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Christmas sales are over and the After-Christmas sales are underway, but the news is already out for online sales. It’s a good news—bad news story.
The good news is that online sales increased to $29.5 billion, a 19% increase from last year. I haven’t seen any breakdowns on these figures, but I am interested in the answers to a couple of things.
First, how did the online versions of brick & mortar stores perform—Barnes and Noble, Toys R Us, etc.—against internet marketing giant Amazon? What part of the increase came from established retail chains for this year’s shopping? I haven’t seen those numbers yet. Second, how did Internet-only stores’ online sales compare to sales last year … in volume and percentage?
Internet sales figures increase, but rate slows | Chron.com – Houston Chronicle
When the receipts are tallied from this holiday, American consumers will have spent around $29.5 billion at Internet shops, according to projections published by comScore, a market research firm.
“The growth rates for previous years were clearly much higher,” said Andrew Lipsman, spokesman for comScore. The research firm did not have growth rates before 2003, but Lipsman suspected that they were 25 percent or more.
It also is far higher than the rate of growth in offline sales, according to preliminary projections.
It seems that no good news is delivered without some caveat of bad news. The only bad news the press could muster this year was the decrease in the percentage of increase of sales. I know the previous sentence needs diagramming, so let me rephrase the statement.
Sales are up! but not as much up as they were up the year before. Got that? While normal retailers struggle to increase sales each year, online sales climbed by double digits.
I wonder how long this trend can continue? As people get more comfortable with purchasing products from online merchants, I think the growth will continue.
What do you think?


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Rwanda has taken the top title at the World Travel Awards Africa Gala Ceremony 2017.
On a night of high drama in host city, Kigali, the Land of a Thousand Hills was recognised as Africa’s Leading Destination.
Also among the winners was Durban.
The South African seaside city – which underwent a major makeover in the run up to the 2010 World Cup, with a sleek new stadium and a revamped waterfront – was hailed Africa’s Leading Meetings & Conference Destination.
Meanwhile, Durban International Convention Centre picked up the award for Africa’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre.
The glittering event took place at the five-star Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre – one of the most recognised modern structures in Africa – alongside the Africa Hotel Investment Forum and AviaDev Africa, with hospitality leaders from across the region, in attendance.
World Travel Awards founder, Graham Cooke, said: “It has been an honour to visit Rwanda for the very first time.
“We have recognised the leading lights of African tourism tonight and I wish to offer my heartfelt congratulations to all of our winners.
“Rwanda has proved a wonderful host for our Africa Gala Ceremony, cementing the country’s reputation as Africa’s rising star.”
Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa was also celebrating after scooping the award for Africa’s Leading Hotel Suite and South Africa’s Leading Hotel Suite.
Elsewhere Kempinski Hotel Fleuve Congo Kinshasa was voted Democratic Republic of Congo’s Leading Hotel and Democratic Republic of Congo’s Leading Hotel Suite, while the Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre, Kigali, was presented with the trophies for Africa’s Leading Conference Hotel, Rwanda’s Leading Conference Hotel and Africa’s Leading New Hotel.
Satguru Travels was named Tanzania’s Leading Travel Agency and Nigeria’s Leading Travel Agency,
The ceremony – part of World Travel Awards Grand Tour 2017 – was compered by CNBC Africa presenter and producer, George Ndirangu, and passionate DJ and media personality, Makeda Mahadeo.
Entertainment was provided by Inganzo Ngari, Rwanda’s most acclaimed traditional dance group, and the Neptunez band.
Winners from the event will go forward to complete in the World Travel Awards Grand Final, this year taking place at the JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa in Vietnam on the evening of December 10th.
In the aviation sector, Kenya Airways was selected by voters as Africa’s Leading Airline and Africa’s Leading Airline – Business Class, while Cape Town International Airport walked away with the trophy for Africa’s Leading Airport.
The travel industry’s leading awards programme also unveiled the host of the 2018 World Travel Awards Africa Gala Ceremony as the Durban International Convention Centre.
Conveniently situated in the heart of South Africa’s third largest city, this world-class facility was opened by former president Nelson Mandela in 1997 and has successfully staged some of the world’s most prestigious and complex events.
A full list of winners from the World Travel Awards Africa Gala Ceremony can be seen here.

domain: news


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It’s 2023 and every day we are reminded that our creativity is only limited to our mind’s openness. Flip phones for instance are not a new thing and Samsung have shot its best ad to reimagine that concept. The reimagine begins with their ads and as a fan of horror/thrillers, this is a different take on advertising. In their recent film, Join the Flip Side season 2 they tao into our fear of missing out and enhances the need (craving if you will) for the flip side of life. It also includes teasers for the next generation of Galaxy devices expected to launch later this month at Galaxy Unpacked 2023. Check it out here!
SAMSUNG GALAXY Z SERIES RETURNS AND THERE’S NO ESCAPING IT, ‘JOIN THE FLIP SIDE’ SEASON 2 (AD)
Building on the first ‘Join the flip side’ video released last September, the new campaign video continues the campaign theme. The aim of the video is to calling on people to lean in to their fascination with innovation. In a fun and playful way, the videos showcase the unique ways you can use foldables. Moreover, how they challenge everything consumers know about an ordinary smartphone.
The new campaign video highlights the barriers people face when they consider stepping away from the status quo. All despite seeing the compelling benefits on the other side. Through the campaign, Samsung invites consumers to defy the norm and enjoy new and unique experiences on the flip side.
“The flip side itself is about more than just a device it’s a way of thinking. A way of living. It’s a new and open world where better experiences are waiting for those willing to step beyond the boundaries of convention and try something new,” said Sonia Chang, Vice President of Brand Marketing Group of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “With the Galaxy Z series, Samsung provides innovation that defies the norms, redefining what a smartphone can do and stepping beyond conventional boundaries to open a new world of experiences.”
Check out the video below to view the new ‘Join the flip side’ season 2 video and stay tuned to see how Samsung pushes the boundaries of innovation with the most carefully designed mobile experiences yet at Galaxy Unpacked 2023 on July 26 at 8:00 p.m. KST/ 1:00 p.m. CAT live on Samsung Newsroom.


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Key helps Olivetti unlock Lancashire
Key Digital, the Burnley-based photocopier, printer and stationery supplier has teamed up with leading technology brand Olivetti.The company currently markets Konica Minolta, Develop and Xerox Multi-Functional Devices, and is an accredited Canon and Panasonic printer supplier.
Craig Lemon, Key Digital’s sales director, said: “The search for a partner that could add value to our already impressive range of products was always going to be a difficult one. We had a number of criteria to consider including: job creation, image and branding and the value of the products coupled with service and support, new products and customer satisfaction.”Olivetti UK’s managing director, Dennis Woods, said: “In difficult and uncertain times for many, it was refreshing to work with a company willing to invest in their business and make a long-term commitment to growing their market share in a very competitive environment, by giving their existing and new clients a wider choice of products.
"This made teaming up with Key Digital an easy decision and I look forward to supporting their continued and impressive growth in East Lancashire”. Andy Ratcliffe, managing director of Key Digital, said: "I am extremely excited about the new partnership with Olivetti, which is a world-class organisation with a long heritage spanning 105 years. Their backing will enable Key Digital to continue its impressive strategy for growth which has seen us double our business over the past 18 months and, in 2013, we expect to continue this growth trend and, in addition, see our workforce grow by 40%."


