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It’s no big secret that Apple took quite a few gambles (for a change) with the radical new design of the iPhone X, which loses the physical home button and fingerprint reader, gaining an incredibly complex facial recognition mechanism and a beautiful façade that’s almost all screen.
But with the largely redundant iPhone 8 and 8 Plus predictably generating less interest (and presumably sales) than last year’s 7/7 Plus duo, Cupertino now needs to rapidly ramp up iPhone X production to keep investors happy.
Unfortunately, in addition to Samsung’s reported slow OLED manufacturing start for the most eye-catching iPhone in recent memory, the so-called “TrueDepth” camera may also complicate November 3 release plans.
You probably have nothing to worry about if you hurry and pre-order the unusually compact 5.8-inch iOS device early October 27 morning, but if you don’t do that, a long wait could be ahead, extending through the holiday season or even 2018.
That’s purportedly because the 3D sensing arrangement on the iPhone X is composed of a “structured-light system, time-of-flight system and a front-facing camera”, which are proving extremely tricky to get just right in the supply chain.
According to “people familiar with the situation” quoted under anonymity by The Wall Street Journal, it’s the Romeo part of a “yin-and-yang” type of assembly that’s taking significantly more time than the Juliet component to reach a satisfactory manufacturing level.
“Romeo” is likely the Dot Projector used to build each user’s unique “facial map” with the help of over 30,000 invisible dots, while the infrared camera that actually reads the dot pattern, captures an image and works with the A11 Bionic chip to confirm a match could well be known on the inside as “Juliet.” Either way, something‘s delaying the proper mass execution of Face ID, according to several unrelated sources, and the clock is ticking.


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From pv magazine USA
US-based startup Lunar Energy is releasing a residential integrated energy management cabinet system that stores solar energy on 5 kWh battery system to provide up to 30 kWh of backup power.
The company has announced the release of its first consumer hardware product, Lunar System, which is a residential distributed generation cabinet that integrates rooftop solar generation, battery storage, and load control in one product suite.
The DG cabinet by the company features the Lunar Battery, a lithium-ion battery with capacities ranging from 10 kWh to 30 kWh, in 5 kWh increments, along with a 10 kW hybrid inverter to support home HVAC systems and household appliances.
The residential cabinet can be connected to an on-site solar array and utilizes the Lunar Bridge, an electric panel monitoring system that seamlessly switches between grid and off-grid battery power within 30 milliseconds. During grid outages, the Lunar Switch prioritizes essential appliances by automatically turning off non-essential ones like EV chargers or pool pumps.
The company claims that its residential battery is 47% smaller and more compact compared to other similar batteries available in the market.
Lunar Energy stated that an average home in California could achieve a payback period of seven years by installing a 20 kWh Lunar System paired with a 5 kW solar array, given recent net energy metering changes that reduce the value of solar output. The company estimated the cost of such a configuration to be between $20,000 and $30,000.
Sunrun, the solar installation partner of Lunar Energy, announced that it will start accepting orders in the fall of 2023 to install Lunar Systems together with Sunrun solar systems. The company provided a link for installers to learn more about the Lunar System, including information on how to become a licensed installer.
In February, Sunrun and Lunar Energy partnered on a nationwide virtual power plant (VPP) network. The solar installer currently has VPP operations in New England, New York, California, Arizona, and Hawaii, with plans tens of thousands of new home distributed generation systems in additional states and territories. Before partnering, Lunar Energy had deployed 35,000 Lunar Gridshare interconnected home battery systems in Japan and 1,600 across Europe.
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Babies spend a lot of time in their cribs, so it is imperative that they
are safe. While stricter regulations have improved crib safety, recalls
involving dangerous defects still take place every year.
Most recently, Bexco Enterprises Inc. announced that it is expanding its
recall of its DaVinci Cribs. In July, the manufacturer recalled 11,600
defective cribs. The latest announcement includes 6,000 more products.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), a metal
bracket that connects the mattress support to the crib can break, creating
an uneven sleeping surface or a gap. If this happens, a baby can become
entrapped in the crib, fall onto the floor, or suffer lacerations from
the broken metal bracket. Bexco expanded the recall after receiving five
additional reports of the mattress support brackets breaking and detaching.
Thankfully, no injuries have been reported.
For parents who are concerned that their children might be sleeping in
a dangerous crib, the recalled products were sold at Target and juvenile
products stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com from May 2012 to December
2013. They cost between $150 and $250.
The recall involves Reagan cribs (model #M2801), Emily cribs (model #M4791),
Jamie cribs (model #M7301), and Jenny Lind cribs (model #M7391) that were
manufactured from May 2012 through December 2012. The specific serial
numbers impacted by the recall can be found on the
CPSC website. All of the numbers begin with “N00.”
Due to the serious risk of injury and even death, consumers should immediately
stop using the recalled cribs and contact Bexco for a free replacement
mattress support, which includes replacement brackets. In the meantime,
parents are urged to find an alternate, safe sleeping environment for
the child, such as a bassinet, play yard or toddler bed depending on the
If your child or someone you love has suffered serious harm due to a defective
crib or other children’s product, don’t hesitate to contact
a San Diego product liability attorney at the Law Offices of Robert Vaage
for a free consultation.


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infoUSA announced that it is changing its name to infoGROUP, effective June 1. According to a press release, the company feels the new name better represents the organization’s expanding global presence and long-term business strategy.
The company notes that many acquisitions, such as its Opinion Research buy, have effectively solidified infoUSA as a global company and prompted an expansion of infoGROUP’s research and database functions. infoGROUP, which is headquartered in Omaha, Neb., has offices in Canada, the U.K., Australia, India, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai. The company plans to move into New Zealand and Ireland, as well as expand its current operations in Australia and other regions. Source: Asian Press Coverage
BIIA Newsletter May – 2008 Issue


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Advertisement: Click here to learn how to Generate Art From Text
Porsche has sold over 150,000 of their vehicles Taycan sports electric sedan since the model’s introduction in 2019, and in terms of style and The Taycan is still a fresh car. It has always been behind the competition. The range department, with the longest-range 2024 Taycan — the GTS sedan — being rated by the EPA at just 246 miles. The facelifted 2025 Taycan will debut in just a few days, and as Porsche proved on a recent real-world test in Southern California, the Taycan’s range will be significantly improved.
Porsche set its own speed limit of 75mph for the test route, which saw multiple Taycans drive from Los Angeles back to San Diego on the 405/5 freeways under normal driving conditions. Out of the group of prototypes, which were driven by a handful of auto journalists from different countries, all were able to achieve ranges of more than 300 miles, the longest being a rear-wheel-drive Taycan sedan on 19-inch wheels that eked out 365 miles of highway range — more than 100 miles greater than the current equivalent’s EPA range.
The larger Performance Battery Plus is available on some trims. It will likely have improved efficiency and more cells for the facelift. MotorTrendThe range of the a was 317 miles. Taycan Cross Turismo 4During the test, EdmundsOne journalist got 345 mile out of the Taycan Turbo, which had larger 21-inch wheels.
The 2025 Taycan also has significantly faster charging capabilities as demonstrated in this test conducted at an Electrify America Station. While the current model can charge at a maximum of 270 kW, good enough to go from 10 to 80 percent in just over 20 minutes, the updated model will be able to charge at well over 300 kW, going from 10 to 80 percent in “well under” 20 minutes. AutocarThe peak rate was 332 kW. This boosted the car from 6 percent to 80 percent within 14 minutes. For about a third of the session, the charge rate remained above 300 kW. Porsche says the time it takes to start charging has been improved, as has the charging performance — when MotorTrend plugged in, the car immediately started charging at 293 kW, and it didn’t dip back below 300 kW until the battery hit 62 percent.
The 2025 Taycan will also receive minor styling updates, such as new bumpers and lights, new color and trim options, and some slight interior upgrades. The biggest deal will be the application. Apple CarPlay is now available on the new Apple CarPlay interface, which will be able to take over all of the Taycan’s screens and control many of the car’s functions like the climate controls and other settings. Coming shortly after the facelift’s launch will be the Taycan Turbo GT, which recently took back the Nürburging EV record from Tesla.


