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Ecommerce marketplace Snapdeal acquires mobile top-up site FreeCharge to create a mobile user base of 40 million, which they want to increase ten-fold in a few years.
Kuaile Shidai, which runs Qufenqi, has secured almost US$100 million in series D funding led by Kunlun Worldwide, a Chinese online and mobile game publisher.
FirstCry follows a hybrid retail model with about 100 franchisee stores across 85 cities across the country.
Qingchifan, a location-based app for meeting up with strangers for dinner dates, has raised a series B round of funding from Vertex Ventures and Sequoia Capital
PressPlay offers passengers a wide selection of entertainment in the form of movies, games and songs while they are traveling in bus.
Quikr, a classifieds site that’s one of India’s best-funded startups, today revealed that it has secured a further US$150 million in funding. This is its eighth major round of funding, which now total...
PropTiger will use the startup’s expertise to build a design studio that will innovate for better user experience.
My life is full of words beginning with C, says Yuvraj Singh in his memoir. The latest one is ‘capital’ because the cricket icon from Chandigarh is now a VC.
The startup gives villagers access to specialized doctors through its mobile health clinics.
Bluegape, backed by angel network ah! Ventures, generated over 200 listicles per day on its platform.
Gobi’s latest fund is anchored in Singapore, and its partners have been talking to a number of Indian entrepreneurs who have shifted their base to the business-friendly island.
Food ordering and delivery app Swiggy has raised INR 120 million (US$2 million) from Accel Partners and SAIF Partners. Swiggy app accepts orders from users and has 150 delivery personnel who pick-up t...
Yet another DIY travel startup secures funding in China, but can it cut out a place for itself in this saturated market?
CoCubes, backed by Ojas Venture Partners, claims to serve over a million students from 2,600 colleges and has 450 recruiting firms on board.
Rather than trying to pack in as much variety as possible like rival O2O food delivery startups, Jacky's hones in on doing one thing very well: spicy shellfish.
Listings on the home page include a 2008 Maserati, a US$13 million yacht, and a waterfront five-bedroom house.
Unitus is holding a series of competitions for edtech startups in India. Two winners from each competition get an opportunity to pitch for seed funding of US$160,000.
The tech play will increase the ratio of home deliveries and make the orders per store rise two-fold, says the Indian food startup’s founder in an exclusive chat with Tech in Asia.


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As previously indicated, this holiday retail season breaks with prevailing customs as the holiday shopping season was extended as a result of retailers encouraging consumers to shop earlier, in October, and online by offering retail events and sales such as Amazon Prime Day in an effort to mitigate potential safety hazards from shopping in brick-and-mortar locations given the current COVID environment. Traditionally, the holiday shopping season is considered to cover November and December but 2020 saw the addition of October to the holiday season.
Typically, the U.S. holiday shopping season begins the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday. But over the past couple of years, there has been competition amongst retailers to offer Black Friday sales sooner and in doing so, lead to the term “Black November”. “Black November”, a term originated by retailers whom offer Black Friday promotions as soon as November 1st and throughout the month, as opposed to one day only benefits consumers who want to get an early start on their holiday shopping.
Considering this year saw stay-at-home orders and retailers operating at reduced capacity, many consumers are doing their shopping online to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. SafeGraph data indicates that consumers opted to stay at home and shop online over Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday as retailers saw significant foot traffic reductions in their brick-and-mortar locations.
Although retail brick-and-mortar stores were quiet throughout this portion of the holiday season, online was where all of the action took place as online sales over the Thanksgiving weekend were good. But, Cyber Monday strikes a more mellow note.
Cyber Monday, which typically exceeds Black Friday sales, did so again in 2020. While Black Friday brought in $9 billion, which is up 21.6% year-over-year, Cyber Monday brought in $10.8 billion, missing projections but set a record for largest U.S. online shopping day ever recorded according to Adobe. Cyber Mondays’ $10.8 billion represents a 15.1% year-over-year increase. Considering the extended holiday shopping season began back in October, for many retailers, Cyber Monday had a reduced role. Cyber Mondays’ figures suggest that consumers may have been exhausted from shopping by the time Cyber Monday came around.
Despite Cyber Mondays’ relatively softer than expected figures, it will likely remain the peak day as many consumers wait to make big purchases with expectations of larger price cuts on Cyber Monday. With Cyber Monday in the rearview mirror, we are entering the last portion of the holiday shopping season. A holiday shopping season without precedent and one with high e-commerce expectations.

