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While the summer sun still shines, we need your help NOW to expand access to vitamin D supplements so they reach those Americans who need it most when the days get shorter! Action Alert!
The All 4 Vitamin D campaign is calling for Congress to amend the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to include vitamin D3 dietary supplements as part of SNAP recipients’ benefits. Not only would this improve the health of millions of Americans, it would provide official and very rare recognition from Congress of the essential role that supplements like vitamin D have to play in improving public health. Let’s join others in our community in supporting this important work.
SNAP permits recipients to purchase a diverse range of foods, but lacks any explicit guidance concerning the quality and nutritional value of those foods. This is so important because optimal levels of circulating pre-vitamin D in the bloodstream (40-60 ng/ml) cannot be achieved through diet alone, and the majority don’t get enough sunshine exposure to maintain these levels for most of the year. In fact, surveys show that 94 percent of Americans are vitamin D deficient; 86 percent of kids between the ages of 2 and 18 don’t get enough vitamin D. People of color face an even greater risk than light skinned people owing to the higher levels of melanin in their skin blocking vitamin D absorption, making them more susceptible to chronic diseases, COVID-19 complications, and other immune system challenges. Not only that, the more overweight our society becomes, the more vitamin D people need; various hypotheses have been put forward, one suggesting that the high fat solubility means more pre-vitamin D gets trapped in fat cells.
There’s no doubt that increasing Americans’ vitamin D intake will improve health — and it’s also clear that the US Government prescribed Daily Value (DV) of 20 mcg (800 IU) per day is nowhere near enough for most people to achieve optimum circulating levels. The scale of the hidden epidemic of vitamin D deficiency was highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, a meta-analysis of 25 randomized controlled trials showed that vitamin D supplementation significantly reduces the risk of acute respiratory infections in the overall population by 12% and in those with profound vitamin D deficiency by 70%. Other studies found that those with higher vitamin D levels had higher survival rates during the pandemic compared to those who were deficient—which is about 42 percent of Americans.
Aside from COVID-19, vitamin D provides a stunning array of health benefits. Here is just a sample:
- Protecting the Brain. Adequate vitamin D levels are required for normal brain development. It supports the formation of new brain cells and is neuroprotective, helping protect brain cells from premature aging. Higher vitamin D levels are linked with better cognitive function and lower rates of cognitive decline and dementia.
- Cardiovascular Health. Insufficient vitamin D is linked with increased rates of atherosclerosis, heart attack, and overall death due to cardiac causes. Increasing vitamin D intake can help reverse the progression of cardiovascular disease.
- Metabolic Disorders. Diabetes is more prevalent in individuals with low serum vitamin D levels. Vitamin D administration reduces blood sugar, increases sensitivity to insulin, and may decrease the risk of developing full-blown diabetes.
- Immune Enhancement: Noting that influenza epidemics are more common in the winter months, scientists have proposed that low levels of vitamin D may predispose individuals to succumbing to these potentially dangerous respiratory infections. Accordingly, there is also substantial evidence that vitamin D helps with COVID.
- Bone Health. Even government health bureaucrats recognize the importance of vitamin D for bone health. Vitamin D helps maintain adequate calcium levels in the body, which is required for strong bones.
Wider access to vitamin D is a critical step, and we argue – based on a large body of scientific evidence – that this must not be accompanied by any dose restrictions. Government bodies are woefully behind the science when it comes to vitamin D. Government “experts” recommended back in 2011 that individuals aged 1-70 get 600 IU (15 mcg) vitamin D per day – as a token gesture to the abundance of more recent vitamin D science, the FDA has nudged the adult daily recommendation (Daily Value or DV) to 800 IU (20 mcg).
Integrative health experts will tell you that these levels are simply ridiculous, so any amendment to add vitamin D to SNAP benefits should not be tied to 800 IU per day. Many of those who follow these recommendations will not even come close to being able to take advantage of the most beneficial effects of vitamin D supplementation, which requires achieving blood levels of previtamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) in the range 40-60 ng/ml. Some experts recommend achieving circulating blood levels as high as 80 ng/ml vitamin D. Achieving these levels varies person to person and may require supplementing with anywhere between 5,000 and 20,000 IU vitamin D per day, sometimes even more, depending on the individual. (Achieving the right vitamin D levels from supplements or sunlight is highly dependent on an individual’s biology and should be done either by testing previtamin D with a home test kit or in consultation with a healthcare professional who can also monitor your blood levels.)
This simple amendment to the SNAP program would lead to huge gains in public health, perhaps even providing a springboard in Washington to a wider recognition of the role dietary supplements can play in supporting our health. This is particularly important given the attitude of the federal government and the likes of Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) who try to make sure we can’t learn about the benefits of supplements like vitamin D or remove access to vitamins altogether.
Action Alert! Write to Congress in support of an amendment to the Farm Bill’s SNAP program to include coverage of vitamin D3 supplements. Please send your message immediately.


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August 11, 2009 at 10:58 am
We have already heard speculation that Samsung’s ION-powered N510 11.6-inch netbook will hit Europe by the end of this month. Now Brad from Liliputing has word from Samsung that the N510 will launch in the United States in September for a recommended retail price of $599.
This price-point puts it much higher than its peers, even against other 11.6-inch netbooks. However, this will be one of the first with the ION platform and I’m sure the netbook will have a market despite the high price tag. Much to Intel’s and Microsoft’s annoyance, there are many people who are demanding the ability to playback high-definition video on their netbook.
The Samsung N510 has a high-resolution (1366 x 768) display powered by a 1.66GHz N280 Atom, 1GB RAM and a 160GB HDD. It will come with the Nvidia 9400M GPU, HDMI-out, Wi-Fi (Draft-N), a 1.3MP webcam and 6-cell battery.

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For Dillon Varanay, vice president and co-founder of CoVar Transportation, ongoing success stems from focusing on what you do best and effectively serving customers. “In our case, we have made some decisions that have paid off,” he says. “Now we’re a smaller but more profitable operation because of those choices.”
Founded in November of 2014, CoVar is a partnership between Varanay and his brother-in-law, Collin Cole, who serves as the company’s president. The name CoVar comes from the combination of their last names.
Today, CoVar Transportation operates eight tractors and 21 trailers in an asset-based dedicated dry van operation based in Clearwater, Fla. The company also brokers bulk and flatbed loads as a third party logistics provider. Previously, CoVar also had a seven-tractor bulk dump fleet headquartered in Pennsylvania.
“We found our niche and settled on hauling mainly water and paper goods intrastate in Florida,” Varanay relates. “That concentration on serving specific customers insulates us from market ups and downs, lets us haul more freight in high cube trailers at better rates and have a faster ROI on transportation costs.”
Focusing on one geographic market has also helped CoVar address driver recruitment and retention. “We had a lot of turnover in our bulk operation,” Varanay relates. “In our dry van fleet, though, we’ve only had two drivers leave in three years; they can be home every night and we can afford to pay them more than the competition.
“Most of our drivers came from big companies so they appreciate the closeness of a smaller enterprise,” Varanay adds. “In fact, when we do need to hire a driver they come to us through referrals from our current operators.”
A costly lesson learned
Varanay also says that CoVar is able to attract and keep drivers because it provides them with leased late model premium tractors, a decision that stemmed from a costly lesson. “When we started out, used trucks seemed like the logical play,” he relates. “It gave us trucks to run in our operation immediately, but it ended up giving us unreliable equipment. Within two weeks, we started having issues. We always had trucks in the shop and had to have trucks towed, and we were paying our drivers to sit, not haul freight.
“It also didn’t sit well with customers who saw delays as a concern about our service,” Varanay continues. “After getting the original trucks fixed, we made the wrong decision again to buy more used trucks. We were learning a very painful lesson the hard way, one that made us go into the red instead of the black.”
In retrospect, Varanay now says that instead of kick-starting the company with used trucks, available capital would have been better spent on leased tractors. “When we ran the numbers we quickly realized we would have been ahead by $200,000 if we had leased from the start,” he relates. “Leasing would have helped ensure dependable deliveries, eliminated headaches and meant writing just one predictable check each month, not making multiple payments for service, repairs and rentals.”
Today, the CoVar fleet is supplied and maintained by Rush PacLease in Tampa, Fla. Tractors include Peterbilt Model 389s that were previously used in bulk operations as well as some lighter weight Peterbilt Model 579s sourced for dry freight loads. The company is also leasing its 21 dry van trailers from four companies and prefers 53-ft. Great Dane Champion models.
“We like the Model 579s, and we’re getting a 2 MPG boost in fuel economy over our owned trucks with them,” Varanay says. “But we’re also big fans of the traditional big hood look of the Model 389. It’s not as aerodynamic as the 579, but they really showcase our company. Both models are great. We just wish we had started out with leasing because leased tractors allow us to make sure we are a reliable source of transportation and have lower costs.”
Providing dependable service is a goal that is also being addressed at CoVar with Fleetmatics satellite-based GPS tracking systems that allow the company to manage its operation more effectively, deal quickly with breakdowns, and keep drivers and loads on schedule. The carrier also uses Fleetmatics for ELDs and Internet Truckstop (ITS) to assign loads to drivers.
“We understand that whether shippers are transporting goods throughout a state, region or across the country, they should not have to worry about whether their trucking company is taking care of their investment,” Varanay says. “At CoVar Transportation we’re always looking out for our customers and ways to serve them more effectively. By doing that, and by focusing on what we do best in terms of services and the markets we serve, we have been able to realize steady growth.”


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Overdoses due to prescription drugs is the top leading cause of accidental deaths in the U.S. Over the years, prescription drugs, especially opioids, have been used, overused and abused. Unfortunately, it has moved from a crisis to a full-blown nationwide epidemic.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Although certain U.S. states have taken a stricter approach regarding the prescribing and re-filling of opioid orders, the consumption of these addictive and harmful painkillers continues. However, as more states, regions and countries legalize cannabis, numerous cannabis consumers are choosing to transition away from pharmaceutical medications, including opioids, and move towards cannabis instead. Why is this the case though, how many people are really making this switch and what impact have legal cannabis programs had on the consumption of opioid painkillers?


