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One of the largest app stores outside of the Google Play Store, APKPure, was reported to have been infected with malware recently. The malware can allow hackers and threat actors to plant and distribute trojans into Android phones and other devices. This is another supply chain attack with similarities to the recent attack on Gigaset,...Continue Reading
Ethical hackers and cybersecurity researchers disclosed more information on how multiple websites of the Indian government got hacked and breached. Just last month, researchers from the Sakura Samurai hacking group had discovered and disclosed their breach and findings via a large number of critical vulnerabilities on the cyber systems of the Indian government. The full...Continue Reading
Cybercrime (CC) has never been projected as high as last fiscal year compared to the previous years. Historical data confirms the enormous leap of numbers on reported cases in various types of attack known by the cybersecurity experts. Incidents of repurposed tactics, newer and more lethal approach of adversaries were recorded complimenting the uprising cases...Continue Reading
The hot debatable issue in the cyber world today is about the location tracking on mobile apps discussing the pros and cons of people’s privacy. In the recent news site that is prominent in India, it is said that aggregators have been sued together with telecom providers that sold collected data to third-party companies gathered...Continue Reading
Technology advancement is considered the most significant breakthrough in every institution, business, and alike. Having such elevation gives an edge to every sector that promised faster and reliable services that ease people’s lives of the burden of manual work. We are in a period heavily dependent on the comfort of these technologies but always have...Continue Reading
The recent SolarWinds cyberattack exposed a third-party supply chain weakness using exploitable vulnerabilities on other widely distributed and implemented software and system offerings available in the market. Still, many enterprises have little insight into the set of suppliers currently being used in their infrastructure systems. Based on a survey conducted by BlueVoyant, out of 1,500...Continue Reading
Cybercrime has significantly increased every year, which is directly proportional to the growth of technology. Factors attributed to this increase could be summed up due to the perpetrators’ persistent behaviour through new tactics like using Covid19 as theme and sophisticated applications. Cybercriminals are being backed up by governments and the victim’s open vulnerability. Different sectors...Continue Reading
Whatsapp the messenger and call app that was merged with Facebook through the acquisition of Facebook wants to mandate its users to accept the updated terms of service and privacy policies until February 8, 2021. In case you don’t want to accept the new terms, a user may opt to delete their accounts. The important...Continue Reading
The current trend in the dark web highlighted data leak of almost 7 million Indian cardholders’ sensitive information that has been discovered for public view. Based on different cybersecurity organizations’ testimony on the leaked database, they confirmed that the data is as large as 2 GB and includes PAN numbers sold off in the dark...Continue Reading
The recent scanning of an app of a cybersecurity group had confirmed that the Chinese-based Baidu Android apps were accessible right at your fingertips through Google Playstore can collect sensitive information from its users. According to the report, the application Baidu Maps and Baidu Search box collect information such as Phone Model, its specification, user’s...Continue Reading
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Expect to see fewer handbags in Kohl's stores in the future, and more laundry detergent and yoga pants. On Monday, Kohl's announced that it would be testing out a new shop-in-shop called the Wellness Market, which will carry products like vitamins, dish soap, baby wipes from brands including Seventh Generation and the Honest Company. It's part of the new strategic framework Kohl's announced last week, in which the department store chain said its focus going forward is to be the leading retailer for shoppers looking for products to support an active and casual lifestyle.
As more food and beverage sales move online, e-commerce is becoming a bigger part of food startups' strategy. Take Siete Family Foods, which makes grain-free versions of Mexican-American staples, like tortillas and chips. The six-year-old company is now using its website to test out new products before selling them in physical stores. Through a new section of its site called Small Batch, Siete Family Foods plans to launch ten new products within the next year, selling anywhere from roughly 100 to 1,000 units of each. The goal is to gather data on what types of Siete's most loyal customers are most interested in, and use that data to pitch retailers on carrying that product in stores.
There's a new most-talked about acronym in the DTC world these days: SPAC, which stands for special purpose acquisition company. SPACs give startups an alternative way to go public, without going through the traditional IPO. In a SPAC, a group of individuals raise money in order to acquire a company with the purpose of taking it public. At least one direct-to-consumer startup, Hims has already opted to go the SPAC route. But investors caution that SPACs won't entirely replace the traditional IPO process.
This year, as fewer people do their holiday shopping at stores, more toy sales are expected to move online. That means retailers like Walmart and Target also have to shift more of their marketing efforts for toys online, as do top toy brands like Mattel and Hasbro. This was a trend that was already underway before the start of the coronavirus outbreak, but has since been accelerated. According to eMarketer, e-commerce sales of toys are projected to grow 34.9% year-over-year, compared to 1.5.5% the year prior.
Lowe's has been one of the few brick-and-mortar retailers to see a consistent sales increase during the pandemic, after being declared essential in the spring. Now, the company is hoping to use the momentum to get more people to think of Lowe's as a place to buy their holiday gifts. Lowe's executives say that the home improvement retailer's website will be carrying more cookware, toys, and fitness products on its website this year, as they seek to market Lowe's as a gift-giving destination.
Last year, New York' Soho neighborhood was filled to the brim with holiday pop-ups, both from more established retailers and brands like Ugg and Kohl's, as well as up-and-coming startups like East Fork Pottery and Stuart & Lau. But this year, the coronavirus has put a damper on holiday pop-ups. Few retailers are opening pop-ups this year with the goal of getting shoppers to spend hours checking out their winter wonderlands. Rather, they're opening pop-ups in order to ease capacity limits at existing stores, or to test out a new market while they can find a good deal on rent.
Many direct-to-consumer brands have long held off on selling through Amazon. But they can't completely ignore its orbit, as Amazon still sets the conversation in e-commerce. There's a laundry list of DTC brands that have still held off on selling through Amazon -- Glossier, Warby Parker, Allbirds and Away to name a few. But, a few trends emerge among the digitally-native brands that have taken the leap to selling through Amazon.
Ikea is testing out a new way to incentivize customers to come to its stores during the holiday season. The Swedish furniture retailer announced on Tuesday that over Black Friday, it will be hosting an event called Buy Back in 27 countries, where it will encourage customers to bring in old furniture for Ikea to resell. Between November 23 and December 24, customers who bring in furniture previously bought at Ikea will get store credit. Ikea's efforts to build out a resale business -- the company will also be opening a secondhand shop in Sweden next year -- coincide with its efforts to find new customer acquisition channels.
Despite e-commerce’s rise, retailers are still betting that there's one transaction people will prefer to do in person: returns. Last week, Staples announced that it was partnering with Optoro, a returns processing startup. These types of partnerships were already becoming more common before the coronavirus outbreak. But it’s unclear if they’ll actually lead to more sales.
In conversations with a handful of direct-to-consumer startup executives about their holiday marketing plans, the biggest concern cited was figuring out when was the right time to run holiday ads. Both to ensure that customers order far enough in advance so that they get their products by Christmas, and to ensure that they are spending their holiday marketing dollars most efficiently. The executives Modern Retail spoke with said that for the most part, they weren't that concerned about rising digital advertising costs, either because they've been able to further diversify their ad spend away from digital this year, or customer acquisition costs are still lower than they are last year.
On Thursday, Dollar General announced that it is launching a new chain called Popshelf, which is targeted towards wealthier shoppers and will carry crafting items, home decor, health beauty products. Ninety-five percent of items will be priced at $5 or less, according to a press release. It's part of Dollar General's play to increase average order value, and attract new shoppers, in order to increase its profits.
As online sales soar, it's also been a boon for the companies interested in providing funding to these e-commerce businesses. Toronto-based Clearbanc said it's invested more than $1 billion into 3,300 companies, up from roughly 2,000 at the end of last year. Shopify, which has an alternative lending arm called Shopify Capital, reported that it doled out $153 million in financing to e-commerce businesses in the U.S, U.K. and Canada during its second quarter, a 65% increase from the same period last year. As studies project that e-commerce will continue to make up a growing portion of total retail sales even after the pandemic ends, these alternative lenders are betting that the amount of funding e-commerce businesses will need will also only grow.
Big-box retailers are starting to announce their holiday hiring plans, and among those that are still hiring, most of them have a singular focus: to hire more people to help them fulfill online orders. Target, Walmart, Kohl's, Gap, Michael's and Dollar General are among the retailers who have announced within the past two weeks plans to start hiring in preparation for the holidays, with an emphasis on hiring for roles to fulfill online orders. "We know customers will be shopping online more than ever this year and we’re staffing accordingly to support increased digital fulfillment efforts," Kohl's chief people officer Marc Chini said in a press release.
Before the coronavirus, Bed Bath & Beyond had reported nearly four more years of same-store sales declines, culminating in CEO Steve Temares stepping down and being replaced with former Target executive Mark Tritton in December. But now, the home-goods retailer may have found new life, as home goods sales have increased during the pandemic. And Bed Bath & Beyond isn't the only retailer encouraging people to spend more money on their home as they are stuck inside.
Despite experiencing record e-commerce sales during the coronavirus, DTC CEOs are trying to prepare for how to handle some worst-case scenarios over the holidays. Specifically, fears over shipping delays and how to compete with deep discounts are keeping them up at night. As they've had to do throughout the coronavirus outbreak, they're trying to figure out what unexpected scenarios to plan for.
The Amazon Strategies Virtual Forum is a series of presentations, workshops and talks taking place over two days that’ll help you navigate and survive our current crisis and the acceleration of e-commerce that has come with it.Register Now

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Online payment processing and register company Square has announced today that it is processing $10 billion in payments annually. That marks an increase in $2bn in just two months, as it announced in September that it had passed the $8bn mark.
“Today we’re processing $10B in payments annually, an amazing and humbling milestone. To the small businesses growing with Square, thank you,” said the company in a statement on Twitter.
Square announced in September that it had closed a $200M round from Citi Ventures, Rizvi Traverse Management and Starbucks. Starbucks had announced a partnership with its investment in August in which it would begin processing all credit card payments in its 7,000 stores in the US through Square.
That Starbucks payment deal just rolled out in early November, and did not contribute to this number, so expect to see another increase shortly.
More than 2 million customers a week use Square or Starbucks own app to buy their coffee. Another factor could have been its addition of Canada as its first country outside of the US.


