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Qantas Loyalty ramps up CX data collection
Six digital strategy tips for a post-pandemic world
Google set to win EU okay for Fitbit deal with fresh concessions
7-Eleven lays digital foundations for e-commerce play
Wipro, AWS open Western Sydney launch pad
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Apple expands independent repair shop program to Europe, Canada
Supplies repair parts, tools and manuals for iPhones.
Jul 9 2020 6:27AM
NSW talks 'one-stop-shop' for Govt services
New portal, transport apps to be created.
May 31 2011 10:44AM
Dell's one-stop IT shop vision
Stumps up the cash to make it happen.
May 20 2011 7:15AM
AussieHQ inks capacity deal with Vocus
Covers hosting firm’s three brands.
Aug 31 2009 4:10PM
Terrorists shop around for identities
Shopkeepers urged to check their customers' bona fides.
Jul 9 2009 10:45AM
Skype launches Australian online shop
A clicks-and-mortar strategy is a possibility for virtual telco, Skype, which launched its Australian online shop today.
May 27 2009 5:51PM
AussieHQ to migrate Hosting Shop servers to Sydney
AussieHQ will shift “hundreds of servers” of data virtually from Brisbane to Sydney over the next six months after acquiring Brisbane-based Hosting Shop for an amount “well into the seven figures”.
May 1 2009 11:23AM
Aussie most apt to shop online
A new study reveals that consumers in Australia and New Zealand are more likely to make online purchases than shoppers anywhere else in the world.
Jul 17 2008 1:28PM
Telstra sets up shop in Melbourne
Today in Melbourne Telstra opened up its newest interactive T [life] retail store, which the telco giant claims is the largest of its kind in Australia.
Jun 26 2008 3:24PM
Limewire opens DRM-free music shop
Limewire has taken the wraps off its DRM-free music store, allowing users to acquire music downloads through a legitimate paid-for channel..
Mar 20 2008 2:22PM
Hitachi shuts up Australian CE division
After 30 years of business in Australia, consumer and electronics vendor, Hitachi Group Companies has decided to close its consumer electronics market.
Jan 22 2008 11:36AM
Aussie Web shop offers discount to Firefox users
An Australian PC retailer has come up with a novel way of supporting the 'alternative' software movement..
Jan 8 2008 7:53AM
Gaming legends open up shop for Sony
Legendary game creators David Jaffe and Scott Campbell have announced the formation of a new software company and exclusive game development deal with Sony Entertainment America.
Jul 31 2007 9:58AM
Gadget site launches 'real' shop in Second Life
Iwantoneofthose.com takes the high street shopping experience online.
Jul 16 2007 2:25PM
AAA Computer Tech shuts up shop
Ongoing internal disputes between the director and three shareholders of AAA Computer Tech, has caused the Sydney-based reseller to cease trading.
Jan 8 2007 3:36PM
Dell sets up shop in Second Life
PC giant becomes latest firm to open a store in the virtual world.
Nov 16 2006 11:52AM
Sun sets up shop in Second Life virtual world
There is no spoon.
Oct 12 2006 10:06AM
NEC sets up shop in Korea
Seoul-based operations to begin on 1 November.
Sep 6 2006 11:59AM
Telstra launches Games Shop
Telstra BigPond, has launched a new games downloading service, Games Shop, aimed at generating new traffic over its broadband network.
Jun 22 2006 10:51AM
Security on the shop floor
Network security has always been an important consideration in office environments but it has been largely overlooked in manufacturing. But as the shop floor has become increasingly linked to the back office and with the expansion of industrial Ethernet, production managers are now taking network security more seriously.
Apr 5 2006 12:18PM
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Dutch companies Nedcam and RoyalDSM announced a sustainable additive manufacturing partnership that leverages Nedcam’s new Flexbot robotic 3D printer and Royal’s pellet materials. The partnership continues both companies’ interest in sustainable manufacturing via circular designs and processes.
The announcement further highlights additive manufacturing’s potential to improve the industry’s relationship with the environment and healthy living. Coming on the heels of DyeMansion’s receiving funding from the European Innovation Council, the partnership highlights a complementary aspect of additive manufacturing’s green potential.
The partnership is significant because Nedcam is a market leader in plugs, molds and shaping technology. These parts currently create significant amounts of waste because they are created from single-use materials. RoyalDSM brings experience with reusable thermoplastics and circular design to bear on Nedcam’s 3D printing offering.
Nedcam manufactures 3D shapes using digital milling, digital polystyrene cutting, concrete molding and, recently, 3D scanning and printing. These services originated as an offshoot of the Marine Research Institute Netherlands, and Nedcam continues to work on marine applications for its technologies. The company has expanded into wind energy, transportation, construction and infrastructure, architecture and art.
Royal DSM—a former mining conglomerate—now specializes in purpose-led science and technology development with a focus on healthy, sustainable living. The company owns subsidiaries specializing in three overarching fields: nutrition, materials and innovation. The materials segment covers most additive manufacturing applications. The company applies its sustainable worldview to the AM sector by cooperating with the entire value chain and promoting reusable materials in AM processes. It is a promoter of sustainable additive manufacturing uptake across industries.
The announced partnership uses Nedcam’s robotic fused granulate fabrication 3D printer in concert with Royal’s knowledge of reusable thermoplastics to create objects out of recycled materials. The companies will also collaborate to develop and test new materials, processes and applications to bring innovative solutions to markets requiring large-size 3D printing. Nedcam’s current client base benefits from this move, and the companies are collaborating closely with Royal HaskoningDHV for slicing structural elements.
Pieter Leen, an application development specialist in additive manufacturing at Royal DSM, endorsed Nedcam’s technology: “At DSM we believe that FGF is a critical technology to address the need for manufacturing structural and large-size components using highly filled polymers at competitive production lead times. Nedcam provides an important link between product development and market demand and their printing activities will help accelerate the adoption of additive manufacturing”.
Erwin van Maaren, the co-founder and commercial director at Nedcam, said: “We absolutely want to reduce the waste in our production process and go circular. By combining DSM’s 3D printing and thermoplastics expertise without production knowledge and production facilities, we want [to] take the necessary steps toward a sustainable and fully circular model production process”.

domain: news


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The Sport Operating Committee of the China Audio-Video and Virtual Publishing Affiliation launched its 2021 China Sport Trade Document on Thursday. The record presentations that during 2021, the real gross sales income of China’s sport marketplace used to be 296.513 billion yuan ($47 billion), up 6.4% year-on-year.
Even though the real gross sales income has stored rising, the expansion charge is just about 15% less than that of closing yr. One major reason why for the divergence comprises the truth that folks grew uninterested in gaming even whilst they needed to dwell at domestic throughout the COVID-19 pandemic closing yr. Different causes come with a drop in common video games and the overall building up of prices corporations paid for R&D, operation and distribution.
In keeping with the record, in 2021, the real gross sales income of cell sport marketplace used to be 225.538 billion yuan, a year-on-year building up of seven.57%. Cellular video games are nonetheless the principle driving force of China’s sport marketplace, accounting for 76.06% of the overall income.
In 2021, the expansion within the selection of sport customers in China remained secure, attaining 666 million, up 0.22% year-on-year. Even though the selection of customers in the second one part of the yr confirmed a downward pattern when put next with that of closing yr, it used to be basically because of the implementation of the brand new sport anti-addiction rules.
In 2021, the real gross sales income of Chinese language-developed video games in out of the country markets reached $18.013 billion, up 16.59% year-on-year. The expansion charge dropped through about 17% year-on-year, basically because of the fading stimulating impact of extra stay-at-home orders underneath the COVID-19 pandemic closing yr.
In 2021, relating to the source of revenue distribution of key out of the country markets for Chinese language-developed cell video games, the source of revenue from the USA marketplace accounted for 32.58%, score first. Source of revenue from Japan and South Korea accounted for 18.54% and seven.19% respectively.
Even though the 3 areas have contributed 58.31% of the income for China’s self-developed cell video games out of the country, the closing 3 years have observed the overall share of the 3 areas lower year-by-year, whilst the proportions of alternative areas are expanding over that very same time frame, indicating that China’s sport trade is discovering traction in rising markets.
In 2021, within the out of the country income distribution of Chinese language-developed cell video games, technique video games, role-playing video games, and taking pictures video games, accounted for 41.40%, 13.46%, and 12.96% respectively. Removal and multiplayer on-line tactical video games carried out neatly, with the overall income accounting for 10.91%, an building up of five.50% over closing yr.
In 2021, the real gross sales income of China’s e-sports sport marketplace used to be 140.181 billion yuan, up 2.65% year-on-year, and the expansion charge reduced through about 42% when put next with closing yr.
SEE ALSO: Tencent’s 17-year-old Sport “QQ Tang” to Stop Operations in April 2022
The primary reason why is that the offline actions of main e-sports occasions had been suffering from the epidemic. Additional, the new coverage necessities aimed toward addressing gaming dependancy amongst minors have additionally had an have an effect on at the industrial operation of golf equipment and competitions.
In 2021, the selection of e-sports sport customers in China reached 489 million, a year-on-year building up of 0.27%. Even though the expansion charge of e-sports sport customers bogged down in 2021, a brand new spherical of enlargement might come subsequent yr underneath the background that e-sports initiatives have now entered the Asian Video games along with the new victory through EDG victory on the S11 World Finals for League of Legends.


