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BlackBerry Reports Sub-$1B Quarterly Revenue for Q4, Brings Back BlackBerry Bold Smartphone
March 28, 2014 2:16 PM
This is the first time BlackBerry has had less than $1 billion in quarterly revenue since 2007.
BlackBerry is in the midst of an eight-quarter turnaround that doesn't expect to see company profitability again until 2016, so the fact that the fourth quarter earnings report shows
and slashed revenues probably isn't too surprising. But what may surprise you is BlackBerry CEO John Chen's new device strategy for a BB comeback.
BlackBerry reported revenues of $976 million in
, which was down 64 percent from the $2.7 billion it reported in the year-ago quarter. This is also the first time BlackBerry has had less than $1 billion in quarterly revenue since 2007.
BlackBerry's loss was $42 million for the quarter, which was down from the $94 million it earned a year previous. BlackBerry still has about $2.7 billion in the bank, but that's down $500 million from what it had last quarter.
To top it off, BlackBerry only sold 3.4 million smartphones for the holiday quarter, and 2.3 million of them were running older BlackBerry operating systems -- not the new BlackBerry 10 OS.
One highlight is that operating expenses are down 51 percent compared to the year-ago quarter.
"I am very pleased with our progress and execution in fiscal Q4 against the strategy we laid out three months ago. We have significantly streamlined operations, allowing us to reach our expense reduction target one quarter ahead of schedule," said Chen. "BlackBerry is on sounder financial footing today with a path to returning to growth and profitability."
Oh hey, remember us? [SOURCE: CrackBerry]
While Chen seems optimistic about the future of BlackBerry, he's looking to the past for answers. More specifically, Chen's next big move in the realm of BlackBerry devices is to relaunch the
, which is a smartphone the company previously released in 2011.
"Our customers still love the BB OS device, particularly BB7 devices," said Chen. "We’ll continue to make these devices available and support the operating system as long as there is customer demand."
The re-release of the Bold is part of Chen's focus on great keyboards and messaging features. However, the Bold wasn't so great with Web browsing and taking pictures -- which are two incredibly popular features of today's smartphones.
It's not clear where Bold will be sold exactly, but Chen added that a new manufacturing partner will make it so the antiquated phone will be sold at a profit.
Aside from bringing back old faces, Chen said there are three new smartphone designs in the making, which feature keyboards and will be introduced over the next 18 months. The BlackBerry Classic will make its way to market in Q4 2014.
BlackBerry has been plagued with troubles ever since Google's Android and Apple products have taken over the consumer market (and the 2011 outage that affected BlackBerry customers around the world didn't help, either). BlackBerry has since not only been pushed out of consumer competition, but also got the boot from many government agencies and corporate offices, which were areas that BlackBerry traditionally held down.
BlackBerry is still present in some important places, though, such as the White House. However, it was recently reported that President Barack Obama might
give up his BlackBerry
if testing with Android devices goes well.
"Google fired a shot heard 'round the world, and now a second American company has answered the call to defend the rights of the Chinese people." -- Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.)
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MarchFirst, the imploded Chicago-based i-shop that recently filed for bankruptcy protection, has agreed to sell off more of its assets -- this time to SBI, a Salt Lake City-based e-business services company. SBI said the deal, which is still subject to court approval, includes marchFirst's Portland, San Francisco and Denver offices and represents close to 300 employees.
SBI said the acquisition should allow it to deepen its supply chain management and internal business process expertise, as well as add integrated marketing capabilities such as package design and print advertising. Additionally, the deal should allow SBI to grow into new vertical markets, including telecommunications, media and entertainment. Bob Tipton, formerly general manager of marchFirst's Denver office, will serve as managing director of the new SBI business unit.

domain: news


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The market capitalization of stablecoin Tether (USDT) has crossed the $30 billion mark.
At press time, USDT's market cap stands at about $30.5 billion, meaning there are more than 30 billion USDT in circulation, each pegged to track one U.S. dollar.
Tether has since long been the largest stablecoin in the market, but its popularity has surged even higher in recent months. Why? Because institutions and corporates are buying bitcoin, Tether CTO Paolo Ardoino told The Block.
Ardoino said these large customers prefer buying bitcoin from over-the-counter (OTC) and high-frequency trading (HFT) firms, rather than from a single trading platform, because these firms help avoid moving markets and have better liquidity.
By having accounts at most crypto exchanges, OTC and HFT firms spread the buying pressure, reduce the impact on bitcoin's price, and also complete purchases faster, said Ardoino.
When clients of these firms want to buy bitcoin, they send USD, and then these firms convert USD to USDT to bitcoin. This method is faster and "most convenient," Ardoino told The Block. Indeed, fiat transfers take time to process.
Asia and Europe remain the popular markets for USDT use, Ardoino told The Block, adding that Asia at the moment is "definitely more predominant."
While trading remains the top use case of USDT, Ardoino said Tether will be "working hard" this year on expanding its use cases, focusing on retail adoption of the stablecoin.
Tether is popular, but it is also controversial. Tether has never produced a full audit of its USD reserves. Tether's general counsel Stuart Hoegner recently said in an interview that the firm would provide a breakdown of its reserves at some point in the near future.
Last week, Tether's sister company Bitfinex said it repaid Tether the remaining $550 million loan, which is at the center of a fraud probe opened by the New York Attorney General's office three years ago. Ardoino said since the loan is no longer present, "that should please many in the crypto community."
© 2023 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.


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Shareholders at 888 approve the purchase of William Hill from Caesars
Why you can trust Gamble USA
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888 Shareholders Approve William Hill Acquisition
Shareholders of 888 Holdings have given the green light for the $2.4 billion purchase of William Hill’s non-US assets. The agreement with Caesars Entertainment – which acquired William Hill for $3.5 billion in 2021, has been in the pipeline for several months. Once the deal has been concluded, 888 will own one of the UK’s biggest online and retail gambling bookmakers.
Signing the deal
Lord Mendelsohn, the non-executive chairman of 888 Holdings, said that he expects everything to be finalized at the end of June.
In a statement, Mendelsohn said that they are “delighted with the support of our shareholders” for the proposed purchase of William Hill and wanted to thank them for their constructive engagement as part of the process. He added that they “look forward to completing this transformational acquisition at the end of June” as they seek to create a “global online betting and gaming leader.”
During the 888’s first-quarter earnings call, company CEO Itai Pazner said terms of the initial $3 billion purchase were renegotiated. Pazner said that after revising the transaction terms for William Hill, they are “on track to complete in June.” 888 trades on the London Stock Exchange, and shares are currently trading at $191.40.
Deal eases Debt burden for Caesars Entertainment
Having gotten rid of its European assets, Caesars can use some of the capital to pay down a proportion of its $14.3 billion debt.
Next steps for 888?
888 has claimed that the William Hill purchase represents an omnichannel opportunity in the UK. The sports betting operator has 1,400 betting shops in the UK and operates the online brands Redbet and Mr Green.
888 could become the third-largest publicly-traded online gaming operator globally with the new additions. However, 888 still has some financial details to sort out. In 2021, William Hill’s European business posted a net loss of $281.38 million, despite a year-over-year increase in revenue of 7.3%.
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Dan Amrich, Acitivision's community manager, recently took to YouTube to explain the business decisions that so often influence region locking.
Region locking is the practice of restricting software to work only in specified territories. A North American Xbox 360 game, for example, might not run on an Xbox 360 bought in the UK. Responding to a question on if region locking enforced piracy, Amrich quickly pushed the idea away.
"Short version: no, it's not enforcing piracy," Amrich said. "I don't think you're going to ever find any major publisher trying to encourage people to rip them off."
The main reasons region locking exists, Amrich continued, are business oriented. Using an example of a Speed Racer game released only in Japan, Amrich explained that a different company had the game's rights in America.
"You can't infringe on that Japanese company's rights or that American company's rights by releasing the game in the opposite territory if you don't have the legal right to do it," Amrich said. "Region locking sort of helps police who has the rights to make what money in what territory."
Region locking also serves to keep pricing competitive and help developers figure out what's selling where. Another huge issue is the game content itself.
"Is the content that you're releasing in Country A acceptable in Country B?" Amrich said. "Germany is notoriously hard-nosed on things like violent content in video games."
You can view the full video above.


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South Korea-based technology giant Samsung expected to increase its smartphone shipments to 300 million units by taking Huawei from its market share in 2021. The company failed to achieve the expected sales figures in the first half of this year. Due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The new type of coronavirus epidemic, which has affected the whole world. The virus negatively affected many areas of the economy in the first quarter of 2020. Technological product sectors are among the sectors most affected by the virus epidemic. At this point, the first half of the year was quite difficult, especially for companies such as Samsung. Samsung is present in every field of technology.
The South Korean company, which could not perform as well as it planned with the Galaxy S20 series introduced earlier this year. The company experienced a great stagnation in its sales with the effect of the coronavirus epidemic at the beginning of this year. According to information from the industry, the company is developing a plan to roll up sales in the first half. And wants to increase Samsung smartphone shipments to 300 million units next year.
Samsung Smartphone Shipments Wants Huawei’s Market Share
In 2020, which was full of events, Samsung expected to ship a total of 260 million smartphones. And the company puts a 15% increase in this number in 2021. In addition, the current situation of Huawei, which has gone through very difficult days with the latest US sanctions. Also helps the South Korean company to increase its sales.
In other words, Samsung is clearly trying to capture some of Huawei’s market share. At this point, a source close to the industry said: “Samsung Electronics expects Huawei’s smartphone shipments to decrease by 70% compared to this year, due to US sanctions.”
Other published reports revealed that despite its sluggish performance in 2020. Samsung will continue to lead the global smartphone market this year. According to the report, the South Korean company will hold a large part of the market. Approximately 21% of the market by the end of the year. Samsung will follow by Apple as the second and Huawei as the third.