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HOSPITAL Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM) is delivering medication to its patients via postal delivery and drive-through services.
This is to ensure that the supply of medication to patients remain unchanged under the movement control order, said the hospital, which belongs to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
The medication will be delivered from Mondays to Fridays between 8.30am and 4.30pm to those who are eligible.
Patients who have run out of medication must send their personal details (name, patient registration number and address) to 018-9682218 (Whatsapp only).
Those eligible for the service will be asked to fill up an online service form and the medication will be delivered to the registered address.
Payment is by cash on delivery according to the weight of the package.
Those who do not qualify for the postal service can use the drive-through service at the hospital’s reproductive centre’s lobby according to a date and time set by the pharmacy.
Pick-up, however, can only be done between 10.30am to 12.30pm (weekdays).
They must, however, call the pharmacy a day before the pick-up, at 03-91458241 or 03-91456990, between 8.30am and 4.30pm (weekdays).


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EAST VILLAGE, N.Y. (PIX11)-- Egg creams were flying out of Gem Spa on Saturday, and all for a good cause.
The iconic East Village store known for making the old fashioned beverage, was the gathering point for people wanting to help mom and pop businesses affected by last month’s deadly gas explosion and fire.
Barbara Klaperman bought a magazine from Gem Spa.
“I’m a new customer,” Klaperman, an Upper East Sider, said. “Maybe I’ll keep coming when it’s not an event.”
The small business crawl event was organized through social media by the grassroots organization #SaveNYC.
It targeted hurting shops and restaurants between East 6th and East 8th Streets on Second Avenue.
“Because of the barricade situation, a lot of these businesses aren’t getting the traffic flow that they should be getting, pedestrian wise,” said Kirstin Theodos, one of the organizers from #SaveNYC.“
“We thought it would be a nice idea to kind of give back to the community, encourage people to come down, pay attention, spend money.”
Paul’s Da Burger Joint, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, was forced to close its doors for a week after the blast. Owner Natalie Wardrop said business has been down 60 percent. But on Saturday, thanks to the crawl, she saw it turn around.
“We haven’t seen it since the explosion like this. We haven’t seen this traffic, we haven’t seen these crowds, we haven’t seen this amount of people here, so it’s great.”
James Burton, 11, showed his support with a sign listing the names of some of the impacted stores inside the shape of a heart.
“Today’s a day we’re able to support them, that are all very special to us. And it just makes me very happy that New York has a day that considers all the small businesses,” said the sixth grader.
“I was very worried at the beginning,” said Jessie Ballan, owner of Café Mocha, which had to shut its doors for 8 days. “Everybody really cares, and asking what happened. It’s giving me good hope, green light for the future. We’ll come back.”AlertMe


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Unicorn of crypto-finance Amber Group has joined with TR Lab to establish a new effort to assist creators in gaining access to the burgeoning NFT market, showcasing the growing adoption of digital collectibles across industries once again.
CreatorFi, a new platform to assist NFT inventors to get to market faster, was announced on Wednesday. Amber Group will provide direct infrastructure setup support, including minting, custody, and platform penetration testing. CreatorFi is supposed to use Amber Group and TR Labs’ expertise to provide consumers with customized, end-to-end services for their NFT auctions.
“The traditional art world is being revolutionized by NFTs,” said Annabelle Huang, a partner at Amber Group. “Every time ownership of an object changes hands on the blockchain, artists can now monetize their work.”
TR Lab has its own NFT platform where collectors may find and bid on digital art. Dragonfly Capital, Christie’s CEO Xin Li-Cohen, and the founders of Artsy, Shanghai Rockbund Art Museum, and ART021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair collaborated to create the platform.
TR Lab just finished its first Transient Eternity auction, 101 Ignitions of Gunpowder Paintings, an NFT based on Cai Guoqiang’s gunpowder painting. The 48-hour auction ended on July 16 with a $2.5 million winning bid.
Despite a prolonged pause in the bitcoin market, NFTs have continued to thrive. NFT sales have continued to rise even while assets like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) have satisfied the technical definition of a bear market. According to Cointelegraph, the audiences of NFT producers are unconcerned by the price of BTC or ETH for the time being.


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Late last year 20 of Thailand’s best-known and most prolific designers, artists and other creatives joined forces with MINI to re-interpret the classic car’s design.
Celebrating half a Century of MINI, the event saw 20 fibreglass 1:3 scale models of the car handed over to everyone from architects to fashion designers and university students, inviting them to “express their individual creativity”.
There were some amazing designs, including a great bed-topped MINI by fashion label Sretsis and Living etc’s white sketched MINI.
We also love The Eight’s chocolate MINI and Amarin’s silver studded interpretation of the classic design.
The MINIs were all on display in Thailand at the end of last year and will this month be auctioned to raise money for The Reading Room; a non-profit organisation operated by The Foundation for the Promotion and Preservation of Thai Art.
Check out all 20 designs below.
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The danger with ongoing political stories – regardless of how much they affect you personally – is that there can come a point where you start to switch off from the headlines and rhetoric.
Usually, because there’s nothing much new to say.
Brexit, for me, is one of those stories.
Just after the results were announced I was eagerly seeking out news about how this would affect me and my business. But now, over a year on, and no real guarantees in the bag? Well, I’ll admit it’s harder to maintain interest when nothing is certain.
But it’s an important issue for the likes of you and me. The entrepreneurs and sole traders. The SME owners. The businesses most vulnerable to massive political, economic and social upheaval. And when we asked over 800 small business owners how Brexit had affected them one year on, the impact was clear.
But is it clear to you?
If not, here’s a SWOT analysis of the situation, based on what we know right now…
- Small businesses are more easily adaptable. We’ve less infrastructure and reliance on systems than large corporations and can be agile and fast in response to change.
- Entrepreneurial spirit seeks opportunities. There are always winners and losers in economic uncertainty and downtimes… entrepreneurs are notorious for maximising the opportunities and have a keen nose for sniffing them out.
- We’re a keep calm and carry on nation. And whilst it may be cliché, we Brits do get on with things and pull together in times of need. I suspect the business community will pull together even more to share knowledge and resource.
- Uncertainty makes it hard to make decisions. It’s even more important for you as the business owner to weigh up the risks of any business decisions. Whilst there are many opportunities, there are few guarantees and fortune doesn’t always favour the brave.
- Your staff may be affected. Especially if you hire EU citizens who, come the end of negotiations, may leave the UK, leaving you with a personnel issue that could take time to resolve.
- SMEs are vulnerable to cash-flow issues. If you’ve yet to make provisions for a reduction in lending and funding, or an increase in interest rates, now is the time to bolster your financial defences. And with price rises for imported goods set to soar even further, it’s a fact that doing business is going to cost more.


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The seven-inch, top-sliced toll is aimed at foodservice businesses that offer gourmet sausages as a hot dog. The rolls are egg-glazed and baked individually rather than in batches, meaning there is no join mark, and they are quick-frozen to retain freshness.
They are available in two flavours – classic and brioche – and are part of a range of bakery products by the Nottingham-based Butt Foods which includes naan breads, flat breads and fruit breads.
Butt Foods says its product launch has come at the perfect time for hospitality businesses. According to a Horizons Menurama survey in the summer, hot dogs have become one of the most popular items on the menu and are now in the top 20 most frequently listed main course dishes, edging out scampi and chips from its top 20 placing.
The hospitality consultancy revealed that hot dogs, with a gourmet twist, are now featured on 85 per cent more menus than they were last year.
Butt Foods’ premium hot dog roll is available to all UK foodservice businesses now.
For more information on cost, contact David Williams, managing director of Butt Foods, on 0115 9850009.
Why you should buy it:
Williams said: “The toploader hot dog roll has been developed to help caterers take advantage of the growing trend towards ‘haute dogs’, which are proving to be a popular choice for consumers.
“A number of national chains now include gourmet hot dogs on their menus, and our new hot dog roll provides the perfect bread for the job.
“They are ideal for gourmet event caterers who are looking to make the most of their offer, as well as restaurants, pub chains and other hospitality outlets.”
Butt Foods was established in 1990 and now bakes up to 60 million products per year for European foodservice and manufacturing markets. For more information and details of the full range of products, visit www.buttfoods.co.uk.


