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The City of Casey is helping local fitness trainers get back to business by trialling a new program to remove red tape to help them operate from Council reserves easily and at no cost.
Co-designed between Council and the Victorian State Government, via their Automatic Approvals program, Casey’s Skip the Permit is a pilot program which removes the need for fitness training businesses to obtain a permit to use Council reserves. The pilot will allow eligible businesses to get up and running quickly by submitting an online notification to Council, saving time, and removing the costs associated with a traditional permit application.
The pilot will take place across selected Casey sites and the streamlined notification system will enable businesses to upload insurance certificates and advise Council of their participation. Once all required documents are submitted, businesses can begin using the reserve immediately.
The opportunity to participate in this trial reinforces the City of Casey’s commitment to reforming internal regulation and removing red tape to support local businesses and enhance economic activity post the 2021 lockdowns.
Skip the Permit for Fitness Trainers comes as businesses and residents embrace new freedoms along with the promise of warmer weather.
City of Casey’s Chair of Administrators, Noelene Duff PSM was pleased to see Council taking action to make Casey an easier place to do business.
“Aside from the obvious health and wellbeing benefits for our residents, providing an easier way for fitness training businesses to get back up and running is common sense,” she said.
“Casey is proud to be a sector leader in trialling initiatives that, if successful, can be rolled out more broadly across Victoria. We are committed to providing a meaningful response to supporting our local business community as they emerge from the impacts of Covid-19.
“This trial is the latest in a range of reform initiatives that Council is exploring to make it easier to do business in Casey.”
Skip the Permit is being trialled in a select range of Council reserves and is available for Casey-based fitness training businesses. The trial will take place for a limited period with a review and evaluation completed at its conclusion to determine if the program will be implemented on a permanent basis.
Fitness training businesses interested in taking part must submit a notification to Council before using the reserve. Business operators are encouraged to learn more online or to contact Council’s Economic Development Team on 9705 5200 or via email: email@example.com


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Guy Phoenix Interiors opened its first Nottingham showroom less than a year ago but already demand has been through the roof as it builds and fits out multi-million pound homes across the region. But what makes it even more interesting is that the two men behind the business could hardly be more different, as Dan Robinson finds out
Sitting across a desk from Guy Phoenix and Sam Stoffel, they couldn’t look more different.
Guy, 44, is dressed in a black polo shirt and brown workwear trousers, featuring knee pads and splattered with paint, while 27-year-old Sam wears jeans with a double-breasted waistcoat, white shirt, check suit jacket and Chelsea boots.
But, together, they form a meeting of entrepreneurial minds that have already helped them achieve success elsewhere in their careers.
The older of the two has forged a reputation as an award-winning luxury house developer under his own name, while Sam has several ventures, with the most prominent being Profit Accumulator – a website that guides people through the concept of matched betting.
Their burgeoning business partnership led to the launch of Guy Phoenix Interiors, which sells the sort of luxury furniture you might find in a Guy Phoenix home for those who can’t afford the entire thing.
Alongside this, the company designs and builds some of the most expensive homes in the East Midlands on bespoke contracts for the rich and famous.
Sam says: “The ideology behind opening the store was that a Guy Phoenix home is very exclusive and costs millions of pounds.
“Not everyone can afford a multi-million pound home but they can afford a few pieces of the furniture, or for us to come in and give their living room a makeover.
“People can have anything in their home – shark tanks, waterfalls, fire coming out the floor, lagoons, lifts, oversized wine cellars, hair salons.”
As the company’s name attests, Guy brings the interior design skills after working in the sector for 20 years.
He has also built some of the most extravagant and unusual homes in the county. “I’m self-taught – I haven’t been on any interior design course,” he says. “I left school and started labouring, and thought ‘I could do this better’ so I did up a house and sold it on.”
Dad-of-four Guy first met his future business partner when he built a home for Sam in Alexandra Park, a new gated development of 15 bespoke homes.
They decided to open a showroom in Mansfield Road – at the site of the old Aura shop on the Bluecoat Street junction – early last year, selling some of the furniture and decor used in Guy’s homes.
“The reason we got into interiors is because each home we build is dressed and, more often than not, the buyer would want all the furniture,” says Guy.“We own everything outright. There’s no mortgages, no borrowings. Sam is successful in his own right and we decided to join forces.”
Sam has illustrated his own style of sophistication in the online sphere.
Having originally wanted to be a film director, he paid his way through a cinema and photography degree at the University of Leeds by using matched betting.
Billed as a cast-iron assurance of beating the bookies – if instructions are followed correctly – the concept works by taking advantage of free bets and incentives regularly offered by bookmakers.
Players can cancel out the risk on the “back” stake by betting against themselves at the same odds with a free bet.
Sam set up Profit Accumulator in 2014 as a guide to how to navigate this complex gameplay and win big. It now has 19 staff, a £6m turnover and more than 20,000 paid-up members.
He attracted a similar number of subscribers on a YouTube channel for video game tutorials, while he has also developed a mobile phone game app.
“I have more of a marketing and growth background,” says Sam.
“Guy had been building homes for a long time and has a lot of contacts, but I can say ‘Right, we need to scale this up and employ people’.”
The Guy Phoenix Interiors showroom features such as a £1,500 Venetian chandelier, £3,500 Eichholtz three-seater sofa, £1,700 silk jacaranda bespoke rug, £980 Venezia etched wall mirror and £3,500 Kensington chrome and black library bookcase.
Alongside the shop, the company provides an interiors service for luxury homeowners and also builds new houses on clients’ land on a contract basis.
The interiors company is building homes in Nottinghamshire for two celebrities, while it has projects in London as well.
The interior design and bespoke home building service has taken precedence over the shop in recent months as demand has “erupted”, having been inundated with requests and having to take on more staff.
Alongside the nine staff in the showroom, the company employs more than 100 full-time sub-contractors and has a multi-million pound turnover.
Head of interior design Rachael Baum has previously worked on projects at Windsor Castle and Balmoral Castle.
The homes it builds usually have values in the millions, with the most recent one a £4m mansion named Fairmont, in Melton Road, Edwalton.
With trademark marble and glass, it provides 8,300sq ft of accommodation and features an indoor swimming pool, five bedroom suites with tailored wardrobes and balcony terraces among the many aspects that make it a true dream home.
Guy, who continues to buy and sell homes he builds in a separate business using his own money, says: “Of the 10 most expensive homes in Nottingham, we’ve been involved in seven or eight of them.
“We’ve got high net-worth individuals who are now buying homes for several million pounds.
“In some instances we’re knocking them down and in other cases we’re refurbishing them, often putting a modern interior in a period home.
“We have six times as much work to do in 2018 as we had last year, which doesn’t include taking on new clients in the early part of this year.
“We’re struggling to keep up with the demand so we’re expanding the team and looking at the whole country. We want to partner with high-end, proven builders.”
Following up closely behind the national expansion could be an international presence in the near future.
People living in the East Midlands have asked Guy Phoenix Interiors about working on their homes abroad, while there has been an inquiry from a Chinese man who wants to duplicate its designs in his country.
Leisure boom takes off
As you may expect for two people with such enterprising mindsets, Guy Phoenix and Sam Stoffel aren’t looking to settle with just the one business partnership.
Already, they are looking at taking a “serious involvement” in an unidentified chain of restaurants to help it expand further.
Guy explains: “Outside London, we’ve all been in recession for the past 10 years.
“That’s now ended, regardless of Brexit, and those successful people who have been cagey about moving or updating their existing homes are now more confident about doing so.
“Not only are people going crazy on their own homes but leisure is off the scale at the moment – people are spending money on enjoying themselves.
“That’s why we’re looking at this restaurant chain. I come up with the ideas and shove it to Sam to get it sorted.”
Studying the relationship between these two entrepreneurs is fascinating and one gets the feeling they may not have necessarily crossed paths if it wasn’t for their newfound shared business interests.
But it certainly seems to work for them, as Guy explains: “We have very different backgrounds, which is great because if you have two people with the same attributes then it doesn’t work.
“I was turning people down a few years ago to build their houses and Sam told me that’s the worst idea he’s ever heard in his life.
“It’s like walking into a Mercedes garage and being told they don’t want to sell you a car.
“We have a number of other ventures that will benefit from Sam’s marketing.
“To me, everything is about marketing. In every business, the spine to success is marketing. Even if you have a poxy little pub in the middle of nowhere, if it’s not busy then it needs marketing.
“That’s Sam’s USP – it’s what he does – and that’s why we work so well together.”

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It's not just big bankers and finance companies the popular and powerful Massachusetts senator is gunning for, now she's turned her sights to Apple, Amazon and Google, reports Recode. In a speech in Washington yesterday the Senator said:
"Google, Apple and Amazon have created disruptive technologies that changed the world, and … they deserve to be highly profitable and successful. But the opportunity to compete must remain open for new entrants and smaller competitors that want their chance to change the world again."
Specifically, here's how Warren said the three companies were trying to "snuff out competition":


