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For as long as smartphones have existed, cell carriers have been pre-loading apps on them in hopes of maximizing per-handset revenue, via navigation apps, video services, music downloads, and other recipes. And, for the most part, people dealt with it; most users didn’t know that there would be an alternative to a carrier’s mapping app, for example. But now the carriers have a new way to try to squeeze a few pennies out of a user’s handset: It’s called “post-loading”, and it’s just as annoying as it sounds.
Bloatware is the name given to non-essential software from fourth-party companies that was often included with new computers. It was software that wasn’t part of the operating system or the PC manufacturers’ included software, but was rather free versions of apps that software publishers paid PC makers to include on off-the-shelf computers in hopes that users would purchase the full versions.
While the PC makers made a little money for every unit sold that included the crippled software -- and the publishers received some brand recognition via brute force marketing -- users who knew better generally viewed the pre-installed software with disdain: They took up precious hard drive space, they hijacked functionality from built-in parts of the computer’s OS, and they were often notoriously invasive with their advertising.
The fact that bloatware was a notorious failure doesn’t mean that everyone’s been paying attention, of course. A company called Digital Turbine has a new service – called Ignite -- for Android handsets that allows a carrier to install apps on customers’ smartphones “for more advertising revenue” whenever it wishes. In other words, carriers can now push garbage apps onto their users handsets to make a few bucks here and there whether the user wants it or not, and it seems as if the practice is perfectly legal.
Digital Turbine claims Verizon and T-Mobile as customers (among others), but that doesn’t necessarily mean that those carriers are currently using the service to push apps, but it does mean that they could if they wished. That said, some users have as recently as this week claimed that they were pushed updates called “DT_Ignite” for “performance enhancements”. The update apparently asks for permission to access almost any part of the phone’s system, making it not just annoying but also potentially dangerous.
Users have rejected bloatware before and there’s nothing to indicate that they won’t reject it again. The application as it stands now only affects Android devices with carrier-specific versions of Android installed, which, sadly, is the majority of Android devices. (Google's self-branded Nexus devices are also immune.) Users who have “rooted” their Android phones should be immune, as are those who simply reject the carrier-provided software updates. We’ll be keeping an eye on Ignite and how it shakes out; hopefully the carriers will realize the lessons to be learned from the PC boom (and bust) of the last decade.


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Konami has finally revealed the long-rumored Silent Hill 2 remake during its recent Silent Hill showcase, confirming previous reports that Bloober Team is behind the development. We didn't get a release date, but it has been confirmed that the game will be released exclusively for PlayStation 5 as well as PC. It looks like Silent Hill 2 will not launch on any other consoles for at least 12 months.
Instead of a traditional stream, Konami decided to upload the whole showcase as a full video which can be found embedded below. The trailer for Silent Hill 2 begins at the 10 minute mark, and starts out with James Sunderland in the public bathrooms right at the start of the game. We're then treated to a few minutes of memorable Silent Hill 2 sequences, remade for PS5, as the trailer seems to be a combination of both CG and in-game cutscenes.
While it's likely that Konami would have loved for this to be a surprise, not only has it been rumored for a good long while, it was also leaked ahead of today's showcase via a YouTube video uploaded by Konami that accidentally revealed the video's tags. Thanks to this, we knew that several Silent Hill titles were going to be shown off including the Silent Hill 2 remake, the trailer for which you can find embedded below.
This is a developing story…
Source: Read Full Article

domain: news


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Farm to Fork
Low Impact Living
Green in the City
Does the Amazon rainforest emit more greenhouse gases than it absorbs?
Poland set to resume logging in one of Europe's last primeval forests
Where are the world's tallest trees and why are they so important?
Deforestation could be cooling the planet down, say scientists
Stop burning trees for energy, hundreds of scientists tell EU leaders
Lab grown wood could mean no more deforestation, say scientists
Climate change a ‘global emergency’, says world’s biggest opinion poll
Indigenous photographer captures tribe fighting for the rainforest
Bamboo: Eco-friendly fabric or environmental disaster?
How did Costa Rica become the greenest, happiest country in the world?
‘World first’ as UK bans products linked to illegal deforestation
Regrowing forests may be the ‘single largest natural climate solution’
Satellites are mapping out every tree on earth using AI technology
European nations ask Brazil for ‘real action’ on deforestation
Pink lakes to hidden bridges: The latest climate news in pictures
Nocturnal sloths adapt to deforestation by coming out in the day
Research shows that eating steak in Europe comes at a high price
Is your fuel tank full of “forest-ravaging” palm oil?
Synthetic palm oil being brewed like beer gets Bill Gates' investment
'Dumping beef for chicken is killing the rainforest' - Greenpeace
Game of Thrones star travels to the Amazon rainforest with the UN
Eco-friendly palm oil 'is a con', says Greenpeace
Why I quit my job at Vogue to live in a tree for a year
The group fighting deforestation by building from wood
The Amazon rainforest is on fire, what can you do about it?
10 Inpirational Instagram posts to motivate you on Earth Overshoot Day
The grandads fighting back against deforestation
Estée Lauder launches sustainable scheme to tackle palm oil production


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Companies Boosted Revenues Through Online Sales
Taobao.com and Sina.com recently opened property channels together with several home buying websites that were recently launched in China. Shenzhen based Vanke and R&F Properties have also started to sell properties online. Sina.com held an online property auction with a starting bid of 0 yuan last March 3 and have sold flats totaling 370 million yuan with buyers buying homes with up to 42 percent discounts.
With the constant squeeze on the property market by the government, several real estate developers have gone online in efforts to boost their sales. Although buyers complain that cheating is quite rampant on online property transactions, a number of online real estate websites sales are rising.
Most of the online sales were done through group sales or auctions. The only thing that these real estates sites are concerned of is the consumers complain of online frauds such as incorrect locations and exaggerated quality reports in the top list.
Experts say that consumers should take precautions when buying properties online. Consumers should do some research on the home they are trying to buy rather than buying because of the low price being offered online. Experts say that properties sold for such a low price usually are of lesser quality.


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By Avi Salzman
Coca-Cola (KO) is in talks to buy energy drink maker Monster Beverage (MNST), the Wall Street Journal just reported, sending shares of Monster sharply higher. Coca-Cola has tried to kill Monster before by rolling out its own energy drinks like Full Throttle, but hasn’t been able to significantly slow its growth, or catch up to energy drink leader Red Bull (owned by an Austrian company). In midday trading, Monster shares rose 15%, while Coke shares slid 0.8%.
Coca-Cola would have to pay up big to complete the deal — Monster has a market cap of $11 billion. The company has been on a tear — even before today, shares had nearly doubled in the past year as annual revenue grew 31% in 2011. Coke also could see limited “synergy” benefits from the deal as the company already has a distribution deal with Monster, the WSJ notes.


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QPC Lasers announced today a milestone in a contract to produce lasers for use in Laser TVs. The contract is worth $12 million to the firm. QPC says that its RGB lasers have successfully met all performance milestones for red, green and blue colors.
How To: Buy a Pokemon Go Plus
This performance milestone means that QPC has completed the development phase of the contract. The company says that it has an exclusive contract with an Asian electronics maker for the lasers. The contract is a supply agreement that could be worth $230 million over the ten year term.
"QPC is enabling a new generation of lower cost and dramatically improved high definition large screen televisions by replacing today's poor quality light sources with our bright, power efficient, cost effective and ultra compact lasers," said QPC co-founder and CEO Dr. Jeffrey Ungar. "Utilizing QPC's unique laser technology instead of LEDs, OLEDs and other poor quality and inefficient light beam sources, consumers will see a broader visible color spectrum, and a sharper, brighter, more vivid image than today's LCD or Plasmas can offer," continued Dr. Ungar.
Don't Miss: Sam's Club Black Friday 2016 Details
Via QPC Lasers


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|Day Low/High||13.86 / 14.28|
|52 Wk Low/High||6.99 / 15.47|
The sale of FOSL and CATO, and a partial HIBB, have significantly reduced my overall exposure.
In recent trading, shares of Vera Bradley Inc. have crossed above the average analyst 12-month target price of $13.75, changing hands for $13.79/share.
Specialty retail is indeed a tough area, but in classic form, markets have overly punished a number of them.
U.S. stock futures rise on Wednesday and Nasdaq aims for a third straight record high close; Elon Musk remains as Tesla's chairman following a shareholder vote; Facebook says it gave several Chinese companies preferred access to user data.
Investors in Vera Bradley Inc. saw new options begin trading this week, for the November 16th expiration.
In recent trading, shares of Vera Bradley Inc. have crossed above the average analyst 12-month target price of $10.67, changing hands for $11.00/share.
Don't worry. We've got Bourbon for you at the end of this crazy week of market chaos, trade war talk, Facebook, Fed and #FakeNews. Rewind and unwind with TheStreet's video newsletter.
In recent trading, shares of Vera Bradley Inc. have crossed above the average analyst 12-month target price of $10.67, changing hands for $10.70/share.
Here's what you need to know now for Monday, March 19.
Investors seem to have all but forgotten that the company is still publicly traded.
Kraft Heinz and a surprising underdog are part of our 'Selection Monday.'
U.S. stock futures rise; Walmart to expand home delivery of groceries; Google bans bitcoin advertisements; physicist Stephen Hawking dies.
Legendary investor Warren Buffett advises to be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful. One way we can try to measure the level of fear in a given stock is through a technical analysis indicator called the Relative Strength Index, or RSI, which measures momentum on a scale of zero to 100.
Specialty retailer's holiday sales looked uglier than a bad Christmas sweater.
Investors in Vera Bradley Inc. saw new options become available this week, for the August 17th expiration.
An after-Christmas shopping excursion turns up an empty Fossil store but a relatively crowded Vera Bradley outlet.
Investors in Vera Bradley Inc. saw new options begin trading this week, for the January 2018 expiration.
The stock of the handbag maker had been dwelling in the valley until it posted bottom-line results this week that were better than expected.
In recent trading, shares of Vera Bradley Inc. have crossed above the average analyst 12-month target price of $10.25, changing hands for $11.03/share.
U.S. stock futures tumble on Wednesday, European shares sell off and stocks in Japan fall the most in nine months as investors continue to rotate out of tech stocks.
The most recent short interest data has been released for the 11/15/2017 settlement date, which shows a 1,129,784 share increase in total short interest for Vera Bradley Inc. , to 5,778,653, an increase of 24.30% since 10/31/2017.
Companies in the apparel, retail and restaurant sectors could be dumped even more than they have been as 2017 wraps up.
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A scam to get companies to register domain names before someone else does is doing the rounds again, but experts say knowledge is the key to avoiding this high-cost trap.
Shana Kassiem, operations director at Maxxor Business Solutions, says a woman recently called her company, claiming the Maxxor.com domain name could be registered for lb400 (about R5 000) and that someone else was waiting to register it.
"She sounded competent and nice. However, I pointed out to her that we help companies register their domain names and that it shouldn`t cost more than R199 (excluding VAT) to do so. Then the woman hung up on me," she says.
Kassiem says a number of Maxxor`s clients were telephoned recently about the same thing.
"One of my clients panicked, because he thought they wanted to take away his company name and we had to spend some time calming him and assuring him there is a big difference between the two," she says.
Kassiem says this scam first appeared about a year ago and has been reappearing intermittently as awareness slips and the perpetrators try their luck again.
Calvin Browne, a director at .co.za domain name administrator Uniforum, says he has noticed a small spike in incidents of this nature recently.
"I have received about 10 telephone calls during the past few months telling me about the scam. This was enough to make me take some interest in the matter. It seems to be a UK-based group that also appears to move around a bit."
Browne says he has been in contact with his UK equivalents, who have confirmed his suspicions.
"They seem to have a list of company names from somewhere and they are also targeting companies that are not even connected to the Internet.
"The actual process of registration takes about a minute. The window of opportunity is limited," he says.
Alan Levin, chairman of the Internet Society of SA, says the cost of registering a domain name should be between R80 and R300.
"One will have to pay the register for the domain name, pay for hosting the domain name and then a fee for managing it," he says.
Levin says managing a domain name is important as it is a person or organisation`s Internet identity.
Browne and Levin say a reputable Internet service provider should be used when registering a domain name.
"The Internet Service Providers Association also has a procedure for handling complaints against a service provider," Browne says.