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The British Fashion Council (BFC) has announced Priyanka Chopra Jonas as its new Ambassador for Positive Change. The multi-talented global UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador will join the BFC supporting the organisation’s efforts to lead the charge on a positive change in fashion, Priyanka Chopra Jonas will have an active role in a number of BFC events throughout the year, including London Fashion Week and The Fashion Awards over a twelve-month period starting from November 2020 to December 2021.
Caroline Rush CBE, Chief Executive, BFC commented: “We are delighted to welcome Priyanka Chopra Jonas as the BFC Ambassador for Positive Change. Her work as a social activist, promoting causes such as the environment and women’s rights, and her commitment to using her reach for good are what have made her one of the industry’s most courageous voices and the perfect choice as the BFC Ambassador for Positive Change. We look forward to working with Priyanka over the next twelve months, for her to share her voice and knowledge on causes she cares about, helping us with the important goal towards creating an industry that is more diverse, equal and fair!”
Priyanka Chopra Jonas, commented: “I am thrilled to join the British Fashion Council as its Ambassador for Positive Change. Fashion has always been the pulse of pop culture, and can be a powerful force with the ability to connect cultures and bring people together. Through my role, I look forward to celebrating the incredible diversity and creativity of the industry, while working to champion budding and iconic designers doing their part to make an indelible impact on people and our planet.”
As the BFC Ambassador for Positive Change, Priyanka Chopra Jonas will support the BFC through raising awareness and promoting best practice within the fashion industry, celebrating those that adhere to inclusive and ethical principles and act as a spokesperson for the importance of creative education. The appointment is part of the BFC’s strategy around the Institute of Positive Fashion (IPF), developed to help the British fashion industry lead in the goal to be more resilient, circular, equal and fair through global collaboration and local action.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas is the recipient of numerous awards, with more than sixty international and Hollywood films to her credit, making her one of the most recognised personalities in the world. In 2016, she was conferred The Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honors, and she has been featured on the cover of Time magazine’s Time 100 issue, in which she was named one of the “Most Influential People” in the world, and has been recognized as one of Forbes “Most Powerful Women.” In December 2019, Priyanka Chopra Jonas received the prestigious Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award, for her efforts as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. She is also a Global Citizen ambassador and is involved in several efforts to protect children’s rights and to promote the education of girls around the world including her namesake charity, The Priyanka Chopra Foundation for Health and Education. In addition to these roles, Chopra has dedicated herself to fighting for inclusion and diversity for all and strongly believes in working to create a more inclusive world where diversity is celebrated.
Leveraging global expertise and resources, the IPF adopts standards, develops and establishes frameworks, to reset and create a new blueprint for the industry. Through identifying common challenges, the IPF calls for collective action and investment in innovation to make a difference. The IPF aims to bring the industry in tune with the needs of the planet by taking a holistic approach across environment, people, community & craftsmanship.


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You may have to thank Donald Trump, the US President for putting in an effort to make imported motorcycles like Triumph and Harley Davidson cheaper... ...http://www.sify.com/finance/cheaper-imported-harley-davidson-and-triumph-thank-uncle-trump-news-trade-sconFiafefeae.html
Rediff.com's Rajesh Karkera and Hitesh Harisinghani spotted these beauties at the Auto Expo 2018. And we are not talking just bikes here ;-) The... ...http://www.rediff.com/getahead/report/biking-pics-raising-the-heat-at-auto-expo-2018/20180212.htm
New Delhi : Luxury automobile manufacturer BMW on Thursday launched the new M3 sedan priced at Rs 1.30 crore and the new M4 Coupé at Rs 1.33... ...http://www.sify.com/finance/delhi-auto-expo-bmw-launches-new-sedan-m3-and-m4-coup\\xe9-news-auto-sciwapafagbed.html
The move will primarily impact luxury car companies like Mercedes Benz, BMW, Audi and Volvo and bike brands like Triumph and Harley Davidson.... ...http://www.rediff.com/money/report/budget-2018-luxury-cars-premium-bikes-to-be-costlier-by-upto-5/20180205.htm
If you fancy imported items such as automobiles, bikes, watches, sunglasses and mobile phones, get ready to pay more for these products. In order... ...http://www.deccanherald.com/content/657098/imported-cars-juices-mobiles-gold.html
CBU ONLINE is ranked 16 most...
Canadian College Athletics


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“Unlike other companies, Laava Tech works according to the light and dark phases of photosynthesis, which differs between plants and throughout the life cycle,” says Tatsiana Zaretskaya, CEO of Laava Tech, an Estonian provider of horticultural lighting solutions.
Laava Tech offers complete horticultural lighting solutions which include lights, controllers, cloud service and mobile device applications for remote control. With Laava Tech lighting solutions, a grower can control the spectrum, intensity, photoperiod and pulsation frequency. According to Tatsiana, Laava Tech lighting solutions can decrease light energy consumption by 80% through its innovative approach based on the light and dark phases of photosynthesis.
Plants consume light during the light phase while the dark phase converts the light into usable energy for the plant. During the dark phase, the plants are unable to absorb light. Laava Tech takes advantage of this process by flickering the lights at very high frequencies, up to 35,000 times per second, to correspond with light and dark phases. Laava Tech can control six different parameters per pulse, with that optimized control resulting in high energy savings.
Another interesting feature is the inclusion of UV wavelengths which allow growers to affect crop color and taste.
Laava Tech lamps
Easy sensor integration and computer vision
As Tatsiana explains, Laava Tech’s control system was designed to facilitate the integration of other sensors into the system. For example, Laava Tech can collect sensor information related to carbon dioxide, temperature, humidity, outdoor light levels, etc. The cloud interface also offers the ability to control the hydroponic system from the platform, effectively centralizing farm operation.
“It’s important to choose devices that can be integrated. I’ve seen a lot of issues with clients who have products from different producers that don’t integrate well, so they need to control them individually,” says Tatsiana.
The cloud interface
In addition to sensor data, Laava Tech systems collect crop data from normal and infrared cameras as well as fluorescence and spectral analysis. Altogether, these data are used to detect plant status and deliver the exact amount of light needed.
“If a plant is 10 cm or taller, for example, the camera detects this and will automatically apply the appropriate light recipe. We are constantly training the computer vision system by collecting data on-site and in real-time,” Tatsiana explains.
Online store to launch soon
While its solutions can be installed in greenhouses, Laava Tech is currently focusing on the indoor farming industry due to its reliance on artificial lighting and high energy demands. Further, the company is focusing its efforts on northern Europe and plans to expand across Europe and into North America.
Laava Tech’s portfolio currently includes 30 crops, most of which are leafy greens and tomatoes. Due to pandemic-related supply chain challenges, Laava Tech has mostly been supplying its products to existing customers. However, Laava Tech has since hammered out many production challenges and will have an online shop operational within a few months.


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All the news from Computex 2014, the largest IT tradeshow in Asia.
The following cars represent the most technically advanced available.
The smooth and quiet 2014 Jaguar XJL makes driver and passenger comfort its top priority. This luxury sedan and its tech may be aging, but they're doing so gracefully.
The 2014 Lexus LX 570 blends the off-road pedigree of the legendary Land Cruiser with on-road comfort and manners befitting its luxury Lexus badge.
Even when it's working well, the Netgear R8000 Nighthawk X6 AC3200 Tri-Band Gigabit Wireless Router has nothing to justify its expensive price tag.
GE's new three-rack dishwashers give miscellaneous cooking utensils a place to call home.
Asus has revealed a prototype 32-inch curved monitor with WQHD resolution at Computex 2014.
Apple keeps the latest MacBook Air updates on the inside, but greatly improved battery life and a lower starting price make up for a lack of flashy design changes.
The company had dropped the optical viewfinder for the P7700. It resurfaces in the P7800, but now it's electronic.
Chromebooks continue to give Microsoft and Windows trouble. And Microsoft continues to make a case against them.
PCs are seeing surprising strength, especially in the US, according to IDC. Are some tablet models starting a slow fade?
An analyst predicts that sales growth for Apple's smartphone will double that of Samsung's in the second quarter -- though Samsung still remains the undisputed champion of smartphone sales.


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Viral site LittleThings is big on Facebook, but not Facebook video yet
Upworthy-esque viral-content site LittleThings is the definition of a Facebook publisher, relying on the social network for upwards of 80 percent of its traffic. And yet, until very recently, the company was not using Facebook to distribute video.
According to the company’s chief operating officer Gretchen Tibbits, LittleThings.com has been averaging between 80 and 120 million views per month since August. The desktop site accounts for only 20 percent of global views. Most of the viewership is happening on the mobile Web, with smartphones and tablets accounting for 60 to 65 percent and 15 to 20 percent of monthly views, respectively.
What makes this surprising is that LittleThings is pretty big on Facebook. It has 7.1 million likes and in October was the fifth-most shared publisher with 3.7 million shares, according to Newswhip. (The company is also a partner in Facebook’s Instant Articles program.) When it came to video, the company would primarily use Facebook to drive users to its site, which certainly helped goose viewership totals.
That’s changing. Recently, the company began uploading videos directly to Facebook, though it’s still in a “fact-finding phase,” according to chief operating officer Gretchen Tibbits. “We’ve had a couple of videos [on Facebook] with pretty significant views, but we’re still in the early stages,” she said. “But we are one of the top publishers and are optimistic.”
(YouTube, meanwhile, is not on their radar at the moment. “That doesn’t mean we won’t revisit YouTube,” said Tibbits, “but it’s just never been an area where we have gotten a lot of traction.”)
Video overal has become a central part of LittleThings’ content strategy. Today, roughly 85 percent of posts include video, said Tibbits.
LittleThings is best known for uplifting, warm and fuzzy content, the site you go to if you want to watch a newlywed bride play Adam Sandler’s “Grow Old with You” on a guitar for her new husband. The approach has helped LittleThings more than quintuple its monthly audience — from 8 million uniques in November 2014 to 44.7 million in October 2015, according to comScore.
The same applies to advertising, which LittleThings.com runs in a limited fashion. Ninety percent of ads on the site are either 15-second pre-rolls or skippable. While this limits the amount of advertising the site can run, the goal, again, is to make the video experience as unintrusive as possible for the viewer. “I’d rather not show a pre-roll than run a long one,” said Speiser.
LittleThings is also investing more in is original content. Most of the views LittleThings.com currently gets occur on videos sourced from YouTube. While this has helped the company grow its video audience, that content can’t be directly monetized.
Original and licensed content can. In September, LittleThings opened an in-house content studio manned by a group of six. This group focuses on creating inspirational and how-to content — things that would be entertaining and relevant to its core audience of moms.
LittleThings also licenses videos from content libraries and individual creators producing uplifting or how-to content. Combined, original and licensed videos account for 30 percent of the video on LittleThings.com today, and that number is growing, said Tibbits.
The early results are promising, with views on original content hitting 14.2 million views in October, up from 6 million in September. Halfway through November, original-content views are at 18.4 million.
Looking ahead, LittleThings, which is expected to book $25 million in 2015 revenue, is planning to grow the brand beyond its own borders. In recent months, the publisher has secured co-production and distribution deals with AOL and NBC.
“[These deals] expand our production capabilities without having to build multiple different studios,” said Tibbits. “It’s also a great opportunity to build awareness for our brand. When you see our content on Today.com or Huffington Post, it’s helping more people understand who we are.”
Another way to raise awareness: by increasingly uploading content to Facebook and its 1 billion daily users.
California Attorney General says popular, digital ad opt-outs from trade groups don’t comply with CCPA
Commonly used opt-out tools from the Network Advertising Initiative and Digital Advertising Alliance will not suffice for compliance with California's privacy law.
Hearst UK wants all of its brands to have Good Housekeeping’s authority in product testing
The Good Housekeeping Institute set the precedent for Hearst UK and the new Hearst Institute is looking to replicate those successes across all its brands.
Member ExclusiveDigiday Research: The pandemic sped the wrong things up for publishers
Publishers are now much more reliant on direct-sold ads, and at an industry level, diversification strategies have made little progress.
SponsoredData-driven solutions: Charting a better way forward for brands and publishers
Travis Clinger, senior vp of addressability and ecosystem, LiveRamp Updates to mobile identifiers and browser data privacy policies have become an everyday part of life in the advertising industry. The browsers and device manufacturers have made privacy a competitive differentiator, as consumers have become increasingly concerned over how their data is being used. As an […]
Why two brothers are betting on creating new brands and e-commerce to grow their media company
Former Bonnier Corp. CEO Eric Zinczenko is the new COO/president of his brother David Zinczenko's company Galvanized Media.
Member ExclusiveMedia Buying Briefing: Artificial intelligence ‘is gonna ruin the world… and then we adapt’
A look at the different ways artificial intelligence is wending its way into media planning and buying.