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Phone users paying more since TPG merger: Sims
The major telcos are not keen to fight it out for a greater share of the mobile market as they lift prices in lock-step, says the competition watchdog, which blames the merger of TPG Telecom and Vodafone Hutchinson Australia.
The $15 billion union was strongly opposed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission since 2019, and got over the line last year only after a prolonged court action resulted in the regulator’s block being overturned.
ACCC chairman Rod Sims said the public was now suffering the effects.
“The score is on the board and consumers are paying more,” he said.
Mr Sims was referring to new analysis from the watchdog that showed Telstra, Optus and TPG held about 90 per cent of the pre-paid and post-paid mobile market and lifted prices by similar margins over the past year.
On average, post-paid customers of the big three are paying 5 per cent to 15 per cent more than they were this time last year on each flagship plan, the analysis shows.
Pre-paid users are forking over the same as they were before. They get more data, but face shorter expiry times, so have to recharge three times more a year.
“We do like to point out the consequences of decisions,” Mr Sims said when asked whether this was an “I told you so” moment for the ACCC.
“Having the fourth player trying to get into the market was going to be good for consumers. The court felt it – the merger – would be good for consumers. We never understood why the merger could be good for consumers.”
Mr Sims said the merger had reduced the mobile market to three “look-alike” providers that covered the vast majority of the market and were reluctant to battle it out for market share over fears it might spark a price war.
“You’ve got the three players that now look pretty similar and when you are in that situation they sort of realise, without having to say anything to each other, they don’t need to aggressively try to take customers off each other.”
Mr Sims said he was not suggesting Telstra, Optus or TPG had co-ordinated their pricing. He urged consumers to shop around to find better deals – albeit without frills such as bundled streaming services – in the remainder of the market to avoid rising prices at the major telecommunications brands.
We have only been able to continue to offer these incentives because of our increased scale following the merger.
— TPG spokesman
But TPG criticised the analysis as “simplistic and misleading” and said it had not raised mobile prices since the merger with Vodafone in July last year.
“The ACCC has chosen to use data that doesn’t reflect what our customers are actually paying. It has ignored the ongoing promotions for Vodafone and other brands, which are one of the main methods to provide customers with better discounts or inclusions,” a company spokeswoman said.
She said the ACCC’s comparison did not contrast like-for-like plans for the brands, ignored plan inclusions such as increased data speeds and 5G access, and failed to reflect the company’s advertised pricing.
“The rates quoted in the ACCC tables are not the prices that Vodafone customers are paying because of the rolling promotions we have had in place during the relevant period,” she said.
“Vodafone customers are paying up to 50 per cent less than what the ACCC has quoted ... We have only been able to continue to offer these incentives because of our increased scale following the merger.”
Excess data charge scrapped
Meanwhile, Communications Alliance chief executive John Stanton pointed out the ACCC’s most recent market report showed that mobile phone prices were down 16.7 per cent in the 2020 financial year.
“This is all while ... network operators have been rolling out 5G networks, connecting Australians at almost twice the global average speed,” he said.
But the price hikes quoted by the ACCC on Monday all happened after the period that report covers.
Optus said it was saving consumers money because it had scrapped excess data charges, and also referenced the “billions of dollars” it spent to build its 5G network.
“We believe our prices remain the best value in market and importantly support a sustainable and competitive sector for all Australians to enjoy,” an Optus spokesman said.
Telstra said the mobile environment was competitive.
“We’re making significant investment in the capability and coverage of our mobile network right across the country, including in regional Australia,” a spokesman said.
“Our new simplified plans offer no lock in contracts and allow customers to move up and down plans and price points depending on their usage and budget.”
Mr Sims understood that the costs of mobile network operators were rising as 5G networks were built and spectrum bought. He also said the companies were entitled to recoup this, but said major players had not implemented such significant price hikes in some time, and blamed it on less competition.
“I think they’re just sensing that competition is now a little less without the prospect of a major player coming into the mobile market,” he said.
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In December 2010 Tincknells and Sainsbury's jointly appealed the decision taken by Mendip District Council's planning committee in June 2010 to refuse planning permission for a store following a second application. The committee decided that the Waitrose site at Whiting Way was a better location for a supermarket and approved the application.
On 25th May Mendip District Council rejected Morrisons and Sainsbury's applications and also overturned a previous decision to grant Morrisons outline planning permission for a store and homes on the Parkwood Estate.
Sainsbury's and Morrisons appealed against Mendip District Council's refusal of their planning applications to build stores in the city. An inquiry was held in November 2011 but the inquiry took longer than the 10 days originally allocated and concluded on 20th January 2012.
In March the planing inspector gave the go-ahead for the new Morrisons supermarket. But the inspectorate refused Sainsbury's appeal to build on Glastonbury Road. Please see an article at BBC News, 9th March 2012.
Tesco already has a 35,000 sq. ft store in Wells and obtained Planning Permission to extend it by a further 15,000 sq.ft, but has chosen not to implement that permission. Residents in Wells believe this is because Tesco is trying to secure land for an even bigger store close to the City centre.
Campaigners believe the Council wants to sell its City centre car park and bus station to Tesco and wants everyone else with contiguous land to come on board. To this end, Mendip Council has signed and renewed for a further six months, a legally binding 'lock-out agreement' between itself, developers Centros-Miller and Tesco Stores.
Residents believe such a Tesco monopoly would not only cause ruination in the old High St., but since the development would occupy the only city centre site left for tourism and tourist parking it would undermine that aspect of the local economy as well. In fact, it will not be possible to meet the accepted standard of one car parking space for every 25 sq. metres of new retail floor space by a very wide margin - probably short by some 250 spaces.
Over 500 people attended the first public meeting organised by the Save Wells group on the 21st August 2007.


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Of the 10 publicly traded business-to-business and computer merchants tracked, all but three showed year-over-year sales increases for the first three months of the year. The same was true for the other side of the ledger: Only three of the 10 companies saw a decline in net income.
What’s more, just one of the companies — computer reseller PC Mall — ended the quarter with a loss. And PC Mall’s loss of $55,000 was a small fraction of the nearly $4.2 million it had lost during the comparable period of last year.
The computer companies in fact benefited the most during the three-month period. “The latest quarter saw significant changes in earnings for most of the companies in our index,” says Stuart Rose, managing director of Wellesley, MA-based investment bank Tully & Holland, which tracks public companies for Multichannel Merchant. “Four of the five computer product marketers experienced significant improvements in net earnings.” The exception was Vernon Hills, IL-based CDW Corp., whose net income, at $61.7 million, was all but flat on an 8% rise in revenue.
More typical of the computer merchants was software cataloger Programmer’s Paradise. The Shrewsbury, NJ-based company nearly doubled its earnings by keeping its selling, general, and administrative (SGA) expenses flat on a 17% increase in sales. “All the increase in gross margin fell to the bottom line,” Rose says. Given the razor-thin margins in this products category, expense control is especially important, he adds. “Even small increases in sales can make enormous differences in earnings given good expense and margin control.”
Industrial-strength growth for MSC
Quarter ended: Feb. 25 The facts: Melville, NY-based maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) supplier MSC Industrial Direct Co. saw year-over-year sales climb 13%, to $305.9 million, and net income grow 22%, to $33.3 million. And expect more growth to come: In March the company announced the acquisition of J&L Industrial Supply, the catalog division of $1.8 billion Latrobe, PA-based manufacturer/marketer Kennametal, for $349.5 million (see “MSC buys J&L” in the April issue). Southfield, MI-based J&L had sales of $257.5 million last year. The skinny: Ranked 86th on BusinessWeek‘s Top 100 Hot Growth Companies, MSC has seen annual profits rise an average of 46% during the past three years on top of an average annual sales growth of 11.6%.
Bottom line way up for Transcat
Quarter ended: March 25 The facts: The Rochester, NY-based manufacturer/marketer of testing, measurement, and calibration equipment saw its bottom line soar 449%, to nearly $2.8 million from $504,000 a year ago. Sales for the quarter grew a more modest 3%, to just over $16 million. CEO Carl Sassano said in a statement that the company’s profitability during the past four years has led to “Transcat’s business turnaround from problems of the late ’90s.” The skinny: Transcat’s margins fell during the quarter, and its gross margin percent was flat. The company’s increase in net earnings came mostly below the line in tax accounts.
PC Connection records record revenue
Quarter ended: March 31 The facts: The Merrimack, NH-based computer reseller posted record first-quarter sales of $380.5 million, a 17% increase from the first quarter of 2005. Even more impressive: Net income grew 80%, to $1.7 million. Net sales for the company’s small and midsize business (SMB) division increased more than 9%, to $219.1 million. Sales to large-account customers increased nearly 42%, to $108.4 million, due in large part to the company’s October 2005 acquisition of Amherst Technologies, a Manchester, NH-based IT solutions provider. Gross profit margin as a percentage of net sales was 12.2% in the first quarter, compared with 11.5% in the first quarter of 2005 and 11.0% in the fourth quarter of 2005. The skinny: It’s a positive pattern that PC Connection has seen increasing gross margins, increased sales, and an acquisition, according to Rose: “With gross margin in the 10%-13% range, every point of improvement means a great deal to the bottom line.”
|1Q REVENUE||1Q NET INCOME (LOSS)|
|Company||12 months prior||Current quarter||Increase (decrease)||12 months prior||Current quarter||Increase (decrease)|
|MSC Industrial Direct Co.||271,365||305,927||13%||27,419||33,329||22%|
|Notes: NM = not meaningful Source: Tully & Holland|


