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Medtech entrepreneurs at the Series A level agree that the funding environment remains challenging.
Bill EvansEntrepreneurs at the Series A funding level tend to report that their part of the funding life cycle remains very challenging, as has been for the last decade. They also report that many A Round investors are angels, often knowledgeable of the sector such as medtech executives, and physicians and surgeons active in the startup’s area.
The is article No. 2 in a three-part series about medtech investing trends:
- Part 1 looks at what is driving the underlying trends.
- Part 2, the present article, looks at these trends from the entrepreneur’s perspective.
- Part 3 gives advice from the trenches, to guide entrepreneurs looking to tune up their business plans to be in the best position when Series A comes around.
Venk Varadan CEO of Nanowear is developing a cloth based remote monitoring system for congestive heart failure patients, designed to reduce hospital readmissions. Varadan reflects what a lot of CEOs and industry observers are saying, that they have more hurdles to jump than in the past, “When the Affordable Care Act was passed almost a decade ago, digital health for consumers and healthcare systems was born. At that time, great design for user experience and/or a 510(k) clearance in digital health translated to massive funding available. Today investors are expecting a lot more.”
Kristin Johnson, CEO at surgical tools startup Eximis Surgical added, “It used to be Series A would have funded creating prototypes for clinical studies. Now there is a desire that we’ve done some of this prior to that round.”
New kinds of investors especially from tech and consumer tend to underestimate adoption time. “It was great that non-traditional medtech investors entered the fold after ACA, because many new ideas were entertained across the ecosystem. But many entrepreneurs and their investors didn’t realize how long it takes to sell into a hospital: Many boxes need to be checked compared to the consumer sector that is used to rapid adoption of new tech. In our space, healthcare has been using the same sensor technology for decades, but not a single hospital cared about our tech in 2014 because no boxes were checked.” Varadan said.
Of course there continues to be competition for which industry sectors are most lucrative for VCs. As Varadan noted, “Big exits and giant funding rounds to Series E, F, and G levels in the last decade, make the typical medtech exits of $150M-200M, and at least 7 plus years less attractive to investors.”
Digital health trends
It has always been hard for new startups where prior companies, perceived by investors as being in the same space, have struggled. This is true now with wearables. While many were leaning towards wellness it still impacted those companies going for medical grade products. Varadan considers we are now at the beginning of “digital health gen 3,” which he likens to the start of the slope of enlightenment where he feels there is now a realization of how rigorous companies are going to have to be to succeed in this space. The old standard such as a 510(k), which Nanowear has already achieved, is not enough. “What’s after regulatory hurdles? What about supply chain and device scalability, and battery life? Because supply chain was a problem with past wearables companies and costs could never get low enough for a payor or provider, let alone consumer. We spent all of 2017 getting that box checked by finding the right partner to meet healthcare adoption needs.”
Jennifer Fried is CEO of Explorer Surgical, a digital health product to help better manage operating room and interventional suites aimed at both hospitals and device makers. She noted this about the types of investors more active in the last five years.
“Ascension and Kaiser have their own venture funds, and we’re seeing hospitals and health systems as Limited Partners in other funds as well,” Fried said.
Even though these groups don’t have the length of experience investing as the more traditional institutional investors, she noted, “ They see it’s going to keep changing and growing, creating opportunities such as new payment and delivery models. It helps that on the digital side you might need less than a few million dollars to build early iterations of a software tool and start using it.”
One of Explorer’s early investors is the University of Chicago who invested out of a $20 million fund dedicated to life sciences innovations. “You can raise $100,000 checks,” Fried said. “But if you look at someone like Ascension, I’d be shocked if they’re deploying anything smaller than $5–10 million making later stage companies more attractive to them.”
She raised $3 million for Explorer’s Series A, an amount she considered to be on the earlier side of the investment curve. Like other companies their early investors include a lot of angels, often clinicians and surgeons, as well as small funds and support from the broader Chicago technology community.
Special hurdles for digital therapeutics
Ted Smith is the CEO of Revon Systems, whose product is software as a medical device (SaMD) that helps people with chronic diseases self-triage how serious their symptoms are and their best next step.
Smith is currently raising Series A funds on top of the $7 million in seed funding over 6 years to date. “We have the added challenge of having to educate the device industry about SaMD because it’s a brand new category mostly made possible by smartphones,” Smith said.
“There is a lack of understanding about FDA and reimbursement pathways, and no exits yet for pure digital therapies,” Smith said, noting pioneers have helped. “Pear got their HCPCS code in November and a $50 million round in January. Pear Therapeutics is the current category leader with FDA approval in 2017 and outlicensing and co-development deal with Novartis/Sandoz. These are watershed moments for digital therapeutics.”
Part 3 of this article will give advice from the trenches, by bankers, industry observers and those founders raising early money, to guide entrepreneurs looking to tune up their business plans to be in the best position when Series A comes around.
Bill Evans is an individual consultant to the medtech and digital health industries, and an expert in helping companies leverage user centered design to create market winning products that improve outcomes, and help lower overall costs. Until recently, and for 25 years, he was the founder and former innovation SVP at the medical design consultancy, Bridge Design (San Francisco), now a Ximedica company. He can be contacted at firstname.lastname@example.org
The opinions expressed in this blog post are the author’s only and do not necessarily reflect those of MedicalDesignandOutsourcing.com or its employees.


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This story was published more than 11 years ago.
US advertising industry publication Advertising Age is reporting that legalized online poker could result in $3.5 to $4 billion being invested in the marketing of the industry over the next five years.
The report cites numbers from gambling consulting firm H2 Gambling Capital, who claims that by 2017 online poker could spend more money on advertising than the insurance industry.
H2 Gambling Capital's Simon Holliday estimated that the online gambling industry will be worth $1 billion by 2014 and worth more than $13 billion within a decade.
"Driving players to their sites is the biggest single cost of these companies," Holliday said. "It is probable that 25 to 30% of company net revenues will be spent on advertising and marketing budgets in the initial years, as there is a land grab."
Caesars Entertainment Interactive Division Executive Mitch Garber commented on the industry's advertising, saying: "Five years ago, the combined spend of all onsite-based gaming companies in online advertising was very small, limited to SEO for attracting visitors to book hotel rooms online and to come to the website. It's changing dramatically. ... There's no question that as an industry we'll be spending more time and money on interactive advertising."
The article went on to report that Caesars recently began searching for an ad agency to oversee digital media purchasing.

domain: news


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As the marketplace evolution continues to accelerate, companies around the world are facing growing pressure to get in on the action. It’s no secret that platforming your business has the potential to accelerate sales, dramatically expand product selection and broaden your customer base—all of which drive business growth. But beyond these tactical justifications, there’s also
The fledgling Australian Live Music Business Council (ALMBC) is taking shape, with the unveiling of its first full board and the appointment of the advocacy group’s inaugural Executive General Manager, Craig Spann.
Spann, a veteran presence in the Brisbane music scene, brings to the role more than 20 years’ experience, from government and business relations,
Spotify has hired Mikaela Lancaster as new managing director for Australia and New Zealand.
Lancaster’s appointment comes after the exit of previous local managing director, Karen Lawson, back in March. Lawson herself had replaced Jane Huxley, who had previously been in the local MD role for just under 18 months.
According to The Music Network, Lancaster
Daouda Leonard, manager of BloodPop and Grimes, has launched the CreateOs.app. A resource dedicated to helping artists navigate the murky world of record deals.
The app is a gamechanger. It’s a simple, easy-to-navigate way of unpacking labels model deals, offering financial transparency and making the business side of things more artist-friendly.
“Many artists sign record
The 2020 ARIA Awards are all set to take place 25th November, with winners announced live at Sydney’s The Star Event Centre.
There’s one slight change to this year’s program. There won’t be an audience.
The 34th annual ceremony will beam out on the night via the Nine Network, with performances streamed around the globe
Social media users are coming together to boycott the fast fashion brand Dolls Kill after its owner, Shoddy Lynn, took to Instagram to post a video response to some of her company’s behavior over the last couple of years. In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests that have erupted around the world, Lynn
Since its inception, the internet has passed through various phases. Half Wild foudner Sebastian Wild takes a closer look at the next wave of innovation and how digital industries are evolving and coverging.
There’s a struggle going on for control of the internet. It’s between large corporations, who currently manage the bulk of traffic and
With the unfolding COVID-19 crisis putting our creative industries at risk, we are accelerating the onboarding of vendors to our recently completed marketplace.
Applications are now open to Etsy and Shopify merchants looking to extend their reach across multiple sales channels.
WELCOME TO HALF WILD
For the past three years, our team has been hard
Every year the global reporting giant PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) produces an in-depth and compelling report on the state of global media and entertainment. The following highlights were taken from the recent 2018-2022 report where three key themes emerged, convergence, connections & trust.
What’s trending now? It’s clear we’re in a rapidly evolving media ecosystem that’s experiencing
The following article originally appeared on The Guardian. We draw attention to it to highlight how drastically both the digital landscape and public opinion has shifted in relation to these tech giants.
After a decade of shallow proclamations of their democratic potential, it’s clear that Facebook, Twitter and Google are major threats to democracy
Axel Bard Bringéus ran the global markets team at Spotify for seven years before becoming an operating partner at EQT Ventures. He thinks the next large-scale marketplaces will be built around small niches, regulated industries, and markets that have traditionally lacked transparency.
Axel Bard Bringéus finds large-scale marketplaces exciting because they can change the dynamics


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WASHINGTON — Retail sales dropped a greater-than-expected 0.5% in June to post their first consecutive monthly decline since early last year, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. Retail sales excluding autos dipped just 0.1%.
Economists polled by Thomson Reuters expected that total retail sales would fall 0.2% and that sales excluding autos would be flat. The headline June 0.5% decrease followed a revised 1.1% decline in May that was originally reported as a 1.2% drop, while the 0.1% ex-autos dip followed a 1.2% decrease originally reported as a 1.1% decline.
Michael Moran, chief economist at Daiwa Securities America Inc., said in a research note that the contraction was led by weaker sales at building supply stores and at gasoline stations, which resulted from reduced fuel prices.
“The data still suggest growth in real consumer spending of 2% to 2.5% in Q2,” Moran said, noting that such a gain is consistent with the past few quarters.