domain: news


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February 21, 2000
Sotheby's and Christie's Face Lawsuits From Angry Customers in Antitrust Case
By LESLIE EATON and CAROL VOGEL
n the art world Herbert Black is known as a man who loves paintings and antiques and loathes the auction houses where he buys and sells them. Suddenly he
has a lot of company.
Mr. Black, a copper trader from Montreal, is suing the two major art auction houses, Sotheby's and Christie's. So is a philanthropist who endowed an Arizona art museum. And a New York businesswoman once known as the
Tugboat Empress. And a Minnesota art gallery. And a Florida retiree. And about three dozen other people, some of whom may have simply bought a wristwatch or sold a great aunt's antique commode.
Class-action suits follow a criminal investigation into price fixing.
All of these disgruntled customers contend they were overcharged because of collusion by the two rival auction houses, and they are basing their class-action suits on a criminal antitrust investigation that the United States
Justice Department has been conducting. As part of that process a federal grand jury in Manhattan is looking into whether the auction houses conspired to fix the commissions they charge buyers and sellers dating back to
1992, said people in art and legal circles who are involved in the matter.
The fallout could be not just embarrassing but also expensive for Sotheby's and Christie's, which could end up paying their clients tens of millions of dollars.
Some worry that publicity from the antitrust case will shake the public's confidence at a time when the art market has been booming. "For a lot of people to whom the art world is hype anyway, does it increase their
fears and cynicism?" wondered Angela Westwater, a dealer of contemporary art in SoHo.
If the Justice Department's investigation results in criminal charges, Sotheby's could face heavy fines and its top executives short prison terms. Last month Christie's announced that in return for immunity from
criminal prosecution it was cooperating with the investigation and turning over information to the Justice Department.
Under the department's amnesty program, leniency can be extended only to the first member of a cartel to come forward and spill the beans.
Sotheby's has not commented on the investigation, except to say that it was cooperating with prosecutors; nor has it responded to the allegations of price fixing.
Sotheby's stock price has plunged, from its high last spring of $47 to $17 3/4 on Friday. Ron Baron, president of Baron Capital Management, by far the largest outside shareholder in Sotheby's, described himself as
"surprised, puzzled and disappointed" at the antitrust news, though he said he was confident the outcome would not be financially significant.
Christie's, which was bought by a French businessman for more than $1 billion in 1998, is now a private company and no longer obligated to report its financial results publicly.
Both companies, which control about 95 percent of the $4 billion worldwide auction market, will have to cope with the class-action lawsuits by disgruntled customers, who could number in the thousands. If the customers win,
they could recover three times the damages they suffered.
The losses for the auction houses could come at a bad time. Both businesses have just spent huge sums on snazzy headquarters, and Sotheby's is pouring millions of dollars into an Internet auction business.
The investigation could also result in increased governmental regulation. The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, which regulates auctioneers, is "following the antitrust action closely, said Jules Polonetsky,
commissioner of the department. Moreover, the art dealers fear that more regulations in the auction business could hurt the entire art trade.
Many in the insular art world are riveted by the drama and waiting for Sotheby's next move. Some dealers and collectors, who generally have a love-hate relationship with the two big houses, seem to be privately aghast
and slightly gleeful at their problems. Lawyers, too, are watching with interest as a patient and painstaking federal prosecutor named John J. Greene deals with some of the most experienced, expensive and aggressive defense
lawyers in the country (Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom for Christie's and Weil, Gotshal & Manges for Sotheby's).
The investigation comes at a time when the art auction business seems finally to have recovered from the deep recession that followed the frenzied art sales of the late 1980's. After a drop in revenues, the auction houses
began raising their fees, and by exactly the same amount. In 1992 Sotheby's announced that it was increasing the commission that buyers pay to 15 percent of the purchase price on the first $50,000 and 10 percent on
the rest. (The previous fee was a flat 10 percent.)
Christie's soon announced the same increase.
That behavior raised eyebrows, but two competitors charging the same price is not enough to prove collusion, antitrust lawyers say. After all, grocery stores and gas stations match each other's prices all the time and
banks all charge the same prime rate.
"There has to be a meeting of the minds, a conscious commitment to a common scheme," said Robert H. Lande, a senior research scholar at the American Antitrust Institute.
In 1995, another tough year in the auction business, the pattern of price increases was repeated, this time on the commissions that Sotheby's and Christie's charge sellers. Within six weeks of each other, the two
announced a sliding scale that would apply to all sellers; previously, the two had officially charged fixed commissions, but often cut them to woo big sellers.
Not anymore, or so some disgruntled customers contend. "Once they instituted that elaborate sliding scale, there was no negotiation unless maybe for the Onassis estate," said Jeffrey A. Klafter, a lawyer representing
customers in some of the 40-odd class-action cases that have been filed in the last month.
Financially, the price changes worked out well for the houses. In 1996 the amount of art sold at auction at Sotheby's edged down by almost 4 percent, but its revenues from auctions rose 7 percent.
By that time Mr. Greene was already taking a close look at the art world. He had brought several cases against antiques dealers who secretly agreed not to bid against one another at auctions.
Buyers and sellers contend that they were overcharged by auction houses.
In the spring of 1997 both the auction houses and a dozen top art dealers were subpoenaed for truckloads of documents, including datebooks, phone lists and correspondence. Though the main focus seemed to be on dealers, some
lawyers suggested that the Justice Department was also looking at the commission increases.
Then silence. Lawyers for several dealers who received subpoenas said recently that their clients had not heard from prosecutors for a long time, suggesting that the investigation may have stalled or that prosecutors began
focusing on only the auction houses.
Meanwhile things were changing at Christie's. François Pinault, who owns the auction house, installed a team of accountants to comb through its books and records. He also began shaking up Christie's management.
On Christmas Eve Christie's announced the resignation of Christopher M. Davidge, who had been the auction house's chief executive for six years. Mr. Davidge's lawyer, Joseph Linklater, declined to comment on
his client's departure.
A month later Christie's said it "recently became aware of information relevant to the antitrust investigation," and had turned it over to the Justice Department. Christie's added that it had entered the
department's amnesty program, which allows companies to turn themselves in for antitrust violations in return for leniency or immunity from criminal prosecution. The European Union then announced that it too was investigating
Sotheby's and Christie's for anticompetitive behavior.
Why would a company confess to a crime that might otherwise seem difficult to prove? The answer, antitrust lawyers said, is simple: the threat of jail time and large fines.
Criminal antitrust cases, however, are notoriously difficult to prove. The government has lost some big cases, but recently has won several major victories.
A trial is a risk for targeted businesses, especially when there is tangible evidence. So rather than recommending that their clients try to tough it out, lawyers often tell them to cooperate with prosecutors -- before someone
"There's a footrace to the prosecutors," said Stephen M. Axinn, a specialist in antitrust defense.
It is not enough just to turn state's evidence, antitrust lawyers said. For the courts to recognize that a conspiracy has ended, the conspirator must make an open, public break with the cartel agreement.
Earlier this month Christie's changed the commissions it charges buyers and sellers. The new rates increase the amount buyers must pay to 17.5 percent and reduce the sellers' commissions for those who do a lot of
business with the auction house.
Sotheby's has not responded. Christie's new rate schedule makes it much more attractive to sellers, just at the time when the auction houses are trying to line up things to sell at their big spring auctions.
Then there is the broader question of what Sotheby's will do about the antitrust investigation. Some lawyers said that the auction house would reach a settlement with the government rather than go to trial. "There's
no possible benefit, in terms of the art world, in having all this ugly stuff in the newspaper every day," said Mr. Axinn, the defense expert.
Whatever the outcome of the criminal case, both Sotheby's and Christie's must answer to hordes of disgruntled customers. Thirty-eight class-action lawsuits were filed in Manhattan as of last Monday, said Robert A.
Skirnick, an antitrust lawyer representing some of the customers.
Others have been filed in other states, and Sotheby's shareholders have also sued.
Judge Lewis Kaplan, a federal judge in Manhattan, has scheduled a hearing for Wednesday to begin consolidating the lawsuits.
Some of these people, like Mr. Black the copper trader, may have had longstanding disagreements with the auction houses; last year, Sotheby's admitted that a pair of antique chairs for which Mr. Black paid about $2.7 million
were, in fact, recent reproductions.
But others were simply shocked when they learned of the antitrust investigation. One is Gerard Cafesjian, a retired executive with a large collection of works in 20th-century glass, whose name is on the new home of the Scottsdale
Museum of Contemporary Art in Arizona. "I don't think he had any inkling until the first article came out," said Richard A. Lockridge, a lawyer for Mr. Cafesjian. "He was not very happy with the allegations."
Civil suits like these are common in the wake of a criminal antitrust investigation, class-action lawyers said. But plaintiffs in these cases are not just any old consumers. They are richer, and probably tougher.
Another customer is Evelyn Frank, whose family for many years ran a maritime business in New York and New Jersey. Mrs. Frank, who was known as the Tugboat Empress and the Dragon Lady, pleaded guilty in 1990 to charges that
her company dumped tons of sludge into New Jersey waters.
The unusual makeup of the plaintiffs -- mainly angry rich people -- should come as no surprise, said Joseph J. Tabacco, one of the lawyers involved in the suits against Sotheby's and Christie's. After all, he said,
"The zone of greatest impact is probably up and down Park Avenue."


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Sweden Releases Research on CBDC
Last updated on November 1st, 2022 at 12:49 am
Riksbank, Sweden’s Central Bank, has unveiled data regarding its research into digital currency. The bank announced that launching the digital currency might take longer than expected.
In the press release published by Riksbank, it revealed that a central bank digital currency will take longer than expected. The published report includes data collected from the pilot phase of the project. The purpose behind the pilot project is to conduct research on what it will take to develop the central bank’s digital currency and how this currency will impact the public.
The digital currency that Riksbank seeks to unveil is known as e-krona, which will be designed using blockchain technology and based on the Decentralized Ledger Technology (DLT).
Lessons Learned From Pilot Phase
According to Riksbank’s report, several lessons have been learned during the pilot phase. The Central Bank states that the technology behind e-krona will unveil new possibilities in the financial sector, but further research will occur. While the blockchain and DLT technology will create an e-krona that can easily be identified, its use and safety concerns need to be addressed.
Research also needed to be conducted as to how the tokens will be stored as well as the properties of the digital currency. The Central Bank seeks to have a solution on how the e-krona currency can be used without relying on the internet. Off-line functionality for the currency has not yet been tested for e-krona.
Riksbank is also looking into having a parallel system that will create robustness around e-krona. Through blockchain technology, the central bank is looking for a way that they can create a payment system that is similar to the traditional payment system.
Countries have been in a rush to make a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) that will work in a similar way to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The major difference will be that central banks will control &monitor CBDCs in a centralized fashion.
The Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, recently stated that despite the U.S. would rather be right about its CBDCs than be wrong in an attempt to be a pioneer in the venture.
While Riksbank will be tasked with researching, testing and developing e-krona, the implementation of the digital currency lies in the hands of lawmakers. The lawmakers will use the data realized from the pilot phase to determine whether or not to progress with creating the currency. The lawmakers will also make the final decision regarding the appearance and nature of the currency.
The information provided here is for INFORMATIONAL & EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY!
View our complete disclaimer on our Disclaimer Page


