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“I am not saying automation is bad. I am saying that for some purposes, there are limitations,” Evan Williams, Group Head of Research and Insights at Go-Jek stated when he kicked off the 2019 APAC edition of MRMW in Singapore. With, the theme “Powering the Future of Insight Automation”, the two-day event explored the role of automation in generating insights and the latest innovations in market research.
The rise of insight automation
Research automation is on the rise, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) leading the charge. Automation via AI or ML technology can simplify and remove time-consuming and repetitive manual tasks thus enabling researchers to concentrate more on areas that require heavy human input. Using intelligent insight based on smart data and optimized algorithms from AI, researchers can now start to automate parts of their work and individualize the use of technology for each project. As with all new technologies and innovations, it also has its own, unique challenges.
For a region like Asia which is culturally different and diverse, Aditi Bonsle of Borderless Access sees automation as a game changer for MR. Automation can help structure data from these very diverse markets to for example create customized campaigns and targeting for different countries. Vikram Jain from Friesland Campina also adds that “combining the power of insights, data analytics and human ingenuity will be the key to success in the future.”
The actual researcher is not out of the picture though! Evan Williams, Go-Jek, on the other hand, believes that a deeper understanding of consumers can only be gained by using both non-automated and automated approaches and this is by identifying in advanced observed or predictive characteristics when imputing data from external segmentations.
Especially in connection to social media and mass data, automation can play a crucial role in expanding samples size and cutting processing time. Padmanabhan Ramaswamy of InsightzClub together with Disha Bhatnagar and Ben Rynjah of AirAsia explained how they use automated and highly personalized data to track Air Asia’s return of investment on making legendary Brazilian footballer, Roberto its new global brand ambassador.
Rotsen Quispe of Traveloka shared how automation is a journey from strategy to execution. Beginning with identifying customers by working closely with the data team to determine a clear segment, then identifying the right automation, followed by the implementation of the marketing campaign. Finally, measuring and (re)validating marketing insights by finding new patterns and digging deeper with qualitative control. Rotsen recommends when working with automation platforms, one must always, “Evaluate what automation tool is more effective and relevant for your customers.”
Breaking down the barrier between market research and data science
Combining insights from market research and data science can lead to a better understanding of your consumers and make better strategic decisions. With the explosion of available data and the need to select, analyze and extrapolate insights from multiple sources, data science is becoming a crucial part of market research.
As an example, Dr. Yuhui Yao of FWD Insurance shared how data and analytics play an important role in his organization because these insights helped FWD Insurance to increase and improve customer retention as well as increase customer acquisition and targeting. The company now analysis its customer data to link subscription and payment plans to its customer communication. This enables FWD Insurance to differentiate between short term and long term customers – and adjust its outreach accordingly.
Food is always high on the agenda for every Singaporean. Guilhem Fouetillou and Josh Drasta at Linkfluence wanted to know where to find the best chicken rice in Singapore. By putting the company’s software into use, they managed to pinpoint the best chicken rice at Maxwell Hawker Centre in Singapore amongst the many chicken rice stalls and cluttered reviews. This demonstrated Linkfluence’s combined artificial intelligence and human expertise to turn social data into valuable insights at the speed of the web.
Artificial intelligence in consumer insights
Artificial intelligence is now widely used in consumer insights, from personalizing beauty care to audience analytics at Formula One races. This shows the strength AI can deliver, whether it is used to better understand individuals or to more easily break down large audiences.
Procter & Gamble uses artificial intelligence to personalize beauty care according. Dr. Ankur Purwar. Explained how the company uses their Olay Skin Advisor, a deep learning beauty platform designed to help women better understand their skin and find the products best suited to their personal skincare needs. The Olay Skin Advisor uses artificial intelligence to deliver a smart skin analysis and recommend personalized product choices to individual consumers.
Formula One takes a different approach, aiming to understand and break down large audience numbers rather than personalizing experiences. Here, AI and Wifi analytics are used to better understand fan behavior during races. The Messh Sensor Technology were used at 8 races in 2017/18 with 65 sensors across the circuit. This technology allowed Formula One to follow spectator movement around the circuit via a real-time dashboard.
Critical for the success of these new technologies however is that data gets removed from the silos that still exist in many organizations. Ajay Mohan of Intel sees this as one of the most important points for the success of AI: “organizations need to break down silos to deliver continuity to the customer experience across the entire organization as well as rationalize their martech stack and the role it plays in their insights organization. “
Innovating for the future of MR
Shifting economic power, technological advancements, population change, and evolving consumer values underpin disruptions in the market research industry. Market research is more compelled than ever to deliver accurate, insightful solutions for businesses and brands with shorter turnaround times and smaller budgets.
One innovative method to remain close to consumers is social media listening. L’Oréal’s Amanda Melissa shared an experiment where each member of her team has an Instagram account to follow beauty bloggers. These accounts are accessed every morning and evening to “listen” into beauty trends. It is a continuous experiment for Amanda and her team to listen and observe, define objectives, quantify, making sense of the data that lead to insights.
For many organizations, it is not the one innovative effort but rather the right mix and application of new tools and methods that will drive innovation in MR. “To keep up in a disruptive world, market research must re-think its solutions as well,” said Katharine Zhou of Ipsos. To determine the potential of new technologies for delivering more behavior-based insights, Ipsos conducted a pilot Usage & Attitude Study that integrated new technologies using mobile survey, GPS sensors, passive monitoring, and social intelligence. With this, Ipsos managed to leverage a variety of different tools to move away from respondent recall and synthesized different approaches for deeper, holistic learnings.
Closing the MRMW APAC 2019 conference was the panel on, “Organisational intelligence – Driving thought leadership in market research through data-driven decisions and collaboration” moderated by Graham Brown of Asia Tech Podcast. With the panelists building their career at various parts of the globe, they shared how each country or even city is different on how you can strike the right balance in building an insight-driven organisation. And when it comes to technology and in this sense, automation, it also boils down to mastering new tools and developing skillsets outside of the traditional researcher’s background.
Upcoming MRMW conferences
Couldn’t join MRMW APAC 2019? Don’t worry! You still have a chance to meet the world-class speakers at our upcoming MRMW North America conference which will be held on 10 – 11 April in Cincinnati, Ohio and 17 – 19 June in Amsterdam. Learn how to automate insights and innovate your MR with speakers from PayPal, Procter & Gamble, Ericsson, BMW, Foursquare, Facebook, Celgene, Formula 1, Eli Lilly & Company and many more!
Register for MRMW North America


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Aylesbury residents will be showered with love this Valentine’s Day as the Metro Bank store in Market Square transforms itself into the Love Bank this Tuesday complete with love themed decorations, complimentary confectionary and kids colouring sheets on offer in store.
“We want to show our love for all our local residents and businesses this Valentine’s Day.” explains Aylesbury Metro Bank Local Business Manager, James Cross. “Valentine’s Day is the one of the few days in the year where we can all focus on something positive and heart-warming, Given the gloomy news from both home and abroad at the moment, we want to take this moment to celebrate and share the love. As it is half term, any families who want to pop in and entertain their kids with our free colouring craft and complimentary candy will be most welcome.”
The Metro Bank’s Aylesbury store at 45 Market Square, Aylesbury, HP20 2SP. The store is currently open Monday – Saturday 8:30am - 6pm. Sunday: 11am - 5pm.