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The Facebook page of TEDMED Live Bologna published some amazing infographics and sketches about different aspects of telemedicine, health 2.0 and digital technologies. Such visuals can help start a conversation or brainstorming session about potential developments at any workshops or conferences.
Posts from the ‘Infographics’ Category
Mashable published a great infographic about what kind of online tools and platforms people trust when it comes to healthcare information.
You’ve probably done a Google search for that weird spot that cropped up out of nowhere or the pain in your leg that won’t go away. Self-diagnosing your ailments through websites such as WebMD and Wikipedia is commonplace, but it turns out, it hasn’t yet become a mobile trend.
A study of one thousand U.S. consumers by communications and research firms Makovsky-Kelton found most of the health seekers who go online in search ofhealthcare information prefer to use their PC over a mobile device.
Here is a great infographic to browse on a Saturday morning:
I’ve recently come across an amazing infographic dedicated to the use of mobiles/smartphones, video and social media by medical professionals. A few interesting snippets and questions I raised:
- 81% of physicians are expected to own a smartphone by 2012
- 73% search the web (only 73%?)
- More physicians watch videos on WebMD than on Youtube?
- 86% of physicians use Facebook (certainly not for professional but personal reasons)
What do you think of these and the rest of the data?
There is a nice infographic about the digital device and mobile app usage of doctors.
Patients tended to disclose certain conditions:
Chronic Fatigue: 10%
Heart Disease: 2%


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Facebook govt Andrew Bosworth says a key purpose of the company’s new $299 orderly glasses is to kickstart a societal dialog on the norms round such products. On that entrance, the company has already succeeded.
Articulate of play: Protection of the open of the Ray-Ban Stories centered as exceptional on privateness points as on the product themselves.
Utilizing the info: Announced Thursday, Ray-Ban Stories seem just like the company’s signature shades however encompass twin cameras, audio system and an array of microphones to enable for taking photos, recording rapid movies and having fun with song or taking phone calls.
Why it issues: Though smartphones can develop those issues and more, or no longer it’s sure must you are conserving a smartphone. In distinction, Ray-Ban Stories are laborious to lisp aside from the company’s ragged sun shades.
- Bosworth mentioned the purpose is that bystanders will acknowledge the glasses are recording as a result of the small white LED that illuminates right through recording or the audio lisp or button press the wearer will negate to start recording.
- From my experiences over the final week, as successfully as those of others, that is continuously no longer the case. I stumbled on, particularly in higher group settings, that of us had no notion the glasses were able to taking photos till I confirmed them.
Between the lines: Facebook notes that it consulted with a amount of privateness and advocacy groups as it developed the product. Nonetheless, those whose names Facebook is disclosing — and who are talking to the press about their work — are all funded in portion by Facebook. And even many of them unexcited comprise their issues.
- Jeremy Greenberg, privateness counsel for the Plan forward for Privacy Forum, mentioned it modified into appropriate that the glasses signal after they’re recording, however cautioned that of us at a distance, with low vision or appropriate no longer paying attention might perhaps maybe well with out downside proceed out the symptoms. “Hopefully we don’t comprise of us the utilization of these for stalking.”
- John Breyault, VP of public coverage for the Nationwide Customers League, mentioned that even though Facebook takes misfortune to educate owners on greatest practices for taking photos, “You attach these out within the wild and other folks are going to negate them the manner they will negate them.”
- Carlos Gutierrez of LGBT Tech: “There is unexcited an stout privateness divulge round other folks the utilization of these improperly,” he mentioned, noting the dangers to other folks who have to no longer out being captured in social settings, at a pride march or a negate.
The opposite side: Facebook did resolve a entire lot of steps to aid privateness which is at threat of be worth calling out.
- The devices set no longer upload something robotically to Facebook’s cloud, nor can they be weak for stay streaming. Possibilities have to transfer their photos and movies to a smartphone app. From there they might be able to attach the photos and, if they need, portion them to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or wherever.
- There are a few cues designed to point to when the tool is taking pictures mutter material, even though none are foolproof.
The stout image: Facebook is rarely always truly basically the most most major to provide orderly glasses and it positively received’t be the closing.
- The pioneer in this pickle modified into Google Glass, which modified into doubtlessly a decade sooner than its time when it arrived in 2013, leading to a product that modified into more creepy than succesful.
- Snap’s first Spectacles, which got right here a couple years later, were identical to Ray-Ban Stories in focusing essentially on adding a camera to ragged frames. They proved more novelty than mainstream success. (The most up-to-date model of Spectacles provides augmented actuality and other capabilities, however they’re easiest on hand to creators chosen by Snapchat.)
What’s subsequent: Facebook, alongside with the leisure of the industry, is rather sure that augmented actuality glasses are the next stout thing. Nonetheless, completely-featured glasses which is at threat of be succesful, in style and cheap are unexcited years-off.
- For the time being, question a amount of experimentation with devices that combine some, however no longer all, of those facets. Ray-Ban Stories represents an experiment of what’s doable with out shedding style and affordability. On the excessive terminate, devices like Microsoft’s Hololens are stout and pricey, however mark on the more exceptional probabilities.
My thought bubble: Bosworth is appropriate — or no longer it’s time to comprise a dialogue on the attach such devices are appropriate and what requirements must unexcited apply to the opposite folks that make the products as successfully as other folks that negate them.
- That dialog started with Google Glass, including a interesting initial backlash. But the divulge fell off the radar since the products didn’t resolve off.
The backside line: Query lots more from Facebook in coming years. The corporate keenly desires to manipulate the next technology of hardware rather than have to play by Apple and Google’s suggestions.