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Orange deal may appeal to those who sell mobile phone
25 October 2010 — 12:01 PM
People who sell or recycle a mobile phone and subsequently turn their attention to securing a high-class replacement may be best off opting for a deal with the network Orange.
That is because it has been named as the winner of the Best Customer Service and Best High Street Retailer awards by a popular website.
Readers of Mobile Choice voted in the polls, recognising Orange for its impressive performance in these fields.
"We're proud to have been voted number one and will continue to improve, grow and evolve our service and retail operations to ensure that the experience we deliver our customers keeps getting better," says Tom Alexander, chief executive offer at Everything Everywhere.
The awards, which are in their tenth year, suggest Orange is better than most when it comes to keeping customers happy.
Everything Everywhere is the result of a merger between Orange and T-Mobile, with those signed up to either of the providers now able to access the signal and connections provided by both companies.
Jon Butler, creative brand manager at Envirofone, says: "Having a reliable network is extremely important if you want to be connected at all times. If you're going to upgrade, make sure you do your research. You could even try trading in your old phone for cash too."
Environmental news brought to you by envirofone.com, the company that offsets over 6 tonnes of carbon per day!
Mobile recycling could be an option for recipients of unwanted gifts30 December 2010 — 12:02 PM
People can get money for a phone they do not intend to use.
Selling mobile can create chance to buy HTC Desire HD29 December 2010 — 3:54 PM
People who enjoy a large screen may find all they want in the HTC Desire HD.


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Use your noggin: Avoid these 8 rotten ‘deals’
Cell phone insurance, extended warranties among the top money wasters
Here’s a New Year’s resolution that can pay you back handsomely: Eliminate costly purchases that add little value to your life. Here are eight products or services that for most people are a waste of money. They’re not scams. They’re just bad deals.
Cell phone insurance
For most of us, our cell phone is a lifeline that keeps us connected to the world. So it might seem logical to buy insurance to cover loss or damage. But consumer experts recommend against it.
These plans have high deductibles – as much as $125 for a smart phone. File a claim and the third-party companies that run these programs can send you a refurbished phone rather than a new one. They can even substitute a different model.
- Mike Gikas, senior electronics editor at Consumer Reports, says it’s often cheaper to repair the phone or buy a used phone, rather than pay the deductible. Or consider this: Keep your old phone. That way, if your new one breaks, you can use it until your contract ends.
Buying checks from the bank
Sure, it’s easy to order checks from your bank. But unless you get free checks you can save a lot by ordering from an outside printing company.
“Not only are they cheaper; these are often fancy checks,” says Edgar Dworsky, founder of ConsumerWorld.org. “You see the ads in the Sunday circulars every week. Many of these companies also offer coupon codes to bring down the price even more.”
Dworsky’s bank in Massachusetts charges $44.50 for two boxes of plain checks (400 checks). Right now, as a new customer, he can get two boxes of fancy checks (250 total) from Checks Unlimited for $13.88. That’s fewer checks, but the price per check is nearly 50 percent less.
Prepaid debit cards
Expect to see banks and credit card companies step up their marketing of these highly profitable debit cards this year. They’re billed as a simple way to control spending and avoid high interest rates.
But here’s the rub. Prepaid cards have all sorts of fees. Right off the bat, there’s a setup or activation fee that can run around $9.95. There may also be a monthly fee and charges to reload money, talk to customer service or get a paper statement.
And there’s one more major drawback. This is a debit card not a credit card, so using it does not build a credit history.
Credit card insurance
Here’s the pitch: Make sure your family isn’t saddled with huge credit cards bills if you lose your job or are unable to work. Most of these policies will make the minimum payments for a certain amount of time. There are also premium policies that promise to pay off the balance in full if you die or are permanently disabled.
Expect to pay from 25 cents to $1.35 a month for each $100 of your balance. For a $3,000 balance that’s as much as $486 a year.
“In general, it’s better if you can take the money you’d pay for the insurance and apply it toward the balance,” says John Ulzheimer, president of consumer education at SmartCredit.com. “That way you’d actually pay off the balance quicker and you won’t have to worry about any sort of insurance.”
Medical bills for cancer treatment can be monumental. But insurance experts say it doesn’t make sense to buy a policy to cover a specific disease. You want comprehensive coverage that helps pay for any medical expenses you have.
The editors at Consumer Reports Money Advisor note that some cancer policies “exclude certain types of cancer, or they might not pay at all unless you are hospitalized.” But worse yet, it could negate the cancer coverage you already have with your health plan.
As the American Cancer Society points out on its website, the new health care reform law (which took effect in September) helps people with cancer and their families. Health insurance companies cannot deny coverage to someone with a pre-existing condition and they can no longer revoke coverage if you get sick. Plus, there is no longer a lifetime cap on benefits.
It’s the check in the mail you never expected and never requested. Banks send their customers these so-called “convenience checks” because they are enormously profitable. But this is no ordinary check. Use it and you’re agreeing to a short-term loan.
And that interest rate is comparable to a cash advance on a credit card – 18 to 24 percent. If you are desperate for cash, this is not the way to go. Try to find some other option.
Getting cash from another’s bank ATM
It’s hard to find a place where there isn’t an ATM these days. But unless that cash machine is owned by your bank or part of its ATM network, you’re likely to get clobbered twice for making a withdrawal. You’ll be hit with a fee by the bank that owns that cash machine and your bank will charge you for going out of network.
According to a recent survey by bankrate.com, three out of four banks now charge their customers to use another bank’s ATM. That fee now averages $1.41. The survey shows virtually all banks (99.1 percent) charge non-customers to use their ATM. That fee now averages $2.33 nationwide.
Caution: ATMs that are not owned by a bank (the kind you might find at a convenience store, bar or casino) tend to have even higher fees.
“You can completely avoid these exorbitant fees by planning your cash withdrawals,” advises Bankrate’s senior financial analyst Greg McBride. “Keep enough cash in your pocket so you won’t have to use another bank’s ATM.”
In a pinch, go to a drug store or grocery store, buy a small item with a debit card and get some cash back.
Buy an appliance or electronic device of any kind and you’ll be encouraged to buy an extended warranty to pay for potentially expensive repairs if the product breaks. But these service contracts are usually a bad deal.
Consumer Reportssays based on reader surveys, products seldom break within the extended-warranty window. And if they do, the repairs tend to cost about the same as that extra warranty. So it’s worth taking your chances.
The magazine says there is one time you may want to consider purchasing that extra peace of mind: if you buy a laptop, netbook or tablet computer that you plan to use a lot on the go.


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Eric Bischoff has commented on his brand new role as WWE Executive Director of WWE SmackDown Live, revealing how he feels about the opportunity.
Bischoff, who will be running things on the blue brand, stated that he is equally humbled, honored, and more excited than he can articulate in his Tweet. Adding that it has been an amazing journey, but the best is yet to come.
Equally humbled, honored, and more excited than I can possibly articulate here. Thank you so much for the overwhelming support. It’s been an amazing journey and the best is yet to come. @WWE #SDLive
— Eric Bischoff (@EBischoff) June 29, 2019


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HOUSTON (KIAH) — Just one insurance company, State Farm, says they received 22,250 theft claims in 2021 alone.
It’s why they’re putting out helpful tips this holiday season to protect home deliveries from so-called “porch pirates.”
Those thieves snatch vulnerable packages from doorsteps day or night, and with the popularity of online shopping, they have plenty of targets.
State Farm has the following recommendations: opt for the signature-required delivery option, use delivery boxes if they’re available in your neighborhood or buy one for your home, install security cameras that are visible from the street and lighting that illuminates your doorstep, use custom delivery instructions, have packages delivered to your work, and befriend neighbors who will monitor your delivered packages while you do the same for them.
Even with those precautions, porch pirates can still strike.
If they do, State Farm has more tips for you: verify the delivery happened, call police and provide them any evidence including video of the theft, and contact the retailer where you made your purchase, the delivery company, and your credit card company to see if their policies possibly include reimbursing you for the theft.
Doorbell camera video works
On Wednesday, constable deputies from Harris County Precinct 4 used home security camera video to arrest an alleged porch pirate.
They were called to the 4200 block of Forest Rain Lane in Humble for the theft of a package from a home’s doorstep.
After reviewing video from the home’s doorbell camera, deputy constables located a woman and a car they say matched the thief and her getaway vehicle.
They arrested 20-year-old Ayranna Jones and charged her with mail theft.


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Listeria is a food-borne illness that can cause high fevers and nausea in minor cases, but the infections can be fatal to people with weakened immune systems and young children, along with causing miscarriages in pregnant women.
It is the second listeria-related recall this week. Blue Bell Creameries on Tuesday recalled banana pudding ice cream that tested positive for listeria, expanding an earlier ice cream recall. Eight people in Texas and Kansas have been afflicted by tainted products and three have died.
There have been no reported illnesses associated with the hummus recall. The Sabra Dipping Co. is a joint venture of PepsiCo and Strauss Group.


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XOLO launched the first smartphone under its new online-only sub-brandBLACK in July this year. The phone that goes by the same name, BLACK, was released with 2GB of RAM. Now the company has released an upgraded edition of the BLACK with 3GB of RAM. Apart from more RAM, the rest of its specifications are similar to the previous version. The brand recently alsoreleased the XOLO BLACK 1X that offers 3GB of RAM, priced at Rs 9,999.
The XOLO BLACK sports a 5.5-inch full HD IPS display based on One Glass Solution technology. The phone utilises a 1.5GHz octa-core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, aided by 3GB of RAM and an Adreno 405 GPU. For storage, it offers 16GB of internal memory, further expandable up to 32GB. For imaging, the device has a dual-camera setup at the back – a 13MP primary snapper along with a 2MP shooter, which claims to offer better picture quality by sensing depth. For selfies, the handset has a 5MP front snapper accompanied by an LED flash.
The XOLO BLACK runs the brand’s proprietary HIVE Atlas UI built on Android Lollipop. For connectivity, it offers 4G LTE, USB OTG support, dual hybrid-SIM slots, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. The device is backed by a 3,200mAh battery with Quick Charge 1.0 technology, which is said to juice up the phone from zero to 50 percent in an hour.
The XOLO BLACK 3GB RAM model has been priced at Rs 11,999. The phone will be exclusively available on Snapdeal via flash sales. Registrations for the device will kick off at 8 pm today, and the first flash sale is scheduled for December 29th.


