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El Salvador Fuels A Bitcoin Spike By Being An Active Buyer During The Recent Dip
Bitcoin Pulls Back Below $58,000 In Minutes Amid Profit Taking From Long Positions
Tesla, fresh off becoming just the sixth company with a market valuation of over one trillion dollars, has been a game changer for the auto industry and made fresh waves recently when in their third quarter earnings report they revisiting the possibility of once again accepting cryptocurrencies as payment.
Ethereum Flashing Bullish Signals, Could Challenge All-Time Highs And Break Past $6,000
ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF To Begin Trading While Competitors Rush To Offer Their Own Crypto Funds
Bitcoin Surpasses 60k On The Heels Of The First Futures ETF Approval
Bitcoin Surges To $59,999 With Aims To Test New All Time Highs
In an industry first, United Wholesale Mortgage has accepted the first payments using Bitcoin.
The city of Miami is taking steps to become the crypto capital of the world.
Crypto think tank 2B4CH launches a proposal to include Bitcoin in the constituition of Switzerland.


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India’s ban on vaping products comes with an upside for the country’s dominant cigarette manufacturer, ITC, according to a story by Kiran Kabtta Somvanshi for the Times of India quoting the ET Intelligence Group.
The story said that the blanket ban on the import, manufacture and sale of electronic cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems had nipped ITC’s plans of entering this sector in the bud.
But, the story added, the ban might be seen as saving the company from the threat of disruptive competition.
In India, the use of e-cigarettes was still in its infancy.
ITC had launched e-cigarettes in 2014 under the brand name Eon. But the company had not committed to making a major investment in the product, probably as it waited for clarity in respect of the introduction of regulations and the reaction of consumers.
Now, the Times said, the ban prevented the entry of products such as Philip Morris’ iQOS device into the Indian market, which had the second-largest number of smokers.
‘Little wonder then that ITC’s stock closed positive despite yet another regulatory measure being introduced to discourage smoking,’ the Times said.
‘It nevertheless remains to be seen how the country’s top tobacco company looks at innovating its conventional cigarettes business besides the strategy of premiumizing its portfolio,’ it said.
ITC was said to have entered the nicotine-replacement product market in 2013 with the launch of the chewing gum Kwiknic. But the company’s latest annual report had no mention of this product; so investors would want to know the company’s Plan B for innovation in its bread-and-butter business.

domain: news


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August 8, 2017 News of the Day: Uber Shutting Down its Car Leasing Business, Tesla Raises $600 Million in Just a Few Hours, Cruise Launches Self-Driving Car App
【Summary】August 8, 2017 News of the Day
Uber Shutting Down its Car Leasing Business
Ride-hailing company Uber is evaluating options for its capital-intensive U.S. car-leasing business, including a sale of the unit, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The Xchange Leasing business, which has about 40,000 vehicles and 14 showrooms in the United States, has attracted interest from some buyers who are considering buying it outright, according to the source.
Other options include a partnership or winding down the unit by reducing its presence in a number of cities that may lead to layoffs, the person said.
Uber's sub-prime car leasing division offered flexible vehicle leases for Uber driver partners, who in turn would use the vehicle to pick up passengers. However, industry analysts criticized Uber for the large monthly payments and other costs associated with the leases.
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier on Tuesday that as many as 500 jobs could be affected by the program, representing about 3 percent of Uber's 15,000-employee staff.
Uber executives decided to wind down Xchange, a wholly owned subsidiary, after realizing that the average loss per vehicle was 18 times what they had thought. Uber executives were informed that losses were $9,000 per car on average, steeply above the previous estimates of around $500 per car, according to the report.
Earlier this month, the Journal reported that Uber's Singapore unit knowingly rented its drivers defective cars that were at risk of catching fire.
Nissan to Exit Battery Business
For years, Nissan has owned a controlling share of a battery company, creatively named the Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (AESC). If you've ever driven a Nissan Leaf, you've driven a car with an AESC battery. Today, Nissan announced plans to sell AESC to an investment firm.
GSR Capital, a Chinese investment firm, will buy AESC, as well as Nissan's battery factories in Smyrna, Tennessee, and Sunderland, England, and part of Nissan's battery development operations in Japan at sites including Oppama, Atsugi, and Zama. Before that happens, though, Nissan will first buy out its partners, the NEC Corporation and NEC Energy Devices.
According to Nissan, this move puts the Japanese automaker in a better position. "This is a win-win for AESC and Nissan," said Hiroto Saikawa, president and chief executive officer of Nissan, in a release. "It enables AESC to utilize GSR's wide networks and proactive investment to expand its customer base and further increase its competitiveness. In turn, this will further enhance Nissan's EV competitiveness. AESC will remain a very important partner for Nissan as we deepen our focus on designing and producing market-leading electric vehicles."
The good news for the workers is that, at least for now, no layoffs are planned. According to the company's statement, "the workforce at all facilities covered by the deal, including the production plants at Zama, Sunderland, and Smyrna, will continue to be employed."
Tesla Raises $600 Million in Just a Few Hours With Bond Offering
Tesla's Elon Musk is selling his dream and bond investors are willing buyers.
In a meeting for bond buyers in Manhattan on Monday Musk came away with orders for $600 million after just a few hours, according to investors briefed on the matter. The session was part of a four-day debt-marketing extravaganza aimed at raising $1.5 billion to support the electric carmaker's new mass-market Model 3.
The campaign kicked off with a presentation at the New York Palace Hotel that had the billionaire personally answering investor questions while a gleaming blue Model 3 sat on display in the courtyard. Musk also invited his audience to a visit scheduled for later this week at the company's assembly plant in Fremont, California.
To be fair, bond market investors for years have suspended reality and their basic training to buy into ever-riskier credits as interest rates shriveled. But Tesla has something else going for it: the halo effect, says Kevin Mathews, global head of high yield at Aviva Investors Americas.
"The halo effect is real," said Mathews. "We saw that with Netflix. As a brand name, people know it, they know the situation from a financial standpoint, so when it came to market, people bought it."
Netflix Inc. sold $1 billion of bonds with a 4.375 percent coupon in October. The bonds are now trading with a yield of about 4.2 percent, as investors continue to bet on the growth story and ignore the cash burn.
Musk is asking his investors to do the same. The Model 3 is key to Musk's plans to turn Tesla into more of a mass-market manufacturer. With a $35,000 starting price that's about half the base cost of the Model S, Tesla's new, smaller sedan has nearly 500,000 reservations. The carmaker plans to turn out a total of 500,000 vehicles in 2018 and a million in 2020.
GM's Cruise Launches Self-Driving Car Sharing App For Employees
GM's autonomous driving division, Cruise Automation, announced the launch of the beta version of its autonomous ride-sharing app currently being used by employees in San Francisco, where they operate a fleet of autonomous Chevy Bolt EV test vehicles.
The new service is called ‘Cruise Anywhere' and the company claims that it is already becoming the primary mode of transport for some of its employees.
Cruise CEO and co-founder Kyle Vogt said in an interview with Techcrunch:
"We've always said we'd launch first with a ride share application, and this is in line with that and just further evidence of that. We're really excited about how the technology is evolving, and the rate at which it's evolving. This is a manifestation of that – putting the app in people's hands and having them use it for the first time and make AVs their primary form of transportation."
Engineers are still required in the driver's seat of all vehicles since it's a test fleet, but Cruise's significant fleet of test vehicles in San Francisco enables them to run the service 7 days a week between 16 and 24 hours a day.
In June, GM announced the completion of the first batch of 130 Chevy Bolt EV autonomous prototypes at its Orion Assembly Plant located in Orion Township, Michigan.
While GM remains open to work with other ride-sharing platforms, the automaker invested heavily in Lyft, they aim for Cruise Anywhere to stand on its own. GM purchased the startup for ~$1 billion last year.
Intel Completes $15 Billion Purchase of Mobileye
U.S. technology giant Intel Corp. and Israeli automotive technology firm Mobileye N.V. said on Tuesday that Intel has completed the acquisition of the outstanding shares of the Jerusalem-based company in a tender.
The acquisition is expected to accelerate innovation for the automotive industry and positions Intel as a leading technology provider in the fast-growing market for highly and fully autonomous vehicles, the companies said in a statement.
The combination of Intel and Mobileye will allow Mobileye's computer vision expertise, essentially the eyes of the vehicle to complement Intel's high-performance computing and connectivity expertise, the brains "to create automated driving solutions from cloud to car," the statement said.
Intel estimates the vehicle systems, data and services market opportunity to be worth up to $70 billion by 2030.
"With Mobileye, Intel emerges as a leader in creating the technology foundation that the automotive industry needs for an autonomous future," said Intel CEO Brian Krzanich. "It's an exciting engineering challenge and a huge growth opportunity for Intel. Even more exciting is the potential for autonomous cars to transform industries, improve society and save millions of lives."
The transaction will enable a merger of operations between Intel's Automated Driving Group (ADG) and Mobileye, which Intel agreed to buy in March for $15.3 billion in the largest-ever purchase of an Israeli tech firm. As part of the deal, Cyclops, a subsidiary of Intel, put out a tender to acquire all of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of Mobileye for $63.54 per share in cash.
The companies said that the combined Mobileye organization will lead Intel's autonomous driving efforts, and will have the full support of Intel resources and technology to define and deliver cloud-to-car solutions for the automotive market segment, the statement said.
Mobileye plans to delist its ordinary shares from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as soon as possible, the statement said. Following the delisting from the NYSE, Mobileye ordinary shares will not be listed or registered on another national securities exchange. Delisting is likely to reduce significantly the liquidity and marketability of any Mobileye ordinary shares that have not been tendered pursuant to the tender offer.
Originally from New Jersey, Eric is an automotive and technology reporter specializing in the high-tech industry in Silicon Valley. Eric has over fifteen years of automotive experience and a B.A. in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the automotive industry and beyond. He has worked on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology. Outside of work, Eric likes to travel to new places, play guitar, and explore the outdoors.
Aurora Labs Raises $8.4 Million for its 'Self-Healing' Automotive Software
Mapping Startup Mapillary Hires Computer Vision Expert From Apple
Tesla to Build China Factory to Produce 500,000 Vehicles Annually
BMW Joining Baidu’s Apollo Autonomous Driving Platform
German Automakers Looking to Outside Sources to Meet Demand for EV Batteries
Electric Automaker Tesla Raises Prices by Nearly 20 Percent in China
Volvo to Launch New On-Demand Mobility Brand Called ‘M’
Valeo Joins Baidu's Apollo Autonomous Driving Platform
- Metamoto Joins Renovo AWare Autonomous Mobility Ecosystem
- SoftBank's Vision Fund to Invest $2.25 Billion in GM Cruise
- Boxbot Announces $7.5 Million in Seed Funding for Self-Driving Delivery
- Colorado to Test Smart Pavement for Road Safety
- Uber, Lime Partner to Add Electric Scooters to Transportation Lineup
- Visteon & ZongMu Technology Announce Strategic Cooperation On Autonomous Parking Tech
- Nissan Joins Tesla and Daimler as the Latest Entry in Energy Storage Business
- Major Companies Looking Into the ‘Human Impact’ of Autonomous Vehicles
- Tesla Model X Veered Toward Highway Divider in Fatal Autopilot Crash
- Hyundai Mobis Plans to Become a Leader in Autonomous Driving Technology