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CI Global Asset Management has announced the launch of ETFs focused on investment opportunities in two digital megatrends, which the firm says are transforming society today – blockchain technology and the metaverse.
CI Galaxy Blockchain ETF and CI Galaxy Metaverse ETF begin trading today on the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) under the tickers CBCX and CMVX, respectively. Each has an annual management fee of 0.50 per cent.
“Blockchain and the metaverse are two extraordinarily powerful trends that are set to dramatically change our society and how we do business,” says Roy Ratnavel, Executive Vice-President and Head of Distribution for CI GAM. “Our ETFs provide investors with low-cost, convenient and diversified exposure to the growth potential of these rapidly developing, leading-edge sectors.”
The firm writes that blockchain, the technology that underlies cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and Ether, has supported the development of trillions of dollars’ worth of digital assets and generated intense investor interest. Moreover, blockchain has a multitude of additional applications that are expected to attract further investment and development.
The firm writes that the metaverse is an immersive, interactive digital universe made possible by advancements in the internet and virtual and augmented reality technology. The metaverse promises to transform how people interact, work and play, thereby presenting exciting opportunities for investors.
The ETFs track underlying indexes created by Alerian S-Network Global Indexes (“Alerian”), an index builder focused on creating innovative index-based solutions, in partnership with Galaxy Digital Holdings Ltd. (“Galaxy Digital”), a leading provider of financial and investment management services in the cryptocurrency industry.
“We’re committed to increasing access to every investable corner of the digital asset ecosystem,” says Steve Kurz, Global Head of Asset Management at Galaxy Digital. “We’re pleased to deepen our relationships with CI GAM and Alerian as we expand our partnerships to include these two innovative ETFs.”
“We are excited to collaborate with CI GAM and Galaxy Digital to meet the demand for more innovative exposures in the metaverse and the broad-based digital asset space,” added Rob Hughes, Chief Commercial Officer of Alerian.
“With CBCX and CMVX, we continue to build on our capabilities in crypto and thematic ETFs as we seek to provide investors with convenient and inexpensive exposure to the world’s most innovative companies and themes,” says Ratnavel. “We’ve set a fast pace for product development in 2022, having previously launched multi-crypto, digital security and biotechnology ETFs. Today, CI GAM has one of the industry’s most comprehensive ETF lineups with over 80 passive, smart beta, covered call and actively managed mandates.”
CI Galaxy Blockchain ETF (CBCX) seeks to replicate, to the extent reasonably possible, the performance of the Alerian Galaxy Global Cryptocurrency-Focused Blockchain Equity Hedged to CAD Dollars Index (the “CBCX Index”), net of expenses. The CBCX Index intends to track the performance of companies that are engaged in the development of blockchain technologies, as well as businesses operating in and developing the blockchain ecosystem.
Specific sectors targeted by CBCX include cryptocurrency miners, cryptocurrency buyers and companies that enable the blockchain ecosystem, such as those that facilitate the buying, selling and transfer of cryptocurrencies, those that provide custody services for cryptocurrency assets, and those that provide equipment used in cryptocurrency mining.
CI Galaxy Metaverse ETF (CMVX) seeks to replicate, to the extent reasonably possible, the performance of the Alerian Galaxy Immersive Digital Worlds Hedged to CAD Dollars Index (the “CMVX Index”), net of expenses. The CMVX Index intends to track the performance of companies that are materially engaged in the interactions, enablement and connectivity to the metaverse.
Companies targeted by CMVX include those involved in:
• Augmented reality and virtual reality enablement – enabling the development and usage of augmented or virtual reality devices
• Connectivity – providing the hardware and software needed to power the metaverse
• Gaming and entertainment – developing live and multi-user game and entertainment systems
• Payments – facilitating digital asset transactions
• Social media – offering social media platforms that allow users to share their own content.


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Author Archives: Shivan Bindal
Amazon just launched a new region today in Sydney, Australia, as part of its Global AWS Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offering. We’re pleased to announce that RightScale supports this new region (Asia Pacific – Sydney) on launch day!
Last year we announced a bunch of new clouds to the RightScale dashboard. Each of those clouds brought a differentiated offering to our user base. Recently, we announced public availability of a new cloud – IDC Frontier Cloud. Analyst Agatha … Continue reading
What a year it’s been! We’ve released a lot of really cool features, including a MultiCloud API and many MultiCloud ServerTemplates. To round out the year, last week, we launched 5 new public clouds that are available on the RightScale … Continue reading
This is the Final post in our release series…following both our dashboard and ServerTemplates releases. Today we’ll talk about a unique solution we now support…let’s get started… Drum roll please…Introducing the auto-scaling, high availability .NET Stack on Amazon! Some of … Continue reading
This is Part Two of our release series. A couple weeks ago, we announced a lot of goodies and while we’re going to talk about some new stuff today, be sure to come back next week for more about our … Continue reading


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Images of a prototype VR headset with a Valve logo visible on the circuit board leaked on the image sharing website imgur. Our independent sources tell us these are in fact [...]
UPDATE: our sources have confirmed to us that this is an upcoming Valve headset – read full details here
Images of a prototype VR headset with a Valve logo [...]
China-based VR company Pimax recently put up a listing on its website for upcoming controllers for its “5K Plus” and “8K” PC headsets. Pimax plans [...]
One of the Oculus Rift’s most helpful features is Asynchronous SpaceWarp (ASW), first introduced in late 2016. HTC Vive owners have been asking Valve, which makes the [...]
The fact that Valve hasn’t created official VR ports of Portal and Portal 2 is one of the greatest travesties of modern virtual reality technology. If any existing IP [...]
Valve’s SteamVR Home platform is rolling out another environment for you to make yourself cozy in. Meet the Gulping Goat space farm.
That may be the most Valve [...]


