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Last Updated on August 22, 2023 by Prakash Kolli
Meredith Corporation (MDP) is a company that most people may not have heard about it. But it is a long-time dividend growth stock. In fact, Meredith is a Dividend Champion having raised the dividend for 27 consecutive years before the dividend suspension. Meredith is a media company. It owns many leading lifestyle, entertainment, food, and parenting magazines. It also owns television stations. The recent difficulty for Meredith is that COVID-19 has severely reduced the demand for advertising in both print and television. One only has to look at news headlines to realize that this is true. Even mighty Google (GOOG) and Facebook (FB) have been suffering from a reduced advertising spending. The reduction is probably steeper in print media and television than digital media. In the end Meredith probably needed to announce the dividend suspension to preserve liquidity.
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Overview of Meredith
Meredith traces its founding back to 1902 in Des Moines, Iowa. Today, Meredith is a diversified media company. The company is focused on both print media through its many magazines and also local television studios. Meredith is the No. 1 magazine publisher in the U.S. and has over one-third share of U.S. print advertising revenue. Operations are split into two operating segments: National Media Group and Local Media Group. The National Media Group owns major brands including People, Better Homes & Gardens, InStyle, Allrecipes, REAL SIMPLE, SHAPE, Southern Living, Entertainment Weekly, Food & Wine, and Martha Stewart Living. This segment also licenses brands. The Local Media Group owns 17 television studios that reach about 11 percent of U.S. households. Meredith acquired Time Inc for $2.8 billion in 2018. It now in the process of divesting brands that do not fit its portfolio. Sales include Money, Sports Illustrated, FORTUNE, and TIME.
Meredith Dividend Suspension
Meredith announced the dividend suspension on April 20, 2020. This was still relatively early in the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. The company also withdrew guidance at the same time. This suggested that the impact of COVID-19 on advertising revenue was fairly severe and rapid.
Meredith had paid a dividend for 73 consecutive years. The dividend was raised for 27 straight years making the company a Dividend Champion. The dividend growth rate has been volatile, in some years, e.g. 2011 – 2012, the rate was in the double-digits. More recently, the dividend growth rate was about 5%. This is not high, but it was consistent.
The specific statements from the company CEO Tom Harty were:
At the same time, the COVID-19 crisis has created an extremely challenging business environment, including significant advertising campaign cancellations and delays,…While our financial position is strong, given the impact on advertising – which represents approximately half of our revenue mix – we are proactively taking aggressive actions to strengthen our liquidity and enhance our financial flexibility in the near-term to effectively navigate the current environment.
In addition, the press release stated:
The Meredith Board of Directors has also unanimously voted to pause Meredith’s common stock dividend. The Board remains committed to paying a dividend over the longer-term and would seek to resume Meredith’s dividend policy when advertising market conditions improve.
Impact of COVID-19 on Advertising
COVID-19 is having a large impact on companies that rely on advertising revenue. The disease has seemingly left a trail of destruction on the travel and hospitality industry as well as the leisure industry. One does not have to spend too much time looking through news articles to realize that airlines have canceled flights, hotels have closed, movie theaters are shutdown, sporting events are canceled, etc.
Many companies have pulled fiscal 2020 guidance. These companies are for the most part expecting much lower revenue in 2020, particularly in Q2 2020 and Q3 2020. Companies that reduce revenue expectations will also adjust the cost side to enhance liquidity and strengthen the balance sheet. In addition to other actions they will likely cut advertising spending. In fact, fully 69% of companies in a recent survey are expecting to decrease advertising spending in 2020. This is not a small number and it could increase through the year depending on the impact of COVID-19.
The chart below shows that a large percentage of companies have conducted a variety of actions in March 2020 and April 2020 to reduce advertising spending. Some companies have stopped campaigns. Other companies have delayed campaign launches. Some companies completely canceled a campaign before it launched. Yet other companies paused existing campaigns or changed the media type. The number of companies that did not change their advertising activity or spending was few at only 11% of surveyed companies.
The total impact is not small on companies that rely on advertising revenue. For instance, it has been estimated that Google will face a 18% decline in revenue or $28.6 billion and Facebook will have a 19% decrease in revenue or $15.7 billion. Most of this will be ad revenue.
Meredith’s Revenue is Declining
What about Meredith’s revenue? Well, in Q3 FY 2020 revenue was down (6%) and revenue fell (7%) for the first nine months. The company indicated that COVID-19 led to a $17 million reduction due to cancellation and delays. Meredith also had an operating loss of ($289) million due to impairments of goodwill and intangible assets. The company indicated that COVID-19 started to impact advertising revenue in mid-March. Since the quarter went through March 2020, it is likely that Q4 FY 2020 will have a greater revenue decline than the third quarter. Recall it was really only in mid-March that COVID-19 restrictions and shutdowns took hold across the U.S.
Final Thoughts on Meredith Dividend Suspension
Meredith will likely have a long road back. It is unlikely that advertising budgets will quickly be restored to levels before the COVID-19 pandemic. The unemployment rate is just too high at the moment and the U.S. economy is contracting. Further, Meredith has a leveraged balance sheet. Granted, the company has paid down some debt with cash from the sales of non-core Time Inc assets. But total debt is roughly $2,853 million at end of Q3 FY 2020. This is offset by only about $103 million in cash. The leverage ratio was 4.2X and interest coverage was about 4X at end of the quarter. A leverage ratio under 2.5X is generally undesirable.
In my opinion it is unlikely that the dividend will be fully restored in the near future due to the combination of lower advertising revenue and leverage. I expect that the dividend will be at a lower level than before the COVID-19 pandemic when it is restarted.
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More than 500 000 more people will be able to return to work soon following the government decision to ease lockdown restrictions, allowing small businesses such as restaurants, travel agents and hairdressers to reopen, but the government needs to do more to ease the financial plight of these companies.
Sage Africa & Middle East executive vice-president Pieter Bensch said on Friday that the months without trade had been extremely challenging for small businesses and their employees, many of whom were already struggling to make ends meet in a weak economy.
“The pandemic has battered consumer income and confidence, so business-as-usual will not resume at the flick of a switch. Many businesses may need ongoing support to pay their bills, keep people employed, and get through this time,” Bensch said.
To find out more about this article please visit: https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/economy/government-needs-to-do-more-to-ease-financial-plight-of-small-companies-49662916

domain: news


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And the hotspot rumors continue! AT&T is taking an odd turn when it comes to introducing officially supported mobile hotspotting via smartphone; the Android route. With Verizon recently releasing that the service will be an option on their version of the iPhone 4 at an extra $20 per month, AT&T is including the service in their $45/4GB DataPro plan. The catch? The only phone offering it anytime soon is the upcoming HTC Inspire 4G, due for release with the app on February 13th.
AT&T was vague on the possibility of mobile hotspot functionality returning to their version of the iPhone 4, simply stating that "We are working with Apple to bring it to iPhone. Nothing else to share at this time." How much work could it possibly take? Tethering was available at launch and Verizon's iOS update allows it to work; what's the holdup? An about-face by AT&T is still possible within the next 10 days and is probably a good idea; it's not like iPhone fans are exactly lacking reasons to make the jump to Verizon.
- >> NEXT STORY: Verizon to begin throttling top five percent of data users
- << PREVIOUS STORY: Sony giving away a 46" Bravia 3DTV and Move bundles via Little Big Planet 2


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Lexology are going ALL IN this week at the LMA 2024 Annual Conference in San Diego. The conference is the largest global meeting exclusively for the legal marketing and business development profession.
We will be hosting a session with an expert panel titled – The Data that Matters: Using Market Intelligence to Drive Growth on Friday 5th April at 10:30-11:30am. Our expert panellists include industry leaders with varied experience in using client and competitive intelligence to power business development efforts.
- Alex Morrall, Chief Product Officer, Lexology
- Suzanne Donnels, Chief Business Development & Marketing Officer, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
- Kyle Kraynick, Client Growth Manager, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
- Aaron Parker, Senior Counsel, Bristol-Myers Squibb
Join our experts as they discuss leveraging client, competitor and industry data to drive growth, even when research needs outstrip budgets. Discover what data points matter, how to leverage different data sets, and how different sized firms stay ahead of the game!
As well as hosting the session, the Lexology team is sponsoring this must-attend event and have lots of exciting things to share with those going this week. The Lexology team will be exhibiting at Booth 509 in the LMA Marketplace and will be showcasing our latest developments and speaking about how you can get closer to winning business faster with Lexology Engage.
About Lexology and LBR
Lexology, an LBR platform, is the number one global legal intelligence platform for mitigating risk, staying abreast of change, and finding expert counsel, built on insights, forward-looking analysis, and expert guidance from the world’s leading law firms.
LBR is a technology-driven information services business powering the global professional services sector with intelligence, analytics and performance data. By applying technology to extract enhanced value from quality content, achieving commercial excellence, and empowering our teams, we deliver proprietary, time-sensitive data, insight, expert research, and sophisticated tools and networking. With an international team of over 500 experienced professionals, LBR has a proven track record of informing, engaging and connecting our clients.