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If you live in the Birmingham area, and you're missing a suspicious number of packages, you may want to consider checking your local ravine.
An unidentified United States Postal Service worker in Birmingham, Ala., was caught on video Monday apparently removing some packages from a USPS-branded mail delivery van and then hurling them off a steep embankment by the road. You can see the hurling in question in the video above.
When reached for comment by the Alabama Media Group, Special Agent Kenneth D. Smith of the USPS crime investigation unit said that the employee resigned from the USPS on Thursday after the video went viral on social media. Smith declined to identify the worker by name.
"As with any ongoing OIG investigation, I can't comment on specifics," he added.
The whole thing sort of reminds us of when a USPS driver was caught on camera last year driving over a homeowner's lawn to deliver a package:
In that instance, at least the package actually reached its intended destination.


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The month of April will mark two years since Harris Scarfe reopened its doors in the new Rundle Place.
Harris Scarfe will also celebrate a milestone with its 165 year old South Australian heritage since first opening in 1850.
Harris Scarfe Associate Louise Pillidge will be joining guest’s in-store from 12:30pm to celebrate the occasion with cooking demonstrations and activities.
With homewares being a strong proposition of the iconic South Australian store, Louise will be creating family favourite recipes in-store for customers to taste and take home.
Harris Scarfe will bring back history and tradition for April with the recreation of its original lift attendants and an in-store installation of memorabilia embracing its longstanding past and acknowledging its historic connection with the Adelaide community.
Harris Scarfe Rundle Place customers will enjoy all the festivities of a birthday celebration instore throughout the month with Harris Scarfe Associates, Tiff and Marie.
The dynamic duo will be cooking recipes created by Louise Pillidge and styling Harris Scarfe homewares.
Tiff and Marie:
Thursday 16th April 12-2pm
Friday 17th April 12-2pm
Thursday 23rd April 12-2pm
Friday 24th April 12-2pm


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Down on the farm, Cape style
DENNIS — Randy Lyons of Hyannis spent yesterday morning picking something you don't often see on the (Staff photo by Kevin Mingora) Cape in June: a locally grown vine-ripened tomato.
Grown hydroponically in greenhouses off Route 6A, the tomatoes - and lettuce, cucumbers and herbs - are raised by people with disabilities and sold to Cape Codders through ''salad club'' memberships.
The salad club is one of the newest business ventures of capeAbilities, a Hyannis-based agency that provides employment and training for adults with disabilities.
Every morning, clients in navy blue, polo shirts and khaki shorts or pants pick the vegetables they started growing in February.
Later, Lyons sits in a chair in the shade, packing tomatoes into cardboard boxes. Vivian Southard of Yarmouthport stands in an air-conditioned shed, scooping five varieties of lettuce into plastic bags and weighing the bags on a scale.
''I love it. I love the whole thing,'' said What they offer img src=http://www.capecodonline.com/imagesullet2.gif The salad club is one of two "Community Supported Agriculture" ventures on Cape Cod, says Dianne Langeland, editor of Edible Cape Cod. img src=http://www.capecodonline.com/imagesullet2.gif Popular in California, CSAs sell locally grown produce to "subscribers" who sign up for a weekly order. Bay End Farm in Buzzards Bay sells a variety of produce to subscribers in addition to running a farmstand. img src=http://www.capecodonline.com/imagesullet2.gif There are a limited number of salad club memberships still available through capeAbilities. img src=http://www.capecodonline.com/imagesullet2.gif A large weekly order costs $15 and consists of three pounds of tomatoes, four cups of cherry tomatoes, one-half pound of mixed greens, a cucumber and a packet of herbs. img src=http://www.capecodonline.com/imagesullet2.gif The smaller weekly order costs $10 and consists of two pounds of tomatoes, three cups of cherry tomatoes, one-half pound of mixed greens, a smaller cucumber and a smaller packet of herbs. img src=http://www.capecodonline.com/imagesullet2.gif For memberships or more information, e-mail email@example.com or call 508-778-5040.
Southard, who is 78.
Her sister, Helen Clemence, said Southard would go to work in a thunderstorm. ''She has to go to the farm.''
Later in the morning, customers with club memberships start arriving to pick up just packaged paper bags filled with ripened tomatoes, lettuce, a cucumber and a packet of herbs.
''The stuff literally can't be fresher,'' said Tom Zurn, capeAbilities business manager.
''The highlight of the year is the first lettuce and tomato,'' said customer Arnold Bossi of Dennis, who picked up his weekly order yesterday. He said he couldn't wait to get home to combine the vegetables with mayo in a sandwich.
He started purchasing vegetables at the farm when it was run by John and Kathy Milligan. John is the former president of the board of capeAbilities, and this year the couple started leasing the property to capeAbilities for its own business.
Bill Atwood, chef
47 owner of the Red Pheasant restaurant in Dennis, buys produce from the farm and says capeAbilities has continued the high standards set by the Milligans.
It would be tough to find better tomatoes, he said. ''The product is very good. I think the arugula has slipped a little bit.''
But the zesty green still surpasses other arugulas, said Atwood.
About 12 capeAbilities clients actually work at the farm while dozens of others seeded flats at capeAbilities' Hyannis building this winter.
Vivian Southard of Yarmouthport weighs a bag of fresh-picked lettuce that she is packing for a salad club member at the capeAbilities farm in Dennis.(Staff photo by Kevin Mingora)The majority of capeAbilities clients have some sort of mental disability, whether because of mental retardation, brain trauma or other issues.
The farm is just one of the agency's businesses. Others are supplying vending machines, distributing guidebooks and assembling ''Welcome to Cape Cod'' beach buckets for summer renters.
Pay starts at $7 an hour.
''I like making money, picking tomatoes and stuff like that,'' said Terry Oden. She's also planted hundreds of lettuce seedlings in the plastic trays that line the lettuce greenhouse.
Nutrient-filled water circulates through the trays, allowing the plants to grow soil-free in the climate-controlled greenhouse.
CapeAbilities supplies 100 ''salad club'' members with weekly packages, delivers produce to two restaurants and also sells vegetables at the Mid-Cape Farmer's Market Wednesdays in Hyannis.
This year's goal is to break even, but eventually the salad club would like to turn a profit, Zurn said. ''We have to produce a great product in a cost-effective way.''
Cynthia McCormick can be reached
(Published: June 23, 2006)


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August 21, 2015
Following the recent launch of Post Shoppe in Chennai, Coimbatore Head Post Office (HPO), opened their first shop on August 21. Now, you can indulge in something more than just postal functions.
Ranging from Isha products / books, Thirukkural CDs, stationery, philately items, jute bags, T-shirts to photo frames and many more, Post Shoppe offers a pleasant distraction at the HPO.
“We aim to build an atmosphere where people can explore and buy some interesting things they find during their visits to the Post Office,” said Manju P Pillai, Post Master General.
She also added that the Department would continue to come up with such endeavours to keep up with the trend. Pack Post was such an initiative.
“Though it started a few months ago, people are not so aware of it. Anyone can make use of this facility for a reasonable charge. Even the most fragile item will be packed safely with the help of modern devices,” told Ms. Pillai. She also added that a Parcel Hub to process the courier items was opened recently in the city.
Soon, Post Shoppe would soon be launched in Salem and Ganapathy.
Being the most successful Government sector in the country, India Post was getting geared to face private competition with many customer friendly services and facilities like e-money order and e-post.


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Exporting gasoline has become more profitable than selling it domestically, Kommersant reports this morning. According to the newspaper’s calculations, the premium on domestic sales has turned negative at around the USD 50/ton level. It also reported that two companies had already started to export small volumes of gasoline last week, which usually leads to a significant increase in gasoline prices. According to Kommersant, on 12 March the government discussed the possibility of freezing fuel prices until May, with the issue to be discussed further at the meeting on 21 March.
According to our calculations, the internal market premium was reduced to minus USD 25/ton, which is not as significant as Kommersant’s calculation but still indicates significant pressure on domestic gasoline prices. We expect this to motivate oil companies to re-launch gasoline exports in the near future, which would lead to a significant shortage of gasoline on the domestic market. We believe that there is no point in the Russian government trying to prevent the growth in gasoline prices and as we think that they are set to grow as part of the international trend.


