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‘CEYLON’ IS GOOD FOR TEA
Sri Lankan tea exports sank to a seven-year low last year – what were the sensitivities behind this?
The 2016 volume was about 11 percent below that of 2015 for three interrelated reasons: the drought, lack of weedicides and reduced usage of fertiliser. But although the quantity of tea declined last year, demand remained aggressive while prices have skyrocketed at the Colombo Tea Auction.
How are high prices affecting the industry?
While factories – especially those manufacturing great teas – have enjoyed a windfall, exporters (value-added exporters in particular) have been compelled to sacrifice margins. So the average Freight On Board (FOB) value in 2016 was roughly the same as in 2015.
An overheated auction means value-added exporters must buy tea at high prices and sell at prices determined by international market conditions. They get squeezed and many are struggling.
Bulk importers too may switch to buying cheaper teas from competitors. So price volatility is not a positive unless it’s linked to value.
This year has also been a reminder that climate change is a major challenge with which the government has yet to come to grips.
What are the hindrances to sustaining performance?
Typically, weak players perish during economic downturns but this strengthens the industry as a whole. Yet, with 500,000 smallholders such a market-oriented view is controversial.
Over 80 percent of the production cost is labour. Sri Lankan plantation workers harvest only about a third as much as their Kenyan counterparts. Our productivity is among the lowest in the world. But the political power of unions is such that they successfully resist productivity-related wage formulas – and tragically, this is to the detriment of their own members.
And what are the prevailing labour trends?
There’s a major shift in workers from agriculture to the industry and service sectors. As our economy transitions from ‘less-developed’ to ‘middle-income,’ this is both desirable and inevitable.
Our challenge is to improve productivity. Japan and China have much higher incomes, and yet sustain thriving tea industries. It can be done but the government and unions must see the light first. The answer lies in fewer workers producing more value and the rest moving on to other sectors of the economy.
How can the tea be improved?
Sri Lanka produces around 300 million kilogrammes (kg) of tea annually while Japan’s output is only 90 million kg. But Japan earns almost three times as much from tea as we do.
It’s about value; not volume. Our challenge is to produce great teas and market them to the world, and this should be underpinned by strong local appreciation.
On what new markets should we focus?
China is currently displaying great potential with an annual growth in demand of 20-30 percent. The US also appears to be promising.
Major chains such as The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf now offer Ceylon Tea in thousands of outlets. Even premier airlines like Emirates and Qatar Airways proudly serve Ceylon Tea on board.
And how can Sri Lanka better promote its tea?
Ceylon Tea packed in Sri Lanka carries the world-famous lion logo while bulk teas packed abroad carry the ‘Ceylon’ label only. We promote both the lion logo and Ceylon Tea as ‘national brands.’
This promotion is funded by a levy that raises around Rs. 1 billion annually. But utilising this effectively is a major challenge because of government bureaucracy – the tender procedure is completely at odds with effective marketing practices.
While the promotional spend is presently far too small, in my view it could be more effectively managed and expended by an industry body like the Colombo Tea Traders’ Association rather than the government.
As for the government, it would do well to provide constitutional recognition to the name ‘Ceylon,’ which has been abandoned for the past 45 years.
There is incredible value in the name ‘Ceylon’ and it’s a shame it was discarded for reasons of cheap nationalism. It is better to build on our colonial heritage – as Singapore has done with the Raffles brand – rather than attempting to erase it.
Recognising ‘Ceylon’ as a foreign-language name for Sri Lanka – as is the case with ‘Bharat’ for India – is an urgent need.
What is your mantra for success at work?
Firstly, don’t sleep too much; and secondly, when you come to work, leave your testosterone at home.
Yourself in one word…?


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02-17-2010, 02:04 PM
Join Date: Nov 2004
2017 911 Turbo
Miami Blue/ pdk
“Excess” Viper inventory is sold by Dodge to owner’s group
The Viper Club of America, an ownership group that claims to represent more than 25,000 dodge Viper owners from around the world, is buying some Viper parts, accessories and historical items directly from Chrysler Group.
The agreement announced today covers historic parts such as painted body panels from the Viper Competition Coupe that raced F-16 jets at Luke Air Force Base, and select “excess inventory” items from the Conner Assembly Plant in Detroit, where the Viper is still being built in small volumes.
In a statement, VCA said it will preserve older, legacy parts and tooling for those models that are no longer being built, such as the Viper RT/10 and Viper GTS, which both ended production in 2002.
Production is scheduled to begin next month of about 500 2010 model year Viper coupe and roadster models. A limited number of ACRX – racing – models are also in the build mix. After 2010, there will be a one-year hiatus in Viper production as Chrysler readies an update of the sports car.
It was not immediately clear to me why Mopar, the aftermarket parts brand and a profit center at Chrysler Group, would release the old tooling or the parts.
“Mopar continues to offer a full catalog of accessories and performance parts for Dodge Viper,” a Chrysler group spokesperson told our Col.
“Given our close relationship with the Viper Club of America, we agreed to this one-off agreement in order to help them raise funds for their efforts. This is a minimal amount of parts, most of which are excess and obsolete.”
No financial details of the transaction were provided.
“For some 15 years the club has worked hand-in-hand with Dodge to strengthen the bond between the consumer and the manufacturer,” said Chris Marshall, National President, Viper Club of America.
“This new agreement will help fund the club while the Viper is on hiatus, provide another source for OEM parts for Viper owners, and monetize inventory for the manufacturer where they may not have realized any income previously,” said Marshall.
The group announced the formation of Viper Parts of America, Inc. to provide a sales venue for these parts.
The new company has already received a large number of parts for immediate sale. (www.viperpartsofamerica.com)
“The Viper is a very important part of our performance car heritage, a true American exotic that first appeared on the North American auto show circuit back in 1989,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO, Dodge Brand.
“Our loyal customers that have purchased the car, along with so many other Chrysler products and services over the years, are equally important. Through our continued relationship with the Viper Club of America and Viper Parts of America, we want to preserve the Viper heritage for future generations. This agreement supports that and opens the door for Viper owners to take control of that preservation even after older models are no longer produced. It is a win-win for everybody involved,” said Gilles.
The Viper Club of America is a not-for-profit ownership club dedicated to the Dodge Viper and first formed in 1995 between Dodge and Viper owners as a social club and joint marketing effort.

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Yogurt came first, now cheese, with fluid milk sales also planned
Nation Valley News
IROQUOIS — For just over two years now, the Biemond family has been dishing out delicious, organic, healthy yogurt. Now they’re serving up something even better — cheese!
Making cheese has been a family dream since the very beginning of their dairy-processing facility — Upper Canada Creamery — on Waddell Rd.
In fact, the $1.5-million, 8,200-square-foot operation was actually built for the purpose of making cheese. The Biemonds only later discovered that getting the licensing required to make cheese was more difficult than they anticipated; yogurt was their fall back plan.
An extended family member wanted to help make their dream a reality, and if it weren’t for his generous donation, their dream would have been put off for at least another five to six years according to part-owner Josh Biemond.
“This would have never happened without that money,” Josh added.
The first question asked by many is what kind of cheese is it?
The simple answer is: ‘The Biemond Family Cheese’ — a category all its own.
It’s a cheese that Marja Biemond — mother of Josh and Rudy Biemond — began to develop over 20 years ago.
“It’s a real family recipe” two decades in the making, according to part owner and wife of Rudi, Jen Biemond.
The best comparison the family can come up with is to a cheese called Pinconning, named after the small Michigan town where it was created.
In order to be eligible for licensing, they had to classify the type of cheese.
“But how do you do that when we didn’t even know what it was? When you don’t know what it is, what are you supposed to call it?” said Josh.
“It’s no specific kind of cheese. It’s not cheddar but it’s not gouda because it’s not waxed,” he continued.
Unlike other varieties, their cheese is not dyed white or orange; it’s naturally yellow, a colour coming from natural pigments in the grass consumed by the Biemonds’ dairy herd at organic NewCare Farm next door to the plant.
“The best way we know how to describe it is an aged colby with a gouda culture,” explained Jen. “So it’s a ‘colby-aged, gouda-flavoured, grassfed-cheese,” she laughed.
This reporter has had the opportunity to try it personally, and would describe it as mild, really fresh, squeaky, and light tasting.
They use the gouda culture because of its flexibility. They are able to vacuum seal it, which eliminates any potential yeast and mold issues.
Although they don’t officially launch Biemond Family cheese at stores until next month, fluid milk processed at the Upper Canada Creamery plant — exclusively supplied by their own cows — was ironically used to produce all of the cheddar cheese at Upper Canada Village this year.
What says ‘Upper Canada’ like cheese actually being made in Upper Canada Village, supplied by the Upper Canada Creamery? The May agreement with the St. Lawrence Parks Commission was like a match made in heaven, according to the young agri-business partners.
The “cheese guy” at Upper Canada Village is “thrilled” with the quality of the pasteurized local milk supplied to him this season, according to the Biemonds.
An added bonus is that the milk is still warm when it arrives from the South Dundas farm and processing operation, just 23 km away from the tourist attraction. All the Village cheesemaker has to do is maintain the heat instead of having the added process of reheating it.
“Every time someone ordered a grilled-cheese at Upper Canada Village this summer, they were eating our milk, isn’t that amazing?” exclaimed a very excited Jen.
So what’s next for the Upper Canada Creamery?
Yogurt, cheese … direct-to-consumer fluid milk sales the next step
They want to expand on their cheese production by adding different flavours. Cumin, jalapeño, and, dill were mentioned as possibilities.
They also hope to soon have their whole, 100 percent organic milk sold in stores.
Now they hold all classes of milk — with the exception of powdered milk (class five) — which is not part of their plan anyways.
“We now have the abilities and rights to using all of our own milk. We no longer have to ask permission, as of last Tuesday when we got our license,” explained Josh.
“Dairy possibilities are endless!” expressed Josh.
Aside from handling the output of just one local herd, what makes Upper Canada Creamery’s products different from the majority, especially mainstream dairy sold in stores, is that there are no additives.
“Many people refer to our ways as ‘old-fashioned’ and that’s just what we are,” said Jen. “We don’t homogenize.”
“Food is too processed these days,” said Josh. “Milk is now a bi-product. It’s all standardized and homogenized. We want to give people an option. What the cow gives us, is what we give you!” he added.
“It may not be as convenient, but it’s healthier,” explained Jen.
Josh agreed and continued, “We’re too convenient and our health is showing that.”
Keep watch for Biemond Family Cheese in local stores near you, starting next month.
See a gallery of more photos here:
And be sure to enjoy tea in the tea room, 1:30 to 3 p.m., during the event!
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‘Bass is our passion’
Ed Puddephatt might have turned 65, but he’s not retiring from his specialty tackle shop renowned in Eastern Ontario’s bass-fishing community. Visit Paddletales Tackle in Winchester! Learn more.