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Godiva – part of the pladis group – has added a store in Oxford, UK, while Swiss firm Lindt has opened an own-brand shop in Nashville, Tennessee, US.
Godiva’s first UK store outside of London
Godiva opened a store in Oxford on Friday last week, its first UK branch outside of London.
The store is located in the recently renovated Westgate Shopping Center and will employ eight people.
Godiva said it is the first of several Godiva boutiques set to open across the country in the coming year.
Burak Elmas of Godvia said: “The UK is one of the few major countries in the world that Godiva doesn’t currently have a true national presence, but we’re on a mission to change that, and opening these new boutiques across the country forms a major part of that plan.”
Godiva now operates 12 stores in the UK.
The premium chocolate brand will enter 500 Sainsbury’s stores in the UK as part of a global strategy to enter mainstream retail. Godiva is aiming to become a $2bn global brand by 2022.
Lindt’s latest US store
Premium chocolate rival Lindt also this month expanded its own-store network, which its former CEO previously said was the secret to its success.
It opened a Lindt Chocolate Shop at Opry Mills in Nashville, Tennessee on November 17, 2017.
Lindt USA now operates 65 retail stores in the US.
Lindt is aiming to be the world's leading retailer of premium chocolate by 2020 and plans to open between 20 and 30 new shops each year.
The group’s global retail segment – which also includes Ghirardelli and Russell Stover branded stores - grew sales +12.7% in 2016 to CHF 434m ($443m).
The retail segment accounted for 11% of total group sales in 2016.


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- Arrival is one of 30 companies calling for the UK's VAT rate to be dropped to zero from 20%.
- Renewable energy firm Bulb also signed the letter to the Prime Minister calling for "urgent action."
- They claim the UK can only now reduce the tax rate as a result of leaving the European Union.
Electric vehicle company Arrival is among a host of companies pushing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to drop VAT on all green products.
Arrival, which became the UK's largest-ever listing in history when it went public on the Nasdaq last month, is one of 30 businesses that have signed a letter to Johnson calling for "urgent action."
The UK was one of the first major global economies to commit to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050 but the government has faced widespread criticism for its "disappointing progress" in meeting the lofty goal.
In the letter, which was also signed by renewable energy firm Bulb and supply chain firm Circulor, the UK government was urged to make green products "more affordable" by reducing the VAT rate charged on them to zero.
The tax exemption should be extended to everything from electric vehicles and charging technology to double glazing windows and low-carbon boilers, the companies said. Britain imposes a full 20% VAT rate on a host of energy-efficient products.
Arrival's head of sustainability Jon Steel told Insider it was clear that a "coordinated effort" was needed across all sectors.
"Removing VAT on products that contribute to this transition is a simple and universal approach which resonates with our objective to remove the cost barrier to electric vehicles," he said.
"Governments around the world are exploring many different approaches to incentivize low-carbon technology, and we would encourage simplicity and consistency while considering the effects on all demographics to ensure an equitable transition."
A spokesman for the Treasury said the government was "committed to building back better and greener from the pandemic."
"The prime minister set out our ten-point plan to drive forward a green industrial revolution, and the Treasury's net zero review is looking at how the transition to net zero could be funded and assess options for where the costs will fall," the spokesman said in a statement to Insider.
The letter to the prime minister comes ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), which is due to be hosted in Glasgow in November. During the conference, the UK will take member states to task on their progress towards the Paris Agreement, which the US famously exited under former president Donald Trump. America has since rejoined the agreement under President Joe Biden.
In the letter, the businesses said they were "disappointed" with the lack of policies available to people that wanted to "play a part in reaching net zero".
"With just months until COP26, we're writing to ask you to take urgent action to make green products more affordable by reducing the rate of VAT charged on them to zero," the companies said.
"This would make green technology cheaper for millions of households, and is only possible now we've left the EU."
Arrival's involvement in the letter adds weight to the campaign to drop VAT on green products in order to speed up Britain's progress towards a net zero economy.
The electric vehicle company, which builds buses and vans for commercial uses, went public in March through a special purpose acquisition company () called CIIC Merger Corp. The deal valued Arrival at over $13 billion, making it the most-valuable listing by a British company in history, according to Dealogic.
Arrival is headed up by Russian tycoon Denis Sverdlov, who still owns around three quarters of the firm. CIIC was set up by Peter Cuneo, who previously headed up Marvel.
The company has also recently landed a deal to build vans for UPS in an agreement that could be worth up to $1 billion.
You can read the full letter to Johnson below.


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Stand up for the facts!
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.
I would like to contribute
If Your Time is short
- Nike didn’t say this.
If you’re wondering whether you should confirm that a company actually said something before you share it on the internet, please — just do it.
This post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
First, Nike’s market capitalization as of Sept. 8 is about $176 billion, not $76 billion.
Searching online and in the Nexis news archive we found no evidence that Nike ever made such a statement. We reached out to Nike about the claim and didn’t immediately hear back, but a spokesperson for the company told the Associated Press that the quote is fake.
This fabricated statement has been online since at least 2018, when Nike named former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick as the face of its new "Just Do It" campaign. The decision drew anger from some who disapproved of Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem before football games as a means of protest against police brutality and racial inequality.
Snopes reported at the time that the earliest reference to the statement that appears in the Facebook post may have been on Sept. 4, 2018, when someone tweeted that "on NPR this morning, NIKE stated, ‘We did all the math. We’re a $76 billion dollar company that can afford to let go of all ‘Make America Great Again’ customers. We would rather be on the right side of history."
During an interview with NPR that morning, Justin Tinsley, a writer for the publication The Undefeated, said that though some social media posts showed people burning their Nike shoes, Nike wants "to be on the right side of history."
"They’re not going to take a drastic hit from the bottom line," Tinsley said. "And at the end of the day, Nike — again, this is an internationally known, multibillion-dollar company. They’ve done the math. They’ve done the bottom line probably hundreds of times over. And they know the benefit that can come from this."
We rate this Facebook post False.
Facebook post, Sept. 7, 2020
Yahoo! Finance, Nike, visited Sept. 8, 2020
Snopes, Did Nike say they can afford to ‘Let go of all Make America Great Again’ customers"? Sept. 8, 2018
Associated Press, Nike didn’t say it could afford to lose MAGA customers, Sept. 8, 2020
NPR, Colin Kaepernick is picked for Nike’s anniversary ‘Just Do It’ campaign, Sept. 4, 2018
Read About Our Process
In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.


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LG upcoming device, LG X Power 2 made its appearance on GFXBench recently. The phone with a same model number (LG M320) appeared on GeekBench in the past as well. The phone was certified by the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The GFXBench listing confirms previously leaked specs spotted on GeekBench. The LG X Power 2 will run on Android 7.0 Nougat. The phone will be equipped with a 5.3-inch HD display and will be shipped with the MediaTek MT6750 SoC. This is an Octa core processor clocked at 1.5GHz. RAM is 2GB, while the internal storage would be 32GB.
Camera-wise, the LG smartphone will sport a 12-megapixel rear camera, capable of shooting Full HD videos. At front, there will be a 5-megapixel selfie snapper. Battery information about the device is unknown.
With all these recent certification and benchmark listings, arrival of the LG X Power 2 is imminent.


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Those challengers who address critical patient needs beyond traditional treatment will become a force to be reckoned with.
From Walmart to Amazon to 23andMe, these 11 market scenarios paint a picture of what disruption looks like, both in and out of healthcare.
Purposeful collaboration will help more people understand how their daily decisions dictate their health.
Traditional retailers are now getting into the health business. What does it all mean, and where should corporate directors focus next?
Our new advice for the Blues, who are in a formative period as market trends create both sizable risk and sizable opportunity.
The next global trend in medicine could be among the many traditional remedies in Indonesia, Vietnam, and China.
A discussion on how mega mergers affect consumers and how consolidation is driving the new future of healthcare.
Health and wellness is shaping consumerism’s future. As potentially industry-shaking partnerships evolve, who’s best positioned to conquer the market?
2018 has already seen transformational industry news. Here we dig deeper and analyze what the industry can expect in M&A, investments, pharma and much more.
Some of our 2017 healthcare predictions on value-based care, consumers, mergers, startups, and pharma came true, while others were less predictable.


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These entrepreneurs are changing the way we look at health
The Healthguv App Allows Healthguv Members to Stay Updated About The Latest Medical Issues and Concerns
Toms River, NJ – to be dated: Medical social networking just got even easier with the newly launched Healthguv app. Renowned for its unique healthcare network, Healthguv has been a hub of medical related information ever since its inauguration.
The social networking website has gained hundreds of followers from all across the world, eager to connect with peers and medical experts. With the Healthguv app, the site has become even more user friendly and easy to navigate. Launched during the holiday season, the app has already made waves in healthcare networking.
Speaking about the newly launched app, Joseph Creadle, founder and CEO of Healthguv, said, “Social media has become one of the most effective ways of connecting people globally, but there’s more to it than just getting in touch with others. Nowadays, individuals rely upon social networking channels for pretty much everything, from advertising products, organizing campaigns, and getting their daily dose of news. In this fast-paced world, people want instant access to these services and an app dedicated to medical social networking is the ultimate way to go about it.”
Just as Healthguv has been carefully designed by a team of medical experts, the Healthguv app is no different. It brings the global community together even more efficiently, making it easier for members to exchange information, seek professional advice, and discuss treatment options online.
A representative for Healthguv stated, “We acknowledge the advantage social media apps have over their websites. They’re more accessible to the users, and can easily be navigated on their smartphones and other devices. Our app has been designed to make it even easier for Healthguv’s members to sign up and stay connected. With its user friendly features, they can now get quicker access to their healthcare professionals, and be notified immediately about specific queries”.
Healthguv has been the go-to channel for the online community to raise their medical concerns and queries. By connecting members with healthcare specialists and professionals, it’s been an extremely useful platform in creating awareness about various medical issues. With the Healthguv app, this has now become even more accessible and feasible. Members can seek information regarding various topics such as chronic ailments, musculoskeletal conditions, skincare, children’s health and much more.
About the Company
Healthguv is a medical social networking platform that connects members worldwide. Users can post their health-related concerns online, give recommendations, share researches and personal experiences, and connect with medical experts by signing up. The newly launched Healthguv app has facilitated this even further by improving ease of access.
Source: EIN Presswire


