text:
Apple made its EarPods and new energy adapter for the iPhone a bit extra inexpensive after confirming that the new iPhones will not ship with equipment. The tech big now sells the EarPods with Lightning connector on the Apple Retailer for $19 (as seen by MacRumors), down $10 from its authentic worth. On the identical time, the brand new 20W power adapter for the iPhone additionally prices $19, which is $10 lower than the previous adapter the corporate has discontinued.
It has lengthy been rumored that the brand new iPhones received’t include the EarPods and the charger previous fashions used to come back with. And that turned out to be true, which does’t actually come as an enormous shock, seeing because the new Apple Watches shipped with out chargers. Apple cited atmosphere causes for the transfer when it introduced the iPhone 12, explaining that transport with out equipment would cut back its merchandise’ manufacturing wants.
#Apple #cuts #costs #EarPods #iPhone #energy #adapter


text:
Oxford Exchange, an online eyewear exchange, is set to launch a new pair of glasses on February 25, 2019.
The glasses will be available to order from the Oxford Exchange site, which is run by the Oxford Group, and will be priced at AU$5,200 ($4,400).
They will be made by the company’s parent company, Oxford Exchange.
They will also come in the Armanis glasses range, which will cost $3,400 ($1,800) and will come with a variety of colors and materials.
Oxford Exchange glasses will come in two different sizes, the small and large.
The small size will be 1.75mm wide and the large 1.5mm wide.
These will be a great option for people who are more sensitive to the eye strain and pressure associated with wearing glasses.
You can buy the Armeni glasses here, and the Oxford exchange glasses here.
Read more at Oxford Exchange blog, and Oxford Exchange’s glasses here

domain: news


text:
“See you on the 7th”: Apple announces date for new announcements
EnlargeApple reader comments 17 Share this story Apple has just send out press invitations for its next product event, which is happening at 10am Pacific on September 7 in the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. This has become Apple's go-to event space in recent years, replacing smaller venues like the Moscone Center, the Yerba Buena Center...
I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its component fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken-down computers. That is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark


text:
Massachusetts Data Protection Law Amended, Delayed - AgainNew Rules Now Won't Apply Until March 2010
Saying that the state must balance the needs of consumer privacy protection with the needs of small business, the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR) has also amended its data security regulations. Earlier this week the OCABR announced the revised rules will facilitate a "risk-based approach" to data security - an approach that is expected to help the small-business community.
The OCABR also modified the regulations to make them technology neutral. A public hearing on the changes will be held on September 22 in Boston.
Barbara Anthony, the Massachusetts Undersecretary of the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, says the adjustments to Massachusetts' identity theft regulations will also reinforce flexibility in compliance by small businesses.
The risk-based approach is especially important to small businesses that may not handle a lot of personal information about customers, says Anthony. Under a risk-based approach, a business, in developing a written security program, should take into account its size, nature of its business, the kinds of records it maintains, and the risk of identity theft posed by its operations.
New wording in the regulations recognizes that the size of a business and the amount of personal information it handles play a role in the data security plan the business creates. The new language requires safeguards appropriate to:
- Size, scope and type of business handling the information;
- Resources available to the business;
- Amount of stored data;
- Need for security and confidentiality of both consumer and employee information.
Agnes Bundy Scanlan, a Boston-based lawyer at Goodwin Procter, says she wasn't surprised by the extension. "It seems as though the small business community rallied together and presented unwavering arguments against several areas of the regulation," says Bundy Scanlan, who is also a board member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).
Changes to the regulations, Anthony says, make clear they are risk-based in implementation, not just in enforcement, as had been the case in earlier versions of the regulations. In addition to now being "technology neutral," the regulation acknowledges that technical feasibility plays a role in what many businesses -- especially small ones -- can do to protect data. The overall approach is more consistent with federal law, Anthony states.
"Whether it's a small amount of employee paperwork, or a large amount of consumer information kept on an electronic database, each requires its own appropriate level of security and protection," Anthony says. "The changes we are making reflect that reality without exposing companies or consumers to a heightened risk of theft."


text:
New Insomniac games will come with an advanced dialogue system
It remains to find out what is happening.
It appears that the studio Insomniac Games developed an advanced dialogue system for its new projects. The director of the ISC, Elan Raskin, noted that there is a similar system in the past few years.
The studio created very cool dialogue-related technologies during a Twitch stream. She’ll appear in The Insomniac game, likely referring to Spider-Man 2 and Wolverine.
Unfortunately, Ruskin didn’t detail the system. It might be either a system that lets the player participate in the dialogue as a means or a technology that actually allows a player to create a character dialogue.
The only thing that I’m not aware of is that in the last Insomniac games almost no dialogue was established that allowed the player to make decisions. Maybe the studio decided to change that.
Spider-Man 2 is expected to be released in 2023, but the game is very likely to be shown at Sonys next major presentation. If the developers have completely revamped the dialogue system, they’ll likely discuss it at the presentation.
It’s really interesting.
Atomic Hearts surround 5 million players
Mundfishers open world first-person shooterAtomic Heart has been working hard for quite a while, but after a tumultuous development cycle,...
Alan Wake 2 will be ready to launch in 2023 The medical device will be able to work
2023 has already been a banger year so far for survival horror, with the likes of the villainDead SpaceandResident Evil...
Fans are convinced FromSoftware is already working on a secret new Soulsborne game
Ken Chan is the lead designer and project manager of Elden Ring. In his LinkedIn profile, he says he's working...
The 2 character Sims changes appearance (skin & clothes) in random way after a tooth loss bug, has been identified (workaround inside)
The Sims 4 has been popular amongst gamers for several years. It continues to attract new players based on its...
Last Labyrinth released this spring to Xbox One, and Switch
AMATA is pushing the development of a digital release for the Xbox Series, Xbox One and Switch released this spring,...
Ghost Trigger 5.5 to 08 collection announced for Switch
The latest issue of Weekly Famitsu reveals the Grisaia Phantom Trigger 5.5 to 08 released in Japan for 8360 yen...


text:
Blink-182 has received Billboard's Top Album honor and Pokemon is the most popular game on the iTunes store. If you think you are back in the 1990s, you are not alone. Actually, Nintendo (OTCPK:NTDOY) may be the first of many producers to monetize nostalgia. As producers begin to make money off of memory lane, make sure you are a little more financially savvy than you have been in the past.
Source: Yahoo Finance
Source: Yahoo Finance
It is no secret that Nintendo has had a monster week. As you can see from the graph above (via Yahoo Finance), shares of Nintendo ADR are surging upwards as of late while the Tokyo Stock Exchange's equivalent (OTCPK:NTDOF) is doing just as well. It appears every financial website can only write about Nintendo's growth. Many investors are skeptical that this growth will endure despite society's infatuation with Pokemon Go in the past week. Historically, cellular game developers have had a tough time staying profitable. You may ask yourself, how do developers such as Nintendo make money off of a free game? The answer is found through in-app purchases.
In-app purchases actually account for a lot of game developers' profits. You need money within the game in order to buy Pokeballs and attain certain levels of success. This will lead many consumers to impulsively make in-app purchases in order to reach their short-term goals. High in-app purchases is a trend common to worldwide markets. According to Trey Williams of Market Watch, "worldwide revenue for in-app purchases is expected to hit $58.2 billion this year and rocket to $76.5 billion in 2017, according to data gathered by Statista." If Nintendo can manage to keep its Pokemon Go sales up and maybe even reproduce games with beloved heroes like Zelda and Mario, it will consume a large portion of that expected figure.
Pokemon Go boosted the market value of Nintendo by over $9 billion in just a few days. Nintendo's recent success has proven that augmented reality will be a path that video game developers take in this new media age. Augmented reality is a combination of real world settings with computer-generated images. In essence, augmented reality is a way individuals can simultaneously balance the real world with means of pleasure. Although users are still logging many hours on their cellular devices, at least now they are doing so while appreciating the outdoors. This is evident simply from analyzing the amount of time individuals manage to spend on the application throughout their daily lives.
Pokemon Go has surpassed Android's top five "highest daily usage time" apps by a substantial margin in only its first week of existence. The stock realized a 20% increase, which is its best one-day move since 1983. Pokemon Go is the top grossing app in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States according to MarketWatch. Unfortunately, growth is limited because the game is not available in all countries. With online marketplaces such as iTunes not accessible in many countries, foreign consumers have instead been attempting to download Pokemon Go through other means.
For example, the mirror platform apkmirror has realized a spike in its internet traffic in the past month. Clicks went from just over 500,000 to 4,000,000 during the end of June to July when the game was officially released.
Despite its popularity both domestic and abroad, Nintendo is down -2.60% as of 2 PM Wednesday. Investors have been worried that they could be experiencing another market dilemma similar to the "Candy Crush Saga" losses a few years back. Those who noticed the omnipresence of Candy Crush and invested in its parent maker King Digital (later sold to Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI)) were thanked with 50% losses throughout the next quarter. If you are an investor looking to not make the same mistakes again, take a step further into Pokemon Go.
While Nintendo has certainly seen great financial numbers this past week, its stock is suffering from its inability to cater to all overseas markets and the unfortunate reality that its sales are numbered as not everyone can afford in-app purchases. If Nintendo's game developers can continue to be innovative and stimulate demand, then Pokemon Go can avoid the same misfortunes experienced by Candy Crush and King Digital.
Source: Market Watch
Analysts are high on Nintendo right now, with many labeling the stock as overweight. Meaning, the stock is a better value than its competitors. NTDOY's current EPS is .17 but looking to improve greatly over the next fiscal year.
For now, demand for the game is pervasive and talked about. As previously stated, many are searching for ways to access the game outside of downloading from its official suppliers like the Android and iTunes markets. As you can see free marketplaces like apkmirror.com do not operate on any market exchange, so they might be profiting, but we cannot invest in them. While this type of Pokemon black market will hurt the sales of Nintendo, it really does not have any effect on the industry that manages the devices used to play Pokemon Go: Telecommunications. In fact, the telecommunications industry has seen some great gains this past week.
Source: Financial Visualizations
Investing in the company that produces the game itself (Nintendo) has historically proven to be a risky idea, so many advise to invest in the telecommunication services that produce the data such as T-Mobile (NASDAQ:TMUS), Verizon (NYSE:VZ), or AT&T (NYSE:T). Even investing in a business that profits off of outdoor activity (i.e.: Footlocker) might be a good idea.
Martin Tillier of NASDAQ shared his own opinion on the new game when writing, "A clue as to what that characteristic is came yesterday from T-Mobile CEO John Legere revealed that Pokemon Go had caused downloads to double over the weekend, and data usage to increase fourfold." Other firms in the sector have seen profits as both Verizon and AT&T gained a point over the last five days.
Furthermore, one way in which we can be sure that society has not re-entered the 1990s is acknowledging the existence of augmented reality gaming. Consumers have gotten a taste of this newfound technology in the social media platform Snapchat with various interactive filters. Nintendo, as well as Niantic, harnessed this technology for Pokemon Go.
The Wall Street Journal's Jack Nicas and Cat Zakrzewski write:
Other companies are testing the technology. Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) is building an augmented-reality headset called HoloLens. Google parent Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Project Tango adds sensors and software to smartphones to improve them as augmented-reality devices. Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ:FB) Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has said "immersive augmented reality will become a part of daily life for billions of people."
Magic Leap, an augmented reality startup, is among the companies testing this new technology. An IPO would be possible for the company unless a large corporation buys first. Magic Leap has yet to release an official product but corporations are pouring money into the startup which has now received approximately $1.4 billion in funding.
Nintendo could have possibly struck a gold mine by appealing to both old and new generations with this nostalgic application, but augmented reality and even the telecommunication industry finish the week with high prospective growth. Look for startups like Magic Leap and Meta Co to land on the tech scene in the near future. Until then, stick with telecommunication companies that realize profits from demand for all new augmented reality products.
Analysts are currently very high on the idea that Nintendo has the innovative capacity to not make the same mistakes as King did with Candy Crush. Augmented reality has stimulated an entirely new market and is an extremely exciting prospect for investors and producers alike. Look to see great numbers next quarter for both Nintendo and the telecommunications companies that will piggyback on their successes.
It's funny to see how these newfound advances in technology have us all remembering the past. Yet investors, aside from developers, must now prepare for the future. Pokemon Go may very well be the first step in a long road of augmented reality that expands much further than the gaming industry and we all have a chance to profit. As Pokemon Go revives your past, be sure you are also investing for the future.
Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, but may initiate a long position in NTDOY, T over the next 72 hours.
I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Editor's Note: This article discusses one or more securities that do not trade on a major U.S. exchange. Please be aware of the risks associated with these stocks.