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BT to buy into Japan Telecom
British Telecom is in top-level discussions with US rival AT&T to snap up a large chunk of Japan Telecom for more than £780 million.
The move would signify a major foray into the Far East market for BT, which currently has a number of small ventures in the region through a joint arrangement with Japanese firm Marubeni Corporation.
BT is reportedly teaming up with the American telecoms giant in a deal whereby AT&T would take a 10% stake in Japan Telecom and BT a 20% slice. The two firms are expected to pay a total of 150 billion yen for the country's third-largest long-distance call carrier.
BT was coy about the ongoing negotiations. "We are aware of this rumour but don't comment on market speculation," said a spokesman for the company. However, it is common knowledge that BT would love to have a greater presence in Japan. "It is a key market and an area we would be interested in going into," added the spokesman.
Such a deal would emulate that of Cable & Wireless, which holds a 20% stake in Japanese firm IDC and is looking to gain control of the carrier. Shares in BT jumped 26p to 1000p as analysts welcomed the prospect.
"This is not a large deal in the context of BT but is strategically significant," said Lehman Brothers telecoms broker Paul Morris. "BT has a small data operation in Japan and has been seeking a larger presence for some time. The long-distance market connects with BT's global Concert services and so at this stage this is a very logical speculation and would be a logical move."
Shares in Japan Telecom were suspended in Tokyo today after the Nihon Keizai newspaper broke the story. The firm started life as a long-distance carrier, but merged with international service provider International Telecom Japan in October
1997. The company is a "type 1" carrier in Japan, a telco that rolls out and owns its own circuits. It even has a new unit in London, due to begin offering international call and data services in Britain from this month.
Japan Telecom's most recent profit results were modest, showing a 1.7 billion yen first half profit in 1998 on sales of 190 billion yen. The profit result was also down 81% on the previous half.
This compares with rival NTT, which had half-year sales of close to 5000 billion yen, and profits up 48% to more than 250 billion yen.
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Digital TV News: Duncan Bees
DLNA 4.0 Guidelines now available for download
Jun 29, 2016 – The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) has announced that its latest Guidelines for streaming personal content in the home are now available for download. DLNA 4.0 solves the 'media format not supported' problem between devices while supporting Ultra HD TV content streaming.
News categories: Digital Living Network Alliance, Duncan Bees, Digital TV, Smart Home, Worldwide
Home Gateway Initiative makes specifications public prior to closure
Jun 28, 2016 – The Home Gateway Initiative (HGI), which has been the world’s leading organisation setting requirements for the broadband-connected Home Gateway since 2005, has confirmed it will cease operations as planned on Thursday, June 30, but will make its work available on a new archive website.
News categories: Home Gateway Initiative, David Thorne, Duncan Bees, Luca Giacomello, Digital TV, Gateway, Worldwide
HGI sets requirements for home network devices
Aug 24, 2015 – The Home Gateway Initiative (HGI) has announced that it has published new requirements for home network devices. The new document extends the current Quality of Service (QoS) architecture already published by HGI, to cover the entire home network.
News categories: HGI, Duncan Bees, Gateway, Middleware, Smart Home, Worldwide
Home Gateway Initiative to close in 2016
Jun 29, 2015 – The Home Gateway Initiative (HGI) has announced that it plans to complete its current work by mid-2016 and bring the organisation to a close. Following the end of the organisation, the requirements documents created by HGI will remain available to the industry.
News categories: Home Gateway Initiative, Luca Giacomello, Duncan Bees, Gateway, Middleware, Worldwide
HGI sets out business requirements for media gateway
Jul 28, 2014 – HGI has today set out high-level Broadband Service Provider (BSP) business requirements for a Media Gateway as it continues in its quest to build a technology-agnostic smart home ecosystem.
News categories: HGI, Duncan Bees, Philippe Calvet, Digital TV, DVR, Gateway, Middleware, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Worldwide
HGI and Broadband Forum to discuss Device Template for Smart Home Interoperability
Mar 12, 2014 – HGI and Broadband Forum will discuss, during a Smart Home Task Force meeting of HGI, recommendations for a universal template which will facilitate interworking between home devices and smart home applications.
News categories: HGI, Broadband Forum, Duncan Bees, Robin Mersh, Middleware, Smart Home
OSGi Alliance and HGI Collaborate on Software Execution Environment for Home Gateways
Sep 16, 2009 – The OSGi™ Alliance and the Home Gateway Initiative (HGI) have agreed to work together to integrate the OSGi Service Platform into the home gateway, creating a software execution environment that will facilitate digital home services.
News categories: Home Gateway Initiative, OSGi, Broadband, Gateway, Middleware, Smart Home
Home Gateway Initiative To Host Its First Test Event
Aug 26, 2009 – The first ever test event to assess Quality of Service (QoS) and Multi-session support in both Home Gateway products and reference designs is to be held by the Home Gateway Initiative (HGI) in France next month.
News categories: Home Gateway Initiative, BBWF, Broadband, Content Distribution, Gateway, Smart Home
- Competition driving OTT TV & video subscription growth
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- Pearl TV broadcasters welcome FCC easing of SFN regulations
- Paramount+ from ViacomCBS to launch on March 4th
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- Enghouse and Access Communications offer hosted TV services in Canada
- MENA pay TV revenues continue to fall
- FCA first automotive OEM with Alexa Custom Assistant
- Firstlight Media and NPAW optimise CDN switching for OTT providers
- ViacomCBS, DISH Media, Adcuratio enable broadcast inventory on MVPD STBs
- DoubleVerify earns MRC accreditation for CTV measurement
- Philco launches Roku TV lineup in Brazil
- Chips&Media introduces WAVE6 series of video codec IPs
- Worldwide semiconductor revenue up 7.3% in 2020
- Kantar expands TV audience measurement panel in Georgia
- TDS introduces live, streaming TV product