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A vegan hummus and pita bar will be opening its doors in York, UK.
Humpit - which is a Yorkshire-based vegan food business serving 'great-tasting, down-to-earth hummus, falafel, salads, and drinks' - will be launching on Church Street early next year.
This will be the restaurant's fourth branch, as there are already two in Leeds and one in Sheffield.
Diners can choose from three sorts of meal, all priced at £4.50.
A hummus bowl features whole chickpeas parsley, olive oil, and a fresh pita; the loaded pita includes hummus, falafel, fresh salads, pickles, and sauces; and salad bowls can be customized with a choice of salads, hummus, and falafel.
Extra toppings and sides are also available - and among drinks, visitors can enjoy the juice of the day or fresh lemonade.
Diners can also pre-order their lunch by phone, or have the food delivered via Deliveroo.
The vegan eatery won the Street Food category in the 2015 Virgin Foodpreneur awards - and has been dubbed as 'Britain's best street food startup'.
It also secured an investment from a private fund, and owner Jonathan Phillips is now aiming to open six new restaurants in the next two years.
The York branch is hiring - if you’re interested, email firstname.lastname@example.org.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are prepared in the author's capacity and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Plant Based News itself.Reuse this content
Diana is a London-based writer dedicated to bringing you the latest updates in ethical consumerism and plant-based nutrition. She is a recent media graduate with extensive journalistic experience, and writes in hopes of changing the narrative. You can follow Diana on Instagram and Twitter @dianalupica
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Plant Based News is a FREE service that receives millions of views each week. This takes a lot of our personal time, money and hard work. But we do it because we KNOW it makes a difference. If those following our reporting helped by contributing, we could do even more. Please consider supporting us so we can create further awareness about animal rights, environmentalism, ethical consumerism and the plant-based lifestyle. Not a false narrative - but information that empowers people to make better choices.


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It's been a hard road for Microsoft Office fans who are also iOS users. The company finally got around to releasing an iPhone version of Office Mobile this past June, providing Office 365 subscribers access to the full suite of apps. But iPad users are still waiting, and apparently it's because Windows users are also waiting.
At a Gartner event today, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced that the release of Office for the iPad was being planned, but only after a touch-first user interface had been introduced to the Windows version of the program. Sources at Microsoft have told The Verge COO Kevin Turner says the company needs "to own the productivity experience across all devices."
In the meantime, Office 365 users who need to access the suite's apps can do so via the iPad's web browser.


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News & Media :: Daily Log
In the News
Apr 9, 2010
Julie Deardorff's March 23, 2010 piece "Is organically grown food safer or more nutritious? Consumers should weigh the cost vs. benefits," summarizes the benefits of organic fruits and vegetables, dairy and meat, cosmetics and personal care products, processed foods, and cotton and coffee.
The piece draws heavily on Organic Center research. TOC Chief Scientist Chuck Benbrook is quoted as saying
"Pushing animals to grow really fast has a cascade of effects on the environment and the health of the animal. We need to back off the accelerator and focus on the health of the plant, the health of the animal, as well as the nutrient composition of food."


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One-woman protest outside Barclays Bank over bonuses
FORMER magistrate and postwoman Sue Nike staged a one-woman protest at Barclays Bank in Burnley centre after reading about the bank’s bosses’ bonuses.
Mrs Nike was astonished to learn about the £110m. bonus hand-out while on her way to celebrate International Women’s Day at Burnley Town Hall, and decided actions speak louder than words.
She said: “It is public money they are getting, but they are completely unaccountable. This isn’t about envy. Most people just want to have a living wage. I believe they are just greedy.”
Mrs Nike (65), former leader of Pendle Council, said people had been good natured and supportive about her protest, which she started initially in the bank on St James’s Street. She said: “Customers in the bank asked me questions and agreed those five men are not worth £110m., but eventually I was asked to leave. A PC and a PCSO came in. It is the PCSOs who are losing their jobs. They are paid by public money, just like these bankers, but they will be out of work because of the cuts.”
Barclays was bailed out in the 2008 financial crash. It has been forced to publish details about the pay of its top five staff as a result of an agreement with the Government, but has to provide only details on key executives rather than traders who earn considerably more.


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A very interesting interview emerged in the XRP news today, showing that the Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen spoke with CBInsights forum about the slow development of blockchain and cryptocurrencies in the US.
As you probably know, blockchain technology and digital currencies are increasingly revered as the next phase for technological advancements, alongside the usual suspects of artificial intelligence (AI), drone technology, and machine learning.
Larsen spoke to the WSJ reporter Paul Vigna and said that the United States was “ignorant” about providing any legal clarity on blockchain and cryptocurrencies. The interview is summed up in the tweet below.
Ripple co-founder @chrislarsensf spoke with @WSJ’s @PaulVigna at @CBInsights Tech Conf about the #tech Cold War brewing between the United States and China. Watch the full talk today. https://t.co/OFLAfBTjan pic.twitter.com/ReIaSlRGn1
— Ripple (@Ripple) June 24, 2020
The Ripple co-founder also said that blockchain is poised to play an integral role in the world’s “next-gen” global financial system. As he added, much of the US discussion around cryptocurrencies centers around BTC and ETH, which he thinks that is “dominated by miners based in China.”
In this manner, Larsen also touched the Bitcoin news and said that “China is so far ahead of us.” He noted that the country has readied a $1.4 trillion warchest for emerging technology, with part of it earmarked for increasing payments tech and blockchain.
Meanwhile, the recent news confirm that China is already modelling the island of Hainan as its new “blockchain hub” and local observers state that President Xi Jinping aims to make this island fully-blockchain and AI compliant and pioneer in a new future. The “Blockchain Pilot Zone” in Hainan is being built.
The Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen also believes that the crypto industry has come far ahead of its ICO days, a time when scams and obscure tokens swindled many billions of dollars from the open market.
“Regulators must address the industry so that they can compete with China’s blockchain and cryptocurrency progress,” he added.
Larsen also noted that the recent move from China to try and control Hong Kong gives them two major financial centers (along with Shanghai) all while the US tries to field a majority of its financial efforts only in New York.
With an estimated net worth of $2.6 billion on Forbes, the Ripple executive thinks that Chinese control over the entire financial system could prove “devastating” for global powers that US currently show.
DC Forecasts is a leader in many crypto news categories, striving for the highest journalistic standards and abiding by a strict set of editorial policies. If you are interested to offer your expertise or contribute to our news website, feel free to contact us at [email protected]


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NSW’s whole-of-government ICT Services Scheme continues to expand with Expense Management Systems (EMS) to be added following a Request for Information (RFI) evaluation process.
The new sub-category, coded as Q05Ptr, will fall under Category Q for ERP and related corporate and shared services. In line with the Government’s push to ensure that ERP-as-a-service options are available to agencies, suppliers of EMS are asked to “be open to new and innovative delivery mechanisms such as Software as a Service (SaaS)”.
The Department of Finance and Services (DFS) is investigating “methodologies for collaboration across Agencies and Clusters for service delivery at a reduced transaction cost”, according to RFI documents.
The establishment of the sub-category is specifically linked to a recent acceleration in the Government’s aim to introduce the use of “Purchase Cards” across agency clusters for all transactions under $3,000. Transactions below this level account for around 85 per cent of all NSW Government transactions.
The policy to use purchase cards was introduced in December 2011 with the intent to yield savings of around $22 per transaction or $127.4 million over the first six years. However, a June 2014 report by Auditor-General Grant Hehir found that “NSW government agencies are not making sufficient use of purchasing cards and EFT to pay for goods and services”.
“The Audit Office estimates that by 30 June 2014 - the first two years of the government’s initiative - savings will be less than half the expected $15.3 million.”
Hehir identifies the Education, Health, Police and Justice Departments as conducting a significant number of transactions but making insufficient use of purchasing cards.
Along with a greater adoption of the policy, the Auditor-General’s report recommends the use of expense management systems by agencies to “streamline processes, maximise savings and improve data capture”.
RFI submissions close on 18 November 2014. Successful suppliers will automatically become “offer endorsed providers” of EMS, and will be required to complete an application process to be registered as advanced suppliers under the new sub-category.


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2019’s top Wimbledon stars will have more in common this year than just their sites on the trophies — several of tennis’s top players will also be wearing clothes from a new environmentally-friendly vegan sportswear range designed by Stella McCartney for Adidas.
Current women’s champion Angelique Kerber, 2017 winner Garbine Muguruza, and former world No 1 champion Caroline Wozniacki, along with men’s players Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Alexander Zverev, will all be wearing their Wimbledon whites designed by McCartney.
The new range is the designer’s first Grand Slam line for both men and women. It’s another collaboration between McCartney and sportswear giant Adidas. The designer and brand have worked on several sports and shoe lines recently, including the first-ever Stan Smith’s made from vegan leather. The shoes were originally created for tennis legend Stan Smith. Both McCartney and Adidas have become increasingly more environmentally-friendly in their collections. Adidas recently pledged to reduce its plastic use and focus on upcycled materials. One-hundred percent of its most recent launch, the Futurecraft.LOOP shoe, can be recycled.
The new Wimbledon range is made from plastic waste collected from beaches as well as synthetic fibers spun from old clothes and plastic bottles. The collection also uses “Dope Dye Technology,” which uses less water in the dying process.
Protecting the Environment
“I definitely think it’s very important to protect the environment and the planet — the impact is present in every aspect of our lives, including sport,” Wozniacki said.
“Environmental issues are a huge problem in our time,” Thiem said, “and it’s very important that athletes and big companies take steps to take better care of the planet for future generations to come.”
German star Zverev points to the connection between the sport and the natural environment. “We train outdoors, we do everything outdoors, so it’s important to protect those spaces for future generations.”
The range isn’t the only eco star at Wimbledon this year. According to the Evening Standard, bottled water giant Evian is debuting its first 100 percent recycled and recyclable water bottle.
Wimbledon will also remove all plastic bags from the player racket-stringing operation. The popular tennis event says it hired more staff to help with recycling efforts for spectators as well.