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The Phishing and Fraud report stresses that the best first line of defence is a consistent education programme and creating a culture of curiosity. Tests by Webroot show that security awareness training can have a particularly ameliorative effect.
Companies that ran 11 or more training campaigns reduced employee phishing click-through rates to 13%. Six to ten sessions saw a 28% click-through rate, rising to 33% with one to five employee engagements.
In addition to awareness-raising, F5 Labs stresses the importance of organisations implementing access control protections, including multi-factor authentication and credential stuffing controls, to prevent phished credentials becoming a breach. Other report recommendations include the following defensive tactics:
· Email labeling. Clearly label all mail from external sources to prevent spoofing. A simple, specially formatted message can alert users to be on guard.
· Anti-virus (AV) software. AV software is a critical tool to implement on every system a user has access to. In most cases, up-to-date AV software will stop the malware installation attempt. Set your AV policy to update daily at a minimum.
· Web Filtering. A web filtering solution helps block access to phishing sites. Not only will this prevent a breach (providing the phishingsite is known by your web filter provider), but it presents a valuable teaching opportunity by displaying an error message to the user
· Traffic decryption and inspection. F5 Labs analysed malware domains from Webroot that were active in September and October 2018. 68% of them were phoning-home over port 443, which is the standard TCP port used for websites encrypting communications over SSL/TLS. If organisations do not decrypt traffic before inspection, the malware installed through phishing attacks will go undetected inside the network.
· Single-Sign On (SSO). The fewer credentials users manage, the less likely they are to share them across multiple applications, create weak passwords, and store them insecurely.
· Report phishing. Provide a means for employees to easily report suspected phishing. Some mail clients now have a built-in phish alert button to notify IT of suspicious activity. If your email client doesn’t have this feature, instruct all users to call the helpdesk or security team.
· Change email addresses. Consider changing the email addresses of commonly targeted employees if they are receiving an unusually high number of phishing attacks on a continual basis.
· Use CAPTCHAs. Use challenge-response technologies like CAPTCHA to distinguish humans from bots. However, users can find them annoying so use in cases where it’s highly likely a script is coming from a bot.
· Access control reviews. Review access rights of employees regularly, especially those with access to critical systems. These employees should also be prioritised for phishing training.
· Look out for newly-registered domain names. Phishing sites are often newly registered domains. When F5 reviewed the list of active malware and phishing domains collected by Webroot in September, only 62% were still active a week later.
· Implement web fraud detection. Implement a web fraud solution that detects clients infected with malware. This stops cybercriminals logging into your systems and allowing fraudulent transactions to occur.
“Phishing is a big problem and we expect attacks to continue because they are so effective, especially during the winter period” added Warburton.
“As organisations get better at web application security, it will be easier for fraudsters to phish people than to find web exploits. Ultimately, there is no one-stop-shop security control for phishing and fraud. A comprehensive control framework that includes people, process, and technology is a critical requirement to reduce the risk of an attack becoming a major incident.”
Notre Dame, Scoop Makhathini, GoT, top week in search
From fire disaster to social media disaster, the top Google searches this week covered a wide gamut of themes.
Paris and the whole world looked on in shock as the 856-year-old medieval Catholic cathedral crumbled into ash. The tragic infernal destruction of this tourist attraction of historical and religious significance led South Africans to generate more than 200 000 search queries for “Notre Dame Cathedral” on Monday. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire that razed the architectural icon.
In other top trending searches on Google this week, radio presenter Siyabonga Ngwekazi, AKA Scoop Makhathini, went viral when it appeared he had taken to Twitter to expose his girlfriend, Akhona Carpede, for cheating on him. Scoop has since come out to say that he was not responsible for the bitter rant and that his account was hacked. “Scoop Makhathini” generated more than 20 000 search queries on Wednesday.
Fans generated more than 20 000 search queries for “Sam Smith” on Tuesday ahead of the the British superstar’s Cape Town performance at the Grand West Casino. Smith ended up cutting his performance short that night due to vocal strain.
Local Game of Thrones superfans were beside themselves on Sunday, searching the internet high and low for the first episode of the American fantasy drama’s eighth season. “Game of Thrones, season 8, episode 1” generated more than 100 000 queries on Google Search on the weekend.
As the festivities kicked off in California with headliners such as Childish Gambino and Ariana Grande, South Africans generated more than 2 000 search queries for “Coachella” on Saturday.
South Africans generated more than 5 000 search queries for “Wendy Williams” on Friday as it emerged that the American talk show host had filed for divorce from her husband Kevin Hunter after 21 years of marriage. Hunter has long been rumored to have been cheating on Williams, which reportedly finally led to the divorce.
Search trends information is gleaned from data collated by Google based on what South Africans have been searching for and asking Google. Google processes more than 40 000 search queries every second. This translates to more than a billion searches per day and 1.2 trillion searches per year worldwide. Live Google search trends data is available at https://www.google.co.za/trends/hottrends#pn=p40
5G smartphones to hit 5M sales in 2019
According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global smartphone shipments will reach a modest 5 million units in 2019. Early 5G smartphone models will be expensive and available in limited volumes. Samsung, LG and Huawei will be the early 5G smartphone leaders this year, followed by Apple next year.
Ken Hyers, Director at Strategy Analytics, said, “We forecast global 5G smartphone shipments will reach a modest 5 million units in 2019. Less than 1 percent of all smartphones shipped worldwide will be 5G-enabled this year. Global 5G smartphone shipments are tiny for now, due to expensive device pricing, component bottlenecks, and restricted availability of active 5G networks.”
Ville Petteri-Ukonaho, senior analyst at Strategy Analytics, added, “Samsung will be the early 5G smartphone leader in the first half of 2019, due to initial launches across South Korea and the United States. We predict LG, Huawei, Xiaomi, Motorola and others will follow later in the year, followed by Apple iPhone with its first 5G model during the second half of 2020. The iPhone looks set to be at least a year behind Samsung in the 5G smartphone race and Apple must be careful not to fall too far behind.”
Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics, added, “The short-term outlook for 5G smartphones is weak, but the long-term opportunity remains huge. We forecast 1 billion 5G smartphones to ship worldwide per year by 2025. The introduction of 5G networks, by carriers like Verizon or China Mobile, opens up high-speed, ultra-low-latency services such as 8K video, streaming games, and augmented reality for business. The next big question for the mobile industry is how much extra consumers are really willing to pay, if anything, for those emerging 5G smartphones and services.”
Strategy Analytics provides a snapshot analyses for the outlook for 5G smartphone market in this Insight report: 5G Smartphones : From Zero to a Billion
Strategy Analytics provides a deep-dive into the air-interface technologies that will power phones through 2024 across 88 countries here: Global Handset Sales Forecast by 88 Countries and 19 Technologies : 2003 to 2024


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ANZ Banking Group customers are the target of the most recent email phishing scam being blocked by security vendor MailGuard team.
The banking industry is increasingly becoming a favourite among cyber criminals, according to security vendor MailGuard, which has detected a new phishing email scam purporting to be from Westpac.
Australian businesses have lost $2.8 million to scammers in 2018 as hackers target business emails in a new scam, prompting the competition watchdog, the ACCC, to issue a call to businesses to urgently review how they verify and pay accounts and invoices.
Another PR stunt from one of our Telcos? Why am I underwhelmed by their generosity?
The "Bully Boys" are still hard at it I see.
I find it incredible. VOIP is expected as an extra charge on top after cutting phone service. It should be[…]
TelSoc passed this resolution yesterday BTW…Telsoc calls upon the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission (NCCC):To include in its considerations the inequity[…]
Another hard hitting piece from Sam with which I entirely agree. The fundamental problem is that if we all jib[…]


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Many restaurants are now adding a service charge to a patron's bill saying some people don’t tip, but just how much of that money goes back to the servers?
Jose Fernandez says he was enjoying dinner with his wife and friends at Old’s Havana Restaurant until the check arrived.
“I’ve been in Miami 28 years and this had never happened to me at another restaurant,” Fernandez said.
His $79.35 bill turned into $101.12 when the restaurant automatically added an 18% service charge and tax.
Fernandez’s receipt also suggested a 15, 18 or 20%t tip which would bring the added charges to as much as 46% of the bill.
He says the waiter told him he didn’t get any of the service charge so he considered adding that tip.
“If you see the service charge and the sales tax after the service charge, that money is going to the employer,” said Attorney Ruben Saenz.
He says what the restaurant does with that money is up to them.
There are some rules though. Florida law says restaurants that add an automatic gratuity or service charge to the price of the meal shall include on the food menu and on the bill, a notice that an automatic gratuity is included.
Two NBC 6 employees went to Old's Havana and its sister restaurant, Salao's, to see what happens. The restaurants are steps from each other in a touristy area of Calle Ocho.
At both locations, we saw a notice at the bottom of the menu disclosing the automatic 18% service charge.
Both bills included the 18% service charge and suggested a 15-20% tip.
When our team asked the waiter if she received the service charge, she told us that 10% of that charge went to her and the rest was divided among other staff members.
At Salao’s our $63.25 bill jumped to $92.62 with the automatic service charge, tax and a little over 15% tip.
Jeannette Escudero’s firm represents Old’s Havana and Salao’s.
She says even though a restaurant can keep the service charge, in this case, the owner doesn’t.
“The service charge does go back to the employee," she said. "100% in this particular location."
Escudero told us the owner adds the service charge to protect his employees.
“Not all the tourists, and this is a very touristy area, understand the concept of tips. So, they’ll sit at a table for hours and hours and then just walk out,” Escudero said.
When we asked about the waiters not getting all of the service charge, Escudero clarified “he’s not going to ever get 100% regardless of whether it was a tip or service charge because he doesn’t work alone. There are food runners, there are bussers, there are other employees that do get a piece of the pie because they help.”
Escudero also told us that, in these two restaurants, because the service charge goes to the staff, you don’t have to add a tip unless you think the service went above and beyond.
Attorney Ruben Saenz told us you should look for a service charge on your bill before handing the server your credit card because once they bring you the receipt, the details are usually not there, and you could unintentionally end up paying more money.


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Get Alerts »
Live updates on the President's trip to Kansas City
A pet owner who saw a thief drive away with his car -- and his dog inside -- has now been reunited with his beloved pooch.
Tap here to view the video on your mobile device.
President Barack Obama visited one of Kansas City's most iconic barbeque restaurants on Tuesday night, Arthur Bryant's.


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Updated - TOA takes control of Trantec
TOA has taken the decision to remove sales of the Trantec wireless microphone brand from BBM, and hand over UK and European sales to TOA (UK).
TOA acquired BBM Electronics in 1998. The reasons behind the decision have not been elaborated on, and no official word has been received from BBM Electronics. However, in a letter to employees it is made clear that that TOA Corporation will take official responsibility on 1st June 2010.
Update: Since we first posted this story, TOA has released an announcement on the issue with comment from TOA Europe sales & marketing director Brett Downing: “We're building on the existing success that the range has already had in the market and managing it under one umbrella. Customers will be very pleased to know that they will continue to receive outstanding support and advice on the range of Trantec wireless products.”


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SAN FRANCISCO – Network computer maker Sun Microsystems Inc. (SUNW) on Tuesday said it agreed to buy SeeBeyond Technology Corp. (SBYN), which makes software that stitches together disparate computer systems, for $387 million in cash.
Sun, which is trying to expand beyond the commoditized, workhorse machines it sells to run big corporate computer systems, said that the acquisition would give it a strong position in the $5 billion business integration market.
"We now jump right to the front of the business integration market," said Sun Chairman and Chief Executive Scott McNealy on a conference call.
Sun, which was a Wall Street darling in the heady Internet boom of the late nineties, has since seen the collapse of its stock price and revenue and profits fall. McNealy is now looking to reposition the company to move into faster-growing markets such as storage and Web services.
Under the agreement, Sun said it will pay $4.25 a share, representing a nearly 30 percent premium to SeeBeyond's closing stock price of $3.28 on Nasdaq on Monday.
The deal follows Sun's recently announced plans to acquire storage equipment maker Storage Technology Corp. (STK) for $4.1 billion. That deal boosts Sun presence in the fast-growing market for data storage. New regulations require companies store more accounting and health care information.
Sun and SeeBeyond had signed an agreement in October 2004 to market their products jointly. Sun will incorporate SeeBeyond's Integrated Composite Application Network software suite with its Java Enterprise System, an integrated collection of software that helps businesses run.
The combination will allow Sun to offer customers products that tie together their disparate external applications, such as payroll and others, the company said.
"We continue to see customers wanting a platform approach," said Sun President and Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Schwartz on the conference call, referring to customers' desire for more simplified and bundled technology offerings, rather than having to piece them together themselves.
Sun said it expects to complete the transaction in the next four-to-five months.
Shares of SeeBeyond, which had revenue of $167 million in the past 12 months, surged 30 percent to $4.27 on the Nasdaq.