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The milkman is back in Baltimore.
Some Mount Washington residents are getting dairy products delivered to their front door from a small Frederick County farm. Customers say the convenience and quality as well as the comfort of knowing where the products come from makes it worth the added cost.
South Mountain Creamery began the service in Baltimore late last month, and is the only dairy believed to be delivering milk to customers' doors in Maryland, according to agriculture officials and industry experts. The farm joins a small number of others around the country that have rekindled a promising niche market.
Customers are paying a premium for the convenience in part because of higher gasoline and milk prices.
The weekly delivery costs $3.50. And a half-gallon of the farm's milk costs $3.09 - about 70 cents more than at a local grocery store.
The delivery, which can include other products from mostly local farms such as yogurt, juice and goat cheese, is left in a small cooler on a customer's porch.
"Outside of the nostalgia of getting the milk out of the cooler, it really is a great service to have," said Marie Fortuno-Schifflett, a Mount Washington resident and mother of two teenagers. "It really does taste better, and the fact that it's not laden with byproducts like hormones makes me feel a little bit better."
Family-owned South Mountain Creamery started delivering milk in 2001 from the back of a Ford Explorer in an effort to gain control of its prices. Now the dairy farm of 200 milking cows has grown from delivering to 13 homes to about 2,600 residences in the Washington-Baltimore region.
"I never intended to go as far as we have," said Tony Brusco, who runs the creamery portion of the farm's business.
Although the farm isn't certified as organic because of the cost involved, it does not give its cows growth hormones. The animals graze on pastures devoid of pesticides and eat hay grown on the farm. The milk is delivered in reusable glass bottles.
Brusco said Baltimore customers expressed interest in South Mountain Creamery's products for a few years but he never had enough business to make the 60-mile drive worth it. His general rule is that there needs to be one customer per mile.
Mike Siegel, a Mount Washington resident and law student, wanted the delivery service to come to his neighborhood for environmental reasons as well as for the convenience. So, through a Mount Washington e-mail discussion group, he recruited about 80 customers.
"I'd rather pay the guy that produced it rather than the retailer who pays the distributor who then pays the producer," said Siegel who is a fan of the farm's non-homogenized cream-topped milk.
Although South Mountain began delivering to Mount Washington three weeks ago, the farm's products have been available in a few neighborhoods since July. That's when P.J. Keating, owner of his own delivery service called Hey, Milkman!, began purchasing the products at wholesale and reselling to about 20 residents in Federal Hill, Canton, Mount Vernon and other Baltimore neighborhoods.
Milk delivery, which was common during the first half of the 20th century, began to fade away with advanced refrigeration and 24-hour convenience stores.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nearly 29.7 percent of consumers had milk delivered in 1963. But since the 1990s, customers who take home milk delivery has hovered about 0.4 percent.
Bob Renaut, president of Oberweis Dairy in Illinois, says his company has grown to a $65 million business by focusing on quality and home delivery. The dairy, which started in 1915, never stopped delivering milk.
"We were on the verge of bankruptcy in the mid-1980s," Renaut said. "But we started focusing exclusively on home delivery and through that focus we went from 1,000 to 3,500, to 40,000 customers and we are still growing today."
Oberweis pays local farms a premium for producing milk and then bottles and delivers it to consumers' doorsteps.
South Mountain's delivery service is growing rapidly and the dairy is plowing most of its profits back into the farm. According to Brusco, the end goal is not to be a large business, but to be able to sell all the milk the farm produces directly to consumers. The farm was founded in the 1980s.
From 3,066 to 750
According to the USDA, the number of dairy farms in Maryland has steadily declined since the 1970s. Census data shows that in 1974, Maryland had 3,066 dairy farms. A state and federal study found there were 750 dairies in Maryland in 2007.
Dairies typically sell milk to distributors for a price set by the federal government. Some farmers say this puts smaller dairies - already dealing with rising production costs - at a disadvantage to larger competitors. So some farms choose to sell milk directly to consumers so they can set their own prices.
According to S. Patrick McMillan, Maryland assistant agricultural secretary, other farms sell products such as ice cream and cheese but are wary of the production costs associated with processing milk.
A bill to allow farmers to sell raw, or unpasteurized, milk directly to customers has failed to gain support in the General Assembly over the past two years.
The Kilby farm in Cecil County recently bought bottling equipment and hopes to start delivering milk during the next two years.
"We are located in Cecil County, one of the fastest-growing counties, which is a mixed blessing if you are a farmer," said Phyllis Kilby. "We think we've got the population to support it."
Experts say direct-to-consumer selling could be a viable option for farms near a customer base willing to support home delivery and for those that cannot grow much larger.
"If [a farm] does not have the option of getting bigger, this is a possibility," McMillan said. "I admire them for what they've done. Our best opportunity to keep farming in the state is to keep the farmers we have."
Dale Johnson, a farm management specialist at the University of Maryland, said he is surprised by South Mountain's success and he believes it must be part of people's desire to eat locally.
"I thought home delivery was a thing of the past, but a lot of people want these services and they have a good product there," Johnson said. "People are saying, 'I really want to buy from local farmers.' "
Idea of small farm
Johnson pointed out that milk is a commodity and is often shipped from surrounding states instead of local farms.
Though South Mountain Creamery has signed up about 1,000 customers over the past six months, Brusco said he hopes to stay true to the idea of a small local farm.
"I don't want to turn us into a mega-business, I think that takes away from why people buy from us," Brusco said. "I think we are getting to a point where we are going to do slower growth."


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Xeon processors are set to welcome a few more ultra low-voltage members according to Sean Maloney, the head honcho of Intel Architecture Group, who was addressing the audience at a keynote speech at Intel's Developer Forum.
The product he unveiled was the Intel Xeon L3426 - a quad core processor - with a TDP of 45 watts. Scheduled to be launched soon and produced using a 45nm manufacturing process, the L3226 is clocked at 1.86GHz and comes with 8MB cache. Intel has also plans for a dual core model with TDP 33 percent lower to be launched in Q1 2010.
In parallel, Intel has unveiled a new platform called the Micro Server which is a single socket system aimed at packing as many processors as possible per unit volume, complete with heatsink and ECC memory modules. The motherboard showed was around 200mm x 120mm.
Intel points out that the manufacturer's design would allow up to 228 servers to be fitted in a single cabinet and squarely aims at web service providers like Amazon or Google.
Maloney pointed out that not so long ago, manufacturers were aiming to squeeze 30 watts into laptops and underlined the fact that up to a quarter of a data center costs goes to power.
And Gordon Haff from Cnet to mention, not without some irony, that just like Thin clients and Net-PCs, Microservers have been around as blade servers for nearly a decade. He mentions the likes of RLX technologies which has been flogging them back then.
Still Intel can afford to go even lower than 45w for a Quad Core processor. Back in 2006, it launched a dual core ULV Xeon CPU, clocked at 1.66GHz with 2MB cache and which had a TDP of 15w only.
Intel might have opened a Pandora box here. By marketing the blade server, Intel will create a new segment, just like for the netbook, where ARM still has an absolute advantage. Even running at 2GHz, a Dual Core Cortex A9 will dissipate only 2W.


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On 21 August 2020, Brazil’s central bank announced its intention to set up a world-wide study on the issuance of central bank digital currencies (CBDC). Brazil recognizes the impact a digital Real could have on the country’s financial system, and as such wants to find a balance between using CBDC to improve society’s financial wellbeing, as well as tackling the potential risks which are ‘inherent in this new form of payment.’
The study’s general objective is to look into improving commercial transactions between private and public entities, nationally and internationally. Other features of the study include exploring a potential model for a CBDC, its scope, societal benefits, and national challenges. In terms of security, the study plans to examine various cybersecurity, data protection, and regulatory compliance risks.
This is not the first time Brazil’s central bank has demonstrated enthusiasm in the newest technological trends. In April this year, it launched PIER, a blockchain platform used to seamlessly exchange data between regulatory authorities and financial institutions.
For Brazil in particular, the study will also determine the potential benefits of a digital currency in combination with Pix, their new 24/7 instant payment system, which commences operations this November. Pix was created to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of Brazil’s retail payment market. Brazil is eager to defend Pix and the Brazilian Payment System, having suspended WhatsApp payment processing in the country two months ago. As with CBDCs, Whatsapp payment processing in Brazil needs to undergo impact analysis concerning competition, efficiency, data privacy, and local regulatory compliance.
Brazil is not the only country interested in issuing their own CBDCs. A survey conducted by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), released in early 2020, shows that 80% of central banks around the world have started CBDC research, 40% of which have begun their own CBDC issuance experiments. It seems that central banks around the world have started to come to terms with this newest FinTech innovation.


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Microsoft's new Windows 10 operating system will be available worldwide starting July 29 — but only to a select few people first.
On Thursday, Microsoft's Windows boss Terry Myerson wrote in a blog post that Windows 10 will be first rolled out to the 5 million Windows Insiders, the group of people who have been testing Windows 10 in advance and giving feedback to Microsoft.
"From there, we will start notifying reserved systems in waves, slowly scaling up after July 29th," Myerson wrote.
If you're one of the people who's already reserved a copy of Windows 10, you will get a notification from Microsoft confirming your system compatibility, Myerson said. And for those whose systems are not ready for an upgrade yet, Microsoft will also follow up directly with more details on how to upgrade.
Myerson added that Windows 10 is seeing full compatibility with the "vast majority" of Windows 8x and Windows 7x users. Business customers using Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Education will get to upgrade their systems beginning August 1.
"We want to make sure all of you have a great upgrade experience, so we’ll roll-out Windows 10 in phases to help manage the demand," he wrote.
Windows 10 is one of the most anticipated new Microsoft releases in years. It will bring back the popular "Start" tab as well as some new features such as the digital assistant Cortana and a new web browser called Edge. Microsoft announced in January that all Windows 7 and 8 users will get free upgrades to Windows 10.


