text:
Vikram Puri, the MD of Archer Hospitality, the proprietor of The Astor Kolkata, is set to expand the Astor brand, after more than two decades of overseeing a single hotel property. “We are now ready to expand the Astor brand. Since the Kolkata hotel is a heritage property, the Goa hotel has to be unique. We plan to open more such properties,” said the scion of HCL co-founder DS Puri, without revealing the financial details of the transaction.
Suraj Morajkar, MD of Sun Estates, said the company was constructing the hotel when they were approached by Puri and decided to sell it. “It was a boutique property, and we decided to exit it after getting the right offer,” he said.


text:
RINGIER SPORTAL S.R.L., the joint venture of Ringier Romania and the Bulgarian Sportal Media Group, has agreed to acquire the leading Romanian sports brand Gazeta Sporturilor.
The acquisition agreement contains both, the digital platform GSP.ro and the print edition of Gazeta. GSP.ro is the number one among all sports portals in the Romanian top 10 digital publishing websites and leader in digital sports news with more than 3.5 million unique views per month. The Gazeta print edition has a sale of about 20’000 copies per day.
«The acquisition of Gazeta is an essential milestone for us as a digital media company with a strong journalistic DNA. Gazeta Sporturilor will be another strong offering for our readers. The major strength of the Gazeta brand is the very high quality of its editorial content produced by the most respected Sports editorial team in the country, led by one of the country’s leading investigative journalists Catalin Tolontan. After nearly two decades, I am very happy to welcome the Gazeta team again at Ringier Romania», says Mihnea Vasiliu, Managing Director of Ringier Romania. «Together with the Sportal Media Group Bulgaria we form an ideal constellation out of know-how and potential. All three are eager to build something big with a high-quality and innovative character for the Romanian sports enthusiast.»
«Gazeta is famous for offering the most relevant editorial Sports content in Romania. I am very much looking forward to support the brand with the expertise of our IT and development teams. Together with Ringier Romania we will invest in the technological infrastructure of GSP.ro to boost the high-quality content over the platform. At the same time, we will offer smart advertising solutions to be attractive for sport and betting fans in Romania but also for relevant international advertising customers», says Stilian Shishkov, CEO of the Sportal Media Group and responsible for the leading Bulgarian Sport platform Sportal.bg.
«I am grateful that we have earned the loyalty of a significant sport audience and we have managed to create a powerful brand – Gazeta Sporturilor. At this point, as our strategy is to focus on our core broadcasting, radio and digital business, we concluded that Ringier is the best place to maintain GSP’s quality, to develop it to the next level, and to integrate its team. I am happy with this agreement that will benefit all parties and I wish everybody the best of luck», explains Camelia Voiculescu, President of Intact Media Group.
RINGIERS SPORTAL´s acquisition of the print edition and digital platform of Gazeta Sporturilor is expected to be executed by September 2018. Currently it is subject to merger control approval by the competent authorities.
«We will ensure that GSP.ro continues to expand its leading position as the number 1 Sports Portal in Romania», says Robin Lingg, Member of the Group Executive Board Ringier AG. «We will utilize the great synergies resulting from our joint venture. The combination of Ringier´s publishing assets, Sportal Media Group`s digital expertise and Gazeta´s high-quality Sports content will set trail-blazing standards.»
Ringier AG, Corporate Communications

domain: news


text:
MediaMelon, a company based in San Francisco and focused on content-aware streaming, announced that Brazil’s Telecine SVOD OTT has deployed its SmartPlay OTT streaming optimization platform to deliver a better video Quality of Experience (QoE) with lower content delivery costs despite an unprecedented surge in new subscribers and viewing hours that the Brazilian platform is now experiencing.
With the coronavirus pandemic, Telecine, a joint venture between Globo and Hollywood Studios Paramount, MGM, Universal and Fox, has seen its video plays triple and new subscriber trials nearly quadruple. As more people stay home from work and school, the added streaming traffic is adding substantial bandwidth costs for providers. Bandwidth bottlenecks also impact the viewing experience, causing videos to start slow, pause unexpectedly and pixellate when bandwidth runs thin. With SmartPlay, Telecine has solved those problems, lowering the bandwidth needed to carry its streams by 42%, improving visual quality and reducing streaming interruptions (buffering) by 50%. The significant QoE improvements have enabled Telecine to deliver unprecedented content quality and reliability to viewers, while taking on nearly 400% more new trial subscribers without a corresponding increase in bandwidth/CDN costs.
‘SmartPlay has allowed us to mitigate last-mile bandwidth and infrastructure limitations to deliver better QoE to new and existing subscribers, manage our costs and improve margins even under these extreme conditions,” said Fabio Lima, Product Manager with Telecine. “We understand that a good, uninterrupted video experience helps convert trials to paid subscriptions as a result of the elevated quality and value of the service’, he added.
MediaMelon CEO Kumar Subramanian, has also expressed himself on the partnership agreement ran with Telecine: “SmartPlay is a simple, cloud-based solution that allows streaming service providers to improve the viewing experience and lower bandwidth consumption and cost with no change to existing infrastructure. We are extremely pleased to be on board with Telecine to help optimize viewer experience and business operations during this critical time, the executive said’.
MediaMelon’s complete suite of OTT optimization solutions also includes SmartSight Analytics, a real-time predictive analytics solution that enables OTT providers to gain deep insight into video usage, viewer engagement, streaming quality and advertising performance, all on a single platform.


text:
Apple’s shaking up its senior management. Today, the electronics behemoth announced that Jeff Williams, a company veteran who joined Apple in 1998 and who’s headed supply chain management over the past five years, will graduate to chief operating officer. Additionally, longtime executive Phil Schiller will become head of the company’s App Store and retain his current position as senior vice president of worldwide marketing. And finally, two new additions to the management roster, Johny Sruouji and former Grey Group ad firm chief Tor Myhren, will assume the roles of senior vice president for hardware technologies and vice president of marketing communications, respectively.
The promotion of Williams’ promotion is significant, as it marks the first time Apple’s formally filled the role of COO since current CEO Tim Cook vacated the position in the wake of Steve Jobs’s death. A former IBM employee, Williams’ responsibilities at Apple have gradually expanded since his elevation to vice president of operations in 2004: According to his company bio, he currently plays a key role in iPhone launches, heads the Apple service and support, oversees development of the Apple Watch, and “[drives] the company’s health initiatives.” As COO, he’ll oversee an even larger slice of Apple’s device supply chain.
Schiller will assume the role as manager of Apple’s App Store, a software repository that continues to widen in scope. Most recently, the App Store expanded to encompass apps and games for the Apple Watch and the new Apple TV, and now boasts more than 11 million active developer accounts across all platforms. “[The] App Store … has grown from a single, groundbreaking iOS store into four powerful platforms and an increasingly important part our our business,” said Tim Cook in a statement. Schiller will take on “new responsibilities for advancing that ecosystem.”
Myhren, meanwhile, the former award-winning chief creative officer and president of the Grey Group’s New York office, will lead “an award-winning team that spans abroad range of … disciplines,” including but not limited to “packaging” and “retail store display.” And Srouji, a longtime Apple engineer who contributed to the development of Apple’s A4 chip, will supervise a broader range of hardware R&D.
“We are fortunate to have incredible depth and breadth of talent across Apple’s executive team. As we come to the end of the year, we’re recognizing the contributions already being made by two key executives,” said Apple CEO Tim cook in a statement. “Jeff is hands-down the best operations executive I’ve ever worked with, and Johnny’s team delivers world-class silicon designs which enable new innovations in our products year after year.”
- Behind the scenes: How Apple designed its most exclusive product ever
- Apple has revealed the best apps of 2020. Here’s what they reveal about us
- The best new shows to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and more
- Why Cloud9 believes its first all-women’s team is a big step for e-sports
- CES 2021 to be powered by the Microsoft cloud: Teams, Azure, and more


text:
Binance, Coinbase, Kraken, and eToro confirm they have no Super Bowl ads
Two of those companies — Coinbase and eToro — advertised last year.
Four cryptocurrency exchanges and trading platforms confirmed that they have not placed a Super Bowl ad in statements to Crypto Slate this week.
Coinbase, which aired an advertisement during Super Bowl LVI in 2022, said that it would not do so this year. A Coinbase spokesperson wrote:
“While we are incredibly proud of our first national ad, which debuted at last year’s Super Bowl, we won’t be appearing in this year’s game.”
The stock and crypto trading platform eToro, which also advertised during last year’s event, said that it would not advertise this year. It emphasized its digital presence as its reason for declining to advertise. A representative for eToro said:
“[We] had no plans to advertise in this year’s Super Bowl. We’ve always been dynamic in our marketing approach. We’re multi-channel with a strong focus on online.”
Binance, meanwhile, criticized the idea that crypto firms should advertise during the event. Patrick Hillmann, the company’s Chief Strategy Officer, wrote:
“We’ve never run a Super Bowl ad because we don’t believe it’s an appropriate vehicle to introduce new users to crypto …. Unlike a light beer or a new car model, a lot of education has to be done with new users before they should consider investing in crypto.”
Hillmann went on to say that a 30-second ad spot is “not a good use of resources” and that such a promotion can attract users without properly highlighting risks.
Kraken said that it would not advertise during the event. A spokesperson wrote:
“We are not advertising at Super Bowl LVII. We’re always searching for creative ways to bring Kraken into the forefront of consumer’s minds, but right now we are focused on strategic execution.”
That representative said that Kraken is “emphasizing ways to do right by our clients” through security features, customer support, and service improvements.
Crypto Slate also reached out to Crypto.com, Robinhood, Gemini, Binance.US, Grayscale, ByBit, and Blockchain.com. Those companies did not return a response.
A report from the AP on Feb. 6 first suggested, without citing any company statements, that no crypto trading platforms had scheduled Super Bowl ads this year. Four crypto companies reportedly came close to arranging an ad deal but withdrew during November’s market crash. It is still unclear which firms were among those potential advertisers.
Last year, four crypto companies — Coinbase, Crypto.com, eToro, and the now-defunct FTX — advertised during Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022.
This year’s Super Bowl LVII will take place on Sunday, Feb. 12.