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Who will replace Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer? Microsoft’s executive committee has up to a year to decide and a pantheon of candidates from which to choose.
In many ways, identifying the next chief executive of Microsoft is a commentary on Microsoft’s current track record. Does Microsoft’s executive committee and board continue down the path that Ballmer began? Has the company failed to execute in some way? Or is a new direction required, perhaps with an emphasis on a particular business segment? All of these questions could guide Microsoft’s CEO search.
Ballmer’s announcement that he will step down in twelve months came as a welcome surprise to Wall Street, which promptly sent Microsoft’s share price up about 6 percent. Microsoft has struggled to convince the market that its vision for Windows has been the right one, and the planned Windows 8.1 update is seen as a do-over of sorts. Ballmer shook up its leadership team this summer,re-aligning the company with his vision of Microsoft as a devices and services provider. The problem? The “flat” structure of the reorganization left no obvious successor.
While Microsoft has not been averse to hiring from outside the company—chief operating officer Kevin Turner most recently served as chief executive of Wal-Mart division Sam’s Club—some of the company’s most senior staff have been long-time Microsoft employees. The executive committee that will find a replacement for Ballmer includes John Thompson, the board’s lead independent director, plus chairman Bill Gates, chairman of the audit committee Chuck Noski and chairman of the compensation committee Steve Luczo.
Who might be next in line to replace Ballmer? A few candidates:
Julie Larson-Green: On the surface, Larson-Green would probably have the inside track. As executive vice president in charge of devices and studios, Larson-Green oversees the company’s hardware businesses, including the Xbox and Surface; she also directs the content studios that run on them. She most recently led the product planning, design and delivery of Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1, as well as the rapid release cadence that now characterizes the Windows environment. In addition, she’s a 20-year Microsoft veteran.
Gates is on record that Windows 8 is a “huge advance for Windows,” an important vote of confidence. But would Larson-Green do with a bit more seasoning before being named for the top spot? She hasn’t had that much time in her new role, having just assumed it as part of the recent reorganization.
Qi Lu: As the executive vice president of Microsoft’s Applications and Services Group, Lu is responsible for tying together Office, Bing, SharePoint, and a number of other services within Microsoft. As such, he’s the “services guy” that Microsoft could elevate to the top role. However, Lu was also promoted away from the Online Services Division, which seems to perpetually lose money.
Terry Myerson: Myerson’s job is to lead Microsoft’s OS vision as executive vice president of the Operating Systems Group. Myserson’s task has been to design in commonality within the Windows, Windows Phone, and Xbox operating systems. Although we’ve seen some elements of that—Internet Explorer in the Xbox One, some Xbox services in Windows Phone—it would seem that there’s still more work to do here. Promoting Myerson out of his current role would require an equally competent replacement.
Stephen Elop (Nokia) or Steve Sinofsky obvious choices for $MSFT CEO. I would go bold with @marissamayer @jack Dorsey, Marc Andreessen— Don Dodge (@DonDodge) August 23, 2013
Stephen Elop: As former Microsoft evangelist Don Dodge notes, one possibility from outside the company to lead Microsoft would be Elop, now chief executive at Nokia. Elop formerly led Microsoft’s business division, the home of the seemingly perpetually profitable Microsoft. But Elop also jumped ship to join Nokia, after what some described as dissatisfaction with Microsoft. On the other hand, although Elop has forged a strong partnership with Microsoft in his current role, Nokia has still struggled. Elop could indeed come back to the fold, but Nokia’s recent performance may color his chances.
Steve Sinofsky: Sinofsky, who was recently named a partner at Andreessen Horowitz, abruptly exited Microsoft after the Windows 8 launch and has not spoken publicly of his departure—or of Microsoft, apparently bound by a non-disclosure clause in his contract. Although Larson-Green is credited with the rollout of Windows 8, Sinofsky designed it—and again, how the board sees the OS may affect whether or not Sinofsky is invited back. Does Sinofsky see himself as a Silicon Valley power player, or as a leader of one of the titans of the technology world?
Other possibilities: Jeff Raikes, who currently serves as chief executive of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, would have to be willing to give up his post—and Gates would also have to be willing to let him go. But there’s no question that Gates could vet him for the role. And then there’s the wild card angle: the committee could hunt down a fresh face from outside the company.
“I don’t think Microsoft will fill the CEO spot from within,” said Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights and Strategy. “They need to show that they are thinking differently, and to fulfill those optics, they will go outside. If not, it could be portrayed as the ‘same old – same old’.”
That’s actually a viable possibility when you consider the fact that Microsoft is shifting away from what it has been—an OS company, centered on the PC—to a more nimble services company straddling a multitude of devices. Could someone like Dale Lee, recently promoted out of a role as president of Samsung Telecommunications America to a special advisor post, be an option? Lee drove Samsung’s phones and tablets to the top spot in the U.S. market.
Forget Bill Gates, though—even though some hope he’ll return.
The only one who can turn around Microsoft’s disastrous situation is @BillGates—he is a true visionary and leader.— Marc Benioff (@Benioff) August 23, 2013
What seems clear is that Microsoft won’t wait the full 12 months to name a replacement. Every quarter that goes by without such a name raises questions; establishing a successor early allows an informal or formal transition team to take place. But the Ballmer era will come to a close as Microsoft tries to remain relevant in a post-PC world. And that’s Job One for the new recruit.
Updated at 12:04 PM with comment from Patrick Moorhead.


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CitizenM is upgrading to a contactless experience powered by its mobile app.
Using a mobile device, guests can open their rooms or create a keycard. Kiosk passport scanning will be feasible through the app. Once a guest checks in, they can use their phone to open their room, order food and beverages, control the in-room experience, then check-out when they’ve finished their stay. Today, travelers have a renewed focus on health and safety. With the app and contactless experience, citizenM guests now have extra confidence in their wellbeing during their stay.
As an owner and operator of its entire hotel portfolio, citizenM has the complete freedom to execute new initiatives consistently, rapidly and globally. Most traditional hotels are under management contracts but owned separately, making it challenging to carry out new strategies. As citizenM owns and operates all its locations, any decisions made (e.g. hygiene, safety or technology) are implemented in one swoop. As the brand evolves so does its approach – to provide smart luxury for the people.
A Contactless Experience
The hotel chain fast-tracked, upgrading its technology efforts to create a contactless guest experience. All hotels remained open for essential workers – and while competitors closed, citizenM retained its entire workforce. Over 1000 unused iPads were donated to charities worldwide – including UK NHS Trusts, Hôpital Lariboisière in Paris and Hetrick-Martin Institute in New York – helping families and COVID-19 patients stay connected. Furthermore, at least 1000 rooms will be gifted to local heroes in communities surrounding the hotels.
The lifestyle brand was born during the financial crisis of 2008, once again proving its adaptability and resilience. Not only has citizenM evolved its savvy technology – setting new standards in the hotel industry – it has also implemented fully flexible individual bookings and free worldwide cancellations up to 24 hours before arrival until the end of 2020 for existing and new reservations.
Safety at citizenM
Since citizenM only offers one room type, implementing new hygiene standards consistently was effortless. Guestrooms feature minimal surfaces to clean, innovative materials like Corian, and no carpets, bedspreads or chocolate on pillows. They have always been independently ventilated with 100% fresh air (instead of being recirculated). The hotel brand has moved to an opt-in housekeeping service for extra hygiene security. Unless guests choose to have their room cleaned, no one will enter it.
Now, every hotel has strategically placed disinfectant stations for guests and employees. Social distancing signs and safety routes are clearly set out. Electrostatic sprayers are also ready to sanitise luggage, public areas and guestrooms after check-out. Furthermore, all of citizenM’s laundry partners guarantee to deliver disinfected clean linen.


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The Office of the California Attorney General recently announced that it will initiate an investigative sweep and will start sending letters to businesses about their mobile apps for failure to comply with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). There is also a new online tool that allows consumers to directly notify a business of an
Privacy Tip #293 – Location, Location, Location-Based Services
This is not the first post discussing location-based services on mobile phones [see posts here]. And it won’t be the last. After reading my colleague’s post on the priest who resigned from his high-profile position after his location was tied to Grindr, I thought it would be useful to remind readers to think…
Privacy Tip #99 – If you are an IoT Fanatic, this App is for You
Last January, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched the IoT Home Inspector Challenge, a contest that requested participants to come up with a tool that would identify security issues that are caused by out-of-date software in IoT devices to better educate and protect consumers about the security vulnerabilities of IoT devices.
To remind you of…


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Nationwide is launching a new run of ads as part of its ongoing "Voices" campaign created by VCCP.
"12 voices of Christmas" features a dozen people of varying ages, ethnicities and life experiences from different parts of the UK.
The ads will air at the start and end of ad breaks in shows including Coronation Street, with a single break featuring two different "voices".
The campaign was both created and directed by Jon Wicks, Anstice Murray and Greta Wynn Davies, and produced by VCCP. Media was handled by Wavemaker.
Sara Bennison, chief marketing officer at Nationwide, said: "Christmas means so many different things to our 15 million members. After what has so often felt like a year of division and dissent, we wanted to celebrate that diversity of experience.
"Building societies are, after all, built on a premise that we can achieve far more together than is possible alone, and that seems more relevant now than ever. We hope that everyone can find something they relate to in one of our ‘12 Voices of Christmas'."


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Yet, almost every economist today thinks that ‘deflation’ is going to be a problem like it was in the Great Depression. The lower priced assets that are being sold at liquation prices are nothing but a head fake compared to the real problems that are just around the corner.
In a short periods of time, inflation is going to grow faster then ever before in America. The politicians know its coming, the Federal Reserve know its coming and the congress know its coming – yet they are doing everything they can to prop up the economy under their watch – knowing that they are stealing money from the entire population.
Genn Beck on printing money…
Inflation will become a major problem for the next decade as it was in the 70's as soon as the money that has been poured into the banking system makes its way into the economy.


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IBISWorld has expanded its industry market research report collection to include the Protective Eyewear Manufacturing industry and iver 200 industries within Life Sciences
Los Angeles, California (PRWEB) September 27, 2011
The Protective Eyewear industry thrives off of workplace safety regulations. Workplace eye safety standards were first introduced in 1968 by the American National Standards Association (ANSI) and enforced after the formation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in 1970. As a result, new and more stringent regulations have been developed and applied. The most recent revision to standards in 2010 is expected to boost revenue as employers comply with the new rules. However, revenue growth depends highly on industrial, construction and healthcare activity. Hence, the economic downturn of recent years that slashed employment across the economy pulled down demand for industry products. Revenue fell in 2008 and 2009, but it returned to growth in 2010 along with rising industrial activity and strong healthcare demand. Over the five years to 2011,revenue in the protective eyewear industry is expected to grow at an average annualized rate of 1.1 percent to $529.2 million, including an increase of 3.1 percent in 2011, said IBISWorld analyst Brian Bueno.
Workplace eye safety regulations exist to protect employees from injury and infection, reduce unnecessary employer costs and maintain productivity. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports that an estimated 2,000 employees sustain job-related eye injuries that require medical treatment each day. Furthermore, the American Optometric Association estimates that 90.0 percent of these injuries could be reduced or prevented with the use of proper eye protection. Industry companies manufacture safety glasses, protective goggles and face shields to safeguard eyes from debris, chemicals, radiation and blood-borne pathogens.
About 59 companies manufacture industry products in the protective eyewear industry domestically. Over the five years to 2011, the number of industry firms is estimated to increase at an average annual rate of 0.7 percent. Growth in the number of firms has been subdued due to major acquisition activity by the industry's largest players, such as 3M Company. Additionally, high manufacturing costs and rising prices for plastic materials have created an industry in which almost half of domestic demand is supplied through imports. Over the next five years, imports are expected to continue growing, as domestic manufacturers focus on higher value added products with increased functionality and design elements. Rising domestic demand will likely allow revenue to grow robustly, rising at an average annualized rate of 3.9 percent to $642.2 million over the five years to 2016.
For more information, download the full report from IBISWorld on the Protective Eyewear Industry
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Protective Eyewear Industry Report Table of Contents
About this Industry
Industry at a Glance
Key External Drivers
Industry Life Cycle
Products & Markets
Products & Services
Globalisation & Trade
Market Share Concentration
Key Success Factors
Cost Structure Benchmarks
Barriers to Entry
Jargon & Glossary
About IBISWorld Inc.
Recognized as the nation’s most trusted independent source of industry and market research, IBISWorld offers a comprehensive database of unique information and analysis on every US industry. With an extensive online portfolio, valued for its depth and scope, the company equips clients with the insight necessary to make better business decisions. Headquartered in Los Angeles, IBISWorld serves a range of business, professional service and government organizations through more than 10 locations worldwide. For more information call 1-800-330-3772.