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Wang Jianlin’s sprawling business conglomerate, the Dalian Wanda Group, has its fingers in many pies: from real estate and retail to sports and entertainment.
In September 2013, the coastal city of Qingdao in China played host to an unlikely set of visitors. Glitterati from Hollywood including the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Nicole Kidman, Catherine Zeta-Jones, John Travolta, Christoph Waltz, Kate Beckinsale, Ewan McGregor and Harvey Weinstein descended on the city to attend the launch ceremony of the Qingdao Oriental Movie Metropolis, the Dalian Wanda Group’s RMB 50 billion film and television industry project. (It was later rumored that the Hollywood celebrities were paid “7-figure appearance fees” to attend but that was quickly refuted.)
The star-studded launch event had an immediate rub-off: the Hollywood ambitions of Wanda, which was thus far known as China’s largest real estate developer and also the owner of the AMC cinema chain, came out into the open.
Wanda Chairman Wang Jianlin is a household name in China. He was recently crowned China’s richest man with a net worth of $27.3 billion (as of 17th September 2015). According to its website, the group clocked an annual revenue of RMB 242.48 billion in 2014.
But how exactly did he get to the top?
Let’s take a look at Wanda’s history first. The Dalian Wanda Group came into being in 1988 under the leadership of the then 35-year-old land army veteran, Wang Jianlin. At that time, Wanda was mainly a property developer working on renovation projects in local neighborhoods in the coastal city of Dalian in northeastern China. Over time, the company gained a solid foothold in the real estate domain. Wanda is now not just China’s but the world’s largest real estate company measured by gross floor area. But at the turn of the 21st century, Wanda was ready to test new waters.
In 2007, Wanda officially announced its plans to expand into the retail business. Consequently, Wanda malls mushroomed across the country. According to figures from Wanda’s official website, it has opened 99 department stores in 25 regions in China. More recently Wanda announced its intentions to tap into the growing opportunity in O2O (online-to-offline) retail in China. In 2014 it got into a partnership with Tencent and Baidu to launch an $814 million e-commerce company. It is reported that Wanda holds a majority of 70% stake in the newly-found company and the other two each own 15%.
Meanwhile, Wanda has also been making inroads into the entertainment and tourism sectors with films, theme parks and travel businesses. In 2012, Wanda bought AMC Cinemas and became China’s largest cinema operator with 187 cinemas nationwide. Wanda is now also the world’s largest cinema chain. Wang Jianlin’s love for films doesn’t stop at cinema chains. In 2011, Wanda invested $800 million to found the Wanda Culture Industry Group, whose businesses include film-themed parks, film production and distribution as well as a popular Chinese film magazine.
When asked about the future of Wanda’s entertainment and tourism business, Wang Jianlin sounded extremely upbeat: “I’m targeting Disney. I never have blind faith in foreigners. I will prove that a tourism project built by the Chinese can compete with the so-called famous brands from the United States.” He also told the media that Wanda is investing heavily in building theme parks in cities like Wuxi and Guangzhou with the hope of winning visitors over from the nearby Hong Kong and Shanghai Disneyland.
However, Wanda’s appetite is yet to be sated. The real estate and entertainment giant is eyeing new opportunities outside China. It has been involved in real estate deals in Europe, the US and Australia.
Recently Wanda made a big splash in sports. In February 2015, Wanda spent $1.2 billion to acquire Swiss sports marketing group Infront. It owns a 20% stake in Spanish football club Atletico Madrid. In August this year, the group spent $650 million buying the organizer of Ironman Triathlon.
Want to know more about what Wanda’s business empire is made up of? Click on the infographic below.
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hhgregg is reportedly preparing to file for bankruptcy.
Unnamed sources familiar with the matter told the local Indianapolis Business Journal that the Chapter 11 filing may come as soon as March, although the company is still seeing an out-of-court solution to avoid bankruptcy.
Bloomberg also cited sources who said a filing is imminent.
The retailer, which reported a 24 percent decline in sales during the October-December holiday period, announced last week that it had hired an investment banking firm with experience in pre-packaged Chapter 11 bankruptcies as an advisor.
See: hhgregg In Play
President/CEO Robert Riesbeck said the advisors were brought in help “explore potential strategic transactions,” but stressed that the company remains committed to its current strategy of cutting costs and deemphasizing CE in favor of appliances and furniture.
Riesbeck, formerly chief financial officer, succeeded CEO Dennis May last year as losses mounted and market share declines widened. The downturn came as plans for an aggressive national build-out, devised under the late founding-family scion Jerry Throgmartin, came undone by the recession, rapid expansion, e-commerce competition and disruptions within its core TV category.
To date the retailer has seen 13 successive quarterly losses, including a $58 million net loss for its fiscal third quarter; a revolving door of senior managers; and now faces delisting from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
The company also announced pink slips for 100 workers this month, including 70 headquarters staff, the Journal said, and cited a
investment report that hhgregg’s major suppliers may demand shortened payment terms this summer — assuming it avoids bankruptcy.
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WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Global sales of wireless phones rose almost 14% in the first quarter, but demand fell in Western Europe for the first time since 2001 and worried consumers shied away from the most expensive handsets, the research firm Gartner said on Wednesday.
Market leader Nokia Corp.
In the first three months of 2008, Gartner estimated that consumers around the world bought 294.3 million phones, up 13.6% from the same quarter in 2007.
Yet sales of mobile phones in Western Europe fell 16.4% from a year earlier, marking the first decline in that region since Gartner began tracking the handset market in 2001. Sales also fell 10.1% in Japan
The decline stemmed in large part from concerns about an economic slowdown, prompting prospective buyers to flock toward mid-tier phones, many of which are offered for "free" with an annual contract.
"Sales of high-end devices in particular were lower as consumers turned to mid-tier devices when looking to upgrade their old phones," said Carolina Milanesi, research director for mobile devices at Egham, U.K.-based Gartner. She said handset makers and wireless carriers should boost their selection of mid-tier phones amid continued economic uncertainty.
In Western Europe, handset sales fell to 35.9 million units from 42.9 million a year earlier. Gartner said consumers eschewed pricy phones with longer contracts for less fancy devices with "shorter and less expensive service contracts."
Year-over-year sales grew fastest in Latin America and the Asia-Pacific, though price-sensitive consumers in those regions, beset by rising food costs, tended to choose low-tier devices, Gartner said.
Asia-Pacific sales jumped 26.6% to 114.4 million units from 90.4 million, with much of the demand coming in India. Latin American sales climbed 28.4% to 32.5 million units from 24.6 million.
Among the top vendors, Nokia sold 115.2 million phones, compared to 91.9 million in the 2007 first quarter. The Finnish mobile giant ended the quarter with a 39.1% market share.
Samsung, whose phone sales totaled 42.4 million, controlled 14.4% of the global handset market, Gartner estimated.
Motorola's market share slipped again, down to 10.2%, as the U.S. vendor sold 29.9 million phones. That's down 37% from the 2007 first quarter, when Motorola MOT shipped 47.5 million phones.
LG of Korea shipped 23.6 million handsets in the first quarter to capture 8% of the market and could be on the verge of surpassing Motorola in the near future, Milanesi said. Sony Ericsson sold 22.1 million phones to take a 7.5% share.


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Matthew Miller got his Apple Watch from eBay faster than most who pre-ordered from Apple. He's spent three days with it and has all the details on setting it up.
Showing results 1 to 20 of 4,032
Google Now -- and by extension, Android Wear -- becomes a little more useful thanks to new third-party integrations that provide highly valuable information at a glance.
The iPhone was a big hit and while China was a huge reason, it's not the only one, says Apple's CEO. He still has high hopes for the iPad and shared an Apple Watch apps goal.
As the Watch goes on sale, Apple has launched a new space in the App Store dedicated to Watch-friendly apps.
Microsoft has made available another new test build of Windows 10 Desktop that includes a number of new features and updates, including new mail and calendar apps.
Google recently announced Wi-Fi support for Android Wear and now the companion app includes the Cloud sync feature, plus a choice of calendars to display on your watch.
Google's latest software update for Android Wear will make the smartwatches easier to use in a hands-free mode and over Wi-Fi networks.
The popular Pencil stylus gains support in Astropad, an iPad app that mirrors graphics programs over Wi-Fi from a Mac computer to your slate.
Android this week had the release of the Apple Watch and iOS 8.3, iPhone share dropping globally save for China, and a new case from Mophie that adds battery and storage.
Look at the Apple Watch app partners and you'll see one name missing: Google. Although it has Android Wear, Google should get its software on Apple's latest hardware.
Make sure your company has the right information in Apple Maps: Use the new "claim a business" function on an iPad or iPhone.
The same day Apple updated its operating system for laptops and desktops, iOS gets refreshed as well. Will this fix the Wi-Fi issues many have reported?
The latest version of OS X is publicly available with the typical feature upgrades and fixes. This time around, Apple includes the iOS-influenced Photos app shown off last year.
Apple, Google, and Microsoft have all admitted that they are being audited by the Australian Taxation Office.
Scaling phone apps up to a large screen? That's far easier than scaling them down to a wearable device. It will require more planning and thought.
Looking to rally developer support for its in-car platform, Google shows how easy it is to add Android Auto support to messaging apps.
A couple new flagship phones are launching this week and Matthew decided on one to keep. Both MoTR hosts are planning to order an Apple Watch on Friday too.
In iOS news this week we had reports of loaner iPads from vending machines, Apple Pay users having trouble, and you can trade in some non-Apple phones for a new iPhone.
Microsoft has been making great strides in the tablet arena over the past few years, with the Surface Pro 3 being the product of this hard work. But there's a problem with the Surface Pro 3 - price. Microsoft is addressing this with the new Surface 3, and finally we have a serious contender to the iPad.
After a slow start beginning last year, Google is now providing tools and store support for Android app developers to port their software to Chrome OS.