text:
By Dalton Rosario
Long Story Short. At the beginning of 2019 California had 6,924 temporarily registered cannabis farms, including a total number of growers with licenses that are expiring at a rate faster than annual and provisional licenses are being issued by the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA). This spells a pending crisis in supply shortages if not rectified by the state.
Gimme the Juice! Of the 3,300 back-logged license applications, the CDFA has so far approved only 500 annual and provisional cannabis farming licenses. This means at best, the state of California will have access to 1,500 registered cultivation farms by the end of the month and at worst, just 1,000 based on the pending rate of license expirations.
So What’s the Bottom Line? California state regulators and the CDFA have a vested interest in the success of the cannabis industry and its stable growth. They are ramping up efforts to register as many temporary licenses as possible at a nearly 100% guarantee approval rate, so long as cultivators file a provisional license. For some perspective, only 5 applications had received licensing at the beginning of March, which had increased to 500 approvals by the 31st. With that said, at the current rate of expirations and provisional licenses being administered, by early May half of the current 6,924 temporary cannabis farming licenses will have already expired.
Click Here to Read More: https://www.leafly.com/news/industry/this-one-chart-captures-californias-cannabis-supply-crunch
By Dalton Rosario
Long Story Short. Florida Health Officials are allowing the state’s largest medical cannabis manufacturer - Trulieve - to open more dispensaries than the State law limits; totaling 49 retail locations.
Gimme the Juice! Florida’s medical cannabis program caps dispensary operators at 25 locations statewide. This limit increases as more companies enter the emerging market. The outcome was supposed to create a level-playing field and reduce the risk of market monopolies. This limit has risen to 35 locations per operator since, and will be in place until April 2020.
So What’s the Bottom Line? Reducing product availability does not help the end-user in any way, and even adds unnecessary barriers of entry for companies looking to take a foothold in Florida’s medical cannabis market. Trulieve has set the precedence by being allowed to lawfully open a total of 49 dispensaries. This amount includes the original 14 locations they started in business with, plus the additional 35 retail store limit to be revoked from state law in April 2020.
click here to read more: https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-ne-nsf-trulieve-dispensary-ruling-20190401-story.html
By Dalton Rosario
Susan Curtis, Executive Director of Massachusetts’ Medical Association
Long Story Short. The pet market is the largest growing niche within the CBD Market for states that have legalized cannabis.
Gimme the Juice! Particularly in Massachusetts, Veterinarians are reporting increasingly more cases of pet-owners giving cannabis-derived products to their pets to treat their ailments. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Veterinarians and pet-owners are in favor of medication that mitigates pain in animals; however, Massachusetts law strictly enforces punishable offensives for licensed vets that recommended cannabis to a pet that experiences adverse side effects.
So What’s the Bottom Line? Veterinarians confirm from pet-owners that cannabis and CBD derivatives work wonders for pets with a myriad of health conditions. But without the proper scientific research to back these claims, even though Vets are doing what is morally right to reduce pain in these animals, they are still unlawfully recommending medications that they can and will be held accountable for under state law.
click here to read more: https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/marijuana/2019/03/28/more-people-are-treating-their-pets-with-marijuana-and-veterinarians-aren-sure-quite-how-handle/lZXlrHE2mQTFiR4BuhpBQK/story.html
By Dalton Rosario
Long Story Short. National cannabis legalization is historically rooted with the LGBTQ community’s fight for acceptance since the early 80’s, so why do industry insiders feel the cannabis market is leaving behind some of their founding members?
Gimme the Juice! The cannabis industry overlooks LGBTQ representation despite acceptance of marijuana use and legalization having direct parallels to the cultural shift of mainstream acceptance for the LGBTQ community; including legislative implementation of the same liberties and rights we all enjoy.
So What’s the Bottom Line? Similarly to how the national conversation of cannabis restitutions revolve around lower socio-economic neighborhoods and communities of color having equal inclusion in the economic opportunities to be gained in the emerging cannabis market; this narrative must also include representation from the LGBTQ community which has fought alongside pro-cannabis legalization from the very beginning.
Click Here to Read More: https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrebourque/2019/03/18/the-road-to-national-marijuana-legalization-has-allies-in-the-lgbtq-community/#68923a4d737b
By Dalton Rosario
“This legislation will establish an industry that brings fairness and economic opportunity to all of our communities, while promoting public safety by ensuring a safe product and allowing law enforcement to focus their resources on serious crimes,”
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy
Long Story Short. New Jersey is on path to sanction indoor & outdoor cannabis lounges, cannabis delivery services and cannabis dispensaries.
Gimme the Juice! NJ's Cannabis Regulatory Commission would oversee residential cannabis deliveries, exempt NJ’s 42,500 medical cannabis patients from the 3% recreational sales tax, and casinos/hotels could use 20% of their facilities for consumption lounges.
So What’s the Bottom Line? As early as march 25, 2019 NJ lawmakers will vote on this pro-cannabis legislation that, if passed, will implement a state-wide multimillion dollar industry before year’s end.
Click Here to Read More: https://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/weed-delivery-and-pot-lounges-could-be-a-reality-as-nj-cannabis-legalization-bill-heads-for-a-vote
By Dalton Rosario
Today our 116th Congress met at the first cannabis hearing of the year to discuss the SAFE Banking Act, which aims to draft legislation that provides banks and credit unions with precautionary provisions for handling legitimate cannabis proceeds from licensed businesses without fear of being flagged by the federal government and IRS for money laundering and dealings with illicit criminal activity. This is a major step in ending federal prohibition, as all legal industries require the services of financial institutions, particularly for cash-heavy sectors like the cannabis industry. Not only does this increase the public safety and wellbeing of these businesses, their employees and our communities, but also it creates the necessary transparency for cannabis markets to be taxed, regulated and held accountable for the proceeds of their daily dealings at the state and federal level. Furthermore, by banks investing in local cannabis companies and providing financial resources and services, the cannabis industry will wholly embrace a previously unattainable level of standardization that has been lacking; making cannabis seem less like a favorable market commodity and more like a potential hazard and financial liability for those congressman, governors and state lawmakers who seek to pass pro-cannabis legislation but lack the infrastructure and support from our federal government to do so.
Local banks require protection in their dealings with cannabis companies, which have been by and large outright denied in their undertakings of standardized services that all other commercial industries have access to across the country. Whether that be in the form of unfavorable cash deposit rates, the inability to request a line of credit or restrictions on filing for annual tax exemptions based on U.S. Code Section 280E. Ending cannabis prohibition is not just administered through statewide legalization, but through policy reformation and legislative provisions impacting all satellite sectors and services surrounding the cash cow commodity that this bustling industry relies on. According to the U.S. Department of Treasury, nearly 500 financial institutions across the country support cannabis businesses. And although this shows a rising support from Corporate America favoring the legitimacy of this estimated $50 Billion cannabis industry in just a few short years, as it stands only one-third of all licensed retailers, distributors and cultivators have reliable dealings with banks and credit unions. - An unheard of statistic with no parallels in our country's commercial marketplace.
By Dalton Rosario
America’s former number one cash crop has been aggregating spectacular developments in allocation of lands cultivated and state pilot programs sprouting throughout the nation. After having been legalized by the 2018 Farm Bill, the hemp crop and its derivates of industrial production have been removed from the Controlled Substances Act and has been administered into the hands of the Department of Agriculture rather than penal enforcement and scrutiny under the restrictions of the Justice Department.
Investments in industrial hemp manufacturing have increased exponentially in the past two years. 78,000 acres of hemp spanning across 17 states have been cultivated; particularly for increased demand of CBD products booming in markets across America due to its legal status, non-psychoactive properties and medicinal value as a healthy alternative to opioid prescriptions and rehabilitative treatments for opioid dependence and addition. This year alone hemp is expected to ramp up its production to an estimated 125,000 acres being planted across the country. That is more acres of hemp lands cultivated than the past two years combined. As of 2017 the U.S. industrial hemp market was already valued at $820 million, and based on how licensed cultivation and sponsored state programs have exponentially increased years since, it is not far fetched to classify the current valuation of hemp within our nation to have the capacity to build into a billion dollar industry. America’s cash cow is back in business. - And business is booming.
By Dalton Rosario
Mexico has been leading the world stage in terms of embracing cannabis reformation fine-tuned to the insights established from the trial-and-error legislations that have been sanctioned in progressive states throughout the U.S., and from the examples set forth by global cannabis market leaders like Canada and Germany. Mexico’s Senate released a formal report establishing processes and provisions for ending cannabis prohibition, thereby developing the legal commodity as a viable commercial product with sound market infrastructure. Global cannabis platforms welcomed news of this momentum following the Mexican Supreme Court determining the unconstitutional nature of criminalizing adult cannabis consumption just months prior. The Mexican Senate has expressed clear consideration for wanting to avoid common pitfalls surrounding legalization which consists of countries, provinces or states rushing into policy reformations that favor consumerism and financial incentives which prioritize tax surplus revenues injected into local economies over well-thought out public health and safety regulations which benefit the people and their respective communities.
This is reflected in the Senate necessitating market structures that undercut any incentives for the continuance of a black market post-legalization due to inconsistencies with product quality standards, pricing and availability. Doing so first requires agreeable sales tax proposals for licensed cultivators and distributors, as well as consistency in regulated retail pricing, determined by dispensaries and their access to growers so they can successfully meet market demands. Once established, there will need to be transparency between licensed cultivators and quality assurance testing centers that have standardized reliable and accountable THC and CBD consistencies per strain, and potency levels of extracts and concentrates to be sold on the market or recommended by doctors and physicians for medical prescription use.
The Mexican Senate is reverse engineering cannabis reformation with a keen understanding for the meticulous implementation of practical policies that parallel a 2018 report by the Global Drug Policy Commission - which found that the best way to combat the mishaps of cannabis prohibition and its residual effects of violent crimes, racially motivated arrests rates, and continued marginalization of poverty stricken communities - is to authorize a highly regulated market infrastructure that prioritizes public health over commercial proceeds allowing for a robust industry of commerce.
By Dalton Rosario
Capital Hill welcomed a series of pro-cannabis bills filed consecutively this week by Oregon Democratic State Senator Ron Wyden. These legislations titled S.420, S.421 and S.422 seek to implement realistic milestones for granting federally legal cannabis provisions along with all of the benefits fitting for legitimately licensed businesses that facilitate state-level market demand and nationwide distribution. Wyden like many state lawmakers have taken ownership of the budding opinions from voters supported by popular demand. As detailed in a written statement to the press, “Federal prohibition of marijuana is wrong, plain and simple. Too many lives have been wasted, and too many economic opportunities have been missed.” For this reason S.420 has been scripted with the intent of de-scheduling cannabis; calling for its immediate removal from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which alleviates legality disputes between federal and state law by establishing uniform federal taxes on all cannabis sales as well as sponsoring business permit registration programs for companies entering or already established within the industry.
The two follow-up bills S.421 and S.422 aim to bridge the gap between nationwide versus state-side cannabis policies by proposing means for federal banks to safely provide financial services for cannabis companies as well as sanctioning the removal of constraints against cannabis companies being able to advertise their products and services on traditional platforms such as social media marketing and aired ads on television. Likewise, S.421 demands the immediate expungement of non-violent cannabis convictions, as well as allowing doctors and licensed physicians to prescribe medical grade cannabis for our Department of Veterans Affairs and making sure that immigrants cannot be deported for non-violent cannabis-related arrests. Bill S.422 follows suit by allowing cannabis companies to file for tax deductions that are currently unavailable for business owners despite being common practice across all other industries within the U.S. There is much anticipation for what 2019 has in store for reformation policies unapologetically targeting cannabis probation and ending the decades of abuse by the enforcement of the war on drugs and its residual effects on our communities.
By Dalton Rosario
On February 13th the first congressional cannabis hearing will be held before the House Financial Services subcommittee and the Consumer Protection subcommittee to address the problems and solutions related to statewide cannabis businesses working with federal banking services. This is a contentious topic due to cannabis’ current status of federal prohibition even though states across the nation are moving forward with cannabis legalization. The clear problem is that despite legislation outlining policies for banks to follow when dealing with strictly cash-based cannabis proceeds, many banks opt out of the risk associated with handling accounts for cannabis businesses due to the complicated restrictions and gray-area legalities it falls within; and the corresponding penalties if there is a breach of policy that could close the down the bank entirely.
As it stands for most banks the risk is not worth the reward. But can it be? That is what the 116th Congress seeks to prove next week. It is clear that criminalizing cannabis has failed the people as a federal policy. Reformations and restitutions are at the top of legislators’ list of amendments to pass into law by the end of 2019. These policy shifts require an infrastructure in place that provides transparency between banking institutions and home-grown businesses that benefit public safety by nullifying illicit drug markets. The most immediate method for doing so is by granting depository regulations for cash circulating large-scale cannabis operations, which will only intensify as more states open avenues for cannabis markets to lawfully partake in their state economy as a legitimate industry with all of the necessary licensing, taxation and regulations set in place. Even though the only permanent method is to address cannabis legalization on a national scale, ending federal prohibition and its residual counter-effects once and for all.