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Nom, the new foodie online community
Foodies can now have their own cooking and food review show in the web to show off their culinary prowess.
Youtube co-founder Steve Chen has created Nom.com, the new live video streaming platform for foodies and food communities.
Venturebeat reported that Chen is the chief technical officer of Nom, while Vijay Karunamurthy, formerly an engineering lead for YouTube, is chief executive officer.
Venturebeat said Chen got the backing of Gangnam Style’s PSY and Oscar-winning actor Jared Leto.
The site’s homepage initially gives the impression of Pinterest, only the images are videos of food experiences, cooking demos and other good stuff that foodies love.
The livestreaming part makes one think Periscope or Meerkat. Users can broadcast from a desktop or mobile device.
Chen hopes his new platform would rival the Instagram food shots, the short cooking videos from Buzzfeed, and other food-related content online.
He has upped the ante by making the platform interactive, allowing the audience to chat and share other content with the user.
Nom.com will also broadcast foodie online events.
“We worked with an incredible group of chefs, makers, and creators to build the site and app they would want to reach an audience live. Now any creative team can produce their own show. We’re seeing people use Nom for coffee tastings, cooking demos, and live coverage of popup experiences,” Karunamurthy was quoted as saying.
Three-star Michelin chef Corey Lee is both host and investor.
The other hosts, and endorsers, are master sommelier Yoon Ha of Benu, pastry chef Joanne Chang, Tim Hollingsworth of Otium, Hubert Keller, and Michael Tusk of Quince in San Francisco


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Wicked Foods CEO and Unovis partner Pete Speranza – who joined the business in October 2020 after eight years at General Mills’ emerging brand elevator 301INC – is spearheading the US launch of the upmarket brand, which has notched up more than $20m in sales in the UK after launching with Tesco in 2018, growing from 20 SKUs to 160+ across shelf-stable, chilled, and frozen categories.
Unlike many players in the plant-based movement that are myopically focused on meat and dairy analogs that use a surprisingly limited number of plants, Wicked Kitchen has a distinct culinary vibe and a spans a broad range of products from black olive pesto to berry porridge showcasing a broad array of plants from beetroot and sweet potato to seeds and mushrooms, said Speranza.
“If you've ever been to a vegan restaurant, you walk out of there and you feel like, if someone cooked for me like that every day, I could be vegan in a heartbeat. That’s what the Wicked Kitchen brand is all about. It’s back to real food. Our whole thing is how do we make it easy and convenient to eat more plants?"
While it's early days for the brand, which is less than three years old, he said, “Derek, Chad and [Unovis partner] Chris Kerr, the other founder, always thought this could go global, all three of them are vegans, and they were just like, eventually, the stuff’s gonna go mainstream and the tailwinds that plant based has today… it really got them excited.”
'We'll be in about 2,500 stores in the US relatively soon'
The Wicked Kitchen brand – which has just made its US debut in Sprouts with 25 frozen and shelf-stable SKUs from meal kits, breakfast items and pesto to entrées (some featuring meat analogs from Beyond Meat)– is looking to develop close partnerships with key retail partners, rather than spraying and praying, said Speranza, who said buyers had been impressed by its success in the UK.
“We want to be a plant-based destination for a handful of retailers, not trying to hit every single person, because we can use the breadth of our innovation, see what works, and then select or curate a nice lineup for retailers to really, really go big with us. We’re starting in Sprouts, and we'll be in about 2,500 stores in the US relatively soon.”
First identify which products resonate with US consumers, then set up US manufacturing capability
Asked about the manufacturing and supply chain challenges of introducing such a complex range of products spanning multiple categories to a new market, he added: “Do I think that all of these products [in the initial US lineup] will be there two years from now? Probably not. There'll be some morphing and turning and figuring out the optimal solution.
"Then once we know where we’re getting pickup, then we'll take some miles off the product and actually start manufacturing them [via co-packers] in the US, but this allows us to be nimble to start.”
While the partnership approach Wicked developed in the UK with Tesco had been very successful, it was also the result of some unique circumstances: Derek Sarno is executive chef and head of plant-based innovation at Tesco, which clearly had something of a vested interest in ensuring the brand had every opportunity to succeed, although it is not - as some people assumed - a private label product line, said Speranza.
So would a similar tie-up with a major retailer work in the US market, which is far larger, and more fragmented?
No, said Speranza: “In the UK you could dedicate to your largest retailer and feel like you're hitting a good portion of the population [Tesco has a 27% share of the grocery market in Great Britain according to Kantar data]. Here [in the US], you have to be in almost every channel over time.
"However, I could see something similar to what we did in the UK happening elsewhere in Europe where there is more consolidation in food retail."
Fungi enthusiasts and Wicked Foods co-founders Chad and Derek Sarno (a.k.a. ‘the Mushroom Mafia’) have produced a series of cooking videos on their ‘Wicked Healthy’ YouTube channel, written several cookbooks, and pioneered techniques utilizing mushrooms as meat alternatives.
Launched at the UK’s largest food retailer, Tesco, in 2018, Wicked Kitchen focuses on grab-and-go and ready-in-minutes foods that are as “nutritionally satisfying” as they are “visually stunning,” say the Sarno brothers, who are also co-founders of plant-based seafood brand Good Catch.
Derek also served as the senior global executive chef for Whole Foods Market before becoming executive chef and head of plant-based innovation at Tesco.
Picture credit: Wicked Foods/Businesswire


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digits: Angry Birds Come to TV via Roku
“Angry Birds” has invaded smartphones, tablets and personal computers. Now the game phenomenon may soon be roosting on TVs–at least those connected to set-top boxes sold by the Silicon Valley startup Roku.
Roku and Rovio, the Finnish company behind the cult casual game, on Tuesday are announcing a deal that will bring the original “Angry Birds” and two companion titles to Roku-equipped TVs. Roku also plans launch a video channel featuring “Angry Birds” animated shorts and sell merchandise based on the game.
And this is just the beginning, says Anthony Wood, Roku’s chief executive, who is planning a major expansion into casual gaming for the company.
He has a history of getting in on TV trends early, inventing a DVR in the 1990s at ReplayTV. Roku, founded in 2003, in May 2008 launched a box that connected to the Internet and streamed Netflix videos. In 2009, Roku started adding more content choices through its Channel Store, one of the first app stores for TVs.
Roku, which jostles in Internet TV with giants like Apple and Google, tries to differentiate itself by low pricing, offering devices priced at $59.99, $79.99 and $99.99. Wood says the closely held company has sold well over a million of them, and is on track to hit three million by the end of 2011 (he puts revenue at $47 million last year and projects more than $150 million this year).
Though Roku doesn’t pitch its products specifically to “cable cutters”–people tired of paying bills to cable companies–Wood says 40% of its users give up cable or cut back on it. “It is changing the way people are watching TV,” he says.
“Angry Birds” is expected to be available this summer on a new Roku box. Woods admits that the current hardware doesn’t have sufficient graphics performance for gaming–and a modified remote control would also seem useful. Roku is in talks with other casual games companies, and expects to make announcements of additional offerings in the next few weeks.
Of course, some users of devices like iPads and laptop computers now can connect them to TVs, another way to get casual games on to a bigger screen. Fans of more sophisticated games buy consoles from companies like Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo.
But Wood argues that many consumers want to connect in an easier way, and will favor Roku’s Apple-like strategy of focusing on games that may be free or cost a few dollars–much less than most games played on consoles. “We try to make it easy and simple,” he says. “I think it will over time erode the market” for console games.


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Submitted by firstname.lastname@example.org
on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 12:53pm
TIMES photo by DOLORES CULLEN
These reproduction antique metal toys aren’t for sale yet, but they will be in November when Santa’s Castle opens. The collection was on display at the Labor Day event in Chautauqua Park. They will be sold at the Castle to benefit the Castle.


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Ionic Rare Earths’ magnet recycling business, Ionic Technologies, has executed a landmark partnership agreement.
The company has agreed to create a UK rare earth supply chain from recycled magnets with Ford Technologies (Ford), Less Common Metals (LCM) and the British Geological Survey (BGS).
“We are harnessing our technology to accelerate mining, refining and recycling of magnet and heavy rare earths critical for energy transition, advanced manufacturing and defence,” Ionic Rare Earth’s managing director Tim Harrison said.
The company’s technology will be used to produce high purity, separated and traceable rare earths from end-of-life magnets and swarf.
The rare earths will then be sent to LCM for alloy production to be converted to magnets for ultimate use by Ford in electric vehicle (EV) production.
Ionic Technologies developed rare earth element separation and refining technology and applied this to the recycling of spent permanent Neodymium-Iron-Boron (NdFeB) magnets to enable the creation of sustainable rare-earth supply chains.
Each stage of the process from magnet recycling to EV testing will generate waste that the company will recycle, aiming to complete a circular rare earth supply chain within the UK.
The UK government will support the partnership via a £1 million ($1.9 million) project, with Ionic Technologies announced as the major beneficiary and lead collaborator.
The funding is part of the UK Government’s circular critical materials supply chains (CLIMATES) program.
Ionic Technologies aims to establish the first magnet recycling facility in Belfast to feed an escalating supply chain appetite for circular economy magnets.
“Ionic Technologies is driving the emerging supply chain for Rare Earths, and its ability to meet the increasing demand for critical minerals in the UK and abroad,” Ionic Technologies general manager Thomas Kelly said.
“This will enable the UK to meet its net zero ambitions, by serving renewable technologies such as wind energy and EV manufacturing.”