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As seen in the February 2019 edition of The Small Business Monthly, Jamie Lembeck a Cybersecurity advocate for The Purple Guys is featured in their Cybersecurity expert panel offering education to small and mid-sized business owners regarding the rise in security threats small business owners face.
How much of a problem is cybersecurity for small- and mid-sized companies?
It is a huge issue. Studies show that 70% of cyber attackers are after the small- and medium-sized businesses. Unfortunately, if these companies aren’t protected, about 60% of them go out of business within six months. It is a huge, huge issue. The cost, depending on the size of the company, can be $500,000 plus to some companies. These attacks are happening every day. According to a new FBI study, by the end of 2019, ransomware attacks will strike small businesses once every 14 seconds.
What are the threats to business owners?
The things that are happening is everything from malware being delivered via email, to hackers trying to get into your system and get into your financials, employee data, etc. One of the big problems is most small businesses don’t have a clear cybersecurity plan in place.
Why would cyber attacks be targeted at a small- or mid-sized business?
A lot of people think it is a waste of a cyber criminal’s time. But the reality is, these businesses lack investment in cybersecurity and they often don’t have a cybersecurity strategy in place. One of the things that happens is that getting into a small business can sometimes leadtoo other blue-chip companies. And, in all honesty, small companies are more willing to pay ransoms. Ransoms are right now averaging $2,500. We’ve seen it as high as $20,000. If you don’t have a clear strategy in place, there will be issues.
There seems to be a very human element to cybersecurity?
The employees are your weakest link, unfortunately. We just got out of what I call “Amazon Gift Card” season. People go to a trade show or event and they get an email that they just won a $20 gift certificate to Amazon, they click on it and malware is there and their system is compromised, and they are shut down. Something as simple as passwords can also be a problem. We are creatures of habit, so sometimes our personal passwords (bank account, emails, etc.) are the same as our passwords for work. It is important providers work with employees and educate them on how to avoid these situations.
What does a cybersecurity plan look like?
For starters, you must engage the senior executives and make sure they understand what is at risk and what would happen if technology failed. From here, we will put together a plan for the company, starting with password policies. It is important to make sure passwords are only for 90 days and, after that, they can never be used again.
Additionally, there are a plethora of things that need to be taken into consideration. Who has access? Who has the proper permissions?
Also, one of the most important parts of the plan is the backup strategy. That is one of our key differentiators in the marketplace. Backups are extremely important. They need to be happening on a daily basis. What we do is encrypt that data when we offsite it so there is a duplication of records. A lot of companies do not do that. If your server fails and you need to pull data from backup, you won’t know if that data is good until you try it. We are checking constantly to make sure that information is good. Making sure it is totally backed up is important. But we are not only backing up the files but the operating systems and the applications as well. That is something we do to make sure every bit of information is backed up so we can get that client up and running as quickly as possible.
Everything comes back to that backup. How often is it backed up? Is it being backed up offsite?
When searching for an I.T. firm to help with cybersecurity, what are the questions to ask?
What are the financial liabilities, internal and external, if an attack occurs? Who is responsible? Who reacts? What are the response times? Availability? What are the service levels? Is support going to be onsite or all remote? What was the last remediation you performed? How was it executed? Give me examples and references from clients. What happens when the staff changes? What happens to the passwords? If you are a HIPAA company, for example, do you have experience in that area? What is my exit strategy in case things aren’t working?
If you'd like to learn more about Cybersecurity for your business, reach out to The Purple Guys today. We can help get you started or help boost what you already have going for your business to ensure you're protected against cybersecurity threats.


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University’s Business School Awarded Small Business Charter
The Lincoln International Business School (LIBS) has successfully secured the Small Business Charter. The Charter acknowledges business schools across the UK deemed to be offering world-class support to both small businesses and fostering student enterprise.
The Lincoln International Business School (LIBS) has successfully secured the Small Business Charter.
The Charter acknowledges business schools across the UK deemed to be offering world-class support to small businesses and fostering student enterprise.
Applicants to the scheme undergo a rigorous assessment to determine the effectiveness of their business support entrepreneurship and engagement with local SMEs.
In securing the award, the Business School was able to cite the success it has enjoyed in engaging with local businesses and promoting enterprise with students, with the University of Lincoln recently being placed in the country’s top 10 for graduate start-up businesses.
The Business School also highlighted the successes of their business and student programmes including LIBS Connect, a programme focussed on supporting and encouraging knowledge sharing amongst industry leaders and academics, and UoL 4.0 Challenge, which connects students with businesses to explore how digitalisation can lead to new commercial ideas and new ways of working.
The Small Business Charter accreditation allows the Lincoln International Business School to stake a claim as one of the go-to places for business support in the region, and also means the School can now deliver the Government’s Help to Grow: Management Course.
The 12-week Help to Grow: Management Course was introduced by government to help businesses recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, by giving SMEs access to world-class business expertise, including one-to-one support from a business mentor.
The Lincoln International Business School will begin offering the Help to Grow: Management Course in May 2022, and businesses can now register their interest by emailing email@example.com.
Dr Craig Marsh, Pro Vice Chancellor and Head of Lincoln International Business School at the University of Lincoln, said: “We are delighted to be awarded Small Business Charter accreditation. This achievement is testament to the strength and depth of our relationships with our regional businesses.
“As a Business School at the heart of a Civic University we are passionate about the contribution we make to the development and growth of our region through skills development, mentoring, knowledge transfer, and our applied research to solving real world challenges.
“This recognition will allow us now to benefit from best practices across like-minded accredited schools across the UK, and in particular it will enable us to engage in the Government’s aspiration of supporting and developing 30,000 SME leaders across the UK through their Help to Grow scheme.”
Ruchi Aggarwal, Director of Business Development, who led the application for the charter, added: ‘We are delighted at the support that the business school and university received from stakeholders across disciplines. Industry, students, alumni, staff – all came together to lend evidence of their experience of support received from LIBS. We would like to acknowledge their contribution and thank them for their excellent support.”