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It’s always about money. Ron Johnson didn’t get to carry out his vision for J.C. Penney because cash is running out, analysts said Tuesday.
Penney shares fell 12 percent Tuesday once investors had a chance to absorb what just happened at the Plano-based department store.
The ousting of CEO Ron Johnson late Monday and the return of former CEO Myron “Mike” Ullman failed to instill confidence that everything is going to be all right, analysts said.
Penney’s stock fell $1.94 to close at $13.93 a share Tuesday, a 12-year low.
First-quarter sales declines on top of big spending early in the year to build home shops in 500 stores by May have created a cash crunch. Performance is weaker than expected, with sales declines of more than 10 percent, analysts said. Also, promotions that included $10 off coupons haven’t generated the expected customer traffic.
At the same time, Penney may be facing huge losses if it can’t sell merchandise designed by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. The trial over Martha Stewart’s merchandise resumed this week in New York Supreme Court. If the case is decided in Macy’s Inc.’s favor, Penney has products in the pipeline that would have to be scrapped.
Penney stores look better than they have in years, but in recent months, as new merchandise arrived in stores, Johnson’s team modified and missed performance measures one too many times for Penney’s board, analysts said.
“I thought the board would give Ron another quarter or two,” said Robin Lewis of The Robin Report. “But when your biggest shareholder comes out of the financial world,” those investors have to answer to their own investors.
Johnson was fired after he was criticized Friday by Penney’s largest shareholder, Bill Ackman. Ackman had been Johnson’s strongest supporter through the performance misses. Speaking at a Thomson Reuters conference, Ackman, whose Pershing Square Capital Management fund is Penney’s biggest shareholder, said that Johnson made “big mistakes” and that Penney has come “very close to a disaster.”
If Penney is prevented from selling Martha Stewart products, it will have to liquidate the inventory that it already purchased, “which we estimate could be a $100 million hit,” Citigroup analyst Deborah Weinswig said in a report Tuesday.
“Cash flow is still a problem, and time is of the essence,” Maxim Group retail analyst Rick Snyder said. Operating cash flow for all of last year was only $10 million. In early 2012, Johnson had promised that Penney would be profitable in year one of his transformation.
Penney posted a $1 billion loss on a 25 percent sales decline in 2012. It spent $810 million in cash on its transformation last year. Under the original plans, cost savings and improved sales by now were supposed to pay for the home shops in the spring and children’s shops in the fall.
Penney chief financial officer Ken Hannah said March 13 at an investor conference that the company shouldn’t have to borrow on its $1.85 billion line of credit until later this year.
But the board’s firing of Johnson is a signal that Penney is borrowing now, Snyder said.
“With the company strapped for cash, time is not on Mr. Ullman’s side,” he said.
If Penney goes to the capital markets to raise more cash, Ullman, whose forte is finance, would have better prospects than Johnson at this point, analysts said. Still, such a move would dilute Penney’s stock at a time when shareholders have already seen their investment drop more than 50 percent in the last year.
Tuesday’s stock price drop also signaled that some investors aren’t happy with Ullman’s return, analysts said. When Johnson, 56, became CEO after a much-heralded stint as the head of retail at Apple Inc., he was brought in to transform Penney. Ullman had been CEO for seven years at that point, and investors believed Penney needed fresh eyes.
Back in the saddle
On Tuesday morning, Ullman, 66, arrived at work in Plano and met with Penney’s home office leadership team, a group of executives that has numbered as many as 150 people.
He also planned to start talking with vendors and shareholders Tuesday. Suppliers received a message about the changes Monday after Johnson’s forced resignation was announced.
Others at Penney were also calling outside vendors to assure them that “everything is still in place,” said Pam Mortensen, Penney’s senior vice president over jewelry and accessories. “I have already talked to several designers, and they were still upbeat about our launch.”
On April 28, Penney is opening its Bijou Bar with pieces from jewelry designers who also make more expensive pieces for upscale department stores from Nordstrom to Neiman Marcus.
Vendors who have been given dedicated shops in Penney stores to display their merchandise have been big supporters of Johnson’s vision. He planned to turn Penney into a collection of branded shops and category boutiques.
British designer Sir Terence Conran, whose merchandise is already selling online and will be in Penney stores by May, called Johnson’s plans “bold, ambitious and innovative, a completely new and refreshing approach to retail and the reason why we were so keen to be involved.”
Architect Michael Graves, who has known Johnson since the 1990s — when he designed a now famous tea kettle with bird whistle for Johnson when he was at Target — said in a recent interview that he was surprised at the company’s lack of patience.
“My goodness, Ron is just getting started,” Graves said two weeks ago.
Follow Maria Halkias on Twitter at @MariaHalkias.
VIDEO: Business columnist Mitchell Schnurman and retail reporter Maria Halkias discuss J.C. Penney’s future.


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Canadian telecom giant Telus has unveiled a new business unit dedicated to providing connected tech solutions to the ag industry.
“Telus Agriculture is led by [Telus president and CEO] Darren Entwistle, who is at the core of the strategy. He has created this massive culture inside of Telus that is focused on social capitalism,” said Thad Armbruster, CEO of data management startup and recent Telus acquisition TKXS.
“As a part of that thesis, they went into health. But when they started looking beyond that, agriculture caught their eye,” he told AFN. “They’ve taken some of their experience with healthcare through Telus Health and set their eyes on a new industry.”
During the past year, Telus has completed a number of acquisitions to form the new entity. Here are the companies that it has acquired to date:
- AFS Technologies (US) – Supply chain management platform (previously acquired Exceedra and Ignition)
- AGIntegrated (US) – API integration
- Agrian – (US) – Management platform for precision ag, agronomy, analytics, and compliance
- Decisive Farming (Canada) – Precision agronomy and farm management expertise
- Farm At Hand (Canada) – Farm management software
- Muddy Boots (UK) – Farm-to-food traceability and supply chain management
- TKXS (US) – Custom data and program management
What makes Telus Agriculture special, says Armrbruster, is not simply the fact that it has combined these companies under one roof.
“The acquisitions are structured in a couple of different segments. There are a few that are direct to the farm like Decisive and Farm At Hand […] looking at agronomic and farm data,” he says.
“Extending into distribution, which could be ag inputs retailers and distributors, AGI and TKXS are core to that. Eventually, we get all the way to the food side and we see a company like Exceedra through AFS, which is the largest of the acquisitions.”
As a result of these deals, Telus Agriculture now believes it has the capacity to connect every participant in the ag value chain, from seed manufacturers and farmers to grocery stores and restaurants.
More acquisitions are on the menu, Armbruster says. In particular, the business has its eye on people power, as well as specialty crops and livestock.
“The biggest thing we are looking for is the team. Talent is the biggest piece.” Other than that, he continued, “a lot of our infrastructure today is around row crops [and] we’re excited to get into specialty crops, and livestock when it comes to virtual animal healthcare.”
“On the food side, there will be all kinds of tracking and information tied to weather that I’ll be paying attention to in those markets as well,” he said.
Putting all of these moving parts together has certainly come with challenges for Telus, even as a seasoned corporate player. The effort came to a head over the last month or so, Armbruster explained, meaning Telus Agriculture has operated exclusively against the backdrop of the global Covid-19 pandemic. This has created new challenges around teamwork and common culture.
“Learning this ‘new normal’ with a new set of folks all around the world is a challenge. But the part that’s cool about agriculture is that there’s just a natural resiliency. So far, we’ve been up to the challenge, but we certainly had to learn a few things along the way.”
Some of Telus’ other ag-focused efforts include joining forces with tech giants Microsoft and IBM in 2018 to back a C$250 million ($193 million) project to enhance cross-industry use of agricultural data. Last year, Telus invested C$16 billion ($12.2 billion) into developing Alberta’s fiber-optic broadband network, with support for agtech applications on farms one of its stated objectives.


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Happy news from the 'Happiest Place on Earth.'
by Ned Kelly, 06 May 2020
The massive theme park is set to open in 2022
by Justine Lopez, 07 November 2019
Shanghai Disney will have fun Halloween surprises, food and parties all month long.
by That's Shanghai, 24 October 2019
Joining the ranks of Shanghai Disney, Toy Story and Peppa Pig.
by Urban Family, 27 March 2019
Monopoly Dreams plans to build off the success of the 84-year-old board game by offering an array of fun activities.
by Jikai Zheng, 11 January 2019


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By Sumayyah Meehan, MMNS Middle East Correspondent
â€œLet the tomatoes rot!â€ ~ Anonymous blogger
A food fight has been brewing in Kuwait the past few weeks and it has consumers seeing red, as in tomato red. The prices for a box of tomatoes have gone up by a nauseating 500%. A box of tomatoes use to run a couple of bucks, but now a box costs around $15 in the State of Kuwait. As a result of the tomato price hike, other vegetables have gone up in price by more than 100%. The worst part is that no one can concretely give a reason for the hike. Some blame the vegetable market in Shuwaikh, which is the main port for receiving both imported and domestically cultivated produce. Apparently there was some sort of stalemate between the municipality and the vegetable market regarding management plus a damaging lawsuit that found the former at fault.
However, the public is not buying it. In fact, most people are chalking up the recent tomato crisis to greedy traders trying to maximize their profits by crafting a food crisis to create panic hoarding. This past week, that theory seemed to hold water as a group of governmental inspectors found no less than 1000 crates of fresh tomatoes being stored at the very same facility, By all appearances, the tomatoes were being withheld from the consumer market so as to intentionally inflate the price.
Kuwaitis and expatriates alike have been appalled at the recent price hikes, which unfortunately coincide with the return to school for students across Kuwait. With exorbitant rent fees and pricey tuition fees for schools, having to grapple with an increased food bill is sending many family budgets into a downward spiral. Disgruntled consumers in Kuwait have taken their plight to the Internet to force the governmentâ€™s hand in regulating prices for produce in Kuwait. Some members of the Parliament have rallied around their constituents to encourage as many people as possible to participate in the boycott.
The boycott, entitled â€œLet it Rot!â€ started out at full steam with influential Kuwaiti politicians standing side by side with the average consumer simply seeking to put food on the table. The premise of the boycott was for consumers to stop buying vegetables altogether in a bid to give the greedy suppliers a taste of their own medicine and force the rotting of the overpriced produce. The message was spread across Facebook and Kuwaiti blogs. However, the boycott quickly started showing signs of weakening within only a matter of days as the majority of consumers continued to buy small quantities of tomatoes and other vegetables despite the high prices.
The prices for tomatoes remain at an unprecedented high in Kuwait and it remains to be seen if they will come back down from the stratosphere. In the meanwhile, the Kuwaiti government has dispatched its own teams of inspectors to root out the source of the problem and to bring the humble tomato out of the clouds and back down to the table.


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According to reports, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are suffering from a terminal disease nicknamed the touch disease. The disease starts with a flickering bar that appears at the top of the devices’ screens, this bar doesn’t respond to a users’ touch. Over time, the bar grows until the whole screen is rendered unusable. The problem has been around since the launch of the phone but didn’t manifest until recently because the phones are getting older.
The cause of the disease is still unknown, However, iFixit claims that the fault lies with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus’ logic board, the part of the phone that facilitates communication between the different elements of the device. So far, millions of iPhones could potentially be vulnerable and to worsen the situation, Apple has refused to acknowledge it as an issue.
Not sure if the “touch disease” has gotten to Africa, yet. But if it does, do let me know using the comment box.
In case you find that your iPhone screen has a flickering bar, you might need to either replace the phone, replace the logic board or replace the Touch ICs on the logic board. But I’d go with the Phone replacement.


