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Pass the Pistons pizza and Timberwolves toast! Soon, you’ll be able to put your favorite NBA team where your mouth is, thanks to brave new licensing initiatives designed to fatten up the NBA’s bottom line. The league is betting that basketball fans, having lost interest in team-branded apparel, will have bottomless appetites for logo foodstuffs. “As key licensing categories have matured, it’s an ongoing goal of the NBA to expand the brand into places that may attract new customers,” Sal LaRocca, head of global merchandising, told USA Today. Why the move to food? “A lot of people watching NBA games on TV tend to eat.” A-ha! First up is NBA team logo pizza, created by applying printed wafers of sugar, starch, and food coloring to baked and sliced commercial pies that will retail for about $5 more than their logo-free counterparts. Fans can also burn favorite team logos into slices of bread with NBA Pro Toast Toasters, which are already popping up on eBay.
Create and manage a top-notch freelancing career in our upcoming online event. Through a series of webcasts and workshops, attendees will be able to learn the tools necessary to launch a successful freelancing career. Weekly sessions will cover topics including pitches, query letters, portfolios, and financing. With St. Patty’s Day quickly approaching, we invite you to try your luck with code GETLUCKY and win anywhere from $10-$50 OFF registration! Register Today!


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On November 13, Julie Brill, FTC Commissioner will be at the Tech Policy Lab and the University of Washington for round table discussions with students and academics. We will be doing a Q&A open to the University at 3:30 pm in Room 138 of William H. Gates Hall.
Julie Brill was sworn in as a Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission April 6, 2010, to a term that expires on September 25, 2016. Prior to becoming a Commissioner, Ms. Brill was the Senior Deputy Attorney General and Chief of Consumer Protection and Antitrust for the North Carolina Department of Justice, a position she held from February 2009 to April 2010. Commissioner Brill has also been a Lecturer-in-Law at Columbia University’s School of Law. Before serving as Chief of Consumer Protection and Antitrust in North Carolina, Commissioner Brill served as an Assistant Attorney General for Consumer Protection and Antitrust for the State of Vermont for over 20 years, from 1988 to 2009. Commissioner Brill was associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison in New York from 1987 to 1988. She clerked for Vermont Federal District Court Judge Franklin S. Billings, Jr. from 1985 to 1986. Commissioner Brill graduated, magna cum laude, from Princeton University, and from New York University School of Law, where she had a Root-Tilden Scholarship for her commitment to public service.
Since joining the Commission, Ms. Brill has been working actively on issues of critical importance to today’s consumers, including protecting consumers’ privacy, encouraging appropriate advertising substantiation, guarding consumers from financial fraud, and maintaining competition in industries involving health care and high-tech.
To Read More About Commissioner Brill click here

domain: news


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Photo: Pavlo Gonchar / SOPA Images / Sipa USA / Kommersant
The Ministry of environment is discussing the introduction of a system of discounts in retail chains to customers who refuse plastic bags, reports TASS.
As stated by the head of Department Dmitry Kobylkin at the St. Petersburg international economic forum (SPIEF), the Ministry is in talks with retail chains and manufacturers. All of them, according to the Minister, showed interest in the initiative.
However, he noted that the complete withdrawal of the plastic from circulation is impossible. “Cancel all in one day — it would be the simplest reform. To say “let’s remove plastic, glass, iron from circulation” — it is impossible and it is necessary to understand,” said Kobylkin.
He also said that such bans will lead to the creation of the black market. “Why do we need it? We go the evolutionary way”, — concluded the Minister of natural resources.
Earlier it was reported that every fifth Russian is ready to stop going to shops that sell products in non-recyclable packaging.
Video, photo All from Russia.


text: Rice has been at the centre of Japan’s economy and culture for centuries. But changes are afoot. There is growing concern among Japanese farmers that the country’s rice-producing capabilities are diminishing in the face of international trade pacts such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership. In fact, all local agriculture is in the spotlight as pressure mounts to increase local imports of overseas produce. Details here.


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In this report: Alliance HealthCare Services (NYSE:AIQ), Zimmer Holdings Inc. (NYSE:ZMH) and Alaska Communications Systems (NASDAQ:ALSK).
Alliance HealthCare Services (NYSE:AIG) shares have soared by more than 20 percent today after the company reaffirmed its 2011 revenue guidance and announced its 2012 full year outlook. The company expects 2011 fiscal revenue to be between $475 million to $495 million while adjusted earnings for the year are expected to be in the $140 million to $150 million range. The company said that it is expecting both result to be at the higher end of those ranges. For the 2012 fiscal year the company expects adjusted earnings of $140 million to $160 million on revenue of $470 million to $500 million. Alliance HealthCare Services currently trades at $1.28 per share.
Zimmer Holdings Inc. (NYSE:ZMH) traded another 1.5 percent higher after the company received an upgrade by analysts at Mizuho. The firm upped its rating on the company to ‘Buy’ from ‘Neutral’ with a $62 price target. The analyst cited potentially improving growth in orthopedic markets and a strengthening knee product cycle. Zimmer Holdings soared 6 percent yesterday after the company announced that it will pay an 18 cents quarterly dividend for the first quarter and initiate a stock repurchase program for as much as $1.5 billion through 2014. The company’s CEO David Dvorak stated that the dividend “reinforces our confidence in the company’s future and our commitment to generating value for stockholders”.
Alaska Communications Systems (NASDAQ:ALSK) dropped by more than 25 percent today after company announced that it would reduce its quarterly dividend to 5 cents per share. The dividend will be payable on January 18th 2012 to shareholders of record as of December 30th 2011. The reduced dividend will allow the company to retain $29.8 million cash on an annualized basis.
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The 2nd Annual American Farmers for the Advancement and Conservation of Technology (AFACT) Summit lived up to the theme of "Working Together to Create Solutions” in Minneapolis this week.
The summit started off with Ryan Armstrong and Ray Prock, Jr., Californian egg and dairy farmers respectively, talking about the impact of Proposition 2 on agriculture and struggle with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). To implement Proposition 2 in the California egg industry, one billion dollars would be needed to comply with the new standards according to Armstrong.
Alex Avery, Director of Research and Education at the Hudson Institute, followed with a fact-filled dialogue on the sustainability of agriculture. This issue is very important with the predicted population peak of around nine billion people in 2050. The swine and crop industry's voices were heard from Gary Thome, Minnesota swine farmer and Len Corzine, Illinois crop farmer. Finally, Michele Payn-Knoper gave a crash course on social media, facebook, and twitter, and illustrated the importance of these tools in agricultural communication of producers and industry.
A diverse consumer and retailer panel jump started the morning the second day of the summit. Panelists were Vonda Johnson, mother and consumer from Minnesota; Andrea, consumer and employee at Taher Food Management Services which is also responsible for the Minnesota School Lunch program; and Mitch Davis, retailer and general manager of Davis Family Dairies. Thoughtful discussion and learning took place on both sides of the table. One interesting fact shared was that the average consumer is not aware that dairy producers are only being paid half of what they received a year ago for milk. After this, small groups were used to discuss the array of information from the summit, and decide which steps should be taken to work towards the vision of AFACT.
Opportunities identified for AFACT to pursue were the continued education of consumers, retailers and producers through face-to face meetings and by incorporating online dialogues. Recruitment of more members and advocates in all areas of agriculture was also recognized as a vital step to inform the masses that technology has a necessary role in modern agriculture production. Also, using social media tools like facebook and twitter were deemed important in telling agriculture's story in a virtual world.
For more information on AFACT, please visit our website at www.itisafact.org, find us on facebook by searching for AFACT, or follow us on twitter under itisAFACT.
AFACT is a team-driven organization by producer volunteers across the Unites States. As the organization's name implies, AFACT is dedicated to conserving existing safe management practices and supporting the advancement of new technologies utilized in agriculture. AFACT strives to provide the consumer safe and wholesome food at a good value, as well as distributing factual information regarding advances in modern agriculture.