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Deloitte: 2011 TMT Predictions
Once again, Deloitte released their annual TMT Predictions, which looks at the predictions for the Technology, Media & Telecommunications sectors in the coming year, something they started back in 2001. Interesting comparison when you take a look at the predictions they forecast back in 2010. Without any further delay, here are the 2011 TMT Predictions:
- Billions and billions: big data becomes a big deal – In 2012, “big data” will experience accelerating growth and market penetration as there are times that traditional analytics tools can’t keep up with the information being collected. Deloitte expects that by the end of 2012, more than 90 per cent of Fortune 500 companies will have some big data initiatives underway in an attempt to manage their overflowing data warehouses. Not surprisingly, the early adopters of big data technologies were Internet companies. The fast followers are likely to be public sector, financial services, retail, entertainment and media. Globally, as much as $1.5 billion worth of new development projects (up more than ten-fold since 2009) will signal the start of a demand for skilled talent which, in Canada, could grow to 15,000 more professionals within the next five years.
- NFC and mobile devices: payments, and much more! – The number of mobile devices with Near Field Communications (NFC) chips will double by the end of 2012 enabling the transfer of small amounts of data over a very short distance. NFC has been dominated by the ‘wave and pay’ notion which, in effect, incorporates a credit card into a mobile phone thereby creating a “digital wallet”. However, for this application to take off, consumer misperceptions about the security and battery-draining aspects of NFC will need to be overcome. In the meantime, thousands of other applications for NFC – from gambling to gaming to healthcare and security – will gain traction this year.
- It takes two to tablet: the rise of the multi-tablet owner – The tablet explosion has shown little sign of slowing down since the format hit the market in 2010. Almost five per cent of tablets sold in 2012 will be to Canadian households that already own a tablet, likely marking the most rapid ‘multi-anything’ market penetration in history. In contrast, it took several decades after introduction for one household to have more than one car, phone, radio or television and ten years for a similar landmark to be reached for computers and mobile phones. As was the case with smart phones, Canadians will demand choice, forcing the tablet market to diversify around size, processing power, price and operating system.
- All aboard for the catch-up commuter – Five per cent of owners of full-screen smart phones and one in ten tablet owners will use their devices at least once a month to catch up on TV viewing while commuting. Globally, this could represent an additional five billion hours of television viewing for the year. While there are technological and legal challenges related to recording content, the surge in tablet and smartphones sales – with half a billion expected to be in people’s hands by the end of the year – will drive this use of tablets and smart phones. The catch-up commuter in Canadian cities including the transit-heavy Greater Toronto Area (GTA) represents a new opportunity for content producers and advertisers. On the other hand, this trend represents a threat to Canadian publishers of free newspapers and to vendors of portable video game consoles.
- Consumer tech spending defies the economic head winds – Rises in smart phone, tablet, computer and TV purchases will far surpass gloomy general predictions of economic growth. Even in a weak economy, lower prices, new form factors and the ‘bang for your buck’ value of technology will all encourage consumer spending on these devices. Compared to the cost of buying a car or a house, the traditional rite of passage for families, an investment in consumer electronics could become an alternative status symbol for Canadians. Constrained budgets and our love affair with technology may even drive buyers to sacrifice other lifestyle purchases, like vacations, in order to upgrade to a new computer and television.
- It’s a “brand” new day for online ads – While the overall advertising sector will grow five per cent this year, online “brand” spending will grow 50 per cent to $20 billion worldwide as marketers realize the potential of online to build long-term value for brands. With more money being invested, more sophisticated methods for measuring the success of online branding campaigns have evolved. For example, “Real Time Bidding” which allows companies to specify exactly where and in what context their ads will appear – has transformed digital marketing campaigns from its humble beginnings of banner ads. Advertisers have also increasingly turned their efforts to tailoring adverts specifically for the online world via videos and social media campaigns. However, the key to success will rest with the Canadian companies and their agencies that develop new skills to take advantage of the increase of digital branding.
- The schedule remains supreme – Somewhat surprisingly, Canadian consumers will continue to watch 95 per cent of programs live or within 24 hours of broadcast in 2012. This viewing habit is virtually unchanged from a decade ago despite new devices that allow them to record programs and watch them whenever they want. The rise of social networks has enhanced, rather than diminished, the schedule’s appeal as online discussion and commentary on programs has expanded from the living room to a continental community. Maybe we’re hardwired to prefer routine, maybe we enjoy the “event” aspect of television or maybe we just find choosing a chore. Whatever the reason, Canadians are sticking to the schedule. And this habit is causing conventional broadcasters to be more creative in showing advertisers the advantages of building their campaigns within the context of that schedule.
- Hard times for the hard disk: silicon storage surges – In 2009, over 99 per cent of laptops and netbooks kept their data on hard disks, but that will be down to 85 per cent by the end of 2012 as solid state drives take off. By the end of 2012, solid state storage for small devices such as MP3 players, smart phones and tablets will likely account for 90 per cent of the market, compared to just 20 per cent in 2006. Even large data centres will be turning to smaller, cooler, power-sipping solid state drives as an alternative to more traditional hard drives. In the past, storage technology has mostly been taken for granted; but more tech-savvy Canadians are starting to pay attention to how much storage they actually need on specific devices, particularly as cloud-based storage services become available.
- Market research is all in your head: MRI machines and media – “Neuromarketing” will figure prominently as marketers try to peer into the minds of consumers – literally – using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). Similar to larger, more expensive, MRI machines used in the medical sector, fMRI can show that activity in certain regions of the brain correlates with specific emotions and types of thinking. Neuromarketing is already being used by North American marketers to alter their packaging and even the flavours of their products and by film studios who are re-editing movie trailers to appeal to certain demographics. Considered by many to be more reliable than traditional focus group testing (turns out some people don’t tell the truth during these sessions) neuromarketing (which also includes biometric tools to monitor skin sweat, heart rate, respiration and movement) has caught the attention of Canadian marketers desperate for a competitive edge in the high stakes world of product promotion.
- Here come more data caps: it’s the end of the (wire)line for unlimited Internet – In 2012, more than 100 million additional Internet users around the world will have to pay attention to the meter on their wired broadband connections as explicit monthly bandwidth caps are introduced to alleviate congestion. The demand for data has already seen many mobile phone networks ease off from the “all-you-can-eat” world and 2012 could be the year that a similar trend occurs in fixed line broadband. Demand is growing at over 30 per cent a year with traffic at peak times already forcing many network providers to throttle back speeds or charge for additional gigabytes. The caps placed on mobile networks have forced many consumers to offload data usage onto Wi-Fi networks adding further strain to already congested networks.
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The government has announced a six-month phasing in of pre-arrival forms, known as Entry Summary Declarations, for goods imported from the EU in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.
Entry Summary Declarations are required for imports from outside the EU and had been broadly expected to be required in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a withdrawal agreement.
But officials have confirmed that from 29 March 2019 the status quo will be temporarily maintained as importers will not need to submit Entry Summary Declarations on imports from the EU for a period of six months.
Click HERE to download Our Guide to Brexit.
The measure is designed to give business more time to prepare for changes to EU-UK trade arrangements in the event that the UK leaves without a deal, the government said, adding: “This builds on the plans that Transitional Simplified Procedures (TSP) can be used for at least 15 months for customs declarations.”
Importers will still be required to submit import declarations for customs purposes – which are not the same as Entry Summary Declarations.
HMRC announced ways of making these import declarations easier, through Transitional Simplified Procedures, which we covered in our earlier news post, ‘HMRC outline no-deal Brexit’.
At the end of the six-month transitional period, carriers will be legally responsible for ensuring Entry Summary Declarations are submitted pre-arrival to HMRC at the time specified by mode of transport and Border Force will continue to carry out intelligence-led checks.
The UK’s approach to dangerous goods coming into the UK is not affected, the government stressed, noting that the briefings this week were “the latest stage in HMRC’s co-ordinated efforts to make sure traders are prepared for all Brexit outcomes”.
Pauline Bastidon, head of global and European policy at the Freight Transport Association, said. “It is imperative that the UK government maintains pressure on the EU to ensure that a similar waiver is adopted by the EU. To ensure that Britain can keep trading efficiently, it is vital that the European Commission and UK agree a longer term, more sustainable arrangement to remain in the same security zone, which would make safety and security declarations for UK-EU trade irrelevant.
“Above all, it is vital that the UK’s supply chain remains as frictionless as possible – British business needs to be confident that goods and materials will continue to transit the nation’s borders as swiftly and efficiently as possible.”


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So the government of Pakistan finally started operations to tax the structure for mobile phones being brought in to the country that we all love, Pakistan.Moreover while these taxes have no become part of the Law of Pakistan from sometime now, the PTI Government has taken the all important step to implement this.
So if you are not already aware, well then the tax starts at Rs 4500 for phones which are valued at $50 but the tax has a tendency to go all the way up to Rs 83,000 for phones which are worth about $1500. In addition to that the government has also introduced a cell-phone annual limit which allows one person to bring in only 5 phones annually. As many would expect the new law was met with great outrage from the people of Pakistan. Now we know, it is understandable ti tax these mobile phones in order to counter the problem of the smuggling of phones in to Pakistan and some sort of tax structure is important to be implemented, but I mean, come on we all have to agree on the fact that these taxes are simply to ‘high’ and well instead of increasing the tax amount the government is going to end up killing the method altogether, the method of bringing phones from abroad.
How important is the Internet and Smartphones for Economic Growth?
Wellto answer that a study conducted by a GSM Association shows that;
- Doubling the amount of mobile data used per 3G connection increases the GDP per capita growth by 0.5%.
- A 10% increase in mobile penetration increases a country’s Total Factor Productivity (a measure of economic productivity that reflects a country’s long-term technological dynamism) by 4.2% in the long run.
- Every 10% substitution of 2G for 3G increases the GDP per capita growth by 0.15%.
Moreover these above mentioned positive effects are not just limited to the economy surrounding Pakistan, studies have always shown that as people upgrade from 2G to 3G and from 3G to 4G the employment growth of a country increases simultaneously. So why is this statistic being ignored by the government of the country? Well anyone and everyone would know that the mobile phone penetration helps a country’s economy and further increases the financial state of a country and to top it all of this method also ensures somewhat reduction in the income inequality and poverty and as many of us know that our country is still in a state of economic development, so we have to cash in, in all of the potential we can get. All in all we need smartphones, a higher internet penetration and more data usage to grow as a country. To put it in simple words, we need technology more than technology needs us at the moment.
Why is the Government resorting to desperate measures such as taxing gifts?
Anyone would know that carrying gifts from one country to another one is allowed in almost every country in the globe and well taxing them makes no sense at all. Moreover gifts aren’t technically blocked by Pakistan, with the exception that is the smartphone. So if the Government does want to resort to this certain measure, they need to do so with a certain tax policy for the case!
Taxes are only good as long as they make sense
Now we are not saying that the taxation policy is wrong, certain things need to bechecked and we understand the Government taking such measures, but what wedon’t understand is the thought they put in to implementing such measures, If this process had any semblance of intelligent thought, the lower brackets of smartphones would have been completely tax-exempt. That’s because the lower and middle segment of Pakistan’s society is the most price conscious. Not only that, they are the segment most in need of smartphones and internet connectivity as well.
Must Read: PTCL NAMED AS ASIA S BEST OPERATOR
The government wants to step in to the 4th Industrial Revolution, but on one hand the government is training free lancers and introducing AI Initiative’s in order to step in to that revolution while on the other hand they have made it almost impossible for the lower and middle class people to even own a smartphone and access the internet at all! The digital divide in the country is already quite stark and these taxes will end up doubling the prices of the entry-level mobile phones. Measures such as these well not help the country develop as a whole, the government of Pakistan needs to understand that.
A ‘Made in Pakistan’ mobile phone policy should be introduced!
Finally,the most natural adverse affect that such policies will have is that people will eventually stop bringing with them any cellular devices at all. If the government is looking to move forward with these unacceptable taxes well they have another thing coming! The country should therefore resort to a ‘Made in Pakistan’ Initiative which should aim to promote the local manufacturing and assembling of the smartphones otherwise people are just going to end up with absolutely no option at all as Pakistan has no locally manufactured smartphones, Even Qmobile is an importer in Pakistan.
Just look at what across the border ‘Made in India’ campaign has achieved.
Here is why the Government decision to Tax Mobile Phone Imports is just wrong!
The “Made in India” campaign, which was launched in 2014, was designed to make India a global leader in manufacturing and design. It made their government an enabler and business partner instead of a stern authority. The country clearly defined “manufacturing” and unleased policies to attract Foreign Direct Investment. The results are clear to see. India has surpassed the United States as the second largest smartphone manufacturer in the world. Four years ago, India had 2 mobile factories. The number now is 120 and they have created over 400,000 jobs according to PM Modi. By 2020, the GDP share of the mobile industry in India’s economy is going to hit 8.2%.