text:
*Top black executives are making moves on two fronts, according to new reports.
Troy Carter, who has served as Spotify’s global head of creator services since June 2016, will be leaving the company in early September, the company confirmed Monday.
In April 2017, he took on the additional role as entertainment advisor for the Prince estate, following the artist’s sudden death the year prior.
Just last month, Carter was honored with the UJA-Federation’s Music Visionary of the Year award along with Spotify CEO Daniel Ek. He has worked with the artist community and music industry at large to help facilitate a conversation between the traditional music business and the streaming service, and helped shepherd in the company’s emerging artist program, several playlist and subscription initiatives and the latest large-scale upgrade to its free tier, announced earlier this year, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He previously worked as CEO of the Atom Factory, a management and digital-music firm he founded several years ago, and managed artists such as Lady Gaga, Meghan Trainor and Charlie Puth, among others.
“I came to this company to help bridge the gap between Spotify and the creative community,” Carter said in a statement. “Over time, that goal evolved from fixing a challenge to building a global team focused on changing the game for artists around the world, partnering with them to help bring their creative visions to life in new and innovative ways. I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved but with so much accomplished, it was the right time to move out of the day-to-day into an advisory role. The knowledge, relationships and personal experiences will remain with me and I know that this talented team is committed to continuing this important work.”
Carter will remain as an advisor with the world’s largest streaming service. His replacement is Nick Holmsten, currently Spotify’s head of shows and editorial, which includes its playlists. Holmsten and Carter’s teams will be combined under the new structure.
And over at Jay-Z’s Roc Nation…
Co-founder and CEO Jay Brown has joined the Board of Directors of MedMen, the aggressive farm-to-counter retail chain dubbed the Apple Store or Starbucks of weed dispensaries, reports Variety.
The 20-year music industry vet has worked with Hov to develop the careers of multiple artists (among them Rihanna and DJ Khaled). He began his career as a publishing executive with Quincy Jones’ Qwest Records, later joining Elektra Entertainment Group as senior VP, and Def Jam as executive VP.
Since Roc Nation’s inception in 2008, Brown has branched out into the world of touring and merchandising, television and film, content creation, apparel, mobile gaming and new business ventures such as cannabis.
“Over the years, I’ve met great talent and passionate people who helped shape our view of the world through music. I see that same intensity in today’s emerging cannabis industry and MedMen is definitely at the head of the pack,” stated Brown. “I believe in their mission and I believe in their ability to execute.”
MedMen operates 19 licensed facilities in California, Nevada and New York, ranging from cultivation and manufacturing to retail. MedMen has several stores in the Los Angeles area, including West Hollywood, downtown L.A. and Venice’s Abbott Kinney District, while recently opening a flagship location on Fifth Avenue in New York. MedMen also completed a deal with Canadian cannabis company Cronos Group, the first pure-play cannabis company to trade on the Nasdaq stock exchange.
MedMen co-founder and CEO Adam Bierman reiterated the company’s lifestyle approach to selling cannabis. “Marijuana today is less about smoking a joint, and much more about culture,” he said in announcing Brown’s arrival. “It is about healthier, safer choices for mind and body, and community. For more than two decades, Jay Brown has had his finger on the pulse of pop culture. We are honored to have him on our Board and look forward to working with him as MedMen continues on its mission to mainstream marijuana.”


text:
GM honors full-service exhibit and event marketing company for the fourth consecutive year
Czarnowski was named a GM Supplier of the Year by General Motors during its 25th annual Supplier of the Year awards ceremony on Mar. 31 in Orlando, Fla. This is the fourth consecutive year Czarnowski has received the award.
“We are honored to again receive this recognition from GM,” said Czarnowski president Mark Nagle. “We take great pride in the work we’ve done over the years helping them creatively showcase their products and brand identity, and we look forward to a strong future alongside our partners at GM.”
GM recognized 118 of its best suppliers from 15 countries that have consistently exceeded GM’s expectations, created outstanding value or brought new innovations to the company. The announcement represented the most suppliers GM has recognized since debuting the event in 1992.
“We are focused on building positive supplier relationships, bringing new, customer-centric innovations to GM and being the OEM of choice among suppliers,” said Steve Kiefer, GM vice president, Global Purchasing and Supply Chain. “The companies recognized not only brought innovation, they delivered it with the quality our customers deserve.”
Winning suppliers were chosen by a global team of GM purchasing, engineering, quality, manufacturing and logistics executives and selected based on performance criteria in Product Purchasing, Indirect Purchasing, Customer Care and Aftersales, and Logistics.
“Our talented team works closely with our clients to develop innovative and state-of-the-art exhibit solutions that compellingly showcase products and deliver results,” said Erik Schoneman, senior account director at Czarnowski. “We will continue to use our unique and creative approach to strategy and design to help GM increase awareness of its products and brand.”
Czarnowski is a full-service exhibit and event marketing company that produces brand experiences for the world’s most forward-thinking organizations. Their multi-faceted approach combines strategy, creativity, fabrication and operations to create powerful face-to-face experiences. Their range of services, global reach and cross-sector experience has allowed them to deliver results for customers on and off the trade show floor for more than 70 years.


text:
Printed on: May 01, 2013
Brands rejected factory safety plan
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) -- As Bangladesh reels from the deaths of hundreds of garment workers in a building collapse, the refusal of global retailers to pay for strict nationwide factory inspections is bringing renewed scrutiny to an industry that has profited from a country notorious for its hazardous workplaces and subsistence-level wages.
After a factory fire killed 112 garment workers in November, clothing brands and retailers continued to reject a union-sponsored proposal to improve safety throughout Bangladesh's $20 billion garment industry. Instead, companies expanded a patchwork system of private audits and training that labor groups say improves very little in a country where official inspections are lax and factory owners have close relations with the government.
In the meantime, threats to workers persist. In the five months since last year's deadly blaze at Tazreen Fashions Ltd., there were 41 other "fire incidents" in Bangladesh factories -- ranging from a deadly blaze to smaller fires or sparks that caused employees to panic, according to a labor organization affiliated with the AFL-CIO umbrella group of American unions. Combined, the recent incidents killed nine workers and injured more than 660.
The April 24 collapse of the Rana Plaza building that killed more than 300 people is the worst disaster to hit Bangladesh's fast-growing and politically powerful garment industry. For those attempting to overhaul conditions for workers who are paid as little as $38 a month, it is a grim reminder that corporate social responsibility programs are failing.
"Improvement is not happening," said Amirul Haque Amin, president of the National Garment Workers Federation in Bangladesh, who said a total of 600 workers have died in factory accidents in the last decade. "The multinational companies claim a lot of things. They claim they have very good policies, they have their own code of conduct, they have their auditing and monitoring system," Amin said. "But yet these things keep happening."