text:
Mazda unleashed the first official photos and video of the all-new ‘6’ sedan, also known as Atenza in Japan. Mazda said that it will hold the world premiere of the 2014 Mazda6 with the 2.0-liter SkyActive model at the 2012 Moscow Motor Show in Russia, on August 29. The complete lineup of ‘6’ vehicles will make a debut in late September at the Paris Motor Show.
The new Mazda6 is a production version of Takeri Concept with the company’s more aggressive ‘KODO’ design. The mid-size sedan is the second Mazda after the CX-5 crossover to incorporate the full range of SKYACTIV technologies which brings a lightweight modular platform and a suite of clean gasoline and diesel engines.
On the Moscow show customers will see a Russian-spec version featuring a SKYACTIV-G 2.0-liter gasoline engine coupled to a SKYACTIV-Drive six-speed automatic transmission.
This sedan will get Mazda’s new brake energy regeneration system called i-ELOOP (“Intelligent Energy Loop”), which promises to improve fuel economy by up to 10 percent in real-world driving conditions involving frequent acceleration and braking.
Mazda6 will also be offered with the brand’s Skyactiv 2.2-liter diesel engine with a two-stage turbocharger that is available in two flavors producing 150 HP or 175 HP. Both diesels can be linked to a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed automatic unit.


text:
Zee Business Video Team |
Updated: February 8, 2023 19:27 pm
This year the production of mustard is estimated at 115 lakh tonnes. Last year the production of mustard was 111 lakh tonnes. Mustard sowing increased by 64% over the average of 5 years. Presently the spot price of mustard is Rs 6,000/quintal. According to experts, the price may drop by 5% due to new arrivals.


text:
Jana, Formerly Txteagle, Unveils Strategy for “Giving 2 Billion People a Raise”—A Talk with CEO Nathan Eagle
One of the Boston area’s most intriguing tech startups—because of its global reach—has emerged from a fairly quiet period with a new name and a refined mission.
Boston- and San Francisco-based Txteagle, a mobile research and marketing startup focused on developing countries, has rebranded itself as Jana (pronounced “Jah-nuh”). The name is Sanskrit for “people,” and as co-founder and CEO Nathan Eagle explains, it highlights the focus of the young company. It also fits the aesthetic profile of what the team wanted in a name: “It’s short, has two consonants and two vowels, and is easy to recognize and spell,” he says.
Yes, Eagle is a precise kind of guy. Precisely crazy enough to think his startup can change the world by enabling companies to do market research and mobile marketing in nearly 100 developing nations (and counting) via mobile phones. All by compensating consumers for participating by rewarding them with airtime on their mobile subscriber accounts.
This is interesting because, first of all, most brands and ad agencies don’t have good access to detailed data about consumers in emerging economies. “We want to generate data that simply doesn’t exist,” Eagle says. And, second, Jana has a way of reaching a lot of people with what sounds like a pretty compelling offer. “As far as I know, there’s no other company on Earth that has the capability to instantly compensate 2 billion people,” he says.
Where did this company come from? Ten years ago, Eagle (see photo, below) was a graduate student in the wearable computing group at the MIT Media Lab. He convinced his advisor to let him program a Nokia phone to collect data about his behavior and surroundings, instead of strapping on bulky equipment like other students. “So I wouldn’t have to dress up as a computer for the rest of my graduate career,” he quips. “I’ve been hacking on phones ever since.”
He finished his PhD in 2005, and wanted to make an impact on people’s lives through mobile devices. Mobile phone adoption was taking off fast in Africa, so Eagle took a faculty position at MIT but arranged to live in Kenya, where he taught mobile-app development at the University of Nairobi.
That led to a number of interesting projects. One was an app to enable rural nurses to send text messages about the local blood supply levels in their hospitals, so that centralized blood banks could see where blood was needed. (Previously this was done by having people drive from hospital to hospital, with long delays in information flow.) The first week of the release went well, but in the second week, about half the nurses stopped texting. By the end of the month, all the texting had stopped.
“It failed simply because of lack of insight on my part,” Eagle says. “We were asking these rural nurses to send a text message every day with the data. That was like asking them to take a pay cut. The price of a text message was a surprising fraction of their day’s wage.”
So he went back to the drawing board. Eagle’s work was around mobile phones, but it was also around “big data,” he says. “I was working with dozens of mobile operators in East Africa, … Next Page »
Trending on Xconomy
By posting a comment, you agree to our terms and conditions.


text:
The old round pound is beginning to be replaced today when the new safer 12-sided coin enters circulation.
But despite the excitement around the new tender, new research shows a worrying number of Brits are set to lose out.
Brits could lose £1.1billion in unspent £1 coins sitting in piggybanks, pockets and drawers if they don't cash them in before the cut off.
We revealed how many everyday coin-operated machines won't be ready in time.
And here's how to get your hands on the new coin before anyone else.
“We were shocked to discover just how few people are aware of when the current £1 coin goes out of circulation”Mark Barnett
Nine out of 10 Brits are oblivious to the October 15 deadline when the old pounds will no longer be legal tender.
The current £1 coin is being replaced for the first time in over 30 years amid fears it has become too vulnerable to counterfeiters.
With approximately one in 30 £1 coins in circulation found to be a fake, the new coin is the safest design yet.
On average, people have £15 in £1 coins sitting around at home, with young adults aged 18-24 hoarding the most – £25 typically, the study by Mastercard revealed.
Mark Barnett, President of Mastercard UK and Ireland, said: "We were shocked to discover just how few people are aware of when the current £1 coin goes out of circulation."
Some 2.2billion £1 coins have been struck by the Royal Mint since 1983 when it first came into circulation.
Demand for the coin has soared recently with the new design coming into force on March 28.
Collectors are racing to get their hands on all 24 designs of the round pound.
The most valuable £1 coin in circulation was revealed as the Edinburgh City quid which can fetch up to £50 online.
But the Kew Gardens 50p — the most valuable of all British coins — is worth 240 x its face value at a cool £120.
Brits across the country are checking their pockets in the hope of cashing in their rare treasure.
We revealed how to spot a rare £1 from your bog-standard pound.