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Apple Working With LG on Foldable iPhone; Echo Dot Loses Its Touch; Toyota Hydrogen Trucks Go To Work in LAPosted: October 12, 2017
We have heard rumors for a year that Samsung is working on a foldable phone. Now, it turns out Apple is, as well. Apple’s has some ‘one more thing’ type big trick, apparently…they are working with LG’s display unit on the OLED screens, for fear Samsung will steal their idea…which has happened wholesale in the past. According to 9to5mac.com, LG Innotek is also working on the rigid flexible circuit board that would power the phone. It’s expected in 2020. Samsung may have one out by next year.
Yesterday, we reported that Amazon’s preproduction Echo Dots were staying on all the time and eavesdropping on tech reporters that were supposed to be reviewing them. Google sent a patch, and said they were working on a more permanent fix. Now, 9to5google says it apparently wasn’t feasible…Google has killed the tap to wake feature…which was apparently causing the problem. Sorry, you’ll have to go to all the trouble of saying ‘OK, Google’ to wake your Echo Dot…but that beats the hell out of it recording everything in your bedroom 24/7!
All the attention is on electric cars, and even on a couple electric semi-trucks, with Tesla teasing showing their version soon. Another alternative fuel is hydrogen. While Mercedes and a couple of Japanese makers have done quite a bit with hydrogen fuel cell cars, not much has happened on the truck front…until now. According to techcrunch.com, Toyota is starting a pilot with fuel cell big rigs at the Port of LA. The rigs have 670 horsepower, and dan haul and 80,000 lb. load. They can run about 200 miles a day. If the fuel cells stand up to the frequent refueling, Toyota plans to test longer haul semi trucks powered by hydrogen fuel cells.
Apple AirPods Available-But Ship Next Year; Google Partnering on Self-Driving Car Now; Samsung Will Have Only Curved Screen Phones; Uber Continued to Spy on UsersPosted: December 13, 2016
The Apple Store earlier suddenly had AirPods available today-Tuesday for delivery next Monday. Now, 9to5mac.com says delivery has slipped already to 4 weeks from today. Apple did note on their site that they have rolled out the wireless Bluetooth ear buds in 100 countries. If you want to drop $159 for the ill-fitting and odd-looking Apple wireless cans, you might try an Apple Store next week.
Google is apparently no longer going it alone in developing a self-driving car. According to theverge.com, which picked up a story from the Information, Google is now partnering with automakers on more conventional cars, with a goal of launching an autonomous ride-sharing service by the end of next year. Fiat Chrysler is making a new prototype for Google based on a minivan. Reports are that they found their own radical car with no steering wheel or pedals just too radical. The so-called ‘spin out’ division for Google’s car project is being called Waymo, and will be run like a startup, only with the resources of Alphabet, the parent company, according to a news conference today.
A hot feature for Samsung has been the curved screen on the Edge models. Apparently due to that, and Apple’s rumored move to curved OLED screens next year made by Samsung, the Galaxy S8 models will all come with the curved screens. Bgr.com reports that there will be 5.7 and 6.2 inch S8 models with the front panel being over 90% screen. Samsung continues to work on two foldable smartphone models, which can be unfolded into tablets. They may roll out in 2017.
Uber has previously been dinged for having a ‘God mode,’ that allowed some company employees to track customers. Now, in a legal filing by a former Uber security exec, it turns out that dubious feature is still around. Bgr.com notes In the filing, Ward Spangenberg said “Uber’s lack of security regarding its customer data was resulting in Uber employees being able to track high-profile politicians, celebrities, and even personal acquaintances of Uber employees, including ex-boyfriends/girlfriends, and ex-spouses.” Spangenberg is at least the 5th former Uber security pro to reveal the mode, which might be more accurately be called ‘stalker mode.’
Next MacBook Pros May Be the Real Deal; Apple Patents Foldable Smartphone; Amazon Rules the Cloud; Mobile Web Passes Desktops; Facebook Extends LongevityPosted: November 1, 2016
With the continued griping that the new MacBook Pros aren’t all that ‘pro,’ here’s an interesting tidbit…9to5mac.com reports that KGI Securities says Apple was constrained by a late release of new Intel chips that are more powerful but use less juice. If the next Intel chips are more timely, 2017 may see faster, more powerful MacBook Pros with 32 gigs of ram!
Meanwhile, Apple has patented a bendable or foldable smartphone. Patentlyapple.com says this is different than Samsung’s designs…it uses advanced carbon nanotube structures. This could be done with a ceramic case…something the top Apple Watch uses, and rumored for the iPhone 8. the iPhone 9 or 10 could fold up and slip into a shirt pocket if this is put into use.
Synergy Research Group has crunched numbers, and Amazon Web Services is truly the 800 lb. gorilla of public cloud infrastructure…at 45%, they have more than Microsoft, Google, and IBM combined. According to Geekwire.com, this remains true even though Microsoft and Google are growing cloud revenue at over 100% per year. IBM does lead in managed private clouds, however.
Mobile internet use has passed desktop use for the first time, according to techcrunch.com. Mobile is now at 51.2%, with 48.7% of use still on desktops. Mobile is a whopping 75% in emerging markets like India!
Shades of ‘I want to believe’ from “X Files,” thenextweb.com has picked up a report that moderate Facebook use can lead to longer lives. It has been long known that people with strong social networks live longer, but what about online friends? A study of 12 million Facebook users by UC San Diego says yes. One of the researchers has ties to Facebook, but they claim the social media giant didn’t have a hand in determining the results. The average Facebook user is allegedly 12% less likely to die than non-users. Fox Mulder is using Facebook to look for aliens, and thinks you’re one.


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Scientific labs produce a ton of waste: plastic pipette tips and the plastic racks that hold them, plastic foam coolers that house chemicals and cells, surplus solvents that expire in storage. They also rack up big energy bills: special freezers keep experiments cold, high-tech vents keep air clean, and dedicated machines keep equipment sterile.
Spring has arrived and it's the perfect time to book your summer vacation at Yosemite National Park.
Located in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, Yosemite National Park is famed for its waterfalls, deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant seqouias, a vast wilderness area, and much more. With activities like hiking, fishing, horseback riding, rock climbing, and boating, it is impossible to be bored at this incredible destination and resort!
First Carnival Cruise Line ship to be granted LR’s coveted ‘ECO Notation’ for exceeding environmental regulatory standards
MIAMI, Aug. 17, 2016 /3BL Media/ — Classification society Lloyd’s Register has bestowed the “ECO Notation” designation on the new Carnival Vista, marking the first Carnival Cruise Line ship to achieve this distinction. The notation recognizes that the cruise line designed, built and operates Carnival Vista in a manner that exceeds current maritime statutory environmental regulations.
Architecture is an ever-evolving medium. From the ancient pueblo cliff villages of the Navajo to the houseboats of modern-day Amsterdam, humans have always found a way to make space for one another in harmony with their environments. Architecture can represent the perfect marriage of form and function, and you would be hard-pressed to find a better example of that than in the design of the geodesic dome home.
January 6, 2015 /3BL Media/ - The Rostock cruise line AIDA Cruises has received the German Fairness Award 2014.
In collaboration with the news channel n-tv, the German Institute for Service Quality conducted a survey with over 40,000 consumers on the subject of fairness. The survey centered on e.g. price-performance ratio, reliability of products, services or company statements, and transparency of information on prices, product and contract services. Around 350 companies from 31 sectors were assessed.
Kingsey Falls, Québec, June 19, 2014 /3BL Media/ – Cascades is proud to announce the launch of Respak, the ecological answer to the environmental challenge of polycoated packaging products. Designed primarily for the food and food services industries, Respak is recyclable and compostable, without compromising on the performance and durability characteristic of traditional polycoated packaging.


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Attending this year’s Illinois Association of REALTORS® annual convention I attended the Commercial Panel on The Retail World from the Perspective of the Landlord. I recap this great panel discussion on the commercial real estate retail market from 4 very active professionals in the market – locally and nationally.
In the second quarter of 2014 the Chicago retail market is still experiencing a hit due to the closing of Dominick’s grocer in the market. Though consumer confidence remains strong and improving it is still taking time for the market to feel the full effects.
Get a brief over-view of the available retail spaces in the City of Joliet, Illinois. Details of the main roads, rental rate averages and a total summary of the retail properties that make up Joliet, IL.
Into the second month of 2014, time to reflect on how the year ended in the Chicago area retail market. The Fourth quarter 2013 recap of the retail leasing activity for the Suburban Chicago market.
Third quarter 2013 recap of the retail leasing activity for the Suburban Chicago market.
The Commercial Committee of MainStreet Orgazation of Realtors™ is hosting it’s Annual Commercial Forecast Breakfast.


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The maker of storage networking equipment saw sales fall 4% year over year, landing at $565 million. Non-generally accepted accounting principles earnings rose 14% to $0.24 per share. Analysts were looking for adjusted earnings of $0.20 per share on about $550 million in revenue.
Brocade CEO Lloyd Carney pinned the quarter's success on strong demand for high-speed storage area networking solutions. Cutting-edge Generation 5 Fibre Channel products accounted for 71% of Brocade's storage sales in the quarter, up from 42% in the year-ago period.
Carney said he hopes to continue driving the product mix even further in the direction of highly profitable top-shelf solutions. "This is a transformational year for Brocade," he said in a prepared statement, "and we remain committed to our mission to be the network provider of choice to the world's data centers."
In a separate document, Brocade outlined second-quarter guidance ranges centered around $530 million in total sales and roughly $0.18 of adjusted earnings per share. The top end of this guidance aligns with the current analyst view.
Brocade shares surged as much as 9% higher on the strong first-quarter results, but fell back to a more modest 4% gain when the soft guidance started sinking in. Even so, Brocade prices at press time exceeded the stock's 52-week highs by about $0.10.