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Many TV viewers know him as “Jaime” on the HBO series, “Game of Thrones.”
But many of those fans might not know that Nikolaj Coster-Waldau travels the world as the United Nations Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador for climate change and other social issues.
Now, Coster-Waldau is teaming up with electric vehicle and advanced mobility products company Fisker to bring sustainable, affordable and premium mobility to market.
He will serve as a partner and sustainability adviser to Fisker chairman and chief executive officer Henrik Fisker in working toward a future with advanced, affordable, electric mobility serving as a model for the future of transportation.
Fisker and Coster-Waldau first connected on Twitter, discussing their passion for sustainability. The two are working toward helping Fisker Inc. fulfill as many of the United Nations’ sustainability goals as possible.
Fisker Inc. is working toward completion of its “affordable, all electric production-intent” SUV prototype. The company will unveil the all-electric SUV at the end of this year, and it will feature a range of approximately 275 to 300 miles.
The vehicle will also use recycled plastic from ocean debris, vegan leather, and a solar roof in its top-model spec.
Also, the vehicle will recycle waste generated during tire manufacturing. The vehicle will recycle that waste — which typically goes to landfills – for various interior applications.
Fisker Inc. says its long-term goal is the creation of a consumer platform that brings desirable, affordable and sustainable mobility to the mass market.
The company wants to enable a wider consumer base to drive its premium electric vehicles. To do that, Fisker is working on what it describes as a “revolutionary direct-to-consumer smart platform,” which it says might not include sales of its vehicles.
Fisker Inc. says it will announce details of its affordable, direct-to-consumer e-mobility platform later this year. That, according to the company, will break new barriers of entry to affordable, clean mobility “without onerous long-term contracts or expensive upkeep.”
“I am very excited to have Nikolaj participate in Fisker’s mission of binging the world’s most sustainable, affordable and desirable electric vehicles to mass market,” Fisker said in a news release. “I am looking forward to working with him on learning about and achieving U.N.’s sustainability goals”
“Mass vehicle electrification around the world will make an immense impact on the fight to combat climate change,” said Coster-Waldau, who has also partnered with Google in implementing its street-view tool to raise awareness and show the impacts of climate change in Greenland. He has also traveled to Maldives to report the effects of global warming.
Coster-Waldau continued, “And although we’ve progressed, there’s still a long way to go. Henrik Fisker’s vision to help spark wider adoption of electric vehicles is unique, combining the most sustainable materials and manufacturing with his globally renowned design touch to bring emotionally appealing vehicles to the mass market. I’m delighted to embark on a journey to deliver more beautiful vehicles for a more beautiful world.”


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When it comes to live, linear streaming television — that is, things other than video-on-demand like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video — 4K resolution is hard to come by. That's because live TV in and of itself isn't easy. And the higher the resolution (and higher the bitrate, which is separate but related), the more data you have to push as a provide.
And so the only option we've had for any 4K live video has been the occasional sporting event on FuboTV.
That appears to finally be changing, however, as YouTube TV has just added a "4K Plus" option as a premium add on. (A feature it previously alluded to.) Technically it costs $19.99 a month, though YouTube is doing the first 12 months at $9.99 a month — and that's after a 30-day free trial.
And we're not just talking live, linear TV in 4K resolution. The add-on subscription will also unlock the ability to watch simultaneously on an unlimited number of devices at home (previously the limit was three, and that'll still be in effect if you're away from your home network), and the ability to watch recorded shows offline on mobile devices. (The content itself will have to support that, though.)
At present, only seven channels will be available with any 4K content. Those are Discovery, ESPN, Fox Sports, FX, Nat Geo, NBC Sports, and Tastemade. And even then, what you're watching presumably also will have to be served up in 4K resolution. Typically, live sports have been streamed in 720p resolution at 60 frames per second. Google, in its blog post announcing the new 4K option, says that we'll see live sports in 4K from ESPN and NBC later this summer.
Once you've added the 4K option, you'll see a new 4K section on your Home screen, promoting various shows that you can watch in the increased resolution. So far it appears to be shows that YouTube TV also has made available on demand. So it's not quite (or at least not yet) true linear 4K.
You'll need an internet connection that can support the increased data required to stream YouTube TV in 4K. Google says that'll require at least a 15Mbps connection.
And you'll also need hardware that supports 4K. That means your TV will have to have a 4K-capable display, and anything else you're using to stream YouTube TV also will need to support 4K resolution. Google says that includes Chromecast with Google TV, any 4K Roku streaming devices, the 2021 Apple TV 4K (but not the 2017 model, apparently), PlayStation 4 Pro, and the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. Google also notes that on some content available in 4K elsewhere may be served up in a lower resolution on Apple TV 4K and PS4 Pro.
You'll also be able to take advantage of the increased resolution with 4K-capable Android TV smart TVs, other smart TVs from manufacturers like LG, Samsung and Hisense, and on NVIDIA Shield.
Phil spent his 20s in the newsroom of the Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal, his 30s on the road for AndroidCentral.com and Mobile Nations and is the Dad part of Modern Dad.
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Latest research from GfK reports that the garden structures category, largely made up of garden sheds and garden storage, posted value growth of 22.8 perc ent in May this year.
Looking at the year to date, overall, this category has also achieved a 2.3 per cent rise in value. The storage category posted a 67.7 per cent value growth year to date. Arbours showed a 17 per cent value growth. March showed a 25.9 per cent value decline.
The BBQ category reported 7.7 per cent value growth in April and marginal value growth of 0.5 per cent in May. Garden solar lamps have also seen an uplift as the season progresses, with sales more than trebling between March and May, with more than 800,000 units sold in May alone.
GfK account manager Richard Maden said: "Despite a difficult start to the season, the wider garden categories posted an improved performance. Every garden category tracked by GfK except for pest and disease achieved value growth in May 2013, helping to offset the significant declines seen earlier in the year.


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Celebration commemorating the VW Beetle (aka “Bug”) to be held June 24-27, 2010 in Branson, Missouri.
Online PR News – 11-May-2010 – – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (May 11, 2010)
Jaspers Events to stage VW Beetlemania Event featuring The Liverpool Legends
Weekend celebration commemorating the VW Beetle (aka “Bug”) to be held June 24-27, 2010 in Branson, Missouri.
Branson, MO, May 11, 2010 - Jaspers Events announced today that it will stage a multi-faceted event billed as a birthday celebration for the fabled Volkswagen Beetle automobile. The four –day event will be held at various locations in Branson, Missouri on June 24-27, 2010, and will feature live entertainment shows, car events, and a party/dance.
Co- sponsor The Mansion Theater in Branson will host several activities, including the VW Car Show, The Country Tonight show with Marty Haggard, and the Gala Celebration on Saturday featuring The Liverpool Legends. Other activities include a Late Night Poker Run and a VW Stealth Swap Meet at the Days Inn Branson.
Jaspers Events’ Coordinator, Claudia Bolles, said “VW Beetlemania is open to everyone, with a special invitation to members of the numerous Volkswagen Fan Clubs throughout the country. “ The Mansion Sales Director, Amy Leaming said, “The Liverpool Legends are produced by Louise Harrison, sister of original Beetle, George Harrison, and Marty Haggard will do a tribute show to his father, the legendary Merle Haggard.”
For more information on the VW Beetlemania event in Branson, go to http://visitmoevents.com/VW%20Beetlemania%20.nxg or contact Jaspers Events at 417-889-8040.
Jaspers Events is a Springfield, Missouri-based event planning and management firm which specializes in hosting family-oriented events, festivals and leisure retreats in the Branson and St. Louis, Missouri markets.
Kari Wilson, Event Manager
2332 W. Kingsley, Suite B
Springfield, MO 65807


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After a less than stellar performance in Paris earlier this month, Madonna tries to win back her French fans.
Forget that diet, a French perfume maker claims to have created the secret to shedding those pounds.
Leigh Ann has discovered a story about a company in France, that has developed a new line of lingerie for young girls. It is causing quite an uproar with its ads.
I LOVE french fries! I could eat them everyday. Who do you think has the best french fries in the Metroplex?
Want to learn how to create stunning floral arrangements? Kimberly Schlegel Whitman went to the Catherine Muller Flower School in Paris, France over the summer and has some great tips to share with you! Listen […]


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An executive in the franchise industry for more than 25 years, Paul Eckert serves as president and chief executive officer of Family Financial Centers, LLC, based in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. In addition to his day-to-day work, Paul Eckert also maintains an active membership in the International Franchise Association.
During its annual convention at the end of last January, the International Franchise Association awarded National Retail Federation (NRF) president and CEO Matthew Shay with the IFA Dennis Wieczorek Free Enterprise Award. The award was brought back into service in 2015 by the IFA board, renamed for the late IFA general counsel Dennis Wieczorek as a way to commemorate his service to the organization and recognize others who share a similar commitment to the health and economic vitality of the franchise industry.
Shay has been at his post with the NRF since 2010, where he has leveraged the organization as a leading voice lobbying on behalf of the retail sector. Under his leadership, the organization’s membership and revenue have more than doubled, and its lobbying efforts have significantly increased. Shay also has received recognition by CEO Update as a top-50 nonprofit chief executive in the Washington, D.C., metro area.


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Tesla Motors, which has been the focus of presidential politics in recent weeks, rescheduled its earnings announcement on Monday to give it a full news cycle before U.S. voting begins on Nov. 6.
Instead of reporting results and hosting a Q&A session with analysts after markets close on Nov. 5, the Palo Alto electric car company will now post before the market opens that day.
Republican candidate Mitt Romney has lumped Tesla in with Fremont's failed solar power company Solyndra in attacks on Pres. Barack Obama's alternative energy strategy.
Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk has objected to those attacks, saying his company got a low interest loan guarantee from the government that it is on schedule to repay early.
Tesla spokesman Jeff Evanson acknowledged that the earnings move is the result of Romney's attacks, but added, "There isn't any news that will be relevant to the election in the earnings announcement."
He said that pushing the earnings up to the beginning of the day from the end was as much distance from the start of voting as the company could manage.
Analysts project that Tesla will post an increased loss of 90 cents a share for the quarter that ended Sept. 30, compared to a loss of 55 cents a share a year ago. That is attributed to its continued shift away from selling its original Roadsters to selling a new line of electric sedans that it is assembling in a the former New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. plant in Fremont that was once operated by Toyota and General Motors.
Revenue is expected to be down to $47.5 million from $57.7 million a year ago.
Cromwell Schubarth is TechFlash Editor at the Silicon Valley Business Journal.