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As virus seizes markets, it’s no longer business as usual
Global markets and businesses big and small opened the week to a landscape seemingly altered by the coronavirus pandemic. A host of retail chains have shut their doors or diminished hours of business. Banks are taking steps to keep cash on hand, lots of it. Markets in Asia, Europe and the U.S. are plunging. Following is a quick look at how the outbreak is impacting the financial and business sector, as well as millions of workers and customers.
FINANCE: The biggest banks in the U.S. moved in unison to conserve cash through the first half of the year. The Financial Services Forum, which represents Bank of America, Bank of New York Mellon, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, State Street, and Wells Fargo, said members would suspend stock buybacks for first quarter and the second quarter due to the virus outbreak. In a prepared statement, the group said the decision “is consistent with our collective objective to use our significant capital and liquidity to provide maximum support to individuals, small businesses, and the broader economy through lending and other important services.” The financial sector is among the hardest hit Monday. Shares of Citigroup, Bank of America and JPMorgan plunged as billions in bank valuation evaporated. Citigroup, down 17%, led the way.
The Fed on Sunday made an emergency cut to its key interest rate, slashing it by a full percentage point to a range between zero and 0.25%. The central bank said it would stay there until it feels confident the economy can survive a near-shutdown of activity in the United States.
MARKETS: Global stock markets are plunging as airlines cut service and public facing companies shut their doors. Stocks dropped nearly 10% at the opening of trading Monday on Wall Street, triggering an automatic 15-minute halt, as huge swaths of the economy come closer to shutting down. Emergency actions taken by the Federal Reserve late Sunday to prop up the economy and get financial markets running smoothly again may have raised fears even further, some investors said. The Fed on Sunday cut its key interest rate to near zero. European markets were also down about 10%. The price of crude oil also dropped about 10% . Bond prices soared as investors sought safety.
ENERGY DRAIN: The price for a barrel of U.S. crude plunged below $30 per barrel Monday. Airlines are slashing capacity, factories are shutting down and people are canceling vacations. That all translates into cratering energy demand. Brent crude lost $3.80, or 11%, to $30.05 per barrel in London on Monday. Benchmark U.S. crude tumbled $2.73, or 8.5%, to $29.00 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
SUPPLY-DEMAND SHOCKWAVE: A surge of new orders is putting Amazon.com operations under significant pressure. The company told members who are used to two-day shipping to expect that delivery window to grow as millions of people line pantry and storage room shelves with food and supplies. Amazon is struggling to keep items like toilet paper and cleaning solutions in stock. It now says to expect delivery times to at least double. The same supply and demand shockwaves are hitting tech and toy companies, manufacturers and retailers alike.
SORRY, WE’RE CLOSED: Shopping binges are out, social distancing is in. Nike, Patagonia, REI, Urban Outfitters and American Girl have closed the doors on their retail locations. Columbia Sportswear joined the list Monday, shuttering its North American stores until at least March 27. The company is offering “catastrophic paid leave” to employees most affected by COVID-19. The Gap cut store hours in the U.S. and Canada and following government guidance for further action.
TABLE FOR NONE: A number of states, California, Ohio, Massachusetts, Washington and Illinois among them, are ordering restaurants, cafes and bars, to close. National chains are trying to stay ahead. Starbucks is announcing it will fill only to-go orders for at least the next two weeks in the U.S. and Canada. The Seattle brewer completely closed company-owned stores in what were crowded areas such as malls and university campuses. Stores in communities with high clusters of COVID-19 cases will close or reduce hours. There are also confrontations between local governments and some restaurants that have ignored orders to close or reduce capacity.
HOLLYWOOD: Box office ticket sales plunged to their lowest levels in at least 20 years in North America, leading to one of Hollywood’s worst weekends on record. More people went to the movies the weekend after Sept. 11, 2001, than over the weekend. Not since 2000 have weekend box office revenues fallen so far, according to data firm Comscore. Between the previous weekend to the one that just passed, overall ticket sales plunged 45%, according to Comscore.
DISNEY: The entertainment juggernaut shut down more operations as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention releases new guidance on crowds. After closing hours Monday, all Disney stores in North America will remain closed. Disney has already announced the closures of theme parks in California and Florida. On Monday, it added hotels at Walt Disney World in Orlando to the list, including Disney’s Vero Beach Resort on Florida’s Atlantic Coast. Those locations will close Friday evening to give people time to change plans.
ORACLE OF OMAHA: The daughter of billionaire investor Warren Buffett has been exposed to the new coronavirus and has isolated herself at her Omaha home for two weeks. Susie Buffett told the Omaha World-Herald on Sunday that she feels fine and doesn’t think she’s contracted COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. She has not been around her 89-year-old father since her exposure last week.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


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One of the highly commended watches in the Ladies Watch of the Year category was this TW Steel Kelly Rowland CEO Tech Pink.
The collaboration with TW Steel and Kelly Rowland has been one of the most talked about watch partnerships of the past 12 months, marking a new era of women’s fashion watch that crosses over between mainstream commerciability and brand quality.
Please note this watch does not come in TW Steel packaging.
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UK: Hardys & Hansons suspends shares
Hardys & Hansons has suspended trading of its shares in London.
The UK regional brewer and pub group said late last week that it would suspend the trading temporarily from today (4 September) "pending an announcement".
Hardys & Hansons was sold last month to Greene King for GBP10.59 a share, valuing the company at around GBP270m (US$514m). The company's shares will be suspended pending the outcome of the court hearing to sanction the schemes and the reduction of capital, Hardys & Hansons told the AIM in London.
The acquisition is the latest in a slew by Greene King, which snapped up the Laurel pub group in 2005, as well as brewers Ridley's and Belhaven.
UK regional brewer and pub group Greene King has posted increased sales and volumes for the 36 weeks to 7 January, a performance in line with expectations....
UK regional brewer and pub group Greene King said today (5 December) that trading was in line with expectations after posting a strong set of first-half figures....
UK brewer Greene King has demanded four local pensioners contribute to its legal costs after they failed to block an extension to the opening hours of a local Greene King pub....
UK brewer Greene King has sold 155 pubs based mainly in the south of England to Admiral Taverns Holdings....
Advisors for UK regional brewer Greene King have confirmed that the company is looking to sell around 150 tenanted pubs in southern England....
UK regional brewer Greene King has refused to be drawn on reports that it is looking to sell around 150 tenanted pubs in southern England....
Greene King IPA has been named as the official beer of England's Rugby Football Union (RFU) in a multi-million pound deal lasting four years....
Greene King is closing a brewery as part of its purchase of UK regional brewer and pub group Hardys & Hansons....
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Tenaris quarterly profit rises 15%
(5:33 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Tenaris S.A.
Dominion Homes quarterly loss more than doubles
(4:39 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Dominion Homes Inc. DHOM late Friday reported a first-quarter net loss of $11.5 million, or $1.41 a share, compared with a net loss of $5.11 million, or 63 cents a share, during the year-ago period. The Dublin, Ohio-based home builder said the primary factors that increased the net loss on a year-over-year basis were an additional $3.1 million of interest expense and a $2.9 million tax benefit recorded in 2006 with no corresponding benefit in 2007. Revenue came in at $33.8 million, from the delivery of 165 homes, vs. $61.8 million, from the delivery of 315 homes, a year ago. Gross margin fell to 8% from 14.7%. Non-cash charges related to land impairments reduced gross profit by 4.4% during the quarter, the company noted.
Quovadx swings to a profit on gain from sale
(4:34 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Quovadx Inc. QVDX after Friday's closing bell said it swung to a first-quarter net profit of $12.8 million, or 30 cents a share, from a year-ago net loss of $7.77 million, or 19 cents a share, in the year-ago period. The results from the first quarter of 2007 included a gain of $15.4 million, or 37 cents a share, from the sale of CareScience. Excluding certain items, the company posted a first-quarter loss of $2.2 million, or 6 cents a share, compared with a loss of $8.4 million, or 20 cents a share, last year. The Greenwood Village, Colo.-based software company said revenue in the three months ended March 31 fell 18% to $13.5 million from $16.4 million.
Usec quarterly profit rises 14%; updates 2007 outlook
(4:23 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Usec Inc. USU late Friday reported first-quarter net earnings of $39.3 million, or 45 cents a share, up 14% from $34.6 million, or 40 cents a share, during the year-ago period. The Bethesda, Md.-based global energy company posted revenue of $465 million vs. $361.3 million. Additionally, Usec said it has updated its 2007 earnings outlook to reflect the impact of about $16.9 million of non-cash reversals of prior income tax-related accruals. The company said it now expects net income to be about breakeven for the full year, based on the reversals. Usec also reiterated its previous forecast for 2007 cash flow from operations of negative $65 million to $75 million. The company confirmed its previous outlook for revenue, cost of sales, gross profit margin, and American Centrifuge spending.
Introgen's quarterly loss narrows
(2:46 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Introgen Therapeutics Inc.
Brookfield Homes quarterly profit rises as revenue falls
(12:19 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Brookfield Homes Corp.
Blackbaud shares rally on first-quarter results
(11:16 AM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Blackbaud Inc.
American Reprographics' profit rises; shares fall
(10:59 AM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- American Reprographics shares fell 10% to $29.90 in Friday morning trade. Late Thursday, the Glendale, Calif.-based company reported first-quarter net earnings of $16.8 million, or 37 cents a share, up from $14.4 million, or 32 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue rose to $160.2 million from $140.8 million last year. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial were expecting, on average, a per-share profit of 38 cents on revenue of $165.2 million. American Reprographics still expects 2007 earnings of $1.58 to $1.62 a share on revenue of $690 million to $710 million. Analysts are looking for a per-share profit of $1.61 on revenue of $693.7 million.
BigBand Networks' shares fall on first-quarter results
(10:40 AM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- BigBand Networks Inc. BBND shares fell 12% to $18.83 in Friday morning trade. Late Thursday, the Redwood City, Calif.-based provider of broadband multimedia infrastructure reported a first-quarter net loss of $977,000, or 5 cents a share, compared with a net loss of $1.06 million, or 9 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Excluding certain items, the company posted a first-quarter 2007 profit of 9 cents a share. rose 62% to $52.8 million from $32.6 million in the same quarter last year. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial were expecting, on average, a per-share profit of 3 cents. The company expects second-quarter earnings of 2 cents to 6 cent a share, or 6 cents to 11 cents a share excluding items, on revenue of $52 million to $56 million. BigBand also forecast 2007 earnings of 6 cents to 11 cents a share, or 30 cents to 35 cents a share excluding items, on revenue of $225 million to $230 million.
WMS Industries' shares rally as quarterly profit rises
(10:25 AM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- WMS Industries Inc.
IBG founder Peterffy makes nearly $1.2 bln in IPO
(10:17 AM ET) NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Entities controlled by Chairman, President and CEO CEO Peter Peterffy will receive nearly $1.2 billion in proceeds in the initial public offering of Interactve Brokers Group
Cray shares fall on first-quarter results, outlook
(10:13 AM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Cray Inc. CRAY shares tumbled 19% to $9.96 in Friday morning trade. Late Thursday, the Seattle-based supercomputer company reported a first-quarter net loss of $841,000, or 3 cents a share, compared with a net loss of $5.31 million, or 24 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue slipped to $47.1 million from $48.5 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial were expecting, on average, a per-share loss of 2 cents on revenue of $48.5 million. Cray now expects the mid-point of its 2007 revenue range to be about $230 million.
Zoltek quarterly loss narrows; shares rally
(10:10 AM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Zoltek Cos. ZOLT shares rose 10% to $33.26 in Friday morning trade. Late Thursday, the St. Louis-based materials company reported a fiscal second-quarter net loss of $6,000, or breakeven a share, compared with a net loss of $27.7 million, or $1.31 a share, in the year-ago period. Operating income from continuing operations increased to $5.9 million from $3.1 million. Revenue rose 40% to $36.7 million from $26.2 million in the comparable period last year.
BlueLinx posts loss amid 'weak but stable' construction mkt
(7:58 AM ET) NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- BlueLinx Holdings Inc.
Kodak narrows loss, lowers inkjet, digital forecasts
(7:06 AM ET) LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Eastman Kodak EK said its first-quarter loss narrowed to $151 million, or 53 cents a share, from $298 million, or $1.04 a share, on cost reduction efforts and lower restructuring charges. From continuing operations, it lost 61 cents a share, with 26 cents a share in charges, while sales dropped 8% to $2.12 billion. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial had forecast a loss of 2 cents a share on revenue of $2.11 billion. The 2007 cash generation forecast from its inkjet investment was lowered to more than $100 million, from a previous estimate of $100 million to $200 million, and lowered its digital earnings from operations forecast by $50 million to a range of $150 million to $250 million. It still sees a 3% to 5% rise in digital revenue and a 4% to 7% decline in overall revenue.
Linde's profit surges on disposals, sales rise 9%
(6:58 AM ET) LONDON (MarketWatch) -- German industrial gasses firm Linde(DE:648500)said first-quarter profit rose to 458 million euros ($622 million) from 135 million euros after selling off units in the wake of its acquisition of BOC Group. Revenue rose 9.4% to 2.86 billion euros, and its operating profit rose 10% to 569 million euros. It still sees improving sales and earnings for 2007 with a target of a 3 billion euro operating profit by 2010. Linde shares rose 0.9% in Frankfurt.
Harris Interactive 3rd-quarter net fell 54%, revenue up 1%
(6:56 AM ET) NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Harris Interactive, HPOL the Rochester, N.Y., market-research firm, reported fiscal third-quarter fell 54% on 1% higher revenue. For the third quarter ended March 31, net income fell to $1.2 million, or 2 cents a share, from $2.5 million, or 4 cents, in the year-earlier period. Revenue reached $52.6 million from $52.2 million. A survey of analysts by Thomson Financial produced a consensus estimate of 4 cents of profit on $54 million of revenue. The company said sales bookings came up $9 million short of its expectations in the third quarter, and that shortfall will hurt the fourth quarter as well. "Uncertainty in the pharmaceutical industry" has hurt results within its historically strongest research team. For the second half of fiscal 2007, Harris expects to earn 6 cents to 7 cents a share on revenue of $108 million to $110 million. The earnings estimate reflects the cost of a consolidation of three business units plus labor-cost cuts, Harris said. And Harris added $25 million to its stock-buyback plan.
Caraustar swings to loss, revenue dips 11.8%
(6:54 AM ET) LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Recycled paperboard and packaging group Caraustar Industries Inc. CSAR said Friday that it swung to a net loss of $8.9 million, or 31 cents a share, from a profit of $80.7 million, or $2.79 a share. Revenue for the period slipped 11.8% to $232.7 million. The year-ago quarter included a pretax gain of $135.2 million from the sale of its 50% stake in its Standard Gypsum joint venture. The 2007 results included restructuring and impairment costs of 13 cents a share. The drop in revenue followed a 28% drop in mill volume at the group's paperboard business.
Macerich 1st-quarter FFO fell 5.6%; year outlook affirmed
(6:18 AM ET) NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Macerich Co.,
Allis-Chalmers profit nearly triples after deals, price hike
(6:10 AM ET) LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Allis-Chalmers Energy
Halliburton spinoff KBR reports profit rise in first quarter
(6:06 AM ET) LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Engineering firm KBR
Munich Re profit tops forecasts, plans 2 bln euro buyback
(2:58 AM ET) LONDON (MarketWatch) -- German reinsurance group Munich Re(DE:843002)on Friday said its first quarter net profit edged up to 982 million euros from 979 million euros, topping analyst forecasts, as it also announced plans to buy back 2 billion euros of shares by April 2008. Gross premiums were broadly flat at around 10 billion euros. the Kyrill winter storm cost the firm around 450 million euros. "Large gains on real-estate sales initiated last year and on the disposal of equities compensated for the burden from the windstorm losses caused by Kyrill in reinsurance," Munich Re said. The firm said that, given the strong euro, it expects group premium income for 2007 of between 36.5 billion euros and 37.5 billion euros and a profit of 3 billion euros to 3.2 billion euros. As well as the 2 billion euros share buyback over the next year, the firm said it plans more share buybacks totalling over 3 billion euros up to 2010.
BG Group profit down 25% amid weaker prices, exchange rates
(2:40 AM ET) LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.K. natural gas company BG Group(UK:BG)said Friday that its first-quarter net profit attributable to shareholders fell 25% to 432 million pounds from 578 million pounds, while revenue edged 1% higher to 1.94 billion pounds. The group said its performance came against the background of softer commodity prices and a weaker dollar. Operating profit fell 14% to 823 million pounds, but the company said it would have risen 3% at constant exchange rates and upstream prices. The firm said it made solid progress with its growth plans in the quarter, including the ramping up of production in Nigeria and the award of a new contract.