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At the moment there are a lot of cool new smartphones coming out or hotly anticipated, and the hottest of them all that’s still under wraps is without a bout the next Apple phone model – iPhone 5. As usually happens, there has been a number of rumors hinting at the features. One of the latest rumors is that it will feature Thunderbolt technology, which will be a whole new ball game.
Samsung Galaxy S3 goes wireless, iPhone 5 adds in Thunderbolt port option
There will be a whole raft of new handsets this year, but none will feature something as revolutionary as Thunderbolt. A report on CNET has said that an iPhone 5 with Thunderbolt will change the face of the smartphone world. Of course there’s always rumors about a larger display and so on, but a Thunderbolt port is a slow-burning rumor that hasn’t attracted much attention so far – but it needs to.
Any device that uses a Thunderbolt port can transfer data much more quickly, and the port can connect with DisplayPort and PCI Express cards. This means that it can connect PCs to HD video capture hardware and external displays. The only problem is that not many other people are using Thunderbolt, and there are only a few devices that would be able to connect to Thunderbolt-using Apple gadgets.
If Apple did launch a Thunderbolt-compatible iPhone 5 there would be millions of new handsets with the technology, which would lead to lots of third party accessories coming onto the market. This in turn would lead to major PC makers jumping on the bandwagon. If other mobile makers also start using Thunderbolt, we may have the long-awaited unified connection for all brands of handsets and peripherals. At last!
Apple needs to bear down on the technical solutions it needs to make this happen, though. The Thunderbolt controller chip presently used in MacBooks is way too large for the svelte iPhone 5 body. The new phone would also need to have an adapter for USB ports so that it could be used with the devices already on the market, as well as in homes and workplaces.
Of course, there are downside with adding a Thunderbolt port. As we saw in the case of the Samsung Galaxy S3 which introduced wireless charging as the way to the future, adding more ports into the iPhone 5 may appear like a step backwards for smartphones. Furthermore, it would also add more bulk to the iPhone 5 which is not acceptable given that the current gen iPhone 4S is already one of the thickest high-end smartphones on the market.
Do you think the advantages of Thunderbolt is worth Apple redesigning the iPhone 5 with this tech in mind? Or would you prefer they incorporate more wireless capabilities like the Samsung Galaxy S3 (S-Beam, wireless charging, DLNA) given that it is a mobilephone and not a desktop/laptop at the end of the day? Sound off in the comments below.
We created this infographic because we wanted to know — is Siri living up to all the hype?
Foster City, Calif. (PRWEB) May 30, 2012
OnlineDegrees.com, a leading education site since 2003, recently launched “Siri, why don’t you understand me?,” an infographic that explores how iPhone 4S owners are using Apple’s new Speech Interpretation and Recognition Interface (S.I.R.I. or Siri).
Marketed as a digital assistant, Siri purports to help with a variety of tasks, including playing music, finding sports scores or creating secure passwords. However, according to a Parks Associates study, iPhone 4S owners typically use Siri for much simpler tasks, such as making phone calls, searching the Web and sending text messages.
“When the iPhone 4S was released last year, there was plenty of speculation about the new software,” said Kevin Phang, spokesperson for OnlineDegrees.com. “We created this infographic because we wanted to know — is Siri living up to all the hype?”
While an overwhelming 87 percent of iPhone 4S owners say they use Siri at least once per month, the new feature still poses a number of challenges. For example, background noise often makes it difficult for the voice recognition system to understand commands, and Siri has trouble understanding accents.
“I think users were, and still are, excited about Siri,” added Phang. “Technical issues have frustrated some, but for the most part, it looks like consumers are generally pleased and want to learn more about Siri’s capabilities.”
Although many users ask Siri to perform only basic functions, the Parks Associates study also revealed that 51 percent of iPhone owners feel it is “extremely important” that their next phone have a Siri-like feature.
For more information on this infographic, or others like it, follow @OnlineDegrees on Twitter and Facebook.
OnlineDegrees.com is a leading education resource focused on connecting thousands of visitors with the information they seek about online education and degree programs. Site visitors can easily research schools and connect with the providers of the career training they needed to succeed. OnlineDegrees.com is owned and operated by QuinStreet, Inc. (NASDAQ: QNST), one of the largest Internet marketing and media companies in the world. QuinStreet is committed to providing consumers and businesses with the information they need to research, find and select the products, services and brands that meet their needs. The company is a leader in visitor-friendly marketing practices. For more information, please visit QuinStreet.com
Article source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/5/prweb9547554.htm
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Below are some of the notable specifications of the three devices:
The Samsung Galaxy S3 has the largest screen of all with its 4.8 inch screen display. HTC One XL sports a 4.7 inch screen. One of the popular rumors around the new iPhone is its screen size. Many speculated that iPhone 5 will be sporting a larger screen, saying goodbye to its 3.5 inch screen size.
HTC One XL scores a point by offering a 1.5GHz quad-core processor. The Galaxy S3 is not left behind with its 1.4 GHz quad-core processor. One of the rumors around iPhone 5 is that it will be sporting an A5X chip, which gives a notion for a faster processor.
When it comes to storage space, there will be no further questions that Samsung’s greatest device up to date nailed it with is 62GB expandable memory. Samsung Galaxy S3 allows its users to add microSD card to further increase the memory of the device. HTC One XL needs to further improve its storage capabilities as it only has 32GB non-expandable memory. There is no firm detail yet about the iPhone 5′s memory but last year’s iPhone has a 64GB non-expandable memory in boot.
Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One XL tied in the category by using Android’s latest Ice Cream Sandwich. iPhone 5 will be using an updated version of the iOS, which is expected to be unveiled in the upcoming WWDC event in June.
The Galaxy S3 and HTC One XL is at par by sporting 8 megapixel camera. There are not much speculations if the Cupertino-based company will be upgrading again its lenses. However, greater resolutions and camera features may be on the way.
One of the downsides of owning a smartphone is its short battery life. It has one of the issues that are constantly addressed by developers. Galaxy S3 promised longer battery life with its 2100 mAh. HTC One XL and iPhone 5 trailed behind with their 1800 mAh and 1432 mAh, respectively
As mentioned earlier, one of the advantages of HTC One XL is its 4G/LTE feature that promised faster connectivity. Unfortunately, Samsung Galaxy S3 does not support this feature. There are speculations that Apple will learn its lesson from the lawsuits on its 4G/LTE feature, especially in Australia. The company could be working on 4G/LTE connection in leading markets like UK and Australia.
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Ah, June. The beginning of summer, when the kids are finally released from school, and Gadgets are finally released from the Purgatory between Digitimes Taiwan rumor and Midwestern Best Buy store shelf.
The hottest gadget rumor, lately even hotter than the iPhone 5, and wayyy hotter than the quickly-dismissed Facebook phone, is the Google Nexus tablet. This would be Google’s second attempt at mobile hardware – its Google Nexus smartphone was a non-starter. It will allegedly be built by Asus, not Google’s recently-swallowed Motorola Mobility, and run Nvidia‘s quad-core Tegra 3 chipset. It will be 7 inches, cost a Kindle-matching $200 and be the debut of the latest Android update, version 5.0, aka Jelly Bean.
For consumers, Jelly Bean should indeed be sweet. Rumors say goodies include a Siri-like voice assistant, Google’s suddenly market-leading Chrome Web browser, better touch keyboard, more integration with Google services and more tablet-specific features.
For enterprises, rumored features they would care about include the ability to run on laptops (and possibly even dual-boot with Microsoft Windows), a file system, increased protection from malware, including the dumping of Adobe’s already-dying mobile Flash player.
The other good news for enterprises is that Jelly Bean heralds a new era wherein Google will only release one major Android update per year.
How sweet will Android Jelly Bean be for enterprises?
Google started off frenetically, taking the ‘ship early, ship often’ mantra literally. In 2009, Google released three updates to Android (Cupcake, Donut and Eclair). After complaints, it slowed the pace to bi-annual updates in the last two years.
The problem is that Google’s hardware partners still haven’t caught up. Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is only running on about 5% of devices today. Almost two-thirds of devices are still running Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Even Android 2.1 Eclair, released 2.5 years ago, has more users than ICS.
The Samsungs and HTCs of this world remain slow about releasing their newest hardware with the latest Android update installed (though the vendors would retort that Google’s processes are to blame). They are also excruciatingly slow about making Android updates available to devices already out in the field (if at all).
Want Apple to spill the beans? Getting blood from a stone would have been easier, as Apple CEO Tim Cook sat down for a chat at the All Things D conference last night. Instead of giving the merest hint at the company’s future plans, he promised even greater secrecy. Good look with that, as what may be the first iPhone 5 components leaked into view.
Throw Us A Bone, Tim
With Apple’s worldwide developer conference just days away, you might have thought that Tim Cook would give the world a sneak preview, a tiny nugget of information or a even a broad hint about what was to come. But, the man at the helm, merely promised even more security and black-bag, black-hole, style operations over future products.
While proclaiming to be excited over those future products, He said he’s “never been as amazed by all the things I cannot talk about today.” All he would say was, “We’re going to double down on secrecy on products,” while pointing out that Apple will become the most transparent company over issues like supplier responsibility and the environment.
He also mentioned Facebook, saying stay tuned, presumably for some possible reunion between iOS and the social site. You can read the full transcript at All Things D, and wonder why they didn’t just stream it. If you’d been in the audience, what question would you like to have asked the Apple CEO?
When discussing rival Microsoft’s attempt to cram Windows 8 into tablets, PCs and, presumably phones, he did say “In my view, the tablet and the PC are different. You can do things with the tablet if you are not encumbered by the legacy of the PC.” Which suggests iOS and OS-X are never to meet in the middle, with iCloud providing Apple’s bridge between the two.
Or the Bones Will Talk
However, while he was pledging secrecy, it looks like the skeletal shell of the iPhone 5 was making a break for freedom, under the wire of Chinese suppliers. Various sites are showing pictures of the shell which comes with a gap for the new mini dock connector at the bottom. There is also a larger vertical space for the screen area that will tally with the extended widescreen display and other tweaks to the design.
Real or mocked up, there is only so much magic Apple can produce for something that is an update to an existing product. So, even if this isn’t the final thing, it has to be pretty close to what will ship, unless Apple decides to make a fruit shaped phone. So, Tim is likely most looking forward to the Apple HDTV set, where Apple can design and create on a blank slate.
All Tim Cook said about TVs was that Apple’s existing TV dongle had sold 2.8 million last year, and almost as many in the early part of this year. Suggesting more things to come, saying, “This is an area of intense interest for us.”
We’ll see next week exactly what Apple has planned, at least for iOS 6.0 and the reimagined maps app. And that’s really where Apple can still play and create, and the excitement for Apple as a brand can still be generated, as the form factors and hardware of phones and tablets solidify. So, expect the drama to come at WWDC rather than the iPhone 5 event. Unless Apple casually throws something new into the mix.
New iPhone 5 pictures show Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) making room for a bigger screen, a semi-unibody enclosure, and a new dock connector. The screen is supposedly taller, switching to a 16:9 HDTV-style ratio. In IT Blogwatch, bloggers ponder the meaning of it all.
By Richi Jennings: Your humble blogwatcher curated these bloggy bits for your entertainment. Not to mention: A better AMERCIA…
Ross Catanzariti asks the question of the hour:
Is this the iPhone 5? … [P]urported leaked images…reveal what appears to be an iPhone  with a taller, 4in screen…and a much smaller dock connector.
According to rumours, the new iPhone will have a 4in screen with a resolution of 1136 x 640.
Mark Gurman has his awesomesauce:
[We] have received several…images that are very high-resolution. … [A] large portion of the back…is made out of metal. … [The] metal antenna band is molded into the metal backplates…[to] creat[e] a unibody enclosure…to produce [a] thinner and lighter, yet stronger, device.
The long rumored smaller dock connector is present. … [The] home button…is definitely present. … [It] will be the same width as the current 4 and 4S models, but it will be longer…with a screen size of 3.999 inches.
How big? John Cox mocks the faux-accuracy of that screen size:
But John Gruber fans the flames:
I’m still not convinced [it's] for real, but…there’s an awful lot of smoke for there not to be a fire. … iPhone apps are already expected to be…somewhat flexible in height. … [When] you’re on a phone call or making a recording…you get a…double-height status bar [which] doesn’t cover the content of most apps.
In short, “windows” on iOS resize like windows on a Mac. … Apple could, with…iOS 6, further encourage developers…by changing the way notification banners are displayed. … [T]hey could encourage iOS developers to adopt the…APIs to be responsive to changes in available vertical screen space.
[Then] come October, apps that do the right thing would automatically be responsive to…176 more pixels.
And John Biggs ponders the true meaning of the imagery:
Whether they are real or not…there is still a bit more to this story. … The most important thing to note is…the dock connector…it’s a micro USB port (or…Thunderbolt). … That Apple still clings to [a] 30-pin slot is quite odd…considering how much real estate these things take up.
Whatever happens in the next few weeks before WWDC, rest assured we’ll see plenty more [pictures]. The glut of cases we’ve seen in the past hour is pointing to something brewing.
Meanwhile, Jeff Bertolucci wonders if all this “chatter” is counter-productive:
In the quarter leading up to last year’s launch of the iPhone 4S…sales fell 16 percent. … Apple execs blamed the endless drumbeat of iPhone rumors.
Could history repeat itself this year? Quite likely. … This year’s iPhone scuttlebutt can’t touch the drama of two years ago, when…Jason Chen bought an iPhone 4 prototype…and revealed it online.
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Richi Jennings is an independent analyst/consultant, specializing in blogging, email, and security. He’s the creator and main author of Computerworld’s IT Blogwatch, for which he has won ASBPE and Neal awards. He also writes The Long View for IDG Enterprise. A cross-functional IT geek since 1985, you can read Richi’s full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
Several websites have published photos purporting to show the casing of the new iPhone.
9to5Mac appeared to be first to publish the shot, after being tipped off by iPhone repair firm iFixyouri. The shape is fairly similar to the current iPhone 4 and 4S models, except with a smaller dock connector and larger speakers. The site was also told that the back is made from aluminium alloy.
We’ve heard rumblings of a smaller dock connector in the past, and its reduced size means the bottom-mounted speakers can be larger and – we assume – capable of belting out higher quality audio.
Another shot, published on Engadget, shows a slightly curved white casing with an obvious silver backplate. It is not clear if the backing is metal.
Samsung Galaxy S3 has been launched in 28 countries as Apple’s iPhone 5 release is still months away
Samsung has finally released its top-of-the-line Android handset Galaxy S3 in Europe. The South Korean tech giant hopes to outsell the device over its predecessor in the continent. Samsung announced the device on May 3 in a special media event in London. The firm then said that the device would initially be available in European and Middle East countries. Other markets will get the latest version of Galaxy S series sometime later, Samsung said.
As per Samsung, the new Galaxy S 3 is now available for grabs in 28 European and Middle East countries. Major markets like Britain and Germany are included in the list. Samsung will make available the most advanced S3 handset before the arrival of Apple’s new iPhone 5. Apple is expected to launch its next iPhone version in the third quarter of the year. As reported by Yahoo, lots of people formed queues in front of Samsung stores in different European countries for the device. Galaxy S fans have been eagerly waiting for the device, which has lots of incredible features including an eye tracking system.
Galaxy S 3 specialties
The new version of Samsung’s Galaxy S series has been getting great coverage in the media. The device, which features the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, comes with a large 4.8-inch display with better screen resolution and pixel rate. The way it mainly differs from the iPhone 4S and others is with its large display. Among the smartphones, the S 3 is now the only device with a large display. A set of phablets including the Galaxy Note have a 5 or higher inches display, however.
Moreover, many international cellular service providers from Britain’s Vodafone to Singapore’s SingTel have been showing off the device as a great product. The carriers have been aggressively promoting the S 3 as a nice handset with the ICS. The device also touts an Exynos Quad quad-core processor, which makes it perform superbly. As per the current trends in market, the smartphone could go beyond its predecessor in number of sales. The Galaxy S 2 was sold in 20 million units across the world.
According to the Vodafone UK, the S3 is now the most pre-ordered Android handset ever. “In the two years that we have been offering pre-orders, it is the most pre-ordered Android device we have had in our line-up,” said the carrier’s spokesman. “It is on track to meet, if not exceed, the level of pre-orders we expected by the time it actually launches,” Vodafone, which declined to expose the numbers, said. In fact, Samsung itself believes that S 3 could outsell Galaxy 2.
Is it a threat for iPhone 5?
Needless to mention, the Galaxy S 3 will be a huge threat for the forthcoming iPhone. S 3 now leads the smartphone market for several reasons. The device features a large display, quad core processor, Android Ice Cream Sandwich, a powerful battery and better multimedia features including an 8-megapixel rear camera. Overall, when compared to the current iPhone 4S, the Galaxy S 3 is a superb product with a huge collection of features.
If Apple fails to redesign its iPhone with a larger display, quad core processor and others, undoubtedly the S 3 will dominate the new iPhone. Even if Apple makes particular changes to its iPhone series, it will face critical threats from new Galaxy S phone “The Galaxy S3 is a real challenger to the upcoming iPhone,” says Francisco Jeronimo, an IDC analyst. “This is likely be one of the most sold smartphones this year, though the real test will come when the next iPhone is launched.”
Samsung has prepared its Galaxy S 3 with its own music service. It is for the first time Samsung has launched a content-based service in its new handset. The handset maker admits that it intends to become a good player in providing content as well apart from its hardware competency. “Samsung is not known for our content services; we make good hardware products but we haven’t done much in the content space but that’s changing,” Samsung’s T.J. Kang says.
My, my, talk about an age old rumour that simply wont lay down and die. Of course I am speaking about the latest speculation that the Facebook phone, a device more illusive that the Scarlet Pimpernel, has again reared its phantom head with word that the social networking site is again planning to launch a Facebook phone.
According to an article over on Pop Herald, the news of plans for the Facebook phone reared its head on The New York Times, that said Facebook has hired several ex-Apple hardware and software engineers that worked on the iPhone, and one that worked on the Apple iPad, and obviously this info was from people that wish to remain unnamed.
Over on In Entertainment however, they are asking whether the arrival of the Facebook phone would have an effect on sales of the iPhone 5, as they know both the iPhone 5 and Facebook phone would have a battle to gain the hearts of teens. They say that many teens will want to upgrade their smartphone to the next iPhone, but if the Facebook phone should appear then perhaps those teens just might turn away from the new iPhone in favour of the Facebook phone.
Both Apple gear and Facebook have a huge following, with Facebook having some 900 million active users, so the big question here is, if Facebook does finally deliver the Facebook phone, will many transfer their loyalty over to the Facebook phone, and abandon iOS, Windows Phone and Android?
Apparently Facebook is working with HTC on the rumoured Facebook phone, which apparently has the codename of Buffy, a codename we have previously heard of way back in the November of 2011, a smartphone rumoured to run a custom version of the Android operating system, and be heavily integrated with Facebook services.
If the Facebook Buffy smartphone does materialise and sports the Android operating system, then really the Android faithful wouldn’t be shifting their loyalty from the platform, but as many simply love accessing their Facebook account via their phone, there is a possibility that people will move from the iPhone, and Windows Phone to get the Facebook phone, although in what quantities obviously remains to be seen.
Having said that, as Facebook has apps on most platforms that lets the user pretty much do whatever they wish on the social networking site, is there really a need for a Facebook phone, and if so would it do as well as anticipated, would there be a mass exodus from other devices just to own the Facebook phone?
Personally I doubt it, I have been an Android user from the start, and doing whatever you want to do on Facebook doesn’t mean you need a Facebook phone.
Of course, Facebook hasn’t actually come out and said they are delivering the Facebook phone to the mobile space, and as such the Facebook phone still remains one of life’s little mysteries, so there may never be that social challenge.
So we ask our readers this question, would you ditch a smartphone such as the iPhone 5, a Nokia Lumia phone, or an Android handset such as the Samsung Galaxy S3 in favour of a Facebook phone for your social network needs?
iPhone 5 release date rumors and news say Apple is undecided on their new iOS 6 smartphone design and features. There has been much speculation over what Apple has planned for the their next iPhone, but so far fans have been kept in the dark about what they are actually working on.
A multitude of reports related to the Apple gadget have stated the device is undergoing a complete redesign, and that the next generation of the much-loved handheld will have a completely different look and feel.
According to a recent article, Apple remains undecided on what design they want to unleash for the long-awaited iPhone 5 release date. Several sources had reported the computer giant was working on a Liquidmetal casing, and larger 4-inch display, for their next mobile handset. However a recent article says “Apple still has to complete the design for the next gen iPhone 5,” and suggests this could mean all the rumors hitting the Internet about a redesign are baseless speculation.
If these rumors are true, and Apple has not decided which design they want to use, it seems less likely consumers will be getting their hands on the upcoming device before late 2012.
The next smartphone isn’t the only Apple device leaving consumers guessing! The new Macbook Pro 2012 has had Appleites in suspense for some time now, and the latest rumors for the laptop have slated a July launch. So it looks like enthusiasts might be able to buy at least one new Apple product before October.
Do you think the design for the iPhone 5 release date handset is still up in the air? If you are an Apple fan, will you still wait for the new iPhone, even if it means another Fall launch?