text:
SEJONG, Jan. 18 (Korea Bizwire) – The number of registered vehicles in South Korea rose 4.3 percent in 2015 from a year earlier on the back of the government’s tax-cut programs and solid demand for foreign-made cars, government data showed Sunday.
Car registration stood at 20,989,885 units, up 4.3 percent or some 872,000 vehicles from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
The yearly gain marked the fastest clip since 2003 when it jumped 4.6 percent on-year to 14,590,000.
The number of locally produced vehicles newly registered last year rose 7.3 percent to 1,553,647, while imported vehicles spiked 29.2 percent on-year to 288,272 over the cited period.
The Seoul government has lowered special excise taxes on cars and other large expensive appliances to energize consumer spending since August.
Locally made cars accounted for 93.4 percent of the total registered vehicles, down from 94.5 percent a year ago.’


text:
As the Irish and Scottish rugby teams prepared to kick-off the Six Nations championship in Edinburgh last weekend representatives from the Irish Whiskey Association and the Scotch Whisky Association held their annual meeting to discuss products, new opportunities and the challenges posed by Brexit.
Irish whiskey exports now represent more than a third of all drinks exports and were valued at €505 million in 2016.
The industry has experienced huge growth over the last 10 years and this week alone plans for two new distilleries in Derry and Dublin moved another step closer, bringing the total number of distilleries to 16 in production and a further 14 in planning with many other projects at other stages of development.
However with 118 distilleries in operation in Scotland and exports of Scotch whisky valued at £4 billion (€4.6bn) a year, the sector is considerably bigger than the Irish whiskey sector.
“Whilst Irish whiskey is the fastest-growing premium spirit in the world, the Scotch whisky industry is more established and is the largest net contributor to the UK’s balance of trade in goods, creating £5 billion annually for the economy,” pointed out the Head of the Irish Whiskey Association Head Miriam Mooney, “As the Irish whiskey sector continues to prosper we only have to look at Scotland to see what’s possible for the industry in terms of growth and potential. The sector is a significant contributor to rural employment, supporting often fragile local economies including 7,000 jobs in rural Scotland alone.
“Global recognition for high quality Irish whiskey has never been higher. We look forward to working together with our counterparts in Scotland to promote further growth and to discuss the challenges facing both sectors including the uncertainty around Brexit ”.


text:
An extremely short Anthem tease went out today advertising Anthem, but it’s only about six seconds long. You don’t really get to see much of anything during the video, but there is one important tidbit to keep in mind: A full trailer reveal is coming June 9, ahead of EA. It’s all going down during EA Play, where we’ll likely hear a whole lot more about Anthem ahead of the official E3 2018 shows.
EA Play is taking place June 9 through June 11. We should be seeing at the very least a new trailer and gameplay, as well as a panel about the game hosted by BioWare. The trailer will likely showcase more of the story, characters, and what we can expect from one of the show’s biggest games this year. It’s been quite some time since we’ve heard anything about the game, so it’s about time for us to hear a bit more about the ambitious multiplayer title, especially since it’s been committed for a March 2019 release.
The key art was also revealed today, which you can check out here.
You can view the teaser below, but don’t expect anything too substantial. At the very least, it’s going to make sure you’re still hyped when next week rolls around as the pre-E3 announcements keep coming. Buckle up, folks.


text:
An update on number of cases in Florida, Orlando mayor bans on-site alcohol sales, and DeSantis closes bars and nightclubs, universities to teach remote classes
Orlando Brewing will keep crafting beer in hopes of buoying its business with kegs and cans, now that Gov. Ron DeSantis has ordered all of the state’s bars closed, the latest dramatic step to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“It’s almost like a hurricane, except it’s not ending,” said John Cheek, president of Orlando Brewing, of chaos now ensnaring food and beverage businesses. “We’re not going anywhere...at least we hope not.”
DeSantis’ decision came just moments after an announcement by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, who barred the sale of alcohol for on-site consumption citywide through the end of March. But hours later, Dyer walked back that order to stand in lockstep with the governor so that only bars and nightclubs were included. By day’s end, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings also announced the county would also mirror DeSantis’ rules.
At 5 p.m. Tuesday, normally the kickoff to St. Patrick’s Day happy hours, all of the state’s bars — businesses that make more than half their revenue off alcohol sales — had to close for 30 days. Meanwhile restaurants must operate at 50% of their capacity and follow CDC guidelines of keeping six feet between customers and capping parties at 10 people.
DeSantis’ ruling is seen as the minimum requirement, allowing for stricter regulations from local governments if they choose.
Restaurants can still serve a cocktail, beer or wine with meals, while breweries and package stores can fill kegs and sell cans and bottles to be consumed at home.
Grocery stores, liquor stores and other places where alcohol is sold are not affected by the order.
“Today is St. Patrick’s Day, a day of celebration. A day when many people head to bars and restaurants to celebrate,” Dyer said. “But we have to continue to make sacrifices to help prevent the spread of this virus and save lives.”
The order comes as part of a national trend of state and local governments closing bars and other gathering places in an effort to contain the spread of the virus.
In Miami, local officials have been strict as the threat of COVID-19 has grown, shutting down restaurants, bars, gyms and other businesses, according to the Miami Herald.
While Hillsborough County leaders said restaurants, bowling alleys, movie theaters and other businesses must close by 10 p.m. starting Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
It’s unclear how some establishments and their workers, who often rely on tips, will weather the sudden and prolonged closures.
Orlando Brewing employs 17 people, including five bartenders. Cheek said his business costs are around $50,000 per month.
“With no income that’s kind of hard,” he said. “That will probably take our cash.”
“While understandable from a public health perspective, these business shutdowns may be crushing for many small service businesses without corresponding relief that helps them either get cash in or stops them from having to send cash out,” Watson said Tuesday.
At Wally’s Mills Avenue Liquors, the package store is expected to remain open, said assistant manager Holly Andrade, and she’s concerned for the bar’s eight non-management employees.
“This is pretty much all their jobs. One or two might have a second job, but other than that this is their money maker,” she said.
Even before DeSantis’ restrictions, restaurants’ dine-in business was getting crushed, as more and more people are staying home because of the novel coronavirus.
Data posted by the online restaurant reservation platform OpenTable, show double-digit decreases in bookings year-over-year statewide every day this month
The same data reveals at least a 30% dip each day since March 9 in Orlando, cratering at a 53% decrease Monday, the most recent day available.
The Health Report: Florida Coronavirus Newsletter
A daily update on the coronavirus crisis in Florida.


text:
The company will show “significant improvements in profitability” at its startups this year and next, Chief Executive Oliver Samwer said on a call with reporters. Rocket still seeks to bring companies public but will do so only if markets are positive, he said.
Revenue from its top companies, which range from online fashion to food delivery, rose 69 percent in 2015 to 2.4 billion euros. Their aggregate adjusted loss before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) was 1 billion euros, up from 600 million in 2014.
However, Rocket said the average adjusted EBITDA margin improved 6 percentage points to a negative 29.7 percent.
It reiterated that 2015 should represent the peak of the losses for its major start-ups and repeated a target that three of those firms should be profitable by the end of 2017. (..)
Rocket noted strong revenue growth at “ready to cook” meal delivery firm HelloFresh, seen as a likely candidate for a stock market listing, as well as at African online retailer Jumia, up 338 percent and 118 percent respectively.
However, Samwer said that a target set last September to list one of its start ups by early 2017 might have to be pushed back due to volatile markets.
Is Rocket Internet still a rocket? This seems like things are slowing down at the company builder.
With missing success and subsequent (investor demanded?) focus on cost structure and revenue at existing startups it seems likely that Rocket Internet’s times of company building with breakneck speed seem to be over. (for now)
I still think that Rocket’s model is fundamentally flawed. Back in December I wrote about Rocket’s ‘Network Effects Within a Country’ strategy:
I don’t believe this will work well in direct competition with bigger companies like Amazon, Zalando, Alibaba or Uber. Because here’s the thing: A global online retailer can exert network effects in more dimensions than locally confined companies can. (besides plain scale effects which also come to fruition here) (..)
The amount of market influence [global online retailers] will exert a few years down the road can hardly be overstated. This is understandably inconceivable to a lot of people because businesses at the scale we are going to see were impossible pre Internet.
It might be doable in single cases, but I doubt this can be recreated locally confined in most categories at the scale Rocket Internet needs to be successful.
Rocket Internet has an international, not a global strategy.
And therein lie the problems.
- Does Rocket Internet’s Deal with Alibaba Validate its Opaque, Unproven, Model? No.
- Why Rocket Internet’s ‘Network Effects Within a Country’ Is a Problematic Strategy
- How The Prime Cross-Subsidy Model Could Eventually Lead To A Fight between Amazon And DeliveryHero
- Chinese Food Delivery Startup Ele.me Might Show The Way For The Future Of Delivery Hero Et Al