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The government plans to tap Chinese social-media influencers and companies like Huawei Technologies and Alipay to promote the country as a tourist haven in an effort to more than double the number of travellers from its largest source of visitors before the pandemic.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand will invite creators on ByteDance’s Douyin platform to produce travel content and invite media and travel agents to tour the country to attract prospective travellers, Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, a deputy governor, said at a briefing in Bangkok.
Attracting Chinese travellers is the key to tourism-reliant Thailand’s ambitious target of luring 40 million visitors next year and generating 3.1 trillion baht in revenue. The government aims to more than double the tally of Chinese visitors to 8.2 million in 2024 from about 3.5 million this year, Mr Chattan said.
While a visa-waiver unveiled in September for Chinese nationals helped bolster arrivals during the mid-autumn festival holidays, the killing last month of a Chinese tourist in a Bangkok shopping-mall shooting dented confidence, according to officials. Most Chinese travellers headed to Hong Kong and Macau in the first half of this year, with Japan and Vietnam also remaining popular, Mr Chattan said.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand on Thursday signed an agreement with Fliggy, a popular Chinese travel platform owned by Alibaba Group, to jointly promote the country as safe to visit. It will also roll out promotions with Huawei, Meituan, Spring Airlines and Sina News, Mr Chattan said.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has identified tourism as a “quick win” to accelerate the nation’s economic growth with the sector accounting for about 12% of gross domestic product and nearly a fifth of jobs. The government has also temporarily waived visas for travellers from Russia, Kazakhstan, India and Taiwan, and ordered airlines to add more routes while streamlining airport operations to reduce waiting times for visitors.
Arrivals of Chinese nationals are seen increasing next year as airlines add more flights and domestic economic conditions improve, Mr Chattan said, adding travellers were also expected to stay longer and spend more.
Chinese were already Thailand’s largest group of tourists before the pandemic. They accounted for more than a quarter of the 40 million visitors in 2019 but have tallied only about 3 million so far this year.


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Tamil Nadu's Director-General of Police (DGP) Sylendra Babu has taken the users of Google Pay aback through his warning about the latest scam that is being unfolded by the miscreants in the mobile payment service platform. In what appears to be a dreadful scam, the reports say that it is in a fashion where the users can easily be cheated and victimized.
Making the users vulnerable, this scam would playout with the users' direct involvement, unlike the prevailing scams where the scamsters would swindle the money indirectly. According to the Tamil Nadu DGP, the users would become prone to the scam if they receive a small amount of money from the unknown numbers. It has been reported that the scamsters would send this money to get it back from you, which is the window of the scam.
The scamsters would send you a small amount of money through Google Pay. They will then reach out to you and would say that they had sent money by mistake and would plead you to send the money back. If you send the money back, they will hack your bank account and would embezzle a huge sum of money from your account.
The police department has also instructed the users that if they receive money from any unknown contacts, they should not send the money back to the contacts, instead they should approach the nearby police station with the contacts. For those who had really sent the money by mistake, they can approach the police with their original identity proof and can get the money from whom they sent.
The police pressed that this is the latest scam that is being spread and that the people should beware of it before sending or receiving money from unknown contacts. The users are also advised not to send money to the unknown contacts before confirming their names and refrain from sharing the UPI ID or PIN to such unknown contacts.


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More than 1,000 police officers in riot gear blocked street vendors from setting up stands selling knockoff purses and pirated DVDs Friday...
MEXICO CITY — More than 1,000 police officers in riot gear blocked street vendors from setting up stands selling knockoff purses and pirated DVDs Friday, clearing Mexico City’s clogged historic center for the first time in more than a decade.
The removal of vendors from 87 downtown streets was peaceful — at least a temporary victory for leftist Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, who is widely believed to have presidential ambitions.
Like dozens of mayors before him, Ebrard has promised to take back public spaces and improve the quality of life in the city of 8.5 million.
The Mexico City Chamber of Commerce estimates there are 35,000 vendors in the downtown area alone, including those who hawk amber jewelry and brightly embroidered blouses to tourists in the main Zocalo square.
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Jose Angel Avila, Mexico City’s government secretary, said about 15,000 street vendors were removed from the heart of downtown Friday.
But vendors warn they will be back when the holiday shopping season begins in November, renewing a conflict that dates back centuries.
Street vendors are a tradition dating back to pre-Hispanic times in Mexico. Today, vendors sell everything from food to car parts.
A worn marble plaque, installed in 1673 on a convent that now serves as a jewelry store, warns vendors to keep off its street corner or face reprisals from the government of “New Spain.”
While the city will grant vendors a brief reprieve at Christmas, allowing them to return to sell to holiday shoppers, they are supposed to leave after the New Year and relocate to government-subsidized properties nearby.
But many vendors say they won’t go. Represented by large unions, they argue the designated properties offered by the city won’t attract customers.
“They are not thinking about the fact that these people don’t have jobs,” Alejandra Barrios, president of a high-profile vendors union, told W Radio. “What do they think these people will do?”
Susana Reyes, 40, a clothing-store clerk, welcomed the calm walk to work on a street that previously was clogged with shoppers and sellers.
“Because of them, it has taken me and my co-workers up to three hours to drive through four streets,” she said.


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| Sep 2, 2014
Maryland is in the running for a data storage center with its own sizable power plant, a project planned for the University of Delaware until officials there spiked it amid an uproar over its scale and potential effect on the community.
| Aug 10, 2014
| 6:20 PM
The Maryland Transportation Authority says it has launched an investigation into its police K-9 unit after the dogs' head trainer alleged problems with the drug-sniffing hounds.
The trainer said in a deposition that he had discovered deficiencies in the...
| Jul 29, 2014
| 9:35 AM
Harford County residents are being approached by scammers posing as IRS agents threatening to throw them in jail, if they don't pay what the criminals falsely claim are unpaid back taxes. In Baltimore over the weekend, criminals posed as BGE officials and...
| Jun 23, 2014
| 4:22 PM
Silicon Valley giant Oracle Corp. plans to acquire Columbia-based Micros Systems Inc. for $5.3 billion in a deal executives and industry observers said could generate local job growth instead of the typical corporate consolidation.
In the deal...
| Jun 23, 2014
| 1:31 PM
Maryland will get its second Microsoft store on Saturday with an opening at Towson Town Center, the technology giant said Monday.
Microsoft opened its first permanent retail outlet in the state at The Mall in Columbia earlier this month, when about 100...
| Jul 21, 2014
| 3:00 AM
The best state in the nation for innovation and entrepreneurship three years in a row is Maryland. This is according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (hardly a mouthpiece for the Maryland Democratic Party), which also ranks Maryland No. 1 for STEM...
| Apr 30, 2014
| 10:27 AM
The new book by French economist Thomas Piketty, "Capital in the Twenty-First Century," has rocketed to the top of the Amazon.com bestseller list. It accomplished this feat by offering yet another apocalyptic vision of capitalism in the tradition of...
| Jun 17, 2014
| 2:49 PM
Howard County's Office of Consumer Affairs unveiled an online tool for residents to learn about scams. A new webpage, Scam Alert, includes a list of recent scams, tips for identifying scams, and a tool for reporting scams to county officials.
| May 29, 2014
| 2:19 PM
Microsoft will open its first permanent specialty stores in Maryland this summer at The Mall in Columbia and Towson Town Center.
Other new stores coming to the Towson mall include lululemon athletica, Tommy Bahama and Sperry, the center announced...
| Jun 2, 2014
| 4:18 PM
The head of the Mayor's Office of Information Technology has resigned amid an investigation into allegations that the department paid contractual employees for work they may not have performed.
Christopher Tonjes, who denies any wrongdoing, expressed...
| Jun 12, 2014
| 3:59 PM
Microsoft's first specialty retail store in Maryland opened Thursday morning inside the Columbia mall to a queue of approximately 100 eager shoppers.
The open air kiosk-style store, which is one of 93 across North America, is located in the mall's center...
| May 2, 2014
| 2:17 PM
Best Buy plans to overhaul its home theater section, carving out shops-within-a-shop for Sony and Samsung, the chain announced.
In a move to boost TV sales, the retailer will begin rolling out its latest redesign in mid-May. The Sony Experience at...


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A favourite in Asia, the second-generation Lexus LM will soon be making its debut at the 2023 Shanghai Auto Show, the same location the outgoing generation LM made its global debut in 2019.
To further separate the Lexus LM from the regular Toyota Alphard, the Lexus minivan will be making its debut ahead of the new generation 2023 Toyota Alphard. The latter is expected to make its debut in Japan sometime in the middle of this year.
In the outgoing generation Lexus LM, the most obvious visual cue separating a legit Lexus LM from an Alphard wearing a cheap conversion kit is the chrome blade on the B-pillar.
For this second generation model, it appears that the unique chrome blade has been moved / extended to the D-pillar.
Also read: Only RM26k to convert, here's how to tell a cheap fake from a genuine Lexus LM
The sole teaser image released by Lexus also show a ‘floating roof’ styling, with a rear three-quarter window that wraps around the D-pillar.
More will be disclosed on 27-April.
The outgoing generation Lexus LM 350 sells in Malaysia for RM 1,208,000. It was first launched by Lexus Malaysia in 2019 at RM 1.11 million.
Also read: Regular Malaysians won’t understand - Nearly 20 orders collected for RM 1.1 mil Lexus LM 350