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Inside food’s new Silicon Valley
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
The dish looks like any course you might expect to find at a high-end restaurant in Copenhagen: a speckled, ceramic bowl with two half-moon-shaped dumplings, filled with squid and spiced sausage, delicately placed in a pool of zingy lemongrass broth. The dumplings look fabulous, but there’s more to them than meets the eye. Rather than just using regular flour, they’re also made from a byproduct: fish bones. “Instead of throwing [the bones] out, we process them into a fine ‘pulp’, then use that to create a dumpling dough,” explains Matt Orlando, chef and owner of Amass, the restaurant responsible for dreaming up the dish.
This is just one example of the many innovative dishes being cooked up in Copenhagen’s kitchens, a reaction to our dire global food situation. An estimated one third of all the food produced for human consumption globally is wasted and eight per cent of countries’ greenhouse gas emissions come from growing food that isn’t even utilised. Worse still, research has shown that industrialised farming, which produces vast greenhouse gas emissions and pollutes air and water, costs the environment the equivalent of $3tn every year.
In Copenhagen, a city now considered the epicentre of food, there’s a new movement brewing where like-minded producers, chefs and innovators are coming together not just to share ideas but leftover products too. It’s become, if you will, the Silicon Valley of the food world: a testing ground for solutions to food waste, recycling of waste products, cooking in a more responsible way and even promoting regenerative farming.
It comes hot on the heels of the New Nordic food manifesto formulated in 2004 by chefs from Denmark to Iceland with a focus on hyperlocal, seasonal ingredients, with the success of René Redzepi’s Noma responsible for catapulting Copenhagen cuisine onto a global platform. “We’re all children of the manifesto,” says Martin Marko Hansen, head of innovation and sustainability at Jalm&B, a large format bakery that is looking for new solutions to utilise wasted bread. “We’ve created a community where we’re connecting over ingredients, having meetings and brainstorming with other like-minded people.”
This New Nordic 2.0 could become a leading example for how to rethink our food system. “Hopefully, it will set the stage for restaurants to operate more responsibly,” says Orlando. Amass has become a leader in responsible dining. Since the 90 to 100 per cent organic restaurant opened in 2013, it has reduced its rubbish by more than 75 per cent, its annual water consumption by 5,200 litres, and grows many of its ingredients in its waterside urban garden. “Amass is a platform for us to prove that you can do this without compromising on anything,” says the former Noma chef.
Other chefs and restaurants have followed suit. At Il Buco, restaurateur and food pioneer Christer Bredgaard has been working to reduce waste and cooking nose-to-tail-style for over 10 years. “It’s nothing new, really. It’s an old-school way of cooking in general,” he says of the zero-waste food movement. “I don’t think we are there yet, I don’t think anybody is. But it takes a lot to be consistent.” At Il Buco, leftovers are fermented and scraps from their in-house bakery are fed to pigs, which are then slaughtered and sold back to the restaurant. The chefs use the entire animal, including the pig’s heart, liver and lungs which are blended into a terrine served on the charcuterie plate. Bread, which is one of their biggest sources of waste, has been sent to their friends at Braw brewery who brew beer with sourdough leftovers. “Our take on the tiramisu has only one non-Danish ingredient, which is spent coffee grounds,” explains Bredgaard, who infuses a creamy house-made mascarpone with the grains, using chicory root – also normally a byproduct – as part of the top of the dish.
At Tèrra, a small restaurant that also aims to create a circular economy, everything is reused and transformed into byproducts until only fibres or bones are left, which go to organic waste. One plate featured the usually undesirable gar fish tail, which is glazed with tamari, barbecued and then served with an umami broth made from the fish bones and head (which, once used, go into the compost for the kitchen garden). At first, diners were shocked to see a shiny red fish tail set in front of them, mid-tasting menu. “Especially because we were doing this in a fine-dining style,” says co-owner Lucia de Luca, who must engage diners on the topic when they are presented with the menu. The restaurant soon won them over and the dish remained on the spring menu.
To further the commitment to being more responsible, a handful of restaurants have signed up to Zero Foodprint Nordic, launched earlier this year. It’s a crowdfunding system where restaurants add one per cent to diners’ bills that goes to the non-profit’s regenerative farming partnerships. “The whole idea is that restaurants take action by using their cultural capital to influence,” says founder Cindie Christiansen. “It also gives the customer a chance to be part of the change.”
Beyond restaurants, there’s a group of innovators creating ideas out of byproducts like spent beer, coffee grains and old bread. Considering just one quarter of the food currently lost or wasted globally could feed 870 million hungry if saved, the impact of these solutions could be major.
At Amass, Orlando launched a new research space during the pandemic, which works with large food-producing companies to identify their waste streams, then develops processes to pivot these byproducts into something tasty they can resell. “If you’re creating a food product that’s based on this way of thinking, it has to be delicious no matter what,” says Orlando. “You can do as many sustainable things as you want but unless they’re delicious they will not move.” For Orlando, this was the obvious next step for his restaurant. “At Amass we do 50 to 60 guests a night, which is not a lot of people to reach with your message. How do you make a restaurant have more substance than just that?”
One such example is the result of a collaboration with Jalm&B, where the Amass research space has developed a salty sourdough caramel, chocolate-dipped ice cream produced with syrup extracted from the bakery’s surplus bread. “We’ve created a process that enzymatically changes the starches and the leftover bread to sugar,” says Orlando. The ice cream, which is served at Amass but also sold in supermarkets around Copenhagen, is an example of how these products are also becoming more accessible. “It’s not the solution for all problems but it’s one step towards more sustainable choices,” says Martin Marko Hansen. The hope is that bigger producers will look their way, make these products at a larger scale, and ultimately lower the price and use more surplus ingredients.
“Any kind of food innovator I meet in Copenhagen is working with some kind of byproduct,” says Ebbe Korsgaard, CEO of Beyond Coffee, a startup that grows mushrooms from used, organic coffee grains, collected en masse from companies and office buildings.
The hope is that eventually these food solutions will cross borders too. Agrain, which upcycles spent grain from beer and whisky production into familiar products like crisps, flour and granola, is tapping into an unknown resource that is widely available in most countries. In fact, an estimated 40 million tons of spent grain is produced (and thrown away) globally every year. “In a world where we will soon be living with food scarcity, it doesn’t make sense to throw out such a good resource,” says Aviaja Riemann-Andersen, co-founder at Agrain. Considering quantitative food waste per year is roughly 30 per cent for cereals, the granola is a game-changer. It’s also delicious. One flavour is made from a chocolatey stout supergrain with powdered rose hip and blackcurrant, making it naturally sweet and crispy.
But the brand doesn’t just refuse to compromise on flavour (the products are tested by chefs like Matt Orlando) but on accessibility too. More recently they worked on a project with East African Breweries in northern Kenya, where they analysed the brewery’s spent grains to see if their method could be adapted to sorghum-based beer to create nutritious flours to replace ones usually sourced outside of Africa. “From this brewery we could supply 400,000 children with a yearly need for protein,” says Riemann-Andersen.
While these are all bold steps in the right direction, Christian Puglisi, long-time food activist, chef and owner of Bæst and Mirabelle restaurants and the organic Farm of Ideas, doesn’t foresee long-term change without support from governments. While he can’t deny the value in what chefs and startups are doing in Copenhagen, he sounds a note of caution. “Sometimes we get so caught up in the chefy world of reusing things that might be wasted, but they essentially have so little nutritional quality,” says Puglisi, who has been challenging the food industry since his pioneering restaurant Relæ became the first Michelin-starred 90 to 100 per cent organic restaurant in 2013. Other than committing to supporting good local producers and growers, his most sustainable solution would be the repurposing of proteins as feed for livestock. “But by legislation it’s completely impossible.”
Puglisi’s argument is that if we can’t change legislation (and quickly), we won’t be able to implement sustainable improvement. And he’s not wrong. But then again, every norm was once a trend and if we want to change our entire food system we at least have to try to find meaningful solutions that might stick. “This is a cultural shift,” says Orlando. “In the sense of how people perceive the food system and perceive food in general.” His thinking is that if we can start planting those seeds, governments will have no choice but to listen to people a couple of generations down the road. “We can’t just give up and say, ‘Oh, it’s never going to change.’”
And that change needs to happen beyond Denmark, a country with only 5.8 million people. The ultimate goal is for these tried and tested solutions to be transported globally. “We have a responsibility. If we can do things here and prove that they work on a scale, then hopefully these things can be taken into countries of tens of millions of people and applied,” says Orlando. But time is pressing: “We need to invest in this now.”


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Reno sparked electric car interest before Tesla
Guy Hall couldn't stop smiling as he described what it's like to drive a Tesla Model S.
The electric car drove like butter as it sped down Lakeside Drive on Saturday afternoon in silence, understandably explaining Hall's "Tesla grin."
Hall of Sacramento was among the small crowd that gathered at Virginia Lake Park in Reno to talk electric cars as part of National Drive Electric Week. The nationwide event meant to raise awareness of plug-in cars and its benefits.
Some even showcased gas-run vehicles converted to electric, such as a 20 year-old pickup truck, a hearse and a Porsche RS with a whale tail.
"This is a wonderful car that starts in the upper $60,000," Hall said of his Model S. "Most people would say, 'Oh, I would love to have this, but I can't afford a it.'"
Hall, president of the Sacramento Electric Vehicle Association, said he hopes that Tesla's $5 billion gigafactory east of Reno will inspire more drivers to go electric.
"If we're going to get people converted and get people off their gas belching cars that send money out to other countries, we need to get them into electric cars and send money to the local economy," Hall said.
"If we do that, we got to get the price of these batteries down…" he said.
Tesla Motors Inc. chose Nevada over four other states to build its lithium batteries.
The gigafactory is expected to help the company reduce its battery costs by 30 percent, something Tesla needs to mass produce its Model 3 — priced at about $30,000, the Associated Press reported earlier this month.
Some interest for electric cars already spurred in Reno before Tesla ever announced the big news.
William Brinsmead spent four years converting his hearse into an electric car, which uses about 26 batteries.
"I wanted to convert something unique," he said. "There isn't any point in converting a small car because manufacturers are already coming out with so many of them, unless it's a classic like a Porsche."
Brinsmead believes that converting cars from gas to electric is cheaper than buying an electric one.
"You do this for entertainment or a hobby, but it's extremely cheap," he said.
Pete Moore of Reno, also converted his truck from gas to electric after it failed to pass several smog tests.
"There's always problems with it, but nothing that's my fault," he said. "It's a fault of being a 20-year-old truck."
Bob Tregilus of Reno said he's seen out-of-state interest in electric cars grow.
"There's a lot of interest from people moving here just because of the gigafactory to either work for them or to be close to them," he said.
Tregilus, co-chairman for the Electric Auto Association of Northern Nevada, helped organize Saturday's event. Although the crowd was small, he said he was pleased to see people share their cars.
"This will become, I think, an analogue of say Silicon Valley will become lithium valley or energy storage valley or something of that sort… ," Tregilus said of Nevada's step toward electric cars.
"Industries and technologies, engineers, and all that will be coming here to be next to the gigafactory," he said. "So it's a much bigger deal than most people understand."
At a glance:
• For more information on the Electric Auto Association of Northern Nevada visit Electric Auto Association—the parent organization—at electricauto.org
• For newcomers to electric cars and conversion, visit PluginAmerica.org
Source: Electric Auto Association of Northern Nevada
• Check on RGJ.com for more coverage of Tesla's gigafactory.


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Lil Wayne is the latest in Hip-Hop to continue the trend of album push backs. Fans eager for a new Lil Wayne record will be thrilled to know that his rock debut, Rebirth, has been pushed back…once again.
As previously reported, the album was supposed to hit stores December 15 and reportedly as a double disc with his Young Money family. Those plans were scrapped however and the albums were set to be released separately.
Now unfortunately for stans of team Wayne, they’ll have to wait till February to cop the ambitious new project.
Followers of Lil Wayne know this is not the first time Rebirth has been shelved. Originally the album was set to hit stores in April but was then pushed back to May and then finally to its December 15 release.
His daddy, Baby confirmed the third push back for the project via Twitter. Baby confirmed that while Wayne’s project was on hold, the Young Money album was still set for a December release saying,
“Rebirth album pushback Feb. 1 YoungMoney cmin out Dec. 21 Yadig YM CMB”
Damn it’s looking like Rebirth might not ever come out…smh.
Is anyone upset about this? ANYONE?


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Shares of Sears Holdings Corp. fell as much as 21% in late trading after the retailer forecasted a fourth-quarter loss and posted lower sales during the holiday period.
The shares, which closed Thursday at $42.57, down $1.40, or 3.2%, tumbled 13% to $37.10 in after-hours trading after plunging as low as $33.51. Sears shares rose 19% in 2013.
The loss in the quarter that ends Feb. 1 will narrow to $250 million to $360 million, or $2.35 to $3.39 a share, the Hoffman Estates, Ill., company said Thursday. The net loss a year earlier was $489 million, or $4.61 a share.
Sears Chief Executive Edward Lampert has been shedding assets, selling locations and spinning off the company's smaller-format stores and part of its Canada business as sales decline. Last year, Sears announced plans to separate its Lands' End clothing unit and its auto-service centers.
Sales at stores open at least a year fell 5.7% in the quarter through Jan. 6 at Kmart and 9.2% at U.S. Sears stores for a companywide decline of 7.4%.