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A look at gadget happenings, as wearable tech makes headlines again with a new head-mounted display from Japan and ads showing the influence of classic sci-fi on modern technology, while physicists in the US might just have created lightsabers.
Wearable tech shipments to reach 64m in 2017
According to research from Berg Insight, shipments of wearable technology devices are set to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 50.6pc, bringing them from 8.3m units shipped globally in 2012 to 64m in 2017.
This figure covers head-mounted displays, smart watches and wearable fitness trackers. Currently, it’s this last category that’s driving the market, thanks to the popularity of devices such as the Nike Fuelband, Fitbit Flex and Jawbone’s Up. However, Berg Insight believes that popularity will shift towards computerised wristwatches over the coming years, giving these devices the greater share of the market.
More major names are expected to enter this space as the years and months pass, including Apple and LG, joining Sony’s SmartWatch range and Samsung’s Galaxy Gear. But there’s also room for competition from start-ups, demonstrated by the success of the Pebble E-Paper Watch.
Smart glasses translate text you are reading
Unsurprisingly, considering the forecasted growth in this space, we saw a new player enter the game last week. Japanese mobile operator NTT Docomo demonstrated its Intelligent Glasses at Ceatec 2013, a consumer electronics show held in Tokyo.
This head-mounted display, which is still at research stage, can translate text that you are reading using character-recognition technology. It takes about five seconds for the prototype to translate, BBC News reports, and this text is projected over what the user sees. This augmented reality technology can also be used to turn any surface into a pseudo-touchscreen that users can manipulate using a ring that recognises hand movements and relays this information to the headset.
So far, the device can translate Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean, and NTT Docomo believes it could be extremely useful for tourists. With this in mind, Intelligent Glasses could be ready by the time visitors are flocking to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics, according to AFP.
Samsung ads compare science fiction and reality
Meanwhile, in the smart watch market, Samsung is trying hard to promote its Galaxy Gear as the gadget of the future available in the present. Video ads for the device available on YouTube cut together footage from science-fiction classics like Star Trek, Knight Rider and Predator, as well as some gadget-obsessed children’s TV shows such as The Jetsons, Inspector Gadget and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
What do these clips have in common? They all involve fictional futurists with a smart watch that lets them communicate, as well as do other tasks. With this, Samsung is claiming that the future is here, thanks to the new Galaxy Gear – if only the reaction to the device was as good as these ads.
Lightsabers could be real
And keeping with the theme of turning science fiction into reality, physicists at Harvard and MIT have discovered a way to bind photons together to form a new molecule, and describe this in an article published in Nature as something similar to the famous Star Wars weaponry.
Quoted on Pop Culture Monster, Harvard professor Mikhail Lukin explained how this ‘quantum non-linear medium’ works. “Most of the properties of light we know about originate from the fact that photons are massless and do not interact,” he says. “What we have done is create a special type of medium in which photons interact with each other so strongly that they act as though they have mass, and bind together to form molecules. It’s not an in-apt analogy to compare this to lightsabers. When these photons interact with each other, they’re pushing against and deflect each other. The physics of what’s happening in these molecules is similar to what we see in the movies.”
Futuristic glasses image by Syda Productions via Shutterstock
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By Koh Jun Lin
Carpet merchant Deepak Jaikishan’s book The Black Rose will be released as a free ebook beginning tomorrow.
At a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today, Deepak said he will release details on how the public can download the book tomorrow.
The book is expected to chronicle his involvement with a VIP’s wife in allegedly coercing private investigator P Balasubramaniam into retracting his statutory declaration in 2008.
Deepak was supposed to have launched the book at the press conference today, but decided against it due to legal reasons.
“The objective of today’s press conference is about the book launch as well as the details of my transactions on the land that is sold to Boustead Holdings Bhd.
“But due to the nature of the exposé made by (PKR director of strategy) Rafizi Ramli (left) late this afternoon, I have been advised by my solicitors to sit still until (we) reply to Rafizi,” he said at a press conference today.
He added that he would be giving physical copies of his book to “select groups”, mostly his acquaintances, while members of the public are free to make reprints of his book.
“If you can afford to print it and distribute, feel free. No copyright. I’ll put there ‘copyright free’,” he said.
When asked to comment on Rafizi’s claim that the Defence Ministry’s Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera’s (LTAT) move to buy an 80 percent stake in his company is an attempt to bribe and silence him, Deepak laughed and dismissed it.
“Do you see the attempt working? It is not going to work. I made it very clear, I’m priceless. I’m not for sale. They cannot afford me,” he said. – Mkini


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Three retailers from the GCC rank among the top 250 global retailers
Three retailers from the GCC, including the UAE’s Lulu Group International and Majid Al Futtaim Holding, ranked among the top 250 global retailers whose combined revenues reached $4.31 trillion in 2015, representing composite growth of 5.2 per cent, according to Deloitte’s 250 global retailers report.
“The Middle East remains an attractive destination for retailers, with three retailers ranking in Deloitte’s report of the 250 largest retailers around the world: Lulu Group, Majid Al Futtaim Holding and Savola Group. Together, the Africa/Middle East region’s 19.1 per cent growth rate and 5.8 per cent net profit margin were the highest among the five geographic regions in FY2015,” said Herve Ballantyne, partner and Consumer & Industrial Products Industry leader, Deloitte, Middle East.
Emke/Lulu Group, ranked 153rd globally, emerged as the top Middle East retailer with retail revenues of $6.2 billion. The group, which has operations in nine countries, also finds a place among the world’s 50 fastest-growing retailers. Ranked 27 in the list of fastest-growing retailers, Lulu Group recorded a compound annual growth of 17.3 per cent for the 2010-2015 period.
MAF Holding was 160th in the global list with retail revenues of $6.01 billion and a CAGR of 8.2 per cent in the 2010-15 period. Saudi Arabia’s Savola Group came third in the region and ranked 240th globally with retail revenues of $3.6 billion.
Yusuffali M.A., chairman of Lulu Group, said: “Today, it is completely a consumer-driven market and the shopper needs only the very best. We have been continuously innovating in all aspects of our business process, right from store layout to product offering and pricing structure. We see no slowdown in our industry and we intend to go ahead with our announced expansion plans. Currently, we have 133 stores which will reach 150 by mid-2018, with new stores coming up in almost all GCC countries.”
Despite a slight dip in revenue, Walmart continued its long-held dominance at the top of the list with retail revenues of $482 billion at a five year CAGR of 2.7 per cent as the world’s four largest retailers maintained their positions on the industry’s leader board, but acquisitions, divestitures, and exchange rate volatility shuffled the rest of the top 10.
“Slow economic growth in major developed economies, high levels of debt in emerging countries, deflation or low inflation in rich countries and a protectionist backlash against globalisation were among dynamics which contributed to a challenging economic environment for retailers,” said Dr Ira Kalish, Deloitte global chief economist. “And yet people still need to shop, so the industry carries on. In some places and with some cohorts of shoppers, the outlook for retailers is favourable.”
For the third year in a row, revenue growth for the Top 250 apparel and accessories retailers outperformed other product sectors. Historically, this category of retailers has also been the most profitable, and fiscal year 2015 was no exception. However, retailers of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) are, by far, the largest companies (average retail revenue of nearly $21.6 billion) as well as the most numerous (133 retailers accounting for just over half of all Top 250 companies and two-thirds of Top 250 revenue).
The top 10 include Walmart, US; Costco, US; The Kroger Co, US; Schwarz Unternehmenstreuhand KG (Lidl), Germany; Walgreens Boots Alliance, The Home Depot, US; Carrefour, France; Aldi, Germany; Tesco, UK, and Amazon.com, US.
The 10 largest e-tailers include Amazon.com, US; JD.com, China; Apple, US; Walmart, US; Suning Commerce Group, China; Otto, Germany; Tesco, UK; Vipshop, China; Liberty Interactive Corporation, US, and Macy’s, US.
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A financially motivated gang operating out of China is using people’s trust in well-known multinational businesses to launch a massive phishing effort that began in 2019. With the first activity noted in 2017, the threat actor, called Fangxiao by Cyjax, is claimed to have registered more than 42,000 imposter domains.
“It targets businesses in multiple verticals including retail, banking, travel, and energy,” researchers Alana Witten and Emily Dennison said. “Promised financial or physical incentives are used to trick victims into further spreading the campaign via WhatsApp.”
Users who click on links received through the messaging app are transported to an actor-controlled website, which then directs them to a landing domain that impersonates a well-known company, where they are once more redirected to websites that offer fake applications and rewards. These websites invite users to fill out surveys to win cash rewards; in return, they want them to spread the word to five groups or 20 friends. However, the victim’s IP address and the User-Agent string of the browser determine the final redirect.
According to the researchers, more than 400 companies, including Emirates, Coca-Cola, Shopee, Indomie, McDonald’s, Unilever, and Knorr, are being mimicked as part of the illicit plot. Alternatively, attacks where malicious mobile advertising are clicked from an Android smartphone, have been seen to end with the deployment of a mobile trojan known as Triada, which was recently discovered spreading through phony WhatsApp applications.
The Google Play Store listing for the program “App Booster Lite – RAM Booster” (com.app.booster.lite.phonecleaner.batterysaver.cleanmaster), which has had over 10 million downloads, is another destination of the campaign in addition to Triada. The program is marketed as a “Smart Junk Cleaner,” “Powerful Phone Booster,” and an “Effective Battery Saver” and was created by LocoMind, a company located in the Czech Republic. The publisher of the app has come under fire for displaying too many advertisements in the game’s reviews, with some even mentioning how they “Arrived here [the Play Store page] from one of those ‘your android is damaged x%’ ads.”
On October 31, 2022, LocoMind replied to the review, saying that their app cannot distribute viruses. Google Play reviews each of our upgrades; otherwise, they would have taken down our application long ago. Suppose the identical action is taken using an iOS device. In that case, the victim is led to Amazon via an affiliate link, earning the actor a commission for any purchase made on the online store during the next 24 hours.
Due to the existence of Mandarin content in a web service connected to aaPanel, an open-source Python-based control panel for hosting several websites, the threat actor has links to China. Further investigation of the TLS certificates granted to the survey domains in 2021 and 2022 shows that most of the registrations come together with the UTC+08:00 time zone, corresponding to China Standard Time from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
According to the researchers, the operators have expertise in managing these impostor campaigns, are prepared to be dynamic to achieve their goals, and are technically and logistically capable of growing their business. The Fangxiao campaigns are efficient lead-generation strategies diverted to various websites, including malware, referral links, advertisements, and adware.


