text:
Britain's organics market is healthy and growing
November 8, 1999
LONDON (CNN) -- Organic farming has become one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors in Britain, where one in three shoppers has purchased organic foods.
Despite high consumer prices, the demand for organic produce and livestock has increased by 40 percent a year. And the upward trend should continue, agricultural experts say, in large part due to recent food safety scares stampeding across England and the rest of Europe.
Organic farmers relying on natural processes and nutrients have higher costs than those using the chemical insecticides and petrol-based fertilizers of conventional agriculture. But some of the former are doing well financially, said a representative of the Soil Association at an organic foods conference in London last week.
"The pioneering companies that developed the market -- the successful ones -- are now making a lot of money," Patrick Holden said. "We are now seeing the second tier of companies that are currently marketing conventional foods realizing that they've got to get involved."
Some stores expect organic produce will make up 20 percent of all fruits and vegetables sales in Britain next year. Food retailers say they have been surprised to witness that young adults will pay more for organics. At one supermarket, for example, 50 percent of all baby food sales is organic.
"Organic is such a strong brand. And basically in the UK (United Kingdom) there has always been a premium on brands and that is how the organics will go as well," said MD Foods' Laurent Ponty.
Prices will drop as farmers grow more organic produce, but never to the level of non-organic produce, agribusiness representatives say.
Organic farmers, for their part, say a lack of long-term incentives prevents conventional farmers from joining their ranks.
The British government contends its first priority for organics is making uniform safety standards.
"If it isn't properly regulated, if people do make false claims, if we find that the market is undermined, it will be very damaging to consumer confidence in the organic sector generally," said Elliot Morley, a UK government minister.
The challenge is considerable, particularly since Britain already imports 70 percent of its organic food.
Belgium defies EU call for dairy ban
The National Food Safety Database
LATEST FOOD STORIES:
Texas cattle quarantined after violation of mad-cow feed ban
|Back to the top||
© 2001 Cable News Network. All Rights Reserved.|
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines.


text:
THE INNOVATIVE REFILL SOLUTION REIMAGINES THE WAY CONSUMERS
SHOP FOR ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS
As part of its shared mission to fight single-use plastic packaging waste, the UK Refill Coalition today launched a pilot at Aldi UK in its Solihull store.
Refills are seen as a key component in tackling single-use plastic packaging waste. If every household in the UK refilled just one item per week, this would eliminate over 1.4 billion items of single-use packaging per year (1).
The solution – a reusable bulk vessel - has been developed to deliver refills at scale for key food staples (e.g., cereals and pasta) and household products (e.g., cleaning and personal care products), removing single-use plastic packaging when moving goods from supplier to customer and driving efficiencies. This allows retailers to sell refill products at a cheaper price than their packaged equivalents – all customers need to do is bring their own containers. Subject to a successful trial, Coalition retailers intend to roll out refill stations in their stores and online.
The Refill Coalition is Aldi UK, Ocado Retail, and the supply chain solutions company CHEP and was convened in 2020 by GoUnpackaged, the UK’s leading refill experts. The Coalition has partnered with leading global manufacturers Berry Global, DIGI and Eden and Trade Fixtures who have developed new equipment to create the solution and is supported by UKRI’s Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge fund, delivered by Innovate UK.
The Coalition’s vessel will facilitate three key new solutions:
● An in-store refill system for:
o Dry goods, launched today with Aldi UK
o A tareless 2 weighing system and liquids dispense, in development for launch next year
● A bulk home delivery refill solution, being launched by Ocado Retail early next year.
The in-store solution will replace current bulk dispensers with reusable vessels located at a refill station that can be filled and shipped with the product. Customers are invited to bring their own packaging to refill at the station, using an improved easy weighing system. Each reusable vessel replaces 24 single-use plastic packs. (3)
The online consumer sized vessel is pre-filled with product by the supplier and shipped to customers alongside the rest of their Ocado order, then returned to the Ocado driver when empty. Each consumer sized vessel replaces 5 single-use plastic packs. (4)
Designed to become a global standard, the solution can be used by any supplier or retailer, reducing costs, food waste and increasing the number of store types that can sell refills. This will enable fast adoption by industry to make refills available to every customer in the UK.
There is still strong customer appetite for alternative choices when it comes to packaging. Research shows that 67% - 85% of UK adults would try refilling if it was available in a mainstream supermarket (5) , across all demographics, spend profiles and locations; and 73% of those who shop online (6).
Whilst supermarkets have done much to reduce plastic packaging, Greenpeace figures estimate that at least 56.5 billion units of single-use plastic packaging are sold by the UK grocery market each year (7)
Following the busy Christmas trading period, industry colleagues will be invited to visit the live solution in early 2024 to learn more about the critical “behind the scenes” supply chain innovation for both in-store and online.
The Refill Coalition has jointly made the following statement: "We're delighted to be launching this new refill solution - initially into Aldi, followed by Ocado Retail’s online launch early next year– a system we’re proud to have worked on for over three years to bring to market. As a Coalition we share the mutual objective of reducing single-use plastic packaging and believe that the solution we have developed presents a landmark opportunity for us to make a step change in the commercialisation of refills which we know can play a significant role in the reduction of single-use plastic packaging.”
Luke Emery, Plastics and Packaging Director at Aldi: “We are pleased to have installed the first in-store refill solution as part of the Refill Coalition in our Solihull store. We are continuing our work to reduce single-use plastics and packaging, and making unpackaged product options more commonplace for our customers is a key part of this.”
Rachel Cox-Reynolds, Director of Own-Brand, Technical and Sustainability at Ocado Retail: "It's been a pleasure to join forces with our industry peers in the Coalition with the mutual objective of reducing single-use plastic packaging. We're proud that Ocado will be leading the concept for online deliveries in the new year, making it easier than ever for customers to refill everyday staples from the convenience of their doorsteps."
Alasdair Hamblin, General Manager, Northern Europe at CHEP: "I am thrilled to see our collective vision as the Refill Coalition brought to life with the launch of this trial. CHEP’s business is defined by our sustainable, circular economy model of share and reuse. This pilot phase is an invaluable opportunity to collaborate and test that model in a new environment. Together with our partners, we are committed to redefining industry standards, reducing single-use plastic packaging and forging a regenerative supply chain where we move more with less for a better tomorrow."
Catherine Conway, Director at GoUnpackaged: “We’re so proud to have convened the Coalition and brought a brand-new solution to market that has the potential for adoption across a global supply chain. The Coalition has worked tirelessly since 2020, and overcome numerous obstacles, to reach this go live point. An industry-wide approach will lead to a refill system that works for everyone in the supply chain and make refilling easier for shoppers.”
Paul Davidson, Director, Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge: “We are delighted to be supporting this collaborative, full supply chain initiative that is working to develop a complete solution for refill in the grocery sector. With the launch of Aldi UK’s first in-store trial, and more to come, the Refill Coalition is making a major contribution to the mainstreaming of refill and giving retailers and consumers an easy and convenient refill solution to help reduce single-use packaging.”
- (1) Based on 2022 ONS figure of 28.2 million households in the UK
- (2) Tareless meaning consumers don’t have to weigh their own container before refilling
- (3) Based on 500g of rice
- (4) Based on 500g of rice
- 5 Opinium Research (2020) Sustainability and the Supermarket
- 6 IDG (2021) How to help consumers adopt reusable packaging.
- 7 Greenpeace (2020) Unpacked: how supermarkets can cut plastic packaging in half by 2025

domain: news


text:
In recent months, multiple reports of recurring powertrain issues have arisen from those who own or lease a 2016-2017 Honda Odyssey Van. Drivers have raised concerns about transmissions that struggle to shift between gears, an issue that has led to several collisions because the vehicles have stalled out and obstructed traffic flow. The manufacturer has issued five separate auto safety recall campaigns impacting this make and model, but not one of these recalls involves transmission or engine issues. Unfortunately, many Honda customers are left in search of permanent solutions to these persistent transmission and powertrain defects.
The owner of a 2016 Honda Odyssey Van reported experiencing several instances of transmission failure. The driver stated that their vehicle’s transmission shifts hard in first and second gear, which has led to a rear end collision on one occasion because the vehicle fails to move forward properly from a stoplight or stop sign. Even after three separate trips to the dealership, the owner has continued to experience these powertrain issues. Similar reports of struggling transmissions and lagging engine power have emerged from other concerned Honda customers. For now, they are left in the dark until the automaker formally acknowledges these concerns.
Contact Lemon Law Partners, LLP, today at (510) 944-0336 to arrange a free case evaluation with a trusted and friendly Berkeley attorney.


text:
Loungewear may be your stay-at-home clothing choice for this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t spice up your wardrobe — or simply replenish it.
Plenty of popular brands and department stores are offering sitewide specials for Black Friday on clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories.
That includes Lululemon, which rarely discounts its items, as well as big-name companies like Adidas and Under Armour.
Below is a big list of all the Black Friday 2020 clothing deals happening online right now from major retailers, specifically apparel and fashion brands.
The sportswear retailer is offering up to 50% off sitewide.
To stock up on some new workout gear, the yoga apparel brand is offering up to 70% off sitewide.
Urban Outfitter’s sister brand is offering an extra 30% off all items.
The popular handbag designer is holding a massive Black Friday 2020 sale on its outlet site where everything is 70% off.
Here are some noteworthy handbag deals and gifts that are part of the Coach Outlet sale:
The beloved fitness apparel brand is holding yet another rare sale for Black Friday.
Here are some highlights:
While not positioned as Black Friday sale, the apparel company is offering 20% off on select products.
The department store is already offering Cyber Deals that are up to 50% off on “more than a thousand items” through Dec. 1.
You can find Ugg boots, slippers and shoes up to 60% off. Here are some noteworthy styles on sale:
You can also find jackets up to 65% off, along with gifts under $25.
Saks Off Fifth
You can score designer and luxury items for up to 85% off when you use promo code “BFSTEALS” at checkout.
The North Face
Known for its extremely popular Denali Fleece jackets, the outdoor apparel company continues to offer puffer coats and jackets for nearly 50% off.
The following coats and jackets are discounted:
- Men’s Resolve 2 Jacket for $54, instead of $90
- Women’s Osito Jacket for $59.40, instead of $99
- Men’s Fleece Hoodie for $74.50, instead of $149
You can find popular clothing such as hoodies and outerwear discounted up to 50%. Receive free shipping on orders over $50.
The Japanese retailer is holding a Black Friday kickoff event with discounts across the board.
The popular patterned handbag retailer has select styles up to 50% off.
Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.