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The National Retail Federation (NRF), the nation’s largest retail trade group, estimated in July that back-to-school and back-to-college spending will reach a record-breaking $108 billion as an increasing number of students and families prepare for in-person instruction this fall.
The NRF maintains a positive but cautious outlook due to the fact that the delta variant has led to a sharp increase in cases and hospitalizations and forced many companies to delay reopening plans.
"While we are optimistic about improved macroeconomic conditions during 2021 as more people get vaccinated, the delta variant is of concern because of its increased transmissibility and the potential to hinder economic activity," Katherine Cullen, the NRF's senior director of industry and consumer insights, told FOX Business.
Cullen noted that "despite these new circumstances, some families may already have most of their shopping done," especially depending on where in the country they live.
She drew attention to the NRF and Prosper survey that indicated that shoppers have finished about half of the shopping (51%) they need to do for the upcoming school season as of early August.
Economist Michael Szanto told FOX Business that although the delta variant has "rattled" some reopening plans, "big business and the consumer have a lot of cash saved up and are ready to spend," he said.
"There has been a lot of excitement about back-to-school shopping with hopes of a somewhat return to normalcy in school," Szanto added. "For example, both Visa and MasterCard have reported very robust consumer spending, particularly at brick-and-mortar stores."
Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks spending across all payment forms including cash, forecasts that spending will be up 5.5% between July 15 and Sept. 6. That’s compared with the year-ago period when sales were up a modest 1.2% as the pandemic wreaked havoc on schools’ reopening plans and back-to-school shopping.
Looking ahead, Szanto said "if the virus gets worse, consumers may get more cautious" and that the "most concerning issue is if we are repeating pattern from last summer."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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Kay Dee Presses New Designs
January 26, 2009,
Kitchen textiles supplier Kay Dee Designs is ready to meet head-on what it expects will be a "tough" 2009 with its largest ever batch of new introductions.
That translates to 10% more new products — including more than 30 new kitchen textiles groupings, among other new products — than the company typically shows at this spring market event, he said.
"2009 is going to be a tough year. But product is one way out of it, and being able to deliver is another," he said. "We saw the recession coming and we decided new product was going to help us through the year, and that is exactly what is happening."
Already, earlier previews have proven successful, he said, pointing to strong response during the recent gift fair at Atlanta's AmericasMart, where the company operates one of its main showrooms.
A $10 million-plus company that carries more than 2,000 skus in kitchen textiles and specializes in terry ensembles and aprons, Kay Dee Designs is experiencing in its apron category alone "tremendous growth" across the board, Rakauskas said.
And based on customers' initial reactions to the new assortments, "We expect steady business going into 2009," he added.
While there is no real design departure for 2009's new products, Rakauskas said certain themes prevail this year, namely novelty looks in bright colors and popular subjects like wine, coffee and Tuscany.
Licensing is another important facet. Up to 30% of its lines feature licensed work of popular artists such as Paul Brent, Jennifer Brinley and Susan Winget.
Rakauskas, with his partner and vp finance Chuck Donnell, purchased the company in 1990 from General Housewares Corp. Its origins were in specialty screen printing of linen towels, regional products and calendar towels — "which we still make and sell a lot of," Rakauskas noted.
Today, Kay Dee Designs domestically produces about 25% of its lines and imports the other 75% from China and India.
"We still run our own screen printing operation," in a 50,000-square-foot facility adjacent to the company's offices here, he said. Kay Dee also owns and operates a 60,000-square-foot warehouse in Exeter, R.I.
Its products span heat sublimated, screen printed, embroidered and "tons of regionally designed" kitchen textiles and table lines — the later comprising mainly placemats.
While the breadth of product has been expanded for 2009, pricing has been kept flat with previous seasons. Rakauskas said Kay Dee Designs continues to service mid-tier gift stores and national chains — evenly split at 50/50 — at mid-tier price brackets. The targeted consumer demographic also remains steady.
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The Countdown to the ICON Honors Continues featuring Christophe Pourny


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- Accessory company Dbrand has revealed a variety of skins and cases unashamedly copied from Nothing.
- These are dark versions of the company’s previous Nothing-inspired skins and cases launched last year.
Nothing is set to launch the Phone 2 later today, and the new handset will maintain that distinctive transparent look along with Glyph lighting. What if you like that aesthetic but don’t want to buy an all-new smartphone?
Fortunately, accessory maker Dbrand has announced a range of Something (Dark) skins and phone cases. The company is unabashedly copying Nothing with these skins and cases, featuring transparent-style dark designs and faux Glyph light strips, adding that these accessories are “better than Nothing.”


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Last month, Microsoft announced plans to add live television programming to the Xbox 360 console from Verizon as well as from Comcast’s Xfinity on-demand video library. The service also begins rolling out to more than 20 countries across the world this month. Content from BBC in the U.K., Telefónica in Spain, Rogers On Demand in Canada, Televisa in Mexico, ZDF in Germany, and MediaSet in Italy are among the international partners.
“FiOS TV on the Xbox 360 is an excellent example of how we’re working with market leaders to erase old technology borders to expand the FiOS TV experience and taking advantage of unique new features including voice- and gesture-control of live TV entertainment via Kinect,” said Eric Bruno, vice president of consumer and mass business product management for Verizon.
Source: Microsoft Press


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Feb 2, 2020
We're talking trade shows this month on the Jay's Sporting Goods Podcast.
First, Paul Penix of the archery department at the Clare store talks about the Archery Trade Association show in Indianapolis.
Then, Adele Horrigan from the Gaylord store gun department has a report from the big SHOT (shooting, hunting and outdoor trade) show in Las Vegas.
Those trade shows are where manufacturers show their wares and unveil new products for the upcoming seasons.
Paul and Adele explain how they work those shows and help decide what products will be on the shelves for customers.
It's an interesting look behind the scenes this time on the Jay's Sporting Goods Podcast.


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06th October 2022: Power Gummies, Asia’s leading gummy brand, emerged as one of the Indian Retailer’s Top 100 D2C brands at Entrepreneur X D2C summit 2022.
Ms. Ankita Chaudhary, COO, Power Gummies was felicitated at the event for disrupting the industry with her out-of-the-box concept and innovative brand. Power Gummies, with its unique proposition of providing nutrients masked in the form of cute, tasty, and 100% vegetarian gummies that consumers are able to consume nutrients via pleasurable and fun routes.
The brand has bagged the top 100 rank for its exponential growth ever since its inception in 2018. Offering products in diverse portfolios – hair and nail care, weight management, menstruation, and sleep provider – it has been well received in the market. The gummies are clinically tested and certified by FSSAI for quality and safety. They come with the right balance of nutrition, flavour and health benefits.
Mr. Divij Bajaj, CEO, Power Gummies, said, “We are truly honored to be a part of the Entrepreneur X D2C Summit, a distinguished event. We are grateful to be among the top 100 D2C brands, which is a major accomplishment for us, and thrilled that the jury chose Power Gummies for its creative concept. This will serve as an incentive for us as we continue on our path and introduce more original concepts to the D2C market.”
Ms. Ankita Chaudhary, COO, Power Gummies, also said, “It is indeed a moment of pride and joy to receive felicitation from one of the coveted industry events, the D2C Summit. We would like to thank the jury members for recognizing Power Gummies for its innovative concept. We also owe this achievement to our customers and our team. Without their support and faith in us, we wouldn’t have been able to grow and become the brand that we are today. Being shortlisted amongst the top 100 D2C brands is a milestone in our journey and a motivation for us to continue serving our customers with our exceptional product range.”
The 12th edition of the summit brought together the ideators, the disruptors, and change-makers from across the country under one roof. They shared their experiences and enlightened the audiences with their first-hand industry exposure. The main objective of the Entrepreneur event is to help young entrepreneurs showcase their business plans to the leading investors at the Startup Kickoff and secure worthy investments. It is the best platform uniting thought leaders, investors and D2C brands to facilitate networking and knowledge exchange.


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Samsung Electronics has set a target of mass-producing 3-nanometer chips by 2022, an ambitious attempt to catch up with market leader Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).
The target year, announced by chipmaker Park Jae-hong’s executive vice president at an event last month, is on par with TSMC’s.
This is the first time that Samsung has officially set a timeline for its production of 3-nanometer chips.
The three nanometer chips will be the most advanced semiconductors in the industry with higher power efficiency and lower power consumption than the 5 nanometer chips.
Samsung and TSMC are the only companies in the world capable of making 5-nanometer chips.
The ambition was announced as Samsung’s foundry, or chipmaking, business for external customers is booming.
The TrendForce market tracker has predicted that global foundry revenues are expected to increase 23.8% in 2020 from the previous year, the highest percentage in 10 years.
“Despite the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global economy, several emerging trends, such as working from home, distance education, the growing penetration of 5G smartphones and the high demand for components from the construction of telecommunications infrastructure, have driven a bullish semiconductor market against economic headwinds, ”a TrendForce report said last week.
BY PARK EUN-JEE [[email protected]]