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Bezos is the richest man in the world and also in recent history. This number grows higher each day.
She is now the wealthiest woman in the world worth 674 billion Fortune.
Bezos net worth today. The billionaire isnt alone other tech tycoons have been getting much. This number grows higher each day. In 2019 Amazon notched 2805 billion in revenues and a record 115 billion in net profit.
He is 62 billion wealthier than Bill Gates the worlds second-richest person with a net. MacKenzie Bezos Scott net worth. Jeff Bezos is now worth more than 200 billion making him the richest person in the world by nearly 90 billion Katie Canales and Tyler Sonnemaker 2020-08-26T234725Z.
On Wednesday a fresh 28 per cent rally in Teslas share price propelled Musks net worth to within 3 billion of Jeff Bezos who is the richest man on the planet. MacKenzie Scott a novelist and philanthropist who recently divorced Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is now the wealthiest woman in the world with a net worth of over 66 billion. Jeff Bezos Fast Facts.
The 49-year-old outspoken entrepreneur had become the second-richest man in the world in November 2020. Even after his divorce settlement of 35 billion Bezos has recovered quite nicely. Although he lost a huge chunk of his wealth due to divorcing his ex-wife he is still a multi-billionaire and his billion dollar empire will most likely continue to enrich him by providing him with huge profits for many more years to come.
Currently Bezoss net worth reportedly hovers around 196 billion as of February 2021. Today Jeff Bezos net worth is approximately over 187 billion. And last month his estimated net worth jumped to almost 172 billion marking a new global high.
Bezos second richest man on the planet behind Putin. Bezos who currently owns an 112 stake in Amazon is already by far and away the worlds richest person. According to Bloomberg calculations Jeff Bezos net worth could buy 891M troy ounces of gold and 207B barrels of crude oil and is equivalent to 0611 of the GDP of the United States 9160 of the total wealth of the 500 richest people in the world 278 of the top 100 US college endowments and 713 of US existing home sales.
His ecommerce fortune is too much to handle and this is his way of trying to burn through some of it. A purchase like this would never affect someone like Jeff Bezos because he is worth 151 billion right now. With a net worth of 182 billion Jeff Bezos Amazons founder and CEO is the richest man in the world.
Donated a 100 million to fight the pandemic. He is considered one of the richest and most influential people in the world today. Not according to the news I saw this morning – Dorsey Zuckerberg and Bezos are all donating huge amounts of cash.
His estimated net worth is 20878985751703 as of 756 pm April 15 2021 EST. Yes but a shame they wont pay tax on their obscene profits. Bezos owns The Washington Post and Blue Origin an aerospace company that is developing rockets for.
As of 415 pm ET today Forbes puts his net worth at 138 billion.


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The move from LinkedIn follows about a year after it was hacked in June 2012.
Social networking site LinkedIn has introduced two-step verification to improve the security of its members’ accounts.
The process requires users to type a numeric code when logging in from an unrecognised device for the first time.
LinkedIn said the code will be sent to user’s phone through SMS and when enabled, two-step verification makes it more difficult for unauthorised users to access a particular account, which requires them to have both password and access to mobile phone.
The new two-step verification process follows about a year after LinkedIn was hacked in June 2012, with as many as 6.5 million passwords were exposed.
Recently, Twitter introduced an optional ‘two-factor authentication’ feature using mobile phone verification on the social network, as part of its efforts to beef up security after a series of high-profile breaches into its accounts in recent past.
Apple has also added a new level of security to iCloud and Apple ID accounts which requires two-step verification to prevent passwords from being stolen.


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Posted Tue Feb 14, 2017 at 02:00 PM PST by Steven Cohen
The premium entertainment network is now available through the Apple TV.
EPIX has announced the launch of its streaming app on the Apple TV media player. The app is now available for authenticated EPIX subscribers with a fourth generation Apple TV.
"EPIX was created in anticipation of the digital revolution, launching with more content across more devices than any other network," said Mark Greenberg, President and CEO of EPIX. "Apple has been a renowned leader in shaping the digital landscape and I'm proud to make our content available on Apple TV."
With the EPIX app for Apple TV, customers can access the network's live linear channels and on demand content, including original series like 'Berlin Station' and 'Graves,' original documentary programming like 'America Divided,' music and comedy events from performers like Katy Perry, Louis CK, and Wanda Sykes, and thousands of movies, including titles from the 'James Bond,' 'Hunger Games,' and 'Star Trek' franchises. Likewise, the app also offers the option to add content to a personal queue, free sampling, curated collections, advanced search and video playback features, and movie trailers.
New subscribers can now sign up for a limited free trial of the app exclusively on the Apple TV. In addition, the app is also available with a downloads feature for offline viewing through the Kindle Fire, Apple and Android mobile devices and tablets including iPads and iPhones, and Samsung and Nexus products. Beyond EPIX, 20th Century Fox recently launched their Movie of the Day app on the Apple TV as well with daily sale prices on popular Fox Digital HD titles. The fourth-generation Apple TV is currently available in 32GB ($149) and 64GB ($199) models.
Source: EPIX via Business Wire
The latest news on all things 4K Ultra HD, blu-ray and Gear.


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Toyota Motor Corporation announced on Friday its plans to launch ten new battery electric vehicle (EV) models by 2026, marking a significant ramp-up in its electric vehicle efforts. The move comes as investors have long criticized the Japanese automaker for being slow in developing a battery-powered vehicle line-up, instead of focusing on hybrids such as its pioneering Prius.
As a response to the criticism, Toyota will establish a new, specialized unit that will focus on next-generation battery EVs. The company also aims to achieve annual production of 1.5 million battery-powered cars by 2026. Toyota’s new Chief Executive, Koji Sato, said that the company would take a “practical approach” to popularise electrified cars that included hybrids, which would remain an essential pillar of its business.


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Abbey Logistics Group will close its general haulage and pallet network business to concentrate on the tanker business where it first made its name. In a statement today (12 September), the firm, which was originally known as Abbey Road Tanks, said it had grown rapidly in the last two years through its core tanker business, including headline making deals such as British Sugar. It added that it had secured significant contracts in the food, polymers, and non-hazardous chemicals markets, and […]
Bibby Distribution has not let Covid-19 stand in the way of its fleet replacement strategy this year, after committing to spending £14m on new assets.
Abbey Logistics made it a double whammy at last night’s MT Awards, picking up Haulier of the Year and Business Excellence Awards – also joining an exclusive club of just three other firms who have won Haulier of the Year twice. Innovations included the development of a twin-cargo trailer, capable of carrying liquid and palletised goods, and encouraging young people into the industry via their MD’s Think Logistics initiative. The judges said: “This company has a clear vision and knows […]


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While we have been focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on cybersecurity (such as increased vulnerability of remote work) there are other trends going on, as listed by Cyber Security Intelligence:
- Ransomware is an increasing problem. Perpetrators not only encrypt data and ask for higher ransoms, they also threaten to sell or disclose it. (Be proactive by backing up data and storing it safely off-network, so you can recover without paying ransom.)
- Phishing has gone beyond emails to social media and phone calls. Be wary of requests for personal data, login credentials or money, especially if an urgent response is requested.
- Data protection is challenging. There is little transparency about securing and processing personal information. Be careful what you post.
- Smart insecure consumer devices are expanding. in the near future as we become more dependent on the Internet of Things. They will be an attractive target for criminals and cyber risk will increase exponentially.
- Medical devices are now a subset of the Internet of Things. Researchers have identified software vulnerabilities. Individuals and product classes can be attacked. Healthcare information can be intercepted. Going forward, more attention must be paid to security.
- As vehicles have increasing amounts of computer hardware and software, and are more connected to transportation infrastructure, increasing vulnerabilities mean attacks will not just affect individuals but could cause widespread traffic disruptions.
- Smart supply chains can be disrupted.
- Currently there are an estimated 200 million IoT devices. By 2025 that is estimated to grow to over 75 billion, each with a separate software package.
As these vulnerabilities increase, organizations may not be able to keep updating. Cyber security is increasingly challenging.


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You don’t have to be a firefighter to own a shiny red fire truck.
San Diego County is auctioning off scores of surplus government vehicles next week, including a pump truck. Its engine might have problems and the transmission is out of order, and it very likely has has dismal fuel economy, but the AC works just fine.
County government opens an auction on Monday in an attempt to unload sedans, sports utility vehicles, cargo vans, school buses, a forklift, dump trucks, a street sweeper, a handful of firetrucks and other vehicles. In all, 133 items the government no longer uses are up for sale.
Most of the passenger vehicles are from the second-half of the previous decade and have under 100,000 miles. The trucks and work vehicles tend to be a little bit older and are more heavily used.
There are plenty of Fords, including Fusions, Focuses, Tauruses, and eight Crown Victorias that are sure to make other motorists think the driver is an undercover cop or an old taxi. Chevrolets are also being auctioned as well, but there are not nearly as many of them as there are Fords.
Nearly all of the vehicles use gasoline or diesel fuels, but there are two Ford Escape hybrids up for grabs. Fusions are offered too, but it appears that no hybrid models are available.
Registration and bidding begins online on Monday, and opening offers start at $100 per vehicle. Before that, however, shoppers can browse online at www.bit.ly/sdcountyauction, or from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday at the county’s lot at 369 Main Street in Ramona. A second showing will be held on Monday from 8 a.m. until noon.
The sale is run by TNT Auction, and the county attempts to sell its surplus fleet to local bidders. Items for sale will not be packaged or shipped and must be picked up by the buyer or their representative.
The Public Administrator also auctions personal and real property from estates, while the County Treasurer/Tax Collector auctions tax-defaulted properties.