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SINGAPORE: Li Ning moves into badminton with new store
China-based sports goods company Li Ning has opened its first flagship store in Singapore, marking the group's expansion into the south-east Asia badminton market.
The company describes the new store at the ION Orchard mall as a "badminton paradise", including badminton sportswear and a wide range of racquets.
Li Ning Company CFO Nicholas Chong said: "The decision to launch our first Li Ning flagship store out of China, in cosmopolitan Singapore city, is an important step of the group's strategy in sports category differentiation and brand internationalisation."
He added that expansion into the market showed the company's determination to become the sports brand "synonymous with badminton", as well as laying a foundation for future international expansion.
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IPC president and CEO John Mitchell discusses technological advancements in automotive electronics and IPC’s standards development activities that support the automotive industry.
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09/20/2019 | Neil Sharp, JJS Manufacturing
ESD is a constant but invisible force within electronics manufacturing that can have a powerfully detrimental impact on production yield, product and product reliability, and company profitability. And as the circuitry within electronic devices continues to get faster, smaller, and more sophisticated, their sensitivity to the effects of ESD is only likely to increase.
09/03/2019 | I-Connect007
Dr. Bill Cardoso started his first company at age 17 in Brazil, selling it a few years later to work for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, where he led research in nuclear physics to build the equipment that discovered the Higgs Boson (and the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics). After 10 years at Fermilab, he moved from Chicago to sunny San Diego to start Creative Electron in his garage in 2008.
09/02/2019 | Happy Holden, I-Connect007
The recent eSMART Factory Conference in June in Dearborn, Michigan, was the second annual conference on the smart factory. SMTA described it as "A technical conference with a focus on electronics manufacturing from software systems/processes to augmented reality and smart inspection." In this article, Happy Holden gives us the highlights of the conference.


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Frank O’Dea, the rags to riches ex-panhandler who helped build a national chain of coffee shops, freely admits that he doesn’t really know much about the health-care system.
The co-founder of the Second Cup coffee chain still had plenty to offer when he took the stage at the National Health Leadership Conference in Halifax on Tuesday.
“It doesn’t matter if you are in the coffee business or in newspapers or in health care,” O’Dea said in an interview. “The idea is to create new markets rather than fight for market share. And the market is always many times bigger than you think it is.”
The message has resonance because of O’Dea’s inspiring personal story of how he went from living in 50-cent-a-night flop houses to creating a string of businesses that includes Proshred International and a fleet of air ambulances, as well as taking on a succession of humanitarian causes.
O’Dea said that the Second Cup proves his point about creating new markets. He started out with a single shop where coffee was sold by the pound. Then, in 1975, he had his eureka moment.
O’Dea introduced good coffee by the cup and charged more for his brew than anyone in the mall so customers realized that they were getting a premium product.
“I changed the relationship between coffee and customer,” he said. “People bought it because it was good and they were willing to pay more for it because they were taking a moment in an oasis to treat themselves.”
From that revelation, he said, sprang an industry worth millions of dollars.
Coffee isn’t the only industry where it’s possible, contends O’Dea.
When Australia’s Casella Wines, maker of Yellow Tail, decided to enter the United States market, a few domestic wineries controlled the industry.
“Yellow Tail came and spent no money,” he said. “They went after the people who were too scared and intimidated to buy wine and they changed the world.”
His message to the Halifax conference was that health-care companies can do the same thing. Thinking national, however, is too limiting.
“There are going to be 9.5 billion people in the world,” he said. “They are all going to need health care.”
The key is new thinking, and perhaps new products and services that haven’t been seen before. But perseverance also counts.
“There is no Midas touch,” O’Dea said. “I’ve had lots and lots of failures. Success happens by trial and error and devoting resources and time.”


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Posted by Shirley Brady on October 23, 2012 07:17 PM
Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed the one-hand-ready iPad mini today, prompting fans of the brand to ponder whether they need one, while investors seemed to make up their minds, as the company's stock dropped after the reveal.
Bigger than an iPhone and smaller than an iPad, at 7.9 inches and starting at $329, it's lighter but costlier than its 7-inch, $199 rivals, the Kindle Fire HD and Google Nexus 7 tablets. It's being marketed as "the full iPad experience — there's less of it, but no less to it," and may appeal to, for instance, the education market. It also marks a reversal of Steve Jobs's (initial) opposition to the 7-inch tablet size.
Why is smaller now better for Apple? Design head Jony Ive commented in the launch video, "Our goal was to take all the amazing things you could do with a full-size iPad, but pack them into a product that was so much smaller."
“iPad mini is every inch an iPad. With its gorgeous 7.9-inch display, iPad mini features the same number of pixels as the original iPad and iPad 2, so you can run more than 275,000 apps designed specifically for iPad,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s SVP of Worldwide Marketing, in a press release.
“iPad mini is as thin as a pencil and as light as a pad of paper" he added, "yet packs a fast A5 chip, FaceTime HD and 5 megapixel iSight cameras and ultrafast wireless―all while delivering up to 10 hours of battery life.”Continue reading...
Posted by Shirley Brady on October 10, 2012 05:11 PM
Apple may be zooming up Interbrand's Best Global Brands report, but not all is sunny in Cupertino these days. The brand's market value has plunged $70 billion since the iPhone 5 was released, with a market cap falling below $600 billion on Monday and a "near 10% correction" in recent weeks.
Marketwatch's Jon Friedman took the pulse of the company with Wall Street analysts in a column titled starkly "Has Apple Lost It?" Friedman writes: "A skeptic could suggest that cracks may be beginning to show up in Apple’s armor. One reason: The company tumbled into the 'correction' mode, having fallen 10% during Tuesday trading from its 52-week high point of $705.07."
With iPad Mini rumors now in overdrive and guessing games about how Steve Jobs may have responded, Friedman discusses the brand challenges facing apologetic Apple CEO Tim Cook in the WSJ.com video below.Continue reading...
Posted by Sheila Shayon on October 5, 2012 12:22 PM
Even in death, Steve Jobs’ presence remains larger than life. As the world notes his passing one year ago today, the news and social media are filled with articles and tributes comparable to the recent Presidential debate.
On Oct. 5, 2001, Apple's homepage posted the striking image above and called out for tributes. Today, Apple posted a touching video tribute to its cofounder on its homepage today, along with a note from his successor as CEO, Tim Cook, that read, in part: "Steve’s passing one year ago today was a sad and difficult time for all of us. I hope that today everyone will reflect on his extraordinary life and the many ways he made the world a better place."Continue reading...
Posted by Shirley Brady on September 28, 2012 11:21 AM
Apple CEO Tim Cook has apologized for the iOS 6 Maps kerfuffle, following the brand's eviction of Google Maps and proprietary (but glitchy) maps function — one of the key features consumers demand from their smartphones. Google, meanwhile, just upgraded its maps app with high-resolution aerial views.
A contrite Apple posted the apology online (read the full text below) in a mea culpa that the Financial Times calls "a rare moment of contrition from the world's most valuable company," and — unexpectedly — suggested installing rivals' map apps "while we're improving Maps." Cook's personal apology for "mapgate" also raised comparisons to how Steve Jobs handled the iPhone 4 "antennagate," for which the company — but not Jobs personally — apologized.Continue reading...
Posted by Sheila Shayon on July 26, 2012 11:46 AM
It’s complicated, the whole issue of personal privacy in an era of social media transparency, and the fact that the first female astronaut, Sally Ride, who this week died at age 61 from pancreatic cancer, came out publically in her obituary, listing her partner of 27 years, Tam O'Shaughnessy first, as a survivor, is stirring the pot of comment and prejudice.
"Could she have helped the cause? Maybe," says Fred Sainz, VP of communications for the Human Rights Campaign. "For her not to have shared an incredibly important aspect of her life — being in a committed long-term relationship with a woman — meant many Americans did not get to see a dimension of her life that would have helped them understand us (gay people) and our contributions to society.
Ride was open in her personal life, "She just didn't want to go public with it during her lifetime. And that's a big difference," said Sainz. "There's no question that Sally Ride could have been fired if she'd come out while she worked for NASA.”Continue reading...
Posted by Abe Sauer on April 3, 2012 10:01 AM
A little anecdote from the booming Chinese port city of Dalian will tell you two different (but equally important) things about Apple's popularity in mainland China and what the brand is going through there.
It seems that the security detail from Mall 1 showed up at Mall 2 to "send a message." That message was communicated when Mall 1's security guards arrived at Mall 2 and knocked down billboards advertising the soon-to-open Apple store. That Apple store, set to the world's largest, will soon open at Parkland Mall. The mall is high-end and home to numerous foreign luxury brands. In fact, a close look at the video of the brouhaha, above, reveals it was shot from a Starbucks patio. (Starbucks, by the way, is plowing its way through China lately, too.)
And all this during a week when Apple CEO Tim Cook visited China, from the Foxconn factory floor to the vice premier, and the March 29th report on Foxconn seemed to make all Apple's Foxconn woes disappear.Continue reading...
Posted by Mark J. Miller on March 8, 2012 05:28 PM
Back in 1977, when Apple Computers was just getting started, Steve Jobs commissioned a graphic designer to come up with a logo better than the one they started with — his only instruction was "Don't make it cute." The rainbow version that was unveiled stuck around until 1998 when the current monochromatic version came into being.
At the introduction of the new iPad Wednesday, VentureBeat noted that when Apple CEO Tim Cook “strolled offstage … a colorful version of the company logo appeared on the screen.” This led more than a few observers to speculate that Apple is returning to its old rainbow-logoed ways, especially since, as VB added, Microsoft recently scrapped its colorful Windows logo “in favor of a new super bland version, which leaves companies like Apple free to resume using the rainbow without fear of having it confused with the competition.”Continue reading...
tech in the spotlight
Posted by Shirley Brady on March 7, 2012 04:31 PM
Apple introduced the new iPad today, which starts at $499. Described by Apple as "brilliant from the outside in," the third generation tablet boasts sharper-than-an-HDTV graphics thanks to its "stunning Retina display," ultrafast 4G LTE, a 5-megapixel iSight camera and 3D capability.
Check out the "don't call it the iPad 3" below and tell us: enough to merit trading up — or finally taking the iPlunge if you've been iPadverse until now?Continue reading...