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Following the trends that go on in the tech realm, it would have been wrong if the Samsung Galaxy S20 was not leaked ahead of its launch. The smartphone series is a few days away from being launched for the audience at the Samsung Press Event in Barcelona, and there are dozens of leaks providing information about almost all the aspects of the smartphone. Here is a glimpse of the new cases and covers of the Galaxy S20 that leaked on leading tech portals:
According to reports by leading tech portals, an accidental listing of the Samsung Galaxy S20 on the official Samsung website lead to the unwanted unveil of the smartphone’s design and its cases and covers. Ahead of the launch, a tech portal was able to get hold of some exclusive renders of the official Galaxy S20 cases and covers. Apart from giving away the renders and designs of the Samsung Galaxy S20 cases, the leaks also provide information about the varieties of the Samsung Galaxy S20 cases that would be shipped by Samsung.
One variant of the Samsung Galaxy S20 cases highlights the LED design and is supposed to get juice by wirelessly charging itself through Galaxy S20’s reverse charging ability. The LED case would light up several LED lights on the backside of the device, and give a massive overhaul to the looks of the mobile phone. Another variant of the official Samsung Galaxy S20 cases showcases the flip-style LED informative cover that shows notification information about the device on the front without actually unlocking the device.
Among the leaks of the official Samsung Galaxy S20 cases, there was a variant of the case that featured a flip-style display that was earlier launched with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10. It was a popular case option released by Samsung for its flagship devices, and Samsung has plans of retaining it for Samsung Galaxy S20 as well. The last variety of the Samsung Galaxy S20 case that was leaked ahead of the launch event was a rugged variation that also featured a kickstand at the back. All the Samsung Galaxy S20 cases that leaked on the internet have grabbed the attention of tech portals and the tech community and will launch at the Samsung Galaxy S20 launch event.
Since the Samsung Galaxy S20 would be the latest flagship offering of the Korean tech giant, it would ship in all the leading markets at a flagship price point. According to experts and leading tech portals, the Samsung Galaxy S20 price in India could be around ₹ 70,990, which would be € 899. However, this is not the official Samsung Galaxy S20 price in India and can change as per Samsung’s discretion.