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At least three shipments of corn have been rejected by Chinese officials, on the grounds that they contain an unapproved strain of genetically modified corn. The strain, called MIR162, was developed by Syngenta to be resistant to certain pests.
US officials are closely monitoring the situation, says a spokeswoman from the US Trade Representative’s office.
“We have raised concerns with Chinese officials regarding increasing delays in the approval process for [GM crops]. Our expectation is that biotech approvals will be handled in a timely and predictable manner, throughout a transparent, science-based process,” the spokeswoman says.
While the rejected shipments roiled the market, U.S. corn sales continue at a high volume.
Read the full, original story: U.S. urges timely action by China on GMO corn approvals


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MUKAH: Known by the name ‘Delot Stall’ and selling square pizzas under the name of ‘Pizza Papeyk Homemade’, Fadzilah Zaffarin, 35, admits that it has not been easy for her to continue doing business in a time when everyone’s attention is on curbing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Until now, Mukah remains a Covid-19 green zone, while its closest neighbours, Dalat and Sibu, showed an increase in Covid-19 cases.
However, it did not break the spirit of the Kampung Tutus Hilir native to continue with her business according to the standard operating procedure (SOP) guidelines introduced.
Apart from selling pizza, Fadzilah is also well-known through the sale of various types of foods including keropok lekor (fish cracker snacks), chicken satay and many other delicacies.
“After the movement control order (MCO), I also started selling food at the Bangunan Pehin Mukah canteen. At first, I could earn up to RM300 a day, but now, it is difficult to even get RM100,” she told New Sarawak Tribune sister daily, Suara Sarawak.
Fadzilah said her stalls, which operate daily from noon until late noon in Mukah town, are also experiencing a decline in the number of customers and the situation has forced her to close one of her stalls.
“I decided to close one stall because the daily turnover was very low and it was not enough to accommodate and pay the workers.
“I now rely on part-time workers, especially those who are waiting for their examination results before furthering their studies,” she said.
Currently, Fadzilah can only earn between RM200 to RM300 depending on the situation.
She added that the flood that occurred a few weeks ago has damaged two machines belonging to her family which had helped her to produce sales products including kuih kering (cookies) and pizza.
Taking a drastic step, Fadzilah is now shifting gears and supplying her keropok lekor to Miri, Tatau, Bintulu, Matu and Daro in an effort to stabilise her income.
“My keropok lekor sales hit the hardest by the MCO. Before, I could sell more than 100kg a day. Now, I can only sell 50kg a day.
“The prices of fish have been on the rise since December and costs of other food have also increased.
“My mother, who sells tebaloi (sago biscuits), is also affected and had to diversify her products including selling grated coconut.
“Since the recovery movement control order (RMCO), the sales of tebaloi have decreased because no tourists came to visit Mukah,” she said.
Additionally, her pizza sales are also experiencing a number of new competitions as many competitors had acquired the necessary skills to produce their own pizzas.
“I only make pizzas on weekends and there are many requests from areas namely, Oya, Uitm Mukah and others.
“Only with these requests can I send orders and it can help increase my sales,” she said.
Recalling a time when she was running her business at Tapak Dana Kala Mukah, which is now closed, she said she was able to earn more than RM1,500 in three days.
“Our earnings used to be the same as the revenue we earned in five working days even though it only operated from 3pm to 6pm,” she said, hoping that the locals would continue to support her business.


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Tourism beat the UK average for customer satisfaction and climbed from sixth to third in the latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI), while a number of UK eating out brands made it into Nunwood’s 2014 top 100 companies for customer experience.
According to the latest UKCSI, published by the Institute of Customer Service, the tourism sector experienced a small decline in customer satisfaction of 0.2 points between January and July 2014.
However, the sector outperformed many other industries, scoring higher than the all-sector average in every one of the 28 metrics used to measure performance, and climbing from sixth to third place on the index.
Center Parcs (83.3), P&O Cruises (82.0) and Premier Inn (82.0) were the stand out brands in the sector, but only two tourism organisations scored lower than the all-sector average of 79.8, and tourism as a whole scored 3.5 per cent higher than the average.
Just over 7 per cent of tourism customers experienced problems compared to 13.4 per cent on average across all industries, and satisfaction with complaints handling and the outcome of complaints have both improved since January 2014.
The Institute of Customer Service said this was particularly impressive given the fact customers are more likely to report a problem with a tourism business than other industries, and use social media more often to report problems.
Jo Causon, chief executive of the Institute of Customer Service, said: “Tourism faces a unique set of challenges. Customer satisfaction with a holiday for example incorporates the whole experience from leaving my front door to returning after my break. If I am delayed during my journey, have a bad experience at the airport, have a problem with a connection or the accommodation it will reflect on each of the other elements.
“A problem which may appear to be unconnected to the organisation may be seen by the customer as part of the same thing. If a complaint is to be resolved successfully it has to happen almost immediately if it is not to impact negatively on the overall experience. As a result organisations in this sector must be adept at handling problems quickly and successfully, which is reflected in the impressive performance in the UKCSI.”
Eating out brands
Meanwhile, M&C Report has revealed that Costa, Greggs, TGI Fridays, Nandos, Pizza Hut and Pizza Express were among the brands named in Nunwood’s top 100 UK companies for customer experience this year.
The top 100, which is based on a survey of 7,500 customers, provides insight into UK brands that achieve excellence through the Six Pillars of personalisation – expectation, resolution, integrity, empathy and time and effort.
Costa, Greggs, Dunkin’ Donuts, Nando’s and Pizza Express all climbed up the ranking this year, while TGI Friday’s, Krispy Kreme and Pizza Hut all slipped but remained in the 2014 top 100.


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LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Polaroid is introducing a host of new innovative products in their booth at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, helping make the latest technology, from instant print cameras to 3D printers and drones, accessible to consumers globally. Polaroid invites attendees to experience these products first hand at booth 13514 in Las Vegas, January 6 – 9.
"Polaroid has become more than a household name – it has become one of the most recognizable and trusted lifestyle brands in the world," said Scott W. Hardy, President and CEO of Polaroid. "This year's CES marks the debut of an array of exciting new products, from instant print cameras and smartphones to 3D printers and drones. All of these products embody the Polaroid core values of instant sharing, fun, ease-of-use and accessibility, offering consumers a truly unique line of products and services that are distinctly Polaroid."
Capturing and Sharing All of Life's Moments
Polaroid is introducing the next generation of instant print cameras, the Polaroid Snap+, at CES this year, bringing an exciting update to the wildly popular Polaroid Snap. The second generation camera incorporates a wide range of updated features including a 3.5-inch touchscreen, a 13 megapixel CMOS, and 1080p full HD video recording capability. Perhaps the most exciting addition to the Polaroid Snap+ is remote connectivity via Bluetooth to the Polaroid print app. This will allow the camera to connect to and print images from other devices such as smartphones and tablets. Live demonstrations of the Polaroid line of instant print products and Polaroid Cube family of lifestyle action cameras will take place in the booth throughout the show.
Live demos will also be conducted by renowned, award-winning professional photographer Marc Serota, founder of the newly launched Polaroid University. Polaroid University is a comprehensive online photography education program, with a large focus on smartphone photography, taught by professional photographers. The structure of the program allows students of all skill levels to learn photography and improve their skills at their own pace. At the show, Serota and the rest of the Polaroid University team will conduct tutorials including a live portrait photoshoot and professional photographer tips for using the Polaroid Cube lifestyle action camera and Polaroid Snap instant print camera.
Today's Innovative Technology, at an Accessible Price
This year's show also marks the debut of several new and innovative product lines from the Polaroid brand. Launching at the show is the Polaroid ModelSmart 250S 3D printer, making the brand the first global household name to enter the 3D printing market. Available to consumers across Europe, the Polaroid ModelSmart 250S 3D printer offers everyone access to the magic of 3D printing in their own home.
To celebrate the debut of the product, the brand is launching the 'How Polaroid Are You?' pixel challenge. 3D puzzles of the iconic Polaroid Pixel have been created using the Polaroid ModelSmart 250S. Each day in the booth there will be two competitions; the 'Newbie' & 'Veteran' with both being a 'fastest first' to become 'So Polaroid'' with the latter being done while blindfolded. Competitions will be held daily at 2PM, and winners will receive fantastic Polaroid prizes.
Debuting at the show is also the first line of Polaroid drones, available exclusively in Europe. All drones feature a camera with HD options available, as well as WiFi-enabled models to stream video to a smartphone or tablet. Also launching at CES is the first line up of Polaroid 4K UHD LED connected TVs. Thanks to an exciting new smart TV partnership, the new Polaroid 4K connected TV line will provide consumers with an affordable option to stream their favorite content in stunning ultra-high definition.
Polaroid Goes Mobile
Polaroid is also introducing several new smartphone lines at CES 2016. New additions include two new unlocked smartphone models for the US market, the Polaroid Power and Polaroid Snap. Unlocked smartphones allow users to avoid binding contracts, commitments and cost-prohibitive barriers and provide the ability to select any participating network or plan. The new additions to the Polaroid unlocked smartphone line provide consumers with competitive features and sleek, modern designs, all at an affordable price point. New smartphone models for the European and Mexican markets will also be on display.
Polaroid Behind the Wheel
At CES 2015, Polaroid launched their first line of easy-to-use in-car dashcams. This year, the Wi-Fi-enabled Polaroid PD-W63C will be joining the collection. The camera's Wi-Fi capabilities offer easy control through an Android or iOS app, while allowing for instant sharing of videos with friends and family or in the case of an incident. Along with the line of dashcams, also on display will be the Polaroid PCB-A56J backup camera system, comprised of a weather-proof camera and a 4.3" full-color mounted LCD monitor to offer drivers a greater sense of security while their vehicle is shifted into reverse.
Stay updated on all things Polaroid at CES through the official Polaroid social media channels, Polaroid Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For more information on all new products being introduced at CES, please visit www.polaroid.com. To download the Polaroid CES 2016 press kit, please visit: www.randjsc.com/CES2016
Polaroid is one of the world's most trusted, well-respected and recognizable brands. It features a rich, 75-year history that began with Polaroid instant film. Our range of products includes instant and digital still cameras, high-definition and mountable sports video cameras, tablets and flat-screen TVs that deliver the fun, instant gratification and value that the brand has long stood for. Today, the Polaroid Classic Border Logo, rooted in our beginnings of instant photo sharing, serves to designate genuine Polaroid-branded products. For more information, visit Polaroid.com.
Polaroid, Polaroid & Pixel, Polaroid Color Spectrum, Polaroid Cube, Polaroid Snap, Polaroid Power, Polaroid OneStep, Be Original. Be Polaroid. and Polaroid Classic Border Logo are trademarks of PLR IP Holdings, LLC.