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Ukraine's Petro Poroshenko also said EU leaders agreed to prepare new sanctions on Russia, conditional on progress of his peace plan.» Read More
POM Wonderful may take Coke to court to accuse it of misleadingly marketing one of its Minute Maid juices, the U.S. Supreme Court said.
If the Supreme Court rules in favor of Halliburton and against shareholders, then other businesses will gain, as well.
The primary defeat of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor shows how divided the Republican Party has become, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer tells CNBC.
U.S. business inventories recorded their biggest increase in six months in April, supporting expectations of a sharp rebound in growth.
New U.S. claims for unemployment unexpectedly rose last week as import price gains were held in check, data showed.
U.S. retail sales rose less than expected in May, but that probably will do little to change expectations of an acceleration in growth this quarter.
Canadian yogawear retailer Lululemon's quarterly net profit fell 60 percent as tax expenses rose.
Data released shows weaker health care spending in the US.
Twitter said on Thursday Ali Rowghani resigned as chief operating officer, effective Thursday.
Folks walk into Starbucks to re-charge their batteries — figuratively. Now, they'll be able to do it literally, USA Today reports.
Lawyers for a family trying to reopen a GM wrongful death suit say it seeks to move the case to federal court to use bankruptcy as a shield.
No need to travel to Brazil to get in on the 2014 FIFA World Cup action.
The al Qaeda-inspired militants who overran two Iraqi cities in as many days apparently have new orders: march on Baghdad.
Prices of copper – the industrial metal used in everything from cars to houses – have declined this week, heading towards a one-month low.
In the past three years, the category of low-volatility ETFs has mushroomed, but whether they work or not remains an open question.
The company launched a web page overnight seemingly announcing a new streaming music service as part of its $99 Prime subscription service.
It’s always the unexpected that sends Wall Street for a loop. And something unexpected has happened.
As Brazil steps into the spotlight for the World Cup, it maintains considerable barriers to the global economy.
Surging U.S. oil production was expected to send oil prices lower, but a confluence of geopolitical events could drive high prices even higher.
Immigration reform advocates said they planned to step up pressure on the White House to enact changes without waiting for Congress.


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Nicotine vaping was not the cause of EVALI
The cause of EVALI was discovered to be vitamin E acetate, a prohibited ingredient under CCCR 2001 in regulated Canadian e-liquid. Vitamin E acetate has never been used by reputable e-liquid manufacturers globally. It was concluded by the CDC that illicit black-market THC products were using vitamin E acetate as a thickening agent.
Dr. Michael Siegel, Professor of Community Health Sciences at Boston University’s School of Public Health was among the first to identify illicit THC products as the culprit. “They tested lung tissue samples from 29 case patients and all 29 (100%) were found to contain vitamin E acetate oil. This finding does represent a major breakthrough for four reasons:
- The vitamin E acetate oil was detected in the actual lung tissue of the case patients.
- The vitamin E acetate oil was detected in every single one of the lung tissue samples from these 29 case patients.
- The samples came from 10 different states, confirming that the outbreak seems to have a common cause, rather than geographic variation.
- Three of the patients whose lung samples revealed vitamin E acetate had reported using only nicotine-containing products, thus confirming that there is significant under-reporting which may explain why about 11% of the patients do not report vaping THC.”
Many researchers have stated that due to there being only a small percentage of patients who reported never having used THC products, it is likely that they were reluctant to report having used illegal drugs, which was later confirmed by the CDC. Additionally, the CDC tested hundreds of commercially available e-liquids and no trace of vitamin E acetate was found.
“This is significant because although not all of the case patients admitted to using THC vapes, the finding of vitamin E acetate in their lungs essentially proves that they were indeed vaping THC oils,” said Siegel referring to the latest findings. “This does not mean that they were lying; they may simply not have known what was in the product they were vaping, especially since most of these products are purchased off the black market or obtained from friends or dealers,” he added.
The media was quick to point the finger at nicotine vaping products as the cause but failed to report the link to THC products with the same vigor. Due to this misinformation public health was seriously harmed. Public Health England released the following statement, “The mistaken belief that e-cigarettes are more harmful than smoking increased rapidly among UK smokers following the US lung injury outbreak in autumn 2019. US authorities have now confirmed that vitamin E acetate, a thickening agent added to cannabis vaping products, was a primary cause of the US outbreak. This substance is banned from UK-regulated nicotine vaping products,” said Public Health England.
Additionally, research from the Yale School of Public Health, found in their study, “Association of Vaping‐related Lung Injuries with Rates of E‐cigarette and Cannabis Use across US States,” that the outbreak was not caused by regulated nicotine or cannabis vapour products, but instead unregulated products that flooded the market due to flavour bans.


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There was a time when Ford cars regularly sold in excess of 200,000, units, heck the original Ford Taurus sold well over 300,000 per annum in the late ’80s. But times change.
Today, the best selling car in America struggles to sell 300,000 copies annually, but if anything, the T0yota Camry is consistent. It’s been the most popular car in the U.S. for years and with 296,581 delivered so far for 2010, it appears things aren’t likely to change soon. The Honda Accord is on track for the runner up spot with 253,073, while the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic follow, with 244,024 and 231,955 units sold during the same period.
And what have you noticed from these stats? That’s right, all these cars are Japanese brand vehicles, what about the homegrown stuff that used to top the sales charts for years? Well, in recent years the big three have lost market share, particularly in the mid-size and compact car segments, however, that might be set to change. The Ford Fusion, revamped for 2010, posted a 21.5 percent gain in sales for November, versus a year earlier, making it the first car from Dearborn to top the ‘magic’ 200,000 sales mark since 2004.
Ford, on average, has been selling around 10,000 Fusions per month during 2010 which isn’t too shabby these days. Winning Motor Trend‘s 2010 ‘Car of the Year’ honor certainly hasn’t hurt either.
[Source: Ward’s Auto]


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New York City just got more expensive and almost no one noticed.
A long-running court battle that ended in January gives New York merchants the right to charge extra for credit card purchases as long as the pricing is clear.
Instead, some businesses are slipping in sneaky fees or trumpeting non-existent cash “discounts.”
“Pay by Cash and Save!” read one notice at AlMar, an Italian restaurant in Dumbo.
But the cash tab for the portobello mushroom panini was $14.50 — exactly the price on the menu — with no discount. Paying with a credit card added 4 percent to the price.
One AlMar patron griped on Yelp that the surcharge came as a surprise.
“We didn’t find out until they’d already processed our cards,” the diner wrote in February.
Many businesses say they need to charge extra to be able to pay the 2 to 4 percent fees they must fork over to credit card companies. But the surcharges have not gone down well at other establishments.
“Wonderful meal. Unfortunately, it was ruined by the 4 percent credit card surcharge,” one patron of the Taverna Kyclades in Bayside posted on Yelp earlier this month.
“They have a $4 ‘technology fee’ for using a credit card. This is ridiculous and they tried to tell us that everyone is supposedly doing this,” said another Yelp reviewer in February of Spanglish NYC in Bayside. “We won’t be returning here because of the fee.”
Spanglish quickly discontinued the surcharge and instead offers a discount off the menu’s prices for paying cash.
“I was getting too many complaints,” said David Arias, the restaurant’s owner. “Customers are not familiar with these charges.”
The consumers have reason to complain.
Adding a surcharge as a percentage of the tab is still illegal even though the Court of Appeals said extra fees are now allowed.
Under the new rules, the higher credit card price is supposed to be listed in “dollars and cents” on the menu or price tag or sign in order to avoid consumers having to do the math on the upcharge themselves, according to the state Attorney General’s Office.
Businesses are then free to offer a real cash discount off the higher, credit card price, the AG’s Office said.
“In concrete terms, the way this works is that the customer sees the highest possible price, inclusive of the credit card fee, typically 3.5 percent,” said Jonathan Razi, CEO of CardX, a Chicago-based credit card processing company.
But many businesses are mistakenly executing the new rules, or openly flouting them.
At Sal’s Pizzeria on Court Street in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, a pie or slice came with a stomach-churning 7 percent credit card surcharge that was not disclosed on a sign or the menu. The pizzeria does note there is a $1 “cup usage” fee for tap water.
Interestingly, at Mama Maria’s, an Italian restaurant next door with the same owner that was given a makeover on Gorden Ramsay’s “Kitchen Nightmares” show, there was no surcharge.
Some merchants are camouflaging the credit card surcharge by calling it a “non-cash adjustment” or “svc fee.” Others are writing it in tiny type on the menu or in barely noticeable signs that blend in with other notices.
Those who violate the law could face a fine of up to $500 or up to one year in jail or both, according to the AG’s Office.
Michelle Leonard, who was entering Taverna Kyclades for dinner Friday night, said she was unaware of the credit card surcharge and began digging in her purse to see how much cash she had on hand.
“This really pisses me off,” Leonard said. “Who likes to be overcharged?”
Hair and nail salons and delis are among the businesses that are now charging more for using plastic — often adding the surcharge incorrectly.
“There’s so much confusion,” said Peter Freeman, a co-owner of Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain. “I barely understand it and we were part of the case.”
The Carroll Gardens ice cream shop joined four other businesses in suing the New York Attorney General’s Office in 2013 for the ability to list a single price for an item — and to then add a surcharge as a flat fee or a percentage.
The case went to the US Supreme Court and back to the state Court of Appeals. It concluded in January.
With the case resolved, businesses can jack up prices to cover the increasing fees they pay to banks to accept credit cards.
“We buy ice cream. Right after ice cream, credit card fees are our biggest expense,” he said.
Freeman said he was struggling with how much to charge for his sundaes and scoops.
“We don’t want to just raise our prices,” he said. “That may be what we have to do.”
Businesses are trying to deal with exploding credit card use. Spending on plastic issued by Mastercard and Visa, including debit and prepaid cards, accounted for $6.021 trillion in 2018, a 9.5 percent increase over the previous year, according to the Nilson Report, an industry newsletter.
Smaller mom-and-pop shops often pay higher processing rates than national chains.
“Why is it that huge corporations have to make money off our backs?” said Alfredo Miccoli, the co-owner and chef at AlMar. “Why do I need to lose 4 percent at the end of the year because people use cards?”
William Degel, the owner of Uncle Jack’s Steakhouses in Manhattan and Queens, said the business has been hammered by credit card fees, labor costs and other expenses.
He added a 2.99 percent charge for plastic, noting the surcharge on the menu, which lists the cash — not credit card — price for food. He said lawyers and credit card processing companies told him it was kosher to do it that way.
“If we’re being misinformed, that’s horrible,” Degel said. “I never want to hurt the customer either.”