text:
As a generational expert with over 25 years in the field, Alexis Abramson has heard about all there is to hear from brands trying to appeal to various age groups. From baby boomers to Generations X, Y and Z—pick your group, and she’s researched them, written about them and (probably) lectured brands on how to attract them, too. In recent years, a good many of those brands have had their sights set on the generation born between 1981 and 1996: millennials, aged 23-38 today. That’s because at 83.1 million, a full quarter of the U.S. population, millennials are now the largest single consumer group out there. Simply put, few companies can afford not to court them.
But ask Abramson how brands feel about millennial consumers these days, and the answer might surprise you.
“There was a great deal of interest [in millennials],” she said, “but there wasn’t as much due diligence around that group. We’ve generalized them as a certain type of person, [but] the reality is the rubber is meeting the road. Companies are starting to understand, ‘Wow, we’re not getting the ROI we thought we might.’”
Abramson isn’t a voice in the wilderness. Her analysis joins a growing body of evidence that suggests that millennial consumers, for all their size and savvy, haven’t exactly been the boon that many brands expected them to be. That’s not to say that millennials aren’t all those compelling things that innumerable articles and reports have brimmed about: digitally native, mobile oriented, media savvy, politically progressive, ethnically diverse, well-educated and culturally savvy. Millennials are, indeed, all of these things.
But a troublesome detail has been persistently overlooked over the last decade of wooing this crowd: Millennials—many of them, anyway—are strapped for cash.
That’s one of the takeaways of a brand new study from Deloitte’s Center for Consumer Insight, which surveyed over 4,000 American consumers to determine their current consuming habits. And when it came to millennials, one statistic stuck out: Since 1996, the average net worth of consumers under 35 has dropped by 35%.
Surprised? So was Kasey Lobaugh, Deloitte’s chief innovation officer for retail and distribution. He highlighted that while companies have been busy focusing on millennial spending habits as they relate to personal identity or cultural factors, what they really need to pay attention to is the millennial wallet.
“[If] you think about the narrative in the marketplace around the changing consumer and the millennial, there’s very little focus on the behaviors that are driven by economics,” he said. “There’s a narrative driven by some kind of cultural change. One of the things that really shocked me is that the economics of the consumer are really the most singular driver of behavior.”
In other words, he said, “people behave more like their income than their age.”
Was marketers’ faith in millennials misplaced?
In the years since brands began buzzing about millennials in the early 2000s, a number of rosy generalizations about them have taken root. Take this appraisal from the Obama White House published in 2014: “Millennials are a technologically connected, diverse and tolerant generation. The priority that millennials place on creativity and innovation augurs well for future economic growth, while their unprecedented enthusiasm for technology has the potential to bring change to traditional economic institutions as well as the labor market.”
But now that millennials are in that labor market as fully vested consumers, a slightly soberer picture is emerging about their buying power. The problem is not their size, as millennials represent a larger consumer group than the baby boomers. And it’s not the block of money they control, as millennials spend about $600 billion a year and are on track to spend $1.4 trillion by 2020, according to Accenture data.
The problem, rather, is that millennials are saddled with very large and unavoidable expenses that reduce their spending power when it comes to the discretionary purchasing that gets marketers so excited.
Expenses … like what? Data from Deloitte and other sources points to at least two major factors that are impeding millennial spending power right now: housing and student debt.
We’ll take on housing first. In 1997, according to Deloitte’s study, Americans aged 25-34 spent an average of 8% of their income on rent, but by 2017, that figure had risen to 10%. (If those figures seem low, it’s because they are average household, not individual, figures—and not all millennials are paying rent. That said, it’s a significant bump nevertheless.) One reason for the increase is the millennial penchant for living in cities. According to a Pew survey released last year, a staggering 88% of millennials today live in metropolitan areas. And city rents tend to be high.
Historically, one way to beat the greedy landlord at his game—and build up personal equity at the same time—is to buy a home. But millennials aren’t buying homes, at least not in the numbers that previous generations did. According to the Urban Institute, in 2015, the home ownership rate for Americans aged 25-34 was 37%—8 percentage points below the rates for Gen Xers and baby boomers.
“Of the 13.5% of millennials that are heads of households, only around 50% of them own their own homes,” said Ron Cohen, vp of product strategy for consumer analysis firm Claritas, citing his own data. “The other half are renters—many likely with roommates to share rent and other expenses.”
“We have seen a drop in home ownership,” Deloitte’s Lobaugh added. “It’s not that the millennial somehow doesn’t want to own assets. But what we lose sight of [is] the bifurcating economy. After the downturn [of 2008], it became harder to get a loan. The population that couldn’t get access? They’re renting now.”
The recession that never really ended
In fact, while the 2008 recession was an economic broadside to most Americans, the millennials took an especially hard hit—and have yet to fully recover from it.
Timing is everything in life, and if you were born in 1989, that meant you were getting out of college and entering the job market just as the global economy was tipping over a cliff. Assuming you found a job at all, the job you did find wasn’t going to pay as well.
Mike Shedlock, an investment advisor with SitkaPacific Capital Management, points out that Americans in the workforce during 1970s and 1980s “got huge wage increases. [But] look at the millennials now. If they begged, they’re going to get a 3% raise. It’s impossible for them to catch up.”
Among the economic watchdogs to note consequences of this late start is the Federal Reserve. Its Demographics of Wealth Study released last year found that the wealth of families headed by someone born in the 1980s—essentially half the current millennial generation—is 34% below the track established by earlier generations. This group, the bank stated, is “at the greatest risk of becoming a ‘lost generation’ for wealth accumulation.”
“One big issue in our world right now is income inequality, and I think you’re seeing that way more in the younger generation,” adds author and consultant Dan Schwabel. Largely because of the 2008 recession, millennials “had a delayed adulthood,” and as a result, “they’re making adult decisions later in life.”
Millennial consumers, Schwabel added, “want the same things as the older generation, except they have to make short-term financial decisions to have a chance of having that kind of life. And it will take them longer. Not only are they getting paid less, but the big elephant in the room is they have $1.53 trillion in student-loan debt.”


text:
When suggestions were first raised Fortunoff might be sold by owner NRDC, things didn’t look good. But now it appears the company is fighting for its life.
A Bloomberg story yesterday reported that the company was talking to liquidators – and a Women’s Wear Daily story today (subscription) continues that tack, noting that Fortunoff “is set to again file for bankruptcy court protection, possibly as soon as Thursday. But instead of finding a white knight, this time the chain could be headed toward liquidation.”
A Fortunoff spokeswoman told me yesterday: “I haven’t heard anything about liquidators but I do know that potential buyers are in negotiations, which is positive.” However, according to WWD, there are “no takers” as yet, except for the Hilco Organization, which “invests in, and consults for, retailers, brands and manufacturers, and also conducts liquidations, such as Circuit City.”
One knowledgeable observer told me that current owner NRDC’s one year wait to take action on the chain may have been deliberate. By doing that, this person said, legally NRDC “exceeded the period of time to attack preferences to an insider” regarding credit claims, and put themselves in a much better position financially (versus their creditors). One has to feel for their vendors, many of whom got hurt by its first Chapter 11 filing, but stuck with the company – and now may get hurt again.
Whatever happens, this is looking like pretty sad story – for its employees, the vendors and one of the industry’s great brands. In the Northeast, there aren’t many retailers with the reputation of Fortunoff, as the comments in this local newspaper story demonstrate. This industry has become too much of an easy prey for investors like NRDC, who don’t care about the industry and only want to trade these businesses back and forth like baseball cards.
One person I talked to yesterday remarked that Fortunoff’s advertising last Christmas seemed to lack its usual class. “It looked like a going out of business sale,” this person said. Let’s hope not …
UPDATE: Fortunoff has filed Chapter 11. Still looking for a buyer. Will bring more info as it becomes available …Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine


text:
Supreme and Nike SB are at it again,this time introducing a new model, the SB '94. Created exclusively for Supreme, the SB '94 is inspired by several classic basketball shoes and built in a skate-ready construction. Four colorways are set to release, making use of smooth leather, suede and Foamposite material.
Smooth leather works most of the upper of each pair, with suede taking place on the Swoosh and ankle area. White works the toebox, outsole and tongue area, along with classic Supreme branding taking place on the tongue. Matching Foamposite material acts as a heel counter on each pair, while Supreme NYC and Nike SB branding finish things off on the heel.
Set to release are black, blue, green and burgundy make ups of the Supreme x Nike SB '94. They are set to release this Thursday exclusively at Supreme NY, while Japan will see a release on Saturday. Lastly, for those of us no where near Supreme's retail shops, an online release is set for next Monday, November 22.
via Supreme New York