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12 October, 2021
The recent launch of nerve neobank, a financial service dedicated to musicians, highlights an opportunity for finance brands to capitalise on micro-niche trends to reap big rewards.
Personalisation and education
30 September, 2021
With 50% of customers hesitant to approach their financial institution, there’s a prime opportunity for finance brands to bridge the approachability gap and snag untapped customers
13 August, 2021
With 86% of customers saying authenticity is a key factor in deciding what brands to support, relatability is key in how to position a finance brand.


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One of the largest tech services organisations, Wipro, is currently deep in its Cloud 2.0 strategy implementation. However, discussions around its Cloud 3.0 strategy have already started. Anup Purohit, CIO, Wipro throws light on best practices and risks that organisations need to factor in a while embarking on a cloud journey.
These findings are revealed in Cloudera’s Limitless: The Positive Power of AI Study, which surveyed 2,213 enterprise business decision makers — including 54% C-Suite representation — and 10,880 knowledge workers in the USA, EMEA, India, and APAC. It shows that ESG is identified as a top priority for business leaders and those who fail to act for the good of communities put business growth and talent at huge risk. The study also examines the shift in attitude towards AI, Machine Learning (ML) and Data Analytics across enterprise decision makers, including C-Suite, and knowledge workers. A majority of Indian business decision makers plan on implementing new AI (93%), ML (84%), or Data Analytics (87%) programs and solutions in their organization in the coming year or so. The data shows that all the pieces are in place for this to be the right moment for companies to accelerate their AI/ML strategy.
“Technology, especially over the last few years, has been at the heart of all innovation and transformation efforts at Indian organizations. The pandemic has dramatically accelerated the pace of tech adoption across industries and sectors, and created a more digitally-savvy ecosystem,” said Vinod Ganesan, Country Manager, Cloudera India. “With sustainability increasingly becoming a key business priority for Indian organizations, emerging technologies like big data, AI , ML and 5G are reshaping the way businesses operate. While innovation continues to be the main focus, business decision makers are also looking to increase productivity and improve customer experience.”
Failing to act for social good puts business growth, and talent, at risk.
But that said, a quarter (25%) of business decision makers are active regarding the implementation of these technologies and have a limited understanding of how they work. Companies that address these gaps now gain a real competitive advantage in the battle for customers and talent. If businesses truly want to embed sustainability at their core, leaders must start to use data to deliver more sustainable outcomes – and quickly. Failure to act and 37% of knowledge workers and 40% of business decision makers believe employees would leave the business. This could be a business destroying move amidst a global talent shortage, especially if all of a company’s competitors are addressing the gap.
“It’s my sincere belief that using big data and AI to make more sustainable business decisions will be a critical aspect of future competitiveness,” said Erica Orange, VP at The Future Hunters. “A core part of this will come down to rethinking business success metrics to go beyond profit-driven metrics and focus on real environmental impact.”
Fear of losing jobs to AI is replaced by a focus on investment in reskilling.
To capitalize on this, businesses have to do more and invest in employee reskilling. Almost all (97%) business decision makers said their organization will commit to continuous investment in reskilling employees as more tasks are automated. But the investment in people can’t stop there. Companies also need to make employees partners in the upskilling and reskilling processes to ensure a level playing field for staff.


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It used to be said some years ago that the telephone was the ideal way to reach out and touch someone. Today, our hand-held smartphone devices instills a drastically surreal non-tactile feel. With a world at the touch of a button or icon, even the everyday items we had previously accepted through physical caress can become near virtual. The ability to access places where you lack a presence even your conveyance, the vehicle which links us between physical highways, has become the newest touchless connection.
Adding mobility to mobility, General Motors’ OnStar system been ported to a smartphone application. Devised for most 2011 model year vehicles from the Detroit 3 car maker, the OnStar app possesses electronic control and monitoring tools. If the plan of including an interactive vehicle app sounds familiar, that’s because General Motors had announced a mobile app companion for the upcoming Chevy Volt. This new announcement will add vehicles like the Chevrolet Cruze and the Cadillac CTS among other cars.
First off, the mobile app provides GM vehicle owners provides key fob functions such as locking/unlocking of doors and even remote starting to be accomplished. While many will realize a smartphone is roughly 3-4 times the size of a keyless entry control, the app is not limited to a prescribed range meaning your vehicle can be controlled anywhere a suitable cell phone signal exists.
Beyond the keyless control functions, the OnStar app supplies unprecedented access to the health of your selected General Motors product. Information such as current fuel capacity, odometer log, tire pressures and oil life are presented in real-time providing a fantastic tool in planning maintenance. Other OnStar services are also accessible by phone with a customer service adviser 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The mobile app includes a one-touch dial feature to OnStar.
Wanting to reflect the identity of each GM division, the OnStar smartphone app is promised to explicitly capture the character of the owner’s vehicle. Therefore a Buick OnStar screen will differ from one offered for a GMC truck. Apart from the branding distinguishing car makes, unique PIN codes will insure measure that the proper user should have access to the vehicle.
Offered for iPhones and Android-equipped smartphones, this OnStar feature is yet to make mention of Blackberry connectivity (An unusual predicament that the Blackberry was excluded since those devices are to the Cadillac crowd). With the roll-out of the current OnStar app just announced, the Blackberry omission could be addressed in the near future as new 2.0 version of the mobile software is already in the works. Through a collaboration with Google turn-by-turn direction and voice navigation could make this app an even more valuable connection.
In recent months, General Motors has been desiring a greater presence on mobile technology with the OnStar announcement being one such attempt. App happy, Chevrolet has created a virtual showroom app for Apple devices. A free download from the App Store, The Chevrolet Showroom App allows potential buyers or even enthusiasts a wealth of information.
Information Source: General Motors, OnStar
Photo Source: General Motors


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Senseonics Haltings, Inc. (NYSE American: SENS), shares spiked 47.14% to $0.925 in the after-hours session Wednesday. The company has officially revealed financial and organizational modified products to design and commercialize long-term implantable continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGM).
Net sales are projected to amount to around $3.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2020 and rise from previous estimates by about $2.5 million.
The letter obtained from the FDA detailing agency personnel’s redislocation to fix COVID-19 public health product authorization (EUA) concerns marketing applications, including the Eversense 180-day product, which is being postponed by at least 60 days. Applications for COVID-19 public health products Senseonics believes that this is consistent with other medical technology firms’ findings.
Inclusion of Eversense Tier III CPT codes in the Practitioner Fee Schedule (PFS) 2021 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Programs (CMS), facilitating global payment for the purchase of devices and procedural costs for healthcare providers across the U. S.
Net revenue is forecast to be within $12 and $15 million for the full year 2021, depending on the installed base, accelerating Ascensia’s market operations, and other factors.
The deal was concluded with Roche to promote the distribution transfer to Ascensia, as Roche sales end on 31 January 2021, comprising final orders, support activities for transition, and settlement of other issues.
By completing their second lien loans to common equity, Highbridge’s second-lien loan was extinguished, simplifying the United States’ financial structure.


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We believe strongly that the best local businesses are the ones recommended by neighbors.
Now, we are making it easier for neighbors to find, recommend, and support the best local businesses in their neighborhood. Today, we are announcing the national rollout of Neighborhood Favorites, an annual awards program that allows neighbors to recommend and recognize the most-loved businesses in and around their neighborhood.
Neighbors have already shared millions of local business recommendations with each other on Nextdoor. With Neighborhood Favorites, we have introduced a new survey that makes it even easier for members to recommend their favorite businesses, from pizza places to bookstores. In the survey, neighbors can vote for their favorites from a list of businesses that have been recommended by their neighbors, or have the option of adding a new one they recommend. Members are encouraged to provide comments about what makes their favorite the best in the neighborhood.
For the first time, there will be customized lists of Neighborhood Favorite businesses available to tens of thousands of neighborhoods across the country that recommend their favorites. Members will now have one single place where they can find the best local businesses their neighborhoods have to offer.
Over the years, we have laid the foundation to connect neighbors and local businesses with the deep understanding that neighbor-to-neighbor recommendations are invaluable. We hope that neighbors across the country will share their love and show their support for the local businesses that make their communities such wonderful places to call home.
To select your Neighborhood Favorites in your neighborhood, go to www.nextdoor.com/favorites or visit the Recommendations section on Nextdoor. The more votes and recommendations shared in support of your favorite local businesses, the more Neighborhood Favorite winners will be awarded in your community.
The survey for Neighborhood Favorites is now open and winners will be announced in November.
Join your neighborhood on Nextdoor here.
Do you have a story about how you’ve used Nextdoor in your neighborhood? Let us know.