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Wall Street brokerages expect Mylan NV (NASDAQ:MYL) to announce $1.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the current quarter, Zacks Investment Research reports. Five analysts have made estimates for Mylan’s earnings, with the lowest EPS estimate coming in at $1.09 and the highest estimate coming in at $1.17. Mylan reported earnings per share of $1.25 during the same quarter last year, which suggests a negative year over year growth rate of 8.8%. The company is scheduled to report its next quarterly earnings results before the market opens on Tuesday, November 5th.
On average, analysts expect that Mylan will report full year earnings of $4.26 per share for the current fiscal year, with EPS estimates ranging from $4.10 to $4.44. For the next year, analysts anticipate that the company will post earnings of $4.47 per share, with EPS estimates ranging from $4.30 to $4.65. Zacks’ EPS calculations are a mean average based on a survey of sell-side research firms that follow Mylan.
Mylan (NASDAQ:MYL) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, July 29th. The company reported $1.03 EPS for the quarter, topping the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.95 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $2.85 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.82 billion. Mylan had a return on equity of 18.93% and a net margin of 0.30%. The firm’s revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.07 EPS.
In related news, Director Richard A. Mark acquired 4,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 31st. The stock was bought at an average price of $20.97 per share, for a total transaction of $83,880.00. Following the acquisition, the director now directly owns 4,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $83,880. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Robert J. Coury acquired 49,859 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 2nd. The stock was bought at an average price of $20.06 per share, with a total value of $1,000,171.54. Following the acquisition, the director now directly owns 947,194 shares in the company, valued at $19,000,711.64. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders bought a total of 83,859 shares of company stock valued at $1,628,752 in the last 90 days. 0.81% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Advisor Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Mylan by 347.3% in the 2nd quarter. Advisor Group Inc. now owns 45,688 shares of the company’s stock valued at $870,000 after acquiring an additional 35,474 shares in the last quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. bought a new position in shares of Mylan in the 2nd quarter valued at about $804,000. Voloridge Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Mylan in the 2nd quarter valued at about $4,064,000. ARGA Investment Management LP grew its holdings in shares of Mylan by 75.5% in the 2nd quarter. ARGA Investment Management LP now owns 182,898 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,482,000 after acquiring an additional 78,698 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Signaturefd LLC grew its holdings in Mylan by 271.8% during the second quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 3,376 shares of the company’s stock worth $64,000 after purchasing an additional 2,468 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 84.75% of the company’s stock.
Shares of Mylan stock opened at $18.25 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $9.56 billion, a PE ratio of 4.21, a PEG ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 1.80. Mylan has a 12 month low of $16.63 and a 12 month high of $37.56. The company has a current ratio of 1.37, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $19.74 and its 200 day simple moving average is $20.36.
Mylan Company Profile
Mylan N.V., together with its subsidiaries, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, and distributes generic, branded-generic, brand-name, and over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceutical products in North America, Europe, and internationally. It offers active pharmaceutical ingredients and finished dosage forms; and antiretroviral medicines to treat HIV/AIDS.
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Last week we briefly touched on 3D Systems’ 2014 Investor & Analyst Day, where they revealed, in more detail, some of the racetrack architecture which will power their recent partnership with Google, for Project Ara. With the company’s stock down substantially in the last year, many investors have questioned their long term strategy.
Last week, however, seemed to have put many doubts to rest. 3D Systems revealed a whole slew of projects they are working on for the second half of 2014. Below is a general overview of some of the more notable information revealed last week to investors.
Purpose of Raising $300 Million With Secondary Offering
Late last month 3D Systems diluted shareholders as they announced a secondary offering, raising $300 million in cash for the company. Last week, they revealed that the funds will be used to focus on ‘the 3 M’s’: Materials, metal, and medical, as well as for the global expansion of Quickparts. Initially many investors believed that an acquisition had been planned, however, it appears that a general expansion within the company is about to take place, with the help of this additional funding.
Broad Consumer Adoption on The Way
3D Systems discussed, in detail, why the second half of this year will see continued broad consumer adoption of their 3D printers and accessories. Teaming with companies like Hershey, Hasbro, Staples and Mattel, 3D systems will continue to make strides within the consumer market for 3D printers, and 3D printed items. These partnerships are also expected to bring the technology further into the mainstream by year’s end.
World’s First Digital Bakery
3D Systems unveiled something very interesting. They will soon be launching the world’s first digital bakery. It will be opened this fall in Los Angeles, California. The company believes that such a storefront will help promote their 3D sugar printer, the ChefJet. Further details on this bakery are forthcoming.
3D Metal Printing, Growing Fast
One of the fastest growing segments of 3D Systems’ business is laser sintering of metals. The company literally can not keep up with demand. They also revealed that they have plans to produce fab-grade, larger, faster metal printers which will be unveiled in November at Euromold 2014. These printers will help increase the adoption rate of laser sintering devices within direct manufacturing.
“Given that additive manufacturing only accounts for 0.1% of the $10.5 trillion manufacturing market at present, the company sees an open-ended growth opportunity in its production-grade technology,” the company stated in a press release.
Google’s Project Ara, and the Technology Behind Mass Manufacturing With 3D Printing
In previous articles we have discussed the amazing racetrack architecture of the new 3D printing technology, which 3D Systems will be utilizing in the production of millions of Google Project Ara smartphone modules. Last week 3D Systems revealed further details on just how this technology will function, as well as their plan to not only use the new system with Google, but also within other manufacturing sectors.
It’s certainly an exciting time to not only be an investor within the 3D printing space, but also a fan of the technology. We are seeing seismic changes within methods of manufacturing, which we have not seen in nearly a century. It will be interesting to see where the next decade leads us. Discuss this latest update in the 3D Systems forum thread at 3DPB.com
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Mango growers estimate that the production could be just 15 lakh metric tonnes this year, compared to 44 lakh metric tonnes last year.
"Last year there was a record 44 lakh metric tonne production in the state. But this time, the situation is grim as production is likely to see a 65 per cent decline," All India Mango Growers' Association (AIMGA) President Insram Ali said.
He said the maximum yield this year in the state, considered the country's mango bowl, could be just 15 lakh metric tonnes.
The reason behind the poor output is "strong humid winds" due to which mango growers had to double pesticide sprinkling to save the trees from pests, he said, adding that dust storms made the scenario bleaker.
"Due to decline in production, the price of mangoes are likely to be high this time making it out of reach of the common man," he said.
In Uttar Pradesh, mangoes are produced in an area of 2.5 lakh hectares. Lucknow, Pratapgarh, Allahabad, Bulandshahar, Saharanpur, Faizabad, Varanasi, Moradabad, Barabanki, Meerut, Unnao, Sitapur, Hardoi, Gorakhpur, Basti, JP Nagar and Mathura are the major mango producing areas in the state.
Popular varieties like chausa, dusheri, fazli, gulab khas, langra, mallika and Amrapali are produced in the state.
Due to the anticipated poor production, the AIMGA has demanded that mango be covered under the prime minister's crop insurance scheme.
"The state government has started waiving loans of farmers but no such arrangement has been done for mango growers. We have written to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to give mango growers the status of farmers," Insram said.
"We have also demanded the inclusion of mangoes in the PM crop insurance scheme to protect us from the onslaught of nature and crop loss," he said.
He said mango growers this year have to suffer heavy losses due to which it is going to be a difficult time for them.
"AIMGA should be given more powers and its representatives should be included in various committees to voice the grievances of mango cultivators," Insram said.
"We want to be part of committees drafting policies for mango growers and our suggestions should be taken. We want the government to waive electricity charges for tube wells used for irrigation of mango orchards. Besides, mango exporters should be encouraged by the government," he said.
Due to bumper produce last year, juicy mangoes were in the reach of the common man and the rates hovered between Rs 20 and 40 a kg.
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Reining in special rights, ASBA-like system for stock trades, and allowing PEs to become MF sponsors are also on agenda.Vedanta Likely in Talks to Sell 10% in India Unit
With debt repayments up to $2 billion maturing by June, billionaire Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Resources Ltd (VRL) has reached out to investors for a strategic stake sale of up to 10% in India-listed Vedanta Ltd (VEDL), said people with knowledge of the matter.India’s Return to Normalcy has a Price & Households are Paying It
The return to normalcy from the pandemic has turned out costly for households with office and school requirements triggering a spike in prices of items such as shirts, trousers, shoes, coats and school uniforms among others.
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At the end of its 2012 professional soccer season, the Houston Dynamo marketing team decided to start spending money on social media for the first time.
The team had typically relied on traditional media for its advertising. But when Senior Marketing Manager John Dabkowski saw the number of impressions and followers his month-long social media campaign earned on Facebook, he was blown away.
“It made us rethink everything,” he said.
However, he wasn’t surprised that social media made a big difference for promoting the team. He says the very nature of soccer fans lends itself to social.
“They’re connected and plugged in,” he said.
This year, Dabkowski is reallocating his advertising budget to put more into the Facebook and Twitter efforts. He estimates 25 percent of the budget will now be applied to social strategies.
Many companies across the nation are also increasing how much they spend on social media, especially on Facebook.
In fact, 62 percent of executives said they plan to increase their spending on Facebook marketing this year, according to a study by The Creative Group.
Last year, only 53 percent of executives planned to boost their spending.
“Social media is here to stay, and organizations are starting to understand that this isn't a fad that will die out,” said Steven Robinson, The Creative Group’s regional vice president. “There’s an increasing rate of dollars spent.”
Robinson is based in Houston and oversees the company's two Houston offices and the San Antonio branch.
The survey asked executives about their spending plans for seven of the most common social platforms — Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram. It found that executives are planning to increase Facebook dollars more than they plan to increase spending for other platforms, though LinkedIn and Google+ are close behind.
Robinson said that Facebook is the most popular because of the sheer volume of users.
“Picking the platform is all about how many people are you talking to,” he said.
And with its 1.2 billion users, Facebook has more than twice the following of any other social network.
Dabkowski said the number of fans on Facebook has grown tremendously. He also said it has created the most engagement for his team in terms of comments and likes.
But Facebook hasn’t necessarily driven the most traffic to the site for ticket sales. In the end, his campaign relies on increasing sales.
“We’ve kind of determined that new Twitter followers are more valuable than new Facebook followers,” he said.
Even so, he’s splitting the new social dollars equally between Facebook and Twitter.
Dabkowski also has increased manpower focused on social media. He said his job used to focus about 50 percent on social media and 50 percent on traditional media. Now he spends 75 percent of his time on social media.
Further, he hired more staff to amp up the content: two videographers and a freelance writer.
Robinson said this is typical of how companies are allocating their spending. He said that while most of the money is spent on actual advertisements and promotions on social networks, companies are increasing their social personnel.
“The hottest skill set in demand is specifically geared toward online marketing, advertising and branding,” Robinson said.
He also said that the volume of Houston jobs in this field is growing at an above-average rate.
“Although Houston may not be a social town, Houston still has so many Fortune 500 organizations in town that utilize these platforms and skill sets,” he said. “The number of jobs Houston creates around those skill sets is above the national average.”