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December 12, 2022
This paid production is sponsored by the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.
I found Paul and Desiree Osborne to be a perfect match, both in life and in business.
“There are a lot of things that we really believe in,” said Paul. “We love to laugh and are really goofy most of the time, but also very serious. We love doing business together.”
Together, “Entrepreneurship is in our blood,” added Desiree.
While living in Michigan where we both grew up, we’ve launched multiple businesses over the past few years. One is Help You Advance, which focuses on website development, graphic design, and social media management. Another is a handmade tea business called Tea Soulution.
“In 2020, everything shut down and we were strictly doing all of this,” Desiree says. There are many.”
Their research took them to South Dakota, where they learned about the state’s culture and the size of its various towns, so they headed west to pack up an old ambulance and truck they use for their tea business at the event.
“We looked into everything and it wasn’t that the state was shut down, just the idea that it was a safe place and we liked the cost of living and taxes. Everything made sense to us,” Paul said. said. “We didn’t have a lot of tie-downs, so we didn’t have to stay there. We can run the business and do whatever we want, so we did it.”
They sold almost all of their belongings before leaving Michigan about a year ago.
“We just wanted a fresh start,” says Desiree. “We thought, what’s the worst that could happen, do we come here and hate it? Or start over and start a new adventure.”
Reality was somewhere in between at first. Initially they found a place to live in Bridgewater. I liked the size of the community and its location between Mitchell and Sioux Falls.
However, the house they planned to rent did not work out.
“We were here one day and had to find another place,” said Paul. “It was either going back to Michigan.”
They were invited to stay at someone’s house until they finally found a place to live which happened in Colton.
“The most pleasant surprise was how warm and welcoming everyone was,” said Desiree. “I am in a women’s Bible study group.
Their business is also in the spotlight in the Sioux Falls metropolitan area. Help You Advance got off to a good start with help from local clients. “Just want to help us, order, share, help us grow. It’s been amazing.”
She and other local handmade business owners launched their first farmers market in Colton this summer. Tea Soulution does business online, but it’s important to talk one-on-one with a customer.
“It’s heat for your body and soul,” Desiree explained. It’s a crystal.”
Now they’re taking the next step as business owners in South Dakota. We opened a store in downtown Dell Rapids and named it “Meeting Nook.”
“We plan to have a lot of small events. Of course, we want to sell tea, have tea parties, Bible studies, and so on,” Paul said.
They hope to open soon while they finalize plans.
Desiree says she discovered the benefits of tea after giving birth to her now 14-year-old son and nearly dying.
“We haven’t been sick in 14 years,” she said. “God has given us medicinal herbs and we have no choice but to utilize them. So we put together a blend for sleep and stress so that when we start getting sick it doesn’t turn into a full-blown scenario.” , we have something called Rapid Recovery, and we want it to be a business that people come in and breathe out of, like a hideout.”
They also determined how teas were blended to address specific ailments and create custom products.
As for his son, “He likes it here more than it does in Michigan,” Paul said. “He said he doesn’t want to go back. He likes people. He played football for the first time. He has several jobs.
It was great, Desiree agreed. “I think there are more opportunities for younger kids. I got the.”
Jesse Fonkert, president and CEO of the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance, said the family’s experience is a strong example of the opportunities that exist in the Sioux Falls metropolitan area.
“I am very happy that the Osborne family has discovered the benefits of living and doing business in our metro community,” he said.
“They are already making positive changes as new residents.
According to the Osbornes, that was the most rewarding part of the transfer.
“This is a good story about us, but we also have a good story to tell about the people of South Dakota,” said Paul. “They were great.”
New Mayor Colton Focuses on Preparing Communities for Growth


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Guangzhou residents looking to get their hands on a ShackBurger – your time is coming.
In a CNBC interview on Wednesday, Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti said they haven’t officially announced a Guangzhou site but they’re looking around for one in the provincial capital.
“I was there visiting myself last year, so we’re really excited about that market… for Shake Shack,” Garutti told CNBC’s Tanvir Gill.
In Greater China, Shake Shack has opened multiple locations in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing. Two new shops are set to open this year in Shenzhen and Macao. Click here to check out all their China locations.
While nothing is certain, residents in Guangzhou can possibly expect to order Shake Shack’s signature burgers, beer and shakes in 2022.
[Cover image via Shake Shack]