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A new teaser image from Toyota all but confirms that the next-generation Crown will look like the swoopy, high-riding sedan we previously saw in patent images.
The teaser, first seen by Creative Trend, promises an unveiling on July 15 and shows the profile of the vehicle from the tip of the nose to just before the front door handles. The image still hides some details, but it’s a design language we’ve seen before.
Just a few weeks ago, images of a patent Toyota applied for were found online, and they showed a logo that looked suspiciously like a crown on the front of a high-riding vehicle that had coupe-like (or sportback, to borrow an Audi term) body lines and four (or five) doors.
Specifically, it had a hood that sloped down near the front towards sharp headlights. It also had a trim piece running along both side doors, the front of which appears visible in the teaser image above.
The similarities between these images, as well as the confirmation of the new logo for the Toyota Crown, point pretty solidly towards those patent images been accurate. This means that the new vehicle will be a significant departure from its old-school antecedents.
One of Toyota’s oldest nameplates, the Crown has historically been a very traditional sedan. Sales of the model, though, have been slipping and it hasn’t been available in the U.S. for decades. With this generational shift, that could all change.
Another teaser released yesterday (the same one that confirmed the Crown logo) cryptically asked whether the Crown would be a sedan or an SUV. That clearly suggests that the high-riding sedan is riding the fence between both bodystyles, as has been tried by other automakers, like Peugeot.
A leaked dealer document seen by Carscoops, meanwhile, suggests that an SUV version of the Crown will be sold in the U.S. and could hit dealer showrooms as soon as this autumn.
Japanese media report that the new model will be based on the TNGA-K architecture, which offers vehicles both FWD and AWD layouts, as well as hybrid and electric powertrains. Expect to find out precisely what’s going on with the new Crown on July 15, when the vehicle is unveiled.


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With a discussion draft on dairy reform now circulating in the U.S. House of Representatives, the National Milk Producers Federation is focused on gaining support for legislation modeled on its Foundation for the Future.
The draft, released by House Ag Committee Ranking Member Collin C. Peterson, D-Minn., is circulating with the hope legislators will sign on as original co-sponsors of a formal bill, said Chris Galen, the federation's senior vice president of communications. That will also be the case in the Senate, where the federation will push to get a companion bill, he said.
The organization also is conducting a 12-city tour to meet with dairymen one-on-one, he said.
"The feedback has been mostly positive, but we recognize there are still questions or misunderstandings among dairy producers," he said.
The federation is counting on cooperatives and producers to urge their elected officials to support the legislation, he said.
The proposal would eliminate the Dairy Product Price Support, a government program that buys product when per-pound prices fall below a certain level.
It would also eliminate the Milk Income Loss Contracts program, which subsidizes producers a percentage of the difference between a USDA set trigger price and the actual market price on milk sold for fluid consumption, with a cap of 3 million pounds of milk annually.
The International Dairy Foods Association has issued a statement slamming all components of the proposal. IDFA particularly opposes the supply-management portion, which it contends would limit milk production and harm a growing export market.
That program will manipulate farm milk prices to be above world market prices and negatively impact the U.S. industry's ability to compete in new and emerging markets, IDFA CEO Connie Tipton said in a statement.
"Dairy exports will be hurt, and imports will be encouraged," she said.
The federation contends the program protects against such a scenario with a clause that prevents supply-management from kicking in if U.S. prices are 20 percent higher or more above world prices on cheddar cheese and skim milk powder.
It also contends export opportunities will be enhanced with the elimination of the price support program, which encourages processors to produce products the government will buy instead of products the world wants.
-- Carol Ryan Dumas


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In June 2022, inflation grew to 9.4% - a rise of 0.3% percentage points compared to the previous month’s figure.
It means the rate is the highest it’s been since the Consumer Prices Index was introduced and, after historical calculations, the highest since February 1982.
But what exactly do these figures mean - and what does it all mean for the cost of living crisis?
What does inflation mean?
Inflation is an economics measure that shows how much the price of goods and services have risen over a set period of time.
In the case of the CPI, the headline time period used is a year - so the figure of 9.4% means prices are 9.4% higher on average than they were in June 2021.
All western countries use inflation to track how their economies are performing.
If the rate is high - as it is at present - it means the cost of living is likely to be rising for people across the UK, which means the value of money is likely to be decreasing.
So, in essence, we’re all probably poorer than we were a year ago.
Rates of inflation constantly shift as a result of several factors, the most important of which include:
- Oil prices: higher oil prices make goods more expensive because it costs more to get them from A to B
- Energy prices: higher energy prices make it more expensive to produce goods and services
- Government policies: major tax cuts can increase spending, which can drive up prices
The ONS publishes updates on the UK inflation rate every month.
These figures have been in the news a lot so far in 2022 because inflation has been rocketing at a steep rate.
Why is inflation so high?
There are several big reasons for why inflation is so high at the present moment.
- The war in Ukraine: global food prices have been driven up as Ukraine is a major producer of important ingredients, like grain and sunflower oil.
- Sanctions against Russia: western sanctions against Russia, such as the UK oil ban, and resulting retaliation from President Vladimir Putin have thrown energy and fuel supplies into doubt. This has sent prices soaring as Russia is a major exporter of oil and gas to Europe.
- Global post-Covid recovery: As countries have emerged from Covid-19 lockdowns, demand for fuel and energy has rocketed as they have restarted their economies.
What are CPI and RPI?
The ONS has two main measures for inflation - the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) and the Retail Prices Index (RPI).
The CPI has been the official measure since 1996 and is calculated using a typical basket of goods and services that the UK frequently consumes.
This basket is weighted so that goods that are important to most households, like milk, have a greater influence over the headline inflation figure than luxuries, such as smart watches.
It’s used by the government to determine levels of state support, including benefits and the state pension, and also allows economists to make international comparisons.
As of June 2022, the CPI rate was 9.4%.
It means that something that cost an average of £1 last June is now 9.4p more expensive on average.
However, some average prices have risen well above this rate - for example, the average costs for some key energy and fuel product categories have roughly doubled.
RPI was the official yardstick for inflation during the 20th century, and is now calculated so that the UK can see how current rates compare historically.
But it is still used to determine how prices should change for important things like train tickets and phone contracts.
It tends to track higher than CPI because it includes mortgage interest payments.
The latest RPI for June 2022 is 11.8%.
What does current inflation mean for cost of living?
Whichever yardstick is used, both the CPI and RPI show that the UK cost of living has become much more expensive over the last 12 months.
The ONS says price rises are most pronounced in transport, where the CPI shows the average cost of motor fuel has gone up 42.3% year-on-year.
It means the price of moving goods and people around the country has become much more expensive.
The Bank of England has a target of keeping the country’s inflation to 2% - something it manages using interest rates.
This level of inflation is viewed as a good thing by many economists, as they believe it encourages people to spend what they have today, rather than see it go up in price tomorrow.
The argument is that this behaviour contributes towards a healthy economy, where people spend money in a sustainable way, which creates more demand for goods and services and - in turn - maintains supply chains and employment.
However, with inflation currently very high - and expected to go higher this year, before coming back down in 2023 - it means people are less likely to spend their hard earned cash on anything other than the basics.
In part, this is why there are predictions the UK could face a recession - i.e. two successive quarters of 0% or negative economic growth.


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The why, the truth and the solution.
During the pandemic, chlorine began leaking at the Bio Lab Factory in Lake Charles, Louisiana. This chlorine leak generated enough heat to begin burning on the morning of August 27th, 2020. The determining cause of this leak was the landfall of Hurricane Laura hours prior. Luckily, the factory had already been evacuated due to the hurricane. When the storm hit, Bio Lab was storing 835 tons of tablets made up of trichloroisocyanuric acid (tri-chlor). These tablets are used in pool chlorinators and floaters and help maintain chlorine levels all summer long. And now, there is a mass shortage across the industry in chlorine tablets.
One fact left out by the media; there is no shortage of liquid or powder chlorine. Tri-chlor tablets are what has become scarce across the entire industry. As a professional pool dealer, we have been promised only 80% of the amount of tablets we sold last year. Thankfully, our distributors have made it a priority to make sure professional pool dealers are taken care of before the big box stores. However, we are now met with the demand of big box store shoppers looking for chlorine tablets.
While the media constantly runs stories about the “chlorine” shortage (tablet shortage), we are now witnessing the same hysteria over stocking up on toilet paper when Covid first hit. It has now forced us to limit 1 bucket of tablets (if we have any) per household.
We realize this will be an issue in the upcoming months, and we want you to be equipped with the knowledge and product to keep your pool clean and safe this season. It is possible to run your pool solely on liquid and powder chlorine. In light of the shortage, we look forward to the opportunity to educate you on how to properly sanitize your pool. And the widely unknown damage the excessive use of chlorine tablets can cause to swimming pools.
We will be providing a micro Pool School series every Tuesday during the summer months, hosting 10 attendees per class. Starting Tuesday, June 1st, the first class begins at 10am and the second class at 2pm. During this series, our professional staff will teach you how to maintain a clean and clear pool without relying on tri-chlor tablets. Save your seat and RSVP today!
Keep your eye out for our social media channels, emails, and blogs while we continue to keep everyone educated and worry-free during this crisis.