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Thu, 18 Jun 2020 13:12:56 GMT
the fourth most chosen alcohol brand in the UK Off Trade, has been ramping up
its ATL since 2015 but saw their best ever return from a year-long Channel 4
Entertainment sponsorship in 2019. Such results have seen that sponsorship extended,
with new campaign work due into production this month and planning for a broader
comms strategy underway.
Fran Docx, strategy director at 20something said: “The brand has seen amazing returns from TV in 2019, what we need to do now is to cement those foundations, evolve our consumer proposition and push our campaign work beyond a single channel strategy. What we have in development is a platform with the versatility to run in all channels, cross markets and speaks to multiple occasions”.
Andrew Barnard, co-founder of 20something said: “It’s an infectious brand to be around; you can’t escape the rich winemaking history and the McGuigan family legacy is still so deeply rooted in the company today. That has really helped in integrating this creative/ client/ production team and most importantly, has led to better work, faster. It’s been a great example of the change we see the industry needing right now”.
With the UK restrictions of movement looking set to continue into July, and the on-trade industry still uncertain when it will be able to re-open, off-premise sales of alcohol continues to be one of the areas of the UK economy that’s thriving.
Ben Turner, marketing manager for UK and Europe said: “We’re super excited to be working with 20something for this year’s creative. It was clear from our first conversation they really understood our brand and how best to utilise the sponsorship platform in place to produce a campaign that would really resonate with our consumers and allow us to add value at other touch points too – we can’t wait to see it all go live on TV, Social and be brought to life at point of purchase across the UK.’”
New campaign work is set to launch in August 2020, with work running in TV, VOD and social channels from the outset.
view more - Hires, Wins & Business
Categories: Wines, Alcoholic Beverages20something, Thu, 18 Jun 2020 13:12:56 GMT


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Posted on 12 June, 2023 | By Property852
WeWork Greater China, a subsidiary of the US coworking space provider WeWork, is considering expanding its presence in Hong Kong due to increased demand from Chinese firms seeking offshore opportunities. WeWork Greater China, in which Trustbridge Partners holds a majority stake, has seen numerous opportunities in Hong Kong since the reopening of the border with mainland China in January. The company reported a 117% increase in the value of its transactions in the Hong Kong market in the first quarter of this year compared to the previous quarter. Many mainland enterprises are targeting Hong Kong as their first stop for expanding globally, while global companies are also eyeing Hong Kong as a gateway to the Chinese market.
WeWork Greater China has opened a 10,000 square foot coworking space at 9 Queen's Road Central and has achieved an occupancy rate of 70 to 80 percent. The company had previously reduced its footprint in Hong Kong during the pandemic but remains committed to the WeWork brand and services standards while having more autonomy to meet local market needs.
There is growing demand for flexible working spaces from Hong Kong's booming Web3 and virtual-assets industries since the government issued new guidelines allowing retail trade in cryptocurrencies. WeWork Greater China has received numerous inquiries from companies looking to set up businesses in these sectors in the city. The firm currently operates seven spaces in Hong Kong, occupying a total of 300,000 square feet, and is in discussions to open more coworking spaces.
Although Hong Kong's grade-A office market has experienced rising vacancy rates, the coworking sector still has room for growth. The flexibility offered by shared offices has become a trend for small start-ups and global enterprises, as uncertainty has become the only certainty in the current era.
Apart from Hong Kong, WeWork Greater China is also considering projects in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. It recently opened a new space in Wuhan and plans to open two projects in Beijing and Shanghai over the next two months. With about 100 sites in 12 cities in China, WeWork Greater China currently has approximately 100,000 individual members and 10,000 enterprise members.


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Mercedes funds this life with her $300,000 a year salary, none of which is taxable because it's all earned on the black market.
Mercedes is in the family business: Organized Retail Crime (ORC). She's a third generation member of a family from Colombia that sells from stolen designer bags and dresses from Neiman Marcus to Crest White Strips and makeup found in drug stores—and she's making a boat load doing so.
Journalist Hitha Prabhakar interviewed Mercedes (her name has been changed for protection) and countless others while following the money trail of stolen designer bags and the other items that make up ORC rings. While reporting, Prabhakar uncovered that the money unassuming Americans pay for counterfeit or stolen designer bags actually ends up in the hands of terrorist organizations abroad.
Her recently published book, "Black Market Billions," explains how organized retail crime, a $38 billion-a-year industry, funds global terrorism as kingpins funnel money back to their homelands.
To put the $38 billion into perspective: Pablo Escobar's drug ring only brought in $30 billion a year.
UNCOVERING THE ORC RING
It all started when Prabhakar, a retail and fashion journalist who now works for BloombergTV, received an instant message from a former colleague asking if she wanted to buy a designer bag.
He said he "had a hook up," Prabhakar said in the book.
Prabhakar recounted the shock she felt when he told her that all the employees of designer hand bag companies were stealing bags and re-selling them at a third of the price.
"Everyone is doing it," he told her, she wrote.
From her journalism experience, she knew that fashion lovers found ways to buy designer bags at a discount from less-than-legitimate sources, but her friend's description sounded as if it was a much larger problem than she originally thought.
"My book all started with the IM from my friend," Prabhakar said in a phone interview this week. "Just how prevalent is this? Is this just a group of thugs making extra buck or does he mean 'everyone?' Turns out ORC was a $38 billion business. And not just Barneys was being affected, but it spanned from Barneys to Bloomingdale's and Neiman Marcus, all the way down to Walgreens. It's fascinating."
Next, read about how the money trail works.
THE MONEY TRAIL
In the course of breaking down the money trail, Prabhakar followed around the Los Angeles Police Department and interviewed lawmakers, the FBI, the National Retail Federation and even some of the Kingpins themselves to understand what was going on.
Since it's so complicated, Prabhakar uses a hypothetical situation to explain how it works.
Let's say a woman named "Sally," from Atlanta, just lost her job, but she wants to have Carrie Bradshaw's style. But she can't really afford any designer bags since she's unemployed.
Then, Sally receives a phone call from someone in her neighborhood—"a hookup." This hookup tells her he has a designer Coach bag for $100—a huge markdown. But it's a stolen bag.
Sally can't resist the bargain.
So Sally gives the hook up her money. That person is functioning as a part of a bigger circle, so he doesn't pocket the entire amount—instead he takes about $40 of that money. Then, $60 goes back to the person who he initially got the handbags from. That person is the Kingpin. Let's call him "Sam."
In the hypothetical, Sam has minions working at department stores who are stealing designer bags, as well as minions selling those bags in New York, Atlanta, Miami and Los Angeles.
Sam's not just selling two or three handbags—he has several hundred handbags. Sam needs to store them somewhere, so he has a warehouse that functions as his headquarters. There, the people who sell to Sally and other woman come to pick up the bags.
Sam's warehouse also sell handbags to smaller stores, called shell stores, which serve as tourist destinations, and appear to be more legitimate than people hawking bags on the streets.
These shell stores look real, and sell real Michael Kors, Coach, and Ralph Lauren bags. And since it's a, women are thrilled with the discounts, Prabhakar explained.
"Sam"—the kingpin of the organized retail crime ring—needs a way to funnel that money out of the country. He uses accounts with fake names, American Express cards, and sometimes even Facebook and the application Square, Prabhakar said.
"In general what I found was Sam, who let's say is from Pakistan, still has ties back to his homeland and groups back home," said Prabhakar. "These groups are extremists to Americans and are really terrorists, but in Sam's country they are helping people, giving out aid after natural disasters or setting up schools."
So since Sam has affiliations with these groups, and wants to help his people, he sends the money from the stolen merchandise back home.
Said Prabhakar, "therefore, at the root, Sally is funding global terrorism."
Next read about why people turn to organized retail crime.
BUT WHY ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME?
ORCs may be the smartest path for these "brilliant business people," as Prabhakar called them.
They could make a lot of money quickly be selling drugs, but the consequences are much greater.
On the other hand, even though in some states stealing more than $1,000 is a felony, the paper work is so cumbersome that states sometimes wind up dropping those cases, Prabhakar said.
And even if they are convicted, the punishment is far less severe than it is for selling drugs.
So criminals are turning to retail: Dresses, baby formula, Crest White Strips, makeup, designer handbags, and even prescription drugs.
"In some cases, the people carrying out the organized retail crime might not even know it's illegal until it's too late," Prabhakar said. "People like Mercedes, it's all she's ever known how to do. It's all about family ties. If you go back to our example of Sam, he probably only got involved in ORC because once he came to America a friend told him 'this is how we're going to make a boat load of money.'"
ORC spiked after Sept. 11 and then again in 2007-2009 when the recession hit, because people had to find a way to pay the bills, Prabhakar said.
In the post 9-11, world a connection from the storied MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha) gang to al Qaeda formed, helping the organizations make moves with out triggering named-based terrorist watch lists.
"ORC rings all resemble the classic Italian mafia," Prabahakar said. "They actually also resemble the organization of a corporation like McDonald's—from the CEO, to management, to the store owners, all the way down to the employees cashing you out."
WHAT YOU CAN DO AND WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Besides the fact that your money is directly funding global terrorism, which in turns hurts the country you reside in, buying prescription drugs, baby formula, makeup and Crest White Strips on the black market could be damaging to your health.
"Are you really going to risk that maybe those Crest Strips where coated in something other than peroxide just to save a few dollars?" Prabhakar said.
Prabhakar's book comes with an iPhone App supplement, also called "Black Market Billions," that lets fashionistas who think they've encountered an illegitimate bag take a photo of the purse in question, and her location is geo-tagged for the authorities.
"I want them (the consumers) to be aware of the reason why this is happening. People, for lack of a better word, are clueless," Prabhakar said. "Yes, we all want to save a buck and last thing we want to do is overpay for something, but at the end of the day you're risking something on a larger scale and putting other people at risk for buying that stuff."
Prabhakar also shared some footage of a ride-along with the LAPD with us:


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Five companies in the US that have a four-day workweek
While an increasing number of companies in the United States are offering a four-day workweek, questions surrounding equity and access to the benefit remain open.
The results are in! Many companies in the United States and abroad that have piloted the four-day workweek will not return to their previous schedules after seeing benefits for both staff and their bottom line.
In the United States, there are a growing number of firms offering a shorter workweek to make it easier for workers to balance their work and personal lives. By lowering the number of hours worked, companies have seen increases in productivity which can translate to greater profits or, in the case of non-profits, greater efficiency.
However, one detail overlooked in the discourse on the four-day workweek is the types of companies that make the switch and, subsequently, the workers that would be offered the benefit. Take the widely publicized study conducted by the research group Autonomy which looked at pilots for sixty-one firms, of which ninety-two percent said they are “continuing with the four-day week.” But when looking at the firms of companies included, very few were sectors with a high number of hourly workers: Marketing/Advertising (18 percent), Professional Services (16 percent), Charity/Non-profit Admin (11 percent), IT & Telecoms (9 percent), Educational services (9 percent), Finance and Insurance (9 percent), and Healthcare or social assistance (9 percent). Additionally, ninety percent of the workers included in the study were “White British or White Other,” highlighting a racialized element to the types of workers that are being offered such a benefit.
Which companies in the US are offering a four-day workweek?
Amazon, the e-commerce giant, is also piloting a four-day workweek with a hybrid remote team, meaning that those who work in warehouses or delivery are left out. Interestingly, the layoffs that Amazon has announced over the last few months have been from the corporate side of the company, not the warehouse and distribution. The group of workers in the latter category are the true drivers of Amazon’s value since, without them, the company would not be able to function. The exclusion of these lower-paid workers is indicative of the wider exclusion of low-wage, less professionalized workers from these programs that have shown to have major improvements for one’s mental and physical well-being. What becomes clear is that if those benefits do not translate to increased profits, those workers will not be offered a reduction in their hours.
Bolt, the fin-tech company, has announced that they are working to turn “Fridays into something more like Saturdays or Sundays,” providing “genuine time off, with no planned meetings or work.”
Buffer, the social media software company, implemented a four-day workweek in 2020 and stuck with it after seeing how it created a more positive work culture without reducing productivity. In 2022, Buffer’s Director of People, Nicole Miller, reflected on the change and mentioned that “91% of our team are happier and more productive working four days a week.”
Executives at thredUp, the online consignment store, have also opted for a shorter workweek. CEO James Reinhart published an article in Insider where he explained that the company’s “corporate salaried employees work Monday through Thursday.” The situation for “distribution workers” is less clear, with Reinhart explaining that they “have more flexibility around the hours they work.”
However, a job posting for a Clothing Warehouse Associate ($17 - $18/hour) —a role on the distribution side— does not list greater flexibility as a benefit. Instead, the posting says the company offers a “consistent, set schedule!” Another distribution-focused role being advertised, ‘Inventory Control Lead’ (no salary data provided), notes that the company offers a “Hybrid work environment” (three days from the office, one day from home). Upon closer inspection, the desirability of the job drops since the role still requires forty hours of work a week, which are expected to be carried out on Monday through Thursday from 6:00am-4:30pm (10 and a half hour days!). Additionally, the company states that one may need to work overtime and that the “work schedule may require you to be flexible working different hours during the week.”
On thredUp’s corporate side, a Growth Marketing Specialist can make between $86,000 to $100,000 a year only working four days a week, and nowhere does the posting say that more than eight hours of work a day would be required. While Reinhart said that the four-day work week has “helped [them to] deepen our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging,” it is hard to understand how considering the inequities in the types of jobs offered the benefit.
Seasonal option for a four-day workweek
Basecamp, the online platform to help independent artists promote their music, has implemented a four-day workweek for their employees during the summer months, running from 1 May through 31 August 31.


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Schleicher graduated from the
"Technology innovations continue to redefine how businesses communicate and collaborate, enabling them to make dramatic improvements in productivity and customer service," said
"In today's highly-competitive and rapidly changing environment, companies are recognizing that cloud communications and collaboration open the door to new applications and tools that can make them more agile. These are ideal conditions for market disruption," said
A global market leader in business communications powering more than two billion business connections, Mitel helps businesses and service providers connect, collaborate and provide innovative services to their customers. Our innovation and communications experts serve more than 70 million business users in more than 100 countries. For more information, go to www.mitel.com and follow us on Twitter @Mitel.
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Camille Beasley, Media


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ABBEVILLE, Ala. - Great Southern Wood’s brand YellaWood has launched a new campaign that includes a mischievous band of beavers driven to create their own oasis at the lodge. The Woodland’s Most Wanted campaign began in Mar. 2019 and follows the tales of five lumber-obsessed beavers.
The website explains that the team of beavers is on a mission to find the Yella tag and will stop at nothing to find their holy grail of lumber to build a “five-star backyard” of their own. The team’s instinct to build is strong, but their need to build with the best is downright irresistible.
“Through the use of non-traditional YellaWood fans, in this case, a team of beavers, we’re taking a humorous approach to establishing the desirability of YellaWood brand products,” said James Riley, chief marketing officer for the YellaWood brand. “It’s a fun and engaging way to encourage homeowners to create their own five-star backyard and to demand pressure treated pine with the little Yella Tag.”
With extensions including digital, broadcast, billboards, and in-store elements, the YellaWood brand says the campaign is cultivating a memorable experience that aims to increase engagement with current and potential customers. The Woodland’s Most Wanted will be front and center for the brand through autumn.
“We continue to challenge ourselves to bring something new to the table for our dealer network,” says Riley. “With the Woodland’s Most Wanted, we’re creating a new way to support our highly successful “For Five-Star Backyards” campaign that debuted last fall.”
YellaWood is a distributor of pressure treated pine that boasts an extensive product offering and a vast dealer network. With this campaign, the company says it aims to provide support to its dealer networks across the country while reinforcing the position that the YellaWood is a top choice for builders, contractors, and homeowners.
Have something to say? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.


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Apple: 'But we had nothing to gain'
Apple hasn't been saying much about the cases in public, but it has presented a defence in the US class action suit. The fruity firm insists that it had nothing to gain by fixing the price of ebooks because it doesn't have a presence in the physical book market. And as for the theory that it was trying to smash the Kindle out of existence because if people got used to having one and Amazon then pimped it up into a tablet, they wouldn't want an iPad, Apple said it thought that was kind of ridiculous.
Its filing in the case said:
For example, if Amazon was a “threat” that needed to be squelched by means of an illegal conspiracy, why would Apple offer Amazon’s Kindle app on the iPad? Why would Apple conclude that conspiring to force Amazon to no longer lose money on eBooks would cripple Amazon’s competitive fortunes? And why would Apple perceive the need for an illegal solution to the “Kindle threat” when it had an obvious and lawful one which it implemented – namely, introducing a multipurpose device (the iPad) whose marketing and sales success was not centred on eBook sales?
But the involvement of two regulators on top of a class action suit isn't making that argument look too steady.
The European Commission's antitrust chief Joaquin Almunia said yesterday that it would be happy to settle with Apple and the publishers providing they addressed the EC's "objections".
Vidal said that the very fact that the EC has objections and is publically talking about them could be a sign that it already has evidence of the firms' collusion on pricing.
"The signal there from the Commission is that they have objections, it's not very clear what those objections are, but there's clearly some problem with the current arrangement so it's effectively threatening the publishers with a fine unless they decide to settle this, and I would imagine that's because they've found some sort of evidence of collusion," he said.
And if the evidence is already there, Apple and the publishers would be in big trouble. The EC can fine them up to 10 per cent of worldwide turnover, which is likely to be a pants-wettingly high sum, so the smart thing for them to do would be to settle. But there's a problem with that too.
Assuming that Apple and the publishers settle the regulator cases in Europe, the US or both, even if the settlement agreements don't mention culpability, it's basically a tacit admission of guilt. And that is going to lend a lot of weight to the existing class action suit, or indeed any other class action suit anyone would like to bring.
"It's very difficult for you to defend your case once you've settled because a settlement is effectively an admission of guilt and everyone accepts that, even if it's not in the settlement," Vidal said.
"There would be no reason for a settlement if there hadn't been some sort of infringement."
In the US, plaintiffs who win class action suits can reap triple damages from companies. And even if the current class action suit fails on some legally flawed argument, there's nothing to stop anyone else from starting another.
In Europe, there's no triple damages, but if the regulator decides you've infringed the competition law, anyone can then bring a follow-on suit. In these cases, they don't have to prove liability, they only have to prove "quantum" (amount) – in other words, show how many ebooks they bought at the unfair prices – and the company will have to pay up.
Neither Apple nor the five big publishers – Harper Collins, Hachette Livre, Simon & Schuster, Penguin and Macmillan – are exactly short a dollar or four, but suffering the fines and numerous lawsuits could hit them hard.
If they have colluded, their only real choice is to settle and cut their losses, at least avoiding the full fines from the regulators, according to Vidal. Just how much those losses could be remains to be seen. ®