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Digi has recently introduced a new pass in conjunction with the Ramadan celebration which offers 100GB of data for RM7 per week. And that’s not all, if you are looking for an affordable tablet or a smartphone, Samsung is now offering the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite and the Galaxy A12 at a lower price point.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite and Galaxy A12 price cut
Samsung has announced a price cut for its Galaxy Tab S6 Lite tablet and its Galaxy A12 budget smartphone. The new revised pricing takes into effect starting today and you can save up to RM200 off. Find out more here.
Digi Sahur Pass offers 100GB of data for RM7 per week
Digi has introduced a new internet pass which offers alot of data in conjunction with the Ramadan month. For RM7 per week, you can enjoy 100GB of high-speed data for you to stay connected during sahur. Find out more about the pass here.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 price cut
Samsung Malaysia has just announced a price reduction for the Galaxy Z Fold 2. The device is now going for RM6,999 which is a significant RM1,000 price cut from its initial launch price. Learn more here.
Cabotage: MASA Chairman says foreign ships “may steal data” from faulty submarine cables. Is that even possible?
Malaysia Shipowners’ Association Chairman has continued to defend the revocation of the cabotage exemption made by Transport Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong for foreign vessels conducting submarine cable repairs. During an interview with Astro Awani, he shared that the cabotage policy has its own benefits when it comes to data security. Click here for more details.


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The largest networking event in Mount Pleasant — driven by Crews Subaru of Charleston — is set to take place Thursday, September 28, from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Omar Shrine Center, in partnership with the Town of Mount Pleasant and for the first time Bank Sponsor, Pinnacle Financial Partners.
The Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce (MPCC) Business and Community Expo is designed to be both fun and educational, with interactive exhibitor booths that offer demonstrations, giveaways and food samples. There will be games, prizes, a food truck, and a Happy Hour from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. As always, admission is FREE. Kicking off the event with a local mascot parade led by Mayor Will Haynie, this event is going to be a good time for businesses and community members alike with Small Business Week being the week prior.
“The Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce our 13th Annual Business and Community Expo, to be held at Omar Shrine Center in Mount Pleasant, SC on Thursday, September 28, 2023,” says Ben Knight, MPCC Board Member and Expo Committee Chair. “We will have 90 vendors inside Omar Shrine Center, as well as outdoor vendor space available for boat dealers, landscape companies, golf cart vendors, etc. In addition, Food Trucks will be positioned in front of Omar Shrine Center for both vendors and attendees to enjoy.”
Knight continues, “With an anticipated 1200 attendees, this will be the place to showcase your products and services as a business owner. Booth spaces are selling fast, and we have a few sponsorships left.”
For more information about attending, sponsorship, becoming a vendor, or food vendor, please visit http://mountpleasantexpo.com.
WHEN: Thursday, September 28, 2023 | 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
WHAT: 13th Annual Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce Business & Community Expo
WHERE: Omar Shrine Center, 176 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant, S.C. 29464
About MPCC: Since 1992, the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce has been bringing together business leaders from the East Cooper community for mutually beneficial purposes. The membership is a mix of professions including advertising, publishing, finance, health care, food and beverage, hotel, retail, insurance, legal, and service businesses of every description. The MPCC's mission is to encourage business and community success East of the Cooper. MPCC was named a Noteworthy Network in the 2023 Lowcountry Diversity Leadership Awards by the Charleston Regional Business Journal.
SCBIZtv is part of the SC Biz News family, serving 100,000 high-level business execs throughout South Carolina. Click for more from SCBIZtv.


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Independent video game developers Respawn Entertainment has teamed up with online free-to-play maestros Nexon to bring the world of Titanfall to mobile devices. The two companies have jointly invested in mobile game developer Particle City, the studio leading the development of the upcoming titles.
“As a player and fan of Titanfall I am delighted to be working with the talented team at Respawn to bring the world of Titanfall to mobile and tablet,” said Owen Mahoney, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nexon. “Working closely with our partners at Respawn and Particle City we intend to build on the original game’s success and introduce millions of mobile gamers to the rich Titanfall universe.”
The project certainly has potential, and the idea of creating different gameplay experiences all based on the expansive sci-fi universe of Titanfall is really exciting. Nexon will serve as the exclusive global publisher of the Titanfall mobile games and you can expect to see the first game on iOS and Android in 2016.


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The New Innovative HTML5 Digital Catalog Creator - A Flat Page into an Experience
PUBHTML5.com introduced a new HTML5 digital catalog creator to business. People are allowed to publish HTML5 digital catalog online for free.
This article was originally distributed via 24-7 Press Release Newswire. 24-7 Press Release Newswire, WorldNow and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.
HONG KONG, CHINA, July 11, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- A new innovative addition to PUB HTML5 has now arrived, making it more easy and convenient for its users. PUB HTML5 offers a HTML digital platform to publish brochures magazines and catalogues and now, the new innovative HTML5 digital catalog creator facilitates to publish HTML5 digital catalog with adding links, audio, video, animation and more multimedia.
PUB HTML5 helps in increased efficiency and productivity by letting the user create digital page flip catalogues from PDF, making the publications cross platform and mobile friendly, enables a build in page editor and rich media and also enables animation editor and empower catalogue.
The newly introduced HTML5 digital catalogue creator enhances the software by facilitating a flat page into more of an experience. With the new HTML5 digital catalogue creator businesses have an opportunity to turn product into life rather than a mere description of information. HTML5 digital catalogue will increase sales and efficiency of retailers as it could also update content changes immediately to keep the information current. As online shopping is the upcoming and more convenient trade at present, HTML digital catalog creator fills the vacuum of a live market.
The software HTML5 digital catalog creator offers pre-designed templates, themes, backgrounds, etc. without an additional charge which makes it easy-to-use and handy software. The ability to customize unique and outstanding digital catalogues with ease is also allowed by the HTML5 digital catalogue creator towards its users. No coding skill is required for the whole process which allows even a fresh hand to create an engaging eye catching catalogue in a few minutes.
The software PUB HTML5 is used by many leading companies and has being one of the most promising software in the market. Therefore the innovative HTML5 digital catalog creator will undoubtedly impress more consumers in time.
The company offers multiple editions for its users to choose from which includes a basic edition and an advanced edition. Anyone could use the basic edition totally free online while the advanced edition offers many advance features to tag along. Delivering a memorable and outstanding reading and shopping experience, which is accessible from all leading mobile platforms which include iOS, Android and Win8. The innovative HTML5 digital catalog creator is now available for use online or could be downloaded at http://pubhtml5.com.
Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact firstname.lastname@example.org.
Friday, August 22 2014 11:40 PM EDT2014-08-23 03:40:39 GMT
Officials with the Charleston Police Department say a 15-year-old is in custody after he got rid of a gun at the Altman Athletic Center at The Citadel during the Sertoma finale. Police say it all started when a citizen told them someone had a gun. More >
Officials with the Charleston Police Department say a 15-year-old is in custody after he got rid of a gun at the Altman Athletic Center at The Citadel during the Sertoma finale. Police say it all started when a citizen told them someone had a gun.
A fisherman off the coast of Bonita Springs, Florida thinks he has a pretty nice catch. As he reels in a four-foot shark, his catch is stolen by an even bigger fish. A massive grouper pulls the sharkMore >
A massive grouper steals a four-foot shark from a fisherman's line off the coast of Florida.More >
Saturday, August 23 2014 2:08 AM EDT2014-08-23 06:08:06 GMT
The Homeland Security Department is warning that more than 1,000 retailers could have a new malicious software program lurking in their cash registers that allows computer hackers to steal financial data about...More >
More than 1,000 U.S. retailers could be infected with malicious software lurking in their cash register computers, allowing hackers to steal customer financial data, the Homeland Security Department said Friday.More >
Saturday, August 23 2014 12:04 AM EDT2014-08-23 04:04:44 GMT
Police in Sumter County are looking for a man wanted in the assault of a woman while she slept.The Sumter County Sheriff's Office is looking for Lashonda Dennis, 35, of Rembert. In May, a woman told deputiesMore >
Police in Sumter County are looking for a man wanted in the assault of a woman while she slept.More >