text:
The AI Times is a weekly newsletter covering the biggest AI, machine learning, big data, and automation news from around the globe. If you want to read A|I before anyone else, make sure to subscribe using the form at the bottom of this page.
Thoughtwire and Finaeo are among the latest Canadian startups to make layoffs in recent weeks as companies adjust to a tighter investment landscape and economy. Both companies are staying mum on the number of employees cut.
Instacart acquires AI pricing platform Eversight (FAST COMPANY)
Americans are currently grappling with decades-high inflation that’s led some shoppers to cut items from their grocery baskets. Instacart is hoping the deal will create a flywheel effect, where goods are priced at the “sweet spot” that drives sales and growth for CPG brands and retailers, while also leading to better promotions and pricing for customers.
Founded in 2005, Lytica uses machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze pricing data, offering market insights to reduce costs and mitigate supply chain risk. Lytica claims that Fortune 500 and blue chip companies rely on its platform to find better prices, manufacturers, and suppliers.
An AI-Generated Artwork Won First Place at a State Fair Fine Arts Competition, and Artists Are Pissed (VICE)
A man came in first at the Colorado State Fair’s fine art competition using an AI generated artwork on Monday. “I won first place,” a user going by Sincarnate said in a Discord post above photos of the AI-generated canvases hanging at the fair.
POWERED BY: Alberta InnovatesAlberta is investing in new technologies and innovations that have the ability to change the future and change the world.
Alberta Innovates has been here from the start, investing in the next big thing.
Twenty years ago, Alberta Innovates planted seeds for the future by funding artificial intelligence research at the University of Alberta.
For most people, it was the realm of science fiction. Some, however, had a sense of what it could become.
The deal signals Reddit’s growing investment in its advertising business as it aims to make it easier for advertisers to target relevant audiences based on interests. This deal also arrives at a time when Apple’s consumer privacy tools, App Tracking Transparency or ATT, have been impacting the effectiveness of online ads across major tech platforms, like Facebook and Snap, as consumers opt out of ads personalization.
Since the budget announcement, the federal government has little to offer about what the agency will look like, its role, how it will work and, most importantly, whether it will work at all. Queries to the federal government only elicit vague statements about why the new agency is needed, but yield nothing concrete about its potential workings.
Musk reached out to Synchron’s founder and chief executive, Thomas Oxley, in recent weeks to discuss a potential deal, the sources said. It is not clear if any transaction would involve a tie-up or collaboration between Synchron and Neuralink.
In the quest for speed, many startup founders cobble together multiple low-quality data sources, hoping it offers practical insight. This is a problem Peter Fishman, co-founder and CEO of Mozart Data, frequently saw at fast-growing startups in the Bay Area.
Fairmarkit co-founder and CEO Kevin Frechette says that legacy players like Oracle and SAP have tended to dominate the industry up until now, concentrating on the largest purchases with what he calls “clunky and manual” systems. He and his co-founders saw an opportunity to innovate around the tail spend space when they launched the company in 2017.
350 companies have now added their job listings, indicating a strong and continued desire to hire #CDNtech talent.
D-Wave, Coveo, Canada Drives among tech companies receiving collective $50 million for Scale AI projects (BETAKIT)
D-Wave is working with Save-On-Foods, ThoughtsWin Systems, White Box Analytics, OpsGuru, and Deloitte (with $2.8 million from Scale AI) to develop a demand forecasting model for product placements and pricing. An optimization algorithm will also automate scheduling of ecommerce deliveries.
French tax officials use AI to spot 20,000 undeclared pools (THE GUARDIAN)
The system, developed by Google and Capgemini, can identify pools on aerial images and cross-checks them with land registry databases. Launched as an experiment a year ago in nine French departments, it has uncovered 20,356 pools, the tax office said on Monday, and will be extended across the country.
Subscribe to A|I: The AI Times Newsletter
The post A|I: The AI Times – This AI won top prize at the state fair first appeared on BetaKit.


text:
The same tool that allows users to use A/B content tests on their site is now available through an API. The new content experiments API allows developers to pick and choose from all the features and create a custom solution that fits their needs.
Google Analytics revamped Content Experiments last summer. Now, nearly a year later, they've announced a new round of improvements, including API calls.
Last week, Google announced the launch of a specific API for Content Experiments. The same tool that allows users to use A/B content tests on their site is now available through an API. The new content experiments API allows developers to pick and choose from all the features available within Google Analytics Content Experiments and create a custom solution that fits their needs.
Several advantages include:
Does your web team use APIs to interact with Google Analytics? If your team will be using this, sound off in the comments below.
This article was originally published on Search Engine Watch.
Revolutionize your digital marketing campaigns at ClickZ Live San Francisco! (August 10-12) Educating marketers for over 15 years, we return to San Francisco this August with our action-packed, educationally-focused agenda that will cover every aspect of digital marketing. Super Saver rates expire this Friday, June 5, so register today and save $500!
Thom is a seasoned techincal SEO and digital analytics veteran. His current role as VP of Development and IT at Internet Marketing Ninjas includes the improvement of internal processes, leading the creation and refinement of industry-leading tools across multiple brands.
Previously he was a premier independent consultant, held a a senior search position at nationally renown TopRank Online Marketing and led all digital web-related technology's at Rochester Institute of Technology's Saunders College of Business. He also led analytics strategy efforts for the university's mobile initiative.
Part of the ClickZ Academy faculty, Thom has also taught for several well-respected colleges and universities. He is a regular speaker at ClickZ Live events and is a veteran of TEDx as well.
Re:New Your Responsive Email Strategies
In today's mobile world your customers are constantly on the go and your email needs to be ready for that. Responsive emails need to adapt email content according to customer behavior, and not just respond to device type by changing the email layout. Download this eBook for strategies and examples.
Revenue Rescue: Saving Sales When Shoppers Stray
Download this new study from Bronto and Demandware and see what more than 100 retailers are doing to rescue customers after they stray away from the product page. See examples, read best practice commentary and learn ways to develop a sound strategy to bring customers back to make that purchase.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
12pm ET/9am PT
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
12pm ET/9am PT


text:
Flipkart has now closed an additional $1.2 billion equity round led by Walmart (WMT), Flipkart’s majority owner, along with a group of existing shareholders.
The investment, which values the company at a whopping $24.9 billion, is intended to support continued development of Flipkart’s eCommerce marketplace as India emerges from the Covid-19 crisis.
It will be funded in two tranches over the remainder of the fiscal year.
In 2018, Walmart Inc. invested $16 billion for a majority stake in the group- giving the company a valuation at the time of $21 billion. Its current valuation is now about 19% higher.
“We’re grateful for the strong backing of our shareholders as we continue to build our platform and serve the growing needs of Indian consumers during these challenging times,” Flipkart CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy said.
“Today, we lead in electronics and fashion, and are rapidly accelerating share in other general merchandise categories and grocery, all while providing increasingly seamless payment and delivery options for our customers. We will continue innovating to bring the next 200 million Indian shoppers online” he added.
Founded in 2007, the Flipkart Group includes Flipkart, digital payments platform PhonePe, fashion specialty site Myntra and eKart, a logistics and delivery service focused on solving the last mile in India’s Tier II and Tier III cities.
Flipkart recently surpassed 1.5 billion visits per month and reported 45-percent growth in monthly active customers and 30-percent growth in transactions per customer for FY20. The company’s other existing investors are Tiger Global, Tencent and Accel.
Walmart’s stock is up 11% year-to-date with a Strong Buy analyst consensus that breaks down into 19 Buy ratings versus 4 Hold ratings and no Sell ratings. The $138 average price target suggests 5% upside potential for the shares in the coming 12 months. (See Walmart’s stock analysis on TipRanks).
Oppenheimer analyst Rupesh Parikh says, “WMT remains a top grocery pick, and we believe the recent underperformance creates an attractive entry point for investors, especially in a more uncertain shorter-term backdrop following recent spikes in coronavirus infections.” He assigned a Buy rating to Walmart’s stock and set a price target of $145 suggesting 10% upside potential.
Walmart To Launch Online Subscription Service For $98 Per Year- Report
Amazon Acquires Self-Driving Startup Zoox
Lookout Walmart, Amazon Is Coming for Your Grocery Customers, Says Analyst


text:
5. Poor Nations Would Become Even More Destitute
Many struggling nations simply can’t afford to pay their workers $15 an hour.
Places like Haiti, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia rely on cheap labor. Many citizens work jobs where they manufacturer or produce inexpensive goods for bigger Western nations. This system isn’t perfect, but it’s what keeps the local economy stable.
A $15 an hour minimum wage would destroy any price advantage these nations have. People would be laid off, factories would close, and the economy would tank.
6. Outsourcing Would End
While the higher minimum wage would cripple poor countries, there is some good new for those living in the West.
Outsourcing, the practice of taking American and European jobs and having them done overseas, would end. Since companies could no longer pay such a tiny wage, they’d be likely to re-open factories and shops in the Western world.
This means that some new factory and manufacturing jobs might be created for people in the United States and Europe.