text:
Gameloft will soon release an expansion pack for its highly popular Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour first-person shooter. The Meltdown update includes three new maps (Fracture, Extraction, Backfire), two new weapons (40mm Thor GLP Grenade Launcher, SFS CTK-12 Sniper Rifle), two new modes, and a new specialization (demolition). The update will be released first on iOS on June 19 (today) and it’s listed as “coming very soon” to Android. Check out the video above for some gameplay footage of the latest additions.
You might also like
At Comic-Con 2014 in San Diego, Telltale Games confirmed that The Walking Dead graphic adventure game will be returning for a third season. Fans will need to be patient, however, as The Walking Dead Season 3 won’t be arriving on consoles and mobile [...]
As details of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Alpha continue to leak, it’s becoming quite clear that it will fall within the mid-range class of Android handsets. Once thought to be a premium variant of the Galaxy S5, the Galaxy Alpha was revealed last [...]
Gameloft has finally released Modern Combat 5: Blackout for Android, iOS and Windows Phone. The latest edition of the popular first-person shooter on smartphones and tablets costs $6.99 and offers both single player and multiplayer modes. Read on for the [...]


text:
In recent news, it looks like Capcom expects to record losses of approximately 4.5 billion yen due to the act of terminating untitled projects that were in development at Capcom Vancouver. This information was disclosed on September 18th, 2018 on Capcom’s fiscal year 2018 press release.
Back on February 6th, 2018, we reported that Capcom sent out a letter explaining its Vancouver studio had been hit by a 30% layoff. The Vancouver studio is the same as the Dead Rising studio, which is the team that made Dead Rising 4 for PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
The most recent report can be found on capcom.co.jp/ir, which details two points about expected record losses of 4.5 billion yen.
In addition to the above, the termination of developmental projects in its consolidated financial results for the six months of the fiscal year ending March 31st, 2019 (from April 1st, 2018 to September 30th, 2018) reads:
“Capcom Game Studio Vancouver, Inc., a consolidated subsidiary of Capcom, primarily carries out development of home video game software for markets outside of Japan; however, Capcom is currently reviewing the allocation of its development resources that support the production of world-class content.
In consideration of this process, as a result of reviewing titles in development at Capcom Game Studio Vancouver, Inc., Capcom now expects to record losses from the termination of development projects of approximately 4.5 billion yen under cost of sales in its consolidated financial results for the six months of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019.”
The second read lists that Capcom’s consolidated business results will remain the same as projected at the financial results announcement on May 8th, 2018. Additionally, there are no changes to the amounts of the interim dividend or year-end dividend that were announced on May 8th:
“Regarding Capcom’s full-year business forecast, due to factors including the continued robust performance of the PC version of Monster Hunter: World exceeding the company’s expectations since its release on the Steam platform in August, following the blockbuster performance of the title after its initial release in January of this year, the forecast for Capcom’s consolidated business results remains the same as what was projected at the financial results announcement on May 8, 2018.
Further, there are no changes to the amounts of the interim dividend or year-end dividend that were announced on the same day.”
Update: Website gamedaily.biz received information from a Capcom spokesman. The information sent to the outlet reads:
“Capcom is currently reviewing the allocation of its development resources that support the production of world-class content. Capcom has been focused on increasing the efficiency and growth of its game development operations. To support this objective, new R&D facilities and annual hiring have been underway at the Osaka headquarters. In consideration of this process, as a result of reviewing titles in development at Capcom Vancouver, Capcom has decided to cancel the development projects at this studio and will concentrate development of major titles in Japan.”
In other words, Capcom will be moving its operations back to Japan while closing the doors of the Vancouver studio. You can read the full report over on capcom.co.jp/ir.


text:
iOS 13 with the support of dark themes shown in the render
One of the few innovations in the Apple iOS 13 will be a dark theme, which is a long wait. Today it became known exactly how it will look – leaked unofficial renderings based on information from insiders.
The image shows a mobile PC Apple iOS 13 and activated the dark theme – redrawn, in General, anything to look more beautiful and not so light in the eye in poor external lighting. But the main thing in the picture – not the dark theme, and mouse near the computer. It is reported, will finally have support for this manipulator, which Google implemented in Android six years ago.
In General, in iOS 13 for the iPhone, almost nothing will change, except for dark themes – all buns will get only iPad that will get full multi-window mode and improved dock, and much more. The announcement of iOS 13 will be held in June this year and release in September when will the new range of smartphones from Apple. In short, Apple wants to turn iOS into macOS to a tablet really could replace many laptops and desktops.


text:
After the phenomenal success of its 2013 edition India’s leading trade fair is here to present its latest version providing you with an opportunity to network with industry experts and participate at a renowned platform brimming with latest trends from global markets.
We are pleased to announce the 5th edition of India’s preferred business exhibition for Technical Textiles and Nonwovens – Techtextil India 2015 will be held from 24 – 26 September at the Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai.
"Techtextil India has helped me find what I was looking for! I have seen raw materials, fabrics, which I never knew existed in India. The show has definitely introduced me to opportunities existent in India."
Charles Robertson, Vice President, International Sales,
Lakeland Industries Inc. USA
The Techtextil India platform establishes the vibrancy of the industry; and the pace at which it is growing. As a new entrant, the exposure received is massive.
Ankul Goyal, Director, Bhagirath Fibres Pvt. Ltd., Surat
This is the first time that I am visiting Techtextil India and am looking for new finishing techniques for our fabrics. I have never seen some of the products that are exhibited here and I am glad that I took time out to visit the show.
Vichanya Oonipat, Manager, PST – Thai Trading, Thailand


text:
- Coca-Cola stands behind its new product, Fairlife premium milk, which will roll out over the next few weeks. It's an addition to the company's vast drinks selection that it believes "rains money" if developed right, according to Sandy Douglas, president of Coca-Cola North America.
- "Fairlife says its milk has 50 percent more protein, 30 percent more calcium and 50 percent less sugar than regular milk, and is lactose free," according to the Associated Press.
- This is one of several steps Coca-Cola is taking to expand its drinks portfolio with new healthier products, including its stevia-sweetened Coca-Cola Life, which it recently took national, and a less sweet recipe for Canadian Coke.
While milk may do a body good, Coca-Cola has recently made other less positive headlines as well. The company has been slashing jobs, about 1% of its international workforce, due to falling soda sales. Coca-Cola was also in the news this week when Wintergreen accused the company of releasing "secret 'bonus shares' for top management" as a component of its 2014 Equity Compensation Plan, according to a news release.


text:
As it stands today, most owners of heavy electric trucks need to rely on charging equipment installed on their own premises, which limits their range. And while it is theoretically possible to charge an electric truck at a passenger car charging station, in most instances the physical layout of the station, such as parking spaces and fixed structures, make this impossible.
The reality is that if electric trucks are to scale up as much as needed to make a difference to climate change, a much larger network of charging stations will be required. The good news is that this is starting to happen with Europe in a leading position. The first public charging station for heavy-duty vehicles was opened in Gothenburg in 2021, with plans to open three more. Fuel station chain Circle K also plans to open the a public charging station for electric heavy-duty trucks, which is expected to be operational in 2022.
In July 2021, Volvo Group signed a non-binding agreement to establish a joint venture for building a public charging network for battery electric heavy-duty long-haul trucks and coaches across Europe. Together the parties involved intend to invest 500 million Euros to install and operate at least 1,700 high-performance green energy charging points within five years from the establishment of the joint venture.
“We’ve seen a big shift in just the last two years, where many charging providers who were not willing to discuss charging stations for trucks are now really enthusiastic about the idea,” says Magnus Broback, Charging Systems Director, Volvo Trucks. “This is because until recently there was no business case for it. But now that we’re seeing more electric trucks on the road, it makes sense that we should start investing in charging networks.”
There is also a strong push from the public sector in Europe as well. The EU’s ‘Fit for 55’ package of proposed legislation, which aims to reduce carbon emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030, includes charging networks within its scope. The EU has for example presented a proposal for an Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), which will put greater demands on member states to invest in charging infrastructure. In addition, the new General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) is expected to make it easier for national governments to invest in public charging infrastructure.
“There is enough push from the private sector to ensure that the shift to electromobility will happen regardless,” says Magnus. “But public support, through regulations and state subsidies, will ensure the transformation happens much faster. And this is vital because with climate change, we cannot wait another 15 years.”
Meanwhile, the public charging infrastructure for passenger cars continues to grow and despite concerns about the capacity of electric grids, the impact on electric trucks will be positive. After all, both use the same CCS2 standard for charging up to 350 kilowatts – the key difference being that trucks require high voltage (500-750 volts), which all new charging stations can provide. Otherwise the only limitation preventing trucks from using car charging stations is the physical space around the charger.
“The two charging networks are more in synergy than in competition,” explains Magnus. “The passenger car network helps to create a similar ecosystem, which provides economies of scale, better knowledge of the technologies as well as business models.”
And as for exceeding the capacity of power grids? “That will no doubt be an issue in some places, but it’s solvable. After all, as a society we have been working with electric grids in over a century. It’s clear we will have to start preparing and expanding the network – as we have been doing for over 100 years – that is a challenge we can definitely overcome.”