text:
Nordson Corporation (NDSN) Given a $160.00 Price Target at FBR & Co
FBR & Co set a $160.00 price objective on Nordson Corporation (NASDAQ:NDSN) in a research note released on Monday morning. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the industrial products company’s stock.
A number of other analysts have also recently issued reports on NDSN. BidaskClub cut shares of Nordson Corporation from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, August 18th. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated a market perform rating and issued a $130.00 target price (up from $122.00) on shares of Nordson Corporation in a research note on Thursday, May 25th. Zacks Investment Research cut shares of Nordson Corporation from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Thursday, August 24th. Robert W. Baird restated a hold rating and issued a $128.00 price objective on shares of Nordson Corporation in a research note on Thursday, August 24th. Finally, Gabelli upgraded shares of Nordson Corporation from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $140.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 23rd. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. The stock presently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $138.00.
Shares of Nordson Corporation (NASDAQ:NDSN) opened at 112.89 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.45 and a beta of 1.35. The company’s 50-day moving average is $118.86 and its 200-day moving average is $121.68. Nordson Corporation has a 12-month low of $95.35 and a 12-month high of $131.49.
Nordson Corporation (NASDAQ:NDSN) last posted its earnings results on Monday, August 21st. The industrial products company reported $1.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $1.66 by $0.12. The firm had revenue of $589.40 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $574.20 million. Nordson Corporation had a net margin of 14.57% and a return on equity of 32.99%. The company’s revenue was up 20.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.67 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that Nordson Corporation will post $5.31 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
TRADEMARK VIOLATION WARNING: This piece was originally posted by Daily Political and is owned by of Daily Political. If you are accessing this piece on another domain, it was copied illegally and reposted in violation of United States & international copyright laws. The correct version of this piece can be read at https://www.dailypolitical.com/2017/09/15/nordson-corporation-ndsn-given-a-160-00-price-target-at-fbr-co.html.
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 5th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 22nd were paid a $0.30 dividend. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.06%. This is a boost from Nordson Corporation’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 18th. Nordson Corporation’s payout ratio is presently 23.90%.
Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. IFP Advisors Inc lifted its stake in shares of Nordson Corporation by 1.5% in the second quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 1,410 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $171,000 after buying an additional 21 shares during the last quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. lifted its stake in shares of Nordson Corporation by 2.3% in the second quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 974 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $118,000 after buying an additional 22 shares during the last quarter. Capstone Asset Management Co. lifted its stake in shares of Nordson Corporation by 0.6% in the second quarter. Capstone Asset Management Co. now owns 6,586 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $799,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas lifted its stake in shares of Nordson Corporation by 1.8% in the second quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 4,156 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $504,000 after buying an additional 72 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Pictet Asset Management Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Nordson Corporation by 0.4% in the first quarter. Pictet Asset Management Ltd. now owns 22,225 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $2,730,000 after buying an additional 85 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 66.03% of the company’s stock.
Nordson Corporation Company Profile
Nordson Corporation engineers, manufactures and markets differentiated products and systems used to dispense, apply and control adhesives, coatings, polymers, sealants, biomaterials, and other fluids, to test and inspect for quality, and to treat and cure surfaces. The Company’s segments include Adhesive Dispensing Systems, Advanced Technology Systems and Industrial Coating Systems.
Receive News & Ratings for Nordson Corporation Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nordson Corporation and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.


text:
Pumpkin-spiced fun awaits kids of all ages at Brown Hill Farms beginning Sept. 25. Kids love kids, and baby goats born during sunflower season are sure to be a hit with children again when Brown Hill Farms reopens on Sept. 25.
(A product of the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce)
Two big seasons down and one more to go at Brown Hill Farms in Lemon Township. 2021 has turned out to be a banner year in terms of visitation to the venue on Avery Station Road that first welcomed families to walk through their produce fields and take photos of their farm animals. In 2017, they planted a pumpkin patch specifically for guests and invited them to work their way through a corn maze. Sunflower fields that were 15 years in the making opened in 2018, and tulip fields bursting with color were opened in the spring of 2020.
Each new offering brings people from farther away and, this year especially, Michelle is watching new and returning guests connect the dots with other attractions in Wyoming County. “We had people come all the way from Ohio for the sunflowers,” co-owner/operator Michelle Brown told us. “I hope it becomes an annual tradition for them.”
Generally speaking, Michelle said that people drove up to three hours to see the tulip fields and one to one-and-a-half hours to browse and take photos in acres of towering sunflowers. The most notable difference this year, she noted, is that the travelers are asking what else they can do in the Tunkhannock area.
“They ask us where to eat, where to stay, and where they can go shopping,” Michelle related. “One lady who came from State College for the tulips returned with a friend for sunflowers. She told me that she loved the lunch recommendation that I gave her in the spring and asked where else she should go eat.” Business owners in the area have also been telling Michelle that people come to them directly from Brown Hill Farms.
“Especially now, people are looking for more things to do outside,” said Jean Ruhf, executive director of the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau. “More and more families are looking for family-friendly activities, and Brown Hill Farms is definitely a big draw.” Likewise, Ruhf noted, a visit to Brown Hill Farms can be a great add-on to a planned trip and give visitors yet another reason to spend more time in the Endless Mountains.
The farm has been in Michelle’s husband, Scott Brown’s family since 1868 and continues to be a major supplier of seasonal produce to their own roadside stand and other retailers. As Scott began diversifying the farm’s portfolio, Michelle started looking into agritourism, a term that refers to providing a hands-on experience at a farm in addition to the opportunity to take something home.
“We did a tulip dig this year,” Michelle related. Fans of the farm who follow events scheduled on Facebook or at www.brownhillfarms.com were given a variety of dates and times for which they prepurchased tickets and brought their own buckets to fill. “I was pleasantly surprised with how well that was received,” said Michelle. “I think they just wanted the chance to be on a farm.” Tulip bulbs will be available for purchase until the end of this season.
According to an article on the topic posted on the USDA website, agritourism has the potential to help revitalize rural economies, educate the public about agriculture, and preserve agricultural heritage. Additionally, the article suggests, being located near natural amenities or in close proximity to other outdoor activities has a statistically significant positive impact on agritourism activity.
For example, Michelle also likes to send her guests to see the Tunkhannock Viaduct at Nicholson. “I just think that’s so unique to our area,” she remarked. People from Wilkes-Barre and Scranton and beyond have commented to Michelle that they never knew that this part of the state was “so beautiful,” having never before been beyond Tunkhannock.
“I especially like that agritourism is helping farmers diversify and make more money while still keeping true to the heritage of our region,” Ruhf commented. “At Brown’s farm, they have a variety of items they make and sell outside the flowers. Even their cows are now on T-shirts.”
The gift shop will be open again on Saturday, Sept. 25, when Brown Hill Farms reopens for pumpkin and corn maze season, which lasts through Saturday, Oct. 30.
As with every farming operation, Michelle already has an eye on next year. She just ordered an additional 50,000 tulip bulbs to amplify the beauty of more than 500,000 ready for replanting from this past year. She wants to make tulips available for purchase next spring as a grab-and-go bouquet.
After successfully conducting three classes each Wednesday during the height of the COVID pandemic for homeschooled children, Michelle is considering a new educational component next year on Fridays.
The corn maze in 2019 featured a rendering of the Tunkhannock Viaduct at Nicholson. A new maze will open on Sept. 25.