text:
Raymond Campbell, US Postal Inspector, said, "It did actually begin as a legitimate business…"
But the owner of Global Gold and Metals Trading made a wrong turn and swindled more than $6 million dollars from customers trying to buy precious metals online.
"He was selling products at below market value. He was selling it at a discounted rate, which ultimately attracted the consumer to purchase from him, but he couldn't sustain that," Campbell explained.
Postal inspectors say Earl Mohammed was making good on the first several orders to gain his customers trust. But once they put in a more sizable order, he would claim the package was sent. Authorities say that was a lie.
"What he did is he provided the consumer with a postal service tracking number, he would actually pay postage for the tracking number and he would tell them it was en route. Ultimately it would never arrive at the consumer's home or residence, they would call Mr. Mohammad, ask where the items were and he would say the postal service lost them," said Campbell.
Postal inspectors say the excuses were Mohammed's way of "buying time" for new money to come in. Another excuse- he'd claim he filed an insurance claim but it would take time to get the consumer a refund.
"Consumer fraud actually became a Ponzi scam. He was using new customer money to repay old customers that were still awaiting their precious metals," said Campbell.
Inspectors say the average investor lost between $50 and $75-thousand dollars.
Fact--all investments carry risk. Inspectors say do your due diligence.
"Research the company you are going to do business with… Secondly, if you believe you've been scammed, make sure you report it to law enforcement," Campbell explained.
Earl Mohammad pleaded guilty mail fraud. He was sentenced to nine years in federal prison and will have to repay $6.5 million dollars in restitution.
Copyright 2016 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


text:
Boris Johnson’s newest catchphrase is “a Deal by Diwali” referring to his search for a free trade agreement with India before Diwali the five-day festival in October celebrating the victory of light over darkness, which is celebrated by Hindus around the world. Let’s hope it leads to a more successful outcome to his last catchphrase “Get Brexit Done”. We have our doubts.
As an EU member, the UK enjoyed trade deals with most of the world that were negotiated from a position of strength because the EU could offer access to a massive home market. Brexit meant the UK ripped up all of its trade deals and had to start from scratch with less negotiating power than before. Now under pressure at home, Boris Johnson needs a deal and therefore is weaker still. The deal that comes will not be that good for the UK and will mean Johnson has to open up the UK to higher levels of Indian immigration – so Brexit doesn’t even maintain the false illusion of taking back control of the UK’s borders that he promised to get Brexit done.
Johnson hasn’t had much to celebrate before his talks with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which at least took him as far as he could hope from the continuing Partygate scandal that has put his tenure under increasing pressure and which continued to dog him in New Delhi.
Among his hopes for the talks was something to boost UK exports of whisky, which is hugely popular in India. But it is subject to tariffs of 150 per cent and, although India is the world’s biggest whisky market, these taxes make it one of the world’s most expensive places to buy the genuine article and a country ripe for Scotch counterfeiters.
If you’ve ever been to India, you’ll be well aware of the shelves stacked with locally produced pale imitations of our Scotch for which you can pay just a couple of quid. In reality, our genuine whisky has only 2 per cent of the India market, a figure the Scotch Whisky Association is keen to increase.
According to SWA Chief Executive, Mark Kent: “Launching UK/India trade talks offers a golden opportunity to reach an ambitious tariff reduction in an early harvest deal that could grow Scotch Whisky exports to India by £1 billion over five years.
“Tackling the tariff and State level regulatory issues would open the market up to smaller producers who are effectively locked out by the substantial barriers to trade.”
“Improved market access for Scotch would enable an increasing number of Indian consumers to enjoy our premium product. It would also be good for our industry and Indian government tax revenues – a win-win for all.”
But what price would a beleaguered Johnson be prepared to pay to strike a deal with Modi?
The first thing likely to raise Home Secretary Priti Patel’s eyebrows is her boss having to concede the UK’s granting of more visas to skilled workers from India to cope with a shortage of “hundreds of thousands” of personnel, especially in IT and computer programming.
He told journalists in New Delhi: “There’s no question Indian skills can make a difference … I’m not going to be dogmatic in refusing people with skill and talent in coming to the UK.
“All I would say is we need to control it.”
“We would like to see a further strengthening of this living bridge,” said Modi, adding that India also wanted improved access to the UK for its professional services sector.
Their horse trading continued with Johnson saying a free trade agreement between the two countries would also enable India to lift tariffs on British machinery in return for the UK doing likewise on Indian rice and textiles.
Of course there are hurdles to making migration simpler, as indicated in an online poll for Express.co.uk, which ran from 9am Thursday to 1pm on Friday. It asked readers if relaxing visa rules for highly skilled Indian migrants in exchange for a quicker, tariff-free trade deal was the right thing to do.
A total of 8,965 people voted and an overwhelming majority – 88 per cent – said immigration should not be increased. A further 11 per cent said “yes” and 1 per cent said they didn’t know.
Another sticking point could be India’s long-standing ties with Russia, from which it buys more than half of its military hardware.
India abstained from a UN vote condemning the invasion of Ukraine and has not imposed sanctions on Moscow. This is mainly because Russian military equipment is cheaper and therefore India buys more than half of its military hardware from them.
So, did Johnson ask India to join in on sanctioning Russia? Well, India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla told reporters. “There was no pressure of any kind.” Thus, we see how weak the UK PM’s position really is.
Conclusion – An independent Scotland back in the EU with instant associate membership of the EU will have a better trade deal with India than Johnson will be able to negotiate from the UK’s position of weakness.


text:
Comcast Launches New Video Streaming Service, Streampix
In an attempt to muscle in on the streaming video market, Comcast will be launching their own streaming video service starting tomorrow, dubbed Streampix. However, Streampix isn’t a standalone service, so Netflix need not shiver (or laugh defiantly) in their boots just yet, as Streampix is only available to Comcast customers who are subscribed to either the double or triple-play package, which is some combination of Internet, television, and phone service. For those that can subscribe to Streampix, they’ll be happy to know that it’ll only cost an extra $4.99 per month.
Streampix aims to be a “stream anywhere” type of service, allowing subscribers to view content through multiple devices, such as iOS and Android, Xbox 360, and web browsers. To begin with, Streampix will offer content from well-known names as NBC Universal, Sony Pictures, Disney-ABC Television Group, Warner Bros., and Cookie Jar Entertainment, which is a children’s network.
Streampix most likely won’t achieve Netflix-style notoriety and success, especially because customers have to be signed up for specific Comcast packages beforehand to even subscribe to Streampix, but existing Comcast customers who are already signed up for the services probably wouldn’t mind rolling their streaming video demands into one bill, rather than pay both Comcast and Netflix separately. Comcast will just have to hope that what they have on offer will be enough to entice customers. Streampix is launching with all of Lost, so that’s at least a good start.
(Comcast via VentureBeat)
- You can now sign up for DVD-only rentals on Netflix
- Which you’ll need to do if you want to watch The Bodyguard, because it was pulled from streaming
- Netflix was recently hit with a class-action lawsuit by disgruntled investors
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]


text:
James Wildman to be Mirror's chief revenue officer
James Wildman, who recently stepped down as the managing director of Yahoo! UK and Ireland, is set to take the lead commercial role at Trinity Mirror.
Wildman: to lead commercial at Trinity Mirror
Wildman is believed to be joining the publishing group – whose brands include the Daily Mirror, 130 regional newspapers and the digital site UsVsTh3m – as the chief revenue officer in June. He will report to the chief executive, Simon Fox.
His appointment follows the departure of David Emin, the managing director of Trinity Mirror’s ad sales arm, the National Advertising Sales Agency, last month.
Mark Hollinshead, the chief operating officer of Trinity Mirror, said at the time of Emin’s departure that the group had an "opportunity to put in place a digitally focused leader".
This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk
Latest jobs Jobs web feed
- Assistant Marketing Strategy Manager Thorntons £Competitive + Benefits, Alfreton, Derbyshire
- Senior Marketing Director - 9-12 month FTC Comedy Central £competitive, Camden, London (Greater)
- Senior Brand Manager Ball & Hoolahan £Excellent Salary Package , South East England / London (Greater)
- Innovation Senior Brand Manager Ball & Hoolahan £48,000 + Car/Car Allowance, South East England
- Digital Marketing Specialist Colyer London £25000 per annum, London (Central), London (Greater)
- Senior Brand Manager Diageo Great reward package for great talent, Amsterdam / Dublin / Madrid / London (Greater)


text:
“The Triangle housing market continued to shown strong sales activity in the third quarter, with sales increasing 10 percent compared with the same period a year ago….
Sales were up 12 percent in September and are up 10 percent through the first nine months of the year, as buyers crowd the market despite the ongoing decline in the number of homes for sale in the region….
New home listings increased 13 percent compared with the third quarter last year, while existing home listings fell 17 percent….
The double-digit sales increases this year are particularly noteworthy given that the rate of sales continues to outpace the region’s annual job growth rate, which has been hovering around 3 percent. Historically, those two figures have been closely aligned….
The numbers likely reflect the influx of new residents into the Triangle, particularly retirees, said Stacey Anfindsen, a Cary appraiser who analyzes MLS data….
More confounding, said Anfindsen, is that the vast majority of sellers continue to pay concessions – such as a portion of the closing costs – to buyers despite the lack of supply. Sellers paid concessions on nearly 70 percent of the transactions completed in the third quarter….
“It just becomes part of the negotiating mindset of buyers unless it’s a multiple offer situation,” he said. “In every other transaction concessions essentially are being paid.”
The lack of supply is helping boost prices and reduce the amount of time it takes for many people to sell their home….” excerpts from the The News&Observer article.