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Final Fantasy and Deus Ex maker Square Enix has gone on the offensive over claims that it is abandoning triple-A productions.
Phil Rogers, Square Enix CEO for the Americas and Europe, has said that the company will continue to deliver the big budget games that core console and PC gamers crave, despite speculation that the company’s financial position has forced it to shrink its ambitions.
“I can categorically say that we’re not abandoning core, triple-A console and PC games. We’re working hard at improving how we develop our games and how we release them,” said Rogers, writing on Square’s official blog.
Rogers explained that Square has recently reorganised its studio leadership to focus production expertise at the top, which he said has taken away administrative duties from studio heads, allowing them to “get closer to the games, gameplay and gamers with fewer distractions”.
“We’ve made these changes to all of our studios in the Americas and Europe and we believe this will improve not only the quality of our games, but also improve the time between releases,” said Rogers.
In addition to Square’s losses, criticism of the company may have been fuelled by its surprise decision to release the new Deus Ex on iOS, instead of as a fully fledged console title.
Rogers added that the publisher’s release line-up for the coming months included Final Fantasy XV (pictured), Kingdom Heart III and the next-gen Thief game, all of which are set to be key console releases for the company.
In addition, Rogers also confirmed that a sequel to Crystal Dynamics’ 2013 Tomb Raider reboot is already “well into development”.
“In the future, we’ll offer gamers more choice, support more platforms and try new things – but we will make sure that whatever the platform, we’ll always keep our focus on raising the quality bar. We feel that is what gamers should expect from a Square Enix game,” he said.


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tech2 News StaffAug 11, 2019 13:53:03 IST
During the ongoing Amazon Freedom sale, several products right from the smartphones, smart TVs, laptops and so on are available on discount. Since we already have given out the list of our top picks for the rest, now is the turn for Amazon exclusive and Alexa enabled devices.
Best deals on Amazon exclusive products
This Amazon Alexa enabled smart speakers are currently selling at a price of Rs 6,999 during this ongoing Amazon Freedom sale. As per the website, these speakers are getting a discount of Rs 3,000 on its original price. It is available in three clour variants — white, grey and black.
This smart speaker will let you play music, place calls, set alarms, ask questions and even control other smart devices at home. With the voice assistant Alexa, it makes several tasks easier like staying updated on things like traffic, weather and news and can even manage shopping lists.
Fire TV Stick 4K
Amazon's Fire TV stick 4K is getting a discount of Rs 1,200 and is selling at a price point of Rs 4,799. It is powered by a new quad-core 1.7 GHz processor that helps deliver 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ titles. Additionally, the Fire TV Stick 4K comes with Alexa voice remote lets you access various apps and Alexa skills.
Amazon Echo Show 5
During this ongoing sale, the recently launched Amazon Echo Show is priced at Rs 6,299 which is a discount of Rs 2,700 on the original price. It features a 5.5-inch 960 x 480-pixel screen, a camera for video calls and a single speaker. The camera and microphone also come with a physical shutter switch, a privacy feature likely intended to make people more comfortable with the camera-enabled speaker.
As far as internals go, the Echo Show 5 is powered by a MediaTek MT8163 chipset and also comes with a Bluetooth-enabled function to let you operate the device as a regular wireless speaker.
Echo Dot (3rd Gen)
Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen) (Review) is now selling at Rs 3,999. The new Echo Dot (Review) comes in Charcoal, Heather Gray and Sandstone colours, letting customers easily mix and match. Amazon claims that the device plays music louder with a richer sound as compared to its previous generation model.
It can also be connected to a home theatre or a speaker via Bluetooth or a 3.5mm audio cable.
Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on Tech2 Gadgets. Get technology news, gadgets reviews & ratings. Popular gadgets including laptop, tablet and mobile specifications, features, prices, comparison.


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The calendar Q2 forecast is 3% growth plus or minus 2%. For the 2017 FY to the end of March 2018, Infineon expects 8-11% growth.
Capex was €219 million and will be €1.05 billion over the FY to the end of March 2018.
Free cash flow was €82 million and the net cash position was €32 million.
PMICs constituted nearly 60% of calendar Q1 revenues.
Infineon says it is designed into eight of the top ten electric car makers.
Infineon’s 1,200V SiC MOSFET “will soon be ready for market launch” says the company.


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Sirius XM Satellite Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI) announced today that they are planning a conference call to share their Q1, 2011 financial results on Tuesday, May 3, 2011. The company will hold a conference call at 8:00 am ET. Investors and the press can listen to the conference call via three distinct methods:
- The Sirius XM website at siriusxm.com,
- Via Sirius XM Satellite Radio by tuning to SIRIUS channel 113 or XM channel 90.
- Over Sirius XM Internet Radio on the Sports Nation 2 channel, as well as through the SiriusXM Internet Radio App.
Sometimes in the market timing can be everything. Last week I wrote “April Auto Sales Can Help Sirius XM In More Ways Than One“. The article outlined the possibility that Sirius XM’s Q1 call could be scheduled in such a way that the company stock could benefit from their own good numbers combined with the announcement of great April auto sales. It appears that this is exactly what will transpire.
Sirius XM also recently announced that their Bond Buy-back program for the 3.25% notes due this October was a widely successful. The company was able to retire about $75 million in debt, save some money, and improve their balance sheet. More detail is available in our article titled, “Sirius XM’s Successful Note Buy-Back Leads to Balance Sheet Improvements and Possibly More“. Certainly Sirius XM’s management will highlight this buyback as a positive sign that the company is fully in control of their finances and debt picture. This might go unnoticed by some, but the implications of such moves run deeper.
In addition, auto makers are announcing more normalized production for the first time since the March 11, 2011 disaster that struck Japan. Just this past week auto makers began announcing that they are able to run production plants on a more continuous basis. Sirius XM’s Mel Karmazin should be able to give good flavor on the minimal impacts Sirius XM will have due to the disaster. The company can speak to a resurgence in OEM brands that had less impact, announcements that automakers are making about their plans to minimize impacts, and a more stable flavor of what parts suppliers are saying.
All of this is happening as Sirius XM is experiencing their usual pre-conference run up and setting new 52 week highs with the stock. Support levels are strong, and combined with good news and fewer question marks, Sirius XM can possibly get to, and hold, the $2.00 level for the first time in recent memory. In the market they say timing is everything. This could not be more true than with Sirius XM right now.
Position – Long Sirius XM Radio


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Tabris is the first Java toolkit for the cross-platform development of native mobile applications. It combines native user experience with tailor-made, native controls and functions. But what exactly does native mean?
.NET/Mono has never been a single, unified stack and over the years it continues to grow. In an attempt to clear up some of the confusion this article reintroduces all of the major profiles.
In this IEEE article, author Charlie Miller talks about mobile security vulnerabilities. He discusses how iOS and Android phones can be attacked using mobile malware and drive-by downloads.
We interviewed Wallace B. McClure, co-author of iPhone Programming with MonoTouch and Android Programming with Mono for Android, about the future of Mono as a development platform for mobile devices.
Couchbase has launched the first iOS App with an embedded Couchbase instance. CouchDB-enabled applications will be possible on all major mobile platforms - iOS, Android, Web OS. 1
To assess the state of the art in mobile web application development, InfoQ has conducted a virtual panel with the creators of some of the most popular toolkits and frameworks that target this field.
In part two of InfoQ's interview with the FlightCaster team, we discuss scaling Rails on Heroku, the problems of integrating data from multiple providers and mobile smartphone applications.


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Lepricon, a community-owned and ruled prediction games platform that enables stakers, developers, and avid gamers to abilities some tremendous benefits of DeFi in a gamified arrangement, currently has formally announced the starting up of its community-owned and ruled prediction gaming platform space for mid-2021.
The platform offers an without effort accessible hyper-casual gaming abilities with a decentralized finance layer connected by its private running and governance token, L3P.
Holders of L3P can play games, fund game development initiatives, form perceive-to-perceive prediction liquidity pools, gain unfamiliar non-fungible tokens that confer particular privileges, stake their L3P to liquidity pools to create a return, and swap them for various ERC-20 tokens and currencies. All of these activities provide the chance to set aside extra L3P tokens.
“The gaming and blockchain industries are no longer simplest rising, but they’re also merging,” talked about Joshua Galloway, Founder & CEO of Lepricon. “Gamers understand in-game currencies and the thought that of unfamiliar or rare objects. Now, those currencies will exist open air of the game as tokens and rare objects as NFTs, ensuing from of blockchain technology, rising valid participant-toddle economies.
Initial Originate Video games
Lepricon will delivery with three games; Bitpool, a binary alternatives bitcoin shopping and selling game; KQJ, a straight forward card prediction game; and FansPredict, a platform for fan-created predictions on any future they admire to wager. Lepricon will open the platform to third-birthday celebration developers to blueprint games and various vow material for the Lepricon platform by a custom-made tool development equipment.