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‘FROM FACEBOOK’ – INSTAGRAM AND WHATSAPP ARE REBRANDED TO REMIND USERS WHO OWNS THEM
Facebook is rebranding Whatsapp and Instagram and adding ‘From Facebook’ to the end of their names to reflect their ownership by the social media giant. This comes after a survey by DuckDuckGo, which found that more than half of their users had no idea that that the other networks were owned by Facebook. Facebook has said it wants to be clearer about the products and services that are under its ownership, although the app names won’t change on users’ home screens.
It has already employed similar branding for less popular services, including the Portal video-calling device, enterprise platform Workplace by Facebook and products from Oculus. The rebrand also comes after reports the FTC may be investigating Facebook for antitrust violations for their acquisitions of Instagram in 2012 and Whatsapp in 2014.
Whilst it seems like an insignificant move, it could be the first step in transparency for Facebook surrounding their app and product acquisitions, after the series of privacy concerns and security scandals that have engulfed the platform in recent months. Whilst the re-brand has been met with neutral and negative reactions from tech journalists, it is users that Facebook should be concerned about; the Wall Street Journal reported that people said they were less likely to use Instagram when they found out it was owned by Facebook. This means that whilst the move will now clarify the connection of the platforms, it could have the adverse effect of actually turning users off of using them. Overall, the move will likely have little effect on the day-to-day usership of the platforms, especially considering Whatsapp and Instagram have over 2.5 billion combined users, although it will be interesting to see if this makes any difference in the upcoming FTC investigation
Find out more here.


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Adveritas (ASX: AV1) released its results for the fiscal year ended June 30 (fiscal 2022), which highlight rapid growth in the company’s annualized recurring revenue, which increased 145% compared to the fiscal year 2021 to reach $2.51 million.
In fiscal 2022, the Australia-based company won several major customer contracts, launched new go-to-market channels with Facebook and Google, and accelerated cross-selling and service expansion of the company to existing customers.
Adveritas’ TrafficGuard product is its first software-as-a-service (SaaS) offering available – detecting, mitigating and reporting ad fraud before it affects digital advertising budgets using its patent-pending technology and its proprietary big data.
Adveritas Founder and CEO Mat Ratty said that as the brand grows and larger companies get used to TrafficGuard, the company’s ARR will only continue to increase.
“Implementing our growth strategy is delivering results with ARR currently up over 170% since June 30, 2021 and we see no slowdown in growth as our pipeline of new leads is growing. more important than it ever was,” he said.
The company ended the year with a cash balance of $5 million, which will be supplemented after the end of the year by a research and development grant of $1.1 million, which will further support its research initiatives. growth in the future.
A major client wins the 2022 financial year
Adveritas’ 2022 fiscal year was marked by several major wins with customers in industries including gaming, telecommunications, retail, media and entertainment.
“Digital ad fraud is a serious and ongoing problem for many businesses and industries around the world,” Ratty explained.
“The growing interest in our technology from companies such as Banco Santander, William Hill, Singtel and Disney Streaming Services reflects the value we are creating through our software.”
“Our new channels and scaling of our technology platform means we can further increase our services to help new and existing customers avoid fraudulent traffic, so they can maximize the return on their digital advertising. .”
During the period, Adveritas added two bookmakers, Betfred, the UK’s largest private retail bookmaker, and UK-based William Hill, a world leader in online bookmakers.
Adveritas’ customer base has also grown with new customers such as Singtel, Asia’s leading communications group, also the parent company of Optus; and Fortuna Entertainment Group, an omnichannel betting and gaming operator in parts of Europe.
Banco Santander, one of Spain’s leading banking and financial services companies, was among other won over clients, along with Smarkets, an award-winning low-commission betting company.
Finally, BoyleSports, an Ireland-based bookmaker with over 320 branches in the UK and Ireland, has been secured by the Australia-based company.
TrafficGuard on Google Cloud Marketplace
In October 2021, TrafficGuard integrated with the Google Cloud Marketplace platform, enabling Google Cloud customers to get the most out of TrafficGuard’s pay-per-click (PPC) product.
The company’s first sale of TrafficGuard through the marketplace platform was in May 2022.
Currently, TrafficGuard is the only digital anti-fraud solution on Google Cloud Marketplace and as a result has opened up additional global sales channels for the company.
In addition to offering PPC verification, TrafficGuard offers its flagship Mobile App Install Verification, which ensures customers aren’t paying for misattributed or fake app installs, and Affiliate Verification, which reduces the poor affiliate attribution and ensures customers pay for real conversions on their website. .
More recently, TrafficGuard launched beta trials for PPC with Meta’s Facebook platform to help users reduce invalid and fraudulent ad traffic, and has now launched a new channel offering social verification for Meta.
Going to market is slated for the end of this calendar year, with a number of new and existing customers already raising their hands.
Looking forward to FY2023
Adveritas aims to continue growing in fiscal 2023, building on the past fiscal year, which saw its ARR continue to grow.
After FY2022, new blue-chip customers, including gaming company Better Collective, Lux Escapes, a global online travel company, and Disney Streaming Services, all signed contracts to use the company’s anti-fraud software. TrafficGuard.
“While we are only eight weeks away from the start of the new fiscal year, our ARR has continued to grow, and we expect to continue the growth trajectory given our new customers, expansions and upgrades of existing customers. , and a growing pipeline of opportunities,” added Ratty.


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Researchers with F-Secure discovered an Android app that is a spy app disguised as a Snake game. The Snake spy app is for use with GPS Spy, an Android spy app. The idea is that you'd download and install the Snake spy app onto the Android phones that...
It's unlikely that consumers' iTunes accounts were hacked by a Vietnamese iPhone developer, a security researcher said today.
The popular online game World of Warcraft (WoW) is being hit with a new phishing scheme that lets attackers steal players' accumulated "gold" and other treasure by luring players with offers of free "mounts" used in the online game, say security rese...
The first worm that spreads between mobile devices by spamming text messages has developed a new communications capability that one security vendor says signals the arrival of mobile botnets.
Adobe Systems Inc. Tuesday acknowledged that all versions of its popular PDF software, including editions for Windows, the Mac and Linux, contain at least one, and possibly two, critical vulnerabilities.
Adobe Systems Inc. Tuesday confirmed that it's investigating reports that its popular PDF viewing software, Adobe Reader, contains a critical vulnerability.
The evolution of the multi-faceted Conficker worm is expected to take another turn this May 5th when the latest version, Conficker.E, will simply self-destruct on infected machines, say a number of security researchers.
Businesses worldwide are under attack from a highly infectious computer worm that has infected almost 9 million PCs, according to antivirus company F-Secure.
The computer worm that exploits a months-old Windows bug has infected more than a million PCs in the past 24 hours, a security company said Wednesday.
The year 2008 has seen another record of explosive growth in the amount of malicious software (malware) on the Internet, according to F-Secure.
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GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.


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Wall Street brokerages predict that BofI Holding, Inc. (NASDAQ:BOFI) will announce sales of $134.57 million for the current fiscal quarter, according to Zacks Investment Research. Seven analysts have made estimates for BofI’s earnings. The lowest sales estimate is $126.81 million and the highest is $143.43 million. BofI posted sales of $111.73 million during the same quarter last year, which suggests a positive year-over-year growth rate of 20.4%. The company is expected to report its next quarterly earnings report on Tuesday, April 24th.
On average, analysts expect that BofI will report full year sales of $134.57 million for the current financial year, with estimates ranging from $428.00 million to $450.20 million. For the next financial year, analysts forecast that the company will report sales of $497.51 million per share, with estimates ranging from $487.30 million to $524.37 million. Zacks Investment Research’s sales averages are an average based on a survey of research analysts that that provide coverage for BofI.
BofI (NASDAQ:BOFI) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The financial services provider reported $0.61 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.53 by $0.08. BofI had a net margin of 28.37% and a return on equity of 17.27%. The business had revenue of $101.31 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $100.29 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.50 earnings per share.
Shares of BofI (BOFI) opened at $36.58 on Friday. BofI has a 1-year low of $21.60 and a 1-year high of $38.51. The company has a current ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06. The stock has a market cap of $2,300.00, a P/E ratio of 17.50, a PEG ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 0.45.
In other BofI news, Director Mosich Nick sold 18,308 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $27.75, for a total value of $508,047.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 83,018 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,303,749.50. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 6.24% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Barnett & Company Inc. acquired a new position in BofI in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $456,000. Aperio Group LLC increased its stake in BofI by 12.7% in the 4th quarter. Aperio Group LLC now owns 15,720 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $470,000 after buying an additional 1,776 shares during the period. Miles Capital Inc. acquired a new position in BofI in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $207,000. Mesirow Financial Investment Management Equity Management acquired a new position in BofI in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $21,991,000. Finally, Eqis Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in BofI in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $228,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.69% of the company’s stock.
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BofI Company Profile
BofI Holding, Inc (BofI) is the holding company for BofI Federal Bank (the Bank). The Bank is a diversified financial services company. The Bank provides consumer and business banking products through its branchless, low-cost distribution channels and affinity partners. The Bank has deposit and loan customers, including consumer and business checking, savings and time deposit accounts and financing for single family and multifamily residential properties, small-to-medium size businesses in target sectors, and selected specialty finance receivables.
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Holden is reportedly putting the finishing touches to the first of three special-edition Utes to be rolled out leading up to next year’s production deadline for the Commodore.
The limited-edition ute is understood to be a bespoke-badged version of a Holden Commodore VFII SS-V Redline with a more aggressive aerodynamic body kit and an even louder bimodal exhaust.
Power will, however, continue to come from the naturally aspirated 6.2-litre LS3 V8 churning out 304kW and 570Nm of torque mated to a six-speed manual transmission.
Although Holden has refused to confirm the ute’s existence, the carmaker has previously revealed it would introduce a series of special edition Commodores to mark the end of almost 40 years of building the nameplate in Australia.
The limited-edition ute is expected to hit showrooms early next year priced at around $55,000 and destined to become a collectible amongst car enthusiasts.
It will be followed by another two special edition Commodores, including at least one that punches out even more power than the current SS-V Redline, marking the end of affordable V8 in Australia.