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15 Interesting Bottled Water Facts to Take into Consideration
There is still a certain stigma about tap water nowadays. Scandals like the one in Flint, Michigan from 2016 when city officials changed the city’s water supply which led to the contamination of the entire system with lead shocked Americans everywhere. Strong marketing campaigns to promote bottled water emphasize on its purity compared to tap water.
Objectively speaking, tap water is a better choice for the environment. However, the combination of public safety issues, such as the citizens of Flint had to face, and marketing led to the booming of the bottled water industry. The labels on these bottles show beautiful mountains and crystal-clear rivers. Companies now market ‘premium’ bottled water and the price to show for it. However, things aren’t always what the labels describe them to be. That is why, in this article, we’re going to look at some interesting bottled water facts to see exactly what the difference is between tap water and what the companies try to sell on the market.
Regulations: Tap vs Bottled Water
Evidently, there are regulations in place for both tap and bottled water so that they do not end up containing pathogens and chemicals. However, there are different agencies who oversee these procedures. The Environmental Protection Agency is in charge of regulating tap water while the Food and Drug Administration regulates bottled water. The FDA checks if the labels on the bottled water that companies are going to sell throughout the States are truthful. However, it is interesting to notice that tap water is tested more frequently than bottled water.
Both kinds of water have to be tested for bacteria and synthetic chemicals. However, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, bottled water is tested once a week for coliform bacteria, while tap water is tested 100 times or more per month. Tap water has to be disinfected, filtered and tested. And the limits on chemical pollution don’t differ between them. In this case, the advantage of bottled water is that it avoids lead contamination, which is a great possibility in homes where the piping is old.
Safety: Tap vs Bottled Water
In 1999, NRDC conducted tests on over 1,000 bottles to check the standards. The results showed that there is no certainty that bottled water is cleaner than tap. NRDC estimated that 25% or more of the tested bottled water is, in fact, tap water, sometimes having undergone further treatment. A concerning result is that 22% of the brands tested positive for chemicals above health limits. If consumed for a long period of time, serious health issues including cancer could start developing.
NRDC suggests that bottled water is a safer option for those who live in a rural area to avoid possible pesticide contamination. Testing kits are also available on the market for those who want to check for contaminants. As an extra precaution, there are also filters certified by the Public Health and Safety Organization that can be purchased at an affordable price.
Checking the Bottle
If you decide to continue buying bottled water, make sure to check the label for the sources. There are some state bottled water programs that list all the sources but there are many that do not. If the label says, “from a municipal source” or “from a community water system” then the water comes from tap. You might get some more information if you call the local bottled water program to ask for the source.
Bottled Water Facts – Industry
- Bottled water consumption goes up by 10% each year, worldwide. The rate is the slowest in Europe and the fastest in North America.
- In 2008, U.S citizens consumed 9 billion gallons of bottled water, with an average of 30 gallons per person.
- Beverage companies discourage the consumption of tap water and create demand for brands such as Pepsi, Coca Cola, and Gatorade. Reportedly, Coca Cola pushed restaurants to expand beverage choices and limit serving water.
- Conversely, Coca Cola and Pepsi did not follow regulations and had to change labels to inform customers of the fact that the premium water came from the municipal water supply.
- In 2009, Food and Water Watch reported that 47,8% of bottled water comes from public water sources. The U.S Government Accountability Office reached the same conclusion.
Bottled Water Facts – Manufacturing
- To produce the water bottles, the industry uses 17 million barrels of oil per year. This amount of oil could power one million cars for a year. In addition, to manufacture the bottles, the industry uses three times the amount of water than what will fill the bottles.
- Because of the amount of oil used in manufacturing, bottling water produced 5 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2006. This only adds to the issue of global warming.
- In addition, the energy used to produce bottled water could power 190,000 homes.
- In 2005, 30 billion plastic water bottles were sold in the United States. Only 12% were recycled. This leaves 25 billion plastic bottles that were either littered and landfilled. In addition, recycled plastic bottles can only be used in non-food products.
- The average costs of drinking bottled water per year amount to $346. However, drinking the same amount from the tap costs only 48 cents. Over 10 years, one could save over $3,000.
- The plastic itself is not risk-free. The chemicals known as phthalates can leak into the water. Exposure to these chemicals could lead to testosterone imbalance in boys, men, and women.
- Bottle caps constantly harm sea turtles who ingest them and might lead to some of them dying.
It is certain that the bottled water industry makes a profit from the soaring sales. The bottles themselves are a serious harm to the environment and contain harmful chemicals. These bottled water facts show an alarming trend in today’s industries to push for bottled water and other beverages and distract attention from the fact that tap water is just as clean and is free.


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Time can be a funny thing, and not just in a Stephen Hawking yuk-yuk kind of way. For we intellectual mortals, time has a magical ability to change our perspective on things, making small things become important, and allowing us to all but forget what used to feel like was of end-of-the-world, apocalyptic magnitude.
That's what is going to happen in 2014, a year I believe will come to define the Tim Cook era of Apple. 2014 is the year when analysts and armchair numbnuts will go from erroneously worrying about Apple's ability to innovate without Steve Jobs to judging Apple's execution in bringing innovation to market.
Apple CEO Tim Cook
It's funny—and this time I'm talking yuk-yuks—but the two and a half years since Steve Jobs died have been awash in criticism aimed at Tim Cook for not having introduced something life changing and market disrupting. This criticism has always been couched as if Apple disrupted markets every year when Mr. Jobs was in charge, despite the nit-picky fact that this isn't true.
It also ignores the pesky reality that anything Apple might have released up until now would have had some involvement from Mr. Jobs. Any such product would have said about as much about Tim Cook's ability to deliver innovation as its absence says about his inability to do so. In other words, little or nothing.
What's extra fascinating is that such criticism continues to get pronounced with utter confidence by ill-informed, un-critical thinkers like Trip Chowdry, who recently called for Tim Cook's ouster as Apple CEO. His reason? Mr. Cook hasn't been aggressive enough in releasing disruptive products just as rumors of Apple releasing a wearables product are gaining enough strength to get up and walk their own way to an Apple Store.
It's face-palmingly stupefying.
Instead of pretending that Apple disrupts markets every season, people should instead have been focused on the incredible job that Tim Cook has really been doing. Jeff Gamet and I discussed this on Wednesday's Apple Context Machine, but here's what Tim Cook has been working on since Steve Jobs passed away.
Next: What Tim Cook's Been Up To


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Bethenny Frankel Is LeadingThe Charge To Put Out Fires In The Amazon Rainforest – Perez Hilton
Bethenny Frankel is taking charge against the Amazon rainforest fires.
On Saturday on Twitter, the former Real Housewives of New York star said she plans to charter a full-size supertanker to spray fire retardant on the flames — with the specific intention of helping “indigenous tribes & animals.”
“Gearing up to attack the Amazon crisis,specifically saving the lives of indigenous tribes & animals.Tomorrow I’ll get specific but,i’m chartering a full size supertanker (fire truck in a plane)to spray massive area. I’ll reach out w details for you to donate.Planning trip.#bstrong”
Read more: http://perezhilton.com/


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Citrus Industry Growing In Georgia
Think oranges and you probably think Florida. Now Georgia farmers are hoping to make you think again as a disease kills trees next door in the sunshine state and the citrus industry there struggles.
In 2016 Georgia had around 21,000 citrus trees. Now that number has more than doubled. Joe Franklin owns Franklin’s Citrus Farm in Statesboro. He planted 200 trees in 2010 and now he has 5,000 planted in fields that once grew corn, cotton and peanuts.
More cold tolerant varieties and better growing practices are making the industry more viable in Georgia.
“I’ve probably got about 2,000 trees in production and right now. I’m selling all I can produce,” Franklin said. “There’s a huge market out there all up and down the east coast of the U.S.”
Many of Franklin’s trees produce Satsuma Mandarins. He describes the fruit as similar to a tangerine: juicy, seedless, and sweet as well as low in acid. The variety is a good choice for Georgia because it tends to be more tolerant of cold weather.
Franklin said the bulk of his fruit is sold at farm stands and farmers markets in Georgia as well as in garden centers in places like Boston and New York.
Traditionally, the late fall and early winter mean harvesting crops like cotton and pecans for Georgia farmers. But a disease called “Greening” killing trees in Florida means more Georgia farmers are growing and harvesting citrus. Greening is caused by a bacterium spread by an insect called the Asian citrus psyllid.
“Luckily the bug has not made it this far north,” Franklin said. “We don’t know if it will because we do have cooler weather and we hope that’s going to be some kind of a deterrent to the bug.”
Franklin said he is growing other citrus including clementine’s and tangerines. He plans to keep adding additional trees to his farm. The Georgia citrus harvest goes through early February.