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Internet ad spending beat expectations last year as companies targeted a growing - and increasingly female-heavy - web audience and tapped into the emerging trend of online TV-watching.
UK online advertising trade body, the Internet Advertising Bureau, said spending rose 38%. It predicted more double-digit growth this year as the web shrugs off the economic turmoil hitting other media, to overtake TV advertising revenues by the end of 2009.
In 2007, online revenues rose £797m like-for-like, to reach £2.8bn. The rise represented a slowdown from growth of 41% in 2006 and 66% in 2005 but it outstripped the IAB's forecasts of 35%. That prediction was already ahead of most other forecasts, said the trade group.
"In a relatively buoyant UK advertising market the internet was the biggest driver of growth - accelerating nine times faster than the entire advertising sector, which experienced 4.3% growth," the group says in a report out today.
The IAB chief executive, Guy Phillipson, believes a change in the makeup of the web audience helped, with women in 25-34 age bracket now spending more time than men online and more over-50s going on the web.
Those changes drove up advertising spending from certain sectors, such as by consumer goods companies keen to target a female audience.
Another key driver, according to the IAB, was strong growth in display advertising, such as banners and videos.
The launch of catch-up services such as the BBC iPlayer and Channel 4's 4oD on-demand site has increased the amount of time people spend online and has also made web users more comfortable with watching video online, said the IAB.
The success last year of online video campaigns such as the Cadbury's drumming gorilla has also raised companies' awareness of viral video campaigns, says Phillipson.
Display advertising spending rise 31%, while core formats - banners, skyscrapers and embedded rich media including video - grew by 45% to £592m, outstripping overall growth.
Search advertising spending - sponsored listings that advertisers pay for when a consumer clicks through to their site - grew by 39%.
Aside from video growth, display advertising was boosted by the proliferation of sales houses and networks. While the majority of display advertising spending still goes to big publishers such as newspapers' websites, a growing share of the market is going to sales houses, one-stop shops that help advertisers place their advert on a range of sites - from specialist portals for train enthusiasts to mass market platforms like the online auction site eBay.
Phillipson sees those aggregators continuing to help smaller sites and big platforms get advertising revenues this year. Overall, he is optimistic about the outlook, in contrast to other advertising sectors, from radio to TV, which have cited a challenging economic backdrop.
"I think it's important to remember that online is the most accountable medium of the lot, search and direct response advertising online is going to be protected because of that," said Phillipson.
"We would not be surprised if we went from £2.8bn to £3.5bn in 2008, growth of 25%. And from there it's only a shortish leap to hit £4bn during 2009, overtaking television as the leading sector."
In 2007, TV had a 21.8% share of UK advertising revenues, press display adverts made up 19.9% and the internet 15.3%, according to the IAB report compiled with PricewaterhouseCoopers and the World Advertising Research Centre. Press classifieds are in fourth place followed by direct mail.
The IAB predicts online advertising growth over the coming year will be driven by more sectors - for example, retailers - taking full advantage of search advertising, by better measurement techniques to demonstrate the impact of adverts, more video watching and faster broadband connections.
The group's report also cites the effect of more laptops in the home as they get cheaper.
"Cheap laptops mean more machines in the home. Anecdotally we know that a PC plus two laptops is not uncommon in most British homes. Laptops are no longer a luxury item or business tool," it says. "This means more people, more eyeballs, more impressions, and so more advertising."
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The head of the world's largest fertilizer company Nutrien, Ken Seitz, warned of an impending global shortage, Bloomberg writes.
Supplies from Russia and Belarus will become more limited than he expected. Two major potash-producing countries have cut exports because of trade restrictions and the special operation in Ukraine. Seitz believes supplies from Belarus will halve and Russian exports will drop by 25 percent.
"The world is going to have to look to the other breadbaskets of the world to fill that supply gap for food," he said. Fertilizer shortages could lead to lower yields, eventually hitting consumers when food prices rise sharply. Seitz warns that global shortages will continue into next year.
At the end of this year, the volume of Russian fertilizer shipments abroad may drop significantly, according to the Russian Association of Fertilizer Producers (RAPU). In 2022, exports are expected to decrease by 17 percent by 2021.