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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – If you’re buying a gift for Mother’s Day, you’re definitely not alone.
According to the National Retail Federation, consumers are expected to spend more than $21 billion for Mother’s Day.READ MORE: Temple University Student Samuel Sean Collington Killed In Off-Campus Shooting In North Philadelphia
That’s an average of just over $172, which is up by almost than $10 from 2014.
Eighty percent of people surveyed said they’d buy Mom a card, and two out of three people would buy her flowers.READ MORE: 16-Year-Old, Kanye Davis, Shot 8 Times In Deadly North Philadelphia Shooting, Police Say
The NRF 2015 Mother’s Day Consumer Spending Survey polled more than 6,000 people in early April.
Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10th.MORE NEWS: TSA Confiscates Loaded Handgun From Man At Philadelphia International Airport


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What you need to know
- Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has announced the 2021 Pacifica.
- It will come with wireless CarPlay.
- Buyers can pre-order in the third quarter of 2020.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has taken the wraps off the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica minivan and it comes as standard with a massive 10.1-inch touchscreen. That is pretty great news on its own, but when you throw in the fact that it will also support wireless CarPlay – as spotted by MacRumors – things are taken up a notch or two.
To date, wireless CarPlay has been a feature reserved for the likes of Porsche, Audi, and BMW. And even then it's usually an optional extra. The news that the Pacifica will come with it as standard is very impressive indeed. And it's all made possible by the new Uconnect 5 system.
The all-new Uconnect 5 system, offered for the first time in a North American vehicle and standard across the Pacifica lineup, includes a largest-in-class 10.1-inch touchscreen, which is nearly 20 percent larger than the screen it replaces. The system is five times faster than Uconnect 4 and includes Alexa. With the Uconnect skill for Alexa, customers with Alexa-enabled devices at home can easily ask Alexa to start the car, lock/unlock doors and more. Uconnect 5 brings Amazon Alexa directly into the vehicle itself, giving occupants the freedom to interact with Alexa just as they do at home or on a personal device. With Alexa built-in, occupants can ask Alexa to play music, podcasts and audiobooks; add items to their to-do list; check news, weather, traffic, sports and other real-time information; and access tens of thousands of Alexa skills.
Who doesn't want Alexa in their car?
If you plan on picking up a 2021 Pacifica you're going to have to wait a while. FCA says that we can expect pre-orders to go live in the third quarter of 2020 with deliveries to dealerships taking place in the final quarter of the year.
Wireless CarPlay is exactly what it sounds like – CarPlay that doesn't need your iPhone to be plugged into your car to work. It's usually accompanied by a wireless charging mat, too.


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Despite having cancelled its event due to bad weather, Google has went ahead with the announcement of its new Nexus 4 along with its revised line up of 7″ and 10″ tablets. The Nexus 4 is no stranger thanks to pre-launch leaks which is based on LG’s flagship Optimus G.
To recap on the specs, it features 4.7″ IPS display (320 ppi) that pushes 1280×768 resolution and toughen with Gorilla Glass 2. Underneath the hood, the Nexus 4 is now powered with a 1.5GHz quad-core processor of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Pro coupled with 2GB of RAM which keeps it in-line with today’s high-end Android smart phone segment.
In terms of storage, it comes in 8GB and 16GB options which doesn’t let you expand further due to lack of microSD slot. There’s a 8MP shooter at the back that shoots 1080p HD videos and a front facing 1.3MP camera that does 720p. There’s no LTE support if you’re looking for one but it supports HSPA+ speeds up to 42Mbps. On-board there’s a 2,100mAh battery and it weighs 139 grams with a thickness of 9.1mm.
Also new on the Nexus line up is its wireless charging capabilities. They have introduced wireless charging dock which they call the Wireless Charging Orb that’s slanted on one side. The Verge reported that it uses Qi wireless charging standard which possibly means that the Nokia wireless charger might just work with the Nexus 4 as well.
Most importantly, the Nexus 4 is rocking the latest Android 4.2 Jelly Bean which brings a host of new features includes a new lock screen, camera UI and enhanced Google Now functionality. The 8GB version is going at US$299 (about RM914) while the 16GB version is priced at US$349 (RM1067) which is rather affordable unlocked. Availability is slated for November 13 in the US and UK with Malaysian availability still unknown at this point.
For more information, head over to the Nexus 4 page.
Head after the break for more product shots.


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That will not have been an issue ought to Beijing not have just lately ordered roughly 35 of its 50 magnesium smelters to shut till the top of the yr to preserve energy provides. This implies present European inventories might be exhausted by the top of November, Germany’s affiliation of metals producers WVM warned on Tuesday.
Magnesium is used for a spread of merchandise, particularly aluminum alloys, that are utilized in a number of auto-parts from gearboxes and steering columns to seat frames and gas tank covers.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, leaders of the continent’s high automaking international locations — raised the difficulty on Thursday throughout an EU leaders’ summit. The European Fee adopted swimsuit by opening a dialogue with China.
“We’re elevating this difficulty with our Chinese language counterparts with a view to handle rapid shortages and are assessing long-term options to sort out this strategic dependency,” a Fee spokesperson acknowledged in an e-mail to Reuters.
Because the metallic is troublesome to retailer — it begins to oxidize after three months — international shares may run critically low earlier than the top of the yr if Beijing doesn’t restart manufacturing within the subsequent few weeks.
“This difficulty, if not resolved, threatens 1000’s of companies throughout Europe, their complete provide chains and the thousands and thousands of jobs that depend on them,” a dozen trade teams, together with metallic producers, auto suppliers and the packaging sector mentioned in a joint statement Friday.
“The implications could be catastrophic,” they mentioned.
Undersupply has pushed costs to file highs, presently buying and selling at $4,700 per tonne. That’s greater than double the worth early this yr and the best since 2008.
In Europe, remaining shares are going for $10,000-$14,000 a tonne, up from $2,000 per tonne earlier this yr, the trade teams mentioned.
The issue has already reached North America. Canada’s Matalco Inc., which produces aluminum billet, instructed its shoppers final week that magnesium availability had “dried up”, and if the shortage endured it must curtail output and ration deliveries as soon as next year.


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New details have been released about the multi-million-pound redevelopment planned for Piries Place in Horsham.
Last month the County Times revealed a new scheme was being proposed to regenerate the area which would see a new cinema, shops and restaurants created.
Proposals have been put forward as a joint venture by property development and investment company Reef Estates and construction and property consultants Arcus.
The latest plans state a three screen Everyman Cinema will be built at the old Waitrose site alongside a new hotel.
Restaurants and cafe units will be created and a number of retail and office units will be retained.
The development will also see the public area of Piries Place enhanced.
It is estimated work could start on the site in spring 2017.
Developers say a planning application will be submitted to Horsham District Council shortly, but are encouraging residents to leave their feedback on the scheme.
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LONDON: Apple has urged its Taiwanese suppliers to change the labeling of products manufactured in the island to “Made in China,” sources reveal.
Apple sent a warning to its suppliers on Friday about China’s increased enforcement of a long-standing import law that requires Taiwanese parts and components to have the labels “Taiwan, China” or “Chinese Taipei,” amid rising tensions between the two countries.
“A tightening of the labeling rule may not just affect Apple’s suppliers, but all those that send shipments from Taiwan island to the mainland,” Gao Lingyun, an expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, commented.
China’s ongoing dispute over Taiwan has been at the center of political and economic attention in recent months.
Last week, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, sparking Chinese outrage and prompting a four-day military exercise by the Chinese army around the island. Pelosi was the first high-ranking US official to visit Taiwan in 25 years.
China warned of sanctions against companies and individuals found breaching the so-called one-China principle, with goods at risk of not being approved for import or export by the authorities.
“If the mainland authorities tighten the enforcement of the rule, this may increase the probability of shipments from Taiwan island being seized by mainland customs,” Gao said.
Apple’s decision has sparked criticism from around the world. In September 2020, the US giant issued a document titled “Our Commitment to Human Rights,” in which it stated that "at Apple and throughout our supply chain, we prohibit harassment, discrimination, violence, and retaliation of any kind — and we have zero tolerance for violations motivated by any form of prejudice or bigotry.”
Apple has long depended on China for the manufacture of most of its products. Because of its reliance on China for product assembly and sales, however, the company is unwilling to speak out against flagrant violations, despite what it claims.
“Is it a question of time before Apple starts removing apps whose name contains the characters [for] Taiwan without specifying ‘province of China’,” GreatFire, an advocacy group working against Chinese censorship online, said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, we suspect that Apple’s ‘red-line’, the moment where it will say: ‘Stop, no longer, we cannot continue to collaborate with the Chinese regime and enforce its requests for censorship,’ is nowhere close,” noted Benjamin Ismail, project director for GreatFire’s associated AppleCensorship.com.
Even though Apple has long sought to diversify its supply chain and manufacturing process, with new factories in India and Brazil, the tech giant’s dependence on Chinese factories for the production of most of its latest products, including the iPhone 14, exposes the instability of an already fragile supply chain and production market.
Given the economic and strategic importance of Taiwan, which accounts for over 90 percent of the world’s most advanced semiconductor manufacturing capacity, China’s aggressive policies represent a significant risk for America and the rest of the world.