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Most beer aficionados are familiar with growlers -- the refillable beer-to-go containers that started sprouting up last year at local bars and liquor stores.
But now Howard County wine lovers can take their favorite pinot noirs and chardonnays home with them from Columbia's AIDA Bistro & Wine Bar with growliers. Yes, that's growlers with an "i."
Owner Joe Barbera began selling growliers in 16-ounce and 33-ounce bottles in October. The growliers cost $19 to $26, depending on the type of wine, and serve either three or six glasses. The new law allowing growlier sales in Howard County went into effect July 1, 2013, after Barbera and the county delegation pushed for it. So far AIDA Bistro is the only county restaurant to offer growliers.
Barbera says he first got the idea for growliers three years ago when customers started asking if they could take home with them the wine they enjoy in the restaurant, which serves 30 wines on tap.
"The whole idea here is to try and enjoy more than one type of wine," says Barbera, whose 5-gallon kegs of wine are treated with nitrogen and carbon dioxide to keep them fresh. "People like to try things and don't like to commit to large quantities of food like they used to."
The restaurant's wine selection changes weekly. Typically winemakers release red wines in the spring, which is when Barbera expects to pick up new pinot noirs, cabernets and syrahs. He'll also offer a special promotion on chocolate and growliers for Valentine's Day and is looking into cross-promotions with local stores that sell cheese, olive oil and vinegar.
Barbera estimates that about 50 customers so far have purchased the refillable growliers, for which there's a one-time $6 fee. When customers want a refill, they exchange their old bottle for a fresh one at the restaurant.
AIDA Bistro, like other wine-centric restaurants, features many wines that aren't available in retail stores, which is part of the growlier's allure, according to Barbera.
Latest Howard Magazine
"Customers wanted to take home many wines we have that are not readily available," he says.


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The issue has been resolved in a default judgment after KlearGear failure to respond to the legal action. The couple’s lawyers said the technology news site Ars Technica to raise money may be a problem.
I had ordered online retailer KlearGear to pay $ 306.750 for the couple had an ongoing conflict since a long time with more than bad.
Jennifer Palmer published a review on RipOffReport.com criticism KlearGear customer service, after her husband ordered a couple of items that never arrived.
Grade back to December 2008 when he ordered John Palmer two items, valued at less than $ 20, as a gift for his wife. Items did not arrive, and after repeated calls to the company were told the couple that the elements that have never paid for Oagheit.
Three years later, Mr. Palmer received an email demanding that the review will be deleted within 75 hours or a fine of $ 3,500 will be imposed as it was in violation of the non-disparagement clause of the company.
Although Palmer did not send the money, try to get it KlearGear through debt collection service, which the couple allegedly damaged their credit rating.


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Video-sharing startup Veoh has blocked visitors from all but 33 countries from accessing its site, a spokesperson confirmed to NewTeeVee today.
Veoh’s Gaude Paez told NewTeeVee, “The markets we are exiting collectively represent less than 10 percent of our viewer base.” She maintained that the decision was “not about saving resources but rather re-focusing those resources.” Paez was not able to immediately provide the list of countries where Veoh is still available.
Competition is high in the video space and we want to make sure we’re differentiating ourselves in terms of products and ad platforms to monetize. As a startup we just have to make choices.
Paez said the company would soon be enhancing its ad targeting and working to expand access beyond the PC.
Users flooded the Veoh forums with complaints over the weekend, saying they felt discriminated against for being from certain countries: “I’m from Dominican Republic, and when I saw that message I really wanted to cry…. I still want to,” wrote one user, and “this is very unfair not even an email alert i just couldn’t enter, its sucks!!!” said another.
According to Wikipedia, users report being blocked from Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Indonesia, Chile, Argentina, St. Kitts and Nevis, Guatemala, Luxembourg, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Guam, Jamaica, Barbados, El Salvador, Hungary, Malta, Macedonia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Colombia, Cyprus, Romania, the Cayman Islands, Guadeloupe, Saudi Arabia, Peru, Panama, Czech Republic, Turkey, Croatia, Lithuania, Jordan, Egypt, Bulgaria, Serbia, Iceland, Bermuda, Thailand, Brunei, Honduras, the Bahamas, Nicaragua, Anguilla and Guyana.
Paez said Veoh is “absolutely not” running out of cash, but she did confirm the company is looking for funding. “We’re in the midst of talking to additional entities, partnerships and looking at strategic things as well,” she said. Veoh has raised more than $40 million from Goldman Sachs, Tom Freston, Jonathan Dolgen, Shelter Capital Partners, Spark Capital, Michael Eisner’s Tornante Company, and Time Warner Investments. Update 6/3: Veoh raised $30 million more from Intel, Adobe and others.
We wonder if Veoh’s move portends a long-expected shakeup in the online video industry — after all, these services aren’t paying for themselves yet. Lack of overseas revenue is hardly their only problem. Earlier this year, when DivX shut down Stage6, its high-quality video-sharing option, it cited operating expenses. Ironically enough, Stage6 (now just a landing page) prominently recommends Veoh as an alternative for its users (“Stage6 is introducing Veoh Networks Inc. as a site that promises to offer our users a smooth transition. Millions of people use Veoh each month and we feel it is a great fit for our users.”).
Hat tip to Andrew Baron at Dembot.


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© melpomenem dreamstime.com Analysis | April 02, 2019
Global Semiconductor sales decrease 7.3% MoM in February
Worldwide sales of semiconductors reached USD 32.9 billion for the month of February 2019, a decrease of 7.3% from the January 2019 total of USD 35.5 billion and 10.6% less than the February 2018 total of USD 36.8 billion, says the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA).
"Global semiconductor sales fell across the board in February, with all major product categories experiencing drops on a year-to-year and month-to-month basis," says John Neuffer, SIA president and CEO, in a press release. "Sales were also down across all major regional markets, as the global industry continues to endure a period of slowing sales following record revenues over the last three years." Regionally, sales decreased both month-to-month and year-to-year across all regional markets: Europe (-2.3 percent month-to-month/-3.0 percent year-to-year), Asia Pacific/All Other (-5.1 percent/-7.2 percent), Japan (-5.3 percent/-5.9 percent), China (-7.8 percent/-8.5 percent), and the Americas (-12.9 percent/-22.9 percent).


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The Apple iPhone 5 is $50 off at Radio Shack
Radio Shack is widening its discount for the Apple iPhone 5
and the Apple iPhone 4S
. From now through December 17th, the electronics retailer is offering a $50 discount
on all carrier versions and storage capacities. For every $50 spent at the store, the customer will also receive a $10 email coupon. The discount applies to in-store purchases of the handset, so you will need to visit your local Radio Shack store to take advantage of this deal.
Earlier this month, Radio Shack had a more limited sale which took $20 off the price of the Sprint and AT&T branded Apple iPhone 5
. But Best Buy announced that it was chopping $50 off the price of both the Apple iPhone 5 and Apple iPhone 4S
on Monday, requiring Radio Shack to meet the big box retailer
on price to stay competitive.