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These are tough times for many companies in the U.S. telecommunications industry. Problems such as shifting consumer demands, rapidly evolving technologies, and stiff competition for subscribers have caused businesses like Windstream Holdings to recently declare bankruptcy.
While they’ve not yet reached such a drastic level, telecom companies like CenturyLink [NYSE: CTL] and Frontier Communications [NASDAQ: FTR] have been struggling lately, trying to turn around their declining fortunes.
Concerns such as cord-cutting (customers canceling their pay TV subscriptions) and high debt levels make investing in CenturyLink and Frontier a risky proposal. What’s more, both companies have announced their interest in selling off parts of their business, putting their futures even more in doubt.
So are shares of CenturyLink and Frontier Communications [NASDAQ: FTR] worth buying as the companies try to come back from the brink, or should investors stay far away from these two stocks?
Pros and Cons of Investing in Telecom Operators
The U.S. telecom industry is a fraught landscape for many companies right now, as the rich get richer and others struggle just to survive.
On the other hand, many smaller and regional telecom operators are trying to regain their footing. This is especially true for companies that service residential and small business markets. Because there are dozens of options and competition is fierce, consumers are extremely price-sensitive.
The biggest challenge for telecom operators, now and in the future, is keeping up with customer demand for better connections and faster speeds. Keeping up with the latest technological developments requires a great deal of capital on hand in order to quickly launch new projects. However, rising debt and falling revenue makes this difficult for many telecom operators to achieve.
Is CenturyLink Stock a Buy?
CenturyLink [NYSE: CTL] currently has 450,000 global route miles of fiber-optic cables, allowing it to provide service to 100,000 buildings in more than 60 countries.
In 2017, the company merged with the multinational telecom and ISP Level 3 Communications, which gave it 200,000 additional route miles of fiber and a larger foothold in both the U.S. and abroad.
Since the merger, CenturyLink has focused on its enterprise, international, and small business customers. These make up roughly three-quarters of the company’s revenue, as opposed to only 25 percent for consumer broadband, video, and voice.
For example, CenturyLink [NYSE: CTL] now offers AT&T’s DirecTV satellite service, instead of selling its own cable package.
In June, CEO Jeff Storey mentioned that CenturyLink was conducting a strategic review of its consumer business, and that selling the business or spinning it off were both possibilities if the deal was value-accretive.
Unfortunately for CenturyLink investors, shares of the company are one of 2019’s biggest losers thus far: they fell by 23 percent in a time when the S&P 500 rose by 15 percent.
CenturyLink’s Q1 2019 revenue declined by 5 percent year over year. However, a bit of good news is that CenturyLink did manage to eke out 1 percent revenue growth for broadband, which helps to offset some of the losses in its consumer phone and video business.
Should You Invest in Frontier Stock?
Frontier Communications [NASDAQ: FTR] has many of the same challenges faced by CenturyLink [NYSE: CTL] in terms of declining revenues and subscribers. However, the company appears even less capable of addressing them than does CenturyLink.
To begin with, Frontier Communications [NASDAQ: FTR] is a smaller company than CenturyLink, operating across just 29 U.S. states. What’s more, Frontier announced in May that it would sell its operations in four of these states (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana) for $1.3 billion, which includes over 350,000 residential and business customers in this area.
Frontier Communications [NASDAQ: FTR] is currently pursuing a strategy more amenable to residential customers than that of CenturyLink.
More than half of Frontier’s business lies in consumer services, while just under half is devoted to enterprise customers. However, competition for residential customers is fierce in the telecom market, and likely doesn’t help Frontier’s financial woes.
The sale of Frontier’s operations in the northwestern U.S. should help the company pay off some of the $16.9 billion in debt that it currently carries. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said of Frontier’s revenues, which decreased in Q1 2019 by 4.5 percent.
CenturyLink Stock Vs Frontier Stock: The Bottom Line
The recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy of Windstream has made many investors wary of the regional telecom sector–and perhaps for good reason.
Neither CenturyLink stock nor Frontier stock comes out looking particularly strong in this head-to-head comparison.
If you’re absolutely sure you want to invest in the regional telecom sector, however, CenturyLink [NYSE: CTL] is likely the winner.
Because both CenturyLink stock and Frontier stock seem like risky investments, the best play here is to go with the safe bet that has the greatest chance to “stop the bleeding.” In this case, that’s CenturyLink, which has a larger network and a stronger focus on more lucrative enterprise customers.
The author has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Financhill has a disclosure policy. This post may contain affiliate links or links from our sponsors.


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4th November 2020 - 1 min read
Affin Bank has announced that it will be terminating its AffinPay mobile payment app, effective 1 December 2020.
AffinPay was launched only in July last year, allowing customers to store multiple Affin Bank Visa debit or credit cards and make payments through their phones. Users could pay at any merchant where Visa Paywave is accepted, but the app was only made available for Android phones that support NFC technology.
Here is the termination notice reproduced in full:
Dear AffinPay Customers,
Please be informed that AffinPay services will cease effective 1 December 2020. Stay tuned for a new, exciting and encompassing solution for your day-to-day banking needs.
Follow our Facebook or Instagram @AffinMy to find out more or call our Contact centre at 03-8230 2222.
The termination of the payment app came just as Affin Bank announced its rebranding exercise, carried out in conjunction with its 45th anniversary. According to the bank, the exercise signifies its transformation by embracing creativity and technology amidst an ever-changing business environment.
(Source: Affin Bank)
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Fast Food Lightens Up But Sales Are Often Thin
By ANTHONY RAMIREZ
Published: March 19, 1991
When McDonald's starts selling its lower-fat hamburger nationwide next month, the sales could be as lean as the burger. At least that is what some restaurant industry analysts say and what the fast-food giant's rivals hope.
For years, fast-food restaurants have promoted foods as being lower in calories or fat than their regular offerings, with decidedly mixed results. To the frustration of many a market researcher, the consumer is a health-conscious Dr. Jekyll when answering surveys, but a junk-food-loving Mr. Hyde when fork comes to mouth.
"People may talk healthy, but they don't buy healthy," said Thomas H. Strenk, managing editor of Restaurant Business magazine. "When they go out to a restaurant, they want to splurge." Skinny Legs and All
The most successful "health food" so far has been chicken, which has the marketing advantages of being flavorful and presentable in several variations. One of the newest variations is the Lite 'n Crispy skinless fried chicken sold by Kentucky Fried Chicken, a unit of Pepsico. The new chicken is still coated with batter and deep fried, but the chain has had strong sales by promoting it as lower in calories and fat than the product that made the chain famous.
El Pollo Loco, a Southern California chain owned by a unit of TW Holdings, has had fast growth because of its grilled marinated chicken. And Burger King, the second-largest burger chain, after McDonald's, has the BK Broiler, a grilled chicken sandwich that was one of the most successful products ever introduced in the fast-food business.
Sales of pizza are growing even faster than those of chicken. But Pizza Hut, a unit of Pepsico, concedes that it flubbed the marketing of its "light" pizza with reduced-calorie meat toppings.
Then there's Wendy's International, which started perhaps the most ambitious reduced-calorie menu of any fast-food chain in 1985, but which was sorely disappointed by consumers' response. Wendy's had about a dozen offerings, including items like a scooped-out tomato half with tuna and a cottage cheese and pineapple salad on lettuce. 'Nobody Would Bite'
"We spent a whole year and about $10 million advertising this menu and nobody would bite," said Dennis L. Lynch, a spokesman for Wendy's, which is based in Dublin, Ohio. Wendy's dropped the menu in 1986, but kept some of the items, notably the baked potato. The potatoes are now dressed in more caloric toppings like cheese and bacon, and sour cream and chives.
Many fast-food places do have light items like salads and yogurt, but these are included to round out the menu and prevent customers from automatically ruling out the restaurant because its food is too heavy.
Moreover, with its new McLean Deluxe hamburger, McDonald's is offering a product that is the latest in food science -- something no major restaurant chain has tried before. Water and Seaweed Extract
Last week, the McDonald's Corporation announced that it would sell the burger at its 8,600 American restaurants. The new burger has about 9 percent fat, less than half of McDonald's more typical patty, with 20 percent fat. Other chains have burgers that are even more fat-laden, with fat content of 25 percent or more.
For its McLean Deluxe, McDonald's uses carrageenan, a seaweed extract, to bind water to lean beef to moisten what would otherwise be a dry patty. Natural beef flavoring is added to the beef to make up for flavor lost with the lower fat content. Still, the product is sure to invite competitors' ridicule about ersatz food.
"We're not going to sell a water-and-seaweed burger," said John D. Merritt, a spokesman for Hardee's Food Systems, a rival chain. "People already think the fast-food industry adulterates burgers with fillers."
Hardee's is about to test a burger with about 18 percent fat, compared with 20 percent for McDonald's regular burgers. Called the Big Lean, it is a reformulated version of a lower-fat burger called the Lean 1, which Hardee's test-marketed last year.
McDonald's said its lower-fat burger did so well in four months of test-marketing that the company felt confident about introducing it nationally. But executives of competing chains, who spoke on condition of anonymity, say that judging by what McDonald's order-takers told competitors posing as customers, sales of the McLean Deluxe were modest to disappointing in the five test markets. The McLean Deluxe gets mixed reviews on taste: some tasters say it is just as good as the regular burgers, but others say it is bland. 'Changing Reality' With Ads
McDonald's will not comment on McLean Deluxe's test-market results, a spokeswoman said. She added, "We are pleased with the customer response."
The reports of mixed sales results and taste reviews may not matter much to a chain that spent more than three-quarters of a billion dollars in 1989 on television and other advertising. McDonald's advertising impact is so enormous and its marketing skill so considerable that even competitors concede that it has a way of "changing reality." The Hardee's chain, owned by Imasco Ltd. and based in Rocky Mount, N.C., was one of the first to introduce packaged salads, for instance, but sales languished until McDonald's spent huge sums to promote its salads.


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Bloomberg, Forbes quote Robert W. Baird's analyst Tristan Gerra writing in a note to clients "Our field research points to Omnivision having lost significant share in PCs as well as in China late last year due to its focus on Apple, while its new 8 MP sensor may not be ready for the initial iPhone 5 launch, suggesting Sony could win all of initial iPhone 5 procurement orders."
A more detailed digest of Gerra's note in Wall Street Pit also mentions that Samsung is now sampling sensors to Apple for potential future products.
Barron's quotes Hans Mosesmann of Raymond James questioning the logic of Gerra’s report. By Mosesmann’s reckoning, Gerra is suggesting both that Omnivision is capacity constrained in producing the BSI-2, but also that it is loosing market share, which he suggests may be contradictory statements.
“We believe OmniVision is constrained becasue demand is stronger than expected. This is ordinarily a good thing, and, in this instance, we believe a good thing.” While Sony may get some Apple business this year, Mosesmann doesn’t think Apple will give all of it to Sony, as they’re a competitor and it’s not proven Sony can deliver parts Apple needs in volume.
Motley Fool quotes an analyst at FBR issuing a report earlier this week saying the iPhone 5 launch may be delayed until September (versus expectations of July) and that its image sensor is "most likely going to Omnivision exclusively, but with some potential for [Sony] to split that socket."