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Is BMW affected by the chip shortage?
Global microchip shortages have been causing significant delays in the supply of new vehicles. All auto manufacturers, including BMW, are trying to solve this problem by discarding certain equipment or removing features in some models to keep production going.
Why do car semiconductors have a shortage?
Many auto suppliers have struggled as investors weigh cost inflation, supply chain issues and weak automotive production. A global shortage of semiconductors has constrained auto production for more than a year. First-quarter light vehicle production came in at about 19 million units, according to Curtin.
Is there still a semiconductor chip shortage?
The numbers were low largely because of a global shortage of microchips. It has begun to ease, but slowly.” Demand for semiconductors remains high across the board, and semiconductor manufacturers continue their struggle to meet that demand.
What car manufacturers are affected by the semiconductor shortage?
Who is affected? The lack of chips means car makers such as Jaguar Land Rover, the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, Stellantis and the Volkswagen Group have all been affected by supply issues leading to temporary shutdowns at many plants.
Is BMW having supply problems?
BMW announced today it was cutting its 2022 profit margin forecast after the war in Ukraine caused new supply chain disruptions. The automotive maker said its EBIT margin will go down from between 8 and 10 per cent to between 7 and 9 per cent, warning supply chain issues could severely hinder production.
What cars are most affected by chip shortage?
Here Are the Models That Are Being Affected by the Chip Shortage
- Audi Q7/Q8, Porsche Cayenne, Volkswagen Touareg. …
- Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, Traverse; Cadillac XT4/XT5/XT6; GMC Acadia. …
- Ford Bronco Sport. …
- Ford F-150, Explorer, Mustang; Lincoln Aviator, Nautilus. …
How long will chip shortage last for cars?
The global shortage of computer chips that is dragging down vehicle production is expected to last into 2023, two auto executives have said in recent days.
How do you fix a shortage in a semiconductor?
The long-term solution to the chip shortage must, therefore, include improvements in the U.S. patent system to ensure that our country has reliable and secure sources of manufacturing for critically important semiconductor chips.
How long will the microchip shortage last?
GlobalFoundries, the largest U.S.-based contract chip maker, said that wafer capacity for its more mature nodes is sold out through 2023 even as it plans to boost its production capacity by 50% in the same span.
Who provides semiconductors for Tesla?
That, in turn, led the Tesla and Apple supplier—which designs, develops, and makes semiconductors—to post fourth-quarter revenue ahead of guidance in January. And it has driven up the Paris-listed stock (ticker: STM. France) about 6% in the past 12 months to 34.75 ($37.84) euros.
Will the semiconductor shortage end?
Although industry experts predicted the shortage will end in 2024, there is no definitive end in sight, prompting manufacturers and businesses to strategize accordingly. Some companies, like Tesla, have resorted to alternative chips and software-based solutions to endure the shortage.
What caused the chip shortage 2022?
In 2022, there will be a worldwide chip shortage. This is due to the growing demand for chips in automobiles, laptops, and other electronic devices. The main reason for the shortage is that there are not enough factories to produce the chips.
Why is there a microchip shortage 2021?
The chip shortage is the result of pandemic shutdowns, geopolitics, increased demand for electronics and simple bad luck.
Why are there no chips for new cars?
While the chip shortage can be attributed to multiple factors, the COVID-19 pandemic is the primary cause. At the beginning of the pandemic, automakers shut down factories and temporarily paused vehicles production. Meanwhile, lockdowns and virtual work and school caused a surge in demand for other electronics.
Which cars are least affected by chip shortage?
Here Are Features Some New Cars Won’t Get Because of the Chip Shortage
- BMW: Touchscreen. BMW. …
- Marc UrbanoCar and Driver. …
- Cadillac: Super Cruise (Now Resumed) …
- Cadillac. …
- Chevrolet/GMC: HD Radio. …
- Chevrolet/GMC: Heated Seats and Steering Wheels. …
- Ford: Satellite Navigation. …
Is there a new car shortage 2021?
“The good news is that production is expected to increase, which will make it easier to get a vehicle, but do not expect dealer lots to fill up. The industry lost 2.5 million sales in 2020 and another 2 million in 2021, so there are a lot of people waiting for a car.
Which automakers are least affected by the chip shortage?
Honda, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, and Volkswagen have lost between 20,000 and 46,000 units to the shortage. The report showed Volvo with the lowest number of vehicles impacted by the chip shortage at 1287, but Volvo also sells far fewer cars in North America than many of the other manufacturers listed here.


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“Google Android Q stable build to support Apple 3D touch like pressure sensitive actions, dubbed Deep Press.”
With the iPhone 6s launch in 2015, Apple introduced new 3D touch functionality that allows users to perform tasks without having to open it completely by just hard pressing the app icon. Google introduced this feature on Android with Oreo but this feature doesn’t need pressure-sensitive screens. However, Google’s implementation notably takes an extra second or two for the shortcuts to surface, despite results being the same as Apple. Now, it appears like Google is on the verge of bringing the pressure-sensitive actions as standard in Android Q.
As revealed in the operating system’s documentation, the new functionality is called ‘Deep Press’ and will allow users to interact with their device by hard pressing on the screen. The description reads “it should be used to accelerate the long press behaviour,” suggesting that it might be replacing the existing long press. However, it is unclear if the feature would require specific displays to function and recognize the hard touch or can work with the existing technology.
Google released the Android Q beta 1 (Top features) with Sharing Shortcuts, improved permissions, back in March for all Pixel phones including first-generation handsets. The brand released beta two last week, which brings notification bubbles, better app switch animation, Dual-SIM Dual Standby mode to Pixel 2 and Pixel 3 phones. The product image for the Google Pixel 3 XL in the Android Q Beta 2 reveals a new app called “PixelThemeStub.” As the name suggests, it is a theme store and will have three different themes — code-named as “Anthony,” “Johanna,” and “Reiko.” The themes seem to allow users to change colours, icon shapes, and fonts used on Pixel phones.
Google will announce the final build of Android Q OS at its I/O 2019 event scheduled from May 7th to 10th in Mountain View, California.


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NICKY Hilton announced that she is pregnant with her first child with new husband James Rothschild last month.
And now the heiress has given fans a glimpse of he baby bump during an evening with sister Paris Hilton.
The pair looked incredibly elegant as they attended the annual New York Fashion Week Gala, ahead of a busy fashion month.
Paris wore a dusty pink Ellie Saab gown for the event, which was honouring Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.
Nicky was glowing as she hit the red carpet, wearing a white lace dress with a sheer waist for the occasion.
A source told People magazine that the happy couple, who tied the knot in a lavish ceremony last year, are very happy at the prospect of having a child.
"They've just begun telling close friends and family. Nicky and James are over the moon!
"Nicky is very excited to become a mum, she is feeling great!"
We can't imagine Paris helping to change too many nappies…
Congratulations to the happy couple!


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Influenced by male celebrities, more and more Chinese male fashionistas are integrating women’s clothes into their wardrobe due to their more fashion-forward designs and attention to detail.
Genderless clothes are among the top lifestyle shifts in young China today.
To leverage this opportunity, brands must embrace non-binary approaches while also considering the growing gap between youth culture trends and China’s official stance on masculinity.
In the realm of gender-fluid fashion, women wearing men’s clothes have always been more dominant than their opposite. Drawn to their oversized fits, women have long been using “boyfriend” jeans and shirts to add chic to their wardrobe.
But today, the growing number of Chinese male fashionistas wearing women’s clothes is reversing the narrative. From celebrities to grassroots influencers, many Chinese men are increasingly shopping for womenswear.
Actor Wang Yibo, who was announced as Chanel’s brand ambassador this June, epitomizes the genderless chic becoming popular in China’s fashion community. Referred to as a man that “incarnated Chanel (人间香奈儿),” Wang has worn the brand’s iconic womenswear in TV shows and on magazine covers to exalt a fashion-forward look that defies gendered expectations. For example, he famously paired a pink Chanel jacket with a mini purse in the show Street Dance of China and wore a tweed jacket to a red carpet event held by Tencent.
Not only did Wang’s outfits normalize womenswear for men, but they have also inspired women, who find his looks surprisingly cool for a classical brand like Chanel.
Wang is just one of the many male Chinese idols setting a new normal for men’s fashion. Tiffany and Armani Beauty’s spokesperson Jackson Yee wore a Chanel women’s tweed overall to wear to the Grammy’s in 2018. Then, actor Li Xian, the spokesperson of Ermenegildo Zegna, attended a 2019 Vogue party in a Chanel coat from its 2018 womenswear collection. Cai Xukun, Prada’s muse and ambassador since 2019, frequently wears the brand’s women's suits to red carpet events. And on Weibo, the hashtag #MaleCelebrityInWomenwear is an active thread, with over 150 million views and 320 thousand posts.
Real-life fashionistas have been catching up with the movement, too. Jeremy Yang (@jeremy-young) is an emerging blogger on Little Red Book, and he is not shy about adding womenswear to his day-to-day fashion. “It is much easier to find well-design and interesting pieces in womenswear than menswear," he said to Jing Daily. "The cut is better, details are more well-thought-out, and there are just more choices overall.”
Far from the social stigmas that often associate men wearing womenswear with drag queens, Jeremy’s intentional purchases of women's clothes were strictly driven by personal style. “I am drawn to brands that design for the sake of good design," he added. "Since most brands still put more effort into womenswear nowadays, it is natural for me to look at womenswear for inspiration.”
Earlier this year, Little Red Book released its report 2021 Lifestyle Trend Keywords, which ranked genderless fashion as one of the top ten themes on the platform. According to the data, views of genderless dressing posts had a 182-percent increase year-on-year during 2020, while the number of users posting about the theme grew by 83 percent.
In China, emerging domestic companies like the clothing label Bosie and the beauty brand HASHTAG are among those leveraging sales of genderless products to a younger generation that is increasingly rejecting gender binaries. By removing gendered marketing, these labels have created a sense of novelty for a market that has yet to see many non-binary offerings.
For luxury and fashion brands outside China, understanding the large gap between the country’s official stance on gender and youth culture ideals can be tricky. Since 2018, the Chinese state media has repeatedly advocated for traditional gender role beliefs by criticizing K-Pop’s negative influence on the increasing femininization of its young men. In February this year, China’s education ministry issued a notice that called for schools to promote education that can “cultivate male students’ masculinity.”
Yet despite this official and aggressive push for conservative values, China's younger generations kept finding new ways to keep a countermovement alive and burgeoning. Over the past three years, the country’s underground ballroom culture and LGBTQ+ community have continued to grow in tandem with tightened ideological controls in the public sphere.
While leveraging womenswear opportunities remains difficult due to challenges like sizing and making campaigns, brands should not dismiss the chance to speak to male Chinese fashionistas through a non-categorical fashion message. More image representations of men in non-binary styles and more products that challenge conventional gender norms are all ways to connect more deeply with this community. After all, what this generation ultimately wants is the space to experiment and play. And brands that prove they are too cool for traditional social categorization will gain an edge.