text:
AMERICANS MAY JUST SAVE AMERICA
April 21, 2009
The president and the Federal Reserve chairman recently voiced cautious optimism that the economy could be beginning to stabilize, however, the economy doesn't seem to be cooperating. Retail sales dropped sharply in March, wholesale prices fell steeply and the stock market fell 2 percent. This data underscores the hard slog the nation faces to emerge from its deep recession and the limitations of more optimistic talk from Washington, says Judith A. Klinghoffer, an affiliate professor at Haifa University.
Fortunately, the American consumer is smarter than the quick-fix Washington mindset:
- Shell-shocked families -- especially some 77 million baby boomers for whom retirement planning is an urgent imperative -- know they have no choice other than to save.
- The personal savings rate has risen from .8 percent to 4.2 percent in the past 6 months alone, and is on its way to a new post-bubble equilibrium that could be placed in the 7.5 percent to 10 percent zone.
- A retrenchment by the American consumer should be viewed as a wake-up call for other nations to fill the void by stimulating their own consumers; a globalized world needs to move from one consumer to many.
- This crisis and the wrenching recession it has spawned are all about a destabilizing shift in the mix of global savings and aggregate demand; the excess spenders need to save and the excess savers need to spend.
Policies that encourage such rebalancing will put the world economy on a more stable and sustainable path and go a long way in avoiding another crisis like this in the future.
In other words, Americans are going to do what their government refuses to do: force the world to change in a manner beneficial to all. Americans may just save America, says Klinghoffer.
Source: Judith A. Klinghoffer, "Americans may just save America," Political Mavens, April 15, 2009.
Browse more articles on Economic Issues


text:
The Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce (TFCC), Indian Movie Cop and the Motion Picture Dist. Association, India Pvt. Ltd. (MPDA) launched a campaign through Comicorner to raise awareness on the negative impact of online film piracy and its risks to consumers who watch illegitimate content online. Comicorner aims to engage audiences at the two-day event through interactive activities that will include ‘creating your own look as a superhero and an opportunity to create your own comic strip.’
“There is a close link between pirated websites and their operations and the spread of malware, in addition to exposing netizens to identity theft or ransomware. We hope to engage with both comic and movie fans to educate them on the threats on online content theft and the benefit of watching films on legitimate online content platforms,” said Uday Singh, MD, Motion Picture Dist. Association, India Pvt. Ltd.
“The annual Comicorner at Comic Con hosted jointly by the Telugu Film Industry and the MPDA is serving as a great platform to connect and engage with especially the younger generation and to communicate to them the significance of protecting creative content. This outreach initiative is just as important as other aspects like enforcement and policy making. Thanks to the visionary support of the Government of Telangana, Hyderabad is home for TIPCU (Telangana Intellectual Property Crime Unit) and Hyderabad has also been home for Comicorner since the last three years. Together these initiatives illustrate the commitment of the Industry, Government and Movie lovers to promote creativity across the board,” said Rajkumar Akella, Honorary Chairman - Anti Video Piracy Cell, TFCC.


text:
LG has launched a new state-of-the-art, Curved ULTRA HD TV in Saudi Arabia, claimed to be the largest, with a host of features and benefits.
Al Salem Johnson Controls (ASJC), a joint venture between the Al Salem Group of Companies and Johnson Controls, a global multi industrial company, has announced the appointment of Mohanad Alshaikh as
The Residence Inn by Marriott Jazan recently opened its doors to the 79 suites property to welcome its extended stay travelers.
Jamal Al-Mulhim, deputy mayor of EP municipality, opened the first Radisson Blu group in the Eastern Province (EP), Alkhoba.
Expanding its presence in Saudi Arabia, HMH-Hospitality Management Holdings has entered into a management agreement with Mobarak Hotels Group for operating Coral Al-Madina Hotel.
BlackBerry Passport is now available from all major telecom retailers in Saudi Arabia. This follows the recent announcement that the new smartphone would be coming to the Middle East.
Arab airlines have increasing impact and visibility on the global stage, with many countries in the Arab world recognizing the economic importance of aviation and investing in infrastructure, said She
Home Centre, the region’s major home retailer, has released its latest catalog at a media event hosted at Riyadh’s flagship store on King Abdullah Road.
Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) has announced its participation as strategic partner of the CSR Saudi Arabia Summit, which will be held from Nov. 24-26, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Jeddah.
Mohammad Al–Hussaini, managing director of Al-Hussaini Trading Company — sole agent for Longines watches in Saudi Arabia for 34 years along with Walter Von Kanel, president, Longines Watch Company,
© Copyright of Arab News 2014


text:
BY Sarah Powless Feb 07, 2022
This Olympics, much like every Olympics before, the athletes arrived in Beijing donning patriotic uniforms that are as indicative of their country’s national character as they are practical. However, this time around, the 2022 Winter Olympics has seen fashion come to the fore. Specifically, athletes from a variety of countries have been taking to TikTok and Instagram on a near-daily basis to showcase their respective nation’s Olympic uniforms in traditional ootd posts. Here are some of the most fashionable moments from your favorite national Olympic teams thus far:
Team USA is sponsored by all-American brands including Ralph Lauren, Nike, and Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS. For the opening ceremony, the athletes donned parkas, matching pants, and boots by Ralph Lauren, which epitomized classic American winter technical outerwear. On TikTok, some competitors, including snowboarder Meghan Tierney, have been showcasing their SKIMS and Nike pieces, which feature fuzzy robes and lounge sets emblazoned with the American flag and Olympic rings, as plenty of red, white, and blue athleisure.
For the opening ceremony, Team Italy both re-invented the flag and honored their country’s rich fashion roots. With ultra-patriotic red, white, and green capes designed by EA7 Emporio Armani, the Italian athletes made it abundantly clear exactly where they were from, looking like the most proud and well-coordinated gang of Italian superheroes the world has ever seen.
Team Norway, a universal favorite of any Winter Olympics, arrived at the games donning a classic, chic look, which featured a long white parka, black pants, and a knit beanie. With sponsors including the beloved footwear brand On and the ultra-cool Japanese outerwear label Phenix, viewers have been able to get a better look at the team’s daily outfits via the TikToks of alpine ski racer Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, who has been showcasing his Olympic wardrobe via ootd posts.
Another standout look from the opening ceremony was undoubtedly Nigeria. For these uniforms, Team Nigeria enlisted the help of Actively Black, the athletic wear brand created and owned by former professional basketball player Lanny Smith. Thus, this resulted in the athletes donning stark white agbadas, or the flowing wide-sleeved robes traditional in West Africa, adorned with green tie-dyed details and matching green tie-dyed geles, or head ties. Needless to say, they looked fashionable, functional, and perfectly patriotic.
As the home team, Team China upped their fashion game for this Olympic Games. At the opening ceremony, the flag bearers, which included legendary Chinese champions Luo Zhihuan, Li Jiajun, Shen Xue, Han Xiaopeng, Zhang Hui and Zhang Hong, donned beautiful blue mountain-printed coats and chic oversized white trousers by the Chinese-born and London-based designer Feng Chen Wang. The competing athletes also looked incredibly stylish in classic red trench coats and trendy furry red bucket hats.
This year, Switzerland’s winter athletes are easy fashion standouts, both from the opening ceremony and beyond. Donning the coolest, yet practical looks from sponsor brands including On Running and the German outerwear label Ochsner Sport, they have been seen in eye-catching red and white pieces at nearly every event. At the opening ceremony, they sported red parkas, with a unique white stripe down the front, as well as maroon snow pants, and a red and maroon beanie featuring the white Swiss cross. One athlete keeping viewers up to date with Team Switzerland’s style is snowboarder Pat Burgener, who showcased the team’s technical wardrobe on his TikTok.
Although there have been several stylish team looks for the 2022 Winter Olympics, perhaps the best of them all are those from Team Canada. This year, Canada’s Olympic team found a sponsor in the beloved athleisure brand Lululemon, who has decked the athletes out in some of the coolest pieces. For the opening ceremony, the competitors donned layered red puffer coats over maroon leggings with red headbands. However, the boots have caused quite a stir on TikTok, with many desperate fans left wondering where and when they will be available. Likewise, on the podium, they have been seen in eye-catching red zip up jackets, with an ombre pixilated motif with maroon sweats and the highly coveted red boots.


text:
Toronto could soon be getting legal cannabis lounges and cafes
In an attempt to offer more choice to customers and compete against the black market, the Ontario government just announced potential plans to expand the province's cannabis market.
In a news release published earlier today, the PC government said they are lauching an online consultation to ask the public, businesses, health and other stakeholders about potential new consumption venues — such as lounges and cafes — as well as special occasion permits for events such as outdoor festivals and concerts.
The government says the goal is to eventually move to an open market for retail cannabis sales.
Hey @JohnTory did you know in 1947 Toronto became the first city in Canada to permit cocktail lounges? In 2020 you should make Toronto the first Canadian city to permit cannabis lounges!— SGT (@SpennyGoodtimes) December 31, 2019
They also say the The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has received more than 700 applications for retail operator licences since Ontario announced it would open the legal cannabis market.
"Ontario continues to take a responsible approach to cannabis retail sales across Ontario, allowing private sector businesses to build a safe and convenient retail system to combat the illegal market while keeping our kids and communities safe," said Attorney General Doug Downey in a statement.
"We are asking Ontarians to share their feedback as we explore certain expanded cannabis-related business opportunities as part of our responsible approach to protecting families and communities. What we hear from the public and expert groups will help to inform possible next steps."
Join the conversation Load comments


text:
PORT MOODY, BC – The Parkside Brewery has announced the release of a new limited edition beer to mark its 6th anniversary.
Tilt-a-Whirl Pineapple Dole Whip Beer is inspired by a soft-serve ice cream treat that is available at Disneyland. While the brewery hasn’t confirmed the recipe for the beer, pineapple and lactose are the mostly likely ingredients.
Tilt-a-Whirl is available now on tap at Parkside, where they are having a birthday celebration today (Wednesday June 8th) featuring plant-based hot dogs from Good Dogs, live music by Brad Lovell, and the option to turn your glass of Tilt-a-Whirl into a float with Dole Whip ice cream from The Canteen & Creamery.
Cans of Tilt-a-Whirl will be released on Friday June 10th at the brewery and select beer retailers.
Source: The Beerloop
Photo: The Parkside Brewery