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Total War opens new front
UK developer Creative Assembly, the studio behind the acclaimed Total War series of epic real-time strategy games have announced a brand new title under the Total War brand, to be published by Sega later this year. The new title is a 'spin-off' from the PC series aimed at consoles, and is called Spartan: Total Warrior. The game will be released in September for the PS2, Xbox and GameCube. A third-person action game is touted, placing the player in the front line of epic battles inspired by the RTS game - though Spartan will be all about combat, not strategy.
Sega must also be pleased with their new acquisition, poached from under the noses of Activision. More news on this new release is expected soon; we'll keep you in on the loop.
- The Iron Banner returns to Destiny next week
- Jason Voorhees DLC coming to Mortal Kombat X next month
- Square Enix announces their own E3 press conference
- Avalanche to reveal Just Cause 3's gameplay next week
- EA Sports Rory McIlroy PGA Tour delayed a touch
- Telltale announces a new deal with Marvel
- Sanctuary update arrives for Warframe on consoles
- Call Of Duty: Black Ops III gets another teaser trailer
- Patrice Desilets unveils his new game Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey


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Samsung’s (PINK: SSNLF) Galaxy SII will outsell any smartphone the South Korean electronics giant has previously released. It expects that by July, 10 million units will have been placed in customers hands.
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It remains unconcerned about economic instabilities and supply chains eating into its bottom line, says Shin Jong-Kyun, President of IT and Mobile Communication at Samsung:
“The overall market condition was challenging due to eurozone issues and tight supply of components… but (our) second-quarter results will be better than the first quarter.”
Despite profits in Samsung’s mobile division almost tripling from January to March, analysts disagreed with Jong-Kyunn, downgrading the second-quarter earnings estimates.
Prompting the downgrades are fears that other products in Samsung’s mobile line have fallen of a cliff since the SIII’s introduction. The lowered expectations promptly sent shares to a four-and-a-half month low.


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NIGERIA – United Bank for Africa Plc has announced that its customer service Chatbot, Leo, is now available for customers on Apple Business Chat. During the inauguration of the service, the Banks’s Group Managing Director, Mr Kennedy Uzoka
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“We will listen to the players on how they now plan to push their manufacturing to a larger scale in India, and bring in supply chain and value addition. We will listen to their suggestions with an open mind,” IT Secretary Ajay Prakash Sawhney told reporters here.
According to the National Electronics Policy 2019, which was approved in February this year, India has set a target of creating a $400 billion electronic manufacturing ecosystem by 2025 which stood at $70 billion in 2018-19.
Sawhney added that government is looking at developing an ecosystem which is looking at prodution which is for more than India. Mobile is one area where we can have a thrust for export, other areas can be LED and lighting products, along with medical, auto, strategic, consumer electronics, he said. The size of mobile phone manufacturing was 29 crore units and Rs 1,70,000 crore in value terms during 2018-19.
The meeting called by Minister for Electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad is expected to see participation of leading players like Vivo, Oppo, Qualcomm, Xiaomi, Dell, HP, Bosch, Cisco, Flextronics, Foxconn, Nokia, LG, and Panasonic. Other participants include Intel, Wistron, and Sterlite Technologies. Representative from industry associations are also expected to be present for the meeting.
ET had reported in August the ministry of electronics and IT (MEITY) has sent a fresh proposal seeking a fresh round of incentives to promote domestic manufacturing in the country with three marquee schemes of the government sunsetting at the end of 2018.
The proposal which has been sent to the ministry of finance has sought interest subsidy for companies investing towards setting up manufacturing facilities in the country along with relief for customary guarantees that have to be provided by firms on plant and machinery. Meity has also asked for the Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) scheme which ended last year to be renewed.
Sawhney also said that the government is fine-tuning a fresh cluster scheme that would woo anchor manufacturing units with supply chain ecosystem and ancillary firms.
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Global Talent Market Quarterly - 2014 Q1
2014 looks to be a modestly better year for the global economy, with growth projected to reach 3.3%. Stronger business and consumer sentiment, particularly in developed countries including the U.S., U.K., and Germany, will help drive the expansion. Growth in emerging markets was well below historical levels in 2013, but is expected to accelerate slightly in 2014.
The healthier economic climate is expected to drive hiring gains in many markets in 2014, but other countries may lag behind in job creation. Labour market conditions will remain very difficult in many Eurozone countries as they struggle to achieve economic growth, while countries as diverse as Australia, India, and Brazil also face challenging employment outlooks.
Human capital is at the top of the list of the most pressing issues facing global organisations today. As the global economy improves, hiring is projected to ramp up and competition for top talent is expected to intensify. In this dynamic and diverse global business environment, smart and successful companies are placing a priority on finding ways to retain, engage, and develop their workforces.


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Total War: Warhammer 3 Inspires This Epic Metal Music Video
Watch the band Battlesnake perform a cover of "Death Is Like The Winter Chill."
Microsoft has teamed up with metal band Battlesnake to create an epic music video for the Warhammer song, "Death Is Like The Winter Chill," to celebrate the recent launch of Total War: Warhammer III.
The video was directed by cinematographer Anthony Rose, and it features the Australian metal band dressing up like Warhammer characters and turning the dials up to 11. This campaign comes from Xbox ANZ, and the video was filmed at Sydney's famous Oxford Art Factory.
According to Xbox ANZ, members of Battlesnake were already fans of the franchise. "Battlesnake was forged deep in the fiery pits of the underworld, so we share a mutual respect with those who wage battle in the Realm of Chaos," Battlesnake's Elliott Hitchcock said.
"When we're not shredding on stage, we're normally wielding swords, so any game with swords is a game worth celebrating. We're hyped to pay tribute to the legendary Warhammer community and hope that our celebration brings some new Warhammer metal-heads to our shows in future to watch us get sweaty," Hitchcock added.
Rob Bartholomew, the chief product officer at developer Creative Assembly, said in a statement that the music video showcases Warhammer III "in all of its head-banging glory."
This is just the latest extravagant campaign from Xbox ANZ, the division of Xbox focused on Australia and New Zealand. Xbox ANZ also dropped a real car out of the sky to promote Forza Horizon 5 and turned Queenstown, New Zealand into "Greenstown" to promote the Series X|S launch. Before that, the team made a greaseproof Xbox controller, Xbox bodywash, and who could forget the Xbox Onesie. More recently, Xbox ANZ created Age of Empires-themed cereal to promote the launch of Age of Empires IV.
Total War: Warhammer III is out now on PC with Game Pass or for direct purchase, including on places like Steam, where the game is already performing exceptionally well.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.


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In 2020, after facing allegations that the company was purposefully slowing down iPhones, Apple entered a $113 million settlement with 34 state attorneys general. The tech company denied liability in the case and maintained that the software updates were meant to correct prior issues with older lithium-ion batteries. Since that class action ended, Apple has upgraded to a new class action lawsuit involving its butterfly keyboard. This month, a judge approved the class action status of the lawsuit, recognizing that the issue is similar, if not the same, for most affected customers.
According to consumer complaints, after one tap, the keys on certain Apple butterfly keyboards either fail to translate to the screen or duplicate registration multiple times. The determined “low-travel” feature condenses the pressure needed to type, but is the root of the cause for the experienced issues. When dust, fuzz, food, or other particles become trapped between keys, the functionality suffers. The laptops that were allegedly affected were the 12-inch MacBook models released from 2015 to 2017, the MacBook Pro models from 2016 to 2019, and the MacBook Air models from 2018 to 2019. The consumers that purchased any of these three models during the stated years may benefit from the lawsuit.
Originally filed in 2018, the class action includes consumers from California, Washington, New York, Michigan, Florida, Illinois, and New Jersey. The plaintiffs allege that Apple was deceitful in selling a product that the company knew was flawed but never actually fixed in subsequent models. By incorporating an elastic membrane onto the keyboards to prevent particles from getting trapped, Apple attempted to fix the problem in the past. In 2018, the tech company also offered an extended warranty that covered butterfly keyboard defects. Apple has issued a public statement of apology to consumers and has since discontinued the manufacturing of butterfly keyboards.