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Kvaerner arm wins navy contract
A SUBSIDIARY of Norwegian engineering firm Aker Kvaerner has won a A$140m (£56.2m) contract to provide logistical support services for the Royal Australian Navy, the Australian government said today.
The seven-year contract will provide support to the Navy's four troop-carrying and replenishment vessels routinely deployed in the South Pacific.
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Facebook’s struggle to attract young users is only getting worse, according to market forecasts. In its most recent quarterly results, Facebook revealed that its user base had basically come to a halt in North America, and that its daily active users had dropped by 1 million. But Facebook is still getting hit the hardest when it comes to attracting young people. As this chart by Statista shows, the user growth for people under the age of 11 is predicted to be especially dismal for 2018, even despite the site’s popularity compared to Snapchat and Instagram.
Author Info: This article was first published by Zoë Bernard on Business Insider US
Not only has Domino's managed to bring in more than 60% of its business through digital channels, it convinced a generation of pizza lovers – many of them so-called digital natives – that the company really does get them


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The African telecom sector is poised at a digital revolution. Since its liberalization in the 1980s, the involvement of multinational conglomerates has promoted a healthy competition which led to its flourishing.
Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa are just a few examples of African countries which have recognized the opportunities of the privatization and liberalization of the state-owned ICT enterprises.
Most African states had long been resistant to liberalize their telecom markets but had to acknowledge that it was necessary to allow growth and expansion. Due to the deficiencies associated with the state-owned telecom enterprises, the African governments had to realize that only privatization would bring the much-needed financial discipline.
The first series of reforms were focused on making up for the financial losses caused by the public sector enterprises. Due to the lack of adequate funding and management, most of them had not been able to render their services properly.
Overall, the privatization has increased internet speed and connectivity, thus prompting new subscribers and increasing business results. The improvement in network infrastructures has also resulted in increased mobile phone users, more affordable data rates and an improved reach to urban as well as rural areas. A good example is the privatization of NITEL and M-Tel by the Nigerian government in April 2015 which resulted in a significant spike in sales numbers.
A significant portion of the African telecom market share is covered by a few key players such as Open Serve, Telkom, Neotel, Vodacom, MTN, Cell, Seacom, Broadband Infraco and Teraco. Some of these companies have also spread their reach into other African countries or have established joint partnerships with the government, for example, to launch public WiFi hotspots.
The telecom sector in Africa has opened up a plethora of business opportunities. Among all other continents, Africa has been the fastest growing mobile market during the past five years, with more than 170 million mobile users. Mobile telephony has had a significant impact on economic growth, which in many African countries is twice as high as in developed countries.
Considering that in 2004, only 6 percent of the African population owned a mobile phone, the growth in the telecom sector is not entirely surprising. The price-drop on mobile devices and the introduction of low-cost phones for developing economies have carved an industry with huge potential. Nigeria, for instance, has a mobile market that has been growing at a rate of 100 percent per year.
When compared with other continents, the growth of the telecom sector in Africa looks far more promising. While other continents have reached a saturation point in the growth of revenue and subscribers, Africa opens up fresh opportunities and positive market trends.
Furthermore, Africa is still opening its gates to development, and the economic growth brought about by the telecommunication sector has further contributed to making it a profitable investment opportunity.
Apart from the privatization, the growth in the market has been primarily driven by the subsidization of handsets, affordable prepaid plans, and provision of 3G and 4G services. Future growth in the market is expected to be driven by factors like better network coverage, lower cost of handsets and call prices, and improved mobile data connectivity.
South Africa holding the Pole Position
Driven by advancements in mobile telephony and broadband connectivity, telecommunication is one of the fastest growing sectors of the South African economy. As the country that invented touch-tone dialing, South Africa’s telecom network is 99.9 percent digital and includes fixed-line, wireless, and satellite communication.
South Africa has the most developed telecom network of the African continent, as evident by the 29 million mobile phone users. There are four licensed mobile phone operators in South Africa, namely MTN, Vodacom, Cell C, and 8ta, a subsidiary of Telkom.
Mobile penetration in the country is at a figure of 18.48 million and is expected to reach 25 million by 2022. As smartphones become affordable and data rates have reduced, the internet penetration in South Africa has also improved. There were approximately 30.8 million internet users at the end of 2017, which amounts to 53 percent. This figure is expected to reach 71.7 percent by 2022.
Another factor that has contributed to the comprehensive internet coverage in South Africa is the large number of undersea data cables that link South Africa to the rest of the world. The increasing data usage driven by mobile phones and the reduced data costs due to undersea cables work in tandem to increase internet use.
For instance, the West Africa Cable System, Africa’s largest submarine fiber optics cable, links Europe with southern and western African countries. This 17,200 km fiber cable also raises South Africa’s broadband capacity by 500Gbps.
Other prominent undersea cable systems include Africa Coast to Europe (linking France and South Africa), and the South Atlantic Express Cable (connecting South Africa with Angola and Brazil).
While international connectivity is taken care of by undersea cables, local connectivity in South Africa is achieved through fiber optic cable networks spread across the cities. The South African government has entrusted the Department of Communications with the responsibility of implementing a national broadband network that will ensure universal internet access by the year 2020.
The task of establishing a nationwide network is not just the responsibility of the government. Several telecom companies have invested in developing fiber optic cables to link different parts of the country. For instance, Western Cape had undertaken a project to connect 4000 government facilities and schools to the broadband network.
The future of the ICT sector in Africa will see the introduction of artificial intelligence, and the automation of network related tasks. This will reduce operating costs in the long term, thus prompting telecom companies to attract more skilled professionals.
Barring a few countries and major cities, the internet in the rest of Africa is however still characterized by low penetration rates and insufficient network infrastructure. To become successful in providing internet to everyone, telecom providers will need to address these issues and reinvest profits in the improvement of their network outreach.
One of the biggest hindrances to the adoption of the internet by the mass population is the problem of optimum pricing. Despite the price wars between different telecom companies, customers are still facing difficulties in affording internet access. To tackle this challenge, network operators need to focus on providing customers with affordable pricing models. This could be achieved by innovating simpler pricing structures and introducing more effective tariff rate controls.
Furthermore, telecom companies in Africa need to recognize that revenue generation can take place in more than just the traditional way. Presently, operators mainly generate revenues from increased use of data. However, they ignore other sources of revenue, such as the income that could be derived from the use of content.
By monetizing content, applications, and services which specific user segments enjoy and subscribe to, the revenue challenge could be addressed to some extent. Instead of focusing exclusively on voice and text, telecom companies can also build further revenue streams like data, mobile money, and online services. These efforts will not only give them the capital to invest in creating a stronger and more efficient network infrastructure but will also promote internet adoption amongst the broader population.