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GONE are the days when technology was embraced by young people only. A study by an online shopping website has found that about 17% of website visitors are over 50. Kirby Gordon, brand & communication head at Kalahari.com, says this market segment is “growing at a slightly faster rate than that of our younger shoppers”.
Not only do the “silver-haired” visit the Kalahari website more than before, they’re also quick to decide on purchases. “Our older shoppers get their business done in around 95% of the time it takes our average 25-34-year-old,” says Gordon in a statement. Statistics also show older shoppers know what they want when they come to visit and tend to find it and check out fast.
“It’s often assumed it’s only young people who are shopping online but we know this just isn’t true. There’s a very important market out there in our older generations,” he says.
Among the products oldies buy are mobile phones, home furnishings, appliances, fashion accessories and books. Young customers are also in the market for similar things.
According to the research, older customers also shop using their mobile phones, their favourite being the iPhone. Apple’s devices are also popular among younger Kalahari shoppers.
The study says women over 50 are also more active on the site than men of the same age, the split being 60/40 skewed towards females.


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SEOUL, Feb. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — Companies that require frequent contact with customers are calling on all staff to wear protective masks as the novel coronavirus continues to spread nationwide.
In the meantime, some companies are being criticized for falling short of providing the masks to all employees while at the same time insisting that employees wear them.
Some have compared the difference in treatment between small businesses and large conglomerates.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, a local hair salon franchise has asked all stylists to wear protective masks, measure the body temperature of incoming customers, and sanitize their workplace.
Despite the instructions, however, the company did not distribute masks, leading a number of employees to complain.
“The company said everyone should get their own masks,” one employee said. “They say masks are mandatory, and they are doing nothing to support the staff.”
A local disease diagnostics company also requires all staff to wear protective masks without providing any.
“Those working at a hospital are in a better situation since they can check their health condition daily. For people like us whose job is to go door to door of each hospital, it’s bad news,” one employee said.
A considerable number of businesses with frequent contact with customers, such as those in the service, medical, and media industries, are refusing to give out masks to employees, while instructing them to wear them at all times.
It is commonplace for large conglomerates, on the other hand, to distribute masks to all staff.
A local home shopping company distributed 80 masks to employees after instructing them not to leave the office unless they wear a mask.
Another major e-commerce business placed a whole stock of masks in the company’s cafeteria and on the first floor of the building after requiring all staff to wear them.
H. M. Kang (firstname.lastname@example.org)


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(Featured Image: Sony Computer Entertainment / Sucker Punch Productions)
Sony drew ire from some gamers when they announced that they would no longer be selling PS3 and PS Vita games on the PlayStation Store. Well, today Sony Interactive Entertainment President & CEO, Jim Ryan, took to the official PlayStation Blog to announce the reversal of that decision.
An excerpt from the announcement (you can read the full post here):
“Upon further reflection, however, it’s clear that we made the wrong decision here. So today I’m happy to say that we will be keeping the PlayStation Store operational for PS3 and PS Vita devices. PSP commerce functionality will retire on July 2, 2021 as planned.Jim Ryan via the PlayStation Blog
When we initially came to the decision to end purchasing support for PS3 and PS Vita, it was born out of a number of factors, including commerce support challenges for older devices and the ability for us to focus more of our resources on newer devices where a majority of our gamers are playing on. We see now that many of you are incredibly passionate about being able to continue purchasing classic games on PS3 and PS Vita for the foreseeable future, so I’m glad we were able to find a solution to continue operations.”
Sales were original planned to cease this summer for PS3 and PS Vita games on the PlayStation Store leading to numerous concerns for fans of the consoles and gaming history. In recent years gamers continually note the difficulty of accessing older games across the consoles. Sony has listened and now fans will still have easy access to some iconic games.
(Source: PlayStation Blog)
Do you like anime? Then you will want to check out Virtual Crunchyroll Expo 2021, an online anime convention coming to screens August 6-7th! You can head to the official site to learn more.
For the latest in video game news, trailers, and dumb jokes stay tuned to Nerdier Tides. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
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Mary-Kate And Ashley Olsen Blessed Us With A New Interview
“It’s been 32 years of learning how to communicate.”
It's a blessed and incredibly rare day when Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen -- the fiercely private, extremely mysterious fashion gurus and former child stars -- grant an interview to the press. We're pretty sure that Australia changes Prime Ministers more frequently than the Olsen twins give interviews, but don't quote us on that, because we're not going to fact check it!!!!!!!!
ANYWAY, our favourite eccentric millionaires, who own and run high end fashion line The Row together, granted the Wall Street Journal a gorgeous joint interview, in which they announced their upcoming menswear line (a first for The Row) and spoke about sisterhood.
Their menswear line will include a full range of denim, knitwear, tailored separates and suits, and will serve the male counterpart of the female Row shopper. Or, as Mary-Kate put it, the line is "for the husband" of the female Row enthusiast.
This is as good a place as any to note that MK's own husband, Olivier Sarkozy, is a “habitual suit wearer”.
“I don’t think people are taking big risks in menswear,” said Ashley.
"It’s funny, because this is more of a risk than putting words on a T-shirt," Ashley continued. "Who knew that black, gorgeous, perfectly fitted suits would be a risk?"
In other words, don't be expecting to see anything resembling the streetwear or athleisure popular with the likes of Kanye, Biebs and whoever else is popular right now, because they're not about it.
In fact, the twins visited factories all over the world while creating the menswear collection, and mulled over the height of their high-waisted pants right down to the millimetre.
“There’s something about a slightly higher rise that is quite sexy,” Ashley said.
If you're expecting to see the twins on the promo circuit for their menswear line, don't hold your breath, though. They prefer to wait until all their products are "perfect" and then let the work speak for itself.
"[We're] not product pushers," said Ashley, explaining that their childhood in the spotlight may have contributed to their reluctance to live in the public eye.
“I don’t know if it’s because of the way we grew up," Ashley mused. "We just don’t like talking about ourselves or talking about what we’re doing … It’s not really our approach.”
The twins also opened up about their bond as sisters and business partners.
“We do everything together,” said Ashley, with Mary-Kate adding: “We came out of the womb doing that.”
Likening their union to "a marriage and a partnership", Ashley said that they "have ups and downs", adding: “It’s been 32 years of learning how to communicate.”
The twins have won three Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awards since The Row's 2005 launch, with two for womenswear, and one for accessories.
Feature image: WSJ


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European regulators will bring forward their antitrust investigation into Google to the end of March.
The EU commission has been investigating Google for misuse of its market position and will decide whether to file a formal complaint against the internet search company.
"I will receive comments from the case team towards the end of the first quarter. I do not expect anything sooner. Let us see," EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said this week.
Until this point officials had been playing down expectations of an early conclusion to the informal investigation stage, and antitrust investigations typically take several years.
The Commission opened an investigation into Google in November 2010 after rivals including Microsoft accused the internet search company of abusing its dominant position in the market for web search services.
In all there are 10 complainants, including British price comparison site Foundem, German association of business listings VfT, French online daily deals company Deal du Jour, French search engine 1plusV, who have formally complained to the Commission and last month, the Spanish Association of Daily Newspaper Publishers (AEDE) became the latest.
U.S. regulators are also investigating Google's business practices.
The probe has expanded to include the company's new social networking tool Google+, according to a Reuters source.
The Commission, which can fine companies up to 10 per cent of their global turnover, has penalised companies such as Microsoft and Intel billions of euros for breaching EU antitrust rules.