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– Nov 21, 2019, 8:20 AM
While there has been concern about how Instagram hiding likes would impact influencer campaigns, Chris Bower vice president of brand partnerships at Fullscreen, welcomes the change. 'Likes, followers and basic engagement can only take us so far…
Shel Holtz'A holistic view of an influencer’s reach, audience and posting history is necessary for any successful campaign.'
Social Media Today
– Nov 25, 2019
Are you considering your social media strategy for the year ahead? Wondering if a LinkedIn marketing campaign could benefit your business? The team from Social Pilot share the stats you need to know in this infographic. They break things down as…
Shel HoltzDo you communicate on LinkedIn? These statistics can help you hone your messages.
Tim Berners-Lee has launched a global action plan to save the web from political manipulation, fake news, privacy violations and other malign forces that threaten to plunge the world into a “digital dystopia”. The Contract for the Web…
Shel HoltzIt's always worth listening to the Web's inventor but (1) the bad actors won't sign on and (2) who's going to police signatories to ensure they comply?
If you want to communicate better, study Mr. Rogers. Especially when times are tough and the news is bad. Fred Rogers is at the forefront again with the release of A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood. It's a film about the relationship between the…
Shel HoltzSometimes it pays to get back to basics. There are good communication lessons from Mr. Rogers, like talking about how to deal with bad things when you have to talk about bad things.
– Nov 21, 2019, 7:37 AM
Marketers can increasingly expect social media influencers to adopt a surge pricing model ahead of the holiday shopping season and other high volume periods, according to Jasmine Enberg, senior analyst at eMarketer. 'Surge pricing will likely make…
Shel HoltzAKA extortion. This influencer trend can't end soon enough.
News 'Everyone should feel safe and comfortable while talking on Twitter,' the company wrote in a blog post Twitter said it will start letting all users hide replies to the tweets they send in an effort to improve the health of discussions and…
Shel HoltzOf course, this could include your company's replies to consumer complaints. I understand the reason but it will create a censored, filtered view of conversations.
– Nov 21, 2019, 8:59 AM
In an editorial posted to The Players' Tribune website this morning, former Yankees star Derek Jeter announced that Minute Media will be acquiring his 5-year-old web publication. Since its inception, The Players' Tribune has published more than…
Shel HoltzProof that niche social media innovations can still be successful.
– Nov 20, 2019, 1:40 PM
Contrary to what TikTok might tell most of its content creators, it appears a select few might be paid to join the short-form video service. A quick Google search conducted by Adweek yielded what appears to be a recent brief from influencer-focused…
Shel HoltzIf you use influencers, you may want to get more familiar with TikTok since many influencers could be persuaded (or bribed) to make the switch.
– Nov 20, 2019, 10:23 AM
Spotify is the world's most popular music streaming service, with over 100 million paying subscribers and over 217 million monthly users. Spotify's paying users get access to certain functionality that free users do not. One such feature was the…
Shel HoltzThe only reason for Spotify to make this move is recognition of the growing use of smart speakers. Users of free streaming music services are probably using Pandora instead, meaning Spotify is losing them.
In June, Stephen Wolfram was asked to advise Congress on how it might regulate the social media platforms whose algorithms were force-feeding the most extreme viewpoints to people, creating cocoons of information that lead to polarization. Wolfram…
Shel HoltzInteresting perspectives from a very smart guy. The big question is who would create these algorithms and what's to keep them from engaging in the same (or worse) misbehavior?


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Social Media Week Europe gives you exclusive access to live discussions with social media and digital marketing experts in London, 7–8 Nov. Save 20% on your pass today (ends 3 Oct.).
Today Facebook officially launched a beta version of the new publisher controls which enables users to publish to anybody. You can set custom privacy settings for every single post that you publish to your stream, making granular privacy settings even more widespread. Want to publish to everybody on Facebook? Now you can.


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Princes has signed pre-harvest tomato supply contracts in southern Italy to guarantee fair pricing and financial stability for around 300 Apulian producers in 2023.
For the second year in row, the Napolina owner has committed to pricing it said reflected the current costs of production and delivered a profitable return to growers ahead of the harvest season.
The prices agreed upon were set in collaboration with the Department of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Foggia and endorsed by Italian agricultural association Coldiretti.
The contracts are designed to ensure farmers can invest in resources, while implementing best practices to enhance social and environmental sustainability during harvest season.
“We’re extremely pleased to have finalised all tomato contracts for 2023, delivering on our promise once again to guarantee fair and transparent pricing for growers, well in advance of the harvest season,” said David McDiarmid, corporate relations director at Princes. “Committing to pricing that reflects the actual costs of production is the only way to ensure that farmers can remain both profitable and sustainable.”
Last year, it launched the contracts in advance of harvest season (rather than as late as July as seen with other suppliers) as “an important ethical practice”.
Late contracting has been cited by NGOs as a key factor to forced labour and human rights abuses, Princes said. However, the practice continues and the rest of the industry often concludes negotiations just a few weeks ahead of harvest.
“The past 12 months has been a particularly turbulent time for the industry, which makes our social sustainability efforts all the more important,” McDiarmid added.
“We remain firmly committed to protecting the rights of workers and supporting the fight against exploitative practices, to bring our customers and consumers a high quality and 100% ethical, ‘Made in Italy’ product.”
Princes has committed to source 250,000 tonnes of fresh Italian tomatoes this year.
The company has worked with Coldiretti since 2019 to provide financial stability to growers through guaranteed three-year supply contracts across 30 partner co-operatives.


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Not everybody will be surprised by the bad news. In December, analysts at Credit Suisse (CS) raised a major red flag about the electronics and entertainment giant in a report, arguing: ôWhile the risk of bankruptcy appears low, unless Sony can create a virtuous cycle in which swift management decision-making leads to profit opportunities in the hardware and content business, we believe it will be impossible to avoid erosion of the companyÆs intrinsic value.ö If the operating loss is confirmed, it would support the validity of those fears.
In a clear warning to the Sony management, headed by Howard Stringer, the CS report downplayed the restructuring plan made public in December. ôWe believe the business restructuring plan announced on December 9 is insufficient to guarantee a return to profit in FY2009 whatever the circumstances; we believe there is now a need for a further business restructuring plan, including some possible changes to management.ö (Italics added).
The specific reason CS raises the prospect of bankruptcy is due to SonyÆs declining quick ratio. The quick ratio is the ability of a company to quickly use its cash or near-cash instruments to pay off its current liabilities. CS points out that as of end-September 2008, the ratio for peer companies Panasonic and Sharp came to 87.6% and 62.4% respectively, while SonyÆs quick ratio was only 52.8%, or 56.1% excluding its finance subsidiary, Sony Finance. Sony has almost twice the amount of total interest-bearing debt of the other two companies, but a slightly better ratio of short-term to long-term debt.
CS adds that FY2008 will show a worsening of Sony's net debt situation and that the quick ratio could fall below 50% due to negative free cash flow amounting to Ñ400 billion. The report notes that Sony has recently expanded its syndicated loan facility from Ñ600 billion to Ñ900 billion, but still sees a threat to the company's intrinsic value. CS estimates that the company will make a net loss of Ñ150 billion in FY2008, compared to the companyÆs own projection of a Ñ150 billion profit.
In the same December report, CS also lowers its target price for Sony to a shocking Ñ1,000 a share. Again, TuesdayÆs developments bear that judgment out: following the Nikkei news article, the counter dropped Ñ195, or 8.8%, to Ñ2,000. The stockÆs 52-week high of Ñ6,062 was reached in January last year.
Of course, Sony is suffering from one of the severest global downturns in decades, as well as a strong yen, but analysts still blame the company for not properly coordinating its hardware (TVs, cameras, PCs, etc) and its software.
Unlike Apple, which produces market leading hardware (the iPod) which it then supplies with the required content (iTunes), the process at Sony has not yet gone far enough, they say. Sony products no longer crush their competitors and they are also underperforming when it comes to being combined with content.
CS provides a table for Sony which shows, for example, that only 5% of Bravia TVs are æactiveÆ, in other words, that they are being used to download Sony-controlled content. The figure for Vaio PCs is 7% and for Sony-Ericsson handsets 10%. Even the PlayStation segment shows an æactiveÆ rate of just 15%. CS believes that accelerating the content delivery while developing the necessary premium hardware should be the key growth driver.
ItÆs almost incredible that a company of such stature and prestige could be mentioned in the context of bankruptcy, and surely reflects the unprecedented stress of the world economy. It also shows that even global giants which are not being managed to extract every drop of cash flow from their operations do not have the luxury of waiting to reform.
¬ Haymarket Media Limited. All rights reserved.