text:
The highly-anticipated biopic Steve Jobs is scheduled to be released later this month, and The Wall Street Journal reports that Jobs’ widow, Laurene Powell Jobs, and a group of “allies” attempted to shut down the film before its release.
Tim Cook Emails Apple Employees Asking them to Honor the Memory of Steve Jobs on the 4th Anniversary of His Death
Apple CEO Tim Cook has emailed company employees on this, the 4th anniversary of the death of Steve Jobs. Cook asked employees to stop any staff that had worked with Jobs to “ask what he was really like.”
Apple CEO Tim Cook accepted his Visibility Award at the Human Rights Campaign dinner on Saturday night, and spoke about coming out as gay, and the obstacles that still remain about LGBT acceptance.
The iPhone 6s bug hit parade continues this morning, as a growing number of iPhone 6s users who transferred their content via iCloud from an iPhone 5, 5c, or 5s report a “zoomed” display bug.
iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus owners are reporting (via Reddit) that their new devices will turn themselves off completely, seemingly at random.
Apple released the second public beta of OS X 10.11.1 El Capitan on Thursday. The new public beta was seeded two days after developers received a second seed of the update to El Capitan.
Canadians could see a late October/early November launch of Apple Pay in their country, says a new report on Thursday. iPhone in Canada, quoting trusted sources familiar with the matter, says the launch is on the way.
Apple special vice president Eddy Cue sat down for a conversation with British publication The Evening Standard, and discussed Apple Music, and how Apple is “trying to fix” the issue of carrier roaming charges for iPhone users.
Apple on Thursday announced that former Boeing CFO and corporate president James A. Bell has been elected to Apple’s board of directors. The new appointee brings over four decades of finance, strategic planning and leadership experience to the board.
Following the release of iOS 9.0.2 on Wednesday, Apple stopped signing iOS 8.4.1 and iOS 9.0 firmware for compatible iOS devices. The move prevents users from downgrading from iOS 9.0.2.
Although iFixit found new gaskets and seals in the new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus that offer improved water resistance over previous models, a new video from IFixYouri shows why you should still not go swimming with your iPhone.
In what seems to be a release frenzy of sorts, Apple has released the third beta of iOS 9.1 to developers and public beta testers. Apple also today released iOS 9.0.2, as well as OS X 10.11 El Capitan to the public.
Apple on Wednesday released OS X 10.11 El Capitan to the public. The new Mac operating system is available free for download by all Mac users running compatible Mac computers.
Apple on Wednesday released another update for iOS 9. iOS 9.0.2 is a security and maintenance update for the recently released mobile operating system.
A security researcher says he has discovered a simple method of bypassing the OS X Gatekeeper by using a file already trusted by Apple to attack a Mac computer.
A number of new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus users took it into their heads to do some water resistance testing of their new devices, and to their surprise the devices proved to be more water-resistant than previous models.


text:
The premium is “the extra sum of money paid on top of the selling price that farmers and workers invest in business or community projects of their choice,” the organization Fairtrade International said in a press release.
“The report reflects Fairtrade’s belief that the biggest driver of economic improvement is higher Fairtrade sales,” the organization said. Last calendar year saw significant growth in sales of coffee (18 percent), bananas (12 percent) and cocoa (27 percent).
“Farmers and workers need to significantly scale up their Fairtrade sales if they are to escape from poverty,” said Marike de Peña, board chair of Fairtrade International. “Increased Fairtrade sales are the biggest driver of economic improvement, enabling producer organizations to secure the revenues they need for workers to be paid a living wage and for farmers and artisanal miners to earn a living income.”
According to the organization, sales alone will not solve inequality, create opportunity and end exploitation. Many of the problems faced by farmers and workers are deeply ingrained after generations - sometimes centuries - of marginalization and exploitation. New actions on climate, textiles and gender are among a range of initiatives introduced by Fairtrade over the past year and showcased in its most recently released annual report.
“Children and young people are at the heart of Fairtrade’s Youth Inclusive Community Based Monitoring and Remediation (YICBMR) system on child labour, which is being rolled out in 11 countries,” the organization said.
“The recently-refreshed gender strategy aims to empower both men and women farmers, workers and their employers to build communities where everybody feels equally valued - for example in El Salvador, where a Leadership Training & Women’s Empowerment School has been set up for coffee farmers," it added.
“Fairtrade was born from a grassroots movement for trade justice,” said Marike de Peña. “We haven’t forgotten our roots, and we continue to campaign against policies that leave the most vulnerable farmers and workers unprotected.”


text:
LAKEWOOD, Ohio (WJW) — Newly released video shows a shopping aisle was busy with half a dozen shoppers when a car crashes through the store’s exterior brick wall and into the aisle and shelves.
The video was released Thursday by police in Lakewood, Ohio, a day after the crash happened at a Lakewood ALDI, leaving one person with minor injuries.
**Warning: The video below may be graphic. There were only minor injuries.
Police said an older man mistakenly hit the gas pedal and the car accelerated through the parking lot of the store on West 117th Street, slamming into the store at about 25 mph Wednesday afternoon.
In the video, you can see outside the store’s window into the parking lot as the car drives right between two parked cars just as a woman is getting out of her car. That woman wasn’t hit.
The car then crashes through the store, knocking one man off of his feet and onto his back into a pile of debris from the crash, while several other shoppers were narrowly missed by feet or even inches.
Police say the driver of the car said he didn’t need treatment for any injuries and was driven home by his son.
The ALDI store remained closed Thursday after the damage that was caused during the crash.
Lakewood police said the crash is still being investigated and haven’t announced any charges at this time.


text:
Droid X users, today you’re in for a treat. Information on an update that surfaced online yesterday has been evolving overnight, and all signs point towards OTA 4.5.588 being the real thing: the official update to Gingerbread.
As of right now, there are very few reports of the OTA actually coming over the air, but a flashable file is ready to download. According to a thread on the Droid X Forums, root has already been achieved — just not released — and some users are saying you can indeed SBF back to stock build 340 should you miss your more customized ROM from before the jump.
For more information on the update to Gingerbread, and to get ahold of the update.zip, visit the “Anyone get OTA 4.5.588??” thread from Droid X Forums now.


text:
Elon Musk’s Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) announced today a partnership with Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) and U.S. Bank that will allow users to finance its Model S Electric cars.
According to the company, the financing product from the partnership “combines the surety and comfort of ownership with all the advantages of a traditional lease.” The lease, though not a straight-up lease, can be termed as a hybrid one.
The first London Value Investor Conference was held in April 2012 and it has since grown to become the largest gathering of Value Investors in Europe, bringing together some of the best investors every year. At this year’s conference, held on May 19th, Simon Brewer, the former CIO of Morgan Stanley and Senior Adviser to Read More
With financing, the “true net out of pocket cost” for the Model S will be less than $500. Using the financing option, consumers will be able to turn the car in for cash or equivalent trade-in within three years.
According to the terms of the partnership, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) will provide 10 percent down financing for purchase of a Model S (on approved credit). The 10 percent of the down payment is covered with U.S. Federal and state tax credits ranging from $7,500 to $15,000.
In addition, New Jersey, Washington and D.C. don’t have any sales tax on electric vehicles. However, such benefits are not available when using the leasing option. After factoring for the savings for using electricity instead of gasoline, depreciation benefits and other items, the true net out of pocket cost for a mid-range Model S comes to less than $500 per month, says the company.
Guaranteeing a resale value, the company says that, after three years, a user will have the choice to sell the Model S to Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) for the same residual value percentage as the iconic Mercedes S Class.
“This deal makes it affordable to a much broader audience than people currently think,” Musk said during a conference call.
The other objective of the partnership, according to Musk, was also to cast away the doubts about the practicality of electric vehicles and concerns regarding the battery life of the cars. “There is a lot of uncertainty,” Musk said. “We wanted to eliminate that uncertainty.”
The announcement accompanied a video showing Musk providing a personal guarantee on the Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) Model S, which he says is “the world’s best car.”
Earlier this week, Musk said that he expects the company to post its first quarterly profit owing to strong sales, excluding cash payments related to non-cash options and warrants. Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) told that, for the first quarter, it sold 4,750 Model S cars exceeding its own expectations of 4,500 cars.
Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) shares jumped 15 percent on Monday after the news. For 2012, Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) reported a loss of $396 million compared to 254 million in 2011.


text:
UK-based dog food manufacturer Fish 4 Dogs announced the sponsorship of dog trainer and behaviorist Carolyn Menteith's latest manual, 4 Paws Training Plan, which was launched at the recent Ultimate Pet Show , according to an article from GleeWire .
The company explained the sponsorship as a link between food nutrition and dog behavior.
"There is a lot that responsible dog owners can do to improve the health, fitness and behavior of their dogs by improving their diet and nutrition," said Jill Angell, Fish 4 Dogs founder.
New shelter data casts doubt on whether the pet population and pet ownership are truly growing.
While the pandemic caused unprecedented suffering worldwide in 2020, the disruptions to dogs, cats and other pets adoption numbers may normalize in 2021.


text:
Settlement Offers Framework for Future Digital-Accessibility Agreements
A lawsuit brought by the Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired claimed that the human-resources software company Automatic Data Processing Inc. had failed to make its products accessible for people who are blind or have low vision.
A recent article discusses how a settlement between these two parties, and the negotiations they undertook to get there, could do more for digital accessibility than many previous cases. “The sides used so-called structured negotiations—a strategy in which parties agree to cooperate with one another, usually without a lawsuit on file—that resulted in a settlement without further litigation in court. They also made public the details of their agreement, including a commitment by ADP not to rely entirely on automation to make its products accessible.”
For more information, see the article “ADP Settlement Offers Framework for Future Digital-Accessibility Agreements”.