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With smart watches on a serious charm offensive, one can’t help but wonder if the writing’s on the wall for mechanical watches. Honestly, we think not. In fact, we believe in the opposite, which is that smart watches have helped the mechanical watch industry in ways nobody foresaw.
Certain segments such as mid-range and poorly differentiated brands have been affected but in the grand scheme of things smart watches expanded the luxury market so that now there’s more room for everyone to compete. If anything, smart watches brought more attention to what we put on the wrist at a time when millennials are happy to wear nothing more than friendship bands and trendy bracelets.
And who says that you have to choose between the two? Just because someone owns a Patek Philippe doesn’t mean he or she wouldn’t enjoy wearing a Montblanc Summit. So here are six of the latest smart watch offerings in town that balance luxury with technology.
Photography: Gabe Chen
Styling: Eugene Lim
Special thanks to Nanyang Technological University, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Professor Ooi Kim Tiow, Professor Phạm Quang Cường and the Control Robotics Intelligence group.


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The stock market was broadly higher by early Wednesday afternoon, helped along by a flood of earnings reports. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI -1.11%) was up 0.33% at 12:30 p.m. EDT, trailing the other major indices.
Negotiations over a new stimulus bill continued Wednesday, with President Donald Trump suggesting that Democrats and Republicans were nowhere close to striking a deal. With the supplemental federal unemployment benefit set to end this month, a failure to pass new stimulus measures soon could derail the economic recovery.
Contributing to the Dow's underperformance on Wednesday were Boeing (BA -2.99%) and Visa (V -1.83%). Boeing badly missed analyst estimates for its second-quarter results, and it announced new production cuts to cope with depressed demand for commercial airplanes. Visa's earnings report was more of a mixed bag, featuring a double-digit decline in payments volume.
Boeing misses estimates, cuts production further
Airplane manufacturer Boeing is dealing with the dual crises of the continued grounding of its 737 MAX planes and decimated demand for air travel due to the pandemic. Sales were down 25% in the second quarter to $11.8 billion, missing the average analyst estimate by $1.14 billion. Adjusted earnings per share came in at a loss of $4.79, a whopping $2.26 worse than analysts were expecting.
Boeing delivered just 20 commercial airplanes in the second quarter, down from 90 in the prior-year period. The company has a backlog of 4,500 commercial airplanes worth $409 billion.
"To align to the sharp reduction in commercial market demand in light of COVID-19, the company is taking several actions including further adjusting commercial airplane production rates and reducing employment levels," read the company's earnings release. Boeing plans to reduce 787 production to six per month in 2021 while gradually reducing the combined production rate for the 777 and 777X to two per month.
With the pandemic nowhere near under control in the United States, it might take years for air passenger volumes to fully recover, and the recovery in commercial airplane demand could take longer. While passenger volumes have bounced back since bottoming out earlier this year, the number of travelers going through TSA checkpoints has stagnated over the past month at a greatly reduced level.
Boeing stock was down about 2.5% by early Wednesday afternoon. Shares now sit about 57% below their 52-week high.
Visa reports slump in payments volume
Visa's fiscal third quarter, which included the bulk of the stay-at-home orders in the United States due to the pandemic, featured double-digit declines in revenue, net income, payments volume, and processed transactions.
Revenue of $4.8 billion was down 17% year over year, falling just shy of the average analyst estimate. Service revenue, which is recognized based on payments volume for the previous quarter, was flat at $2.4 billion. Adjusted EPS of $1.06 beat expectations by $0.02, but it was down 23% from the prior-year period.
Total payments volume was down 10% in the quarter, with processed transactions down 13%. Cross-border volume tumbled 37%, with a 47% decline excluding transactions within Europe.
The situation improved for the credit card company throughout the third quarter. The relaxing of stay-at-home orders in the U.S. drove a meaningful improvement in payments volume, with card-present spending trending higher. E-commerce spending excluding travel remained elevated as consumers continued to favor online purchases. The cross-border picture was cloudier, with volumes only marginally improving as the quarter progressed.
Shares of Visa were down about 0.6% by early Wednesday afternoon on the earnings news. The stock remains roughly 8.6% below its 52-week high.


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The airline - famed for low-cost travel - now charges a whopping 614 per cent more than it did last year for debit card transactions, according to new research by Which? Holiday.
This means booking fees with the airline have increased from 70p to a staggering £5 each way, while using a credit card has increased £3 from £2 to £5 per person each way.
The shocking survey found that card bookings with other airlines have also soared by over 600 per cent in 18 months.
Thomas Cook UK now charges holidaymakers £10 per booking for using a debit card and First Choice customers £2.50 - despite neither airline imposing a charge 18 months ago.
Lorna Cowan, editor or Which? Holiday, said: “We understand that there is a charge to airlines for taking payment for flights with debit or credit cards and that this cost will be passed on to consumers.
"But how can some of these airlines justify charging over 600 per cent more than they did 18 months ago?
“The amount charged by the airlines should be reflective of the costs incurred by them."
She added: "This does not appear to be the case with current charges, and we are concerned that airlines may be using them as a way of boosting profits.”
Today Ryanair spokesman Daniel de Carvalho hit out at the report, adding there are a number of ways to avoid the charges.
He told the BBC: "Passengers know they can avoid payment handling charges altogether with Visa Electron, which 20 million Ryanair passengers will do this year while booking the guaranteed lowest fares with no fuel surcharges at Ryanair.com."


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The most hyped marketplace is finding it hard to gain momentum
The highly anticipated Coinbase NFT marketplace has had a dismal first month of trading, partly due to launching during a downturn and finding it hard to gain traction. The Coinbase NFT marketplace has processed just 5,446 transactions and a little over $1 million in sales since April 20. During the same timeframe, leading NFT marketplace OpenSea racked up over 4 million transactions and more than $4.6 billion in sales volume.
Launching an NFT marketplace by leading centralized exchange Coinbase was expected to put NFTs closer to some of the 98 million verified accounts and push adoption further. Especially as more than 2 million people signed up for the waiting list. However, as some point to an economic downturn and crashing crypto prices to explain the anti-climax, it’s essential to look at how other NFT marketplaces perform.
Don’t blame bitcoin
The data points to a situation where NFT trading and sales are still highly active, just that the Coinbase NFT Marketplace isn’t seeing much action. OpenSea has been dominant in the NFT secondary market and hasn’t released its vice grip despite serious attempts from LooksRare and other suitors to dislodge them.
OpenSea racked up over $4.6 billion in NFT sales volume from over 4 million transactions and almost half a million users since April 20. LooksRare has remained competitive despite changes to its LOOKS token rewards, processing more than $2 billion in sales volume from far fewer transactions. Notably, a lot of the activity on LooksRare involves bad actors selling NFTs back and forth to themselves to gain LOOKS tokens. Hence the lower number of transactions, but still generating $2 billion, or half the sales volume of OpenSea in the same time.
OpenSea was buoyed by the Bored Ape Yacht Club Otherside NFT land sale, which happened at the end of April. Significant spikes can be seen around May as NFT land plots started trading on the OpenSea NFT market.
No need to panic
Despite a slow start, transactions and sales on the Coinbase NFT marketplace are starting to pick up momentum, with May being the most active month. The marketplace has processed 2,465 of its total 5,566 NFT sales in the last seven days, showing an increased appetite for NFTs from Coinbase as prices denoted in ETH began to fall in line with token values on May 5.
Looking at which NFTs are selling on the Coinbase NFT marketplace reveals NFTs mostly from what are now considered blue-chip collections. This again supports the idea that more educated buyers are making purchases of top NFTs now due to the falling price of ETH and the ability to grab a discount. Doodles have generated more than 136 ETH, or around $275,000. Tiny Cats and RTFKT also top the list, while Otherside land and VeeFriends Series 2 see fewer sales.
Interestingly, the Coinbase marketplace hosts storefront pages for OpenSea, Rarible, and Known Origin. These act like a portal for customers to purchase NFTs from these alternative platforms without leaving the Coinbase marketplace. Together, these Rarible pages host almost 200,000 NFTs, while the OpenSea page surpasses 1.5 million. The Coinbase NFT marketplace is funneling a lot of traffic and sales volume to its competitors.
Another interesting observation is that on the Rarible page shown at the top of the list above, as having accumulated 1487 sales and generated over 21 ETH, we see some suspect NFT items. To the trained eye, these items are replicas or fakes of original NFTs. They depict blue-chip collections like BAYC or MAYC. However, the main giveaway is the price. According to this page, I can get a Bored Ape x Louis Vuitton NFT for $15. Arguably these sales are the reason behind such inflated numbers seen through the Rarible contract and could be stimulated by uneducated buyers with weaker hands using the Coinbase marketplace.
It’s early days for the Coinbase NFT marketplace, but some prolific wallet addresses already stand out. With 109 sales, we see CheeryBen at the top of the pile.
Further wallet diving using the DappRadar Portfolio Tracker shows that the wallet contains 267 NFTs worth around $11,000. However, the wallet is packed full of what looks like a well-curated collection of rip-off and imitation NFTs with low individual values.
On first inspection, you might think, this person bought lots of fake NFTs from the aforementioned Rarible collection. While it’s indeed possible, it’s a fact they are trying to flip them at 100x the value on their page that sets alarm bells off. Looking at the trading history for Nounbird#3106, it appears that this person is trying to trick other unsuspecting people into buying a fake priced at 138 ETH, or around $275,000.
This could be happening on a marketplace like Coinbase, where arguably the user is far less aware than those using decentralized platforms like OpenSea. More worrying is that somebody might pay 138 ETH for a copycat NFT, undoubtedly bringing a lot of negative press to the Coinbase marketplace and NFTs overall as a knock-on effect.
NFTs dead? Don’t be silly
While some will blame the markets for Coinbase’s underwhelming performance this past month, we at DappRadar see a different picture emerging for NFTs amidst a bear market scenario. At the end of April, we observed NFT markets recover after a six-week cooldown period with $6.3 billion in monthly trading volume; Moonbirds were a big driver with $0.5 billion generated in trades immediately. Interestingly, we saw NFT trading volume on Solana grow 90% from March, reaching $295 million, driven mainly by Okay Bears and DeGods. Alongside all this, Yuga Labs’ Otherside land drop stirred the crypto market with $340 million in APE from the mint and $420 million in secondary trades.
Coinbase is still the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the US and arguably saw its opportunity to grab a slice of an NFT market now worth billions of dollars. After a rather abrupt entry into the world of NFT marketplaces, the Coinbase NFT marketplace now has some serious work to engage its audience and educate them about NFT ownership and its perils.
The above does not constitute investment advice. The information given here is purely for informational purposes only. Please exercise due diligence and do your research. The writer holds positions in various cryptocurrencies, including BTC, ETH, and RADAR.