text:
Lexicon Corp. successfully has sold 40 percent of its Sports-Tech International unit to investors and raised about $2 million for the fledgling business.
Gulfstream Financial Associates of Boca Raton was managing underwriter for the issue, which consisted of 500,000 shares at $5 each.
Gulfstream sold the stock on Thursday primarily through its 50 retail brokers in Palm Beach County, but shares also were sold through a national syndicate of regional brokerages owned in part by Gulfstream`s parent, Kemper Corp.
Fort Lauderdale-based Lexicon had pumped about $1.5 million into the subsidiary between November 1987 and Aug. 31, 1988, mostly in the form of acquiring computer technology from other companies, said Glen St. John, executive vice president in charge of corporate finance at Gulfstream.
Those expenses added to $2.6 million in losses on $19.7 million in sales during the fiscal year ended last Aug. 31 at Lexicon, whose core businesses include manufacturing high-tech electronic equipment for the military.
Lexicon`s shareholders had complained at the company`s annual shareholders` meeting in February that the company was not doing enough to exploit its sports automation unit. Company executives have estimated the market could be worth as much as $500 million worldwide.
According to a preliminary offering statement issued to prospective investors, Sports-Tech took orders for just more than $1 million of its systems between late February and May 31 of this year.
The company`s computer systems are combined with video equipment and marketed to high school, university and professional sports teams, whose coaches use them to plot pre-game strategies and analyze performance.
Last March, Lexicon announced it had sold $750,000 worth of its Lexicon Sports Video Editor.
The systems cost between $21,500 and $250,000.


text:
Don't-Miss Development software Stories
Black Pixel on Thursday released Kaleidoscope 2, with new features including Perforce support, folder diffs, and an overhauled design.
Tumult on Monday unveiled Hype 1.6, with new actions, new timeline features, Retina display support, and more.
The latest update to BBEdit is free, and includes features like support for Retina Macs, improved navigation, support for OS X's versions, and numerous other aesthetic and functional updates.
With the release of Java SE7 for OS X, Apple's platform can boast full compatibility with the latest version of the cross-platform technology.
A hotly-anticipated text editor is now open for business, we bid adieu to the second-generation iPhone, and turns out streaming digital music isn't bad for business.
Apple's new category on the App Store should scare McDonald's and Starbucks, Microsoft is running scared from Apple's vision of the future, and Samsung's trying to scare off jurors.
Microsoft Office for iPad may appear this fall, and a new dock-connector port might appear on iPhones and iPads some day, but you can download several of Steve Jobs's appearances right now.
Panic on Monday announced the long-awaited sequel to its all-in-one-window Web development editor, Coda. And as a bonus, the company announced a version of Coda for the iPad as well.
Microsoft will begin charging developers to use the application programming interface for its Bing search engine.
Many improvements from BBEdit 10 make their way into the app's free little brother with the release of TextWrangler 4.
When sandboxing and Gatekeeper become de facto Mac standards, certain behaviors of automation technologies like AppleScript and Automator will change. Here's how.
In a move that appears to be another step away from its Flash platform, Adobe has submitted the code for its Flash-based Flex framework to the Apache Software Foundation to be managed as an independent project.
iOS developers looking to pick the brains of Apple experts, look no further: Apple will be holding full-day tech talks at nine cities around the world.
A recent blog post from security research firm F-Secure announces the discovery of another up-and-coming Trojan horse, which poses as a PDF file but secretly installs a backdoor app.


text:
Entrepreneurs who begin with a belief that starting up is all about guts and glory are fast discovering that it is often more of the former and rather less of the latter.
Earlier this year, Saif raised $350 million for an India-focused fund to ramp up investments in technology focused businesses, ET reported on March 4.
Myntra shutting its website for an app-only model triggered a frenzied debate among Indian startups - should they also kill their web presence to focus only on their mobile offerings
We will discuss this and more during our meetup on what's the best approach for startups on 26th June 2015.
Dazo, earlier known as Tapcibo, aggregates meals from different partners but does delivery on its own to ensure a seamless process.
Goel will now be in charge of scouting new business opportunities for the combined Snapdeal-FreeCharge entity. He will report to Snapdeal's CEO Kunal Bahl.


text:
New Crypto Currency
There is a bunch of buzz regarding new cryptocurrency ventures. While much of these brand new cryptos will definitely stop working, some are going to become major favorites.
Technologies in blockchain modern technology and also agreement devices motivate the creation of brand new pieces. Typically, these brand-new pieces intend to utilize these advancements for boosted scalability as well as productivity.
The Demand for Innovation
The demand for advancement is actually a vital steering force behind the launch of new crypto coins. The development of innovative jobs strives to attend to vital concerns in the cryptocurrency ecosystem such as scalability and surveillance. New coins likewise deliver capitalists and also purchasers a chance to help make early financial investments in a promising task that could possibly come to be the next large trait within the cryptocurrency field. New Crypto Coins
Aside from the requirement for development, the launch of brand new crypto pieces likewise supplies a chance to grab a share of the quickly increasing worldwide market for electronic assets. With the right advertising and marketing strategy, a properly designed first coin offering (ICO), and also a group that can easily provide on its pledges, a brand new cryptocurrency may promptly bring in substantial expenditure capital.
Therefore, new pieces are constantly released to satisfy the developing demand for electronic resources. The steady launch of new crypto pieces offers investors along with a variety of financial investment chances, markets healthy market competitors, and promotes the advancement of vivid areas.
The need for development is actually additionally sustained through technological advancements in the cryptocurrency room. Improvements in blockchain modern technology and agreement systems inspire programmers to make brand-new jobs that intend to take advantage of these technologies for improved scalability as well as performance.
The Prospective for Substantial Returns
For those able to investigate brand new cryptos, there is the potential for substantial returns. Nonetheless, it is actually essential to keep in mind that these possessions are high-risk and might experience rate volatility that is actually comparable to those of equities. For this cause, they must be considered as component of a varied portfolio.
Several of the ideal new cryptos are those along with impressive innovation that delivers one-of-a-kind answers to real-world troubles. For instance, blockchain-enabled XRP (XRP) is tailored to reduce the cost and time of worldwide cash moves by offering a swift as well as secure digital ledger that may assist huge amounts of records.
Other appealing ventures feature a brand-new meme coin that compensates followers of the Bored Ape Yacht Nightclub NFT selection, ApeCoin (APE), and also a blockchain that boosts Ethereum’s scalability, Polygon (MATIC). Additionally, stablecoins such as Rope (USD) and multi-collateral Dai (DAI) can easily boost access to economic solutions for those who don’t possess savings account by enabling them to send repayments promptly.
When investigating brand new cryptos, it is crucial to analyze community conviction. For instance, a cryptocurrency along with an extensive social media sites existence as well as a committed enthusiast foundation may entice more focus than one that is actually much less popular. It is also necessary to confirm that the crypto concerned possesses robust safety actions, specifically in the course of time periods of higher market dryness.
The Introduction of Promising Projects
Brand new ventures can be found in all sizes and shapes, along with a lot of all of them offering an attractive risk-reward proportion. Capitalists must appear for totally established concepts that deliver an one-of-a-kind remedy, alongside clear as well as to the point roadmaps and also strong programmers along with a performance history of providing really good products.
One such venture is YPRED, which is releasing a system that consists of a decentralized substitution as well as NFT marketplace. Its own token presale is actually currently elevating funds, with the team vowing a reasonable staking APY of over 125% in profit.
Other jobs to check out consist of Metropoly, which is generating the globe’s 1st NFT market backed through real-world residential property. It is foreseed to primarily modify both the NFT as well as global realty markets. Brave is yet another fascinating brand-new crypto, which is actually creating a multichain wallet as well as has presently partnered along with countless DeFi procedures.
Meme Kombat is actually a brand new ERC20 token that delivers all together all your favorite meme coins to combat each various other in a field, where consumers can wager on the results of the battles. The principle is intriguing as well as might verify well-liked with followers of high-risk, high-reward meme coins including Doge, Shiba Inu and Pepe. The presale has actually raised greater than $25 million. An additional high-potential venture is Martik, which is actually establishing network linking solutions as well as betting swimming pools for blockchain tasks. Its own token presale is presently underway, with the team elevating much more than $5 thousand in return for early entrepreneurs.
The Threats of Investing
Cryptocurrency assets may be high-risk, and the market value of any type of specific token can increase or down significantly in a quick amount of time. Many specialists strongly believe that capitalists should only allot a small portion of their portfolio to this possession training class, as well as ought to carry out thorough research study before creating any kind of selections.
Some cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, have created record and may be more secure to acquire than more recent choices. Newer tasks are frequently gone along with through more danger, so it is essential to administer your personal as a result of carefulness as well as understand each piece’s financial investment premise before spending in any sort of cryptocurrency.
One significant risk connected with cryptocurrency investments is that it could be hard to identify their hidden market value. Stock costs are actually located on substantial business procedures and cement financial results, while digital currencies are actually generally certainly not supported by such records. This makes it tougher to evaluate their long-term potential and make audio investment decisions.
Another threat of crypto assets is the truth that they may be hacked, as well as financiers might lose some or each of their resources. This has actually become a significant concern in the cryptocurrency area, along with hacks developing often. Having said that, some swaps offer personal insurance coverage to aid mitigate these risks. This makes it significant to select respectable and also secure platforms when committing in brand-new cryptocurrencies.