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The International Air Transport Association (IATA), a global trade group representing most of the world’s major airlines and cargo carriers, said earlier this week that it does not expect the air travel industry to recover from the hit dealt to it by the coronavirus pandemic before 2024.
That timeline, which defines “recovery” as a return to 2019 levels of traffic and revenue, is the most dire yet offered by the group, which had previously forecast a bounce back by 2023.
“Ahead of any vaccine, it really does depend on how well countries manage to control the virus,” IATA’s chief economist, Brian Pearce, said in a briefing on Tuesday. “That is clearly going to be an issue with the recovery. What we haven’t seen is the sort of progress that we need.”
The bulk of the problem is that the flying public has relatively little interest in flying. “While pent-up demand exists for VFR (visiting friends and relatives) and leisure travel, consumer confidence is weak in the face of concerns over job security and rising unemployment, as well as risks of catching COVID-19,” IATA said in a press release.
Moreover, corporate travel staying down as companies seek to cut costs and adjust to remote meetings will hamper a recovery, IATA said. Even as the economy picks back up, business travel may be slow to return.
“Corporate travel budgets are expected to be very constrained as companies continue to be under financial pressure even as the economy improves,” IATA said. The group said surveys indicate that the link between GDP growth and business travel has frayed, as videoconferencing makes in-person meetings less necessary.
IATA’s revised timeline represents the culmination of a new wave of pessimism from airlines about the travel recovery.
In the early months of the pandemic, most carriers suggested a two- to three-year


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The coronavirus pandemic has led to a sharp uptake in energy usage, with almost a third of Australians buying large appliances and white goods in the past year as they embrace home cooking.
According to a new study commissioned by Energy Consumers Australia, at a time when governments are seeking to shift or reduce household energy use as part of the transition to a clean energy future, Australian households have been using more due to lockdowns.
The energy consumer behaviour survey revealed the use and purchase of appliances have increased during the pandemic, with 30% of households having bought a large appliance during the past year and a third of respondents now owning more than two fridges or freezers.
But the survey found that 41% of respondents said their household had become more interested in reducing energy use since the onset of the pandemic.
“We can see just how much Covid has changed our energy behaviour as a nation, from the food we eat and how we store it to our use of heating and cooling and the appliances we are buying and intending to buy,” said Energy Consumers Australia’s chief executive, Lynne Gallagher.
The survey also showed that 59% of Australians say they are cooking at home more and 40% say their house uses more heating and cooling.
With skyrocketing energy bills, many owner-occupiers considering solar.
The past decade had seen a rapid rise in the uptake of household rooftop solar, and the pandemic appears to have supercharged that as 5% of respondents say they intended to buy solar panels for their household in the next 12 months. A further 15% said they would consider installing them in the future.
Matt Davies and his wife built their first house near Geelong just as the pandemic hit. The electrician said he had a natural bias towards electricity but, when he first drew up his plans, he put in gas.
“Being an electrician, you’re used to the norm of what houses are,” he said.” I was using gas but by the time I had got plans in, it had become an all-electric house.”
Davies wanted a house that was cheap to run and good for the planet so he joined the My Efficient Electric House Facebook group.
“I’ve got solar panels on the roof, so you would say my house is a zero-cost house,” Davies said. “Sometimes it costs zero dollars and sometimes you get credit, I’m basically living in a house that has free energy.”
Australians have traditionally been inefficient users of electricity in homes.
Research from RMIT revealed that in Victoria energy performance of existing homes averaged just 1.8 stars – on a scale that goes to 10.
A rating of at least six is mandatory for new homes under the nationwide house energy rating scheme. Australian homes are big drivers of climate change – contributing more than 10% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and energy.
The energy consumer behaviour survey showed most Australians are fixed on using gas – a fossil fuel – as well as electricity at home. Just 9% of household consumers said they were seriously considering running their home on electricity only, while 77% either had not thought about it or had decided not to.
Davies said the benefits of rooftop solar – and an all-electric home – were hard to argue with. “Do you want to pay for energy or do you want it for free? Whether you like renewables or not you take the free options, every day of the week.”


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News brands are remembered less than half the time, when accessed via distributed platforms such as social media and search, according to new research from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ), published today (19 July).
By contrast, most people were likely to remember the platform through which the news content was found (e.g Facebook, Twitter or Google).
These findings, from "‘I saw the news on Facebook’: Brand attribution when accessing news from distributed environments", reinforce the idea that platforms are getting more credit than publishers for the news content they distribute.
Despite this, the study, authored by Antonis Kalogeropoulos and Nic Newman, and also shows that some brands like the BBC, the Guardian and BuzzFeed are able to achieve much higher levels of correct attribution through strong branding or distinctive content – even when accessed via distributed platforms.
Working with polling agency YouGov, RISJ tracked the actual news consumption of a representative sample of thousands of UK internet users (desktop only) and, within 48 hours, served a survey to a proportion of these users to see what they could remember about the stories and brands they had used.
Less than half could remember the name of the news brand for a particular story when coming from search (37 per cent) or social media (47 per cent). This compares with a correct attribution rate of 81 per cent for users who arrived directly from another page on a specific news website.
By contrast, between half and two-thirds could remember the path through which they found the news story (social media 67 per cent, search engines 57 per cent).
Correct attribution by path
Content produced by some news brands is remembered far more than that from others. When coming from social media, stories from the Guardian (69 per cent), BuzzFeed (68 per cent), and the BBC (59 per cent) were correctly attributed around twice as often as stories from The Independent (35 per cent), the Mirror (27 per cent), or The Sun (29 per cent).
Correct attribution per news outlet – from social media
When coming from search, stories from the BBC (61 per cent), the Guardian (58 per cent), and the Telegraph (41 per cent) were correctly attributed far more often than stories from Daily Express (20 per cent), Daily Mirror (19 per cent), or The Independent (19 per cent).
Correct attribution per news outlet – from search
These differences can partly be explained by brand loyalty. Users were more likely to remember the brand via social media and search engines when they read a story from a news brand identified as their main source of news. Indeed, differences between direct and distributed paths almost disappear when we look specifically at loyal users.
Antonis Kalogeropoulos, joint author of the study, says a pre-existing relationship with a news brand is a critical factor:
“Familiarity with brands such as the BBC, the Guardian, and the Mail Online, combined with the value already placed on them by users, is helping them stand out in distributed environments such as social media and search – driving traffic and credit in a virtuous circle."
Other important factors highlighted are the way in which stylistic elements such as logos stand out in third-party platforms as well as a consistent tone.
From a media company's perspective, correct attribution is essential since these environments are often used for driving traffic back to owned websites or apps where content can be monetised whether through premium advertising or subscriptions.
The type of content also seems to affect attribution. When coming from social media, the news brand is remembered more when the topic is serious – e.g. politics (57 per cnet) or international news (46 per cent), compared with lifestyle subjects such as sports (35 per cent) and entertainment/celebrity news (31 per cent).
Correct brand attribution from content found in Facebook (44 per cent) was significantly lower than Twitter (55 per cent). This is likely to be because Twitter users are more engaged with and more interested in news. Young people (18 to 24) are almost twice as likely to correctly attribute a news brand when coming from social media compared with older groups ( 55 and over).
For the purposes of this study, RISJ tracked the news-browsing behaviour of UK desktop users from YouGov’s PULSE panel from 13 March to 10 April 2017. The panel contains 13,709 people with 6,811 active users, who have given permission for their activity to be tracked but not individually identified.
The UK news sites selected for this study were based on the top online sources in the Reuters Institute Digital News Report. The brands were: BBC, BuzzFeed, Channel 4, Daily Mail, HuffPost, Daily Mirror, Sky News, Daily Telegraph, The Sun, The Times, Yahoo, The Independent, ITV, The Lad Bible, Breitbart News, The Canary, Metro, Daily Express, London Evening Standard, Guardian, MSN.
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A DAILY dose of dark chocolate is good for your health, according to a study out today.
In what will constitute a morsel of sweet news for chocoholics everywhere, researchers have found two tablespoons of the treat can reduce the likelihood of blood clotting.
But health professionals and industry experts last night warned that any health benefits were almost certain to be outweighed by the negative effects of such a calorific snack.
US scientists at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health made the discovery by chance when 139 people were disqualified from a larger study looking at the effects of aspirin on blood platelets.
These "offenders" had been told to refrain from indulging in a number of foods known to affect platelet activity - including chocolate. But their inability to break their habit led to the latest health discovery.
Professor Diane Becker said, "What these chocolate 'offenders' taught us is that the chemical in cocoa beans has a biochemical effect similar to aspirin in reducing platelet clumping, which can be fatal if a clot forms and blocks a blood vessel, causing a heart attack."
Researchers have known for almost two decades that dark chocolate can lower blood pressure and has other beneficial effects on blood flow.
The latest findings, which will be presented at the American Heart Association's annual Scientific Sessions in Chicago, identified the effect of normal, everyday doses of chocolate found in ordinary foods.
Prof Becker added, "Eating a little bit of chocolate or having a drink of hot cocoa as part of a regular diet is probably good for personal health, so long as people don't eat too much of it, and too much of the kind with lots of butter and sugar."
However, one Welsh nutrition expert yesterday expressed concern at the notion of a beneficial "daily dose" of chocolate.
The latest research follows in the wake of several recent studies trumpeting the supposed benefits of foods traditionally frowned upon, such as butter, wine and even beer.
Kate Mellor, cardiac dietician at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, said, "I think studies like this are very confusing for patients because people are told one minute they can eat something because it's good for them and the next minute that it's bad for them.
"My advice would be that, yes, dark chocolate may have these benefits but from my point of view there's not enough evidence to support it yet.
"Ultimately, it's still calories and most people don't need those extra calories. The problems associated with weight gain from eating chocolate every day will far outweigh the benefits."
And the findings even drew little more than a cautious response from one of Wales' best-known chocolate manufacturers.
Emily Jones, manager of Carmarthenshire-based Pemberton's Victorian Chocolates, said, "Anything that's going to put a positive outlook on chocolate is always going to be beneficial but it all needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. Everything should be in moderation and as part of a healthy diet."
The family firm, which makes luxury handmade chocolates, has seen a rise in sales of dark chocolate goods recently. But Miss Jones said the increase had little to do with medical claims.
"There's a general shift towards dark chocolate because of the emphasis on fair trade, exquisite and finer chocolate with more cocoa solids present," she said.
Weird science - some of the other controversial findings of recent years
After years of sobering scientific warnings about the dangers of alcohol, various claims have, in the past five years, been made about the efficacy of certain tipples.
Wine - in particular red wine - has been associated with everything from lowering rates of heart disease, warding off colds and preventing herpes, largely thanks to its antioxidant content.
"Beer is good for you" has long been the tippler's dream headline but Dutch scientists helped achieve that dream when they suggested the odd pint may help protect against heart disease when taken in moderation. All to do with vitamin B6 and the suppression of homocysteine apparently.
Then there was the US study that suggested the antioxidants in Guinness may work as well as aspirin in preventing heart clots.
As for chocolate, yesterday's research comes in the wake of several claims for the sugary snack - at a time when the nation is in the grip of a well-documented obesity epidemic.
Scientists from Switzerland (where else?) found that eating a few squares of dark chocolate every day may stave off artery hardening in smokers, again because of antioxidants. White chocolate didn't have the same effect.
Researchers have also suggested an ingredient in chocolate - theobromine - could be used to stop persistent coughs. But as with all things, health campaigners have highlighted the importance of moderation when it comes to chocolate and alcohol consumption.