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Almost 90% of companies investing in IoT have increased their budgets over the last 12 months
The vast majority of companies globally believe that the Internet of Things (IoT) is critical for their future success, according to a new report.
Just over three quarters (76%) of all companies interviewed believe that taking advantage of IoT technologies will be critical for the future success of any organisation, showed Vodafone’s fourth annual IoT Barometer Report, a global survey of business sentiment regarding innovation and investment in the IoT.
Reflecting that sentiment, 89% of companies investing in IoT have increased their budgets over the last 12 months. IoT investment now accounts for 24% of the average IT budget, on a par with cloud computing or data analytics. Altogether, 63% of IoT adopters are seeing “significant” returns on investment, up from 59% in last year’s report.
The report also found that IoT technologies play a key role in mainstream business activities in an increasing number of companies, with 48% of companies interviewed using IoT technologies to support large scale business transformation, rising to 61% in the Asia-Pacific region.
Over half (52%) of consumer electronics companies interviewed are using IoT technologies as the basis for a new generation of applications for connected homes.
Meanwhile, 46% of all companies interviewed said they intend to develop new IoT-based products and services over the next two years.
Vodafone Group IoT director Erik Brenneis said: “Three quarters of the companies we interviewed now recognise that the IoT is a new industrial revolution that will change how people work and live forever, and almost half the companies surveyed across multiple countries and sectors told us they’re already planning to bring connected network intelligence to millions of devices and processes over the next two years. 2016 is the year the IoT entered the mainstream.”
The survey was conducted by Circle Research in April and May 2016 and involved more than 1,096 companies across Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, the UAE, the UK and the US.


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Aviagen hosts Tegel Foods in Scotland, Malaysia
Companies visit customer facilities, discuss performance
Aviagen recently hosted two production managers from Tegel Foods Ltd. at its Edinburgh and Malaysia customer facilities.
The visit was focused on relationship-building between the two companies and discussing facilities performance. "We pride ourselves on our close working relationships with customers and Tegel Foods is no exception," said Michael Longley, international technical manager for Aviagen. "Tegel Foods is a first rate and committed Ross customer, maintaining its relationship with the UK by visiting at least once every two years."


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The U.S. and the EU have completed four rounds of negotiations on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) free trade agreement (FTA). Sanitary and phytosanitary issues for agricultural products are key topics. A recent report from the EU Commission to the European Council, Trade and Investment Barriers Report 2014, highlights how the EU views some of these SPS issues.
The report addresses all barriers to trade, not just agricultural ones, for what the EU considers its strategic partners – China, India, Japan, Mercosur (Brazil and Argentina), Russia and the U.S. The EU list of successful actions in 2013 for the U.S. included expanding the list of EU countries or regions considered free of Classical Swine Fever, Avian Influenza, Newcastle disease, and partially Swine Vesicular disease. A final rule on BSE and beef was published after several years of discussion. The EU expects that exports of beef will resume shortly.
Animal disease assessments are still pending for some EU countries that have the same disease status in accordance with EU harmonized legislation. Rather than treating countries individually, the report argues the U.S. should recognize the fact that the EU is a single entity and single market. The EU countries have adopted similar animal health management decisions and follow existing provisions of international standards bodies such as the OIE (Office International des Epizooties) for animal health.
The EU also claims that applications for exporting to the U.S of products of animal origin face long delays for Grade A dairy products and small ruminant products. The EU is also concerned by the delays in treating other SPS export applications submitted for apples, pears, stone fruit and bell peppers. These issues were also raised in the 2012 report.
This report is part of the EU’s Market Access Strategy for identifying key barriers to trade and setting negotiating priorities. This program has indentified 220 barriers in 32 countries. The Commission also compiles reports on potential trade-restrictive government policies. From May 2012 to May 2013 the G20 countries had initiated 154 new measures and had removed only 18. The total number of potentially trade-restrictive policies had grown to 688 since the tally began in October 2008.
The U.S. had only nine of the 688 potentially trade-restrictive policies. Three of those were border measures, two behind the border measures, two public procurement policies (buy American), one service and investment barrier and one program to stimulate exports. The U.S. was infrequently mentioned in the latest report released in September of last year. Buy American legislation and importing food under provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act were listed as potential problems.
The latest Commission report on potential trade-restrictive government policies concluded that emerging economies led by Argentina, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Russia, China, South Africa and Ukraine continued to apply the highest number of potentially trade-restrictive measures. It went on to explain, “Economic growth, the development of efficient value chains, and export activities are intrinsically dependent on imports, so developing countries should have a real interest in avoiding and combating impediments to trade.” If the U.S. and the EU could reconcile their differences on trade policies, they could work together on barriers to trade in other countries.
That is particularly true for trade with Russia. The 2014 barriers report devotes over a page to a section titled Russia, one year after its WTO accession. The EU is concerned like the U.S. that barriers continue to limit access to Russian markets. The first sentence of the paragraph on SPS issues could have been written by a trade official from the U.S., “In the field of SPS measures, non-transparent, discriminatory, and disproportionate control and approval procedures, excessively stringent requirements on antibiotic residues, microbiological criteria and pesticide residues’ insufficient alignment with the WTO SPS Agreement and other international standards and practices are the source of many difficulties.”
The EU has a clear-headed view of how the TTIP could change trade rules for the better. “A far-reaching and ambitious TTIP Agreement which includes strong disciplines on regulatory cooperation and regulatory coherence could help reduce non-tariff barriers which EU companies are still facing in the US. It could also set global standards in many areas and encourage a number of third countries to follow suit, to the benefit of the EU exporting industry.” At the recently completed EU-U.S. summit, the two governments committed to a TTIP that increases regulatory compatibility and “formulating joint approaches to rules that address global trade challenges of common concern.”
Despite all the barriers to EU’s agricultural exports, its agricultural trade balance has shifted from a deficit of more than €3 billion in 2000 (about $4.0 billion at today’s exchange rates ) to a surplus of about €7 billion in 2011 ($9.5 billion). The 2013 barriers report noted that 90 percent of global economic growth is expected to be generated outside the EU by 2015. In addition, interdependent regional and global supply chains require the EU to confirm its prominent role as a key value-provider on a global scale. These words apply equally to the U.S.
Moving ahead with negotiations on SPS issues will not be easy. The U.S. has raised for years issues like the use of pathogen reduction treatments for meat carcasses, crop biotechnology and use of growth promoting hormones in beef production. Resolving them, or putting in place a policy framework for resolving them, will not be easy. Getting past these and other issues will allow both governments to move ahead and face trade barriers that are holding market growth for both economies in developed and developing countries. If this chance is allowed to slip away, another opportunity may not arise until a post-Doha era of WTO talks.
Ross Korves is a Trade and Economic Policy Analyst with Truth About Trade &Technology (www.truthabouttrade.org). Follow us: @TruthAboutTrade on Twitter |Truth About Trade & Technology on Facebook.


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Few days after Apple released the first developer beta of iOS 12.2, Apple just released iOS 12.2 Public beta which includes support in Canada for the Apple News app, as per the Release Notes, and TV support for HomeKit and AirPlay 2. It includes the same features that was released in the developer beta.
Apple News will be available in Canada with iOS 12.2, and is now available for Canadian users on the developer beta. Apple News in Canada supports both English and French. Readers can access a bilingual experience when they follow a channel in a second language.
The Apple Wallet app has also been redesigned with slick new animations.
- Redesigned Screen Mirroring icon in Control Center
- Slightly updates Stocks app


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In mid-June, the “quick trial” lock-up period of the Bitcoin network upgrade Taproot was locked at block height 687,285, and it was mined by the Bitcoin mining pool Slushpool. Taproot is expected to be activated on the Internet on Saturday, November 13, 2021. The upgrade is considered to be one of the biggest changes seen in the agreement since Segregated Witness (Segwit) went live in 2017.
Bitcoin upgrade Taproot is expected to activate on Saturday
After the lock-up period last summer, Taproot is expected to be activated and launched on the main network on Saturday, November 13, 2021. After activation, Taproot is expected to enhance the scripting capabilities of the digital currency network and will provide the ability to use Schnorr signatures (BIP340). Taproot is also expected to expand Bitcoin transactions by allowing certain types of complex, “smart” transactions.
People often say this, but this is actually the first time I have done this…
This may actually be the last drop before the massive rebound…#Bitcoin The Taproot upgrade that happened this weekend + the bull market in the fourth quarter of mid-November has been super bullish…
Detain people! ! ?
— CryptoSeñorita® (@CryptoSenorita) November 12, 2021
Schnorr signatures can help transaction expansion because they are more compact than ECDSA. Schnorr can also allow key aggregation, which provides a large number of multi-signature transaction schemes. Although Taproot (BIP341) created new rules for the new Pay-to-Taproot (P2TR) output type, the upgrade is a soft fork and is fully opt-in like its predecessor Segwit.
“Taproot is a proposed Bitcoin protocol upgrade that can be deployed as a forward-compatible soft fork,” Github “Taproot-Activation” document notes. “By combining the Schnorr signature scheme with MAST(Merklized alternative script tree) And a new scripting language called Tapscript, Taproot will expand the flexibility of Bitcoin’s smart contracts, while at the same time providing more privacy by allowing users to shield complex smart contracts as regular Bitcoin transactions. “
Decentrader market analysts predict that “prices will rise to the US$85,000 to US$90,000 area in the next few weeks”-Taproot upgrades can also be priced
discuss In the past few days, news about Taproot upgrades has spread across cryptocurrency forums and social media platforms. The highly anticipated Taproot upgrade will be officially launched at block height 709,632.The activation of this specific upgrade has sparked speculation BitcoinAfter the successful soft fork, its price may rise sharply.
Bitcoin Sitting in the weekly support zone (front resistance), and the main root upgrade is coming ?
Honestly, things look very optimistic ?
By Alex ? pic.twitter.com/NEQr6bLDts
— IAMTHEONE??? (@BigShortRare) November 12, 2021
On November 12, a Bitcoin Market update blog post According to news released by degrader.com, after the Taproot upgrade, market sentiment may trigger a rebound. Although Bitcoin (Bitcoin) After the current volatility of crypto assets reaching $69,000, Decentrader explained that analysts are still “optimistic” BitcoinThe price is getting higher and higher. The market update states:
We are still optimistic about the high time frame and continue to expect the price to rise to the $85,000 to $90,000 area in the next few weeks, which is consistent with the 1.618 Fibonacci retracement level.
Generally speaking, it is believed that once the scalability and substitutability of the network are improved, the upgrade may bring a new historical high (ATH). The Bitpanda Pro Twitter account discussed Taproot today and pointed out that the upgrade came just in time. “The Taproot upgrade is at a very promising time,” Bitpanda Tweet on Friday. “Whether it is for the total cryptocurrency market that recently exceeded 2.6T Euro for the first time, or for Bitcoin itself, it has reached new ATH many times in the past few weeks.”
However, Bitpanda also acknowledged that the value of the upgrade may have been priced, and the recent ATH to US$69,000 may have soared. “However, once the upgrade takes effect, the bulls still seem to have some power to push prices up,” Bitpanda added. “After all, Taproot is to make Bitcoin better, more efficient, and more private, all of which are factors that can justify higher prices,” the digital asset exchange concluded.
What do you think of the upcoming Taproot upgrade? Please tell us your thoughts on this topic in the comments section below.
Image Source: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wikimedia Commons
Disclaimer: This article is for reference only. It is not a direct offer or invitation to buy or sell, nor is it a recommendation or endorsement of any product, service or company. Bitcoin Network Does not provide investment, tax, legal or accounting advice. The company or the author shall not bear direct or indirect responsibility for any damage or loss caused or claimed to be caused by using or relying on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.