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Posted by Thomas J. Ryan | Feb 10, 2022 | SGB Executive
Nautilus, Inc. reported another loss on a steep decline in sales in the fiscal third quarter ended December 31 and slightly lowered its full-year guidance due to heightened promotions in the marketplace. However, CEO Jim Barr told analysts he remains bullish on the at-home fitness opportunity and Nautilus’ potential around it.
His comments came on the same day that Peloton’s John Foley stepped down as CEO of the connected-fitness leader as the company announced a massive restructuring that includes the loss of 2,800 jobs, or 20 percent of its workforce.
“The at-home fitness industry has been in the news quite a bit recently, largely due to two issues, speculation about long-term demand and challenges some of our competitors are currently facing,” Barr told analysts on a conference call. “Here’s our take on the market and Nautilus’s positioning. First, we are confident that the at-home fitness industry has grown rapidly over the last two years. And that the overall opportunity will remain significantly elevated for the long run. Second, we were not surprised that the industry seems to have regressed from its peak and is trending to a new normal level. It’s been impossible to be 100 percent correct in our planning and decisions at each stage of the pandemic, but we believe we have generally read the market well and have managed our business with disciplined execution through all phases of the pandemic. Third, we have a long-term strategy and a positioning that’s quite different from others. And over the past two years, we built a stronger team with new capabilities to tackle emerging opportunities and challenges.”
Regarding the at-home fitness opportunity, Barr said that since the outset of the pandemic, there has been a renewed focus on health and overall well-being, and on a larger level, people have gravitated towards well-known brands with strong value propositions. He added, “Nautilus fits squarely at the intersection of both these tailwinds. At the center of health and well-being is home fitness.
He also believes the market has so far behaved largely as expected.
After more than doubling over the past two years, the at-home market size is now regulating from its peak with more normal seasonality and he expects will settle at a new normal significantly above pre-pandemic levels based on a significant change in consumer’s exercise habits.
“We’ve been telling you for several quarters that our surveying shows that about 25 percent of former gym goers say they do not ever intend to return to the gym,” said Barr. “That figure actually ticked up to 29 percent during our third quarter and has held remarkably steady now for 18 months. Those attitudes manifested themselves in the formation of new long-term habits that favor at-home fitness.:
He noted that pre-pandemic, about 40 percent of people for whom fitness was important worked out at home. Nearly two years later, that number is close to 70 percent and is holding steady.
The evolution of the work model to working from home or a hybrid model is also a long-term driver of home fitness, he added.
“Another important catalyst for the change in workout habits is the digital transformation that has been occurring over the past few years in home fitness and was accelerated by the pandemic,” said Barr. “More people discovered that connected fitness not only can bring home many of the benefits of the gym, but the variety of programming such as in JRNY, fights boredom and keeps them at their fitness routine for longer. As a result of these changed habits and sediments, we continue to believe much of the industry growth opportunity will remain at elevated levels relative to pre-pandemic. This results in a stronger opportunity for our industry and for Nautilus.”
He believes Nautilus has been able to manage the ups and downs “through disciplined execution,” including tight inventory management, SKU rationalization, and regulating expense growth.
“We have stayed true to our asset-light manufacturing model,” said Barr. “We built inventories then regulated our orders once we were ready for fitness season, but have not needed to close facilities or cease production. We are in fact now reordering for the first half of fiscal 2023. We focused on fewer SKUs that are largely our best sellers and worked down that inventory during the third quarter as planned.
He said Nautilus has continued to add talent “even through the so-called great resignation” and prioritized strategic investment, such as JRNY and the Bowflex brand, but has regulated other expenses such as G&A until demand normalizes.
He also feels North Star’s long-term strategic plan, is designed to differentiate Nautilus from other competitors and “is built on our key strengths: well-respected brand, a portfolio of products that include multiple modalities and price points, making them more attainable, and broad multi-channel distribution.”
The North Star strategy includes the modernization of its Bowflex brand but a major focus is on improving and scaling its JRNY online platform that Barr feels is highly differentiated in the crowded at-home fitness space.
Barr said, “JRNY focuses on being your overall personal trainer, offering a variety of ways to work out on and off our products versus tilting towards any single use case, such as predominantly one modality or trainer-led classes. JRNY is also more affordable. We’re focused on investing in our company for the long term and have continued to keep our foot on the accelerator through our investments in JRNY, our brands, and our digital transformation. Our commitment to our strategy continues to strengthen as we began to see our strategic investments succeed.”
Third Quarter Sales Decline 22.2 Percent
In the quarter ended December 31, sales fell 22.2 percent to $147.3 million, missing Wall Street’s consensus estimate of $153.1 million.
Sales were down or down 21.7 percent excluding sales related to Octane, a commercially focused fitness equipment brand sold to True Fitness Technology in October 2020. Net sales are up 63 percent, or a 28 percent CAGR, compared to Q320, excluding Octane. The lower demand for cardio products was partially offset by strong sales of SelectTech weights and benches compared to the same period in 2020.
Net Loss Reaches $13.5 Million
The net loss came to $13.5 million, or 43 cents a share, beating Wall Street’s expectations for a 47 cents loss. In the year-ago period, reported earnings were $28.9 million, or 89 cents, and earnings from continuing operations were $29.3 million, or 90 cents, last year.
Gross margins were reduced by half to 20.3 percent compared to 41.1 percent last year. The 20.8 basis point decrease was primarily due to increased product costs, logistics and discounting (18 basis points) and increased investments in JRNY (3 basis points).
Operating expenses increased 35.3 percent, or $12.8 million, to $49.2 million. The increase was primarily due to $11.0 million more in advertising and a $3.6 million increase in JRNY investments. Total advertising expenses were $21.5 million versus $10.5 million last year. As a percent of sales, operating expenses increased to 33.4 percent from $19.2 million.
The operating loss was $19.3 million compared to operating income of $41.5 million last year, primarily due to lower gross profit and higher operating expenses The adjusted operating loss was $18.7 million.
Adjusted EBITDA loss from continuing operations was $14.8 million compared to income of $44.9 million last year.
Direct Segment Sales Drop 26.1 Percent
Retail Segment Revenues Slide 19.4 Percent
Inventory Declines 21.3 Percent In Three Months
Inventory was $128.1 million as of December 31, down from $162.7 million as of September 30, 2021 but up 88.1 percent compared to $68. million as of March 31, 2021. The increase in inventory versus year-end is driven by the strategic decision to increase on-hand inventory levels ahead of the fitness season given the continued disruption in global logistics. About 15 percent of inventory as of December 31, 2021 was in transit.
Second Half Fiscal 2022 Outlook
Nautilus provided an update on its second-half outlook. Comparisons are being made against the same period two years ago for the next few quarters to gauge progress against more “normalized” results. Nautilus is also measuring results on a six-month basis from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022 because fitness season straddles the last two quarters of its fiscal year.
The updated guidance for the six months through March 31, 2022, includes:
Longer-Term View Beyond Fiscal 2022
Nautilus expects to return to positive adjusted EBITDA in the fiscal year 2023 and is on track to achieve operating margins of 15 percent by FYE 2025, with margins expanding to high teens by FYE 2026. The targets are in line with the forecast given during the second-quarter results.
Photo courtesy Nautilus
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Fiat’s new CEO Olivier François has announced that the Italian carmaker intends to gradually make its product line-up electric-only by the end of this decade.
“Between 2025 and 2030, our product line-up will gradually become electric-only. This will be a radical change for Fiat,” François said during an online discussion with renowned eco-friendly architect Stefano Boeri.
“The decision to launch the New 500 – electric and electric alone – was actually taken before Covid-19. Even then, we were already aware that the world could not take any more ‘compromises’. In fact, lockdown was only the latest of the warnings we have received,” François added.
The CEO also said he felt his company had a duty to bring electric cars to market at the same price as traditional petrol and diesel engines. But, and here’s the catch, he said this would have to happen as soon as the company can in line with falling battery costs.
Fiat is also aiming for a more stylish future following the appointment of Ex-Renault designer François Leboine as the brand’s design head. Leboine oversaw the development of the Renault 5 concept, as well as the Clio and Captur models among others.
His task will be to lead the design direction for Fiat’s electrified future, although the company has yet to detail its future EV product plans.
Fiat’s new parent company Stellantis announced earlier this year that it would give all 14 of its brands a chance to “rebound” with investments in new products. We’re also going to see a lot more technology sharing between the brands as the company wants to achieve synergies to the tune of 5 billion euro (R82 billion).
Under the auto giant’s new product strategy, Fiat will remain a core brand focussed on affordability, as will Citroen, while brands like Peugeot and Opel will move upmarket to become “upper mainstream”.


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Meta’s recent motion to halt the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from enforcing user data restrictions marks a significant development in the ongoing debate over data privacy and regulation. In a proactive move, Meta, the parent company of social media giant Facebook, has taken legal action to challenge the FTC’s efforts to impose restrictions on the collection and use of user data.
The crux of Meta’s argument revolves around the assertion that the proposed restrictions are overly restrictive and could impede the company’s ability to provide personalized services to its users. The company contends that such restrictions would not only stifle innovation but also compromise the user experience on its platforms.
One of the key points raised in Meta’s motion is the potential impact on targeted advertising. Meta argues that personalized advertising, enabled by the analysis of user data, is a crucial revenue stream that supports the provision of free services to users. Restricting the collection and utilization of user data, according to Meta, would undermine the economic model that sustains many online platforms.
The motion also highlights Meta’s commitment to user privacy and its implementation of measures to safeguard user data. Meta asserts that it has invested heavily in robust privacy controls and transparency features to empower users to make informed choices about their data. The company contends that these efforts should be recognized and that the imposition of additional restrictions is unnecessary.
Hindrance to Development
Furthermore, Meta argues that the FTC’s proposed restrictions could hinder the development of new technologies and services. The company points to the dynamic nature of the digital landscape, emphasizing the need for flexibility to adapt to emerging trends and user preferences. Meta suggests that a more collaborative approach, involving industry stakeholders and regulators, would be more effective in addressing privacy concerns while fostering innovation.
The legal battle between Meta and the FTC is situated within the broader context of growing concerns about the power and influence of tech giants. Critics argue that companies like Meta wield significant control over the digital ecosystem, raising questions about the need for stronger regulatory oversight. On the other hand, proponents of a lighter regulatory touch contend that excessive restrictions could stifle competition and hinder the development of new and beneficial technologies.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the outcome will likely have far-reaching implications for the tech industry and the broader landscape of data privacy regulation. The case highlights the delicate balance that regulators must strike between protecting user privacy and fostering a climate conducive to innovation.
Meta’s recent motion to halt the FTC’s implementation of user data restrictions underscores the complex and contentious nature of the ongoing debate over data privacy. The outcome of this legal battle will undoubtedly shape the future trajectory of digital regulation and influence the dynamics between tech companies and regulatory bodies.