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ROANOKE, Ind. (WOWO) – Universal Dedicated of Fort Wayne, announced plans to expand its operations in Indiana which will create up to 130 jobs in Allen County by the end of next year.
Universal Dedicated is a full-service provider of customized transportation and logistics solutions. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Universal Logistics.
The company is planning to invest $25 million to expand out around ten acres at Fogwell Parkway in Roanoke. The site will serve as a holding yard and house transportation assess and dispatch operations offices. The expansion will allow the company to be more efficient in its regional transportation services.
Construction is expected to begin some in the fall of this year with the completion predicted at the end of this year.
Universal Logistics employs more than 5,000 full-time workers including 400 in Indiana and 225 at Universal Dedicated. The company is hiring for many positions including logistics managers, CDL drivers, diesel and trailer mechanics, and administrative clerks. Interested applicants can apply by clicking here.
Universal Logistics has its headquarters located in Michigan. The company operates in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Columbia and services many industries like aerospace, automotive, energy, government services, health care, industrial, metals, retail, consumer goods and more.
In Indiana, Universal Logistics also supports subsidiary operations at its Logistics Insights Corporation locations in Hammond, Indianapolis, Roanoke and Fort Wayne.
Governor Eric J. Holcomb said “Companies like Universal Dedicated are helping us take Indiana’s economy to the next level. As the Crossroads of America, we are perfectly positioned to help companies reach customers across the Midwest, across the country and around the globe. I will continue to be laser-focused on enhancing our infrastructure network so that Universal Dedicated can help to drive our economy forward.”
Matt Lock, Vice President of Operations for Universal Dedicated said “This is a big win for our organization and Allen County. We appreciate our customer’s continued trust and growth in our services and for making us their primary-source transportation provider. We also recognize our most important asset, our employees, for their hard work and dedication, once again proving that people-driven solutions enable our success. We look forward to growing our team and maintaining our reputation for best-in-industry service levels, continuous improvement and cost savings initiatives for our customers.”
Allen County Commissioners Rich Beck, Therese Brown and Nelson Peters said in a joint statement, “We seek great business partners here in Allen County, but we also want terrific corporate neighbors. Universal Logistics checks both of those boxes, and we look forward to the economic and social benefits this tremendous company’s expansion will have on our community.”
Universal Dedicated was offered up to $1.35 Million in conditional tax credits by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation based on the company’s job creation plans. The company is not eligible to claim the incentives until Hoosiers are hired.


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Rumors keep popping up about Apple’s first smart glasses. But how much will Apple Glass cost? Here are the first rumors about it.
As those who more or less follow the technology agenda know, Apple has been working on smart glasses for some time. It is expected that Apple’s glasses will have a AR -based system.
The AR system, which is already being used in the next generation iPhone models, is also expected to be instrumental in the use of Apple Glass. So when will Apple launch its highly anticipated smart glasses? That’s the question.
According to recent rumors, Apple is on a countdown to its first smart glasses. If all goes according to plan, Apple Glass is expected to be officially unveiled in the last quarter of 2022.
So how does Apple plan to put a price tag on its first homegrown smart glasses? Some information has been leaked on that as well. The fact that the technologies Apple is using in its AR -based glasses are a bit pricey has had a negative impact on Apple Glass ‘s price.
According to leaked reports, Apple is considering a price tag of around $2,000 for its first smart glasses. And that’s just the frame price of the glasses. If you want to buy these glasses with their lenses, the price will go up a little more than the lens you choose. Of course, it’s important to note that there’s no official statement from Apple as of yet, and this news is entirely rumored.


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“Having a floor price is anti-consumer,” said TRAI official. “Will it not become an incentive for someone to continue with an existing un-upgraded network?” Trai doesn’t intervene in tariffs, and any move to set a floor price would overturn this practice. While Trai had rejected the proposal for a floor price in 2017, the health of the sector has taken a turn for the worse since then.
Airtel can easily raise Rs 40,000 crore by selling assets, while Voda Idea has no dearth of funds, he said.
CFO Nitin Sood also believes the ongoing economic slowdown would not impact the company’s outlook for revenues and profitability this financial year.
Reliance Industries (RIL) will list its telecom and retail units within the next 5 years, chairman Mukesh Ambani said at the oil-to-telecoms conglomerate’s 42nd annual general meeting (AGM) Monday.
Plans to start range of financial services, unveil home broadband pricing.
That would be a bigger deficit than those of its larger rivals Bharti Airtel Ltd and Vodafone Idea Ltd, even though the company known as Jio will probably overcome them over the next 12 months in terms of service revenue and subscribers, the analysts wrote in a note to clients dated February 26. The fiscal year of Jio’s parent, Reliance Industries Ltd ends March 31.
Choksi and aides own 25 acres in Panvel worth Rs 300 crore at current market prices. His company, Gitanjali Gems Ltd (GGL), was to buy the land in two Panvel villages that fell in the green zone then, with the stated purpose of setting up an SEZ. The Panvel tehsildar's office is investigating this case.
Jio, which wants to acquire the spectrum through a trading deal, has petitioned the department of telecom (DoT) to provide it protection from any dues arising towards RCom for the period prior to the clearance of the deal.
RIL is likely to own over 25% each in the two companies giving it the ability to control developments and get a seat on the board.
These special audits are under clauses 22.5 and 22.6 of Unified Access Service Licence that allows DoT to comb the books of the operators.
Additionally, the newly created entity needs all the money it can get to strengthen its balance sheet to effectively take on erstwhile market leader Bharti Airtel and moneyed Reliance Jio Infocomm, say experts
The new combine has displaced Bharti Airtel which has held the top spot in India for some 15 years.
About 1.5 crore of 42 crore SBI customers are using Yono now while the banking behemoth expects the number to multiply with the partnership with Jio.
The billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led company will raise funds through loans and bonds.
Ambani's recent acquisitive streak reflects an ambition to make telecom, retail & media offerings as big as the group's legacy petrochemicals and refining businesses.
The 10.75-year term loan was covered by Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (K-Sure).
The fresh funding will see ShareChat, one of the hottest consumer internet startups in the country, rack up a valuation of $400 million or Rs 2,680 crore — a nearly five-times jump in its value from its previous fundraise last year. China’s Tencent and Toutiao, which were also vying for a piece of ShareChat, have opted out of the final race
A third person said that the latest settlement amount being discussed is around Rs700 to Rs800 crore, after Ericsson rejected an initial offer of Rs 400-500 crore.
Reliance Jio has alleged that Bharti Airtel is offering eSim service on Apple Watch in violation of licence norms, prompting the Sunil Mittal-led firm call it a "frivolous complaint".
The two companies, last month, announced a merger deal that will create a USD 14.6 billion firm with world's second-largest number of mobile masts.
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Triggy has strengthened its footprint in the Austrian market after partnering with Vienna-based sportsbook Interwetten.
By combining Triggy’s suite of content and marketing activities with the Interwetten branded live–score app, the duo are confident that they can drive engagement and conversion.
“We are very excited to launch the live-score app with Interwetten,” commented Martina Åkerlund, CEO of Triggy.
“The additional presence that Interwetten will get in Google’s Play store and Apple’s App Store will create new acquisition and marketing opportunities and we are delighted to cooperate for the upcoming three years to optimise this channel.”
The contract with Interwetten will give players and sports fans the opportunity to use “a tailor-made, branded live-score app, linked with odds from Interwetten and stats from Sportradar.”
Mario Bilic, Head of Product Management, Content and CRM at Interwetten, added: “The upcoming release of a branded live-score app is part of Interwetten’s strategy to provide our current and future users with a best-in-class betting experience.
“The app is easy to navigate and has several useful features that will be a great complement to our core sportsbook.”