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Craft beer sales continue to bubble up
Craft beer sales keep climbing as consumers continue to seek out increasingly diverse offerings from local and regional breweries.
Craft brewers sold an estimated $14.3 billion in beer in 2013, according to the Brewers Association, up from 20% over $11.9 billion in 2012. Brewers produced nearly 8% more craft beer last year than in 2012, the trade group says.
Overall, craft beer's share of the total U.S. beer market grew to more than 14%; it accounted for about 10% of the nearly $100 billion in beer sales in 2012, the association says.
Total beer sales of $93 billion were essentially flat in 2013, according to food industry tracking and consulting firm Technomic, despite an increase in craft beer sales. And while craft beer volume rose, total beer production fell 1.4%, the firm's State of the Industry report says.
Boston Beer Co., maker of Samuel Adams beers, remains the largest craft brewery on the Brewers Association's annual Top 50 list, just released. It's been the largest craft brewer since the association began keeping a chart in 1995, says Bart Watson, staff economist with the Brewers Association.
Now in its 30th year, Boston Beer Co. continues to diversify its beers to reflect the evolving marketplace, founder/brewer Jim Koch says. "We've seen the craft beer drinker evolve from novice to tastemaker," he says. "Today's drinkers have a global palate and are coming to expect more interesting and in-depth flavors from brewers — similar to what they're discovering in the food universe."
Boston Beer Co., which shipped about 3.4 million barrels in 2013, a 25% increase over 2012, ranks No. 5 among all U.S. brewers, behind Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors, Pabst Brewing Co., and D.G. Yuengling & Son Inc., according to the association's overall Top 50 brewing list.
Just below Boston Beer Co., on the craft brewers Top 50 were Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., New Belgium Brewing Co., and the Gambrinus Co., which owns Spoetzl and Bridgeport breweries, as well as Pete's Brewing. Those four brewers have held the top four spots over the last five years.
Biggest climbers on the craft brewery list include Ballast Point Brewing Co., up 17 points to No. 29, Southern Tier Brewing Co., up 6 points to No. 31, Sweetwater Brewing Co. and Left Hand Brewing Co., each of which moved up five spots to Nos. 19 and 38, respectively. Firestone Walker Brewing Co. and Founders Brewing, both rose four spots to Nos. 16 and 26, respectively.
Top 50 craft brewing companies
(Based on 2013 beer sales volume)
1. Boston Beer Co. (Boston)
2. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (Chico, Calif.)
3. New Belgium Brewing Co. (Fort Collins, Colo.)
4. Gambrinus (San Antonio)
5. Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma, Calif.)
6. Deschutes Brewery (Bend, Ore.)
7. Bell's Brewery, Inc. (Galesburg, Mich.)
8. Duvel Moortgat USA (Kansas City, Mo. & Cooperstown, N.Y.)
9. Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
10. Stone Brewing Co. (Escondido, Calif.)
11. Matt Brewing Co. (Utica, N.Y)
12. Harpoon Brewery (Boston)
13. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Del.)
14. Shipyard Brewing Co. (Portland, Maine)
15. Abita Brewing Co. (Abita Springs, La.)
16. Firestone Walker Brewing Co. (Paso Robles, Calif.)
17. Alaskan Brewing Co. (Juneau, Alaska)
18. New Glarus Brewing Co. (New Glarus, Wis.)
19. SweetWater Brewing Co. (Atlanta)
20. Great Lakes Brewing Co. (Cleveland)
21. Anchor Brewing Co. (San Francisco)
22. Long Trail Brewing Co. (Bridgewater Corners, Vt.)
23. Summit Brewing Co. (St. Paul, Minn.)
24. Oskar Blues Brewery (Longmont, Colo.)
25. Full Sail Brewing Co. (Hood River, Ore.)
26. Founders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
27. Rogue Ales (Newporr, Ore.)
28. Victory Brewing Co. (Downingtown, Penn.)
29. Ballast Point Brewing Co. (San Diego, Calif.)
30. Ninkasi Brewing Co. (Eugene, Ore.)
31. Southern Tier Brewing Co. (Lakewood, N.Y.)
32. Cold Spring Brewing Co./Third Street Brewhouse (Cold Spring, Minn.)
33. Flying Dog Brewery (Frederick, Md.)
34. Odell Brewing Co. (Fort Collins, Colo.)
35. Stevens Point Brewery Co. (Stevens Point, Wis.)
36. Bear Republic Brewing Co. (Cloverdale, Calif.)
37. Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe (Eureka, Calif.)
38. Left Hand Brewing Co. (Longmont, Colo.)
39. CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries, Inc. (Chattanooga, Tenn. & Louisville, Colo.)
40. Breckenridge Brewery (Denver)
41. Karl Strauss Brewing Co. (San Diego)
42. Blue Point Brewing Co. (Patchogue N.Y.)
43. Sixpoint Brewery (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
44. BJ's Chicago Pizza & Brewery, Inc. (Huntington Beach, Calif.)
45. North Coast Brewing Co. (Fort Bragg, Calif.)
46. Uinta Brewing Co. (Salt Lake City, Utah)
47. Allagash Brewing Co. (Portland, Maine)
48. Saint Arnold Brewing Co. (Houston)
49. Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. (San Jose, Calif.)
50. 21st Amendment Brewery (San Francisco)
Source: Brewers Association


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REST Industry Super has launched a new online service, which uses advanced artificial intelligence to respond to members’ super-related inquiries.
According to a statement this morning, the super fund said the new customer service specialist, known as ‘Roger’, instantly responds to members’ queries online.
It uses artificial intelligence to continually learn and add to its knowledge base to offer a more “bespoke member experience”, the statement said.
“We’ve looked at what our members are contacting us about and what they’re searching on our website to build Roger’s knowledge base,” said REST Industry Super chief executive Damian Hill.
“As the newest member of REST’s customer services team, Roger will continue to learn and develop, working alongside our existing channels to enhance our overall services experience.”
The new virtual customer service specialist is delivered on Creative Virtual’s platform, V-Portal.
Patrick Gallagher, managing director at ANZ and north Asia, Creative Virtual, said, “Members are increasingly turning to self-service and digital channels for customer service.
“Roger – the virtual customer service specialist – is like a new employee, continuously learning and improving his capabilities and will over time offer more personalised support to REST members.”
Roger has replaced the search function on REST’s website and is accessible with Live Chat on the ‘contact us’ page, the statement said.
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- 25 Sep 2018ASIC finds serious delays in breach reporting from major banksBy Eliot Hastie
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- 25 Sep 2018New city added to FPA’s Women in Wealth programBy Adrian Flores
- 25 Sep 2018Fund managers charging fees for underperformanceBy Eliot Hastie
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- 24 Sep 2018Accountants continue battle for advice spaceBy Adrian Flores
- view all


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Nokia will launch an unknown phone tomorrow, i.e., on October 4 and also on October 11. Now, we don’t know when the company is going to launch the 7.1 and 7.1 Plus. The launch may take place tomorrow or at the October 11 event. But, whenever it is happening, we are sure that Nokia will launch some value for money devices. We have already seen some good phones from the company recently like the Nokia 6.1 Plus and the Nokia 5.1 Plus that come with some of the best specifications in their segment.
Recently, the Nokia 7.1 showed up on the Spanish website of Amazon, revealing some key specifications and the design details (Thanks, OnLeaks!)
THIS IS THE NOKIA 7.1
Remember that leak about the press render of 7.1 Plus? Well, it looks like that render was of the 7.1 and not the Plus variant. As the images above show, the 7.1 has a 19:9 display on the front with a huge chin on the bottom and a small notch on top. The notch has the front camera, earpiece, and the sensors.
The design is similar to the Nokia 6.1 Plus, and even the camera placement on the rear is the same. There is a dual camera setup on the back with Zeiss optics. The fingerprint scanner is placed below the camera setup. As the image shows, the model number of the phone is TA-1100.
The 7.1 has a glass and metal build like the Nokia 6.1 Plus. The volume rockers and the power button are placed on the right side, whereas the SIM card tray is on the left.
Talking about the specifications, the Amazon listing revealed that the phone has a 5.84-inch Full-HD+ display with a 19:9 aspect ratio. On the rear, there is a 12MP + 5MP dual camera setup, and the phone has an 8MP front-facing camera. The processor under the hood is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636.
Now, this is pretty weird since this is the same processor that powers the Nokia 6.1 Plus. We were expecting something better since the Nokia 7 Plus was launched with Snapdragon 660. The model listed on Amazon has 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. The phone also supports micro SD card up to 128GB. We don’t know if there are other variants as well.
Finally, talking about the price, the Amazon listing revealed a price of 354.87 Euro or $410. The price for the European market is always high due to the taxes but if the phone launches in other markets, expect the price to remain well under $350.
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Learn about Pure Michigan B2B website at free workshop
If your Michigan-based business hasn’t opened an online account with the Pure Michigan Business Connect program, you could be missing out on potential markets for your goods and services.
Find out how to create and utilize a www.puremichiganb2b.com account at a free workshop hosted by Midland Tomorrow and the Midland Area Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday.
The Pure Michigan B2B website links Michigan companies with procurement opportunities, supply chain connections and low-cost business services.
This free online tool offers connections to 42,000 companies, including 200 global purchasers. Business owners who open a B2B account can also post their companies’ purchasing needs, and register for purchasing events where major companies meet with Michigan suppliers.
At the workshop, Terry Vandercook, manager, Michigan Buyer Development, Pure Michigan Business Connect, will demonstrate how to set up and manage a B2B account for maximum benefit.
The workshop will take place from 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Chamber conference room, 300 Rodd St. in Midland.
There is no cost to attend but space is limited to the first 24 registrants. RSVP by Monday to email@example.com.