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By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
‘A Nation’s Literature Holds Up a Mirror’In yet another of this month’s furious round of announcements about significant new partnerships with Canada’s Wattpad, Singapore’s content creator and streaming platform Mediacorp has today (April 23) announced a deal to develop the work of Singaporean Wattpad writers for national and international audiences.
The new deal was announced in Bali, where the APOS 2019 trade show has opened today and runs through Thursday (April 25) with sponsorship from many major players in the field including BBC Studios, Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO, Disney, and Sony Pictures Television—which announced its own partnership with Wattpad on April 17, as Publishing Perspectives reported.
Mediacorp’s digital entertainment platform is called Toggle, and the Singapore company anticipates adapting scripted series and films for it as we as for its free-to-air platforms.
Local competitions are expected to be held by the two companies to solicit new work from Singapore’s writing community .
In a prepared statement, Mediacorp CEO Tham Loke Kheng is quoted, saying, “This partnership again demonstrates Mediacorp’s commitment to reinvigorating our content and formats and innovating the very way we source stories.
“A nation’s literature holds up a mirror for people to see themselves and what binds them. With Wattpad, writers and readers congregate and give voice to one another. Readers share their insights, comments and ideas with writers, while writers reveal the collective soul of a nation through their writing.
“Singapore stories have much to offer to our society, and we aim to uplift them from written word to national screens.”Tham Loke Kheng
“Singapore stories have much to offer to our society, and we aim to uplift them from written word to national screens.”
And for Wattpad Studios, the busy Hong Kong-based Asian lead, Derek Ong, is quoted, saying, “We’ve created a new model for discovering stories and bringing them to screens, unlocking a world of possibilities for storytelling in every format.
“With our data-driven approach to entertainment we’re able to identify new voices and bring their stories to audiences … creating opportunities for Singaporean storytellers.”
More on the Anvil-Wattpad Deal from Andrea Pasion-Flores
Publishing Perspectives readers will recall that Wattpad has recently announced another new Asian partnership in its deal with Manila’s Anvil Publishing for the creation of Bliss Books, a new jointly created YA imprint.
Anvil Publishing’s general manager Andrea Pasion-Flores now tells us that the idea for Bliss Books began at last year’s Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, the 2019 edition of which opens on Wednesday (April 24).
Pasion-Flores says she was introduced to Wattpad’s Ong, Pasion-Flores says, “who flies in from Hong Kong to check on the Philippines market, meet authors, talk to TV5 Manila, and other partners.
“We’ve been emailing and speaking on WhatsApp for some time, ironing out the terms of the contract for a few months.”
By the time she met with Ashleigh Gardner, the company’s deputy general manager for Wattpad Studios, at London Book Fair in March, she says, “it was already a done deal.”
Pasion-Flores says she anticipates producing between 20 and 25 titles per year in the Bliss Books imprint with Wattpad, with a strong reliance on Anvil’s deep market penetration for distribution.
“Anvil has a very strong presence in National Book Store, a sister company,” Pasion-Flores says. “We’ll have in-store collateral materials, not usually done for our other titles. We also have a dedicated marketing team, which not many other local publishers have. So we’re very strong in social media.
“Even before we planned the announcement, we reserved our social media channels and thought of book-signing events. We’re looking at events for author meet-ups—literary festivals, the book fairs—building a community around Bliss readers who seem to be warm to exclusive deals and such.
“Also, these titles will be distributed in other book stores,” she says, “and on local online shopping platforms such as Shoppee and Lazada.”
As has been the rule in most book-publication partnerships with Wattpad, Pasion-Flores says, the original editions of Bliss Books will remain on the big platform with its 70+ million monthly users even after the Anvil Bliss Books editions are released.
“The phenomenal thing is that the content’s presence on the platform doesn’t seem to affect the print sales. Our print editions will be cleaned up editorially, but we won’t be lopping off chapters, for example, as readers don’t like that. So far, there’s been a close collaboration between our team and the authors for the first few titles that will be coming out next month.”
Pasion-Flores says that most of the titles for this year’s first list from Bliss Books have been chosen.
And she makes the point that what she and her staffers at Anvil are doing is widening the base of Philippines-born content from Wattpad to a wider body of work than the blockbusters alone.
“We’ll have in-store collateral materials, not usually done for our other titles. We also have a dedicated marketing team, which not many other local publishers have.”Andrea Pasion-Flores
“In addition to the blockbusters,” she says, referring to the stories that draw millions of reads on the Wattpad platform, “we’re looking for the other voices on the platform that tell good stories, too.
“We’ve picked up one author,” for example, “whose following is not in the record-breaking millions, but we suspect that he’ll do fairly well, anyway.
“Also, Anvil has signed up unknown authors in the past and we’re not afraid to do so to give variety to our lists.
“We’re happy to have a look at new and emerging authors on the platform to give them an even broader audience.”


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The owners of a giant container vessel blocking the Suez Canal said they were facing "extreme difficulty" refloating it, prompting Egypt to suspend navigation through one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said it was trying to refloat the Panama-flagged MV Ever Given, a 400-metre (1,300-foot) long vessel, operated by Evergreen Marine, which veered off course and ran aground in a sandstorm on Tuesday.
Satellite pictures released by Planet Labs Inc show the 59-metre wide container ship wedged diagonally across the entire canal.
Japanese ship-leasing firm Shoei Kisen Kaisha said it owned the giant vessel and was facing "extreme difficulty" trying to refloat it.
"In co-operation with local authorities and Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, a vessel management company, we are trying to refloat (the ship), but we are facing extreme difficulty," Shoei Kisen Kaisha said in a statement on its website.
"We sincerely apologise for causing a great deal of worry to ships in the Suez Canal and those planning to go through the canal."
As shipping specialists warned it could take days or even weeks to budge the vessel, the Suez Canal Authority announced it was "temporarily suspending navigation".
Maritime sources told AFP today that a new dredger had been deployed to speed up the operation while northern convoy ships remain docked in the waiting areas of the canal.
The blockage has already hit world oil markets. Crude futures surged 6% yesterday as traders assessed the likely impact on deliveries.
Broker Braemar warned that if tug boats are unable to move the giant vessel, some of its cargo might have to be removed by crane barge to refloat it.
"This can take days, maybe weeks," it said.
The vessel's managers, Singapore-based Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), said its 25 crew were unhurt and the hull and cargo undamaged.
A MarineTraffic map showed large clusters of vessels circling as they waited in both the Mediterranean to the north and the Red Sea to the south.
Historic sections of the canal were reopened in a bid to ease the bottleneck, with dozens of ships waiting at both ends of the waterway.
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The waterway drastically shortens travel between Asia and Europe because it prevents vessels from having to navigate around southern Africa's Cape of Good Hope.
The Singapore-to-Rotterdam route, for example, is 6,000km and up to two weeks shorter than going around Africa.
It is an "absolutely critical" route because "all traffic arriving from Asia goes through the Suez Canal," said Camille Egloff, a maritime transport specialist at Boston Consulting Group.
Nearly 19,000 ships passed through the canal last year carrying more than one billion tonnes of cargo, according to the SCA.
Egypt earned $5.61bn (€4.75bn) in revenues from the canal in 2020.


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Red Pocket Mobile has launched a new wireless plan. This one is exclusive to their "indirect channel." That means if you are interested in purchasing the plan, you will have to find a dealer near you that carries Red Pocket Mobile.
The new plan is a multi-month offering and is only available for use on Red Pocket's GSMT network. Red Pocket uses "GSMT" to specify plans that operate on the T-Mobile network as it is contractually not allowed to publicly name T-Mobile as a network partner. The new offering has some similarities to a plan that was recently launched by Unreal Mobile, its sister brand. Red Pocket's new plan is 3 months of wireless service for $30 and includes unlimited talk and text with 1GB of hard capped monthly high-speed data. The plan also comes with unlimited international calling to 80 countries plus a $10 credit each month to call countries not included in the 80 that are free.
Red Pocket's Unique MVNO Business Strategy
Red Pocket Mobile has somewhat of a unique business strategy as far as the MVNO market place is concerned. The company offers different wireless plans in each channel that the brand is sold through. For instance, Red Pocket offers eBay exclusive multi-month plans that cannot even be purchased by new customers through the Red Pocket Mobile website.
A few months back a new plan was launched at Target. The plan includes unlimited everything with 15GB of high-speed data for $35, although as of this writing it is available for $28. Maintaining the unique plans through different channels strategy, the plans sold on the Red Pocket Mobile website are not available for purchase at Target and vice versa.
And now there is this new dealer exclusive plan. So there are at least four different places where you can pick up a Red Pocket Mobile plan that is not available elsewhere.
Industry analyst Jeff Moore, Principal of Wave7 Research recently described the new dealer exclusive plan in a report his firm sent out to its subscribers. I spoke to him about the new offering and Red Pocket's business strategy. He commented:
“It’s good to see Red Pocket Mobile giving some love to the multi-carrier dealer channel. I think most of the MVNO’s focus has been online and via eBay, but three months of service with 1GB per month for a total of $30 is pretty affordable.”
Red Pocket Mobile's 50% Off Sale
Heading into the final holiday stretch run, Red Pocket Mobile has launched one more sale. All plans available through the Red Pocket Mobile website are now 50% off for a new customer's first month of service. While not as good as their Black Friday sale where every plan was $5 for the first month, there is still good value to be found here. Here are the discounted plans:
- $5 - 1,000 minutes, unlimited text, 1GB hard-capped high-speed data, plan renews at $10/month, available on all major networks
- $9 - unlimited minutes, unlimited text, 3GB high-speed data, plan renews at $19/month, available on all major networks
- $15 - unlimited minutes, unlimited text, 10GB high-speed data, plan renews at $30/month, works on all networks.
- $20 - unlimited minutes, unlimited text, 12GB high-speed data, plan renews at $40/month, works on T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon.
- $20 - unlimited minutes, unlimited text, 22GB high-speed data, plan renews at $40/month, works on AT&T.
This sale is scheduled to end on 12/23 at 9PM PST.


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Just five years ago, the idea of a Mario game on mobile seemed impossible. Take a look at Nintendo's journey to mobile dominance at NintendoWire.com!
Apparently nothing is impossible for Nintendo
Apparently region free seems impossible for them
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


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Apkmodsios.com John Hopkins College college students can now use iPhone or Apple Watch as ID College students at Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins College can now use an iPhone or Apple Watch rather than a bodily ID card for getting round campus, in addition to paying for college companies.
As soon as activated, a digital “J-Card” ID seems in Apple’s Pockets app, the Baltimore Solar mentioned on Thursday. With “Specific Mode” left on by default, all that is wanted is to carry an iPhone or Watch subsequent to a reader — no Face ID, Contact ID, passcode, and even waking or unlocking a tool.
For further safety college students can flip Specific Mode off, leading to an expertise like Apple Pay. Apple’s ID system lets college students test their account information by way of Pockets, comparable to meals and print quantities.
On campus, college students will have the ability to do issues like unlock doorways, print on the library and purchase gadgets on the bookstore. Some off-campus companies are collaborating in purchases as effectively, amongst them Chipotle, CVS and 7-Eleven.
Johns Hopkins is the fifth U.S. college to assist Pockets IDs — the others are Duke, Temple, Santa Clara, and the Universities of Alabama and Oklahoma. That leaves many others to go, together with each Ivy League establishment.
Machine necessities are comparatively low, beginning with solely an iPhone 6 and/or an Apple Watch Collection 1. Customers should additionally download the eAccounts app.