text:
Peter Thiel betting on Bitcoin becoming digital gold
Peter Thiel who is the co-founder of Paypal and Palantir and also for his book Zero to One talked about cryptocurrencies on Thursday during a fireside chat at Economic Club of New York.
Theil had invested in bitcoin as early as 2012 has been bullish on bitcoin.
“long bitcoin, neutral to skeptical on everything else.” “I’m not exactly sure whether or not I would encourage people to turn out and buy these cryptocurrencies right now,” he said.
He believes that there will be one cryptocurrency in the future which will prevail as digital gold and it most likely will be Bitcoin.
“Any of the objections most people would have to bitcoin are the same objections people would have had to gold,” he said. “But money is a bubble that never pops … and there is this bubble-like aspect to money that can be quite stable.”
Thiel’s optimism did not extend to all digital assets.
“I’m not sure I would encourage people to run out right now and buy these cryptocurrencies,” Thiel said.
According to Thiel there is still a chance of other cryptocurrencies like Ethereum that could potentially beat Bitcoin.
Founders Fund, run by Thiel, bought about $15 million to $20 million of dollars in bitcoin, the Wall Street Journal reported in early January, citing sources familiar with the situation.
You can watch the talk here:
Did you like the news you just read? Please leave a feedback to help us serve you better
Disclaimer: Blockmanity is a news portal and does not provide any financial advice. Blockmanity's role is to inform the cryptocurrency and blockchain community about what's going on in this space. Please do your own due diligence before making any investment. Blockmanity won't be responsible for any loss of funds.


text:
Savanth Sebastian – Economist – CommSec
Confidence & lending data in focus in Australia
· In Australia over the coming week readings on business and consumer confidence are released with various lending indicators. Overseas, the usual monthly download of Chinese economic data occurs over the week. In the US, the key data is late in the week.
· In Australia the week kicks off on Monday with ANZ publishing its series on job advertisements.
· On Tuesday, ANZ and Roy Morgan release the weekly consumer confidence survey while Westpac and the Melbourne Institute release their monthly consumer confidence survey on Wednesday. The questions are effectively the same and the surveys cover the same time period. Confidence levels have improved over the past couple of weeks.
· Also on Wednesday, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) releases figures on housing finance. The home loan market has been softer in recent months despite super-low interest rates. In trend terms most lending categories have been going backwards, especially loans being taken out for those buying newly-erected dwellings or loans taken out for those building new homes. The cooling in the property market is a welcome sign given the ramp up in property over the last couple of years.
· Overall, we expect that home loans rose 4 per cent in June after falling by 1 per cent in May. But we will be keeping a close eye on the number of construction loans – a precursor to further housing supply – and the demand for investment loans – which rose by almost 4 per cent in May.
· Once the data is out of the way, the focus for investors on Wednesday is likely to be a speech by the Reserve Bank Governor Glenn Stevens. The Governor will be speaking in Sydney at the Anika Foundation (1:05pm AEST). No doubt investors will be hoping to get not only more detail on the latest inflation and growth forecasts but also the likelihood of further rate cuts. However given it is the Governor’s last official speech as the head of the Reserve Bank, he may be more reflective on his tenure over the past 10 years.
· On Friday, the ABS releases broad data on lending – data on new finance commitments for housing, business personal and lease loans. In May, new loans fell by 3.2 per cent to $67.5 billion – a 17-month low. The Reserve Bank would be hoping that the May and August rate cuts start to spur borrowing and investment.
· Also on Friday, the Reserve Bank releases the latest data on credit and debit card lending. In May the average credit card balance was down 1.8 per cent over the year – marking the biggest fall in two-years. Consumers are still winding back credit and are reluctant to take on additional debt.
Spotlight on US and Chinese data
· So-called ‘top shelf’ economic indicators are released in China in the coming week. And in the US the focus will be on the retail sales data released on Friday.
· China will actually kick off proceedings over the week with the release of trade data on Monday. A trade surplus of around $48 billion is expected for July, with the weakness in exports offset by a larger slide in imports.
· In the US on Tuesday the National Federation of Independent Business releases its Business Optimism index, alongside June quarter non-farm productivity and unit labour cost data. Data on wholesale inventories and sales are also slated for release.
· In China inflation data is released on Tuesday. Similar to Australia and most parts of the globe, inflation remains well contained. The headline consumer price index is running at around a 1.8 per cent annual rate, (boosted by food prices) while producer prices continue to suggest a modest deflationary environment.
· On Wednesday the usual weekly data on US home purchase and refinancing is issued alongside the JOLTS survey of job openings and the monthly budget data.
· On Thursday in the US, the weekly figures on claims for unemployment insurance are released together with the import price index.
· And we have to wait till Friday for the ‘top shelf’ US indicators – namely retail sales and producer prices. Economists tip a modest 0.2 per cent increase in July retail sales after the 0.6 per cent rise in June. No doubt fluctuating petrol prices are having a significant influence on the results. Encouragingly core sales (sales less autos and gasoline) are expected to have lifted by 0.4 per cent in May.
· In terms of the producer price index (business inflation), there are no signs of inflationary pressure and thus no rush to lift rates. A 0.2 per cent rise in the “core” rate (excludes food and energy) is expected. Data on business inventories is also issued with the University of Michigan confidence reading.
· In China on Friday, key ‘top shelf’ indicators are also issued, namely retail sales, production and investment. Annual growth rates are slowing, but that is ‘normal’ for a maturing economy. Also lending and money supply data is between Wednesday and Friday.
Sharemarket, interest rates, currencies & commodities
· The Australian profit-reporting season moves from second gear into third gear over the coming week.
· On Monday, earnings are expected from Argo Investments, JB Hi-Fi and Bendigo & Adelaide Bank.
· On Tuesday, Cochlear, REA Group, IOOF and Transurban are expected to report earnings.
· On Wednesday, amongst those scheduled to issue their profit results are Commonwealth Bank, Fairfax Media, Carsales.com, AGL Energy, Sky City Entertainment, Bell Financial Group, and OZ Minerals.
· On Thursday, earnings are expected from Telstra, Magellan, Atlas Iron, James Hardie and Goodman Group.
· On Friday, News Corp is expected to release earnings.
Savanth Sebastian – Economist – CommSec


text:
Chinese search-engine giant Baidu has officially launched the advertising campaign for its Android-based smartwatch OS, which supports various devices including the Sony SmartWatch 3, Moto 360, and LG G Watch.
Showing results 1 to 20 of 488
No search result is a passive reproduction of data from a "public domain". Google makes the public domain public. Search underpins a massive profit-making machine.
Here are five ways to secure the data on your Mac using both built-in tools and third-party utilities. All of these are robust tools that can thwart both casual snoopers and hardcore hackers. And on top of that, they won't cost you a dime.
The idea of using Apache Solr as a standalone primary data store may not be new but it is building momentum, according to Lucidworks' Will Hayes, CEO of the open-source search engine's commercial sponsor.
The top three Google products cited in data removal requests from federal agencies came down to Blogger, Search and YouTube.
Early data from StatCounter indicates that Yahoo could get a usage bump from a deal to be the default search provider.
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed that copyright holders could sue ISPs to get hold of data retained as part of the government's mandatory data-retention regime.
The Australian Federal Police has admitted that legislation for new mandatory data retention obligations on Australian telecommunications companies could be used to fight online copyright infringement.
Apple is ruffling features by collecting search and location data from OS X Yosemite users through Spotlight features that some argue should be off by default.
Castlight's visibility into the actual benefit plan search terms among its customers is worth noting because it's just the beginning of a movement to use big data and analytics to improve healthcare costs and outcomes.
The iPhone and iPad maker is encrypting its services, end-to-end, in a bid to prevent law enforcement (even with a search warrant) from accessing your device data.
A new version of the Riak Enterprise NoSQL distributed database is now available, with better search and more data types designed to broaden its appeal.
A US judge has lifted a stay on a ruling, forcing Microsoft to hand over data it stores overseas. But the software giant said it will not comply, pending an appeal.
New documents reveal the existence of the US spy agency's ICReach, a search engine similar to Google which links to citizen communications data.
A new record has been set for the number of URLs that Google is asked to remove from search results over alleged copyright infringement.
LinkedIn aims to connect up the world – but it often spooks us with its suggestions of people we may know. How does it turn up these suggestions from people way outside of my professional circle?
Apple's updated Spotlight search capability in OS X 'Yosemite' includes tighter integration with Microsoft's Bing search.
Customers of U.S. cloud providers should seriously rethink their service contracts, following a U.S. judge's obnoxious ruling that local search warrants must include customer data stored overseas.
Comments made by Verizon's chief lawyer (and heavily disputed by legal experts and academics at the time) have been proven false.
Having invested hundreds of million acquiring the Microsoft OS since 2010, the Chinese government is choosing to hang on and looking for Win XP-specific security products to protect user data.
The best of ZDNet, delivered
- 1 ZDNet Cloud TV: Hurdles to overcome (highlights)
- 2 Perfectly legal ways you can still get Windows 7 cheap (or even free)
- 3 34 ways to improve your iPhone's battery life
- 4 How much does an iPhone 6 really cost? (Hint: It's way more than $199)
- 5 So you have an app idea and want to make a bajillion bucks