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Coffee is the second-most traded commodity in the world after crude oil. The ubiquitous drink commands a sizable US$100 billion market globally, with exports accounting for US$20 billion.
But as traditional coffee drinking markets in the West exhibit signs of stagnation, Asia is stepping up to fill the void. Indonesia, India, and Vietnam are ranked within the top five fastest-growing markets in the world.
Part of the reason behind this spurt is product innovation in the value chain. The number of new coffee products in Asia rose by 95% between 2011 and 2016, offering consumers tantalizing choices and catering to local palettes.
Specifically, it was the growing role of coffee pods that spurred and accounted for 26% of global coffee retail innovation in 2016.
“As emerging market consumers develop their taste for coffee, innovation is stepping up a notch as drinkers trade up from instant to fresher-tasting coffee […] pod and capsule sales will [continue to] increase,” says Johnny Forsyth, global drinks analyst at Mintel.
This presents a rare opportunity for FMCG brands to cash in. Tea has generally been the caffeinated drink of choice across most of Asia but a combination of glitzy marketing, an increased footprint of global coffee brands like Starbucks, and “cafe socialization” is changing habits.
Nescafe Dolce Gusto doubles down on Asia
The Dolce Gusto machine was first introduced by Nescafe in 2006 as a cheaper alternative to its premium Nespresso offering. The mechanics are similar; consumers insert ‘pods’ of coffee to make instant drinks like cappuccinos, latte macchiato, espresso, and hot chocolate.
Sales of the machines have been rising steadily in Asia due to Nescafe’s social media campaigns to engender brand loyalty.
The company launched its first Southeast Asian customer relationship management program in Singapore. The email marketing campaign segmented users based on their individual profiles and alerted them about offers, new flavors, and seasonal products.
“From the highly-engaged Facebook following, we know that consumers enjoy that the brand is sophisticated but not too serious […] It has allowed us to develop a new, innovative programme which really engages members,” said Will Adeney, VP of marketing analytics for Ogilvy One.
More recently, in Malaysia, Nescafe deployed social listening strategies to further entrench Dolce Gusto as a fan-centric brand. The company learnt coffee drinking wasn’t an activity done in isolation; connoisseurs loved to document it on social media with a prodigious amount of hashtags. Engagement from followers was robust.
This helped Nescafe develop marketing campaigns around user-generated content. Its fans were already posting brand images on social – why not give them an enhanced platform?
Why does this matter? Because according to Nielsen, the most credible advertising comes from people we know and trust.
83% of people have faith in the recommendations of friends and family.
Another interesting caveat: 53% of millennials indicated that user-generated content has influenced their purchasing decisions.
To tackle developing markets like Thailand, Nescafe launched a subscription commerce campaign powered by ecommerce enabler aCommerce. The offer, first introduced in August 2016, enticed consumers to sign up for a yearly subscription of coffee pods with the perk of a free Dolce Gusto machine.
Consumers only needed to pay via credit card, which would be billed automatically every month for a total of 12 recurring payments. It was a novel concept in Thailand, which still mainly relies on cash-on-delivery as its primary payment mechanism.
But the success of the campaign prompted the global coffee behemoth to launch another similar subscription campaign, this time revolving around Nescafe Gold & CoffeeMate.
Blending online & offline
Coffee drinking in Asia may be accompanied by a blitz of social media activity, but there’s a large offline component, too. It’s a way for friends and family to bond, building meaningful experiences and connections along the way.
It’s because of this factor Nestle has relied on pop-up campaigns inside shops and department stores. Visitors to a Tokyo mall last month were greeted by Pepper, the famous humanoid robot, who proceeded to ask them if they wanted a coffee.
An embedded tablet helped determine the size, type, and strength of the beverage and payments were facilitated via Alipay.
The timing of the campaign deliberately coincided with Chinese New Year celebrations and was designed to grow the brand in mainland China, where Starbucks is aggressively promoting its stores.
Another campaign in Australia placed expertly-trained staff across large department stores in the country to educate potential customers about the benefits of Dolce Gusto machines.
This particular promotion targeted Mother’s Day, typically one of the busiest retail days in Australia.
In 2013, Credit Suisse analysts estimated that about 55 % of Nestle’s coffee sales came from developing markets.
Such continued product innovation and catchy campaigns probably mean the figure is much higher now.
To tackle new and competitive markets like Southeast Asia, the best retail strategy is a blend of online strategies like subscription commerce to capture Internet-savvy consumers and traditional offline customer touchpoints to win over the world’s next population of coffee drinkers.


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Chengdu Attracts IT Giants
Many other IT giants have invested in Chengdu and the Chengdu High-tech Comprehensive Bonded Zone is home to a number of leading IT companies, including Intel, Dell, Lenovo, Foxconn and Molex.
Dec 20, 2014
World’s Robotics and Intelligent Equipment Manufacturers Eye Chengdu
Top experts in the world’s robotics and intelligent equipment manufacturing convened recently in Chengdu to showcase their latest scientific research achievements and share technology and ideas with local representatives from the manufacturing industry.
Dec 23, 2014
Intel Achieves High Degree of Talent Localization in Chengdu
On Jan. 8, the 6th Intel Cup Vocational Knowledge and Skills Contest was held in Chengdu.
Jan 12, 2015
Sino-Germany (Pujiang) SMEs Cooperation Zone
The Sino-Germany (Pujiang ) SMEs Cooperation Zone focuses on the industries involving intelligent manufacturing equipment, precision machinery and biomedicine.
Sep 29, 2016
World’s First New Energy Elevated Monorail Put into Trial Operation in Chengdu
With an intellectual copy right completely owned by China, the new rail transit system is expected to put into commercial operation as early as next year.


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Making micro businesses more visible
NDFD to stage second Creole in the Street
Through its 2nd Creole in the Streets (CITS) Trade Expo, the National Development Foundation of Dominica (NDFD) will help 50 individuals showcase their local products and services.
The 2nd CITS will be held on October 23; 50 individuals will display their products and services on Great Marlborough Street from 8:00 am – 8:00 pm.
The event will also feature performances from local cultural groups and a domino competition sponsored by sponsors Dominica Brewery and Beverages Limited.
The objectives of the CITS are to create an awareness of the high quality products available, provide marketing and advertising opportunities for small and micro businesses, and secure orders and customers, said CITS Public Relations Officer Carrie Charles Thomas at the media launch of CITS on October 12.
She added that Expo will also develop export potential of the small and micro businesses and create linkages with visitors during the Independence season.
Additionally, Ferdina Frampton the representative of LIME, the CITS's gold sponsor urged the participants of the expo to display their best products on the day of the event.
"Local is just as good as anything else that we get but let us present it very well to make sure when persons come to patronize and come to purchase that they have something of substance," said Frampton.
Meanwhile, Executive Director of NDFD, Cletus Joseph said that CITS is not just a mere function but an event with a difference.
"It is not the traditional bacchanal and party, we need to show that we are worth a lot more," said Joseph.
Joseph added this expo serves as an opportunity to show that Dominicans are resilient and creative people with the ability to use what they have to get what they want.
He noted that this will be done by using local products and their skills to create a product or service that the wider community deserves.
Joseph added that he would like to see more local businesses build awareness of the products and services.
"We need as local businesses to build that sought of brand awareness and branding for our products and get our people locally to use and consume more of what we produce locally," he said.


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As mainstream as video games have become, there are still millions of people who do not yet participate in the hobby. These people represent the future growth of the industry, and publishers, developers and platform holders alike are exploring new ways to get them engaged.
Whether it’s Google’s attempts to bring down the barrier to entry with cloud gaming service Stadia, hypercasual mobile developers focusing on accessible game design to get people playing, or Nintendo hoping to recapture the Wii Fit magic with products like Ring Fit Adventure, there are myriad ways of appealing to non-gamers.
But for Caroline Marchal, CEO of UK developer Interior Night, there’s a simpler method: tell them a story.
“I don’t think anyone has watched something like this anywhere – and they certainly haven’t played this”
“Story is a fundamental element of attracting people to play a game,” she says. “We focus 100% on getting a great script with flawed characters that people will find relatable and compelling.”
Marchal and her team aim to demonstrate this with their debut title As Dusk Falls, an interactive drama heading to Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC. The game centres on a conflict at a motel in the Arizona desert, in a story that’s “not about saving the world, but about deep and intimate relationships.”
“We’ve got two families we focus on across 30 years, so it’s got scope and it’s a really original story,” says Marchal. “I don’t think anyone has watched something like this anywhere — and they certainly haven’t played this.
“We confront [the audience] to ask questions about really relatable themes and real-life struggles. Can you break free from a toxic family? Can you start over by moving house or changing jobs? Will all your problems


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As a few of South Africa’s prominent creative festivals are just around the corner, we thought it would be a good time to roundup the local art and design fairs you have to look forward to in 2015.
Author: Amber Cowie
Web Bandit has recently created The Web Factory – an online service aimed at graphic designers, ad agencies and creatives which takes care of the coding that is vital in any website creation process.
Nicci Martin is a freelance graphic designer and illustrator who works from her home studio in Johannesburg.
King Adz’ latest book, ‘My Mzansi Heart’ published by Jacana Media, follows his encounters with different South African creative figures as well as his own personal history.
Chapel was founded by Caleb Pedersen in 2009 after an unsuccessful search for a good-looking, locally made backpack to use while cycling around Cape Town.
With the Loeries judging panel being a selection of industry elites who are focusing mainly on creativity and innovation, we wondered how their choice of ‘good ads’ would compare to public opinion.
On September 20th, seven global creative leaders will be sharing their industry wisdom with a South African audience at the International Seminar of Creativity, part of Loeries Creative Week Cape Town.
Mohau Modisakeng is a multi-disciplinary artist living and working in Johannesburg.
Art Map South Africa is a site created for anyone looking to find out more about museums, galleries, alternative art spaces, magazines, events, development organisations and tertiary institutions across the country.
The Foschini Group has released a new range of gift cards designed by Am I Collective which were made to reflect the brand characteristics – creativity, innovation, style, choice and quality.
It’s almost time for the exhibition of the Mandela Poster Project; an initiative that was created to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 95 years of life through art.
BRAAMOPOLY is a project created by Laura Burocco; an Urban planner focused on public and private developments in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.
Situ, a collaboration between jewellery designers Philippa Green and Ida Elsje and architect/ diamantaire Gregory Katz, has launched a new collection; Refractive Dust.
A new documentary style video following the Rising Phoenix Magic Bus Tour has just been released by Ross Hillier, Johno Mellish and Nicolaas Van Reenan.
Red Huxley are a young rock band from Cape Town. Due to a mix of talent and fate the trio have now arrived in California to record their debut album with Dave Catching from Eagles of Death Metal.