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PIE HUT RENAMED IN HONOUR OF PHYLLIS’S 25 YEARS SERVICE
For quarter of a century the Mighty Mo faithful have not just bought their pies and Bovril from the pie hut on a cold Saturday afternoon, they have bought them from Phyllis McLean, who has run the food outlet religiously for an incredible 25 years.
In honour of this milestone, the Club have created a legacy for Phyllis, by renaming the catering kiosk exactly as it has been known for so many years, ‘Phyllis’s Pie Hut’.
Presenting Phyllis with flowers following the unveiling of the new sign, Chairman John Crawford said, “On behalf of everyone at the Club I would like to sincerely thank Phyllis for her dedicated service, which as many know, goes beyond the 25 years she has been in charge of the Pie Hut.
“Naming of the Pie Hut is a fitting tribute and one I am sure our fans will appreciate.”


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STANDARD Chartered’s private equity arm has taken a 13% stake in Botswana-listed supermarket chain Choppies Enterprises, hardly three months after the retail giant opened shop in Zimbabwe.
Choppies Enterprises initially bought the entire stake in the Bulawayo-based Supermarket chain owned by local tycoon Raji Modi in October last year. Market watchers claimed it was probably one of the biggest deals in Matabeleland in recent years although the figures for the transaction remained under wraps.
Last month Modi bought back a 20% stake in Choppies Zimbabwe, which intends to establish about 100 retail outlets in the country. Presently the retail giant operates more than 10 shops in and around Bulawayo.
It emerged on Tuesday that Standard Chartered private equity had acquired a 13% in the Botswana entity, viewed as the latest private-equity deal to target African consumers.
Although the London-listed Standard Chartered did not disclose the acquisition price, Choppies is estimated to have a market value of $456m, according to Reuters data, which would make the stake worth nearly $60m.
The impact of the financial institution’s investment into Choppies Zimbabwe could not be ascertained yesterday, but a respected financial news agency noted that Africa is increasingly seen as fertile ground for private-equity firms, given rapid economic growth and rising consumer spending.
With the exception of Johannesburg and Nairobi, sub-Saharan Africa’s capital markets are largely illiquid.
This makes private equity one of the few vehicles for investing in African companies.
Choppies, the largest retailer in Botswana, operates more than 100 supermarkets and has operations in South Africa and Zimbabwe.


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According to Alexander Wallin, the bourse’s CEO, it is hoped that up to 1,000 companies will join over the next three to four years.
The Ethereum blockchain is used for settlement and clearing, and its users will be able to trade listed companies and cryptocurrencies 24 hours a day. Switzerland’s SIX stock exchange is also planning to launch a blockchain-powered digital exchange, which will be powered by blockchain consortium R3’s Corda Enterprise platform.
According to Bloomberg, SprinkleXchange claims its blockchain-focused approach offers time and cost savings when compared with traditional stock exchanges as key systems are automated. Wallin told Bloomberg:
“We have the luxury of being first with this, but we’re aware that it will become a crowded market. It’s like moving from VHS to streaming; Netflix did it nicely and was first, but now there are lots of streaming sites.”
Companies with a market cap of between $20 million and $200 million are being encouraged by SprinkleXchange to consider a listing, and Wallin claims firms from a broad range of sectors have expressed an interest so far, including the real estate and biotech industries.
SprinkleXchange is operating as part of Bahrain’s regulatory sandbox, and for now, it has permission to list a maximum of 10 companies.
In February, the Shariah-compliant crypto exchange Rain became the first to complete Bahrain’s regulatory sandbox.


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Chelsea Building Society is setting new standards for customer service with the launch of its voice driven telephone account service the first of its kind for a top ten building society in the UK. The solution has been supplied and installed by Vocalis, a provider of voice driven solutions to the UK call centre market.
In the competitive financial services marketplace it is vital that we provide our customers with the highest level of service possible. By introducing this voice driven telephone account service we are able to ensure that whenever a customer calls they receive consistently high levels of service, said Tony Wright, general manager (systems) from the Chelsea Building Society.
This service supports enquiries at busy times and when new products are introduced. We are confident that this new system will increase the service levels received by our customers, Mr Wright added.
The new voice driven telephone account service went live to all Chelsea Building Societys Call-Direct account customers in December 2002. The service enables Call-Direct account holders to transfer money, inquire about their balance and obtain information on recent transactions all by speaking naturally and without needing to talk to a member of staff. According to Chelsea, more than 13,000 calls have already been made successfully.
Paul Wright, CEO at Vocalis commented: We are delighted to be working with the Chelsea Building Society and to assist them in leading the way in customer service for the building society industry. I am confident that Chelseas customers will appreciate the advantages of the new voice driven service immediately. By introducing this service the Chelsea Building Society is allowing their customers easy and direct access to their account information and a natural way of interacting, by simply saying what they want.
Recent research commissioned by Taylor Nelson shows that nearly half (48 per cent) of people think that dealing with their bank by phone is a frustrating experience.


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Tracy Dupire of Worthington, Indiana, loves to drive her 2002 Ford Mustang convertible with the top down when the weather is nice. She’s always had an American car and hopes she always will.
“It’s hard to rationalize sending all of our money overseas. You have to buy American products and back American workers,” says Dupire. The question of value in American-based auto-manufacturers is coming to a head as President Obama advocates for a bailout of two of the Big Three auto manufacturers and asks the companies to present a plan for progress. General Motors and Chrysler requested a combined $21.6 billion Tuesday on top of existing federal loans due to worsening demand for cars and trucks. Ford said it has enough money for the time being to make due without the bailout. Dupire wants to see the American-based auto manufacturers supported with conditions and close supervision. “I think they should be held accountable for every dime we give them. I don’t think we should give our money away without getting something back from it. It’s not enough to say, ‘Oh we’re going to fix it.’ We need to have a plan.” iReport.com: See her convertible with the top down Auto manufacturers waited too long to make changes and are paying the price for imprudent extravagance, Dupire says. “It’s just a slap in the face to America. I have to get by on a budget, why shouldn’t they have to”
What makes an American car American
iReport.com: Taxi cab driver’s perspective on car buying
iReport.com: Photographer captures junked vintage cars
iReport.com: How do you define an American car
But Dupire says American car makers still produce a good product. As long as owners attend to their scheduled maintenance, they’re going to have a good car that lasts, she says. Watch an iReporter describe the family Ford tradition » Kelly R. Verhelst of Oostburg, Wisconsin, says her family always buys American cars and she feels doing so helps her country. “I don’t always agree with the big labor unions and management styles but there is just something about American pride. Our country has been bombarded with foreign-made products from clothing to electronics.” Daniel Luke Diaz of Diamond Bar, California, has only bought American cars his entire life — he even drove a Hummer during his time in the military. He says, for the most part, American cars provide good value. He also says he feels a responsibility to buy American. By buying foreign cars, “You might as well be laying off the American autoworkers yourself and handing their paychecks to those foreign automakers personally,” says Diaz. The American auto industry can be turned around if top executives renew their focus on quality construction and better materials, says Diaz. “I believe Americans want cars to be as durable as they were 20 years ago. No cutting corners.” He says foreign automakers have used a “quantity-over-quality strategy” that flooded markets and made the cars seem more reliable. Marketing is a huge part of the solution for turning around the auto companies, he says. “American consumers simply want to know the American cars on the road will last, will have a long-term warranty, and that parts will be readily available and labeled ‘Made in the USA.’ ” Dan Gray of Belle Mead, New Jersey, an MPGomatic.com car reviewer, posted a video on iReport.com describing his own impressions of American cars. He says many perform as well as any imports and there are several models he highly recommends. iReport.com: Find out what cars Gray recommends “We need to keep our factories going and our people employed. Give the American car companies a shot.” But Nicholas Coday of Eugene, Oregon, says he finds cars from the so-called Big Three to be inferior to imports. He views the bailout plans as a “necessary evil” since the auto industry is so large and employs so many people. “I think the autoworkers are being hurt in the end as they are given a false sense of security by the bailout and the [auto workers] union. It does not matter how much money we pump into the company if consumers cannot afford their vehicles or would rather buy vehicles from their competitors.” Coday says the Ford and Chevy models he has owned developed serious mechanical problems, while the Hondas he later bought had only minor “cosmetic” issues. iReport.com: What would make Coday change his mind He singled out Ford as the only company of the Big Three he feels “has a clue” and coincidentally isn’t asking for the bailout money. “They have realized that not everyone wants an SUV or a truck and they cannot afford the cost of a Mustang, so they have rolled out affordable models such as the Focus and Fusion, which I have seen good reviews on.” Another “unsatisfied” American car owner is Concordia University student Suraj Suba of Montreal, Quebec. He likes his Chrysler Intrepid but says styling and fuel efficiency could be better. “The way I see it, they [should] have a lot of power. You [should] feel like you’re driving a manly car when you’re driving an American car. It doesn’t feel flimsy, and it doesn’t feel like it’s going to break.”
He views Ford’s own strides in these areas as reasons why the company hasn’t yet asked for federal money. “The whole American-made, Ford-tough. … That’s what’s lacking at GM and Chrysler. It doesn’t have that pride.”