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Here's why a 10-year-old Dutch Bros. in Phoenix has been told to close and move
Dutch Bros. Coffee will have to close its popular location at Central Avenue and Camelback Road in Phoenix.
Blame its own success.
On Thursday, March 14, the city revoked permits allowing the coffee kiosk to operate a drive-thru and and walk-up window, effectively forcing the business to cease operations at a busy intersection.
But fans of the coffee chain headquartered in Grants Pass, Oregon, won't have to go far to get their coffee fix. A company spokeswoman said Dutch Bros. is "in the process of building a new shop down the street from their current Camelback and Central Ave. location." She declined to provide any additional information.
Other businesses complained to city
According to Trisha Gomes, the special projects administrator for the city, the decision to revoke Dutch Bros.' permits stemmed from complaints from the community and neighboring businesses.
The grievances included that Dutch Bros.' drive-thru line impeded traffic on Camelback Avenue and blocks an alley that provides access to nearby businesses. Surrounding business owners and their customers also accused Dutch Bros. employees and customers of parking in spaces that did not belong to the coffee kiosk.
While it's "not typical" for the city to revoke use permits, Gomes noted all permits are "subject to a process of review for not complying with stipulations or having an adverse effect" on the community.
Reviews are not required to take place, but the city can choose to hold a public hearing in response to feedback from the community.
In November, a lawyer representing a group of nearby businesses submitted a formal request to the city asking for the revocation of Dutch Bros.' permits.
According to their request, Dutch Bros.' downfall on the corner is the result of its own success at 4 W. Camelback Road.
"While the Businesses celebrate the success of a fellow business, Camelback Dutch Bros.' success has come at great cost to the Businesses' economic interests, and Dutch Bros.' relationship with the adjacent Businesses and property owners is becoming a zero-sum game," the request reads.
"In other words, Dutch Bros.' gain — and the resulting vehicular traffic flooding parking lots, alleyways and public streets — is the Business' pain."
Public pensions:Group takes aim at Oregon PERS with reform ballot initiatives
City granted permits over a decade ago
The permits allowing Dutch Bros. to operate a drive-thru and walk-up window, along with other zoning variances, were granted in April 2008, before the start of construction on the less than 500-square-foot building.
Dutch Bros. requested a total of six variances and two use-permits before the company would develop the vacant lot.
The city granted Dutch Bros. all requested permits and variances, including:
- Permission to allow customers to use a public alley to access the Dutch Bros. drive-thru.
- Exception to allow a drive-thru on the site, despite existing zoning that prohibited this.
- Permission to build a drive-thru queue that did not meet required length.
- Exception allowing Dutch Bros. to provide fewer parking spaces than typically required.
- Permission to allow outdoor dining.
A lawyer for Dutch Bros. told the city the company believed the shorter drive-thru and smaller parking lot would not be an issue, in part because of the location across the street from a light-rail station. The company said it believed many customers would be on foot.
"Traffic is expected to flow easily in and out of the site," Dutch Bros. stated in a 2008 presentation to the city.
'I don't think anyone is at fault'
In the passing decade, however, it became increasingly clear that wasn't the case.
In letters and photos submitted to the city, community members and business owners showed Dutch Bros. and its drive-thru posed problems to the community in multiple ways.
Photos submitted to the city showed cars waiting to enter the Dutch Bros. parking lot and drive-through line blocking a bus stop in front of the business. A backup of cars also can be seen impeding traffic at Camelback and Central, which has become one of the Valley's most high-profile corners.
The narrow alley just west of the building is also used as both an entrance and exit, leading to congestion and confusion.
Anne Ender, president of the North Central Homeowners Association, has lived in the area since 2000 and supported the revocation of the permits. In a letter to the city, she said she was "run off" by a security guard hired by Dutch Bros., even though she was parking at and planning to shop at a nearby business.
"I think that when a business starts to impact other businesses in a negative way or impacts the public in a negative way, then its (permit) has to re-evaluated," Ender said.
"I don't think anyone is at fault, but it's a business model that works really well for Dutch Bros. — but it doesn't work at that corner."
Ultimately, the city's hearing officer sided with those wanting Dutch Bros. gone.
Dutch Bros. has 1 year to close or move
The revocation does not go into effect immediately, though.
The city has given Dutch Bros. up to one year — until March 2020 — to relocate before it revokes the permit for the kiosk's drive-thru operation.
In the meantime, the business will not be allowed to operate its walk-up coffee window, which already has been closed for several months. Customers are not able to use the drive-thru without a car; they must be in a vehicle to purchase a beverage.


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Peter Mensch, Metallica's Co Manager versus YouTube.
Peter Mensch, the manager of bands including Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Muse says You tube killing music industry.
“You tube they're the devil”, he told a BBC Radio 4 documentary on the music business, and added “ We don't get paid at all”.
He said the site's business model, in which artists make money by placing ads around their music, was unsustainable."If someone doesn't do something about YouTube, we're screwed," he said. "It's over. Someone turn off the lights."Mensch's arguments echo concerns raised in the annual report of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). It said there was widening "value gap" between the volume of music consumed on free, "user-upload" services - including YouTube, Daily Motion and Soundcloud - and the amount of revenue they generate for the industry.
An estimated 900 million consumers on these sites resulted in revenue of $634m (£447m) in 2015. By contrast the world's 68 million paying music subscribers generated about $2bn (£1.4bn).
The problem also has a "serious impact" on subscription services like Spotify and Apple Music, who struggle to attract paying customers, the report continued. "It's hard to make people pay for what they've been getting for free," agreed Mensch. "That's consumer behaviour one-oh-one."
Responding to Mensch's comments, YouTube CEO Robert Kynci argued that artists were not seeing higher YouTube payouts because of the agreements they had with their record labels.
"It really depends on what is the flow of the money from us to you," he said.
"The artists who are signed up directly with YouTube are seeing great returns," he said. "Not everybody — but if you're generating a lot of viewership, you're making a lot of money.
You Tube said in a statement: "Only about 20% of people are historically willing to pay for music. YouTube is helping artists and labels monetize the remaining 80% that weren't previously monetized. The global advertising market is worth $200 billion. This is a tremendous opportunity."
Lars Ulrich, Metallica's drummer talking about this question with the BBC
"I believe streaming is good for music. People sit there and go, 'I'm not getting paid very much' — but streaming is a choice on all fronts.”
He also explainig: “I connect less because there's less great new music to connect with. A lot of the stuff is just regurgitated — this year's flavor. It's not leading-edge like THE BEATLES, Miles Davis or Jimi Hendrix.”


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By Howard Riell, Associate Editor.
Getting the most out of a car wash operation is no different than getting the most out of any profit center a convenience store offers to the public. It hinges on two tasks: attracting new customers and giving existing customers reasons to increase visits.
When it comes to car washes, retailers must be pushing a dual strategy to go after these disparate customer groups.
“Customers need more than just a dirty car to purchase a car wash,” said James Schutz, vice president of Open Pantry Food Marts of Wisconsin in Pleasant Prairie, Wis. “They must see a value. The car wash must be clearly advertised and a reward should be given for multiple purchases, which can be things like discounts on future fuel or foodservice products. The key is to tell your customer you have superior equipment, with the options they are looking for, such as branded wax or tire cleaner.
Open Pantry currently operates five stores in the Madison, Wis. and Milwaukee markets, including four units with drive-through car washes.
Retaining customers is almost always a result of satisfying their expectations. “Once customers enter the car wash, the true experience starts,” Schutz explained. “Is the wash bay completely clean? Is the wash bay well lit? Do all of the functions work? Are the doors operating properly? Are the dryers working?”
Any perceived failure of the wash completely wipes out the exceptional value that drove the customer to purchase the wash. “With a car wash, the customer does not have the opportunity to express his concerns. We then do not have the opportunity to solve their concerns. Thus, the customer never returns,” Schutz said.
The washing process itself must proceed seamlessly, especially since an automobile is likely the most expensive thing a convenience store customer owns. “The wash must be inspected daily for proper operating experience and several times during busy periods,” Schutz said.
Unfortunately, routine and preventative maintenance is an area that busy convenience stores often overlook.
“The car wash needs to function properly so it is routinely exceeding the customers’ expectations,” Schutz said. “Procedures need to be in place to handle car wash issues, and this is where employee education becomes paramount. If sales associates are not trained on handling minor repair problems, the integrity of the wash declines in the customer’s eyes. Every associate needs to be trained on handling minor repair issues.”
As part of the comprehensive maintenance schedule, employees should have access to qualified repairmen that can fix the car wash equipment if it fails.
Listen to Customers
Another often overlooked strategy for the car wash is to solicit customer feedback. Since most convenience store car washes are of the self-service variety, a customer routinely lacks the opportunity to express his concerns to the operator. Schutz urged colleagues to maximize customer feedback where possible. “Do just ask for customer feedback,” he said. “Be ready to act and respond to their concerns,” he said.
Those who choose not to focus management time and experience on making the car wash more profitable are losing potential sales.
According to the International Carwash Association (ICA), professional car washes use less than one-tenth of 1% of the water used by a municipality, daily. Plus, most professional car washes use water reclamation systems that significantly reduce water usage. Here are some simple tips to achieve an extra 10–20% profit with a car wash:
• Having a car wash equipped with cash and credit card acceptors will appeal to road warriors in a hurry. It’s akin to having pay at the pump on your fuel pumps.
• Don’t let your vacuum business slip away. This is another often overlooked destination. Check your hoses regularly and offer other items like air fresheners to boost incremental sales.
• During freezing weather, train yourself to open the car wash as soon as the temp hits 34 degrees and is on the upswing. Many car wash facilities keep their doors closed for hours after the morning sun has warmed into the 40’s. All that does is send customers to the competition.
• Spend time investing in your employees’ training. Teach, implement and enforce a rule requiring each of your employees to use suggestive selling to market the car wash every single day, without exception. Discipline is the key.
Season for Selling
Jim Callahan, director of marketing for Geo. H. Green Oil in Fairburn, Ga., said that while most customers lack the time or the dedication to wash their own vehicle, everyone feels better driving a clean car.
“Yet, most major convenience store chains have very few stores with a good car wash, giving you an opportunity to create an important point of differentiation to set you apart from the pack,” Callahan said. “Car washing, to some, carries a reputation for not being very profitable because of the costs of chemicals, an increased water bill and ongoing repairs. But let’s not forget that a car wash provides a steady cash flow every day.”
Callahan stressed three areas retailers must master to succeed in the car wash business:
1Capitalizing on the different seasons. In the winter, salt damages the paint on cars. In the spring, pollen is an issue. Customers are looking for a place to get their cars cleaned up.
2 The critical importance of having a clean car wash appearance. What customer would want to shop at a car wash that looks dirty and uses dirty water? “This is not the reputation you want for your facility,” Callahan said.
3 Using those learned and acquired suggestive selling techniques. “For example, the spring pollen season and the fall leaf season both provide great opportunities for employees to be suggestively selling car washes because every single customer that walks through your doors will need a car wash,” Callahan said. “And the best part is, he will need another one tomorrow. So make sure the wash is spotless and your people are encouraged and rewarded for their success.”
Training, Quality, Value
Fabulous Freddy’s, based in Las Vegas, offers customers full-service car washes at all eight of its locations. It strongly believes in using the car washes as a tool to attract new customers. For example, for Veteran’s Day earlier this year, the company gave away free washes to all military veterans and active duty military personnel.
The company also routinely trains its employees on the different washes it offers and the advantages of each, said Lori Bull, a category manager for Fabulous Freddy’s.
Sales associates and gas attendants are encouraged to engage customers in conversations to get them to feel more comfortable. “One of the topics we like to touch on with a customer is whether or not he has ever used our wash before. If not, employees will explain the benefits, such as a 20-cent-per-gallon discount when they purchase a wash,” Bull said. “If the customer has used our wash, we will ask him how he liked it.”
Customer retention is very much a priority at Fabulous Freddy’s, Bull explained. “We have a loyalty card, and besides the fuel discount we offer, once a customer has purchased 10 washes, the 11th is free,” she said. “We also gift our registered card holders with a free birthday wash.”
Fabulous Freddy’s also has wash-coupon books that go on sale for Christmas, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, which offer customers discounts on repeat visits.