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The report comes after activist hedge fund Elliott Management said AT&T should consider selling assets like DirecTV.
AT&T is reportedly exploring a parting of ways with DirecTV, including a spinoff as a public company or a merger with Dish Network
The Wall Street Journal reports that AT&T wants to get rid of DirecTV, one way or another.
If you're wondering whether or not you can watch live TV on Roku, the answer is yes, you can — and here are the 5 best channels you can subscribe to.
AT&T's pay-TV business got clobbered in the fourth quarter of 2018, losing more than 650,000 customers
BTIG analyst Walt Piecyk said the losses were the worst in the company's history.
Last month, my family decided to eliminate our cable service. We had already disconnected it from our television for a trial run and learned that we could easily live without it. Given that, we just chopped that bill out of our life.
A DirecTV survey asked over 1,000 people who the most iconic female protagonists in film of all time are. These are the top 17, along with what film franchises people would like to see rebooted with female characters.
AT&T's new WatchTV service is entering a fairly fragmented market, and it has the power to shake things up
The company announced its new pay-TV option just days after finalizing the much-anticipated acquisition of Time Warner, and the alternative to DirecTV offers an unbundled service for less money.
A lifelong cable subscriber finally cuts the cord to try a streaming service that will save him hundreds of dollars a year.
The government forced AT&T to break up into eight different companies in 1984. Today, almost all of them are once again part of AT&T. Here's how it happened.
DirecTV is reportedly allowing some people to refund their NFL packages after national anthem protests
If sports fans disagree with NFL players' protests, DirectTV is reportedly allowing at least some of them to cancel and refund their subscriptions.
The traditional TV industry is in for a historically brutal quarter, according to a new report from analysts at UBS led by John C. Hodulik.
AT&T is trying to imagine a future when your smartphone is the center of the entertainment universe, and taking active steps to get there.
There's a new contender in the world of live TV streaming, and it's the strongest one yet.
Here's what it's like to use DirecTV Now, AT&T's new service that lets you stream 100+ cable channels over the internet
AT&T's new streaming service isn't a groundbreaking product, but it has the makings of a good value for those who can't cut the cord completely.
DirecTV Now is aimed squarely at the 20 million Americans who do not subscribe to cable and satellite TV — and that's probably it.
DirecTV Now lets cord-cutters construct the ultimate bundle.
Here’s what it’s like to use DirecTV Now — the $35 online-only cable service trying to change how we watch TV
AT&T's DirecTV Now — an internet-only cable offering — will go live November 30th. Here's what it's like to use it.
Make no mistake: This is a monster giveaway.
DirecTV Now will let you stream live television to just about any device.
AT&T has set a November 28 launch event date for its DirecTV Now streaming TV service, which will give you 100+ channels for just $35 per month.


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The EPA gave out its annual Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Electronics Challenge awards during the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last week. The awards give props to OEMs and retailers for designing environmentally friendly devices and working to ensure end-of-life electronics are diverted from landfill.
Following are the results of the “Champion Awards,” competitive awards for which organizations must apply:
Flat-screen TV: LG received the Product Award for the company’s OLED TV line. The lightweighted OLED TVs use fewer hazardous substances than other flat screens. “LG has also reduced the number of plastic resins used in their product design and labeled those resins to facilitate disassembly and recycling,” according to the EPA.
Outreach and collection program: Staples received the Non-Product Award. The company allows consumers to drop-off their end-of-life electronics for recycling at 1,250 stores nationwide. Staples’ outreach and public education initiative has increased the weight collected at each store, despite an evolving stream of lighter products. Specifically, the weight increased from 6.5 tons per store to 6.83 tons per store in 2016.
Reuse project: Samsung received the “Cutting Edge” award for its Galaxy Upcycling program, which provides necessary resources and tools to allow consumers to reuse their old Galaxy phones for specific purposes, such as a closed circuit TV, desktop PC, pet feeder or arcade game console. E-Scrap News wrote about the program in November.
EPA also recognized companies receiving “Tier Awards,” which commend companies meeting requirements for gold, silver or bronze levels.
A video of the Jan. 11 awards ceremony is available on the CES website.
More stories about OEMs
- Microsoft names price for Windows 10 extended support
- Oregon sends broad right-to-repair bill to governor
- Battery recycling tech aims for fully domestic production


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A study conducted by our recent seminar guest Dr. Anisha Patel and colleagues has found associations between race/ethnicity, gender, age, language, and education and tap water intake in children and adolescents. This is the first national study in youth to consider sociodemographic traits of tap water consumption.
Underrepresented children and adolescents were found to consume less tap water versus their white counterparts. More specifically, Spanish speaking adolescents were found to drink less tap water potentially substantiating the claim that they may consider tap water to contain pollutants found in their home country’s water supply.
Although no differences were observed between tap water consumers and nonconsumers in weight and sugar-sweetened beverage intake, tap water consumers drank more overall fluid and water than non-tap water consumers. However, no groups met the Institute of Medicine’s water intake recommendation of ~7-11 cups of water per day for those aged 9-18 years.
The results from this investigation highlight the need for education at the community level on the financial and health benefits of consuming tap water. Underserved populations and the public in general can benefit from consistent reminders about the importance water consumption in place of other calorically-dense beverages in order to promote health and longevity. Dr. Patel concludes that having culturally sensitive means to promote water consumption may help avert the negative health outcomes associated with low water intake in underrepresented ethnicities.


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Black women can continue to give thanks because not only do we now have Fenty Beauty, but there’s also Mented, which recently secured enough capital to continue making products specifically for women of color.
Mented co-founders Amanda Johnson and K.J. Miller, both 31, met at Harvard Business School and had been “bootstrapping” Mented with grassroots marketing campaigns, word of mouth, social media and influencer campaigns.
The duo recently raised at least $1 million in their first round of fundraising, making them only the 15th and 16th African-American women ever to raise $1 million in venture capital, according to Forbes magazine.
In January 2017, Mented (short for “pigmented”) started taking preorders for its first products: vegan, nontoxic nude lipsticks formulated for women of color.
“Our end goal is that women of color feel prioritized in the world of beauty,” said Miller. “Women of color were used to being treated as an afterthought. It’s not every day that you’re a priority.”
The same could be said for raising money in business.
As data from investor Kathryn Finney’s Project Diane shows, although black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S., they receive only 0.2 percent of venture capital funding.
The average startup founded by a black woman raises only $36,000 in VC funding, versus $1.3 million for the average failed startup led by a white man, Forbes reports.
As for Mented, its new round of cash will reportedly go toward new eye-makeup palettes, as well as personnel expansion and marketing.
“We really think we’re onto something here at Mented,” Johnson said. “Even though women of color have a difficult time raising money, if there’s an underserved market, investors attack it.”
Read more at Forbes.


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By Ediri Ejoh
Marketers of Liquefied Natural Gas, LPG, otherwise known as cooking gas, have challenged the current imposition of 75 per cent price hike on the product by federal government.
This development may lead to possible scarcity of the product across the country, as the marketers have threatened to down tool.
The marketers are concerned over what they described as an indiscriminate artificial hike in the price of the product by 75 per cent in the last two weeks.
The Executive Secretary of Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers, NALPGAM, Mr Bassey Essien, expressed this concern in a press briefing in Lagos. He said that in the last couple of days the price of a 20 metric tonnes of LPG, which hitherto sold for N3.15 million, suddenly N4.2 million.
He stated that a few hours, thereafter, the price moved to N4.2 million even though the same product has been in the storages of these terminals when the price was even N3.5 million.
He noted that the price hike will ultimately dovetail into high prices to the consumers, adding that the consumers will, in turn, blame marketers, who, unfortunately, are also caught up in the web of price hikes.
According to him, the price increase is not the handiwork of marketers, but, rather that of the terminal owners, importers and the NLNG.
His word: “At this time of the year in the past, price hikes used to be attributable to the winter season, increased demand for heating energy and international price index. This, we have consistently questioned why a product in abundance in our country should become such a victim of any slightest issue occurring internationally.”
“Marketers are equally bemoaning the situation as the development has adversely affected business planning. If the trend is not halted immediately, the price of a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas may soon sell for over N6, 000.00 and well out of the purchasing power of the average consumer.
“This brings to questioning when the issue of product availability will ever be holistically addressed. We cannot deepen the use of LPG if the availability of the product is not guaranteed, ‘’ he added.
Stressing the need to urgently reverse the price hike, Essien called on the NLNG to flood the market with cooking gas and increase the frequency with which the vessels deliver LPG from Bonny to the terminals particularly in the Lagos axis.
He said NLNG should supply LPG to other coastal terminals outside Lagos to reduce the inherent pressure on the terminals in the South West and also deploy vessels of smaller capacities to access the coastal terminals if product availability must be achieved.