text:
Millions of Scots are finally able to get their haircut after coronavirus restrictions eased in Scotland.
Hairdressers and barbers can reopen from Monday along with some non-essential shops, including garden centres and homeware stores.
Those living in England must wait another week for a similar lifting of restrictions, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson expected on Monday evening to provide updates to his roadmap out of lockdown.
In a press conference he will confirm plans to reopen large parts of England's economy, and will reveal parts of his plan for the restart of international travel.
North of the border, barber Tony Mann reopened his shop in Giffnock, East Renfrewshire at 6am on Monday to give people their first haircut in months.
It will be a busy day for the four barbers working, with 96 customers booked in on April 5 when the shop is open until 8pm.
When he reopened in July last year after the first lockdown, Mr Mann opened at midnight and worked for 24 hours.
He decided not to do the same this time but is excited to be welcoming back customers to Tony Mann’s Barber Shop.
Mr Mann said: “It’s been four months since the last day we cut hair so the feeling today is slight anxiety and slight worry, like ‘is everything going to go to plan’, but I’m also feeling really excited and happy because my shop is open again.
“We start at 6am and finish at 8pm. I didn’t fancy doing another 24-hour shift this time but we’re open long enough. Last time we did 24 hours but what I’ve come to realise is doing shifts like that is not good for you.”
He said customers have been delighted to be able to book haircuts again.
Mr Mann said: “It’s mental health, getting a haircut and making yourself feel good is a big part of life, and if you can’t make yourself feel good and you only get it from a small variety of places then you’re not going to be in a particularly good place.”
His brother Maxx Mann was one of the first people in Scotland to get a haircut on Monday and was delighted with the result.
He said: “It’s a good feeling. It’s been a long few months but it’s always worth the wait if you know you’re coming for Tony to cut your hair.
“I usually get my hair cut one every week or once every 10 days so to go months and months without isn’t ideal, I’m sure the general public probably feel the same.”
As part of the lockdown easing university and college students will return for in-person teaching, and outdoor contact sports for 12 to 17-year-olds will restart.
Click-and-collect services will also resume.
Visits to hairdressers and barbers must be booked in advance.
Monday’s move will be followed on April 26 with a wider reopening of the economy, with beer gardens and gyms returning to trading and more people being able to meet outdoors and inside public places.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon previously said she hopes the country will return to normality by the summer.
Monday’s opening has been welcomed by retail groups but hospitality businesses have been more sceptical.
The Scottish Beer & Pub Association said pubs will have missed out on selling eight million pints at Easter due to the fact they remain closed.
Listen to the ITV News Politics Podcast:
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman ruled out easing restrictions more quickly than outlined in the current timetable of three weeks between changes.
Questioned on BBC Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland radio programme if this would be accelerated, she said: “No, I don’t think so.
“I don’t think the numbers suggest that and of course you’ve got to remember that every time you ease in some way the current restrictions – so today – you give the virus more opportunity to not only to transmit but also to mutate.”
She said easing restrictions gives “the opportunity for more cases” so the three-week window is required to monitor case numbers.
Ms Freeman added: “What we’ve done and what opens up today I’m sure is very welcomed by very many people indeed but our progress needs to be tempered with a degree of caution and that’s of course exactly the approach that we’re taking here.”


text:
Accell claims to be the first cable manufacturer that is offering a HDMI mini compatible cable. HDMI mini, which was announced on 22 June of this year, offers the same feature set as HDMI 1.3 through a more compact connector that is expected to be integrated into consumer electronics such as digital still and video cameras.
Accell said that the mini HDMI cable will eb available in 7-ft length. Pricing and availability were not announced.
JVC said it has developed a new display technology for high-definition home projectors that can deliver a native contrast ratio of 10,000:1. The technology will also offer a brightness of 800 lumens and 1080p resolution (1920x1080 progressive).
JVC said that it will offer the first 10,000:1 1080p projector early next year. If you are planning to upgrade your home theater with such a device, be prepared to spend about $7000.
mazon.com has officially launched its digital video download service, Amazon Unbox, which reportedly will allow customers to watch movies on their PC in DVD quality. According to the company, more than 30 movie studios and TV networks have already confirmed plans to provide content to Unbox.
Chicago (IL) - Micro Star International (MSI) has received FCC approval for a Bluetooth audio transmitter that will enable users of Ipods and other MP3 players as well as other devices with audio jacks to wirelessly stream music to Bluetooth-enabled headsets. The "FS320" package comes with an Ipod Nano-sized transmitter, an audio cable with 3.5 mm input, an USB-based charger as well as drivers and other software on a CD.
UPDATE 31 August 2006 2:25 pm ET
Los Angeles (CA) - There has never been any doubt that 20th Century-Fox has been firmly entrenched in the Blu-ray camp, as one of that technology's more outspoken supporters. But unlike Sony - seen as Blu-ray's caretaker, and the parent of Columbia, Tri-Star, and MGM - 20th has held out on announcing actual titles and release dates for the format. That changed this morning, with 20th's announcement of eight titles for US release on 14 November, and a ninth the following week.
Vivendi's Universal Music Group (UMG) is trying to turn startup SpiralFrog into a music prince by offering its entire backlog of songs for free download. The songs will be downloadable after users agree to watching some advertisements. Both UMG and SpiralFrog hope the partnership will break Apple iTunes' grip on the downloadable music market.
The author of a report cited in yesterday's USA Today as evidence of a weak high-definition DVD market, told TG Daily today that report was two months old.
A report by NPD analyst unit DisplaySearch published yesterday states worldwide shipments of LCD TVs rose during the usually less vigorous spring quarter of the year by an astonishing 28% over the first quarter, and 135% over Q2 2005. Perhaps more astonishing, high North American sales were to credit for the boost, up 48% over the prior year.
Seoul (Korea) - Screens for home theaters can't be large enough and if your 50" or 65" has become too mainstream then Samsung will soon be offering an upgrade opportunity: 70" TVs with full HD resolution will become available next year.
HD DVD players posted a more successful launch than its Blu-ray rival, at least in terms of the number of players sold.
Fremont (CA) - Logitech today announced a new addition to its Wireless Music System line.
The Wireless DJ Music System uses Logitech's Music Anywhere wireless technology that includes a USB transmitter that connects to a PC and Receiver/Dock with stereo RCA and 3.5 mm headphone jack outputs. Formats supported include MP3, iTunes (AAC), WMA, Internet radio, and podcast ormats.
Google has reached a deal with MTV Networks - whose name has been cropping up quite a bit in the digital realm recently - that could end up enabling clips from MTV programming to be integrated into AdSense content that appears alongside user search pages.
Lake Success (NY) - Following Sony's HDR-UX1 and HDR-SR1 mini-camcorders, Canon announced its first compact high-definition camcorder. The HV10 will be available beginning in September and carry a suggested retail price of $1300.
If you have been delaying the purchase of a camcorder in the hope of high-definition home video capability becoming more affordable and available in compact form factor devices, then it's time to watch out for new products hitting retail shelves in the next few weeks and months.
New York (NY) - Last week, a spokesperson for LG Electronics told This Week in Consumer Electronics magazine that the combination Blu-ray / HD DVD player it had announced in March, was not in the cards for the company's slate of fall releases. TWICE and others took this news as a clear signal that the hybrid player would not be produced at all.
Lux Entertainment is marketing a pair of weather-resistant entertainment centers. The ARRIS-AR26SSMCE and the ARRIS-AR26SSA contain 26" flat-panel LCD screens in a stainless steel shell. Lux Entertainment claims the shell is "virtually indestructible" and can shield the electronics from rain and water splashes.
Is it really a victory for Apple's iTunes, or do clouds remain behind the silver lining? In a ruling last week, the French Constitutional Council overturned a provision of a law which would have compelled Apple and others to turn over their DRM schemes for free exploitation by licensees. On the other hand, the Council left certain provisions in place, which means Apple may not be able to do business in France after all.
E! Entertainment has signed a deal with Apple to bring several television shows with pretty women and plastic surgery to Itunes.
Seoul (South Korea) - If you want Tivo-like functionality built into a television, LG has a couple sets just for you. The company has announced two new 37" and 42" HD LCD sets, with what it calls "Time Machine" capability. Each model has a 250 GB hard drive that starts recording when the set is turned on.
Both television sets display 1920 by 1080 pixels, which LG says is twice the resolution of normal HD television sets. The TVs also have a 6000 to 1 color contrast ratio and a six millisecond response time.
Canon has released two new high-definition camcorders capable of recording videos in 1440 by 1080 (interlaced) resolution. The Canon XH A1 and XH G1 models both have triple CCDs and can record at several frame rates including 60i, 30P and 24P. There is also a 20x HD zoom lens and dual XLR audio jacks taht come with both camcorders.
Slim Devices today introduced a networked audio system aimed squarely at the audiophile market.


text:
June 11, 2004
June 11, 2004 -- One-hundred and seventeen members of congress were represented on the letters delivered to President George W. Bush this week requesting his support for an emergency meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to reconsider the wisdom of allowing worldwide quotas on textile and apparel products to expire.
This bi-partisan coalition of signators, 88 representatives and 29 senators, reaffirms the gravity this issue represents to the textile industry in the United States as well as the industries in numerous other countries.
The emergency meeting of the WTO would re-examine the fourth stage of product integration for textiles and apparel and assess whether quotas should be postponed until 2008 or later.
Textile and apparel groups from more than 36 countries support this initiative.
The congressional members stated, ?We believe that such a step would represent the most rational and pragmatic approach to the anticipated dislocation of some thirty million textile and apparel jobs worldwide that will result if the quotas are removed while China continues to use unfair trade practices to heavily subsidize its exports.? China?s unfair trade practices include currency manipulation, numerous direct and indirect state subsidies, export tax rebates and the widespread use of non-performing loans.
The letter concluded by saying, ?Chinese domination of the global textile and apparel trade would shake the economic and political stability of dozens of struggling nations and would risk economic and political instability on a global scale.?
The American Sheep Industry Association along with the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, National Cotton Council, National Council of Textile Organizations and UNITE assisted the congressional sponsors in obtaining signatures for the letters.
Staff contact: Peter Orwick, ext. 33