text:
Advertising on Facebook has become 70% more expensive between 2017 and 2018, whilst ad spend on Facebook grew 40% during Q2 2018. Despite the sharp rise in ad expenditure, impressions on Facebook were actually down 17% year-on-year.
That’s according to new data from marketing company Merkle, which recently released its latest Digital Marketing Report.
Effectively, the results show that although marketers are spending more money on Facebook, they are getting less in return. The shift in pricing is partially driven by the increased demand for inventory.
Meanwhile, daughter Instagram saw ad spend shoot up 177% during Q2 compared to Q2 2017. Instagram recently added video advertising to its platform and adoption continues to grow as ever more brands discover the photo app to advertise their products.
Video saw a 209% jump in impressions whilst video views on Instagram were up 80% compared to 2017. Despite the steep increases, Instagram ad rates were lower than Facebook’s in Q2 2018.
When measuring Instagram’s growth relative to Facebook, the photo app accounted for 23% of all ad spend in Q2.
Meanwhile, mobile continues to drive Facebook’s ad revenue with 92% of all clicks now coming from mobile compared to 79% in 2017. Ad spend also jumped to 82% on mobile compared to 74% in 2017.
Interestingly, the report noted that Facebook’s Audience Network only accounted for 1.5% of its ad spend in Q2 2018.
For the remainder of the year, it’s likely that Instagram will continue to see its ad spend climb more significantly than parent Facebook.


text:
Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) is planning to reduce its data consumption by a 20 percent in the U.S with the usage of new algorithms, which will also permit higher quality streamings that will be adapted to each kind of content, reported Variety.
In the last four years the company has been developing an algorithm alongside the University of Southern California, the University of Nantes and the UT Austin, that would examine each movie or episode to define its complexity in order to reduce its data usage while maintaining exactly the same quality as before.
Situating Netflix into the Internet traffic patterns of the U.S.
Netflix, the most popular streaming service of video in North America, occupies about 36.5% of all downstream Internet bandwidth during peak periods, which is more than the consumption of Youtube, Amazon and Hulu combined together in the same period, Sandvine reported.
During the same period of comparison Youtube usually occupies 15.6% of downstream Internet traffic, web browsing a modest 6%, Facebook 2.7% and Amazon Instant Video 2.0%.
According to a company statement there are 40 million Netflix Subscribers in the U.S. who spend around 10 billion hours per month using the service when counted together and about 63% of those users are extremely satisfied or very satisfied with the service.
Previously the company delivered several versions of videos depending on users needs according to the speed of their connections. This means files could be seen from resolutions of 320 by 240 pixels to 1080p.
Netflix stated this had no sense, Anne Aaron, the video algorithms manager from the company, explained to Variety My Little Pony does not work with the same amount of bits as The Avengers because the encoding of animated shows is not that complex.
As a consequence, engineers noted the same encoding methods should not be used for very different videos. Aaron said a one-size-fits-all model doesn’t give users the most optimal quality. For example videos which have big amounts of visual details could receive an extreme compression that could generate noise in the image.
With the new set of algorithms video is going to be streamed in full HD while consuming less data than before, even with slow connections or mobile internet connections. The company assured the quality of the image won’t be affected and it will work on all devices.
“Our continuous innovation on this front recognizes the importance of providing an optimal viewing experience for our members while simultaneously using less bandwidth and being better stewards of the Internet”. Wrote the company in a statement.


text:
The Week in Tech: our roundup of the best things that blink and buzz
Books considering early retirement According to a press release from Amazon, ebooks and Kindle book sales have surpassed hardback and paperback sales for the first time. The online retailer says that for every 100 books sold, they sell 114 ebooks, and interestingly this doesn't include the numerous free titles available on the Kindle book store. With Amazon looking to introduce an iPad-like tablet in the near future, paperbacks’ days look numbered. Nokia N9 Teaser The N9, Nokia's latest flagship smartphone, has been kept top secret until this week, when a gadget blog leaked a N9 teaser video that appears to be an ad for the high-end device (it was removed from YouTube after a copyright claim by Nokia). It’s very similar to the E7 in its design, since both phones feature slide out keyboard and an impressive 12MP camera, but the big surprise is that the phone will run the MeeGo OS – even though Nokia is moving towards Windows Phone 7. Android quick fix Earlier this week some researchers at a Swedish university discovered a major security flaw that could have led to 99% of Android's users leaking private data. The flaw affected all users running Android 2.3.3 or lower, but following the announcement, Google rushed to correct the problem and say it’s now fixed. Talk about quick service! Dell Streak going king size Good news for the short-sighted: Dell's 5-inch Android tablet, the Streak, is due an upgrade in size over the summer. Dell will offer the Android Honeycomb experience in a 10-inch tablet form. The tablet, like the others, will feature the same processing power, dual mics and cameras, and will be available in 16-, 32- and 64-GB versions. Expect to see The Dell Streak Pro to arrive on our shores later this year.


text:
Revenue officials target fraudsters' boat
Revenue officials want to seize nearly £2.5m of assets from a VAT fraudster, including a £175,000 ocean-going motorboat.
They allege that three homes, one worth £1.8m, are the property of Raymond May and not, as claimed, of his wife and other family members.
The case, which will be heard in the High Court, marks the latest stage in a seven-year battle by May against a confiscation order - a battle that has already landed him with an extra six-year prison sentence on top of the original four years.
It underlines the Revenue's determination to prosecute 'carousel fraud' and to seize fraudsters' ill-gotten gains.
Carousel fraud, which has cost the Treasury at least £30bn in lost VAT since the mid-Nineties, exploits the system for taxing imports and exports inside the European Union.
Under the scam, importers falsely claim to have charged VAT on goods and then 'reclaim' the bogus VAT when the goods are re-exported to another EU country.
A big crackdown has stemmed the losses, thought to have peaked at £100m a week in the summer of 2006.
May was convicted in 2001 and the following year a confiscation order was made for £3.3m. He did not pay, resulting in the extra sentence.
Now the Revenue & Customs Prosecutions Office, headed by David Green, believes it has identified assets supposedly held by others, whose sale could help pay what May owes.
Most watched Money videos
- Take a look at the new Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 supercar
- Volkswagen reveal the first electric SUV ID 3 and 4 range
- VW launches clever new 'Caddy California' compact campervan
- Maserati's back! Italian brand releases first supercar for 15 years
- UK firm to build world's first electric Rolls-Royce's Phantoms
- Porsche has given the iconic Panamera a mid-life refresh
- Mercedes-Benz shows how hands-free Drive Pilot system works
- New £250,000 Ghost 'most technically advanced' Rolls-Royce ever
- Ray Massey reviews Aston Martin's first ever SUV
- F1 star Lewis Hamilton appears in Mercedes S-Class launch video
- VW's new electric car set to finally launch in Britain
- Rolls-Royce release new £250,000 limo called Ghost


text:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to buy up to 30 million pounds of wild blueberries to help stabilize a drop in the price, ABC News reported on Thursday.
An unnamed member of Maine’s congressional delegation told the Associated Press that the agency will spend up to $13 million for the wild blueberries. The far northeastern state is by far the biggest producer of blueberries in the United States, producing a quarter of North America’s supply.
The government purchase came in response to a letter Maine’s congressional delegation wrote to federal agencies, saying the prices of frozen blueberries had fallen by as much as 50 percent in the last 5 years, and asking the government to buy the excess fruit for use in domestic food assistance programs.
The Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine reportedly said the recent drop in the price of the small blue fruits is due to oversupply from back-to-back big crops over the past 2 years, which has resulted in a serious backlog of wild blueberries, according to CNBC.
According to the commission, “frozen wild blueberries slid from 90 cents per pound in 2011 to 60 cents per pound in 2014 and continue to drop,” ABC News reported.
Wild blueberries, which are harvested commercially in Maine and Canada, tend to be smaller and more flavorful than their cultivated cousins. They also tend to be richer in antioxidants. The USDA bailout could help raise the price of the fruit, spelling the end of low consumer prices for wild blueberries, though higher prices would benefit the farmers who produce the crop.
The director of the Maine blueberries commission also noted that the value of the Canadian dollar and the ever-present competition of cultivated blueberries are also factors in the tremendous drop in prices.
“Nancy McBrady, executive director of the blueberry commission, said the low value of the Canadian dollar also has hurt Maine’s growers. She said Canadian growers, which are centered in the Maritime Provinces, are at a ‘tremendous competitive advantage’ when selling in the U.S. and internationally because of the stronger U.S. dollar.”
Maine has 44,000 acres of wild blueberries, and the industry brings the state $250 million per year in revenue. A blow to this essential industry would deprive the state of needed economic value.
Rep. Chellie Pingree from Maine defended the government’s action, saying it would provide a boost to the blueberry industry and give much-needed healthy fruit products to food assistance programs across the country.
“It makes a lot of sense for the federal government to make this purchase to help ease the surplus of frozen blueberries and at the same time supply food assistance programs with a very healthy, high quality food,” she said, according to the Portland Press Herald.
The United States is the world’s largest producer of blueberries, which are grown in 14 states. Michigan is the leading producer of cultivated, or “highbush” blueberries, while Maine leads in the wild or “lowbush” variety. According to the website of the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, blueberries are native to North American and constitute one of the most important fruit industries.
“In 2014, the United States produced and utilized 563.2 million pounds of cultivated blueberries (highbush and rabbiteye varieties). Of that amount, 333.8 million pounds were sold as fresh blueberries, and 229.4 million pounds were processed. In total, fresh and processed cultivated blueberries were valued at $824.9 million.”
That same year, according to the research center, “the United States exported 79 million pounds of fresh blueberries (cultivated and wild) valued at $138 million. Canada was the number one buyer, by far, followed by Japan. Exports of U.S. frozen blueberries were almost 56 million pounds, valued at $72 million (ERS, 2015).”
The USDA did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the purchase.
[Photo by Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images]