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AAR reports solid carload and intermodal volumes for week ending January 21
Carload volume—at 287,734—was up 1.6 percent compared to last year but behind the week ending January 14 at 298,560.
in the NewsMaersk makes bold bid at differentiation by teaming with CRM giant Federal Maritime Commission to take closer look at “Fair Port Practices” CEMA reports unexpectedly strong gains in 2017 August U.S. waterborne shipments meet expectations, reports Panjiva FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index sees increase from June to July More News
Rail volumes were solid for the week ending January 21, according to data from the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Carload volume—at 287,734—was up 1.6 percent compared to last year but behind the week ending January 14 at 298,560. It was ahead of the weeks ending January 7, December 31, and December 24, which reached 274,862, 245,666, and 287,137, respectively.
Eastern carloads were down 1.5 percent, and out west carloads were up 3.6 percent.
Intermodal volumes—at 219,706 trailers and containers—were up 3 percent annually and down compared to last week’s tally of 229,091. This most recent week was ahead of the week ending January 7, which reached 193,812 trailers and containers and the week ending December 31 at 181,217.
Of the 20 commodity groups tracked by the AAR, 14 were up annually. Metallic ores were up 50.8 percent, and petroleum products were up 26.8 percent. Grain was down 10.5 percent, and farm products excluding grain were down 10.5 percent.
The AAR said that carloads for the first three weeks of 2012—at 861,146—were up 1.1 percent over the first three weeks of 2011, and intermodal was up 0.4 percent at 642,609 trailers and containers.
Estimated ton-miles for the week at 32.6 billion were up 1.9 percent, and for the year-to-date it was up 1.9 percent at 97.4 billion.
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So far for this October, Mediatonic’s Fall Guys faces its next content overhaul to kick off the Halloween-shared month. Last week, Season 2 for the growing in popularity title hit offering players a range of unique experiences that tops what is already available from the game’s base release.
In the aforementioned second season, players can find a plethora of new cosmetics and stages inspired by the medieval era which includes castle, knights, dragons, and witches. And that is only the beginning as more content is expected to pour into the title as the future unravels. For the time being, the studio shares a new addition to the game via a collaborative costume.
By pairing with Sega & Team Sonic, Mediatonic can welcome the Sonic the Hedgehog costume to Fall Guys. The announcement was made this Monday and the costume launches today for players to unlock.
Noted, partnered costumes certainly is not anything new for Fall Guys as the firm has teamed up with other developers to introduce Gris and Untitled Goose Game to Fall Guys as well in the past. But for Sonic the Hedgehog, this is the largest collaboration yet. This is not the first themed cosmetics based off of Sega’s mascot franchise as the firm also teamed with Gungho Online Interactive to feature items for Ninjala earlier on.
In relevance to Sonic the Hedgehog, it was reported recently that the next mainline installment from Team Sonic could be a return to the Sonic Adventure series. In response to a Twitter post, Dr. Eggman voice actor Mike Pollock posts “3 is the Magic Number” which many gather to be referencing a third game is underway. You can read the full report by heading here.
Do you plan on grabbing that Sonic the Hedgehog costume in Fall Guys?
Fall Guys is out now for PlayStation 4 and PC.


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Fewer Harrington & Partners have been appointed to design a significant 100 hectare mixed-use exclusive gated eco-resort master plan development in Nigeria
The master plan will be a truly unique exclusive gated eco-resort for wealth, offering more than 10km of water frontage property, surrounded by the world’s rarest mangroves, 1,000-acre ecological wetlands creating an exclusive eco-resort with fresh air and pristine waterways. The conceptual master plan will incorporate lush green plants covering the building facades, sky gardens and a roof top gardening system, creating a forest-like environment designed to purify the air, conserve rainwater and diminish noise. The resort will consist of 100 Hectares which will be divided into a number of small islands, that will be linked by over 5km of inland waterways and ecological wetlands, which will provide a truly unique eco-resort destination for billionaires.
“Development is about building a long term future and creating places that are a truly unique leisure destination and we are extremely pleased to be part of such an exciting project in Nigeria.”
-Ian Fewer, Partner, Fewer Harrington & Partners
Fewer Harrington & Partners were invited by Nigeria Governor of Cross River State, Benedict Ayade, to discuss his plans to build three new cities in the State.
On taking up office as Governor of Cross River State, Benedict Ayade launched several important infrastructure projects, including a 260km dual-carriage Calabar-Katsina-Ala superhighway, Calabar deep seaport, and a Calabar garment factory, all of which were projected to employ thousands of people.


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The S-class is Mercedes-Benz’s flagship model and the new advances in technology it includes and full LED lighting make it sound really special.
Macclesfield, Cheshire (PRWEB UK) 23 May 2013
German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has unveiled their new S-class, which will go on sale in the UK in September 2013.
The S-class will be the first car to detect any bumps in the road with new technology called a Road Surface Scan, which uses a camera to adjust the suspension accordingly to deal with them on the road.
The flagship model will also be the first car to use full LED lighting, with nearly 500 LEDs fitted through the car instead of light bulbs.
Car Loan 4U Director Ryan Dignan, comments:
“The S-class is Mercedes-Benz’s flagship model and the new advances in technology it includes and full LED lighting make it sound really special.
When it launches in the UK in September, you’ll have a pick of four engines choices, which includes petrol, diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid.
I also like the other touches that Mercedes-Benz has bought to the S-class, which include getting your pick of perfume for the cabin and a special massage seat with a ‘hot stone massage’ function.”
Motorists looking to get their hands on a new or used Mercedes-Benz might want to consider their car finance solutions and as leading car finance providers, Car Loan 4U can help provide expert advice.
Car Loan 4U offers a wide range of car finance deals regardless of the customer’s history or circumstances to give a fast decision on loan applications for new and used cars, which can be underwritten, approved and paid in just 30 minutes.