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Shares of STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) shot up 6% during the pre-market hours on Thursday after the semiconductor giant reported third quarter results that were stronger than the analysts’ projections.
The company said its third quarter earnings fell to 34 cents per share, from 41 cents per share last year. However, this was 5 cents higher than the street consensus.
Despite the softness in the legacy automotive and industrial market, revenues inched up 1.2% to $2.55 billion, driven by its new products. Analysts had, on an average, expected $2.5 billion. Sales to OEMs increased 7.2%, while Distribution decreased 11.6%.
The top-line was driven by a 7.7% growth in the Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group (AMS). The company’s other two segments – Automotive and Discrete Group (ADG) and Microcontrollers and Digital ICs Group (MDG) were down year-over-year.
For the fourth quarter, STMicroelectronics expects net income to grow 5.0% sequentially, plus or minus 350 basis points. Gross margin is expected around 38.2%, plus or minus 200 basis points.
STM stock has gained 50% since the beginning of this year.
Earlier this week, rival Texas Instruments Incorporated () reported a 9% decrease in earnings for the third quarter of 2019 due to broad-based weakness in the overall demand of its product portfolio as well as macro-environment uncertainty.
Broadcom Limited (NASDAQ: AVGO) reported first quarter 2021 earnings results today. Total revenue increased 14% year-over-year to $6.65 billion. GAAP net income was $1.3 billion, or $3.05 per share, compared
Retail giant Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ: COST) reported higher earnings and revenues for the second quarter of 2021. Earnings missed analysts’ expectations, while sales beat. Net profit was $951 million
With the corporate world rapidly shifting to cloud-native computing after the virus outbreak changed work culture and the way businesses operate, technology providers are aggressively innovating their offerings. Hewlett Packard


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In one week the Nova Star will sail into Yarmouth Harbour and disembarking cars with American licence plates will drive up Ferry Hill for the first time in five years.
The resumption of ferry service between Yarmouth and Portland, Maine, brings with it high hopes and expectations for the South Shore and the rest of Nova Scotia, and the president and CEO of Nova Star Cruises said he still hopes to reach the goal of 100,000 passengers this season.
“We’re going to have to build the service back up,” Mark Amundsen said from on board the ship, which arrives in Boston on Monday for its official christening. “It’s a lot of work to do and a lot of people to get back.”
While the Cat was the last ferry to sail between Yarmouth and Maine, Amundsen’s company is modelling itself after another ship that serviced the route: the Scotia Prince, which, like the Nova Star, was a cruise ship with entertainment options.
Amundsen said about a third of travellers on the Scotia Price treated it as a mini cruise, with a brief stop in one of the two ports before returning home. Likewise, he sees the Nova Star as a cruise experience as opposed to simply a transportation service.
While ticket sales are strong for the service’s first week, and there are bookings for every day the service runs, Amundsen said it won’t be until the middle of the high season (between July and September) that they’ll know how close they are to their goal. The bulk of bookings for the Scotia Prince were by phone; today most people book online and they book late, often waiting for reliable weather reports or possible travel deals, said Amundsen.
“We’re trying to compare it the Scotia Prince,” he said. “But in reality, it’s a different world with Internet bookings.”
The service has not been without questions. It’s only been in the last two months or so that Nova Star could sell tickets and advertise while it waited to satisfy American regulations. But Amundsen said they hit many major tourism trade shows and his business plan always called for a ramp up in advertising in April, anyway.
Part of that marketing approach is making sure large markets in the eastern United States know the service is back, one reason for Monday’s event in Boston, said Amundsen.
“Boston is one of the largest demographics that comes to Nova Scotia,” he said. “If anyone is in the Massachusetts area, we are on every major radio station, we have electronic billboards throughout the state and (TV spots).”
The company also has help in the form of $21 million over seven years from the provincial government. To date, the province has provided close to $14 million to Nova Star, including $10.5 million for startup costs, $2 million for the bond to satisfy American regulations (that money will be returned to the pot) and $1.5 million for marketing. The remaining money is for marketing over the duration of the seven-year deal.
The vessel has a crew of 120, with people from Nova Scotia, the United States, Europe and the Far East, and the company is in serious talks with two areas for an off-season contract.
Amundsen, who wrote the company’s original business plan three years ago, said he was amazed there was no ship serving the route at the time. While they’re basically starting a new service, Amundsen said he believes the business model of added value and services should be successful.
“We’re looking very good. The vessel is ready.”
Now a business and province waits to see if he’s right.


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The Galaxy S10 doesn't officially release until next Friday, but even so, there are already a lot of different cases available that you can buy for it.
And you know what? That's a good thing. As gorgeous as the S10 is, its slick glass back and nearly bezel-less display could get damaged pretty badly with just the right fall, so protecting your investment with some sort of case/cover is a wise choice.
Looking through the AC forums, a lot of our members already know what they're going to buy.
What say you? What Galaxy S10 cases are you going to get?
EA reportedly cancelled a Star Wars: Battlefront spinoff in 2019
According to a new report from Jason Schreier at Kotaku, EA canceled another Star Wars game in 2019. This title was known as Viking and would've been an open-world spinoff of the Star Wars: Battlefront games.
GDC 2020 isn't dead just because Sony and Facebook pulled out
Sony and Facebook may have pulled out of GDC, but there will still be plenty to show thanks to independent developers.
Samsung Galaxy S20, S20+ and S20 Ultra hands-on: Big camera bumps
When Samsung makes a move, everyone watches. Even if you're not in the market for a new phone, or don't want a Samsung in particular, the Galaxy S20 series is going to set the bar and roadmap for what we can expect from Android phones in 2020.
These are the best battery packs to use with the Galaxy S10
Never worry about a low-battery warning when you've got a reliable battery pack paired with your new Samsung Galaxy S10.


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Later this month, Polyphony Digital will release a massive update for the Gran Turismo Sport video game. According to the developers, some of the car manufacturers have agreed to work with the engineers in order to come out with some interesting virtual concepts.
Lamborghini is one of them and according to the Italian car manufacturer, the new virtual prototype will offer great performance for all the players.
In order to put its fans out there to some mind work, Lamborghini has published on Facebook a teaser video with the upcoming concept car. Unlike other car manufacturers, Lamborghini decided to deliver a petrol powered virtual vehicle and not an electric one.
As a reminder, Jaguar also will come with a Vision Gran Turismo concept car but in this case, the British prototype will feature three electric motors which will be able to deliver more than 1.000 horsepower.


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In a crowded desktop virtualization space that seems to have as many definitions as competitors, Pano Logic officials are looking to highlight their products’ differentiators.
Pano Logic on Feb. 24 rolled out the reference architecture for its desktop virtualization offering, which Parmeet Chaddha, executive vice president of engineering at the company, said is the only true zero-client offering on the market.
“We want to define what is zero client and what is not zero client,” Chaddha said in an interview. “Some things out there are called zero client when they are not.”
With its Zero Client Reference Architecture, Pano Logic is giving businesses a chance to take a look at what the company has to offer, and to compare it to what other competitors have to offer, he said.
Pano Logic’s system includes the Pano Device endpoint, which is connected to a back-end server through existing IP networks to a virtualized instance of Microsoft’s Windows operating system that also is housed on the server. Pano Direct Service links peripherals attached to the Pano Device to the Windows drivers, and the whole system is managed by Pano Manager software.
A key differentiator for Pano Logic is the Pano Device, a client that essentially holds nothing-everything from the processor to the data to the storage is housed on the server.
That is unlike the endpoints offered in other desktop virtualization offerings, Chaddha said. The trend is to add more capabilities to the endpoints, such as thin clients and traditional PCs, he said.
“Zero client means that 100 percent of all components are centralized [on the server],” he said.
In addition, Pano Logic also will license its Pano Direct and Pano Manager software to OEMs that are looking to bring zero-client offerings to the market based on the company’s reference architecture.
Chaddha said the goal is to grow the reach of Pano Logic’s system beyond the midmarket, where it is gaining the most traction, and up into the enterprise space. The benefits of its zero-client system-from easier management to greater security-also are there for larger businesses, he said.
Pano Logic officials say their system can reduce TCO for computing by as much as 67 percent through the elimination of endpoint management and support, as well as device lifespan.
“These are all keys to enterprise economics as well,” Chaddha said.
Currently, Pano Logic is seeing adoption in a host of sectors, including health care, education, government, manufacturing and hospitality. The company tripled its sales in 2009 from the previous year.
Pano Logic on Feb. 24 also announced that it received $20 million in Series C financing led by venture capital firm Mayfield Fund. The company will use the money to improve its products as well as expand its market reach globally.


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The partnership will develop a next-generation infotainment system for Volkswagen vehicles, drawing on LG's years of experience building car stereo systems for VW and the aftermarket. The new consoles will also integrate control of home security systems, lights, and temperature.
The two companies will also be building a notification center that can relay messages to drivers in a safe and easy-to-digest manner. The system will be able to sense where the vehicle is and make various changes and recommendations based on that info.
VW previewed some of this home integration in the BUDD-e concept from this year's CES. Occupants in the concept van could receive notifications and interact with the Ring video doorbell. A number of automakers recently announced partnerships with tech companies like LG to work on various automotive technologies. BMW already has some home automation integration through the Samsung's SmartThings ecosystem. While not as fully fleshed-out as Volkswagen's concept, the BMW system is available to use right now.
BMW is also working with companies Intel and Mobileye to develop an autonomous vehicle. Apple and Google have worked for years to develop CarPlay and Android Auto. LG, meanwhile, is an industry fixture and will build the battery for the upcoming Chevrolet Bolt EV.