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TOPSHOT – A staff of a small shoe manufacturer shows their new products to make an introductory video to be posted on social media in Bogor, West Java on September 27, 2023. Indonesia has banned goods transactions on social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook or Instagram in a new regulation, its trade minister said on September 27, as Jakarta aims to rein in direct sales on major platforms it says are harming millions of small businesses.
Aditya Aji | Afp | Getty Images
TikTok’s Southeast Asian ambitions will take a major hit after Indonesia bans shopping transactions on social media apps, analysts told CNBC.
On Wednesday,for TikTok to become a standalone app, without any e-commerce feature. If TikTok does not comply, it faces the risk of closure in the country.
“[Being a standalone app] could introduce significant friction for existing TikTok users, negatively impacting user experiences,” said Jonathan Woo, senior research analyst at Phillip Securities Research.
Indonesia has . This means that users are not allowed to buy or sell goods and services through such platforms.on social media platforms such as TikTok Shop and
Even if it can secure a separate license to operate, operating as a standalone app may still be challenging.
TikTok is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, and is alreadywho are concerned about the company’s ownership structure and ties to China.
In June, TikTok’s CEO said the app will pourover the next few years as the company looks to diversify its business globally as U.S. pressure piles up.
Indonesia is TikTok’s largest Southeast Asian market and second-largest global market with 125 million users after the U.S., according to the company.
“Given that most [purchases on TikTok] are impulse buys, the need to log into a separate app might lead to a high drop-out rate,” said Sachin Mittal, head of telecom, media and technology research at DBS Bank, in a Thursday report.
Impulse buying from watching content is anTikTok has, Mittal told CNBC previously.
“Even if it can secure a separate license to operate, operating as a standalone app may still be challenging,” said Mittal.
New social media rules
On Saturday, Indonesia’s President Joko, saying such platforms impact micro-, small- and medium-sized companies and the economy.
“Because we know it affects MSMEs, small businesses, micro-enterprises, and also the market, there are markets where sales have started to decline due to the influx,” he said in a statement.
Crucially, the only business affected will be challenger TikTok Shop, whose entire business model relies on social commerce.
Moving forward,in the country to implement a minimum price of $100 for certain items that are directly purchased from overseas. All products offered should meet local standards.
“Crucially, the only business affected will be challenger TikTok Shop, whose entire business model relies on social commerce,” said BMI in a Tuesday report, adding that it expects to see a decline in TikTok Shop’s numbers.
TikTok Shop accounted for 5% of e-commerce’s gross merchandize value in Indonesia, according to a.
TikTok Shop is trailing behind Shopee (36%), Tokopedia (35%), Lazada (10%) and Bukalapak (10%),
“In our view, TikTok Shop would have to prove that its e-commerce is a separate business from its social media, with no data sharing from the backend and possibly a clear source of funding for e-commerce losses, which was funded earlier by advertising business on its social media app,” said Mittal.
TikTok ‘deeply concerned’
In response to the Indonesia’s latest move, TikTok said that it will respect local rules and regulations.
“We are deeply concerned about [the] announcement, particularly how it would impact the livelihoods of the 6 million sellers and nearly 7 million affiliate creators who use TikTok Shop,” a TikTok spokesperson told CNBC.
“We respect local laws and regulations and will be pursuing a constructive path forward,” the person added.
This comes as TikTok has been looking for growth outside the U.S., as Chinese-owned apps face political headwinds. Its flagship app wason personal devices, the first state to do so, as well as in India.
TikTok Shop has been, competing against ‘s Shopee and ‘s Lazada. Those e-commerce efforts also include livestream shopping.
“In the near term, the main beneficiaries to this regulation would be existing e-commerce players like Shopee and GoTo,” said Woo of Phillip Securities Research.
E-commerce marketplaces account for a significant share of Indonesia’s digital payment figures, said BMI.
In July, the value of digital transactions in Southeast Asia’s largest economy reached an all-time high of 160 trillion Indonesian rupiah ($10.3 billion) and transaction volume amounted to 1.7 trillion. Both metrics were up 65.8% and 71.5% respectively, compared to the same period a year ago, according to BMI.


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After our “Imperfect Foods at Waitrose” post from a few weeks ago, we keep on seeing a clear rise in how (food) retailers are making moves in reducing their waste footprint.
Sainsbury's teamed up with Google to create a tool that provides suggestions on how to use the food you'd otherwise be chucking out.
On the website, called Food Rescue, you can say (or type) what foodstuffs you have an it'll find a range of recipes that use those ingredients. In a bid to get more people involved, the supermarket chain will record the weight of food rescued and calculate the money saved in each recipe. That information will then be added to a real-time leaderboard of top 'rescuers' across the UK.
Google plays a small but vital role in proceedings by lending the same voice-recognition tech that powers its search engine to the supermarket's new mobile and online tool.
Users can type in up to nine ingredients they have in their fridge or cupboards to the Sainsbury's Food Rescue website, which will then showcase relevant recipes from its database of 1,200.
German supermarket concept Original Unverpackt is taking a different approach to food waste, by removing all of the packaging from its store. Original Unverpackt will ask shoppers to bring their own containers to collect food, allowing them to buy only the amount of produce that they need. The concept is currently raising money on crowdfunding site Startnext, and has already made nearly five times its original target of €20,000.


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Recently Microsoft issued a new blog post over at Xbox Wire, announcing the popular 3 matching game Candy Crush Saga will now come as bundled along with Microsoft Windows 10.
Microsoft announced on Xbox Wire:
“If you’ve been paying attention to gaming (or pop culture in general) chances are pretty high that you’ve heard of King’s smash mobile hit Candy Crush SagaWith its compelling blend of tricky puzzles coated in gorgeous eye candy, Candy Crush Saga is a global phenomenon for good reason. Windows Phone users have been enjoying Candy Crush Saga since its launch on the platform in December, and later this year, all Windows 10 owners will be able to experience the hit game that’s swept the mobile world like wildfire.”
Continuing, the blog added:
“As an added bonus, Candy Crush Saga will automatically be installed for customers that upgrade to or download Windows 10 for periods of time following the game launch. It will even include cross-play options for your iOS and Android devices.”
Microsoft adds that King will be bringing other games to Windows 10 over time as well.
Candy Crush Saga is your standard match-three game. Players move different colored candies around to line up three or more of the same color together. This then removes them from the board. You have to finish each level within a certain amount of moves or a certain time limit.
The reason Candy Crush been so imitated by other mobile and social game developers is its business model. Players can spend money for more attempts at a level if they don’t want to wait for them to replenish. They can also use real money to access new levels or make certain challenges easier. While only a small minority of players actually spend money, they’ve spent a whole lot of it. The game earned over $1.33 billion in 2014.
As the Xbox Wire announcement notes, Windows has been shipped with free games for years. Solitaire, Minesweeper and Hearts are a few examples appearing in past versions of the OS. All three will be returning for Windows 10 as well.
Microsoft previously announced that Windows 10 will be launching this summer. At launch, it will be available in 190 countries in 111 different languages.


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By Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. John Higham knew something was different about the SmugMug photo site when he sent an e-mail to tech support and got a zippy reply from CEO Don MacAskill.
"I learned real quickly that it was a real mom and pop operation," Higham says.
TALKING TECH: Graham interviews father-son duo
Not exactly. SmugMug is actually a "son and pop" shop. Don, 30, is founder and CEO, and dad Chris, 54, the president who reports to Don. Also answering to the eldest son: Mom, two brothers, a sister, an aunt and various in-laws.
"We're not aware of other companies like this," MacAskill says. "But it's worked really well for us."
Founded in 2002, SmugMug has grown into a $12 million-a-year operation with 100,000 subscribers who pay from $39.95 to $149.95 yearly. The company says sales have doubled each year for the last two years.
SmugMug has thrived in a competitive market by serving a specific niche: passionate amateur and professional photographers seeking an alternative to photo-sharing sites such as Shutterfly (SFLY) and Kodak Gallery (EK), which are designed to sell prints.
"They are one of the big winners in the online photo space," says Chris Chute, an analyst at researcher IDC. "They've always known what they wanted to be, and never aspired to be more than that. They serve their niche and make money."
SmugMug customers display their pictures on big and bright pages without ads or promotional offers. And they get unlimited photo storage as well.
The company says it became profitable in the first year, after it reached 10,000 subscribers.
"We always knew Don was bright, but to have pulled this off is such an accomplishment," says his proud dad. "He's done this in the face of enormous competition, without any venture capital backing, and no debt."
SmugMug competes with Phanfare, a similar premium service that costs $54.95 a year, and with Yahoo's (YHOO) Flickr, which costs $24.95 a year for unlimited storage and ad-free displays. (Flickr and Phanfare also have free versions.)
Flickr is by far the most popular of the three sites, but it operates more as a social network for viewing photos from around the world. Phanfare, which has 11,000 subscribers, and SmugMug are designed to share photos among families and photo communities. SmugMug also helps professional photographers resell their prints online.
Members love SmugMug.
"You get a level of service and care I've never seen before," says David Rosenthal, a Hollywood video editor who displays his photos on SmugMug.
"It's rare to send questions to a help desk and get a reply back immediately," Higham says.
Just don't expect to speak to anyone at SmugMug on the phone. "If we did phone support, it would break our business model," Don MacAskill says. "Doing really good e-mail support is cheaper than really lousy phone support."
The SmugMug offices here are small and crammed with computers and tech gear, but then, it's a big step up from where they were for the first four years. In April, SmugMug finally moved out of Chris and Teri (Mom) MacAskill's five-bedroom Mountain View home, where power was continually going out due to the excessive amount of computers in use.
The SmugMug offices are a gearhead's fantasyland. Don bought iPhones for all 30 employees, and Chris recently plunked down $8,000 for a Sony high-definition video camera.
The purchase was needed, Chris says, tongue in cheek, because of SmugMug's new foray into video sharing. "It's my passion, what can I say?"
SmugMug now offers top-paying members (at the $149.95 level) the ability to share 10-minute clips in high-definition. The video quality is markedly superior to that seen on top video-sharing sites such as YouTube and MySpace, where clips are shown in low resolution.
SmugMug is such a family operation that the owners blog, answer questions on message boards and even point members to high-def video clips of the MacAskills' recent Thanksgiving gathering.
Don, the eldest of five children, began his career at age 17 working for Best Internet, a now-defunct Silicon Valley Internet provider. He tried a semester of college but quit to return to tech. He started a video-gaming company, Ritual, with some pals.
"One of the things I learned was to get some really good talent on board early on," he says.
After Ritual went bust and he decided to start SmugMug, he reached out to his dad, who invested $200,000 and agreed to be president.
Chris MacAskill is a founder and a former CEO of online bookstore Fatbrain, which Barnes & Noble (BKS) acquired in 2000 for more than $60 million.
In interviews, son and dad finish each other's sentences, with Pop mostly deferring to Don.
"Don was the alpha son growing up," Chris says. "He always wanted to be in charge, and the boys all knew that."
While other start-ups have struck gold by selling out to larger companies — like Flickr (Yahoo), YouTube (Google) (GOOG) and Photobucket (Fox) (NWS)— the MacAskills say they want to remain independent.
"It's not a typical company where you can yell at the CEO," says Don MacAskill. "But believe me, everyone walks into my office and yells at me when I do something stupid or wrong, and I love it that way."
Conversation guidelines: USA TODAY welcomes your thoughts, stories and information related to this article. Please stay on topic and be respectful of others. Keep the conversation appropriate for interested readers across the map.