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While Bitcoin is the most popular and most valuable cryptocurrency out there, it’s led to the creation of thousands of alternatives, or altcoins. Some are close variations of Bitcoin, like Bitcoin Cash or Bitcoin Diamond. Some are named after Greek Gods , reptiles or even internet memes . The private key can be printed as a series of letters and numbers, a seed phrase, or a 2D barcode. Usually, the public key or bitcoin address is also printed, so that a holder of a paper wallet can check or add funds without exposing the private key to a device. Gavin Andresen was the former lead maintainer for the software client. Andresen left the role of lead developer for bitcoin to work on the strategic development of its technology. Bitcoin Core in 2015 was central to a dispute with Bitcoin XT, a competing client that sought to increase the blocksize. Over a dozen different companies and industry groups fund the development of Bitcoin Core.
USDC is powered by Ethereum, and you can use USD Coin to complete global transactions. Get Started Learn how you can make more money with IBD’s investing tools, top-performing stock lists, and educational content. The company earned 88 cents per share in the third quarter, a 138% gain, according to FactSet. Silvergate said it had 1,305 digital currency customers at the end of the quarter, up around 7% from the number it had on June 30. Bitcoin miners and buyers are directly tied to Bitcoin and the cryptocurrencies they hold. But it could dampen some of the big gains that have made Bitcoin popular. Meta Platforms’ Facebook to provide storage and security services for a test of Facebook’s digital wallet.
Debit And Credit Cards
Digital currencies lack many of the regulations and consumer protections that legal-tender currencies and regulated securities have. Due to the high level of risk, investors should view Bitcoin as a purely speculative instrument. 1 Molina, B., “PayPal to let users pay for purchases at checkout using Bitcoin, other cryptocurrency,” March 30, 2021, USA Today. The amount of energy required to mine cryptocurrency is creating environmental concerns among prominent investors, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and HIVE is focused on using green energy for its mining. Many cryptocurrencies sold on the exchange are powered by the Ethereum blockchain, which means a bet on Coinbase is essentially a bet on Ethereum itself. As the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S., Coinbase is in a prime position to benefit from a rise in Ethereum trading, earning a transaction fee on every sale or purchase. Whether or not cryptocurrency will be adopted by the masses remains to be seen, but it’s forcing people, from casual consumers to professional economists, to re-think the approach to electronic money and banking. This is another free wallet that is software-based instead of simply online which provides users with another wall of security. And because the Electrum servers are decentralized, your wallet never goes down. You can also buy other types of digital currencies on this site including Ethereum, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash.
Is it legal to sell Bitcoin for cash?
Selling Bitcoin as a Business
While it is not illegal to buy and sell Bitcoin per se, four people have been arrested for exchanging the cryptocurrency for fiat. The charge? Operating a money transmission business without a license.
Depending on market activity, sales proceeds may take up to 2 business days to be deposited in your Cash App balance. We’ve answered some common questions to help you get you started. Now you can access earnings data, news, key stats and much more to help you decide on what’s worth buying or holding. With just $1, you can buy what’s known as fractional shares, or smaller pieces of stocks comission-free. While eco-friendly companies used to be on the fringes of mainstream investment, they’re now center stage. Every day, get fresh ideas on how to save and make money and achieve your financial goals. “People want to surround themselves with other people that support the same thing,” Hipper says about the psychology behind memecoins. At NextAdvisor we’re firm believers in transparency and editorial independence.
Top 8 Cryptocurrency Investments In 2021
Among other Bitcoin-related ETFs, Invesco Alerian Galaxy Crypto Economy ETF , made up of shares of companies engaged in crypto-related activity, also debuted in October. So did the Volt Crypto Industry Revolution and Tech ETF , which also gives investors access to Bitcoin-exposed companies. Still, the industry has made progress toward mainstream adoption. More exchange traded funds tied to Bitcoin futures and companies — the closest things to a direct Bitcoin ETF — have debuted recently. The digital asset hasn’t always tracked with inflation — or risks of inflation. But the growing sense among investors on Wednesday was that the Fed would keep inflation in check without tightening up too quickly.
Most altcoins will follow Bitcoin’s price trend, so if Bitcoin does poorly, it’s likely altcoins will bleed too. Typically, altcoins are higher risk investments when compared to Bitcoin, but they often provide higher returns in a bull market. Conversely, altcoins typically depreciate more in bear markets. In general, cryptocurrencies with smaller market capitalization are more volatile than large, more established cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. The coins on this list are within the top 100 largest cryptocurrencies, and each project has a market capitalization in access of $1 billion.
In April, exchanges BitInstant and Mt. Gox experienced processing delays due to insufficient capacity resulting in the bitcoin price dropping from $266 to $76 before returning to $160 within six hours. The bitcoin price rose to $259 on 10 April, but then crashed by 83% to $45 over the next three days. Blockchain analysts estimate that Nakamoto had mined about one million bitcoins before disappearing in 2010 when he handed the network alert key and control of the code repository over to Gavin Andresen. Andresen later became lead developer at the Bitcoin Foundation. This left opportunity for controversy to develop over the future development path of bitcoin, in contrast to the perceived authority of Nakamoto’s contributions.
These offers do not represent all available deposit, investment, loan or credit products. Instead, see it as an opportunity to learn about a new asset class without putting everything on the line. Before you actually invest in smaller altcoins like Tether, Cardano, and others, start by learning about how they work. But don’t let the popularity of altcoins result in fear-of-missing-out . Even crypto evangelists view the rise of cryptocurrency with some healthy skepticism. That means there are literally thousands of other coins being exchanged out there in the metaverse. Let’s take a closer look at what altcoins are and why experts say most investors should take a pass on anything besides Bitcoin and Ethereum. Volatility makes it hard to know the “what” and “why” behind your crypto strategy. Before investing in Bitcoin or any alternative assets, ask yourself what you want to achieve from your participation in this particularly volatile market, and why. CoinDesk reported last month the number of new wallets worldwide increased 45% from January 2020 to January 2021, to an estimated 66 million.
This article isn’t meant to be an endorsement of Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency. Instead, it’s a general guide for anyone who wants to start investing in cryptocurrency. It is entirely possible cryptocurrencies will continue their march forward over the next few years. And if you’re betting on that outcome, we hope this information will help. The successful partnership with major financial market players made the Ripple ecosystem a breakthrough in the crypto industry. Take the latest integration with Western Union and the potential replacement of SWIFT to accelerate and reduce the cost of large money transfers between counterparties. However, do not expect huge profits with XRP in 2020, it is good for long-term investment. Even with the most optimistic approach, XRP price is unlikely to rise above 0.7 USD in the next couple of years. As with any frontier, there are unknown dangers, but also strong incentives. Explore the kinds of questions and insights enterprises should consider as they determine whether and how to use digital assets.
Meanwhile, cheaper coins — including meme-based cryptocurrencies Dogecoin and Shiba Inu — have become more popular. But their moves higher or lower can happen at any time regardless of market news. But for now, individual investors are onboard and increasingly institutional investors including fund managers are indeed on board with bitcoin. Just keep an eye on it and have your digital wallet at the ready to sell if or when the market turns again. Buy now as its going up makes for a reason — particularly for momentum investors or traders. Unlike gold that can be physically delivered and held, bitcoin is held in wallets. And wallet companies require identification and registration.
When you put money into something in order to get more money back, that’s investing. Investing puts your money to work for you in the hopes of growing your wealth. If the company performs well, you may generate a profit from its sucess. Get notified when bitcoin or the stocks you’re interested in experience price surges or dips. Then set custom orders that only go through if stocks or bitcoin reach those price ranges. New cryptocurrencies aren’t immediately ruled out, but having historical data for comparison helps you see how a company has performed up until now. Run a quick online search and you’ll find dozens of recommendations for how to invest in cryptocurrency.
At The College Investor, we want to help you navigate your finances. To do this, many or all of the products featured here may be from our partners. Futures trades do not qualify for commission-free trade offer. Futures accounts are not protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation . Bitcoin and Ethereum are both crypto, but they couldn’t be more different. Bitcoin.org is a community funded project, donations are appreciated and used to improve the website. There are several different ways to invest in Bitcoin, both directly and indirectly. Bitcoin’s value is volatile; it is equally prone to massive spikes and drops in price.
Since then, network capacity has been improved incrementally both through block size increases and improved wallet behavior. A network alert system was included by Satoshi Nakamoto as a way of informing users of important news regarding bitcoin. It had become obsolete as news on bitcoin is now widely disseminated. Bitcoin Core is free and open-source software that serves as a bitcoin node and provides a bitcoin wallet which fully verifies payments.
This compared to ₿4,131 that had laid dormant for a year or more, indicating that the vast majority of the bitcoin volatility on that day was from recent buyers. These events were attributed to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. You must add a bank account, debit card, or credit card to make your first bitcoin purchase on most exchanges. Adding a bank account is recommended for buying large amounts of bitcoin as the transfer fees tend to be lower. Credit and debit cards are only recommended for smaller purchases as they carry higher fees. If you’re buying a large amount of bitcoin, it’s unwise to use a card. Unlike Bitcoin, Ethereum is based on practical smart contracts used by many projects for the digitalization of transactions.
They include Swiss consulting firm Bithome, which lists a range of properties throughout Europe, America, and Asia that are for sale for Bitcoin. There are also region-specific platforms like Caliber & Partners’ OpenHouzz platform, which features close to 200 properties scattered throughout Spain—including several multi-million dollar mansions. In April 2021, Argentinian online marketplace Mercado Libre joined the fray, announcing that it would enable purchases of real estate using Bitcoin through a dedicated crypto section on its website. “Will cryptocurrency ever be used for everyday items? Not sure,” Tusk said.
Its price in 2017 was just $0.10; by Nov. 30, 2021, it had risen to over $628, a gain of approximately 627,000%. IBD Videos Get market updates, educational videos, webinars, and stock analysis. The move lower erased a breakout and put the stock back below a 40.90 buy point of a cup base. Shares recently lost support at their 50-day line, hitting six-month lows. Riot Blockchain, another crypto miner, fell after the company reported third-quarter results that missed expectations. The company recently reported third-quarter earnings that missed estimates.
- Please see /about to learn more about our global network of member firms.
- Although Bitcoin is a risky investment, plenty of companies sell successful products that incorporate Bitcoin and blockchain technologies.
- Out of these, cryptocurrency exchanges are the most convenient option since they offer a breadth of features and more cryptocurrencies for trading as compared to other places.
- Alternatively, your bank account may be linked to your cryptocurrency exchange account.
Cryptocurrencies come with a list of considerations that can help investors make safer investments. Since the blockchain industry is still in its infancy, most cryptocurrencies are highly volatile. This being said, some cryptocurrencies, like stablecoins, offer low risk investments with higher returns than riskier investments like real estate. The king of all cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin, was 1st and the most well-known cryptocurrency on the market. It also benefits from the largest market cap and is among the most highly traded cryptocurrencies, assuring liquidity to investors. Bitcoin is the king when it comes to retail and institutional adoption.
Everyone wanted or needed actual cash, and that sent the U.S. dollar soaring for that same time period. Remember that 46.11% drop in bitcoin for that dark time this past February-March when the U.S. dollar soared by nearly double-digits as measured by the Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Index. Ecash could then be used for truly anonymous transactions over the beginnings of the internet and the world wide web. For now, here are answers to some of the most common questions about the basics of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. If the crypto market is a no-go for you, and you believe the stock market looks ready for a plunge, it might be time to get a piece of some real assets, like commodities. A cryptocurrency miner, HIVE Blockchain is one of the many companies that turn colossal amounts of computing power into crypto tokens. Coinbase is probably the most popular place to buy, trade, sell, and store your Bitcoin. There are some inherent risks involved in keeping your Bitcoin where you’ve bought it but otherwise, this free service is a good choice for first-time buyers.
When you make this kind of purchase – which you should never do – you are speculating. You’re playing a psychological, win-lose battle against other humans with money as the sole objective. Even if you win money through dumb luck, you have lost time and energy, which means you have lost. NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, Cyberghost and ProtonVPN are among the reputable VPN providers that accept Bitcoin payments. If cars are slightly too tame for you—and you really don’t care about your carbon footprint—you could take to the skies in a private jet bought with Bitcoin. “I don’t have a great read on whether Bitcoin is going to go up or down,” he said. Other cryptocurrencies, like Ether, which is bought and sold on the Ethereum system, have also hit new record highs. At the end of 2020, for instance, a single Bitcoin cost around $28,000. But Tusk concedes that cryptocurrencies are notoriously volatile. Trading began around $381 a share, pushing the company’s valuation close to $100 billion.
Is it easy to sell Bitcoin?
There are tons of platforms to sell Bitcoin on, and the easiest, by far, are exchanges and brokers like Coinbase or Coinmama. Signing up on Coinbase is really simple – it’s like making an account on Amazon! Some methods, like selling to a Bitcoin ATM or to a friend at a Bitcoin meetup won’t require an account at all.
021 has been a year in which different cryptocurrencies have continued their growth, marking an ATH with the market reaching close to US$ 3 billion for the first time. A mobile-only bitcoin wallet, with versions available for Android or iPhone users. Like Coinbase, Blockchain is an online hot wallet; unlike Coinbase, Blockchain isn’t a currency exchange and is considered a less attractive target for hackers. Read more about Dragonchain to Bitcoin here. You can buy bitcoin directly from other bitcoin owners, much like you would buy items on Craigslist, through peer-to-peer tools like Bisq, Bitquick and LocalBitcoins.com.
The main benefit to Bitcoin investing is that you may be able to generate a huge return on profit, perhaps as high as 200% or more. Of course, that’s a challenging thing to accomplish, but it’s possible. Real estate is an investment that is backed by a strong historical record and the security of a tangible asset. To make a significant profit on Bitcoin, you may need to rely on “timing the market,” which is a difficult and generally ill-advised investment strategy. So, what exactly is Bitcoin, and how can you determine whether it’s the right investment for you? Coinbase is the easiest and most trusted place to buy, sell, and manage your digital currency.
Each user’s identity is attached to the address of his or her wallet. Of course, law enforcement has ways to track and identify users. For that reason, it’s not a great cybersecurity currency since each transaction is easily tracked in the open, transparent network system. The most important distinction between Bitcoin and regular currencies – also known as fiat currencies – is that there isn’t one main bank that controls the network of virtual coins floating around. Instead, it’s maintained by a group of coders who work on a volunteer basis on an open network of computers dedicated to Bitcoin management around the world . Join Coinbase and gain the tools and confidence to start trading cryptocurrencies, stocks and other top markets. An author, teacher & investing expert with nearly two decades experience as an investment portfolio manager and chief financial officer for a real estate holding company.
The size of the cryptocurrency space has grown exponentially in the past decade, with new innovations and a collective market capitalization of more than $2.5 trillion. Bitcoin is pseudonymous, meaning that funds are not tied to real-world entities but rather bitcoin addresses. Owners of bitcoin addresses are not explicitly identified, but all transactions on the blockchain are public. Additionally, bitcoin exchanges, where bitcoins are traded for traditional currencies, may be required by law to collect personal information. To heighten financial privacy, a new bitcoin address can be generated for each transaction. Bitcoins are created as a reward for a process known as mining.