text:
Uber vs Lyft: what to expect from Q2 results
The jury is still out on ride-sharing firms Uber and Lyft. With shares struggling to move above their IPO prices, can the ride-sharing firms take it up a gear?
Uber and Lyft: when are they reporting earnings?
The smaller of the two ride-sharing firms, Lyft, will be the first to release its results on Wednesday 7 August, with Uber to follow on Thursday 8 August. Each company will release their respective results at 2pm Pacific Time, which translates to 10pm in London. Both are reporting results for the second quarter (Q2) of 2019.
Uber vs Lyft: what does the City expect?
Uber and Lyft have had a bumpy start since they went public earlier this year. Shares in both companies remain below their initial public offering (IPO) price (of $45 and $72, respectively) as the hype that had built up ahead of their listings has given way to concerns over the sustainability of these cash-swallowing businesses.
Both companies warned in Q1 results that increased competition, with one another and a number of other newer entrants, was driving an aggressive competition on price. This was encouraging them to subsidise journeys by paying their drivers incentives to plug the shortfall. However, both companies said the focus on price was waning as they entered Q2. Uber’s chief financial officer (CFO) Nelson Chai said the firm had 'started to see signs of less aggressive pricing by some ride-sharing competitors', while Lyft said 'competitive pressure in terms of rider incentives' had eased.
Therefore, there is an expectation that the margin each company makes per trip will improve in Q2 as they raise prices and spend less on driver incentives. While this will be welcome there are fears that higher prices could hamper growth in terms of riders and revenue, which have already deaccelerated at both businesses this year.
Uber and Lyft are both expected to see slower top-line growth in Q2, and the focus will be on how it compares to Q1. Uber’s Q2 revenue is expected to be $3.06 billion, according to a Bloomberg consensus, 1.3% less than Q1 2019 but markedly higher than the year before. Lyft’s Q2 revenue is forecast to nudge just 4.3% higher quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) compared to 27% the year before.
Uber vs Lyft: Q2 results expectations (Bloomberg Q2 consensus: 2 July 2019)
|Revenue||$3.058 billion||$809.429 million|
|Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA)||$970.318 million||$274.522 million|
|Operating loss||$4.962 billion||$313.923 million|
|Adjusted net loss||$1.177 billion||$302.438 million|
|Adjusted earnings per share (EPS)||$0.96||$1.002|
What to watch out for
Uber is the market leader when it comes to ride sharing, but it is a very different business to Lyft because of its geographical reach and diversification through the likes of UberEats or UberFreight. Having raised over $8 billion in its IPO, the company believes it can spend big and force smaller rivals out. Right now, it’s all about capturing market share and keeping ahead.
Uber has reported average quarterly ride growth of 36% over the past four quarters but this top-line growth is expected to slow in Q2 as revenue-per-ride increases. Uber rolled-out its loyalty programme nationwide in the US at the end of Q1, which may help stem any slowdown. It is also worth looking out for commentary on its new driver rewards programme in the US, which aims to attract and maintain loyalty from drivers by offering discounts on petrol and maintenance work.
Bloomberg forecasts Uber’s take-rate – the amount it makes on each trip – will be around 19% in Q2 while Wedbush Securities believes the company could beat its forecast of 19.7%. Uber’s take-rate was 18.8% in Q1. Investors will also want to see some improvement in its contribution margin that is used to measure the underlying performance of the business after it turned to -4.5% in Q1 – the worst on record for two years. Uber’s CFO said the contribution margin would improve every quarter in 2019, implying the worst is behind the business after Q1.
Figures from Wedbush suggests revenue from UberEats, a much smaller but faster-growing business, could beat its $321 million estimate. The growth from UberEats is expected to keep Uber’s overall bookings growth above 30%, according to Bloomberg. UberEats is rapidly expanding on several fronts: more small restaurants are utilising its self-sign-up process, it is expanding deals with bigger partners such as Starbucks, and it is attracting more outlets by allowing them to use their own couriers.
In terms of other updates, investors will want to hear more about the $1 billion investment from Toyota, DENSO and SoftBank into Uber’s Advanced Technologies Group, which homes its development of autonomous vehicles. The investment is expected to close before the end of July. Also watch out for any news on Careem, the ride-sharing firm operating in the Middle East, Africa and Pakistan it is purchasing for $3.1 billion. The deal is expected to close at the start of 2020.
Uber made the frank admission that it may never make money when it released its IPO prospectus – a comment that Lyft has tried to capitalise on. The company, which has drivers operating across most of the US and in Ontario in Canada, as well as swathes of electric scooters and bikes in major cities, has laid out a ‘clear path to profitability’. While Uber’s grand ambitions go well beyond ride sharing, Lyft is happy to put all its efforts into it and markets itself as a more-focused business.
Lyft is also providing better insight by providing quarterly guidance to investors, giving them a better idea of what to expect on results day. For Q2, Lyft expects revenue will be between $800 million to $810 million with quarterly earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) loss of $270 million to $280 million.
Although Lyft has said it is focused on making a sustainable and profitable business rather than growing at any cost, it has warned 2019 will be its ‘peak loss year’. Investors should keep a close eye on any change in full-year guidance for 2019, which currently targets revenue of $3.275 billion to $3.30 billion, with an EBITDA loss of $1.15 billion to $1.175 billion as it continues to invest in its scooters and bikes. If achieved, annual revenue this year will be over 50% higher than 2018 while the loss will have widened from $943.5 million. Lyft may also provide a glimpse into what to expect in 2020.
Importantly, Lyft has said it will no longer report figures from bookings or its take-rate from Q2 onwards, arguing there are better metrics to evaluate the performance of the business. Instead, focus will be on revenue per rider in Q2 which, like Uber, should improve as it pays less in driver incentives. Bloomberg has forecast revenue per rider will be around $37.1 in Q2, up 14% year-on-year. Growth in the top-line is expected to slow.
The number of completed rides in Q2 is expected to rise 43% year-on-year in Q2, a marked slowdown from the 71% reported in Q2 2018, while growth in the number of active riders is expected to be about 38%. Wedbush is expecting Lyft will have ended Q2 with around 21.7 million users – 40% more than a year earlier.
How to trade Uber and Lyft’s Q2 results
Many rightly question how a company like Uber can be attractive considering it plans to burn cash without aiming to make a profit, but these companies derive their value from their potential and not their bottom-lines. Growth may be slowing but the ride-sharing industry still has plenty of room to expand, and many are focused on the long-term prospects for Uber and Lyft, especially the cost reductions and opportunities that come from the likes of autonomous vehicles.
As pointed out by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, that would make drivers – the biggest cost on the balance sheet – obsolete, allowing them to provide cheap travel for customers at a much higher margin. This view is shared by the likes of Deutsche Bank which, upon commencing coverage of Uber with a Buy rating in early June, said ‘concerns related to Uber’s profitability outlook pose less risk than Facebook’s transition to mobile’.
Brokers have similar stances on both Uber and Lyft, according to a Reuters poll (as of June 1, 2019). Both companies boast Buy ratings ahead of their Q2 results, although significant numbers believe they are adequately valued.
Uber vs Lyft: broker recommendations (Reuters: 1 July 2019)
Uber vs Lyft: both hope to put their foot on the pedal after false start
Uber and Lyft still need to earn their stripes as far as investors are concerned and both companies will hope their Q2 results can act as a catalyst to make up for the disappointing share price performance since listing. As the first to report, pressure initially falls on Lyft but this means it will also set the stage for its larger rival. If Lyft beats forecasts, then this will raise expectations for Uber’s results the day after. Similarly, if Lyft’s results are not as good as anticipated then expectations at Uber will fall, although it will also give Uber the opportunity to surprise the market if it can outperform its smaller rival. It is crucial that investors tune in for Lyft’s results even if their only interested in Uber.
The focus is slightly different in Q2 compared to Q1. Whereas Uber and Lyft had aggressively reduced prices to compete during the first three months of the year both have said this should ease in Q2. This turns attention to how well they both improve in terms of monetising their trips and user base. Both have looked for other avenues to bring more stable pricing and reliable custom to their doors, including striking deals with corporate clients.
The pair have gone public at a difficult time. Growth is starting to slow, and competition is increasing. Uber finds itself competing with new competition in a number of its international markets. For example, in London, Ola, which is already fighting with Uber over market share in India, is planning to give the US firm a run for its money when it launches in the UK later this year. French firm Kapten also entered the UK capital earlier this year, as did Estonia-based Bolt (formerly known as Taxify).
Long-term hopes are pinned on the development of autonomous vehicles and diversification into other related markets, whether that be Uber’s food delivery platform or Lyft’s electric scooters and bikes. While turning a profit is not the priority for most investors, all of them should be questioning whether Uber and Lyft can survive that long. Building and maintaining a fleet of self-driving cars, for example, is not cheap, even if it means being able to avoid paying drivers. Lyft is trying to create a self-sustaining, profitable business using the cash it raised at IPO – whether or not it succeeds is another question. Creating a sustainable business doesn’t seem to feature in discussions at Uber, which has boasted about its plans to spend, spend and spend the $8 billion it raised from investors to push its rivals out the market.
For Uber, the long-term investment case still rests on its global reach and the fact it is the market leader everywhere it operates. With hopes of becoming a ‘one stop-shop for local transportation and commerce’, Uber needs to maintain or extend its leadership to keep investors on side in the short-term. Although Lyft is the smaller of the two, there is greater expectations for the company to become profitable sooner. To do that, it needs to improve loyalty among its customers and reduce churn, especially at a time when so many companies are vying for the ride-sharing dollar.
This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
Act on share opportunities today
Go long or short on thousands of international stocks with spread bets and CFDs.
- Get full exposure for a comparatively small deposit
- Trade on spreads from just 0.1%
- Get greater order book visibility with direct market access
See opportunity on a stock?
Try a risk-free trade in your demo account, and see whether you’re on to something.
- Log in to your demo
- Take your position
- See whether your hunch pays off
See opportunity on a stock?
Don’t miss your chance – upgrade to a live account to take advantage.
- Trade a huge range of popular stocks
- Analyse and deal seamlessly on fast, intuitive charts
- See and react to breaking news in-platform
See opportunity on a stock?
Don’t miss your chance. Log in to take advantage while conditions prevail.
Live prices on most popular markets
Prices above are subject to our website terms and agreements. Prices are indicative only. All share prices are delayed by at least 15 minutes.


text:
Duncan Ellison has joined Event and Exhibition production company OneBigStar in a Project and Business Management role. Ellison has spent time with Stage Electrics, Jack Morton and more recently Hawthorn Theatrical.
“We are delighted with this appointment” said Simon Taylor, OBS Commercial
Director. “Duncan’s breadth of experience, knowledge and reputation made this an easy appointment. As we grow our business and move into new sectors Duncan will become a key member of the team”
Category: General Event Industry News


text:
Is Jaguar Investing Nearly a Billion Dollars in Faraday Future?
Faraday Future was recently in the news regarding a very public conflict with their now-former chief financial officer. Thankfully, there has been some seriously good news for the company since. None other than Indian automaker Tata motors, also known as the parent company for Jaguar Land Rover has just invested $900 million in Faraday Future. The timing of this investment could not have come soon enough for Faraday Future however it should be noted that this news comes mostly from uncorroborated reports. Neither Faraday Future nor Tata is willing to make a statement regarding the matter.
It was just last month that Faraday Future publicly accused their own CFO Stefan Krause of “malfeasance.” Apparently Krause resigned from Faraday in October, before this public dispute. After that major news item, Faraday representatives told the press that they never actually authorized any documents that were alleged to indicate Faraday Future had plans to enter bankruptcy and turn over control of its future over to newer investors.
Faraday Future vs Stefan Krause: Tata Invests
Thus, word has since gotten out that Tata are the new investors. Not only that, but that they were allegedly willing to put up a $900 million investment. That alleged number shook up reporters and industry insiders, to say the least.
According to Gasgoo, a Chinese automotive news aggregator, it was their local news outlets who reported that Faraday actually did raise 900 million dollars. That total makes up over 10 percent of Faraday Future’s shares. If that news is true then Faraday Future’s valuation is apparently 9 billion dollars.
Sources Are Unclear Regarding Jaguar and Faraday Future Partnership
As of the time of this writing, these reports are still uncorroborated. No one knows the primary source. Jalopnik’s inside sources claim that no one was made aware of any negotiations between Tata and the company in recent weeks or months. However those same sources told Jalopnik that it is not out of the realm of possibility that a rough framework, at the very least, was put together. That refers to a basic outline for the initial terms of an agreement.
If all of this news is true, that means Faraday, who has had very public issues related to not being able to finalize their first road car designs. That stings since Faraday Future had already ended up spending hundreds of millions of dollars so far. That is comparable to their most direct competition, such as the electric car startup NIO. The NIO also reportedly netted some fundraising and are set to launch their first production car next month.
But what could this mean for Faraday Future? These rumors could prove to be true. However it comes as a surprise to anyone keeping an eye on Faraday. Real life can be stranger than fiction. So if these rumors are in fact true, the timing is still rather suspect.
More like this
In today’s day and age, a subscription option is available for just about any valuable and marketable service. Do you want to watch your favorite shows without paying for cable?..