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Despite huge discounts and a shopping season that began well before Thanksgiving, holiday shoppers this year just aren’t spending the way retailers had hoped. After slogging for years through a sluggish economy, who can blame consumers for holding tight to their wallets?
There are some signs that shoppers are starting to come back to life. Increases in household income and wealth thanks to raises, rising home values, and a strong stock market are helping boost consumer confidence. Consumers may have a few more reasons to smile in 2014, with lower prices on a host of everyday items.
The CPI inched up just 1 percent in the 12 months ending in October, the smallest 12-month increase since October 2009, and economists expect an increase of about 3 percent next year, although certain categories such as housing may grow at a quicker pace.
With such modest inflation predicted for 2014, any relief for consumers would be welcome. After all, every dollar saved on gas prices or a technology purchase could help a consumer’s bottom line, or maybe help push up the consumer savings rate. In October, that rate stood at 4.8 percent. That’s up from the dismal 2- and 3-percent rates seen before in the years leading up to the Great Recession, but it’s still down from the double-digit savings rate seen in the 1970 and early 1980s.


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Pharrell Williams forceful in fashion
Pharrell Williams was chosen to join Rihanna's Styled To Rock series as a result of his influence in the world of fashion and music.
The hip-hop star was announced as the new mentor on Rihanna's fashion reality show Styled To Rock yesterday.
The series will air on the Style Network later this year and will see Pharrell team up with pop songstress in a search of the up-and-coming designers of tomorrow.
“We are delighted to have Pharrell, who is a driving force in both the music industry and fashion world, serve as a mentor on Styled to Rock," said Salaam Coleman Smith, President of Style Media to HollywoodLife.com. “Pharrell’s unique aesthetic and commitment to individuality combined with Rihanna’s vision for this series will enable our aspiring designers to hone their craft and learn from the very people who set the trends.”
The ten-episode series will give 12 hopefuls the opportunity of a lifetime, to create unique fashion pieces for A-list celebrity talent. Pharrell is not only lending his eye for trends to the show, but also his advice on making a success out of a clothing line, having turned his hand to designing collections throughout his time in the public eye.
It was announced earlier this week that Pharrell has collaborated with Mark McNairy on a new line of goods called BBC Black.
The collection uses military performance fabrics fused into simple and striking street wear.
"What this does is highlight the silhouette, that's what all black does," Pharrell told GQ.com about the line. "[Mark] he's a talented designer and partner in the business. I don't want to give the samples back. All black has been a trend in hip-hop for years. [This line] is a celebration of great silhouettes, done all in black."
© Cover Media


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Veritiv Named A Top 100 3PL Provider
Veritiv Corporation, a North American leader in business-to-business distribution solutions, has been named a Top 100 Third Party Logistics (3PL) Provider by Inbound Logistics, a trade publication targeted toward business logistics and supply chain managers.
“Inbound Logistics is proud to honor Veritiv Logistics Solutions for innovative solutions empowering logistics and supply chain excellence in 2017,” said Felecia Stratton, Editor, Inbound Logistics. “Veritiv Logistics Solutions was selected because its solutions solve specific logistics challenges and improve processes, and create a ripple effect of efficiencies across the entire value chain.”
"This award recognizes our commitment to delivering innovative supply chain solutions and logistics services that provide a competitive edge,” said Dan Watkoske, Senior Vice President, Print and Veritiv Services. “We are proud of our team’s hard work and of our specialized offerings in transportation services and supply chain logistics technology.”
Each year, Inbound Logistics editors select the best logistics solutions providers by carefully evaluating submitted information, conducting personal interviews, online research, and comparing that data to readers’ burgeoning global supply chain and logistics challenges. The editors selected this year's class of Top 100 3PLs from a pool of more than 300 companies.


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At the press time, Bitcoin Cash is on the 3rd place in the list of top cryptocurrencies with the highest market capitalisation. Bitcoin Cash currently follows Bitcoin and Ethereum having a $10 billion MarketCap, which is $3 billion more than it had only 6 days ago. During past week Bitcoin Cash was developing quite positively and eventually rose almost by 40% from $440 on November 1 to $620 on November 7.
Bitcoin Cash Charts
On November 3 the cryptocurrencies market cap exceeded $200 billion and it was noticed that Bitcoin Cash rose by 87%. What is more, on November 1 Wikileaks Shop announced in twitter that it starts to accept Bitcoin Cash as a method of payment, notably rising awareness of the currency among users.
Also, Bitcoin Cash is in the centre of attention because its hard fork is due to come on November 13. According to Bitcoin entrepreneur Juan Garavaglia, Bitcoin Cash hard fork is only meant to upgrade the protocol.
It seems like the transformation and development of Bitcoin Cash as an independent cryptocurrency outside Bitcoin, lets it grow so fast. For instance, Bithumb, the second largest crypto exchange after Bitfinex, was making nearly $1 billion in Bitcoin Cash trades daily during the last month.
Bithumb Bitcoin Cash Graph
Also, such a successful development of Bitcoin Cash may be linked to a fast-growing Bitcoin as any cryptocurrency directly connected with Bitcoin would benefit from the exposure of Bitcoin in media services and within financial industry.
— Bitcoin Cash (@BITCOlNCASH) 6 ноября 2017 г.
Moreover, on November 6 the official account of Bitcoin Cash made an announcement that 21 of Los Angeles area bitcoin ATM locations of BitcoinPlug will be selling Bitcoin Cash from now on, which is also quite a positive piece of news.


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2017 Toyota 4runner – As the news for the upcoming release of the 2017 Toyota 4runner spreads around, the curiosity of the people is also increasing. The release of the new car by Toyota will surely heat up the tension for the competition in automobile industry. Many have claimed that the release of the new 2017 Toyota 4runner will show dramatic difference compare to its previous version and it will make it able to compete well with the other brand. The new design for the new Toyota car is also worth anticipated by the lover of sports car. The upcoming launch for the 2017 Toyota 4runner will satisfy the lover with its improvement on car system technology and design.
The manufacture of the 2017 Toyota 4runner limited is the result of the steady commitment made by the Toyota Company to provide a high quality ride that can match the people’s need. The commitment has made the company gave birth to the Toyota 4runner limited in 1984. The redefine of it will transformed into 2017 Toyota 4runner limited which will be coming with some improvements. It once again shows that the carmaker will never stop its commitment to develop high-tech car that provide comfort to the people who ride it.
2017 Toyota 4runner Concept
The concept for the 2017 Toyota 4runner is a car that will suit the family needs but powerful at the same time. The power of the car will be supplied by the V6 engine installed for the car. The 2017 Toyota 4runner is designed to meet various needs of the people, therefore it need to be supported with steady design and powerful machine. The new Toyota 4runner is also designed to make the driver be able to control this powerful car better.
2017 Toyota 4runner Redesign
2017 Toyota 4runner will enter the market with some redesign and refinement here and there in the body construction. Starting from the outer look of the car, it is made to look more elegant and sporty at the same time. This looks will attract the eye of the people in just one look. The new 2017 Toyota 4runner will be equipped with better safety system and also suspension. The improvement does not stop in the external part; on the inside the 2017 Toyota 4runner will be equipped with newly improved entertainment system. 6 inches display with touch screen feature, upgraded audio system, and car driving system are also installed to add more comfort for those who ride the car.
2017 Toyota 4runner Price
The estimation for the price of 2017 Toyota 4runner is made based on the improved features and engine upgrade for the car. Considering those improvements, many reviewers predict that the car will be offered around $ 33.000 until $ 44.000. However, those numbers is not official yet since the car-maker has not been announcing anything regarding the price of the car.
2017 Toyota 4runner Release Date
Many information and details of the upcoming release of the 2017 Toyota 4runner have been spreading out. But the only thing that can be assured is that the car development is still in an ongoing process. Many predict that the car will make its entrance in the market at the end of 2016. But to assure this claim, we need to wait for the official statement made by Toyota regarding the date of release for 2017 Toyota 4runner.
2017 Toyota 4runner Images
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Post Media Co Ltd, the owner of The Phnom Penh Post and Post Khmer, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Siem Reap Tourism Club (STC) on Friday, to collaborate in supporting the tourism industry for sustainable development in the province.
Also launched at the event in Siem Reap was Post Watch, a news programme in English and Khmer that is the first of its kind in Cambodia and hosted on the fastest-growing video platform – Facebook Watch.
Signing on behalf of Post Media was its CEO and publisher Ly Tayseng, while STC president Philip Kao did so for his organisation.
During the event, which was attended by around 80 specially invited guests from the tourism and related industries, Tayseng said The Post and Post Khmer have grown markedly since the takeover by its new management 14 months ago.
“Both have grown into truly national newspapers that now have a presence in all the Kingdom’s 25 provinces. Last year we launched our mobile app, and soon we will revamp our website as well,” he said.
He said Post Watch, which was designed from the ground up to be unlike any other news programme in Cambodia, sources its material straight from the pages of the multiple award-winning Phnom Penh Post newspaper and shares the very best of reportage in an entertaining, bite-size format.
On the MoU, Tayseng said: “The fact is that if the STC’S members do well in the province and the tourism industry grows further, they will advertise in our newspapers and on our digital channels. This presents a win-win situation for all parties.
“This is why we are committed to promoting food and beverage venues and leisure activities, as well as new tourism destinations and offerings in Siem Reap, aside from the traditional draw of Angkor Wat,” he said.
Tayseng said all media channels under Post Media would help promote not just tourism but other businesses and industries throughout the Kingdom.
“We are also keen to expand collaborations with other industries. We are very aggressive in this and have already expanded beyond our traditional advertisers,” he said.
For STC, Kao said he is excited with the collaboration with Post Media as the club has numerous plans, including monthly networking events with organisers such as CAM Food Hotels and the Cambodia Chef Association.
He said the club is organising many events this year together with other stakeholders, such as a tree planting campaign, an initiative with Tan Kimsour, which is to kick off on Wednesday. There will also be tree planting events in August.
“At the national level, the STC will join the Ministry of Tourism to promote the Cambodia Travel Mart from October 11-16, while at the international level, we are arranging and organising potential investors from Singapore and
other countries to come to Siem Reap for tourism, investment and other business opportunities.
“That is why we are very excited with this collaboration with Post Media, and through it The Phnom Penh Post, Post Khmer, Post Watch and its other media channels.
“‘To go fast, go alone; to go far, go together’ – this has always been my motto, and now with this collaboration with Post Media, STC is certain that together, we will go far,” Kao said.