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Samsung’s Galaxy Mega is to officially lose its crown as the world’s biggest smartphone now that the Sony Xperia Z Ultra is on sale.
Sony has launched its mega model in India with a price tag of 46,990 rupees – approximately £500 – and its 6.4 inch screen is just a touch bigger than Samsung’s 6.3 inch display.
I am currently reviewing the Galaxy Mega – and it really is a huge phone – so I am interested to find out how the even bigger handset performs.
I really loved the water and dust proof Xperia Z and its bigger brother comes packing:
- a 2.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor
- 2 GB RAM
- 16GB of internal storage (expandable to 64 GB with Micro SD support.)
- Screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 and
- an 8 Megapixel primary camera backed up by a 2 MP front camera.
The device, which is made from aluminum is just 6.5mm thick and weighs 212 grams.
Sony says it has made a smartphone to “take you beyond your wildest dreams” and while this does sound like typical marketing hype, I can also say this is one phone I would love to get my hands on.


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Everything Everywhere plots branded ecommerce store
By Sarah Shearman, marketingmagazine.co.uk, Tuesday, 06 December 2011 08:30AM
Everything Everywhere is to bolster its presence as a consumer-facing brand with a dedicated ecommerce site, following a major internal review at the T-Mobile and Orange-owner.
The mobile group, formed from the merger of the two networks last year, has already expanded the Everything Everywhere brand through high-street stores that sell both T-Mobile and Orange lines.
It is looking to replicate this strategy online, and is asking digital agencies to submit ideas on how to build a consumer website to help it drive traffic to its T-Mobile and Orange sites.
Everything Everywhere currently has 24 stores in the UK, and plans to open a further six by early next year.
The activity comes after Everything Everywhere’s recently appointed chief executive, Olaf Swantee, reportedly described the brand name as ‘silly’.
It has been speculated that the Everything Everywhere brand could be axed, but the company says it has no plans to replace it. A spokesman claimed it is ‘maintaining momentum’ by continuing to focus on both its brands.
In its latest financial results, Everything Everywhere reported a 4.3% fall in revenues to £1.7bn over the three quarters to 30 September.
This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk
- Retail Marketing Executive - NOW TV Sky negotiable, London
- Account Director - Integrated - [Digital / Retail] - Superb London Agency! Fill Recruitment Ltd £45k - £49k + superb bonus & benefits,
- Account Executive and Senior Account Executive air recruitment Up to £23K (dependent on experience) plus benefits and bonuses, Central London
- Planner/Senior Planner Direct Recruitment £45,000 - £65,000, London
- Senior Account Director - Healthcare Advertising Agency - Berkshire - £60k - £65k - NP100 Stonor £60k - £65k, Berkshire
- Macmillan defends hijacking ice bucket challenge
- Comparethemarket.com first UK brand to run Facebook Premium Video ads
- Game Of Thrones actress stars in online Karen Millen campaign
- Guinness Africa launches 'made of black' campaign with Kanye West ad
- Twitter launches learning hub for agencies
- Uncle Ben's launches YouTube cooking show


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Launchpad Digital Health announced it led seed funding rounds for 6 newcomers and completed three follow-on deals. The new members include startups focusing on value-based healthcare, data analytics for monitoring lab samples and a meditation platform to manage pain.
The San Francisco-based digital health accelerator offers each of its portfolio companies up to $500,000 in an initial investment, a year-long program with daily and weekly interaction with Launchpad’s founders, partners and advisors, and co-location with other health sector startups at The Hatchery, according to a statement.
Among the 6 new members are Lab Sensor Solutions, which aims to help laboratories improve compliance via data analytics and sensor tracking for samples that require close monitoring, and Moving Analytics, a platform to make a Stanford-developed post-cardiac surgery program available at home in a bid to increase patient compliance.
SoberGrid helps individuals stay sober by connecting them with each other, as well as with rehab clinics and other services, while Wellbrain aims to reduce the use of pain prescription drugs with its meditation platform for pain management.
The seed rounds were supported by co-investment from backers including Stanford University, Draper Associates, HealthX Ventures, Healthfundr and Aspect Ventures. As for the follow-on deals, Launchpad led a financing round for LifeDojo, a corporate wellness company that offers 12-week programs. The accelerator also participated in a follow-on Series A for an undisclosed portfolio company and Medable, an app and analytics platform for healthcare.
Launchpad’s other portfolio companies include Sensely, which markets personalized solutions for the management of heart failure, diabetes and behavioral health, and Breezometer, which tracks street-level air quality in 28 countries and 7,000 cities worldwide. Meanwhile, precision medicine player InsightRx uses real-time patient data to optimize medication dose and inform clinical decision making.
Digital health has been gaining momentum, with multiple companies trying to get a piece of the pie and England's National Health Service launching a digital health accelerator in London. DigitalHealth.London is expected to support up to 30 small- and medium-sized businesses for one year. It started accepting applications earlier this year. European venture firm Endeavour Vision closed a $275 million med tech and digital health fund in March, while Philips ($PHG) opened its first digital health innovation hub in the Netherlands last September.
- read the statement
NHS launches digital health tech accelerator in London
Endeavour Vision closes $275M dedicated med tech, digital health fund
Philips opens its first digital health innovation center in the Netherlands, with more to come


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As a Korean-American foodie who resides in West Oakland, I’m lucky that there’s a slew of fine eateries not too far from our home all along Telegraph Avenue in Temescal.
ICANN has released thousands of new domain extension–including .food and .restaurant and even .organic. This could be a windfall for small food businesses, as long as they can figure out how it works.
Carrots don’t stand much of a chance against cronuts when it comes to tweets and Instagrams about food. The new Food Porn Index aims to change the conversation by tracking our virtual cravings.


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Hans Greimel of Automotive News has published an article with new details on the Lexus F SPORT road bicycle.
(The biggest surprise: Lexus did not manufacture bike’s carbon fiber — it was imported from Taiwan.)
Read more about the F SPORT Bicycle
Mmm... Is there a feasible way for an average folk to check for any cracks in the carbon fiber? Even the smallest...
this is very good for lexus, it boast the popularity of the brand. remember ferrari also make alot of gardgets
Built by VIP Auto Salon.
Coupe's mid-cycle refresh is around the corner.
Final price set by dealer.
Owner updates from Lexus Enthusiast editor Kevin Watts.


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The third way
Ever since Intel revealed its plans to produce smartphone chips and ARM started making CPU designs powerful enough to run mini-PCs, the convergent processor market has been viewed as a two horse race - ARM's David versus Intel's Goliath. But there is at least one other significant player.
MIPS not only licenses out its own processor designs - much like ARM - but it has its own instruction set too. This means its proposition is wholly outside the x86 and ARM ecosystems. Today it has launched a new design - the MIPS32 1074K - that claims 2.5x the performance of Intel's Atom in a smaller Silicon footprint and is multicore.
This positions the 1074K squarely against ARM's Cortex A9 multicore design, which is starting to appear in SoCs such as NVIDIA's Tegra 2. Furthermore, MIPS has historically been frozen out of the mobile space by the effective monopoly ARM has had on operating systems - they've all been ARM-only. Android changes all that as it's instruction-set agnostic.
We spoke to Art Swift - marketing VP - and Mark Throndson - director of product marketing - to get a sense of why this launch is a big deal for MIPS. We were told that MIPS has been around for a couple of decades and is the market leader in chips for consumer electronics applications such as set-top-boxes. It's apparently doing well as the last three quarters have each set all-time licensing revenue records.
While MIPS has its heritage in high-performance computing Swift questioned the "perceived" advantage ARM has in low-power designs. He pointed out that MIPS designs also feature prominently in networking devices and in LTE baseband. One of its biggest licensees is Broadcom. It also provided many of the designs behind SGI chips and the chip inside the Sony PSP.
See the slide below for a taste of how MIPS plans to exploit the Android opportunity. Note Imagination Technologies is positioned as an ally, not a competitor. The combination of of Android and MIPS strength in 4G amounts to a next gen mobile opportunity and we were told that mobile handsets running MIPS SoCs will start to make an appearance in the first half of next year.


