems in Turkey. But it is unclear when such a system will be introduced in the UK. says Juniper Research senior analyst, Howard Wilcox.
The number of contactless terminals in the UK is approximately 26,500 and the UK Card Association predict 14 million contactless cards will have been issued with contactless functionality by the end of 2010. "We're not expecting to give a launch date any time soon," continues Swain. "Globally, there's a lot of discussion but the UK is one of the only areas where we already have the infrastructure that would accept contactless mobile payments," he adds.
UK-based mobile banking firm, Monitise, has also recently launched a joint venture with Visa in India to accelerate the delivery of mobile financial services such as banking, bill payments, mass transit ticketing and mobile top-up to Indian customers. More than infrastructure, Monitise group strategy director, Richard Johnson, believes banks and mobile network operators need to work together. "Banks are where most people keep their money. It's about mobilising bank accounts rather than creating new accounts with network operators. Tap-and-go really requires collaboration," he says.
Industry expert consortium, Mobey Forum, hopes to bring banks, mobile network operators, acquirers and merchants together to build the relationships needed to progress the mobile payments industry.
Gerhard Romen, Mobey Forum marketing chair and director of mobile financial services at Nokia, believes the NFC trials have proved the consumer demand and, by 2011, all of Nokia's new smartphones will be NFC-enabled. "Once people work together, it'll provide simplicity for the user" he says. "A phone with NFC can do more than just behave like a card - it has a display, keyboard and internet connection - and becomes more interactive," he adds.
Today we have credit, debit and, perhaps, contactless cards. Tomorrow banks and mobile network operators hope to provide a mobile wallet. The next step will be introducing tap-and-go into the mainstream market and, despite slow progress, industry experts are increasingly certain it will happen "soon".
Google and Apple are both making moves to ensure smooth financial transactions on their mobile platforms.
Last week news bubbled up that Google and PayPal were brokering a deal to let the search engine use the e-commerce service as a payment option for applications purchased through Google's Android Market.
Apple, meanwhile, hired an expert in near field communication (NFC) technology as its new product manager for mobile commerce and has published a number of NFC-related patents in recent months.
Google's e-commerce infrastructure is poor compared with that of Apple. Users may only purchase applications for their Android smartphones from the Android Market in 13 countries.
By way of comparison, consumers may purchase apps from iPhone's App Store in 90 countries all over the world. PayPal would be a welcome addition to Google Checkout and credit cards as payment options in the Android Market.
Gartner has said the market for mobile apps will be $6.2 billion this year, making it an obvious sector for Google and Apple to attack with gusto.
From San Fansisco Chronicle:
Bay Area businesses like Bling Nation and eBay Inc.'s PayPal division are rolling out products that allow people to hand over money to stores, restaurants, coffee shops or friends with the tap of a mobile device. No credit cards, checks or cash are necessary.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that other major companies, including Apple Inc., AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless are planning or negotiating to provide similar services.
"What I see is all these distinct initiatives coming together and merging at some point in the not-too-distant future," said Aaron McPherson, practice director at IDC Financial Insights. "All together, they add up to significant change."
Bling Nation, a Palo Alto startup founded in 2007, is among the furthest along in this emerging field, with more than 1,000 retailers nationwide accepting its payment system. The company provides so-called Bling tags, or small stickers, that affix to the back of a mobile phone and transmit data using a wireless standard known as Near Field Communication.
When users tap the tag on a proprietary reader at participating retailers, it pulls money from their PayPal account. For security, users have to enter a personal identification number for purchases over a certain amount, or when transactions occur at an unusual frequency or location.
Merchants pay for or rent the reader and are charged 1.5 percent of the total of every transaction, which is well below the average transaction rate for accepting credit cards. The additional advantage for merchants is that they can analyze customer data in a more fine-grained manner than is permitted through the credit card system. This allows them, for instance, to target sales offers to regular customers or those who haven't been into the shop in a while.
"They enjoy cheaper fees and analytics that can help them issue coupons and make more money," said co-founder Meyer Malka, adding that the advantages are turning businesses into proselytizers on Bling's behalf.
A little more than a month ago, the company began an aggressive push in partnership with PayPal to expand its footprint in downtown Palo Alto. It included giving away thousands of tags preloaded with $20 in credit to customers. There are now more than 50 retailers in the city accepting the payments.
As I mentioned last week, with heavyweights like Nokia, Apple and Google all coming closer to NFC and M-Payments, it should be a winning formula for the end consumers. We will possibly see more use of m-payments in the developed world. Lets not mention about security just yet.


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Tesco plan Express store for London Road
TESCO has confirmed plans to build an Express store on the site of a former High Wycombe car garage.
The supermarket giant is plotting a regeneration of the old Platts showroom as it looks to open a Tesco Express in London Road.
The store, which would be next to a Costcutter, would create 20 jobs.
Carol Leslie, Tesco spokesperson, said: “Not only is this an excellent opportunity to regenerate this former garage site and bring it back to use but we look forward to investing in the area, creating new jobs, serving local people and becoming part of the community.”
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Could the Solar Bug bring the sun to the car market?
Steve Titus is among those entrepreneurs trying to create and market an affordable, renewable-energy vehicle – a step beyond gas-electric hybrids.
Santa Monica, Calif.
In the local airport parking lot, Steve Titus clicks shut the lightweight fiberglass door of his fireman-yellow "Solar Bug."
It looks like another bug – a Volkswagen one – that got sliced in half by a band saw, then pinched front to back by the Jolly Green Giant.
Mr. Titus straddles the saddle-style seat and revs the Hi-Torque Pancake motor. It whirs away quietly, reaching a top speed of 40 miles per hour in a few seconds.
On display at a recent alternative-car expo here, this is Titus's second and latest rendering of a solar-powered car concept. It gets up to a fourth of its 60-mile capacity from 200 watts of roof-mounted solar panels.
Titus is among those entrepreneurs trying to create and market an affordable, renewable-energy vehicle – a step beyond gas-electric hybrids.
The ranks of potential buyers for such cars are growing by leaps and bounds, say many car-industry analysts. But don't look for them on normal streets just yet, they add quickly. Limitations of batteries and solar panels – though lessening – are still issues, among others.
Yet "fringe markets" – such as commuters within small towns, seniors in retirement villages, and users of industry fleets – are in a position to drive the first sales boomlet for such cars, analysts say.
Until then, Titus and other inventor-tinkerer types are offering a peek into the future of transportation in America – well before the major car companies.
"Garage tinkerers like Titus are the tip of an iceberg of innovation demonstrating the direction of the national, global trend," says Steven Letendre, professor of business, economics, and environment at Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vt., who lectures widely on the future of electric and hybrid cars and solar energy.