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Car giant Ford has revealed plans to test 3D-printing large car parts – including spoilers – as part of its prototyping and car production plans for the future.
The US firm is using the Stratasys Infinite Build 3D-printer to explore how it can be deployed as part of its production line – creating new car parts in almost any shape and size that the company says it could use in prototypes or for car personalising, as well as in full car production in years to come.
Ford’s Ellen Lee said: “With the Infinite Build technology, we are now able to print large tools, fixtures, and components, making us more nimble in design iterations.
“We’re excited to have early access to Stratasys’ new technology in order to help steer the development of large scale printing for automotive applications and requirements.”
The car maker says the increasing cost efficiency of 3D-printing makes it a viable solution for manufacturing, while the lightweight nature of 3D-printed parts could also aid fuel efficiency for drivers too.
Ford is now using the 3D-printing system at its research and innovation centre in Dearborn, Michigan.
For now, the company says the process is not fast enough to be used in the full-scale production process, but they have said it could be used to create specialised parts for race cars.


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South Dakota government banked more cash last year despite sales tax slide
Governors Office releases 2023 numbers that show nearly $100M surplus, dip in largest tax revenue source
South Dakota government collected nearly $100 million more than what it projected spending in the last year.
But sales tax collections were below projections in the fiscal year that preceded a statewide tax holiday, which hit the books this month.
The Governor’s Office Monday released year-end numbers for the 2023 budget year, which ended July 1, that show South Dakota closed with a surplus of $96.8 million.
Meanwhile, sales and use tax, which is the state’s largest revenue source, finished 0.5 percent below estimates, down $6.9 million from the Legislature’s year-end estimate.
The new numbers come just weeks after a sales tax holiday went into effect. Debate around lowering the sales tax from 4.5 to 4.2 percent brought warnings that a downturn in state revenues could be looming.


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Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff has had quite a year.
The nation's most-visited real estate website also boosted the number of "Premier Agent" advertising subscribers by 80 percent (to 26,703 as of Sept. 30), unleashed a free online foreclosure database, and launched its first national TV ad campaign.
To help fuel this growth, last year Zillow pulled off a $75.7 million initial public offering -- helping bring back the market for IPOs in the process. The company recently raised another $156.7 million in a secondary offering that closed Sept. 24.
Rascoff, 36, was named to Fortune Magazine's "40 hottest rising business stars under 40."
So more than a few industry leaders will be interested to hear what Rascoff has to say about the future, when he takes the stage as a featured speaker at Real Estate Connect New York City, which takes place Jan. 16-18 at the Grand Hyatt New York.
Rascoff says Twitter has become one of his everyday tools.
"It's where the conversation is happening," he said. "I can reach tens of thousands of people with a few key strokes." Three monitors sit on his work desk, he said -- one for "real work," another for email, and the third for Twitter.
"It's time-consuming," Rascoff said of monitoring and being active on Twitter everyday, but it's where he can see "what impressions people are promulgating about Zillow."


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Manila: A blast threw Sunday mall shoppers in suburban Mandaluyong City in panic Sunday evening with one person hurt in the melee, a report said.
Visitors as the SM Megamall were enjoying their weekend time off around 7.25pm when an explosion took place at the food court of the establishment.
The blast, followed by a staccato sound similar to gunshots, caused people to scurry away from the direction of the noise.
In the end, the management of the mall, SM Supermalls, said that the gunfire-like sound was caused by a dumpling (siomai) steamer that short circuited.
The incident, SM Supermalls said in its twitter account, “caused people to file out”.
“All operations are back to normal,” it said.
The incident took place just as the mall was holding its three-day sale that started Friday.
The commotion also came a few months after a heist was pulled off by a group of robbers at one of the jewellery establishments inside the mall.
Tension gripped the Megamall last January 26 when robbers broke into a jewellery store and stole several valuable items during the day time.
Pursuing private guards of the mall fired shots at the fleeing robbers, causing consternation.
The mall robbery incident caused the Mandaluyong police to tighten security measures.


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“We have an increasing need for our services since the pandemic, and we have had to expand our team.” Sahid Nahim, founder of New Bloom Solutions, and David Kaplan, President of Above All Flowers, also known as “The Flower Wizard”, share in what ways they are helping floriculture companies and how the pandemic has developed the need for their consulting.
Sahid Nahim and David Kaplan
How do the companies work?
New Bloom Solutions and Above All Flowers are partner companies that provide floral industry marketing and consulting. “New Bloom Solutions offers more of the technical support, marketing, collaborations and innovation, whereas Above All Flowers compliments by focusing more on the flowers themselves, business development and logistics. Because of the considerable network we have established, we are able to connect businesses to a wide range of interesting companies. For example, it is important to make a connection between the buyer and the seller, as this market facilitation will put the company above others. We are sharing our network instead of being greedy, which enables our customers to grow and set them up for success,” says Kaplan.
Overwhelmed by pandemic demand
According to Kaplan, they are overwhelmed by the amount of people that have been wanting their services ever since the pandemic started. “We had to expand our team and there is not a day we wake up that there isn’t more to do than the day before.” Nahim mentions that he did a lot of pro bono work during the pandemic: “Some companies were really struggling and we wanted to help them. For example, we were able to help some companies to get the message out there online that they were still open and selling. During COVID-19 communication is extremely important for companies, and we are able to assist them with that.” Kaplan adds that many companies were struggling due to logistical issues. “When a company struggled to get their supplies in time, we helped them by connecting them with another company for an urgent on time delivery.”
Making operations more streamlined
As mentioned, the online presence of floriculture companies has become even more important since the pandemic. That is why the team of New Bloom Solutions and Above All Flowers also connects customers to innovations that make online operations more streamlined. “For example, we recently collaborated with Floral Innovations to create Fleurography.com, which is an app that allows you to supply a not- so- perfect product photo and they will make it into a product quality photo, for your marketing content or website. This is much more efficient for florists, wholesalers and farms, as it saves time and effort without doing it manually. If you have difficulties uploading photos, this is a way to make your life easier.”
Something for everyone
Nahim and Kapland add: “There are many challenges that floriculture companies have to deal with, and we can help them to take some of the pressure off. We are consultants, product and service connectors and market facilitators. We are dedicated to helping floral companies improve and succeed.”
For more information:
New Bloom Solutions


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FASHION HOUSE Outlet Centre Moscow enters 2018 with an additional leased area of 1,258 sqm. The scheme’s impressive portfolio is enriched by renowned international and local brands
FASHION HOUSE Group has been one of the initiators and the official sponsor of the International Outlet Summit launched for the first time by MAPIC.
A renowned Italian design & furniture provider Casa Convenienza leases 557 sqm retail space and Solmar Group opens a 150 sqm multi-brand store in FASHION HOUSE Outlet Centre Bucharest.
In the first semester of 2017, turnover and spend per head in FASHION HOUSE Outlet Centre Bucharest marked 12% growths.


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R&D Industry In Malaysia
As an open economy, Malaysia needs to constantly generate and establish new sources of economic growth in order to remain competitive in the long run. This objective can be achieved if Malaysia is capable of increasing its capacity in the use as well as in the development of science, technology and innovation (STI) through research and development (R&D) programmes.
INDUSTRY : Malaysia's Food Industry Makes Global Waves
The food industry is a complex, global collective of diverse businesses that supply much of the food and food energy consumed by the world population. Food industry in Malaysia is diverse with a wide variety of processed foods with Asian tastes.
BUDGET 2015 : MITI Hopes To Maintain FDI Flows
The theme of 2015 Budget, "Accelerating Growth, Ensuring Fiscal Sustainability and Prospering the Rakyat" reflects this aspiration. The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) is optimistic of maintaining the foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows of RM38 billion registered last year.
MALAYSIA : MOST COMPETITIVE ECONOMIES GLOBALLY
The Global Competitiveness Report 2014-2015 of the World Economic Forum (WEF) ranked Malaysia 20th out of 144 economies compared to 24th position out of 148 countries the previous year.
Industry : R&D SERVICES INDUSTRY STEPS IN RIGHT DIRECTION
In order to remain competitive in the world economy, Malaysia constantly generate and establish new sources of economic growth. One of the measures is to increase the nation capability in the use and development of science, technology and innovation through R&D services.
Industry : Malaysia expects manufacturing investments to exceed RM55 bil this year
Malaysia expects to secure over RM55 billion of investments in the manufacturing sector this year, exceeding the RM52 billion recorded last year, said Minister of International Trade and Industry, Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed.
Talent Industry : Building a Better Malaysia
There is no one-size-fits-all for managing talent. Yet economic development agencies across the country align their efforts to meet Malaysia's investment agenda. Many organisations still behave as though there is.
The wake-up call of changing workforce demographics and the mismatch between the skills that the organisation need, and those that are on the market, is taking a greater toll.
Logistics sector : Generating Economic Growth
Logistics has assumed a major role in the Malaysian economy as it provides the backbone to facilitate international trade. So important that while announcing Budget 2014 in November last year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Government will formulate a Logistics Sector Master Plan to improve the performance of the country’s logistics activities.
Electrical & Electronics (E&E) industry : Growing and Changing
Malaysia’s manufacturing sector continues to grow and transform as the country substitutes low value-added assembly operations for high value added activities that promise long-term growth.
Malaysia Records RM216.5b in Investment in 2013
Malaysia enjoyed a record breaking year of investment in manufacturing, services and primary sectors in 2013 with total approved investments of RM216.5 billion.
Malaysia Plays Host to Inaugural OTC Asia 2014
Also find out more on NAP 2014, market liberalisation for auto sector; Romstars, a local O&G player offers high resolution MFL; and Economic Outlook 2014 by WEF.
Malaysia's Economic Abundance is Ripe for Picking
More than 1,000 business leaders, entrepreneurs, policy makers and investors who converged at the recent inaugural MIDA Forum 2013 (400 of whom were international participants from 32 countries) would go home feeling convinced that Malaysia has what it takes to be a robust growth centre in Asia – now and beyond.


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According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, Graco Children’s Products Inc. is recalling eight models of their Graco My Ride 65 convertible child restraints. The report says that these certain child seat models may not adequately restrain a child in the event of a crash.
The recall is expected to affect 25,494 units.
The recalled child restraint models are: 1871689, 1908152, 1813074, 1872691, 1853478, 1877535, 1813015, and 1794334.
Dealers will provide consumers with a replacement harness, free of charge.
Owners of this recalled product can contact Graco customer service at 1-800-345-4109. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.


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EE has announced that 4G is available in 11 more towns across the UK. The mobile network now covers 85 towns and cities across the UK.
Today, EE 4G is being switched on in Aldershot, Basildon, Basingstoke, Bracknell, Hitchin, Horsham, Leatherhead, Letchworth, Stevenage, Warrington and Weston-super-Mare as the rapid pace of the roll out continues. 4G from EE now covers the homes and businesses of more than 55% of the UK population.
Olaf Swantee, Chief Executive Officer, EE, said “Today’s launch sees us continue to extend the reach of superfast 4G mobile to more consumers and businesses across the UK, from Warrington to Weston-super-Mare. With double-speed 4G launching this summer, as well as Shared 4GEE plans and Pay-As-You-Go 4G Mobile Broadband, we continue to innovate and enable the best possible digital experience for our customers.”
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Apple over the past few years has been iterating at breakneck speed. Every single year, without fail, we’ve seen a brand new iPhone accompanied by a brand new version of iOS, complete with a wide array of new and exciting features. 2018, though, will be a little bit different. While a slate of new iPhones are on the horizon, iOS 12 will likely be a less ambitious release than initially planned. According to reports, a handful of widely publicized iOS and macOS bugs convinced Apple to scale back a few of its more ambitious iOS plans as to ensure that upcoming features are fully baked upon release.
Interestingly enough, Apple’s early roadmap for iOS 12 was said to include a brand new home screen, a revamp that has since been pushed back to iOS 13.


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Could Sunshine Help Arthritis?
Sunshine is good for you
We all know the positive effect that sunshine can have on our general feelings of health and wellbeing, but new research has shown that it can also reduce crippling rheumatoid arthritis too.
American researchers studied over 100,000 women over a number of years, and compared the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis with the amount of sunshine they were likely to have experienced where they live. The subjects with the highest levels of sunshine turned out to have the lowest levels of the disease – up to 21% lower than those exposed to the least sunlight.
However, before you go moving to sunnier climes, it is worth noting that the results only showed up in the part of the group that has been studied since 1976, with no difference shown in subjects studied since 1989. This is thought to reflect the different attitudes to sun block and other sun protection, which have been used more since the 90s. Unfortunately, that means that in order to get the full rheumatoid arthritis benefits of exposure to sunlight, you would also have to put yourself at significant risk of skin damage from UVB, which can lead to skin cancer.
Researchers think that the added protection against rheumatoid arthritis is due to increased levels of vitamin D, although there has been no conclusive research that vitamin D can be used directly as a treatment for the disease.
Professor Alan Silman from Arthritis Research UK suggests a compromise. “The best thing people can do is to go out, unprotected, into the sunshine for around 15 minutes a day to top up their vitamin D levels.”
Nottingham Rehab Supplies can offer many different ways to help you cope with the crippling affects of rheumatoid arthritis, including kitchen and bathroom equipment with adaptable grips to suit the limitations of the disease.
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- May 13th 2020


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Introducing Menizzi Titanium a High-end innovative unique eyewear with ultra flex feather weight material. Made in Japan. Come join us as Menizzi launches their newest innovative eyewear at the New York Vision Expo March 2010 Show Booth # 3818. Menizzi and American Red Cross of Greater New York have joined forces. Menizzi Eyewear will donate $ 50 for every show order of 25 pcs and up for the Haitian Earthquake relief.
were our best sellers for the 2007 spring & summer


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Nuts magazine is set to introduce a partial paywall on its website charging users for access to premium content.
MPP Global Solutions has been tasked with helping publishers IPC Media “enable the monetisation of content on Nuts.co.uk” on a trial basis.
Publishers IPC Media declined to comment on what content will be paywalled, but a report on Media Week said that a “number of videos” will be available in a “Nuts VIP section” on the website “that have been created by the title’s editorial team and are available on a pay-per-view basis”.
Publishing director Jo Smalley said: “Driving publishing revenues in the digital age is an increasing priority.
"We are pleased to be working with MPP Global Solutions, their advanced payment solutions products will enable us to successfully monetise our content online without jeopardising the experience for our loyal users."
Paul Johnson, chief executive of MPP Global Solutions, added: “The publishing sector as a whole is widely embracing the shift to digital and it is imperative for publishers to ensure they continue to drive revenues in a digital-only world.
“We are looking forward to leveraging our award-winning payment systems to help create a seamless and secure payment journey for Nuts’ users, and again demonstrate that the world’s leading Media and Entertainment brands select MPP as the preferred payment solutions provider.”


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Unions, Charity Accuse McDonald's of Avoiding $1.1 Billion in Tax In Europe, the fast-food giant is accused of routing revenues through a Luxembourg unit.
This story originally appeared on Reuters
Labor unions and a charity accused fast food chain McDonald's of avoiding around 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in tax between 2009 and 2013 by routing revenues through a Luxembourg unit and called on the European Commission to investigate.
Corporate tax avoidance has become a hot political issue in Europe and the EU executive has opened investigations into tax deals that some countries have cut with multinationals, including deals between Luxembourg and carmaker Fiat and online retailer Amazon.com.
Umbrella organizations for unions representing millions of workers in the United States and Europe and charity War on Want, called on the Commission to expand that investigation to include McDonald's.
The European Federation of Public Service Unions and The Service Employees International Union said McDonald's saved on tax by having restaurants make tax-deductible royalty payments equivalent to five percent of turnover to a lightly taxed subsidiary in Luxembourg.
McDonald's European office had no immediate response when asked for comment by Reuters. Previously, the company said it followed tax rules in the different jurisdictions where it operates.
In 2012, a Reuters investigation revealed that fast food restaurants including Burger King, Subway and McDonald's reduced their European tax bills by having their restaurants send royalty payments for the use of brands and know-how to low tax jurisdictions.
Filings in Luxembourg show that McD Europe Franchising Sarl, received over $1 billion in fees from franchisees and McDonald's subsidiaries across Europe in 2013.
It paid tax of just 1.4 percent on profits of $288 million in 2013 -- well below the headline Luxembourg corporate tax rate of around 29 percent.
The labor groups said the low tax rate could be due to the use of tax breaks for exploiting intellectual property, although the company could also benefit form the fact that many of its operations are through its Swiss branch.
By routing profits linked to patents or brands to Swiss branches or subsidiaries, companies can achieve low single digit effective tax rates, lawyers have told Reuters.
The civil society groups said the 1 billion euros tax saving they alleged, reflected what might have been paid if the royalties were retained in countries like France and Britain and taxed there.
(Reporting by Tom Bergin in London and Foo Yun Chee in Brussels; Editing by Keith Weir)


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The Bank of Japan intends to conduct pilot projects to issue digital yen next year in order to decide whether or not to issue the CBDC by 2026.
The Japan Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association, intends to further relax the country's crypto rules for tokens not new to the Japanese market
Lazarus organization, which has been charged with phishing, is keeping an eye on the loosely managed cryptocurrency money, therefore Japan has issued a public advisory.
According to Fumio Kishida, as part of the Japanese government's investment in digital transformation, NFTs were distributed to local governments that were implementing digital solutions.
According to a report published on Tuesday by Nikkei Asia, Japan intends to enact remittance regulations to stop the use of cryptocurrency for money laundering.
Binance, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world, is reportedly looking for a licence to operate there. Supporting the expansion of so-called Web3 businesses in Japan.
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's lawmakers are forming new policies, instead of opting for the usual lengthier route


text: The Apple Watch is often cited to be immune from the general slump that the smartwatch market continues to experience. But while its sales numbers are encouraging, its app roster is anything but. Apps are disappearing from Apple’s wearable device and some of them are high-profile ones. The latest to join the exodus is the Facebook-owned Instagram. And, no, it isn’t a case of the social networking giant retaliating over statements made by Apple’s chief executive.


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DUBAI: Brazilian fashion-and-beauty blogger Camila Coelho is just one of several major international celebrity participants heading to Dubai this week for Beauty Pop. Running from April 19-21 at Dubai Design District, Beauty Pop will “unite international and regional celebrities, guests, bloggers and retailers for a weekend full of makeup and hair master classes, panel talks, meet & greets, retail experiences, and … pop-up activations that will educate, entertain and inspire,” according to the event website.
Coelho will be joined there by other high-profile influencers from the world of fashion and beauty — including celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin, lifestyle and beauty vlogger Desi Perkins, fashion blogger Marianna Hewitt, celeb hair colorist Tracey Cunningham, and skin-care expert Nurse Jamie — discussing how to become a beauty blogger on YouTube, the evolution of the Middle East’s beauty industry, the industry’s influence on social media, and more.
Boston-based Coelho is best known for her “MakeUpByCamila” YouTube channel, which she launched in Portugese in June 2010. A little over a year later, she launched the English-language version of the channel and now has over 3.3 million subscribers across the two, along with her more than 6 million Instagram followers.
The 30-year-old has said she knew from an early age that she wanted to be involved in the fashion and beauty industry. “The moment I ‘discovered’ makeup, I knew it was for me, so I became a makeup artist,” she told bagsnob.com in 2014. “My first job was with Dior. I started working the makeup counter at Macy’s.”
Also attending the event will be sisters Huda and Mona Kattan — co-founders (along with their eldest sister, Alya) of the hugely successful Dubai-based Huda Beauty. The sisters were born in the US to Iraqi parents and later moved to the UAE. Huda is reportedly the highest-paid influencer on Instagram, landing up to $18,000 for a single sponsored post targeting her 25 million followers, according to the platform’s inaugural Rich List. She also featured in “Time” magazine’s “25 Most Influential People on the Internet” list in June 2017.
“Earlier this year,” Huda’s listing read, “the New York Times posed a simple question: ‘Is Huda Kattan the most influential beauty blogger in the world?’ The answer just might be yes.”
In that NYT interview a year ago, Huda addressed the common comparisons drawn between the Kattan sisters and the Kardashians. “I can understand (it),” she said. “We’re 2017 women who are ultimately going out there, pursuing something out of passion and making a business out of it.”
However, she added, “I just can’t wait for the comparisons to stop.”


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The world is currently battling COVID-19, officially known as the Coronavirus, and if you weren’t aware, India is in a prolonged 21-day quarantine to curb the spread of the virus. However, the number of confirmed cases is still rising and one of the main reasons behind this will have to be the lack of COVID-19 testing in the country.
Popular doctor appointment booking service Practo wants to change that by making it possible for patients to book their COVID-19 testing online. It has partnered with Thyrocare to launch this new service, which goes live over the weekend. The government of India and the Indian Medical Research Council (ICMR) have authorized this new service.
So, let’s take a quick look at the Coronavirus symptoms, prerequisites, and finally the steps to book a Coronavirus test online:
Who Should Have a Coronavirus Test?
Before we talk about how you can book online, here’s what COVID-19 symptoms will show (according to current testing guidelines):
- high fever,
- cough (sore throat),
- frequent headaches,
- shortness of breath,
- respiratory disease,
- and other breathing difficulties.
If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the above-mentioned symptoms, you should consult a qualified doctor immediately.
Prerequisites for Coronavirus Testing
If you want to book a Coronavirus test for yourself or another patient, Practo has listed some prerequisites that you must meet before completing the booking:
- valid doctor’s prescription
- Form 44 signed by a qualified physician (Test Request Form includes patient travel history and information on contact with suspected COVID-19 patients)
- photo ID card
- Pune or Mumbai resident (online booking is currently only available in two locations and plans to expand to more locations in the coming days)
Steps to Book an Online Coronavirus Test
1. Open the Practo app and tap the ‘Home lab tests’ option to see the new COVID-19 test reservation (a collection of samples) plastered at the top. you can start this dedicated COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 Detection Test website It was also founded by Practo.
2. Tap the ‘Book Now’ button as seen above and fill in all the patient’s identification information including name, phone number, sample collection address and more. You can then choose a suitable timeframe for the test.
3. After selecting the time slot, complete the payment (Rs. 4,500) and book the Coronavirus test for the patient.
A trained laboratory physician wearing a disposable biohazard suit will come to your door at the selected time to collect a throat swab sample. The official Practo listing says the results will be shared with both you and the government within 48 hours.
I can’t stress this enough, but if you or someone you know has developed symptoms of COVID-19, refer them to self-quarantine, consult a qualified doctor, and get this tested right away. You can also call the Government of India helpline 1075 or official government helpline numbers for help.


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The former Ground Force star shares her advice in a new video aimed at beginners.
Charlie released the video as part of a promotional campaign for her new range of gardening tools available in Poundland stores across the country.
The range includes hand tools, bird feeders and other items for beginner gardeners.
She said: “I hope that my range will inspire a lot more people to take up gardening – even if it is just something straightforward like a window box or growing herbs on the kitchen window sill.
“I’ve been completely involved in the production and creation of my range, personally testing every item to ensure both its practicality and quality.
“From gardening gloves and trowels to watering cans and pruning shears, all at a £1 price point: it’s affordable for everyone”.
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EU orders Amazon to pay 250 million euros after tax deal
The European Union ordered Amazon to pay back roughly 250 million euros ($294 million) in taxes to Luxembourg after determining the e-commerce giant had been granted an "illegal" tax advantage dating back to 2003, per Reuters. The EU's Competition Commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, stated that as a result, almost 75% of Amazon's profits hadn't been taxed.
Why it matters: The move highlights the accelerated rate at which the EU is cracking down on the tech titans who have been given unfair advantages over their competitors. And although the fine won't make a huge dent in Amazon's bank account, the bigger concern is the more aggressive ways in which EU regulators are tightening their grip on big tech's expansive power.