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Eric Bechtold – Lightyear Wireless 2012 Number One Money Earner
Lightyear Wireless has just announced Eric Bechtold as the #1 income earner for 2012. Eric joined Lightyear Wireless on July 26th 2010 and became a Presidential Director, the highest level in the company in a record setting 8 months time.
He achieved this feat by attracting thousands of distributors and becoming the fastest growing team in the history of the company via a proprietary automated marketing system.
Bechtold is currently ranked among the top .5% of income earners in all of Network Marketing.
When asked about this latest accomplishment Mr. Bechtold simply replied, “My success is a direct result of a dedicated team, an automated system and a wireless product people can’t live without.” Lightyear Wireless launched their wireless opportunity in July of 2008.
According to Mr. Bechtold, the initial launch was typical of most MLM start-ups. “They struggled for awhile putting all the pieces in place but have matured into one of the most powerful residual revenue opportunities available today.” Lightyear Wireless offers no-contract wireless, contract wireless, wireless Internet, MiFi, and tablets. Mr. Bechtold stated that, “becoming part of Lightyear was a simple decision when you consider we empower people to get their service for free while also affording them the ability to earn money spreading the word about our services.”
It’s clear that Eric Bechtold is excited about Lightyear. When asked how he was able to so quickly become the number one income earner in the company.
Bechtold stated, “It’s a product of a lot of people on our team becoming successful. You see, in a tough economy people need to save money and make money and we’re helping them do both! We’re also making it simple for distributors to spread the word by providing each of our members an automated marketing system which does the selling and telling for them. With this amazing program and our marketing system, our distributors are more like tour guides than sales people.”
One of unique concepts Lightyear Wireless has pioneered is allowing their distributors the ability to simply refer 3 customers to the service to qualify for free wireless service themselves. A customer can also qualify for free service by referring 5 wireless customers back to their representative. This “You + 3 = FREE” program has created quite a buzz in the MLM industry and this combined with Light-year’s amazing compensation plan has attracted some serious players like Bechtold to the program.


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Tax refunds being used to pay for bankruptcy filings
Some Americans spend their tax refunds on high-tech gadgets and long-awaited vacations. Others use the cash to file for bankruptcy.
More than 200,000 money-strapped households will use their tax refunds this year to pay for bankruptcy filing and legal fees, says a new study by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
The NBER research confirms what bankruptcy lawyers have long known: At the first part of the year, when Americans receive their tax refunds, there almost always is a spike in personal bankruptcy filings.
But that has been especially true since the cost of bankruptcy soared after U.S. bankruptcy laws changed in 2005. And many more families have been forced to delay filing until they can afford to pay the fees, the NBER study says.
“If people are expecting a big refund, they go as fast as they can to a tax preparer,” says Henry Sommer, a bankruptcy lawyer in Philadelphia. “They need the money so they can afford to file for bankruptcy.”


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As bitcoin surged past US$16,000 last week, the network could not keep up with the breathless demand.
Two ATM machines selling the cryptocurrency in Singapore crashed last Friday.
The machines, at Hong Lim Complex and Tiong Bahru Plaza, could not sell bitcoin for three days due to "congestion in the bitcoin network", Bitcoin Exchange founder Zann Kwan told The Straits Times.
Meanwhile, potential investors like Mr W.S. Wen, 61, looking to get in on the action, watched in frustration as the price of bitcoin rose.
On Monday, when the machines were back up, the price of the cryptocurrency had touched a record US$17,148.
"I've never bought bitcoin before, but it is the talk of the town now," said Mr Wen, who was retrenched a month ago. "Buying bitcoin is like buying Toto. But Toto is so hard to hit, I might as well use the money to buy bitcoin, which is going higher every day."
Last week, the worry about missing out was global. Investors flocking to open new accounts or place orders last Thursday left Coinbase, the largest US bitcoin exchange, warning of outages and slow transactions, while Bitfinex, the largest global bitcoin exchange, said on Twitter that it has been under a denial-of-service attack for several days and that it recently got worse.
Percentage jump in bitcoin's value since the start of the year, even while there are doubts over how long the party can go on.
In Singapore, the three bitcoin ATM machines, including one at Clarke Quay Central Mall, have been even more sought after following a move by several local banks to close the accounts of companies that provide cryptocurrency services.
CoinHako, which provides bitcoin wallet services, said in September that it will no longer be able to process deposits and withdrawals in Singapore dollars after its bank account was closed by DBS Group.
Ironically, the frenzy to buy bitcoin is peaking even as industry observers point out that such investments are a gamble.
At the start of the year, a bitcoin cost around US$1,000. It has now skyrocketed 1,600 per cent, with its market capitalisation of US$278 billion (S$376 billion) surpassing the gross domestic product of Finland and Greece.
The practical use of bitcoin is still quite limited, said Mr Nick Davies, a lawyer with Morrison & Foerster (Singapore). This surge has "all the hallmarks of a 'get-rich quick' scheme", he said.
Even Ms Kwan is startled by the frenzy. "The average purchase at my machines jumped from a few hundred dollars to around $1,000-$1,500.
"Four years ago, our bitcoin vending machine needed to be replenished three times a week. Now we are replenishing our machine three times a day," she said.
"My customers range from teenagers and young working professionals to those in their 70s. They see bitcoin becoming more mainstream and fear missing out.
"We have problems getting people to cash out because many think that prices can only go up, and not down, which is quite scary," she noted.
Prices broke major barriers in the two weeks ahead of the launch of the first bitcoin futures product on the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) last Sunday, and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, which is planning to launch its bitcoin futures on Sunday. Bitcoin surged past the US$11,000 level on Nov 29, and then past the US$16,000 level last Thursday, according to Bloomberg data.
The relative ease of setting up a cryptocurrency wallet to acquire and trade bitcoin has pulled in the investors. But there are doubts over how long the party can go on.
Mr James Cheo, investment strategist, Bank of Singapore, noted that even if there is more usage of cryptocurrencies in the future, it is "inconceivable for governments to allow their widespread adoption".
"Governments will want to keep government-backed currencies as they do not want to give up their ability to control policy levers such as money supply and fiscal policy. At the same time, banks and financial institutions are creating their own private cryptocurrencies to rival bitcoin," he said.
He feels bitcoin is going through a bubble similar to that of the dot-com boom.
"See through the bubble and focus on the blockchain technology undergirding bitcoin. That is where the promise of the future lies," said Mr Cheo.


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The all-reality TV and ad-free subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) streaming service hayu, from NBCUniversal, has launched in India.
With the launch the direct-to-consumer (DTC) service will be available on mobile, tablet, laptop, connected TVs and selected consoles in India.
hayu caters to the viewers who are fans of the reality genre by offering over 8,000 episodes of reality TV content, including all seasons of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, as well as its spin-offs – along with other franchises, including The Real Housewives, Top Chef, Million Dollar Listing, and Family Karma.
Another special feature of the service is that a vast majority of US shows are available on hayu the same day as their US broadcast.
“Given the immense popularity of reality TV in India, we are thrilled to be launching hayu in the country and we look forward to super-serving Indian viewers with the best unscripted content,” said Hendrik McDermott – Managing Director, Direct to Consumer – Global. “hayu is already the premiere destination for must-watch reality TV in 27 other countries and will now deliver the same great service in India.”


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Google has released a developer checklist to help app makers build better tablet apps for Android.
With the release of the Nexus 7 last year, Google opened up the floodgates for tablets running Android. Now, with Google's new checklist for tablet apps the company hopes developers take advantage of the growing tablet ecosystem.
"To help you take advantage of the opportunity provided by the growing tablet market, we've put together this Tablet App Quality Checklist to make it easier for you to ensure your app meets the expectations of tablet users," wrote Android's developer relations tech lead Reto Meier in a blog post to developers.
Google's new checklist focuses on taking advantage of a tablet's larger screen and using assets designed for tablets as a jumping off point for better tablet-centric applications.
The Tablet App Quality Checklist offers common sense advice like adjusting font sizes for larger Android screens and making sure apps don't get hamstrung by hardware unavailable on tablets.
"Handsets and tablets typically offer slightly different hardware support for sensors, camera, telephony, and other features. For example, many tablets are available in a Wi-Fi configuration that does not include telephony support," Google wrote in its checklist.
"To ensure that you can deliver a single APK broadly across your full customer base, make sure that your app does not have built-in requirements for hardware features that aren't commonly available on tablets."
Whether developers use Google's advice to produce high quality tablet apps is yet to be seen. Google introduced new Google Play app guidelines earlier this year. However, developers met those guidelines with an indifferent attitude.
Google's latest tablet advice comes as the tablet market continues to gain support. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey 22 percent of US adults own a tablet. Research firm IDC also reported that over 17 million Android tablets were sold in the first quarter of 2012.
The tablet market is also expected to grow this coming holiday season. Rumours have started spreading that the iPad Mini is expected to ship later this year. Microsoft is also set to unveil its Surface tablet on 26 October.
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