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Kaltech Tackles COVID-19: Successful Start-up Offers Hints to Japan’s Revival Updated in July 2021
In October 2020, the Osaka-based venture capital firm Kaltech successfully trialed its unique LED disinfection device to eliminate the COVID-19 virus. In tests conducted with the Nihon University School of Medicine and the research institution Riken, this approach eliminated 99.9% of the virus in 20 minutes. Can Kaltech’s success suggest a new path for Japanese manufacturers?
Photocatalyst Discovered by Japanese Researchers
The current COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a spotlight on a discovery made by Japanese researchers half a century ago: photocatalyst technology.
Photocatalysts are materials that induce a chemical reaction under photoirradiation. Titanium dioxide, the most widely known, causes strong oxidation when exposed to light. Photocatalyst technology leverages this phenomenon to decompose harmful or odor-causing substances into materials like water or carbon dioxide.
Fujishima Akira, the former president of the Tokyo University of Science, was studying for his PhD at the University of Tokyo when he made this discovery. In 1972, after finding that titanium dioxide oxidizes in water when exposed to strong light, Fujishima published a paper on the photocatalytic reaction in the influential British scientific journal Nature.
Since then, photocatalytic technology has been applied in self-cleaning operations, for home and office building walls and roofs. Titanium dioxide is used for cleaning of the exterior of Marunouchi Building, a skyscraper built adjacent to Tokyo Station in 2002; and for the enormous white GranRoof, added to Tokyo Station’s Yaesu Exit in 2013.
Now, almost 50 years after Fujishima’s discovery, new light has been shed upon photocatalytic technology.
99.9% Inactivation of COVID-19
In mid-October 2020, Osaka-based venture capital firm Kaltech caused a stir with its announcment that the photocatalyst used in the its disinfection and deodorization device was successful in rendering COVID-19 inactive. Kaltech described tests conducted with Nihon University School of Medicine and research institution Riken, where the device was placed in a 120-liter tank containing droplets including COVID-19. Within 20 minutes, 99.9% of the COVID-19 virus was rendered inactive.
The findings were surprising for two reasons.
Firstly, although the tests were conducted in airtight conditions, unlike environments where their disinfection and deodorization device would typically be used, it did demonstrate the potential for photocatalytic technology to inhibit COVID-19.
The other surprise was that the company behind the success was a relatively young start-up. Kaltech was launched in April 2018 by its president, Somei Jun’ichi, formerly an engineer at Sharp, and colleagues from the same company.
What led him to leave a major firm like Sharp to develop the potential of photocatalysts from scratch? Why choose a start-up over a big corporation?
In the press conference, Somei described barriers faced by large firms and the role which start-ups can play, explaining his belief that start-ups are the key to Japan’s revival.
A Shocking Experience in Sri Lanka
Somei first conceived of commercializing photocatalytic technology around 10 years ago, after working at Sharp for 25 years. He had known of photocatalysts, and adored them, since technical college. Even after he graduated college and joined Sharp, he retained a keen interest. Nevertheless, he threw himself into the work he was assigned—television tuner development and the LED business. “But photocatalysts stayed in my heart, like a secret infatuation.”
He was transferred to Sharp’s B2B Promotion Center (later the B2B Business Division), responsible for developing new business. This was a turning point in his career. As team leader, Somei was expected to propose new avenues for business. He suggested the commercialization of environment purification products using photocatalysts—a technology that was advancing rapidly. He was certain that the technology was ripe for the market.
One influence was the time he had spent in Sri Lanka, where Sharp was cooperating with the Japan International Cooperation Agency on a project assisting farmers by supplying LED lights that repel insects. Somei, who was responsible for the light’s design, was sent to monitor the situation. He was shocked to witness serious health problems caused by government-supplied agrochemicals used by farmers to boost productivity. Many, including children, were dying from chronic kidney disease.
He wondered if photocatalysts could be used to purify water that had been polluted by agrochemicals, thereby saving the lives of children. After this visit, Somei grew more conscious of the potential for photocatalysts to not only clean buildings, but to save lives.
Ideas for New Products Constantly Rejected
But Somei’s proposals were repeatedly knocked back. Sharp produces a range of air purifiers, air conditioners, and ion discharge devices under the Plasmacluster brand. The products discharge hydrogen ions and negative oxygen ions using proprietary air purification technology. Forces within the company, particularly in sales, worked to prevent interference in this business field.
“My proposals were constantly shot down. Even if management was interested in my ideas, they were trampled by sales and product design before reaching fruition. To a degree, I could understand their stance. When I demonstrated the exceptional potential of photocatalysts, they inevitably asked if they were superior to Plasmacluster. It was only natural that the sales and product design divisions would harbor concerns. I suggested that photocatalytic technology be used in the background for disinfection and deodorization, but this was also rejected.”
Somei continued making such proposals for two years, but none were realized.
“It was then that I thought about leaving. If I could not have the technology commercialized by Sharp, I should launch my own business. I stayed for another two years before making my final decision. My doubts vanished once I resolved to start my own company.”
A Brave Decision at 56
At the time, Sharp was struggling to adapt to changes in its business environment. Fierce competition in its key markets of LCD televisions and flat panels eroded the company’s profitability. Its excessive reliance on and investment in these fields became an impediment, and the company suffered huge losses. Taiwan’s Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn) bought Sharp, and the company’s B2B Business Division was disbanded.
Somei left Sharp in March 2018, at the age of 56, launching Kaltech the following month with seven other former Sharp employees.
At first, their work with photocatalysts hit roadblocks, thwarting plans to employ the technology. But in December 2019, the company launched its first product: a wall-mounted air purifier. The following October, it released a portable model, with a neck-strap. Both relied on the company’s proprietary photocatalytic technology. Sales boomed, and the current sales forecast for the year to September 2021 is ¥10 billion. In the future, Somei hopes to expand photocatalytic technology to water purification.
Still, the question remains—why choose a start-up over a big company?
Somei’s experience suggests that Japan’s biggest firms suffer from increasing inflexibility, and are losing their dynamism—their approach to business is neither progressive nor enterprising.
Due to Sharp’s corporate structure, Somei’s proposals were seen as a threat to existing business. This gives an insight into the sorry state of big corporations, where the interests of specific divisions are prioritized over the whole, impeding the company’s overall growth.
Overall Optimization is the Key
Issues with his former employer’s top management at the time cannot be overlooked. The fact that the sales team saw photocatalytic technology as a threat was their admission of its potential. If upper management had objectively weighed the risks of internal competition against the potential for long-term growth, perhaps the outcome would have been different.
It is managers’ responsibility to dismantle internal barriers. If they cannot, the firm will go into decline. Existing business areas all eventually reach maturity, and constantly face price competition that threatens profitability.
These problems are common among big Japanese corporations. Many promising business proposals never see the light of day due to internal power struggles. Many employees with great ideas are stuck in suffocating positions, simply performing their assigned tasks. Entrepreneurship in Japan is hindered by the corporate environment, which erects barriers to procurement of human and financial resources, and cultivation of partnerships.
Entrepreneurs like Somei, meanwhile, are in the minority. Few have been able to muster the courage to gather like-minded people to follow their dreams and achieve success.
Japanese corporations need to regain their dynamism, while the country also needs to reduce barriers to entrepreneurship. This would generate the rivalry needed for Japan’s corporate restoration, as suggested by the rapid success of Kaltech.
(Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo: Kaltech Representative Director and President Somei Jun’ichi, at right, and Aida Yōko, senior researcher at the Nihon University School of Medicine, with the container used in experiments to neutralize COVID-19. Courtesy Kaltech.)
Contributed by Nippon.com


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HousingAnywhere recently announced its acquisition of the Icelandic rental platform Rentmate. “The acquisition is a further step in reaching the goal of becoming the largest end-to-end online rental platform in Europe by 2022,” says in a statement from Housing Anywhere.
“At HousingAnywhere, we are building an integrated rental solution that covers the entire rental cycle, from successful bookings to online payments, leveraging digitalization and automation,” Djordy Seelmann, CEO of HousingAnywhere states. “Iceland is an emerging destination for international students, so strengthening our presence there was a strategic choice. In addition, Rentmate has a similar vision of the medium-term rental market, with a strong focus on digitization, automation, and online payments. This makes the platform a perfect match for us,” Djordy Seelmann continues.
Rentmate is currently the largest medium-term rental platform in Iceland. It is an online rental platform helping international students find furnished apartments suitable for their study abroad, internship, or other long-term stays.
Eyþór Logi Þorsteinsson, one of Rentmate’s founders, states: “We are very pleased to transfer Rentmate to an organization that we trust can continue helping both landlords and tenants in the medium-term market. We have built Rentmate from the ground up with a strong focus on customer service, and we are confident that our customers are in excellent hands on the HousingAnywhere platform.”
“HousingAnywhere is the world’s largest rental accommodation platform for young professionals and international students boasting over 50,000 active advertisements and over 8 million users in over 60 countries. The rental platform allows tenants to interact with landlords and enter into medium-term rental agreements. More than 150 partner universities recommend their students to use the HousingAnywhere platform. The Rotterdam-based technology start-up employs 100 people,” is stated in HousingAnywhere’s statement.
Read more about this on HousingAnywhere’s website


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The LG Optimus L3 will be the next handset to be released as part of LG’s Android legacy. With so many Android phones available, will the LG Optimus L3 have enough to stand out from the competition?
With so many devices sporting plus sized screen, it makes a nice change to see a phone going in the other direction. The LG Optimus L3 will have a 3.2-inch screen, which should make it a lot easier to handle than a lot of the other bigger screened devices. The device is definitely heading towards the budget side of the market, and this couldn’t even be more obvious with the 240×320 resolution on offer here. It’s distinctly disappointing, even for a budget device.
There’s a 3-megapixel on the rear of the device, uninspiring once again, but for a budget device it should get the job done. For all the gaming you’ll want to be doing on your new Android device, you’ll find the L3 packing a 800MHz single-core processor, so don’t expect to be playing Shadowgun anytime soon. LG have also decided to release the L3 with the latest Android OS update, and instead it’ll ship with the aging Gingerbread update. We reckon we’ll see the phone receive an upgrade to Android 4.0 soon enough, however.
From the details we’ve seen the LG Optimus L3 isn’t a high-specced device, but it won’t be breaking the bank either. The LG Optimus L3 is expected for release in the next few weeks.
Sony has announced the launch of a new print and television campaign for their Sony Xperia line of smartphones.
This week sees the launch of a brand news global advertising campaign to introduce consumers to the first wave of Xperia smartphones from Sony.
The campaign – ‘Made of Imaginationn’ – kicks off on Saturday night with a 60-second advert. The advert itself has been directed by Academy Award nominee, Wes Anderson.
Anderson turned to the imaginations of children as inspiration behind the TV products, and the advert itself is based on the thoughts of the many children he spoke to.
We review the new Sony Xperia S, the dual-core Android phone with HD 720p display. Can it match the best of the year’s new Android devices? Read on to find out.
Having ditched Ericsson, Sony is now forging ahead with a new range of Xperia handsets.
And while the Xperia S was undoubtedly designed when Ericsson was still in the frame, the specs and general demeanor signify that Sony has some serious plans for its Android phones.
The Xperia S has a very distinctive look, mostly because of the clear strip towards the bottom into which are embedded symbols for Home, Back and Menu functions.
We review the Prada phone, built in conjunction with LG. Is it a case of style over substance? Read on to find out.
LG has had a long relationship with fashion giant Prada; the first LG Prada handset appeared in 2007. But the pairing has not turned out new phones very often, and this latest is only the third in the series. It is a large format Android handset and, as befits the Prada name, it has a striking design.
The most immediately noticeable thing about this handset is the user interface which is almost entirely a black and white affair. The monotones make a great change from the splashes of colour that we are used to, and we have to say it’s really very appealing.
There are exceptions to the black and white styling which you notice as soon as you download or run apps.
If being chucked at pigs wasn’t enough, Angry Birds have finally made in to the world of sport.
When you think you’ve seen it all, they seem to hit you with something new. This time around, Rovio’s colourful friends have made their way in to the racing car of Renault driver, Heikki Kovalainen. A recent partnership between Rovio and fellow Finnish compatriot Kovailainen will see the F1 star sport an Angry Birds themed F1 helmet.
The deal between the two consists of a range of co-branded merchandise, as well as an upcoming web game.
The new F1 season starts this Friday, and you can keep up-to-date with the latest timings and rankings with the official F1 app.