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Slovakia's industrial output growth speeded to 12.6% y/y in November 2013 from a revised 7% y/y in October on the back of expanding manufacturing sector, data from the country's statistics office showed.
Manufacturing production grew by 14.6% y/y in November, accelerating down from a revised hike of 9.2% a month earlier. Production increased the most in electrical equipment (+84.1%), basic metals and fabricated metal products (+19.4%), rubber and plastic products and other non-metallic mineral products (+17.3%) and other manufacture, repair and installation of machinery and equipment (+10.6%).
The output of the industry’s main growth driver – the car manufacturing sector – increased by 15.4% y/y in November after rising by a revised 7.6% y/y in the previous month. Auto manufacturing is the major driving force of the Slovak economy, with the country being home to three big car assembling plants run by Germany's Volkswagen, South Korea's Kia Motors and France's PSA Peugeot Citroen.
The second most important engine of the Slovak industry, electronics production at plants run by South Korea's Samsung and Taiwan's Foxconn, posted a 5.3% y/y growth in November after falling by a revised 0.9% y/y in October.
The utilities sector remained unchanged in November after falling by a revised 7.2% y/y in the previous month. The mining industry’s output rose by 3.1% y/y in November following a 2.6% y/y drop in October.
On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, Slovakia's industrial output 1.9% in November following a 0.4% growth in October.
For the first eleven months of the year, the industrial production increased by 4.6% y/y.
IntelliNews comment: Slovakia’s industrial output has been growing in each month of 2013 but the growth rates were significantly below the 2012 levels. In November the improvement was more significant thanks to improved prospects for the euro zone, which is the main trading partner of Slovakia. Car production also posted a strong growth in November but as the industry added no new capacities in 2013 and demand is soft, we do not expect full-year production to be significantly higher than in 2012.
|y/y change||Nov 2013||Oct 2013||Nov 2012||Jan-Nov 2013||2012|
|--food, beverages and tobacco||-3.7%||1.5%||-2.5%||-0.4%||-1.1%|
|--textiles, apparel, leather and related products||26.6%||21.7%||25.3%||25.7%||17.9%|
|--wood and paper products, printing||1.9%||-1.6%||6.2%||-0.1%||-2.2%|
|--coke and refined petroleum products||-6.9%||-23.7%||0.2%||-3.5%||-10.1%|
|--chemicals and chemical products||-1.8%||-13.1%||7.3%||2.9%||-4.3%|
|--pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemical and botanical products||-44.7%||-53.2%||13.3%||-43.4%||-11.0%|
|--rubber, plastics and other non-metallic mineral products||17.3%||11.8%||2.1%||5.6%||1.9%|
|--basic and fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment||19.4%||18.4%||-1.9%||8.4%||6.1%|
|--computers, electronics and optics||5.3%||-0.9%||18.8%||-1.7%||17.0%|
|--machinery and equipment||6.3%||2.6%||10.9%||2.9%||12.9%|
|--other manufacturing, repair and installation of machinery and equipment||10.6%||16.7%||-5.6%||-0.7%||9.7%|
|Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply||0.0%||-7.2%||5.0%||-2.0%||-9.4%|
|Source: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic|
Slovakia could have another carmaker on its already soil. Chinese Zhi Dou, a producer of electric cars, has narrowed down its choice on where to build a European factory to Slovakia or Romania, the ... more
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The Central Bank of Russia anticipates that the introduction of the digital ruble will not render other non-cash and cash payment avenues obsolete. According to statements made by Alla Bakina, the director of the bank’s national payment system department, alternative non-cash payment methods have accounted for more than 80% of all payment transactions in Russia.
Bank of Russia: Digital Ruble’s Impact on Existing Payment Options
The Central Bank of Russia does not anticipate an abrupt abandonment of existing payment methods by individuals and institutions in favor of the Russian Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), commonly known as the digital ruble.
During a recent webinar, Alla Bakina, director of the bank’s national payment system department, emphasized that non-cash payment methods using instruments other than the digital ruble maintain a significant presence in the overall landscape of payment transactions in Russia.
Quoted by the news agency Interfax, Bakina remarked:
“I don’t anticipate a complete shift away from non-cash payments, as the proportion of non-cash transactions in Russia has already surpassed 80%.”
Furthermore, Bakina elucidated that the primary objective of the digital ruble is to offer additional payment options to the public. She emphasized:
“I believe we should maintain a broad spectrum of options, encompassing cash, bank cards, traditional bank accounts, digital accounts, mobile applications, and payment services, as this fosters healthy competition among them.”
She also indicated that there would be no restrictions on the number of payments citizens could make using the digital ruble.
Cash Remains Relevant
Bakina acknowledged the continuing relevance of cash payments, citing that some individuals are habituated to using physical currency. Additionally, certain situations necessitate the use of cash for payments.
Bakina’s statements align with remarks from other officials at the Bank of Russia. In the previous month, Elvira Nabiullina, the governor of the Bank of Russia, asserted that cash would remain in circulation for the foreseeable future, emphasizing that “people should have the freedom to choose their preferred payment method.”
The development of new banknotes is already underway, with a 1,000-ruble bill currently in the design phase.
The digital ruble is undergoing testing in a pilot program that commenced in August, with the participation of 13 banks. In October, Nabiullina provided an update on the pilot’s progress, affirming that it was proceeding as planned. She further disclosed plans for expansion in the coming year, with an increase in participants and the exploration of additional use cases slated for testing in 2024.
What are your perspectives on the digital ruble and its coexistence with other payment methods in Russia? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Digital Ruble Payment Landscape
What is the digital ruble, and why is it being introduced in Russia?
The digital ruble is a digital currency issued by the Central Bank of Russia. It is being introduced to modernize the country’s payment infrastructure and provide additional payment options to the public.
Will the digital ruble replace existing payment methods in Russia?
No, the Central Bank of Russia does not expect the digital ruble to replace other payment methods. Cash payments and non-cash transactions using methods other than the digital ruble remain relevant and widely used.
What is the significance of the 80% figure mentioned regarding non-cash payments?
The statement that non-cash payments in Russia have exceeded 80% indicates that a substantial majority of payment transactions in the country are conducted electronically or without physical currency. This underscores the importance of diverse payment options.
How does the Central Bank of Russia view the coexistence of the digital ruble with other payment methods?
The Central Bank of Russia believes that a variety of payment methods, including cash, bank cards, digital accounts, mobile apps, and the digital ruble, should coexist. They see healthy competition among these methods as beneficial for consumers.
Is cash still relevant in Russia, according to the bank’s perspective?
Yes, the Central Bank of Russia acknowledges that cash payments are still relevant. Some people prefer using physical currency, and specific situations may require cash payments.
What is the status of the digital ruble’s pilot program?
The digital ruble is currently undergoing testing in a pilot program that started in August. Thirteen banks are participating in this pilot. The Central Bank of Russia plans to expand the program in the coming year and explore additional use cases in 2024.
More about Digital Ruble Payment Landscape
- Central Bank of Russia Official Website
- Interfax News Agency
- Elvira Nabiullina’s Remarks on Payment Methods
- Digital Ruble Pilot Program Updates


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As African economies transition rapidly to being market-led, the question of who really owns a brand becomes more pertinent. Growing African businesses are keen to assert ownership of the brands they have spent money to create. Yet few take steps to value such brands as assets on the balance sheet. The separation of brand value from the more traditional assessment of goodwill is still a work in progress.
Elsewhere on the globe, companies take pains to assess and record the tradeable value of their brands, separate from the bricks, mortar and machinery of the business. Apple, the world’s most valuable brand for many years was written into the 2016 Accounts at US$145,918 billion, according to BrandFinance. Coca-Cola, down five places from 12th to 17th disappoints the bean counters with a mere US$34,180 billion. While, in 48th place, the US logistics giant UPS could have been yours for a mere US$19,565 billion.
Here in East Africa, very few brands have been sold to other owners and then developed. The focus has been on acquiring corporate brands and then changing their identity, with varying degrees of success. So the time for trading in brands is still ahead of us. And another factor will impact on this: consumer power.
Consumers now have unprecedented influence on the success of brands. Millions of people, previously obliged to select from a narrow choice in limited categories are now making informed purchase decisions thanks to online technology and social media. They benchmark performance and reputation against both local and international brands. They take heed of peer group opinion and emotion. In short, their brand loyalty will never again be unquestioning.
Branding purists have always said that products are made in factories, but brands are maintained in the hearts and minds of consumers. Perhaps they are right. While consumers are unlikely to have the power to prevent the sale of a brand, they can deny it their support.
In Geneva, the Swiss make a brand of watch called Patek Philippe. Very few of us would ever have heard of it, were it not for its advertising. Back in 1996, someone very clever decided that this brand would address the fundamental human need for LEGACY. The desire to pass on something of value to the succeeding generation.
Since then, every advertisement for the brand has featured beautiful photographs of cross-generational groups. Initially the models were all men, but more recently grandmothers, mothers and daughters have appeared. The headline is always the same. The dry and skilfully underwritten: "You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation."
I think that might sum up the changing role of the brand owner in consumer economies. As the old certainties evaporate, brand ownership will become increasingly transient. Creating and realising value from brands will take greater skill and commercial acumen. It will become a primary focus for commercial leadership, and no longer be delegated to young brand managers with short attention spans.