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The OUYA, which has just launched through major retail channels such as GameStop and Amazon, appears to have already sold out of its initial run. Listings at those retailers have the $99 console pegged as “Temporarily Out of Stock” or “Not available.”
Given some of the company’s recent struggles, both with initially underwhelming press impressions and the shenanigans at E3, it seemed as though the device that helped lead the Kickstarter revolution may quietly fade into obscurity.
To temper the excitement over seemingly stellar initial sales, though, it’s worth noting that we don’t yet know the reasons for this scarcity. Perhaps few units were ordered, or there could be production issues preventing the delivery of requested shipments. It’s definitely worth waiting until we have the full picture before jumping to conclusions as to what this entails, but for now it looks as though we can be cautiously optimistic.
Source: Gaming Target


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Car dealers need to be aware of the risks of cyber-attacks issues data. Drivesure, a service specialist that helps stores visit this site right here build buyer devotion by leveraging data about customer trips and choices, is not really immune to threats. In fact , the firm has suffered a tremendous data breach that may have destroyed 3. two million drivers’ personal information.
Online hackers dumped a 22GB file of DriveSure databases over a hacking discussion board last month, according to research workers at Risk Structured Security. The information dump included 91 MySQL databases with sensitive consumer data which includes names, address, phone numbers, current email address, vehicle VIN numbers, documents and damage claims. Likewise exposed had been more than 93, 063 bcrypt hashed security passwords. Though bcrypt is considered a very good encryption technique, accounts saved in this manner are at risk of brute push attacks longer periods of time.
The hackers apparently stole the details to sell that on discussion boards or perhaps use it to create fake accounts on popular websites. In addition they could have tried it to access talk about agencies and small businesses apply Accellion’s computer software to transfer large documents. The company says it is checking out the incident.
http://bestwood.ir/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/logo-best-wood.jpg00ahmad serajhttp://bestwood.ir/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/logo-best-wood.jpgahmad seraj2023-07-12 03:30:002023-07-12 03:30:00Drivesure Deals With Drivesure Data Breach


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Seems Angelenos will do anything to avoid walking.
From the beach to the offices of local companies, scooters that's right, suped-up skateboards with handles are the transportation du jour.
After Station X Studios in Santa Monica ran out of parking spaces a few months ago, the company provided an incentive for employees who live in Santa Monica to leave their cars at home. The studio ultimately forked out $500 apiece for 15 Zappy electric scooters.
"I used mine yesterday to run some errands. It takes me two minutes longer to commute to work than it would in my truck," said Les Jones, a digital effects producer at Station X. "Strangely enough, I don't feel ridiculous riding it."
Jones noted that Kevin Spacey, Tom Cruise and even Andy Rooney of "60 Minutes" have all appeared on scooters in recent magazine and TV spots.
At the Pasadena office of search engine GoTo.com, a "Scooter Crossing" sign hangs at a cubicle crossroads. GoTo's scooters are so popular that employees have added bells to warn unprepared pedestrians.
A GoTo.com exec purchased the first scooter on a whim to help build morale as the company rapidly expanded, teasing that a scooter would help employees reach destinations more quickly in the growing office.
A salesperson at Toys 'R' Us in Woodland Hills said scooters are hot commodities, rivaling go-carts in popularity. "We're selling a lot of them," he said. "About a year ago, they weren't around as much."
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Mr. Speaker, for decades, Canadians paid the same rate across Canada to use a pay phone but then, just a few years ago, the charges doubled.
Seniors, low income and rural Canadians who do not have access to wireless services rely on pay phones to communicate.
Now, Bell is asking the government to allow it to increase the fees once again and again it wants to double them.
If this increase is accepted, the Conservatives' meagre GIS increase to seniors will be eaten by just one call a day.
Will the government finally stand up for consumers and reject this proposal?


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Australian businesses can now download Vonto, a free mobile app that provides personalised insights and ideas to keep small businesses moving in the right direction.
Powered by CBA, the app collates data from a range of regularly used business tools into one platform, to provide actionable insights.
This should save a significant amount of time for a small business owner, while the holistic insights are designed to enable them to make better business decisions.
“More than 80% of small businesses are using up to six business apps to run their operation, potentially meaning six logins to six different systems, every day, just to see the status quo,” Vonto managing director Elliot Cousins said. “Small business owners are time poor - for most business owners there aren’t enough hours in the day to double click on what their business data is telling them, let alone decipher this information and know what to do with it. That’s where Vonto comes in.”
Each morning, Vonto runs through a business’ data, and delivers 10 key insights and recommended actions. For example, insights such as cash flow outlook, website traffic, social media engagement and product performance. The app then pulls together these data sets to generate holistic insights.
Vonto has launched with integrations to Xero, Google Analytics, Shopify, Facebook and Vend, with more integrations already in development.
“We decided to launch with a selective number of integrations and are looking to our users to tell us what integrations they want in future releases,” Cousins said.
Vonto has been made possible through the X15 Ventures, an Australian technology venture building entity, designed to deliver new digital solutions to benefit Australian businesses and consumers. The app is free to download and can be used by any small business, no matter who they bank with.
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UK Student Caught Leaking PS3 SoftwareAdded: Monday, June 10th, 2013
Category: Bit Torrent Freedom > The Right To Share
Tags:ET, p2p, Torrent, Piracy, Peer To Peer, Network, Hackers, Internet, BitTorrent, Google, utorrent, bitcomet, extratorrent, www.extratorrent.com, 2013
Back in 2012, an Internet user nicknamed El Nomeo leaked version 3.70 of Sony’s Playstation3 software development kit on the Internet. A few days ago, the guy appeared in a British court and pleaded guilty to charges of copyright violation. It was said that he will be sentenced in June.
A year ago, El Nomeo announced that he had always wanted to give something back to the community and therefore leaked Sony’s PhyreEngine on the Internet. At the time, the guy explained that he was going to upload SDK 3.70 in the nearest future because of the troubles with his connection. Sony’s software development kit describes instruments used to create apps on a certain platform, in our case – Sony’s PS3 gaming console.
Of course, Sony couldn’t like the leak of their software development kit and launched an investigation. The latter led to Jonathan Waring, a student at Teesside University in the United Kingdom. Jonathan was soon arrested. Although he immediately confessed, the guy explained he did not expect any damages to have been caused to the company by the leak of the so-called “research tool”. Apparently, Sony believed the other way, but didn’t reveal what damage exactly it faced because of the leak.
Jonathan Waring had obtained a copy of the PS3 software development kit from his university, as the latter had a licensed copy of the kit. So, by sharing the software outside the university, the 23-year-old student breached both the license and the law. A few days ago, Jonathan Waring appeared at Durham Crown Court and pleaded guilty to violation Sony’s copyrights. Press reports say that Waring will have to return to court for sentencing next month and learn his fate.
June 10th,2013Posted by:
Monday, June 10th, 2013
|I got caught leaking once, £60 fine. I have never leaked PS3 software though.||
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You may not realize you're in Aggieland this week once you see all the people decked out in burnt orange to celebrate UT's win over USC. Emotions are still running high for many fans after Wednesday night's Rose Bowl.
Wednesday night's college football championship between UT's Longhorns and last year's champs, the USC Trojans was full of adrenaline. Texas fans, even ones who live in Aggieland, are still reeling from the action packed game and giving props to star quarterback, Vince Young.
" It was a great game and the last 19 seconds Vince Young came out and pulled it out," said UT fan, Shawn Keen.
" It was kind of scary, but I knew Vince Young would come through like he always does," said UT fan, Pete Flores.
" I was on my toes because I didn't think they were going to pull through, but they pulled through. They wouldn't have won it without Vince Young. He's the man baby!," exclaimed UT fan, Jennifer Branum.
Fans also say they got a bit of a workout while cheering for their team.
" I was ecstatic. I was jumping around, jumping on the bed, doing flips. I was happy," said Keen.
" Very loud. Screaming, hollering, jumping around," said UT fan, Valerie Flores.
Now fans are flooding retail stores looking for championship t-shirts and other Longhorn merchandise.
" We had customers coming and waiting out in the parking lot at 6 a.m. and it's been exciting to see them come in and buy their t-shirts and get their merchandise," said Amy Joy with Academy Sports and Outdoors.
While some Aggies may be bitter that their rival won the national title, others are sharing the love and are happy for another Big 12 team.
" Being an Aggie, you've got to have pride for Texas regardless. It was a tough fight, they put up a good game," said Aggie Nick Jordan.


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MagniX supplied the electric propulsion system for Eviation Alice
“This [Alice] is unique in a number of different areas. First, it’s the biggest all-electric plane to fly. Second, it’s the first of this size to be designed from the ground up to be electric. It’s not a retrofit, the whole airframe has been designed to take advantage of the benefits of electric propulsion.
Decarbonizing aviation is a gigantic task. As battery technology is not yet capable of powering the large freighters who sail the world’s oceans, no one expects the large commercial planes that carry hundreds of people at a time to go electric anytime soon.
Major airlines like Qantas, British Airways, United Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Emirates are focusing more on finding low-carbon fuels that can power their jets without forcing a big change in fuel tanks and other equipment.
“Battery technology is not going to support an all-electric 737 [commercial aircraft] at any time in the near future. I think that’s a pretty safe statement to make,” says Sercombe.
“Although I’m a little optimistic about the technology. I like to see the possibilities for the future. It all depends on the time frame you are looking at.
“For bigger planes, we’re going to be looking at more electrification – so in other words, it’s not a full-battery electric plane, but, you know, more and more electrics are going slip there, and perhaps a hybridization. .
“I’m waiting for this [by] By the end of this decade, we’re going to start to see the take-off, pun intended, of electric aviation.
Alice eclipsed the 2020 flight MagniX took part in at the same airport, where a nine-seat Cessna Caravan was fitted with an electric propulsion system.
Like many of the world’s leading aviation and aerospace companies, MagniX is based in the northern suburbs of Seattle. Yet many of its employees speak with Australian accents.
It’s a legacy of the company’s origins on the Gold Coast, where it was known as Guina Energy after its founder Tony Guina set up a company in 2005 that aimed to design lighter, more powerful engines.
The company moved to the United States in 2017 and renamed itself MagniX.
The most advanced in the world
It used superconducting technology, permanent magnets and a unique closed-loop liquid-based motor cooling system to create a powerful, lightweight motor that can operate at altitude, putting it ahead of the pack for airlines that want to go electricincluding several in Australia.
MagniX will supply the propulsion systems to dovetail electric aviation, a joint venture created last year by Rex Airlines, Sydney Seaplanes and the Spanish company Dante Aeronautical.
“MagniX, to our knowledge, is the most advanced manufacturer of electric aviation motors in the world today and the closest to certification,” said Dovetail co-founder Aaron Shaw, who is also managing director of Sydney Seaplanes.
The benefits of flying with an electric motor and battery are analogous to those enjoyed by motorists when switching to an electric vehicle; planes are quieter, emit less greenhouse gases and are cheaper to operate in the short term because fuel is eliminated.
Shaw believes they will also be cheaper to run in the long term as they will last three times longer, delaying normal motor replacement cycles.
But Shaw said Zero Technology that electric motors will initially cost more to purchase and that there will be other trade-offs as well.
“The weight of the batteries is going to reduce the payload or the range of this plane compared to a fuel plane,” he said.
“Jet fuel has about six times more energy per kilogram than the best battery technology we have.
“It’s a pretty big change in mindset from the point of view of the pilots and the operation of these planes; the weight does not change throughout the flight, you do not burn anything.
“A lot of planes have a maximum takeoff weight and a maximum landing weight, and they can be different because you’re expected to reduce your weight in flight.
“What that means is that when you certify an aircraft for battery-only flight, you may need to brace the landing gear as well as part of that process.”
Alice only flew eight minutes on September 27, but Sercombe says doubters shouldn’t assume that was her full lineup. “Certainly he is capable of more,” he said. Zero Technology.
“This flight profile was intended to demonstrate the handling aspects of the aircraft, confirming from our end that the propulsion system behaved exactly the same in the air as it did on the ground.”
Customers of MagniX’s technology – and electric planes in general – tend to be owners of small planes, such as the ones Sydney Seaplanes uses to ferry tourists on joy flights, or the small planes Rex uses to fly to regional cities.