text:
|By Business Wire||
|November 14, 2012 12:03 PM EST||
Sprint [NYSE:S], ranked No. 3 on Newsweek’s Green Rankings, is celebrating America Recycles Day by raising awareness of the importance of recycling old cell phones as electronic waste continues to be the fastest growing waste stream in the country. Last year alone, Sprint recycled more than 11 million wireless devices, over 211,000 on average per week, as electronic waste continues to be the fastest growing waste stream in the country.
This past week, the wireless carrier emphasized its phone reuse and recycling efforts by highlighting Sprint’s Buyback program at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in Phoenix; launching a phone recycling pledge where customers can win one of five rewards cards worth $500 (now through Nov. 30); and posting a video online that illustrates how old cell phones can gain a “second life” while reducing the amount of electronic waste in the marketplace.
Last year, manufacturers produced more than 1.68 billion wireless phones worldwide. In the United States alone, it’s estimated that fewer than 10 percent of discarded mobile phones will be recycled. In 2001, Sprint recognized the trend and got serious about helping solve the growing threat of electronic waste.
Sprint developed a phone trade-in program and was the first U.S. wireless carrier to provide an instant credit at point of sale, as well as allow customers to bring back any phone from any carrier, now known as the Sprint Buyback program. Today, an average of four out of every 10 customers who visit a Sprint retail store participates in the program. This has resulted in more than $75 million going back into customers’ pockets just this year. The environmental benefit: Sprint has collected more than 4,000 metric tons of electronic waste – more than 40 million wireless devices – through its takeback programs since 2001. It’s also helped the company avoid more than $1 billion in cost.
“Making our business more sustainable is really part of our DNA at Sprint,” said Fared Adib, senior vice president of product development and reverse logistics. “You can’t be in our industry, put the amount of product into the market that we do, and not think through the full lifecycle. We’re proud that we’ve been recognized as having the industry’s leading buyback program despite our No. 3 position in the market – and we believe these efforts will contribute to Sprint’s long-term success.”
Sprint continues to be recognized for its recycling practices. Buyback’s convenience – both in Sprint retail locations and online – and ability to accept competitor devices led to Compass Intelligence recognizing Sprint as having the best trade-in program in the industry for two years in a row. In September, Sprint was recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its leadership as the only wireless carrier to join the EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management Electronics Challenge. As a participant, Sprint will strive to send 100 percent of the electronics it collects to third-party certified refurbishers and recyclers and to increase the amount of used electronics collected.
Sprint is the first and only U.S. wireless carrier to outline specific commitments that address electronic waste (e-waste) holistically. Its Electronics Stewardship Policy, developed with guidance from BSR, Basel Action Network and ABI Research, focuses on the full lifecycle of the electronics it buys and sells. It publicly states Sprint will strive to design and buy greener electronics, extend the useful life of equipment, boost the collection of used equipment, maximize the reuse of electronics, and responsibly recycle the rest through third-party certified vendors.
Sprint will host a recycling event tomorrow at one of its downtown Chicago retail locations on North La Salle Street. Individuals who recycle a phone will have the opportunity to meet five-time NBA champion and legend Bill Cartwright, and receive a free Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Fun Pass good for one day of unlimited rides (while supplies last). The event runs from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and coincides with the recent launch of 4G LTE service in the Chicagoland area.
Sprint continues to be recognized for its leadership in environmental device recycling practices, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and managing natural resources. Last month’s Newsweek Green Rankings announcement also coincided with the release of Sprint’s annual Corporate Responsibility Performance Summary which provides greater detail on how the company, the only wireless carrier to crack the top 25, continues to advance its environmental business practices and policies.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served nearly 56 million customers at the end of the third quarter of 2012 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint No. 1 among all national carriers in customer satisfaction and most improved, across all 47 industries, during the last four years. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in both its 2011 and 2012 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.
All major researchers estimate there will be tens of billions devices - computers, smartphones, tablets, and sensors - connected to the Internet by 2020. This number will continue to grow at a rapid pace for the next several decades. With major technology companies and startups seriously embracing IoT strategies, now is the perfect time to attend @ThingsExpo, November 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Learn what is going on, contribute to the discussions, and ensure that your enterprise is as "IoT-Ready" as it can be.
Sep. 3, 2015 08:30 PM EDT Reads: 138
Containers are not new, but renewed commitments to performance, flexibility, and agility have propelled them to the top of the agenda today. By working without the need for virtualization and its overhead, containers are seen as the perfect way to deploy apps and services across multiple clouds. Containers can handle anything from file types to operating systems and services, including microservices. What are microservices? Unlike what the name implies, microservices are not necessarily small, but are focused on specific tasks. The ability for developers to deploy multiple containers – thous...
Sep. 3, 2015 08:00 PM EDT Reads: 162
Too often with compelling new technologies market participants become overly enamored with that attractiveness of the technology and neglect underlying business drivers. This tendency, what some call the “newest shiny object syndrome,” is understandable given that virtually all of us are heavily engaged in technology. But it is also mistaken. Without concrete business cases driving its deployment, IoT, like many other technologies before it, will fade into obscurity.
Sep. 3, 2015 04:30 PM EDT Reads: 429
The 3rd International WebRTC Summit, to be held Nov. 4–6, 2014, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, announces that its Call for Papers is now open. Topics include all aspects of improving IT delivery by eliminating waste through automated business models leveraging cloud technologies. WebRTC Summit is co-located with 15th International Cloud Expo, 6th International Big Data Expo, 3rd International DevOps Summit and 2nd Internet of @ThingsExpo. WebRTC (Web-based Real-Time Communication) is an open source project supported by Google, Mozilla and Opera that aims to enable bro...
Sep. 3, 2015 03:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,605
As more and more data is generated from a variety of connected devices, the need to get insights from this data and predict future behavior and trends is increasingly essential for businesses. Real-time stream processing is needed in a variety of different industries such as Manufacturing, Oil and Gas, Automobile, Finance, Online Retail, Smart Grids, and Healthcare. Azure Stream Analytics is a fully managed distributed stream computation service that provides low latency, scalable processing of streaming data in the cloud with an enterprise grade SLA. It features built-in integration with Azur...
Sep. 3, 2015 02:45 PM EDT Reads: 387
SYS-CON Events announced today that HPM Networks will exhibit at the 17th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on November 3–5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. For 20 years, HPM Networks has been integrating technology solutions that solve complex business challenges. HPM Networks has designed solutions for both SMB and enterprise customers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
Sep. 3, 2015 02:30 PM EDT Reads: 963
With the proliferation of connected devices underpinning new Internet of Things systems, Brandon Schulz, Director of Luxoft IoT – Retail, will be looking at the transformation of the retail customer experience in brick and mortar stores in his session at @ThingsExpo. Questions he will address include: Will beacons drop to the wayside like QR codes, or be a proximity-based profit driver? How will the customer experience change in stores of all types when everything can be instrumented and analyzed? As an area of investment, how might a retail company move towards an innovation methodolo...
Sep. 3, 2015 02:30 PM EDT Reads: 512
SYS-CON Events announced today the Containers & Microservices Bootcamp, being held November 3-4, 2015, in conjunction with 17th Cloud Expo, @ThingsExpo, and @DevOpsSummit at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. This is your chance to get started with the latest technology in the industry. Combined with real-world scenarios and use cases, the Containers and Microservices Bootcamp, led by Janakiram MSV, a Microsoft Regional Director, will include presentations as well as hands-on demos and comprehensive walkthroughs.
Sep. 3, 2015 02:15 PM EDT Reads: 415
Contrary to mainstream media attention, the multiple possibilities of how consumer IoT will transform our everyday lives aren’t the only angle of this headline-gaining trend. There’s a huge opportunity for “industrial IoT” and “Smart Cities” to impact the world in the same capacity – especially during critical situations. For example, a community water dam that needs to release water can leverage embedded critical communications logic to alert the appropriate individuals, on the right device, as soon as they are needed to take action.
Sep. 3, 2015 01:30 PM EDT
WebRTC services have already permeated corporate communications in the form of videoconferencing solutions. However, WebRTC has the potential of going beyond and catalyzing a new class of services providing more than calls with capabilities such as mass-scale real-time media broadcasting, enriched and augmented video, person-to-machine and machine-to-machine communications. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Luis Lopez, CEO of Kurento, will introduce the technologies required for implementing these ideas and some early experiments performed in the Kurento open source software community in areas ...
Sep. 3, 2015 01:15 PM EDT Reads: 107
SYS-CON Events announced today that Pythian, a global IT services company specializing in helping companies leverage disruptive technologies to optimize revenue-generating systems, has been named “Bronze Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 17th Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 3–5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Founded in 1997, Pythian is a global IT services company that helps companies compete by adopting disruptive technologies such as cloud, Big Data, advanced analytics, and DevOps to advance innovation and increase agility. Specializing in designing, imple...
Sep. 3, 2015 01:00 PM EDT Reads: 368
Consumer IoT applications provide data about the user that just doesn’t exist in traditional PC or mobile web applications. This rich data, or “context,” enables the highly personalized consumer experiences that characterize many consumer IoT apps. This same data is also providing brands with unprecedented insight into how their connected products are being used, while, at the same time, powering highly targeted engagement and marketing opportunities. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Nathan Treloar, President and COO of Bebaio, will explore examples of brands transforming their businesses by t...
Sep. 3, 2015 12:30 PM EDT Reads: 286
In his session at @ThingsExpo, Lee Williams, a producer of the first smartphones and tablets, will talk about how he is now applying his experience in mobile technology to the design and development of the next generation of Environmental and Sustainability Services at ETwater. He will explain how M2M controllers work through wirelessly connected remote controls; and specifically delve into a retrofit option that reverse-engineers control codes of existing conventional controller systems so they don't have to be replaced and are instantly converted to become smart, connected devices.
Sep. 3, 2015 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 255
With the Apple Watch making its way onto wrists all over the world, it’s only a matter of time before it becomes a staple in the workplace. In fact, Forrester reported that 68 percent of technology and business decision-makers characterize wearables as a top priority for 2015. Recognizing their business value early on, FinancialForce.com was the first to bring ERP to wearables, helping streamline communication across front and back office functions. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Kevin Roberts, GM of Platform at FinancialForce.com, will discuss the value of business applications on wearable ...
Sep. 3, 2015 10:45 AM EDT
SYS-CON Events announced today that Micron Technology, Inc., a global leader in advanced semiconductor systems, will exhibit at the 17th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on November 3–5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Micron’s broad portfolio of high-performance memory technologies – including DRAM, NAND and NOR Flash – is the basis for solid state drives, modules, multichip packages and other system solutions. Backed by more than 35 years of technology leadership, Micron's memory solutions enable the world's most innovative computing, consumer,...
Sep. 3, 2015 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 285
17th Cloud Expo, taking place Nov 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world. Cloud computing is now being embraced by a majority of enterprises of all sizes. Yesterday's debate about public vs. private has transformed into the reality of hybrid cloud: a recent survey shows that 74% of enterprises have a hybrid cloud strategy. Meanwhile, 94% of enterprises are using some form of XaaS – software, platform, and infrastructure as a service.
Sep. 3, 2015 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,603
As more intelligent IoT applications shift into gear, they’re merging into the ever-increasing traffic flow of the Internet. It won’t be long before we experience bottlenecks, as IoT traffic peaks during rush hours. Organizations that are unprepared will find themselves by the side of the road unable to cross back into the fast lane. As billions of new devices begin to communicate and exchange data – will your infrastructure be scalable enough to handle this new interconnected world?
Sep. 3, 2015 09:30 AM EDT Reads: 203
While many app developers are comfortable building apps for the smartphone, there is a whole new world out there. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Narayan Sainaney, Co-founder and CTO of Mojio, will discuss how the business case for connected car apps is growing and, with open platform companies having already done the heavy lifting, there really is no barrier to entry.
Sep. 3, 2015 09:30 AM EDT Reads: 213
SYS-CON Events announced today that the "Second Containers & Microservices Expo" will take place November 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Containers and microservices have become topics of intense interest throughout the cloud developer and enterprise IT communities.
Sep. 3, 2015 09:30 AM EDT Reads: 651
Manufacturing connected IoT versions of traditional products requires more than multiple deep technology skills. It also requires a shift in mindset, to realize that connected, sensor-enabled “things” act more like services than what we usually think of as products. In his session at @ThingsExpo, David Friedman, CEO and co-founder of Ayla Networks, will discuss how when sensors start generating detailed real-world data about products and how they’re being used, smart manufacturers can use the data to create additional revenue streams, such as improved warranties or premium features. Or slash...
Sep. 3, 2015 09:15 AM EDT


