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The Disney Cruise Line has been closed for almost a year now as departures are suspended as a health and safety measure.
And, now the Disney Cruise Line has released its Marvel and Star Wars Days at Sea for the beginning of 2022!
At this time, the Disney Magic will be running the 5-Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Miami with Marvel Day at Sea on these dates:
- January 8 – 13, 2022 — Disney Castaway Cay and Cozumel, Mexico
- January 17 – 22, 2022 — Key West, Florida; Disney Castaway Cay; and Nassau, Bahamas
- January 22 – 27, 2022 — George Town, Grand Cayman, and Disney Castaway Cay
- January 31 – February 5, 2022 — Key West, Florida; Disney Castaway Cay; and Nassau, Bahamas
The Disney Fantasy will be embarking with the 7-Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral with Star Wars Day at Sea on the following dates:
- January 8 – 15, 2022 — Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Disney Castaway Cay
- January 15 – 22, 2022 — Philipsburg, St. Maarten; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Disney Castaway Cay
- January 22 – 29, 2022 — Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Disney Castaway Cay
- January 29 – February 5, 2022 — Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; Falmouth, Jamaica; and Disney Castaway Cay
As the Disney Cruise releases more information about upcoming travels and excursions, we’ll be sure to keep you updated with everything you need to know! Stay tuned with All Ears for more Disney news!
Have you been on the Disney Cruise Line’s ships? Let us know in the comments below!
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text: Unit sales of print books fell 1.3% in the week ended July 10, 2021, compared to the similar week in 2020, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Declines came in all nonfiction categories, including adult nonfiction, where units dropped 10.2% from the week ended July 11, 2020. Last year at this time, books on race and social justice were selling in large numbers, taking up six of the top 10 slots, while John Bolton’s The Room Where It Happened was #1 on the category list, selling nearly 57,000 copies. In the most recent week, How I Saved the World, by Fox News host Jesse Watters, was #1 on the category list, selling just under 34,000 copies in its first week. Two other new books hit the top 10 adult nonfiction list: Danny Trejo’s Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood sold more than 12,000 copies, while This Is Your Mind on Plants by Michael Pollan sold more than 11,000 copies. Adult fiction continued to do well in the week, with print units increasing 22.1%, helped by the release of several new bestsellers. Danielle Steel’s Nine Lives sold just over 24,000 copies in its first week, putting it in second place on the adult fiction list. It was closely followed by Miranda Cowley Heller’s The Paper Palace, which sold nearly 23,000 copies, and Falling by T.J. Newman, which sold more than 22,000 copies. Juvenile fiction sales fell 2.3% in the week despite a new #1 seller in the category, Cut to the Chase, the 13th volume in Aaron Blabey’s Bad Guys series, which sold more than 28,000 copies.

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Posted on Monday, March 23rd, 2015 by Russ Fischer
Just a few days ago Disney announced the title of the first Star Wars spin-off movie: Star Wars: Rogue One. And shortly afterward, Paramount released the first teaser and the final title for the new Mission: Impossible movie, Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation. Jokes flew immediately about the similar titles, but as it turns out there was some back-room dealing between the two studios over the similar titles. And thanks to that deal, Disney will hold off on any early promotion of Rogue One until later this year.
THR reports that Paramount registered the Rogue Nation title months ago, but that Disney did no such thing with its Star Wars film. That being the case, Paramount might have tried to block the use of that title, but instead a deal was struck.
In short, here’s the deal:
…the two studios quickly worked out a deal whereby Disney will refrain from referring to Rogue One this summer in any promotional materials aimed at the general consumer (an exception is a Star Wars fan event [Star Wars Celebration] in April).
Since Disney has another Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens, to promote this year, that’s probably not such a big deal. And it gives them reason to hold off on any Rogue One talk for a few months at least. With The Force Awakens set to open on December 18 of this year, the safe bet is that’ll be the same general window in which we see the first Rogue One teaser.
(Actually, if Disney and Lucasfilm dropped the Rogue One teaser as a post-credits scene for The Force Awakens, I bet people would go nuts.)
And with Rogue One shooting this summer, there will still be a great amount of unofficial promotion as casting info and possible set pics begin to leak. It’s not like the film is going fully dark for the next few months. So if you want Rogue One info, don’t worry; it’ll come.
Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation opens on July 31, having been pulled up a few months, ironically, to avoid the new Star Wars movie. Rogue One opens on December 16, 2016. [Rogue One title mockup via http://arkwulf.tumblr.com.]Cool Posts From Around the Web:


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The boutique bedding specialist, Dreamtex Ltd has partnered with Toikido to launch a licensed homewares collection based on the globally popular video gaming franchise, Among Us.
Under the partnership, Dreamtex will be launching Among Us themed bedding, blankets, towels, and cushions later this year, all of which will celebrate and reflect the style of the hit spaceship survival game. Among Us has become a runaway gaming sensation over the past year, recognised for its cast of characters and gameplay centered around deception.
The Dreamtex collection will incorporate 2D characters graphics from the game along with their classic phrases.
“The sell-in so far has been phenomenal with orders already covering the majority of Dreamtex’s customer base,” said Anthony Duckworth, MD of Dreamtex Ltd. “Among Us is already proving to be one of our biggest success stories. It is a must-have brand that can only get stronger through 2021 and beyond, and we will endeavour to maximise all retail opportunities with our innovative approach to product development and design.
“We are delighted to be working with the team at Toikido and excited to have added Among Us to our growing portfolio of gaming brands. We know that Among Us merchandise is in high demand and we are thrilled to be playing our part in the game’s licensing story.”
Darran Garnham, founder of Toikido, added: “We are delighted to bring Toikido and Dreamtex together on this project. Dreamtex’s quality, design, sourcing, and ethical standards are phenomenal, as is their passion for Toikido’s vision for the AmongUs brand.”
Dreamtex Ltd is an award-winning, privately owned UK company offering a bespoke approach to licensed merchandise. The company was founded and is owned by Anthony Duckworth, Andrew Downie, and Jo Duckworth who together bring extensive local knowledge and expertise to the home textile category.
Meanwhile, headquartered in London, Toikido has an ecosystem across licensing, gaming, music and entertainment that aims to react quickly in bringing brands to market. Its partnership with Innersloth Games was devised to bring its flagship gaming brand, Among Us to the toys, apparel, and homewares space for fans across the globe.
Toikido supports UKIE’s ongoing #RaiseTheGame Diversity Pledge.


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Audi Q2 will leave the assembly line
Audi plans to finish with serial production of the Q2 crossover.
The car will give way to a more voluminous model in terms of dimensions. Now, Q2 is considered the smallest crossover in the company's lineup.
The company does not intend to stop Q2 production immediately. The crossover will be on sale for a couple of years, and then it will stop its existence.
Today Audi pays more attention to big cars, and that's why Audi Q2 doesn't fit the new policy like Audi A1. The company thinks that miniature vehicles don't check the premium status.
Also, the company is engaged in a gradual transition to electric cars, and by 2026, Germans want to produce only electric vehicles.


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Tom Heatherington has a funny way of showing his appreciation for Montana.
In July, the Kalispell resident started a website with a simple message: Montana sucks. The website (www.montana-sucks.com) features a list of things that suck, a list of reasons why Montana sucks and “a store that sucks.” Its best-selling item is a T-shirt that reads in large type: “Montana Sucks,” with, “Now go home and tell all your friends” in smaller type below. An example of why Montana sucks includes an image of a sheep wearing fishnet stockings with garters and high heels, above the caption, “The locals have a history of animal abuse, don’t be surprised at anything you might see… If you value your family and your dog’s innocence, don’t visit Montana.”
Heatherington says he got the idea for the website a few years ago at a Kalispell restaurant when he noticed someone wearing a shirt exactly like the one described above.
“I was incredulous at first,” he says. But then he noticed the smaller type, and got the joke. After that, he searched for a shirt with the same phrase, but couldn’t find one. So last summer, he began making them on his own, using the website to promote them.
Until recently, he’d only get a handful of hits on the website per day, 30 at most. But then a March 23 Associated Press article about the animosity westerners feel toward California transplants mentioned Heatherington’s website. Since then, Heatherington says, his site’s received about 18,000 hits per day, and he’s sold more T-shirts in one weekend than he had since July.
Sarah Lawlor, a spokesperson for Travel Montana, the state’s tourism promotion division, says the site is harmless and might even spark regional interest. But, she adds, “I think I need to do a better job educating Montanans on the benefits of tourism.”
Lawlor points out that tourism tax revenues added up to $202 million in 2005, about $224 per Montanan. She also notes that tourism provides nearly 50,000 jobs statewide.
Heatherington also says his site and shirts are harmless, and that he has nothing personal against tourism or tourists.
“Everybody knows Montana is just such a beautiful state,” he says. “It’s totally a humor thing.”


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Americans like to splurge on Halloween. So much so that the total spending for the holiday this year is expected to reach $8.4 billion.
This is a $1.5 billion increase from 2015, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. And it’s the highest it’s ever been in the survey’s 11-year history.
The increase is partly due to the average $82.93 consumers are willing to spend on Halloween festivities this year—a jump from $74.34 last year. Overall, Americans are slated to spend a whopping $3.1 billion on costumes, $2.5 billion on candy, $2 billion on decorations, and $390 million on greeting cards, according to the survey.
Nearly all (94%) of the 6,791 consumers surveyed about their Halloween shopping plans plan on buying candy, according to the NRF.
“Consumers are eager to celebrate Halloween, especially given that eight in 10 Americans will shop by mid-October. That is the highest we have seen in the survey history,” Prosper Insights principal analyst Pam Goodfellow said in a statement. “Americans will enjoy taking advantage of early-bird promotions both online and in-store as they kick off the fall season.”
Social media is the usual go-to for costume ideas, with 17% of respondents using Pinterest and another 17% using Facebook to inspire their Halloween look. Nineteen percent found their idea via family and friends, and 16% were inspired through popular culture. A modest 14% of respondents were inspired through print media, according to the survey.


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July 17th, 2007
SAFC Hitech also said it had entered an agreement with Scottish firm Memsstar Technology. Memsstar will supply its surface preparation and deposition systems with precursor chemical materials from SAFC Hitech for surface coatings on micro devices.
"With more and more nanotechnology devices being developed and entering the market, there is a growing requirement for ultra thin coatings deposited on the surface to ensure device performance or reliability," commented Mike Leavy, CEO of Memsstar Technology.
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Heat makes electronsí spin in magnetic superconductors April 26th, 2015


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iPhone 5 release date set for September 21 – that's when T-Mobile is “selling against the iPhone”
Like it or not, the iPhone is still an important player for the current mobile ecosystem – maybe the most important one – as Android players and everyone else reacts to every new iPhone release and plans its strategy for the coming year to fight off the iOS device as best they can.
In addition to rumors swirling about the arrival of some interesting Android handsets in the following days – with special events scheduled by Samsung at IFA 2012 (where we’re going to be reporting live from) and by Motorola in the following week – there are also a garden variety of iPhone-related leaked imagery and rumors that basically say the same story, the iPhone 5 will be announced on September 12, during a special media event, and it’s going to be launched 9 days later, on September 21.
These dates are yet to be confirmed by Apple, as the company has not sent out media invites for the September media event, but U.S. carriers are already sending clear signals that September 21 is going to be the American iPhone launch date.
AT&T and Verizon have already independently issued staff vacations blocks for the last week of September, but more interestingly T-Mobile has leaked a “September Training Priorities” manual that reveals the sixth-generation iPhone – commonly but also mistakenly referred to as the iPhone 5 – may not come to the fourth largest U.S. carrier.
While there are well over 1 million unlocked iPhones on T-Mobile, the mobile operator is yet to get an official agreement with Apple, an agreement it desperately wants to meet the needs of some of its consumers.
But T-Mobile is still willing to fight against the iPhone and it’s advising its staff to start “selling against the iPhone” on September 21, thus confirming the launch of the iOS 6-running smartphone.
At the same time we’ll note that this fight against the iPhone is a bit hypocritical, as a second leaked image revealed by TmoNews goes to show that the carrier isn’t necessarily trying to convert iPhone owners to Android or Windows Phone. Instead, the carrier is going to try to steal iPhone owners from AT&T, by proposing them savings of over $1,500 with new two-year contracts. That’s even if T-Mobile can’t really support the 3G/4G bands of the iPhone.
We’ll tell you more about the competition – the next-gen iPhone, but also about the new Windows Phone 8 Nokia Lumia phones that are scheduled to be unveiled on September 5 – in the future.
Anyone ditching Android for iOS or WP8?


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Some Philadelphia residents are already experiencing sticker shock from the soon-to-be enacted soda tax.
ACME Supermarkets began tacking on the 1.5 cents per ounce increase on sugary beverages like soda, energy drinks and sweetened teas two days before the tariff is set to take effect.
A 2-liter bottle of Coca-Cola that cost $1.49 at the supermarket's Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania location is 57-cents more expensive at the Roxborough store inside city limits.
The reason for the early change? Advertising.
ACME spokeswoman Danielle D'Elia said the chain's weekly ads run Friday through Thursday and that they couldn't later charge more for an advertised lower price.
"In the spirit of price integrity, we had an obligation to tell our customers what the accurate price will be for those impacted items from Jan. 1 forward," D'Elia said in an email to NBC10.
Of course, retailers have no obligation at all to pass the new cost on to their customers.
NBC10 has reached out to other supermarket chains operating in the city to see if they are charging customers for the tax early. We have yet to hear back.
A contentious battle has been waged over the tax, which is one of the first in the nation. The beverage lobby undertook an expensive advertising campaign to try and defeat the tax. When the tax was approved, they then sued the city. That lawsuit was dismissed earlier this month.
City officials expect the tax to generate $90 million in new revenue. The funds are earmarked to help fund Mayor Jim Kenney's ambitious universal Pre-K program along with capital improvements at city recreation centers.
A poll conducted this summer by the Pew Research Center found a majority of city residents -- 54 percent of those surveyed -- support the tax, but it seems not everyone was ready to pony up the extra dough.
Terese Eibell Lewis said three 12 packs of soda cost her nearly $20 at the Rhawnhurst ACME along the 8200 block of Roosevelt Boulevard on Friday.
"When I pointed out to a worker that the tax did not take effect until Jan. 1, I was told they did it to take advantage of the New Year Eve's rush," she said, adding it was "outrageous."


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HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — The research and development team at Microban International, based in Huntersville, released a white paper on May 4 entitled “Antimicrobials in Healthcare” that focuses on the benefits of antimicrobial product protection in the healthcare setting. The white paper includes 10 key points for health care industry decision makers to consider.
Antimicrobials in Healthcare was developed as a response to independent third-party testing that has repeatedly confirmed that routine cleaning is not enough to keep health care environments clean to a standard that meets their needs. Additionally, it is a response to the constant efforts by the health care industry to find better products, materials and equipment to support keeping surfaces cleaner for longer periods of time.
According to the white paper, embedded antimicrobials are antimicrobials incorporated into products during their manufacture, and become a permanent part of the product. Antimicrobial technologies are currently used in a wide range of health care-related products already, including in storage and transport equipment, building materials, procedural tools and administrative supplies and equipment.
While these products are already in use by many health care facilities, the goal of the white paper is to provide health care decision-makers with a basic understanding of “embedded antimicrobials,” an overview of the benefits of antimicrobial solutions and to address common misconceptions about the use of these products to further encourage their use. The white paper offers further information and benefits of these products to continue the encouragement of further and widespread use of these antimicrobial technologies.
“The role of embedded antimicrobials as part of an overall ‘systems approach’ to creating cleaner surfaces in the health care environment is an important topic to examine,” said Dr. Gina Sloan, director of innovations at Microban and author of the white paper, in a recent statement. “The incorporation of built-in antimicrobials complements good hygiene practices by providing an added level of protection, keeping products and equipment cleaner between cleanings, at a microscopic level.”


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DIY Powers Through Tough Times1 May, 2009 By: Doug McPherson Response
Direct response continues to build a strong foundation for hardware marketers facing cautious consumers.
Hammer It Home With DRTV
No doubt, Harker is a big fan of the multi-channel approach to marketing as is Doug Garnett, president of Atomic Direct, an ad agency in Portland, Ore., that specializes in brands, consumer strategy, infomercials and driving sales with TV.
But Garnett, a member of the Response Editorial Advisory Board, will also tell you TV is key in promoting hardware, primarily because it allows for demonstration — particularly for tools. However, Garnett warns of cheesy sales tactics, especially in hardware.
"The DIY audience is skeptical," Garnett says. "It's the 'but wait, there's more' antics, tacky music, fake excitement and lines like the host didn't know something obvious, 'Gee Bob, I didn't know wood came from trees.'"
SuperWhipper Inc. is hoping that the do-it-yourself trend spills over into the kitchen. Its recently launched SuperWhipper is relying on four primary channels: DRTV, DR print, trade shows and the Web to get the new gadget into cooks' hands.
Garnett hates it, too, when the set of an infomercial for tools is too clean. "There will be sawdust. Shops have a certain look. I call it 'No BS elements'," he says. "If the host's fingernails are manicured, I don't believe you."
He adds that exaggerations in DRTV can even hurt sales. For example, when an ad says consumers may be able to get rid of all their other tools, that can work against sales. "Many consumers like their tools, some of which may have been handed down from their father or grandfather," Garnett says.
One of Atomic's clients, Kreg Tool Co. of Huxley, Iowa, is paying heed to this advice. Last fall, Atomic produced a half-hour show for the company's Kreg Jig® — which makes it easy to connect pieces of wood — that's now running on networks such as Speed, DIY and HGTV. (There is an 8-minute excerpt on its Web site at www.kregjoint.com.)
Brad Lilienthal, director of sales and marketing for Kreg, says the spot has yielded "substantial improvement" in Web traffic and dealer retail sales — both key goals to help build the brand.


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BEST BUY has stopped selling all analog TV sets and has ordered stores to pull unsold sets from the shelves, ensuring an all-digital holiday season. The mandate is an aggressive and bold move to prepare for the upcoming digital transition. The retailer has committed to selling digital-to-analog convertors and will stock them by early January.
MYSPACE officially announced plans to open its platform to developers within the coming months and allow them to earn ad revenue from services they create. Rupert Murdoch told a gathering at the Web 2.0 Summit that the site will fall short of its earnings forecast but will still pull in $750 million for the company’s 2008 fiscal year. The mogul noted that this is 30 times the revenue it generated when he purchased the site for $580 million in 2005.
THE DAILY SHOW will launch the new DailyShow.com this Thursday at noon. The site will contain almost the entire show archives with over 16,000 video clips from the past nine years. New shows will be posted by 8 AM the morning following broadcast. Comedy Central has committed to giving South Park the same treatment on the new South Park Studios.
NIELSEN and ESPN will work together to track viewers across multiple platforms including online, mobile and TV. Nielsen’s TV/Internet Convergence Panel will link up with Nielsen Mobile and other sources in an attempt to measure how TV can drive people to the web and how the web can drive people to TV. The initiative will give ESPN a better understanding of its audience and offer advertisers more information on how their money is being spent.
KEVIN MARTIN is circulating a proposal to relax media ownership rules and allow companies to own both newspaper and TV stations in the same city. The proposal seeks a rapid repeal within the next two months. It is already supported by a majority of FCC commission members and, of course, Rupert Murdoch.


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More than half of Australian consumers now active users of FinTech products and services
Tuesday, 11 June 2019
- 58% of digitally active Australians now use FinTech, compared to 37% in 2017
- China and India are the global leaders in consumer adoption, at 87%
- Globally, small and medium enterprises (SME) FinTech adoption is at 25%; with China leading at 61% followed by the US (23%)
More than half of digitally active Australians (58%) are now using FinTech products and services – up substantially from just 37% in 2017, according to the EY Global FinTech Adoption Index 2019 (Index). However, while FinTech use in the Australian market continues to rise, the pace of local adoption has slowed in comparison to emerging markets, with Australia now sitting slightly below the global consumer adoption average of 64%.
The latest Index found Mainland China and India have the highest rate of consumer FinTech adoption globally at 87%. Across the Asia-Pacific region, adoption rates have doubled, and in some cases even tripled, across key markets in just two years; with Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea all now sitting at 67%.
The third iteration of the Index is based on an online survey of more than 27,000 digitally active consumers in 27 markets, including Australia. This year, it also includes a survey of 1,000 SMEs using FinTech services in Mainland China, the US, the UK, South Africa and Mexico.
Meredith Angwin, Ernst & Young Australia FinTech advisor, said:
“While starting from a higher base than many other Asian markets, Australia has dipped under the global average in this year’s survey. Although our incumbent financial institutions have begun embracing FinTech, their current offerings in this space lag behind what we are seeing in some other markets and this has likely had an impact on our overall ranking. However, we expect this to change as more “challenger” fintechs continue to come into the local market and the major players step up their innovation agendas in order to remain competitive and address evolving consumer demands.”
Money transfers and payment services driving awareness
The Index also found that, globally, an average 89% of consumers are aware of the existence of in-store mobile phone payment platforms and 82% are aware of peer-to-peer payment systems and non-bank money transfers. Availability of these FinTech services is even more accentuated in Mainland China with 99.5% of consumers aware of money transfer and mobile payment services.
James Lloyd, EY Asia-Pacific FinTech and Payments Leader, said:
“Most Asian markets benefit from a powerful “fintech feedback loop”, with the increased adoption driving increased innovation – and vice-versa. As Mainland China continues to lead on consumer and SME-focused financial services innovation, the inspiration from Chinese fintechs is increasingly permeating across the region. This influence can be seen in the response of incumbent institutions seeking to build out their own fintech-inspired propositions, as well as increased regulatory support for non-traditional challenger players across banking, insurance, and wealth management.”
Changing customer priorities
According to the EY Global FinTech Adoption Index 2019, customer expectations have evolved, resulting in disruption and innovation in the financial services industry. Traditional banks, insurers and wealth managers are disrupting their own propositions by offering digitally accessible and technology-forward services. Findings from the Index showed 27% ranked pricing as their top priority and 20% picked the ease of opening an account while choosing a FinTech service. In Japan, trust is the only factor for not choosing a fintech challenger over traditional financial institutions.
“We’re also seeing an emerging trend towards industry convergence, with sector leaders in adjacent industries such as transport, retail, and telecommunications increasingly offering digitally enabled financial services. This is yet another area in which we believe that Asia will take a leading role, as they already have with FinTech innovation and adoption.”
- Ends -
Notes to Editors
EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.
EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation is available via ey.com/privacy. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.
This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young Australia, a member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited.
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.
About the study
The report, now in its third year, is based on an online survey of more than 27,000 consumers in 27 markets. The consumer survey is based on online interviews with digitally active adults between 4 February and 11 March 2019. The aim was to get a global understanding of FinTech adoption trends between markets, demographic groups, and over time. We interviewed consumers in Argentina, Australia, Belgium and Luxembourg (treated as one market), Brazil, Canada, Chile, China (mainland), Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the US.
This year it also includes an index based on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) using FinTech services – a survey of 1,000 companies in China, the USA, the UK, South Africa and Mexico.
The 2015 study had 10 FinTech services within five broad categories, and we defined a FinTech adopter as someone who used two or more of these services. In 2017, in recognition of how the industry had evolved, we added seven services that were becoming more prevalent globally (although not necessarily in all our markets). To improve compatibility among the surveys, we introduced the concept of “buckets” and grouped similar services together. Therefore, a FinTech adopter was someone who used two or more buckets.
The 2019 study retains the same five categories used in prior years: money transfer and payments, budgeting and financial planning, savings and investments, borrowing, and insurance. There are now 19 individual services. However, by maintaining the same ten buckets that we used in 2017, we helped year-on-year comparisons. We have also recognized that some of these services are the “disrupted” services historically been offered by traditional financial providers, and some are “invented” services originated by FinTech challengers and enabled by technology.
As with prior years, during the interviews, we described each FinTech service in non-technical terms and provided named, market-specific providers of those services to aid the respondents’ comprehension.


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In our continuous effort to see possible futures, one need only look around the world for glimpses of emerging futures. Whether it’s companion and care robots in Japan (driven by an aging society that is now a global phenomenon), a new race into space, or the automation of war, the world is throwing off signals. With this in mind, China may be providing a glimpse into the future of shopping.
The Changing World of Retail
The pandemic has had wide spread impact across multiple domains, and Retail is a space with considerable impact. As I mentioned in a Post last week, we have seen ten years of ecommerce growth in three months. Does the rapid surge of ecommerce represent the future, or does our human desire for social interaction serve as a positive catalyst for physical retail? Will physical retail survive in a post-pandemic world? In a recent Video Clip, Fool.com contributor Matt Frankel and Industry Focus host Jason Moser ask Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary how the pandemic will change retail, if at all. Here is a summary of his perspective.
The Future of Retail
The National Retail Federation (NRF) kicked off it’s annual event this week, and with it comes an opportunity to consider the future of retail and the type of changes we might expect. Colleagues at Tata Consultancy Services (Kevin Mulcahy, Bill Quinn, and April Harris) pulled together their thoughts ahead of the event. You can explore the future of Retail via this Article, and/or the short video below.
The Retail Industry Turns to Analytics
In a recent Blog Post titled Where is Business Analytics Going? I describe the compelling reasons for the growing use of advanced analytics – and the challenges that organizations face in realizing value from their efforts. The Retail Industry may be the poster child for business analytics, as they face some very compelling reasons to expand their analytic footprint. Ventana Research believes that the retail industry is going through a transformation, as volumes and sources of data continue to expand. They state that “Retailers are just starting to realize that understanding and influencing customer conversations on the Internet in social media channels is a necessity and that it requires a new type of analytics that can process text and phrases that reveal consumer sentiment and opinions of their brands”.
Disruption in the Retail Industry
In this report from The IBM Business Value Institute titled Meeting the Demands of the Smarter Consumer, it is easy to see the impact that the smarter consumer is having on the retail industry. This is a broader indicator of the challenges facing all businesses and governments and underscores the need for customer intimacy as a business imperative. This to me continues to highlight that our current social and data-rich state represents both tremendous opportunity and considerable challenge. I recommend this report for its insight into this growing phenomena.


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While Google is only testing Android 13, the network has information about the preparation of a big release in 2023 – Android 14 U.
This is not surprising, since the company will start working on big updates much in advance. For example, similar “evidence” for Android 13 was discovered in the summer of 2021.
This time, enthusiasts have discovered a new document in the AOSP (Android Open Source Project) code repository Gerrit, which says that Google has decided to name the version of Android 13 U Upside Down Cake. This is the first mention of an internal codename for the next version of Android.
Google stopped publicly naming versions of Android with the addition of a “sweet” name with the release of Android 10, but the tradition of codename “dessert” names continues to be kept by the company’s developers for internal purposes.
Upside Down Cake is an “inverted” cake or cake – a fruit filling is placed in the bottom of the mold, and after baking, the finished cake is turned over and a layer of fruit is on top.
So far, desserts like this have been used for Android internal or public names:
- Android 1.5: Cupcake (cupcake);
- Android 1.6: Donut (donut);
- Android 2.0: Eclair (eclair);
- Android 2.2: Froyo (frozen yogurt);
- Android 2.3: Gingerbread (gingerbread);
- Android 3.0: Honeycomb (honeycombs);
- Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich (ice cream sandwich);
- Android 4.1: Jelly Bean (chewable);
- Android 4.4: KitKat (KitKat chocolate bar);
- Android 5.0: Lollipop (lollipop);
- Android 6.0: Marshmallow (Marshmallow);
- Android 7.0: Nougat (nougat);
- Android 8.0: Oreo (Oreo sandwich cookie);
- Android 9: Pie (pie);
- Android 10: Quince Tart (kind of sweet pie);
- Android 11: Red Velvet Cake (Red Velvet Cake);
- Android 12: Snow Cone (popsicles in a cone);
- Android 13: Tiramisu (tiramisu).
Paid apps in Huawei AppGallery can be downloaded completely free of charge: Huawei has not yet responded
Since Huawei was under US sanctions, Huawei has been forced to switch to its own software solutions as it is banned from using Google services. One of them is the AppGallery app store, which has become a replacement for Google Play.
AppGallery has a pretty serious issue that one developer says has remained unresolved for months, even though he reported it to Huawei back in February. This vulnerability allows anyone with a little bit of technical skill, some free time, and a bit of inclination to put in a little effort to download and install any paid app from AppGallery without paying for it. Of course, for developers who support Huawei by releasing their apps in the AppGallery, this is very bad news.
Dylan Roussel, the developer who discovered the problem, emphasizes that this vulnerability is on the side of Huawei, which still remains unresolved. The bottom line is that the AppGallery API does not offer any protection for paid apps.
Roussel himself was able to download and use several paid apps by exploiting this vulnerability. Obviously, this is a big problem, because with the active exploitation of the vulnerability, developers will receive less profit from the possible sale of their applications.
It remains to be hoped that Huawei will soon solve the problem.
The new king of Android: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus is 10% faster and 30% more energy efficient than its predecessor
Tomorrow, Qualcomm will host an event where the company plans to unveil its flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus mobile platform. But the key characteristics of the single-chip system leaked before the announcement.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus (SM8475) will be manufactured using 4nm process technology by TSMC. The platform will offer an overall performance boost through overclocking. The processor will still retain the “1 + 3 + 4” architecture. It will receive the main Cortex-X2 core, three Cortex A710 cores and four Cortex-A510 cores.
According to well-known insider Digital Chat Station, the architecture of the CPU and GPU remained the same, but at the same time significantly (30%) improved energy efficiency. Productivity increased by 10%.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus will replace the existing Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and will soon be available in flagship smartphones from various brands.
Digital Chat Station was the first to report the specifications of Xiaomi 12 and Redmi K50.
The latest Google Camera (GCam Go) for low-cost Android devices is out
There are many ports of the original Google Camera (GCam) for different brands of smartphones. However, the app may not work on low-end devices for which the GCam Go app is made.
Camera Go v2.12 is the latest stable version of GCam Go and is already available for most Android Go devices. It works great on devices running Android 8.0 or later.
This version includes support for HDR+, night mode for low-light photography, support for additional camera modules, and other improvements. The app supports a wide range of devices from leading OEMs including Samsung (both Exynos and Snapdragon), Xiaomi, OnePlus, Vivo, Oppo and more. The app works well with all the leading SoCs on the market, including Snapdragon, MediaTek, and Exynos.
What’s new in GCam Go v2.12:
- Added support for ultra wide-angle lenses
- Fixed intermittent support for many devices including Redmi Note 7 series and several Samsung devices
- The application now supports 32-bit and 64-bit architecture
- Fixes for HDR+ and color grading. Night mode has also been improved
- Updated GUI and in-app layout
Download GCam Go v2.12 MOD APK.
Rostec introduced a portable radar system to protect against drones
Ruselectronics holding, part of the Rostec State Corporation, has developed a portable radar station (RLS) to protect critical infrastructure from...
A couple of weeks ago, the LHR protection in Nvidia graphics cards was cracked, which allowed everyone to use accelerators...
Director General of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin outlined the launch date for the Luna-25 spacecraft, which is to be launched from...
iPhone 13 and 13 Pro Max became the best-selling phones in the world
Analyst Francisco Geronimo of IDC reports that Apple’s iPhone 13 was the world’s best-selling smartphone in the first quarter of...
Wearables6 days ago
The latest Google Pixel Watch smartwatch may get the Samsung Exynos 9110 platform from 2018
Components7 days ago
AMD will do it again. Ryzen 7000 processors may be 25-35% faster than the current generation
Phones7 days ago
An improved version of the Huawei Mate 40 smartphone went on sale under the name TD Tech M40 in China
Components4 days ago
World’s first 14″ laptop with 75Wh battery and Magic OS. Honor MagicBook 14 unveiled with 2K screen, Intel Core 12 processors and GeForce RTX 2050 GPU


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Giant Food is rolling out updated shelf labels that enable shoppers to identify products from minority-owned businesses.Plans call for all Giant supermarkets to post the new shelf labels starting in January, the Landover, Md.-based regional grocer said yesterday. The labels will inform customers about items from companies that are women-, Black-, Asian-Indian-, Hispanic-, LGBT-, Asian-Pacific- or veteran-owned.More than 3,100 food and nonfood products will feature the updated shelf labels across Giant's 164 stores in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia. The retailer said the items come from 281 minority-owned businesses in its network of vendor partners."Giant Food is proud to better highlight our diverse suppliers," Giant President Ira Kress said in a statement. "We're committed to making it easier for customers to identify product attributes that are important to them by fostering a diverse and inclusive network of suppliers that reflects the unique backgrounds and experiences of our Giant family, our customers and our communities."
Giant Food is owned by Dutch Company, Ahold Delhaize who has more than 750 stores in the U.S. operating under the brands: Hannaford, Food Lion, Giant Food, and Stop & Shop brands. The company has a majority stake in FreshDirect, an online grocer.


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Jaunt VR, a company specialising in 360 VR Video, has collaborated with outdoor apparel giant ‘The North Face‘, going out on into the wilderness to create a VR experience which captures the beauty of the great outdoors in 360 degree 3D glory.
Jaunt is fast gathering quite a cache of 360 VR Video content. After exiting stealth mode following investment rounds last year, they’ve become a name to watch in the rapidly evolving VR Cinema space.
Now, they’ve collaborated with ‘The North Face’ to get out into the wild and attempt to capture its natural beauty for recreation in VR. The company’s proprietary cinematic VR technology, capable of capturing images in 360 degrees with full stereoscopy, has been put through its paces as it followed The North Face global athletes Cedar Wright and Sam Elias on a trek which takes them through Yosemite National Park and Moab, Utah.
Jaunts cameras faced down precarious cliff edges and were even mounted below a specialised quad-copter in order to capture the required shots.
“Working with The North Face to capture the remarkable beauty of our national parks has been one of our favorite and most powerful projects to date,” said Jens Christensen, CEO of Jaunt. “We are creating an entirely new medium for entertainment and the content we’ve captured in Yosemite and Moab are perfect examples of just how transformative cinematic virtual reality can be.”
The experience is to form part of a marketing push in select ‘The North Face’ stores out of Chicago come March 16th. If you happen to live nearby, you’ll be able to pop in, don a VR Headset and step into the wilderness, virtually.
“The North Face and our athletes are always looking to bring people into our expeditions and spark people’s interest in getting outdoors,” said Aaron Carpenter, Vice President of Marketing, The North Face. “The North Face VR transports people to Yosemite and Moab to see the beauty and be inspired to go see it for themselves.”
Using virtual reality to market goods and brands is becoming almost common place these days. But as VR technology improves and content producers like Jaunt become more adept at honing experiences, cinematic or otherwise, the technology holds fairly potent power as a marketing tool.
SXSW Interactive 2015 visitors can also receive an exclusive sneak peek of the content on Google Cardboard by visiting the Google Fiber Space at SXSW.
Full Disclosure: Brian Hart, who is Senior Systems Engineer at Jaunt, contributes articles to Road to VR.


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House of Fraser hires search and social agencies
By Sarah Shearman, campaignlive.co.uk, Tuesday, 07 June 2011 01:06PM
House of Fraser, the privately owned department store, has appointed two specialist digital agencies in a bid to double its online sales to £100m in 2011.
It has appointed Greenlight, the search-marketing agency, alongside We Are Social, the social media agency, to work together to create a digital marketing strategy incorporating search and social.
House of Fraser aims to create a more "pleasant and fun" online shopping experience, and will look to increase visibility of its clothing range in search, engage with more customers, and improve retention levels.
In 2010, it reported online sales of £50m and wants to grow the number of brands it sells online from 850 to 1,000 this year.
In April, House of Fraser appointed Fallon to handle its £5m advertising account, having previously created most of its marketing in-house.
This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk
- Exhibition Designers WRG Live Competitive salary and benefits package dependant upon experience, Manchester, Greater Manchester
- Producer WRG Live Competitve salary and benefits package dependent upon experience, London (Central), London (Greater) / Manchester, Greater Manchester
- Content Manager WRG Live Competitive salary and benefits package, Manchester, Greater Manchester
- Digital Media Consultant Silverdrum £25,000 - £35,000 depending on experience + uncapped commission, London (Greater)
- Account Director - B2B and IT David Thatcher Recruitment £45-55k, West London, M40 Corridor
- Macmillan defends hijacking ice bucket challenge
- Comparethemarket.com first UK brand to run Facebook Premium Video ads
- Game Of Thrones actress stars in online Karen Millen campaign
- Guinness Africa launches 'made of black' campaign with Kanye West ad
- Twitter launches learning hub for agencies
- Uncle Ben's launches YouTube cooking show


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In July, Goyard announced one of its new bags would be a reversible bag named the Goyard Anjou Tote. One of the most popular Goyard bags is its St. Louis Tote, which is a staple for the brand and the accessory world.
We’ve already brought you a detailed look at Louis Vuitton’s brand new City Steamer (not to mention its extremely expensive crocodile iteration), but those aren’t the only bags Vuitton has cooked up for Cruise 2016. The brand’s Palm Springs runway show was full of new prints and shapes, including bags patterned after rippling water and palm trees, as well as a new line of backpacks in traditional monogram canvas.
Cyber Monday may have come and gone, but during this time of year, a new day often brings with it a new opportunity to pick up something great (both for yourself and for others) at an exceptional price. Today through December 10, that opportunity is the Macy’s Friends & Family Sale, where you can get 25% off almost all purchases, as well as 10% off the site’s extensive selections of electronics and home furnishings. All you have to do is use code FRIEND at checkout! Read More…
If you tried shopping for something specific this weekend, you probably got a bit overwhelmed. Most sites launch everything all at once, and trying to find a specific bag in a specific size and color can be a daunting task when everyone’s prices are a little different and you’re not sure you’re getting the best deal. To streamline the process for those of you looking for popular bags, we tore through the Internet’s best sale selections in search of pieces that rarely go on sale; below, you can enjoy the fruits of our labor. Keep in mind that most of these are available in extremely limited quantities, so time is of the essence. Read More…
A lot of great sales and deals have happened over the past few days, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t warn you of your last chance to shop one of the very best. Now through December 1, you can take an extra 20% off sale prices at LUISAVIAROMA with code BFPSE20, including bags from brands like Givenchy and Saint Laurent. What more could you ask for?
You might not able to guess which bag Cindy Crawford has been carrying for seven years. It’s not Chanel, or Chloé, or any handbag brand that’s repeatedly demonstrated a decade’s worth of staying power, though it is a brand that is legendary in its own way, despite not being especially well-known for its handbags.
Macy’s has pulled out all the stops for shoppers looking for deals this year, and Cyber Monday is certainly no exception to that. Right now, you can get 20% off sale prices with code CYBER, as well as a whole host of brand new deals. Act quickly, though–these offers end today, November 30.
Just because you’re back at work doesn’t mean it’s time for Thanksgiving sales to be over quite yet. Today’s Cyber Monday, and that means we have one more day’s worth of deals, markdowns and coupon codes to pore over while you ease back into the work week. With these prices, we don’t think your boss will blame you.


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Russian excise stamp shortage threatens alcohol imports
Russia introduced updated alcohol excise duty stamps last week
The Russian Government is considering how to prevent a potential halt to deliveries of foreign alcohol into the country caused by a delay in providing sufficient quantities of new-style excise stamps to importers.
The new stamps took effect on 1 July, with all alcoholic drinks imports required to carry them. However, a hold-up in talks between the Government and a key stamp supplying contractor is believed to be behind the lack of stamps.
Valery Filatov, chairman of the Russian Union of Importers of Alcoholic Beverages, said: "Problems with obtaining excise stamps have already caused the suspension of further supplies of alcohol imports by certain companies to Russia, while the situation continues to deteriorate."
The shortage has prompted fears that unless matters are resolved soon, the sales of major drinks brands could be badly affected during the peak pre-Christmas sales period. Russian alcohol producers and retailers can make up to half their annual turnover between October and December.
With this in mind, the Russian government may extend the terms of the sale of alcohol using the older stamps until 1 September. "The Russian government is currently considering several ways for the solution of the existing problem, the most likely of which may involve the extension of the sale of alcohol with old stamp," said an official spokesman for First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov.
"The government is conducting a series of consultations regarding this issue."
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- Global Scotch insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
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- Battle of the Generations - The fight for iGen, Millennial, Gen X and Baby Boomer consumers
- Myanmar - ISA Country Report
- Global vodka insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends


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Pre-pandemic, FDA regulations required chain restaurants and similar retail food establishments with 20 or more locations to provide nutrition information, including calorie declarations, for standard menu items on menu boards.
But due to the COVID-19 outbreak, restaurants and food manufacturers have large quantities of food on hand that is not labeled for retail sale and cannot be sold in restaurants in the manner initially intended. As a result, the FDA has issued temporary policies on nutrition labeling that will make it easier for restaurants and food manufacturers to sell food that was not originally intended for retail sale.
The guidance document provides temporary flexibility to chain restaurants and similar retail food establishments currently required to provide nutrition information. The policy change, which will remain in effect only for the duration of the public health emergency, was brought about by recent changes to restaurant operations nationwide.
Many restaurants are temporarily changing business practices as a result of the pandemic. For example, some dine-in operations are switching to takeout only, which may require changes in online ordering portals and printed menus. Because calorie information is required to be declared for standard menu items when a consumer makes a selection, restaurants may have difficulty providing this information during a rapid transition to a takeout business practice.
Additionally, some of these restaurants may be experiencing temporary disruptions in the food supply chain, which may lead to different menus or substitutions that could affect the accuracy of the nutrition information. To provide flexibility to these chains covered by menu labeling requirements, the FDA will not object if restaurants do not meet menu labeling requirements during this public health emergency.
While the FDA’s guidance documents are not legally enforcible, they describe the agency’s current thinking on a topic and should be viewed only as recommendations. Whether restaurants choose to adhere to these new guidelines remains to be seen.


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Fine phone slammers, says TSI
Industry told to 'clean up its act'
The head of the Trading Standards Institute (TSI) has called for "strong penalties" to combat mis-selling by telecoms companies.
TSI chief exec Ron Gainsford said he is "concerned at the growing problem of telecoms mis-selling and would like to see strong penalties for misleading sales behaviour".
His comments come on the first anniversary of Ofcom's industry code of conduct, designed to stamp out slamming and other dodgy sales techniques.
In May 2005, all telcos flogging fixed line services had to adhere to a mandatory code of practice to prevent punters being duped into switching telephone suppliers. In the worst "slamming" cases, punters are switched from one telco to another without their knowledge or consent. Companies that breach the new rules could be fined up to 10 per cent of turnover.
At the time, Ofcom chief exec Stephen Carter said: "These measures should help support progress towards the appropriate levels of clarity and transparency whilst the market continues to mature."
But BT says that little has changed over the last 12 months and wants the telecoms industry to "clean up its act" after receiving more than 200,000 complaints about mis-selling over the last year.
In a statement, BT Consumer MD Gavin Patterson said: "This is an anniversary the telecoms industry should be ashamed of. We've received 200,000 complaints since the codes were introduced and...with complaints to us running up to 20,000 a month, we're worried thousands more customers are going to suffer from the problem in the year ahead."
A spokesman for Ofcom told us that enforcing the rules introduced in this area last year "is a priority for Ofcom".
"We continue to run an industry-wide investigation into compliance which has led to action against several individual companies. When changes to the rules were made, we said we'd assess their impact over a two year period and that is what will happen over the coming months," he told us. ®


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The cotton market is lower Tuesday with overnight comments from President Trump suggesting the possibility of a long-term delay with a China deal bringing out the bears. March cotton has already taken out its low of last week, and is threatening to break established trend-line support. Adding to cotton’s negative tone Tuesday is a retreating Dow Jones.
USDA reported the 2019 crop is 83% harvested. That number is above last year’s same time pace of 74%, and exceeds its five-year average of 81% gathered. Reports we gather indicate the nation’s gins are running at a fevered pace as many producers want to jettison their production fearing even lower prices.
The comments from President Trump are casting a tone of doubt over the market making this week’s sales and exports data all the more important. If the market can see strong sales, essentially minus China, it would then have reason enough to at least stabilize. Still, a new round of U.S. tariffs are due to be implemented on December 15, so sentiment may worsen all the more.
For Tuesday, support for March cotton is 64.30 cents and 63.70 cents, with resistance at 65.60 cents and 66.20 cents. Overnight, volume is 7,680 contracts.


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South Koreans expect consumer prices will rise further this year due to possible increases in utility and raw materials costs, the central bank said Monday.
Consumers' perceptions of increases in consumer prices in the past year came to 2.7 percent in January, the highest level in 26 months, according to data from the Bank of Korea.
Meanwhile, the consumers' expected inflation rate for the next 12 months came to 2.8 percent in January, the highest level in 28 months, the BOK data showed.
Separately, local companies have said they could raise their product prices next month due to higher purchase costs of oil and other raw materials, the data said. The central bank expected South Korea to import crude oil at US$51 per barrel this year, higher than $41 last year. It also projected that prices of raw materials could go up this year on the back of recovery in the international raw materials markets.
South Korea's provincial authorities also said they plan to raise utility costs and transportation fees, adding to consumers woes. (Yonhap)


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Small Business Week 9/13-17
For nearly 20 years Jerry S. Pearlstein Insurance has been privileged to serve and support the entrepreneurs, the small business owners who provide goods, services and employment critical to America’s economy.
Every year since 1963 the President has issued a proclamation recognizing you for your grit, creativity, resilience and service. This year we’re celebrating you from Monday, September 13th through Friday, September 14th.
The Small Business Administration will honor the 30 million small business owners and start-ups with a 3-day virtual Summit. On Monday the daily focus will be on ‘Getting Back on Track: Resources to Build Back Better’. Sessions include one on Government incentives to support and retain employees.
On Tuesday, the daily theme will focus on ‘Better Serving Small Businesses and Underserved Communities’. Sessions include one on how small businesses can adapt to the trends transforming the workforce.
The third day’s focus will be on ‘Continuance to Support Resilience and Renewal’, with sessions including one on recovery lessons from the nation’s entrepreneurial coaching networks.
To learn more and register for the summit visit: www.sba.gov/NSBW.
The Small Business Advocacy Council has a strong agenda before the Illinois legislature.
RISE (Recovery Initiative to Support Employment) advocates for a grant program for businesses with fewer than 50 employees to retain and hire employees.
Licensing Reform. House Bill 4012 looks to remove unnecessary, burdensome and overly restrictive licenses. The SBAC calls for phasing out license requirements that hurt entrepreneurs and the Illinois economy. They advocate honoring occupational licenses from other states.
An Intrastate Crowdfunding Portal is proposed to encourage local investment in main street businesses and commercial corridors in Illinois.
Funding for Local Chambers of Commerce is requested as the Delta Variant continues to disrupt the Chambers’ ability to support entrepreneurs with information and sales growth opportunities while not competing with their members for government funding.
For more information on SBAC Small Business Package go to www.sbacil.org.
6 Ways You Can Celebrate Small Business Week
- Buy Gift Cards. …
- Order Local This Month. …
- Start a Shop Local Challenge on Your Social Media. …
- Pay It Forward. …
- Nominate a Business for a Small Business Award. …
- Highlight Local Small Businesses Online. …
We salute all of you small business owners. You’re the best people in the world. We’re proud to get you the healthcare insurance that keeps you and your families healthy and safe.


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American multinational computer technology company Dell is selling its security unit RSA for $2.08 billion (R30 billion) to investors led by Symphony Technology Group, with Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board and AlpInvest Partners as other partners of the consortium.
Dell took control of RSA after the historic 2016 $67 billion transaction that combined two global technology heavyweights – Dell and EMC – in what was then termed the largest technology merger in history.
The RSA transaction will include purchase of products RSA Archer, RSA NetWitness Platform, RSA SecurID, RSA Fraud and Risk Intelligence, and RSA Conference – the world’s largest security conference where experts discuss important cyber security trends, challenges, solutions and innovations.
In a statement, Dell says RSA provides risk, security and fraud teams with the ability to holistically manage digital risk, including threat detection and response, identity and access management, integrated risk management and omnichannel fraud prevention.
Additionally, the company notes more than 12 500 customers rely on RSA to enable their digital transformation, address increasingly advanced cyber threats and adapt to more complex digital regulations.
According to Dell, the deal is expected to be closed in the next six to nine months. The company didn’t disclose terms of the transaction.
Jeff Clarke, chief operating officer and vice-chairman of Dell Technologies, says: “This is the right long-term strategy for Dell, RSA and our collective customers and partners. The transaction will further simplify our business and product portfolio. It also allows Dell Technologies to focus on our strategy to build automated and intelligent security into infrastructure, platforms and devices to keep data safe, protected and resilient.”
Representing the new investors, William Chisholm, managing partner at Symphony Technology Group, is optimistic about the future of RSA.
He says: “As one of the world’s elite security brands, RSA represents a great opportunity for solving some of the rapidly developing customer challenges that go along with digital transformation.
“We are excited and fully committed to maximising the power of RSA’s talent, expertise and tremendous growth potential, and continuing RSA’s strategy to serve customers with a holistic approach to managing their digital risk.”


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The Mobile World Congress event is a vital one for Samsung. Along with the Galaxy S6, we'll be watching for new wearables and a mobile payments system.
Xiaomi launches the Yi Action Camera with a spec sheet to match GoPro's entry-level camera and two-digit price tag.
Available in September, the 40 Cesium is an affordable smartphone running Microsoft's Windows Phone software.
Pricing not available
French carrier Orange will include six months of voice, text and data service with the budget phone. Here's a look at the MediaTek-powered 3.5-inch model from Mobile World Congress.
Unless you insist on bulbs that look as traditional as possible, there's no reason to choose Saffron over stronger offerings from Philips, Cree and Osram.
Not everybody will love the fit of Master and Dynamic's over-the-ear MH40 headphones, but they are very well-built and sound excellent.
The deal scores you $20 off the cost of a 12-month subscription to the service, which offers multiplayer gaming, free games and other benefits.
There's nothing wrong with this LED, but it's priced above competitors that outperform it, which makes it difficult to recommend.
Mozilla's major new ally will sell its Klif phone and six months' network service in 13 countries in Africa and the Middle East. Orange likes Firefox OS's inexpensive hardware requirements and expects to sell millions.
The flash memory specialist announces a 200GB microSD card, drives to backup phone photos and transfer them to PCs, and a high-endurance microSD card for dashcams.


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|The state we're in: Lumber improves||| Print ||
|Articles - September 2010|
Western softwood lumber production, including 27 Oregon mills, toppled to 10.7 billion board feet in 2009, down 44.6% compared to 2005 with 19.3 billion. However, 8.7% more board feet were produced year-to-date in June than last year, and Random Lengths’ Framing Lumber Composite price index rebounded 44% year-to-date as of July versus 2009, pushing to $357 in April, a level not seen since 2006.
BY RESEARCH EDITOR BRANDON SAWYER
|Starbucks to post nutrition info|
|Obama may not renominate Bernanke|
|Is Netflix the new HBO?|
|Processed foods looking more natural|
|Builders point to 'home within a home' housing trend|
|Apple reveals U.S. data inquiries|
|Microsoft Office finally available on iPhones|
|100 Best Green Companies to Work For in Oregon 2013|
|Design for change|
|Nurturing startup success|
|The sharing economy|
|Oregon State Treasurer Ted Wheeler balances life, work, play|
|Froelick Gallery's art dealer|
|The art whisperer|
Lane Powell is proud to announce the formal launch of their Privacy and Data Security Practice Group, which was organized to better serve their clients in this increasingly popular area — an area their attorneys have been working in for years.
From Oregon Translational Research and Development Institute: OTRADI today announced its plans to open and operate a 13,000 square-foot multi-tenant bioscience complex in the Willamette Wharf building at 4640 SW Macadam Avenue. Slated to be complete in spring 2013, the OTRADI Bioscience Incubator (OBI) will house up to six companies.
MEDIAmerica, publisher of Oregon Business and Oregon Home magazines, announces a new retail website: HalfOffOregon.com. The website offers lodging, dining, recreation and many other items at half off their regular cost.
As you probably know by now, The Vernon Company is a national leader in the promotional products industry with annual sales of over $60 million. We are a family owned business, led by the fourth generation of the Vernon family.


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Ann Freeman (f.k.a. Herbert), former VIP of Nike North America, has been named to the board of Allbirds, effective immediately. This was announced by Allbirds in a press release on August 17. Allbirds described Freeman as a former 26-year employee of Nike who most recently served as its VP and general manager for North America.
In the press release Ms Freeman said, “I am delighted to join… the Allbirds Board at such an exciting moment as consumers worldwide are seeking a no compromise approach to footwear and apparel focused on style, comfort, and sustainability.”
Freeman was forced to resign from her executive role at Nike last year when her son’s business was exposed in a sneaker resale scandal. Nike announced that although it did not find that she violated any company policies, after discussions with her then manager, Heidi O’Neill, they came to an agreement that it was best for her to leave the company. Nike CEO, John Donahoe, later weighed in on the matter saying “The fact of the matter is, this incident has sparked questions in some of our consumers about whether they can trust us, particularly around launch product.”
After Freeman left Nike appointed Sarah Mensah in her position.


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Marks & Spencer shares fell by 3.5% in early trading today despite a 2.8% rise in third quarter food sales after it revealed a slump in general merchandise revenues.
M&S said it experienced record food sales (up 17%) in the Christmas week, but the quarterly food growth amounted to just 0.1% on a like-for-like basis – below the 1% analysts had predicted.
Chief Executive Marc Bolland said M&S had “strongly outperformed” the market in food sales, noting that it had increased consumer choice by launching almost 750 new products during the period.
However, Bolland admitted general merchandise had a “difficult” quarter. Sales fell by 5.4% in the division and 5.8% on a like-for-like basis. Bolland blamed “unseasonal conditions and an unsatisfactory performance in our e-commerce distribution centre” for the sales slump.
As a result, group sales were down by 1.6% and international sales fell by 5.8%, impacted by economic issues across the Middle East and Russia. M&S said it had made “good progress” on gross margin, with full-year guidance unchanged at +150 to +200bps.
M&S shares were 3.5% down to 447p after news of the third quarter sales fall emerged this morning.
Investec analyst Kate Calvert said that M&S had had “a difficult Christmas with food outperforming the industry and general merchandise impacted by the well documented warm weather as well as another own goal with its distribution unable to handle Black Friday’s online volumes”.
The broker retained its buy recommendation on the stock as “with further progress expected in 2015, we believe the valuation does not reflect the gross margin opportunity and shift to cash generation.”


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The Doogee V30T smartphone offers a refreshing and uniquely powerful alternative to more expensive fold and flip innovations-in-progress.
Exploring the landscape of Linux desktop security, Jonathan Terrasi delves into the vulnerabilities of IoT devices, the focus on Linux servers for attacks, and why Linux remains a more secure albeit less popular operating system.
Efforts to fortify cloud security and identity management are at the forefront of new U.S. measures to mitigate cyberthreats.
Rhino Linux 2023.1 introduces a hybrid-like distribution with rolling releases, merging the reliability of Ubuntu with a sleek design.
The financial industry has historically been conservative when it comes to software development, especially when it comes to picking open-source applications over proprietary code. That caution is softening as more financial companies are now embracing open source.
Rhino Linux innovatively combines GNOME and Xfce elements, creating a unique hybrid desktop that offers both modern user interface aesthetics and the familiarity of classic Linux.
What makes good documentation? Fundamentally it's about organization and ease of visual tracking. Here are some manifestations of that, in no particular order.
There is a notable increase in tension between application security workers and application developers over consensus on cloud-native needs, in addition to a growing concern about retaining developer talent in this context.
The first beta release of MakuluLinux Max puts artificial intelligence inside everyday desktop usage. Max's AI entity Electra could well be the start of a new type of innovation adopted by other distribution developers. It raises the bar on what Linux users should expect from their computing platfor...
As global economic uncertainty impacts tech hiring strategies, upskilling emerges as a critical response. Training and certifications become essential, eclipsing traditional hiring practices in the quest for qualified tech talent.
Canonical has expanded its OpenStack offering to small-scale cloud environments with its new project Sunbeam and product MicroStack, lowering barriers to open-source cloud adoption for organizations with legacy IT estates.
Researchers reveal a novel security risk as hackers exploit generative AI's 'hallucinations' to deliver malicious code into a company's development environment, posing a growing threat to enterprise security.
Let's explore what makes Linux work so well that users aren't even conscious that they've opted out of the desktop operating system duopoly.
A significant portion of the focus for the Red Hat Software Summit held in Boston this week are three core products designed to meet the growing demands for better software security and government regulations requiring enhanced application security across all industries.


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Quiznos Latest Move Addressing Animal Welfare: Cage-Free Eggs
The Humane Society of the United States Welcomes QSR Chain’s Progress
Denver, CO (Jan. 7, 2016) – Quiznos, one of North America’s premier quick-service restaurant chains and pioneer of the toasted sub, today announced plans to phase in the exclusive use of
cage-free eggs throughout its supply chain. Under its new plan, Quiznos plans to complete the transition to 100 percent cage-free eggs by 2025, with a goal of reaching that objective by 2022.
“Quiznos has been actively engaged in animal welfare initiatives for nearly a decade, and we’re pleased to announce this latest phase in that effort,” said Ron Lund, Quiznos Senior Vice President of Marketing, International and IT. “Switching to cage-free eggs is the right thing for our company, customers and of course the animals.”
Quiznos move supports the current industry trend of shifting to cage-free egg products, an initiative McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Costco, and dozens more are also supporting.
Matthew Prescott, HSUS senior food policy director, said, “Quiznos has been a real leader in animal welfare for years. We welcome this newest step in Quiznos quest to improve conditions
on our nation’s farms.”
Denver‐based Quiznos is a chain designed for today’s busy consumers who are looking for a high
quality, tasty, freshly prepared alternative to traditional fast‐food restaurants. With locations
across the United States and 34 countries, Quiznos is one of the world’s premier quick‐service
restaurant chains and pioneer of the toasted sandwich; Quiznos restaurants offer creative, chef‐
created sandwiches and salads using premium ingredients. Quiznos was founded in 1981 by
chefs who discovered that toasting brought out the best in every sandwich ingredient. For more
information, please visit www.quiznos.com.


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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
A Corvette E-Ray prototype burned to the ground while hot weather testing in Spain. The fire started due to an oil leak that ignited the hybrid's battery pack.
The results are not pretty.
It appears as though this recent visit to Spain went a bit awry, as the charred remains of a Corvette E-Ray prototype allegedly caught fire during testing by supplier Bosch. From what we’ve been told, the fire started in the prototype’s engine bay following an oil leak, leading to a runaway blaze that eventually ignited the hybrid sports car’s battery pack, as well. Photos and video of the fire’s aftermath show a pile of burnt Corvette components sitting on the side of the road in the southern European country. It’s safe to say that this prototype was rendered a total loss after the blaze.
“A Corvette development vehicle undergoing extreme testing by one of our suppliers this week had a thermal incident. All who were involved are safe as this is our top priority. We are investigating the situation with the supplier,” Chevy spokesperson, Trevor Thompkins, explained to GM Authority. “The car was a testing mule with a setup that’s not indicative of what an actual customer would receive,” he added.


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FSA report urges Government to assess decline in vet roles
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) published a report reviewing UK food standards throughout 2022.
Titled ‘Our Food 2022: An Annual Review of Food Standards Across the UK’, it is the second report since the UK left the EU and is an “independent and evidence based” annual assessment of food standards across the nations.
It stated that despite inflationary pressures, labour shortages and the war in Ukraine, food standards remained “stable” in 2022. The report identified shortages in food safety roles like vets and food inspectors, which it highlighted will make it more difficult to identify people with the correct skills to deliver food controls.
Supporting food safety in the system
Heather Kelman, chair of FSS, said: “It is encouraging to see that in 2022, amid several significant challenges both here in the UK and further afield, the overall safety and standards of our food has been upheld to the very high standards which we expect.
“However, we must recognise the very significant challenges ahead and the potential problems that a lack of resourcing, specifically within environmental health officer and official veterinarian roles, may cause to the overall food system. It is now more important than ever for those who govern the system, as well as everyone involved in food production, retail and distribution, to work together to ensure food is safe and consumers and trade are protected.
“It is critical that, together, we do everything we can to ensure we have a modernised system of assurance to support businesses that provide safe food for everyone and that the UK’s high food standards are maintained, in spite of the cost and workforce pressures we continue to face.”
Professor Susan Jebb, chair of the FSA, said: “The food system across the UK experienced significant challenges throughout 2022, with the rising cost-of-living and inflation impacting grocery bills for consumers, and food businesses feeling the pressure of labour shortages and increased supply chain costs.
“Despite these pressures, I’m encouraged that our report indicates that overall, food standards have remained stable. However, food safety and standards hinge on good procedures and skilled people to ensure that the right checks are carried out. It takes time to recruit and develop these skills and we worry that without specific action to boost the workforce, specifically to recruit more official veterinarians and local authority inspectors, it will not be possible to maintain these high standards in the future.
“Failure to recruit and train professionals to key posts can have reverberations for many years to come. We ask Governments across the UK, and others, to work with us to address these matters in the coming year so that people in the UK can continue to have food they can trust, and the strong reputation of British food abroad is maintained.”
Calling on industry to address issues
The food bodies are calling on Government, local authorities, professional bodies and industry to:
- Address the decline in local authority Trading Standards officers, Environmental Health and Food Law officers to ensure food standards are maintained;
- Tackle the shortage of Official Veterinarians (OVs) to protect animal health and welfare and trade and assure food hygiene is maintained;
- Share more and better-quality information across the food industry to help stop criminal gangs and tackle food crime that costs the UK up to £2 billion per year; and
- Introduce import controls on food imported from the EU to help reduce the risk of unsafe food entering the UK from the EU.
Data in the report showed that the UK veterinary profession has experienced a decline of 27% in newcomers between 2019 and 2022, which the report states will create issues when securing OVs in the future. It also highlights how a lack of OVs will pose risks to animal health and welfare, the potential disruption of food supply and the ability to export products of animal origin.


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Better batteries and brighter bulbs have proven to be a boon for new bicycle lighting systems. From Revolight to the Aurora Project, independent designers have been finding ingenious new ways to illuminate the night streets and keep urban cyclists visible and safe.
The latest promising prototype comes from Mitchell Silva, an Industrial Design student at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. His Glo-Bar approach incorporates lights into the handle bars using 40 high efficiency LED bulbs with a momentary actuator button built into back.
While the initial prototype appears to be kicking off some serious Lumens, Mitchell acknowledges there are a few issues that still need to be addressed before the system is street ready. He found that the amount of metal cutting he had to do affected the rigidity of the handlebars, so he’s looking into a new way of building the lighting in. He also plans to incorporate a right and left turn signals as well as an easy to access battery compartment. Believe it or not, but the prototype shown here is running entirely off a watch battery.
[ Via Prolly Is Not Probably]


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This article is more than 1 year old
China requires gamers to reveal real names and map them to frag-tastic IDs
Gotta catch 'em all
China will force gamers to use their real names when playing online in an ongoing effort to make gaming in the country more "tasteful".
Feng Shixin, an official from the Communist Party's Central Publicity Department, said late last week that online games would need to implement a new state-run authentication system when it rolls out in September.
Under the new system, gamers must register to play video games using their real names. These names can then be checked against their in-game IDs. Local gaming giants Tencent and NetEase have already begun introducing their own verification systems but this one will be State-controlled.
Feng also said that the central government was encouraging the domestic industry to create games that are "creative, tasteful, and warm", a signal that China will tolerate games if they don't encourage what authorities deem to be anti-social attitudes and behaviours.
China already requires game publishers to submit games to the central government for review before they can be distributed in the country.
Regulators would ramp up their inspection of games allowed in the country in the coming months, Feng said. In the first half of this year, nearly 100 games were punished for operating without authorisation. Earlier this month, Apple removed thousands of unapproved games from its Chinese App Store, closing a loophole that game makers have relied on for years.
The latest moves are consistent with China's never-ending quest to tame its domestic internet. Last month, the country's internet watchdog called out several live-stream channels for spreading trashy content, including scantily-clad female presenters.
But extending the usage of real names to gaming signals that China's authoritarian state is increasingly worried about the country’s gaming culture. In 2018 the government established its own gaming regulator, the State Administration of Press and Publication, or SAPP, which promptly slapped new limits on how much time and money minors could spend playing games. ®


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SWEDISH furniture giant Ikea has pulled advertising from Britain’s brand new start-up news network GB News after left-wing Twitter mobs bombarded the companies social media accounts.
GB News – a fair and balanced network has sent the left into a tailspin in the past few days despite only launching on Sunday.
Yet, Ikea who knowingly purchased advertising with GB News, according to GB insiders; told customers: “IKEA has not knowingly advertised on GB News.”
“We have safeguards in place to prevent our advertising from appearing on platforms that are not in line with our humanistic values and vision to side with the many people.”
The response from Ikea was branded “hypocritical”.
Not only does the firm often charge a whopping £50 delivery fee for its products – the company has been embroiled in a series of anti-Humanistic issues from spying on staff to removing women from its Saudi Arabia catalogue.
The firm was ordered to pay a fine of over £860,000 after it was found guilty of spying on staff in France.
Ikea France used private detectives and police officers to collect staff’s private data, the BBC reported.
This included illegally accessing their criminal records in order to vet applicants for jobs.
The Ingka group – which owns most of Ikea’s stores around the world – has apologised and condemned the practices.
In a statement, Ikea said it had “implemented a major action plan to prevent this from happening again”.
On Tuesday former head of risk Jean-François Paris was given an 18-month suspended sentence and a €10,000 fine.
In 2012, the Humanistic firm apologised for airbrushing images of women from the version of its catalogue in Saudi Arabia.
One picture revealed a family apparently getting ready for bed, with a young boy brushing his teeth in the bathroom. However, a pyjama-clad woman standing next to the boy is missing from the Saudi version.
Another picture of five women dining has been removed in the Saudi edition.
Ikea released a statement expressing regret over the issue, saying: “We should have reacted and realised that excluding women from the Saudi Arabian version of the catalogue is in conflict with the Ikea Group values.”
Women appear only infrequently in Saudi advertising, mostly on Saudi-owned television channels that show women in long dresses, with scarves covering their hair and long sleeves. In imported magazines, censors black out many parts of a woman’s body including arms, legs and chest.”
Politicalite contacted Ikea for comment but received no reply.


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Epilepsy can be a deadly disorder, especially in children. In a new study, sixteen clinics in the United States gave marijuana extract-rich medications to 261 patients; many of those patients were children.
In the study, Cannabidiol (CBD), a naturally occurring substance found in cannabis and marijuana, showed a nearly 50 percent decrease in seizure occurrences. CBD is nonpsychoactive and also helps reduce inflammation, which offers relief for patients with chronic pain, musculoskeletal disorders and arthritis.
The American Epilepsy Society held its 69th annual meeting this December. The society discussed study findings and clearly determined that marijuana-extract products do have medical benefits to reduce the frequency of seizures in children. Some of these children did not experience any seizures during the 3-month study. The society is also in agreement that these cannabinoid based products are safe for use.
A CBD product still deemed illegal by the United States federal government, Epidiolex, is not yet available to consumers. There are alternative options available: Epilepsy patients can obtain marijuana extract products from dispensaries in states with medical or recreational marijuana laws.
It is reported that nearly 80 percent of Americans support the use of medical marijuana to treat terminal and chronically debilitating conditions. The American Medical Association (AMA) is breaking away from siding with the federal government’s belief that marijuana is one of the most dangerous drugs in the world.


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The UK Government has invested £160 million in a new Agricultural Technologies Strategy. This Strategy is intended to boost agricultural science and technology and it is aimed at delivering sustainable, healthy and affordable food for future generations. Described by some as new “green revolution,” investments will be focused on developing cutting edge technologies and taking innovative products such as “cancer-fighting” broccoli from the field to the shopping aisle. The strategy includes £30m for four agri-science research and innovation campuses set up by the Biotechnolocy and Biological Sciences Research Council.
Following the release last year of the report on ‘Sustainable Intensification in Agriculture’ by the FCRN and the Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Food, around 30 experts in this field, from academic, governmental, NGO and industrial organisations, were asked to give their comments on the report.
This video from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), features ILRI director general Jimmy Smith talking on the role of livestock in the global development agenda.
The 13 minute film points out that 4 of the top 5 agricultural commodities by value are livestock, and that in Africa, 4 of the top 10 agricultural commodities are livestock which indicates the importance of livestock for the global food and poverty agenda. The presentation also considers the challenges posed by rising demand for meat.
The debate on land sharing versus land sparing is ongoing and we addressed the issue somewhat in our Agroforestry interview a while back. This blog post by journalist and author Fred Pearce highlights some of the recent years’ debate and presents evidence from various parts of the world, either in favor of sparing or sharing land.
The UK’s Department of Health has launched a new, standardised but voluntary labelling scheme for displaying nutritional information on food products, the aim being to make make it easier for people to make healthier choices. The system when it goes on display will combine red, amber, green colour-coding and nutritional information to show how much fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar, and calories are in food products.
Cassava is a "survivor" crop, able to thrive in the expected higher temperatures caused by climate change. An alliance of scientists has recently been formed to help promote cassava cultivation. The 300 scientists attending the second International Scientific Conference of the Global Cassava Partnership for the 21st Century, held in Kampala Uganda presented a new initiative called Global Cassava Modelling Consortium. The Consortium aims to help researchers share information on this increasingly important crop, to better understand the physiology of the plant and to explore avenues for protecting it from attacks.
On June 8 2013, the UK government granted £30 million to HarvestPlus to develop and deliver six biofortified crops to several million farming households in Africa and Asia.
This article in the Guardian highlights the potential of ICT (e.g. mobile phones, videos, radio) in providing agricultural knowledge and advice to farmers in low income countries. The article concludes by saying:
IFPRI has published an infographic showing the relationship between GDP and childhood stunting on the one hand; and between economic growth and overweight/obesity on the other.
The UK’s Daily Mail reports that the UK supermarket Tesco will monitor the healthiness of its customers’ food purchases using Clubcard data and then use that data to suggest ways in which people could make healthier choices. Although plans are still in the early stages options considered so far include offering vouchers for healthier products and promoting a better diet via suggested recipes.
This campaign has been launched to re-introduce the feeding of waste to pigs. It hopes to encourage farmers about the benefits of feeding pigs surplus food and calls for a change in European law so farmers can return to feeding pigs waste in the long term.
This CCAFS blogpost by Timm Tennigkeit and Andreas Wilkes argues that agriculture is a major driver of deforestation, but offers great mitigation potential if managed properly. The authors’ recently released research report finds that emission reduction approaches can also be cost competitive.
In this excellent Guardian article Myles Allen of Oxford University describes and comments on reactions to a paper that he and his colleagues published in the journal Nature Geoscience. Their paper gives a new best estimate for the amount of warming that is expected due to a doubling of GHG concentrations in the atmosphere. It estimates a warming of about 1.3˚C, somewhat lower than previous estimates of 1.8°C.
Due to Nepal’s large energy deficit where supply shortfalls and interrupted power affect both household and the national industry, the country is now looking for energy alternatives such as using its growing urban and industrial waste.
A company wishing to market its product as green in several Member State markets faces a confusing range of choices of methods and initiatives, and might find it needs to apply several of them in order to prove the product's green credentials. This is turning into a barrier for the circulation of green products in the Single Market.
Louise Fresco provides an overview of historical and future food security trends in her speech at the 200th commemorative meeting of the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry entitled Food, scarcity and abundance.
A new 90,000-square-foot indoor farm called FarmedHere has recently opened in Chicago and is expected to produce 1 million pounds a year of organic greens like basil, lettuce, mint, and spinach. It is also expected that it will provide hundreds of local jobs.
Bill Gates seems to have entered into the meat question. In his view it is simply not possible to feed 9 billion people on a high meat diet and the way forward is therefore the development of artificial meat and eggs.


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How business can make the most of the metaverse
Something was missing from the alternative universe recently trumpeted by Mark Zuckerberg: brands. Facebook’s simulations of the metaverse seemed largely free of advertising.
That absence seemed at odds with the rest of a presentation that was in part a big advert for the rebranding of Facebook as Meta, an empire that is and will be fed by advertising. Indeed, when not cartooning the future, Zuckerberg spent a lot of time name-checking companies already working with Facebook’s virtual and augmented reality products and enthusing about the opportunity the metaverse offers for new business models.
Given the metaverse’s limitless real estate, companies are bound to look to fill its three dimensions with their logos and products. We know that because it already happened once — in the early virtual world called Second Life.
Launched in 2003, Second Life took off a few years later as companies raced to build virtual showrooms and boast about its potential. IBM created IBM Land; General Motors constructed Motorati Island. From BMW to the BBC, organisations sought to shape their image in this new online world.
Second Life still exists. According to Philip Rosedale, founder of Linden Lab, its creator, a million users still frequent the virtual world, which grew to be roughly the size of Los Angeles. Most businesses have lost interest. Still, while briefly hawking their wares in Second Life, they should have banked some useful lessons. One is that immersive virtual worlds can be an inefficient vehicle for traditional advertising, but they could be an interesting channel to stimulate and accelerate leadership skills.
“In general, marketing control is moving away from brand and towards customers, and in online spaces that’s even more important,” says Bernadett Koles of Iéseg School of Management, who studied Second Life.
Social media, still in an early stage when Second Life peaked, has since shown brands they need to work with customers rather than broadcasting to them. Money will of course be made in the metaverse, by Facebook above all. “The harvesting and capture [of data] is going to be a huge business,” says Lee Howells of PA Consulting (which itself dabbled in Second Life). There will be plenty of new ways to make money, too. For instance, in the overlapping virtual world of online gaming, Koles is studying how players buy “cosmetic” products to prettify their avatars, even though the enhancements do nothing to improve online performance.
But studies of Second Life suggest companies also reaped some less obvious benefits from the platform. Virtual reality “is a first-hand experience, as close as you get to being in a company and experiencing it in person”, points out Koles. How deep companies want to dive into the metaverse will depend on the task.
Scenario-planning could be one application. The humble business school case study started as an analogue simulation of actual management problems. Companies felt their way through the pandemic by wargaming short- and medium-term outcomes. In a virtual world, such challenges can be expanded and made more realistic.
Second, researchers who looked at Second Life found it gave people a chance to try out different identities and novel approaches. Just customising avatars stimulated their imagination. Playing with different options opened them to new possibilities when they emerged from the virtual world.
Third, as experience of remote working has underlined, virtual co-operation and collaboration can be more inclusive, allowing a more diverse range of people to participate. Microsoft’s more modest step towards a workplace metaverse, adding avatars to its Teams collaboration tool, hopes to build on what workers have already grown used to.
Not all these uses will require full immersion. Some people will not even want to dip a toe. “Who wants to spend time as a high-end emoji in a virtual office??” commented one sceptical FT reader about the Microsoft initiative. Second Life creator Rosedale says Facebook and others will also have to leap some daunting technological obstacles to realise their vision. “It’s like crossing a chasm,” he told The Sunday Times’s Danny Fortson on a recent podcast. He thinks that, for now, the metaverse will remain a niche.
Eventually, though, it could be a good niche for companies. To profit from it, they need to see virtual worlds less as a channel for aggressive marketing than as rich places to experiment, to collaborate, and to develop leadership and management skills. Expect the much-maligned team-building away-day of 2025, or sooner, to take place in virtual reality. Then tell your team to doff their VR headsets and bring the lessons they learnt back into the real world.
Working It podcast
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