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Apple’s much-hinted-at TV service may soon become a reality. The iPhone maker is in talks with programmers to offer a slimmed-down bundle of TV networks this fall, the Wall Street Journal reported. The service would have about 25 channels, anchored by broadcasters such as ABC, CBS and Fox, and would be available across all devices powered by Apple’s iOS operating system, including iPhones, iPads and Apple TV set-top boxes. Apple has been talking to Walt Disney Co., CBS Corp., Twenty-First Century Fox Inc. and other media companies to offer a “skinny” bundle with well-known channels like CBS, ESPN and FX, leaving out the many smaller networks in the standard cable TV package.
Apple has had on-and-off talks with media companies for years in the hopes of creating a subscription TV service that would be delivered over the Internet. … The latest round of talks could run into roadblocks that would throw off the company’s timeline.
Wall Street Journal
Apple, which is aiming to price the new service at about $30 to $40 a month, plans to announce the service in June and launch it in September. News of Apple’s streaming plans follows the company’s announcement that its Apple TV set-top box would be the exclusive launch home for HBO Now, the long-awaited standalone subscription of HBO.


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San Francisco-based startup Protocol Labs has sold $52 million in a token pre-sale ahead of an initial coin offering launch next week.
Notable backers of the Filecoin pre-sale include Union Square Ventures and Sequoia Capital, according to a representative of the startup. The Wall Street Journal covered the pre-sale earlier today, and in a tweet, reporter Yuliya Chernova said that Winklevoss Capital, Digital Currency Group and Y Combinator president Sam Altman also took part.
The startup did not immediately respond to a request for additional information about the pre-sale’s backers.
Filecoin is a blockchain-based data storage network with its own built-in cryptocurrency. The idea is that users can effectively offer some of their excess storage capacity for sale, and receive payment in the form of filecoins.
Next week’s sale is limited to accredited investors, who can participate via a platform called CoinList, which was developed by Protocol Labs and startup investment platform AngelList.
The platform’s stated aim is to serve as a platform for regulation-compliant ICOs, incorporating an issuance framework called the Simple Agreement for Future Tokens, or SAFT.
The sale comes amid growing interest – and participation – in token sales. According to data from CoinDesk's ICO Tracker, more than $1.6 billion has been raised through ICOs between 2014 and 2017.
Disclosure: CoinDesk is a subsidiary of Digital Currency Group.
Gumballs image via Shutterstock
The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG.


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IndiaTech, an industry organization representing consumer internet businesses, has written to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman requesting clarification on cryptocurrency taxes in the Union Budget 2022–23.
IndiaTech has asked the government to amend current tax rules to incorporate crypto assets and has demanded clarification on taxes and their disclosures in the letter, portions of which have been accessed by ETtech. The letter comes against the backdrop of the much-delayed Cryptocurrency Bill 2021, which was supposed to be submitted at the just-finished winter session of parliament.
“The budget should ideally offer coherent rules on direct taxation and the GST Council should detail the applicability of taxation, else there will be confusion, IndiaTech’s president and CEO, Rameesh Kailasam, told ETtech. “Basically, the line of thinking is that we shouldn’t be waiting for a bill alone and the Budget should begin the process.”
IndiaTech has requested the Finance Minister to recognize cryptocurrencies as digital assets rather than currency. Currently, there is little certainty about how cryptocurrencies will be taxed in India, owing to uncertainty over whether they should be classified as currencies, securities, or some other form of asset. Income tax rates on asset returns range from 10% to 35%, and the way cryptocurrencies are classified may potentially influence GST rates.
IndiaTech has suggested that a flat 18% GST be imposed only on the platform commissions of the exchanges (brokerage or exchange fees per trade) instead of the total amount, as is done in the case of e-commerce transactions.
For direct taxes, the industry association has advocated enabling rules to recognize and treat it as income from capital gains or income from business and profession, depending on the kind of business of the holder and the timeliness and form of holding.
Other proposals include a disclosure obligation for people owning crypto assets after the fiscal year, similar to the disclosure rules proposed by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs for firms holding crypto assets.
IndiaTech has also proposed mandating Know Your Customer (KYC) standards, Indian ownership requirements for crypto exchanges, and granting authorized dealers status to exchanges importing cryptocurrency.
India trails well behind China, the United States, Japan, Russia, and other nations in terms of technology and financial literacy. Adopting cryptocurrencies in a competent and well-regulated manner will place India ahead of many other rising markets. To accomplish, so, however, the general public and the country’s financial decision makers must better understand cryptocurrencies and digital assets.
Blockchain is a technology that we can modify to our liking and reap the advantages of. Similarly, cryptocurrencies will have a similar impact on moving the economy forward.
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Apple will likely bid for part of some of the 4,000 patents worth $1 billion held by bankrupt Nortel Networks, according to a Monday report. Google is probably also competing against the Cupertino, Calif. company to lay claim on patents involving wireless-related technology, such as LTE.
“Sources expect the sale to draw wireless telecom newcomers Apple and Google , which want to build up patent war chests as they fight incumbents such as Nokia, which want to protect their patent positions, in the courts,” according to Reuters.
One expert described Nortel’s technology could provide “a very significant stockpile of potent weaponry” providing the owner with a “significant advantage.” Patents certainly are the latest competitive battleground as companies fight in court over who owns key mobile technology, such as wireless transmission.
Along with Apple and Google, BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion is reportedly also in the running to buy Nokia’s patents. The 4,000 patents have been divided into “buckets” of related products, such LTE, 4G and other wireless technology.
in November, International Trade Court staff reportedly told a judge that Apple’s bid to ban Nokia product due to patent infringement were unfounded. Nokia and Apple have spent months in court arguing the other side violated patents and requesting the other’s phones be barred from importation.


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HELSINKI: Nokia Corp said its top N8 model, aimed at making up lost ground in the smartphone market, has had power problems with some handsets not turning on after recharging.
The fault is limited to “a small number of handsets” and will be fixed in line with Nokia warranty rules, Nokia spokesman Eija-Riitta Huovinen said. She gave no details of whether the problem was regional or how many handsets are affected.
“We’ve had a lot of positive feedback about the N8. This problem involves really a small number,” Huovinen said.
The N8, which looks like Apple Inc’s iPhone, features a 12-megapixel digital camera with Carl Zeiss optics and a 3.5in display. It is built on Symbian 3, a new version of the Symbian software with photo uploading connections to social networks like Facebook and Twitter.
Available also in North America, Nokia’s worst market, the N8 is meant to compete with the iPhone that has set the standard for today’s smartphones and Research In Motion Ltd.’s BlackBerrys that are the favourite of the corporate set.
More recently, Google Inc’s Android software has also emerged as a choice for phone makers that want to challenge the iPhone.
And the N8 has been beset with problems.
It was unveiled in April with deliveries expected in the summer but Nokia did not start shipping it internationally until the end of September.
The latest fault, though relatively small, comes at a bad time as the fourth quarter traditionally means strong growth in the wireless industry.
“This doesn’t help the Nokia brand, that’s for sure. The problems have been mounting for the past few years and every little negative headline adds to that,” said Neil Mawston from London-based Strategy Analytics. “It’s not a great start for their supposed iPhone or Android killer.”
In September, Nokia replaced its Finnish CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo with Microsoft executive Stephen Elop, a Canadian, the first time the company appointed a non-Finn at its helm.
The choice of a North American executive to lead a Finnish company was seen as reflecting the increasing dominance of US and Canadian companies in the evolution of the top end mobile phone business.
Nokia reported a third-quarter net profit of 529mil euro (RM2.7bil), up from a net loss of 559mil euro (RM2.8bil) last year, but said it had lost market share to 30% in the period — from 34% in 2009.
Despite setbacks, it is still the global leader in handsets, including smartphones, selling 26.5 million smartphones in the quarter — up 60% on a year earlier. Its closest rivals, Apple sold 14 million and RIM 12.5 million. — AP


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The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority worked with 33 businesses in the second quarter that are expected to add nearly 800 jobs in the county, Virginia Business reported.
Most of the companies are in information technology and professional services sectors, and four are foreign-based businesses using a Fairfax site to expand in North America.
A look at winter weather news from around the D.C. area.
Who are the most romantic movie couples? WTOP counts them down.