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Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. has added new service centers in Benicia, California, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania., and Kenosha, Wisconsin. The company also relocated and/or expanded three more facilities in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Milford, Connecticut. and Warren, Ohio.
In the past 10 years, OD has spent $1.7 billion in expanding its service center network equating to a 50 percent increase in door count during that period, according to a statement from the company.
Old Dominion opened the 20-door Benicia facility to expand coverage in-between its San Francisco and Sacramento service centers. The new facility will allow Old Dominion to better service its wine country customers in Napa, Sonoma, and the surrounding area, eliminating three major daily bridge crossings for trucks coming from the San Francisco area.
The 55-door Phoenixville facility opened in response to rapidly growing freight volume across Pennsylvania. The service center covers an area between its Philadelphia facility and other OD service centers in the middle of the state. Its 40-mile service area is expected to grow, and its prime location between major Pennsylvania Routes 76, 422, and 100 – as well as its extra land with space for 30 more doors – positions it well to handle increasing customer demand.
Old Dominion opened the 103-door Kenosha facility as southeastern Wisconsin saw major business growth. The company said it needed a facility closer to its growing number of distribution, manufacturing, packing, and pharmaceutical companies. The center’s location is just two miles from Interstate 94, and its available space for an additional 51 doors will allow it to grow alongside the burgeoning business community.
The three other relocated and/or expanded service centers include:
Colorado Springs: Old Dominion’s third Colorado service center covers the mountainous region south of Denver. The facility’s proximity to I-25 allows drivers quick and easy access to the area’s numerous manufacturers. The location is primed for growth with plenty of room to expand – up to 22 additional doors, according to the company.
Milford: This facility allows Old Dominion to offer service to customers along coastal Connecticut, covering additional areas including New Haven, Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Greenwich. The service center, near I-95, has 49 doors across more than six acres of land.
Warren: This newly expanded facility – increased from two acres to 15 acres – allows it to grow its Youngstown/eastern Ohio customer base and add service for western Pennsylvania shippers. The 60-door facility has room for an additional 24 doors in the future, and its location near the Ohio Turnpike and SR 76 allows for convenient access to customers’ locations, OD said.
“Our record-breaking first and second quarters demonstrate that freight demand is at unprecedented levels. We expect the growth to continue as the economy rebounds, so it’s important we continue to invest in capacity,” said Chip Overbey, senior vice president of strategic development at Old Dominion. “With our six new and upgraded facilities, we’re targeting some of the fastest-growing regions in the U.S. to ensure shippers in these areas have access to the superior transportation service they need to meet their own customer demand.”


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Today's Melbourne Age reports that
A Victorian service station company has won the right to access the identity of people who drive away without paying for fuel.
APCO, which operates 23 service stations across Victoria, won its case in the Geelong Magistrates Court on Thursday, allowing it to access VicRoads driver details to demand payment. ... As of July 1, police stopped investigating fuel drive-offs unless it could be proven the car was stolen or had stolen number plates.
If a service station cannot provide evidence of criminal behaviour or intent - for example, if someone forgot to pay - the incident would be handled as a civil debt, with the onus being on the service station to contact the driver and seek payment.
Mr Anderson said the only recourse available to service stations was to obtain driver details based on number plate records from VicRoads, which is governed by strict privacy laws and does not release the data.
However, Thursday's court ruling means APCO can now pursue "about 35 incidents of unpaid fuel" through civil proceedings. Mr Anderson hoped the case would set a precedent for other retailers in the same position.
"The policy is flawed. The issue with this is that police still consider it a crime to enter any other retail space - such as a shop or a supermarket - and take something without paying, yet it is not considered a crime to take petrol without paying, according to their new policy," he said.
"Although we are sympathetic with regards to police and their time, and want them dealing with more serious crime, this is an issue which can't be ignored. It's unsatisfactory to leave the industry in the lurch like this when we are willing to work with the police." ....
Police spend approximately 18,000 hours a year investigating about 5000 petrol drive-off incidents.


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With the guiding values of connection, food and community, Snowmass Base Village is partnering with local chefs Mawa McQueen and Martin Oswald to host a community dinner next week
“Fantastic,” “crazy busy,” “packed.” These aren’t the words you would expect to hear from restaurateurs after six months of operating during a pandemic. But in Colorado’s resort and mountain towns, business owners say they were baffled by their numbers once they opened their doors in July and August.
Mawa McQueen and her company, McQueen Hospitality International have been announced as winners of the 2020 Colorado Governor’s Minority Business Award. The award is presented by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT.) The award is an honor that recognizes for-profit businesses that have contributed to the economic diversity and success of […]
Article by Maddie Vincent – July 2020 The Aspen Times’ Maddie Vincent discusses racism in America and its impacts on the local Aspen community. Ms. Vincent interviewed Aspen Business Leader, Entrepreneur and Chef, Mawa McQueen. It’s no secret that Aspen is known as a predominately white, wealthy Colorado ski town. And while leaders like Mawa […]
The Aspen Times has started a “We’re Open” feature to profile local businesses working through the coronavirus crisis. We want to connect consumers with the work businesses are doing to stay open. Mawa’s Kitchen was featured in mid-May….


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Superdrug eyes Irish expansion after opening seventh outlet here
UK pharmacy chain’s new store in Swords Pavilions employs 15 people
Superdrug’s seventh Irish store, in Swords, Co Dublin.
UK pharmacy chain Superdrug has opened its seventh Irish store as it eyes new locations to further expand next year.
The company’s newest offering in the Swords Pavilions shopping centre is the fourth Superdrug outlet in Dublin.
Another store is due to open in Arklow later this year and the company said that “further prime locations” are currently being sought for 2018 openings.
Some 15 new jobs were created in the 3,400sq ft Swords outlet which, aside from offering the company’s own brand range, will have a facility for “beauty treatments on the go”.
Commenting on the opening, Nigel Duxbury, Superdrug’s property director, said: “Republic of Ireland is an incredibly important chapter in the growth of Superdrug internationally and we are actively looking for prime sites in which to offer our unique mix of beauty and wellbeing to Irish customers.”
Superdrug currently has 794 stores across the UK in addition to its Irish outlets and is owned by the AS Watson Group which has a variety of brands - the majority of which don’t operate in Ireland.


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Samsung has claimed to have created software so it could enable people with physical disabilities. This innovation is to enable control of special TV software using brainwaves alone. Samsung has named the project ‘Project Pontis.’ This is a groundbreaking technology by Samsung because it would enable quadriplegic people. The company says it is thinking of:
“users with physical limitations to change channels and adjust sound volume with their brains.”
Samsung reportedly started this project three months ago in collaboration with the Center of Neuroprosthetics of the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland. The company made the announcement at the widely famous Samsung Developers Conference in San Francisco two days ago. At the conference, Samsung showed the world its second prototype TV software.
Ricardo Chavarriaga is a senior EPFL scientist who is working with Samsung on the project. At the conference, he said:
“How can we provide accessibility to people who cannot move or who have extreme limitations on their movements. We’re making tech that is more complex, that is more intelligent, but we should not forget this tech is being made to interface with humans.”
How It Works
The software reportedly uses machine learning to operate. The scientists have made the first step in collecting samples of how the brain works when the user wants to watch a movie. The scientists then work on comparing environmental indicators and brain scans. This information goes into the machine which ‘learns’ what to infer from it. The result lets the user select an action using eye movements and brain waves.
To make the system work, a user has to wear a headset with around 64 sensors. Other than the sensors, there is also an eye tracker that locates eye movement and feeds the software. The headset is connected to computer software which is, in turn, connected to the TV. The prototype currently in use tracks eyes to detect a group of videos and shows the user might like to see. The ultimate selection is then made with eye tracking. Chavarriga said in an interview:
“One thing we have to take into account is everybody is different. We believe we have to do the best for the person, so we have to personalize.”
Although developers are not making apps yet that brainwaves can control. Samsung claims to be doing extensive research in the field. Before Samsung, SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk launched Neuralink in March 2017. This company was dedicated to the creation of neural lace. Neural lace includes the installation of tiny electrodes in the brain with the ability to translate thoughts.
Several neuroscientists have been working on creating a digital interface that represents the brain. However, the research is still in its early stages. Currently, all the work into a BCI (Brain-Computer Interface) is focused around people with paralysis. Similarly, once Samsung successfully creates more prototypes, it is hoping to test the first ones on patients in Swiss hospitals. Originally, Samsung intended the software to be in a smartphone but later settled on a TV.