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The legendary Smoke in the Mountains barbecue contest just finished up in Galax, Va, and believe it or not, a Gaston County BBQ food truck came out on top.
The annual festival pitted some of the greatest bbq restaurants in the country against each other, including the Shed, a Mississippi restaurant with it’s own Food Network show.
Alex Ranucci, owner of Ranucci’s Big Butt BBQ, was initially surprised that his slow cooked pork shoulder beat out some of America’s top bbq contenders, but he certainly wasn’t hesitant to take the coveted banjo when the winner was announced.
Ranucci’s Big Butt BBQ is a catering business and food truck that has been a staple in Belmont’s food truck scene, and has recently expanded to Steele Creek and Plaza Midwood’s food truck festivals.
You can find out where they are going to be next by following their Facebook page here.


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Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, Nov 25: The central health ministry has clearly issued guidelines make it compulsory for motorists and two-wheeler riders to wear masks. However, there is a leeway provided for car drivers traveling alone in their vehicles with window glasses rolled up from not wearing masks but in case the panes are rolled down, they have to put on their face masks. Similarly other occupants of the vehicles too have to wear face masks. It has been clearly mentioned in the central ministry health directives that two-wheeler riders have to wear masks.
In this connection, DSP (Traffic) Shivendra explained that motorists, under any clause or condition have to wear masks. In case they are stopped at any check point and if they cannot provide logical answers, they will be liable to penalty under Clause 179 of IPC which also has provision of a fine of Rs 1,000. He said that presently, motorists without masks were being made aware of the hazards posed to their personal and community health but after a time, sooner than later, penal action would be taken against erring motorists whether they are driving alone or in company. DSP Shivendra further explained that even if a motorist, or for that matter, any individual was prone to visit public places and their were possibilities of catching the COVID virus whereby he or she could infect others.
Thus the law of wearing masks while out of home for all segments of vehicle users has been made mandatory.


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Dr Decker Weiss is a naturopathic cardiologist with an important message about inflammation. Here, Rosie Greenaway relays some of the key messages conveyed during his 2018 retailer roadshow, and discovers why ignoring the red flags could be catastrophic for cardiovascular health
In October, naturopathic cardiologist Dr Decker Weiss undertook a series of retailer lectures in the UK and Ireland hosted by Viridian Nutrition as part of its ongoing education programme.
CRYOpress from 001 Skincare London is an ice therapy solution for home use, designed to deliver more oxygen to the epidermis, eliminating toxins, brightening the complexion, and tightening and lifting the skin.
A study commissioned by the BBC programme Trust Me I’m A Doctor has shown that the health benefits of turmeric may be more pronounced when it is cooked.
The results of a study carried out by researchers at St James’s Hospital in Dublin have shown that vitamin D could improve intestinal barrier dysfunctions associated with Crohn’s disease (CD), a gastrointestinal condition characterized by inflammation. The researchers gave 27 subjects with CD in remission either 2,000iu of vitamin D daily for three months, or […]
New research conducted by researchers from the University of Indiana-Bloomington and published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, has found that green-lipped mussel extract can suppress certain markers of muscle damage and inflammation that usually increase during exercise. The study set out to evaluate the effects of PCSO-524, a marine oil […]
A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that levels of C-reaction protein (CRP) can be significantly reduced by a combination of glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulphate. The research, led by Dr Sandi Navarro PhD, studied 18 healthy but overweight subjects for 28 days, randomly assigning them a placebo or […]
South African natural skincare brand Ordinary Skincare has been launched in the UK by Skin Evolution. The range of moisturizing creams were developed by Dr Claire Jamieson – a household name in South Africa – who was inspired by the difficulty her patients had in finding skincare products for dry and sensitive skin that delivered […]
Good Hemp claims UK’s first CBD plant-based milk
November 8, 2019 Jane Wolfe
In what it says is a UK first, Good Hemp is launching a range of CBD plant-based milks this month, starting with CBD Barista Seed Milk.
SFT calls for all UK political parties to commit to key food policies
The Sustainable Food Trust is urging UK political parties to prioritize the advancement of an environmentally sustainable and healthy food system.
Climate change report cast organic in ‘false and negative light’
A new study about organic farming and greenhouse gas emissions has been criticized for portraying organic in a ‘false and negative light’.
Charity calls for end to ‘unfair’ VAT on plant milks
PLANT-based food charity Proveg International is calling for an end to the ‘unequal and unfair’ taxation of plant-based milk compared to cow’s milk.
Living life on the veg
October 28, 2019 Ross Harris
Plates of lifeless veg and soggy ‘fishless fingers’ are a thing of the past. Rosie Greenaway orders the vegan catch of the day, explores today’s sophisticated veggie market, and discovers just how much the nation’s love of animal products is costing the planet (more…)
The whole package
Want the truth about sustainable packaging? It’s complicated – but consumers and brands are both committed to change, says Matt Chittock
With 72% of adults reporting that they exercise on a weekly basis, Kate Miller highlights why a broader definition of sports nutrition could be advantageous
The K word
With celebrity followers helping boost its appeal the keto diet is still very much in vogue. But does it sit comfortably within the natural health sector?
Tooth powder as a powerful ally for your dental health
My Oradent tooth powder is neither a drug nor a medicine. Suitable for all consumers and also for vegans and vegetarians. Why in powder form? Studies have shown that tooth powder can be more effective at removing plaque than toothpaste. Plus, My Oradent does not contain fluoride, is non-toxic and is also safe for children. […]
Leading the discussion around sustainability in retail
The Sustainability in Retail Forum is the new conference designed to help senior executives within leading retailers from across the Nordic region meet the ever-evolving challenges around sustainability. Taking place 13 November 2019, at MalmöMässan, Sweden, the event is co-located with the award-winning trade exhibitions Nordic Organic Food Fair and Eco Life Scandinavia. Facing the […]
As Europe braces itself for a winter flu outbreak, protect yourself with Sambucol and the power of black elderberry.
Experts across Europe have warned the EU to brace itself for a bad flu season this winter. A new vaccine has been produced which is effective in fighting H3N2, the flu strain likely to hit the region this year; however, the vaccine is generally available for free to over 65s, pregnant women, those with an […]
Mineral-rich New Zealand volcanic mud delivers instant illumination for your skin
It may seem counter-intuitive to apply mud to your skin in order to cleanse it, but the skin-enhancing benefits of mineral-rich mud have been harnessed for beauty treatments all over the world for centuries. Antipodes® uses white volcanic mud sourced from central New Zealand’s dramatic central plateau in its new Halo Skin-Brightening Facial Mud Mask […]


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On September 22, 1999, the Yamaha PM1D digital mixing system, designed specifically for live sound reinforcement, made its debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The PM1D started a digital revolution in live sound, and its worldwide popularity resulted in significant sales, and the beginning of a new era.
Now, 10 years later, Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems Inc. has announced that Yamaha Corporation Japan has reached the limit on availability of key components. Therefore, in order to secure enough parts for customer service well into the future, the production of this legendary mixing system will cease in December 2009. Current requests for PM1D systems will be fulfilled, and limited quantities will remain available until the existing stock is depleted.
The company is not resting on its laurels, however, and has made available online a brief “white paper” that will provide customers with its concept for the next generation Yamaha digital system platform.
“Yamaha Corporation Japan has been hard at work advancing the next generation digital system platform,” states Larry Italia, vice president/general manager, Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems Inc. “The PM1D was responsible for moving the commercial audio market forward, and as we begin this next era, our goal is to continue to provide our customers with the tools that meet changing market demands well into the 21st century.”
For more information, refer to the brief “white paper” that may be viewed at yamahaca.com/whitepaper.


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Canon adds video production automation to PTZ cameras
Seervision, a Swiss company developing camera automation software has announced a partnership with Canon, to offer integration of the Seervision Suite and Canon’s PTZ cameras. Canon now includes video production automation as part of its offering, introducing the Seervision Suite capabilities to its customers.
“When Seervision introduced us to the solution they’ve developed, we were impressed by the quality of tracking and automation. We see the integration of our PTZ cameras with the Seervision Suite as well-suited to a wide range of use cases and it marks another step towards enabling our customers to be as flexible in their video production as they want to be,” said Matthew Koshy, European product marketing specialist at Canon Europe.
Conrad von Grebel, cofounder and product team lead at Seervision, said: “Canon and Seervision capitalise on a customer-driven approach and their hardware perfectly complements the Seervision Suite and its mission to make video production effortless for everyone.” Coingenius.news
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HBO Max Ups Ad-free Service Price For The First Time Since It Launched
Warner Bros. Discovery is increasing the cost of HBO Max by USD 1 per month as part of its ongoing efforts to improve the service’s user interface and programming.
For current customers, the rate increase will take effect on February 11 or during their subsequent billing period.
The price of HBO Max’s ad-free tier will rise from USD 14.99 to USD 15.99 per month, the company said on Thursday. This is the first price hike for HBO Max since its introduction in May 2020.
Warner Bros. Discovery officials have stated that there is space for growth in terms of streaming service prices, and the firm hopes to turn its streaming division profitable soon.
The price increase occurs before Warner Bros. Discovery’s combined HBO Max and Discovery+ streaming service launches in the spring of 2023. The combined platform will be known as Max.
In order to make streaming economical, the business has been reducing expenses, such as spending on HBO Max’s original shows.
Additionally, it is managing the significant debt left over from Discovery’s successful acquisition of Warner last year. By 2025, Warner Bros. Discovery hopes to generate USD 1 billion from streaming.
These things are without a doubt overpriced, according to Warner Bros. Discovery CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels, who made the statement at a conference earlier this month.
And I believe that part of the reason for this land grabbing era was the capital market. You couldn’t lose enough money and couldn’t grow subscribers fast enough. I think that’s behind us.
In terms of the user experience, we’re going to have a fantastic product, and to be really honest, that’s HBO Max’s largest bottleneck right now. Wiedenfels stated at the conference this month that the experience is not where it needs to be.
While completely rewriting the software, the business has also been striving to enhance the user experience.