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The Food Chain
View all stories
A brewery opens somewhere in the province every few days. In places like Thunder Bay, it’s because drinkers are thirsty for beer brewed in their own backyards.
At Tait’s, you can find petits fours, Vienna bread — and maybe even a ghost.
OPINION: Canadians waste $31 billion of food every year. It’ll take more than apps and tech jargon to fix that, writes Corey Mintz.
OPINION: Being on TV and owning a restaurant are often seen as the only real measures of culinary success. That attitude must change, writes Corey Mintz.
OPINION: Making edibles available in restaurants would pose more challenges than you might think, writes Corey Mintz.
Eight foods enter. One food leaves.
OPINION: Big-league chefs are often portrayed as artists. They're more like cult leaders.
The history of cinema is the history of sweet and salty snacks. We look at the evolution of theatre food.
How a dumbed-down Mexican breakfast dish came to rival popcorn as the ultimate movie snack.
At the ice cream parlour off Highway 6, things haven’t changed much over the years — and that’s just how the locals like it.


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Samsung Galaxy Grand November Release Likely: Galaxy S3 And Galaxy Note 2 Hybrid?
Smartphone market leader Samsung could well be on its way to pull a fast one over rivals by launching the ultimate smartphone, which is a combination of two of its best-selling devices. Rumor has it that Samsung is going to release a new smartphone, dubbed the Galaxy Grand, which is an amalgamation of the company's hot sellers Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2.
Per reports, the Galaxy Grand or the Baffin (BAFFIN-SHV-E270K/SHV-E270L) as it has been codenamed, is slated to launch by November end. The smartphone is reportedly a Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 hybrid and will offer consumers the best of both worlds.
South Korean publication MT has learnt from reliable "industry sources" that Samsung will soon take the wraps off its Galaxy Grand. The device it is rumored will resemble the Galaxy S3, but will be a bigger version though not quite as big as the Galaxy Note 2.
The Galaxy Grand will note be the company's flagship device and is apparently targeted at older users who would prefer a bigger screen, which will assist them in reading easily.
"The Device is target for middle age users not Matures, who want to use bigger screen so that the letters on the screen can be visualized properly without any trouble. The device is the basic version of Samsung Galaxy SIII and Samsung Galaxy Note II, which also aims to target the entry level markets and domestic markets," noted technology blog TechKiddy.
Rumors indicate that the purported Galaxy Grand will sport a 5-inch WVGA display with 800 x 480 pixels resolution. A 1.4GHz quad-core Exynos 4412 processor will power the NFC-enabled device. The smartphone will also offer LTE support and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n. A 2100mAh battery will likely fuel the device, which is anticipated to come with Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean out of the box. It is not known whether the smartphone will come equipped with a stylus i.e. the S Pen.
According to Android Authority, the smartphone is speculated to "retail for 800,000 won ($732), or 100,000 won ($92) less than what the Galaxy S3 costs in South Korea." The pricing contradicts the assertions that the device will be entry level.
It is not yet known whether the device will be released in the international markets or will be launched only in South Korea initially. With Samsung yet to make any official announcement, one can only wait and watch, but judging by the conjectures, Samsung maybe onto yet another winner.
Would you opt for the Galaxy Grand over the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2?


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BY PCC STAFF
FORT MADISON – The Fort Madison Bloodhound Booster Club chose not to have their annual winter cake auction this year and is instead currently holding an online auction.
The boosters chose to move away from the auction for just this year in an effort to help sidestep possible pandemic issues with large gatherings.
The innovative timed online auction is being hosted on the Fraise Auction &Real Estate website at the following link.
Bids are being accepted until Saturday, March 6 at 7 p.m.
More than 40 items are up for auction including reserved seating, reserved parking, FMHS Bloodhound gear, a metal fire pit from Fort Madison Pallet Co. and Fraise Real Estate and Auction, ultimate fan packages, and many others items.
Bidders just need to register to bid on the site and then start bidding.


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To hear Bre Pettis tell it at the press conference he held at International CES, new territory has opened up for MakerBot Industries.
Last week, the CEO and co-founder of the Brooklyn-based company introduced three new desktop 3D printers at the tech tradeshow. Hardware may be what MakerBot is known for, but the company also growing as a player in software and apps, Pettis said.
He spoke briefly with me after the announcements, and said his team had been working on the new lineup in the background. “This is the fruition of years of work,” he said. Pettis said his team has had interesting conversations with the folks at Stratasys since their merger last June, but did not say if the deal accelerated the rollout of new products. From a bigger picture perspective, the deal, he said, made strategic sense. “If we hadn’t merged with them, we would have had to think about going public,” Pettis said.
Makerbot’s previous printers have been used by hobbyists and professionals. A larger-scale 3D printer unveiled last week, though, showed how the company hopes to attract industrial users as well.
Pettis started off by showing the MakerBot Replicator Mini, a compact 3D printer about the same size as the original MakerBot Cupcake (which is no longer in production) but with more horses under the hood. The Mini is designed for novices and professionals, he said. “We took everything we’ve learned,” Pettis said while onstage, “and came up with something special for the consumer.”
The Mini is designed for speed, he said, with a simple setup that uses only one button. “If I were announcing cameras today, this one would be the point-and-shoot,” he said.
The Replicator Mini connects to a computer via USB or Wi-Fi and has a camera inside that lets users watch the progress of the print job. It can create objects up to 3.9 inches by 3.9 inches by 4.9 inches. When the job is done, the printer sends an alert and can also take pictures of the final product. Pettis said the Mini’s retail price is $1,375. “We’re going to start shipping in the spring,” he said.
Next up was the new Replicator, a prosumer model intended for engineers, architects, and other designers to use at their desks. It is an update of last year’s Replicator 2, Pettis said, but the company is doing away with numbers to denote the new generation. (The MakerBot Replicator 2 and 2X models, shown at CES 2013, will still be available.)
3D printers have long been used to create prototypes, and MakerBot has seen uptake in that arena as well. Lockheed Martin printed up models of the forthcoming James Webb Space Telescope, Pettis said, with MakerBots. That allowed the telescope’s designers to practice making upgrades to sensitive parts, he said, saving six to 12 months of production time.
The new Replicator can produce objects 8 inches by 10 inches by 6 inches, with a printing layer resolution as fine as 100 microns (same as the Replicator 2.) It became available for order last week, at $2,899, with shipping to commence “in a couple weeks.”
If the size limits of desktop 3D printers seemed restrictive in the past, Pettis brought out a new model that widened the range. The MakerBot Replicator Z18 can make objects 12 inches by 12 inches by 18 inches. Built for industrial projects, the Z18 can also make fun stuff—such as a helmet for an adult-size head. Priced at $6,499 and due to ship in the spring, the Z18 is the biggest printer MakerBot has offered so far. It can print at the same level of resolution as the Replicator, and has the built-in camera and other features of its smaller siblings. “This has been our dream for a long time,” Pettis said.
While 3D printers are the company’s bread and butter, the role of software continues to grow at the company. A new desktop app includes MakerWare control software for MakerBots, and access to Thingiverse, an online space where people share design ideas. Prints can be monitored the MakerBot desktop app, Pettis said. “You can see how long it’s going to take [for objects] to be made,” he said.
A MakerBot mobile app also lets users receive alerts, control the 3D printer, and observe the printing on camera. Another app in the works, MakerBot Printshop, will let lay users easily design and print objects they create or pick from curated models chosen by the staff.
Pettis said an ecosystem has developed around the company’s software and Thingiverse. One project shared on Thingiverse, Pettis said, was a design, by members of the community, for a low-cost alternative for kids who need a prosthetic hand. “Normally prosthetics cost tens of thousands of dollars,” he said. “On a MakerBot, they can cost $5 in material.”
The company is evolving in other ways as well, with last year’s introduction of the MakerBot Digitizer, a portable 3D scanner. Using the scanner, creators can capture the dimensions of existing objects, then import them into design software for use in printable 3D models. “It’s not just about 3D printing; it’s about unleashing your creativity,” Pettis said.
As of CES 2014, MakerBot had shipped more than 44,000 3D printers to customers around the world, Pettis said. And he wants to see that number grow to more than one million. The company has retail stores in New York, Boston, and Greenwich, CT, where visitors can get scanned and rendered in 3D on site. “Instead of taking a photograph, it makes a 3D model,” Pettis said.
While on the subject of scanning, he also announced a new partnership with SoftKinetic, a Belgian company that develops 3D sensors. Pettis said the companies plan to make a new generation of 3D scanners—but offered no other details. “I can’t tell you what they’re going to be because we haven’t made them yet,” he said.