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COVID-19 has wrecked our world like we’ve never seen before. Businesses were forced to shut down, streets remained quiet for months and homes turned into offices. The movie industry was especially hit by the pandemic. The shutdown of movie theaters all across the world stopped films from being screened live. Safety concerns over the global pandemic called for production sets to be dormant for months.
One shining light that glowed bright during the pandemic was the opportunity for streaming services to flourish. Platforms like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime had major success before the global pandemic but are continuing to take off.
Some film companies released their movies on streaming services instead of in theaters due to worldwide theater closures. Now, many film companies must decide between releasing movies online rather than in theaters. That decision, though, can come with some risk of endangering people’s lives by spreading COVID-19.
The movie theater industry has taken a huge blow during the past eight months. With theaters shutting down, companies all across the world have lost record amounts of money. Cineworld is the second largest cinema business in the world and owns Regal Cinema, which lost $1.6 billion over the first six months of 2020. That is a 67% loss in revenue over that timespan. Along with that, they also closed down many of its theaters in October across the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel.
In a statement, Cineworld said,
“Without these new releases, Cineworld cannot provide customers in the U.S. and the UK… with the breadth of strong commercial films necessary for them to consider coming back to theaters.”
The communities that surround these theaters have also been affected. A lot of people that go to these theaters generate business for the area.
“I mean so many of these communities, it’s been devastating for a lot of them across the country and a number of our art houses have closed permanently,” Meira Blaustein, co-founder of the Woodstock Film Festival, said.
With the pause and closures of so many theaters across the world, films were left without a stage to perform on. Releases of anticipatory films were pushed off, some even a year after their initial release. Marvel’s “Black Widow” was scheduled to be released in theaters on May 1, 2020. The release date was pushed back a full year to May 2021. The movie already completed its filming in 2019 however Marvel felt it was best to hold off on the release until theaters were back to normal.
Other movies however chose a different route and went down the road of streaming services. These platforms have been seeing humongous success even prior to the pandemic. Platforms like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime thrived on the increasing popularity of binge watching during the pandemic. Just last year, Netflix racked in an annual revenue of $20.1 billion.
When the pandemic hit, there was a light in the darkness for these film companies to release their movies to the public on streaming services.
Case in point, Disney’s “Mulan” was released on Disney Plus on November 2 with a fee. Disney Plus was unveiled in November 2019 and is a streaming service that allows fans of its classics to relive them all in one place. The platform though had never really tried out a premium fee for a movie until the “Mulan” release. The film was set to be released at $29.99 on Disney Plus and available for free on the platform roughly one month later. This strategy was described as a one off by Disney CEO Bob Chapek but it was also an opportunity to learn something.
“Rather than simply rolling (the movie) into a free offering, we thought we can test anything when you have your own platform,” Chapek said. “We’re trying to establish a new premiere access window to capture that investment we got [in the film]. We’ll have a chance to learn from this.”
Since its release in early November, some have been skeptical of the success of the film but Disney is encouraged from what it has seen so far.
some film companies who had never had experience in the straight-to-home streaming might struggle at first. On the flipside, those who had been streaming their films online were ahead of the curve Magnolia Pictures is a perfect example of that as they were already releasing their films theatrically and on video on demand before the pandemic.
Eammon Bates, the head of Magnolia Pictures, was very confident that his company was well positioned to thrive. His biggest initiative at first was shifting the films that were going to be released in theaters to video on demand platforms. Bates is proud of the success his company has had during the pandemic and is aware of the advantages he has.
“We’ve done remarkably well during the pandemic. Our profits are up from last year and it’s mostly due to a much bigger captive audience that has no choice but to purchase new movies at home. There’s also reduced costs in marketing because there are less opportunities to spend on marketing and no costs of physically putting films in theaters,” said Bates.
Not all streaming services were successful. Especially for platforms not named Netflix and Hulu, nothing is guaranteed. One company, Quibi, was launched in April after much buildup and an investment of just under $2 billion. Six months later, the company announced they were shutting down after disappointing numbers and reviews.
In a statement, company founder Jeffrey Katenzburg said in a statement, “Quibi is not succeeding. Likely for one of two reasons: because the idea itself wasn’t strong enough to justify a standalone streaming service or because of our timing. Unfortunately, we will never know but we suspect it’s been a combination of the two.”
The possibility of streaming numbers declining in the aftermath of the pandemic is a clear possibility. Movie theaters aren’t going anywhere and there is an urgency from the public to see them make a full blown return.
To read more about the COVID-ERA, check out similar articles below:
Erica Ruggiero writes about the impact that COVID-19 has had on internships and the people involved.
Anne-Marie Durkin sheds light on how it felt to be a graduating college senior in the midst of a global pandemic.
Joseph Juste examines the measures taken by local food pantries and meal services to provide services while staying safe during a pandemic.
Max Freebern describes the story of two homeless women in Ulster County struggling to find housing during the pandemic.
Emma Cariello explores the niche appeal the A24 film studio brings to young moviegoers and what makes their works so iconic.


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Visa Europe has revealed that consumers have clocked up 3bn contactless transactions in the last 12 months – nearly tripling that of the same period in the previous year. Figures show that European consumers used their cards 360m times in April, alone – that’s nearly 140 transactions per second and a 150 per cent increase from the 143 million transactions in April 2015 – with the average value rising 12 per cent to €13.83 (£10.93).
Contactless payments as a proportion of all Visa-processed face-to-face payments have risen from 1-in-60 in 2013 to more than 1-in-5 today. The increase has been driven by new “everyday spend” merchants incorporating contactless into their check-out, enabling consumers to use contactless to pay for their lunches, lattes and more. In fact, said Visa Europe, restaurants have experienced the greatest year-on-year growth in contactless transactions (153 per cent), followed by general retail (146 per cent).
Today, there are more than 3.2m terminals used in stores and restaurants across the continent, up 23 per cent from 2.6 million at the end of April 2015. This rate will continue to accelerate as most new payment terminals deployed across Europe from January this year are contactless-enabled, helping merchants achieve the target of all terminals in Europe accepting contactless payments by 2020. Visa Europe is working with banks and other partners to give consumers access to at least one contactless payment device (including cards, mobiles and wearables) by 2020.
Consumers in the UK, Poland and Spain use contactless the most. British contactless adoption grew by 300 per cent from 51m transactions in April 2015 to 153m in April 2016. The continued success of contactless commuting on Transport for London services is one reason for this accelerated growth, as there have been more than 400m contactless journeys since launch. Additionally, the launch of Apple Pay and Barclaycard’s bPay solutions, have encouraged consumers to adopt new ways to pay. Some of the most popular contactless merchants in the UK include Tesco, The Co-Operative, Transport for London, McDonald’s and Marks & Spencer.
“The last 12 months has seen contactless payments continue its extraordinary growth as this quick and convenient form of payment reaches more consumers and merchants throughout Europe,” said Tristan Kirchner, executive director, product management at Visa Europe. “This kind of success hasn’t happened overnight, and it’s down to the sterling efforts across many teams at Visa and the wider payment industry making today’s achievement possible while setting the stage for tomorrow’s technology, including new wearable devices and mobile payment services.