text:
OEM truck manufacturers around the world are ramping up output in order to meet increasing demand, but this is balanced by the need to improve production and product efficiency while reducing plant emissions.
Manufacturing and logistics experts will often say that the volume of trucks on the road is a good barometer of how the local economy is performing. In order to get more trucks on the road more have to be sold, and recent figures suggest that heavy vehicle sales are coming out of the recession faster than those of passenger cars. Backing this up, several of the world’s truck makers have recently reported month-on-month rises in production (and sales) that would be the envy of automotive OEMs.
European confidence and global growth
According to an ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association) report released in November last year, new commercial vehicle registrations in October were up 7.7% in the EU, amounting to almost 163,000 units. Similar results were reported in France (+7.8%) and Germany (+7.2%), the largest EU markets. Looking at the longer term, from January to October, Spain was the only major market to contract (-4.9%). Germany (+19.5%), the UK (+17.8%) and France (5.5%) all posted growth, leading to an overall 10.8% increase.
In 2010, the global truck manufacturing industry grew by approximately 20% (over 2009 figures), reaching a value of about $390 billion. It is predicted that by 2015 the industry will be worth more than $650 billion, a 65% increase over 2010. In volume terms, the market grew by almost 25% over the same year, topping 17 million units. By 2015, the industry is forecast to have a volume of 26 million units, an increase of 52% over 2010.
Ashok Leyland - A new approach
In a departure from its previous focus on 3.5 tonne-plus trucks, September last year saw Ashok Leyland (AL) launch an all-new light commercial, the Dost. Featuring a 1.25 tonne payload chassis, the range is split into three trim levels, priced from $7,800 to $8,400. Dost features an AL-developed threecylinder, 1.5 litre direct-injection turbodiesel engine, produced on a line adapted from a six-cylinder engine production installation. According to AL, production on the line was changed over in record time. The line incorporates several novel features, including a clean room for final assembly.
As C. R. Ravi, General Manager of Project Planning told delegates at the recent AMS India conference (see the full conference report on page 20 of this issue), this uses laminar air flow blowers to reduce dust particle levels in order to achieve cleanliness standards required for common rail fuel system assembly – a maximum of 1 million particles measuring less than 5μm in 1m3 of air. Using laminar flow, very low dust conditions can be maintained in an open section of a mixed production line without the need for a dedicated clean room.
In a first for the Indian LCV market, AL will offer readyto- use vehicles on the Dost platform, such as refrigerated containers, steel containers, ambulances, aluminium fixed side decks and service-at-site vehicles. Dost is built at Ashok Leyland’s manufacturing facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu state, and is the first vehicle to be launched through its joint venture with Nissan.
Caterpillar – Asian expansion
Last November, Caterpillar (Cat) announced plans to build a mining truck facility in Batam, Indonesia, which will produce a range of chassis and bodies for the Asia-Pacific market.
Chairman and CEO Doug Oberhelman announced the growth plans for mining at the 2011 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit “because much of the global demand for commodities today is being driven by the positive economic growth and development that is taking place in the growth markets of the Asia-Pacific region.” The company plans to invest about $150 million in the facility, which is expected to start production of truck bodies in 2012. The first trucks will be produced in the third quarter of 2013. The company has also approved plans to triple excavator production at its existing plant in Cileungsi, West Java, which opened in 1982 and primarily produces excavators and skidders.
Since the start of 2010, Cat has announced a series of investments and capacity expansion plans for its operations across Asia, including a quadrupling of excavator production at its Xuzhou, China plant. Further to this, the company has a total of nine new facilities now under construction in China, in addition to two new manufacturing operations scheduled to start in Thailand.
At the APEC Summit, Cat executives outlined plans for new investments at the company’s existing manufacturing facilities in Decatur and East Peoria, Illinois. In total, nearly $300 million will be spent to increase capacity for large mining trucks produced in Decatur (of which 90% are exported). An additional capital investment of about $340 million is planned for production of large tracktype tractors in East Peoria, which are used in mining applications around the world. The company expects the additional truck capacity in Decatur to be installed by 2016; work to expand tractor production in East Peoria is expected to be completed by 2015.
Daimler - Demand creating jobs
As the largest global manufacturer of trucks above six tons GVW, Daimler Trucks makes vehicles under Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner, Western Star and Fuso brands. The division’s 28 production facilities are in the NAFTA region (14; 11 in the US and 3 in Mexico), Asia (5), Europe (7), South America (1) and Africa (1). In Brazil, the company will expand its production network in 2012 with the addition of a plant in Juiz de Fora, where heavy-duty Actros as well as mediumduty Accelo trucks will be produced for Latin American markets.
Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) plans to ramp up production of Western Star heavy-duty trucks at its plant in Portland, Oregon, where it will add a second shift. This will create approximately 350 new jobs at the facility by the end of 2012. The new hiring will increase the number of production workers for Western Star trucks by almost 50%. Hiring of new employees started in November, and the new shift is slated to be at full capacity by February this year. The follows the July announcement by DTNA which outlined plans to increase the total workforce across truck production plants in the US and Mexico by around 2,700 employees. The increase in production capacity and hiring comes in response to a strong rise in sales. In August, for example, the unit achieved its best sales result since March 2007. Sales of DTNA vehicles in the US and Canada rose more than 50% through August 2011, compared to the same period in 2010. Daimler Trucks’ most important sales markets in 2010 were Asia with 34% of unit sales, the NAFTA region (22%), Latin America - excluding Mexico (16%) and Western Europe (16%).
In September 2011, the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth, Germany, the company’s largest truck assembly facility, started series production of the new Actros model. What is unusual about production in Wörth is that all three of the Mercedes-Benz model series (Actros, Axor, and Atego) are made on the same assembly line. More than €2 billion was spent on developing the new truck and preparing the Wörth plant and its equipment for the production launch. The company has also built an automated warehouse for small parts, forming the basis for a new logistics concept.
Volvo - Shifting up a gear in Brazil
Volvo Trucks’ South American unit, Volvo do Brasil, started the production of its I-Shift gearbox at its plant in Curitiba, Parana state, at the beginning of December; the truckmaker will also start local production of 11-litre engines. The Brazilian gearboxes will equip the FH and FM heavy vehicle lines.
“The I-Shift gearbox has been getting outstanding acceptance in Brazil and in all the other countries of South America. It already equips about 80% of the FH and FM trucks and over 90% of the highway buses which leave our assembly line in Curitiba”, says Volvo do Brasil’s President, Roger Alm. With the 11-litre engine ‘nationalization’, the Curitiba Volvo factory will further increase its portfolio of locally-manufactured products. “Our engine line is flexible. Now we will produce 13 and 11-litre engines,” added Alm.
Having cut the fuel consumption of its vehicles over the past few decades, Volvo Trucks is now improving the environmental footprint of its facilities. With reduced energy and paint use and lower solvent emissions, its northern Swedish paintshop is the most environmentally sustainable of its kind in the world - and it can still offer customers a range of more than 850 colours.
About 20 litres of paint is used for each truck cab, which is then baked to harden the finish. Multiply this process by tens of thousands of vehicles each year, while also including the heating and cooling needed for other parts of the paintshop and it is clear that such a facility could potentially have a huge impact on the environment in terms of materials and energy. But using heat from waste, natural cooling and cutting paint consumption by almost 50%, Volvo Trucks’ paintshop in Umeå has become an example of how innovative thinking can shrink the environmental footprint of a major industrial facility.
Staff at the paintshop have focused on reducing solvent emissions and improving energy efficiency, with some impressive results. Between 1999 and 2008, energy consumption was reduced by 30%. This success is even more remarkable in view of the fact that the amount of painting being undertaken has increased significantly during the same period, partly because plastic components that were previously painted in Belgium (where Volvo Truck created the world’s first CO2-neutral manufacturing facility) are now painted in the Umeå paintshop.
“When components are not painted in the same place, it’s incredibly difficult to make sure they are the same shade as the rest of the cab. That’s why we chose to bring them here,” explains Hans Venngren, Volvo Trucks’ Global Process Manager for Surface Treatment.
Energy savings have been achieved by re-using treated air in the spray booths and at the plant. The air in the plant is used as incoming air in the painting process, while around 75% of the air in the spray booths is re-used. As a result, the need for newly-conditioned air from outside the plant has been dramatically reduced.
Fuel from waste
Improved operational planning, such as turning off machines when there are gaps on the production line, has also helped to reduce energy consumption. Other energysaving measures include the installation of energy-efficient electric motors.
“When we started jointly painting the plastic with the cab, the temperature in the paint-hardening ovens was cut by more than 50oC and this naturally reduced the need for energy,” says Venngren. “Since we required lower temperatures, we were also able to switch from liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to district heating to heat the ovens.” District heating, fuelled in part by converting domestic waste into energy at a nearby power plant, has also replaced oil in the heating process. The remaining LPG in the afterburning system is now being replaced by environmentally-friendly dimethyl ether (DME) produced from biomass.
One of the most spectacular energy savings, however, comes from the plant’s cooling system. The Umeälven river flows just outside the plant and under it there is an underground river that is always cold, regardless of the season. This cold water is pumped to the plant via a two kilometre system of pipes. “We then use the water in various cooling systems,” says Venngren. “This has enabled us to replace many of the cooling machines that used refrigerants such as CFCs.”
The paintshop has been modernised and production has been streamlined in several different phases and, as a result, the use of paint and solvents has been significantly reduced, together with airborne emissions. In 1988, these emissions were approximately 70g/m2 of painted cab surface. “The corresponding figure today is less than 10 grams, which is a fair bit below the EU limit of 55g/m2. Even if we still have some way to go, we are still really satisfied with the work we have done,” says Venngren.
Smith Electric - Building in the Bronx
In November 2011, Smith Electric Vehicles, a leader in all-electric commercial vehicles, announced that it would assemble electric trucks in the South Bronx borough of New York City, adding 100 jobs to the region. A $6 million package of state and city incentives helped secure the deal. Smith, based in Kansas City, Missouri, manufactures battery-powered box trucks for urban deliveries. “Sitting in Kansas City and trying to figure out how to locate a factory in New York City was a little daunting,” says Bryan Hansel, the company’s chairman and chief executive. Having leased a 90,000 sq. ft. warehouse, the company will start production of its Smith Newton electric trucks there in the second quarter of 2012. Hansel adds that the factory will assemble up to 100 trucks a month in a single one-shift line, but the company could add shifts and lines as demand dictates. According a company spokesperson, the basic cab and chassis, made by Avia and imported from the Czech Republic, costs $75,000, but battery packs ranging from 40 to 120 kilowatt hours add another $25,000 to $75,000. The batteries are sourced from A123 Systems and Valence Technology.
Working with the bus fabricator Trans Tech, Smith will also produce electric school buses. These will be assembled on the same electric Newton truck chassis. Dan Daniels, President of Trans Tech, based in Warwick, New York, said that the company was looking for a suitable location to build the buses, including sites in New York. The new facility – Smith’s second US manufacturing, sales and service centre – will not affect production or job levels at Smith’s headquarters in Kansas City.