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Uber and Lyft announced Tuesday that they are stepping up this Veteran's Day to offer free rides to former members of the US armed services.
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Who’s Riding Biki Bikes?
You’ve seen the new Bikibikeshare stations around town but who are the people pedaling them? PBN editor-in-chief A. Kam Napier has more.
Bikeshare Hawai?i launched the Biki stations of rental bikes only a month ago and it tells PBN reports that nearly 13,000 people have already taken more than 47,000 rides on the sky-blue bikes.
According to Bikeshare CEO Lori McCarney, specific demographics are hard to pin down at this early point. What they know for certain is that about 2,300 of those riders have paid for monthly memberships. The rest were casual riders, paying for each use.
Prices for Biki start at $3.50 for a single 30-minute ride, with unlimited 30-minute trips available for $15 per month — that’s $45 less than a monthly bus pass.
The service launched on June 28 with 89 Biki stops throughout Honolulu and 800 bikes. Bikeshare says its 10 most popular stations are in Waikiki and the Ala Moana-Kaka?ako area.
This nonprofit programs aims to provide people with an alternative to commuting in their cars. It’s underwritten by government grants and by businesses with related goals, such as the Ulupono Initiative, HMSA, the Ward Foundation, Hawaiian Electric Co and Hawaii Pacific Health.


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As a child, I grew up watching the iconic yellow Hindustan Ambassador taxis from the balcony of my first-floor residence in Bhowanipore, in South Kolkata: sometimes a quarrel would break out between the owner of the car and the driver over fuel theft; sometimes I could hear a loud ‘Taxi!’ call the typical way of stopping a passing taxi; or on my way out, I would pass by a group of Bihari taxi drivers loudly engaged in a game of cards on the footpath.
In fact, my para (neighborhood), Bhowanipore, is known as the birthplace of the yellow taxi, popularly known as taxi para even today. In the 80s, almost all middle-class Bengali families residing in this para had one or two taxis rented out as an additional source of income. Drivers, mostly migrants from Bihar, rented taxis on a contractual basis. In the early 60s, when Hindustan Ambassador taxis first hit the streets, drivers were mostly from the Sikh community. During that time, Bhowanipore had a high number of Sikhs, and most of them were involved in the transport business. They were popularly known as ‘Sardarji’ and they ruled Kolkata’s chaotic roads till the early 90s.
Daljinder Singh, 48, recalls childhood memories of his grandfather, late Sardar Sarjit Singh Grewal, buying a second-hand Ambassador taxi in 1970 at a price of Rs. 7,000. It was driven by his father, late Sukdev Singh Grewal. With a glint in his eyes, he proudly asserts how Sardarji taxi drivers were in great demand for their high standard of honesty. They never cheated an unsuspecting traveller arriving from other cities and always ran on meter, using the shortest possible route. Because they only accepted the metered fare, they became popular among the middle class, who were not rich enough to own a car, but were willing to pay more for a comfortable ride. Daljiner Singh is now the owner of S.K Motors and still runs a Hindustan Ambassador repair shop at Townshend Road in Bhowanipore.
However, most Sikh taxi drivers have now taken up alternative professions and moved away from the taxi business. Those who still drive, are shifting to Ola and Uber taxis. In 2020, you can hardly find a Sardarji taxi driver in Kolkata. One such rare person is Jagdev Singh, born in Kolkata in 1949. He has been driving his own Hindustan Ambassador taxi since 1970. He says that back in the 70s, it was very difficult to get a commercial driving license and he failed twice before securing his driving license on December 7, 1970. Jagdevji was once the proud owner of seven yellow taxis but he has sold them all, except the one he drives. None of his sons is interested in this business and has opted for other jobs. Without reliable drivers available, he couldn’t rent his other taxis. When I asked about how times have changed, Jagdevji reflected that earlier the police didn’t enforce law and order and crime was rampant on the streets, so Bengali housewives and young girls would prefer to ride taxis after evening only with Sikh drivers because they had impeccable trust in them. In his 70s now, Jagdevji usually starts his beat in the dead of night, at 2 AM, and returns home around 10 AM to avoid heavy traffic and pollution. He admits this late-night driving has its share of risks, especially from street criminals. In 2007, a gang of three made an attempt to hijack his taxi. Using his kirpan, Jagdevji courageously nabbed one hijacker and handed him over to the local police station.
In the 80s, rows of Hindustan Ambassador taxis queued up in front of the Oberoi Grand Hotel on the Esplanade or at the Howrah Station. Kolkata’s varied modes of transportation were an essential feature of the city’s urban character as much as the hand-pulled rickshaw, electric trams and the Metro Rail. They have been immortalised in movies by renowned directors like Satyajit Ray and Aparna Sen. Kolkatans can recall stories when the taxi gave them privacy to steal a kiss in the back seat while being driven around the city. Many love marriages had their beginnings in secret rendezvous in taxis. The fondness Kolkatans have for the yellow taxi has made it an icon of the city.
Taxis had been operational in Kolkata long before Independence. However, post-Independence, in what was a major landmark in India’s journey to self-reliance, the Hindustan Motors factory was set up in Uttarpara (18 km from Kolkata) in 1948, as part of the Birla Technical Services industrial group. Hindustan Motors started production of the Ambassador (based on the 1956 Morris Oxford series III) in 1958, conceptualised by British automotive designer Sir Alexander Issigonis, whose other famous creations were Mini and Morris Minor. Hindustan Ambassador quickly became popular for its classic design and spacious interior. It became the vehicle of choice for all government transport and was assigned to politicians for travel. In 1962, the Calcutta Taxi Association took the initiative to convert the Hindustan Ambassador to a taxi. “It’s sturdy build suited driving on Indian roads,” says Taraknath Barik, who has been with the Kolkata Taxi Association for over five decades. Since taxis had to be visible from a distance, the colour yellow was chosen as it is easiest to spot, even at night. Hindustan Ambassador upgraded models over the years starting with Mark I (1957–62), followed by Mark II (1962–75), Mark III (1975–79), Mark IV (1979–90), Nova (1990), Classic (1992), Grand (2003) and Avigo (2004). By this time sales had plunged and the monopoly of Hindustan Motors as a car manufacturer was over. Facing unsustainable losses, they launched their last model, the Ambassador Encore in 2013, but it failed to revive the fortune of the brand. On May 24, 2014, the last Hindustan Ambassador rolled off the assembly line, ending a golden era of Indian automobile history.
Hindustan Motors’ fate was sealed in 1991 when the economy was liberalised, bringing an end to decades of protective license raj. The Indian consumer now had higher income and greater spending power to buy a personal car. This reduced public dependence on taxis and made the car industry highly competitive with the entry of foreign brands. In the last decade, with increasing penetration of digital connectivity, app-based services and mobile phone usage, new pressure has emerged with the entry of cab aggregator services like Ola and Uber. Low fares offered by these taxi-hailing services, combined with a wide choice of cars, GPS tracking, quick booking, professional drivers, safety features for women and in-car entertainment, have made the survival of yellow taxis even direr.
Closure of Hindustan Motors factory caused severe hardship for taxis still in service. With no new auxiliary parts available in the hardware market, repairing Hindustan Ambassadors has become a specialised task, and only a handful of mechanics can fix old models. While several thousand yellow taxis are still plying the city streets, the government has made it mandatory for commercial vehicles which are older than 15 years (from the year of registration) to be discontinued. This way, old Hindustan Ambassadors are being phased out in the next 5 to 8 years to reduce diesel pollution.
Lastly, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has dealt a crippling blow to the yellow taxi business. The pandemic brought about complete lockdowns for many months, and migrant drivers from outside Kolkata were stuck without work or any way to return home. Though lockdown has now been lifted, people do not venture out of their homes. Offices have closed and most people work from home, thus depriving taxis of their daily office commuters. Similarly, with tourism services closed, travellers at railway stations and airports have sharply reduced. Kailash Kamat, 44, who lives in a ghetto with other taxi drivers in South Kolkata, complains about the lack of passengers post-lockdown. Earning Rs. 500 in a day is now a challenge, of which he has to pay the taxi owner Rs. 400 for daily rent. If this situation continues, Kailash sighs, he will have to quit taxi driving.
Amidst the doom, the only silver lining that has emerged is the merger of app-based cab aggregator services with yellow taxis. According to Ola, in 2015, around 1,000 yellow taxis registered with them and they expected more than 5,000 taxis in their fleet by the end of that year. Even this integration will benefit only 1/5th of the yellow taxis in the city, which is estimated to be around 26,000 strong. Registered yellow taxis can now be booked through the Ola app and specially trained drivers are equipped with smartphones that enable them to receive booking requests and reach customers at his/her doorstep. Customers can pay the fare either through cash or Ola’s mobile wallet service. This innovation is the last chance to save the yellow taxis, but with strict enforcement of pollution control measures, it is only a matter of time before they disappear from the roads of Kolkata.
This photo-essay has been created as part of the Sahapedia Frames Photography Grant, supported by CSR funding from IndusInd Bank.