text:
Popular items included the Voltas 5 Star Split 1.2 T ACs at nearly Rs 20,000 and products from Lakme (flat 30%) and Maybelline (flat 20%) saw brisk sales.
Google, Citibank, Snapdeal, Yatra and Oyo Rooms are some companies that these startups have been serving.
The programme plans to get on board at least 10,000 merchants by the end of this year, giving them access to more than 5-million products from China.
Bhaskar believes that when customers get tired of the 'avalanche of features', appliance companies with a focus on how `humans interact with appliances in their homes' will benefit.
Consumers can improve the effective discount rate by selecting smaller EMI tenures.


text:
Having the correct units of measure can save healthcare systems money and ensure that all orders observe contractual compliance during the supply chain purchasing process. Read this article to learn…
A lot is being said and predicted about the future of the digital supply chain. Where does it all fit with healthcare’s CQO movement? In Prodigo’s benchmark study of over $26B in healthcare supply…
Prodigo Solutions announces it has entered into a multiyear agreement with Captis® to make their eProcurement technology Solutions Suite available to their network of member hospitals and providers.
Today, a growing number of supply chain pros serve as business consultants for doctors who want to concentrate more on patients — and rightly so — and focus less on economics directly when…
ProdigoMarketplace has received a 2017 Innovative Technology designation from Vizient, Inc., the largest member-driven health care performance improvement company in the country.
Whether it's a local contract or a GPO contract, the best way to effectively manage all contracts is to have technology keep an eye on the terms and conditions of all of them, so things don't get…
In this exclusive, diverse and wide-ranging interview, industry thought leaders reflect on what happened last year and what it may mean for 2016 and beyond. Read more to hear what GPO executives and…
Sign up for Prodigo newsletters to receive new company announcements, and stay current on industry leading news and supply chain trends.
Prodigo Solutions, Inc.
600 Cranberry Woods Drive, Suite 300
Cranberry Township, PA 16066


text:
Korat now running out of WATER and over 300 households in three villages have been running dry for over a week, according to a local media report.
The shortage began on April 12 when water pipes from a local plant of the Provincial Waterworks Authority ran dried.
Affected by the water shortage are about 300 households in three villages – Ban Phoek, Ban Mai Nong Bua and Ban Non Tako – in tambon Lum Khao of Non Sung district.
Turian Kangklang, 55, the owner of a resort at Ban Phoek, said she has to hire a truck to buy water for 200-300 baht per day from elsewhere to fill up the tank of her resort to supply water for her clients.
The shortage has also forced her to close a shop providing coin-operated washing machines, Mrs Turin said.


text:
It seems like only yesterday that 533 million Facebook accounts were compromised by malicious actors. But the hacking world never sleeps, and personal information from hundreds of millions of LinkedIn accounts is now reportedly being offered on an online forum.
Cyber News reports that an archive of 500 million LinkedIn profiles was posted to a hacking forum, with the cyber thieves disclosing details of 2 million accounts to prove they have the goods.
The leaked details were supposedly scraped from the site and include users’ full names, email addresses, phone numbers, workplace information, and other data.
For its part, LinkedIn says this incident was not technically a “LinkedIn data breach” because the information was “actually an aggregation of data from a number of websites and companies.”
This likely means that the data collected by the hacker was information that was already viewable on the site. LinkedIn says it believes no private member account information was included.
How does this affect consumers?
There are a few different ways the information in this breach could be used for nefarious purposes.
First, and perhaps most directly, any entity that buys the data from the hacking source could send spam messages to the email addresses and spam calls to phone numbers.
While this might be annoying enough on its own, the collected data could also be used for phishing attacks.
These scam attempts would be especially dangerous because consumers’ personal information could be used to make them more believable.
Cyber News notes that hackers could also combine the information they collected from this leak with information from other data breaches to compromise accounts.
Consumers should consider implementing several standard cybersecurity practices to protect themselves and their online accounts.
This includes resetting email and account passwords, reviewing what information they’re making available on social media and other websites, and enabling two-factor authentication on all online accounts reports Consumer Affairs.
Become a Harlem Insider!
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Harlem World Magazine, 2521 1/2 west 42nd street, Los Angeles, CA, 90008, https://www.harlemworldmagazine.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact


text:
FORTUNE -- Both smartphones were highly anticipated and well-reviewed. Both were made available for online orders and quickly sold out.
But one -- Apple's (AAPL) iPhone 5 -- overcame some initial production hiccups and as of Thursday, according to Piper Jaffrey's Gene Munster, had "finally reached a point where consumers can walk into an Apple Store and walk out with a phone."
The other -- made for Google (GOOG) by LG Electronics (LGLD) as a showcase for Android 4.2 (a.k.a. Jelly Bean) -- has become an object lesson in how not to stage a roll-out in advance of the holidays.
I quote from Computerworld's JR Raphael (Google's Nexus 4 launch and the land of lost opportunity):
Selling out isn't the problem; that's relatively common with hot products in high demand. There's more to this story.
First is the way Google started the Nexus 4's sales. With no presales available, people were champing at the bit to get the phone the second orders opened up. Google initially said it'd start Nexus 4 sales on November 13th, with no specific time; later, word got out that the floodgates would open at 9 a.m. PT that day. Plenty of Android enthusiasts planned their days around that schedule to make sure they wouldn't end up empty-handed.
But then Google randomly started the sales about 15 minutes early, with no announcement and no warning. And then things really went to hell: The company's Play Store buckled under the pressure of incoming traffic and became almost unusable. Even if you managed to get a Nexus 4 in your shopping cart, the site would repeatedly hiccup and give you errors before you could check out.
Soon, Google's storefront started randomly switching between showing the phone as available and showing it as "coming soon." That level of barely-usable business went on much of the day. With enough work, you could often place an order -- but it took an awful lot of effort. I chatted with scores of people who spent hours trying to make it happen.
If only the troubles had stopped there.
After two days of silence, many of the users who managed to order devices -- myself included -- received emails from Google stating that the Nexus 4 was backordered "due to overwhelming demand" and that the phone should ship "within three weeks." There's been no official communication since. And Google's Play Store continues to show the Nexus 4 as being "sold out," with no option to place an order or be notified when more units become available.
Sprint is now sold out online and in retail stores of its EVO 4G but are working day and night to replenish stocks.
Update: Sprint has revised their numbers downwards.
Sprint yesterday announced that the EVO outsold its previous record holder, the Palm Pre, by more than a factor of six -- in one third the time. Today's news is even more telling. On the day after Apple (AAPL) announced its next MORESeth Weintraub - Jun 8, 2010 4:56 PM ET
Shoppers hunting for iPhone 3Gs can still find them -- if they're willing to get up early and, in some cases, drive long distances.
As of 6:00 a.m. EDT Tuesday, all three models (8GB black, 16 GB black or white) of the hot-selling device were sold out in 21 states, according to Jim Neal, a retired PR man living near Kansas City who took the time to check each of Apple's MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Jul 15, 2008 7:37 AM ET
|Fast food worker: Protest didn't cost me pay|
|2 million Facebook, Gmail and Twitter passwords stolen in massive hack|
|Job growth drives mortgage rate jump|
|GM to discontinue Chevrolet brand in Europe|
|Ron Paul: Bitcoin could 'destroy the dollar'|


text:
On a warm Sunday afternoon, Guangzhou Chapter Director Chance Jiang interviewed Derrick Xiong at our Startup Grind November meetup. We asked him about how he got into the drone business, and how to run a sucessesful crowdsourcing campaign. Xiong, CEO of EHANG, the makers of the GHOST drone, told us about his stuggles learning about the drone business, and how he has been working tirelessly to bring more user-friendly drones to the masses.
He's already seen his hard work pay off. First in growing his company from 5 to 70 people while opening offices in Guangzhou, Silicon Valley, and Beijing. And as of now, they have raised almost 700,000USD in a crowd-funding campaign. On the tails of their crowdfunding success, we're happy to share that Xiong and his team have just secured a Series A round led by GGV Capital.
Congratulations Derrick! What a great way to close out 2014, we look forward to seeing your drones in 2015!


text:
The CEO of cryptocurrency change Binance has refuted claims hackers gained entry to confidential consumer data corresponding to private ID.
CZ: “Do not fall into the ‘KYC leak’ FUD”
“Do not fall into the ‘KYC leak’ FUD. We're investigating, will replace shortly,” he wrote.
Social media customers had panicked earlier after what seem like pretend warnings confirmed figures posing with private paperwork, apparently of Binance customers.
“KYC is vital” Telegram group member depend soars
A devoted Telegram group that includes the paperwork presently has greater than 8,300 members, rising by hundreds in a matter of minutes. Materials posted to the group lacks the digital watermark Binance makes use of for its inner data, including doubts about its authenticity.
Cointelegraph has reached out to Binance for remark however didn't get a reply by press time. A Binance consultant, nevertheless, mentioned that an official assertion is coming shortly.
The story can be up to date because it develops.