text:
By The Nation
The restaurant is the brainchild of a few people in Sikhio district who had lost their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Using clay pots to roast fish has now become a trademark of the restaurant and led to a big increase in customers, who say they are impressed by the quality of the fish that the restaurant carefully picks.
Chanaphum Janya, 38, said he used to have a sportswear shop but it was permanently closed due to the low demand during the pandemic. He, therefore, shifted to the restaurant business to survive the financial crisis.


text:
2021 continues to be a ground breaking year for Cervin Ventures. After a string of acquisitions in the first part of the year (Punchh, Nexient and Ampool), we are pleased to report that Tynker was acquired by BYJU’S, a leading global ed-tech company.
We are also very happy to report that two of our portfolio companies announced significant financing rounds this quarter. LaunchDarkly, a pioneer in using feature flags to improve software development lifecycle, announced a $200 million Series D at a $3 billion valuation. Paystand, a leader in B2B payments, announced a $50 million Series C.
Cervin also added a new company to its portfolio. ThirdAI is democratizing AI through software innovations.
On the organizational front, we continue to grow as well. We just added a new team member, Rohit Rao. He is joining us as an Associate, helping source, research, and analyze new companies, themes, and industries for potential investments. We are very excited to have Rohit on board!
The busy summer continued with Cervin participating in a number of events including seven Plug and Play events, Skydeck, Alchemist, StartX, YC, SaaStr and others.
Tynker - September 2021, exit to BYJU’S
Tynker, the world’s leading K-12 creative coding platform, has been acquired by BYJU'S, India's largest ed-tech company with 100 million users globally. Tynker’s coding curriculum has been used by one in three U.S. K-8 schools, 100,000 schools globally, and over 60 million kids across 150 countries. Tynker has partnered with a number of big names to develop programs including: Mattel, Apple, Microsoft, NASA and BBC Learning. Becoming part of the BYJU’S brand will allow Tynker to further expand and build upon this momentum. Congratulations to serial entrepreneurs Krishna Vedati, Srinivas Mandyam, and Kelvin Chong and the entire Tynker team for building a great platform. Good luck to you as you scale globally with BYJU’S.
LaunchDarkly - August 2021, $200 million Series D
Congratulations LaunchDarkly on their $200 million Series D and $3 billion valuation. It’s an exciting milestone in their journey to empower all teams to deliver and control their software. We are fortunate to have been the first institutional investor in the company and look forward to what the future holds for LaunchDarkly and the company’s dedicated team under the leadership of co-founders Edith Harbaugh and John Kodumal.
Paystand - July 2021, $50 million Series C
Paystand is on a mission to reboot commercial finance, starting with B2B payments and automating the entire cash lifecycle. In July, they announced a $50 million Series C round of financing. NewView Capital led the round with participation from existing investors including Cervin. Paystand will use this new capital to continue building an enduring company that changes the nature of B2B payments and helps businesses be more agile and competitive in the post-pandemic world. Congratulations to co-founder and CEO, Jeremy Almond, and the Paystand team.
ThirdAI - August 2021, $6 million Seed Round
ThirdAI, an Artificial Intelligence startup building tools to speed up deep learning without the need for specialized hardware, raised a $6 million seed round. The round was co-led by Cervin and Neotribe Ventures, with participation from Firebolt Ventures. ThirdAI will use the funds to hire additional employees and invest in computing resources. We welcome ThirdAI to the Cervin family and are excited to see what the future has in store for them.
Other Portfolio News:
- Celona was named to CRN’s ‘10 Hottest Networking Startups of 2021' list. In Q3, they also announced several new partnerships, including ones with Qualcomm, Zebra Technologies, and NTT.
- AiFi partnered with retailers to open autonomous stores around the world in Q3, including Morrisons in the UK, Zabka in Poland, and Carrefour City+ in the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, the first autonomous, cashier-less store in the Middle East. They also helped reimagine the shopping experience at music festivals, like BottleRock, with their autonomous stores.
- Paystand was nominated for Best API at Benzinga's Global Fintech Awards. In addition, Founder & CEO, Jeremy Almond was nominated for Most Impactful Fintech Executive.
- Airgap Networks was featured in a Forbes article alongside Zscaler & SentinelOne as a “company to watch” in the cybersecurity space.
- StackShare reached the exciting milestone of having one million developers in the Stackshare community.
- Privacera was recognized as a 2021 Emerging Vendor in Security by CRN for their commitment to innovation and growth in the IT space.
Here is a sampling of articles we created about our portfolio companies and their founders:
- Paystand Raises $50M in Series C Funding
- Why Cervin Ventures Invested in ThirdAI
- Cervin Founder Spotlight: Balaji Ganesan of Privacera
- Tynker Acquired by BYJU’S
- Cervin Founder Spotlight: Rajeev Shah of Celona
Our partners also wrote articles on their particular areas of expertise and interest.
As always, we thank you for being part of Cervin’s community and welcome your introductions to enterprise seed-stage founders looking for engaged capital partners.
- The Cervin Team


text:
Finnish online retailers lag notably behind their Nordic rivals in terms of their ability to attract visitors beyond the borders of their domicile. Whereas their foreign rivals continue to foray into Finland, Finnish retailers have struggled to generate revenue through online exports, especially in comparison to Sweden and Denmark, show studies published on Thursday by Google and OC&C, a consulting firm based in the United Kingdom.
“Foreign companies sell to Finns through the Internet. There's nothing preventing Finns from doing the same,” says Anni Ronkainen, Google's country manager for Finland.
Incorporating the 50 largest online retailers in each of the four countries, the study by Google finds that only 16 per cent of the advert clicks on Finnish web-shops come from abroad.
In Sweden, Norway and Denmark, the corresponding ratio is over 50 per cent.
In fact, less than half of the Finnish retailers included in the study have sought to attract customers from abroad with adverts, while 80 per cent of their Swedish and Danish rivals have done so. In this respect, only Norwegian online retailers appear to be more cautious than Finnish ones.
In addition, Swedish and Danish online retailers are increasingly targeting Finnish and Norwegian consumers with localised versions of their web-shops, the study conducted by OC&C finds. Finnish retailers, in turn, typically only offer English as an alternative language option, largely neglecting also the second official language, Swedish.
A recently published barometer measuring the extent of digitisation in Finland, Digibarometri 2014, indicates that while Finnish companies are well-equipped to take advantage of digital opportunities, they only do so adequately.
“The problem is more in the attitudes – maybe we need more courage,” estimates Antti Eskola, a commercial counsellor at the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.
Minna Nalbantoglu – HS
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
© HELSINGIN SANOMAT
Photo: Juhani Niiranen / HS


text:
Wednesday March 9, 2022 – Not all Crypto news happens on Tuesday. Today was such a day. President Joe Biden announced some weeks ago that an Executive Order was coming concerning Cryptocurrency. Today it arrived.
The EO focuses on 6 key areas – consumer protection, financial stability, illicit activity, U.S. competitiveness, financial inclusion and responsible innovation.
The administration is also interested in creating a Stablecoin, a digital version of the dollar.
Attorney Steven A. Leahy reports on the Whitehouse FACT SHEET: “President Biden to Sign Executive Order on Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets:” Which “Outlines First Whole-of-Government Strategy to Protect Consumers, Financial Stability, National Security, and Address Climate Risks.”


text:
Man Killed Female Neighbor ‘Who Taught Parrot to Insult Him’
Arresting officer Eugenio Fatone said that Frailis had previously complained about the parrot. He said: “Officers had tried to talk to both sides and had suggested putting the parrot in a different room, not facing Mr Frailis’s house.”
Available at Amazon.com & Amazon UK
Your shopping matters.
http://smile.amazon.com/ch/56-2572448 and Amazon donates to World Encounter Institute Inc.