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Unmanned aerial vehicles surely made a lot of our daily tasks easier. Nowadays, we have Amazon Prime Air, a drone-empowered air delivery service and CyberHawk, a drone-operated live inspection service. Both of these are a testament of how developed drones have become. Although drones have been used in several industries, their contribution is yet to reach its optimum potential. However, perhaps this is not the case in cinematography and film production, an industry at which drones became an immovable production pillar in the last years drone topographic survey
In the era of billion-dollar blockbusters and computer-generated imagery, getting exquisite shots during filmmaking is indispensable. Drones help movie directors do exactly that. It’s fair to say that they have changed the way directors shoot movies. With the help of drones, directors nowadays can shoot impossible shots. The modern drones are easy to operate. They are simple enough for cinematographers who are familiar with remote controls and joysticks to capture excellent shots. Drones made techniques like aerial and crane shots easily doable if you’re a good drone pilot. Especially that the cameras strapped to drones are equipped with three axes stability, which almost guarantees a perfect shot, even if you’re not that good of a pilot.
The cinematic possibilities are large and the sky’s the limit. Recently in a segment in Good Morning America, a company called DJI that manufactures drones for filmmaking, showed footage filmed by a drone of an erupting volcano in Iceland. Before the introduction of drones, such footage was almost impossible to take. It was too risky for humans and too far away for satellites, which neither had the lens or the angle to capture such unique footage. The footage looked like a piece from a natural science documentary. It was equal quality as ground footage shot by camera men.
DJI, owned by Chinese drone overlord Frank Wang, announced on the 17th of April the release of the most powerful drone ever to be used in filmmaking, the Matrice 600. A short video was released online demonstrating how powerful this new drone is. The video featured a cinematography director filming a martial arts scene using the drone in Beijing. The new Matrice 600 is compatible with a wide range of attachable cameras. It allows professional cameramen to use small DSLR cameras like Canon, Panasonic, Black Magic, Sony, Nikon, and large RED cameras as if they’re being handheld. The footage shown was spectacular, to say the least.
The Matrice 600 is only the beginning of a new line of powerful camera-carrying drones that is changing the very nature of filmmaking as we know it. Previously, large movie franchises like James Bond’s Skyfall and the Harry Potter series have used drones to film some famous scenes. With the success of these filming techniques, one can only expect that at some point flying drones and unmanned aerial vehicles will take over film cinematography entirely, rendering the regular cameraman obsolete and reducing his role to a remote control holder. Luckily for the film industry, directors are tinkerers by nature and learning new tricks always falls in the audience’s favor.
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Exhibiting at the Lincolnshire Business Expo gives you a powerful platform for meeting new customers, reaching out to your existing clients, and building a more established and reliable brand. More than 1,300 people attended the Lincolnshire Business Expo at the Lincolnshire Showground on January 18 2017. The day saw more than 90 exhibitors and 35 speakers across 25 events.
Take a look at Lincolnshire Business’s highlights from the 2017 Expo here.
Thank you to all of our 2017 exhibitors
The next Lincolnshire Business Expo takes place on 17th January 2018


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In a move to give the growing number of notebook PC users faster, more durable systems that run longer on a battery charge, Hitachi, Samsung, Seagate Technology and Toshiba have formed the Hybrid Storage Alliance. The goals of the industry group are two-fold: illustrate how flash memory/hard drive hybrid technology can extend the capabilities of today’s notebook computers and accelerate market adoption of the technology. Market research firm IDC predicts hybrid hard disk drives will constitute 35 percent of all hard disk drives shipped with portable PCs by 2010.
In a move to give the growing number of notebook PC users faster, more
durable systems that run longer on a battery charge, Hitachi*, Samsung, Seagate
Technology and Toshiba have formed the Hybrid Storage Alliance. The goals of the
industry group are two-fold: (1) illustrate how flash memory/hard drive hybrid
technology can extend the capabilities of today’s notebook computers and (2)
accelerate market adoption of the technology.
Market research firm IDC predicts hybrid hard disk drives will constitute 35
percent of all hard disk drives shipped with portable PCs by 2010 (1).
Hybrid hard drive technology is the industry’s answer to growing demand for
notebook PCs that deliver the speed and durability of desktop PCs. Hybrid
technology, which can be deployed in other mobile devices and computing systems,
combines the unmatched capacity and cost-effectiveness of hard drives with the
responsiveness, power-efficiency and durability of flash memory.
"The hard drive industry is continuously looking for ways to bring greater value
to the systems in which our technology resides and to those who use them," said
Joni Clark, chairperson, Hybrid Storage Alliance. "Adding non- volatile memory
to the hard drive brings about a host of mobility benefits that increases the
value users want in notebook PCs — longer battery life, faster response,
greater system durability."
"NAND caching will emerge as an important technology enabler, especially to
improve the performance of portable PCs running the Windows Vista OS," said John
Rydning, IDC’s Research Manager for hard drives. "Hybrid hard drives combine the
best features of two storage technologies in a single product to deliver high
capacity, responsive storage for portable PC users. Formation of the Hybrid
Storage Alliance by HDD industry participants is prudent to raise awareness of
hybrid HDD technology benefits."
The Power of Hybrid
Microsoft Windows Vista is the first operating system to take full advantage of
the performance, power and durability benefits of hybrid technology.
"Microsoft is pleased to see the storage industry uniting to drive the adoption
of hybrid hard drives," said Bill Mitchell, Corporate Vice President of Mobile
and Tailored Platform Division of Microsoft. "Hybrid drives will leverage
‘Windows ReadyDrive’ features in Windows Vista to enable a new generation of
mobile PCs that boot up and resume from hibernation faster, optimize battery
life, outperform standard hard disk drives, and are more reliable and robust."
End users of notebook systems can look for the following potential benefits of
hybrid hard drives:
— Faster boot-up and resume — Once a notebook PC with a traditional drive is
turned on, the hard drive’s platters must spin up before boot-up can begin.
Booting straight from a flash memory chip eliminates this delay. Likewise,
hybrid drives resume operation from hibernation faster than traditional models,
since frequently accessed data is stored in the NAND flash before a system goes
— Lower power consumption — Hybrid drives curtail platter spin time, which
reduces power draw. This, in turn, extends battery life, especially important in
notebook PCs and other mobile applications.
— Higher reliability — Reducing platter spin time extends drive life.
— Greater durability — Every time data is pulled from the flash memory, the
system has greater shock tolerance because the drive platter isn’t spinning.
From a system standpoint, there are several advantages of hybrid hard drive
technology over similar approaches, including:
— Ease of installation — Incorporating flash memory directly onto the hard
drive greatly simplifies installation and does not require additional real
estate on the host system. Furthermore, installing hybrid drives in Windows
Vista systems is as simple as installing traditional drives.
— Data separation/data security — Having flash on the hard drive keeps all the
system information stored in one location so that security or encryption
mechanisms can be employed to protect all the data centrally. Storing data on
the hard drive also helps with data recovery in case of a sudden system
Members of the Hybrid Storage Alliance will be demonstrating hybrid technology
and products at StorageVisions 2007, January 6 and 7 at the Flamingo Hotel in
* Hitachi Global Storage Technologies
(1) Source IDC Link, IDC’s View of Adoption of NAND in the PC, Document
#lcUS20508007, January 2007.
About the Hybrid Storage Alliance
The Hybrid Storage Alliance is an international group dedicated to communicating
the benefits of hybrid hard drive technology to computer makers and end users.
Founding members include Hitachi, Samsung, Seagate Technology and Toshiba. More
information about the association, its members and the technology is available


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More NL residents plan to go on vacation this year
Eight out of ten Netherlands residents plan to go on holiday this year, an increase compared to last year's seven in ten, the Netherlands Bureau for Tourism and Congresses (NBTC) said in its holiday monitor.
The holiday monitor also shows that fewer Netherlands residents (29 percent) plan to holiday in their home country this year than last year (39 percent). Earlier this year, the NBTC published two scenarios for domestic tourism for the whole year: a stabilization or a decline of about 7 percent.
"Based on the new results of the holiday monitor, we assume that domestic tourism will decrease because more Netherlands residents will holiday abroad," said NBTC director Jos Vranken. "This means that almost 24 million Dutch overnight guests are going on holiday in their own country. We also expect to welcome more international guests this year. The forecasts on this vary between plus 48 percent and plus 90 percent."
The holiday monitor also shows that more Dutch people are considering a holiday by plane (52 percent) compared to the same period last year (41 percent). Vranken called this a striking percentage compared to other countries, where the percentage of flyers remained virtually the same.
Based on these estimations, the NBTC is cautiously optimistic about the holiday season. But Vranken added that the consumer has not yet completely left the coronavirus behind, and new uncertainties have been added. "The war in Ukraine, declining purchasing power, and declining consumer confidence. These currently appear to have a limited impact on travel intentions and bookings, but that could change with continued uncertainty."


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The Government approved a production linked incentive scheme for the Pharmaceutical sector entailing an outlay of Rs 15000 crores. This is besides the PLI scheme for the API sector. The duration of the scheme will be from 20-21 to 28-29. More outlay could be allocated if needed. The PLI scheme is further expected to promote innovation for development of complex and high tech products including emerging therapies and in vitro diagnostic services as also self-reliance in important drugs.
One of the further objectives of the scheme is to create global champions out of India who have the potential to grow in size and scale using cutting edge technology and thereby penetrate global value chains.
The company registered in the country will be divided across three groups based on their global manufacturing revenue to ensure wider applicability of the schemes across the Pharmaceutical industry and at the same time meet the objectives of the scheme.
The Group A would comprise entities having Global Manufacturing revenue of Pharma goods more than or equal to Rs 5000 crores. The incentive allocated to such applicants is Rs 11000 crores.
The Group B would comprise entities having GMR between Rs 500-4999 crores and would be entitled for incentives worth Rs 2250 crores.
The Group C would comprise entities having GMR less than Rs 500 crores and would be entitled for incentives worth Rs 1750 crores.
Big guys are going to get bigger and naturally they will be able to take advantage of the scheme and grow in size. The scheme shall also cover pharmaceutical goods under three categories. Biopharmaceuticals, complex generic drugs, patented drugs among others have been clubbed in the first category, while active pharmaceutical ingredients and autoimmune drugs, anti-cancer drugs, anti-diabetic drugs are part of the second and third categories respectively. The rate of incentive will be 10 per cent (of incremental sales value) for Category 1 and Category 2 products for the first four years, 8 per cent for the fifth year and 6 per cent for the sixth year of production under the scheme. Besides, the rate of incentive will be 5 per cent (of incremental sales value) for Category 3 products for the first four years, 4 per cent for the fifth year and 3 per cent for the sixth year of production under the scheme.