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Vastavam web: The United States and China launch a critical round of trade talks on Wednesday amid deep differences over U.S. demands for structural economic reforms from Beijing that will make it difficult to reach a deal before a March 2 U.S. tariff hike. The two sides will meet next door to the White House in the highest-level talks since U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed a 90-day truce in their trade war in December.
The U.S. complaints, along with accusations of Chinese cyber theft of U.S. trade secrets and a systematic campaign to acquire U.S. technology firms, were used by the Trump administration to justify punitive U.S. tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports. Trump has threatened to raise tariffs on $200 billion to 25 percent from 10 percent on March 2 if an agreement cannot be reached. He has also threatened new tariffs on the remainder of Chinese goods shipped to the United States.
Chinese officials deny that their policies coerce technology transfers. They have emphasized steps already taken, including reduced automotive tariffs and a draft foreign investment law that improves access for foreign firms and promises to outlaw “administrative means to force the transfer of technology.” A crucial component of any progress in the talks, according to top administration officials, is agreement on a mechanism to verify and “enforce” China’s follow-through on any reform pledges that it makes. This could maintain the threat of U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods long term.


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If you’ve shopped for apps for your Windows Phone device such as the Nokia Lumia 900 or HTC Titan, you’re sure to have visited Microsoft’s Marketplace. Now, the Redmond firm has renamed its online store to the ‘Windows Phone Store’.
Sadly, Microsoft is yet to make the name change official. However, if this wasn’t the new official name of the online store for Windows Phone devices, the big M would have changed it right away.
We wouldn’t be surprised if Microsoft has changed the name to Windows Phone Store. After all, it has changed it online store for desktop software to ‘Windows Store’.
Have you noticed the name change from Windows Phone Marketplace to Windows Phone Store? Let us know through a comment.


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RevTech To Host 11th Semi-Annual Tech Trends in Retail
DALLAS – March, 29, 2018 – RevTech, a venture accelerator focused on early-stage retail technology companies, announced it will host the 11th semi-annual Tech Trends in Retail event at the Zodiac in Dallas’ flagship Neiman Marcus store on Thursday, April 5 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
“RevTech is thrilled to have an event focused around new age retail in Dallas’ iconic and historic flagship Neiman Marcus store,” said David Matthews, Managing Director, RevTech. “It’s the perfect location to focus on retail reinvention and transformation, and we look forward to hearing how innovative companies are shaping the future of retail.”
Tech Trends in Retail’s keynote speaker is Gina Puente, CEO and Owner of Puente Enterprises, Inc. Gina has disrupted the airport concessions industry with her innovative concepts of newsstands, currency exchanges, and restaurants. Starting the first winery and tasting room in a domestic airport, Gina has paved the way for something new in airports: luxury. Puente Enterprises, Inc. serves consumers at DFW International Airport, George Bush International Airport, and Dallas Love Field.
This event focuses on new retail strategies and the technologies that power them. After the keynote, several accelerator graduates will give quick pitches including the following:
- Neighborhood Goods – a new concept combining editorial e-commerce with physical stores.
- Envizzo – a marketplace that connects brands to consumers through product placement in short-term rentals.
- Xenio Systems – levels the playing field for physical stores by enabling brick & mortar retailers to track shoppers’ real-time behavior within the store.
- Bottlefly – a patented method for tracking consumer preferences in sensory-based products, including in-store wine recommendation.
- Roopa – an ethical luxury fashion brand that brings together a modern fusion of art and fashion.
- Cherry Pick AI – the first-to-market tool to directly monetize social media comments.
- Akola Project – a non-profit jewelry brand designed to empower at-risk women by offering them training, a work opportunity, and holistic care.
To purchase tickets or view more information about the event, please click here.
RevTech (Retail Technology Ventures) is a Dallas-based venture accelerator and seed fund that works with the best retail technology startups across the globe to accelerate their growth. This is accomplished by attracting, mentoring, and connecting experienced entrepreneurs with viable products to talent, customers, and investors.
Other Point of Sale News
- Symphony RetailAI Accelerates Growth and Market Momentum
- New for TRANSACT: Integrated Payments/Software and Payment Facilitator Session Tracks
- Main Street Softworks Introduces ChipTab® Payment Solution for Bars, Clubs & Restaurants
- Mobey Forum Launches Internet of Things Expert Group
- Blockchain Will Reshape Industries Around The World And Eliminate Intermediaries
- New Springbot Exchange Empowers eCommerce SMBs to Compete Against Large Retailers
- Northern Tool + Equipment Rolls Out Intellicheck’s Retail ID Mobile
- NAM to use blockchain technology to power next gen of incentives
- ETA Announces Payments Pitch-Off Startup Competition at TRANSACT
- Kibo Consumer Trends Study: 67% of Shoppers Using Buy Online, Pickup In Store Fulfillment


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“The software layer between the company and their armies of contractors eliminates a huge amount of middle management, and creates a worrisome disconnect between jobs that will be automated, and jobs of increasing leverage and value.”
There’s a trend in Silicon Valley startups to create a software layer in industries that were traditionally pure human services. Uber and Lyft have created software layers in the taxi industry, 99designs Tasks in the visual design industry, Homejoy in the cleaning industry, and so on.
J.Crew’s Mickey Drexler Confesses: I Underestimated How Tech Would Upend Retail read the headline of a big feature in the Wall Street Journal, which ricocheted around the retail and technology world last week. The piece highlighted J.
This paper explores pragmatic approaches that might be employed to document the behavior of large, complex socio-technical systems (often today shorthanded as “algorithms”) that centrally involve some mixture of personalization, opaque rules, and machine learning components.
Itake my first order on a Sunday morning in April 2016 at a small breakfast café. I wait at the bar, balancing the delivery bag on my lap. The restaurant, in Toronto’s leafy west end, isn’t yet busy, but the atmosphere is building. Dishes clang. Servers shout over one another.
This article will be included in “Redesigning the Industry,” a five-part Automotive News series exploring the future of a business in the throes of change. Part I begins in our Nov. 6 issue with a focus on “Predictions & Possibilities.”


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This year looks brighter for tourism operators in the Shoalhaven, after bushfires decimated last season's visitor numbers and COVID-19 restrictions early in 2020 put them on undertain footing.
For the year ending June 2020, tourist spending in the Shoalhaven was down about $100 million from a 2019 high of $1 billion, according to Tourism research Australia.
Much of that dip was attributed to the fires.
However, local operators say business has been brisk this year, despite the chaos of COVID-19 restrictions and border closures.
"A little bit of compassion," is top of operator Mark Thirlwall's hopes for 2021.
Mr Thirlwall owns the Pleasant Way Motel, and although COVID-19 has thrown his business challenges, there is no shortage of people keen to visit the South Coast.
"I think it's because Aussies are spending their coin in Australia, which is a great thing," he said.
As a business owner Mr Thirlwall does his best to accomodate his guests but said COVID-19 meant that compassion had to go both ways.
"Some people are unwilling to understand what it's like to try and run a business," he said.
"People cancel a booking they've held for months at the eleventh hour, and when you check their booking they're from an area that's allowed to come.
"The cancellation is made out of anxiety, which is fair, but the customer also has to think about what it's fair to expect from a business.
"We need to be generous in how we treat each other."
Michelle Bishop, who owns Bangalay Luxury Villas and Dining, had 14 staff on JobKeeper at the start of the pandemic.
She now has 60 on the books, and is on the hunt for more to keep up with the demand.
"We've never been busier," she said.
"There's a great buzz, and we're all working to full capacity. Everyone's certainly much happier than they were this time last year."
Locals on holiday at home, as well as visitors and owners of holiday houses have all contributed.
Ms Bishop said visitors appreciated the chance to travel and explore the region, but COVID-19 still posed challenges.
"Everyone's very short-term oriented at the moment," she said.
"But the other side of that is it does make it easy for us to backfill cancellations from interstate guests, mostly Victoria and Canberra.
"There has been a lot of change, but the benefit of being full compared to the situation last year is huge."
At Huskisson, Chamber of Commerce president Danny Payne said the town had been busy since restrictions were eased in June.
"We haven't suffered in the way places like the Sydney CBD have," he said.
"The whole purpose of owning a business in a tourist town is to give people a good time. As long as we do that, they'll be back."
Further south, near Ulladulla, Libby Cupitt of Cupitt's Estate has noticed an increased number of new visitors to the region.
"We've never had so many new customers in one year," she said.
"No one's going to Bali, Queensland or Victoria, they're happy to visit the South Coast and they're loving what they're seeing."
The boom came in June, after a tough few months.
Many staff missed out on their usual shift and income over summer due to the bushfires, before the uncertainty of COVID-19 hit.
But when restrictions lifted, visitors came ready to spend.
"We're doing stronger sales of beer, wine and cheese than previous years, and we're fortunate to have a large open space to accomodate people within the restrictions," Ms Cupitt said.
She believed Milton-Uladulla operators were buffered from the full impact of COVID-19 because they don't rely on visitors from Canberra or Victoria, as many regions further south do.
Shoalhaven City Council Mayor Amanda Findley said the council was committed to promoting the region's tourism potential.
"Tourism is one of the top generators of jobs for the region, normally supporting an estimated 5000 jobs, with a decline in the equivalent of around 1600 jobs in relation to the decline in visitors", Clr Findley said.
She said an increase in off-season growth in tourism is the biggest driver of growth for the industry.


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Published: Oct 27, 2021
Amazon is officially entering the race to develop a quantum computer, joining U.S. and Chinese rivals in the quest to harness the properties of natures tiniest particles into computing power far surpassing existing machines.
Published: Jun 08, 2021
Theres an eyebrow-raising technology buried inside millions of Amazon Echo smart speakers and Ring security cameras. They have the ability to make a new kind of wireless network called Sidewalk that shares a slice of your home internet connection with your neighbors devices.
Published: May 28, 2021
Amazon.coms takeover of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer is sparking fresh criticism about the spreading tentacles of Americas technology giants, but the deal underscores how competition watchdogs have their hands tied when it comes to curbing the companies growth.
Published: Apr 15, 2021
Blue Origin, the rocket venture founded by Amazon's Jeff Bezos, executed what it called an "astronaut rehearsal" of its suborbital New Shepard rocket Wednesday, launching the craft to the edge of space after having employees board as if they were going to travel with it, then disembarking before liftoff.