text:
London Stock Exchange may sell its Italian business to appease regulators over its £21bn takeover of Refinitiv
The London Stock Exchange (LSE) may sell its Italian business in a bid to appease regulators over its £21billion takeover of Refinitiv.
The EU competition regulator is conducting an in-depth investigation into the deal amid concerns it would leave the LSE with a massive market share in the trading of European government bonds.
Negotiations: The LSE said it is in ‘exploratory discussions’ which could result in the sale of part or all of its Italian exchange
Refinitiv, a provider of financial market data and infrastructure, also owns Tradeweb, a market leader in bond sales.
The LSE said it is in ‘exploratory discussions’ which could result in the sale of part or all of its Italian exchange, the Borsa Italiana, which it bought for £1.4billion in 2007.
The plans to take over Refinitiv, which is 45 per cent owned by Thomson Reuters, will broaden its trading business and make it a major distributor and creator of market data, a profitable and fast growing sector.
In its half-year results the LSE reported a 4 per cent rise in revenues to £1.1billion for the six months to the end of June, leaving profits almost unchanged at £362m.
Shares rose 1.7 per cent.


text:
Smartphone evolution. Source: Phil Roeder/Flickr.
The U.S. smartphone market is rapidly approaching saturation. At least it was up until around June. In the four months after June, the number of U.S. smartphone subscriptions increased by just 3 million, and now total 72.9% of the overall market.From the looks of it, the U.S. market may be nearing a saturation point.
This is bad news for the four major U.S. carriers --AT&T , Verizon , T-Mobile U.S. , and Sprint . While the first three continue to add postpaid phone subscribers, all are heavily reliant on smartphone subscribers to increase average revenue per subscriber.
Even worse for the major carriersAmong the four major carriers, smartphone users, as a percentage of their postpaid subscriber bases, is extremely high. Jackdaw Research estimates Verizon has the lowest percentage of users on smartphones, and the company just reported 77% of total phone subscribers (prepaid and postpaid) are on smartphone plans.
Year over year, Verizon's average revenue per device fell from $57.24 to $55.78 as it competes to keep high-value smartphone users out of the hands of low-cost rivals T-Mobile and Sprint. It's worth noting that Verizon added a significant number of tablet devices during the last year, which carry a lower-than-average service price compared to smartphones.
T-Mobile and Sprint actually have the highest percentage of postpaid subscribers on smartphones. Competing from behind gives them the ability to offer more aggressive pricing on smartphones. Both offer unlimited data plans, whereas AT&T and Verizon do not. Both have also promoted deals that will pay users' early termination fees to switch carriers. These relatively low-cost plans and promotions have steadily increased the number of smartphone users subscribed to each carrier.
What happens when there are no feature phones to upgrade?The question AT&T and Verizon must be asking themselves is how can they continue to increase average revenue per phone subscriber after they've upgraded all of their feature-phone users to smartphone users? Considering Sprint and T-Mobile will continue attracting customers with their low-price plans, it will be difficult for either of the larger carriers to offer similar smartphone plans at a higher price.
For now, the two big guns are looking to use their wallets to buy up some of the valuable AWS-3 spectrum licenses currently up for auction. License prices have soared well above expectations, with top bidders committing $44.3 billion so far in an auction analysts saw raising no more than $22 billion. The higher-than-expected price means that T-Mobile's dollars -- Sprint isn't participating -- won't go as far as initially planned in the auction.
Both AT&T and Verizon boast superior network capabilities over T-Mobile and Sprint, and aim to keep it that way with the purchase of new spectrum licenses to increase network capacity and speed. This way, the big carriers hope that if they see higher-than-expected churn rates from users switching to Sprint or T-Mobile, users will be unsatisfied with their new carrier's network and come back, even if it is at a higher price.
Sprint and T-Mobile aren't currently very concerned with their network capacities, and both seem to be holding out for the 2016 FCC auction of low-band spectrum, which has superior capabilities for phone signals compared to the current AWS-3 spectrum on the auction block. However, if either adds more customers than expected, they could run into capacity issues, and have to spend money redeploying current spectrum licenses, or buying spectrum from other owners. That's not a terrible problem to have, though.
In this light, it makes perfect sense why analysts see Verizon and AT&T growing revenue just 2% to 3% next year, while the Street expects T-Mobile to grow revenue at a much more robust 9% on top of a near-20% increase this year. With the U.S. smartphone market saturating, there will be significant pricing pressure for the larger carriers' smartphone subscription plans.
The article Where Are AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. Turning as Smartphone Saturation Nears? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Adam Levy has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Verizon Communications,. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


text:
Numerous studies of coffee's links to myriad diseases have provided head-spinning results, but a new paper finds java drinkers have no more risk of illnesses such as heart disease or cancer.
In fact, they are less likely to end up with type 2 diabetes, the form of the disease that does not require insulin and is linked to obesity.
"We do not encourage people to start drinking coffee if they do not enjoy this, but the overall evidence on coffee and health suggests that there is no reason for persons without specific health conditions to reduce their coffee consumption in order to reduce their risk of chronic diseases...
Read full article...
More health tips:
Four super-simple tips to improve your memory
This popular "health" drink is incredibly bad for you
Doc Eifrig: A super-healthy food you should eat everyday


text:
Do you use your smartphone's built-in NFC capabilities instead of a hunk of dilapidated plastic to pay for things at your favorite stores?
Congratulations. By Google's standards, you're pretty much an early adopter. And you're likely to be for a little bit of time, as the world of NFC payments -- while on the increase isn't expected to really hit mass-market appeal for a few more years.
That's the word straight from Google vice president of wallets and payments, Osama Bedier. Speaking in a Friday session at the Global Mobile Internet Conference in San Jose, California, Bedier indicated that Google's making great strides in NFC by way of just how many transactions are being processed using its Google Wallet app, but mainstream NFC adoption still has a ways to go.
"We didn't think NFC was just going to happen in a single year. This is a three-to-five-year game," Bedier said.
As for just how many transactions Google's processing, Bedier declined to deliver specifics as is Google's custom when discussing its Wallet app. He did mention that the number of Google Wallet transactions doubled in the first six weeks after Google launched a new Cloud-friendly version of the app that expands users' ability to pay using different sources.
Previously, Google Wallet only linked up with a user's Citibank Mastercard or a prepaid card that's it. Google's August 1 enhancements to Google Wallet allow users to link any credit card they want as a payment option for the app, as this information is no longer stored on a physical chip on one's NFC-supported phone. Instead, it's accessible via the cloud, and the move also gives users an easy method for disabling payments connected to Google Wallet in the event that their phones are lost or swiped.
However, Google still requires users to have specific Sprint or Virgin Mobile phones in order to officially run Google Wallet. More industrious smartphone owners can root their devices and install Google Wallet anyway, but Google's wised up to the practice and now plants an "Unsupported Device" warning atop one's Google Wallet app, which links to a strong, discouraging message about the potential security pitfalls of running a rooted smartphone.
According to Bedier, Google needs additional support from mobile carriers in order for NFC to ultimately prove successful as a mobile payment technique a move that'll require some heavy lifting to push past the convenience of the credit card system in the U.S.


text:
Lubbock’s Newest United Store At 4th And Milwaukee Opens At 9am
United is as much a part of Lubbock as Texas Tech. So when they open a new location, its a big deal. And the new location at 4th and Milwaukee has been heavily anticipated.
This new United will have some of the Market Street features like deli and sushi, salad bar and more. Plus this store features Taphouse 15 a beer and wine bar. And a Starbucks too.
But the most important part of this new store is the modern technology aspect of online shopping. According to the press release, the new store...
Its going to be a busy weekend at the new store so stop by and see whats happening in north west Lubbock starting at 9am Friday October 6th at 4th and Milwaukee.