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Victoria's Secret model Kate Upton is allegedly the brand's answer to the backlash over its use of very thin models. Last week Candice Swanepoel was criticized for looking skinny at a promotional event, though she probably wasn't any or much thinner than she's ever been modeling for the brand. The Herald Sun believes VS released new photos of the curvier, as they say, Kate Upton wearing their bras to prove they don't just promote "too thin" body types.
The 18-year-old has also appeared in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue and can be seen in a mildly popular YouTube video. But the strange thing was the sudden shock over VS models being thin, because guess what: They've always been thin. After all, these are women who readily admit to cutting out food groups and working out for two hours a day for a couple months leading up to the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show so that they can be thin (and they most definitely look it, especially in person). The models also haven't been shy about admitting that they wear special padding in their bras to make their boobs look bigger — for it is the rare woman who is as thin as many of them with boobs as big as theirs appear. And what's almost disturbing is that the message at the fashion show is that this is the most beautiful women can look.
So yay for Kate Upton, who may represent a healthier, more attainable body type than many of her colleagues, but who may also have her fellow models in a quandary about how they should look if their current figures are no longer the ideal. For famous women, there is seldom a right weight.
New Victoria's Secret model Kate Upton has curves [Herald Sun]


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According to his LinkedIn profile, Redding's switch to WB Montreal occurred sometime last month, but the news was confirmed yesterday by Arkham Origins creative director Eric Holmes. With Rocksteady revealed as the developer behind the recently unveiled Batman: Arkham Knight, whatever WB Montreal's working on is currently remaining cloaked.
Posted on Jan 27th 2015 8:15AM
Posted on Jan 26th 2015 11:00AM
Posted on Jan 26th 2015 10:00AM


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National Auto, which is a part of the renowned Al Ghandi Auto Group in the UAE has launched the first SUV from Korean automotive manufacturer Ssangyong named the Tivoli in the UAE market at the Dubai International Motor Show 2015. In view of the growing popularity of SUVs in the UAE due to their practicality, and performance, the model is expected to sell well in the local market.
The Tivoli belongs to the subcategory of compact SUV and is expected to become a game-changer in its segment due to its stylish exterior, exceptional safety features with seven air bags, innovative technological features, practicality and the value for money that it offers.
Positioned as a smart car, the Tivoli will appeal to all those who are fascinated by gadgets with a 7.0in screen that is available as a standard feature on EX and ELX trims. The screen offers users crisp, high-resolution graphics. The model rates high when it comes to connectivity with motorists having the option to connect their phone through Bluetooth, aux or USB in order to play the latest tunes through the six-speaker stereo. Charging will no longer be an issue with two 12V power sockets located in front of the gear lever. There are USB and HDMI ports as well. Additional technological features that will be highly useful to drivers include a six-sensor obstacle detection system, luggage screen, automatic washer switch, and hazard lights that automatically activate under hard braking.
Commenting on the new model, Graham Roy Eric Turner, CEO of Al Ghandi Auto Group expressed his confidence in the new model saying that with demand for quality compact SUVs showing an upswing, the outlook is bright for the Tivoli.
He said that the Al Ghandi Auto Group represents a number of internationally renowned manufacturers and for all of them, it is a priority to achieve the highest level of customer satisfaction by providing them with world-class products backed by top notch service. SsangYong Motors is a brand with a rich motoring heritage that goes back over 50 years to the early 1960s. The Tivoli is the latest model from SsangYong and he concluded by saying that the Al Ghandi Auto was honored to present the latest model from the brand, the Tivoli.
The Tivoli will be available in eight trendy external shades. Cuastomers can choose from an array of five two-tone body and roof colour combinations. The interiors match the attractive exterior with a cabin design that offers a surprisingly spacious and comfortable interior that is highly smart and practical as well
There is plenty of cargo space as well, with the Tivoli being the only vehicle in its segment with enough cargo space to accommodate three golf bags. The SsangYong Tivoli is a model that showcases a level of attention to detail and driving experience that is normally seen only in luxury vehicles that come with a much higher price tag.
With a sleek exterior, comfortable interior, numerous technological innovations and plenty of space for passengers and cargo, it looks like Ssangyong has a winner on their hands with the new Tivoli.
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BEIJING: Chinese e-commerce leader Alibaba Group said yesterday that it posted lower profit but maintained steady revenue growth, indicating that a government crackdown on the country's tech giants was having little impact on its core business. Alibaba said its net income in the April-June quarter came in at 45.1 billion yuan ($7 billion), down five percent on-year. The Hangzhou-based company was the first of China's tech champions to feel the wrath of a government that has become concerned over their rapid growth and data security.
In April, regulators fined Alibaba a record $2.78 billion for anti-competitive practises, dragging the company to a rare operating loss in the January-March quarter. Since then, the government has taken a number of other measures against major Chinese digital players, sending their share prices tumbling. But through it all, Alibaba's revenues remained solid as China's economy has weathered the global pandemic well, with company executives saying it had even helped fuel online shopping.
Alibaba revenue, the vast majority of which comes from its core e-commerce platforms, increased 34 percent on-year to $31.9 billion, according to the company. Still, that fell short of a Bloomberg poll of analysts who had forecast 49 percent growth. Alibaba blamed the lower net income on strategic investments. A statement accompanying the earnings announcement made no mention of the tech clampdown. "We believe in the growth of the Chinese economy and long-term value creation of Alibaba," Chairman and CEO Daniel Zhang said.
After years of giving them relatively free rein to help digitize the Chinese economy, regulators are now seeking to hobble dominant digital platforms. The moves echo a global pushback against the increasing clout of Big Tech that has Facebook, Google and others also facing scrutiny at home and abroad.
Alibaba has received particular attention after billionaire co-founder Jack Ma publicly criticized Chinese regulators in October for reining in a push into online lending, wealth management and insurance products by Alibaba's online payments arm Ant Group. The government said it imposed the $2.78 billion fine on Alibaba for its practice of forbidding merchants who wish to sell their wares on its popular online marketplaces from simultaneously offering them on rival e-commerce sites, saying the company had "abused its dominant position in the market".
The Alibaba fine was a record and nearly three times the almost $1 billion levied by China against Qualcomm in 2015, Bloomberg reported earlier. Even before the fine, the regulatory crackdown had cost Ma and Ant Group dearly. A planned record-shattering $35 billion Hong Kong-Shanghai IPO by Ant Group, which would have added to Ma's already massive wealth, was abruptly shelved.
Ma subsequently disappeared from public view for weeks, and Ant Group was ordered by regulators to return to its roots as an online payment services provider. The government crackdown has weighed on Alibaba shares as well as those of other major Chinese tech players with fears swirling that they also might face further fines and restrictions. - AFP


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Zero rating: Streaming video gets a break: "How does someone convince consumers that free data is “bad” for them? To convince consumers that they don’t know what is good for themselves, zero-rated data has been described by some as violating net neutrality or, more accurately, the spirit of net neutrality. This is a rather broad policy assertion, and an even broader legal assertion, so clarification is useful.
To be sure, zero rating plans were being evaluated under new regulations that were part of the Open Internet Order that ushered in the codification of net neutrality principles.
In particular, as the Commission itself said it would be, zero rating was evaluated (in large part) under the highly controversial General Conduct Rule." 'via Blog this'


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THIS is Vauxhall’s all-new Insignia Grand Sport, which will be getting its world reveal at the Geneva Motor Show in March.
As well as having completely new sleeker styling, the latest Insignia from the Griffin-badged marque will be offered with an eight-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive, will be lighter and will be packed with the latest driving aids and safety equipment.
Vauxhall sold more than 30,000 Insignias in the UK last year and the new Grand Sport will offer a more spacious interior, giving the car a more athletic appearance and an improved road stance, including class-leading aerodynamics and Cd figure of just 0.26.
The Insignia Grand Sport will be available with a range of turbocharged engines and transmission options when it is launched later in 2017 and the highly efficient eight-speed automatic transmission is new to the line-up.
The new auto-box will initially only be available in combination with all-wheel drive.
Vauxhall say one of the highlights is the next generation of Vauxhall’s IntelliLux LED matrix lights. It now has 32 LED segments – twice as many as in the Astra – that are all integrated in the new slimmer headlamps of the Insignia, which, on full beam, will light up the road ahead for up to 400 metres.
Other improvements on the outgoing Insignia include a head-up display projected on to the windscreen, which gives information on speed, traffic signs, the set speed of speed limiter or navigation direction.
It also comes with adaptive cruise control, which measures the distance to vehicle in front and adapts the speed accordingly. The system will also activate automatic emergency braking if the distance decreases abruptly.
Lane keep assist with lane departure warning provides gentle steering wheel movements to help drivers avoid accidents due to drifting out of their lane.
There’s also a rear cross-traffic alert feature which uses radar sensors in the rear bumper to detect objects coming from up to 20 meters at 90 degrees from the left or right side behind the vehicle.
Entertainment and connectivity are provided by the latest Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible IntelliLink systems. While the smartphone is integrated into the vehicle’s infotainment, it can also be charged wirelessly without the use of a cable.
The new Insignia comes with Vauxhall’s OnStar service assistant, which offers services ranging from automatic crash response to stolen vehicle assistance.
A new concierge service will be launched with the Insignia Grand Sport, allowing occupants to ask OnStar advisers to select a hotel and proceed to room reservation.
On the connectivity front Vuaxhall says that up to seven devices can be connected to the Grand Sport’s Wi-Fi Hotspot.
Prices of the new model are expected to be announced early next year.