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Charlie Sheen Is Endorsing a Highly Innovative Swedish Condom
After publicly revealing that he is H.I.V.-positive last fall, actor Charlie Sheen continues to make headlines.
Earlier this year, the actor briefly halted his medical treatment for the disease before eventually returning to consuming what he has called an “AIDS cocktail” of antiretroviral drugs. Sheen is also serving as a spokesman for a new anti-H.I.V. drug and, now, he’s even trying to help a Swedish company sell condoms.
LELO, a Swedish sex-toy company, has enlisted the former Two and a Half Men star to endorse its new HEX latex condoms, which feature a distinctive hexagonal design that the company says will “revolutionize the world of condoms for good”—and which LELO compares to a honeycomb or snake skin. The HEX condom, the company says in its promotional materials, “combines thinness and strength” to improve the comfort and safety of its users while the design is also meant to reduce slippage and avoid breaking.
On Tuesday, the New York Times wrote about a publicity event in Manhattan where Sheen was on hand to pitch HEX condoms at a party that the newspaper said was also attended by “dancers in hexagon-patterned leotards”. The company hopes Sheen’s involvement can get people to buy its product and also serve as something of a cautionary tale of what can happen when you don’t wear a condom.
In a video advertisement on LELO’s website, Sheen somberly discusses his H.I.V. diagnosis and expresses a belief that his personal story can help the company while promoting an overall message of health and safety. “People still want to be like me, or experience my life. But, there’s a little detail that they want no part of, so they can avoid that by using this,” Sheen says in the ad, referring to his H.I.V. diagnosis.
LELO’s promotional event on Tuesday signaled the launch of an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to sell pre-orders for its new line of HEX condoms. In a section of the campaign’s funding page titled “And Why Charlie Sheen?” the company writes that, aside from Sheen, “there is arguably no other person who can so personally and actively drive conversations on sexual health.”


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France’s telecom regulator, Arcep, wants to push the buildout of 5G mobile technology infrastructure aggressively, announcing it is launching a multi-pronged strategy to begin distributing spectrum for the next-gen mobile networks.
Arcep intends first to sell the spectrum at a fixed price, then auction the remaining bands and to swap some with operators in exchange for buildout of the infrastructure needed for the high-speed mobile network.
The regulator will conduct a public consultation that will end Sept. 4. It wants make sure all operators – in addition to the country’s four main telecom firms (Orange, Bouygues, Telecom, Iliad and Altice Europe’s SFR) – have equal access to the spectrum. Licenses run for 15 years, with a possible five-year extension.
The combined spectrum sale and auction will generate billions of euros in revenue for France. Germany’s June spectrum auction netted 6.55 billion euros ($7.35 billion), while Italy’s auction last year raising 6.5 billion euros ($7.29 billion).
The technology already is deployed commercially in Monaco. Chinese vendor Huawei helped the principality launched the mobile network. It’s the first European market to have commercially available 5G service.
5G mobile technology benefits
From a network standpoint, 5G is expected to reduce and even eliminate near-term congestion issues that plague mobile users. In large metro areas, 60% of consumers report connectivity issues like dropped calls.
The super-fast data transfers possible through 5G will be transformative for multiple industries. That’s especially true for the media and entertainment segment.
- Related: Can French broadcasters play on a global SVOD stage?
- Related: Consumers turn to non-linear TV as they migrate from traditional linear TV
- Also related: 5G delivery = opportunity for content companies
Consumer’s rapid adoption of streaming already has changed the M&E landscape. That change will go further – and deeper – with 5G’s deployment. And, it’s change that will not only impact video consumption, but video production, too. The 5G mobile technology will allow, for example, mobile to be a core player during production. Mobile cameras at a sporting event will send action directly to a NOC wirelessly. That content can be edited and then broadcast or streamed with very little lag time or loss of image quality.
5G may reduce latency by as much as 10X, to 4 milliseconds or better. That’s huge for live broadcasts of sports, news and music events. It also translates to no buffering for viewers of video on-demand.
Obviously, AR and VR will get a boost from 5G. Holographic projection and immersive advertising tech also benefit. All of those applications use massive amounts of data and require a network that can move huge data loads economically.
The bottom line
5G will help annual mobile media revenues reach $420 billion in 2028, double what they were in 2018, Ovum says. Digital advertising will hit its stride, too, with Ovum forecasting revenues topping $178 billion in 2028.
Samsung launching the world’s first 5G smartphone into South Korea, where commercially available 5G service launched in April. But, more major mobile device manufacturers aren’t far behind. 5G smartphone announcements will occur throughout 2019 and early 2020.
In France, meanwhile, the 5G rollout will begin in 2020 for most large cities. Total 5G coverage of the country will happen between 2025 and 2030.
Arcep already has approved spectrum for several 5G pilot programs throughout the country. And, in the French territory of St. Barthelemy-St. Martin, operators will use 5G to offer LTE connectivity in areas where fixed broadband services have been damaged by hurricane Irma.
For streaming content distributors, broadcasters, even content creators looking to stream directly to consumers, 5G elevates mobile delivery to a crucial piece of your businesses future. Don’t wait too long.


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HOLYOKE -- Off-color novelties and toy guns are among the items vendors are banned from selling along the route of this year's St. Patrick's Parade.
The toys, as well as noise and ejection items like snappers and silly string, also are prohibited at the previous day's road race, officials said.
Authority over how vendors can conduct business lies with the city, not the Parade Committee, which supports the decision of the city License Board, Feyre said.
The License Board told vendors Feb. 19 that it had voted on Feb. 13 to ban the sale of toy guns at the road race on March 16 and the parade on March 17.
That came after Mayor Alex B. Morse said some residents requested toy gun sales be banned at the parade to take a stand against violence.
Other items it is illegal for vendors to sell at the parade and road race are items of a sexual nature, stink bombs, drug paraphernalia and items bearing drug symbols, matches, lighters and any type of fireworks, according to the License Board memo to vendors.
"These items may be confiscated under the law," the License Board memo said.
The board consists of Jose Correa, Andrea Brunault-McGuiness and Timothy Grader.
Novelty exploders like snappers and silly string are items that can harass people trying to watch the parade, as well as scare animals that are part of the parade like horses and dogs, police Lt. Matthew F. Moriarty said.


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It's the 'crowdsourcing' website where anyone can raise tens of thousands of pounds for their idea. But are any of them any good?
More than $300 million has been raised through Kickstarter.com, the website where people ask for money to finance their start-up projects.
Some budding entrepreneurs have succeeded and have got millions more than they bargained for - while others have failed miserably.
In April, three-person startup Pebble Technology sought to raise $100,000 to make 1,000 wristwatches that can be programmed with different clock faces.
Successful: The project raised $4.3 million in just five days - and then $10million with a week to spare
Donors on Kickstarter showered them with more than 100 times that amount at $10.3 million. It would have gone higher had Pebble not put a cap on contributions and ended the fundraising early.
Kickstarter is the largest of dozens of sites devoted to crowdfunding, in which donors contribute small sums of money to get a project off the ground.
Inventors, artists and entrepreneurs post their projects on a Kickstarter page, usually with a video presentation. They set a fixed duration for their fundraising, from one to 60 days, and a dollar goal for contributions. Anyone can contribute. If the goal isn't reached by the deadline, no money changes hands and the project is cancelled.
Usually, the contributors get something beyond the satisfaction of knowing they helped turn a dream into reality — like a ticket to a theater production, or in the case of Pebble, a programmable watch.
Since launching in 2009, Kickstarter has raised $323 million for projects. Starting a project is free, but Kickstarter takes five per cent of contributions if a project is funded, and Amazon.com Inc. takes another three to five percent for processing the payments. The funds are usually subject to taxes as well.
But despite the winning formula, some projects have flopped. Take the iPhone holder entitled 'The Move'. The inventors of the product that enables people to attach an iPhone4 or or an iPod Touch to their clothing sought $25,000.
Designer's edition: Steve Jackson's re-release of classic 80s board game Ogre garnered 5,512 'backers' and raised $900,000 more than he asked for
DIY lampshade: The Loomi attracted 649 backers and successfully raised - and exceeded - its funding goal of $9,000
But the unoriginal invention only managed to raise $5,149 - a mere 20 per cent of the creators' $25,000 target - in its six-week deadline and the project failed.
Others projects have been unsuccessful for different reasons. The i+ case, an aluminum iPhone case, surpassed its $15,000 funding goal by $70,000. But the invention was plagued with production problems and users complained that it limited their cellular and Wi-Fi reception.
But other projects have surpassed their creators' expectations. Steve Jackson's re-release of classic 80s board game Ogre garnered 5,512 'backers' and raised $900,000 more than he asked for.
The success of Jackson's collector's edition re-release meant that the inventor could come up with more products for Ogre fans, including t-shirts and canvas bags.
Brooklyn, New York-based designer David Sosnow came up with 'Loomi - a crafty little light'. The 'modular, makeable, paintable, recyclable' lampshade, as it has been marketed, attracted 649 backers and successfully raised - and exceeded - its funding goal of $9,000.
Buyers are sold 30 pieces of cardstock, which they can assemble and paint themselves for a customized design. The DIY lampshade, which retails at $30, proved that even the simplest products can succeed.
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