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It has been over a 12 months since Google launched Stadia, and since then the cloud gaming service has continued releasing new options and rolling out to extra nations. Final month, we heard that Stadia may be coming to Apple gadgets, and now that second has arrived — though you will not discover it through the App Retailer.
Nicely, technically the Stadia app is on Apple’s App Retailer, but it surely’s just for managing your account. As a consequence of Apple’s present (considerably ridiculous) stance on cloud gaming companies, bringing Stadia’s foremost performance through conventional strategies is unfeasible — which is why Google needed to get a bit of artistic. The corporate is bringing help for taking part in video games on Stadia to the cellular internet, so Apple customers will have the ability to pull up stadia.com in Safari to start out gaming on the go.
The net app could be added to your iOS house display for straightforward entry.
Whereas taking part in titles like Murderer’s Creed and Cyberpunk 2077 on small telephone screens will not be the optimum expertise, it is going to be useful to have the choice on iPads. And regardless of solely being an internet app, you may nonetheless join the Stadia controller, since it really works through a direct internet hyperlink to Google’s game-streaming servers. Sure third-party Bluetooth controllers are supported, too, just like the DualShock 4 and Xbox One pads. In case your controller of alternative requires a wired connection, you are out of luck for now.
Porting the Stadia internet app to iOS was a brilliant enjoyable mission, and we’re actually pleased with the way it turned out. Here is a video I recorded just a few months in the past demonstrating we may ship the whole Stadia expertise on Safari, even for an especially timing-sensitive recreation like Thumper. pic.twitter.com/TNJEdGTwPF
— Justin Uberti (@juberti) December 16, 2020
After an admittedly gradual begin, Stadia’s momentum may lastly be poised to start out shifting for actual. Earlier this month, Google began delivering the power for customers to livestream their gaming classes on YouTube, which ought to assist get extra eyes on Stadia. Lots of people took Google up on its Cyberpunk 2077 promotion, and a variety of new Ubisoft titles are actually out there by Ubisoft+ on Stadia as properly. In the present day’s information will solely serve to extend the variety of gamers attempting out cloud gaming themselves — and possibly Tim Cook dinner will have the ability to take a look at it for himself and understand that Apple’s present necessities want fixing.


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The terms “healthy” and “natural” help to sell food products. They are about marketing, not health.
This makes life difficult for the FDA, which has the unenviable job of defining what the terms mean on food labels.
In a victory for the maker of KIND bars, the FDA has just said that the bars can be advertised as healthy—and that the agency will be revisiting its long-standing definition of the term. This is what that definition says now:
You may use the term “healthy” or related terms as an implied nutrient content claim on the label or in labeling of a food that is useful in creating a diet that is consistent with dietary recommendations if the food meets the conditions for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and other nutrients…In addition, the food must comply with definitions and declaration requirements for any specific NCCs [Nutrient Content Claims].
The chronology :
March 2015: FDA issues a warning letter to KIND stating that product labels make nutrient content claims without meeting the requirements for making such claims.
December 1, 2015: KIND files citizen petition asking FDA to permit use of “healthy” because nuts, even though higher in fat than FDA permits, are healthy.
April 20, 2016: FDA says KIND products now mee…


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Pakistan allows trade of life saving drugs with India
Topics: PAKISTAN INDIA DRUGS
The Commerce Ministry granted the permission on Monday to import and export medicine to and from India, according to Geo News, a local broadcaster.
A notification by the ministry amended the country's import policy order 2016 and added that ban shall not apply to therapeutic products regulated by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, it said.
On Aug. 7, Pakistan announced to downgrade diplomatic relations and suspend bilateral trade with India after New Delhi's move to scrap the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on Aug. 5.
Islamabad also asked India to withdraw its high commissioner and announced that Pakistan would not be sending its high commissioner-designate to India.
On Aug. 10, Pakistan formally suspended all kinds of imports and exports with India.
Earlier, this ban was only limited to Israel with which Pakistan has no diplomatic relations and trade ties. ■


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Dark Souls has been patched on PC, apparently to remove the region locks on multiplayer.
Dark Souls has several kinds of multiplayer and until recently players have been divided by region in addition to platform. Now it looks like a tiny Steam patch issued earlier this week has lifted geoblock restrictions for Dark Souls.
The news comes via Reddit users rather than from an official source, and the nature of Dark Souls makes it difficult to test. I’ve asked Namco Bandai for confirmation.
If true, it will help players find each other despite the diminishing player base; not that you always want to find players in Dark Souls. Having co-op buddies is a rgeat help against bosses, but being invaded is less fun. On the other hand, invading? Terrific. Gosh I love Souls games.
The patch also broke a popular mod for upping the game’s frame rate, but a new version is already available.
In other Dark Souls PC news, you should get moving on that GFWL to Steamworks transition.


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Joe Biden has bungled the economy in unthinkable ways.
The Democrat Media Complex is even running out of ideas to spin it favorably.
And Biden’s crumbling economy is somehow even worse than you could possibly imagine.
The propaganda being used to sugarcoat Joe Biden’s failing economy is truly stunning.
Washington Post Never-Trumper and Biden sycophant Jennifer Rubin even had the gall to claim that Biden’s economy would be stellar . . . if not for the crushing inflation.
And the inflation is only going to get worse.
The Producer Price Index (PPI) is up dramatically, which means costs will be felt by consumers.
Timcast News reported that “prices paid to U.S. producers jumped significantly from a year ago according to BLS records dating back to 2010, topping all estimates and highlighting the impact of inflation on consumers nationwide. The Producer Price Index (PPI) increased 11.2% from March of last year and 1.4% from the prior month. Excluding food and energy segments, the so-called core PPI increased 1% from a month earlier and 9.2% from a year ago. This is a heavy contrast to the latest consumer price report, which showed a softening in the pace of core inflation.”
Inflation is a hidden regressive tax that hurts the middle class and the poor the most, yet CNN shamefully tried to argue the opposite.
The Biden administration and some compliant members of the media have been parroting the talking point that gas prices are a result of “Putin’s price hike.”
Timcast added that “the price of goods climbed 2.3% in March for a second month. Over half of that increase was due to a 5.7% surge in energy prices. The cost of goods has driven up the prices of energy, food, and metals. In addition, transportation bottlenecks and labor shortages are complicating matters for manufacturers. The increase in input costs for producers will likely be passed on to consumers as firms try to protect margins. This will continue to drive up the Consumer Price Index, which is the level of inflation impacting most Americans. According to recent Consumer Price Index reports, inflation has already hit record highs not seen in over 40 years. However, the March Consumer Price Index report set a new record as the rate of increase hit 8.5% — the fastest pace since 1982.”
The “Putin’s price hike” deflection simply is not working on the American people.
They know how much they’ve been paying for gas, and the increases began as soon as Biden took office.
Biden and the Democrats are determined to undercut the oil and gas industry in favor of “green” energy, but reality keeps getting in the way.
And consumers are the ones who will be paying for it.
Stay tuned to Right News Wire for any updates to this ongoing story.


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MCALLEN, Texas – A press release from the Office of Congressman Vicente Gonzalez announced a federal award of $385,000 made available through the Small Business Administration (SBA) to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC).
The VBOC at UTRGV helps to create, retain, and develop veteran-owned businesses across Texas by connecting veterans to local, SBA-sponsored technical and managerial assistance.
UTRGV VBOC’s covers West, Central and South Texas. It is one of the original four Veterans Business Outreach Centers in the country, since its inception in 1999, said the release.
More information on the UTRGV VBOC is available here.


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Metal oxide nanotubes: lower-cost alternative to carbon?
historically have been synonymous with organic carbon nanotubes, but no more. Metal oxide nanotubes created at Georgia Institute of Technology are cheaper and easier to fabricate than carbon nanotubes for future nanoscale electronic devices. Details... more »
Interconnect IP firm files for IPO
Sonics Inc. (Mountain View, Cali
f.) has filed forms with the Securities & Exchange Commission for an initial public offering of common stock. Details... more »
Sumitomo to buy back U.K. tool firm
Sumitomo Precision Products Co. Ltd (SPP) -- which currently owns 63 percent of Surface Technology Systems plc (STS) -- plans to buy back shares and regain control of STS. Details... more »


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Dairy campaign influences consumers, poll finds
TWO-THIRDS of consumers believe dairy farmers need to be paid more, with nearly one in five planning to change the way they buy milk as a result of the hugely successful SOS Dairy campaign.
A number of leading supermarket chains have pushed up the price they pay for their milk over the past week, while four major UK milk buyers have cancelled or postponed plans to cut the price of milk on August 1, following weeks of protests and extensive media coverage of the campaign to reverse the cuts.
A poll by YouGov for The Grocer magazine reveals that consumers have been made aware of the plight facing dairy farmers and, in many cases, are willing to change their habits to support them. Key findings from the poll of 1,766 people taken on July 24 include:
- 83 per cent are aware of the protests.
- 67 per cent believe farmers can’t make ends meet and must be paid more, even if this means milk becomes more expensive.
- 66 per cent say retailers are to blame for low farmgate prices, with 29 per cent blaming processors.
- 19 per cent say they will change the way they buy milk as a result of the protests. 11 per cent plan to switch retailers.
The poll showed limited awareness of individual retailer policies, however. Just over a quarter, 26 per cent said they were aware The Co-op Group had raised its milk price, with 22 per cent mentioning Morrisons and 13 per cent Asda.
However, consumers were largely unaware that some retailers did more than others to support farmers before the SOS Dairy campaign kicked off. There was negligible awareness (8 to 10 per cent), for example, of the cost of production premiums paid by Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Marks and Spencer.
YouGov consumer consulting director Rob Cushen described the findings as ‘extraordinary’, particularly regarding the proportion planning to change the way the shop.
The Grocer estimated that, if the poll results were reflected nationwide and shoppers followed through on their promise, it would mean 4.3 million shoppers changing their behaviour in some way, and 2.64 million planning to switch retailers.
The findings reinforce the messages coming from the public throughout the campaign. During an online FG debate on the crisis, one reader asked:
“What can the public do? As your average member of the public I don’t see a 5 ppl rise deterring the public majority from spending more to support British farmers. Nationwide trends are in strong support of local, British products, lesser carbon footprint and “food miles”, and fair trade in foreign countries.
“Surely this is the first step for retailers - those of which are thinking in the long term will realise that they will gain greater consumer loyalty from a decent price rise +farmer support than a highly competitive price compared with other retailers.”