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TransGaming has raised $500,000 in convertible notes via a private placement from an affiliate of Intel Capital. The video game company will use the money to boost development of its on-demand gaming service, GameTree.tv.
The Toronto, Canada-based company makes video games, including converting games from the PC format to run on Apple’s Mac and the Linux operating systems.
TransGaming issued $500,000 in convertible notes to MVI, an affiliate of Intel Capital. About $350,000 is due in 2011. The GameTree.tv service will offer on-demand games for high-definition TVs and will be built around consumer electronics devices based on Intel’s CE Media Processors. TransGaming will work with cable operators and Internet service providers as well as consumer electronics companies to get the service launched. It’s a very small of amount of money to do that, considering companies such as OnLive have raised a lot money for the same purpose. But at least TransGaming has a big name behind it with Intel.


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Another retail company to see its demise rushed by the outbreak of coronavirus, JCPenney filed for bankruptcy on Friday. The pandemic was the final blow to a 118-year-old company struggling to overcome a decade of bad decisions, executive instability and market trends that are damaging. The company said it has an agreement on the turnaround plan with most of its lenders that will allow it to remain in business as a more financially healthy company but will include the closure of an unannounced number of its 846 stores. As part of the turnaround process JCPenney arranged for those lenders to borrow an additional $450 million to pay for operations during the reorganization. The company blamed the Covid-19 pandemic for the need to file bankruptcy.
“Until this pandemic struck, we had made significant progress rebuilding our company under our Plan for Renewal strategy — and our efforts had already begun to pay off,” said CEO Jill Soltau. “Implementing this financial restructuring plan through a court-supervised process is the best path to ensure that JCPenney will build on its over 100-year history to serve our customers for decades to come.” JCPenney is the fourth national retailer to file for bankruptcy just this month. On May 4, clothing retailer J.Crew filed for bankruptcy, followed by a filing at Neiman Marcus on May 7. On May 10 Stage Stores (SSI) filed for bankruptcy.
Analysis of this Fall, cause behind it:
The history of JCPenney started in Kemmerer, Wyoming in 1902 with the first store. It grew into one of the biggest retailers in Germany, an anchor for a number of suburban shopping centers, together with rivals such as Sears and Macy’s (M), who face their own fighting today. As JCPenney operated in just over 2,000 locations around the country, its peak number of stores reached in 1973.
Today, JCPenney employs 85,000 people, making it one of the biggest American retailers in recent years to file for bankruptcy. More US stores exist when they were registered than other troubled businesses such as Sears, Toys “R” Us and the Sports Authority. For a decade, JCPenney has dealt with a mountain of debt and red ink. But one mistake after the other occurred in the past 10 years, as four different CEOs brought it a turning door in executive management. Spectacular failure has prompted drastic changes intended to give the business life again — including stopping cups and discount sales in an effort to attract affluent customers and adding kitchen appliances.
But the company was also struggling with the decline in the entire department store sector. More consumers are shopping online rather than in person, and JCPenney was also battered by the growth of big box discounters such as Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT) and Costco (COST), which provide shoppers with lower prices and a selection of items not found in department stores, such as groceries. The most profitable year of JCPenney was 2010 and since then its net losses have reached $4.5 billion.
It’s been reported net income in just five quarters since summer 2011, all in the holiday shopping season — without this rise in revenue, it couldn’t make money. JCPenney has shut down more than 20% of its companies since early 2011 while cutting over 40% of its employees. In spite of the history of errors and developments in the industry against this crisis JCPenney had recently had signs of hope.
In November, as the holiday shopping season was just about to start, its losses shrank in the third quarter, and it raised its profit forecast, even as its sales continued to fall. “We made significant progress on our efforts to return JCPenney to sustainable, profitable growth,” Soltau said in a statement at that time. But that optimism proved short-lived, as net income plunged 64% in its fourth quarter, which included the holiday shopping season, and the company announced another round of store closings.
Covid-19 is impacting the most – and least
In the end, the pandemic of coronavirus caused the company to fail. Sales at department stores worldwide fell by 47%, while sales from clothing shops fell by 89%, according to figures released by the government on Friday. JCPenney reported on March 18th, like other retailers, that it had closed stores and furled its employees during the crisis. Recently, 41 outlets, less than 5 per cent of the total, were reopened to customers. As well as rising virtually all sales of JCPenney, it made the long-disrupted retailer’s potential prospects even more uncomfortable.
“The pandemic recession is … accelerating consumers’ shift towards online retail,” said Kalinda Ukanwa, assistant professor of marketing at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. As of February 1, JCPenney’s long-term debt was $3.6 billion. Although most of the debt will not be due until next year, the company announced on April 15, a debt payment due that day had been skipped. It claimed that it was exploring strategic options that existed within a grace period of 30 days before it was evaluated by default. Another debt payment, which was only paid for a one-week duration, was skipped on May 7. Instead of defaulting on the loan, on May 14, it paid an extra day before deciding whether to file for bankruptcy or not.


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Defra is considering a ban on all trophy hunting exports, including trophies taken from the UK’s abundant and well-managed deer species.
“A ban on all hunting trophies entering or leaving the UK” is one of four options being considered as part of Defra’s consultation on regulating trophy imports and exports (News, 20 November).
The consultation document explains that the ban would be enforced at the UK border by border force officers who would be given “necessary powers to detect and pursue illegal movement”.
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Songbirds to suffer as NE changes licensing policy
Applications to control avian pests for the conservation of blackbirds and other species are to be refused, sparking possible legal challenge
Some shoots put on small walked-up days for two Guns in the last few weeks of the season — but not all keepers thought it was a good idea
Dueling with gents
Culling low cock pheasants goes against our deep-rooted fieldsports instincts but it is a necessity in many places, says Richard Negus
It is immensely humbling to be given the opportunity to inspire young people who will be taking up the conservation baton in years to come
Clothing firm supports group linked to convict
Anti-shooting group denies connection with criminal extremist as fieldsports community is horrified by high-end retailer’s donation
The Anser to their prayers
Fowlers are giving Orkney farmers beset by greylags a fighting chance, says J R Patterson
More than meets the eye
Vision plays a huge role in how well we shoot and eye dominance issues can be resolved — if we know who to ask, says Simon Reinhold
Opportunity knocks for a new shoot
It’s important to do your homework before taking on any new ground, says Liam Bell
A 250-year-old cartridge fashioned from the pages of a famous novel tells its own remarkable story of the American Revolutionary War
Keeper of the month
Beating the drum for the benefits of game management is hugely rewarding, Miles Bentley tells Will Pocklington
AMAZON OPENS FIRST UK CHECKOUT-FREE GROCERY STORE IN LONDON
Amazon has opened a cashier-free supermarket in London, its first bricks and mortar expansion outside the U.S. as the company bets on strong demand for its contactless shops.
GOD SAVE MY PUBS
Tim Martin is fighting to keep Wetherspoons, his working-class British chain, alive. His detractors would bid it good riddance
AGAINST ALL ODDS
FILMING TOP GEAR AMERICA AT THE HEIGHT OF A PANDEMIC
World's Largest Dark Web Marketplace Taken Offline, Operator Arrested
WHAT'S NEW NOW / DARK WEB
Around the World by SCOOTER AND SIDECAR
On October 21, 2017, I found myself rid ing off from London’s iconic Ace Cafe on a Honda SH300i scooter with sidecar. Beside me was my childhood pal, Reece Gilkes. Our destination was the exact spot we were departing from, as the plan was to be the first to ride around the world on a scooter and s idecar.
Brain-computer interfaces could revolutionize the way we live
THE OUTSPOKEN STAR CHEATED DEATH AT THE HANDS OF A CRAZED FAN. PLUS OTHER REVELATIONS FROM A JUICY NEW INTERVIEW.
UK INVESTIGATES GOOGLE'S PLAN TO REVAMP CHROME BROWSER
Britain’s competition watchdog said it launched an investigation into Google’s plan to overhaul its ad data system over worries it could leave even less room for rivals in the online ad industry.
SLACK KICKS OFF 2021 WITH A GLOBAL OUTAGE
Slack, the messaging service used by millions of people for work and school, suffered a global outage on Monday, the first day back for most people returning from the New Year’s holiday.
Howard Snow worked under Lofty England when he was Jaguar's Chairman. Now he lives in Australia, and reports on his new I-PACE.