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However the officially announcement of the iPhone 5 remains a week away, and we have got some interesting news on what’ll be in store in terms of aesthetics and vital hardware specification. Tim Cook and Co. will take the stage on September 12th in Yebra Buena in San Fransisco, California, though another pack of images and video of the next-generation Apple smartphone is treated, now appears as it would be the first look at the device in action running iOS 6?
We have been seeing some floating around on YouTube of an iPhone 5 booting up. The iOS 6-running device has, according to MICGadget, leaked via Foxconn’s Juncheng manufacturing branch, and if it accurate as it appears, would be the world’s first look at the iPhone 5 switched on. The video belongs to a Chinese tipser who found an iPhone 5 prototype at Faxconn’s factory and uploaded into YouTube channel. But, As the demonstrator boots the device up, it shows an error message and is stuck at the charcoal-colored linen introduction pages prominent in iOS, which is somewhat disappointing for those of you eager to see our first fully-fledged hands-on demo. Check this out in the video below.
The video actually uploaded from Chinese tech outlet Vgooo.com, and was recorded accidentally by a tipser visiting a friend at a Faxconn factory based in Juncheng. With up to 3,000 iPhone 5 back panels reportedly being completed every night in the past couple of months, Not to belive such as exposure could occer with that security, and if it is indded the highly-anticipated iPhone 5, I would think a few heads across the world in Cupertino company will be fired.
When you see the video in action you will surely belive that its the fianl version of the next iPhone, and could be a world exclusive, and there’s never anybody around with such decent snapper to film it. The quality of the video might be lowered on purpose to prevent the leak from being traced, though, the snapper of this iPhone leak is awesome.
If the phone is a prototype of the iPhone 5 used by Foxconn, one would think it should either be functional and registered with Apple or flashed with the OEM version of iOS 6. Why is the URL missing from the error message is in mind surfacing around looking for evidence. Could really be a prototype iPhone, which for some reason wasn’t built with production quality materials or installed with a working version of iOS 6 beta.
The device was not activated, showing the message:
This device is not registered as part of the iPhone Developer Program. If you are a member of the program, please register your device in the @@url@@.
Don’t worry about it and leave it from your mind and look forward for the unveiling of the iPhone 5, and this clip will only heighten the anticipation leading up to next Wednesday’s grand announcement.


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More than anything, Rebecca Bloomfield wants her own organic farm. To accomplish this though, in a social media age — without much capital — she has to be something else first: a crowdfunding guru.
Just as she taught herself to grow organic food, she’s also taught herself how to organically raise money for her future farm in Ontario, Canada, via crowdfunding — soliciting donations over social media with a video she hopes will tug on heartstrings and wallets alike.
Even future farmers are turning to crowdfunding for cash. Just like other small-business owners who don’t want to — or can’t — take out a bank loan, there are new options for the social-media savvy. Crowdfunding is quickly becoming the go-to fundraising technique for entrepreneurs and small-business owners. According to crowdsourcing research firm Massolution, a growing 16.9% of the crowdfunding activity, which raised $2.7 billion last year, came from small businesses. If this keeps up, crowdfunding platforms could give even the $28-billion-a-year fundraising capability of the U.S. venture capital industry a run for its money.


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WORCESTER, Mass. - A local entrepreneur spent Saturday giving back to people in need.
Justin Amevor, CEO and Founder of Doughboyz Food Services, walked around Elm Park, handing out meals to those who may be struggling with homelessness in Worcester.
Amevor hopes to use Doughboyz to promote racial and social equality for under-represented communities.
He's also hoping to make sure no one goes hungry as the pandemic continues.
Amevor said, "People just need food in general. I was able to work in a grocery store for a while and just see the demand in the food sector and agriculture. That's a big reason why we're out here and a big reason why we just want to help and support the cause."
Amevor says he expects his business to be up and running in early 2021.
See our early coverage of Doughboyz here: Pancake Delivery Service Among Eight Start Up Worcester Winners


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Chinese Giant Xiaomi shared: POCO will now be an independent brand!
POCO started as a sub-brand within Xiaomi, has grown into its own identity. POCO F1 was an incredibly popular phone. Now the time is right to let POCO operate on its own.
Xiaomi announced it is spinning off POCO, a sub-brand of Xiaomi created in 2018, as a standalone company that will now operate independently.
Poco F1 is the only smartphone released by Poco at $300 which was a huge success.
The announcement comes from Xiaomi India Managing Director Manu Kumar Jain, it seems that the brand will be focusing on the Indian market only, at least for the initial time. This can be further confirmed through the brand’s online presence as the new Twitter account is “@IndiaPOCO” while the website is now “poco.in”.


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The World Travel & Tourism Council has saluted the Portuguese government for recognising the importance of the sector to the overall economy. Making tourism a priority has resulted in the sector growing 8.1 per cent in 2018, contributing €38.4 billion to the nation’s economy.
Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, has officially opened the inaugural edition of the World Travel & Tourism Council Middle East & North Africa Leaders Forum. The one-day event is taking place at Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Centre.
Raki Phillips, newly appointed chief executive of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, tells Breaking Travel News about preparations to host the World Travel & Tourism Council Middle East & North Africa Leaders Forum
After regaling the world and captivating visitors and residents with resplendent fireworks to usher in the 2019 New Year, Ras Al Khaimah is preparing for the most dazzling edition to date – as it readies to welcome 2020 with a mesmerising fireworks display.
Research conducted by World Travel & Tourism Council has revealed tourism is the fastest growing sector in the UK. According to the organisation, the market accounts for 11.9 per cent of all jobs, ahead of financial services (8.9 per cent) and banking (3.4 per cent), and generates £232 billion annually.


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Issue: Illegal Gift Certification Expirations
Result: Settlement valued at up to $9.2 million
Lieff Cabraser represents consumers in a class action lawsuit alleging that indoor cycling fitness company SoulCycle sells illegally expiring gift certificates. The suit alleges that SoulCycle defrauded customers by forcing them to buy gift certificates with short enrollment windows and keeping the expired certificates’ unused balances in violation of the U.S. Electronic Funds Transfer Act and California’s Unfair Competition Law, and seeks reinstatement of expired classes or customer reimbursements as well as policy changes.
In October of 2017, U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald granted final approval to a settlement of the litigation valued between $6.9 million and $9.2 million that provides significant economic consideration to settlement class members as well as meaningful changes to SoulCycle’s business practices.
The case is Cody v. SoulCycle, Inc., Case No. 2:15-cv-06457 (C.D. Cal.).
Civil Litigation News
Judge Will Grant Preliminary Approval to $255M Economic Loss Settlement Against Juul
As reported by Law360, on January 20, 2023, U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick of the Federal District Court for the Northern District
Consumer Class Action Over Evenflo Child Car Seats to Move Forward
On Wednesday, January 3, 2023, The 1st Circuit Court of Appeal in Boston declined to rehear its November 23rd decision reviving the
Federal Court says Evenflo must face ‘Big Kid’ booster seat safety litigation
The 1st Circuit Court of Appeal in Boston has revived class action litigation accusing Evenflo Company Inc of misleading consumers about the


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Committee Disclose Exports of Vape Products from China up to $27.82B
The report estimates that the country’s electronic cigarette exports will reach $27.82 billion this year.
ZOVOO will hold the 2022 global online new product launch at Dubai World Vape Show
ZOVOO will hold the 2022 global online new product launch on June 29, and there will be several new products to hit.
Jincheng Pharma Lands China’s First E-Cigarette Manufacture Permit of Nicotine Production
The synthetic nicotine unit of Jincheng Pharmaceutical Group has secured China’s first production license for electronic cigarettes.
Elf Bar New Disposable Pod TE5000 Officially Launched
ELF Bar TE5000 Disposable Pod with an extreme silence function design, as well as a wide range of flavors , and a large capacity of 13.5ml.
HQD Launches New Vape Ranges in UK During Music Festivals
HQD has launched two new product ranges into the UK market, the HDQ WAVE and HQD PRO.
HYPPE Released A New Disposable Vape Brand FLERBAR
FLERBAR is a trending disposable vape brand focused using a clean and clear elegant look and feel
Chinese E-Cigarette Brand FLOW Announces End of Non-Tobacco Cigarette Production
FLOW, a Beijing-based e-cigarette brand, announced to discontinue the production of its fruit and all non-tobacco flavored cartridges in the Chinese market.
Yocan releases Stix Plus, a Dual-core ceramic vaporizer
Yocan Stix Plus is a dual-core ceramic vaporizer that enables the generation of a double volume of clouds.
Elf Bar partnership with Aquavape as the exclusively distributor of ELFA to the UK’s FMCG sector
Aquavape will exclusively distribute the rechargeable disposable pod kit, Elf Bar. ELFA, to the UK’s FMCG sector
A vape-free future for China’s youths: Tackling social media and the industry
The Chinese government has moved to crack down on its e-cigarette industry and is looking to do more.


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On 30th May, the famous Chinese smartphone manufacturer, Xiaomi posted what appears to be a mysterious yet interesting photo of a device on the Chinese social network, Weibo. The post was made by Xiaomi’s new product director, Wang Teng Thomas. Since the post was posted by Thomas, by means of association, the netizens have reasons to believe that the photo is of a new device by Xiaomi.
The photo is of a smartphone, and some rumors are circulating that it is the photo of a cheap Redmi 9 minus the 5G support. However, what drove everyone into a frenzy was the fact that the smartphone has not been officially introduced or announced by the company. Its impressive size is one of the first few things that anyone would notice, and the whole ensemble is hidden inside a special phone case that gives more protection to the smartphone than any other case available.
In fact, the famous informer who specializes in bringing forth the upcoming devices, Mukul Sharma drew attention to this device. Most of his sources are authentic and reliable. His famous leaks include the Redmi K20 and Meizu 16XS smartphone.
Mukul Sharma mentioned that the new smartphone is from Xiaomi; however, he further added the Redmi tag. Another reliable leak source, the Chinese informant Digital Chat Station also predicted the same. This source noted that this device is an entry-level Redmi smartphone without support for fifth-generation 5G cellular networks, but only with 4G support. Another social news resource almost revealed the same information but mentioned that the product is Redmi 9 4G.
According to a few preliminary data available, Redmi 9 will receive a huge screen and a 5000 mAh battery. As mentioned before, the phone is bigger in size, and as such, the smartphone is likely to feature a display screen of either 6.6-inches or 6.67-inches.