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Image © Adobe Images
"Get ready for a showdown and sell the Aussie dollar as well as Rio Tinto, BHP and Anglo American" - John Meyer at SP Angel.
China this week issued strong hints it plans to strengthen controls on raw material markets in order to help limit rising costs faced by businesses amidst a surge in commodity prices.
Given the Australian Dollar's value rests heavily with the value of the raw materials it exports to China, the developments pose an additional consideration for those betting on a stronger Aussie Dollar in 2021.
Successive warnings from China’s top politicians about raw material prices hurt sentiment across industrial metals markets, although the concerns are yet to be realised in commodity prices.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said there was a need to strengthen market regulation of raw materials to ease cost pressures for companies amid rising global commodities prices, China's official Xinhua news agency reported.
Chinese vice-premier Liu He, who chairs the country’s Financial Stability and Development Commission, on Thursday warned about the need to keep prices stable after producer price inflation rose 4% – the fastest annual pace in nearly three years.
"China is potentially looking to limit and control commodity prices as raw material price rises lead inflation higher," says John Meyer, Head of Research at SP Angel, a broker in London. "China may be about to change the rules of the commodity price game – and guess what it is big and bad enough to do so!"
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Meyer says the developments are likely to raise concern for commodity producers, "if you are a commodity trader and your metal is on a boat to China you may be forgiven for wanting to turn that boat around."
Meyer says if China sets a price for copper then Chinese consumers will be legally obliged to pay that price.
"That's what ‘regimes’ can do," he says. "And if you want to sell your metal into the world’s single largest consumer of raw materials then you will have to take whatever price they choose to set for you."
Australia is currently the largest supplier of iron ore to China, and the rise in prices over the course of 2020 and 2021 have proved a boon for the country's balance of payments owing to the trade surpluses it now prints.
A trade surplus arises when a country earns more from exports than it pays out for exports and is therefore understandably a source of fundamental support for a currency.
It therefore stands that lower earnings on any cost controls in China could well diminish the Australian Dollar's shine.
On iron ore market dynamics: "get ready for a showdown and sell the Aussie dollar as well as Rio Tinto, BHP and Anglo American," says Meyer.
GBP/AUD Forecasts 2021
Period: Q2 2021 Onwards
FX for Businesses Guide
"If China sets an iron ore price at half the current price, what are the big iron ore players going to do about it as China now accounts for 73% of all iron ore seaborne trade," he adds.
SP Angel says China imported 1.17BN tons of iron ore last year so that’s 702mt of iron ore worth some US$81BN or 36% of total Australian exports.
"Or to put it another way it’s six times the value of total Australian alcohol consumption and that’s a big number," he says.
China could however find that such controls deliver unintended consequences, one being that the threat of price limits may cause producers to hold back on plans for expansion thus making any future supply / demand imbalance worse.


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Brings the team size up to… eight, maybe?
CNN’s Brian Stelter with a tasty scoop in his great newsletter last night: Madhulika Sikka — former Morning Edition executive producer, PBS public editor, and executive at Mic — has joined the Washington Post as the executive producer of its upcoming “flagship podcast,” which is scheduled to roll out later this year. Sikka will be […]
The Jeff Bezos-owned Washington Post, which has been pushing pretty hard into the technology platform business alongside its journalistic endeavors, is reportedly getting into the…podcast ad tech game? AdExchanger reports that the company’s Research, Experimentation, and Development (RED) team has put together a “dynamic ad insertion” tool, called Rhapsocord, that “identifies places to put in […]
The tool comes from the organization’s Research, Experimentation, and Development team.


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The Apple tablet was introduced 10 years ago, and in that time Apple says it has sold more than 500 million units in that time.
In a September 15 online event, the company revealed the eighth generation iPad, which uses an A12 Bionic chip. With attachable keyboards and the Apple Pencil, the iPad is becoming more of a laptop replacement all the time.
The iPad Air, meanwhile, has been redesigned entirely. The 10.9-inch, all-screen design has a resolution of 2,360 x 1,640 and, like the most recent iPhones, no home button. The TouchID function is now built into the sleep/wake button at the top of the device.
It's also got the A14 Bionic chip, which is new from Apple and is incredibly small, at only five nanometres. It's a six-core chip with a four-core graphical processing unit that delivers improvements in processing speed and graphical performance.
The new iPad Air also uses a USB-C connection, has support for Wi-Fi 6, and includes a faster cellular connection for supporting models. It comes in five colours, including green and blue.
The new iPads will ship with iPadOS14, which introduces Scribble, a new feature for Apple Pencil that lets you integrate handwriting into digital documents by converting your scribble into text.
The eighth-generation iPad starts at $429, $599 with cellular, and the new iPad Air starts at $779, $949 with cellular.
Both tablets are available to order now and will be released on September 18.


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Rugby league great Petero Civoniceva’s foundation rallies for victims of cyclone Winston in Fiji
RUGBY league great Petero Civoniceva is rallying support for the people of Fiji who were hardest hit by category five Cyclone Winston on February 20.
Mr Civoniceva was born in Fiji and will deliver care packages to those most in need via his foundation.
“Right now regions in the country are really on their knees. We want to reach out to as many people as possible,” he said.
Care packages will include lanterns, kerosene, fishing equipment, tarps, sleeping bags, tents, rope, basins, cooking utensils, buckets, first aid supplies, toiletries and much more.
Mr Civoniceva has set up a Go Fund Me page which he is hoping will raise $50,000.
“Every little bit will go to provide care packages for villagers who have lost everything.
“The true horrific extent of the damage of Cyclone Winston is just being released but what’s clear is the amount of support the villages and communities need.”
To donate, visit gofund me.com/cycloneappeal.
The damage caused by Cyclone Winston to Namuaimada village, Fiji. Picture: AAP Image/Facebook, Fijian Government.
Meanwhile Kippa-Ring’s Rhonda Downie is collecting items for Fiji in a shipping container.
She is hoping people will donate tinned food, linen, toiletries and items for small children and babies.
The container will be sent over at the end of the March.
People can drop items off at 1 Bianco St, Kippa-Ring, or phone 0427 326 039.
Source: Quest Community Newspapers


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IBCShowcase (Virtual IBC 2020)
ZTE combines soundbar and set-top box
Sep 14, 2020 – ZTE (0763.HK/000063.SZ) has launched a far-field 4K AI Soundbar STB at the IBC Showcase. By integrating smart soundbar and set-top box (STB), ZTE provides operators with a multi-function platform and a must-have device for consumers.
News categories: ZTE, Android TV, IBCShowcase, Set Top Box, Worldwide
Firstlight Media and ThinkAnalytics partner on OTT personalization
Sep 8, 2020 – Firstlight Media and ThinkAnalytics are partnering to enable OTT and pay-TV providers to deploy cloud-native personalization capabilities that drive long-term subscriber value.
News categories: Firstlight Media, ThinkAnalytics, Andre Christensen, Juan Martin, Gabriel Berger, Big Data, Digital TV, IBCShowcase, OTT, UX, Worldwide
Inaugural IBC Showcase scheduled for September 8-11
Sep 2, 2020 – IBC has announced that its inaugural IBC Showcase will run from September 8th – 11th 2020, and continue as a once a week event throughout 2020. The IBC Showcase features three programmes: Content Programme, Exhibitor Showcase and Industry News.
News categories: IBC, Michael Crimp, Mark Smith, Steve Connolly, Christelle Gental, Digital TV, IBCShowcase, Worldwide
IBC launches virtual event: IBC Showcase
Jul 10, 2020 – IBC has unveiled plans for IBC Showcase, a virtual event set to take place in September. The event will feature three components: an Exhibitor Showcase, a Sponsored Programme and coverage of product launches.
News categories: IBC, Michael Crimp, Digital TV, IBCShowcase, Netherlands, Worldwide
RAI ready to re-open with social distancing
May 12, 2020 – RAI Amsterdam is hoping to re-open its doors in the short term while closely following all guidelines regarding social distancing. The RAI wishes to organise trial events to test the various ways that visitors and exhibitors can be safely brought together.
News categories: RAI, Paul Riemens, Digital TV, IBCShowcase, Netherlands
Panasonic withdraws from IBC 2020
May 11, 2020 – Panasonic has withdrawn from IBC 2020. Instead, the organisation is focusing on supporting its partners and customers through its online initiatives, with the launch of its own Technology Experience Zone to help share expertise and information for the industry.
News categories: Panasonic, André Meterian, COVID-19, Digital TV, IBCShowcase, Netherlands, Worldwide
Arvato Systems and Vidispine withdraw from IBC 2020
Apr 30, 2020 – Arvato Systems and Vidispine have announced that in order to ensure the health and safety of colleagues they are withdrawing from this year’s IBC,due to take place at the Amsterdam RAI, 11-15 September, 2020.
News categories: Arvato, Vidispine, Ralf Schürmann, COVID-19, Digital TV, IBCShowcase, Netherlands, Worldwide
Technicolor announces advertising partnership with hoppr
Nov 9, 2019 – Technicolor and hoppr have created a partnership that aims to extend digital advertising capabilities to TV. The hoppr software installed on Technicolor set-top boxes (STBs) will allow operators to tap into sustainable streams of revenue.
News categories: hoppr, Technicolor, George Gelavis, Advertising, Australia, Big Data, Digital TV, IBCShowcase, Set Top Box, Worldwide
ATEME and Broadpeak offer low-latency solution for DVB-I delivery
Oct 24, 2019 – Broadpeak and ATEME have announced an ultra-low-latency live video streaming solution that supporting the emerging DVB-I standard. The joint offering enables pay-TV operators to deliver live streams with just 1 second of end-to-end latency.
News categories: Broadpeak, ATEME, Jacques Le Mancq, Michel Artières, Content Distribution, Digital TV, IBCShowcase, OTT, Worldwide
- Sky UK extends satellite capacity contract with SES
- AMC Networks and OMG complete first U.S. addressable campaign
- ENGINE launches cookieless data solutions for CTV and omnichannel media
- CEVA MotionEngine Smart TV software part of LG webOS
- Brazil's MultTV upgrades IPTV system with Beenius
- Bharti Airtel enters Ad Tech industry with Airtel Ads
- Broadpeak upgrades BkYou ad personalization solution
- Nigeria sets-up Digital Switch Over task force
- LG opens webOS Smart TV platform to other TV brands
- Cloud gaming to have huge impact on games distribution
- SpotX to serve as supply-side platform for Redbox
- Vestel brings Twitch to Smart TVs across Europe
- Cablenet rolls-out Amino STBs in Cyprus
- North American pay TV subscriber losses to slow
- discovery+ subscribers now number more than 11 million
- DISH Network pay TV subscribers down 133,000 in 4Q 2020
- Accedo acquires Hibox
- VIZIO Ads launches frequency control for Smart TV advertisers
- DVB approves DVB-TA watermarking and DVB Home Broadcast specs
- Roku releases 4Q 2020 results