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Today is National Poinsettia Day. If you think this is just another one of those wacky observance days that seem to take place every single day of the year (yesterday was both National Mountain Day, and National Light a Candle… Read More about National Poinsettia Day – December 12
Harvest Centerpiece by Eastern Floral Every year it seems as though the holiday shopping season starts earlier than the last. With the elections this time around to take up some of the attention – and more importantly,… Read More about Ready, Set…Shop!
Okay…okay…not quite yet. But, Labor Day has passed and summer is officially over, which means that every product in every store is consequently in the process of turning pumpkin-spiced, and Halloween costume shops are filling in vacant strip malls on… Read More about It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like…
Christmas quickly approaches, which means now is the time to start decorating homes for the festive holiday. Whether a family is planning a quiet celebration with just each other or whether the home will be the site… Read More about Decorations for Christmas


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- 2 min read
Spectra expects to more than double its revenue to around Rs 500 cr in 5 years
Broadband solutions company Spectra expects to more than double its revenue in next 5 years to around Rs 500 crore and plans to be a more focussed business-to-business service provider.
New Delhi: Broadband solutions company Spectra expects to more than double its revenue in next 5 years to around Rs 500 crore and plans to be a more focussed business-to-business service provider. The Gurgaon-based firm expects to close the current financial year with marginal growth but expects to grow aggressively in the next 2-5 years, Spectra CEO Udit Mehrotra told .
"We are looking at more aggressive numbers than we had in the past. We want to be a more focussed B2B service provider, providing a network as a service within a larger construct or umbrella as a service," Mehrotra said.
He further noted that "we plan to double our customer base year-over-year. Similar for revenue as well though it may not be linear."
Mehrotra said that in the next five years the revenue of the company should be around Rs 500 crore.
He said that as business was growing and as the requirement of every business in digitalization continued to grow, the company realised the gap between the capability and the competency that a business requires to be able to fulfill its own digitisation requirements.
"In the last 24 to 36 months, we have been evolving from just being fibre internet broadband provider to being a network-as-a-service provider, where our focus is on working with small businesses, startups to large enterprises and to work with them in a long-term partnership where we make available our expertise who have knowledge of designing, deploying and managing networks," Mehrotra said.
The company was earlier focussed on providing high-speed broadband and was first to provide the service with 1 gigabit per second speed.
Mehrotra said that the primary broadband services have become part of the overall basket of the products and solutions that company offers.
"The data price market is highly competitive which is true but our entire focus is not just offering bandwidth anymore. That is where the network-as-a-service is important," he said.
The company claims to have recorded 20 per cent year-on-year growth in the network-as-a-service segment.
Mehrotra said that the company is now working for higher revenue contribution from network-as-a-service portfolio, going for higher market share within a high value customer base in the residential segment and aims to double its B2B customer base of 10,000 on a year-on-year basis for the foreseeable future.


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The highest offer made to an LSR student in the first round of placements this year for an overseas role topped last year’s best offer of Rs 34 lakh.
IKEA Group also announced an increase of Rs 1.50 lakh in pension fundings for its Indian co-workers as part of TACK programme, the furniture major said in a statement.
Close to 52 per cent of C-suite leaders in India cited the 'lack of available talent' as the most difficult issue faced when it came to attracting talent.
Part of the reason Japanese companies are leading the charge may have something to do with the need to look overseas for young talent in light of its ageing population.
Understand, empathise and show interest. Part of an effective leadership is to listen passionately, whether or not you can fully relate.
Almost 60% of the women respondents in the BCG survey, agreed that their company is focused on promoting diversity, but only 29% believe they benefited.
For Samsung — its global spends in 2016 on the segment was about $13 bn — this year’s hiring will be a 25% jump over the last year’s 800-odd grads.
The study determines the state of workforce agility in businesses or their ability to swiftly scale up workforce in times of uncertainty and disruption.
E-commerce leads the sectors in severance payout. E-commerce, being a relatively new sector, has higher business uncertainties.
PE has come a long way, from fund management and investing to micro managing businesses, and their influence is not limited to the CXO level but extend to senior and middle management.
The secretary in the AYUSH ministry, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, said the ministry is committed to increasing the size of AYUSH sector three-fold in the next five years.
The move will help realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making India the skilled capital of the world, the official said.
With the changing business environment, the demand for talent and functional skills in the industry will outstrip supply given the pace of growth in the industry.
Some of the companies which have visited the campus for placements so far are Microsoft, Goldman, Uber, ISRO, Oracle, Flipkart, Walmart & JP Morgan among others.
Apple Inc. made its debut on the Kharagpur campus on Friday and picked five students for its Bengaluru office.
Four students were picked by Microsoft Redmond for USD 2.1 lakh (around Rs 1.3 crore). NEC Japan, which picked 7 students gave a package of 45.7 Japanese Yen.


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* Spot gold was nearly flat at $1,245.08 per ounce at 0104 GMT. It was set to end about 1 percent lower for the week, about 2 percent lower for month. For the quarter, gold is down 0.3 percent.
* U.S. gold futures for August delivery fell 0.1 percent to $1,245.10 per ounce.
* The dollar extended its losses on Friday as major central banks signalled that the era of cheap money was coming to an end in a boon to sterling, the euro and Canadian dollar, while Asian shares were hit by dismal performances of European and U.S. markets. [MKTS/GLOB]
* The world's top central bankers have delivered what seems to be a collective message this week that quantitative easing is being put back in its box and interest rates are going up - and global markets are taking note.
* British Prime Minister Theresa May won backing for her policy programme with a slender parliamentary majority on Thursday in the first test of her authority after an election setback and growing pressure on her Brexit and austerity agenda.
* Gold premiums in India jumped to the highest level in 7-1/2 months this week as consumers advanced purchases to avoid paying higher tax when a new nationwide sales tax takes effect from July 1. [GOL/AS]
* Gabriel Resources Ltd will seek $4.4 billion in damages from Romania for losses related to its long-stalled Rosia Montana gold mine project in a claim that the Canadian miner plans to file Friday with a World Bank Tribunal.
* Mali exported more than 16 tonnes of artisanally mined gold in the first four months of this year, the mines minister said on Thursday citing customs data, and is on track to export 50 tonnes for the year, equalling industrial output.
* The U.S. economy slowed less than feared in the first quarter due largely to a jump in consumer spending, providing a slightly more encouraging outlook for growth this year.
Gold steady on easing dollar, stocks amid hawkish central banks
Gold prices steadied on Friday, supported by an easing dollar and falling equities even as comments from global central banks suggested monetary tightening in Europe and Canada.
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Apple Inc. (AAPL) - Get Report shares were active in pre-market trading Monday following a weekend Tweet from President Donald Trump which warned that consumers would be forced to pay higher prices for its iphones and computers once fresh tariffs on China-made imports were imposed by the White House.
Trump named Apple, as well as U.S. automaker Ford Motor Co. (F) - Get Report in a series of Tweets Saturday that followed his threat to take the total amount of China-made goods subject to U.S. import tariffs to $517 billion, a figure that would dwarf last year's record $375 billion trade deficit and ignite a potentially damaging trade war with the world's second largest economy. Apple said Friday that the current tariff proposal, which targets $200 billion in China-made goods, could impact pricing for AirPods and the Apple Watch, but did not specifically mention the iPhone in a letter to the U.S. government.
"Our concern with these tariffs is that the U.S. will be hardest hit, and that will result in lower U.S. growth and competitiveness and higher prices for U.S. consumers," Apple said.
Action Alerts Plus holding Apple shares fell 1.65% to change hands at $217.6 each in the opening minutes of trading, a move that values the Cupertino, Calif.-based group at more than $1.07 trillion.
That said, several stocks in Apple's European and Asia-based supply chain were weaker at the start of trading with Austria-based AMS AG, (AMSSY) which earns an estimated 35% of its revenue from chip sales to Apple, falling 0.37%, Frankfurt-listed Dialog Semiconductor (DLGNF) sliding 2.12% and STMicroelectronics (STM) - Get Report retreating 1.54% in Amsterdam.
In overnight Asia trading, suppliers Luxshare Precision Co. Ltd. fell 10% while Lens Technology Co. Ltd. was marked 6.77% lower by the close of trading in Shenzen. Suzhou Dongshan Prevision Manufacturing Co. Ltd. was also marked 10% lower on the CSI 300 index.
Apple CEO Tim Cook addressed the issue of tariffs during the company's third quarter earnings call with investors, describing them as "a tax on the consumer" that winds up "resulting in lower economic growth (that can) sometimes can bring about significant risk of unintended consequences."
A recent analysis from IHS Markit estimated that the factory cost of an iPhone 7, which is assembled in China but uses components from various countries including South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, is about $237, a figure that is then used by U.S. customs officials when they are calculating trade activity with China.
However, the U.S. contribution to the construction of an iPhone is around $69, compared to the China-based contribution of around $8.50, meaning tariffs based on the import of an iPhone would hit both U.S. companies and U.S. consumers harder than they would those in China.
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Cook himself described the public consultation process for the proposed tariffs on $200 billion in China-made goods "tedious" because, he said, "you not only have to analyze the revenue products, which are a bit more straightforward to analyze, but you also have to analyze the purchases that you're making through other companies that are not related to revenue."


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Weddings, even those with larger budgets, are on the comeback after the pandemic resulted in widespread wedding delays, Timothy Chi, CEO of wedding planning website The Knot Worldwide, told CNBC on Friday.
“The US has an average of about 2 million weddings annually. We have seen that about 50% of them bear fruit,” said Chi at Squawk on the Street.
As a result, Chi said he expects weddings to increase by 20-25% this year and 2022 compared to pre-pandemic levels.
According to a report by market research company IBIS World, the wedding industry saw a 34% drop in sales last year as the Covid crisis caused many weddings to be postponed or at least downsized.
With weddings picking up again now with most of the pandemic restrictions lifted, Chi said couples “are ready to do anything again” evidenced by their spending preferences.
The average wedding party budget this year is around $ 22,500, according to The Knot, which is more than $ 3,000 higher than in 2020 and roughly on par with 2019 levels.
In addition, a recent survey by The Knot found that around 66% of respondents increased their budget for things that could make the day “special”, such as adding a second photographer, more exotic flowers, increasing the number of guests, and more Health and safety measures.
Chi said he believes increased budgets can serve as a “leading indicator” of consumer spending in certain parts of the economy, noting that travel and hotel stays are often associated with wedding events.
“There is no better way to return to the post-Covid era than with a grand celebration that brings your closest friends and families together,” he said.