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“We will be bottoming out in Q2. Monsoons have been better than the long-term average for the first time in six to seven years,” said Satish Sharma, president (Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa) at Apollo Tyres. “Liquidity situation is improving sequentially. Companies are scaling up marketing efforts, extending sweet deals to customers. With the festive season around the corner, demand should pick up.”
Sharma said based on its production schedules with original equipment manufacturers, traction for passenger cars and tractors is better than in August. “Commercial vehicles will take a while longer. There is a sequential recovery taking place. Whether this recovery is meaty or not, it is difficult to say,” Sharma said.
Sharma said that if the regulation pertaining to revised axle-load norms was revoked, that itself would go a long way in spurring sales of commercial vehicles.
Passenger car sales fell 41% on year in August, while commercial vehicle sales dropped 39%.
The Gurgaon-based company claimed it has already gained top slot in supplying passenger vehicle tyres to original equipment manufacturers with a market share of about 30%. Its aim is to also gain a dominant share in the aftermarket for such products.
“We are sharpening our focus on the SUV segment in India, with specialised tyres for different terrains, as this vehicle segment is growing faster than passenger cars,” Sharma said.
The company is going ahead with its plan to spend Rs 2,800 crore in the current financial year, primarily on a new manufacturing facility in Andhra Pradesh. “Our capex plans are also linked to our market share aspirations and we have no plans to defer this investment,” Sharma said.


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Innovation: Rapid quoting algorithm for CNC machining services
Even though PartsBadger LLC has been in business for less than three years, the company took little time to become a disrupter in the $80 billion computer numerical control machining market.
The company has a significant advantage over competitors due to its rapid quoting algorithm for CNC machining services, which brings the industry standard of three to five business days for a quote down to an instant.
The company was founded by Roy Dietsch, Steve Kotlowski and Jimmy Crawford. Dietsch and Crawford are still with the company as CEO and COO, respectively.
Dietsch said the idea for the rapid quoting algorithm was formed due to a need he had as part of a separate business. They sent out a design for a product they had developed to 12 companies, and only three responded. Two said their machinery was so old that they couldn’t open the file to view the designs, and the other said the job would be so expensive that it’d be cheaper for PartsBadger to buy the CNC machines.
“At that point was when I realized something was very wrong with the market and thought we could do better,” he said.
The algorithm uses cloud-based technology to analyze complex three-dimensional geometrics, and an extensive database of materials, coating and finishes to accurately and quickly quote machined parts.
Dietsch said the company’s success can be seen in its financial performance. PartsBadger generated $10 million in annual recurring revenue within two years of scaling its operation and plans to end 2019 between $30 million and $40 million ARR.


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Sprint Lands the ZTE Vital with 13MP Camera
Sprint today announced the ZTE Vital, a large and inexpensive Android smartphone that features a 5-inch 720p HD display and 13-megapixel camera. The camera includes an LED flash and video capture, and the Vital offers a 1-megapixel user-facing camera, as well. The Vital is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with 1GB of RAM; it supports Sprint's LTE 4G network and Mobile Hotspot for up to eight devices; and includes NFC, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0+LE, and a 2,500mAh battery. The Vital has 8GB of built-in storage and support for microSD cards up to 64GB. The Vital runs a near-stock version of Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and includes a number of Sprint apps and services, such as Sprint iD, Sprint Zone, Sprint Music Plus, Sprint TV. It meets the highest criteria for sustainability. The ZTE Vital will be available beginning June 14 through all Sprint's sales channels. It costs $99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year agreement.
Hands-On: ZTE Vital for Sprint
The Vital is an inexpensive phone that's big on features. Phone Scoop spent some time with the device and these are our first impressions.
Review: ZTE Vital for Sprint
ZTE aims a little higher than entry-level devices with the Vital, a low-cost Android smartphone for Sprint. It is big on specs, but is it big on performance?
Virgin Pitches the Supreme as a Media Phone
Virgin Mobile today announced the ZTE Supreme, an Android 4.1 Jelly Bean smartphone that features a large, 5-inch 720p HD LCD display that is protected by break-resistant glass. It is also known as the Vital for Sprint.
Sprint to Sell ZTE Max XL
Sprint today added the ZTE Max XL to is lineup of big-screened Android handsets. The Max XL, which is already available from Sprint-owned Boost Mobile, features a 6-inch full HD display and 3,990mAh battery.
Android Messages with RCS to Reach More Phones On More Carriers
Google says its Android Messages app is on the upswing thanks to new RCS-based tools and growing support from phone makers and wireless network operators. To start, brands now have more power to interact with consumers thanks to RCS business messaging.


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Social enterprises have the business development through capacity grow – in terms of scalability, profitability, and most importantly, social impact.
Success of Social Enterprises in the UK
A recent BBC article has backed this up, entitled “Social enterprises ‘growing strongly’.”
Turnover at 100 of the largest such firms grew an average 79% in the year to March, said the study by business information service Social Enterprise.
The report, conducted with Royal Bank of Scotland, said firms in south-east England saw the biggest growth, up 56%.
The East Midlands was the worst performing, with growth of only 15%.
This average growth of 79% for the top 100 UK social enterprises is astounding.
The article points to ‘social enterprise’ as including companies such as the Big Issue, Jamie Oliver’s restaurant Fifteen, and the fair-trade chocolate company Divine Chocolate.
Greater Confidence in Social Enterprise
This shows that business practices can be conducted in a socially responsible without hindering too much on the growth and profitability of a social firm.
Moreover, this study adds greater confidence in the social enterprise sector worldwide, as well as positively influencing the view of private finance towards social enterprise and their choice of business development.
Overall, I’m personally amazed by the growth.
Social enterprise is viable.


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Activision Blizzard has posted "better than expected" financial results forQ2 2017.Net revenue hit $1.63bn for the quarter ending June 30th, rising 4 per cent year-on-year. Digital channels, meanwhile, grew 15 per cent year-on-year to reach $1.31bn.
That said, console sales for Q2 were actually down 13 per cent year-on-year for Activision Blizzard, making up $568m of its total net revenue. This will no doubt improve next quarter, however, once the huge success of Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy has been factored in, which only released on June 30th.
PC sales, on the other hand, rose by 24 per cent year-on-year, generating $508m revenue. That’s 31 per cent of the publisher’s total net revenue. The mobile and ancillary division, meanwhile, rose 9 per cent year-on-year to $403m.
Activision Blizzard also reported 407m monthly active users in the quarter, with Blizzard having the highest quarterly online player community in its history with a record 46m MAUs. That’s an increase of 38 per cent year-on-year. This growth was largely driven by Overwatch, which set another all-time MAU record with the release of its two seasonal events. Hearthstone MAUs also grew year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter to an all-time record thanks to its Journey to Un’Goro expansion, but Activision Blizzard didn’t mention any specific figures.
MAUs on Activision’s side, meanwhile, dropped slightly to 47m last quarter, but this should pick up again once the publisher launches Destiny 2 in September. Pre-orders for the title are now above the first Destiny, Activision noted, and the closed beta had more total players than the 2014 Destiny beta.
Pre-orders and hands-on feedback for Call of Duty: WWII has also been "strong", said Activision.
Bobby Kotick, CEO ofActivision Blizzard, said: "This was another strong quarter forActivision Blizzard. We exceeded our outlook and delivered record revenues for the first half of 2017.
"Celebrating players and audiences is the foundation for our success. This quarter we announced the first team owners in the Overwatch League™, the first major global, city-based professional esports league. With hundreds of hours of broadcast content ahead of us, as well as significant sponsorship and media opportunities, theOverwatch Leaguewill provide new ways for us to highlight and support the passion of esports fans and the skill of some of the world’s top Overwatchplayers."


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The rumor mills is in overdrive, so let’s look at all the speculation as we kick off the week.
First: new AirPods. Apple is allegedly informing members of the media of “AirPods Pro” in pre-launch meetings, with the rumored next-generation models to be shown to journalists at local offices over the next week, according to AppleInsider.
Chances the rumor is true, according to the Sellers Research Group: 90%. The next gen AirPods are likely to come in multiple colors, have noise cancellation features, fit more snugly, and offer more water resistance. So why not call ‘em “Pros”?
Second: new HomeKit products from Apple. Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman says Apple is looking to hire more folks for a team to work on more HomeKit smart-home software and devices beyond the HomePod “in an effort to catch up in a field where Google and Amazon.com Inc. have dominated.”
Chances the rumor is true: 70%. Apple may have other smart home products in the pipeline, but I’d expect the company to redouble efforts to make it the HomePod more successful. Smaller, less expensive models and a more expensive home theater system version that would fit into its Apple TV+ streaming service plans seems like a logical move.
Third: the iPhone SE 2. In a note to clients — as noted by MacRumors — analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that the iPhone SE 2 will go into mass production in January and will launch in March 2020. He thinks the lower priced smartphone will sport: a 4.7-inch display, A13 CPU, 3GB of LPDDR4X RAM; a Home button but no 3D Touch, come in 64GB and 128GB options; and be available in space grey, silver, and red colors.
Chances the rumor is true: 85%. I’m a bit dubious about the red offering, but the timeline makes senses for a more economically prided iPhone.
Four: ProMotion iPhones. According to DigiTimes, Apple will use iPad Pro-style ProMotion displays in at least some of its 2020 iPhones. The new displays are said to bring a faster, more responsive feel to the smartphones.
Chances the rumor is true: 95%. The iPhone is Apple’s favored child and ProMotion is designed to enhance the visual experience, so why would the tech giant not move it to its smartphone platform when feasible?