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Instagram is again in news headlines for handling data poorly. In a recent report it has been found that users who have signed up for Social Captain – a media booting service are a victim to data breach. This means personal details of thousands of Instagram users using Social Captain is at stake.
According to a report published in TechCrunch the company Social Captain is storing passwords of Instagram account in an unencrypted plaintext. Data scientist and business consultant David Stier discovered that the source code for some of the user profiles on Instagram included the account holder’s contact information whenever it loaded in a web browser.
The contact information wasn’t on display on the profiles of the Instagram account holders when opened on the desktop version of Instagram’s website. However, it was used by Instagram’s app for communication.
“A security researcher, who asked not to be named, alerted TechCrunch to the vulnerability and provided a spreadsheet of about 10,000 scraped user accounts,” said the report. About 70 accounts were premium accounts of paid customers.
According to Adam Brown, Manager, Security Solutions, at Synopsys Software Integrity Group, design flaws are the cause of approximately 50 percent of all software vulnerabilities. “They are seldom detected without performing a design review as this activity requires select expertise. That said, in this case, a penetration test should have easily identified this flaw,” Brown told IANS.
“This is especially bad for affected users not just because their Instagram passwords are now breached, but also due to the fact that people commonly reuse passwords which could lead to unauthorized access of additional accounts by extension,” he elaborated.
Last year, Instagram was in trouble due to personal data leak of millions of influencers and celebrities done by a social media marketing firm based out of Mumbai. This seeped database contained approximately 49 million records of high-profile influencers.
In 2017, a bug in Instagram led to the leak of personal details of more than 6 million celebrity users, including Taylor Swift and Kim Kardashian. The stolen information was later dumped into a database and reportedly sold for $10 per record via Bitcoins.
“We are investigating and will take appropriate action. We strongly encourage people to never give their passwords to someone they don’t know or trust,” an Instagram spokesperson was quoted as saying.
Users, who have already signed up on Social Caption to increase their followers, we request you to change your Instagram Passwords immediately.


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DirecTV will report its Q1 2014 earnings on May 6. The satellite company has so far performed better among the pay-TV operators and reported solid subscriber growth in the U.S., adding 169,000 video subscribers in 2013. The company is focused on retaining its existing subscribers in the U.S., in a time when pay-TV industry at large is saturated. This will help the company grow its ARPU (average monthly subscription fee) in the U.S.
The company's Latin American (LatAm) operations have been driving the growth for the company for quite some time now. However, there has been a slowdown in the recent past primarily due to the depreciation of LatAm currencies against the U.S. Dollar. As a result, the ARPU has dropped by 10% to $52 in 2013 as compared to $57 in 2012. We’d like to see how the subscriber and ARPU trends were during the first quarter.
Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that AT&T has approached DirecTV about possible acquisition in a deal worth at least $40 billion. We’ll be closely watching for any updates from the company’s management on this front.
U.S. Subscriber Trends In Focus
The U.S. satellite TV operations contribute close to 60% to DirecTV's value, according to our estimates. It must be noted that the overall U.S. pay-TV industry lost 105,000 net video subscribers in 2013 while DirecTV managed to gain 169,000. The difficulty in the U.S. pay-TV industry reflects a combination of market saturation, fierce competition, and the increased focus of providers on acquiring higher-value subscribers. Moreover, some consumers opt for a lower-cost mixture of over-the-air TV, Netflix and other over-the-top viewing options.
DirecTV has managed to add pay-TV subscribers despite slowdown in the industry. One of the reasons for this is the cord switching from cable to satellite providers. Moreover, DirecTV's exclusive programming in the form of NFL Sunday Ticket and better customer service has helped it reduce subscriber churn, which in the previous quarter was lowest for fourth quarter in 15 years. We believe these factors will continue to drive growth for DirecTV in the near term. In the long run, the subscriber as well as ARPU growth will depend on DirecTV's renewal of the NFL deal, which will end after 2014 season.
Concerns Over Latin America
LatAm operations contribute close to 25% to DirecTV's value, according to our estimates. In 2013, the company’s LatAm revenues increased 10% to $6.84 billion primarily due to the rise in subscribers. DirecTV's LatAm pay-TV subscriber base grew 12% to 11.57 million in 2013. The company has been able to gain market share in Latin America due to the success of its middle-market focused programming packages and the growing popularity of prepaid products.
However, in the recent past, things haven't been great on LatAm front. Macroeconomic volatility in Brazil weighed on the companys earnings in the past few quarters. The situation still looks gloomy with Brazil's GDP expected to grow by 2.3% this year and Venezuela's inflation soaring towards 60%. While we believe DirecTV will continue to add more subscribers in the LatAm markets, we are still wary of ARPU trends given the currency impact from the macroeconomic volatility in the region.
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(Credit: Riot Games)
The online game's October world championships sold out LA's Staples Center -- the home of the Lakers, Clippers and Kings -- in roughly one hour this weekend.
Even for the most popular online game around, that's an incredible accomplishment. And, as if to underscore the popularity of the event, scalpers are already commanding prices of up to $2,000 per seat on StubHub, having paid somewhere between $45 and $100 originally.
Exactly how many seats were sold isn't clear. The Lakers typically pack roughly 19,000 people in per game, but since the championships will use 'event seating' (as the arena does for concerts), the number's likely a bit lower. One thing is certain, though: it's significantly higher than the 8,000-plus who attended the event last year at USC's Galen Center.
Developer Riot Games, in a statement on its website, thanked its fans.
"We're humbled by the overwhelming response and enthusiasm for the Season 3 World Championship," they wrote. "We thank you for your continued support of League of Legend esports – we’re putting every effort into making the entire three-week Championship event the best possible experience for fans."
League of Legends is a class-leading multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, a competitive genre in which players try to destroy and guard bases using fantastical heroes and defensive structures. According to Riot, over 12 million gamers play the game on a daily basis, making it one of the biggest online games in the world.
The championships will bring together 14 teams. North America, Europe and Korea will field three teams apiece, Southeast Asia and China will both have two competitors, and an International Wildcard entry rounds out the card. While the qualifying rounds begin September 15, the finals won't take place until October 4.
The winner takes home $1 million and has his name etched onto the Summoner's Cup.
Fans who didn't score a ticket aren't entirely out of luck, of course. Riot Games says it will stream the events online, allowing anyone to watch.
- Sports & Recreation
- League of Legends
- online game


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Local Businesses Announce Joint Venture to Launch Classic Vehicle Auction at North East Automotive Event
Thainstone Specialist Auctions (a division of ANM Group) has partnered with Aberdeen business AW Autotech, the organiser and main sponsor of the Blast from the Past Charity automotive event. The partnership will include an online classic vehicle auction as part of the 2022 show.
The annual Blast from the Past event will be held at the Thainstone Centre on Saturday the 9th of July 2022 and it is the first year that the event will incorporate a classic vehicle auction.
Neil Simpson, Business Development Manager & Asset Valuer, Thainstone Specialist Auctions said: “With no other event like this in the North East of Scotland, the addition of the auction is a great opportunity for two local companies to join forces and enhance the return of a hugely popular event.
TSA have a highly experienced team of auctioneers and online auction format allows entries to reach a comprehensive network of buyers.”
Alan Wallace, Director, AW Autotech said: “The Blast from the Past event has been held at Thainstone since 2017 and the new partnership with TSA is a great opportunity to enhance the shows offering on its return in July.
We are looking forward to working closely with the TSA team and we are delighted that the addition of the auction has already seen interest from potential sellers.”
TSA will be accepting entries between the 1st and 30th of June, all entries are welcome from classic tractors, motorbikes and cars. To discuss entries, please contact Alan Wallace (AW Autotech) by calling 07713 090076 or Neil Simpson (TSA) on 07760 426241.


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China has become the world's forest products trade in the major importing countries
In 2009, China became the world's forest products trade in the major importing countries. China is the world's largest importer of logs, lumber and pulp. According to "Wood Resource Quarterly" report, China is the second largest importer in 2009's second quarter softwood. China's economy continues to develop, the second quarter of 2009, China's GDP growth rate was 7.9%. Increase domestic consumption of forest products, new construction and renovation of old buildings is the main driving factors of wood product consumption.
The second quarter of 2009, China's imports of softwood logs than in the first quarter increased by 51%, an increase of 27% compared to the second quarter of 2008. This indicates that China's lumber and plywood industry situation has improved industrial operations. The largest increase in imports from China, Russia and New Zealand. Although Russia is still the largest supplier of logs, but New Zealand has increased its share in the Chinese market, from 10% in the second quarter of last year to the current 23%. China's imports of softwood logs for three consecutive quarters of decline in the second quarter of this year decreased by 25% compared to last year's third quarter. This year, the import price of Russian logs have been much higher than New Zealand and Australia's timber imports prices.
According to "The Wood Resource Quarterly" report, 2nd quarter of 2009, the lumber industry in southern China's widespread use of fir log prices than the historical record of last fall fell 18%. Been higher than domestic log prices of imported logs fell accordingly. The increased demand for softwood lumber production in China not only increased, but also the volume of timber imports also rose. In the first half of this year, China's timber imports have increased by over 28% last year. By the increase in demand is imported from Russia, Canada and New Zealand timber to meet.
China's pulp and paper companies to buy increasing year by year, the first half of this year, imports of pulp more than the same period in 2008 by 40%. Pulp production plant in Latin America due to the recent surge in Chinese imports and large gains. According to "Wood Resource Quarterly" report, this year Brazil will have increased by 50% the number of China's exports of wood pulp.
News on two similar
· And the global trend towards the economic center of the East from the West
· Beijing to some newspaper and book printing business


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Category: You Should Have That Looked At
Brooklyn Peltz Beckham Has Added Another Tattoo Dedicated To His Wifey Nicola Peltz Beckham
February 23, 2023 / Posted by: Mieka
When there’s trouble in paradise, or in this case, in California by way of Florida, sometimes the only thing to do is DEFLECT – DEFLECT – DEFLECT! According to E! News, Brooklyn Peltz Beckham showed off a brand new tattoo, a giant portrait of Nicola Peltz Beckham’s face, his wifey of just under a year, after embarrassing details about the couple’s $13 million “shit-show” of a wedding, rife with secrets and superfudge (auto-correct and it stays), were revealed earlier this week. Brooklyn’s latest masterpiece is proudly on display in the Wifey Wing on his bicep and is now part of the permanent collection at the Brooklyn Museum of Matrimonial Art (BMMA).