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Tag Archives: Mobile Money
The impact of Blockchain, Open Banking, Mobile Money and Payments innovation are radically transforming the financial services landscape as FinTech disruptors intensify the challenge to Incumbent Banks in Africa and kickstart new opportunities
CashlessAfrica Champion Awards 2017 to Reward Innovation in the Digital Financial Services Ecosystem in Africa.
The CashlessAfrica 2017 (www.CashlessAfrica.com) awards are dedicated to acknowledging creativity, commitment and excellence in the digital financial services industry across Africa. The awards honor the best of the breed across all sectors and segments covering financial technology providers, mobile network operators, financial institutions, mobile money providers, card services, financial institutions, application providers, regulators, microfinance organizations and individuals in the ecosystem in Africa and beyond.
A pan-African partnership covering nine countries (Botswana, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Senegal and Tunisia) where Vivo Energy and Orange Money is available, has been signed allowing Orange Money customers to cash in and cash out money from their Orange Money account and pay in any Shell service station operated by Vivo Energy (www.VivoEnergy.com). This offers Orange Money customers an access to a network of over 1,000 Shell service stations to transact from, while Shell customers will be able to pay for their fuel using Orange Money. The agreement further provides the customers of both companies a convenience and secured mode of payment which will also save time and money on their payment transactions.
Mobile Connections in Sub-Saharan Africa Increase 20 Per Cent to 500 Million in 2013 and Are Expected to Increase by an Additional 50 Per Cent by 2018


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Every month in Community Impact Newspaper is a section called Impacts highlighting businesses opening, coming soon, celebrating anniversaries, relocating or closing.
This month, CI is doing something a little different on its website. City orders to encourage social distancing, slow the spread of the coronavirus and protect residents have dealt a blow to the local economy.
Some local businesses have started new efforts to keep their neighbors healthy and help those in need. CI is highlighting some of those efforts, but there are surely more in the community. If readers know of a local business that is working to help the community get through this time, send an email to [email protected]
1. The Austin Community Foundation, located at 4315 Guadalupe St., Ste. 300, and United Way for Greater Austin, 2000 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., announced April 20 that it awarded $1.8 million to 97 Central Texas nonprofits from the All Together ATX fund, The grants ranged from $3,000 to $50,000, and recipients ranged from AGE of Central Texas to YMCA of Austin. Through April 22, the All Together ATX fund has raised $5.1 million, according to the ACF website. The fund is designed to help nonprofits supporting those who have suffered economic or health-related harm as a result of the coronavirus. www.alltogetheratx.org. ACF: 512-472-4483. www.austincf.org. United Way: 512-472-6267. www.unitedwayaustin.org
2. Austin FC and YETI Coolers have set a goal to raise $27,000 for the Central Texas Food Bank by April 27, and both companies will match any donations up to the fundraising goal. As of the afternoon of April 23, the campaign is more than 90% of the way to its goal with more than $24,770 raised. Austin FC's home team offices are located at 1835-A Kramer Lane, Ste. 600, and Yeti's flagship store is located at 220 S. Congress Ave. Austin FC: www.austinfc.com. Yeti: 512-640-7249. www.yeti.com
3. The Austin Food and Wine Alliance will host a virtual online bake sale May 9, just ahead of Mother's Day on May 10. Customers can order baked goods online from April 23-May 6 from local restaurants such as Uncle Nicky's, Juniper, Eberle, Olamaie and more. Orders of each box include a $10 delivery fee to help support the restaurants and a $5 donation to AFWA. The boxes will be delivered between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on May 9. www.givebutter.com/afwa-bakesale
4. Austin Lighthouse for the Blind, a local nonprofit located at 4512 S. Pleasant Valley Road, has expanded its capacity to create needed supplies at its warehouse and distribution center. The nonprofit offers skills training, education and employment opportunities to the blind. According to a media release, the nonprofit has put additional resources into the production of products such as soap and hand sanitizers—tripling employee counts on production lines, hiring 20 additional temporary workers and investing more than $100,000 in equipment. 512-442-2329. www.austinlighthouse.org
5. The Austin Tech Alliance announced the launch of a new website, Lend A Hand ATX, which will mobilize the tech community to assist with community needs as Austin battles the coronavirus crisis. "We didn't see an entity that was galvanizing stay-at-home tech workers for volunteer opportunities, so we created Lend a Hand ATX," said Liz Coufal, an ATA advisory board member, in a media release. Tech volunteers can offer assistance and community members can request help at the Lend a Hand ATX website. www.austintech.org.
6. Local nonprofit Creative Action has put out a call to the community to create chalk art at their local bus stop honoring the Capital Metro drivers who are putting their health at risk to continue their work providing means of transportation for essential workers. Residents can share their art with Creative Action and Cap Metro by tagging both on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and using the hashtag #ChalklinesforFrontlines. They can also visit the Creative Action website and fill out a form to submit a photo of their work.
7. Foundation Communities has launched a free online tax prep service program in conjunction with GetYourRefund.org. The nonprofit based at 3000 S. I-35, Ste. 300, Austin, utilizes IRS-certified volunteers each year to help thousands of Central Texans file their taxes, according to a media release. That in-person program closed in March due to coronavirus concerns, but volunteers are now available online to assist in tax filing and help residents claim federal stimulus payments. The 2020 tax filing deadline has been extended to July 15. 512-447-2026. www.foundcom.org
8. JHL Co., a local events and branding firm headquartered at 1401 Rio Grande St., Austin, announced April 20 the launch of Feed the Fight ATX—a charitable effort created to support health care workers, law enforcement, first responders and local restaurants. Feed the Fight initially began as a neighborhood effort in Washington, D.C., has now provided more than 10,000 meals to health care workers, according to a media release. Residents can give back by making a donation at the charity's website, and meals from restaurants such as Chuy's, Tacodeli and Tony C's will be donated to employees at Ascension Seton, the Austin Police Department and Baylor Scott & White clinics. 512-236-1001. www.jhlcompany.com
9. Lime launched a program in Austin on April 22 to bring its fleet of scooters back to the city and provide free rides to essential workers. "Lime Aid" is also offered in 13 other cities around the world such as Dallas, Oklahoma City and Paris. Health care workers and law enforcement officers can receive free 30-minute rides by signing up online. www.li.me
10. Tomlinson's Feed donated more than 54,000 pounds of pet food to animal rescues in Central Texas, according to an April 21 company release. The food was raised as part of Tomlinson's Pound4Pound food drive over the 2019 holiday season in which customers purchased pet food bags for donation. Tomlinson's and pet food brands then match the donations. According to a media release, Tomlinson's plans to donate more pet food throughout the year. Tomlinson's has locations throughout Central Austin, including Burnet Road, Far West Boulevard, Airport Boulevard and W. 12th St. www.tomlinsons.com
11. A few members of the Austin public relations community created a new website April 17, upEats ATX—or Under Promoted Eats ATX—to help promote restaurants who do not have a digital presence or heavy publicity investments through the economic challenges of the coronavirus. Customers can browse through a list of restaurants and add their own suggestions. www.finddeliciousfood.com/upEatsATX
Austin FC and Yeti raise money for food bank, Austin Tech Alliance launches Lend a Hand ATX and more local business efforts to support the community
A Central Texas Food Bank volunteer directs traffic during a food drive at Nelson Field on April 4. (Courtesy Central Texas Food Bank)


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After more than a year of escalating trade tensions, the United States and China have come to a truce
As part of the first phase of their trade deal, both countries agreed to table another round of tariffs that were planned for December 15. Over the next two years, China will also increase its purchases of American goods and services by a minimum of $200 billion, which includes $32 billion worth of agricultural products. That will bring China’s average annual imports of American farm goods to $40 billion, nearly double the pre-trade war benchmark of $24 billion in 2017. Additionally, China has says it will not engage in currency manipulation practices and that it will abide by international intellectual property protections.
Though the deal will likely bring much-needed stability to volatile agricultural export markets, there are still a number of outstanding questions and concerns about what it means for American farmers and ranchers. For one, it is unclear
which agricultural products China plans to purchase, or whether American farmers will capable of producing enough to fill such a hefty order. Some have also expressed concern that prioritizing China to such an extent might give the country undue
influence over American agriculture, and it might affect the United State’s relationship with other trading partners. Furthermore, relations between the United States and China have historically been rocky, and will likely continue to be for many decades to come. There is some worry that American farmers will scale up operations with the assumption of the Chinese market, only to have nowhere to sell their products if a dispute arises.