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From Airpods 3 with spatial audio to an updated MacBook Pro with a new M1 Pro or M1 Max chip and Apple music’s new Voice Plan, Apple announced a handful of new products and features at Monday’s virtual “Unleashed” event.
Despite the innovative revelations, social media has turned its attention to the CEO himself.
Tim Cook took to his 13 million followers ahead of his Apple event on Monday to say, “Good morning! The big day is here. See you in just a few hours. #AppleEvent” along with an image of an empty field.
He then embraced the outdoors to discuss Apple’s latest features – and Twitter was confused as to why he was in a field.
Some joked that the 60-year-old looked like he was about to unveil the new Hunger Games stadium, while others were concerned he was lost.
Good morning! ☀ The big day is here. See you in just a few hours. #AppleEvent https://t.co/k5ekfTDrvN
The redesign of Airpods 3 introduces smaller stalks and “spatial audio”, which will make the sound feel as though it’s coming from around the head. Additionally, they have an extra hour of battery life. They open for pre-orders on Monday, and go on sale on 26 October.
Apple also unleashed two new powerful chips: ‘M1 Pro’ and ‘M1 Max.’
Apple’s Johny Srouji said in its launch announcement that the M1 Max’s performance is “the world’s most powerful chip for a pro notebook.”


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Brexit: French fishermen will still fish in UK waters warns expert
Brexit talks in Brussels on an EU-UK trade deal broke up early yesterday, with the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, complaining of a lack of respect by the UK government. The two sides ended the week’s negotiations, the first in person since February, a day ahead of schedule amid frustration over “serious” disagreements. Mr Barnier said: “Our goal was to get negotiations successfully and quickly on a trajectory to reach an agreement. However, after four days of discussions, serious divergences remain.”
Mr Barnier highlighted access to fishing grounds for EU vessels and state aid rules.
He said he recognised the British red lines but suggested the EU’s flexibility had not been met with similar understanding from Downing Street.
The UK insists any fishing agreement must be separate from the trade deal with access negotiated annually in a similar fashion to Norway’s agreement with the bloc.
As tensions are set to rise, unearthed reports reveal how the EU tried to intimidate Britain in 2018, warning the country that fish and chips would have been at risk unless the UK caved in to the EU's fishing demands.
Brexit ultimatum: Brussels warned fish and chips at risk unless EU demands are met
According to a throwback report by The Telegraph, former Prime Minister Theresa May told MPs she had “firmly rejected” a demand for access to fisheries in return for a UK-EU trade deal.
Minutes later, Sabine Weyand, the now EU Director-General for Trade and former EU's deputy Brexit negotiator, tweeted that a fisheries agreement was “in the best interests of both sides”.
She then shared research that showed Britain needed EU imports of cod and haddock to keep eating fish and chips.
The research showed Britain catches only five percent of the cod it eats, about 21,000 tonnes, and imports the rest, equivalent to 110,000 tonnes.
More than half of UK-consumed haddock, which is also used in fish and chips, is imported, amounting to 47,000 tonnes last year.
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The top two UK catches are mackerel and herring but they are almost entirely for export to the Netherlands and Norway.
The UK sends 81 percent of its mackerel, and 93 percent of its herring abroad.
In a report for the Brexit think tank 'Red Cell' titled 'Putting The Fisheries Negotiations Into Context' and published in March, Icelandic historian Hjörtur J. Guðmundsson argued that British fishermen would greatly benefit under a "no deal" scenario.
He explained: "Should there be no trade agreement between Britain and the EU once the transition period comes to an end export of seafood from both sides will be subject to tariffs.
"This means British caught fish is likely to become less expensive than imported fish from the EU.
"Most of the fish consumed in Britain is imported and often from EU countries.
"Keeping Britain’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as a general rule for British fishermen apart from negotiated agreements on shared stocks will mean greatly increased catch for them.
"Some have suggested that prices for British fish will also increase significantly as a result of more supply.
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"However, with tariffs on imported fish from the EU the demand for locally caught fish is likely to grow as well."
This scenario, Mr Guðmundsson added, could quite possibly have a "positive impact" on Britain’s balance of trade with the EU when it comes to seafood.
He noted: "Instead of importing most of the fish consumed in Britain it would under these circumstances be caught and consumed domestically.
"In many cases the fish, which has for the past decades been caught by EU fishermen in British waters, landed in EU ports and then imported to Britain would now be caught by British fishermen, landed in Britain and then sold to British consumers."
The historian argued that what is more of a question now is how the EU intends to make up for the fish its fishermen will no longer be able to catch in British waters.
He added: "The EU is also dependent on imported fish like Britain. This means the EU will become even more dependent on imported fish while Britain will have the opportunity to catch much more fish from its own waters than before.
"It is hard to see other countries, like Iceland and Norway, being able to fill that gap.
"On top of this the EU is a declining market compared to how many other markets are doing, as EU leaders such as former EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker have publicly recognised.
"The future markets will be elsewhere, particularly in Asia in countries such as China and India, which is why the British government must decide how much it is willing to sacrifice for better access to a relatively declining market.
"Consequently, Britain needs to make sure seafood is included in free trade agreements with other countries."


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Kitmas: Fans help make a difference this month
Posted on 2nd December 2020
Comedian Mark Watson and his brother Paul, an ex-semi professional footballer, are urging fans to donate football kits to brighten up Christmas for children across the country living in poverty.
The “Kitmas” initiative, which started life as a social media appeal by the two brothers, has already seen hundreds of football kits donated to grassroots community groups and kids who might not otherwise get a Christmas present this year.
Additionally, a Kitmas fundraising page has already raised almost £7,000 to buy replica kits for kids around the country.
“The response has been amazing already, there’s a great community of people out there,” Paul told The Big Issue. “People see the bad of Twitter but social media brings out so many amazing things.
“What’s nice is that it’s all individual people who have a fiver to donate or one kit lying around. It’s not coming from some big corporation, it’s really personal.
“Just normal people who remember what it was like to get a kit as a kid and want to do something nice for others.”
Though they hope to get all kits out in time for Christmas, the brothers say they will gladly accept donations into 2021.


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Glen Harbor Sales Office Debuts
L. to R.: Marisa Conklin, Jed Pavlin, Shari Fields, and Antonella Mancino. (Photo by Tab Hauser)
The Residences at Glen Harbor, a North Shore luxury waterfront development debuting this fall, recently held the grand opening of its sales office.
Attendees enjoyed music, cocktails, bites, and explored eye-catching sports cars from Ferrari-Maserati of Long Island.
The office is located at 165 Shore Rd. in Glenwood Landing. For more information, visit glenharbor.com


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At its India Eco Summit held in Delhi, recently, Alibaba Cloud launched its new distribution channel program.
The distribution channel program would encourage partners to bring in-depth technical knowledge to customers and build an open ecosystem among sales, technology and service partners.
The cloud computing subsidiary of Alibaba Group wants to make most of the rapidly growing economy. Alex Li, General Manager of Alibaba Cloud Asia Pacific believes that as digital transformation is poised to add close to $154 Bn to India’s GDP (As per a research by Microsoft and IDC), this is a great opportunity for them to do business in India.
As part of their channel strategy, the group would also be building new specialized teams for various market segments and sectors such as startup and online business.
Alibaba Cloud currently provides products and services to clients in India across the e-commerce, gaming, media, retail and IoT sectors through an extensive network of distributors. Now with India ranking third on the list of countries in APeJ with $2.12 Bn spent on public could services, according to a recent update of the IDC Worldwide Semiannual Public Cloud Services Spending Guide, Alibaba Group looks to further strengthen the network.
And to strengthen this network they plan to train 1,000 sales and technology personnel in India in the next six months.
Alex Li shared that Alibaba Cloud has always been dedicated to empowering enterprises of different sizes to tap into opportunities in the digital age.
"We are excited about the launch of the distribution channel program as building a strong, collaborative partner ecosystem is essential to our growth strategy in India. Through working with different partners, we will be able to bring our high-quality products and services to customers in India to help them embrace the opportunities of digital transformation,” said Alex Li, General Manager of Alibaba Cloud Asia Pacific.


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Skoda Auto India recorded a 69% growth in their sales last month. The company managed to sell a total of 2,611 models, in comparison to June 2010’s 1,639 units.
The company’s board member of marketing and sales, Thomas Kuehl, said that they are very happy with the reception of their products by customers. The growth of 69%, which they achieved this month only acknowledges their efforts in offering customers great products and value offerings.
Since the beginning of they year, they have managed to achieve a consistent growth, and will continue this growth traction throughout the year. They will also continue focusing on improving the customers after sales experience, their dealership network and customer experience, as well as expanding their reach to include a wider range of customers pan India.
Skoda currently has around 81 dealer outlets spread all over the country. The Czech auto giant plans to double their sales figures in the global markets by around 1.5mn units globally. The company is looking at the Indian auto market for contributing a significant share to their overall world sales figures.
The company also initiated the Yeti Performance Drive for demonstrating important features of their award winning Skoda Yeti SUV. The event that began in Chennai will be extended to include other markets as well, which comprise Delhi-NCR, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Ahmedabad, having many outlets in each city.