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Nike (NKE - Free Report) is set to report their fiscal 2020 first quarter earnings on Tuesday after the closing bell. NKE shares have risen 18.1% year-to-date and outpaced the broader apparel market’s 13.9% gain in 2019. The company is coming off a fourth quarter where they delivered solid fundamentals in the face of growing macroeconomic challenges, keeping their promise of expanding their iconic brand. Let’s take a look at Nike’s past quarter and how consensus estimates have the company performing in Q1.
Overview and Q4 Recap
The athletic wear giant sells its products to more than 23,000 retail accounts in the US and to over 24,000 retail accounts outside the US, reaching a wide array of consumers. The firm’s execution of its Consumer Direct Offense initiative as well as strength in the NIKE direct business has driven a robust sales trend.
Q4 2019 marked the company’s ninth straight revenue beat but earnings fell short of our consensus estimate, snapping its 28-quarter streak of earnings beats. The company reported net sales of $10.2 billion, jumping 4% from the year ago quarter; earnings fell 10% to $0.66 per share as administrative expenses and tax rates were deterrents in Q4. The NIKE brand grew 5% to $9.71 billion and the Converse brand dropped 4% to $491 million.
Within the NIKE Brand, the North America segment gained 7% thanks to continued growth in digital and significant market share gains across its wholesale partners. Continued innovation in their footwear department as well as strong demand in apparel also supplemented North American sales. Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) division sales were flat in the quarter but the firm reported that NIKE Digital grew 35%. Greater China continues to provide consistent growth for Nike as it rose 16% Y/Y, bringing in $1.7 billion in sales. Asia Pacific and Latin America sales came in at $1.38 billion in Q4, slipping 4% due to falloffs in footwear and apparel sales.
Q1 and Beyond
Nike reiterated its fiscal 2020 guidance in Q4 as it expects strong sales results driven by brand recognition and the Nike Direct initiative. The company also expects higher SG&A expenses and adverse currency to be headwinds for its bottom line.
Our consensus estimates anticipate for total sales to grow 5.05% to $10.45 billion while earnings rise 5.97% to $0.71 per share. The NIKE brand is projected to rake in $9.88 billion and the Converse brand is forecasted to bring in $538 million for jumps of 4.85% and 2.13%, respectively. North America and Greater China sales are expected to continue their growth campaign with respective gains of 4.94% and 13.2%. The EMEA division is expected to see growth of 1.38% while Asia Pacific and Latin America is projected to increase 2.24% in Q1.
Fiscal 2020 estimates call for a 16.06% bottom-line rally to $2.89 per share on the back of a 7.78% sales leap to $42.16 billion. NIKE brand products are projected to rise 7.87% and the Converse brand is expected to climb 2.57%.
The athletic wear giant should continue to focus on its NIKE digital initiative to expand its e-commerce presence if it wants to keep shareholders happy. Looming macroeconomic issues are also headwinds for the company; growth in China could be put in jeopardy if trade disputes escalate. Despite the solid Y/Y earnings growth outlook, estimates have fallen steadily over the past 90 days for Q1 and fiscal 2020, giving NKE a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
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Exhibit 3Sixty, the full-service award-winning exhibition contractor, celebrated its 15th anniversary on the 11th of August 2023, marking the significant milestone of a decade and a half of building an outstanding track record in the exhibitions industry.
The celebration of Exhibit 3Sixty’s crystal anniversary is a true testament to the volume of clients & organisers eager to work with them. Exhibit 3Sixty began as a stand design and build organisation and has since grown into a full-service exhibition contractor. Born out of the desire to enhance the industry’s overall customer experience and expectations, it now extends the same level of customer satisfaction to both exhibitors and organisers when providing turnkey exhibition services to their events.
During its founding years, Exhibit 3Sixty secured contracts to design and build space-only stands. Working hard to establish its position as a leading supplier to both organisers and exhibitors in the events industry, Exhibit 3Sixty has since grown in size, scalability and capacity. Flash forward 15 years to 2022/2023; in one year alone, Exhibit 3Sixty has delivered over 50,000 sqm of graphics, 21,000 sqm of shell scheme, and 500,000 sqm of carpet, offering its services across the UK and other parts of Europe.
Alan Craner, director of Exhibit 3Sixty, explained, “We are thrilled to have celebrated our 15-year anniversary! It’s a huge milestone for us that shows just how much Exhibit 3Sixty has grown over the years – from being a stand design and build company to becoming the official supplier for several large-scale shows and events.” He added, “ While the company has grown and evolved, our core values of honesty and transparency have never changed, which we believe is the key to Exhibit 3Sixty’s longevity.”
Andrew Pearce, director of Exhibit 3Sixty, concluded, “We couldn’t have achieved this milestone without the support from our customers and the hard work and dedication from our team, who always ensure the highest possible quality finish at events. We can’t wait to see what the future holds, and we look forward to another 15 years of Exhibit 3Sixty and beyond!”


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With growing number of smartphone users, the Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) are seeing a massive growth in their business. The... ...http://computer.financialexpress.com/magazine/mobility-takes-off-in-the-travel-industry/13948/
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JP Corry has announced plans to strengthen its presence in Belfast with the opening of a new branch in Andersonstown, West Belfast. The expansion represents significant investment by the company and will take the total number of branches to 16.
The new premises, located on the busy Andersonstown Road, will stock a wide range of DIY and building products. Customers visiting the branch will benefit from its 7 days a week access and evening opening hours, as well as a local delivery service.
The new store strengthens JP Corry’s product offering for their existing customers whilst the strong focus on DIY brings convenience to consumers.
Six new jobs have been created, including a branch manager, yard operatives, admin support and sales assistants.
Connor Mallon, Branch Manager explains: “The new store sits on the busy Andersonstown Road which represents huge potential for us, and with our flagship branch a few miles away we will be able to service the entire West Belfast area.”
“The new location is easily accessible so we hope to serve the neighbouring area’s DIY needs as well as those of our trade customers” he added.
Ciaran Mc Connell, JP Corry Managing Director said: “This investment shows our commitment to the local area with the creation of new jobs and increasing our branch network to 16 in Northern Ireland”.
The new branch is expected to open in August 2016.


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Scottish children are putting their long term health at risk by eating too many crisps, according to a charity.
The charity hopes to expose the amount of fat contained in crisps
A British Heart Foundation survey of 1,153 UK children found 60% of eight to 15-year-olds admitted eating at least one packet a day.
According to the charity, this is the equivalent of a child drinking almost five litres of cooking oil every year.
The Food and Drink Federation said it welcomed debate, but believed "scare tactics" were a "waste of time".
The findings were released to coincide with the British Heart Foundation's Food4Thought campaign, which aims to highlight the risks of daily unhealthy snacking.
A new advert will feature a young girl drinking from a bottle of cooking oil with the caption - "what goes into crisps goes into you".
The charity wants to make children and their parents more aware of the salt, fat and sugar found in snacks and ready meals.
However, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) said the campaign was voiced concern.
FDF communications director, Julian Hunt, said: "We welcome anything that raises the debate about diet, but scare tactics are a waste of time.
"One of the great things about our industry is that we strive to give consumers genuine choice, whether it is a better for you version or a completely reformulated standard product."
The BHF is also calling for a ban on television and internet adverts for junk food, which are aimed at children.
Its medical director, Professor Peter Weissberg, said: "Daily unhealthy snacking is a worrying habit.
"Rising rates of childhood obesity and cases of Type 2 diabetes paint a particularly grim picture for the future.
"This campaign is about challenging our children, alerting them to what's lurking in their snacks, takeaways and ready meals."
According to the BHF, further figures from its research demonstrates that across the UK we eat our way through a tonne of crisps every three minutes.
The charity said this would fill an Olympic size swimming pool every 14 hours and a telephone box every 43 seconds.


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The search giant is the latest big tech company to tangle with the Federal Trade Commission over children making unauthorized buys within apps.
Judge signs off on the $20 million partial settlement agreed to last year in the suit involving Lucasfilm, Pixar, Intuit.
Carrier ends promotion offering T-Mobile customers up to $450 to switch wireless carriers.
Judge Lucy Koh has ordered the payout be lowered, and wants a new trial to asses the level of damages. Back to court we go.
The social network is trying is use a state law that would allow it to skip SEC registration and cut straight to the payout for finalizing its Instagram acquisition, according to a new report.
The exchange operator hopes the Securities and Exchange Commission will approve its fix for trading debacles that marred Facebook's first post-IPO day of trading.
iPhone 4 owners may be eligible for a payout from Apple now that a class action lawsuit was settled last month. CNET's Kara Tsuboi reports on the history of the "Antennagate" issues and why Apple may now have to shell out hundreds of millions of dollars.
After a Chinese judge rejected Apple's lawsuit against Chinese manufacturer Proview Technology for illegally using the iPad name, a counter suit could be heading Apple's way to the tune of $1.5 billion.
The situation is so bad that Sony is suspending its dividend -- the first time it won't be making a payout since it listed in 1958.
EchoStar and Dish Network agree to pay TiVo to settle a long-running patent tussle. The companies are also swapping patent licenses.


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Supplier Solus Garden and Leisure say seed potato sales could improve by up to 15 per cent next year with the heritage potato range from Jamieson Brothers (JBA) set to open up new markets.
Solus brand manager Tony Libra told Horticulture Week website that sales increased by 50 per cent in 2009 with the economy, grow your own and healthy eating concerns behind the shift.
Libra said: "This year has been very, very good for growing potatoes. A few years ago it was a dying trade and people just bought from the supermarket, but this year has seen a vast increase in people wanting to grow their own.
"For the first time, people have been planting in summer and growing for Christmas using potatoes kept in cold store. You can now grow potatoes 12 months a year."