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What will become of Donald Trump’s wedding cake?
Artist Andres Serrano coughed up $1,880 to purchase a piece of cake leftover from Donald and Melania’s 2005 wedding. This is particularly intriguing given that Serrano is best known for a controversial 1987 artwork titled Immersion (Piss Christ), which is exactly what it sounds like: a photograph of a crucifix submerged in the artist’s own urine. What exactly Serrano is planning to do with this artifact of American history is unknown, but he did say, “I’ve got something on my mind and it’s much more than cake!” :thinking face emoji:
And in other news...
• Nonalcoholic beer sales are booming, which spells bad news for the soda industry. [WSJ]
• Trump’s trade war is hurting the U.S. whiskey industry, thanks to retaliatory tariffs from other countries: Europe is currently slapping a 25 percent duty on American whiskey, and U.S. exports are down significantly as a result. [NY Times]
• Ex-Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz’s potential presidential campaign is based on three ideas, and they’re all wrong. [Vox]
• Country singer Miranda Lambert reportedly dumped a salad on a woman at a Nashville steakhouse after getting into a verbal altercation. [TMZ]
• A new study out of Japan says an ingredient used in McDonald’s french fries could alleviate baldness. (It’s not the potatoes themselves, but rather a silicone called dimethylpolysiloxane that’s added to them to keep the oil from frothing.) [WLWT]
• The origins of the heart-shaped box of chocolates stretches back hundreds of years, all the way to medieval times. [Vox]
• But if a heart-shaped box of chocolates just won’t do for your valentine, UK grocer Marks & Spencer is selling heart-shaped “Love Sausages” for Valentine’s Day:
Are you ready for our Love Sausage? Heart-shaped, lightly-truffled, wrapped in bacon and in store tomorrow. Say it with sausages – tag who you’ll be sharing your Love Sausage with this Valentine's Day! #MyMarksFave pic.twitter.com/VPQi4ENnsn— M&S (@marksandspencer) February 7, 2019


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Parrot's second-generation Zik weighs significantly less, offers better sound quality and noise-cancelling, and is loaded with features that are customizable via new apps for Android and iOS devices (and Windows devices in the future).
The next update to Windows 8.1 will arrive during August's Patch Tuesday, claims a Russian website.
Once again, Game of Thrones has broken all torrenting records -- records the show had already set itself.
Dragging down the rest of the company Sony's mobile unit posts a quarterly operating loss of $1.6 billion on $2.8 billion in revenue.
Brian Cooley shows you why this little Audi was the big car tech story of the year.
A 26-year-old computer programmer in San Francisco is accused of running the illicit site, which feds say followed a similar business model to its shuttered predecessor.
Apple and Samsung will account for almost half of those shipments, but vendors in emerging regions will increasingly move the market, says research firm Juniper Research.
A possible reason for Mazda being so cagey about nailing down specs for the next MX-5 is the possibility that we'll see a decrease in stated power.
A few Australian users of the latest update say they're still running into issues with connectivity and the Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
An unprecedented data heist highlights the need for stronger password security. Meanwhile, Timex creates a smartwatch that doesn't need a smartphone.


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Vinyl album sales in the UK have exceeded the one million mark this year for the first time since the 90s Britpop era as “classic rock” fans snap up physical copies of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd records.
The vinyl revival has reached a new highpoint, with 2014 sales passing the million mark last weekend, according to Official Charts data – the first time that milestone has been passed since 1996.
Whilst the music industry is adapting to a largely digital future, the attraction of a heavyweight 12” package, complete with artwork and sleeve-notes, has lured older record-buyers back to stores alongside a new generation of “hipster” collectors.
There are three re-released Led Zeppelin albums and two Pink Floyd opuses, including their new release The Endless River, in the 2014 vinyl top ten. Arctic Monkeys and Jack White are the top-sellers, confirming vinyl’s renewed popularity with contemporary music fans.
The 2014 sale figure is already comfortably ahead of the 780,674 sales posted in 2013. With the Christmas trading period still to come, music industry body BPI predicts the final total for 2014 will rise towards a figure of 1.2m unit sales – a level of vinyl consumption not seen since 1996, when 1,083,206 LPs were purchased.
Fittingly, the best-selling vinyl LP last week was David Bowie’s new career retrospective, Nothing Has Changed.
Vinyl is still a niche business, accounting for 2% of the UK recorded music market. Last week’s vinyl number one, Floyd’s The Endless River, sold just 6,000 copies, even though this was highest tally of any LP released since 1997.
Artists see a vinyl release as a “badge of honour” with even One Direction releasing their new Four collection in the format. The primary purchasers are rock fans however and a new crop of bands led by Royal Blood and indie group Temples are joining the heritage acts among the year’s best-sellers.
One vinyl shopper surveyed by the BBC at the Rough Trade East record store in East London, said: “I think it’s sort of a hipster thing. Things that were cool decades ago, but fell out of fashion, are making a comeback.”
Major labels can also sell heavyweight vinyl albums, promising an excellent sound reproduction when played on the right hi-fi equipment, for up to £25 to a hard-core of physical music buyers.
Martin Talbot, Official Charts Chief Executive, said: “In scoring the biggest opening week for a vinyl album this millennium, The Endless River illustrates the British public’s renewed love for this format, which is on course to become a £20m business this year – an incredible turnaround from barely £3m just five years ago. This resurgence also underlines music fans’ continuing fascination with the album.”
Gennaro Castaldo of the BPI said: “We have entered an exciting best-of-all-worlds era where there is space and scope for all kinds of music to be discovered and enjoyed in every type of way, including on vinyl once again.
“Many of us assumed it had become an obsolete format, but while the flame may have flickered, it never quite went out, and we are now seeing a burgeoning resurgence in demand led by exciting new acts such as Royal Blood that is likely to keep vinyl on our high streets for many more years to come.”
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Jan 4, 2018
For its Smart Woman series, Ivanhoe Web interviews Karla Friede about her success as CEO of a B2B fintech company.
Jan 1, 2018
Nvoicepay's partnership with Viewpoint Construction Software makes it an ideal payment tool for construction firms across the United States, according to Building Savvy Magazine.
Dec 12, 2017
Beaverton, Ore. — December 12, 2017 — Nvoicepay, the leader in payment automation software for the enterprise, today announced the appointment of veteran financial and executive-level business partner, John Ewert as Chief Financial Officer.
Dec 12, 2017
Business-to-business electronic payments company Nvoicepay has hired a well-known finance exec as its first chief financial officer.
Dec 5, 2017
Rob Bernshteyn, CEO of Nvoicepay partner Coupa Software, was interviewed by CEO about the success of Coupa thus far and how partnerships and integrations have helped create a complete procure-to-pay process for customers.
Nov 28, 2017
November 7, 2017 — Portland, Ore. — Viewpoint, the established leader in integrated software solutions for a contractor’s office, team, and field, is pleased to announce a partnership with Nvoicepay, the leader in payment automation software for the enterprise. Both companies are focused on bringing innovation to the construction industry and delivering immediate and measurable customer value.
Nov 27, 2017
In episode 852 of Nathan Latka's podcast, he interviews Nvoicepay CEO and founder, Karla Friede.
Nov 21, 2017
Viewpoint Construction Software's Director of Strategic Partners, Henry Ferguson, discusses the latest partnership between Viewpoint and Nvoicepay. Ferguson highlights the innovation that software companies are creating for the construction industry, and how this technology reduces risk and increases efficiency for customers.
Nov 17, 2017
Karla Friede discusses Nvoicepay's innovative electronic payments solution in an interview with On The Dot Woman.
Nov 13, 2017
Nvoicepay was recognized by CB Insights as the most well-funded fintech in the state of Oregon. Nvoicepay was mentioned alongside other fintech giants like SoFi (California) and Dwolla (Iowa).


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Jolla, the new Finnish-based smartphone company that spun out of Nokia, just secured its first mobile phone carrier.
Finland's third largest smartphone carrier DNA announced today that it would be the first to sell Jolla's (pronounced Yo-Lah) flagship phone.
Jolla expects to begin production of its flagship phone by the end of this year, and hopes to ship pre-ordered devices by the end of the year, CEO Tomi Pienimaki said at a small press event earlier this week.
So far, 118 countries have expressed interest in the Jolla smartphone, Pienimaki said. But for now, Jolla has its eyes on the European and Chinese markets. Pienimaki would not disclose the exact number of pre-orders.
Pienimaki also said that he expects to close a new round of funding in the next couple of weeks. To date, Jolla has received funding from Nokia's Bridge program and China Fortune.
Jolla runs the company's own Sailfish OS, which is based on the MeeGo OS that Nokia smartphones ran before switching to Microsoft's Windows Phone 8. Even though Jolla runs Sailfish, the phone will be compatible with Android apps, which means users could potentially have hundreds of thousands of apps to choose from, assuming the developers submit their apps to the Sailfish app store.
The phone features a 4.5-inch display, dual-core processor, microSD expansion with 16GB of storage pre-installed, a 4G modem, and a replaceable battery.
Disclosure: Finnish funding agency Tekes and Finnfacts, a non-profit media service organization in Finland, paid for my trip to Helsinki to explore the startup scene.