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As has been the case for the past few years, Sony isn't hosting a dedicated PlayStation launch event in December 2021, which means it's been a few days since Sony last updated us about the progress of PS5 gaming in the coming months and years. month. However, there has been good news recently, with rumors that Sony is planning to hold a launch event in February this year.
Tom Henderson broke the news on Twitter that there is currently a rumor that Sony's next conference may be held in February this year, depending on the February media conference and the previous PlayStation time. This could be a new round of State of Play, or it could be a very big event, and he also hinted that the Harry Potter game "Hogwarts Legacy" will make an appearance at the conference.
Sony officially announced the PSVR 2 and its companion game Horizon Call of the Mountain at CES in early January this year.
Previously, another source, Tidux, revealed that Sony's first-party studio is developing an open-world action stealth game. The gameplay will be "Metal Gear 5" x "Splinter Cell". Players can complete tasks at will and can face gunfights. Can sneak in mysteriously.
In addition, netizen Geronimo_73 broke the news that the games that Sony is developing are as follows, the authenticity is unknown:
2 action-adventure games
Psychological sci-fi action game
Sci-Fi Action FPS
Survival Horror (Silent Hill Series)
third-person tactical shooter


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If you think there’s absolutely no way Microsoft will be able to escape single-digit space in the smartphone OS ranks anytime soon, Redmond’s slow but steady tablet growth might make you reconsider.
Just three years ago, Windows was a mere blip on iOS and Android’s radars as far as large-screen gadgets were concerned too, with less than two percent of global sales, compared to over 55 percent for iPads, and 40+ for Galaxy Tabs, Motorola Xooms, early Nexuses, and the first-gen Kindle Fire.
But then Surfaces surged from awkward experimental products to actual laptop replacements, and Asus, Acer and Lenovo also joined the 2-in-1 movement, including with low-cost 10 and 11-inchers. And all of a sudden, market analysts say Microsoft and its partner OEMs “finally got tablets right”, aiming for a grand total of 22 million shipments in 2015, and a cool 10 percent slice of the shrinking but still delicious pie.
The year’s first nine months have reportedly seen Windows tablet popularity grow by an impressive 58 percent, and Strategy Analytics predicts a further 120 percent increase within four years or so. That means worldwide sales could reach close to 50 million units in 2019, only narrowly behind iPads, but nonetheless eclipsed by Androids.
On the other hand, it’s Google’s very platform that’s projected to lose steam to MS and friendly manufacturers, with the current dominant market share of 68 percent possibly dropping to 59 in the not-so-distant future. Apple should retain a little over 20 percent of the “ecosystem”, while Windows will climb from 10 to 18 percentage points if the forecast pans out. That’s clearly a big if, though the trends seem hard to contest. Android is down, Windows is up.
Source: Strategy Analytics


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U.K.-based fashion marketplace Depop has made two additions to its executive team, appointing Rachel McShane as CFO and Rebecca Levy-Lewis as senior director, people, culture and impact.
McShane (LinkedIn profile), who takes up her role this month, joins Depop from PaySafe, where she served as CFO of its digital wallets division. Her prior experience includes more than a decade at Barclays, most recently as head of finance for its corporate bank.
She replaces Francois Callens, who stepped down as chief operating and financial officer over the summer to take on new challenges in the technology sector.
With a background in the fashion, retail and marketplace sectors across the U.S. and U.K., Levy-Lewis (LinkedIn profile) will take on her newly created role in January, following her return from parental leave.
She previously served as Depop’s director of communications and has spent over four years at the company, working on both external and internal communications.
“We’re delighted to be bolstering our executive team with two proven leaders who have a strong connection to our mission and a great understanding of the culture and ethos of our business,” said CEO Kruti Patel Goyal.
“Both Rachel and Rebecca have deep experience of managing high performing teams and truly embody our values of empowerment, integrity and commitment; they’re uniquely placed to help us deliver on our ambitions in 2024 and beyond.”
Etsy-owned Depop posted an 8% year-on-year increase in revenue to £53.4 million ($65.1 million U.S.) in 2022, while its operating loss declined by 30% to £59.4 million.
The marketplace has approximately 30 million registered users and had 3.3 million active buyers and 1.8 million active sellers at the end of last year.


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The vision; to build a community of passionate students who have the desire to fully engage in fashion – whatever their background or skill-set. The Goldsmiths Fashion Society is already blazing a trail, and the term has only just started.
“We started the society with the aim of bringing students with the same interests together; people with different talents that are willing to share their skills and learn new ones.
“GFS gives members access to a group of students who they can then contact to participate in projects, while building a valuable network that will transfer to the professional sphere,” says Adriana Lopez the Creative Director studying Media and Communications.
Following their success at the Freshers Fair, the team organised their first social. What was thought to be a quiet little gathering actually amassed more than 70 students avid to get involved in this brand new society. With socials now being held every Wednesday, the GFS are creating a social space for members to mingle and get to know each-other, building the foundations of a network. The president, Sixtine Sulaski, a third year Management and Entrepreneurship student says that she wants to build a progressive and engaging society that can live on after her time at Goldsmiths has finished.
(Image; Goldsmiths Fashion Society logo)
The Goldsmiths Fashion Society is particularly refreshing in their approach – they want to dig into the side of fashion that is more characteristically ‘Goldsmiths’. Fashion houses and magazines dominate the industry and our high streets – but so little of it is affordable or even accessible for students.
Nikos Akritidis, the Treasurer and Head of Projects says “I am interested in fashion as an artistic expression; interdisciplinary and inherently creative. These are both qualities that can be overshadowed by the connotations of the industry.”
By all means taking inspiration from these iconic brands and publications is a fantastic creative exercise, but Sulaski and the team want to get into the close knit groups that really explore their style as a form of expression. GFS wants to meet the bands that use fashion as a way of constructing a brand image; the students who are making the clothes that high street stores just don’t stock. Those challenging the norms and conventions of fashion. The president used the phrase “Outsiders on the inside,” to describe their ideology.
Already seeking out potential collaborators, GFS has joined forces with two English Literature students who have launched a blog on vintage and thrift shopping in London. Reviewing individual stores, the pair will do a tour and document their findings and opinions on their Instagram and blog.
Additionally, the team want to invite speakers from the fashion industry to engage in topical and pressing debates as well as host at least two workshops a term. The first of which will be after reading week, and covering up-cycling, which the team hopes will motivate members to participate in future projects. The guest speaker at this workshop is local women’s knitwear designer, Christine Kinson.
Other guest speakers include the creative talent behind @storiesbehindthings , the blogging duo Jemma and Ella who are inspiring figures in the move towards a more sustainable and conscious culture.
Their project was born out of a feeling of disconnectedness from the material things around them and wanting to create a space where it is easy and accessible to implement sustainable living into your life.
As we return to Goldsmiths post-break, you can also look forward to a Stories Behind Things and GFS hosted clothes switch that will be open to the public. Priced at £2 for non-members, the event will be a great place to rift through some amazing clothes, giving unwanted garments a new home – as well as mingle with the team and members. More details to follow!
Addressing the environmental impact fashion has on the world is a top priority for GFS. Though dressing and living sustainably is something that many think is unachievable, Sulaski wants to promote the idea of a ‘mindful youth’. The premise is all about making small changes in the way we engage with fashion in order to minimise our environmental impact. As second to oil, fashion is the largest pollutant in the world.
“I think it is crucial for our generation to be actively thinking of what we consume and how that affects the environment around us. This is why we are aiming to carry out projects throughout the year which will raise awareness on mindful consumption and positively impact the wider community,” says Sulaski.
By summer 2018, GFS want to host their very first Sustainable Fashion Show. Designers will be invited to collaborate and produce repurposed, recycled and ethical fashion items. Projects such as this are a brilliant creative exercise, but also highlight the ways in which we, as students, can get involved in a movement that is still gaining momentum in the wider fashion industry. The team hope by hosting workshops that teach members skills such as up-cycling, their fashion show will be an all-inclusive expression of creativity, regardless of the past design experience of those who would like to get involved.
“My aim is to capture and display this creativity that is thriving at Goldsmiths,” says Akritidis.
You can keep track of GFS on Instagram and Facebook with the handle @goldsmithsfashionsociety
Words, Vicki Shadbolt – @vshadders


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We continue to press the importance of social distancing, as both Mayors explain. Please don't let up - we're in a critical time to help stop the spread of COVID-19 so as to not overwhelm our hospitals.
This program will assist unemployed and furloughed workers in the Downtown Huntsville Core and Downtown Huntsville Districts. The Land Trust will temporarily hire these workers to help with trail upkeep.
“This is a deliberate and measured response to the COVID-19 threat that faces our state and our community," said Mayor Tommy Battle. "The coming four weeks will be significant as the epicenter of this virus hits Alabama.
Yellowhammer Brewing has partnered with a variety of local organizations and businesses over the past couple of weeks. The company is making hand sanitizer, and is accepting monetary donations to help fund the numerous batches.
The shirts feature the “LIVE.LOCAL.HUNTSVILLE” slogan, with various styles for men and women. All of the proceeds from the sales, and any extra donations made, will go into the fund to be distributed to local hospitality and retail workers.