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Singapore, January 2024 - Naturæ Gin, the Italian brand known for its quality and unique botanicals blend, marked a significant milestone at the recent Italian Food and Wine Week (IFWW) held in Singapore. The culmination of this event was a dynamic B2B presentation at Suntec on the 22nd and 23rd of January 2024.
This event stands as a cornerstone in Naturæ Gin's venture into the Southeast Asian markets, transcending its Italian origin. The bustling week in Singapore provided an invaluable opportunity to interface with local and international Beverage industry professionals from Singapore, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, India and Vietnam.
The heartening response received from industry experts and enthusiasts alike has fortified Naturæ Gin's commitment to delivering a product that harmoniously marries the essence of English gin with the soul of Italian craftsmanship and botanicals. Attendees not only had the chance to experience the exceptional quality of Naturæ Gin but also contributed valuable feedback, consistently echoing positive sentiments.
As we step into the next phase, our focus is on delving even deeper into introducing the brand, unraveling its layers, and communicating the nuanced quality and versatility that defines Naturæ Gin. The journey has just begun, and we look forward to making our mark in the dynamic and diverse markets of Southeast Asia.
Naturæ Gin is an exploration of flavors, blending the time-honored craft of English gin with the distinctive botanicals of Italy. With roots in both traditions, Naturæ Gin aims to redefine the gin experience, bringing together the best of two worlds.


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Animal Welfare Practices of Leading Foodservice Providers including Sodexo, Aramark, Compass
NEW YORK, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — As students return to school around the country, a new guide by The Humane League reveals the poor animal welfare practices of leading foodservice providers like Sodexo that provide dining and catering at educational, governmental, and commercial institutions. To inform consumers and help foodservice clients better align their vendors with their environmental, social, and corporate governance values, this guide examines what foodservice providers are doing to improve the welfare of chickens raised for meat, egg-laying hens, and breeding pigs. The full guide can be viewed at BetterFoodService.com.
"Animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and social responsibility are no longer negotiable for companies or the public—but some foodservice providers are still failing to deliver," said Vicky Bond, President of The Humane League. "As today’s impact-minded students and consumers return to campuses, it’ll become more critical that these lagging providers rise to the challenge or lose their clients. Companies like Sodexo need to make meaningful improvements to the cruel treatment that the animals raised for food within their supply chains are receiving. Consumers and vendors deserve to know how their food is sourced."
A clear majority of Americans care about the humane treatment of animals and would switch to brands with higher welfare, which is evident from ten US states having passed farm animal welfare legislation. As a result, hundreds of companies have begun to make important progress by issuing public commitments to animal welfare in supply chains, including the Better Chicken Commitment to improve the treatment and breeding of chickens raised for meat, 100% cage-free policies to remove egg-laying hens from cruel battery cages, and ending gestation crate confinement of mother pigs. But public progress reporting and the implementation of those policies is crucial—when corporate commitments go unfulfilled, they lose their meaning, deceive consumers, and harm animals.
With a total market size of $45 billion, and employing more than half a million workers, the US foodservice provider industry is large and growing. As unemployment rates decline, income levels rise, and consumers return to in-person gatherings, food service industry revenue is expected to rise in coming years. With that growth, animal welfare progress must be prioritized.
The full guide can be viewed at BetterFoodService.com. For more information and to take action against these industry practices, visit EndCages.com and StopBoilingBirdsAlive.com.
The Humane League is a global nonprofit that exists to end the abuse of animals raised for food by influencing the policies of the world’s biggest companies, demanding legislation, and empowering others to take action and leave animals off their plates. Since its founding in 2005, The Humane League has focused on effectively ending the worst abuses in factory farming, securing strong animal welfare commitments from major foodservice providers, restaurants, food manufacturers and hospitality leaders around the world, changing the lives of billions of farm animals suffering every day.
SOURCE The Humane League


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If credit's what matters they'll take credit.
Read This Article
On January 13, 2013, Chevrolet will unveil the next-generation Corvette.
Happy Memorial Day, everybody, and thanks for stopping by in between barbeques, races, parades, and some genuine thanks giving.
For the first time in more than two years, the stock price for General Motors has passed its $33 initial public offering, thanks to the automaker preparing to introduce redesigned full-size pickups.


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Internet Retailer — “Personalized recommendations push online snowboard sales for Burton”
Personalized product recommendations are driving nearly 25% of total sales at Burton Snowboard’s online store since it implemented the recommendations program last year, the retailer and manufacturer report.
Burton’s site, which previously had served product recommendations to shoppers based on its top sellers, started using vendor richrelevance to help it offer a more personalized shopping experience. The personalized recommendations are based on an analysis of shopping behaviors and other data, including previous purchases and key search terms. Shoppers are presented with the relevant products at key points as they navigate through Burton’s site.


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Developer company Ubisoft has released a new trailer of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, which will be released next November. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, which has a story about Vikings, will be released on 10 November 2020 for different platforms.
We learned in recent months that Assassin’s Creed, one of Ubisoft’s best-selling game series, will return with a new game called Valhalla this year. The developer company, which has published many promotional videos and gameplay videos about the game so far, released a new TV commercial just days before the game was released.
The 1.5-minute cinematic trailer, created using the CGI technique, shows a raid by Viking troops led by Eivor into British land across the North Sea. You can watch this published video right below.
Assasin’s Creed Valhalla – Cinematic Trailer
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, an action role-playing open world game developed by Ubisoft Montreal, is basically based on a story about Vikings. In the story set in the 9th century AD, as Eivor, a legendary Viking warrior, we will raid the kingdoms of England, participate in brutal wars and try to expand our lands.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is equipped with impressive visuals, a story about Vikings and a breathtaking open world atmosphere; It will be released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One, PC, Google Stadia and Amazon Luna on November 10, 2020. Epic Games is the distributor of the game on the PC side.


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3/1/2012 3:12:25 PM
Research in Motion 'could bring forward poor Q4 results'
BlackBerry manufacturer Research in Motion could bring forward its pending fourth quarter results and forecast a poor start to its next financial year, analysts have claimed.
Its fourth quarter comes to a close on Saturday (3 March), with the manufacturer due to report its performance on 29 March. Jefferies & Co analyst Peter Misek said there was more than a 50% chance that the manufacturer would negatively pre-announce its performance.
He said: 'We believe street numbers will likely be revised down given the lack of major new products in the near-term and continued sales challenges due to competitive pressure from both low-end and high-end devices.'
Misek added that the likely launch of the iPhone 5 ahead of RIM's range of BlackBerry 10 devices in September is also a concern for the manufacturer.


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Samsung has been creating Exynos processors for years, which are implemented in individual devices of the Korean manufacturer. According to the latest information, the upcoming Exynos chip with graphics from AMD will provide higher performance than all current chipsets for Android smartphones.
Is Samsung Exynos with AMD GPU the Key to Performance?
So far an unnamed wizard Exynos (Maybe 2200) with AMD RDNA2 graphics tested in 3DMark syntheticWhich mainly focuses on measuring the performance of the graphics system. A famous industrial detective with a pseudonym Ice world, posted a screenshot on his Twitter where we can see exactly the result of benchmark tests as 8134 points.
This is higher than any Android smartphone currently on sale. on the site Standards. ul So far the king Huawei Mate 40 Pro + Using the original SoC Kirin with Mali-G78 graphics, which can score 6036 points. Snapdragon 888-based flagships in the synthetic test score an average of 5600 points, a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra With the Exynos 2100, he gets 5,221 units.
Comparing the upcoming Exynos equipped with AMD RDNA2 graphics directly to the current chip Exynos 2100And the We achieve an efficiency increase of up to 55%, which is confirmed by the result of 8134 points. Ice world It indicates that the SoC tested uses cores made on the older ARM Cortex A77 microarchitecture, which debuted two years ago. Graphics processor paired with the latest ARMv9-based cores in the ultimate SoC Samsung Exynos (2200), it may be more efficient.
According to the current information, the chip with RDNA2 graphics has a big problem with overheating. The first test passes without any problems, however, the next test throttles the graphics processor – lowering system clocks due to high temperatures. The result of the second test was less impressive, because it was 30% lower than the first.
Let’s say in the back of our head that mobile processors with RDNA2 GPUs will probably be tested on smartphones that do not have a cooling system designed specifically for a particular chip, after all, we are talking about engineering samples. According to previous rumors Samsung Exynos With AMD graphics It is to have its premiere next month. We’ll see if the current leaks are verified.
“Devoted organizer. Incurable thinker. Explorer. Tv junkie. Travel buff. Troublemaker.”