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Apple today announced the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, featuring improved performance, the Dynamic Island previously seen on iPhone 14 Pro, a range of new colors, and a USB-C port replacing the Lightning connector.
Like last year, iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus sport 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays. However, Apple said that maximum brightness can now go up to 2000 nits. You can preorder the iPhone 15 this Friday, with the device launching on September 22.
Apple’s color finishes are now embedded throughout the glass, to form impressive new colorful finish. The iPhone 15 is available in pink, yellow green, blue, and black.
Apple has also updated the camera system. The base model iPhone 15 rear camera system now includes a 48-megapixel main sensor, like last year’s iPhone 14 Pro series.
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According to the founders, the product is the result of seven years of R&D in IT labs across South India, Europe and Far East. "Its core competency will be social commitment and all data accumulated by Bitdle is processed only in each parent country and general data protection regulation will be strictly enforced as per the EU standards,’’ said S Abimanyu, managing director of the venture.
The application is both B2B abd B2C suitable for both vocational and recreational needs of individuals and businesses alike. The full version is being launched in India, EU and Far East.
Targeting people in the age group of 18 to 35, most of Bitdle’s services will be free to access. `` For instance a person’s medical history can be stored and accessed by doctors and partially by labs while biometric data can be used to find missing persons. Emergency support services like repairs of automobiles and appliances can also be accessed,’’ said Shaji A V, Director of Bitdle.
For businesses the application can be used for optimisation of costs, targeted marketing of products, targeted sourcing and human resources development. "Initially we aim at 1.16% market share in India,’’ Abimanyu said.
ETPrime stories of the day
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Game Tangents gets its hands on the recently released TMNT: Out of the Shadows and we get down! Watch as we play some Arcade mode, Challenge mode, and explore a little bit of what this game has to offer.
Today on the Dukect Lounge I talk about the recent new twist Marvel did to some of its Comic characters, I also get into why the WWE is cutting the legs out of one of its biggest stars Cesaro and also, talk how WWE budget cuts that might affect the show as a whole. And, speaking of cuts Microsoft is to Shut Down Xbox Entertainment Studios with 18,000 layoffs.
Microsoft is facing one the largest layoffs in the history of the company. Starting by laying off divisions with failing products such as the Zune Player, Nokia Phones and The Xbox One. You'll want to see more details.


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A global financial services watcher is selling to an asset manager with $530 billion in AUM.
| Seth P. Bernstein|
New York City-based AllianceBernstein (AB
]) has agreed to buy London-based Autonomous Research
, AB president and CEO Seth Bernstein confirms
this morning. AB is publicly traded but majority-owned by a multinational insurer, Paris-based Axa, while Autonomous is a partnership. Autonomous does research globally on financial companies, including asset managers.
| Erickson Packard Davis|
Autonomous Research LLP
Pricing, terms, and the timing of the deal have not yet been disclosed, though AB expects the deal to close roughly "within the next several months," according to a company statement.
"With a modest up-front investment, it is structured primarily as a long-term earn-out to align the ultimate price paid with the long-term benefits realized," the statement reads.
Meanwhile, both AB and Autonomous will keep their own brands after the deal, and their own business models. Erick Davis
, CEO of Autonomous, describes the deal as giving his team the ability "to offer a complementary range of research and trading capabilities to a wider global audience."
Bernstein puts the deal in the context of the increasing importance of "fundamental research excellence."
"Research is the foundation of our business, and investing judiciously in these capabilities will enhance AB's reputation and value proposition to all our clients," Bernstein states.
, an AB-watching analyst at Credit Suisse
, predicts (in a brief note to clients) that the deal "will enhance AB's global scale and provide an opportunity to upgrade overlapping services."
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Amaya Gaming Group have agreed to sell their online casino subsidiary, WagerLogic, to Goldstar in a deal worth a reported $70m and change.
Amaya Gaming Group have been grabbing the neon lights of the iGaming news with their acquisitions, and so its not a surprise that they eventually had to let something go, with the Canadian outfit agreeing to ship their online casino outfit, WagerLogic, to Goldstar.
As you would expect with a deal of this magnitude there are a few caveats that will affect the final asking price, expected to be in the region of $70m. There will be an earn out agreement whereby Amaya could earn extra lolly should WagerLogic hit certain revenue key performance indicators (KPIs) within the next three years, and that is countered by a minimum revenue guarantee slapped onto the side of the bid by Goldstar.
The deal does not affect the relationships that Amaya’s other subsidiaries have with WagerLogic, including software, service and content used to power its online casino operations. The deal is expected to be concluding lock, stock and two smoking barrels by the time Rudolph takes flight on 31st Dec 2013.
“The proposed sale of these business-to-consumer assets is consistent with our strategy of focusing primarily on being a single source business-to-business supplier of diversified gaming solutions to gaming operators,” said David Baazov, CEO of Amaya Gaming Group Inc. “We anticipate this divestiture will allow us to expand our existing relationships and cultivate new ones with online gaming operators.”
The sale comes after Amaya’s numerous acquisitions resulted in a Q2 net loss of $11.4m, despite reported revenue of $37.1m (a 157% increase year on year). Online gaming company Cryptologic, US slot machine manufacturer Cadillac Jack and the Ongame poker network all increasing the cost base of the Canadian gaming company.
It was just a month ago that Amaya announced a separate deal with the US brick and mortar casino operator Caesars Entertainment, that would see them powering the Caesars Interactive Entertainment (CIE) online casino business in New Jersey.


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Siyata Mobile has released the technical specifications for its flagship device, the Uniden® UV350. The device serves commercial vehicles with a unique design that ensures safer communication for professional drivers. The Company has received multiple major industry approvals and is currently doing network certification at three leading North American cellular carriers.
Siyata Mobile Inc. announced that an additional Tier 1 Cellular Operator in the United States has commenced network certification for the Uniden® UV350, the world’s first and only all-in-one 4G/LTE dedicated in-vehicle cellular device. The approval process is being streamlined and is expected to be completed in Q4 of 2018 as the Uniden UV350 has received all major government and industry approvals, including Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Android compatibility test suite (CTS), and PCS Type Certification Review Board (PTCRB).


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Three days after opening up preorders for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, U.K. mobile phone retailer Phones4u announced last Monday that it would file for administrator protection, putting around 5,600 jobs at risk. For those who preordered Apple’s latest and greatest iPhone from the retailer, Phones4u announced that it would refund the orders. However, that was likely not a smart thing to say, as the retailer has now announced that it will not refund the preorders, as revealed by Business Insider.
In an email to those who preordered the handsets, Phones4u said that they will have to go to their credit card provider in order to dispute the charge. For those who can’t go to a credit card company, their next “best” option is to submit a refund claim to administrator PricewaterhouseCoopers. The problem is the disclaimer you’ll find on the claim page: “Please note, given the level of secured liabilities, if there is any dividend to unsecured creditors, any payment if made at all, would not be for many months and is likely to be negligible.”
In other words, there already exists a long list of companies and individuals that Phones4u owes money to. Phones4u will have to square away any debts with them before getting to you, and by the time the company does, considering its folded status, it’s likely you won’t get anything back.
- Amazon offers a discounted Prime membership for folks on Medicaid
- Oppo Digital to gradually stop making Blu-ray players and headphones
- Over 60 ARCore apps are now available from the Google Play Store
- Verizon offers Pixel 2, iPhone X for up to half the price with a trade-in
- Prime members can get 5 percent off Whole Foods with the Amazon Rewards Visa


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Baku, Azerbaijan, June 27
By Fakhri Vakilov –Trend:
For the six months of this year, Uzbekistan imported about 600 premium-class cars for more than $ 400 million, as well as 20 electric cars, Trend reports citing Podrobno.uz.
On January 1, 2019, a new procedure was introduced for the import of passenger vehicles worth $40,000 and above in Uzbekistan. They are subject to reduced rates of customs duties, and no more than two years should pass from the moment of release of the car. There was also a zero rate of customs duty for electric cars.
“These 600 premium cars were brought into the country within the framework of the new order. As for a small number of electric cars, the problem is the lack of infrastructure for them, rather than customs,” representative of the State Customs Committee during a press conference in Tashkent said.
The import duty is not applied to premium cars, which only require pay excise tax and VAT to be paid. The aggregate rate of customs payments is 44 percent of the value of the imported car.
If a car, for example, costs $40,000, then about $17.600 will have to be paid for its customs clearance.
Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri