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30 Mar Future Of Sock Market Looks Bright For Merino Brands
Where can the outdoor sock market go from here?
Writer: Travis Poulin
The shift toward merino wool as a performance material helped drastically change the outdoor market. Merino is now the go-to material for base layers, mid layers and socks.
After the move to merino came companies looking to capitalize on the effect merino could have on the outdoor, sports and fitness markets. As outdoor recreation became more popular, consumers wanted specific gear developed for their preferred activities.
Dave Petri, vice president of marketing for performance sock company Farm To Feet, said the utilization of merino was crucial to the current sock market. He said the sock market remained relatively unchanged for a while, until sport-specific product demand came into play.
Farm To Feet develops ski socks using the latest technology in padding determined by the way a ski boot fits a foot. Petri said Farm To Feet consulted with boot fitters and skiers to determine their ski sock lineup. He said many boot fitters prefer a very thin sock for skiing so the boot fits properly, but some skiers prefer extra padding in specific areas.
Farm To Feet makes thin ski socks with very little padding and socks with extra padding on the shin to prevent “shin bang” when wearing ski boots. Some skiers and snowboarders prefer padding on the calf, and Farm To Feet has socks for these customers as well.
Farm To Feet’s winter sports products have a targeted cushion zone explanation in their product description allowing consumers to pick a product that sounds most appealing to their footwear choice. Farm To Feet’s winter lineup uses a seamless toe closure system to create a flat connection in the toe box to reduce blisters and friction when feet are squeezed into ski or mountaineering boots. It is advancements in particular areas like these that Petri sees for the future of merino.
So where can the sock market go from here? It seems many companies see the future as developing technology to better regulate body temperature through moisture wicking, and consumers realizing the importance of investing in socks as they would any other piece of gear.
“Now, I think its important for people that spend hundreds of dollars on performance shoes to have a sock that compliments their footwear,” Petri said. “There is no point in spending good money on shoes if you don’t have a sock that can perform at the same level. I see the shoe and the sock as one system.”
Brian Brand, marketing director for Darn Tough Vermont, said his company relies heavily on sport-specific products to meet customer demand. “What we need on the snow in January is entirely different than what we need in August on the trail,” Brand said. “Skiing, running, biking, hiking – they all pose an entirely unique set of challenges and a potential for foot discomfort. We take a great deal of pride in making sure that every detail knit into each of our socks enhances comfort and performance.”
Darn Tough’s approach for their 2017 winter performance sock collection focused on problem areas from the past. “For our fall/winter 2017 collection, we examined some of the more common failings of current ski and snowboard socks in the market and approached the construction of our ski/ride socks with an emphasis on all day comfort and the ultimate fit as well as durability that lasts beyond one season,” Brand said. “A dry foot is warm foot, so we developed a sock that wicks moisture away better and dries faster. A sock that bunches up will stifle blood flow and create cold feet, so we engineered three very specific ribbing sections to keep the sock in place all day.”
Peter Duke, CEO of Point6 socks, said he feels folks are shifting toward the outdoors for recreation purposes and this will continue to affect the market. “I think as a society we are getting more outdoors and realizing that it’s important to get the best equipment,” he said. “Socks are a critical component to the outdoors. Although they are not sexy, avoiding blisters is compelling. Merino is the direction all the new hosiery companies are gravitating to for the comfort and moisture management.”
Now that most performance sock companies are producing similar merino products, Duke said he thinks the market will shift toward further development. “I think that technology will become more involved to help improve the already existing merino,” he said. “The more you can improve the evaporation of moisture, the better the sock is.”
Wool and nylon spinning technology may factor in to the future of the sock market. Duke said 37.5, a partner company to Point6, has introduced a new method of spinning nylon that they claim can improve moisture evaporation by 39 percent. It may be large advancements like this that are the future for the sock market


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You can officially control everything from your phone. You can already hail a cab, via the magic that is Uber, and stream unlimited music, thanks to Spotify. Now you can stream unlimited music on your Uber driver’s radio.
Yesterday, Spotify announced a new partnership with Uber that will allow premium Spotify users to control the music in participating drivers’ cars. This new service launches Friday in London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Nashville, New York, San Francisco, Singapore, Stockholm, Sydney and Toronto, with continued launches to come in the following weeks.
Uber is so excited about this new launch that they are giving users in launch cities the chance for ride-alongs and live sessions with artists including Andrew W.K., The Same Willows, Ximena Sariñana, Ansiktet, Professor Green, Diplo (of the Spring Weekend fame) Matt and Kim, Ricki Lee, Kevin Drew, and Jake Owen.
So, if you’re going home to one of these cities for Thanksgiving and you need to catch an Uber, tell your driver to turn off the oldies. You’re the DJ now.
Check out how it works in this handy video:
Jam on, folks, and here’s hoping Uber/Spotify doesn’t forget about Prov.

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Deloitte has released a major report into the future of blockchain – the distributed ledger technology that lies at the core of Bitcoin. The technology has been receiving a lot of attention in the finance and banking sectors recently, with many believing it can bring major benefits.
Jerry Norton, VP Financial Services, UK, at system integrator CGI, told CBR that he considers blockchain to be "the biggest single advance in fintech of the past decade."
Big four accountancy firm Deloitte has put together a report which seeks to determine whether or not blockchain is an enigma, paradox, or an opportunity, and looks to decipher who could benefit from the technology, giving examples from a range of sectors across the economy.
One of the major parts of the economy that Deloitte feel could benefit from using the technology is the media industry, which it says battling with some distribution and charging issues in the digital era..
The report said: "blockchain technology could help resolve a number of challenges by connecting authors, musicians, and videographers directly with consumers, as well as by making the organisations at the heart of the industry operate more efficiently."
One part of the media Deloitte particularly focused on is music. It said that "the inner workings of the music industry are struggling to keep up with digital technologies." Old fashioned contracts are failing to adapt to the modern era, and streaming services have disrupted the music industry’s traditional business model.
The report finds that blockchain could help the music industry by being "used to store a cryptographic ‘hash’ of the original digital music file, associating it with the addresses – and, potentially the identities, of the people involved in its creation."
It also believes that blockchain could also be used to store a smart contract which would gives instructions as to how the artists would like to be paid for their music. The result of all this would be a better system for paying music royalties to artists.
A spokesperson for PRS, the organisation that administrates artists royalties, said: "Blockchain technology has many potential applications for many industries and the music industry is amongst them. PRS for Music is constantly looking for ways to the improve the ability for our rightsholders to receive fair and transparent payment for the use of their music. While it is unclear what role Blockchain could serve for the music industry and there are many questions to answer, it is something we are interested in. It is prompting great debate around the opportunity to change current structures and develop new solutions for the benefit of creators and users of music".
A less glamorous, but no less important sector Deloitte thinks could benefit from blockchain is insurance. The report said there is "great potential" for the use of blockchain in the area.
Again, the benefit will come in the form of smart contracts which would be powered by the blockchain and help "customers and insurers…manage claims in a transparent, responsive, and irrefutable manner."
The industry, the report finds, has issues with customers not always understanding the legalistic language used, and insurers are having to navigate increasing regulation and the threat of fraud, such as "smash for cash" deliberate motor accidents which cost the industry about £400m annually.
The blockchain could do things like reject multiple claims from the same accident, as it would know that that such a claim had been made previously. It could also help with the enforcement of claims by doing things like trigger automatic payments when conditions have been met and validated.
Banking is one of the most common contexts that blockchain is currently discussed in, and Deloitte also found that the industry could benefit from the technology.
It said that blockchain could help automate the process of sharing customer information, which would bring down the number of compliance errors that occur.
Anthony Duffy, director of retail banking, UK & Ireland, Fujitsu, told CBR that he considers blockchain "one of the most exciting technology-led developments in financial services today."
"Banking is, at heart, a business based on the transfer of information and data," he said. "Blockchain technology offers the potential to provide fully accurate, timely and complete information more cheaply and through systems which sit outside traditional banking infrastructures."
Norton said that a large number of "experiments and proofs of concept" took place in the blockchain space during 2015, but believes that it could become in mainstream use by banks in 2017.
"Initial uses are likely to be within the back-office, such as document delivery, affirmations/confirmations and settlement processing, which offer cost reduction and efficiency gains for banks," he said.
Duffy too points out that work in the banking sector on blockchain is already beginning. "Leading work in understanding how the blockchain opportunity might work in financial services is the R3 consortium," he said.
That group started off with 11 members in September 2015, and at the time of writing has 42, and is running experiments to test the potential of blockchain and "definine a common set of standards and best practices, before moving on to identify commercial applications which might well include payment," said Duffy.
It is not only the private sector that Deloitte feels could benefit from blockcahin technology. It envisions advantages in the public sector too, in particular in housing and asset registry.
The sheer size of the housing market make it very expensive to keep track of all the transactions that occur. For example, in the financial year 2014-15 there were 1.2m transactions completed that had a value of £40,000 or over.
The report found that housing could be treated like Bitcoin, and "it would be possible to associate a unique house or piece of land with a particular coin, or fraction of a coin, and exchange it just like any other transaction using digital currency."
Smart contracts would again be used and the blockchain could "increase the efficiency of transaction processing and reduce, if not entirely prevent, property fraud," Deloitte find.
Steve Thorn, SVP UK Public Sector, CGI, see broad advantages for the public sector in using blockchain. Government is at its heart a key record keeper for its citizens and the technology could revolutionise areas including tax, benefits and VAT accounts. In all such cases there is a need for fraud-resistant updates to records that show ownership and obligations – which is exactly where the Blockchain makes a difference. The ability to seamlessly share highly trustworthy information, underpinned by the principles of consensus and cryptography, offers a powerful new approach," he said.
Overall, the Deloitte report makes it clear that blockchain has the capability to disrupt a variety of industries and transaction types across both the public and private sector. Banking has always been key, but Thorn says "other sectors are now imagining how this new innovation might change their business processes for the better."
As more and more major institutions follow the lead of start-ups and look into blockchain technology, we could begin to see it use in the not so distant future.


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Amidst the furious bidding at Barrett-Jackson for the 2020 Shelby GT500, the crowd became even more thunderous with cheers as Chairman and CEO Craig Jackson himself and wife Carolyn became bidders! The winning bidders! Yes, the Jacksons bought the most powerful engine ever in a production Mustang for $1.1 million. The new car has more than 700 horsepower.
Not only was Aaron Shelby there, but so was Edsel Ford II.
For many years, Craig was friendly with Carroll Shelby and this new car will join several other Shelbys in the Jackson’s incredible collection. That includes the ‘Green Hornet,’ and the experimental Shelby, ‘Little Red.’
Then there was the excitement when singer/songwriter Ray J bought the ultimate custom 1967 Chevy Camaro! Childhelp co-founders Sara O’Meara and Yvonne Fedderson were there to thank the entertainer for his bid, as he proceeds from the Chevy — $165,000 — will benefit Childhelp through SEMA Cares.
During the weeklong premier automotive lifestyle event, Barrett-Jackson raised $9.6 million, which includes donations made on the block beyond the hammer prices, and is the largest amount raised at one auction in the company’s 48-year history. To date, Barrett-Jackson has raised over $114 million for charity.
Craig says that, “As a company that was built on giving back to the community, this is a significant milestone worth celebrating. We’re so grateful for the countless wonderful people and companies, from OEM partners to celebrities, who have joined us on this phenomenal journey. Giving back is the heartbeat of Barrett-Jackson and the collector car community.”
U.S. Air Force veteran and Top Gun Pilot Col. Richard Toliver (red) assisted in the sale of a 2018 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet (Lot #3011) which sold for $200,000 to benefit Fighter Country Foundation at Luke Force Air Force Base
The Jeep sold by actor Gary Sinise raised $1.3 million to benefit the Gary Sinise Foundation, which is dedicated to helping veterans, first responders and their families.
Several NASCAR legends, Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer and top auto manufacturers – joined the Barrett-Jackson team to sell some of the most rare and desired cars.
A total of 13 lots were generously donated to help raise funds and awareness for deserving charities across the country.
Among the greatest names in NASCAR there in support of their favorite charities were Richard “The King” Petty, as well as former NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Rusty Wallace, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver David Ragan and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon each took to the auction block to encourage bidding during the sale of vehicles for their charities.
Kathy Shayna Shocket is a freelance Writer, and TV- Field Producer. The former TV-Reporter has written for publications such as TIME Magazine, MONEY Magazine, PEOPLE Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter and The NEW YORK TIMES. You can reach her at firstname.lastname@example.org


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It's hard to believe that 32 years have gone by since the release of the original Ghostbusters movie. Now a remake is set to hit theaters on July 15, and legendary rapper Nas has a plan to make sure the iconic story lives on.
"I grew up watching the movie," he told Teen Vogue. "It was my childhood favorite and I used to always watch it with my mom." Nas initially incorporated Ghostbusters influence in his personal clothing brand, HSTRY; he says the label is "a culmination of his life experiences, knowledge and inspiration."
But he wanted to push the envelope even further and partner with a brand that would take his nostalgia to a new level. Nas recruited Italian eyewear line, Italia Independent, to create Ghostbusters-themed sunglasses. "They get my vision and understand what I'm trying to do,” he said. "I wanted to design a collection that speaks to the nostalgia of that era while keeping it fresh fun, sleek and wearable."
With his limited-edition collection of sunglasses, Nas did an incredible job bridging together old and new. But fashion is only the beginning. His die-hard fans will be happy to know a new album is in the works as well. "I'm definitely working on new music." As for his creative process? "It's all about feeling, you have to feel it," he explains.
New sunglasses in time for summer and perhaps, new music from the brilliant artist? It doesn’t get any better than this.
Check this out:


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We just met a new rumor about Apple’s first AR glasses. And this time it doesn’t come from the filters we all know, like Prosser or Kuo. This new “tip-off” comes directly from the company’s first product provider, Foxconn.
It appears that a production line has been set up at one of the company’s plants to assemble a batch of units for the prototype of future Apple glass. Let’s see what else they have said in the report.
The information has just published a report explaining that Foxconn A small test production of semi-transparent and polarized AR lenses has begun, which could perfectly be the prototype of future Apple Glass.
The report explains that these glasses are in the advanced prototyping phase, but that they may still take a year or two to go into production on a large scale. They have begun manufacturing at a Foxconn plant in Chengdu, southwest China. Most Apple iPads are manufactured in these facilities.
It also says that Apple bought a couple of years ago Akonia Holographics. Founded in 2012, it specializes in holographic data storage, and the development of augmented reality headsets.
Finally, the report gives some information about these glasses. Explain what they are “Slightly” larger than conventional glasses. We will see in the future how that “slightly” remains.
Jon Prosser It has been giving the rod for a while with its leaks on future Apple AR glasses. He said that they will incorporate a LIDAR sensor, and that they will show information on the inside of the lenses. He also jumped into the pool with the price: US $ 499 I really believe that today’s leak is more than the good of Jon. The only thing we can assure is that there will be glasses. When the river sounds….


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On the eve of Nike’s annual shareholder meeting tomorrow, September 9th, FOUR PAWS is calling on Nike shareholders to speak up to protect innocent lambs. The global animal welfare organization recently launched a campaign to end the mutilation of merino lambs, and is asking Nike, the world’s largest sportswear manufacturer, to exclude the cruel and painful practice of mulesing from their wool supply chain.
FOUR PAWS has turned to Nike shareholders after the launch of their campaign earlier this year, which highlighted the release of the report, “Sweating The Details: World Leader Nike Lags Behind Competitors”. The report reveals that Merino wool is increasingly used in sports apparel for its beneficial characteristics such as breathability and odorless qualities. Additionally, the ten leading global sports brands use merino wool in their products, and Nike stands out in terms of poor animal welfare: Both Nike’s two largest competitors, Puma and Adidas, have already made plans to switch to certified mulesing-free wool (2025 and 2030 respectively). FOUR PAWS now calls on Nike to also take this important step towards improved animal welfare and spare millions of lambs every year from immense suffering and pain.
Mulesing involves cutting off large chunks of skin from young lambs, usually 6- 12 weeks old, sharp shears without using the necessary pain relief. For the lambs, this means fear and stress, but above all, great pain that can last for days to weeks. There have long been alternatives to this, such as switching to sheep breeds that are less susceptible to parasites. There are also certifications that trace wool back to the farms to exclude cruel and outdated methods such as mulesing.
Along with FOUR PAWS’ outreach to Nike and Nike shareholders, over 50K people have already sent protest letters encouraging the company to join the movement. Globally, over 300 brands have already published anti-mulesing policies, and today an open letter signed by over 50 brands and retailers to demand an end to the mutilation of lambs was presented during a conference. Australia is the only country in the world where the method of mulesing is still practiced. The country is also the number one producer of merino wool.
Ahead of the Nike shareholder meeting, FOUR PAWS, among others is asking Nike to #StopCruelWool. For more information, click here.


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Mercedes-Benz Verdict Puts Neck-Warming Technology on Ice
Sales of scarves are poised to jump in Germany after a court ruled Mercedes-Benz can’t blow on its customer’s exposed necks.
A verdict from that country’s Federal Court of Justice just dug a temporary grave for the automaker’s “Airscarf” system, Carscoops reports, citing the German publication Automobilwoche.
The outcome of the automaker’s legal dispute with the company that holds the original 1996 patent means a “stop sale” order for models equipped with the warm air-blowing headrest.
First used in 1998, Airscarf adds luxury and maybe even a bit of romance to all drop-top Benz models, allowing drivers to enjoy open-air motoring even after the leaves start to turn.
A spokesperson for the company told Carscoops, “We are surprised by the verdict.”
Luckily for Mercedes-Benz, inventor Ludwig Schatzinger’s patent runs out on Christmas of this year, meaning the automaker can go back to legally blowing air on people the next day.
In the meantime, the automaker is being fined a quarter million euros ($283,137) and is ordered to remove any mention of Airscarf from advertising and promotional materials. It also has to compensate Schatzinger an undisclosed amount for every vehicle sold with the technology.
The verdict doesn’t affect models already sold, and the stop sale on new vehicles applies only in Germany.
Once Dec. 25 rolls around, happy days and warm necks return to Stuttgart.
[Image: Mercedes-Benz USA]
The C-Class coupe looks pretty sharp, and gets rid of the squatty dog design on the sedan. (I also pic up hints of Porsche there in cabriolet format.) Mimics the giant S-Coupe pretty well.
The model pictured looks like an antique bathtub to me. Try to suck less next time Daimler.
I think other manufacturers use a similar hot air down your neck system, no? Does this affect anybody other than MB?
This sounds like that Greg Kinnear movie, "Flash of Genius," about that guy who invented intermittent windshield wipers, sued Ford and won. Then again, maybe it's completely different.


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Wesley Snipes' legal woes continue: American Express sues for $30K in unpaid charges
According to TMZ, Snipes is the target of a new lawsuit filed by American Express. The company claims the "Blade" actor never paid a nearly $30,000 credit card bill before going to prison. The company is suing not only for the unpaid bill, but their legal expenses.
Back in September, Snipes' latest attempt to overturn his 2008 conviction was denied by an Atlanta Federal appeals court judge. So, for the time being he'll be paying -- or disputing -- any American Express charges from Pennsylvania's McKean Federal Correctional Institution.


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Despite going ‘gold’ only a few weeks ago, Cyberpunk 2077 has been delayed yet again, CD Projekt Red has announced. In the game’s third (and hopefully final delay), the game is being pushed back by 21 days into a December release.
The delay to the game this time around is related to challenges around testing the game on the various platforms the game will be releasing on, including PS4, Xbox One, PC and Stadia. but also the next-gen versions on PS5 and Xbox Series X | S (for backwards compatibility), all while working from home.
The game’s new release date is 10th December 2020, but let’s not hold our breath this time. The way things are going with this game, it will now be a surprise if the game does actually releases on 10th December 2020.
CD Projekt Red also address the fact that the game went gold in early October, citing that although the game was complete, the team didn’t stop working on it. Apparently there were “many improvements” to be made, which would be released in a “Day 0 patch.”
Basically, the game wasn’t actually finished a few weeks ago. Who really likes a day 0 patch that will probably be a few GB in size and makes the physical disc obsolete as soon as the base game is installed?
The above statement was posted to twitter earlier today. As you can imagine, gamers are not happy to hear that the game has been delayed yet again (just check out the replied to the tweet). If the game is delayed again it will miss the Holiday period, which could affect sales.
Cyberpunk 2077 was originally planned to release in April 2020, but was pushed back to September in January 2020, before the Coronavirus pandemic hit. The game was then further delayed to November 2020 in June 2020.


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Information, a tech site often with scoops, reports today that it relies on Anonymous concerned† The chance of the FTC stopping the deal is small, according to the information, but it will likely be delayed by about six months.
The acquisition was announced in January of this year. Sony is ready to pay $3.6 billion (€3.4 billion) to the company, which has grown with Destiny Games.
Destiny 2 is an online service game, which will be maintained for years after its launch with additions and small purchases. PlayStation, the subsidiary of Sony Games, is hoping to make more of this service’s games thanks to this acquisition. The company is currently best known for its short “ultimate” single player trials.
Concerns about acquisitions
The FTC is said to be concerned that Sony may want to link future games from Bungie exclusively to PlayStation. However, Bungie indicated at the time of the acquisition that it would continue to do its own thing.
In recent years, technology acquisitions have been increasingly scrutinized to prevent tech companies from turning into powerful giants. This seems to be happening now in the gaming sector as well. The sector has seen a significant increase in the number of acquisitions since 2021, with more than €60 billion Microsoft wants to deposit to game publisher Activision Blizzard as a temporary high point. This deal is now with the FTC.


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Stuff just got real for students in the Mathematics and Computer Science Department, where a new virtual reality laboratory offering three-dimensional visualization of math concepts and computer science object models now provides them with a unique tool for their assignments and projects.
Geoff Goehle, associate professor in the department, said the Mathematics and Computer Science Virtual Reality Laboratory uses the state-of-the-art HTC Vive virtual reality system. “The system’s headset has two screens, one per eye, which allows the user to see and interact with a three-dimensional environment,” Goehle said. “The entire device uses more than 70 sensors including a MEMS gyroscope, accelerometer and laser position sensors to track users’ motion as they move around a predefined area within that environment.”
Goehle, associate professor Erin McNelis and others are using the VR system to create and deliver lessons that will allow students to see and interact with three dimensional mathematical structures such as solids of revolution or 3-D surfaces. “These objects can typically only be represented in two dimensions,” Goehle said. “With the VR Lab, students will be able to experience them as if they were true 3-D objects.”
Others teaching in the department are using the VR system to model and create visualizations for computer science concepts such as the runtime stack, the heap and objects. “The goal is to create a visual syntax for how these concepts interact with one another and to research its potential impact on computer science education,” Goehle said.
Goehle has compared the new system with others that are currently available, and says that the speed of tracking users’ movements and matching the virtual environment to them with very little lag gives it an advantage. “So far, nobody who’s used ours has felt nauseated,” he said.
Photo Caption: Students Daniel Powell (seated) and Anthony Benavente (standing) test out new virtual reality equipment.


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1-800-Flowers.com has reached a deal to sell 17 Fannie May chocolate stores to a company that also agreed to develop another 45 locations.
Carle Place-based 1-800-Flowers.com said that during its fiscal second quarter it completed the 62-store franchise agreement between Fannie May Confections Brands, a 1800-Flowers.com subsidiary, and GB Chocolates.
Under the terms of the deal, GB acquired 17 Fannie May stores outside the brand’s core Chicago market for $5.6 million. GB Chocolates also agreed to develop at least 45 stores over the next three years in several Midwest states and some cities in Florida and Ohio.[dmc-related-post-wp numitems="3" title="Related stories"]
The deal includes a $900,000 nonrefundable-area development fee, $500,000 store opening fees (assuming all 45 open) and a $1.2 million penalty if GB Chocolates doesn’t open all 45 stores.
In addition to operating stores under the Fannie May name, the company makes and markets chocolates under the Fannie May, Harry London and Fanny Farmer brands.
1-800-Flowers.com acquired Fannie May in 2006 for $85 million as part of its strategy to transform into a company that markets a wide range of gifts.
More breaking news
- Cut and Dried
- Milleridge Inn faces uncertain fate
- Q&A With David Jacobson, Car Collector Showcase
- Judge stops work at Maine Maid Inn
- Spinning longevity
- Farmingdale State President Keen stepping down in 2016
- David Sloane, real estate attorney, dies at 77
- US stocks notch worst day of year as Greek crisis escalates
- Stony Brook opening comp sci building
- NBC to Donald Trump: You’re fired


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New Geospatial Solutions Portal Provides High-Resolution Web Service to Autodesk Users
DigitalGlobe, provider of the world’s highest-resolution commercial satellite imagery and geospatial information products, today announced that it has joined Autodesk’s data initiative. DigitalGlobe’s participation in the initiative will give Autodesk customers quick, easy and affordable access to highly-accurate world imagery solutions. Autodesk’s new data initiative portal offers customers access to DigitalGlobe’s online library of world imagery directly with AutoCAD Map 3D(R) software, for meeting the growing market demand for enhanced imagery in utility, telecommunications, and AEC (architecture, engineering and construction) applications. By working together, Autodesk and DigitalGlobe give users quick access to premium geospatial information at cost efficient pricing models across an enterprise.
"DigitalGlobe’s world imagery solutions give people the opportunity to gain a real world perspective to improve their outlook and their business. Autodesk shares our commitment to making the best spatial information readily available to those who need it, when they need it," said Marc Tremblay, senior vice president and general manager of DigitalGlobe’s commercial business unit. "The demand for quality, highly accurate earth imagery is driving many new business uses and we are looking forward to our alliance with Autodesk to grow our market share in the CAD market. The Autodesk community understands and demands precision."
With the new partnership program, Autodesk customers gain e-commerce access to DigitalGlobe’s popular ImageConnect(TM) online imagery service for Map 3D through a co-branded Web site linked from the Autodesk data portal. ImageConnect is an easy to use subscription service for GIS, which allows native access from Map 3D to DigitalGlobe’s vast library of current, high-resolution satellite and aerial images, the largest source of available images in the world. Additionally, AutoCAD Map 3D 2009 will include a free two-week trial of the ImageConnect service and free DigitalGlobe imagery samples of San Francisco, London, Munich, Singapore, Rio de Janeiro and Sydney.
"Our customers are constantly in need of high-quality geospatial data, and it was a logical move for Autodesk to partner with DigitalGlobe for our data initiative," stated Lisa Campbell, vice president of Autodesk’s geospatial division. "DigitalGlobe’s advanced, high-precision and accurate imagery is a strong value-add for our customers who want easy access to quality data."
ImageConnect is available to Autodesk Map 3D customers via e-commerce through a specially developed Web site linked from the new data portal. More information about ImageConnect for AutoCAD Map 3D can be found at the Autodesk website at http://www.autodesk.com/geodata/ and at the DigitalGlobe website at http://www.digitalglobe.com/autodesk.


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Fibre network operators and Internet service providers (ISPs) in South Africa have slashed the price of fibre-to-the-home products in recent months.
Openserve started the price war in March when it upgraded speeds and cut prices on its fibre products. These changes came at no additional cost to its ISP partners.
Many fibre network operators followed, including Frogfoot, MetroFibre, and Herotel — increasing the speeds and cutting the prices of their fibre products.
Frogfoot permanently increased the line speeds of fibre packages of 50Mbps and below shortly after Openserve’s announcement.
The speed of Frogfoot’s 5Mbps and 10Mbps entry-level fibre-to-the-home packages were also increased to 30Mbps.
Herotel was next. It improved the value proposition on its 10Mbps, 50Mbps, 100Mbps, and 200Mbps packages and added new 75Mbps and 1Gbps services.
Pressure started to mount on other network operators to follow suit, and this is exactly what happened.
MetroFibre announced in April that it was increasing the speeds of its fibre products and introduced a new 300Mbps service from 1 June 2021.
Like other operators, MetroFibre discontinued its entry-level 10Mbps service and replaced it with a 25Mbps product.
Last week Octotel announced its 15/15Mbps entry-level package will be adjusted to 35/25Mbps, and the 30/30Mbps service will move up to 50/50Mbps.
“The market is already price-sensitive, but the demand for a fast, robust and stable fibre network has become the highest priority for most consumers,” said Octotel COO Scott Cunningham.
All eyes were on Vumatel following better deals from other large fibre providers. They did not disappoint.
This week many ISPs, including Afrihost and Cool Ideas, unveiled new Vumatel fibre-to-the-home prices.
Vumatel said it reviewed and adjusted its products to simplify its product offerings in line with ISP feedback.
Vumatel increased the speeds of all its fibre services and replaced its entry-level 10Mbps service with a 20Mbps product.
The speed upgrades and wholesale price cuts from fibre network operators quickly filtered down to end-users.
Afrihost, Axxess, Cool Ideas, RSAWEB, and other ISPs have cut their fibre prices in line with the wholesale changes.
The table below provides an overview of the new fibre prices from Afrihost. A single ISP was selected to illustrate the difference in pricing based on fibre network operator.
|Afrihost Uncapped Fibre Prices|
|Network Operator||Download Speed||Upload Speed||Price|


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TP Vision will equip most Philips TVs from the 5-series upwards with Android TV.
TP Vision has announced a few new apps for its Phiips smart TVs.
TP Vision has added a number of new apps to its line of Philips smart TVs.
The Smart TV Alliance development platform is now compatible with one-third of the global smart TV market.
TP Vision is betting on Android OS for its smart TVs, but at the same time keep its Net TV portal alive.
Google is partnering with TP Vision (Philips), Sharp, Sony, Razer and Asus to to build Android TV into TV sets, set-top boxes and game consoles.
Smart TV application developers can now use a single, integrated process to publish their applications to compliant Smart TV Alliance members’ smart TVs.
The Philips 8000 models are the first Android based TVs coming to Europe and Russia from TP Vision.
Extending the HbbTV to help support IPTV is an idea suggested by Jon Piesing, director standardisation TP Vision.
TP Vision has made modifications on the way it stores user information of Philips smart TVs.


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Tech rumors -- there's no avoiding them. There certainly is no shortage of industry pundits climbing over each other to be the first to "confirm" a new device or strategic initiative. One look at the laundry list of Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone 6 "leaks" over the last several months is a testament to that. But by no means is Apple the only tech enterprise subject to scuttlebutt.
Leading up to the May introduction of its "tablet that can replace your laptop," the Surface Pro 3, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) was widely expected to unveil a competitor to Apple's iPad mini. What Microsoft did instead was even better: it essentially brought to market a niche form factor -- or at least the intention to market the Surface Pro 3 as one. Nice move, but still, no mini. However, based on some recent data, perhaps there was some method to Microsoft's non-mini tablet madness.
Bigger phone, or smaller tablet?
About the time Microsoft wasn't introducing a mini tablet in late May, research firm IDC issued some intriguing tablet sales expectations for this year and beyond. And IDC's projections for tablet sales dovetail with additional tablet sales research released in just the last couple of days.
When IDC lowered its tablet sales expectations for 2014 from nearly 261 million units to 245.4 million, there were two primary culprits: fewer users want to swap out their old tablets for the latest, greatest model, and, more interestingly, the rise of the phablet is expected to impact mini-tablet sales beginning this year. And the phablet phenomena will likely continue over the next several years.
Smartphones with a screen 5.5 inches or larger are generally considered phablets. The problem, says IDC, is that tablets like Apple's iPad mini, with its 7.9 inch screen, will have difficultly differentiating themselves from phablets, including Microsoft's Lumia 1520 with its 6-inch screen. There are even larger phablets available, and they're beginning to catch on. In Q1, according to IDC, phablet shipments more than doubled to 30.1 million units.
Coincidentally, Apple itself is rumored (there's that word again) to be rolling out its iPhone 6 this fall. One of its most defining new features? Its 5.5 inch, phablet-sized screen. Concerns regarding its own and other new phablets eating away at iPad mini sales are justified, as IDC stated and market research firm NPD DisplaySearch recently confirmed.
For Microsoft, less is more
With the deal for Nokia's devices and services unit complete and the integration under way, it makes sense for Microsoft to cool its device manufacturing heels for a bit. Particularly when it already has what some industry insiders suggest is the best smartphone for gaming on the planet, the Lumia 1520 phablet.
It's nearly impossible to go outside and not see gamers glued to their smartphone screens playing one of the myriad of games available. The statistics are off the charts: gamers love their games, and they like them on their smartphones. That, combined with a trend toward buying phablets in lieu of mini-tablets, should be all the impetus Microsoft needs to get behind the Lumia phablets.
Interestingly enough, IDC seems to think so too. On the one hand, consumers' shift to smaller devices in lieu of mini-tablets will help drive growth in Windows devices, to more than double its existing market share. Surface Pro 3 sales will also benefit, IDC believes, as the market for "tweener" devices shifts to either phablets or larger screen devices like Microsoft's new pseudo-tablet.
Final Foolish thoughts
Microsoft has done a masterful job of marketing Surface Pro 3 as a niche player, the "tablet that can replace your laptop." The question is, when does Microsoft give its marketing department the kick-start it needs to market its phablets, the lower-end Lumia 1320 and top-of-the-line Lumia 1520? Based on what appears to be the correct decision to forego a mini, the answer to when Microsoft should begin marketing its phablets is easy: yesterday.


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SmartPower Launches $10,000 YouTube Ad Contest
Washington-based SmartPower announced it launched an online video ad contest to promote its national marketing campaign on energy efficiency. The SmartPower Energy Smart Online Ad Challenge uses new media and online social networking to promote conservation and energy efficiency. Anyone can participate by submitting a 30-second public service announcement to SmartPower.
“Our YouTube online ad contest is not only an opportunity to win a $10,000 grand prize and be featured on national television,” said SmartPower president Brian F. Keane, “it is also a fun way to educate Americans about how to save energy, save money, protect the planet and promote national security.”
The goal of the contest is for the general public to create videos that show how energy efficiency helps Americans save money. SmartPower provides helpful facts on how to conserve energy on its Web site. Contestants are required to reference the SmartPower website and logo as well as the Energy Smart tips in their submissions.
Though open to everyone, SmartPower’s Energy Smart Ad Challenge is designed to target young adults and teenagers. The SmartPower Energy Smart Online Ad Challenge coincides with the organization’s recent decision to expand its mission beyond promoting and marketing clean, renewable energy to include energy efficiency. In addition to helping consumers choose clean-energy sources, SmartPower wants to educate Americans about ways they can conserve energy in their day-to-day lives.
SmartPower is a national, nonprofit marketing organization committed to promoting clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency. SmartPower’s mission is to build the clean energy marketplace by helping the American public become smarter about their energy use.
For more information on SmartPower, visit www.smartpower.org


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Tesco executives waited 18 days to tell new chief of £246m hole in accounts
Tesco executives stalled for more than a fortnight before telling their new boss about a £246m black hole in the company accounts, a court heard.
Giving evidence in the trial of directors Carl Rogberg, 50, Chris Bush, 51, and John Scouler, 49, who face charges of fraud and false accounting, chief executive Dave Lewis said that once he was made aware of the shortage on September 19, 2014, it was ‘very important’ for the matter to be looked into quickly.
In the dark: Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis is giving evidence at the trial of directors
Lewis described how he had held meetings with Bush and Scouler after taking up the post on September 1 that year, and had not been told of the black hole. It was only revealed to him by Adrian Morris, Tesco’s chief counsel.
Lewis then called Tesco chairman Sir Richard Broadbent to tell him, and then gathered a team of internal and external auditors. After three days of intense investigations, they discovered the actual shortfall was £263m, jurors heard.
Prosecutor Sasha Wass QC asked what Lewis’s reaction had been. He said: ‘One of surprise and one of shock. I had never experienced anything like this before.’
Rogberg, of Chiselhampton, Oxfordshire, Bush, of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, and Scouler, of St Albans, Hertfordshire, deny the charges. The trial continues.
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There’s something new to consider if you’re upgrading your TV set – artificial intelligence.
When it comes to sales of television sets, 2011 was a bumper year in New Zealand. Thousands upgraded their screens, eager to watch the Rugby World Cup in high definition.
Back then, it was all about pixel count and how many inches of screen real estate you could get for your money. But seven years is a long time in the world of TVs.
Buying a TV in 2018 is still first and foremost about how good a picture you can get. But there’s a new factor to consider: artificial intelligence. The same technology that is powering virtual assistants such as Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa is being built into TVs, so there’s a good chance a TV that you buy this year will be AI-enhanced.
LG’s entire 2018 line-up of TVs, unveiled last week in Sydney, includes ThinQ, the AI engine starting to appear across LG’s line-up of fridges, washing machines and vacuum cleaners as well.
Samsung, New Zealand’s biggest-selling TV brand, is also building AI into its 2018 TV line-up with the inclusion of the Bixby assistant available on some Galaxy smartphones. It similarly wants Bixby in all its consumer electronics.
The ultimate aim is to have all of your consumer electronics devices talking to each other – the “Internet of Things” in the home. For LG, AI on the TV serves two purposes. First, a series of algorithms take advantage of the A9 computer processor to do clever things to improve the images displayed on the TV screen.
Second, the AI works in conjunction with the TV’s webOS operating system using natural-language processing to let people use their voice to control the TV, select programmes from the electronic programming guide and access content on the web.
If you’ve used Google Assistant on your smartphone, you’ve a fair idea of what is possible, and in future, Google Assistant will work with the LG TVs going on sale now. ThinQ will focus on making it easier to do regular tasks, such as switching from the MySky box to the Blu-ray player.
You may feel like we’ve been here before. My 2013-era Samsung TV has voice control and gesture-recognition features – all of which I’ve turned off because they simply aren’t worth the hassle. Have things improved?
Yes, markedly so. Advances in machine learning and natural language processing have boosted the abilities of these AI features to the point where they are useful.
The remote isn’t dead yet. A microphone in LG’s motion-detecting Magic Remote listens to your voice commands and understands a range of these and variations such as “volume up” and “raise the volume”.
Thirty types of commands cover the key things you need to control on your TV. The TVs in Sydney could also pull content from apps on the TV, such as Netflix and YouTube, with voice commands.
You can say, “Show me Robert De Niro movies”, and ThinQ will search for the available options from Netflix and other compatible streaming services. Ask about the week’s weather and it will pull in forecasts from a weather app and display them on the screen.
But it will take a bit longer for those capabilities to come to New Zealand, though the 2018 TVs will support the upgrade when it arrives.
We’ve typically been late to the voice-assistant party. Amazon debuted its Alexa-powered Echo home-assistant devices here only in February, and the Google Home gadgets still aren’t officially available here, though many people have bought them online.
The work required in tweaking the services for the Kiwi accent and integrating with local content providers is behind the delay, but by early next year, there’s a good chance AI on the TV will be a popular feature among new set owners.
Peter Griffin travelled to the LG 2018 TV launch in Sydney as a guest of LG.
This article was first published in the May 5, 2018 issue of the New Zealand Listener.


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Shares of Symantec Corp.
SYMC, + 0.18%
jumped more than 20% in retrospect on Tuesday after a report the security software company targeted for a acquisition of Broadcom Inc.
Bloomberg News reported Tuesday afternoon that Broadcom is in "advanced calls" to buy Symantec, and an agreement could be reached within weeks, according to anonymous sources. No potential purchase price was reported. Symantec has suffered, with the latest hit coming in May, the resignation of its CEO in battle with his business security business. Chip maker Broadcom was blocked by the US government from buying Qualcomm Inc.


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NEW YORK – Alphabet Inc’s Google has suspended business with Huawei that needs the transfer of hardware, code and technical services except those in public accessible via open supply licensing, a supply at home with the matter told Reuters on Sunday, in a very blow to the Chinese technology company that the U.S. government has wanted to blacklist round the world.
Holders of current Huawei smartphones with Google apps, however, can still be able to use and transfer app updates provided by Google, a Google proponent aforesaid, confirming earlier reportage by Reuters.
“We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications,” the Google proponent aforesaid.
“For users of our services, Google Play and the security protections from Google Play protect will continue to perform on existing Huawei devices,” the proponent aforesaid, while not giving more details.
The suspension might hobble Huawei’s smartphone business outside China because the school big can at once lose access to updates to Google’s robot OS. Future versions of Huawei smartphones that run on robot also will lose access to well-liked services, together with the Google Play Store and Gmail and YouTube apps.
“Huawei will only be able to use the public version of android and will not be able to get access to proprietary apps and services from Google,” the supply aforesaid.
The Trump administration on weekday supplemental Huawei Technologies Co Ltd to a trade blacklist, at once enacting restrictions that may build it extraordinarily tough for the corporate to try to to business with U.S. counterparts.
On Friday, the U.S. Commerce Department aforesaid it had been considering scaling back restrictions on Huawei to “prevent the interruption of existing network operations and equipment”. it had been not at once clear on Sunday whether or not Huawei’s access to mobile code would be affected.
The extent to that Huawei are hurt by the U.S. government’s blacklist isn’t nonetheless called its international provide chain assesses the impact. Chip consultants have questioned Huawei’s ability to still operate while not facilitate from the u. s..
Details of the precise services full of the suspension were still being mentioned internally at Google, in keeping with the supply. Huawei attorneys also are learning the impact of the blacklist, a Huawei interpreter aforesaid on Fri.
Huawei wasn’t at once accessible for more comment.
Chipmakers together with Intel firm, Qualcomm opposition, Xilinx opposition and Broadcom opposition have told their workers they’re going to not provide crucial code and parts to Huawei till more notice, Bloomberg according bloom.bg/2VLT5QK late on Sunday, citing folks at home with the matter.
Intel, Qualcomm, Xilinx and Broadcom didn’t at once answer requests for comments on the Bloomberg report.
Representatives of the U.S. Commerce Department didn’t at once comment.
Huawei can still have access to the version of the robot OS accessible through the open supply license, called robot Open supply Project (AOSP), that’s accessible for free of charge to anyone United Nations agency needs to use it. There ar concerning a pair of.5 billion active robot devices worldwide, in keeping with Google.
However, Google can stop providing Huawei with access, technical support and collaboration involving its proprietary apps and services going forward, the supply aforesaid.
Huawei has aforesaid it’s spent the previous few years making ready a contingency set up by developing its own technology just in case it’s blocked from mistreatment robot. a number of this technology is already being employed in product sold in China, the corporate has aforesaid.
In associate degree interview with Reuters in March, Eric Xu, rotating chairman of Huawei, smitten a disobedient note in anticipation of punditry actions by U.S. companies. “No matter what happens, the android Community doesn’t have any legal right to block any company from accessing its open-source license,” he said.
Popular Google apps like Gmail, YouTube and therefore the Chrome browser that ar accessible through Google’s Play Store can disappear from future Huawei handsets as those services aren’t lined by the open supply license and need an advert agreement with Google.
But users of existing Huawei devices United Nations agency have access to the Google Play Store can still be able to transfer app updates provided by Google. Apps like Gmail ar updated through the shop, in contrast to OS updates that ar usually handled by phone makers and telecoms carriers, that the blacklist might have an effect on, the supply aforesaid.
The impact is predicted to be nominal within the Chinese market. Most Google mobile apps ar prohibited in China, wherever alternatives ar offered by domestic competitors like Tencent and Baidu.
In Beijing, foreign ministry interpreter metallic element Kang aforesaid the ministry had detected the report and would cross-check it and listen to developments.
“At the same time, China supports Chinese firms to use legal weapons to defend their legitimate rights,” he added, however didn’t elaborate.
Huawei’s European business, its second-biggest market, may well be hit as Huawei licenses these services from Google in Europe.
“Having those apps is crucial for smartphone makers to remain competitive in regions like Europe,” aforesaid Geoff Blaber, vice chairman of analysis, CCS Insight.


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By Holly LaFon
Escalating cyberattacks against major U.S. companies, among them Sony Corp., Target and JPMorgan, have called into question whether regulators are requiring enough openness once an attack has occurred.
The issue doesn’t just affect consumers, whose credit card and other data may be at stake, but shareholders, who also have financial skin in the game.
The concept at the heart of this is materiality, or any information that could impact a shareholder’s decision to buy or sell a company’s shares, according to Securities and Exchange Commission rules.
“How many breaches have material affects?” said Dr. Martin Loeb, University of Maryland professor of account and information assurance. “When a General Motors has a breach and they have to spend $150,000 to detect and fix the breach, that’s just a normal operating expense. So most don’t have a material effect, but there’s still a threat that a big breach could have a very major effect.”
In the now-notorious Target Corp. breach last December, the severity of the attack was not revealed until weeks later. The company’s shares fell by as much as 10 percent in the wake of the disclosure and as it became clear that spooked shoppers had stayed away from the retailer during the key holiday season.
For all of 2013, there were 1,367 confirmed data breaches and 63,437 security incidents among global organizations that participated in a 2014 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report.
Though the SEC issued new guidelines in 2011 to help companies decide when they should disclose a hacking incident, the decision to do so is voluntary.
“In deciding the nature and extent of the disclosures, I would encourage companies to go beyond the impact on the company and to also consider the impact on others,” said SEC Commissioner Luis A. Aguilar in a June 10 speech in New York.
“It is possible that a cyber-attack may not have a direct material adverse impact on the company itself, but that a loss of customers’ personal and financial data could have devastating effects on the lives of the company’s customers and many Americans.”
The SEC urges companies to caution investors about their cyber security risks in their annual 10-K reports. This helps protect companies against potential lawsuits if something goes awry, and many more companies are including notes about such risks since the SEC issued the guidelines.
Yet many of the disclosures companies now offer in their annual reports amount to standardized, boiler-plate statements lacking in detail and leaving shareholders in the dark.
“It’s the worst because people will only do what the law requires and then they’ll stop,” said Jody Westby, CEO of Global Cyber Risk LCC, which advises executives on managing cyber risks in their businesses. “It gives executives cover because they can say ‘we met requirements; otherwise we’re wasting shareholder money.’”
Thus shareholders who do believe a board did not adequately defend against risks and attempt to sue may have more difficulty if they cannot definitively show that it failed to meet an SEC requirement.
By law, the SEC staff is required to review disclosures, including those about cyber security breaches, once every three years, though it reviews some companies more frequently. Staff correspond with companies regarding anything they finds that might not be clear enough for investors or that investors aren’t being told about. Once the issues are resolved, the agency publishes the letters on its website for the public to read.
David Katz, a partner at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz in New York, whose work involves investing and corporate boards, does not believe that companies will only do the bare minimum the SEC requires because they believe that will be enough to protect it from lawsuits.
“That’s always a possibility,” he said. “I don’t think that’s the way boards of directors work in the real world. Remember that the SEC is focused on disclosure requirements, making sure there’s adequate disclosure. So I don’t think a company would simply say we made the right disclosure and we’re fine.”
Loeb said data breaches don’t always have a big impact on a company’s stock, even if it appears that way. Take the case of Target.
The retailer announced Dec. 19, 2013, that hackers had gained access to 40 million customers’ payment card data. The company’s shares ended the month up almost 2 percent. When it announced in January that the names, mailing addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of 70 million customers had also been stolen and reported the financial impact the breach was having on the company, shares fell by as much as 10 percent through February.
But Loeb said investors should look at the data in context.
“If you look at Target, its stock did decline, but there were other things happening, and it bounced back afterward,” he said. “At the same time that was happening they were doing poorly. They opened up a lot of stores in Canada and earnings and sales were less than expected. So compounding things were happening.”
In the same press release it announced the expanded data theft, Target also lowered its fourth quarter 2013 guidance range for its U.S. segment by 10 cents, citing dilution related to store closings, real estate impairments and losses at its Canadian segment, among other items. It did not at that time state estimated losses related to the data breach. The retail chain also said it had stronger-than-expected fourth quarter sales prior to the announcement of the data breach, followed by “meaningfully” weaker-than-expected sales since the announcement.
“The more breaches that get disclosed the more commonplace it becomes, so it’s less of an issue,” Katz said. “So you have to look at different companies. If a company’s going to really do damage over the long run to a breach, I think investors will take that into account.”
In another instance, JPMorgan, the largest bank in the U.S., announced on Oct. 2 a data breach that affected 76 million households and 8 million small businesses. Hackers stole names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses, but not account numbers, passwords, user IDs, dates of birth or social security numbers.
JPMorgan’s shares ended the week up about 2.5 percent. When the company announced increased third quarter earnings that missed analysts’ expectations on Oct. 14, shares fell by almost 5% in the following two days.
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said the bank would double spending on cybersecurity following the attack. The company has not said whether the data breach has had additional business impacts.
Kmart stores fell prey to hackers this year as well. The company announced on Oct. 10 that malware had infected its system since early September, stealing debit and credit card numbers but no personal information, PIN numbers, email addresses or social security numbers. Shares of Sears Holdings, its parents company, closed up about 3.8 percent the following trading day.
Security breaches are worse for a company and its shareholders if they involve access to information critical to the company’s business, such as a customer list, or in the case of Sony Corp., upcoming feature-length movies critical to its future earnings.
In the wake of the Nov. 24 hack attack and unauthorized release of five movies, Sony shares are down 3.4 percent.
Loeb’s research showed that such a theft could dramatically reduce the company’s underlying value. Other kinds of attacks, such as those that stop a firm’s ability to conduct business temporarily, have less impact because the firm can continue business once it fixes the problem.
Katz argued that increased openness about attacks companies deemed immaterial could either cause unnecessary alarm or become so commonplace that investors no longer pay attention.
“I think you can take that too far,” he said. “There’s all sorts of risks companies face from plane crashes to executives to everything else… it should be more of an issue of the risk factors that can be disclosed so that investors understand that if there is a material breach, what could be the impact on the company’s business and what steps the company is taking to mitigate those risks.”
Westby said that companies are making more of an effort to inform shareholders of attacks, realizing that social media and instant communication prevent them from concealing big breaches as much as they used to.
“That said, those that are, they are being probably as broad and as general as they possibly can,” she said. “And nobody’s going under the covers.”


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Looking to keep on top of the latest headlines in small business, innovation and tech? Check out our Weekly News recaps posted every Friday morning -- a quick summary designed to keep you current.
A scathing New York Times article about Amazon's work environment spurred founder and CEO Jeff Bezos to defend Amazon's corporate culture and open the lines of communication with the e-commerce giant's staff.
Uber faces more legal troubles after a California prosecutor expands a consumer-protection lawsuit against the ride-hailing company for allegedly failing to conduct adequate background checks on drivers, claiming that convicted criminals, including registered sex offenders, passed Uber's screening process. The San Francisco-based company defends its practices saying they are better than the ones the industry currently uses. Meanwhile, the embattled tech firm won a racketeering lawsuit in Connecticut. A group of taxi and limo services in the state accused Uber of preying " parasitically on established taxicab and livery services."
In other news: a 3-D printed drone was launched from a warship. A team of engineers from the University of Southampton in England catapulted the unmanned aircraft from a Royal Navy ship to test whether the lightweight drones could replace heavy machinery for naval purposes. And speaking of heavy machinery, your childhood dreams of giant fighting robots is one step closer to becoming a reality.


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"This is a really good time to push UK product, given the current weakness in our currency," said Auction Fresh founder Nigel Lister. "Having worked for years in both retail and wholesale flowers, I know how difficult it is to source English flowers." His new app helps to answer questions on when, where, what price and in what quantity flowers are available, replicating Dutch systems supplying non-English product. "An interim idea is my AuctionFresh app," said Lister.
"I decided on the smartphone option because I wanted a grower to be able to take a photo of available product and load it onto a global platform (multiple language and currency screens are coming in further releases) instantly. Buyers can see what's available and the price, and make an offer through the app or just make contact with the grower in different ways, including an inbuilt Facebook Messenger facility.
"Ben Cross from Crosslands Nursery in Walberton, West Sussex - a third-generation alstroemeria grower - has worked with me in the process of development and he finds the functionality very easy.
"Within an industry that imports 97per cent of its cut flower consumption, I would like to see more English growers using the app so, working on a narrow budget, exposure of the idea to growers is important. If there is interest, I would like to extend the concept to plants."
Cross said the app works well, is a good idea and the potential is there. He added that imports have gone up in price by about 28 per cent and he is booked for talks on his work at flower societies, colleges and clubs until 2018, showing the amount of interest. But commercial growing in the UK, and particularly in West Sussex, is a shadow of its former self, he pointed out. Cross grows 40 Alstromeria varieties on three acres under glass but said 50 acres have gone from the area over the past 20 years.
He called for EU financing, funding to compete with Fair Trade imports, the NFU to include flowers in its Fruit & Veg Pledge, the Government to take the industry seriously and a Jamie Oliver-type spokesperson for the sector. Cross supplies artisan growers when they are short, at Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Easter peaks, when they cannot produce.
Mike Bourguignon, manager of Dutch international florist association Florint, said he believes the depreciation of the pound will cause a 20 per cent price increase and trade barriers will add another 15 per cent to that, which might reduce consumer demand.
In Spain, VAT on flowers and plants increased from eight to 21 per cent in 2013. Florists experienced a 26 per cent sales drop. The VAT rate returned to 10 per cent and sales went back up.
Gill Hodgson, founder of 300-member British cut flower grower co-operative Flowers from the Farm, said: "Brexit is a fabulous opportunity. Some florists are reporting 25 per cent more expensive orders than three weeks ago, for the same order." She suggested that this may mean more florists seek flowers from closer to home, particularly if trade barriers mean delays at ports for imports.
Hodgson called the higher prices and subsequent increase in demand for home-grown product "the silver lining of Brexit". The ongoing decline of florist shops, exacerbated by Brexit, should not concern British growers, she added. "Supermarkets are always going to come out okay and will always run flowers as a welcoming feature, even as a loss leader. Is it possible for the high street florist to struggle any more?
"Florists are now increasingly working from home or lock-ups and are becoming event florists, with social media taking the place of the shop window. Those looking for a different-looking product are sourcing British flowers, and not just sweet williams. They want varieties you can't get at the wholesaler from a grower that might only grow 200 plants and not five acres' worth to make themselves different from the supermarket."
She added: "To me, British flowers were always better value because they're fresher and have better variety and scent retention. Our growers don't want to equate with better value because they are competing at the better end of the market. British flowers are better so people have to be willing to pay more. We're not chrysanthemums, carnations, roses and lilies. We're larkspur, delphinium and sweet peas. Florists can't survive on British alone but can add more different British varieties to imported varieties."


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Meta cements its position as best platform for UK consumer eyeballs with daily usage leap
Attest’s UK media consumption tracker shows Facebook and Instagram growing at a faster rate than their competitors in the first quarter of 2022.
Attest’s UK media consumption tracker helps brands to make effective media planning decisions
Since rebranding to Meta, the technology giant has seen a leap in daily usage across Facebook and Instagram in the UK, Attest’s latest UK media consumption tracker results show.
Data for the first three months of 2022 shows that Facebook chalked up a 6.6 percentage point increase in the number of British consumers using the platform daily (from December 30 2021 to March 28 2022). Likewise, Instagram has recorded a 6.7 percentage point increase, making Meta unrivaled for potential advertising exposure.
It means the two platforms, which already dominate market share in the UK, are growing usage at a faster rate than any of their competitors. However, TikTok also shows notable growth over the quarter, gaining the most new users (non-usage among UK working-age consumers declined by 3.7 percentage points to 51%).
Meanwhile, Twitter – just bought by Elon Musk for $44bn (£34.5bn) – records a more disappointing performance, with a 1.6 percentage point net loss in weekly users. The percentage of Brits who say they ‘never’ use the platform stands at 39.6% in comparison to Facebook’s 14.4%. It remains to be seen if Musk’s ownership will generate renewed interest in Twitter – it’s something that marketers trying to decide where their social media spend should be going will want to keep a close eye on.
Growing potential for radio and podcast advertising
Also trending up in the first quarter of the year is radio listening. The data shows a 5.5 percentage point increase in UK consumers listening to the radio daily; this means 40% of Brits are now tuning in to their favorite stations each day.
Likewise, the number of people who listen to podcasts is growing, with conversion of non-listeners into listeners. There’s been a 4.5 percentage point reduction in the number of people who say they never listen to podcasts. At the same time, we see a 3.7 percentage point increase in people listening to podcasts ‘a few times a week.’
In other audio consumption news, audio books are trending down, with a reduction in daily and weekly listeners, while streaming music makes modest gains. Interested in data for newspapers and magazines, digital news and content subscriptions? View the live tracker.
Binge watching continues to decline
The boxset bingeing many Brits engaged in during lockdown is long gone; the Q1 data shows a 3.6 percentage point decline in people watching subscription streaming platforms for more than four hours a day, bringing the figure down to just 5.7%. Meanwhile, we see a 5.7 percentage point increase in the more modest viewing time of one to two hours.
Viewing of live TV and free on-demand services is also trending down in the first quarter. Nearly a quarter of Brits don’t watch any live TV now (1.7 percentage point increase), and 24% don’t watch free on-demand services (2.4 percentage point increase). However, the time Brits spend watching TV overall (all types combined) has increased slightly since the beginning of the year, with top shows for the quarter being Bridgerton and Peaky Blinders.
Paid streaming services hold firm, with a 1 percentage point reduction in the number of consumers who say they don’t watch any. Netflix, which made headlines recently for losing subscribers for the first time in a decade (and took a giant hit to its share price as a result), appears to still be going strong in the UK. It shows a 4 percentage point increase in the number of people watching the platform at least once a week. However, the number of viewers does not necessarily equate to paid subscribers – account sharing is something Netflix has vowed to crack down on.
Meanwhile, rival Disney+ chalks up a 7.3 percentage point increase in weekly viewers, indicating faster growth (37.6% of Brits now watch the platform regularly). Amazon Prime, Netflix’s closest competitor, also achieves a 3.3 percentage point boost in weekly viewers, but still lags behind, with 47.4% of Brits watching regularly in comparison to Netflix’s 76.4%.
Attest’s UK media consumption tracker helps brands to make effective media planning decisions. To receive a quarterly bulletin direct to your inbox, sign up here.


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KATIE TAYLOR was one of the star guests for this year's Arnold Sports Festival in the UK.
The undisputed women's lightweight champ joined a number of huge names from the world of sports and entertainment - including Khabib Nurmagomedov, George Saint-Pierre, Sylvester Stallone and Roy Jones Jr at this year's event in Birmingham.
The festival was founded by Arnold Schwarznegger and Jim Lorimer in 1989 and has become one of the premier health and fitness exhibitions anywhere in the world,
Originally a body-building centric event - it has grown into a multi-sport festival. The USA event had 200,00 visitors - hosting up to 22,000 athletes!
This event was brought to the UK by Stephen Olexy and 2017 World's Strongest Man, Eddie Hall.
According to the official website, "The Arnold Sports Festival UK will be a celebration of health, fitness and nutrition, a full weekend of motivation and inspiration.
"The festival will feature the biggest and best multi-sport competitions, high quality experiences combined with the biggest and best brands in the world, exhibiting the newest freshest products on the market.
"This event will give you the opportunity to see competitions from multiple sports with the finest athletes in the world.
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"Sports will Include: Arnold Classic Strongman in association with Giants Live, Bodybuilding, Powerlifting, X-Fit, MMA, Boxing, Gymnastics, Cheerleading, Arm Wrestling, Dance"
Taking to Instagram, the Irish Olympic gold medalist wrote: "What a real privilege to be part of the @arnoldsportuk today and being in some great company. What a superb event."
As for Taylor, she's coming off a unanimous decision victory over Jennifer Han last month and has not yet confirmed any future fight plans.


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Vard announced that it delivered the world’s first all-electric autonomous container ship, the Yara Birkeland, to its owners Yara International.
The hull was built by Vard Braila in Romania. Initially, the plan was for Vard Brevik to outfit and deliver the vessel, but this was then transferred to Vard Brattvaag, as Vard said.
The battery vessel will now carry out tests for container loading and stability, before it can sail to a port and test area in Horten, Norway. Once there, it will be further prepared for autonomous operation.
Yara Birkeland was one of the most eagerly anticipated vessel launches of the year. However, because of the pandemic and unsees complexities, the autonomous vessel is tipped to launch next year.
Namely, getting the landside operations in place proved to be much more difficult thatn originall anticipated from every side, including order receipts, production, packing, transport to the ship, and loading and unloading containers.
As Mr. Holsether admitted, the company indeed underestimated the complexity of such a project. Nevertheless, Ketil Olaf Paulsen, director of technology and development at Kongsberg Maritime, explained that they have a fully finished ship that is designed as autonomous, and the company can start testing under realistic conditions.
During an interview to Norwegian media, Yara boss Svein Tore Holsether sneaked a hint that the much-awaited autonomous vessel could launch next year.


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A new survey by AlphaWise suggests demand for Apple's iPad and iPhone products is stronger than expected, with the company likely to sell almost 200 million smartphone handsets across 2012.
According to an analysis of the survey by Fortune Tech (opens in new tab), sales of the iPhone range - including the budget iPhone 3GS and flagship iPhone 4S - are likely to be 20 to 30 per cent higher than previous estimates for the quarter, suggesting that demand is increasing beyond previous expectations for the devices.
That interest is set to rise in Q1 2012, it is claimed, while sales of Apple's high-priced iPad tablet are not thought to be as adversely affected by the release of Amazon's budget Android-based Kindle Fire tablet as previously thought.
If the survey's results prove true, Apple could sell 54 million iPhones in the next quarter and almost 200 million over the course of the year, along with 81 million iPad tablets - significantly more than the 52 million previously predicted by financial giant Morgan Stanley.
The figures will make good reading for Apple investors, but as with any prediction only time will gauge their overall accuracy - and with devices like the heavily anticipated Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime due to launch in the first quarter of next year, Apple may find itself issuing discounts if it doesn't want to disappoint analysts.


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In an announcement that shouldn’t surprise anyone, EA has confirmed that the “mysterious” Dead Space reveal at E3 next week is indeed going to be Dead Space 3. So if you like your news official, rather than the steady leakage of info we’ve witnessed over the last handful of months, then you should most definitely stay tuned for our E3 coverage next week. But that’s not all of the Dead Space 3 goodness I have for you today–head past the jump for an official high-res screenshot.
Is it just me, or is anyone else getting a strong Battlefield/Call of Duty vibe from this screen? The camo suit, snowy setting and assault rifle look are all giving me Call of Duty flashbacks, not unlike those old men who speak in hushed voices about the horrors of Nam.


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How enterprises are embracing cyber security challenges
Enterprises across Europe, the Middle East and Africa are undergoing a significant transformation
Enterprises across Europe, the Middle East and Africa are undergoing what is perhaps the most significant transformation in a generation, moving resources and relationships into the digital realm. But the emerging digital world is exposing organisations to new security risks.
Although tens of billions of connected digital devices are expected this year, 69% of companies have basic or no understanding of their exposure to cyber risks. In addition ransomware attacks have increased threefold, and the economic impact of cybercrime has risen fivefold since 2013.
This report, based on a Forbes Insights survey of 650+ enterprises across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, explores the state of cybersecurity in these regions, and how the perceptions of business leaders and security practitioners vary on these issues.
It also provides recommendations on how companies in these regions can better protect their businesses.


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We are now entering the prediction season, but predictions do of course have that nasty habit of being wrong! But in the name of tradition lets have a go at predicting a few of the things that 2015 might bring for drones.
There are two things that I am reasonably confident in predicting: firstly, we are likely to see growing numbers of drone related stories in the media – in the last few months there have been a marked increase in drone stories. It is widely reported that drones are one of the must have presents for Christmas, so come Christmas Day a whole new generation of drone flyers will take to the air (and back down again!) and no doubt this will lead to a plethora of stories for the media to relay. My second confident prediction is that the media will continue to call them drones. Whilst the acronyms RPAS and UAV are being used widely in official circles, they simply do not have the attention power of the word drone.
When it comes to predicting the developing uses of drones with some predictions we are on pretty safe ground as usage in certain areas is already well on the way to being commonplace. 2014 witnessed some stunning photographic and film uses made of drone technology and these areas will undoubtedly continue to develop, providing us with unique visual experiences.
One area where there was much talk in 2014 of possible widespread drone activity was that of delivery. Amazon amongst others have been carrying out experiments on delivery systems, but I remain to be convinced that 2015 will witness widescale drone delivery usage. famous last words). This is for a number of reasons – there is some way to go before the technology itself is ready for such a role, both in terms of actually delivering goods and the technical/safety issues surrounding drone flights. As well as these matters there is also the issues of regulatory and acceptance concerns. Deliveries such as emergency medical supplies would be a natural beneficiary of drone technology, but the much talked about pizza deliveries is an entirely different matter.
As regards regulation, in the UK the lead regulatory body the CAA can be seen to be ahead of the game in seeking to provide a working environment by which drone usage can be facilitated. The U.S. regulatory body the FAA in contrast has been heavily criticised for its pedestrian pace of addressing key issues to create a workable framework. The whole area of regulation and public acceptance is likely to be a major issue in 2015.
If we consider other users, the police no doubt will continue to work on their use of drones, as will other public bodies such as the fire and rescue service. One of the very promising areas that are likely to benefit from greater use of drone technology is the agricultural sector. Already farmers are using drones, but this is likely to be just the beginning, with great opportunities in crop and livestock management. Researchers in different fields are likely to identify innovative uses for drone technology. Could selfie pictures give way to Dronie pictures in 2015? One area that I have not heard mentioned so far for drone use is the Art world – so maybe we will have Drone Art in 2015.
Perhaps the biggest question however for next year will be whether by Christmas 2015 Father Christmas will have given up on his sleigh and will be using a drone instead???!!!


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Does Eating Meat Really Cause Cancer? 5 Answers Every Steak Lover Needs
The World Health Organization recently published an analysis that concluded that eating red and processed meat is linked to a higher risk of developing cancer. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to swear off burgers and bacon.
1. So what exactly did the study find?
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the WHO, reviewed more than 800 studies that examined the link between meat and cancer. The research included people from around the world, of different races and those on different types of diets. The authors concluded that each three-ounce portion of red meat eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer (and in some cases pancreatic and prostate) by 17 percent. For every 1.5-ounce portion of processed meat eaten daily, the risk of colorectal cancer increases by 18 percent. The IARC assigned red and processed meat to two of the five categories it uses to determine how likely certain things—from sunlight to alcohol to tobacco, for example—are to cause cancer.
Red meat (beef, veal, pork, lamb, goat) was placed in the category “probably carcinogenic to humans” and processed meat (bacon, sausage, hot dogs) placed in the “carcinogenic to humans” group. You may have heard that processed meat is in the same group as tobacco use, but that doesn’t mean eating a hamburger raises your cancer risk as much as smoking cigarettes does. The IARC bases its classifications on the strength of scientific evidence that something may cause cancer, not on the actual level of risk.
2. So if I eat meat will I get cancer?
Experts say you don’t have to break up with your morning bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich just yet. The IARC didn’t suggest how much meat is safe to eat, but health experts say it’s all about moderation. “I think it’s very important that we don’t terrorize people into thinking they should not eat any red meat at all,” John Ioannidis, MD, chairman of disease prevention at Stanford University told The New York Times. Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, dean of the School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University told NPR that while there’s not enough evidence to give specific amounts of meat that are safe to eat, his general recommendations are “no more than one to two servings per month of processed meats, and no more than one to two servings per week of unprocessed meat.”
3. Are certain kinds of meat safer than other kinds?
Lean cuts of meat are always your best option, whether you’re eating chicken or beef. Fattier portions of the animal have more saturated fat and cholesterol, which have been linked to heart disease, diabetes, and premature death. When buying ground meat, look for the fat percentage on the label. If you’re craving a steak, look for cuts with the least amount of marbling (visible fat) and choose ones that are graded “choice” or “select,” which are leaner than “prime.” Minimizing the amount of processed meats like bacon or sausage, which are often high in saturated fat and sodium, is also a smart diet move for your overall health and your waistline.
4. Does it matter how I cook my meat?
As a matter of fact, it does. Studies show that cooking meat at high temperatures that create charring can lead to the formation of carcinogenic chemicals, which can cause changes in DNA that may lead to cancer. A University of Minnesota study found that regularly consuming well-done or charred meat may increase your pancreatic cancer risk by up to 60 percent. If you’re grilling, avoid direct contact between meat and flame and flip frequently. Try a marinade; the American Institute for Cancer Research says that marinating for at least 30 minutes can reduce the formation of carcinogenic chemicals.
5. Is it easier (and safer) for me to just go vegetarian?
Not necessarily. Meat is a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals your body needs for everything from brain to muscle to immune function. By eliminating meat entirely, you may be missing out on key nutrients that can affect your health if you don’t find other ways to get them.


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New Delhi, Nov 7: British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday, adding positivity to the bilateral ties between India and United Kingdom, asserted on strengthening the trade and opportunities between two countries.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also suggested certain points regarding the bilateral ties between the two countries. He said that “science, technology, and innovation has a significant role in India’s bilateral engagement with the UK.”
She said that UK and India share a “special bond”. “There is so much potential for India-UK relationship,” May said at the India-UK TECH Summit, adding that “We have a very special bond.”
May narrated that Indian investment is helping the UK diversifying its economy and that Britain was working on its economic and social reforms. Modi adding on the same said that “Our countries face economic challenges which directly affect trade and commerce. We together have to create new opportunities.”
She also announced that the travel to the UK for Indians would be made easy. “There would be a registered travel scheme for Indians to travel to Britain regularly.”
Narendra Modi thanked May for choosing India as her first bilateral visit outside Europe. To which May said that “I chose India…because of the special partnership between our countries.”
May took the charge of office in 2016 and this is her first bilateral visit to India.


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Earlier this week, Sia shared a snippet of “Reaper,” which Kanye West co-wrote and co-produced. You won’t actually hear any bars or singing from the Chicago emcee, but the production is indicative of a KanyeToThe-produced record.
“Come back when I’m good to go, I got drinks to drink, I got good things to do with my life,” sings Sia.
Almost a year ago, Kanye debuted “Wolves” featuring Sia and Vic Mensa during a Saturday Night Live performance. “Wolves” was set to appear on Kanye’s highly anticipated and oft-delayed SWISH album, which still has no release date.
This Is Acting will hit store shelves on January 29. Take a listen to “Reaper” below.


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Vying to be leaders in restoration
Craig Eul was in the construction business for more than 22 years when the bottom fell out. He needed different work, so he got a job working in restoration.
Turns out, the longtime Rosemount resident really liked the work. He liked it so much he decided he wanted to own his own business, and so bought a franchise of Rainbow International.
The company offers home restoration and cleaning services and Eul's branch will serve the southwestern Twin Cities. As part of Rainbow, Eul said he will restore and mitigate damage to homes and businesses in the event of water, fire or hail damage as well as provide cleaning services.
"I try to be a perfectionist and I just want to help people. I hope to be one of the top restoration companies in Minnesota," said Eul.
Eul said he chose to go with Rainbow because they are a trusted company with a good reputation in the industry. Rainbow has 310 locations throughout the United States and Canada. The company also has 110 locations in Germany and the United Kingdom.
To start his franchise Eul went through a considerable about of training. Rob White, the president of Rainbow International, said the company requires hands on training including fire and smoke mitigation, water damage and mold remediation. White said the company takes pride in its good reputation in the industry and works to ensure it through well-trained representatives.
White said because of his background in restoration and construction, Eul will be a good addition to Rainbow International.
"We're glad to have Craig Eul," said White.
There is one other Rainbow franchise located in the Twin Cities. Eul said he will serve customers throughout Minnesota.


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CG Public Health director says if you aren’t vaccinated, you still need to wear a mask
MASON CITY — More and more stores and businesses are lifting mask requirements for people to go into their stores after the CDC announced last week a loosening of their recommendations regarding face coverings.
Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health director Brian Hanft says people are dealing with the issue of whether or not they still need to carry a mask around with them wherever they go. “This is where it really is going to get tricky is do you carry a mask with you all the time because you aren’t sure when you are going to need it? The other thing is that I do want to stress is how do you confirm whether or not someone has been fully vaccinated or not. This is where we’re going to have to just rely on people to basically be truthful, kind of police themselves.”
Hanft says if you haven’t went through the vaccination process, you are still vulnerable to COVID-19. “If you’re not vaccinated, really the only real risk is to yourself, and that is if you are not vaccinated, you are around someone who is COVID positive but may be asymptomatic, your risk is still there. But if you are fully vaccinated, your risk is dramatically reduced.”
For more information about upcoming vaccination clinics, you can head to cghealth.com.
Hy-Vee announced this morning that they will no longer require vaccinated customers and employees to wear masks in their stores unless it is locally mandated.


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Posted December 9, 2020
You’ve likely heard a lot of people talking up gold prices this year, but one metal has been severely overlooked. Rhodium prices have skyrocketed this year and look to keep climbing. Wealth Daily editor Jason Williams explains why and gives you his two favorite ways to play the rally.
Posted December 8, 2020
IPOs on U.S. exchanges have already raised a record $156 billion this year, and there are still a few weeks left of December to make even more. Airbnb and DoorDash are set to make their public debuts this week, and if all goes well and each IPO is priced at the top of its price range, both companies will make a combined ~$6.2 billion.
Posted December 7, 2020
Stocks have been running like crazy — Bitcoin too. Home prices are up, copper is at record highs, lithium for electric car batteries is doing well, platinum too... Why? Why should such a wide range of assets be doing so well? Glad you asked.
Posted December 4, 2020
You hear it a lot in the markets, but it's never “different this time.” Wealth Daily editor Jason Williams explains why this year's flurry of IPOs should make you more than a little cautious.
Posted December 3, 2020
The conceptual failure that the modern electrical vehicle represents goes deeper than the obsolescence of the core technology. Wealth Daily editor Alex Koyfman paints a picture to give you an idea of just how pathetically unadvanced modern electric cars really are...
Posted December 1, 2020
DoorDash, the food delivery giant, filed a new S-1 document earlier this week. That document gives a little more insight into the company and its tentative mid-December IPO. Wealth Daily editor Monica Savaglia reveals those IPO details here...
Posted November 30, 2020
Wealth Daily editor Briton Ryle has been professionally investing in the stock market for a long time (22 years and counting). He's watched the price gyrations in response to currency crises, bubble implosions, outright fraud, 9/11 — you name it. But the market still finds ways to surprise him...
Posted November 25, 2020
Ten years ago, the electric vehicle "industry" was one company. Today, it's nearly two dozen. Wealth Daily editor Jason Williams gives you a tip on the best place to make your next EV investment...
Posted November 24, 2020
Airbnb, the popular vacation rental marketplace, is preparing for its upcoming IPO. Despite being greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has moved forward with its IPO filing, which could put Airbnb on track to go public this December.
Posted November 23, 2020
For at least 20 years, value investors have clung to their dream that investors will finally reward those stable, low-debt, low growth companies with higher stock prices. Wealth Daily editor Briton Ryle discusses why value stocks may not provide the most value...
Posted November 20, 2020
Last year, Wealth Daily editor Jason Williams gave you the opportunity to invest in a private company called Juva. Well, Juva just went public and those that listened doubled their money as soon as shares started trading.
Posted November 19, 2020
Elon Musk’s Tesla is already solidly the most valuable auto brand in the world. And yet, each and every vehicle that rolls off its production line, at its heart, is a total failure. The only solution is a technology that can make its own power and return zero byproducts… and one company has developed just that.
Posted November 17, 2020
On November 13, DoorDash filed its IPO paperwork with the SEC, which means a December IPO could easily be in sight for the popular food-delivery company. But does DoorDash have what it takes to give potential investors the compelling story they so desperately need?
Posted November 13, 2020
These metals aren't actually all that rare, but the profits investors could score sure are. Wealth Daily editor Jason Williams has three picks to ride the rare-earth rally to massive gains in 2021 and beyond...
Posted November 12, 2020
No chemicals, no permanent changes, no side effects. You can use this device to steer your mental condition based on six settings: happy, calm, sleepy, alert, focus, and relax. The best part: The stock is already public.


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TSB parent Banco Sabadell has posted a net profit of €253.9m for the first quarter of fiscal 2018, up 32.9% year-on-year.
The results release is however overshadowed by the ongoing botched IT migration at TSB.
In a masterly understatement, Sabadell said in its results release that “certain incidents arose in digital banking access which required disconnecting the online service and mobile application ..to carry out the necessary technological adjustments.
“This service disruption affected some customers and caused a negative reaction in the UK…normal conditions will be progressively restored over the coming days.”
TSB’s ongoing IT shambles has been a customer service and PR disaster of nightmare proportions and initially handled very badly by the bank.
TSB fights back
TBS is now fighting back. Having admitted that only about one half of its customers can access digital banking services, it is to waive all overdraft and interest charges for retail and SME customers for April.
TSB will also increase to 5% the interest rate on its Classic Plus current account from 3% in an attempt to forestall mass account switching to rivals by disgruntled customers.
TSB CEO Paul Pester told the BBC: “As we moved over to our new banking platform last weekend, the landing was an incredibly bumpy one for our customers, and for that I am truly sorry. This is not the level of service that we pride ourselves on providing – nor is it what our customers have come to expect from TSB.
“Of course, customers can rest assured that no one will be left out of pocket as a result of these problems.”
IBM to the rescue
Pester added that TSB is bringing in outside assistance from IBM in an attempt to resolve ongoing issues with its IT upgrade.
Profit before tax at TSB fell by 39% y-o-y to £19.3m in the first quarter.