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Latest Car safety Stories
Way2Drive offers a wealth of important information needed by learner drivers in the UK.
d'Oliveira & Associates has posted a new informational graphic about the millions of motor vehicles that are recalled every year.
“Semi Autonomous Market For Passenger Car By Type (Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, Autonomous Park Assist & Adaptive Lights), By Technology, By Geography, & Autonomous Car
Six out of 12 small cars recently earned positive ratings from the International Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) during their front-end crash tests.
Vehicular automation uses artificial intelligence and mechatronics to aid an operator in controlling a robotic vehicle. Some of these vehicles are labeled “smart” or “intelligent,” while others that are more capable of moving on their own are known as “semi-autonomous.” Those robots that rely only on autonomous movement are simply known as “autonomous” or “robotic.” There are several types of vehicles that use automation to operate and the capabilities of these robots have...
- A pivoted catch designed to fall into a notch on a ratchet wheel so as to allow movement in only one direction (e.g. on a windlass or in a clock mechanism), or alternatively to move the wheel in one direction.
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The United States will impose a maximum of 229% countervailing duty on inland cabinets
Following the announcement by the US Treasury Department that the mainland is a currency manipulator on the 5th, it made another move on the 6th. The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that it would impose a maximum of 229% countervailing duty on imported cabinets from mainland China worth $4.4 billion.
In March, the American Cabinet Alliance filed a petition accusing the Chinese industry of dumping more than 200% of imported cabinets, causing losses of at least $2 billion. The U.S. Department of Commerce made a preliminary ruling, indicating that it would instruct the Customs and Border Service to collect cash deposits on the imported wooden cabinets and toiletries from the mainland based on the subsidy rate (up to 229%).
The Commerce Department will make a final ruling in December, and the U.S. International Trade Commission will announce the final ruling by January 30 next year. The U.S. Cabinet Alliance said it hoped the ruling would give the industry hope to fight against unfair trade practices on the land.


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Recently, reports from XDA revealed that Xiaomi is developing a new smartphone code-named “Pyxis”. The phone is rumored to be the successor to Mi 6X and Mi A2, which is expected to be launched as Mi 9X (internationally as Mi A3 with Android One). Today, a source has reported that this Smartphone could be released in this month.
Not long ago, GSM Arena has reported Mi 9X would be a smartphone with a 6.4-inch, AMOLED panel with a full HD resolution. It is a screen quite similar to the one we see in the Mi 9, design with few frames and notch in the shape of a drop. Inside, there is a Snapdragon 675 processor which will be accompanied by a large 6GB RAM and 64GB ROM.
By the way, this new Xiaomi Mi 9X will have the fingerprint sensor housed on the screen to take better advantage of the screen and the rear has a more uniform design. The design of it would be quite similar, likewise, to the aforementioned Redmi terminals, with that rear holographic color so characteristic.
In the new Xiaomi Mi 9X, you can find a triple camera configuration, increasingly common in high-end terminals, consisting of the main sensor manufactured by Sony 48MP, a secondary sensor of 8MP and the third objective of the angular lens of 13MP. The front camera, located inside the screen notch, will house a 32MP sensor, with a pixel size of 0.8 microns.
From the software point of view, the laptop will be supplied with Android Pie and, as mentioned above, with MIUI 10 running. The battery capacity should be 3300mAh and will support a fast 18W Quick Charge 4.0+. The Smartphone would come on the market this month, but we do not yet know exactly when let alone whether this will also be the case in the Benelux. The Xiaomi Mi 9X prices are expected to start at 1799 yuan (about $245).
Do not forget to follow us on our Facebook group and page to keep you always aware of the latest advances, News, Updates, review, and giveaway on smartphones, tablets, gadgets and more from the technology world of the future.


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Jerry Yang believes Microsoft’s $44.6 billion bid for Yahoo was too low because it does not take into account the company's “unique position” in the growing online advertising market, the New York Times reports. In a letter sent to shareholders today, Yang inventoried Yahoo’s advantages: its widely-known name, its monthly traffic of 500 million visitors, and its dominance of the display ad market.
“The global online advertising market is projected to grow from $45 billion in 2007 to $75 billion in 2010. And we are moving quickly to take advantage of what we see as a unique window of time in the growth—and evolution—of this market,” Yang wrote. Although it rejected Microsoft’s initial bid, many analysts are convinced that Yahoo will inevitably sell—it’s just a matter of at what price. (Read more Yahoo stories.)


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Mattress and pillow maker Tempur-Pedic International Inc. provided an update Monday on its planned acquisition of Sealy Corp.
Lexington, Ky.-based Tempur-Pedic (NYSE: TPX) said it could close on the purchase within 20 days, assuming it clears the Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust review.
According to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the required waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act is set to expire on March 8. The filing said Sealy’s information statement has been cleared by the SEC and was mailed to stockholders on Friday, Feb. 22.
The Tempur-Pedic filing noted that the company’s merger agreement with Sealy says the mailing must occur at least 20 calendar days prior to the closing of the acquisition, meaning the deal could close as early as March 14.
The filing said Tempur-Pedic officials expect the purchase to close sometime in March.
As Business First reported last year, the company’s merger agreement calls for Tempur-Pedic to acquire Sealy (NYSE: ZZ) in a $1.3 billion deal.
Tempur-Pedic and Trinity, N.C.-based Sealy will continue to operate independently after the purchase, according to the earlier report.


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Even as Apple grapples with how to fend off Android-based Samsung for mobile market share, Samsung has its own competitive problems with Android. Actually, hundreds of them. Indeed, Samsung’s biggest challenge may be to figure out how to fight no-name Android vendors in emerging markets.
Emerging Markets Take Center Stage
Both Apple and Samsung have seen their respective stocks take nose dives in 2013 as the smartphone market slows. Verizon reportedly sits on $23.5 billion in iPhone commitments this year, with consumers slowing device upgrades. There simply aren’t compelling innovations demanding that people rush out to get the latest, greatest smartphone.
At least, not here in North America, or in Western Europe.
In established markets like the U.S., smartphones already saturate as much as 61% of the market, according to Nielsen. I tend to be someone who wants the newest device, but I’ve found myself regularly skipping versions of the iPhone because the improvements in the iPhone 4S, for example, hardly justified taking a carrier contract hit to upgrade from my iPhone 4. The same will be true if Apple releases a ho-hum improvement on my current model, the iPhone 5.
But this is not true of emerging markets, where feature phones still dominate. Here, as Flurry data indicates, Android dominates due to its low cost and open architecture. Apple has been making up some lost ground with cash incentives and may well release a lower-end iPhone to help it compete, but the market is still Android’s to lose. And given that Samsung sits atop the Android ecosystem, emerging markets should go to Samsung.
Samsung’s Android Problem
Or maybe not. After all, according to new survey data from VisionMobile’s Developer Economics quarterly report, while Samsung dominates Android, it’s getting stout competition from the “Other” category:
In other words, Android’s long-tail handset providers add up to a big problem for Samsung, as the report suggests:
These handset makers are made up of 100s of Android handset producers, leveraging off-the-shelf hardware platforms from Qualcomm and Mediatek and delivering customised Android handsets to Asia and Africa, with as small as a 10-people production team and own distribution networks. In this sense, Samsung’s biggest competitor in terms of market share isn’t Apple, but the 100s of handset makers who are able to supply the cheapest possible smartphones, customised for every corner of the developing world.
Fierce competition within the Android camp is driving down costs for consumers but is also eviscerating profits for vendors, with HTC profits taking a 90% nose dive last quarter due largely to stiffer price competition from Huawei and ZTE. Samsung has continued to deliver record profits, due largely to its focus on established markets, but the company is already starting to slow as mature markets yield less opportunity.
Looking To The Cloud For Profit
As all vendors turn to emerging markets for growth, the fight will move to cloud services to generate profit, as I’ve argued before. Samsung device margins will be nibbled to death by the army of Android wannabes, but Samsung has been aggressively investing in cloud services like Music Hub, synchronization services and more.
Unfortunately, the best cloud services still come from Google, which gives them away in order to drive mobile ad revenue. Google isn’t giving that away to its Android licensees. As such, Samsung and its clones will still struggle to make up falling handset profits in cloud services profits. They simply may not have any other choice.
Suddenly Apple, with all its market share problems as the premium provider, looks to be in an enviable position. These same Android clones cut into its ability to compete in emerging markets, but its profit share will likely climb relative to Samsung in such markets.
Creative Commons image courtesy of Ron Bulmahn.


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After the victorious raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan, there's a huge demand for stories about the Navy SEALs. The publication of "SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper'' by Howard E. Wasdin and Stephen Templin was moved up and is now expected in stores and online outlets this week or next. For more books on the SEALs, click through these slides ...
- Update: Man taken into custody after slow-speed chase that ends in Seal Beach
- Man struck, killed by Metrolink train in Orange
- Naugles at the beach: Nostalgic chain to open beachfront concession in Huntington Beach
- Heal the Bay water quality report card: O.C.'s Monarch Beach 4th dirtiest in California
- Irvine police searching for Garden Grove man suspected of sexually assaulting teen girl


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Payments company WorldRemit has selected Onfido to deliver faster identity verification process for customers.
Under the agreement, Onfido will enable the payments firm to further automate the Know Your Customer (KYC) decision-making process to authenticate the identification of clients.
Quicker identity verification will accelerate customer onboarding process and enable them to quickly transfer funds overseas.
Onfido claims that it verification technology will ensure a better user experience even for customers with lower spec smartphones and cameras.
The optimised platform offers users with granular feedback beyond a simple pass or fail.
It will allow users to offer facial orientation or poor lighting conditions as causes for failure in verification, thereby allowing them to re-attempt the verification process.
WorldRemit director of payments Stephen Moffatt said: “As part of our constant efforts to improve and refine our customer experience, adding Onfido’s functionality to our registration process will ensure that we can put our customers on the happy path of sending money home, while protecting them from fraudsters.”
Onfido added that its platform will add functions for higher systemic levels of security.
The technology vendor will also allow the payment firm to ‘quickly alert’ the relevant bodies to protect even those who aren’t customers.
Onfido CEO and co-founder Husayn Kassai added: “We’re pleased to be supporting a forward-thinking remittance platform such as WorldRemit which strives to provide the best for its users.
“We’re delighted to be helping them streamline their processes to get new users onboard swiftly and securely while meeting strict compliance regulations.”