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Conservation groups have spent the last few years fighting to make sure that FDA warnings about mercury are actually shared with consumers and we're starting to have some real success in getting the message out. Many consumers, especially expecting mothers, now know about these warnings and are closely monitoring which - and how much - seafood they eat in a given week to avoid mercury contamination. But as the New York Times reports, a recent study shows that mercury has spread further than previously thought.
This "eye opening" study tested songbirds in New York and found that EVERY ONE had elevated levels of mercury - meaning that mercury is now literally finding its way into our backyards. Check it out (registration required).
- Ocean Roundup: Great Barrier Reef Health “Never Been Worse,” Coral Could Be New Substitute for Bone Grafts, and More Posted Thu, October 23, 2014
- Oceana Magazine, Dr. Pauly Column: How Do We Know How Many Fish There Are in The Sea? Posted Fri, October 17, 2014
- Bird Casualties from BP’s Gulf Spill Much Higher than Original Estimates Posted Tue, October 21, 2014
- Video: Oceana’s “Drill, Spill, Repeat” Documentary Wins Award at Sunscreen Film Fest Posted Thu, October 23, 2014
- Ocean Roundup: Lionfish Being Fed to Reef Sharks, New Polymer Could Reduce Shark Bycatch, and More Posted Mon, October 20, 2014


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Dan Houser, the co-founder of Rockstar Games who left Grand Theft Auto developers last year, has created a new British studio known as Silly adventures in games.
The company was recently registered by Houser and formally incorporated on June 23, the Business Registry List describes its business as “Develop interactive entertainment and entertainment programsIn short, a new software house.
Interestingly, Houser actually registered on the same day a group of companies in North America in February 2021, called Absurd Ventures LLC and Absurd Ventures in Games LLC, indicating that You may not want to limit yourself to video games only. This US division is headquartered in Delaware and owns all shares of Absurd Ventures in Games in the UK.
Houser is listed as director of the company’s UK division, although no other employees are currently being hired. Rockstar announced in 2019 that Houser would take “long pauseFrom the company, which subsequently pushed him to leave the company in March 2020. It is highly rumored that Rockstar is working on Grand Theft Auto 6 at the moment, which is likely to You don’t see the light of day until 2025.
Pending the release of the highly-anticipated new Rockstar Games Grand Theft Auto 6, some rumors from an insider seem to be pointing to a female protagonist in Vice City set in the present.
Source: Prince sultan university
“Bacon trailblazer. Certified coffee maven. Zombie lover. Tv specialist. Freelance communicator.”


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In the midst of Google I / O in San Francisco, the company shared tidbit numbers of activated Android devices, of which there were as many as 400 million. By the time of last year's Google I / O, there were 100 million activated devices, i.e. over the past twelve months, another 300 million Android devices have appeared in the world.
The main point with which the organizers presented these numbers is in comparison with Apple's figures, which, although impressive (365 million), fall slightly short of Google's.
Google, albeit justifiably, boasts that an average of twelve Android devices are activated every second in the world, which translates into about a million new devices every day. Interestingly, at the moment Apple has stopped publishing information about the number of activations of devices on iOS.
However, there is a difference in counting the number of activations of Android devices and iOS devices, which is that Google's system update counts as a new activation. In addition, Google is not engaged in independent production of devices, but is only the supplier of the OS, which greatly facilitates its distribution.
Google also noted that a million NFC-enabled devices (a technology for wireless data transfer at a close (up to 10 cm) distance), which, according to rumors, will acquire the next generation of iPhone, are shipped every week.
Well, and the search giant's last boast was a map that showed significant gains in Android phone usage. Countries such as Japan, South Korea and France excelled in these indicators.


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THE FOOD FOUNDATION AND THE SOARING COST OF FOOD
In Westminster last week I attended an event hosted by The Food Foundation, “Growing our Five a Day”.
The Food Foundation and SHEFs (Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems) work with Governments across the UK to support both producers and the public to thrive.
With shortages of fresh food and rationing becoming a feature in supermarket the issue of fruit and veg production and consumption across the UK has come into sharp focus.
Cost of living pressures on households have reached a generational high. The recent release of the Which? food inflation tracker shows just how difficult things have become for consumers.
The event showcased the latest data, real life stories and solutions to the challenges people are facing in accessing affordable, nutritious food.
Which? presented new research on access to affordable food which demonstrates how stark the problem is.
Undoubtedly, the opportunity for everyone to easily access affordable and healthy food is essential, as is supporting fresh domestic food production so that we have a healthier and more equal society.


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Mi’kma’ki/Nova Scotia - The Ecology Action Centre is calling on the federal government and the government of Nova Scotia to implement specific measures to ensure zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) supply is available across the country.
A recent report commissioned by the EAC through Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors indicates that without proper legislative mechanisms to increase delivery of ZEVs outside of provincially regulated markets, provinces like Nova Scotia risk missing federal ZEV adoption targets by a wide margin. According to the report, a scenario in which ZEV availability remains unregulated in Nova Scotia could significantly impact the projected number of ZEVs on the road and severely limit the province’s ability to achieve greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions in the transportation sector.
“Regulated ZEV sales targets will send a clear signal to manufacturers to increase the supply of electric vehicles in Canada, creating a cycle of supply and adoption which can in turn create market certainty for deployment of charging infrastructure,” says Thomas Arnason McNeil, climate policy coordinator with the EAC. “This report shows that it’s essential for the Government of Canada to facilitate supply equity across the country to ensure this cycle of electric vehicle supply, adoption and infrastructure deployment benefits Canadians in every province and territory.”
Provincially regulated supply targets in British Columbia and Quebec have served to increase ZEV sales in those provinces, but they have not increased the overall national supply of electric vehicles and have even made supply shortages and wait times worse in the rest of the country. The report suggests that strong federal regulation is a solution to this problem, and specific measures aimed at supply equity are needed to ensure that affordable ZEVs are available across the country.
“Addressing regional inequities through an opt-in mechanism within forthcoming federal regulations could mitigate the risk of non-compliance in provinces without ZEV mandates,” says Arnason McNeil. “This report projects that by doing so, policymakers could ensure that an additional 65,000 electric vehicles hit the roads in Nova Scotia by 2030 and achieve an additional 5.2 megatons of avoided GHG emissions between 2022 and 2050.”
Polling conducted for the EAC by Abacus Data in 2022 revealed that 68 per cent of respondents reported that wait times made them less likely to consider buying an electric vehicle. The same polling revealed that 86 per cent of respondents support standards for ZEV availability.
To provide an opportunity to talk with prospective owners about the challenges they currently face in acquiring an electric vehicle, the EAC and the Clean Foundation’s Next Ride program will be hosting an electric vehicle test drive event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 25 at the EAC office on 2705 Fern Lane in Halifax. Media is encouraged to attend and the public can register for this event through the EAC’s website.
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Last Updated on 17/10/2021 by Khushi
On a prominent hacking website, a threat actor leaked approximately 20 million BigBasket user records containing personal information and hashed passwords. This includes details regarding email address, hashed passwords and mobile number of the users.
They are accused of having hacked Wattpad, Tokopedia, Dave, Promo, Minted and many more of them. This time it’s the popular Indian grocery store BigBasket.
ShinyHunter had attempted to sell the stolen data in private sales, following which BigBasket announced to Bloomberg News in November 2020 that they had suffered a data breach.
ShinyHunters has now published the entire archive, which currently includes more than 20 million user information, for free, as is customary for older breaches privately sold by the threat actor.
The passwords are hashed with the SHA1 algorithm, and forum members claim to have cracked 2 million of the passwords mentioned so far. According to another member, 700,000 customers used the password ‘password’ for their accounts.
BleepingComputer has verified that some of the documents are authentic, including information unique to the BigBasket service. It is thereby advised that the BigBasket users make changes to their passwords immediately, both on BigBasket and on any other sites that use the same password, maybe using a password manager.


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Let’s talk crypto, Metaverse, NFTs, CeDeFi, and Stocks, and focus on multi-chain as the future of blockchain technology. Let us all WIN!
Apple’s new iPhone 12 will have features similar to the latest iPad, although the launch may be delayed due to the ongoing coronavirus. Apple has designed a smaller HomePod, and also is going to launch location tags to help real-world objects tracking.
Through a detailed blog post, Bloomberg highlighted the major key features of the next new iPhone model, the iPhone 12. It confirmed that iPhone 12 will look like a tiny iPad Pro, in most of the external features. It is anticipated that Apple will include 5G capabilities in all the next releases of the iPhone.
In addition, Apple has been designing a smaller and also cheaper HomePod speaker. According to the post, the HomePod will have half the size of the predecessor and in a similar shape. Apple is said to be preparing to launch it in the second half of the year.
In the bucket list, Apple is also preparing to launch apple tags, which is a mind-blowing tech to assist in asset tracking. The tracker will be able to track virtually anything even if your apple device is not near and connected to the internet. This will be a solution with the ‘Find My’, which mostly requires the device being tracked to be connected to the internet.
Other devices set to be updated include the MacBook Pro, the Apple TV, cheaper iPad and also a new iMac.
The launching may, however, be delayed due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis that has gripped the world in fear. The company has its assembly and engineering sections in China where the virus began, as a result, the supply chain has been adversely affected.
iPhone 12 Features
According to sources familiar with the project, the new iPhone 12 will have flat stainless steel edges, instead of the previous curved design. Besides, it will feature more sharp and rounded corners similar to the state of art, iPod Pro, launched back in 2018.
In a cool throwback, iPhone enthusiasts will enjoy the original feel of the iPhone 5, which had a unique shape mostly flat screen and blockish edges, in a new technological dimension. There are finer details that will make iPhone enthusiasts cough the extra cash to acquire the device.
According to Bloomberg, the upcoming iPhone Pro will feature three rear cameras. In addition, Apple will add the 3-D Lidar system, which is a tech advancement to make the devices compatible with augmented reality applications.
In regard to the screen size, Apple is said to have designed the iPhone 12 screen a bit larger than the predecessor iPhone 11, which has 6.5-Inch. Apple has worked on a device that will be compatible with artificial intelligence and mostly augmented reality tasks.
Meanwhile, today Apple (AAPL) stock is slightly up. It is trading at $269.10 (+0.41%).