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China is not finished releasing smartphones for 2014, even though one of the most exciting devices was just launched. The OPPO Find 7 is an impressive device, but we have yet to hear anything official about another possibly amazing device. ZTE is still on stand-by for the official announcement of the Nubia X6.
Although there has not been an official announcement about the ZTE Nubia X6, we now know what it will look like. We expected the thin bezels, at least on the sides, and that's exactly what we can see. The images are credited to the Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center in China. This is where all devices need to pass certification before becoming shelf ready in China. So along with the pictures, we get a glimpse at essentially official specs of the ZTE Nubia X6.
The display size makes you think of a phablet, with almost 7-inches, 6.44 inch display to be exact. Of course, the display is full HD, at 1920 x 1080 resolution, though the CPU power was only measured at 1.7GHz. So though the device may look powerful enough to take flagship status, the power underneath it screams low-end, mid range if you want to be nice about it. However, there's a chance that this is one of MediaTek's Octa-Core CPUs, which allows for all eight-cores to be active at once.
More telling is the camera, with the rear facing camera coming in at 8MP, and the front at 5MP. Though the camera has low MP's, rumors surrounding their functionality still call to interests. Some of which are a "Super Zoom Mode" or the long exposure options. Due to these rumors, we anxiously await the official launch of this device, as mid-range and low-end devices are becoming the heavy hitter for the year.
It seems as though many OEMs are switching gears, at least when it comes to mid to low range devices. They are realizing that these markets have plenty of untapped potential,and they need to take full advantage. Even though it is highly unlikely that we will see this device in the US, it will help competition thrive. Who knows, maybe one day soon the US will become more aware of Chinese companies like ZTE. Until then, we just watch what happens over there and see how it affects the US markets later down the road. ZTE is set to launch the Nubia X6 officially on March 25th.


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Vendors have already issued patches or are preparing to roll them out to the public.
One 53MB file stored on the Pixel 2 holds details of all 17,300 songs so Google's servers aren't required for the most popular detections.
The latest update to Microsoft's OS adds new app capabilities, sharing features, and helpful tweaks.
The redesigned and upgraded Chrome Cleanup will run quietly in the background detecting and alerting Windows users to unwanted software.
You no longer need to search for pictures of your pets, Google Photos will now group them together automatically.
New 'RF Front End' chips from Qualcomm will help T-Mobile sell a range of 600MHz-compatible phones this spring.
Qualcomm's 5G reference phone is the first time we've seen 5G in a device that small.
Evaluating the phones based on a variety of factors, including battery capacity, Phandroid finds the Huawei Mate 9 offers the most juice for your battery buck.
Kaspersky Lab noticed the attack last week, and said it was carried out partly through an Office document.
Google Glass fizzled among consumers, but on factory floors, augmented reality smart glasses can make a huge difference in speed and efficiency.
Toyota plans to start road testing vehicles equipped with AI features in Japan by 'around 2020.'
Tom Cruise is back, ready to take on demonic dolls.
An outside force like Russia hijacking the democratic process should infuriate people. Yet many embrace 'fake' stories that back up preconceived notions.
Measuring just 4.21 cm wide and 1.19 cm thick, the Connect Tag tracking device is water and dustproof and lasts a full week on a single charge.
The vulnerability means all encrypted data is visible to an attacker and they can inject malware on to any connected devices.
We've known this was going to happen since 2016, but now we have a seven month window.
Customers who saw their credit card details used fraudulently in the last couple of weeks are understandably angry.


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LiveU – Suite 8.MS7
LiveU is shaping the future of live video, powering video production workflows and cloud services for news, sports, and other verticals, creating the immediacy, content and new experiences viewers demand.
Excited to see everyone again in person at IBC, LiveU will be showcasing its next-gen live video platform and latest service offerings enabling customers to apply unmatched innovation and automation to the entire production workflow.
Here’s what you can expect from LiveU:
Unveiling the newest addition to LiveU’s end-to-end live video platform
LiveU can’t say much at this point, but it promises it will be well worth the wait! This solution will play an integral role in cloud broadcast workflows, extending LiveU’s disruption of the market, continuing to make live productions more intuitive, seamless and cost-effective.
Helping organizations unlock the potential of live video
LiveU will be demonstrating its end-to-end contribution and distribution solutions including its multi-camera LU800 5G production-level field unit, rich remote production tools and more, built on its LRT (LiveU Reliable Transport) protocol.
Seamless integrated video experience
Collaborations with other leading cloud production providers will be showcased during live workflow demos throughout the show, highlighting the ongoing removal of traditional and restrictive infrastructure. LiveU is offering an enriched seamless live video production experience for increased viewer engagement and revenue growth.
Cost-effective content sharing
Customers can manage an exponential number of live feeds using best-in-class, cloud-based tools, sharing live video to an unlimited number of channels and destinations, and bringing live video from anywhere into their existing ecosystem. The LiveU Matrix cloud video management platform will be on display with its new Dynamic Share service.
In line with COVID guidelines, LiveU will be hosting attendees in its Meeting Suite 8.MS7 for one-on-one meetings and special live workflow demo presentations.
Magewell – Stand 6.C13
Magewell – the award-winning developer of innovative video interface and IP workflow solutions – is ramping up for the media and entertainment industry’s first international, in-person technology trade show in over two years. The company will showcase new and established offerings that reflect the accelerating technology transitions sweeping the broadcast and production markets.
Magewell’s stand will feature the live exhibition debuts of recently introduced products as well as existing solutions that play critical roles as customers rapidly embrace remote production workflows and streaming-centric distribution models. Highlighted solutions will include:
Magewell’s exhibit at IBC will be managed by its trusted Netherlands-based distribution partner MVD Europe BV. “Magewell has released many fantastic products over the past 18 months that we haven’t had the opportunity to showcase in person,” said Edo van der Gaag, CEO at MVD Europe. “We’re excited to give our customers and partners the chance to experience these innovations first-hand at IBC.”
MEDIAGENIX – Meeting Room 1.BS22 (by appointment only)
MEDIAGENIX adds a new dimension to its Media Business Management Platform WHATS’ON with the launch of WHATS’ON HIVE, a modular cloud platform that seamlessly expands the rich WHATS’ON ecosystem.
At IBC 2021 MEDIAGENIX will showcase a lean content supply chain that elegantly connects strategic, planning and execution workflows around one source-of-truth by leveraging a series of new WHATS’ON HIVE products.
MEDIAGENIX launches the “FFWD to Data Value” programme, connecting data assets across the content supply chain to fast-track advanced BI and AI capabilities that visualize and optimize content ROI.
“Media networks can improve business and operational efficiency by 20 to 80% with a lean content supply chain,” says Ivan Verbesselt, Chief Product & Marketing Officer for MEDIAGENIX. “Such efficiency gains are predicated on collaborative workflows spanning the entire content supply chain at strategic, planning and execution levels and revolving around three core principles: one source-of-truth, touchless operations, and actionable content intelligence.”
Lean Content Supply Chain
In Media Business Management Platform WHATS’ON, unified workflows around content, rights and planning make for a lean end-to-end content supply chain that reduces both operational costs and hidden supply chain waste while maximizing Content ROI.
New WHATS’ON products and workflows drive business performance on four levels: multiplatform operational efficiency, cross-functional collaboration, audience engagement and content monetization.
One Source of Truth
With the enhanced WHATS’ON collaborative workflows all departments work in perfect sync as real-time data is put at the centre of the ecosystem, driving operations and decisions around a single source-of-truth.
WHATS’ON thus elegantly connects the strategic, planning and execution workflows to eliminate repetitive, time-consuming and error-prone processes, reduce waiting times and processing complexity, and enable management-by-exception.
Leveraging three decades of continuous development, WHATS’ON has earned a strong reputation for its functional depth and open architecture, fostering smooth integrations into any media ecosystem.
The new WHATS’ON HIVE platform now seamlessly expands the core principles of WHATS’ON in the cloud by streamlining all workflows even more elegantly into one shared and controlled process governed by continuous deployment, helping media companies to be even more agile in view of increasing content costs and continuously shifting viewer demand.
Ivan Verbesselt commented: “A lean content supply chain lays the foundation to actively drive content ROI and lifetime value of content. WHATS’ON enables this through agile windowing and publishing across multiple platforms as well as smart content curation to drive engagement and discoverability. With WHATS’ON HIVE we take this agility a big step further.”
At IBC 2021, MEDIAGENIX will showcase a lean content supply chain that elegantly connects strategic, planning and execution workflows by leveraging a series of new WHATS’ON HIVE products, including:
Fast Forward to Data Value
MEDIAGENIX is also launching two solutions that will support media companies to avoid data fragmentation and to boost the time-to-value of data investments:
MEDIAGENIX will present WHATS’ON HIVE and their new Lean Content Supply Chain at IBC 2021 in meeting room 1.BS22 (by appointment only) as well as during remote meetings and webinars hosted from their Studio M.
Mediaproxy – Stand 7.B44
Mediaproxy, the international leading developer of software-based IP broadcast solutions, will highlight recent upgrades to its industry leading LogServer logging, monitoring, and analysis system at IBC 2021.
LogServer works entirely in software, designed to reliably log and monitor program output to ensure it is compliant with broadcast regulations. It seamlessly fits into cloud, virtual or on-premises workflows and supports video, audio and real-time data from a variety of sources used in broadcasting today, including 4K, HDR, 10-bit, HEVC, TSoIP, SMPTE 2110, 2022-6, Zixi and SRT.
New ground-breaking features include advanced clustering of decentralized systems on IP networks including cloud, as well as a brand-new pooled interface platform to simplify configuration at scale. This marks a new era in distributed access, setup and configuration across entire organizations with extended local and global footprints.
From its first version in 2001, LogServer has evolved over the past 20 years as Mediaproxy responded to broadcasters’ changing requirements. The proliferation of channels and explosion in streaming has called for more sophisticated monitoring as media services have had to deal with not only more distribution platforms but also the advancement in technologies, including Next Gen TV, IP-driven workflows and facilities and cloud migration.
“Compliance has drastically changed over the years. It’s become an intrinsic part of both engineering and business. Our customers recognize our strong and continued commitment to providing the best engineered solution, comments Mediaproxy chief executive Erik Otto. “The ever-increasing demands on modern compliance loggers to scale across IP networks challenges us to constantly stay ahead of the curve and we look forward to showcasing this at IBC 2021”
MwareTV – Stand 5.C45
MwareTV, a leading cloud-based multi-tenant platform provider, has confirmed that it will return to the exhibition floor at IBC 2021, which will take place at the Amsterdam RAI from 3-6 December. MwareTV will showcase the ability of its cloud-based IPTV OTT platform to deliver next-generation TV and video-based services.
To demonstrate the platforms flexibility, each visitor to the stand will be provided with their own fully branded Proof of Concept OTT service to take away and share with office-based colleagues for them to experience the demonstration in full.
MwareTV is able to deliver investment transparency to customers by deploying a full costing calculator that provides a comprehensive forecast of costs involved in launching and running any proposed new service, including profitability.
The highly intuitive platform enables ISPs, mobile operators, telco’s, system integrators, service providers, content hubs and content aggregators to launch a fully branded TV service.
IBC visitors will also see MwareTV showcase the latest upgrades to its platform, including revamped mobile apps for use with iOS and Android devices. In addition, there will be a sneak preview of a completely redesigned TV management system that is due to be made available in the coming months.
Chief among the capabilities that MwareTV will be demonstrating is the interoperability across user devices and applications afforded by its end-to-end solution for IPTV OTT. As a result, the platform can accommodate end-user applications for numerous devices, including set-top boxes, Android and iOS tablets and phones, AppleTV, FireTV, Roku, Samsung Tizen, LG WebOS, AndroidTV Smart TVs and WebTV, the TV Management System, DRM and equipment for encoding, hardware and software-based transcoding, and server and cloud-based storage.
With deployments in more than 25 countries underlining its versatility, MwareTV will highlight the platform’s ease of use and management. “From the start of its development, our overriding goal has been ‘IPTV OTT made simple’,” reflects CEO Sander Kerstens. “At IBC this year we will show visitors how easy it is to assess whether MwareTV is the platform they need by providing them with a demo system with their own look and feel user interface and access to live content so they can explore its features with their colleagues back in the office. We will also be on hand to discuss how best to build a business case around potential new services which have MwareTV as their foundation.”
“After the global events of the last 18 months we are delighted to have the opportunity to meet with existing and prospective customers once again,” says Kerstens. “With the OTT sector continuing to demonstrate remarkable dynamism and growth, we look forward to showing how our platform can provide the capabilities and commitment to ongoing innovation that the market requires.”


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- Pursuing dual listing of common shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange
- Engaged a full-service law firm and consultant to manage compliance
- Lots of opportunity in 2019 with increased product lines, increased distribution and new partnerships
Earth Science Tech Inc. (OTCQB: ETST), an innovative biotech company based in Florida, is actively pursuing a dual listing of its common shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (“CSE”). In December 2018, ETST engaged the counsel of Fasken, a full-service law firm with offices in Canada and worldwide, to assist with the process, including preparing and filing the required documentation (http://cnw.fm/f89IR).
In addition, ETST has engaged consultant Derek Lindsay to manage compliance while the company moves toward dual listing (http://cnw.fm/7WTCd). Along with managing compliance, Lindsay will be tasked with implementing an investor relations program and improving communications with investors.
“Dual listing is a major achievement and one that can provide ETST access to new investors and capital,” Lindsay, who has solid experience in accelerating the growth of both private and public companies, stated in a news release. Lindsay has served in various capacities and is well-versed in capital raising, strategic advising, investor relations and risk management.
Actively working toward dual listing is not halting the company’s continued work in the CBD, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical fields; nor is it slowing its advancement of medical devices or research and development activities. Preparations are in place for the launch of three new CBD products. The first commercial batch of Hygee medical devices is nearing completion and will be launched in Vietnam, which will act as a proving ground for the introduction of the device into other countries (http://cnw.fm/ZM78r).
Already distributing products to 40 countries, ETST recently expanded its sales reach into Mexico and South America through a distribution partnership agreement with Forzagen (http://cnw.fm/n8O8K). In addition to global distribution expansion, the company is increasing its markets in the United States. Thanks to a recent agreement with CannaBiz and Desert Sun Distribution, ETST’s CBD product line will soon be available to chiropractors, dispensaries, pharmacies, health care practitioners, athletic clubs and clinics.
In a news release (http://cnw.fm/n0Cs8), ETST Chairman Nickolas S. Tabraue said, “We have a lot of opportunity on deck for 2019, and we look forward to sharing the results of our strategies, which include our Latin American distribution partnership and upcoming High Grade Full Spectrum Iq2 Cannabinoids shot.”
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.EarthScienceTech.com
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Image credit : Samsung
Samsung appears to have inadvertently revealed details about its upcoming “Fan Edition” lineup, including the Galaxy S23 FE, Galaxy Buds FE, and Galaxy Tab S9 FE, in advance of their anticipated early October launch.
The leak was uncovered in an image on the Galaxy Buds FE page on Samsung Argentina’s website, where an October 4th date was spotted in the Tab S9 FE’s notifications bar. Given Samsung’s track record of subtly including launch dates in product images, many believe this date serves as a tacit confirmation.
First in line for the reveal is the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, which could be the flagship product of this launch. Typically, the Fan Editions of the Galaxy S series debut about six months after the primary handset launch. These Fan Edition models are geared toward the mid-range market, often compromising on certain components and specifications to offer a lower price point while maintaining performance levels close to their more expensive counterparts.
Interestingly, Samsung did not release a Galaxy S22 FE, and there are speculations that the company redirected the chips to the Galaxy S22 Ultra. As it has been a few years since the last FE phone, the sales performance of these new models will be closely monitored.
Next in line are the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE, rumored to feature active noise cancellation, a subwoofer, and up to 30 hours of battery life, inclusive of the charging case.
Lastly, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE is revealed. Last year, Samsung did not release an FE version of its tablet, so the Galaxy Tab S7 FE continued to hold its ground. The design appears to closely follow that of the Tab S9, featuring multiple speakers around the frame and an included S-Pen stylus.
By reintroducing three products to invigorate its mid-range offerings after skipping a generation of Fan Edition hardware, Samsung seems poised to make a strong statement in the market, particularly as competitors raise the prices of their premium handsets. Bringing the premium “S” branding into the mid-range segment ahead of the holiday season underscores Samsung’s commitment to offering quality devices across price points.


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Boocla exceeds crowdfunding $25,000 target
Tuesday 4th August 2015
An innovative booking web application created in the Channel Islands has exceeded its crowdfunding target of $25,000 (£18,000).
Boocla lanched on Kickstarter at the beginning of July and received $27,316 in pledges from around the world in just 30 days.
Founded by Oi Labs, the digital innovation arm of award-winning marketing agency Oi, Boocla is a booking web application for anyone who runs classes or courses.
‘Exciting opportunities have arisen from the crowdfunding campaign as the project has gained Boocla exposure in the Channel Islands, UK, America and Australia,’ said Peter Grange, Oi chief executive officer.
‘Investors from across the globe have backed Boocla and we will now move forward with the next phase of development so that the clever class booking web application is ready to launch at the end of October.’
Louise Dunn, 26, a personal trainer of six years who has supported Boocla since it was launched on the world’s largest crowdfunding platform on Monday 6 July, said a system like this was perfect for a business such as hers.
‘It’s great to see the response Boocla has had so far. It truly speaks volumes for what the app has to offer. For any coach, instructor or trainer worldwide, it is a must have app for helping you consolidate and run your business smoothly. I’m very excited for its release in October.’
If you are an instructor, teacher, trainer or tutor, with Boocla you get a mobile-friendly website, amazing class booking system, free sub-domain, free hosting and free business cards for under $240 (about £160) a year.
Mike Culverwell, interim Director, Guernsey’s Digital Greenhouse congratulated Oi Labs on exceeding its crowdfunding target in less than 30 days.
‘What a fantastic accomplishment by Oi Labs to have gained more than enough backing to move forward with the project. They continue to lead the way in digital innovation in Guernsey as well as launching the Channel Islands onto the international digital stage. I am very excited about the release of Boocla later this year and I hope other businesses will follow suit.’
Using the latest Google technology, Boocla allows people to create a website in minutes then easily add, manage, sell and receive payments for spaces at their classes or courses.
Customers can quickly create a two-step profile enabling them to find and book classes for anything they are interested in. They can login to view schedules, make payments, enable text notifications and email reminders for classes already booked. Boocla also has a global class search function for people going away and wanting to book into classes.
'At Digital Jersey we continue to strive to push innovation in the island and to support those who are passionate about putting the Channel Islands on the digital map,’ said Carla Harris of Digital Jersey, which has championed the team at Oi Labs in its Kickstarter campaign.
‘Boocla has received praise from across the Channel Islands, UK and even USA. With Oi Labs set to launch the first phase of Boocla in October we encourage Jersey's business and tech community to get behind this project.'
For more information about Boocla visit www.boocla.com or #BackBoocla
Boocla features include:
- Personalised website with integrated class booking system
- Full responsive, working on all digital devices
- Boocla sub domain (i.e.name.Boocla.com)
- Multiple themes to choose from
- Add your own images, or use an image library
- Optimised for all search engines
- Email and SMS messaging
- Single and multiple venue management
- Unlimited bookings (no restrictions or extra charges)
- Global class search and booking feature
- PayPal integration (any currency)
- Free hosting
- Free business cards
- From $240 (£160) a year on a subscription basis


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The agreement, which came after months of tense talks, includes the previously announced reduction of Renault’s stake in Nissan to put the two on a more equal footing, extending for an initial period of 15 years a partnership that has been in place since 1999 and also includes Mitsubishi Motors.
“Previously the alliance was more about synergies… and global volumes,” Nissan chief operating officer Ashwani Gupta told Reuters. “The next 15 years is about how we become the number one value creator for each other and our shareholders.”
The lopsided relationship between the two car makers, which was deeply strained by the 2018 arrest of its architect and former chairman, Carlos Ghosn, amid financial scandal, had long been a source of friction among Nissan executives.
While Renault bailed out Nissan two decades ago, it is the smaller automaker by sales.
“I consider that what we have agreed is a much better set-up than what we have had in the…


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The Overwatch Team have ushered in the New Year by releasing a new map for the game.
The Overwatch Team have ushered in the New Year by releasing a new map for the game. Titled ‘Oasis’, this is a new control map for the latest Blizzard game. Oasis is set in the Middle East and is located in Iraq. Positioned as a futuristic city, teeming with brilliance, the locality has attracted the attention of the mega company, Vishkar Corporation.
Want a vacation?— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) January 3, 2017
Jump into the game and travel to Oasis—a new Control map now available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One! 🗺🌴💎 pic.twitter.com/zGRQkxX0KW
Who do you think will win Dota 2 - The International 7


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Our Director of Marketing Services, Dave Munro, recently hosted a webinar in partnership with Matt Parsons, Chief Customer Officer at Power Reviews.
The webinar covered best practices in generating and leveraging customer reviews, and both Dave and Matt shared strong statistics to justify focusing on this powerful tool.
Dave shared data from our recent Consumer Trends in Product Registration Report
on how digital channels—especially mobile registration—are changing the way brands make their first touch point with customers.
Highlighting the importance of reviews, Matt talked about how reviews are “the new word-of-mouth.” Customers expect to see reviews on a brand’s website, and brands have seen a 44 percent increase in conversion when products had 11 or more reviews.
Once brands collect reviews, they can leverage them to generate even more sales by highlighting top-rated products on their website, ensuring star ratings are included with product information, and calling out ratings in email and print marketing. Review syndication is also a critical aspect of leveraging customer reviews, where brands can make sure their product reviews appear on hundreds of retailer websites, reaching potential customers right at the point of purchase.


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Aussie consumers will drop brands that upset them using social media
- 09 May, 2013 18:55
Nearly two-thirds of Australian consumers will stop using a brand that upsets or irritates them through its social media behaviour, a new report claims.
The Pitney Bowes Software report found 83 per cent of Australian consumers have had a bad experience with social media marketing, with 34 per cent claiming to be spammed by social media marketing.
In addition, 23 per cent of people found pop-up advertisements irritating, while 14 per cent said ads or promotions for products and services had not been personally tailored to their interests.
“Unlike other channels, social media provides access to consumers’ personal lives. It opens up an ongoing, personalised dialogue with them,” Pitney Bowes general manager of Australia and New Zealand, Simon Bird, commented. “However there must be a balance between fostering ongoing relationships and being seen as a nuisance.”
The report also found 65 per cent of consumers would stop using a brand that upset or irritated them through social media activities, a significant ratio given social media is estimated to be 25 per cent of all marketing budgets this year.
Just 17 per cent said they hadn’t had a bad social media experience with a brand, and six per cent were annoyed by friends sending frequent ‘recommendations’.
The Pitney Bowes report was based on a survey of 3,000 consumers across the UK, France, Germany, Australia and the US, along with interviews with 300 senior marketing decision-makers between August and September 2012. The survey was conducted by Vanson Bourne.
The software vendor also detailed a few key steps in avoiding social media disasters including minimising social posts to four per week (plus engagement); ensuring you post original content; tailoring posts using segmentation; rewarding customer loyalty; and taking advantage of negative or positive customer feedback.


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Even die-hard road warriors need a comfortable place to recharge after a long day. But for business travelers with allergies, asthma and other sensitivities, hotel rooms can be rife with dust mites, mold, animal dander and other allergens that set off sneezing, itchy eyes, headaches and sleepless nights.
Individual hotels have long accommodated guests by cleaning rooms with special products and processes and washing linens in hot water with no or fragrance-free detergent. They have also offered mattress and pillow protectors, rugless rooms and windows that open.
But now, two hotel chains, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts and Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, are taking the service even further by designating permanent allergy-friendly rooms, with things like medical-grade air purifiers and chemical- and fragrance-free bath products.
Jim Strong, co-owner of Strong Travel Services in Dallas, said a colleague who once worked at the St. Regis in New York recounted how over 100 years ago, the hotel replaced draperies with wooden shutters in some rooms for guests with dust allergies. “This type of customer service has been done for years and years and years” all over the world, he said. But there has been, he said, “a noticeable increase in requests.”
Thirty-eight percent of hotels offer some kind of allergy-friendly service in guest rooms, a 14 percent increase in the last two years, according to the 2010 Lodging Survey prepared for the American Hotel and Lodging Association by STR, a hotel research company.Continue reading the main story
The trend toward improving indoor air quality is part of the larger green movement that began with nonsmoking rooms, said Ray Burger, founder of Pineapple Hospitality, which administers a “green” hotel certification program and operates freshstay.com, an online booking site for smoke-free rooms. The Web site plans to add icons soon for hypoallergenic rooms, and to show what chemicals are used in cleaning products, paints, sealants and bath products.
Hyatt recently announced plans to create hypoallergenic rooms in all of its full-service hotels in North America. The rooms, which will soon total about 2,000 in 125 properties, cost $20 to $30 extra a night and are intended to eliminate up to 98 percent of allergens and irritants. A medical-grade purifier continuously circulates air, Hyatt said.
“This was a market really underserved,” said Tom Smith, vice president of rooms for Hyatt.
The number of allergy sufferers is believed to have gone up substantially since the late ’70s, said Dr. Darryl Zeldin, senior investigator and acting clinical director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Roughly half of Americans are sensitive to at least one common allergen. Different testing methods may account for some of the increase, but better hygiene resulting in less exposure to bacteria is also thought to play a role, Dr. Zeldin said.
Brian Brault, chief executive of Pure Solutions, the company that installs and maintains Hyatt’s hypoallergenic rooms, said more than 200 hotels nationwide, including properties at several major brands, had Pure Solutions rooms, but Hyatt was the first to offer them across its brands. Some hotel conference centers also use the technology, he said.
The Fairmont Vancouver Airport hotel has had an entire hypoallergenic floor since 1999, and other Fairmont properties have long provided services to guests with allergies. But the chain is in the final stages of a pilot program for permanent hypoallergenic rooms that it plans to introduce gradually this year.
“We’re looking at the bigger picture,” said Paul Kingsbury, director of housekeeping for the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. The approach will include featherless duvets and pillows and chemical- and perfume-free bath products, as well as in-room mini bars from which all nuts have been removed and room service meals that cater to various food allergies. All Fairmont chefs have been trained to prepare a vast array of special dietary and allergy-specific meals.
Fairmont’s hypoallergenic rooms will cost about $25 extra a night.
Mr. Kingsbury recalled a patron who had a terrible reaction because she saw, through a small rip in a duvet, some fibers that she mistook for down. The duvet contained no feathers, but “sometimes even the perception of an allergen can be harmful,” he said. “Knowing things are set up properly is a big comfort for the guests.”
Bjorn Hanson, divisional dean of the Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management at New York University, said that because more people were being found to have allergies, it made business sense for hotels to provide a greater number of allergy-friendly rooms. But the rooms also have great general appeal.
“There are many people who request special rooms, not because they have allergies but because they believe those rooms will have a higher degree of sanitation and cleanliness,” Mr. Hanson said. “It’s a way for hotels to invest a little bit more for a room but get a premium for both occupancy and rate.”
Mike Piazza, a partner at the law firm Greenberg Traurig in Irvine, Calif., said he did not realize he had allergies until one night on a business trip, “I woke up and I couldn’t breathe.” It turned out he was allergic to down. “I called the front desk to get a foam pillow,” he said. “Then I was fine.”
Lisa Abbott, a marketing consultant for nonprofit groups in Oakland, Calif., who suffers from multiple chemical sensitivities, has learned the benefits firsthand of good air quality in a hotel room.
At home, she rarely takes the morning rush hour train, to avoid “breathing in a soup of fumes and fragrances” from deodorant, hair products and freshly laundered clothing. Traveling, she said, has “always been dicey.” But she stayed in one of Hyatt’s new rooms on a recent trip to Chicago. “The air is purer,” she said. “I slept great. I felt energized both days of conferences. It has just completely opened up my travel options.”Continue reading the main story