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If you’ve been toying with the idea of ordering the refined HTC One M9 from Verizon, here’s a little incentive to follow through with the notion. HTC and Verizon have teamed up to offer a $100 Google Play Store credit to customers who order the HTC One M9 from the carrier. Read more
Motorola first announced the update was coming soon, but it looks like Verizon is rolling out the 5.1 Lollipop update tomorrow to all. Verizon told Droid Life that the “actual push will begin tomorrow afternoon.” Do not expect to receive it right away as with most updates it rolls out in phases.
One would expect that the carriers in the United States pay their chief executive officers by performance. By that assumption, the total compensation for Lowell McAdam, Randall Stephenson, Marcelo Claure, and John Legere would be in order of their employers’ position in the market. That, however, is not the case. The total compensation for each CEO really varies because each company has a different set of incentives on top of base salaries.
So who is the highest paid leader among carriers in the United States? Hit the break to find out.
The longstanding relationship between Verizon and Motorola received new life in 2014 when the two released the DROID Turbo. The device, which was available exclusively to Big Red’s customers, had everything that a spec-obsessed consumer could want right down to long battery life. And this year Motorola will produce another device for Verizon being referred to internally as ‘Kinzie’.
Motorola’s David Schuster took to Google+ again to announce that Android 5.1 soak tests are officially rolling out for the Moto X (2014) and Moto G (2013) with LTE in the US. We earlier saw unofficial leaks of a Moto X (2014) running Android 5.1 on Verizon’s network.
Motorola has begun launching the Moto X (2nd Gen) Android 5.1 soak test on Verizon, according to an Android Police tipster. This comes after the Lenovo-owned company yesterday announced a final release for the Moto X Pure Edition.
A new report from an Android Central tipster says that Lollipop soak tests invites are going out for the Droid Turbo on Verizon. We’ve heard plenty of rumors in the past claiming that Lollipop is in the works for the Droid Turbo. And now it’s finally upon us.
If all goes will with the soak test, DROID Turbo owners should begin seeing the official update not too long from now.
source: Android Central
Some new devices from HTC showed up in the FCC database apparently heading to Verizon. According to the filings, both devices are listed as smartphones and they appear to have support for Verizon’s CDMA and LTE bands. The lack of support for 802.11ac Wi-Fi may point to them being budget-oriented devices. Read more
When LG rolled out the Lollipop update for their then flagship smartphone, the LG G3, they staked a claim as being one of the first to get Lollipop out to their devices. We all know manufacturers will roll out an update to a small market to make claims like this. Nevertheless, it is usually a decent sign of a commitment to providing the latest version of Android for a given device even if users have to wait a bit longer for kinks to be worked out and carriers to give their blessing. At the time, as a relatively new owner of an LG G3, I was looking forward to seeing what would happen with my device. Fast forward half a year later and Verizon finally pushed out the Lollipop update. That was the beginning of the transition for my “dream” phone to a nightmare and now signs point to Verizon not doing anything to fix the problems they have wrought. Read more
Third-party sellers on Amazon have brought the One M9+ and E9+ to the US, despite HTC making it clear that it wouldn’t launch the two devices outside of Asia, which could contribute to the company’s increasingly poor earnings.


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- Instagram has grown rapidly since Facebook acquired it in 2012. Furthermore, it has huge monetization potential which remains to be exploited.
- Increasing engagement of Asian/Pacific numbers will take place eventually which will boost advertising returns in the region.
- The WhatsApp service will eventually provide companies the opportunity to interact with prospective customers.
Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) is now trading at well over $118 a share and despite the company's lofty valuation, it would take a brave investor to short the stock from these levels. Why? Well despite the stock trading at an earnings multiple of 72.7 and a sales multiple of 17.2, it still has many growth triggers ahead of it which could propel the stock 20% forward. The company's latest set of earnings confirmed this when revenue grew by 52% and daily user growth (I prefer monitoring daily over monthly as engagement levels are higher) climbed 4.8% to hit 1.09 billion (even faster than monthly growth rates).
The "rest of the world" region's ARPU (average revenue per user) was poor compared to other regions but I believe some analysts are reading too much into this metric at present. Why? Because this is where the company's core user growth is coming from at present and long term user growth is much more important to Facebook at this stage than quarterly revenue totals. It will over time raise the ARPU of these users meaningfully in quarters to come as engagement levels improve. Fundamentally Facebook has a lot going for it at this moment in time.
Management has to be credited for Instagram's huge progress recently as it has grown so much since it got acquired 4 years ago. To go from 0 to 200,000 advertisers in double quick time illustrates to me that this side of the business will drastically increase Facebook's mobile ad revenue over the next few years. The main reasons why I see Instagram being a huge hit in years to come is its demographics and engagement levels.
Presently the platform mainly comprises of affluent teenagers (which are an advertiser's dream) and the video and image nature of the platform enables advertisers to drive ads based on gender, age, country and preferences. This is why Instagram is expected to make up 14% of mobile ad revenues by 2017. Facebook can really charge a premium for this targeting ability which confirms to me that the perceived acquisition price and the huge investment that went into the service afterwards ( to improve speed and performance) will pay off in spades down the line.
Instagram ties in really well with Facebook's obsession with getting more video on its platforms. The online video market (ad spend - see chart) is projected to grow strongly this decade and the company's audience network (FAN) will ensure that advertisers will be able to even extend their reach beyond Facebook's platforms by also having their ads show up on third party sites. Here is where the bears are wrong about perceived "saturation" in Facebook's user numbers. It's not about user numbers but rather all about engagement. Video ads are the best when it comes to ad revenue which is why it came as no surprise to me that Facebook continues to keep its foot to the floor in this area.
Trends change quickly in social media and what is interesting of late is that WhatsApp has been surging in popularity over the last few months. The shift happening at present is that messaging apps (which tailor to more individual communication) are surging in engagement levels and WhatsApp continues to be the number 1 app in this space. Since the subscription fee didn't work out as a monetizing solution for WhatsApp, the company has decided to test tools that will enable companies to interact with users over the platform.
The scope here is huge as users will be able to get their queries answered on the spot from registered businesses on the platform. I see Facebook going local here which would be a powerful initiative. Imagine being able to look up a restaurant, hotel or even dance classes in your area and send an instant message to confirm availability, pricing plus get all your queries answered?. This would be far more efficient than a phone call. It is an initiative that companies would jump at because of the engagement potential. I see businesses getting charged for messages sent for a flat monthly fee. Watch this space.
To sum up, although Facebook is up over 13% year to date, I see this stock going higher. Video and engagement levels on Instagram are growing rapidly and WhatsApp should be bringing in sizable income by the end of next year. Facebook continues to push the boat on regarding its video audience network initiative which over time will increase ad relevance and earnings respectively. Facebook getting to $130 a share by the end of the year is not out of the question in my view.


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JEREMY HOBSON: The world’s biggest maker of mobile phones — no, not Apple — I’m talking about Nokia. The Finland-based company has had a hard time keeping up in the world of smartphones. So today, it’s announcing that it’s teaming up with Microsoft.
Under the deal, Nokia smartphones will run Windows mobile software, as Christopher Werth reports on from London.
CHRISTOPHER WETH: Nokia was the darling of the mobile phone industry when it was just making phone calls. But the company has struggled to compete in the era of smart phones. At one point more than half of all smart phones were Nokia’s. But since Apple launched its iPhone in 2007 that’s been cut in half. Nokia’s phones are neither cool, nor do they offer the same apps and services as Apple’s iPhone. Geoff Blaber is with CCS Insight in London. He says today’s deal with Microsoft is essential if the company is to stage a come back.
GEOFF BLABER: Nokia are nowhere in the American market, and that market is absolutely essentially for Nokia to get a foothold in.
And he says this is a major coup for Microsoft as well. Even though Nokia is struggling, because the company is still so big, the deal helps Microsoft capture a big share of the mobile software market that today is dominated by Apple and Google. Microsoft currently only has a 2 percent share of the mobile market.
In London, I’m Christopher Werth for Marketplace.
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Megazyme International Ireland, the leading developer and supplier of enzymatic test kits and analytical reagents, is marking its twenty fifth year in business serving the diagnostic needs of the scientific community.
The Megazyme story began in 1988 when Dr. Barry McCleary founded the company with the specific aim of developing and supplying diagnostic test kits and analytical reagents for the cereals and allied industries. Over the last 25 years the business has developed and diversified. Not only has Megazyme become a world leader in the development and supply of diagnostic test kits and analytical reagents for the cereals industry, but the food, feed, fermentation, brewing and wine industries as well.
Megazyme has come a long way from its early beginnings in Sydney 25 years ago, 10690.58 miles to be exact. In 1996 the company moved to a purpose built research facility in Bray, Ireland. In 2005, this facility was expanded to accommodate a Molecular Biology Division and to allow expansion of analytical and production facilities. That early expansion was not the end of Megazyme’s commitment to development, the completion of Megazyme’s new onsite organic chemistry facility and expanded production facility is expected before the end of 2013.
Continuous investment in research and development together with a commitment to quality has enabled the company to navigate the difficult economic reality of recent years and focus on the future. Most recently a range of products have been developed specifically tailored to facilitate bio-fuels research. This new area of operation makes a welcome addition to the company’s extensive product range which includes over 500 products, supplied to customers from over 90 countries.
The key to Megazyme’s continued success is not only an investment in facilities, but an investment in our workforce. The company has steadily grown over the last twenty five years and now boasts a diverse team of enthusiastic and dedicated employees from a range of scientific and non-scientific backgrounds.
Throughout its twenty five year journey Megazyme has used each modest success as the building blocks of greater achievements, that unwavering commitment to sustainable innovation continues to be Megazyme’s driving force heading into the future.